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Growing Deep Roots to Share God's Love
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News and Notes
March 23, 2017
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From the beginning, God created us to be industrious and creative as part of the covenant He established with us. However, “work” has grown to carry mixed meanings and emotions for many in our world. So what wisdom does the Bible have for us to recover the joy of work, and where we might bring spirituality to the forefront in our industry? Let's discuss Sunday as we continue our "Where Two or More Are Gathered" sermon series.
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Where Two or More Are Gathered...
At Work
April 2
Where Two or More Are Gathered...
In the Courtroom
April 9
Palm Sunday
April 16
Easter
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In this Edition, You Won't Want to Miss These Stories!
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New Small Group Study Starting April 2
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Help Us Put on a GREAT Egg Hunt and Easter Festival
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March 26
Club 56 (5th & 6th Graders) SPCA Mission & Presentation, 12:45 p.m. Creekwood Student Center
March 31
Heart to Heart Visit to "Dallas Blooms" at Dallas Arboretum, open to anyone.
April 9
Palm Sunday Palm Procession, All Services
April 13
Maundy Thursday Service, 6:30 p.m.
April 14
Good Friday Family Worship Service: Tenebrae Service of Shadows, 6:30 p.m.
April 15
April 16
Easter Sunday, Worship Services 9:00, 10:15 and 11:30 a.m.
April 18
May 7
Creekwood VBS Volunteer Training, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Creekwood Worship Center (Option 1)
May 8
Creekwood Church Council Meeting, 6:30 p.m., Worship Center, Open to All
May 20
Change the World Weekend, Creekwood Mission Events, Additional Details to Follow
May 21
Creekwood VBS Volunteer Training, 12:30 - 1:30 p.m., Creekwood Worship Center (Option 2)
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CSM With Celebration
There was a special "Rise" service this past Sunday. This is something you might say is now a tradition, having been the second year for the concept. The Celebration Sunday school class, made up of youngsters mostly of retirement age, prepared an awesome meal and spent a fun evening visiting with the Creekwood Student Ministry Sunday evening "Rise" group, with over 70 people in attendance.
The concept isn't new. There is no secret that the youth can learn from those that have "been there, done that." And, truth be told, don't we most often get a refreshing new viewpoint when we listen to the feedback of someone with a little wisdom? Sharing is a cornerstone of Creekwood church, and the fellowship last Sunday was a reminder of the many gifts we can all give and receive when we open up a little with one another and allow time for conversation.
Claire Easley, a 7th grader at Willow Springs Middle School, shared, "I
enjoyed the evening with the Celebration class. It was really great to get to communicate with them and discuss different opinions and experiences that they might share. I hope we get to participate in an event similar sometime soon!" We couldn't agree more, Claire.
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Drivers Wanted
Got an additional 20 minutes to share with Creekwood on Sunday morning? Like to be out in the fresh air? Come serve in our Golf Cart Ministry! We need drivers to help (and sometimes simply entertain) some of our members from the parking lot to the Worship Center. It's lots of fun and shifts before or after your normal worship time are available. Check it out and sign up here.
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We're Hiring!!!
Summer plans? We've got two great internship opportunities!
We're actively searching for a Student Ministry Summer Intern to assist and support Creekwood Student Ministries (CSM) with weekly programming, summer camps, mission
trips and other special events. This is a salaried position that will run from May 21 - August 20. Check out the details here.
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Last year's interns, Haley and Mason.
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We're also seeking a
Missions Ministry Summer Intern
to support Creekwood mission efforts, with an emphasis on summer family serving opportunities and youth mission trips. This, too, is a salaried position which will run from May 21 through August 20.
Learn more about both positions, including whom to contact to apply, here.
Join us in serving Him this summer.
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Mission Ministry Statement
Creekwood UMC is passionate about building the Kingdom of God by serving families and children in need. We strive to develop long-term relationships with the people and organizations we partner with, both locally and globally. Our goal is to make a high-impact, positive experience within the area and through the lives of all involved.
