Senior Pageant 2011

Youth Ministry will have their Christmas Program on Sunday, December 18th

First Church Children and Youth Ministry will have their Christmas Program on Sunday, December 18th during 11:00am Sunday Morning Worship Service. The following is the schedule for rehearsals:

CALLING ALL (PRE) C-SCHOOLERS

The (pre) C-Schoolers will have 2 rehearsals. Both on Sundays, December 4th and December 11th at 10:00am until 10:50am. Carri Gooden will be Coordinating and distributing parts to the kids. Please make plans to bring your little ones to rehearsal so they can participate in the Christmas Performance.

CALLING ALL PRAISE DANCERS

For all 4th Grade girls and up. If your child is interested in Praise Dancing during the Christmas Program - Rehearsal is scheduled for this Sunday, December 4th immediately after Sunday Morning Worship Service. Practice will last for one hour. Jalisha Gooden will be Coordinating the Christmas Praise Dance routine.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH CHOIR

The Children and Youth Choir will switch Sundays for this month. The kids will sing on 3rd Sunday, December 18th during the Christmas Program. They will NOT sing on 2nd Sunday or 4th Sunday (Christmas Morning).

The Children and Youth Choir will have rehearsal on Saturday, December 17th at 10am until 12noon. The older youth will sing and act out the "12th Day of Christmas" (Christian Version). We will distribute parts and rehearse the song during choir rehearsal.

Thanks to all the parents who responded back to me last week informing me of your child's interest in participating in the Christmas Program. If you have not responded and would like for your child to participate, please do so as soon as possible so we can plan.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to let us know.

Thank you all for your continued support of the Children and Youth Ministry.

Peace and Blessings!

Christmas Program Coordinators,

Ann Cashaw

Jackie Booker

Valerie Taylor

First Church Family and Friends,

Grace and peace to all. I am praying with you and for you as preparations are being made for all the family gatherings. I hope that you will take time to:

• Pray for one another, our leaders, our country, and the world needs
• Travel well - be attentive on the roads and around the community
• Pray for healing, celebrate family, and share the joy of each day given by God

If you are praying at the family gathering, check out these ideas and prayers from GBOD:

http://www.gbod.org/site/pp.aspx?override=yes&sdate=20111124&edate=20111124&special=Thanksgiving&c=nhLRJ2PMKsG&b=3784683

The children's prayer is pretty good....check it out!

We will not have Bible Study on Wed. 11/23. Hope to see you Sunday and for Bible Study on 11/30. Be grateful, live with joy, and expect God to do great things thru us!

Be Blessed,

Rev. Jacqui King

First Church Children and Youth Ministry is sponsoring the 2011 Christmas Food Drive. The goal is to fill the red barrel that is located in the church foyer. Everyone's participation is needed. Please bring your items and place them in the barrel starting now until December 4, 2011.

Items needed the most are: Beans (canned or dry), Canned meats (tuna, chicken, ham etc), Cereal, Cereal Bars, Diapers (baby), Canned Fruits, Paper Towels, Toilet Paper, Peanut Butter, Canned Vegetables, Coffee, Chili, Rice, Pastas, Ravioli and Soups.

All items will go to the Brazos Valley Food Bank for needed families during the Christmas Holiday.
A list of the food items will also be available at the church for distribution.

Thanks to all who attended the Spiritual Gifts Bible Study.

Grace and peace to all,

Thanks to all who attended the Spiritual Gifts Bible Study.

I am inviting everyone to spend sometime with God to discover what your spiritual gifts are. The inventory of questions takes about 10-15 minutes to complete online (depending on which tool you select). Print a copy of your results prior to departing from any of the inventory locations.

Listed below are a few on-line options (select 1 tool to complete):

• www.umc.org - roll your mouse over the Our People tab and click on the Spiritual Gifts. Answer the 21 questions. When it summarizes your gifts, click "Printer Version" at the top of the page (the icon is very small)
• http://www.churchgrowth.org/analysis/intro.php - click on the free individual analysis. After you complete the questions, it will summarize and you can print it out for free. The site is selling other materials, I am not recommending that you purchase any items. We will have enough material to guide our study.
• http://hydeparkumc.org/connect/spiritual-gifts/spiritual-gifts-assessment-tool/ - complete the tool and print your results. Please do not email them because they will be sent to that UMC Pastor. I am suggesting that you may select this as an on-line tool that has a few more questions.

