pathways magazine
DESCRIPTION
Quarterly newsletter published by Stonebridge United Methodist Church in McKinney, TexasTRANSCRIPT
March 11-16 Spring Break
March 15V3 Gathering at Dankel Home7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
March 17V3 Gathering at Men’s Group Breakfast7:30 a.m.
V3 Gathering at Prime Timers6:30 p.m.
March 25Pastor’s Coffee6:30 p.m.
VBC Kick-Off/Registration for Children of Volunteers
V3 Gathering at Castilla Home3 p.m. - 4:15 p.m
March 29V3 Gathering at Cain Home7 p.m. - 8:15 p.m.
March 30Scrapbooking6:30 p.m.
April 1Palm Sunday
VBC Open Registration
Picnic In The Park12 p.m.
April 5Maundy Thursday Seder Meal Service 7:30 p.m., Robertson Activity Center
April 6Good Friday Service7:30 p.m., Celebration Hall
April 8Easter Sunday Services8:15, 9:30 & 10:45 a.m., Celebration Hall9:30 & 10:45 a.m., Robertson Activity Center*No adult, youth or children Sunday school. Nursery available for 4yrs and under.
April 13Children’s Choir Spring Musical Dress Rehearsal 6 p.m.
Parents’ Night Out6 p.m.
April 14Men’s Group Breakfast7:30 a.m.
April 15Children’s Spring Musical9:30 a.m. & 10:45 a.m., Robertson Activity Center
Brett’s Blessings Project Toybox2 p.m.
April 20Scrapbooking6:30 p.m.
Family Movie & Mission Night7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
April 21Prime Timers6:30 p.m.
April 29Nursery Staff Appreciation Luncheon12:15 p.m.
April 27Relay For Life of McKinney 7 p.m., Ballfields at Craig Ranch
May 4Parents’ Night Out6 p.m.
May 5McKinney Ladies’ Association Yard Sale7 a.m.
May 6Senior Banquet6 p.m.
May 6, 13, 20 & 27Children’s Summer Sunday School Volunteer Drive
May 11 - 13Confirmation Retreat
May 12Men’s Group Breakfast7:30 a.m.
May 18Scrapbooking6:30 p.m.
May 19Confirmation Service6:30 p.m.
Prime Timers6:30 p.m
May 28Church Office Closed
May 30Boyd HS Baccalaureate6:30 p.m
Stonebridge United Methodist Church
1800 S. Stonebridge DriveMcKinney, TX 75070
“Like” us atfacebook.com/stonebridgeumc
celebrate study serve share
Spring 2012
Mark Your Calendar
Inside:
More Place, More People
Behind the Scenes
Easter Services
Editor’s Note Excitement and anticipation are filling the hallways of Stonebridge UMC! Not only is this nice weather making us smile, but the Lenten season is here and getting us excited to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Nothing can bring us more joy than the understanding of God’s promise to free us from our sins through His son, our redeemer. On pages 6-7, take a look at the Easter services schedule and read about the worship focuses in both Celebration Service and The Bridge this Lenten season.
To further our excitement and anticipation, the second annual Picnic in the Park will be held on Palm Sunday, April 1. Last year’s event was a huge success. Everyone enjoyed yummy food from our Holy Smokers, relaxed fellowship with each other and a fun egg hunt for the kids. Page 4 has all the details on this year’s Picnic in the Park.
Sunday mornings at Stonebridge UMC are changing and we can’t wait! Beginning June 3, the new worship and small group schedule will help open More Places for More People to worship and study with us. It just doesn’t get more exciting than that!
This spring, we hope you truly embrace the excitement and anticipation in the air! Christ brings so much joy and hope into our lives. Let’s share our excitement for Christ with everyone around us!
