welcome to new heritage

Trying a new church the first time is not easy. You may have questions like: Will I feel uncomfortable? Will they ask me for money? Can I slip out if I don't like it? Will my kids like it? How should I dress? What if I don't believe what they believe? What do they believe?

Here's what you can expect as our guest:

When you arrive for our 9:30 AM service, park anywhere and look for the friendly people standing outside of Suite 122. They'll greet you, answer your questions and show you the way to our "living room." We don't call the room we meet in a sanctuary or even an auditorium, and we dress accordingly. Dress comfortably...office casual is ok, boots and jeans are ok.

If you have children from birth through the 6th grade, you can drop them off at Construction Junction, our children's ministry. We have a good security program, so you can relax knowing that your children will be safe and they'll have a great time. It's okay if they want to stay with you in the living room, but we are confident that they'll enjoy our children's ministry. The New Heritage Youth Ministry, or NHYM, for grades 7 and above meets Sunday evenings. So if you have older children they can sit with you in the living room.

Help yourself to coffee or juice and a doughnut, meet some of us, and then find a comfortable seat. Restrooms are in the hall by the kitchen and we have a room for nursing moms right off the living room. You'll see a copy of the New Heritage bulletin on your seat, which will have some news and an outline of the service. Look in the pocket on the back of the chairs in front of you for a page out of our "guest book." If you give us your name and contact information, we'll send you a thank you note. But we promise not to put you on a mailing list or ask you for money. You can tell us about any needs you have, and you can drop that card in the basket when we take up a collection later in the service.

A typical service will start with some upbeat music and a short welcome from one of the members. After some more singing, we will have a message from Terry Cartwright, we'll pray together and we'll celebrate the Lord's Supper. Terry's messages are based on the Bible and they'll make you think. You'll probably laugh and you might just wipe away a tear. Don't be surprised if Terry breaks his message into two or three parts.

Our season of prayer is a time of reflection and communication with God. You may see some people getting up to go pray with others and you'll see some sitting quietly. It is okay to kneel or raise your hands or just bow your head. The Lord's Supper, or Communion or Eucharist is a special time when we celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. All believers are welcome to come to the table with us and participate in this special fellowship. If you'd rather not, that's okay too.

Near the end of the service we will collect an offering from members. We don't expect our guests to give, so please don't feel any pressure to contribute. If you filled out the information card, you can put that card in the basket. We will have a closing song at about 11:00 AM. You can pick up your children, speak to Terry, meet a few more of us and be on your way home, or out to eat, by 11:30.

Most of our guests really enjoy New Heritage. We think you will too. Hope to see you soon!

Our Staff:

• Terry Cartwright, Pastor. Terry has a passion for teaching and helping people mature in their walk with God. He has been married to Deanne for over 30 years and has spent most of that time working with churches. Terry has a heart for foreign missions, and has spent time in India, the South Pacific and Mexico spreading the Good News. He is a native of Benjamin, Texas and has a BA degree in New Testament from Lubbock Christian University, a Masters in Religion and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Abilene Christian University. During the week Terry is employed at The University of Texas at Dallas.
• Candice Kennedy, Children's Minister. Raised in Allen, TX., Candice Kennedy graduated from Texas Tech with a Bachelor's in Education and later received her Master's in Education from the University of North Texas. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, and two daughters, Tessa and Lily. Candice taught 3rd grade in Plano for 5 years before staying at home following the birth of Tessa in 1999. God brought the Kennedy family to New Heritage in 2004. Candice has served on the Children's Ministry Team at New Heritage and was the Assistant Children's Minister before becoming the Children's Minister in January 2007. She has always loved working with children and has a gift for nurturing others.
• Katy Encalade, Assistant Children's Minister. Katy is a great example of how your passion can grow into ministry. First as a volunteer, and now as a staff member, Katy's work with children is second only to her husband Blake in importance. She and Blake are expecting their first child in October 2008. Katy has over 5 years experience with children's Bible classes and graduated from Dallas Baptist University with a degree in business and psychology. She is a sales director with Mary Kay and volunteers at a crisis pregnancy center, Real Options for Women. Katy counsels women who face an unplanned pregnancy and she speaks at local middle schools and churches about abstinence.
• Brent Southard, Youth Minister. Brent has a passion for equipping this present generation of teenagers to walk in a relationship with the Lord. He and his wife Stephanie want teenagers to realize that they are not alone in this world and they are loved by the Creator. Brent rejects the negativity coming from our culture about teenagers and emphasizes just how relational and dynamic this generation really is! Brent holds a B.A. in Youth and Family Ministry from Lubbock Christian University and is currently working on a masters degree in divinity through LCU. Stephanie has a B.A. in Early Childhood Development from Texas A&M and is a new mom.

Brent, Candace, Katy and Terry serve along with many talented, well-trained volunteer ministers.