Select (1) tool to complete your inventory; then pray, complete it, and print a copy for your personal records. I hope that you will share your Gifts.

Our New Vision is on the horizon and we will want to embrace it. To start the journey, you are invited to discover your spiritual gifts and discern how God wants you to serve. Our two 3-week sections for Summer Bible Study series will help us learn together about what our gifts are and how to use them in our church and community. Make plans to study with us from June 15th thru July 20th at 7pm. Invite a friend, neighbor, relative to come with you each week. [ Spiritual Gifts Assessment on online ]

Juneteenth Celebration-George Bush Presidential Library

The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum invites the local community to participate in its Juneteenth celebration with storytelling by Clifton Fifer Jr., historical storyteller, Buffalo Soldier, musician and poet, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday (June 16). This is a Bush Library Education Department partnership with the Lincoln Recreation Center, Neal Recreation Center, the North Bryan Community Center, the Boys & Girls Club and the Brazos Valley African-American Museum. For reservations or more information on this free program, contact (979) 691-4006, or email to bush.education@nara.gov.[ View flyer ]

Make plans to come Saturday for Brotherhood

June 18, 2011

Ever 3rd Saterday
Contact Jesse Lewis
jlewi27@alumni.lsu.edu

UMW SUNDAY 2011 SPEAKER

UMW SUNDAY 2011 SPEAKER

A woman truly after the heart of God and dedicated to the service of His people. Her desire is to help the Believer transcend their present position to a higher level of undeniable Faith in Jesus Christ. A Faith that entrenches, enriches and excites the heart and moves it to the true essence of Kingdom Building.

Judge Rose c. Jones is a native born-Bryan, Texas. Her education: Bryan Schools Graduate & attended Texas Southern University, Houston, Texas. She is an endearing wife, loving mother and g-mother, homemaker, valued citizen and committed professional.

Her life is Christ-Centered…She is a woman in love with God and HIS People, called to be a servant and not just to render service in the Kingdom. She labors with love and commitment to stir the hearts of the Believer to accept the call of God’s purpose in our lives. Her quest: To make the Gospel of Jesus Christ a Movement and not a Monument of Religious Practices; To teach, train, encourage, empower and enlarge others to a state of Christ likeness and a rightful place in the Kingdom.

Her Personal Experiences in Christ Jesus…are non-transferable as they are her own, however she believes “every opportunity of Spiritual growth is an individual’s personal privilege to know God for yourself.” She is known for saying “I can’t give you the spirit I have, but I can certainly share how I am blessed to possess it. I know I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and I am assured that God is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek HIM.” Sister Jones is a thief to every opportunity that God positions and blesses her to champion. She is humbled and appreciative of God’s kindnesses and considerations toward her.

Blessed in her Diverse Spiritual Achievements…She is a Spirit-led woman!! A speaker and writer, called by God and credentialed for Ministry through God’s Handmaidens & The Church of God in Christ; she is the Founder of Heart2Heart-Woman2Woman Mentoring Ministry; An Events Coordinator of Prayer Breakfasts, Breakthrough Conferences & Fasting Clinics; She is a Workshop/Retreat Facilitator; Motivational Speaker & Life Coach. Most importantly, she is an active dedicated member of The Lily of the Valley Church of God in Christ.

Her Professional Career includes but is not limited to…

• 37 years of Administration, Management, Public-Social & Legal Services
• She has served as Executive Director of Brazos County Legal Aid
• Managing Supervisor of the Department of Social Services
• Grants Writer; Trained in Conflict Resolution; Served on the Advisory Board of Blinn Paralegal Program; former Volunteer Coordinator of Twin City Mission; Certified Basic & Family Mediator; Support of Cross Teams Fellowship Group, Habitat for Humanity, Hope Pregnancy Center,
• The Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary
• Recently elected the first African American Judge in Brazos County,
• as Justice of the Peace for Precinct 4.

