Rick Mang: Certified Therapeutic Music Entertainer and Village Chaplain

Rick is a retired United Methodist Church pastor who is proud to provide music for children and senior adults, as well as providing pastoral support as a community chaplain, especially to individuals and families who are not part of a church home in Hood, Summervell and Johnson Counties in North Central Texas. In addition, Rick is currently serving as the part-time pastor of the Waples United Methodist Church in Granbury, TX.

Monday, July 24, 2023

It Just Occured to Me That I "Saw" the Waples UMC Campus Years Ago . . .

This thought came to my mind as I was leaving the church yesterday after worship. I was the last to leave. I took this picture and when I looked at it . . . something came to mind that I haven't thought about in many, many years.

When I was 17, in the middle of my senior year of high school, I received a call to enter the ministry. The picture I took on Sunday was the church I saw in my mind at the moment of my call, except that I'm pretty sure it was on a mountain in Colorado.

I was 65 when I finally found this church, but it was located in a wooded grove of oak trees (not pine trees) in far northeast Granbury, TX. It's the Waples United Methodist Church and I am blessed to be the part-time pastor there. The people who make up this church are so easy and fun to love! They are quick to say "Thank You, I Appreciate You" and "I Love You!" They believe that these are the most powerful, kind and loving words in all the world!

Singing for the Couts UMC 60+ Seniors Event was a Success!

I really enjoyed singing for the Couts UMC 60+ Seniors group Saturday, July 22nd, in Weatherford, TX. We had great audience participation, especially when we all sang "I Believe in Music!" So great to reconnect with friend and retired clergy colleague Dawne Hood Phillips who leads the senior ministry at Couts. The one and only Missy Buchanan was the featured speaker. SMissy is an internationally known author and speaker on embracing and empowering the process of aging faithfully. She gave an absolutely outstanding presentation that related to everyone there. I hope we can work together again in the future.

Saturday, July 1, 2023

I'm Now the Pastor at Waples UMC

It's been my honor to have served as the Interim Pastor at the Waples United Methodist Church in the northeast Granbury, TX area. Their historic sanctuary is well over a century old. The people are wonderful and have welcomed my wife and I with loving arms since we first arrived in January of this year. Even though this is a part-time appointment, it has been such a pleasure to serve in ministry with these fine people. They have a very active missions program including a food pantry and thrift store.

And, as of July 1st, I have been appointed as the Pastor! No more interim in my title.

If you are currently looking for a new UMC church home because your current congregation plans to disaffiliate from the UMC, then please consider visiting this church family. They worship at 11:00 AM on Sunday mornings. Sunday School for adults is at 9:45 AM in the Fellowship Hall. Every child or teen who worships with us will be instantly loved by a room full of "grandparents!"

The Waples UMC website is: https://www.waplesunitedmethodist.org/. You can also join us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/waplesunitedmethodist.

Rev. Rick Mang is a Certified Therapeutic Entertainer who sings for children in hospitals and for senior adults in various venues. He also provides music for community groups and events, and for churches as his schedule permits. Rick is a retired United Methodist Pastor who is now proud to serve the citizens of Hood, Summervell and Johnson Counties as a Community / Village Chaplain. In that capacity, Rick is available to officiate weddings as well as funerals, memorial services or services of remembrance. In addition, Rick has lead grief recovery classes and provided short-term grief counseling. Rick strives to be available to "anyone" who needs his services, schedule permitting. He has a 31 year full-time professional history of being able to serve not only a church, but also the citizens in the entire community as well. Rick feels called to provide music and pastoral support for children, senior adults, and for individuals and families who are not part of a church home by choice or due to a previous bad experience.

DISCLAIMER . . .

It goes without saying . . .

The announcements, updates, thoughts, opinions, ideas, stories, meditations, prayers, recommendations, and other information written anywhere on this blog, are usually my own ramblings and responses to things I have seen, heard, read, experienced or witnessed. I write out of the ever changing and conflicted struggle that exists between my head and my heart as I try to live out my life mission in the best and most productive way I can.

What I write or share in no way reflects the views of any church, denomination, political party, family member, friend, relative, writer, musical group, musician friend, artist, fishing buddy, fellow hiker, walker, other blogger, city, state, county, nation, or for that matter anybody else you possibly could ever hope to think of.

Sometimes, the words and thoughts of others are so well written, and touch me so deeply, that I am moved to share them. When and if I share the words and thoughts of others, I honestly try to give and acknowledge appropriate credit, and will do so if you bring it to my attention that I haven't.