Blessings,
2 Pathways I Spring 2012 Spring 2012 I Pathways 11
StaffRev. Vic CasadSenior [email protected]
Rev. David LessnerAssociate [email protected]
Rev. Dina SteinerAssociate [email protected]
Marla BastaMusic [email protected]
Karen BennettCoordinator of [email protected]
Sharon Boswell Youth Ministries Administrative [email protected]
Suzy CassCoordinator of Adult [email protected]
D-MACCoordinator of The Bridge [email protected]
Wendy DugallFinancial [email protected]
Kathy EganCoordinator of Welcoming [email protected]
Wendi HartwigAdministrative [email protected]
Candy KapischkeDirector of Bridge Kids Children’s [email protected]
Tracy LastrapesDirector of Children’s and Youth Music [email protected]
Buddy MatteiDirector of Music [email protected]
(December 2011 - February 2012)
Kevin and Bree Bakke with Grace
Tim and Tracy Brightman with Emily and Jack
Roger and Dulce Chafin with Joshua and Matthew
Roger and Brittnee Greene with Avery and Libby
Dante Zaccarello and Melissa Morrison
Steve and Sherrie Mitas with Jack and Olivia
A Joyful Welcome to the newest members of our church family!
Whether you’ve visited us only once or have been worshipping with us for some time, we invite you to share in the joy of Jesus Christ and make the commitment to church membership. We invite you to attend an upcoming Pastor’s Coffee to experience why we call Stonebridge UMC “The most joyful place on earth!”
The next Pastor’s Coffee will be scheduled for
March 25. More details to come. Please contact Kathy Egan, Coordinator of Welcoming Ministries, at [email protected] or 972-529-5601 x315 for more information about joining our church family.
MembershipInformation
If you have any questions about United Methodist Church denominational
beliefs, please contact Pastor Dina at 972-529-5601 x325
Pathways Table of Contents
3 More Places, More People4 Picnic in the Park5 Behind the Scenes6-7 Easter Services8 Children’s Summer Events9 V3 Gatherings, Children’s Summer Musical, Youth Choir Flower Sales10 Stonebridge UMC Endowment11 New Members12 Mark Your Calendar
Pathways magazine is a publication of Stonebridge United Methodist Church. For story ideas and advertising information, please contact Amy Pawlak at [email protected] or 972-529-5601 x314.
Texas PediatricDentistry
Dr. Tim Brister & Dr. Jodi Tenney
Dental care for infants, children and teensin a fun and friendly atmosphere
~ Routine hygiene visits
~ In-office treatment with laughing gas
~ Hospital and in-office sedation
~ Accepting new patients and most insurance plans
Located at Eldorado & Custer Rd.
972.542.6662www.TexasPediatricDentistry.com
Staff, Continued
Cindy MorelandExecutive Director
Amy PawlakCoordinator of Communications
Shelby RentonCoordinator of Multi-Media
Ted ShaversCoordinator of Facility Rentals
Amy StewardsonDirector of
Sunshine Kids Preschool [email protected]
Ed WhippleDirector of Student Ministries
Pathways TeamContributing
Writers:
Sharon BoswellVic Casad
Tracy GreenDavid Lessner
Amy Pawlak
Worship with UsCelebration Service
8:15, 9:30, and 10:45 amCelebration Hall
The Bridge10:45 am
Robertson Activity Center
Adult Sunday School8:15 and 9:30 am
Bridge Kids Children’s Sunday School
9:30 and 10:45 am
Upper Alley Student Sunday School
9:30 am
4 Pathways I Winter 2010 Spring 2012I Pathways 310 Pathways I Spring 2012
Beginning June 3, Sunday mornings will have a new and exciting worship, study and fellowship format! For the past few years, we have shared our desire as a church family to open up more space to minister to more of Christ’s people in our community. Currently, our small group space at the 9:30 a.m. hour has reached its capacity in our building space. What a blessing!
Therefore, to continue this momentum of increasing our small group offerings as well as increasing our space for worship and fellowship, our Sunday mornings will now take on a new time schedule.
