Press

KidStreet Opens for Test Drive on Sunday, August 21

All About Frisco
August 2005
By Polly Jeter

There’s a new street opening in Frisco. And while this particular street may not be paved in asphalt or have intersecting roads, it is definitely going somewhere.

KidStreet, a new program developed by Preston Trail Community Church, debuts Sunday, August 21 with two presentations at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. at the AMC Theatre #17 at Stonebriar Centre in Frisco.

This contemporary Bible- and Christ-centered church takes a fresh approach to teaching traditional values.

“We want to stay current on what attracts kids. They use computers, watch TV, play video games,” said Lisa Lloyd, Director of Children’s Programming. “By using multimedia we hope to keep their attention, so they’ll hear what we have to say.”

KidStreet is a place where kids and their parents learn about God together. It combines drama, music, videos and lighting, with basic Biblical principles.

Each week they present a live production that focuses on a particular “value,” such as patience, joy, respect, kindness or obedience. The characters face conflicts and the situation almost always has a humorous outcome. Yet in the process they learn and grow from the experience. “We want to show that God is loving and fun – and even has a sense of humor,” said Lloyd.

“When a family attends a traditional church, there is usually a car trip to and from church with people yelling, and kids and parents going in their separate directions,” said Paul Basden, one of the Senior Pastors at Preston Trail Community Church. “We want to create a shared spiritual experience between parents, their kids and God.”

What has since become KidStreet was originally Dude Ranch, a western-themed drama, complete with cowboys, a ranch and even two outhouses. The decision was made earlier this year to move away from the ranch and take a more main-stream approach.

“Each month 1,200 people move into our community from other parts of the country. We didn’t feel like we were reaching everyone with Dude Ranch,” said Lloyd.

In choosing a new theme, they sought the advice of a few members of their target audience – the kids. And almost unanimously they chose a tree house as their favorite spot:  a really cool, fun and special place where they’d all like to hang out.

Thus, KidStreet was born, a zany comedy centered around a street in a typical suburban neighborhood, And in the heart of this neighborhood stands a huge tree, equipped with ­– you guessed it – a tree house. Among the cast members will be a cheerleader, a mechanic, a mother and even the school nerd.

Scripts presented on stage in the past have been somewhat outlandish. There has been a Star Wars light saber battle, a square dancing Kung Fu virtual reality machine, an unlucky person who got a “swirly” in the outhouse, and even Elvis has been in the building.

While not giving away any secrets, Lloyd assures us KidStreet will offer even more fun and excitement. “We have a huge support team making this all happen – actors, a construction crew, costume designers, a production assistant, and technicians – all of which are volunteers.”

Lisa Lloyd grew up in Arlington, TX and is a graduate of SMU Meadows School of Arts with a BFA in Theater. Her work includes acting roles in several soap operas, as well as in regional theaters across the country.

“Despite my love for acting, I knew God was asking me to do something more. I felt like God was speaking to us and calling us into ministry,” said Lloyd.

She and her husband, Markus, prayed about it and made the decision to move from Los Angeles back to Dallas. Just one week before returning, she received a call to interview at Preston Trail Community Church.

“It’s been an incredible experience,” said Lloyd. “My ultimate goal is to teach kids to learn to live in a way that makes God smile.”

Preston Trail Community Church began three and a half years ago under the guidance of Senior Pastors Paul Basden and Jim Johnson. Their goal was to reach people who were returning to church, as well as those who had never been to church.

Within the next three years they hope to purchase land for a future church site. “ We have faith that God will provide land for us that we can afford,” said Basden.

Within two to three years after that, they hope to begin construction on a church building. But as for now, they don’t want to rush into anything. Plans are to stay in the AMC Theatre setting and continue to grow through programs like KidStreet.

“I love to watch the joy on parents’ faces on Sunday mornings, when they’re sitting beside their kids, sharing this time together,” said Basden.