connection stonebriar community church
glorifying God by encouraging all people to pursue a lifelong, joyous relationship with Jesus Christ
senior pastor chuck swindoll senior director of resource ministries carol spencer
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communications director sandi garrett assistant communications director amy hyles designer/writer susan jacobson editor/writer patricia krecklow
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a word from our pastor
reflections on the past 17 years
no room at the inn
a highlight of mckinney’s samaritan inn
graphic designer/writer townsend keller graphic designer michelle sweeten volunteer editor shelly king
Š2015 Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco, Texas. The material within this publication may not be disseminated without permission. All inquiries, comments, suggestions, and story ideas may be e-mailed to our Communications Department at communications@stonebriar.org.
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beyond sunday
recipe for a home fellowship blog spotlights
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finding gratefulness activity page word search and coloring
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reflections on the ast 17 years by senior pastor chuck swindoll
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s I pause and look back over the past 17 years, I am both amazed and grateful. Little did I know what the Lord had in mind when Cynthia and I first stepped into a room full of people, most of whom we had never met. I came, thinking that we may find a group of people to start a small Bible study together. To say that God had other plans is to woefully understate the obvious. My vision was both small and restricted; His plans were both extensive and expansive. The excitement was electric. The response of those who were there was nothing short of contagious. I seemed to be the only one thinking, “Shall we start a class?” Almost to a person, everyone else was thinking, “Why not start a church?” That was on a Wednesday night, October 14, 1998. I was deeply engaged in a role I had never filled before: serving on the leadership team at Dallas Theological Seminary, which by the way, was experiencing a surge in growth among the student body. I was not ready to take on yet another role I had never filled before: starting a local church from ground zero. But God definitely had other plans. The group that night had no history or circles of friendship. We had no
elders or staff to provide leadership. We had no land or building in which to meet. To make things even more exciting, we had no money! Being excited is not the same as being willing to provide the finances, do the hard work, and stand together as a loving, caring body of people who will not run from the “many dangers, toils, and snares” that accompany every church start-up. It soon became clear that our excitement was neither shallow nor superficial—instead, it represented a deep level of commitment to step into all the challenges and boldly confront all the obstacles the Adversary would put in our way. I can testify that some of them seemed almost too severe to endure . . . but we prevailed by God’s grace and power. Most who were present in that meeting and you who joined with us during our very early years were faithful to ride out those storms with us, “in season and out of season.” For you, I am most grateful. I will not address our numerical growth, which has been remarkable. Far more important has been our spiritual growth. Since God, and God alone, keeps those records and promises to reward accordingly,
we will leave that for Him to determine. I will simply say, He has been faithful through all these years. He has enabled us to maintain our integrity as a church and to uphold a clean reputation, without ever once causing public embarrassment. Through these years we have never brought reproach to the name of Christ due to a moral fall among our leadership or ethical failures in our dealings with the public or financial scandals over the misuse of the monies entrusted to us. For those things, I give our awesome Heavenly Father all the credit. Looking back, these have been 17 magnificent years—and if Christ tarries, we have many more years before us to represent Him as a body of believers in this outstanding local church. To quote the psalmist, “Through God, we have done valiantly.” He, alone, deserves all the glory and gets all the praise. And everyone at Stonebriar Community Church says, ”AMEN.” Delivered to the congregation Sunday, October 11.
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no room at the nn by patricia krecklow
In June, I had the pleasure of attending the ground-breaking ceremony for The Samaritan Inn’s new family shelter construction. And, no, it was not simply a pleasure because of the catered minidoughnuts and juice, though that never hurts. The Samaritan Inn in McKinney is the largest residential homeless program in Collin County, and this ceremony marked the beginning of Phase One in its shelter expansion. Though Stonebriar Community Church is a long-time supporter of The Samaritan Inn, I knew little about the organization when I attended the event. What I learned that morning jolted me into awareness. At The Samaritan Inn, formerly homeless residents have access to housing, three balanced meals a day, hygiene items, classes on financial literacy and life skills, and vouchers for work needs like transportation and daycare. They are even assigned a professional caseworker who helps them plan for longterm success. All of this is offered without cost to residents, giving them an opportunity to get back on their feet. On most nights, Samaritan Inn houses approximately 100 adults
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and 60 children. But more space is needed. Last year, more than 3,500 people were turned away because there was no room at the Inn. (That sounds familiar, does it not?) Phase One of construction will double the shelter’s current capacity, and that is just the beginning of the Board of Directors’ plans for their new 15 acres of land. Local churches, businesses, and families are pouring their resources into The Samaritan Inn for the sake of our neighbors in need. Each of the Board members and supporters who spoke at the ceremony agreed that it will take an entire community to complete such a vision.
