Tinney Chapel Today

District Superintendent, Rev. Pat Beghtel-Mahle, presents a service jacket to David Stanton, who served more than two years as Tinney Chapel Building Committee Chairman and is now Lay Leader. Assisting with the presentation: Joe Dan Boyd, right, outgoing Tinney Chapel Council Chair and Senior Pastor Duncan Graham, partially visible at left. Photo by Dr. Joan LaBarr, Director of North Texas Conference Communications and Editor of North Texas Conference Reporter Newspaper.

CHARGE PROFILE
CHARGE: Tinney Chapel UMC
(To be completed by S/PPR Committee)
DISTRICT: Paris-Sulphur Springs

THIS FORM MUST BE IN THE HANDS OF YOUR DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT BY JANUARY 20, 2005

The Book of Discipline, (432.1) “The District Superintendent shall develop with the Pastor and the Committee on Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations of all churches profiles that reflect the needs, characteristics, and opportunities for mission of the charge consistent with the Church’s statement of purpose (421.1). These profiles shall be reviewed annually and updated when appropriate to include:

A. The general situation in which a congregation finds itself in a particular setting: size, financial condition, quality of lay leadership, and history.

Tinney Chapel UMC, an open door church, is a strong, vibrant, and integral part of the community striving to honor God in all we do. We are located just south of Winnsboro, Texas, and are proud of our 100 + year rural heritage. We seek to celebrate that proud tradition, not simply as a museum of past faiths, but as a people dedicated to our church’s call to worship and serve a living God.

Size:

Tinney Chapel currently has 126 members on the roll, representing a 15% membership growth over the last two years, with an average worship service attendance of 79 per week. Sunday School attendance is enjoying a likewise steady growth as an average of 60% of those attending worship remain for Sunday school afterward. We have seen an explosion in Sunday School class formation for adults, doubling from 3 to 6 classes, and we continue to offer age-appropriate classes/activities for the children / young people of the church. January 9, 2005 we consecrated our new 8,000 square foot Family Life Center to the glory of God.

This year’s physical changes have been the largest for us in over 100 years. The new facility houses much-needed additional Sunday school space, a significantly larger kitchen, a conference room, and an expanded fellowship hall, all providing improved handicap accessibility to church functions. Thanks to the dedicated volunteer efforts of numerous church members, the facility was built for a remarkable $35 per square foot. Remodeling was also done in the north Sunday school wing, enlarging children’s classrooms and providing access to the new facilities.

Financial Condition:

Per information presented at charge conference, Tinney Chapel is currently in sound financial condition, able to meet financial obligations, including local needs, apportionments, and missionary efforts. Our Family Life Center was completed for $286,000. We received $160,000 in building fund pledges during our Capital Funds Campaign. Now halfway through this three-year commitment, we expect to have a note of approximately $50,000 remaining at the end of the three years. The income of the Church continues to be a culmination of tithes, gifts, and fundraising efforts on the part of a very active Women’s Group as well as a growing Men’s Group. Additional Sunday school based fundraising efforts are anticipated as classes work toward funds for “finishing out” their classrooms as needed.


New Council Chair at Tinney Chapel UMC is Marcella Salter, a long-time member, and one of the leaders of the successful Building On The Promises Capital Funds Campaign, which led to the completion of the new Family Life & Christian Education Center. Photo by David Stanton.

Lay Leadership:

Tinney Chapel enjoys a history of strong lay leadership, and that blessing is being multiplied. Newer members are actively dedicating their gifts and skills to the church’s mission –to make disciples of Jesus Christ. In addition, “long-time” members of the church continue to dedicate their time and talents in positions of church leadership. Empowered lay leaders, the guidance of Pastor Duncan Graham (who models that leadership for us by serving as chair of the Paris-Sulphur Springs District Russia Initiative), the shared vision initiated by the Visions & Values training several years ago, and annual church wide planning days culminate in an active and growing congregation.

