The Pairs and Spares Sunday school class served its annual Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 6 at First UMC Terrell.

More than 150 people from the church and community attended, raising $1,839 for projects including the Wesley-Rankin Center in Dallas, Kaufman County Children's Emergency Shelter, Vacation Bible School and camp scholarships.

In addition, youth delivered meals to 26 homebound members.

Justin Blalock of the Atlanta Falcons grew up in Hamilton Park UMC

By SHERON C. PATTERSON
Editor

Thanksgiving came on a Sunday in October for Hamilton Park UMC when the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Booker announced to his congregation that NFL player Justin Blalock had made a $100,000 gift to the church from his foundation.

Justin Blalock, now a fifth-year lineman for the Atlanta Falcons, is a young man with a grateful heart and roots in the North Texas Conference. He grew up in Hamilton Park UMC in Dallas, where he served as an acolyte, participated in confirmation class and was active in the children's and youth ministry. He also was a featured speaker for the youth ministry on several occasions.

After graduating from Plano East High School, where he earned all-state honors in football and track, Blalock attended the University of Texas. There, he played right tackle and received national attention for making the block that allowed quarterback Vince Young to score the winning touchdown against the University of Southern California for the 2005 college championship. Now a starting left guard, he has played for the Falcons since 2007.

Blalock created the Justin Blalock Foundation several years ago to meet the needs of youth like those in the Hamilton Park area of Dallas. Since then, he has furnished scholarships, uniforms and other items.

Dr. Booker was elated to receive the gift.

"This gift is an amazing blessing to the church, especially in tough economic times like these," he said. "If you pray and have faith, you never know where your blessing is going to come from."

"About half of the funds will go to undergird and expand our missions and outreach ministry to the community and the world," he said. "The other half of the gift will support our youth, young adult ministries and our child care center."

"As a congregation, we feel blessed not only by the monetary gift that we received from the Justin Blalock Foundation, but our faith has been rekindled by the fact that a seed was sown in this young man's life years ago through the nurture and influence of his parents and this congregation of faith. Now we are receiving the harvest of that seed for such a time as this."

Blalock's parents, Louis and Jacqueline Robinson, are longtime members of Hamilton Park UMC. Louis Robinson coordinates the missions and outreach ministry, and Jacqueline Robinson serves as an usher.

Mrs. Robinson's voice was filled with joy as she talked about the generous gift: "He just called one day and said he wanted to give to the church. He was already giving to the community. I said, 'Wow!' I could not believe it. Justin sees his money as a blessing from God, and he wants to give back.

"He is a kind and easygoing person," she said. "He grew up watching us serve in the church. He understands that the work of the Lord needs money."

Blalock doesn't just donate money to others, but also gives of his time, his mother said.

"In Atlanta, he works with an after-school program. He sees how he can make a difference in others' lives," she said. "You often hear about other athletes doing negative things. I am very proud of him."

We asked four leaders in the church, seasoned and youthful, near the big city and out in the country and even out of the country, how they maintain gratitude at Thanksgiving. Here is what they had to say:

Valarie Englert, senior pastor, First UMC Commerce

John Fleming, pastor, Grace UMC, Sherman

Rachel Magruder, youth pastor, North Texas Conference

Rick L. Hawkins, pastor, First UMC Lancaster

By Valarie Englert
Senior pastor, First UMC Commerce

Giving thanks can mean offering a sincere thank you to the sacker at the grocery store who has carefully packed your groceries and loaded them into your trunk. It can also mean making a list of what you desire to give thanks for at the end of each day. But I think giving thanks goes beyond that: It is a way of living, a stance a person takes toward day-in, day-out life. And it can be surprisingly counter-cultural.

Much of life in the United States is based on quid pro quo exchanges. We must keep things even. If someone gives us $5 to cover an expense when we are short, we thank the giver profusely — then pay it back as soon as possible. If we're invited to a friend's house for dinner, we must reciprocate to keep things even. Our cultural shaping makes us want to balance things out so we don't owe anybody anything.

But for people of the Way, our very existence is one of debt. We have been gifted with these incredible things called bodies that breathe, pulse, move and think.

We have been called and named by our Creator, in spite of our tendency to think and act as if we are sufficient unto ourselves. How can we ever pay that back?

