Hi Parkway People -- 

I picked our current preaching series called “Real, Fast” for this time of year on purpose. Holy Week and Easter fell late on the calendar. From there we're immediately in the sprint to the end of the school year. End of year parties. Lots of "lasts." Field Trips. Memorial Day.

It is easy to start moving faster and faster and roll all the way down the hill into summer.

The questions for your staff at Parkway quickly become "At what point do we become just another place to be busy?" "How can we do ministry that focuses more on intentionality, awareness, and the slow work of love, relationships, and community?"

Below we've built out some new things, some changes, and ways we hope are less about checking boxes and "giving people something to do," and more about creating times and places where we can do the slow, intentional work of graceful community and gospel.

Take a look at the work and ministry going on at Parkway in the days and weeks ahead -- 

If you have any questions, need information, or could use some support, please reply to this email — it'll go straight to my inbox.

See y'all soon!

Justin



Looking Ahead to Sunday:

This Sunday we'll continue on in our current series called "Real, Fast" — each week looking at the ways our culture encourages us to live a life seeking our authentic, real selves and living a fast life that only gets faster. 

This week we'll focus on the idea of authenticity — what does it mean to live an identity? How do we establish an identity? And what happens when we encounter other identities that run counter to our own? I'll preach from 1 Corinthians 9.19-23.

Check out some of the many things going on at Parkway below!

New Bible Study: Jesus & Women

At 6pm on Wednesdays, I am teaching a new Bible study called Jesus & Women. Using Kenneth Bailey's Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, each week we read stories of Jesus's interactions with women to see how, in the layers of these stories, Jesus approached, invited, and taught women in a way that went against the culture of his day. 

Meets in Room 126/128 of the Ministry Center. Childcare will be provided May 14th & 21st.

Women's Ministry

Women's Dinner on Monday, May 12th at Willie's

Parkway Women's Ministry will gather for dinner on Monday, May 12th at Willie's Icehouse (945 Hwy 6, Sugar Land) at 6pm. You can register here! (https://www.fellowshiponegiving.com/App/Form/43c54c78-97d5-41a2-b33b-3e7eac44ad45)

Register for Parkway Women's Mini Retreat

Registration for the upcoming Parkway Women's Mini Retreat is Open! (https://www.fellowshiponegiving.com/App/Form/b2f1a82e-d879-4860-b178-d5a75e97fdb0)

The theme is Rooted in Love and will take place at Parkway on Saturday, June 7th from 9am to Noon. The retreat will be led by Rev. Maggie Wood, lead Pastor of Mercy Street — a community of all kinds of people, many in some sort of recovery from bad church experiences, addictions, or "other." Maggie is a gifted leader and communicator and we are glad to have her leading this mini retreat!



Children & Students

One of the bigger changes coming to both children's and student ministries is a reorganization and beginning of a new, dedicated preteen ministry. Check out the details below from Becky and Josiah:

New 4-5-6 Preteen Ministry & Promotion Sunday

We’re excited to share an important update about our next season of ministry at Parkway. As we continue to grow and seek the best ways to disciple children and students, we’re launching a new Preteen Ministry just for 4th–6th graders called 4-5-6! 

Why the change?

Preteens are in a unique life stage — As Sean Sweet puts it in Let Go and Run Beside, preteens need leaders who will let go of control but run beside them, helping them navigate deeper questions, budding independence, and spiritual formation. This shift allows us to meet their needs more intentionally as they grow in faith and identity.

Here’s what’s new:

Updated Ministry Age Breakouts:

• Nursery: Birth through Pre-K
• Children’s Ministry: Kindergarten through 3rd Grade
• 4-5-6 Ministry: 4th through 6th Grade
• Student Ministry: 7th through 12th Grade

Children may move down to a younger group if needed, but not up to an older one. This helps us tailor content and community to each developmental stage.

Moving up:

On Sunday, June 1st, everyone will be promoted to the next grade level and these new groupings will take effect. We’ll make sure each child knows where to go, our staff and volunteers will be ready to welcome them into their new spaces.

What about incoming 6th graders and how will they connect to Student Ministry?

We haven’t forgotten about them! Middle School Dessert Nights will continue meeting with 6th–8th grade, giving your preteens a chance to build connections with older students. We'll also host Game Nights for 6th–12th grade to foster community across ministries.

4-5-6 Check-In:

Preteens will continue to sign in at the Registration Desk where Children’s Ministry currently checks in and receives a name tag. We're excited to begin forming a space just for them where they can be known, challenged, and grow in community.

Family Meeting - Sunday, June 1st

To help shape this new ministry together, we’re inviting all 4th–6th grade children and their families to join us after Sunday School on June 1st for a short meeting in the Ministry Center at 11:45am. We'll talk through the changes, get your input, answer questions, and hear what your preteens would love to see in this space designed just for them.

We Need You!

If you have a heart for this age group, we’d love to invite you to serve with us. Helping preteens grow in faith is rewarding, fun, and full of meaningful moments. Reach out if you're interested in jumping in as a leader, mentor, or behind-the-scenes helper.

We believe this shift will not only better support our children and students but will help form their faith during some of the most critical years. Thanks for partnering with us in helping every child and student be seen, loved, and known.

Becky & Josiah



Needed: Empty Paper Towel Rolls

Save your empty paper towel (not toilet paper!) rolls and bring them to Parkway. We will put them to good use for an upcoming VBS craft. Becky will have collection boxes in the Worship Center!

Register Today: Lakeview Summer Camp

Parkway will send students having completed K-12th grade to Lakeview Summer Camp June 23rd - 27th! Lakeview Methodist Conference Center is located in Palestine, TX and has everything for children and students to grow in their faith and have a traditional sleep-away summer camp experience. 

You can find more information here from the Texas Annual Conference of the UMC.

If you are registering for Lakeview, you will need to select which district you are coming from — Parkway is in the Southwest District of the Texas Annual Conference.

The deadline for registration has been extended to May 22nd, so there is still time to register campers and volunteers! We will need to send 1 adult for 5 registered campers — if you are willing to go to camp and make this summer camp experience possible, Parkway will pay your registration fees! Just reply to this email with any questions or interest in going!

Plugging in at Parkway:

Table Talk — Now at Talyard on Sunday, May 18th!

Parkway will host our regular monthly Table Talk on May 18th at Talyard (1033 Imperial Blvd., Sugar Land). It's a laid-back time of grabbing lunch together after the 10.30am service to build relationships and community outside the walls of Sunday morning worship. No sign-ups required — just show up and eat lunch with other people. Talyard has plenty of playground space for kids to run and play.



Newest 2 Grow Groups Meet May 25th 

Parkway's model for growing in faith relies on large community worship on Sunday mornings, but also regular gatherings of smaller groups, often called Grow Groups. Over the last few months, we've begun two new Grow Groups that meet 1-2 times a month on Sundays after worship, and 1-2 times a month socially not at Parkway.

These two groups roughly fall into two categories:

• Families with kids 0-8sh
• Families with kids 8 - 14ish

On Sunday, May 25th, both groups will meet after the 10.30am service to check-in about life and discuss that day's sermon. If you're interested in checking out one of these groups and learning more about Grow Groups at Parkway, reply to this email and let me know. I'd love to get you connected into a Grow Group!