Saturdays, September 11 – October 16
9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Adult Ed. Bldg, Room 200

The Financial Peace University course has helped hundreds of people in our church and surrounding communities. The course includes practical lessons on eliminating debt, creating a budget, insurance, real estate, building wealth, giving like never before and much more. Contact the Rev. Carol Brooks at 214-291-5024 for more information.

5K Run & 1 Mile Walk

• Sat, September 11, 2010
• 8:00 a.m. – 1 mile walk/run
• 8:30 a.m. – 5K walk/run
• Chip-timed
• USATF Certified Course
• Logistics by Luke’s Locker
• Host: Christ Church Plano
• Proceeds benefit Casas Hogares to build an orphan home in Peru.
• $500 in gift card drawings.

Location

• Christ Church Plano
  4550 Legacy Drive
  Plano, Texas 75024
  972-618-0222
  [ View Course Map ]

Awards

1st, 2nd & 3rd place awards by age group for 5K (male & female). Overall 1st place for 5K & 1 mile (male & female), top dog, top stroller. 5K participants must wear a chip to be eligible for awards. No award duplications.
Age groups:
Kids-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+

Sleep In

The sleep-in option allows registrants to sit out while helping us move forward. Sleep-in participants will receive a Roof Dog Run t-shirt and an event packet. No excuses, no worries, and every dollar makes a significant impact toward building a new orphan home:

• $25 to supply a block
• $50 to furnish a window
• $100 to install a door
• $250 to build a wall
• $500 to lay down a floor
• $1,000 to provide a bathroom
• $2,000 to provide a bedroom

Entry Fees

All entrants registered by Aug. 29 receive a Roof Dog Run t-shirt; afterwards while supplies last. For children 5 & under: no registration fee, t-shirts $5.

Event Packet Pickup

Roof Dog?

Since 2005, the annual Roof Dog Run has been held by Roof Dogs from the Plano area as a fun family event which raises funds to benefit orphaned children in Peru and raise awareness for international needs. In Arequipa, some dogs
actually live on the rooftops of their owners' homes, serving as protectors over their family's household.

Inspired by the canines, a group of missionaries from Christ Church Plano adopted the name for themselves as a way of expressing their love and desire to protect the children of Casas Hogares children's homes. Casa Hogar San Jose and Casa Hogar Sagrada Familia are the homes of orphaned children ranging in age from 3 to 18. The Roof Dogs visit the orphanages annually and continue to be moved by the gentle spirit that these children exhibit.

All proceeds from the Roof Dog Run contribute to the Casas Hogares to build a new orphanage. The Casas Hogares provides shelter, food, clothing, and other daily necessities; as well as giving a hope for the future to children who have been abused, abandoned and neglected.

Our Platinum Sponsors

Find the Roof Dog on Facebook

http://facebook.com/TheRoofDog

The Music & Worship Ministry welcomes Jodi Hill as Music Associate for Choral Conducting for our 2010/2011 choir season. Singers are encouraged to consider investing in the weekly worship life of Christ Church. To learn more about the choir membership process, visit the Music & Worship page.

A native of North Richland Hills, Jodi has been a frequent guest soloist and choral singer at Christ Church for several years. She has a love for the church and great admiration for its high musical standards. Jodi is Assistant Choir Director at North Richland Middle School, teaches private voice lessons, and sings with many professional choirs including Orpheus Chamber Singers, Texas Choral Artists, Dallas Bach Society and Paradigm Vocal Ensemble. She has performed choral and solo music in major halls across the U.S., England and Italy. Jodi received her Bachelor of Music Education Degree at the University of North Texas in 2006 and is currently working on her Master of Music Degree in Choral Conducting at the University of Kansas.

There are many service opportunities available in Sunday School. You can serve weekly, bi-weekly or monthly in a variety of roles. If you would like to share your love of God with a child, prayerfully consider one of these opportunities.

