‘Reach out and touch someone’… some of you may be old enough to remember when AT&T used this as their marketing slogan.  In these more modern days we have a number of technological advances that allows for us to remain in ‘contact’ with our friends, families and well, just about anyone and everyone!  While high-tech has made it possible to keep up minute-by-minute with the world, our need for plain, old-fashioned touch is just as important.  In his landmark book, ‘Touching’, Ashley Montagu calls touch the ‘mother of the senses’ and states that it is the first of our senses to become ‘functional’ during fetal development.  He also recounts how in the early 1900’s doctors in medical institutions could not understand how mortality rates for infants admitted was almost 100% for each institution.  It wasn’t until Dr. Fritz Talbot was visiting a hospital in Germany that he discovered a ‘secret’.  He witnessed an old woman carrying around a baby on her hip and when he inquired as to who she was, found out that when a baby wasn’t doing well and the medical team did everything they could, they called her in and she would ‘turn the child around’.   Dr Talbot brought back to the U.S. the concept of touching infants; holding them, rocking them, stroking them.  Amazingly infant mortality rates dropped from about 35% to just10% in one year!

Dr. Tiffany Fields established the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami School Of Medicine in 1992.  Her goal:  to really understand the importance of touch by creating studies that look at the impact of touch throughout a lifespan.  Touch is so powerful that she list the benefits on the website (www.miami.edu/touch-research) and includes this statement:  (touch) “enhances attentiveness, alleviates depressive symptoms, reduces pain, reduces stress hormones and improves immune function.”

In 1996, a study was completed that looked at the effect of a 15 minute chair massage vs. just relaxing in a chair for 15 minutes.  The study compared EEG patterns and math computations.  The results showed that while both groups showed signs of relaxation, the massaged group increased their accuracy on math computations as well as the speed of the computations!  Additionally, the massaged group scored lower on job stress at the end of the five week study.  

Even ‘casual touching’ can be important.  In a study that has been replicated numerous times in different settings, people rate service higher if there is some form of touch involved.  In one such study, cashiers are instructed to place a person’s change directly in their hand and for the next customer just place the change on the counter.  Researchers then stop the customer and ask about the service they have received.  People receiving the change in their hand rate the service higher than the person who had to pick up their change from the counter.  An article published in the New York Times (Feb 23, 2010) outlined even further evidence of the power of touch.  In that article they describe a research paper that studied NBA teams and the interactions within teams.  The authors of the paper, Mr. Michael Kraus, Ms. Cassy Huang and Dr. Keltner reported that ‘good teams tended to be touchier than bad ones.  The most touch-bonded teams were the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers.’  

I dare say that if the better performers are touching more than lesser ones, perhaps we should emulate the winners… can I get a high five here? 

 Matthew Nolan B.Sc., LMT, MTI, CEP, CPT, holds a Bachelor of Science from State University of NY, College at Cortland, 1982.  Major:  Physical Education (Kinesiology) with emphasis in Exercise Science, and is a Certified Personal Trainer, Licensed Massage Therapist, Massage Therapy Instructor, and Continuing Education Provider, Texas.  Matt has over 1,000 hours of training in a variety of massage and bodywork techniques.  He has taught in Texas, Montana, and Wyoming, and offers continuing education classes and consulting in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of Texas.  Specializing in Clinical and Orthopedic Massage, his practice is located in Richardson Texas (a northern suburb of Dallas) both in private practice as well as partnering with area chiropractors in assisting their patients. Clients include athletes as well as people from all walks of life.  Contact Matt at www.p2kfitness.massagetherapy.com, email p2kfitness@aol.com, or 214-676-8512.  His office is located at 2060 N. Collins Blvd, #201, Richardson, 75080.

Computer Model of Phase One

MASTER PLAN

FLOOR PLAN

First Baptist Church of Bells, Texas is working with Brown, Brown & Associates – Architects to Master Plan their new church as they relocated to 6.5 acres of prime land on Highway 82 in Bells, Texas. The church projects needing seating for 200 members and plans to build and appropriate Phase One building including:
• Worship Area (seating 200)
• Gathering Areas
• Kitchen
• Administration Area
• Classrooms
• Parking

The Brown, Brown & Associates’ architectural team specializes in new and revitalizations of church construction in the Dallas area, maintaining a tie to many local ministries. With over fifty years of experience, Brown, Brown & Associates, Brown, Brown & Associates enjoy a positive reputation that continues to grow. Their successful new or revitalization projects in the Dallas, Richardson, Carrollton, Frisco, Southlake, and other surrounding areas has secured Brown, Brown & Associates as the leading architectural firm for church construction in the Dallas metroplex.