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Gotta do some bragging. Our two Creekwood Family Promise coordinators, Sarah Brown and Bianca Charles, have been nominated, as part of a group of Collin County Family Promise coordinators, for an award to be presented at the Spirit of McKinney Volunteers Awards event scheduled for Thursday, March 30. If you see Sarah or Bianca, please join us in thanking them for their awesome service to this ministry that benefits so many in their time of need.
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By the way, would you want to get out and enjoy the beautiful spring weather AND support our mission partner Family Promise? Consider coming out for the
17th Annual Fun-Raiser for Homelessness on April 8 at 7:30 a.m., 7951 Collin McKinney Parkway next to McKinney Veteran's Memorial! This event will include a 5k/10k for runners and 1k/5k for families, pets, etc. Learn more and register at
3emckinney.com/run-for-cover/ .
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Fabulous Update
Great news. We're now up to $20,035 collected to support 2017 Creekwood missions. Thank you to everyone who's supporting the cause. If you planned to support the 2017 Creekwood Missions Fundraiser but haven't yet, click here to give online.
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Interested in seeing the Zoe program in action?
There are spaces on upcoming Zoe trips of hope:
- Rwanda – June 21 - 29, 2017
- Kenya – June 28 - July 7, 2017
If interested, contact Elena Ballam at
elena@zoehelps.org.
Lyndsey Lessner is also leading a trip to Rwanda in October. The date is yet to be determined but we will get the dates out as soon as we have them. If you are thinking about going on the October trip, or have questions, please contact Lyndsey Lessner at
lyndsey@zoehelps.org
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Invitation to Double Your Impact with ZOE
Creekwood and friends of Creekwood have been so generous in supporting the Zoe program and the energy and support of this program continues to grow! Zoe has presented a new opportunity for support we want to pass along for anyone who wants to join in or go above-and-beyond what we are already doing as a church or as individuals. If you know someone outside of our church that may be interested in supporting Zoe, please feel free to pass this along to them as well.
A ZOE supporter is offering to fund a ZOE working group of 60 to 100 orphans and vulnerable children over their three-year journey out of extreme poverty for every working group partnered by someone else. This is an offer to
match up to 20 working groups, and means as many as 4,000 additional children may have a chance to sustainably escape from extreme poverty.
There are three ways you can be a part of this extraordinary opportunity:
- From March 15 through May 31, any church, Sunday School, group or individual pledging a partnership with a ZOE working group of 60 to 100 children at $8,000 per year for three years will be matched with another working group. When you partner with one group, twice that number of children come into the program!.
- If a full working group partnership is not possible, you have the option of pledging to fund a half-partnership at $4,000 per year, for three years. Either you can recruit a partner or ZOE will find another half partner for you. If we are able to fund the whole partnership before the May 31 deadline then it will be included in the match, and enables two whole working groups to be formed.
- ZOE is excited to offer a crowdfunding option. For $35 per month for three years, anyone can be part of funding a working group of ZOE children. To join now, go to: fundraise.zoehelps.org/SPRING. Once 20 people commit to this sponsorship, a whole group will be funded. Groups completely funded before May 31 also qualify for the match of an additional group. You can partner individually, or if you think you can find 20 people to participate with you, ZOE can organize a fundraising web page tailored to your group. Sign up to start your own page at fundraise.zoehelps.org/Empower-a-Group. What a wonderful way to encourage friends and family to be part of changing a young person’s life forever.
Contact Lyndsey Lessner at
lyndsey@zoehelps.org
to learn more or to make a commitment to help in any of these ways.
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Join Heart to Heart for Dallas Blooms
Heart to Heart, the monthly women's fellowship group, is taking a trip down to the Dallas Arboretum for
Dallas Blooms
and you are invited to join them.
When:
Friday, March 31
Where:
Meet at Creekwood at 9:30 a.m. to coordinate rides
Cost:
Adults $15, Seniors (65+) $12
In order to get an advance ticket through Tammy Adler, the event coordinator, please contact (aramat@hotmail.com) and pay Tammy by this Sunday, March 26. There will be a basket at the Welcome Desk this Sunday to deposit payment, if you so desire, or payment can be mailed to: 8504 Riverwalk Trail, McKinney, TX 75070.
