Rev. Dr. Joan Labarr Bio:
Short Bio for Joan La Barr
Joan La Barr is a retired United Methodist elder who has served in numerous appointments in her 40 plus years of ministry. Joan and her husband, Bill, also a retired UMC elder, are pleased and grateful to have found a church home at First UMC Coppell. Technically, we are Charge Conference members as we will always have our official membership in the Annual Conference.
Joan’s appointments over the years include serving as an associate pastor and Minister of Communications at Lovers Lane UMC, Dallas; pastor of First UMC Gainesville; Superintendent of the former Wichita Falls District; pastor of Christ UMC Farmers Branch; Director of Communications for the former North Texas Annual Conference; and superintendent of the East District.
Her education background includes: Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Howard Payne University, Brownwood (her home town); Master of Arts in Communications from Louisiana State University; and Master of Theology and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Perkins School of Theology, SMU. She and Bill have both studied Spanish at the International University in Cuernavaca, Mexico.
She has served in numerous leadership capacities in the Conference, including being a delegate to Jurisdictional and General Conferences twice as the first woman clergy elected to both Jurisdictional and General Conferences.
Joan was a teacher for the North Texas Conference Commuter Course of Study for many years and was also an adjunct faculty member at Texas Wesleyan University after her retirement. She has been president of the NTC Retiree Fellowship and continues to be part of the team helping merge the NTC retiree group into the new Horizon Texas Conference.
Joan’s ties to Coppell began when she joined the YMCA where she continues to be active in the older adult exercise classes. She is also a member of the Coppell Women’s Club where she has been on the Board as co-chair of Programs.
Joan and Bill have been a clergy couple from the beginning. They will celebrate 36 years of marriage in August. They are proud parents of three adult children and seven grandchildren (ranging in age from 24 to 7), who are the light of their lives.
 

Rev. Dr. Bill LaBarr:
William Eugene (Bill) La Barr was born in Clovis, NM, and graduated from Bentonville (AR) High School in 1968. After a 20-year retail career with C.R. Anthony Co., Montgomery Ward, and Payless Cashways, he answered the call to ministry.
He earned a B.A. from the University of North Texas (1991), an M.Div. from Brite Divinity School, TCU (1995), and a D.Min. in homiletics (2000). Ordained as an Elder in the UMC in 1997, he served multiple congregations, including Lake Cities UMC (1997–2005), where membership grew from 469 to over 800. From 2005 to 2019, he was Senior Pastor at Plymouth Park UMC in Irving, TX.
Beyond the pulpit, Dr. La Barr served as a Lake Cities Chamber of Commerce Director, a Brite Divinity Adjunct Professor, and a contributor to Biblical Preaching Journal. He also held leadership roles with Baylor Scott & White (Irving), the Denton Wesley Foundation, and the North Texas Conference Board of Ministry.
Retiring in 2019, he served two interim roles and remains active at First UMC Coppell.
Dr. La Barr is married to Dr. Joan La Barr, a retired UMC Elder and former Director of Communications for the North Texas Annual Conference. They have three children and several grandchildren.