Worship Together @ Allen Chapel AME:

Allen Chapel AME
506 East 22nd Street
Bryan, TX 77803-4131
(979) 822-6402
http://www.allenchapelbryan.org/

Keep Growing Together in 2011

I Cor. 3: 5-9 - The Message Who do you think Paul is, anyway? Or Apollos, for that matter? Servants, both of us—servants who waited on you as you gradually learned to entrust your lives to our mutual Master. We each carried out our servant assignment. I planted the seed, Apollos watered the plants, but God made you grow.

It's not the one who plants or the one who waters who is at the center of this process but God, who makes things grow. Planting and watering are menial servant jobs at minimum wages. What makes them worth doing is the God we are serving. You happen to
be God's field in which we are working. Praise God for growth!...more>>>

C.H.A.T.S (Conversation Helping Advice the Singles)

Meeting. following worship on 4/17; Cheletia Johnson will lead informal group session.All singles are welcome.

The purpose of the Singles ministry is to provide an opportunity for Singles to develop a spiritual growth through biblical teaching and realistic principles in their walk. The ministry is focused on meeting the needs of single individuals concerning the challenges and issues of today society.

The ministry emphasizes this through Bible study, prayer, social events, evangelism and faith-based relationship development.

[ Click to view news letter ]

United Methodist Publishing House has recently launched the Beta version of a new community designed for church leaders, regardless of job description. It is called Ministry Matters and is located at www.ministrymatters.com.

UMPH says the goal of Ministry Matters goes beyond building a community of leadership. Their site says they “aspire to become the leading problem-solving resource site for ecumenical Christian ministry, worship, and faith formation.”

The site features a searchable database of preaching, teaching and worship planning resources pulled from earlier UMPH offerings such as ipreach.com (no longer available) and worshipconnection.com (now redirects to Cokesbury). Also available is content from Abingdon Press and other publishers.

The features of the site include:

•A search listing thousands of free resources including Bible study (by Pastor Jacqui King), teaching and reference tools, sermon starters, articles, blogs, videos, music, and more.

•The ability for users to create and store personal or shared resource collections for research and preparation.

•A way to connect with other ministry leaders with whom you share common responsibilities, concerns, and vision.

During the Beta phase (for a timeline which isn’t shared), the site claims to offer unlimited, free access to most of the available resources. They note, however, that once the Beta phase closes, many of their premium resources will be available only by subscription.

If you would like to see what they have to offer, you can sign up for a free account at www.ministrymatters.com.

What did we learn from “Hear2Heal” - Doctorate Project

Thank you to all who have shared our experiences together through the Hear2Heal project. As the Lenten Season concludes and we move into Easter, our evaluation and reflection period begins. Simply put, we must ask what did we learn on the journey.The project has three segments:

1. On Saturday, January 29, 2011 we took a pilgrimage to our past church sites to hear our history and prayed together to celebrate the strength of our families who birthed 1st UMC.
2. During February we shared our connecting stories in small group sessions and visited the African American History Museum in Bryan, TX. Additionally, we lifted up Black History, celebrated our heritage, and saw a movie called “The Witness” that told the story about the last moments the life of Dr. Martin L. King, Jr.
3. Lenten Bible Study focused on moving forward to discern God’s plans for our lives both personally and collectively in the church. The study lifted up what is needed for us as a body of believers to embrace God’s new vision.

The project concludes on April 27th and evaluation will occur on May 11th. The Soul Food Dinner and Movie, Ash Wednesday, and April 27 are the celebration events where we stop and embrace the resilience and perseverance as people of God. My hope is that as we hear one another, our hope of healing will come through the move of the Holy Spirit. Again, thanks!

Doctorate Project
by Rev. Jacqui T. King
January through May 2011

The Value of Lent and Good Friday

The Value of Lent and Good Friday
Don't skip too fast to Easter morning.
Brandon O'Brien | posted 3/01/2011

On the Friday evening before Easter one year during high school, I filed into my friend's church and sat down near the back.

