this Sunday’s sermon will tackle the great human struggle with suffering. Does God Really Care? Why is There So Much Suffering? For Christians the answer to the question of suffering is found in Christ. Christ, the eternal Son of God has lived on earth as a human being and endured hunger, thirst, temptation, shame, persecution, nakedness, bereavement, betrayal, mockery, injustice, and death. Only Jesus is in a position to fulfill our deepest longing.
Read MoreLet us never forget, for it is important to remember the struggles, the achievements, and the determination of those who built the great institutions of our society. These memories instill wisdom, inspire gratitude, and create new visions for the future.
This is why we are putting so much energy into the 30th Anniversary of Stonebridge UMC, September 21st. The Anniversary team has planned an awesome combined worship service at 10:00 am where we will Remember Our Roots, Empower the Present, and Imagine the Future. We will celebrate through special music, video testimonies, and I will be preaching on Hebrews 11 – Answering God’s Call Into the Future.
Read MoreThe next few weeks are going to be full of opportunities to celebrate the ministries and outreach of Stonebridge UMC. Invite friends and family to join us for the special worship and ministries planned for the coming month.
Read MoreThere are some things in life that happen only once (or at least seldom) – these we do not want to miss. Graduations. Weddings. Births. Retirement. To name just a few special occasions. These all include a celebration of the way life has been and the beginning of the way life will be.
Read MoreBounds continues with this challenge, “What the Church needs today is not more machinery or better organizations, or more novel methods. The Church needs people whom the Holy Spirit can use – people of prayer, people mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through people. God does not anoint plans, but people of prayer.”
As I read this powerful book, I was struck by the truth of the tension between methods and the power of prayer and the anointing of God’s Spirit. Please join Amy and me to strive for God’s anointing through our connection in prayer. Prayer makes the difference.
Read MoreMolly wrote this earlier in the week, “I have to share a “God Sighting” with you all because it really moved me. At closing today, there was a little girl in the front row who was singing ‘’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus’ with so much passion that I could tell… she was feeling every word that left her mouth. This is why! Why we make the last-minute pivots, smile when we feel like raising an eyebrow, hug when we want to run!!!”
Read MoreThis Sunday, July 6th, there will be one service in the RAC at 11:00 am. Breakfast will be available starting at 10:15 am. We will have both the Celebration Choir and the full worship team leading us in song. I am excited about what we have planned for this July 4th weekend as we celebrate the freedom to express our faith in Christ. Let’s use this special service to get to know each other better. It’s going to be a great time to share the love of Christ and meet someone new.
Read MoreAn elderly Christian lady with arthritis struggled to attend church services on crutches. Despite the pain, she attended every service. When asked how she managed, she replied, "My heart gets there first, and my legs follow."
Over the last five weeks, members of Stonebridge UMC have hosted seven home meetings for our IMAGINE Listening Tour. The spirit of this listening tour was amazing. There is no doubt in my mind that there is a wonderful heart for Jesus that beats within the work we are doing. The passion you have for our ministries is inspiring.
Read MoreDuring the week, when I arrive at the church, I will often walk the hallways. This week I have witnessed an amazing transformation. Molly Gardner, our children’s ministry director, and her volunteers have been decorating the upstairs rooms for Vacation Bible School. Each day, I find something new. Upstairs is turning into an amazing Alaskan wonderland.
Read MoreAll of us carry the scars of the past. These scars are the results of wounds with many names - inflicted by failures, humiliations, or bad conscience. Perhaps, caused at a time when we needed understanding or compassion, and nobody was there to give it. Perhaps it was the result of the unthinking actions of others. Sometimes, the result is of our own doing. For me, I have come to understand these times as “the dark night of the soul.” In these desperate moments, God’s love and assurance have come as a starburst of light.
Read MoreThe Stonebridge UMC June/July calendar is full of opportunities for serving and making a difference for Christ. I am excited about the potential that this month has for our church. Please pray for each of these events and opportunities. I also want to thank you in advance for your service to Stonebridge and its efforts to reach people for Christ.
Read MoreOn Tuesday, we had our first gathering for our IMAGINE Listening Tour. Thanks to Roger and Amy Dankel for hosting and Doug and Andrea Darby for co-hosting. It was amazing. We had a full group for this first meeting. We celebrated the great things happening in our church ministries, discussed future priorities, and brainstormed ways to engage every member in ministry. The energy and enthusiasm were outstanding.
Read MoreIn our tradition, confirmation is a time of learning and growing in faith for our younger teens. It is a sacred act that signifies a deeper commitment to the Christian faith, empowering individuals to live out their beliefs and participate actively in the life of the Church. At this Sunday's 9:45 a.m. service, we are receiving into faith in Christ and membership in the church the young people that have gone through our confirmation training.
