Welcome:

I’m Neill Grimes, Senior Minister at First Christian Church.  Ordained to Christian ministry in 1980, I’m about to finish my third decade of ministry.  Virginia and I have been in McKinney for 10 years; even we can talk about the changes we’ve seen in this fast paced community.  North Carolinians by birth, Virginia and I have served three other Disciples congregations in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Oklahoma; for some reason, God keeps moving us westward.  Our kids, Jane and Ben, are grown and off on their own and we are justly proud.  Jane is in her fourth year of teaching in an intensive K.I.P.P (Knowledge Is Power Program) School in Memphis; K.I.P.P. is a spinoff from Teach For America.  Ben works for Raytheon in their Space and Airborn Systems division in Garland.  Our nest is empty except for Gershwin, our playful two year-old Dobie.  There are no grandchildren yet, just one grand-dog—Rembrandt.

I’m charged with oversight of the life and ministry of First Christian Church; that covers a lot of territory.  However, like most people I have my special interests; spiritual formation and faith development are two of those areas.  It is exciting and life-giving to see people grow and deepen in their faithfulness; I have a deep interest in shepherding people as they walk those paths.  Of course, one of the foundation stones of that entire process is teaching, which is vital and needed in any congregation; I enjoy teaching.  Finally, there is one spiritual discipline that Christians too often ignore and which is crucial to the health of all congregations and Christians—worship.  Worship is the heart of the church and an area of church life that I find critically important and exciting.

Come join us for worship and study and mission.  Jesus is transforming our lives and our world.