I'd never attended a Good Friday service before, and I was soaking in the details. The sanctuary was fancier than ours; it had stained-glass windows, high ceilings, and beautiful beamed arches. Then the service began, somberly. At set points throughout the service, lights were turned off so that in the final moments a single spotlight illumined a cross on the stage. Everyone sang, "Were you there when they crucified my Lord?"

We sang a couple of verses, each one drearier than the previous, ending with these lines: "Sometimes it causes me to tremble / Were you there when they laid him in the tomb?" The final light was extinguished. Everyone left in silence.

I was disgusted. Where is the joy? I wondered. Easter is not the time to mourn and celebrate the death of Jesus. It's about life. To me, leaving Jesus dead in the tomb was as bad as leaving him dead on the cross.

Nearly a decade later, the observance of Good Friday that I found so offensive then has become deeply meaningful to me.

Following the Church's Calendar

Easter is one of three major celebrations in the liturgical year. The liturgical year, or Christian calendar, is how many Christians have marked the passage of time for centuries. It's a potential antidote to trendiness. Instead of following the "Hallmark calendar" (think Mother's Day, Independence Day and Halloween), the liturgical year is subdivided by major events in the Gospel. It begins with Advent, the month-long preparation before Christmas. A few months later is Easter, which is followed by Pentecost. The remainder of the year is called "ordinary time," the season when the Church reflects on its mission.

I've been marking time by the liturgical calendar for about three years now. It's taken some adjusting. But it forces me to think seriously about the whole Gospel story.

Easter the Old-Fashioned Way

The Easter season begins 40 days before Easter Sunday on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. Ash Wednesday is a day of mourning—you know, sackcloth and ashes. In many churches, a pastor will draw a cross with ash on worshipers' foreheads to signify the beginning of Lent.

The 40 days of Lent correspond to the time Jesus spent being tempted in the desert before his public ministry. During Lent, Christians examine their hearts and are particularly diligent about putting away sinful behaviors. People often give something up for Lent. This period is a reminder that following Christ means dying to myself every day.

The final week before Easter is known as Holy Week. Each observation during Holy Week corresponds to an event in the final week of Jesus' life. The Sunday before Easter is Palm Sunday, a celebration of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The remaining observances are clustered around the end of the week and each one is marked by a special service. Maundy Thursday corresponds to the Passover meal Jesus shared with his disciples—the Last Supper. Appropriately, many churches observe Maundy Thursday with foot-washing and...more>>>

Family Promise Cook-off event held at A&M UMC

Fran and Charles Lamb served as co-chairs of the 1st Church team at the recent
Family Promise Cook-off event held at A&M UMC on Friday evening, February 25.
Other churches participating fielding teams in the cook-off included Peace Lutheran
Church of College Station, First UMC of Bryan, and Our Savior's Lutheran Church of
College Station. More than 100 supporters paid the $20 admission fee to attend.
Winners included Peace Lutheran Church for its meatloaf dish, and Our Savior's
Lutheran Church for its greens and mashed potatoes dishes.

Teams were asked to serve "comfort food" for the event and the attendees raved
about the delicious tastes offered for all to savor. "I have participated in other
types of cook-offs," said Fran Lamb. "This has been my favorite of all.
Supporting Family Promise is an honor for us. We had a great time."

Lenten Prayer & Bible Study

Lenten Prayer & Bible Study - Every Wed. @ 7 pm and Thurs. @ noon in the Sanctuary, and 7: 45 pm on-line is our study called All Things New from the Upper Room.

God promises change: a changed human community, changed people. The world becomes God's world, ordered according to God's purposes: peace, righteousness, fairness, generosity, and steadfast love. And each of us becomes more like Christ. All of humanity is brought into God’s presence and made new. In Jesus Christ, God promises change. Lent is a time to prepare not only for the death and resurrection of Christ but also for the new life God promises. Lent, Holy Week, and Easter help us to mark time until the promises of God are fulfilled. They remind us to keep our eyes open for God's grace, alive in our world and our hearts as God changes us and makes us new...more>>>

Transfiguration Sunday

"After six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There He was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, 'Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters - one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.' (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened.) Then a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and a voice came from the cloud: 'This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!' Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus. As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus gave them orders not to tell anyone what they had seen until the Son of Man had risen from the dead" (Mark 9:2-9).

