On Friday, February 13, more than 200 members of the Christ Church Plano family gathered for our Annual Missions Gala: A Mardi Gras-Themed Dinner and Auction—and what a night it was!
From the moment the doors opened at 5:45 p.m., the room was alive with color. Purple, green, and gold shimmered across the Fellowship Hall as friends greeted one another in festive attire, beads draped over suits and dresses. The night was joyful and celebratory—and the heart of it all was unmistakably focused on mission.
Guests shared a rich, Southern Louisiana-inspired meal that set the tone for the evening—comforting, abundant, and made for lingering conversation. Plates were full, tables were lively, and laughter carried across the room as old friends reconnected and new ones were made. The food was wonderful, but even more meaningful was the fellowship around the table.
Live music and dancing added to the celebration, and the energy only grew as bidding intensified throughout the night. More than 60 auction items—ranging from sports experiences and Broadway events to original artwork, jewelry, international gifts, and curated wine collections—sparked friendly competition.
Silent bidding culminated at 8:45 p.m., followed by live auction moments that drew cheers and applause from the packed room as bids on exclusive experiences—such as Hockey with the Donisons, Wine and Stories with the Bailes, and Rembrandt’s Prodigal Son framed print that has been displayed in the Chapel for over 20 years—rose into the thousands!
But beyond the food, the music, and the auction excitement, the Gala centered on gratitude and vision. We celebrated the ways Christ Church Plano has partnered in God’s work at home and around the world, and we looked ahead to the year to come with hope and expectation. Every ticket purchased covered the cost of the event, ensuring that 100 percent of all additional donations and auction proceeds went directly to Christ Church’s Missions Fund.
Bishop Paul Donison shared the vision of what’s ahead for missions at Christ Church, highlighting the new responsibility Canon John Battey has accepted in creating new opportunities for parish engagement in local and international missions. Bishop Paul shared inspiring stories of the ways that, by God’s grace, Christ Church has cared locally for those in crisis, nurtured and protected the next generation, planted and grown churches in our region, and equipped global gospel partners—stories that offer a firm foundation upon which the church can build in the coming year.
More than a fun, themed dinner, the Annual Missions Gala was a visible expression of who we are: a church that gathers in joy, gives generously, and longs to see the love of Jesus shared in Plano and to the ends of the earth.