The strongest communities in the world are those in which everyone lends a helping hand. It is easy for anyone—and that anyone includes me—to think, Oh, someone else will take care of that. I am going to focus on me right now. At the ceremony, a supporting executive from Capital One said something that woke me up from that mentality: “The
Our Beyond These Walls group meets the second Sunday of each month after second service from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. in room A104 to discuss ways to share the love of Christ to those in our community.
strongest communities in the world are those in which everyone lends a helping hand.” For biblical proof of this, look to the early church community as described in Acts 2: “And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” (NASB). That is our Lord’s expectation for a strong, caring community. So we believers must ask ourselves, Am I seeking ways to build that kind of community? Congressman Sam Johnson, also among the speakers at the ground-breaking, offered a more contemporary example of this community concept. His neighbors cared for his wife and children while he was in a POW camp for seven years. Now that is active commitment to serving others. What would have happened to Johnson’s family if his neighbors had drawn the blinds and ignored the needs next door? Little good can be done when people stay shut inside their private lives, keeping a narrow focus on their own contentment. Maybe it is acceptable in the secular culture to look only outward when a homeless
person bugs us for change, but we in the faith community are called to actively seek and serve the needs of those around us. That means donating time, money, and resources to brothers and sisters in need without having to be asked. If we give only when we feel like it or on the rare occasion some need pops up in our face, we are not following Jesus’ command to love our neighbors and meet their needs. In this suffering world, we never run out of neighbors to love. This quote by Albert Schweitzer, found on The Samaritan Inn’s website, is as true as ever: “Wherever a man turns, he can find someone who needs him.” So what is your excuse not to help your community? If you feel you have too little to give, try sacrificing something so that you have more to offer, like the church in Acts. My excuse was that of ignorance, but after learning about the efforts of The Samaritan Inn, I have 3,500 new reasons to open my eyes— one for every person turned away last year. So there you have my take on the groundbreaking ceremony. I went for the doughnuts and left with a lesson. Learn more at www.samaritaninn.org.
how you can help: • Donate your resources, items, and time. You can find lists of high need items on The Samaritan Inn’s Wishlist online. From providing basic toiletries to meal supplies, multiple opportunites are available to aid those in need. • Pray for staff, volunteers, and those in need of shelter and services. •
Keep community in mind. How can you help those less fortunate year-round? Whether reading stories to a group of children, providing health or dental services, volunteering to give manicures or free haircuts, each person can serve an integral role in others’ lives.
• Gather a group to serve a meal. • Put together some homemade treats and notes of encouragement for the volunteers and staff. • Learn more about how Stonebriar works with The Samaritan Inn by e-mailing Karen at karenh@stonebriar.org.
This article originally appeared on the Stonebriar Staff Blog on July 7, 2015.
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stonebriar blogs Have questions about faith? The quarterly Connection is not the only way to see deeper into the heart of Stonebriar’s ministries. Stay connected every week by following our online presence. Here is a snapshot of a few of our blogs where you can explore life’s questions with us. Stonebriar Staff Blog—Stonebriar staff members share their thoughts on Christian living, cultural issues, and the happenings in our faith community [keyword: blog]. Parenting Pathway—Our Children’s Ministry staff and volunteers offer encouragement for parents and provide insight into our parenting classes, youth ministries, and family events [keyword: parenting pathway]. Missional Living (coming soon)—Staff members and guest writers will help us keep in touch with God’s work beyond the walls of Stonebriar, from our community to the other side of the world.
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H V C R H L A M F S
A V O G W U J S F K
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V O F F E R I N G A
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Q P C J X F S B H Y
BLESSING THANKS OFFERING PRAYER JOY GIFTS HOME GRACE FAMILY HARVEST
Color the page and see if you can spot the five differences between these two pumpkin scenes.
Fall is a season marked by thankfulness. This time of year, we are reminded of the gifts God has given us, both in the bounty of the harvest and in the joy of gathering with friends and family for the holidays. Scripture reminds us numerous times to give thanks in all circumstances, no matter the season, because our Lord is forever constant and gracious. James 1:17 reads “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow� (NASB). We hope you will rest in His Light this season, and give thanks all of your days. Answer: extra leaf, pumpkin stem, candle flame, bottom of G, cranberries
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upcoming vents
e 12/2
a sweet celebration
12/6
gloria in excelsis deo
12/13
handel’s Messiah for young voices
7 p.m., worship center
sanctuary choir and orchestra Christmas program 9 and 10:45 a.m., worship center
children’s and youth choirs Christmas concert 6 p.m., worship center
12/24 2/18– 2/20 2/13
4801 legendary drive, frisco, texas 75034
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469.252.5200
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Christmas Eve services
5 and 6:30 p.m., worship center
feed my starving children
preparation and food packaging registration opens in january [keyword: fmsc]
widow’s valentine luncheon 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m.
www.stonebriar.org