May 2016 Newsletter May 8, 2016 10:45 a.m. Please join us to support our youth leading us in a time of worship In this month s issue: Vacation Bible School May Calendar Parish Site Committee Update Lord s Acre Reception Men s Retreat Guest Speaker, Jim Webner Youth Ministry MDO Xtreme Sr. Minister Report April Attendance April 3rd 53 April 10th 39 April 17th 45 April 24th 54 Mother s Day May 8th April Giving & Expenses Giving - $ 18,264.80 Expenses -$ 15,528.85 CONTACT US Give us a call for information about our Worship Service. Jacksboro Parish 115 N. Knox St. P.O. Box 716 Jacksboro, TX 76458 (940) 567-3735 jackparish@att.net Visit us on the web at www.jacksboroparish.com First Presbyterian Church & Memorial Christian Church A combined ministry for over 40 years.
MAY 2016 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8-ATE 5:30 pm MDO Xtreme Youth @ 6 pm MDO Xtreme Men s Breakfast 7am 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Youth Sunday MDO Xtreme Youth @ 6pm MDO Xtreme Graduation Mother s Day 2pm 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 Pentecost Parish Council 12:15pm Food Pantry 2:30-6:30 Soul Support 12noon Youth @ 6pm Graceists 7pm 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Newsletter Articles Due MCC Board Mtg 6pm Men s Breakfast 7am High School Graduation 29 30 31 30 Church Office Closed
Submi ed by Martha Salmon JIM WEBNER WELCOME BACK TO THE PARISH, JIM WEBNER Before the Rev. Dr. Suzanne Castle was called to be Senior Minister of Jacksboro Parish, we had quite a few weeks of pulpit supply. One of our favorites was Jim Webner, then a second-year student at Brite Divinity School at TCU. Now he will return on May 22, May 29, and June 5. He returns now as a Master of Divinity graduate of Brite (May 2016) who was on the dean s list every semester. His concentra ons were Biblical Studies and History/Theology/Ethics. While at Brite, he received awards in the fields of Chris an Theology, Chris an Educa on, Preaching, and Greek language. Jim spent this past year working with Westside Presbyterian Church in Fort Worth: preaching, leading worship, and designing and teaching a six-week Lenten Bible study on Race and Jus ce in the Church. He is currently a candidate for ordina on in the PCUSA, under the care of Bal more Presbytery, and is on track to complete his requirements for ordina on by the end of 2016. He plans to remain in the Fort Worth area and is seeking part- me ministry opportuni es un l his ordina on requirements are completed, at which me he will seek a full- me call to a preaching ministry in the church. Welcome back, Jim Webner! Annual Tri-Area Mens Retreat May 13-May 15, 2016 Disciples Crossing 3693 State Highway 31 East Athens, Texas 75752 *Registration Forms are located outside Suzanne s office. Retreat Registration Costs: $95 per person; $80 for first time attendees Contact Frank Speer at fmspeer@icloud.com or 817-793-3252 for retreat information.
WHAT: Marketplace AD WHEN: July 18-21 VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL! WHO: Numerous volunteers from the Parish and FUMC. That means you!! We will need everyone s help to make this successful. WHERE: FUMC WHY: To get closer to Christ by learning about what it was like to live as He did in biblical times. HOW: With the help of the Parish and FUMC parishioners. We can t do it without you! Submitted by Cindy Hackley Parish Site Update We are in the final stages of gathering infomation about everyone s hopes and dreams for a new building. Please take a moment to make sure your ideas are recorded for the group to share. Please send an email to the Parish or to Brian Davenport @ bg_davenport@att.net. We don t want anyone left out of the process. The committee has made efforts to hear all opinions, but it is easier when things are written down; therefore, please send those messages. The committee is gathering information about capable architects at this time to share with Session. Soon, we will have an architect firm hired and the process will get rolling on the actual design of a building to meet out needs. This is an exciting time for the Jacksboro Parish. We have an opportunity to grow our presence in the community, and increase our relevance in the lives of the children of Jacksboro. The construction of this building can enhance our ministry, and I am excited to be a part of the process. Submitted by Brian Davenport
LORD S ACRE DISTRIBUTION The Parish recently hosted a recep on to donate funds to several chosen organiza ons in our community. Members of the Parish strive to show God s grace and love throughout the Jacksboro community by inves ng in and working alongside other local organiza ons. The Lord s Acre Ministry donated to: Big Brothers & Big Sisters of Jack Co. FCH Founda on Backpack Buddies Concerned Ci zens of Jack Co. Gladys Johnson Richie Public Library Jack Co. Child Welfare Board Rainbow Room GRADUATION SUNDAY Sunday, May 8th We will be honoring our graduates on May 8 during Youth Sunday. If you have an 8th grade or high school graduate please submit 10 pictures (preferably printed) to Cindy Hackley or the Parish office by May 2. We will display them and honor the graduates during the service.