All you have to remember is two time slots: 9 a.m. and
10:30 a.m. There will be two Celebration Services, 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. There will be two The Bridge services, 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. There will be two hours of Sunday school, 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Additionally, from 10:00-10:30 a.m. will be a special fellowship time where our church family can mingle and spend time visiting with each other.
We are so excited about this new era in the life of Stonebridge UMC. We encourage you to take time to discuss as a family how you can help make this transition a success and how you can invite others to come experience the JOY of Christ at Stonebridge UMC.
Beginning June 3...It’s A New Sunday Morning!
Sunday Morning Schedule beginning June 3
9:00 a.m.Celebration Service & The Bridge
Adult, Youth & Children Sunday School10:00 a.m.Fellowship Time
10:30 a.m.Celebration Service & The Bridge
Adult, Youth & Children Sunday School
*Nursery provided from 9 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
I am very excited to chair our Endowment team for 2012. In case you are new to the church or not familiar with our Endowment Fund, I want to share some information with you. The Endowment Fund’s mission is to provide our church family the opportunity to create legacies through charitable gifts that provide long-term financial support and a living memorial.
Contributions can be made to the following funds:
Program and Education – supports scholarships/funding for church families who otherwise could not participate in certain church events. This fund also supports small group ministries and other Christian education for the church.
Fund Outreach Fund – supports missions and outreach projects in McKinney, the United
States and across the world.
Facilities Fund – supports facilities projects that are not in the operating budget.
Eagles Wings Fund – funds are used to maintain and pay for general purchases in Eagles Wings.
Undesignated Fund - may at the discretion of the Trustees be disbursed toward other worthy projects important in the evolution of the church.
Things you may be wondering……
1. How can I make a gift to the Endowment Fund? Gifts can be made in a number of different ways: Gifts of cash, gifts of securities, gifts of property, or including Stonebridge UMC in your Will. Gifts of cash can be made via check with a notation indicating that you are giving to the Endowment Fund. Please call the church office with questions about how to give gifts of securities or property and to discuss how to include the church in your Will.
2. Do I have to be old and/or wealthy to contribute to the Endowment Fund? Absolutely not. There is no contribution amount minimum and no minimum amount that can be included as a bequest to the church in your Will. Everyone can help support the Endowment Fund.
3. How big is our Endowment Fund and how much is disbursed each year to the above Funds? The Endowment Fund has grown at a steady pace since the Fund was created shortly after the church started. In the last five years the balance has grown from approximately $56,000 to the current balance of $90,000. Each year, 3% of the invested balance is given back to the church to fund each of the above ministries. The Year End 2011 distribution was approximately $2,700.
Tree of CelebrationAs many of you know, our church has a Tree of Celebration right outside Celebration Hall. The tree, donated by the Jeffery Robert Lowe family, was established as an endowment opportunity to permanently memorialize those special events and/or people special in the life of our congregation.
Of the 650 original leaves on the tree, only 75 have been purchased and inscribed thus far. I personally plan to purchase two leaves this year to commemorate the birth of my daughters, Morgan and Alexis. Join me and purchase a leaf on the tree for your loved one. This can be a birth announcement, anniversary, in memory of a loved one or any other event that is special to you. The cost of a leaf is $250 and the cost of a boulder is $1,000. If we as a church purchase just 40 leaves, that will equate to an additional $10,000 for our Endowment Fund. If you haven’t seen the tree, PLEASE stop by and take a look. Members from the Endowment team will also be standing in front of the tree to provide information and to answer questions on a few Sundays throughout the year.
Our primary goal for 2012 is to increase AWARENESS of the Endowment Fund and its importance long-term to the church. In mid-2012 we also plan to conduct an educational seminar on Estate Planning and Wills which we hope all of you will attend. I challenge each of you to prayerfully consider how you can make your lasting mark on our church. If you would like more information or have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or Cindy Moreland at [email protected].
