Hillary Barnard

Hillary grew up in Dothan, AL as the oldest of 3. She was raised Methodist in a Christian family, but she was in a ballet company and competitive dance team and didn't make much time for church. After an injury, she began to focus more on her visual art, which brought her to SMU in 2005. After a tough first semester in college, she found herself in the basement of HPUMC to begin volunteering. The next year, she was offered a part-time job in the youth staff, and over the course of the next 3 years was transformed by the youth and families of HPUMC. After graduating from SMU with a degree in Creative Advertising (Art Direction), Hillary worked briefly at a marketing firm as a graphic designer before returning full time as a youth minister at UPUMC. She is excited and humbled to be back at HPUMC, the church she calls home! Hillary spends her free time designing for freelance projects, hanging out with her Dallas family and friends, playing with her dogs, volunteering and planning trips, particularly in Africa.

Who were some of your Influences / Inspirations? My parents, my dance teachers, HPUMC youth staff (past and present), and my friends in Ghana

What’s an interesting fact about you? I love teaching myself random new crafts. One summer, I made money by hand-painting and reupholstering old furniture (I made most of the furniture in my apartment). Currently, my trade of choice is knitting!

Describe your perfect day... I would be at the beach will all the people I love most. We'd wake up before it was too hot and go on a long walk. After getting back, we'd eat a huge breakfast, then head to the beach. We'd spend the whole day at the beach hanging out, talking, playing in the water and getting good sun. Then we'd head back, watch the sunset, cook fresh seafood for dinner and stay up late talking and laughing until we couldn't keep our eyes open anymore. 

My all time favorite movie is… The Wizard of Oz. I loved it as a kid, and I love thinking about what it would be like to see it in color for the first time.

My favorite food is… pizza like they make it in Naples, or pretty much any farm-to-table meal my sister makes

My favorite sport is … tennis, especially when my brother is playing

My favorite quote is..."Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends." - Maya Angelou

What's on your iPod … Mumford and Sons, Dave Matthews, John Mayer, Jason Mraz, Adele, top 40 dance music and Broadway soundtracks

What's one of the most important Lessons you've learned in life? Seek to understand someone, and you cannot help but love them.

My favorite scripture is … 1 John 4:8 "And whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love."