2017 Leadership Book
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“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you…because if it prospers, you too will prosper” Jeremiah 29:7 2017 LEADERSHIP BOOK ANNUAL CHURCH CONFERENCE REPORT NOVEMBER 13, 2016 The Reverend Jay Jackson, Superintendent, Southwest District The Texas Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church C. Chappell Temple, Dan Conway, Michelle Hall, Mike Whang Christ Church Pastoral Staff With thanks to SugarLand.com for images of Sugar Land, Texas. 2 christchurchsl.org 3 Welcome from our Pastors There are many words and expressions in our culture that bid welcome. My offering to you would be “thank you for saying yes to God and Christ Church and know that It’s a greeting used by everyone these days, from Muslims who say, “As-salamu alaykum” (or you are so welcome. My hope for each person/family is that they would experience “peace be upon you”) to Hebrews who start each Friday with “Shabbat Shalom” (“peaceful the inestimable love of Jesus Christ and find your place among us. If I could sing, Sabbath”) to even those stuck in the Sixties who may tell you when leaving somewhere simply and those who know me would confirm that I can NOT, I would sing “Oh How I Love “Peace Out!” For in truth, there is nothing more satisfying to many than to enjoy peace in their Jesus”. Please know that your pastor, Michelle, is imperfect, but by the grace of God, I lives, one way or the other. continue to trust that if I live as faithfully as I can, He will continue to lead and guide me. God continues to love me into a place of hope and assurance. The guiding Long ago, however, God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah to tell His people that if they scripture for my life continues to be Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all thine wanted to enjoy real serenity that they could do so by consciously working for the same thing in heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, the lives of those around them. For to those Hebrews who found themselves in Exile in Babylon, and he shall direct thy paths.” God told them not only to settle down where they had been planted but even to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile—pray to the Lord for it, because if it My joy comes from the word of God and the promises of God, constantly brought to prospers you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7) my remembrance by the Holy Spirit. Life is not always fair, but we serve a faithful God! PASTOR Together we can make a difference. Thank you for embracing Christ and His church. And in a like manner, that’s our mission as a church as well. For we’ve been put in this particular place—hardly a harsh land of exile!—in order to bear His witness and love to others. Or, in short, MICHELLE HALL PASTOR we’ve been blessed to be a blessing. CHAPPELL TEMPLE In this annual leadership book you will find both examples and expectations of how we hope to do that in the year ahead. As you read through its pages, I hope you will be inspired by all that has already been done in God’s name, but also by all that we hope to do in 2017 and beyond. I pray too that you will find somewhere in which you can be a part of that work. I was greeted with a heavy Texas thunderstorm. It was May 2015. As I exited 59 and High- Peace out indeed! way 6 for the first time, the rain was pouring so hard I could hardly see the road in front of me. Being a melodramatic recent seminary graduate, I imagined the storm to be an epic prophetic sign from God to mark the beginning of my pastoral ministry. But as I stepped through the rain and onto our church campus - under renovation Matthew 13:31 “He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, from a recent flooding at the time, I began to see that I was not arriving at the start which a man took and planted in his field.” of a new story, but entering the next chapter of an unfolding one. I am honored to be serving as one of your pastors in this my fourth year at Christ Church. In the days that followed (often accompanied by the glory of Texican fajitas, queso, Over the years, together we have put our hands to the plow to work this soil for a new harvest and/or Whataburger), I had the sacred privilege of listening as you narrated for me of the Lord. In an ever changing world and community, new adaptations and ministries the story of Christ United Methodist Church. From pilot episode to the most recent, continue to begin in our ongoing life of faith together. Just below the surface, I believe you recounted the twists, the turns, the laughter, the tears, the mountain tops, the seeds with the promise of new life are bursting open ready to be revealed in the light of a valley places, the hopes and the dreams of a faith community that began over 30 new day. Over this past year, the work of the Spirit has strengthened the faith of many here years ago. at Christ Church, and the potential of new ministries to reach new people is exciting as we PASTOR What a story God is continuing to write through us! In listening to, and now actively anticipate with eagerness the fruit of the kingdom that God may soon be raising up among us. MIKE WHANG participating in the narrative of Christ Church, what you have taught me is this: ours The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus is not the story of creating a “successful brand” in the Houston religious marketplace. to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” and in Philippians 1:6 “being Rather, ours is the story of God’s Spirit forming in and through us a covenant com- PASTOR confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the munity completely given to loving God and neighbor right here in Fort Bend County! DAN CONWAY day of Christ Jesus.” Thank you to you who have been co-laborers with me in this shared ministry We are not building a church, we are becoming the church. of outreach and discipleship! It is a joy to share the good news of Jesus Christ within our Whether you have been a part of this journey from the beginning, or like me, are entering community and beyond, from day to day and from year to year. I look forward to many more this story only now, may we, like the Apostle Paul, be confident of this: “The one who seasons of good works that our Lord is setting before us, and growth in discipleship that our began a good work in us is faithful to carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.” Lord is faithfully cultivating within us. Even through Texas thunderstorms. May the Peace and Grace of Jesus Christ Be Yours. 4 christchurchsl.org 5 CONTENTS 4 | WELCOME FROM THE PASTORS 54 | MEMBERSHIP REPORT 8 | MINISTRIES OF CHRIST CHURCH Second Reading of Names 20 | 2017 LEADERSHIP First Reading of Names 32 | 2017 CALENDAR 2017 Lay Leadership Directory 44 | 2017 FINANCIAL REPORT 2017 Staff Directory Current Financial Statement 2016 Revenues & Expenses Statement Designated Funds Permanent Endowment Fund Christ Church 2017 Ministry Budget 6 christchurchsl.org 7 MINISTRIES of CHRIST CHURCH “I am among you as one who serves…” Luke 22:27 8 christchurchsl.org 9 PART of the EXTENDED FAMILY BY DAYNE DELAHOUSSAYE I grew up in Sugar Land. Some of my earliest memories in A few years ago, it occurred to me that I am not a my faith journey began in that sleepy little town south- kid anymore and it was time that I acknowledged west of Houston where I recall going to church and the that I am one of the grown ups. With that comes the important role the “adults” at the church played in my responsibility that our kids today need adults too. life. They were my teachers sharing Bible stories. They Proverbs tells us to “Train up a child in the way he were my friends sharing fun and memories. And, they should go: and when he is old, he will not depart were my mother’s spies watching from the edges to from it.” God is calling us to be the example, the report back when I stepped out of line. friend, and the watchful eyes in the background for our kids. Now, years later, I’m back in Sugar Land. It looks different. The highway is wider, the trees are bigger, and the traffic Teaching fourth and fifth grade Sunday school has COLOR WARS UM ARMY 2016 is slower. But some things didn’t change. I still see many given me the opportunity to play my role in this of those same people from my early church days out and cycle. I love seeing the kids come to Sunday school about. A friendly word, a little wave or a quick hug - all to play, laugh, and learn about God’s plans for us.