2026 Perkins Awards Recipients

M.Th. '75, D.Min. '76

Lopez is a retired United Methodist elder and pioneering leader in the denomination. A graduate of Scarritt College and Perkins School of Theology at SMU, she was the first Hispanic woman and second woman to earn the Doctor of Ministry from Perkins and the first woman and Hispanic woman ordained in the New Mexico Annual Conference. She later served congregations in New Mexico, Texas, and Minnesota, including as lead pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, Minnesota, and as a District Superintendent in the Minnesota Annual Conference.

M.Div. '17

Gienger is an ordained elder in the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and co-pastor of Central United Methodist Church in Galveston, Texas. A graduate of Baylor University and Perkins School of Theology at SMU, he is also the founder of Galveston Housing Plus, a nonprofit providing supportive housing for people exiting homelessness. Under his leadership, Central UMC has become a major provider of homeless services in Galveston, embodying a ministry of radical grace and community.

M.A.M. '25

Bentley has served Allen ISD as a Care Coordinator for over a decade and previously worked for twelve years as a director of a local housing authority. A lifelong member of St. James Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) Church in McKinney, Texas, she serves in several leadership roles and was recently confirmed as an Exhorter in the C.M.E. Church. Bentley is also active in community leadership and co-founded Legacy Keepers of Old East McKinney, which preserves and promotes the history of the area’s historic Black and Mexican neighborhoods.

Hall serves as Office and Hospitality Manager for the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas, connecting the Foundation with partner organizations and institutions. She previously served the Arkansas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church in several roles and helped lead learning communities and spiritual enrichment opportunities. Hall also served on the Perkins Summit for Faith and Learning Lay Advisory Board and is an active member of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock.