a message from pastor chuck recap by patricia salcedo In his State of the Church announcement in June, Pastor Chuck walked us through the history of Stonebriar and shared the vision for our future. “The year 2017 is a great time to pause, take a deep breath, and reflect on these 18-plus years we’ve been together as a church,” he began before covering financial updates, ministry goals, and leadership plans.
history and financial updates Thanks to the generous support of our congregation and leadership of our elders, we have great news to announce regarding our financial future. • In 1998, we began to meet in the gym of Collin College, and our congregation grew rapidly. • In 2001, we purchased land and moved into our first building, where we owed $14.5 million. • In 2004, we built a larger place of worship and increased our total debt to $42 million. • In 2019, when our loan reaches maturity, our total debt will be less than $8 million! With continued generosity, we can reach the milestone of becoming a debt-free church, freeing us to focus more of our financial resources on glorifying God through ministry.
ministry goals An increased focus on mentorship is a major ministry goal for the coming years in our church. Pastor Chuck emphasized that “mentoring is essential if we hope to hand off the reins of leadership to those who will carry on in our place. We now plan to turn more of our attention toward mentoring others for taking the baton and running the race to reach their generation—and beyond it.”
leadership plans “Let me assure you,” Pastor Chuck confirmed, “I do not plan to go anywhere. I’ll be here through this process. But as we embark on this journey toward the future, we will answer the question many are asking: ‘What is going to happen when our current ministry leaders are gone?’ We have a short-term and a long-term plan. Short term, we are working on an interim plan that will be put into place should an emergency need arise in any of our senior leaders’ lives. As we look at our long-term need for leadership, we will remain sensitive to the Lord’s leading for every leader’s replacement.”
Through God, we shall do valiantly.
closing remarks
Pastor Chuck finished his announcement with a charge of commitment. “We must commit ourselves to working together as we prepare for these healthy changes. More than ever, your personal attendance, your faithful service, and your generous financial support are absolutely essential.” He closed his remarks with the words of the Psalmist—the same he spoke at the end of Stonebriar’s first gathering on October 14, 1998: “Through God, we shall do valiantly.” Pastor Chuck’s State of the Church announcement originally aired in the Worship Center on June 18, 2017. Watch the video online at www.stonebriar.org [keyword: giving].
frisco connect: hope for job seekers written by patricia salcedo
Though I have always found it wonderful that Stonebriar hosts Frisco Connect—a bimonthly networking and skill-building meeting for job-seekers—I never fully understood the group’s value until I saw it through the eyes of someone who needed it. Recently, I invited an unemployed friend to Frisco Connect; for the sake of her privacy, I will call this friend “Alice.” Like most job-seekers today, Alice was spending hours every day in front of her computer, scouring job listings, filling out long applications, and praying for interviews, only to be turned down repeatedly in generic rejection letters. As hours turned to days, weeks, and months with no leads, Alice began to lose hope. If you have been unemployed for any length of time, you know how lonely it can feel, though Alice’s story is like so many others. Whether a recent graduate trying to pay off student loans or a laid-off professional with a family to support, anyone who faces unemployment can be dragged into isolation and depression. This is Alice’s first time searching for a job after completing her education, and with plenty of knowledge but little experience to prove it, Alice struggles to find an employer willing to give her a chance.
