NEWS & NOTES

Sympathy
Our sympathy is with Kathy Sturch and her family after the passing of Ernie Sturch on Friday, January 6, 2023. A service will be held at Park Avenue Church on Tuesday, January 10 at 2 PM. Family hour will be Monday evening, January 9 from 7-8 PM at Holmes, Coffey, Murray funeral home in Durant. 
 
Kingdom Unleashed
Come practice the life and leadership of Jesus and how his first Century Kingdom values are transforming cultures around the world and awakening his church. Join others in this real-life and practical application of how we can overcome the five categories of spiritual malpractice and become fully alive in the places we live, work, and play. This DMC will be in the atrium on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 PM.
 
Man Alive
Men, join us on Saturday, January 14 from 7:30-9:00 AM for breakfast, community, and challenge. Sammy Earnhart will be encouraging us that day. 
 
Let’s Get Acquainted
On Sunday January 22 immediately after worship we will have a luncheon for new members and guests. This is a great opportunity for you to get to know our ministers, elders and their wives.
 
2023 Budget
The 2023 budget is available in the members area on the church app. You can also request a paper copy from the church office. Our weekly offering goal is $19,464 which represents a slight increase from last year’s weekly goal of $19,461. Your generosity and faithful financial support is so appreciated and so very important in the funding of the many ministries of the church. How we steward our money is a critical aspect of our discipleship and we encourage every Christian everywhere to be generous and promote the kingdom with their offerings. One important change in our 2023 budget is our partnership with two new mission points—one in Colombia and one in Monterrey. We will talk more about that as we approach our grace offering on April 9. If you have any questions about the budget the elders are always available. Thanks again for you generous support of the Park Avenue Church.
 
Youth Ministry
  • Sun. January 8th: Connect continues in the gym from 5:30-7:30pm. Dinner will be provided. 
  • January 13th-15th: Winterfest in Arlington! Get signed up as soon as possible! Tyler will be sending out travel details for the trip soon. 
  • Youth Group Summer 2023 Calendar: Parents can pick up a copy in the Youth room! 
 
Park Avenue Wednesday Supper
Join us this Wednesday, January 11 for our PAWS meal at 5:15PM. We are having Chicken Spaghetti, Green Beans, Rolls, Salad & Desserts. The meal will be prepared by Jim Russell and his team. After our meal we meet in our Discipleship Communities. Talk to Lantz about what communities are available. Classes for our children are also available for kids of all ages.
 

TODD'S TAKE
Welcome to 2023! As we are look forward to the new year, I first want to thank you for your faithfulness and service in 2022. God continues to bless and use this church as we live out our calling as the body of Christ. Here are some highlights from the last year:

We saw a significant increase in our in-person Sunday worship attendance as we work our way past the pandemic. We averaged 267 in January 2022 and ended averaging 366 in December. It has been so refreshing seeing more and more people face-to-face worshipping together.
  • With more people showing up in person our on-line viewership has decreased but we still have anywhere from 50-100 people watching online. An unintended blessing from the pandemic is our streaming service which continues to provide    virtual worship for those unable to attend.
  • Our Barnabas Center ministry continues to expand as we serve our community in the name of Christ to fight food insecurity.
  • We collected almost $60,000 for Ukrainian relief that was sent to a Christian outreach organization in Ukraine to minister to those affected by the ravages of war.
  • We collected a record $167,804 for our Grace Offering enabling us to financially assist in outreach efforts here in Texoma and around the world.
  • Between Park Avenue and The Turning Point over 30 people were baptized into Christ in 2022!
  • Our children’s ministry, youth ministry, and disciple making communities continue to thrive, especially our Wednesday night communities.
  • Our Senior Adult Ministry (SAMPACC) is active once again.
  • Our ladies were again able to enjoy their spring retreat at the Prothro Center.
  • And to top it all off, we were able to pay off the Family Life Center years in advance of the original terms. With that loan behind us we are planning on adding two new mission points in 2023. One in Bogota, Colombia and one in Paraiso, Monterrey. We are also able to help support students at the new school of preaching at Casa de la Esperanza. We’ll have more information on that as we approach our Grace Offering.
With 2022 behind us we confidently look forward to 2023. And, as is our tradition, we will welcome in the new year today with our Covenant Sunday. Our theme for this year is Trust in the Lord inspired by Proverbs 3:5–6:
 
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
 
May we continue to trust him individually and as his church this new year and all new years to come.
 
 
 
Prayer List—Steve Black, Ralph Stone

Ongoing Needs—Chris Reinsch, Shawn Landrum, Larry Long, Corky & Linda  Armstrong, Sandra Aynes, Bobby & Peggy Slaughter, Kaile Williams (Norris),  Jim Scroggins, Roy Galyon, Patrick Mullins, Vicki Ard, Joyce Henshaw

Homebound—JD Huffman, Dewey & Joyce Martin

Expectant Mothers—Alissa Cope, Lauren Claborn, Whitney Allison, Melanie Truxal

Missions—Hammer & Dela Afakule (Togo), Mario “Pepe”  Torre (Monterrey, Mexico), Jimenez family (Cartagena, Colombia), Cristian & Ana Corrales (Bucaramanga, Colombia), Gonzalez Family (Bogata, Colombia), Paraiso, Monterrey

Friends of Park Avenue—Rebekah Taylor (great niece of the Russell’s), Becky Sanchez (wife of Gil Sanchez, Director of  orphanage in Mexico), Greg Oliver (father of Karee Earnhart), Ray & Marsha Jones (former members)

 
Please notify the church office at office@parkavenuechurch.com for updates to the prayer list.

 
 Sunday Schedule
Adult Bible Class - 9AM Atrium
 
Worship - 10:00 AM
 
Children Dismissed to Bible Classes at - 10:45-11:30AM
Babies -Nursery Area
2 & 3 Year Olds—Nursery Area
Pre K-6th Grade—Family Life Center
 
Youth Group Activities - 5:30-7:30PM
 
 Discipleship Making Communities (DMC’s)
Meet at various times and locations. Contact Lantz Howard for more information, or sign up at pacoc.net/groups

 

Park Avenue Church of Christ
 
3000 S. Park Avenue,
 
Denison, TX 75020
 
903-465-1288 
 
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