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Fulfill a Wish List Today
Choose a child’s wish list in the lobby today! November 6 - December 4 Each Christmas season, we partner with area schools to identify children who may be in extra need. This November, you can “adopt” a child and help provide them with an outfit and a toy by taking a name from the Angel Tree located in the lobby. Each child has a wish list. Please purchase the items on the list and return them no later than Sunday, December 4. Once the gifts are sorted and organized, everyone is invited to help wrap these gifts at the Farmers Branch Campus on Saturday, December 10. Mark your calendar!
Gift Drive
Learn more at: thebranchchurch.org/angel-tree
Sack Thanksgiving Hunger Saturday, November 19 Farmers Branch Campus 9:30 am - 12:00 pm With no school for the whole week of Thanksgiving, students in our community who usually receive free/ reduced breakfast and lunch can use some help. We partner with Metrocrest Social Services to deliver food to these families during the Thanksgiving holiday. Show up or donate if you want to help. A family can eat for a week for $10. Checks can be made out to The Branch Church with “Sack Thanksgiving Hunger” in the memo line. Learn more at: thebranchchurch.org/sack-hunger
How it works • Come to the Farmers Branch Campus (3035 Valley View Ln) on Saturday morning, November 19. • Assembly Line: Volunteers will first organize the food. You grab a sack with a unique label and go through the line. You fill your sack with the allotted food items and take it to the
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designated spot with the corresponding label. Then you repeat until all the bags are filled. • Deliver Bags: Once the bags are filled, teams will be formed and will travel to area homes for distribution. Team leaders will be given a map and a route with the family names and corresponding labeled sacks.
TheBranch
ORIENTATION Interested in learning more about The Branch Church? Do you have questions about what we do and what we believe at The Branch Church? Are you ready to take the next step, become a member, and get more involved? We want everyone who attends The Branch Church to engage in the activities we do together, and also to commit and submit to this body of believers. This is how we CONNECT, GROW, SERVE, and GO together! Whether you have attended for a short time, or have been here for years, make it official! Join us for The Branch Orientation. Upcoming dates:
• November 13
(10:45 am Farmers Branch Campus, 12:30 pm Vista Ridge Campus)
RSVP at thebranchchurch.org/tbo and let us know you’re coming. We look forward to having you!
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SMALL GROUPS
A great way to get connected is to
START A GROUP!
It’s easy to host a group. We will provide you with video content from fantastic teachers, a short briefing, and easyto-read materials to equip you to host the meetings. All you have to do is decide which study you want to do and then invite family, friends, co-workers, or someone you just met to join you. No expertise or experience required!
Host a group with an easy-to-use video-based study:
All the Places To Go How Will You Know? from John Ortberg
Very rarely in the Bible does God command someone to “stay.” He opens a door, and then he invites us to walk through it—into the unknown. And how we choose to respond will ultimately determine the lives we will lead and the people we will become. In this six-session video curriculum, best-selling author John Ortberg opens our eyes to the countless open doors God places before us every day, teaches us how to recognize them, and gives us the encouragement to step out in faith and embrace all of the extraordinary opportunities that await. So go ahead—walk through that door. You just might do something that lasts for eternity.
The Daniel Plan
Faith • Food • Fitness • Focus • Friends from Rick Warren
In six sessions, you will be introduced to a groundbreaking healthy lifestyle program founded on biblical principles and focused on The Essentials: Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends. The Daniel Plan teaches a practical step-by-step approach to achieving a healthy lifestyle where people get better together by optimizing their health in each of these life areas. The program offers simple ways to incorporate healthy choices into your current lifestyle. The over-arching message is about abundance, not deprivation, and this is why the plan is both transformational and sustainable. Throughout the program, you are encouraged to rely on God’s power, and the application of dependable biblical principles.
