BAPTISM
Mark your calendars for one of the biggest events at PTCC. Baptism will take place on May 20th, 5:00PM at the home of Brian and Cindy Reinken (4401 Mira Vista Drive - click here for map). For those interested, we will have a Baptism Orientation meeting on Wednesday May 16th at 7:00 PM in the corner office. If you are interested in being baptized, please sign up at the YES! Table, or email us at info@prestontrail.org

MEN’S MINISTRY GOLF TOURNAMENT
This spring’s golf tournament will be held Friday, May 18, at Twin Creeks Golf Club in Allen. The 4-man scramble will begin at 8:00 AM. Cost is $50 and includes driving range, bag service, green fee, cart with GPS, lunch and prizes afterwards. Registration forms are available at the Yes! Table at the Men’s Ministry area.

MEN’S COLORADO ADVENTURE
PTCC Men are invited to Durango, Colorado July 30-August 3 for an outdoor adventure. Pick up a registration packet at the Yes! Table at the Men’s Ministry area for further details.

WOMEN’S RETREAT
Looking for a weekend get-a-way this summer? Some fun before the school year kicks in high gear? Well, you’re in luck! PTCC Women’s Ministry is having their first annual Women’s Retreat on Friday, August 17th - Saturday, August 18th at Lantana Lodge. This weekend will include great teaching, worship, and tons of fun! Cost is $80, and a $40 deposit is due upon registration. The full payment will be due by July 1st. Spots are limited, so sign up now at the YES! Table.

PARTNERSHIP
Take the next step in your commitment to God and to PTCC by becoming a partner, our membership program. Partnership focuses on five biblical principles that we call the 5Gs: Grace, Growth, Groups, Gifts and Good Stewardship. You may complete the self-directed Bible Study found on our website or you may attend our next partnership class on Sunday, April 29th from 9:30 AM - Noon at the PTCC building. Sign up at the Yes! Table today!

ADVENTURE CAMP
PTCC children and friends completing grades 3-5 are invited to "Deal or no Deal" June 11-15. The week will include awesome adventures, bowling, Hawaiian Falls, Bible lessons, a Rough Riders game, an overnight campout and more. Cost of the adventure is $160. Register at the Yes! Table or email Jeri Taylor.

MEN'S MINISTRY
PTCC has a new and exciting men’s ministry designed to help men build strong friendships with other Christian men, become better husbands and/or fathers, and grow closer to God. Sign-ups already have exceeded expectations but there's still time to get involved. The schedule and details are on the website. Email Matt Moss for more information.

ONLINE GIVING
Make your life simpler by automating your giving. Follow the easy directions at www.prestontrail.org to setup for debit or credit card for regular giving and dream big donations. All transactions are secure and will appear on your regular statement.

LIFE GROUPS
Sign up at the Information Table or email info@prestontrail.org and get involved in a group!

You deserve a break today!

It’s hard to believe that school is winding down and that summer is just around the corner.  Thankfully that means lighter schedules, vacations, and some well deserved time to recuperate from a hectic pace fueled by our love for God, our families, and careers.

One of the things you will notice around PTCC is that we are going to slow down a bit for the summer as well.  Men’s and Women’s Bible Studies will be taking a break and many Life Groups cut back their meetings as well.  (Please note, though, that our Weekend Services will be the same dynamic opportunities for worship and connection with God.  In fact, we’ve got some awesome message series already planned.  You’ll be hearing more about them soon!)  Some skeptics might look at this as a lack of commitment to God and to our faith.  What we say is that we are just honoring God by following the way he wired us.

One of the prominent teachings of the Old Testament is the rhythm of rest that God implanted in creation.  The Sabbath is God’s way of saying we can exert ourselves in our work and busy lives for six days, but on the seventh we must rest.  You may not know this but God also talks about a “Sabbath year.”  Every seven years farmers were to rest their land and themselves and not cultivate or plant.  They were simply to harvest whatever came up from the ground and trust God for provision for the year.  Then every fifty years they were to practice Jubilee, a major celebration in which all of Israel’s culture was to take a big break.

Even though few of us are farmers, we still need to implement rhythms of rest into our modern schedules for our sakes and the sake of the kingdom.  We have been hitting it pretty hard around PTCC for nine months—we’ve completed a building, transitioned our programming, and welcomed in what is in essence a whole new church the size of the one we had when we moved to our new home.  Way to go God!  So many of us have worked hard, volunteered long hours, and exerted ourselves spiritually in brand new ways.  But now it’s time to recuperate a bit.

Earlier this year I taught our staff some of the principles found in the book entitled The Power of Full Engagement.  This book is written by two guys who are experts in helping athletes and business executives maximize their abilities and efforts in order to accomplish their goals.  One of the truths they point out is that life is not meant to be a marathon.  It is meant to be a series of sprints.  Take a look at most marathoners, they are overly thin and gaunt.  Sprinters, on the other hand, are powerfully built.  What’s the difference?  Sprinters exert themselves to the max and then rest, giving their muscles a chance to rebuild themselves and thus they become stronger and faster.

The authors point out that this is the way life is ordered (of course we know who ordered it this way!).  If you want to grow physically, emotionally, relationally, or spiritually you have to have periods of pushing yourself to your limits and then a little beyond and then pulling back and resting while recuperation takes place.  Then you are stronger and healthier in every way.  That’s what we are going to give our staff and volunteers a chance to do this summer.  Then, when the fall hits, we’ll be rested and pumped about taking another run at helping even more people find and follow Jesus. 

So . . . take advantage of the opportunity the summer provides you.  Spend some more time with your family during the week.  Read the New Testament on your own this summer, or a Christian book that addresses one of your passions or interests.  Get away and disconnect from your busy life here in North Texas and give God a chance to renew your heart.  You deserve it! 

In rhythm!

Jim

Read previous Trail Notes here

LISTEN! Preston Trail Podcast
PTCC worship messages are available by subscription to our podcast or for listening on our website. So, if you missed a service, or want to share one with a friend go here and take a listen.
You will have the option of downloading and listening to them on your computer or even subscribe here (or press the iTunes image on the right) to have them come to your computer automatically each time one is added - then play them on your computer or your iPod while you're exercising or driving.

Calendar at a glance...

May 13 Child Dedication

May 18 Men's Ministry Golf Tournament

May 20 Baptism 5:00 PM

May 28 - June 2 Youth Camp 2007, Florida

June 11 - 15 Adventure Camp

July 30 - Aug. 3 Men's Colorado Adventure

Aug. 17 - 18 Women's Retreat