• Aides/Assistants
  Commit to serve a minimum of two Sundays a month during the school year (August – May), assisting the lead teacher with snack, early arriver activities and other functions.
  Serve time is typically two hours. Training required: Safe Church training – two hours
• Greeters
  Welcome families to Sunday School. Direct new families to classrooms. Be a welcoming presence. Commit to two Sundays a month. Serve time is typically 30 minutes. Training required: 30 minutes.
• Check-In Attendants
  Commit to two Sundays a month helping with check-in prior to either 9:15 or 11 a.m. service. Serve time is typically 30 minutes. Training required: Computer and/or check-in software training – 30 minutes.
• Mid-Week Helper
  Prepare materials for Sunday School classes: make copies, decorate bulletin boards, etc. Serve time varies.

To begin serving, contact our children’s minister, Jon Lyon, at 214-291-5026.

Related

• Volunteer for Kids in Need
• Children’s Summer: Camp Sunday & GAP45
• Appreciation: VBS at San Miguel, Ft. Worth
• Opportunities to Serve

This July you can help make the beginning of school special for needy children in Collin County and the North Dallas area. Kids in Need in Our Community takes place in July. With your help, Christ Church will collect 500 backpacks filled with school supplies. Stop by one of the learning trees around the campus beginning July 10 and choose a child’s card. The card provides instructions and a list of supplies needed. Card selection will occur on two weekends, July 10-11 and 17-18, and all supplies should be returned to the tree sites by Sunday, July 25. Your participation will help kids in need in our community to be equipped for school this fall.

Volunteer tree attendants, sorters and packers, and deliverers are still needed. To volunteer for one of the positions below, contact Marsha Kostus or 214-291-5013.

Related

• Join the Children’s Sunday School Team
• Appreciation: VBS at San Miguel, Ft. Worth
• Children’s Summer: Camp Sunday & GAP45
• Opportunities to Serve

During the Summer, our College and Young Adult Ministries are meeting on Sunday nights for Evening Prayer with Eucharist. We will meet until August 1, 2010 (with the exception of July 4) at 6 p.m. in the Christ Church Chapel. For more information, please contact The Rev. Daniel Adkinson.

Related

• College Ministry
• Young Adults
• College & Young Adults Group on Facebook

GAP45 Summer
It’s back for 2010! Students will meet each Wednesday night from 6:30 to 8 p.m. from July 7 through August 11 in the Archgate Center, Room 4208. All students finishing 4th & 5th grade are invited to come and bring friends for food, games and a lesson.

Camp Sunday
Camp Sunday meets every Sunday at 9:15 and 11 a.m. throughout the summer. The Children’s Ministry interns are leading our students in a high-seas themed version of Bible Max. We encourage all students to participate in this fun exploration of the Bible.

For more information, contact Jon Lyon.

Related

• Join the Children’s Sunday School Team
• Appreciation: VBS at San Miguel, Ft. Worth
• Volunteer for Kids in Need

Stay connected with the High School Youth Group this summer. Check out what’s going on below:

Related

• High School Youth Group
• Coast Camp
• Youth on Facebook

On Saturday, May 1, 2010, some 475 Christ Church parishioners went out in the community to contribute their services as part of our annual Make a Difference Day. The photos below tell the story of a great day, including Christ Church member Maryann Leach’s experience helping “Lisa,” a Plano Community Home East resident who has cerebral palsy, plant a garden for the first time in her life. Maryann had to lift her hands, but Lisa got to be part of the action. Here are some other highlights of the day:

• 1,101 lbs. of food was collected for the ACO Food Pantry in Allen
• 55 donors gave 47 units of blood
• 2 picnic benches were assembled, numbers were painted on concrete in the carpool area and numbers were painted on the playground concrete at Bright Elementary School in Frisco
• Our Middle School Youth sorted clothing at Frisco Family Services Resale Shop
• Our High School Youth cleaned up the grounds of the CITY House teen shelter
• Thousands of shoes were sorted at the Buckner warehouse
• A fence was built, concrete repaired and the front of a house was painted in Carrollton for senior residents
• Medical supplies were sorted for shipment to developing countries at MediSend
• 100 summer reading book packets were assembled for needy children at Boyd Elementary School in Allen
• Clothing was sorted at the Allen Community Outreach Resale Shop
• The grounds were mowed, trimmed and planted at the Assistance Center of Collin County
• Clothing was received, sorted and delivered to five different agencies
• Fire personnel were honored at three Plano fire stations
• Hundreds of items were collected and donated to the Frisco Family Services Food Pantry
• Food was sorted and clients assisted at Minnie’s Food Pantry
• The building entryway was painted and residents’ apartments cleaned at Pioneer Place
• Planting occurred at Plano Community Home East and West campuses for seniors
• Items were sorted and organized at The Samaritan Inn Thrift Shop
• Trash and debris were picked up on the grounds of the Vista Buena ApartmentsCLICK ON PHOTO FOR LARGER IMAGE

Breaking Free: The Journey, The Stories by Beth Moore helps guide participants through a study of the Scriptures to discover the transforming power of freedom in Jesus Christ. Themes for this study come from Isaiah, a book about the captivity of God’s children, the faithfulness of God, and the road to freedom.

This in-depth study draws parallels between the captive Israelites of the Old Testament and New Testament believers in Jesus as the promised messiah. Beth looks at the book of Isaiah through the lives of the kings who ruled during the prophet’s ministry. These kings exemplify many of the obstacles to freedom with which we must deal.

Using scripture to help identify spiritual strongholds in your life, no matter how big or small, Beth explains how to break free from anything that hinders us from the benefits of knowing God.

• Mondays 7-9 p.m., June 7 – August 23 (does not meet July 5)
• Thursdays 9:15-11:15 a.m., June 10- August 26 (does not meet June 24)
• Adult Education Building, Room 200
• Cost: $20
• Childcare available with registration.

Related

• Follow us on Facebook

Use your gifts and resources to reflect Christ’s love to the people in our church, in the community and around the world.

Serve at Christ Church

Worship ministries provide acolytes (ages 8-18), altar guild, chalice bearers (age 18+), greeters and ushers to do the work of the people in worship. Chalice bearers may also serve as lay readers and lay eucharist ministers. Come serve with us. You will be blessed!

• Contact Brenda Gribbin at 214-291-5023.
• Worship Ministries

Serve from Christ Church

Serve through World Missions

Related

• Strategic Partners

As our 3rd grade Sunday School classes prepared for Christmas, one of their lessons focused on Mary’s visit to Elizabeth and the idea that Christmas is a time to share good news with those we love.

Teachers Jamey Smrekar and Kym McDaniel decided to have the children make Christmas cards for soldiers in Iraq. The result was an envelope full of cards mailed to Christ Church member Col. Rob Woodmansee who is stationed there.

After sharing the cards with his soldiers, he sent back pictures of the smiles on everyone’s faces. Rob will return to the States at the end of January and plans to visit the 3rd grade classes to personally thank them. Click on a thumbnail below to view full image.

At Christ Church, we want all of our members to worship, grow, and serve (Pick 3!). You will find this simple, biblical model undergirds all of our ministries and everything that we do as a church. As we train up disciples in our Children and Youth Ministries we want to make sure that these core values are passed on to the next generation of christians in our midst. This was on display this past Wednesday night when our Middle School Youth Group took the opportunity to serve together. In fact, 87 Middle School students and 22 of the High School Teen Helpers that mentor them every week, along with a dedicated team of adult volunteers and our wonderful Youth Ministry staff went Angel Tree shopping together! Our students contributed financially and then personally selected gifts for 67 people, ranging from ages 3 to 83. This will be a huge blessing for those receiving gifts and was a blessing to our students, as well.

Extra gifting

Great things are afoot in our Youth Ministry and it is wonderful to see such enthusiastic service from our middle school students. Our high school students have a full morning ahead of them this Sunday as they worship and grow together at the 9:15 hour and then serve by going Angel Tree shopping at 11:00. Then they’ll return to the church to wrap the Christmas gifts and have lunch together. If you have a student in middle or high school, I hope you will let us partner with you to raise them as a follower of Jesus through our Youth Ministry Department and the leadership of Pam and her team.