Exodus
God’s Relentless Pursuit of Us from Ashley McNary
“I have always seen the Bible as a collection of cool stories of great men and women of our faith. I was wrong. The stories are wild. The men and women are not always great. I mean, not at all. They are honestly pretty messed up. A lot of them do horribly dumb things and don’t trust God and argue with Him, and whine and complain and disobey over and over and over again. But I have come to realize that the Bible isn’t about the characters. The Bible is about God. The narrative is telling the story of God bringing His creation back to Himself. And it starts with Exodus.” - Ashley McNary In eight sessions, Ashley will take you through the book of Exodus and help you discover what it tells us about God.
The Book of Ephesians
from J.D. Greear
Has it ever dawned on you that nothing has ever dawned on God? He knew before the world began that His people would face hardship, so He gave us His Word. The Book of Ephesians is a survival manual—it equips believers to thrive in a world that hates the message of Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle writes to encourage believers to live well— we’ve been lifted from the graveyard of sin and called to shout the gospel into the darkened world. Pastor and author J.D. Greear walks through the powerful words of Paul. In nine sessions, J.D. digs into the text of Ephesians verseby-verse, and challenges believers to live out the gospel. If the people of your city, of your school, of your family are going to hear the gospel, it’s going to be from your mouth. Encounter Ephesians, and get swept up into the story of Jesus.
Start a group today! For tips on starting or finding a group, contact one of our Campus Ministers.
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Tim Ketchersid
Ryan Rainey
FB Campus Minister
VR Campus Minister
tketchersid@thebranchchurch.org
rrainey@thebranchchurch.org
Vista Ridge Campus:
Mondays through Nov. 14 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Farmers Branch Campus: Wednesdays through Nov. 16 9:45 - 11:30 am
Women’s Bible Study is a weekly gathering for women that includes fellowship time, group discussion, and large group lectures. Women of all ages are welcome to join us! Learn more at: thebranchchurch.org/wbs
Men’s Bible Study: Mighty Men Saturdays through November 19 Vista Ridge Campus 7:30 - 8:45 am Mighty Men is a Bible study group for men at the Vista Ridge Campus. Learn to grow in the fundamentals of the faith alongside other men. This is a great opportunity for you to strengthen your walk with the Lord and become a mighty man of God. No need to register, just come join us!
Men’s Life Prayer Breakfast Saturdays through November 19 Farmers Branch Campus 7:30 am Spend your Saturday morning with other men from The Branch! All men are welcome for breakfast and Bible study in the Branch Café at the Farmers Branch Campus. If you would like to know more about Men’s Life, contact: Bro. Eddy Ketchersid: eketchersid@thebranchchurch.org Phone: 972-345-1645
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Student Body Campouts High School: November 11-13 Eisenhower State Park Cost: $65 per person Our middle school campout in October was a success! All high school students are invited to a campout this month at the beautiful Eisenhower State Park. There will be hiking, s’mores, other outdoor activities, and powerful moments of teaching. Students will receive an awesome hoodie! Don’t miss out! You must register to attend at:
thebranchchurch.org/student-campouts
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Kids Branch is what we do to teach kids about Jesus every weekend at The Branch Church. Our committed volunteers reinforce the values and teachings you work so hard to instill in your kids. We worship, play, and dive directly into the Bible each and every week. Your kids will grow to love engaging with God, while making great friends!
Tim Scott NextGen Minister
Kristan Renshaw Brittany Moore Farmers Branch Kids Minister
Vista Ridge Kids Minister
tscott@thebranchchurch.org krenshaw@thebranchchurch.org bmoore@thebranchchurch.org
The Branch Student Body is our ministry to 6th - 12th grade students. This is an important time of transition into maturity in Christ, and we encourage all of our students to attend and serve in our weekend services with their families. We have several ways for students to connect including weekly gatherings, occasional activities, and special events like Branch Camp, retreats, and overnighters!
D/GROUPS DISCIPLESHIP GROUPS
D/GROUPS THE BRANCH STUDENT BODY
Farmers Branch
Vista Ridge
High School • Wednesdays at 6:30 pm Middle School • Sundays at 9:00 am or Wednesdays at 6:30 pm
High School • Wednesdays at 6:30 pm Middle School • Sundays at 9:30 am
The primary way The Branch Student Body meets is in weekly Discipleship Groups (D/Groups), where students grow closer to God, their peers, and their leaders. This is critical to their development as followers of Christ.