But the best news in a situation like Alice’s is this—there are people who want to help, and where there is help, there is hope. Enter Frisco Connect, a meeting where job-seekers can find practical advice and community in the midst of struggle. I believe one of the many reasons God blessed Stonebriar with our facilities is so we can host events like Frisco Connect in our large Multi-Purpose Room. This meeting presents an excellent opportunity for us to show hospitality and encouragement to the heavy-hearted. Some Frisco Connect attendees may not set foot in a church otherwise, so this is our chance to reach them with Christ’s love and comfort. When I walked Alice into the B lobby before Frisco Connect, finding her reasonably nervous for her first networking event in a new place, I realized how reassuring it is to be welcomed by kind Stonebriar folks. Friendly faces made all the difference for Alice’s nerves as she checked in, and we were delighted to learn Alice was also invited to a free orientation lunch for first-timers after the meeting. The leader of the lunch presentation is Stonebriar usher John Luse, who takes the time to share resources like helpful websites, free online classes, social media tips, and information on other groups in our area that offer networking and mock interviews. Seeing a hundred joyful attendees
inside the Multi-Purpose Room that morning proved to Alice that Frisco Connect (and Stonebriar) is a place she can feel safe and confident. The meeting featured a guest speaker and time to meet with recruiters, though Alice’s favorite part was the beginning: attendees who were recently hired spoke to the group (and they supplied the morning doughnuts). Alice told me it was so encouraging to hear their stories—how they were unemployed for however many months, felt just as lost as everyone else in the room, and finally found help through Frisco Connect. These stories of victory renewed the spirits of every attendee, reminding them that no matter how long they have wandered, they are not alone, and there is always hope ahead. What a joy to know that God has used this ministry to turn Alice’s story from one of despair to one of hope. Though her search is not over yet, Alice is thankful to have the community of Stonebriar to support her. If you are a recruiter, employer, or professional with tips to offer, consider how you can offer help to the jobless through our church. Our Lord invites all of us to be part of stories like Alice’s as we obey the words found in Galatians: “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”
In addition to Frisco Connect (run by Foster Williams), Stonebriar is honored to offer the semi-annual Career Transition Workshop on September 22 and Reach Up Reach Out—a support group for the unemployed that meets every Friday morning. If you are interested in our job-search ministries, please visit www.stonebriar.org [keyword: frisco connect] for more information.
with pastor roy williamson
anatomy of the soul
by Dr. Curt Thompson (author of The Soul of Shame) We are all familiar with the command to “Stop being conformed to this world” (Romans 12:2) but what does the process of “renewing of your mind” entail? Dr. Curt Thompson applies faith and neuroscience to give us a workable answer. In so doing, he removes the mysticism that some relate to the spiritual disciplines, particularly to the discipline of meditation. This is a challenging book technically because of the science involved, and personally because it forces you to honestly address your preprogrammed responses to God, others, and life.
Many Stonebriar ministries resume when kids go back to school, so there are now hundreds of young believers who need your support every week, both on and off our church campus. Here are some of the ways you can help our kids learn to love God and love others this school year.
Awana Kids ages 3 through 18 attend Awana every Sunday night to memorize and recite Scripture and celebrate God’s work in their hearts. Awana ministry partners are needed to lead small groups, listen to verse recitations, run games, present stories, and lead worship.
Good News Clubs Stonebriar sponsors eight Good News Clubs that meet in Frisco public schools on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday afternoons. Volunteer one day a week to guide kids from our community as they play games, enjoy a snack, and hear the Gospel.
Special Needs Children with special needs are welcome every Sunday in our Children’s Suite (ages 11 and younger) and our Tweener’s Suite (ages 12 through 18). Ministry partners are needed to help with Bible stories, games, worship, and crafts.
Student Ministries
We also recommend The Soul of Shame by Dr. Curt Thompson, who led a conference on shame at Stonebriar in March. For more resources on working through life’s struggles with faith, visit [keyword: care].
summer donations people who helped: 575+ lunches made, packed, and delivered: 14,638
people who sorted: 250 school supply items: 25,000 backpacks packed: 1050
Students in grades 5 through 12 gather every Wednesday night and Sunday morning to worship, hear a message from the Word, and discuss spiritual topics in small groups. Our students need adult small group leaders to help answer questions and mentor them in their growing faith.
Sunday Early Childhood and Elementary More than 800 kids come through our children’s classrooms on Sunday mornings, so we always need more helping hands. Opportunities are available for teachers, worship leaders, story tellers, nursery helpers, check-in attendants, and hospitality team members.
Wednesday Night Childcare Childcare for ages birth through four is available for parents attending Wednesday programming, and Wednesday Night Live is open to all kids in kindergarten through fourth grade. Help us care for and teach these little ones while their parents learn to lead their families in the way of the Lord. Find your place to serve at www.stonebriar.org [keyword: projectserve].
www.stonebriar.org
[keyword: children’s choirs]
[keyword: students]
[keyword: women]
[keyword: clothe a child]
[keyword: men’s retreat]
[keyword: fall festival]
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 • communications director sandi garrett communications coordinator sarah mcfarlane • editor/writer patricia salcedo • senior graphic designer/writer susan jacobson graphic designer michelle sweeten • graphic designer angie chi • videographer brandon blackard • volunteer editors olga ball | shelly king ©2017 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.
4801 legendary drive, frisco, texas 75034
•
469.252.5200
•
www.stonebriar.org