Pastor's Update

Fashion Show and Luncheon
Saturday, November 14th, Worship Center
Join the Women of Parkway for a fashion show and luncheon benefiting 2nd Mile Mission’s Gifts of Love. Gifts of Love provides Christmas gifts for children and parents that are sponsored by 2nd Mile Mission. Fashions will be provided by Coldwater Creek and modeled by women of Parkway. Tickets are on sale NOW online and will be available this Sunday. If you would like to help or have questions, contact Nancy Draper.

Stay In Love With God
John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church, believed that Christ-followers should “stay in love with God.” For Wesley, this was an essential “rule” of the Christian walk. He believed there are things we can do to follow this practice. He believed we should spend time in prayer, reading the Scriptures, participate in Communion, fasting and serving. These things, Wesley believed, would keep us close to God…keep us in love with God. I agree with Wesley, we need to keep our relationship with God fresh, exciting and alive. I also know that sometimes life gets so busy and hectic, that God sometimes gets put on the back burner.

If you sometimes find life hectic and want a few quiet moments to reconnect with God, make plans to join us each Wednesday in the Prayer Chapel. From 5:00 to 7:00 pm each week, we offer a quiet time of reflection, private prayer and communion for you. Stay for as long as you like. Come alone or come with friends and family. This is a time to step away from the busyness of life…and to breathe peace. For more information, contact me.

Join us as we pray for our Leaders!
November is election month. Join us to pray for wisdom and courage for Fort Bend political leaders. Come worship, praise, and pray with other believers in the Chapel. This is a great opportunity to make a difference in our community. Childcare provided in Ministry Building Room 168. We will meet from 6:00 to 6:30! For more information, please contact Kieu-Oanh Smith.

Take a Walk to Emmaus!!
Are you a member of a local church? Do you have the desire to strengthen your spiritual life? Do you have unanswered questions about your faith? Do you understand that being a follower of Christ has responsibility? Are you wanting to spend 72 hours singing, learning, laughing, reflecting, worshipping and praying? If so, then perhaps, you need to take a walk…a Walk to Emmaus!

The Walk to Emmaus is a 72-hour experience, an Upper Room program attended mostly by United Methodists, but open to Christians of other denominations also. Those participating are called Pilgrims. The Pilgrims spend 72 hours living together. As a group of men or women, they study, sing, worship, talk, pray, and experience something like a New Testament community.
If are interested in learning more about Emmaus, please contact Marty. We are trying to put together a list of those who have attended an Emmaus Walk, please let Marty know. Watch the bulletin and Update for some great Emmaus opportunities.

Pretzel Prayers?!
This month, our 1st through 4th graders are learning that when the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, he responded with The Lord’s Prayer. Using the acronym P.I.T.A., we are teaching the children how to include elements of Praise, I’m Sorry, Thanksgiving and Asking in their prayers. You will be hearing more about this in the Children’s Sermons (at both services) the next two Sundays.

In one of the upcoming lessons, the children will be taught how their church lifts up the “asking” prayers of the people by compiling them into a weekly prayer list which is sent out to a Prayer Team. Each child will be sent home with one of the “asking” prayers from the weekly prayer concerns. If you would like to have a child pray for your “asking” prayer, please email it to Mrs. Valerie by November 28th.

THE REVOLUTION and A Life of Giving
If you have turned in your 2010 pledge/covenant card, "Thank You". If not, please do so as soon as possible. Your pledge makes a meaningful difference in our ministry and operating budget for next year and is necessary to fuel the mission of Parkway.

You may send it via any method that is convenient for you (i.e., you can place it in the offering plate on Sunday, drop it by the church office, drop it in the mail, or send it via email to stippett@parkwayumc.org). If you choose to send us an email, just let us know the amount of your weekly, monthly, or annual pledge, and whether it is an individual pledge or a pledge to be made jointly with your spouse. Please remember that every commitment is important, no matter the size, and is also an excellent exercise in courage, faith, and sacrifice.

Cleaning for a Reason
Judy Johnson shared with me this wonderful service that is available for women battling cancer. If you know any woman currently undergoing Chemo, please pass the word to her that there is a cleaning service that provides FREE housecleaning - 1 time per month for 4 months while she is in treatment. All she has to do is sign up and have her doctor fax a note confirming the treatment. Cleaning for a Reason will have a participating maid service in her zip code area arrange for the service.   

Gifts of Love
Collections: November 15-December 6
Event: December 19
Collections: You can bring smiles to families in need. Parkway is collecting new, unwrapped $5-$15 gifts for children, 12 and under, and their parents. We also need wrapping paper, bows, gift bags, to/from labels and scotch tape. Collection boxes for these tax deductible donations are in the Ministry and Worship Center entrances until December 6th. Practice generosity; consider bringing smiles by donating for a whole family.

Distribution: You can participate in a miracle; we need help showing Christ's love and assisting 100 families, in the following areas: Christmas Story-Tellers, Shopping Guides, Greeters, Prayers, Spanish Translators, Personal Wrapping Assistants, Photographer, and Refreshments. If you, your children, and/or your Grow Group are able to serve on December 19 from 11am-5pm at Parkway, contact Pam Johnson at pilgrims4@hotmail.com.

Thanksgiving Food Outreach
Wednesday November 25th, 9am-3pm
Second Mile's annual Thanksgiving Food Outreach will be held at The Stafford Centre. We will  bag and distribute the fixings for a traditional Thanksgiving meal to more than 600 families. Volunteer positions are available for you and your whole family, but pre-registration is required at file:///C:\Documents%20and%20Settings\kstacy\Local%20Settings\Temporary%20Internet%20Files\OLK35B\volunteer@secondmile.org, or call 281-261-9199, ext. 285. You will receive a confirmation via email. Walk-in volunteer opportunities are not available, so please pre-register today.

HOPE for ONE

We have the opportunity to reach NEW TERRITORY with the message of the Gospel through the gift of music. We are going to professionally record and produce a CD with a mix of Top 40 and Christian songs and mail it out to every residence in New Territory. There are 4601 homes and 500 apartments. We can reach every home for only $5 per family. What a great and non-threatening way to get into every single family in our immediate area with the message of the Gospel.

We have had some people ask about other areas to reach. Let me assure you, if this is “successful” we will begin to target other ministry areas such as Pecan Grove, Greatwood and River Park. Please help our effort even if you don’t live in New Territory. Everyone can afford to buy for a family, and some of you, maybe a whole neighborhood. Encourage your kids to sponsor a family and make them feel like this is their outreach too. We have designated one of the walls in the worship center as the Wall of Hope. For every family that is sponsored, we will put a card up on the wall that says "Hope for One."

Church Conference, November 16th 7:00 pm

Check out our website for more events and activities.

Take care and God Bless….

Breathe Peace,