BREAKFAST & BIBLE 7:45 am on Tuesdays at the Farmers Branch Campus BREAKFAST & BIBLE THE BRANCH STUDENT BODY
Come with your friends to Breakfast & Bible! Enjoy breakfast and an encouraging word from Josh Brake. Plus everyone will ride together to Vivian Field just in time for class! Breakfast & Bible is open to students from both campuses!
Kyle Poff
Josh Brake
Student Minister Vista Ridge Campus
Student Minister Farmers Branch Campus
kpoff@thebranchchurch.org
jbrake@thebranchchurch.org
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Christmas Movie Night Friday, December 2 Doors open at 6:30 pm Cost: Free Join us for a fun evening of fellowship and entertainment! Wear your Christmas PJ’s and bring your favorite holiday dessert. We will have popcorn, homemade hot chocolate, and sugar cookies which you can decorate with the provided supplies. This year, we will be showing THREE different movies simultaneously around our Vista Ridge Campus, starting at 7:00 pm:
Farmers Branch Campus (Family Life Center) 12:00 pm (following the Sunday services) Cost: $10 per person (pay at your table) This “social event of the year” includes a sit-down, full course Christmas lunch with all the holiday trimmings. There will be entertainment, recognitions, and door prizes. Please bring a door prize if possible. Bring guests! Please make your reservations in one of these ways:
•
It’s a Wonderful Life (in the Worship Center)
1) Mark your Communication Card with the number attending;
•
Arthur Christmas (in Kids Branch)
2) Email: broeddy@thebranchchurch.org; or
•
A Charlie Brown Christmas
3) Call Eddy Ketchersid at 972-345-1645, or Kay Fox at 972-284-7826.
(in the Lobby w/ craft stations for kids)
Doors will open at 6:30 pm – bring your kids, bring a date, or invite your family! Learn more at: thebranchchurch.org/movie-night
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Young at Heart Christmas Luncheon Sunday, December 4
Learn more at: thebranchchurch.org/yah-christmas
thebranchchurch.org/watch-listen
W A T C H + L I S T E N You can find audio and video of previous sermons on our website or through The Branch Church app. 8
This November, you can help provide meals for children in Haiti by checking in on Facebook at either location of The Branch Church. We’ve partnered with feedONE to make this opportunity possible.
Every 2 check-ins will provide a meal to a child in Haiti. The goal of feedONE is to see lives changed as they promote healthy children and communities that are free from poverty and hunger. Many of the children enrolled in this initiative have their only meal of the day at school — a meal provided by feedONE. They have about 146,000 children enrolled in the Children’s Feeding Initiative. To learn more about feedONE, check out their site: feedone.com
How it works: We make a donation to a Kingdom-building cause every time our community checks in on Facebook. It’s a great way to tell your friends about The Branch Church, and do some good in the process. If you need some help checking in on Facebook, just ask any of our staff members and we’ll show you how. The Branch Church Farmers Branch Campus
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The Branch Church Vista Ridge Campus
Follow Chris on Twitter twitter.com/chrisseidman
Hurricane Matthew Disaster Relief in Haiti The death toll in Haiti has surpassed 1,000, and thousands more are injured in the wake of the devastating hurricane this October. Now another problem is endangering everyone in the country—cholera. Haiti already had one of the highest cholera rates in the world before the hurricane, but the massive flooding caused by Matthew’s rainfall has amplified the spread of the waterborne disease. Many hand-dug wells have been contaminated and are no longer safe for drinking. Christian Relief Fund (CRF) already has an operation in Haiti, so we are partnering with them to drill water wells. These wells will provide clean water to communities whose handdug wells became contaminated after the hurricane.  Your contributions, plus additional funds from our general benevolence fund, will be used to drill two separate wells to provide much-needed clean water. Thank you for your generous contributions!