Lana Hudson, Amanda Thayer, Christa Sherman

Margaret Taack, Faithe Vanderford, Katy Hopkins, Julia Palagyi, Sarah Bibb, Marilyn Newberry

Thanks to all who made the 2009 Roof Dog Run such a success. The race results are now available from RunOn!’s website:

Building an Orphanage in Arequipa, Peru

The Roof Dogs are a group of local missionaries from Christ Church who feel especially called to minister to the needs of the orphan children of Casas Hogares in Arequipa, Peru. In Arequipa, some dogs actually live on the rooftops of their owners’ homes to serve as protectors over the family. This missionary group has therefore chosen to call themselves the “Roof Dogs” as a way of expressing their love and desire to protect these children.

Casa Hogar San Jose and Casa Hogar Sagrada Familia are the homes of orphaned children ranging in age from 3 to 18. The Roof Dogs visit the orphanages every year and continue to be deeply moved by the love of the Holy Spirit that these children exhibit.

The proceeds from the 2009 Roof Dog Run will be used to build a new orphanage. The Casas Hogares provide shelter, food, clothing and other daily necessities for children who have been abused, abandoned and neglected. They give them hope for the future.

A few of the kids from the Casas Hogares orphanages in Arequipa, Peru give greetings to Christ Church Plano. Meet Margot, José, Manuel and Susana.

How has a small group impacted your life? Read some of the real-life testimonies shared from our parish.

We were pretty new to Christ Church when we joined our small group. Having come from another denomination, we had a lot to learn and were really seeking to “plug in” and become a real part of the fellowship. God has a way of bringing people into your life for a purpose, and I am amazed at the group we found and how God has used them in our lives.

It was only a short time after joining this group that we realized how very much in common we had with them. Not only were we all close to the same age and in, or soon to be in the empty nester stage – but we all faced similar challenges and struggles in life as parents for which we were able to gain new perspective, no longer feeling like we were alone in these struggles.  

The friendships have become those we treasure most, and we look forward to each and every time we meet.  There is nothing we would not do for these friends in our group, and we know there is nothing they would not do for us. They have shared with us and prayed with us – and this continues to be a priority and a great blessing in our lives.

— Jim and Karen Harbor

Our small group is not just a collection of folks that meet every so often but it is a family, not just on this earth but we will be a family for eternity. We truly love and care about one another. When one hurts we all hurt. When one rejoices, we all rejoice.

Personally, I do not know how people make it through the trials and tribulations without the comfort (compassion in action) of folks who share their faith, their love and their lives with one another. Jesus called us to be in communion with one another and small group is the epitome of that call.

Honestly, my small group changed my life. Those folks are the most sincere and loving people I have ever met.

— Carol Hinson

Rick and I joined a small group several years ago. We meet every 2 weeks and our evenings consist of fellowship time, Bible study and prayer. I just love our group! Each and every one of us over the years has had a need for our small group to come alongside of us for support and prayer.

Two years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer, and proceeded to have 6 surgeries and chemo during the course of the next year, our small group was such a gift. Meals were brought in daily, cards and flowers would show up on our doorstep, My family was being prayed for 24/7. They would consistently check in with not only me, but with my husband Rick who was dealing with all that goes with being the husband of a wife with cancer. They wrapped their arms around us and loved us just like family. They were Jesus with skin on for us.

Rick and I will always be grateful for this special group of people.

— Karen Giardina

Our group started meeting in 1991 and we have met weekly ever since. We are closer to Christ and becoming more Bible literate (or at least more literate than I ever imagined I would be) because of this group.

Some members have come and gone over the years but our core group has remained steadfast and it all serves to make it feel like family. Our immediate families live out of the area so these are the folks that we share everything with…from the Word to a meal to a loss of a loved one to our children’s weddings and grandchildren. They have even tromped through the mud to water flowers on the back porch while we are on vacation!