Works for the premier church architectural firm include Custer Road United Methodist Church and First Baptist Church of Carrollton, along with construction projects outside of the city itself such as Grace Evangelical Free Church in Lucas, First Baptist Church in Red Oak, Stonebridge United Methodist Church in McKinney and many more. These outstanding church designs provide physical evidence of the excellence created when a congregation works in tandem with the visionaries of Brown, Brown & Associates.

The firm focuses all of its energy on one project at a time in order to ensure the highest quality and total client satisfaction for each and every job, taking on only three to five large projects a year in order to completely devote itself to the requirements of the ministry at hand. J. Hardy Brown works as the lead designer for each project, meeting frequently with clients during every stage of new church construction and ensuring that a congregation receives exactly the building it desires. Hardy Brown oversees every aspect of the work, directing each aspect of the construction process and guaranteeing the accurate execution (and complete satisfaction) of a congregation’s vision for their church.

Any congregation will be delighted with Brown, Brown & Associates’ passion for its work and dedication to a church’s vision of their new church construction or revitalization project in the Dallas and surrounding areas. To contact the team at Brown, Brown & Associates to discuss details of your church construction project or for more information on Brown, Brown & Associates past projects, pricing and available services, please visit www.BBA-A.com.

New digital sign provides direction, information, and updates.

Holy Covenant United Methodist church lights the night with new sign technology to provide direction, updates, and announcements as well as focused lighting to brighten the visits of guests and members.

Exterior lights brighten paths and parking areas

Welcome!

Coffee / Gathering Area welcomes guests and members.

Fellowship Area

DRAWING – CLICK TO VIEW: Southlake Master Plan – Upper Level

We are pretty excited about the changes at Southlake Church – see what you think!

· The youth stage was rotated to allow more natural light and overflow seating
· The stage and the Green Room are now adjoined for easier access
· Lower parking has been improved
· The relocated stairs now allow direct upper access to nursery
· The 2nd floor education welcome area has been improved
· The relocated Baptistery allows better access to changing area
· A new office was added
· A new Coffee Area was added into the Administrative hallway
· Storage has been added
· The steep drive has been closed

Welcome to the Brown, Brown & Associates’ What’s New Blog… for lots of great information for Pastors and Committee members on Ministry and Design topics.  While you’re here, be sure to visit ’Cartoons’ (for humor only a building committee member can fully appreciate) and ’Projects’ for our latest project updates.

Doug Allison shares the early vision for the Master Planning effort.

For some time, Southlake Church, Southlake, Texas, has been envisioning its future impact on youth, the membership, and the community –  investigating the church’s needs and best next steps.  Now with their leadership’s input the church has decided to take their vision forward to develop a plan for anticipated ministry outreach and the resulting future buildings.

Brown, Brown & Associates – Architects has been selected from a group of candidates by Southlake Church to provide Phased Growth and a full Master Plan on approximately 11 acres, including:

• A new Youth Building
• A Central Connecting ‘Grand Mall’ in front of Phases One and Two
• A Gathering Area / Coffee Hub
• Administration space

Doug Alison of Southlake Church is very excited about the growth and the vision for the Master Planning effort, and very pleased to that Brown, Brown & Associates has been selected for the project.

BBA-A will meet with the staff and ministry leaders to receive the vision and thinking developed over the past year in a single day of meetings, including time with the youth team. Building locations and Room layouts will be analyzed for ministry function.

Established in 1946 by John Hall Brown, Brown, Brown & Associates – Architects celebrates a legacy of excellence.  Now owned and operated by John Hall Jr. and his son Hardy Brown, the team brings over 50 years of experience and an unwavering dedication to working with churches.

“Religious Facilities and Church Buildings have been our particular interest and focus for the past 20 years. We are diligent students of the manner in which churches grow and the way that architecture can hinder or support growth. We are always happy to dialogue with pastors or Committee members. Our experience helps us ask good questions and minimizes the amount of time you spend trying to be heard. We hear you and we can get further to the core of your ministry quickly because of our experience. The result is a ministry driven building that enhances what you already do and makes possible the things you need to do.”

– Hardy Brown, Partner

Tree of Life Fountain hosted its first baptism recently.

Welcome Center

Gathering / Coffee Area