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Branch Cares is a ministry designed to look after, and take care of, people within our church body. It is rooted in James 1:27: “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress….” The vision for this ministry is to reach out, help, and connect with:
Widows • Widowers • Single parents • Homebound • Caregivers • Those who are grieving Ministry volunteers will also deliver communion to the homebound and any others who are unable to attend services.
How Do We Reach Out? One or more of our volunteer ministry members will call and/or visit the person. The ministry member will attempt to find out how the person is doing, if they have any needs (house repairs, help with transportation to the store, doctor visits, etc.), and also offer to pray for/with them if they so desire. If you are interested in becoming a Branch Cares ministry volunteer, or if you know of someone connected to The Branch Church who may be interested in having one of our ministry members contact them, you can fill out the Volunteer Application or Referral Form on our website listed below.
Questions? Farmers Branch Email: fbcares@thebranchchurch.org Vista Ridge Email: vrcares@thebranchchurch.org Church Office: (972) 247-2109
thebranchchurch.org/espanol The Branch Church en Español - Farmers Branch Campus The Branch en Español. Somos tu Familia en Cristo. 2016: Año de Crecimiento Espiritual Permite que el Espíritu Santo te guíe a alcanzar tus imposibles. Acompáñanos y adoremos a Dios y fortalezcamos nuestra fe en Cristo en el idioma español. Actividades durante la semana: • Dos Servicios de Adoración DOMINGOS 9:00 AM y 10:45 AM (clases bíblicas para niños de 3 meses hasta quinto grado en inglés)
• Martes de Oración – 7:00 pm (niños y jóvenes también participan)
• Miércoles de Estudio Bíblico – 7:00 pm (clases bíblicas para niños en español y reunión de jóvenes en inglés)
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Esperamos verte pronto. ¡Nos encantará saludarte en persona!
Luis y Schalee Sánchez lsanchez@thebranchchurch.org
Current Serving Opportunities
Interested in serving at The Branch? Below are some areas of need.
Kitchen Host Where: Vista Ridge Campus When: Sundays 10:40 - 11:30 am Frequency: 1 month on, 1 month off, repeat Responsibilities: • Keep coffee service running. • Clean up coffee and donuts after service begins. Contact Rebekah Pitts: rpitts@thebranchchurch.org
Greeter Where: Vista Ridge Campus or Farmers Branch Campus When: Any service time Frequency: 1 month on, 1 month off, repeat Responsibilities: • Arrive 15 minutes before service to greet people entering the building, or hand them a bulletin as they enter the Worship Center. You will finish at your post 15 minutes after service begins. For VR, contact Rebekah Pitts: rpitts@thebranchchurch.org For FB, contact Tim Ketchersid: tketchersid@thebranchchurch.org
Parking Lot Greeter Where: Vista Ridge Campus When: Any service time Frequency: 1 month on, 1 month off, repeat Responsibilities: • Wave to people as they enter the parking lot and assist with any parking lot needs. (Example: Umbrella assistance on rainy days.) For VR, contact Rebekah Pitts: rpitts@thebranchchurch.org For FB, contact Tim Ketchersid: tketchersid@thebranchchurch.org
Serving is a great way to get plugged in at The Branch. Contact us today!