STUDENT MINISTRY Submi ed by: Kris ne Tisinger May is a busy month for our students as they finish up their school work. In April we started looking at heroes and villains of the Bible, so on Friday May 6 we will travel up to Wichita Falls to see Captain America: Civil War (rated PG-13) on opening day. Afterwards we will go to the Plex for two hours of laser tag, bumper cars, and go-kart racing. May 6 is a no school day for Jacksboro. The cost of this outing will be $25 per student and we will leave in the bus from the Parish at 11:15am on Friday. On May 7 students have the opportunity to participate in a day of service at Bridgeport Methodist Camp. They will spruce up the place in anticipation of summer camp season by painting and doing small repairs. Any student who is interested in going needs to bring $5 and some work gloves to the camp. Let Kristine know if you are interested. Transportation is on your own, but we can arrange a car pool if needed. Youth Sunday at the Parish and Graduation Sunday arrives a day later on May 8, which is also Mother s Day. Youth from the Parish and FUMC will be running the morning worship service, and students graduating from middle school and high school will be honored. We hope you ll be able to join us for this special day. If you have to miss this one, in the fall we will have another combined Youth Sunday service at FUMC. Our last Wednesday youth group meeting until fall will be held on May 18. We will have an end of the year party to ease some test anxiety and blow off some steam. If you missed Hungry Hungry Hippos at the lock in, this is your chance to try it out. We have 12 students and 2 sponsors going on the mission trip to Las Vegas, NV from June 13-18. As a result of the generosity of the Parish and FUMC during our initial fundraising, we were able to lower costs from $480 per student to $275. We will continue to fundraise in both churches to ensure that we cover all of our costs. We will be staying with a partner church, First Christian Church of Las Vegas for the week, working with a number of non-profit organizations, and we will spend a day checking out what the city has to offer. If you still haven t signed up for summer camp there is still time! Remember that the Parish will pay half of the cost of camp for any student who would like to go. Contact Kristine for details or pick up a summer camp booklet in the foyer at the Parish. As our regular Wednesday night programming comes to a close, I d like to take this opportunity to thank all of the people who make it possible. There are dozens of people who have supported the youth this year through cooking meals on Wednesdays, driving them to various events, teaching our youth in Sunday school, and running the meetings when I couldn t be there. I am so grateful to all of you. It is clear that the youth of these churches are valued and loved. I would also like to thank the youth for always being up for the crazy things I plan for them (like sweaty bagels). Enjoy your summer vacation and keep an eye out for news of our summer outings, like going to see Ghostbusters at the drive in.
MDO Xtreme May 2016 April at MDO Xtreme was full of bright colors and all things Spring season! The children made butter lies, painted lower pots, painted rain under rain clouds, planted lower seeds, made suncatchers from nature items, and much more! Spring is such a wonderful time of growth, new life, and colorful scenery! MDO Xtreme has 9 children graduating from our Pre-K program this year! These children will begin Kindergarten in the Fall. We will have a promotion/graduation program on May 12th at 2pm in the Parish Sanctuary. Our 3 yr old class and 4 yr old class will sing a couple of songs and the Pre-K graduates will receive diplomas, followed by a cookie and cupcake reception. All MDO Xtreme friends and family are invited to join in this celebration! MDO Xtreme s last day of school is May 12th! We are closed the rest of May and will re-open June 1st on Wednesdays only through July. Summer hours are 9-3pm, $20 a day per child, age 6 weeks through Pre-K. Wonderful Wild Wednesdays This program is for children that have completed Kindergarten through 5th grade. Each Wednesday in June, we will take a ield trip (destinations to be determined). Hours are 9-4pm, $20 a day per child. Space is limited to the irst 20 children. See the church of ice for more information on these fun outings!
Senior Minister Rev. Dr. Suzanne Castle I m in the middle of final prepara ons for a group trip I m leading to Italy in the later part of this month. The trip is focused on the ancient pilgrim trail, the Via Francigena. This path ran from Canterbury, across the channel in France and finally to Rome. In medieval mes, the Via Francigena was an important road for pilgrims heading south to Rome. The trip I m leading focuses on the por on on the trail that connects Siena to Rome. Another important point is that unlike Roman roads, the Via Francigena did not connect ci es, but relied more on abbeys. (See the image from the Val d Orcia.) While working and studying to prepare to lecture along the way, it occurred to me that many of us do not comprehend the significance of spiritual pilgrimages. In the tradi onal Chris an faith, the act of pilgrimage is more than a trip or holiday to a loca on with religious significance. It is an act that in itself has great spiritual meaning; one that o en defines a person s spiritual journey similar to Bap sm or other holy ritual. Today, a pilgrimage is a journey or search of moral or spirital significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other loca on of importance to a person's beliefs and faith, although some mes it can be a metaphorical journey into someone's own beliefs. Pilgrimages are important today as we find ourselves more and more connected via screens, rather than in nature. These journeys give us a chance to stop, reconnect and breathe. As you make plans for the summer, I m wondering if you can find some me for a pilgrimage of your own: to the lake, to a field, to a religious place and just stop. For a moment. "As I make my slow pilgrimage through the world, a certain sense of beau ful mystery seems to gather and grow. A.C. Benson exäa WÜA fâétççx VtáàÄx