Pastor's Update

Parkway Super Bowl Party

Looking for a way to spend the Super Bowl with your parkway family, without the hassle of cleaning your house before and afterwards? Looking for a way to see the Super Bowl on a BIG screen? Come join the Parkway family on February 7th and watch the Super Bowl in the student worship area. Cost is $5/person with a $15/family maximum. Cost will cover Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, drinks & activities for the kiddos. Bring your favorite appetizer and your most comfortable tailgating chair and join the fun. Who knows, an appetizer contest may be part of the festivities as well! This is great opportunity to bring your friends and neighbors. Register online. Contact Brian Mullen (832.549.4448) if you have any

A Word from Matthew Scribe

As many of you may know, I have been fund raising for the National MS Society for the past six years, and as you may have guessed, I've signed up for my seventh MS 150 this April 17th and 18th. The MS 150 is a bike ride that covers approximately 170 miles from Houston to Austin over 2 days to promote awareness and raise money towards finding a cure and providing support for the 20,000 families in Texas alone affected by Multiple Sclerosis, including both counseling and medication support.

This year is my senior year in high school, so it may be my last ride for a while. In an effort to impact both my world and the world of those around me one last time, I've set 2 major goals for the MS 150:

1. Do both days with only 1 stop - lunch; other than that, straight through to Austin!
2. Raise over $2,000 dollars to help the thousands of Texans who suffer from Multiple Sclerosis.

Number 1 is all on me, but I need help from you, my friends, to raise money to help stop Multiple Sclerosis. For those of you who don't know, Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological disease affecting both muscle control and brain activity. Its effect can range from being unnoticeable to paralysis, and doctors still haven't found a cure.

The MS 150 and all that it stands for is something that I've been a part of for seven years, and I'd love to have you join me.

All donations are tax deductible. I accept cash, checks made out to the "National MS Society," and credit donations made online at http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/scribe by clicking on the donate button.

It’s About Our Kids

We have really good news to share with you. We are seeing more and more visitors at our Sunday morning worship services each week. While this is a good thing, it is beginning to create some new opportunities for our children’s ministry. You see, many of our guests will make their decision to return to Parkway based on the experience their kids have on Sunday morning. They watch what happens with their kids as they “check us out.” Do the teachers call their children by name? Are the children eager to come on Sunday morning because they anticipate enjoying themselves? Are the children learning about God and how to be followers of Jesus?

We have excellent teachers and curriculum, but our classrooms are starting to get a little crowded. This means we need to get more teachers in place as soon as possible. So I have an idea! If you presently worship one hour then go home, will you consider spending another hour at Parkway and make it about our kids?? For more information or to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity, contact me and I will get you pointed in the right direction.

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."

BE There. BE Hope in Haiti!

We are collecting financial donations for the Haiti relief effort. All our monies will go to UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief). For those of you who do not know about the work of UMCOR, they are an amazing organization. They are often the first boots on the ground in a disaster situation. They do fantastic work BUT what I love most about UMCOR is that 100% of monies collected goes to relief efforts. Other expenses (salary, administrative, etc) are paid through apportionments and other means. What that means is when you give $1 to the victims of the earthquake; the whole dollar is spent in Haiti!! Now that is faithful stewardship! For more information, visit www.umcorhaiti.org. Make checks payable to Parkway and in the memo write “Haiti Relief.” If you have any questions, contact me.

It is the Year of the Revolution. A Revolution that starts with you and with me. I believe that this Revolution is not something we can simply sign up for or join. This Revolution is a way of life. This year you and I are going to be called to this way of life…to become Revolutionaries. Last week, we talked about remembering our stories as a necessary first step. But we must remember this is only the first step.

As we remember our story, we hear a word this morning that reminds us of the mind-set of the Revolutionary: Do whatever it takes to get closer to God and to help others to do the same. The Apostle Paul teaches the church in Corinth the secret to living this mind-set. He writes words that hold a special place in many of our hearts…words that ought to be part of our manifesto.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

Out of the Heart of a Young Revolutionary.

I want to share with you how one young Revolutionary is making a difference. Makenna Shook went with her mom to the Mission Trip meeting last Sunday. There she heard about the children of Mexico, many who do not have shoes to wear. Many adults would have just shrugged it off, but not Makenna. She came up with a plan. Here is the letter she has given to all the teachers at her school in Needville:

Dear Teacher,
My name is Makenna Shook; I am 8 years old and a second grader at Needville Elementary in Mrs. Kocian’s class. I am a member of Parkway United Methodist Church in Sugarland, Texas. My church is doing a mission trip to Victoria Salinas, Mexico. I am too young to go on the trip but went with my mom to the meeting and heard them saying that a lot of the kids there don’t have shoes to wear. When I heard this I decided I wanted to do something to help them. I am asking each student to donate some of their old shoes so that we can give them to some of these less fortunate kids. I am asking each teacher to ask their kids to bring shoes and we will collect them and will ship them to Mexico in May. I am also offering myself to pay for a pizza party to the class that donates the most shoes. Thank you for helping me and my church to help these children out and give them shoes to wear.
Thank you so much!

Mackenna gets it. The Revolution is not something you join, but rather is a way of life. A life that embraces the love Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 13. You know, maybe Mackenna should preach this week! If you want to donate shoes, bring them to church anytime.

PLEASE EMAIL KATHY YOUR BIRTHDAY, YEAR NOT NEEDED!!