Christmas Decorator Where: Farmers Branch Campus When: Sunday, November 27 Responsibilities: • Help decorate the building for Christmas! Contact Nanci Inman: ninman@thebranchchurch.org
Electric Guitar Player Where: Vista Ridge Campus or Farmers Branch Campus When: Tuesday (Celebrate Recovery), Thursday and Sunday (services) Frequency: 2-4 times per month Responsibilities: • Practice music for the week at home and come prepared. • Be on time and ready to enthusiastically help lead the congregation in worship! Contact James Asplund: jasplund@thebranchchurch.org
Keyboard/Piano Player Where: Vista Ridge Campus or Farmers Branch Campus When: Tuesday (Celebrate Recovery), Thursday and Sunday (services) Frequency: 2-4 times per month Responsibilities: • Practice music for the week at home and come prepared. • Be on time and ready to enthusiastically help lead the congregation in worship! Contact James Asplund: jasplund@thebranchchurch.org
Kids Branch Check-In Greeter Sub Where: Farmers Branch Campus When: Before either Sunday service How Many Needed: 5 Frequency: Filling in as needed (< once a month) Responsibilities: • Greet families and assist them with the check-in process. • Enter new families into the system (no technical skills required). Contact Kristan Renshaw: krenshaw@thebranchchurch.org
Kids Branch Classroom/Group Leader Frequency: Every Sunday during the 2016-2017 school year (through June 4, 2017) Responsibilities: • Arrive at least 15 minutes before service begins. • Build relationships with the kids in your group. • Lead your small group in reading the Bible story, games, crafts, and activities. • Know and care about your small group, pray for them during the week, and send them notes of encouragement. Vista Ridge Campus Contact Brittany Moore: bmoore@thebranchchurch.org When & How Many Needed: • Sundays 9:30 am - 2 x Preschool Classroom Leader - 1 x Kindergarten Small Group Leader - 4 x Substitutes •
Sundays 11:15 am - 1 x Preschool Classroom Leader - 1 x Elementary Small Group Leader - 1 x Elementary Small Group Co-Leader
Farmers Branch Campus Contact Kristan Renshaw: krenshaw@thebranchchurch.org When & How Many Needed: • Sundays 9:00 am - 1 x Nursery Leader •
Sundays 10:45 am - 2 x Nursery Leader - 2 x Toddler Teacher - 2 x 2-Year-Old Teacher - 4 x Elementary MALE Small Group Leaders
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THE BRANCH FAMILY NEWS We Mourn With: • Lynn Jones and her family in the loss of her father,
Chester Bogle, on October 10. • Janie Vasquez and her family in the loss of her mother, Josephine Martinez, on October 12. • Kathy Hughes and her family in the loss of her sister, Sallie Smith, on October 18. • Dale Mauch and his family in the loss of his mother,
Patsy Mauch, on October 20. • Joe Kearley and his family in the loss of his father, Richard Kearley, on October 30.
We Celebrate These Births: 8/31/16
Vivienne Rene Chen (F) Parents: Derrick and Chandra
We Celebrate These Baptisms: 10/2/16
Christopher Valencia
Weekend Stats - October 2016: Attendance Average: 1728
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Single Branches Single Branches is our ministry for active widowed, divorced, and single adults who are 50+ years of age. The aim of the ministry is to provide a variety of monthly social events so that Branch singles may meet each other and build friendships. Join our group in Branch Connect for the latest news and updates!
November Event: WHAT: Miniature Golf and Dinner WHEN: November 12 (Meet at the Farmers Branch Campus at 4:30 pm) COST: $8 per person Please RSVP with Paulette Travis: ptravis0822@yahoo.com
NOW ON TUESDAYS Every week – even on holidays! Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered recovery program that meets EVERY week — rain or shine! We all have hurts, habits, and hang-ups, and CR is a program designed to help you find freedom. Come hear testimonies, find encouragement, and step forward in faith THIS WEEK! More about Celebrate Recovery: Celebrate Recovery (or CR) is based on God’s Word, the Bible. When Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount, he began by stating “Eight Ways to Be Happy.” Today we call them the Beatitudes. From a conventional viewpoint, most of these statements didn’t make sense. They sounded like contradictions. But when we fully understand what Jesus is saying, we’ll realize that these eight principles are God’s road to recovery, wholeness, growth, and spiritual maturity. CR is forward-looking. Rather than wallowing in the past, or dredging up and rehearsing painful memories over and over, Celebrate Recovery focuses on the future. Regardless of what has already happened, the solution is to start making wise choices now and depend on Christ’s power to help us make those changes.
CR emphasizes personal responsibility. We cannot control all that happens to us. But we can control how we respond to everything. That is a secret of happiness. When we stop wasting time fixing the blame, we have more energy to fix the problem. When we stop hiding our own faults and stop hurling accusations at others, then the healing power of Christ can begin working in our minds, wills, and emotions. CR utilizes the biblical truth that we need each other in order to grow spiritually and emotionally. It is built around small group interaction and the fellowship of a caring community. There are many therapies, growth programs, and counselors today that are built around one-on-one interaction. But Celebrate Recovery is built on the New Testament principle that we don’t get well by ourselves. We need each other.