There is a small food counter with sandwiches, soups and salad. Anyone who would like to have lunch there is welcome to do so. There is also a tea room that requires advance reservations that could be another option.
Join the group for a wonderful day of fellowship. Invite a friend. Contact Tammy with any questions: aramat@hotmail.com.
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New Study Starting April 2
The Identification Sunday school class, which meets at 9:15 a.m., will start a 6-week study beginning next Sunday, April 2, in room 106/107.
Hand-me downs are usually thought of as “second-rate,” but Jim and Jennifer Cowart’s Hand Me Downs offers a six-session small group study showing us that our heritage—what we leave behind—is central to who we are as Christians. The aim is to help you replace self-destructive, addictive behaviors with new, healthy habits so that your legacy is one of spiritual and mental integrity.
You are invited to join this group for this special study. It is a great way to get to know a Sunday school class. For more information, contact Sara Genrich.
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Find Local Grief Support Events Here
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Creekwood Summer Camps
Want a happy camper this summer? Have your preschooler/1st grader join us for camp! We're offering three summer camps this year and registration is now open. Click here to learn more and to sign up.
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This Festival Ain't Going to Put Itself On!
Seriously, we are blessed to have the property and facilities, and most importantly, the PEOPLE to host a big (6,000-plastic-eggs, thank you very much) egg hunt and Spring festival for the community. Ask anyone who's volunteered in the past and they'll tell you working at the Spring festival is a great way to have some fun and meet some new people.
There is something for everyone. We need help with the kids at the egg dying table, we need popcorn servers, face painters, games, help with set-up and tear down and more. Click here for a list of volunteer opportunities and to sign up online.
Mark your calendars now for the Creekwood Easter Egg Hunt and Spring Festival scheduled for April 15, 9 a.m. to noon.
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VBS JUNE 5-9, 2017
Join Us For
Vacation Bible School!
Registration is open. Click here to sign up. Invite a friend!
Adult volunteers are needed. If you are interested in volunteering or serving as a coordinator,
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Join Our Children's eNewsletter Distribution List
Have an infant through 4th grader and not currently receiving our weekly Children's Ministries' newsletter, Explorers' Times? Please
email us
to be added to our distribution list.
Student Ministries
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Sunday school is held each Sunday from 10:15 - 11:15 a.m.
5th - 6th graders will meet in the tile room of the Children's Center. 7th - 8th graders meet in the garage of the Student Center and 9th -12th graders meet in the Student Center.
The Rise
is held in the Student Center on Sundays, from 5 - 7 p.m. All 7th through 12th graders (and beyond) are welcome to these evenings of worship, fellowship and fun. Meals are provided; a $5 donation is encouraged.
If you are looking to help our awesome Student Ministry by providing a meal, or part of a meal, for The Rise, click here to pick a date and sign up. We promise you'll have fun feeding and visiting with our students.
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Club 56
, designed for our 5th and 6th graders, meets once a month for fellowship and mission. Here's what's coming up.
- March 26, the group will be making treats to send to the SPCA. They will also meet Sophie, an emotional support dog, and her trainer. Meet in the Student Center across the pond from the Worship Center at 12:45-3.
- April 23, Club 56 is going ice skating at the Allen Event Center from 1:00 - 3:30 p.m. (Groupon currently has a coupon--check it out!) Families are welcome.
Please RSVP to
Donna Bartholomew
if your child will be attending this event. This is a great activity to invite a friend to Creekwood!
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Junior High Small Group meets on Wednesdays, 7 - 8:00 p.m. Contact Donna Bartholomew for more information.
Sr. High Small Group meets at the Edwards house on Wednesday nights from 7 - 8:30. Contact Jared Phares for more information.
Let's stay in touch.
Students and parents wanting to stay up to date with current activities, events and services, please text @elevatecu to 81010.
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