The good news is that we don't.

Living out of that deep knowledge gives rise to gratitude as a way of life. How can it not?

By John Fleming
Pastor, Grace UMC, Sherman

It was several years after graduating from college in 1987 before I began to explore a call to ministry, and I'll always thank God that I found my way into work that fed me in soul as well as paying the bills.

For the majority of my eight years with The Container Store, I worked in the distribution center alongside some really fine folks from whom I learned a great deal.

The majority of them never had access to college or many of the other opportunities I had enjoyed in life.

As I like to say, I have wasted more opportunity in life than most people ever have.

It took a while, but working with those folks taught me to make the most out of the things God has granted me — time, talent, relationship and opportunity.

As a pastor, it is my responsibility to lead others toward an "attitude of gratitude" for the blessings God bestows on us.

Those blessings are not to be taken for granted, nor to be wasted.

The privileges I've enjoyed in my life simply because of the circumstances of my birth weren't given to me for my own benefit, but so that I use them to serve the Lord more effectively.

The congregations I have served as pastor have each helped me to find new ways to be thankful, as we engage with people of all kinds in ministry.

And I have followed the advice of one of my former pastors, the Rev. Milton Guttierrez, in finding some gift of service to offer in addition to my work of ministry.

The best way I know to keep an attitude of gratitude?

To pray, in the words of John Wesley: "I am no longer my own, but Yours. Put me to what You will. … I freely and wholeheartedly yield all things to Your pleasure and disposal."

By Rick L. Hawkins
Pastor, First UMC Lancaster

When I was a young lad growing up in Dallas, my parents would take my brother, sister, and me to the State Fair of Texas.

They would always tell us to hold on to one another's hands because it could be so easy to get lost. It was a great teaching in life.

Thanks be to God for allowing us the blessed privilege to hold His loving and caring hands. God will not let us go.

For such a blessing as this, I give thanks.

by Rachel Magruder
Youth Pastor, North Texas Conference

It is so interesting to talk about thankfulness because as I have spent time in different countries, one thing has become repeatedly important. To me, focusing on what I do have instead of what I don't is the key to remaining thankful. Not only does this keep me grateful, it also makes me a happier person. Not all the places I visit have the luxuries that I tended to become comfortable with back home in Texas.

During a field trip to a rural area in the mountains of Costa Rica, I found it easy to focus on all of the positives. The mountains were breathtaking, the air was clear like the natural water, and the people were pleased to have us in their homes. But sometimes during our field trips to poverty-stricken neighborhoods, it takes a little more energy to look at the good aspects in the community.

In a Nicaraguan immigrant neighborhood north of the capital city, San Jose, the positives are found in the schools where kids are learning and working toward a better future for themselves and in foundations where women can work to provide income for their families and not have to rely on their husbands.

I have realized in my time here that the Costa Ricans who love talking about their country with such positivity seem really grateful for even the little things.

It is such a great experience to walk into my host family's home and, after asking how their day was, to always have a response followed by "gracias a Dios."

By SUSAN FONTAINE GODWIN
Special Contributor

The holiday season offers churches a rare outreach into the surrounding community, as well as a holy and joyous time of celebration for their church family. But let’s be honest: It can also be the most challenging, frustrating and exhausting season for music ministers and creative arts directors.

Thanksgiving family festivities soon fade as music ministers and creative directors turn their focus to the myriad details surrounding Christmas programs.

Trying to deal with copyright issues can be confusing and add stress to an already frenzied schedule.

With that in mind, here are some simple steps and guidelines that can help you navigate your holiday productions and limit potential copyright infringement for your church's ministry.

Steps to compliance

Understand and fully utilize church copyright blanket licenses. There are five basic blanket licenses for churches that simplify and save time when obtaining permissions for your activities. You can instantly purchase these licenses online and get immediate coverage for the copyrights and uses authorized by the licenses. For more information on blanket licenses, go to www.copyrightsolver.com/docs/factsheets/FactSheet-ChurchBlanketLicenses.pdf.

If you want to webcast or stream your program online, you'll need a music Internet performance license (The CCLI streaming license covers 200,000 Christian songs, and Copyright Solver's WORSHIPcast license covers 16 million Christian and secular songs). A performance facilities and event license is necessary for most Christmas programs (The PERFORMmusic license covers 16 million songs from ASCAP, BMI and SESAC).