In Christ,
Tracy Green, Endowment Committee Chair
by Tracy GreenStonebridge UMC Endowment
We KNOW your home is your Castle so ….
if you are buying or selling yours….
Call us first for a regal experience!
Carol and Terry Witt
972 529‐0549
4 Pathways I Spring 2012 Spring 2012 I Pathways 9
Picnic in The ParkOn Palm Sunday, April 1 at 12 p.m., bring your lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy a Picnic in the Park! This church wide event is fun for the entire family. The Stonebridge UMC Holy Smokers will grill lunch while we enjoy fellowship with others, games and activities as well as an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids.
“Last year’s Picnic in the Park was a huge success!” said Dina Steiner, Stonebridge UMC Associate Pastor. “The turn out was fabulous, the food was fantastic and the kids enjoyed the egg hunt. We hope you mark your calendar for April 1 to join us for another JOYful event at Stonebridge UMC!”
The food and games will be set up in the field west of the church (behind Bennett Elementary) and the egg hunt will take place in Mette’s Playground and on the lawn outside the church office entrance. Be on the lookout for more details about Picnic in the Park!
Visits & Visions with Vic
& Mary BrookeOpportunities are still available to attend a V3 gathering during the month of March! Come get to know Vic and Mary Brooke and express your visions for Stonebridge UMC
in the future! Please register for one of the following dates by contacting Becky Neeley at [email protected]. Becky will give you the home address of the meetings at that time.
March 15 - the Dankel Home, 7 p.m.March 17 - during Men’s Group Breakfast, 8 a.m.
March 17 - during Prime Timers, 6:30 p.m.March 25 - the Castilla Home. 3 p.m.
March 29 - the Cain Home, 7 p.m.
Children’s Choir Spring Musical
Join the Stonebridge UMC Children’s Choir and the God Squad from Alleluia Aquatic Academy as they venture out in a submarine to learn more about God through His underwater world. This musical is sure to make a splash with your family! Come dive in and experience Under God’s Sea in 3D!
Sunday, April 15 (Two Performances!!) 9:30 a.m. or 10:45 a.m.
Robertson Activity Center
Youth Choir Flower Sale
The Youth Choir is raising funds for the annual musical tour. They will be selling spring flowers for $20 a flat outside of all services March 18 and 25. If you are interested in purchasing flowers for your yard, please contact a choir member or Tracy Lastrapes at [email protected].
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God calls all of us to use our time, gifts and special talents to serve Him. There are many in our church family who do just that; serve Christ! Without those who contribute to the many behind the scenes, daily tasks of the church, the success of Stonebridge UMC’s ministry to our church family and community would not be possible. Two particularly special volunteers you can find in the building on any given day serving in many different capacities are Lewis and Nadine Reichert.
Lewis and Nadine are a regular sight in the hallways of the church throughout the week. It is not uncommon to find Nadine in the bakery room steadily preparing and organizing church mailings, bulletins, and more! By the same right, Lewis is always somewhere in the building fixing broken chairs, wobbly tables, stacking and setting up tables and chairs, replacing ceiling tiles, and more! But most importantly, you can find Lewis giving out what the staff call “Lewis Hugs!”
“What can I say about Lewis and Nadine Reichert! They are a couple who truly view the church like their home,” said Wendi Hartwig, Stonebridge UMC’s Administrative Assistant. “Lewis tirelessly does regular maintenance, from electrical, painting, lighting, plumbing; you name it,
and Lewis knows about it and how to fix it! And Nadine, what a powerhouse! She is always available for office projects like stuffing bulletins and church mailings. And if she can’t do it alone, she gets a team together! What an amazing couple who always have smiles and hugs to go around for all! Their dedication to our church family is something to be admired and is deeply appreciated.”
“When Christ talks about servant leaders in the Bible, Lewis and Nadine have listened,” Cindy Moreland, Stonebridge UMC Executive Director said. “They truly are the hands and feet of Christ to the community of Stonebridge UMC and I thank God everyday that He has blessed us with the gift of their presence.”
