Pastor's Update

Old-Fashioned Christmas Party

Sunday, December 13 6:00 – 8:00  pm
Come join us for a relaxing evening of fellowship, traditional foods from your family’s heritage, and Christmas carols. Roast turkey and ham will be provided.  Check the website and the bulletin for what to bring. Come share your family’s traditions! To volunteer, or for more information, contact Celeste Conlon.

Table Amnesty Day

Families share and borrow things, and sometimes forget to bring them back. Some of Parkway’s tables have been borrowed and are probably sitting in your neighbor’s home. If you happen to know the location of a table that belongs to Parkway, we sure do need it returned. Please spread the word – December 6th and December 13th are Table Amnesty Day. Simply bring the table (for your neighbor of course) and drop it off in the Ministry Center or the Worship Center. No questions asked, but much appreciated.

Come Learn the Truth About THE STAR OF BETHLHEM!!

Scholars debate whether the Star of Bethlehem is a legend manufactured by the early Church or a miracle which marked the Advent of Christ. This Wednesday evening at 6:30, we will gather in the chapel (or the Worship Center) to a learn the truth about THE STAR OF BETHLEHEM. For more information, contact Marty.

YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS!!

Come Pray for Parkway Church!

Wednesday December 16, 6:00PM - 6:30PM
Parkway needs you!  Join us to pray for God's blessings to pour out upon Parkway Church and God's glory to manifest through the ministries at Parkway Church. This is an awesome opportunity to enable Parkway to be the church that God has called us to be.  Come worship, praise, and pray with other believers in the Chapel. Childcare provided in Ministry Building Room 168.

Blue Christmas, 6:00 pm December 20th

Elvis crooned about it. “You'll be doing all right, with your Christmas of white, but I'll have a blue, blue Christmas." 'Tis sad but true…for those dealing with job loss, depression, grief, illness or financial strain, the holidays can be anything but happy. In stressful times, there's just no merry in Christmas. On Sunday, December 20th, Parkway is offering comfort for those who are struggling a Blue Christmas Service. Sometimes all the happiness and celebrating around this season can make us feel sad, alone, depressed or just BLUE. Parkway understands this and is living the out the words of Isaiah 40:1,”comfort, comfort ye my people.” 

This service will emphasize the hope, goodness and grace God offers to us. It will focus on the Christ child who is called Emmanuel, God with us. Through music, prayer and a word of hope, we pray God will touch our hearts and continue His healing process. To me the highlight of the service is when we are given the opportunity, through candles, to release our pain, hurt and concerns to God. There will also be a chance to pray and be prayed with at the altar, if you desire. Everyone, regardless of church background (or lack of it) is welcome.

Christmas Eve Services

This year we are offering 3 Christmas Eve services at 5, 7 and 11 pm. We will sing carols, receive communion and have the traditional candle lighting at all 3 services. These services will be a beautiful way to celebrate the birth of our Savior with your Parkway family.

We will also have something special for our kids at the 5 and 7 pm services. We invite the children to experience firsthand what the night of Jesus’ birth might have looked like! Our message will focus on the story from the book of Luke. Children can come to the service dressed as their favorite character and as the Gospel is being read, the children will be invited to come onto the stage to take their place in the re-enactment of the nativity scene. Search your children’s Bibles and storybooks for ideas, and help your child choose which character they would like to dress up as.

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."

Women’s Retreat

Parkway’s Women’s Ministry is hosting an in house weekend Retreat January 29-30th. Our theme is Tapestry and how friends color the fabric of our lives. “It is our relationships with other women which often bring color and brightness, honesty and security, to our lives.” We will have dinner Friday night followed by a speaker, friends and fellowship. Then on Saturday we will serve breakfast and then a day packed full of topics about Taking Inventory, Prayer and Good Friends, Goal Setting and Silence and Solitude. We hope you will join us. Tickets go on sale December 13th for $35.00 on the website www.parkwayumc.org. If you have any questions contact Debbie Mullen (281-343-7197). 

Gifts of Love

Gifts of Love 
Saturday December 19th, 11am-5pm
Gifts of Love is fast approaching. Many people are needed to serve in the following areas: Shopping Guides, Greeters, Spanish Translators, Prayers, Personal Wrapping Assistants, Photographer, and Refreshments. As a volunteer the perks are huge; like seeing joy in a child’s eyes when they see fresh baked cookies just for them, the impact of the Christmas story and personal prayer on a struggling family, thankfulness of guests who are able to give a Christmas gift to a loved one, the very real and tangible demonstration of Christ’s love in the hands and feet of volunteers. Join the fun and experience a miracle here at Parkway. Questions/to serve, contact Pam Johnson pilgrims4@hotmail.com.

Worship This Sunday!!

I love the story of Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer. Some people might think of the story as a cute children’s story that misses the true meaning of Christmas, but I think it is so much more. When I watch Rudolph, I am reminded that I worship a God who doesn’t see my red-nose or my square wheels. Every time I sing that children’s song, I am reminded that I worship a God who doesn’t mind if I am a cow with spots or a cowboy riding an ostrich. You see, Christmas reminds us that we have a God who doesn’t see us as misfits who ought to be exiled to an island. Instead we have a God who loves us so much that He chose to become one of us so that we might spend eternity with Him. And for me, that is what Christmas really means. 

How Are We Doing?

Worship Attendance December 6
Adult Worship..................................372
Children’s Ministry...........................197
Student Worship...............................93
Total Attendance.......................... 662