Use PLAN

The PLAN system will help you navigate the rules. Here are the steps:

Prepare a list of all copyright materials and uses.

Learn the basics on U.S. copyright law and how it affects church activities.

Allow time to obtain licensing and permissions.

Never use copyright material without permission.

You can find free videos, fact sheets and articles on copyright education at www.copyrightsolver.com.

If you plan to record your program (audio or video), obtain mechanical and synchronization licenses for copyright music and sound recordings. You can use Copyright Solver's online PERMISSIONSplus service for licenses.

Be sure to get signed consent and release forms from staff or volunteers who will appear in your production. This is especially important for minors.

Do not distribute any recorded and duplicated material, such as CDs, DVDs or songbooks, until all copyright material is cleared.

Don't assume all Christmas songs are in the public domain; many are under copyright and owned by secular companies and require permission. For a list of secular Christmas songs, go to www.copyrightsolver.com/docs/factsheets/FactSheet SecularChristmasSongs.pdf.

If you need help in finding copyright owners and understanding how to get licensing, contact a copyright professional.

You can find CCS at www.copyrightsolver.com. To save 10 percent on any CCS license, use promo code CKNTX.

Susan Fontaine Godwin, founder of Christian Copyright Solution, is an educator and longtime member of the Christian arts community with 26 years of experience in the Christian media industry, church copyright administration and copyright management.

Enslavement is 'right under their nose,' members are warned

By DENISE JOHNSON STOVALL
Special Contributor

Christians were challenged to become aware of human trafficking in their communities and fight against the abuse done through labor, sex and enslavement during the 38th annual meeting of the North Texas Conference United Methodist Women. At least 166 women attended a daylong meeting Oct. 8 at First UMC Denton under the theme "All Things Made New," from II Corinthians 5:17.

Bill Bernstein, deputy director of Mosaic Family Services, told the group to "build awareness and educate United Methodist Women of this serious problem right under their nose." A licensed professional counselor, Bernstein has directed Mosaic's program for trafficking victims since 2001. The agency works with federal and local law enforcement, prosecutors and social service providers helping refugees and immigrants.

"In Texas, there have been three types of trafficking you regularly hear about in the news," Bernstein said: drug trafficking, gun trafficking and human trafficking, the latter being "the one you may experience without really knowing it."

People caught in labor trafficking may be transported to North Texas to work off a family debt or convinced they can make more money in the United States. When they arrive in the Dallas area, they are often placed in substandard housing and given little food and pay. Women may be enslaved, with no money or being forced into a sex trade. Runaway children become helpless victims who need advocates to rescue them from a secret life of servitude. "Some people in Dallas ask, 'Why don't they try to escape?' " he said. "People from other countries are scared into thinking their families will be harmed in their native land. Others are just afraid for their own lives.

"We as Christians have to open our eyes when you see someone who looks abused this way and contact our agency. If you really want 'All things made new,' start by helping these victims of abuse."

During the business session of the NTC UMW, voting delegates approved a budget of $185,000 for 2012. The treasurers representing the newly merged four districts presented their pledges: Metro, $100,000; Northwest, $23,000; East, $22,000; and North Central, $38,000.

In her written remarks, Becky Maddox, NTC UMW president, reminded the women of the promise that God gives when he says, "See, all things are made new."

"What an awesome God to anticipate our need for a promise such as that!" said the laywoman from Walnut Hill United Methodist Church. "His love and grace are sufficient to provide new days, new experiences, new friends, new challenges and new strength."

The Rev. Wallace "Wally" Chappell, a longtime NTC pastor, brings his 60 years of ministerial experience and love and skill for preaching in his latest book, The Call of God.

The eclectic collection of sermons was preached from 1995 to 2006. With the help of his longtime friend Dr. Emory Burton, Rev. Chappell selected and revised the sermons for print in 2010. The sermons are filled with theological insights and also look into the life and soul of the 91-year old engineer-turned-preacher who has confessed to his retired NTC colleagues that he keeps failing retirement.

Bishop William B. Oden describes The Call of God as "homiletical models for the word-weary preacher." Copies are available by contacting Rev. Chappell at 214-696-0015.