LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (March 6, 2026)—Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University in Dallas has announced this year’s recipients of the Woodrow B. Seals Laity Award, and among them is Ms. Cathy Hall, who serves as the Office and Hospitality Manager for the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas (MFA).
Hall’s history of empowering laity extends back through her previous work as Lay Program Coordinator for the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church’s Center for Vitality, with the Arkansas Conference Center for Administrative Services, and through unpaid roles with multiple congregations in central and northeast Arkansas, where she led ministries both with youth and adults. She joined the Foundation staff in 2019, and since then has had an impact upon hundreds of laypersons through her work of coordinating details for immersive educational travel, mission service, on-site gatherings, remote learning, and intentional fellowship. Hall consistently uses both her spiritual gift of hospitality and her certification in event planning to create experiences that leave people feeling welcomed, valued, and empowered for carrying out their own ministries.
“Cathy routinely goes the extra mile for those who come into contact with her through her role at the Foundation, whether it’s a member of our Board of Directors, a candidate for ordination, or someone who makes deliveries to our building,” said MFA President & CEO the Rev. J. Wayne Clark. “Her passion for lay ministry shines through all of her interactions with other laity. She is a natural encourager and has done more than I can express to bolster the Foundation’s reach into leadership and learning opportunities for her fellow laity. I’m so thankful that my seminary alma mater is recognizing her for her years of work lifting up and empowering others.”
Hall, a member of Pulaski Heights UMC in Little Rock, will be recognized alongside other honorees as part of the annual Perkins Awards Banquet, set for Monday, March 30, at 6:30 p.m. in the Perkins Prothro Great Hall in Dallas, Texas. Reservations must be received by March 25; purchase individual tickets or a table of eight seats at this link.
About the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas
With a mission to establish and manage charitable funds to strengthen and expand Methodist ministries across Arkansas, the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas manages over $260 million in endowment funds and other charitable assets that benefit local churches and other United Methodist ministries. Founded in 1963, the Foundation has grown into one of the largest United Methodist foundations in the country, managing more than 800 funds that support Methodist ministries. To learn more, visit methodistfoundationAR.org.