Updates on DFW Alliance Church Ministries

• Posted on 24 August 09 by Michael Monroe
• 7 Comments

Things are getting busy with the end of summer and the beginning of school. So instead of adding yet one more thing to everyone’s list in the form of a DFW Alliance meeting, I thought we might try to catch up using the DFW Alliance blog. We’ll see how this goes.

Here’s how this will work — post a comment with a brief update about something that has recently happened in your ministry, information about an upcoming event (or something that is coming up that you are excited about) and/or a prayer request relating to your ministry.

So let us hear from you about what’s going on . . .

Have a question or a comment?

7 comments

1. Michael Monroe said:

   Tapestry (IBC) Update: We are looking forward to the Race Matters event on September 19, that we are partnering with Families Like Us to host. The event filled up in one day, so hopefull we will be able to offer it again soon. We are also excited about this year’s Tapestry Adoption & Foster Care Conference at IBC on October 24, from 9 to 3. We continue to pray for some new small group leaders as well as someone to help lead and oversee the foster care aspects of our ministry.

   Permanent link to this commentAug 25, 07:58 AM

2. Suzy said:

   Christ Church Plano is excited to start volunteering at the new emergency shelter in Plano, My Friend’s House, opening in a month. We are also still waiting to hear if TRAC is going to relocate their transitional housing to Plano for those aging out of foster care. I keep telling God that I have all kinds of plans for Him if this goes through! I am particularly planning and praying about estabishing internships for these 18-22 yr olds. We are continuing our monthly discussion group we have with Custer Rd.

   Permanent link to this commentAug 25, 09:04 AM

3. Malissa Henrie said:

   CHOSEN (Prestonwood) has a busy fall schedule thanks to the Lord working and moving in our church!
   Sept 13th we will be going to Prestonwood North to have a meet and greet time to get to know the families in Prosper.
   Sept 16th at 6:30pm we will have Adela Jones speak at our meeting.
   Sept 26th from 9-4 we will have the “If You Were Mine” workshop at the North Campus for anyone who is interested in adoption.
   November 11th at 6:30pm we will have Mark Tennant share his foster to adoption story.

   Permanent link to this commentAug 25, 01:24 PM

4. Matt Donovan said:

   FAM is finally getting organized. We’re hosting a Join Informational Meeting on fostercare and Adoption at our Denton Campus on September 13th and will be displaying the Heart Gallery during the two weeks leading up to that event.

   Along with the Moms and Moms-to-be coffee night, we are kicking of a Waiting Families group this fall and are currently planning quarterly Myths & Realities events, biannual Fostercare and Adoption informational meetings, and two special events – one on Talking to your Kids about adoption and one (hopefully) on Adoption Theology.

   We’ve had a lot happening among our families this year and are currently collecting those stories.

   Permanent link to this commentAug 26, 11:40 AM

5. Bruce Kendrick said:

   EMBRACE just held a RAD (Reactive Attachment Disorder) Workshop last week at Our Savior Lutheran in McKinney and our staff is heading down to San Antonio for the ATTACh Conference at the end of September. We have another Families in the Park event coming up in October at Little Chef’s in McKinney where we’ll be providing two sessions (one that is open to any foster/adoptive families and the other to families with children who have special needs).

   In November, we’re launching a program called Sketching Floor to raise up, train and mentor leaders of orphan ministries in seven counties in the north half of Region 3. Meetings will be quarterly and our first full run through of this program will take two-years. We hope to duplicate it throughout Region 3 and the rest of the state if successful. Contact Bruce Kendrick for details (bruce@embracetexas.org).

   Also in November, we’re planning to work with the other orphan ministries across Region 3 for a program called Simplest of Gifts. This program has churches collect specific items for teenagers who have aged out of the system and are living in their first apartment. The items collected are the basic needs these kids have to start their lives. We did this last year and were able to provide 20 young adults with their first apartment kits through TRAC. Our hope this year is to start promoting in November, collect through December and assimilate the baskets together in January. We aim to provide all of the baskets needed for kids aging out in Region 3. Contact Cindy Coffman for details (cindy@embracetexas.org).

   By way of prayer requests, we’re ministering to a family that is disrupting their special needs international adoption and have yet to find a family to place their child with. We would ask for peace in their lives and their home and ongoing encouragement from their church as they have made this decision.

   Apart from that, our two support groups are going great and we continue to see God answer prayer amidst our inability. We have an expo with the Region 3 Collaborative coming up in January and training with Covenant Kids in Feb/March.

   Permanent link to this commentAug 26, 12:50 PM

6. Taci Kistler said:

   Custer Road UMC in Plano is back in full swing.
   Monthly dicussion groups held on the second Monday of each month at 7pm in partnership with Christ Church Plano. Next meeting, Sept 14 at Christ Church

   Discover Your Heart of Harts = informational meeting on becoming a foster/adoptive parent or a volunteer serving the children in our local foster community. Meeting on Tuesday, October 27 at 7:00pm at Custer Road UMC at 6601 Custer Road, Plano. Childcare available with reservation. Conatct Taci Kistler

   Heart Gallery of North Texas on display October 25 – November 1

   Foster Certification classes via Arrow Child and Family Ministries begin on November 2 at Custer Road UMC. The classes will meet every Monday and Wednesday evening from 6:30pm – 9:30pm through December 2nd (excluding the week of Thanksgiving). Registration required. Contact Taci Kistler

   For more information on any of these events, contac Taci Kistler at tkistler@crumc.org or 972-618-3450 ext. 242

   Permanent link to this commentAug 31, 11:45 AM

7. Vickie Akins said:

   “Chosen Ones” is thrilled to see several families finalize the adoptions of their foster children in the next couple months! The number of active foster/adopt families continues to grow at Gateway Church. Earlier this year, we held our first annual Adoption Dedication Service for parents to dedicate their adopted children. In July, we had a successful Family Fun Night at an awesome suite at the Texas Rangers Ballpark. We hold monthly support group/prayer meetings for waiting families and those who are current foster/adopt families. These meetings are a huge support for everyone on their journey as our community of families support one another. We have had quarterly informational meetings at Gateway church all year and our looking forward to our next one on September 27th. Most importantly, we are watching children’s lives transformed one family at a time!

   Permanent link to this commentSep 22, 02:14 PM