Youth Leader Summit
October 19-21, 2026
“A time of rest and renewal sharing common grounds of youth ministry.”
A weekend retreat where you can come together to worship and learn leadership skills while doing fun recreational activities!
The Youth Leader Summit seeks to be a supportive and informative gathering for all who work with young people in the church—youth directors, parents, pastors, educators and/or advisors are all welcome! Together, we will spend three days and two nights digging into some of the current issues facing youth ministry while also sharing joys, concerns and best practices. There will also be time for individual and group worship, play, rest and relaxation!
Working with and serving students in middle and high school, plus their parents, in our communities of faith requires no small amount of creativity, vision, persistence and joyful patience. In fact, youth ministry demands all the energy, intelligence, imagination and love that we can muster.
We want to honor our partnership in ministry with you by offering this annual event. Mo-Ranch wants to pour some love and strength back into you! We believe you need and deserve some dedicated time away with your colleagues to recharge and regroup.
2026 Leadership Coming Soon!
Youth Leader Summit 2025 Leadership
Laura Martinez
Laura Martinez has served as the Director of Youth Ministries at Canyon Creek Presbyterian Church in Richardson, Texas, for the past ten years. Before her time working in youth ministry, Laura worked in marketing and advertising and also enjoyed a brief time as a preschool teacher. Laura is a proud mom of two young adult sons who both survived middle and high school youth group with their mom as their Youth Director (and their dad as a youth sponsor!). In her spare time, Laura enjoys travelling with her husband, Michael, taking her dog Holly for walks, and watching Texas Aggie football. A lifelong Presbyterian, Laura has experienced all areas of youth ministry—as a youth, a youth volunteer, and a youth director. Laura’s favorite part of youth ministry is the chance to build meaningful relationships with students and walk alongside them in their faith journeys.
Godwin Dixon
Godwin Dixon is a senior care professional with 37 years of experience and the co-owner and co-founder of Teresa’s House Senior Care.
Teresa’s House – Craig Ranch (McKiney) is an Assisted Living and Memory Care community that opened in 2020 and has been voted Best of McKinney for 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024, and hopes soon to be voted Best for 2025!
Teresa’s House – Argyle, is a state-of-the-art Assisted Living and Memory Care community that opened in April of 2023 and has already won Best of Denton County for 2023 and 2024 and hopes to soon be voted Best for 2025. Teresa’s House also won Living Magazine’s Reader’s Choice Award and the 2024 & 2025 Elite Chef Competitions.
Prior to that he was for 17 years the President and CEO of Dallas based Presbyterian Communities and Services, where he led Presbyterian Village North, Grace Presbyterian Village and led the creation of Faith Presbyterian Hospice and the T. Boone Pickens Hospice and Palliative Care Center.
Godwin and his business partner Teresa Whittington, for whom their Teresa’s House Assisted Living and Memory Care community is named, are nationally recognized experts in senior care having been featured on NBC Nightly News, CNN and Newsweek in addition to D Magazine, the Dallas Morning News and our local media.
Godwin is a lifelong Presbyterian, an elder, son of two Presbyterian pastors and father of a Presbyterian pastor, who has been active in youth ministry for much of his life!
Becca Bibee
Becca Bibee lives in Huntsville, AL, and has been working in ministry for over 15 years. A lifelong member of the United Methodist Church, she has worked with children, youth, college students, and adults in various churches. She currently serves as the Youth Ministry Resource Director at the Ministry Leadership Center. She holds a Master’s in Youth Ministry from Memphis Theological Seminary through the Ministry Leadership Center’s graduate residency program. When she’s not working, Becca loves to cook, bake bread, read, and spend time with friends and family. She’s all about making real connections and bringing joy to the everyday moments in life.
Cost and Housing
Attendees will be housed in Guest Lodge.
This conference is free. Meals included, starting with dinner Monday until breakfast Wednesday.
Questions? We’re happy to help! Contact us at 1.800.460.4401 ext. 246 or registrar@moranch.org.
Packing Suggestions
- Comfortable/casual clothes
- Comfortable walking shoes (close-toed shoes recommended)
- Flashlight (it is very dark here at night)
- Bible
- Journal
- Toiletries
- Sunblock, sunshades and hats
- Rain jacket
- Water bottle
- A clean face mask for each day, and or full face shield.
- Beds are ready upon arrive; hotel rooms do not have mini-fridges, microwaves, TVs or hair dryers, so please plan accordingly.
- Towel are in rooms, and river towels are at the river and pool.
Transportation
Mo-Ranch is 90 miles one-way, or a 2-hour drive from the nearest airport (SAT), allow 3 hours travel/check-in time for departures. We recommend generally scheduling arriving flights before 3 p.m. and departing flights after 3 p.m. to be sure you do not miss any of your event. If you are in need of shuttle service to Mo-Ranch, call Kars for Hire in Kerrville at (830) 890-8200 at least 15 days in advance to arrange transportation from San Antonio International Airport.
Bookstore
Make sure to stop by the Presbyterian Mo-Ranch Assembly bookstore during your conference to pick out a souvenir!
Questions
We’re happy to help! Contact us at 1.800.460.4401 ext. 246 or registrar@moranch.org.