The account of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ as recorded here in Mark (parallel passages are found in Matthew 17:1-3 and Luke 9:28-36) is a demonstration to three witnesses that Jesus Christ was who He claimed to be. In all three accounts of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, we are given the names of the three disciples who accompanied Jesus and who stood as human witnesses to the glory that was Christ's. There were also three heavenly witnesses, Moses, Elijah, and the voice of God from heaven. Therefore, the Old Testament law of three witnesses required to attest to any fact (Deuteronomy 19:15) was satisfied both in earth and in heaven.

Why This 'Secret Millionaire' Went Public

Why This 'Secret Millionaire' Went Public
Entrepreneur Dani Johnson on the Bible, giving, and ABC's new reality show

Mark Moring |

When ABC approached Dani Johnson about starring on a new show called Secret Millionaire, she said no. When they tried a second time, she said no. Ditto the third time and the fourth.
Dani Johnson Dani JohnsonNot until ABC asked for a fifth time did Johnson, a self-made millionaire, finally say yes, and the results can be seen on Sunday's primetime premiere (8/7c). The premise is simple: Take a millionaire to "the other side of the tracks" and let them live in poverty for a whole week. Arrange for said millionaire to volunteer in local outreach organizations, places that are usually operating on a limited budget. At the end of the week, reveal the secret identity of the millionaire as he/she writes big checks to these organizations. Cue the violins, and let the tears roll.

It's that last part—writing the checks—that bothered Johnson the most. Not that she can't afford it, and not that she's stingy. Johnson—who earned her millions as a motivational speaker, author, and founder of a financial advising firm —is a devout Christian and quite generous. She and husband Hans run King's Ransom, a non-profit foundation dedicated to giving and serving people in need around the globe.

But Johnson prefers to write her checks in private, based on Matthew 6:1-4, where Jesus says not to do our "acts of righteousness before men," but to do our giving "in secret." So why'd she ultimately say yes? Because Scripture (Matthew 5:14-16) also calls us to "let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

For Sunday's episode of Secret Millionaire, Johnson 42, traveled to Knoxville, Tenn., and lived in a scuzzy apartment for a week while doing volunteer work with several charities. We spoke with Johnson about her experience.

So, ABC contacted you, and you said no four times. Why?

We have a personal philosophy. We use our business to generate millions of dollars so we can give to those who are in need, but we give in secret. We also believe we're supposed to be the hands and feet of these organizations, so we're not just ones that cut the check. We go in as volunteers, not as successful millionaires. I've worked with the homeless and with orphans, washed their feet, trimmed their fingernails, served hot meals, spoken into their lives. We've done it in our hometown [Dallas], in Idaho, in San Francisco, in Belize, in India. Why do we need a camera following us around to show that? I told ABC, "I'm not your girl. I could care less about having my face all over television." But quickly we found out that we were fighting God and not man.

How do you figure that?

It was crazy. We said, no, no, no, no, no, and God made it obvious that he had opened up this door. Like Gideon, we laid out a fleece before the Lord—four fleeces, in fact, and asked for the impossible … and he did it.

Did what? What was the fleece?

Without compromising my relationship with ABC, I shouldn't say. I'll just say they were impossible things that had to come together; there was just no way it was going to work. But every single one of those things worked out. It was God, that's the bottom line.

So, how do you reconcile writing these big checks on camera with the Scripture about doing good deeds in private?

The Lord convicted me that it's the heart of the giver that he's after. When you give in public you've received your reward in full; you got what you were after. That's an issue of the heart. But I don't give for recognition. That's what the Lord showed me....more>>>

The Serve Others (S.O.) Factor

Have you ever thought about what it might take to become great? I hope that there has been a time when you have sought to define what greatness means. However, sometimes because of the swift pace in life, the last thing that we focus on is identifying the steps to greatness.

Recently, I had an opportunity to speak at an event celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. All were invited to think about greatness. When Dr. King said, "he should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lives the great street-sweeper who did his job well,'" he was defining greatness for the world. Dr. King invited humanity to see greatness through a new lens that called for a commitment to service.
I believe that everyone can serve, and that all can serve well.