As Kathy Egan, Coordinator of Welcoming, states below, we appreciate Lewis and Nadine tremendously! We also appreciate ALL our volunteers who help in the administrative capacity for our church family. They are each so special to the staff and to Stonebridge UMC.
“When I think about our church family, I think of our many volunteers. And Nadine and Lewis Reichert are tops on the list. Volunteers like them are the backbone of our church and they give generously of their time and talent to serve in more
ways than we can even count. Volunteers do a myriad of tasks that the church staff cannot possibly get done without their willingness to lend a hand, often at the last minute. Their dedication, kindness, cheerfulness, and spirit of giving are a blessing to us all.”
THANK YOU, to these behind the scenes volunteers for playing such an important role in the ministry of Stonebridge UMC:
Janet Shieldes Jean Tanamachi
Clara Rankin Cathy Seely
Donna PatrickJoanne MessickBeverly RodgersGlenda Medellin
Carol WittDeanna RossBary Blakkolb Erin Chumley Sharon Laird
Elaine GallagherPam KernsHerb Blase
We also wish to give a big THANK YOU to recently “retired” volunteers, Karen Graham and Susan McMullin for their years of service with us!
Behind the SceneSSUMMER EVENTSVacation Bible CampJune 11-15th, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Ages 3 through 6th grade
Everything is possible with God!
Cost: $20 per child (early bird)Registration Opens March 25
Upward Basketball CampJune 25-29th
K - 3rd - 9 a.m.-12 p.m.4 - 6th - 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Teaching skills for the arena and values for life!
Cost: $85 per child (early bird, multi-child discounts)Registration Opens May 1
D-MAC’s Hoop Camp
Vacation Bible Camp comes to the court!
Cost: $70 per studentRegistration Opens May 1
June 18-22ndK - 3rd - 9 a.m.-12 p.m.4 - 7th - 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
July 2-6th3 - 5th - 9 a.m.-12 p.m.6 - 9th - 1 p.m.-4 p.m.
Kid’s Day OutTwo-day Camps -
June 25/27, July 9/11, July 16/18 & July 30/Aug 1
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Ages 6 wks. - 5th gradeCost: $20 per child per day
Parent’s Night OutApril 13th,
May 4th, July 13th & August 3rd
6-10 p.m.
Ages 6 wks. - 5th gradeCost: $15 per child per night
Contact Karen Bennett at 972.529.5601 x 316or [email protected] to register
look for more information & registrations atwww.mysumc.org
Upper Alley Student MinistryJune 3rd - Lock-InJune 11-14th - Local Missions WeekJune 15-16th - Guy’s River RetreatJune 18-23rd - Sr. High Mission TripJune 25-30th - Jr. High Bridgeport Camp
July 2-7th - Sr. High Bridgeport CampJuly 9-13 & 23-26th - Choir CampJuly 16-20th - Mission Trip (TBD)July 27-31st - Choir TourJuly 27-29th - Mid-High Mission TripAugust 4th - Lakehouse Retreat
6 Pathways I Spring 2012 Spring 2012 I Pathways 7
In preparing for the Lenten season I have been reading several contemporary books related to willpower and self-discipline. These books are secular in nature and utilize current scientific brain research to help people get a grasp of how to be their better selves by being more self-disciplined. My challenge in reading these works has been to synthesize the findings with our Christian and particularly our Methodist faith and tradition. Below is a short list of the top practices and ideas I have gleaned from my reading along with some Biblical references that support and help me to justify their validity scripturally. The two primary books that influence this list are: Willpower by Roy Baumeister and John Teirney; and The Willpower Instinct by Kelly McGonigal. Some of these things you may have already heard me mention in my recent sermons.