Read MoreWednesday night, 65 men gathered to hear Don Smith share his testimony of recovery and faith. We were all moved by his message. The turnout was outstanding, and the spirit of support and friendship was felt by all. This is just the beginning of reaching out to help men grow in their faith and find a place of support and sanctuary. Be on the lookout for future events as we plan to expand the opportunities to bring men together.
Read MoreGreetings in the Name of Christ,
This week, I want to highlight three events coming to Stonebridge UMC this month.
Men’s Steak Dinner May 7th, 6:30 p.m.
The Men's dinner is next week on May 7th. There are already 50 reservations for the steak dinner. Don Smith, founding pastor of Stonebridge UMC, will speak about "Addiction, Recovery, and Staying in Love with God."
Please sign up at SUMC Men's Group: SUMC Men's Group Steak Dinner or email me at john@mysumc.org and let me know you are coming. I will put you on the list. This is a great opportunity for us to get to know each other better and grow in our spiritual life and faith. It is going to be an outstanding time together.
Feasibility Information Gathering May 13th, 7:00 pm
The Leadership Board is working with Horizons Stewardship on the feasibility of doing a capital campaign to reduce debt and fund Celebration Hall improvements and A/V. We are having an All-Church meeting on Tuesday, May 13th at 7:00 p.m. to hear the first report from Horizons about what a capital campaign can do to redirect our financial resources into the ministries of Stonebridge UMC. Please consider being part of this important meeting.
IMAGINE Listening Home Meetings
Last year, we received an excellent response to our Making Stonebridge UNSTOPPABLE listening home meetings. We developed five priorities for the fall and successfully achieved four of these priorities. The fifth priority is currently in progress for future implementation.
We are creating a culture of a listening church… where hopes, dreams, and expectations are shared by everyone and heard by the leadership, pastors, and staff of the church.
This year, we will host seven listening sessions. Our objectives are to celebrate our achievements, discuss subsequent steps towards vitality, and increase involvement in volunteer service. These sessions also provide a valuable opportunity to foster new relationships within our church community.
May 20 – Host - Roger and Amy Dankel
June 5 – Host – Jack and Kym Radke
June 7 – Host – Mike and Erin Clark
June 17 – Host – Alex and Lacey Cesarz
June 19 – Host – Frank and Linda Spina
June 24 – Host – Trevor and Connie Castilla
June 26 – Host - Leo and Jana Grimone
The sign up is live at Stonebridge UMC: IMAGINE Listening Sessions. I look forward to having you join us.
This Sunday, I will be preaching on 2 Corinthians 4:7-12. We will explore our need for the treasure of the resurrected Jesus for our lives.
See you Sunday.
Pastor John Allen
Easter was glorious. The music was magnificent. Almost every seat was filled. The hallways were crowded. Easter was a glorious day filled with the resurrected spirit of Jesus!
As I was reflecting on our Easter services, I put together a list of what makes Stonebridge UMC so special.
Read MoreAs we face the weeks following Easter, it is important to remember we are not alone in our efforts in this world. God’s powerful presence should be the driving force behind all that we do.
As the people of God called the Church, we must never forget that we are agents of God’s possibilities in this world. It's not enough to play it safe, reaching only for goals within our grasp. We should attempt things so great for the glory of God that unless he intervenes, we will certainly fail.
Read MoreOn Easter, we proclaim that the suffering of this world is not the way of God. Easter is God’s word that darkness is defeated. On the first Easter Sunday, a new direction was set for the whole world. We will never be the same. The power and hope that was given at Easter is now given daily to those who believe. Though we are knocked down, we are not out. Though we are driven into the ground, we are not done. On Easter, God proclaimed that defeat and despair shall not have the last word.
Read MoreOn March 18, American astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov splashed down after being stranded in space for more than 9 months – 286 days. What was intended to be an eight-day mission, became a lengthy effort to survive.
At the press conference following their rescue, a CBS reporter asked Butch Wilmore, “What is your life lesson or takeaway from these 9 months in space?”
Read MoreThe Church across America is facing the same crisis. Too many Christians want to sit on the sidelines. We need everyone involved. I believe it’s time for us to get back into the game. Basketball is just a game. However, the work we do through the church is not a game and has eternal consequences for our world. It is time for us to get back in the game and make a difference in this world.
Read MoreAddress
Stonebridge United Methodist Church
1800 S. Stonebridge Dr.
McKinney, TX 75072
972-529-5601
Office Hours:
Monday - Thursday
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sunday Service Times:
In-Person Service
9:45 a.m. in Celebration Hall
11 a.m. in the Robertson Activity Center
You can also view the Livestream Sundays at 11 a.m. on our Livestream page.
© 2025 Stonebridge United Methodist Church. All rights reserved