That's where greatness begins to grow and multiple throughout our community. Therefore, the S.O. Factor for greatness involves focusing on understanding what it takes to Serve Others and to give Glory to God in all things!

You may wonder what the S.O. Factor looks like in everyday life. It's unique for each of us. It's more than having money and being associated with the right people. Greatness is more than try-ing to be first for the sake of being first. For you see, the "Drum Majors" aren't just seeking change for change sake, they seek to make a difference so that others may live in a better way because they opened themselves up to be used by God. That kind of greatness is a gift that we are called to give away to help others who come behind us on the roads of life!

How does the S.O. Factor impact our lives? Start by giving back for the sole purpose of helping
others. Until the "S.O. Factor" is
our purpose, we may miss dis¬covering what really matters in our lives. When we give back to others, we can embrace a renewed strength to live each day with boldness. Our strength then comes from a place of compassion instead of external power.

Serve Others, and God's purpose for each of us will be revealed through joy in our hearts! Do something great, and the S.O. factor will come alive! Claim our purpose. Know that all of us are free to become who God is call¬ing us to be. Therefore, know that we are called to serve; live as God is calling us into greatness. Let this be a new day to start serving others in a new way. May the S.O. Factor come alive in each of us today!

Here are a few organizations in College Station Community that need volunteers:
• Lincoln Center - contact Lance Jackson at (979)764- 3779 or lj ackson@cstx.gov
• Twin City Mission -www.twincitymission.org or call (979)822-7511
• First UMC - community out¬reach with Family Promise -www.1stCollegeStation.org

A Publication of the Texas A&M African-American Professional Organization

Get ready to Celebrate Our Heritage in February 2011:

· Prayer - Keep lifting one another up in prayer daily!

· Worship - Every Sunday honor God by embracing wisdom, freedom, heritage, faith and knowledge.
If possible, wear green on 2/13, black on 2/20, Kente on 2/27

THE SO Factor by Rev. Jacqui T. King – Inspirational Message for Dr. MLK, Jr. (1929-1968)

2 Corinthians 12: 9-10 (The Message)

My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become. Let us Pray!

Prayer: Spirit of a living God fall afresh on us. May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob guide us through this journey each day. May the Lord who spoke to Dr. King speak to us right. May the spirit strengthen us to walk in righteousness. Spirit of a living God, mold us, shape us, love us, and sustain us. Move me out of the way, so that you might speak through me a word that will forever change us and call us to serve.

What difference will it make if you and I don’t live great for Jesus Christ? Hear what Dr. King says about greatness: (Serve is the definition of Greatness ). The SO Factor begins now…let’s gain knowledge!

· "Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them." William Shakespeare

· "The price of greatness is responsibility."Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill

· "What lies behind us and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us." Ralph Waldo Emerson

· "Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people." Hyman Rickover

· "Before you can inspire with emotion, you must be swamped with it yourself. Before you can move their tears, your own must flow. To convince them, you must yourself believe." Winston Churchill

· "He should sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lives a great street-sweeper who did his job well'" Martin Luther King Jr.

Everyone can serve and all can serve well. That’s where greatness begins to grow and multiple. The SO Factor is doing and living to SERVE Others and to give Glory to God in all things!

I Ask: Do you want to be great! It’s more than being about the benjamins…It’s more than being associated with the right people…and it’s more than wanting it more than someone else and trying to be first for the sake of being first. God’s grace is sufficient…the Drum Majors aren’t just seeking change for change sake, they seek to make a difference so that others may live new because they allowed God to use them. That’s what Dr. King did, now what about us?

Do you want to live on purpose? It starts with giving it away… what is it? What difference does having it make? Until “SO” is our purpose, it never matters. However, when SO becomes the focus and serving others life is our chosen way of life, what was a weakness becomes the greatest strength and reason to live each day.

SO What – Serve Others and the what that God has for each of us will be revealed in a heart of Joy! Do something great and the SO will come alive! So we are Free at last to be all who God is calling us to be, so we are called to serve, now live as God is calling us into greatness…(close with the We Shall Overcome)