Notably, four members serve as Certified Lay Speakers and Joe Dan Boyd ably serves as chair of the Conference Communications Commission. Our laity is also actively involved in leadership roles in Walk to Emmaus and the Residents Encounter Christ prison ministry. Attendance by 17 Tinney Chapel representatives at the recent leadership training conference in Sulphur Springs affirms that quality lay leadership and involvement are poised to continue. While we were overwhelmed by Tinney Chapel receiving, for the second time in three years, the North Texas Conference Marvin T. Judy Award for excellence in town and country ministry, our eyes are on the future and what we can do for God’s people in the days ahead.

History: Arvinell Newton McClaren’s book, “Going to the Chapel” which won the Kate Warnick award for Best Church Story at Annual Conference, recaps early church history and informs readers interested in our first one hundred years.


The Congregation of Tinney Chapel UMC on Consecration Sunday, Jan. 9, 2005. In foreground are, left, Tinney Chapel Associate Pastor Gene Miller, and Rev. Joan LaBarr, a member of Bishop Rhymes H. Moncure Jr.'s North Texas Conference Extended Cabinet. Photo by Joe Dan Boyd, using Dr. Joan LaBarr's digital camera.

B. The convictional stance of the congregation (or general situation in which a congregation finds itself in regard to): theology; prejudices, if any; spiritual life.

Theology:

Tinney Chapel’s church is a Bible-based church, rooted in the Word. We continue to call upon the Holy Spirit to help us grow – both as a church body as well as in individual faith and discipleship. We are a congregation that continues to live the motto currently in use by the United Methodist Church – “Open Hearts, Open Doors, and Open Minds” – both outside our church doors as well as within.

Prejudices, if any:

Current church membership is almost wholly Anglo (Caucasian). However, racial prejudices among the individual members, if they exist, have not made themselves known, as visitors of varying races have been welcomed warmly, both in the pulpit, as well as in the congregation. The same assessment must be made in terms of gender bias. Individuals within the congregation may struggle with this issue, however, the congregation as a whole has welcomed and supported female pastors in the past and continues to appoint / support female leadership in the laity. We understand that no congregation is without prejudice. However, we are not aware of the manifestation of any such prejudices within Tinney Chapel.

Spiritual Life:

The people of Tinney Chapel believe God’s promise that He will send His Spirit to guide us. We also understand the obligation to practice obedience to God, beginning with the mandate to celebrate the Gospel with those outside the church walls as well as within. We believe that the following are indicative of the spiritual growth of God’s people at Tinney Chapel:

* Steady growth in attendance at worship services
* An explosion in Sunday school classes
* Strong lay leadership
* Sunday night worship services
* Participation in Wednesday night meal, worship, choir practices for children and adults, and special programs for children and youth
* Bible Study classes, including Christian Believer, Disciple I and Revelation
* Participation by members in the Walk to Emmaus, Chrysalis, and Residents Encounter Christ


C. The ministry of the congregation among its people for the sake of the community (or to what extent is the congregation reaching out into the community in areas such as): service programs, basis for adding new members, and reasons for losing members, forms of witness.

Again, Tinney Chapel strives to carry out the mission of God’s Church by working to make disciples of Jesus Christ. And we strive to share God’s gifts to this congregation through the following services that are performed by the congregation for the sake of the community:

Service Programs:

* Regularly scheduled birthday celebrations at the local nursing homes.
* Prayer and needs support of the Holy Highway (a local home for adolescent girls)
* Support for both the Blessing Box and the Community Ministries (local emergency food and clothing centers in the community), including gifts of winter blankets, summer fans, and on-going food donations
* Support of the Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center through annual drives.
* Various other programs of giving and service practiced by the church’s Women’s Group, including the Golden Cross and Methodist Home in Waco

Basis for Adding New Members:

* Lay visitation and follow-up with church visitors
* Expansion of the music ministry by hiring professional musicians for the Contemporary Worship Service
* Special Sunday Night concerts by visiting musicians
* Cantatas and special music events by the Church Choir.
* Ongoing encouragement and instruction in inviting persons to church.
* Pastoral visits by both by Duncan Graham (Pastor) and Gene Miller (Associate Pastor)
*Annual fish fries held by the Men’s Group that serve as money raisers as well as church outreach.
* Special events for the Women’s Group that encourage participation of women including those who are not Tinney Chapel Members.
* Exceptional communications to visitors as well as members that includes occasional news items and weekly paid advertisements in the local newspaper, a weekly e-letter, a monthly mailed newsletter, and a new Weblog (blog) service which is updated several times each week, and may be viewed on the Internet at
http://tinneychapeltoday.blogspot.com/

Reasons for Losing Members:

Generally, most of the membership lost by the congregation of Tinney Chapel is through death. This was true during this past year as well, as we lost very dear members of the church through death. Despite this loss, Tinney Chapel continues to grow in membership. And we continue to draw from the original rural Tinney Chapel Community heritage as we seek to become a church active in our service and outreach on behalf of the community of God.


Way Of Salvation UMC Pastor Elena Kotelkina sings with the choir of her church in Mytishchi, Russia, a mission church of the Paris-Sulphur Springs District UMC and also of many of the individual churches within the District, including Tinney Chapel. Pastor Elena visited Tinney Chapel UMC, and spoke here, in 2002. Chairman of the District Russia Initiative is Tinney Chapel UMC Senior Pastor Duncan Graham. Photo by Charlie Epperson, Westview UMC in Greenville, and a founding member of the Paris-Sulphur Springs District Russia Initiative.

Mission to community and world: Tinney Chapel serves the local community through the services previously outlined. Other efforts include:

* Regular and substantial contributions to support the Way of Salvation UMC in Mytishchi, Russia.
* Regular and substantial contributions to Henry & Josie Zaragosa, missionaries in Mexico.
* Relief funds to the target project at each year’s North Texas Conference meeting.
* Communion Sunday altar gifts that serve as a discretionary fund that the Pastor can use to assist persons in the community, as he deems appropriate
* Special offerings taken in both worship services and Sunday school classes for persons in crisis
* Money for college texts to graduating high school seniors from our youth group
* Contributions by members to the Visionaries and New Visionaries program
* Pennies for Meals on Wheels
* Donation for construction of chapel at Texas Department of Corrections Johnston Unit
* Establishment of Mother’s Day Out program for 3-5 year olds
*Offering our facilities for Cypress Basin Hospice to conduct training classes for volunteers
* Participation in community-wide One Drop Easter Pageant
* Participation in community three-day Bible Reading Marathon over Winnsboro
* Rural Life Sunday, a family-friendly daylong celebration of rural life
* Contributions to Project Hope serving the last, lost, least, and marginalized

Forms of Witness:

Tinney Chapel believes that sharing the Good News, the ministries outlined above, and the manner in which each of us conduct our own lives are all forms of witness.


Senior Pastor Duncan Graham prays before ushers take up the offering at Tinney Chapel UMC's Service of Consecration for the new building. Photo by Joe Dan Boyd, using Dr. Joan LaBarr's digital camera.


D. The qualities and functions of pastoral ministry needed to fulfill the mission and goals of the congregation.

Tinney Chapel desires to make disciples of Christ. We know that having this common vision is a good start, but that spiritual worship, growth and discipleship are attributes necessary for the pursuit of this “mark.” The primary pastoral qualities needed to fulfill the mission and goals of the congregation of Tinney Chapel during the coming year are maturity (in faith and leadership skills) as well as a dedication to keeping the focus of the church “on the mark” through teaching and preaching the Word of God.

Pastor Duncan Graham has demonstrated these attributes during the past year. And we respectfully submit that these attributes (as well as continuity) will be crucial in the successful transition of God’s church at Tinney Chapel UMC.

S/PPR COMMITTEE:

John Futral, Chairman
David Stanton
David Wylie
Dick Beavers
Jenna Nelson
Joe Dan Boyd