1. To engage your willpower you must set a single goal that you truly care about; a goal that is in keeping with who you understand yourself to be in the eyes of God. To try to accomplish a goal out of duty or someone else’s expectation of you will be frustrating and ultimately fail. Here are Paul’s words from Philippians 3:12;14. “Not that I have already reached the goal; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own…I press on toward the goal for the prize of the Heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”
2. Willpower is a bodily function which needs to be cared for just as the rest of your body needs to be cared for. It needs plenty of sleep. It needs exercise both physical and mental practice to build
up strength. It requires proper nutrition throughout the day. Do you know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?... “For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.” 1 Corinthians 3:16-17. “For you were bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body.”1 Corinthian 6:20.
3. Willpower is greatly enhanced through prayer. Whenever you feel an impulse or a craving, stop and give yourself ten minutes to prayerfully access the impulse, to determine if it is in keeping with your goal or will set you back. Ask God for strength and repeat this scripture several times: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13. Then turn your attention toward a positive activity that uses your mind and body.
4. Willpower needs to be monitored daily to reinforce the progress toward your goal. “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23.
5. Most important, willpower is goal oriented not guilt oriented. Don’t beat yourself up when you backslide, forgive yourself, be kind to yourself, and resolve to get back on track with your goal. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind…And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37;39.
“The road to faith passes through obedience to the call of Jesus. Unless a definite step is demanded, the call vanishes into thin air, and if men imagine that they can follow Jesus without taking this step, they are deluding themselves like fanatics.” -- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The United Methodist Church came up with a mission statement, “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” The hard part since the adoption of this statement is “What is a disciple?” and “How does the world need to look?” We’ve been trying to figure it out ever since.
What have we found out from scripture? When Jesus called disciples, they went…immediately. When we welcome a disciple into the church…we graciously wait…and sometimes…wait and wait, for them to take up their discipleship pathway. So often we say yes to worship, yes to church and yes to salvation, but we forget to say yes to the call of Jesus.
However, in the business side of the church we constitute discipleship as “how involved are they in church ministries?” Seems limiting to the call of Jesus for our LIVES.
In The Bridge during Lent we will aim to answer these questions according to Jesus’ words in The Sermon on the Mount from Matthew chapters 5-7, in our sermon series “WJWD: What Jesus Wants Done.” Jesus demanded a definite step, a transformation of life towards the purposes of God and an ethic of love that
manifested itself in our lives. As one of my professors in seminary used to say, “Jesus didn’t wait on heaven, he brought it with him.” Each week will correspond with action steps from “The Sermon on The Bridge Challenge” that can be found at www.mysumc.org/the-bridge so that our faithful demonstration of worship will not be limited to the one choice we make on Sunday morning but will extend to each decision we make each day.
After Easter we will continue on the theme of practical, responsible, holy living by studying the very first guidelines for life, the 10 commandments, with a sermon series entitled “The Top 10 List.” We’ll see how they relate to the words of Jesus, our understanding of grace vs. works, and examine them within the context of the rest of Torah where they are found. Most of all, how do the 10 most popular “laws” in scripture still govern the way we make choices in today’s modern world.
Reggie McNeal says, “If our church scorecard only measures what we do on Sundays and Wednesdays, and how many people are there, then we are not keeping the same score as Jesus, and in fact not living up to our claim of being His disciples. Our ministry exists so that lives might be transformed and enabled at work, at school, at play and everywhere where the right answers are not so readily apparent.”
As we journey to Easter and new life, let’s get a head start on heaven and bring it with us wherever we go!
Easter Worship at Stonebridge United Methodist Church Lenten Sermon Series in Celebration Service
by Vic CasadLenten Sermon Series in The Bridge
by David Lessner
Maundy Thursday Seder MealApril 5
7:30 p.m. in the RAC
Good Friday ServiceApril 6
7:30 p.m. in Celebration Hall
Easter SundayApril 8
Celebration Service8:15, 9:30 & 10:45 a.m.
Celebration Hall
The Bridge9:30 & 10:45 a.m.
Robertson Activity Center
*No adult, youth or children Sunday school so that we may all worship as a
family