In short, I can’t fathom what our life might be like without these followers to help us along. Make no mistake, we initially went to small group when it was being led by friends of ours in an effort to not hurt feelings and the rest is history!

— Elaine Wilson

More Information

If you’re ready to connect with a small group, contact Susan Freeman at 214-291-5055.

Discover God’s Amazing, Sustaining Grace in Every Moment

This 11-week sermon series, originally preached September 13 – November 22, 2009, focuses on Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians. Verse after verse, chapter after chapter, Paul teaches and bears witness to our God who gives His grace to supply Paul’s need, bless his hardships, comfort his trials and strengthen him for the full life to which he is called.

Below you will find study guides from each week’s message to use in Small Group study:

Sept 13: The Algebra of Grace

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Sept 20: What Forgiveness Does

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Sept 27: Change You Can Believe In

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Oct 4: We Do Not Lose Heart

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Oct 11: If Anyone is in Christ

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Oct 18: The Parable of the Prodigal God and the Lost Sons

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide
  

Oct 25: Journey to Generosity

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Nov 1: Cheerful Giver

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide
  

Nov 8: Taking Down Strongholds

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Nov 15: The Thorn and His Grace

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Nov 22: Aiming for Perfection

• Video
• SG Sermon Study Guide

Toward the end of the Psalter, you can find the Psalms of Ascent (Psalm 120-134.) Worshipers who were making pilgrimage to Jerusalem for one of the major feasts of the Jewish calendar would sing these together on their way up to that great city. In one of the Psalms of Ascent, King David belts out “How very good and pleasant it is when kindred live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

This past weekend, 55 high school students and 25 adults spent two days living together and it was “very good and pleasant!” They traveled to Pine Cove Timbers retreat center, a brand new facility near Tyler, TX. In the midst of this picturesque setting, the students and adults had the opportunity to worship together, pray together, and play together. Indeed, they were able to “live together in unity!” At the beginning of the weekend, several different groups of students and adults got on school buses together and journeyed east to Tyler. By the end of the weekend, they returned as a group – tired and weary from their play, strengthened and encouraged in their faith, and also united together as a family. In fact, there is a new energy and sense of excitement as we move forward to see what the Lord is going to do in and with this amazing group of students and team of adults He has put together!

If you are an adult, parent or student who would like to get plugged in to this group, we would love to speak with you. We regularly gather for worship on Sunday mornings at 9:15 a.m. upstairs in the Archgate Youth Praise Center (we will not be meeting on Easter Sunday.) We also have i2i groups (accountability and Bible study groups) that meet throughout the week in various locations in our community. Finally, we have monthly moments where our students can fellowship, hang out, and have a great opportunity to invite friends to be part of the group. Our next fellowship moment is a Destination Scavenger Hunt on Sunday, May 3. We’ll load up into cars and scatter out into the community for a fun-filled scavenger hunt followed by sharing a meal together at one of our fine North Texas dining establishments. For more information about the High School Ministry of Christ Church, please contact our youth minister, Pam Coghlan, at 214-291-5019.

Baptism is the outward sign of belief in Jesus. It represents our union with Jesus in his death, burial and resurrection. Baptism signifies our birth into God’s family, forgiveness of sins and our new life in the Holy Spirit that comes through faith in Jesus Christ.

• More on Baptism preparation, beliefs, godparents and to apply for baptism

Questions? Contact Marie Walls at 214-291-5021.

Baptism Preparation Class

Baptism Services*

* Preparation Class Required

Related Pages

• Baptism
• Confirmation

Over the past few years, during the month of July, our Missions and Outreach ministry has coordinated a church-wide effort to collect plastic shoeboxes filled with assorted gifts. Each December these boxes are distributed to hundreds of children at orphanages throughout Peru as Christmas gifts.

This past December, Christ Church parishioner Suzy Hemming traveled with Buckner International on the Christmas mission trip to Peru to distribute these boxes.

Suzy shares a unique coincidence and the impact of this ministry effort. Follow the link below to read her story:

How Last Year Led me to Today »