Weekly Schedule: 6:15 pm – Dinner 7:00 pm – Worship & Large Group
Fellowship and accountability are two important components of spiritual growth. CR addresses all types of habits, hurts, and hang-ups. Some recovery programs deal only with alcohol or drugs or another single problem. But Celebrate Recovery is a “large umbrella” program under which a limitless number of issues can be dealt with. We are seeing hopeless marriages restored and people set free from all kinds of sinful habits, hang-ups, and hurts as they allow Jesus to be Lord in every area of their lives. To God be the glory! We’ll be praying for you.
Learn more: thebranchchurch.org/cr
This Month at CR: Nov 1 - A testimony from Vikie Hinojosa Nov 8 - A lesson on Gratitude from Chris Leverett Nov 15 - A testimony from Lisa Grigg Nov 22 - A lesson on Giving from Janet Moore and Vikie Hinojosa
8:00 pm – Open Share Groups
Nov 29 - An interactive “Concert of Prayer”
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Featured Events Calendar Days
Dates
Event (Location)
Times
Sat
11/5
Mother-Son Movie Night (Vista Ridge Campus)
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Sun
11/6
Angel Tree Drive Begins
---
High School Campout
2 Nights
Fri-Sun
11/11-13
Sun
11/13
The Branch Orientation (Both Campuses)
Farmers Branch 10:45 am Vista Ridge 12:30 pm
Sat
11/19
Sack Thanksgiving Hunger (Farmers Branch Campus)
9:30 am
Thurs
11/24
No Thursday Service (Thanksgiving Day)
---
Fri
12/2
Christmas Movie Night (Vista Ridge Campus)
6:30 - 9:00 pm
Sun
12/4
Young at Heart: Christmas Luncheon
12:00 pm
Fri
12/9
Student Body Christmas Party (Farmers Branch Campus)
7:00 - 9:00 pm
Sat
12/10
Angel Tree Wrap Party (Farmers Branch Campus)
9:00 am
Thurs
12/22
Christmas Candlelight Service (Vista Ridge Campus)
7:00 pm
Fri
12/23
Christmas Candlelight Services (Farmers Branch Campus)
7:00 pm
Sat
12/24
Christmas Candlelight Service (Vista Ridge Campus)
3:00 pm & 5:00 pm
Sat
12/24
Christmas Candlelight Service (Farmers Branch Campus)
6:00 pm
Sun
12/25
No Christmas Day Services
---
Thurs
12/29
No Thursday Service
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Weekly Events Calendar Day
Time
Event (Location)
Start/End Date
Sun
Early Service
Student Body: MS D/Groups
Mon
6:30 pm
Women’s Bible Study (Vista Ridge)
Tues
7:00 pm
Celebrate Recovery (Vista Ridge)
Tues
7:45 am
Student Body: Breakfast & Bible (Farmers Branch)
Wed
9:45 am
Women’s Bible Study (Farmers Branch)
Wed
6:30 pm
Student Body: D/Groups (Both Campuses)
Thurs
6:45 pm
Thursday Night Church (Vista Ridge Campus)
*Will NOT meet Nov. 24 (Thanksgiving Day)
Sat
7:30 am
Mighty Men Bible Study (Vista Ridge Campus)
*Ends November 19
Sat
7:30 am
Men’s Life Bible Study (Farmers Branch Campus)
*Ends November 19
(Both Campuses)
Office: 972-247-2109
thebranchchurch.org
*Ends November 14
*Ends November 16
Email: info@thebranchchurch.org
Farmers Branch Campus
Vista Ridge Campus
3035 Valley View Lane Dallas, TX 75234
3601 Huffines Boulevard Carrollton, TX 75010
Sundays: 9:00 & 10:45 am
Thursdays: 6:45 pm Sundays: 9:30 & 11:15 am