HPUMC's Project Mockingbird Is Already Reaching Beyond Its Walls

The saying goes that God works in mysterious ways, but sometimes, when you look closely, you can see exactly how God is at work.

Project Mockingbird is one of those moments.

As renovations began just after Easter, furniture and production equipment were removed to make way for new updates. But those resources aren’t simply being replaced—they’re being repurposed for something new.

Former HPUMC high school pastor Rev. Sean McDonald is taking the first steps toward planting a new church, and those same resources will help bring it to life.

“Knowing that when people step into whatever space we end up utilizing, they're going to have quality equipment and quality furniture and quality things at their disposal that are going to help them walk in and feel comfortable—and know they’re going to have the opportunity for a truly meaningful worship experience,” Rev. McDonald said. “That sets us so far ahead of where we would be otherwise.”

Rev. McDonald came to HPUMC in 2019, serving in college ministry before moving to Youth as a high school pastor. After three and a half years, he transitioned to Munger Place, where he now serves as executive pastor.

Now, he has been called to plant a new church, and HPUMC is able to play a small but meaningful role through the ripple effects of Project Mockingbird.

“I know that God didn't use Project Mockingbird to help a church plant in Oak Cliff,” Rev. McDonald said. “But I do think it's a testament to what happens when a group of people is sacrificially generous. You never quite know the impact of that beyond what you see on paper or what you initially thought when you were giving.”

What began as an idea for Rev. McDonald continued to gain momentum. It started with a ‘deep love’ for the United Methodist Church and a desire to see the denomination flourish and reach the next generation.

“If we're going to really further the denomination, it requires us being bold and pursuing new things,” Rev. McDonald said. “So I sat down with a member of the conference. I just said, ‘Hey, I'm starting to feel this tug to plant something new.’ And she had some really good questions that got my gears turning.”

One of those questions was who, specifically, he felt called to reach.

Rev. McDonald hopes to reach people who may feel disconnected from the church, creating a place where they can encounter authentic community and a meaningful, accessible faith.

With those questions beginning to take shape, plenty more followed. One question, however, already had an answer: what would fill the new church’s space.

And it started with a conversation.

Rev. McDonald and others were at HPUMC for the Emerging Clergy Network, getting a tour and learning about Project Mockingbird, including new furniture and technology.

So he asked HPUMC Senior Minister Matt Tuggle a question: what is being done with the old stuff?

“I've learned that if you don't ask, there's never an opportunity for somebody to say yes,” Rev. McDonald said. “And you never want to say no for someone.”

It’s the same question another former HPUMC pastor had.

Rev. Dr. Kory Knott, now senior minister at Custer Road UMC, spent seven years at HPUMC, culminating as the Cornerstone pastor.

“We just both kind of independently mentioned it,” Rev. Knott said. “And then I said something to Sean about it, like, ‘Hey, dude, you're going to start a new church. Have you thought about this?’ He goes, ‘Yeah. I just said something to Matt.’ I was glad we were thinking the same way. So I reached out to (HPUMC Chief of Staff) Michelle (Cox), and she said they can make this happen.”

Rev. Knott understood the impact the furniture and equipment could have and the importance of support from other churches.

That’s why, when it came time to pick everything up, he rented a U-Haul and brought some manpower, including his own, to help.

“It’s just a reminder that we're part of a connection of churches,” Rev. Knott said. “(HPUMC) had a couple of items that we could repurpose. And it's a reminder that we've got a connection of churches like Highland Park that have a shared vision and shared mission. It was nice for us to be a part of both receiving a few items, but also helping Sean get those items. Our staff, they were tired that day, but they knew they did a good thing. We really helped some people out.”

In the process, he saw the changes that have taken place since he was last at HPUMC, reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones.

For Rev. McDonald, the impact of HPUMC goes beyond resources. There are lessons learned within these walls—lessons he hopes to carry into the DNA of the new church.

“I learned how to do high-level, large church ministry with a high expectation for excellence and quality, but also how to do that with a high level of care,” Rev. McDonald said. “I think people who love this church so much do so because it's a large church that, in many ways, feels small, and that's what I want to bring to this church plant.”

That combination of generosity, excellence, and connection is already shaping what comes next.

“There aren't too many church plants that start with resources from a church like Highland Park United Methodist Church,” Rev. McDonald said. “That generosity, prayerfully, is going to set us up for a church that continues to extend and receive that kind of generosity, so we can truly serve this community the best way possible.”

And it’s been made possible through Project Mockingbird. Even if it wasn’t intended, it is the result of the generosity of those who gave, the vision of those who have been here before, and those who are here now.

And the work continues—on the corner and from the corner.

“I can't imagine that any of the generous people who contributed to Project Mockingbird were thinking about it impacting a brand-new church plant in a part of the city that is not their own, and yet, that's exactly what ended up happening,” Rev. McDonald said. “And so I hope that the people who did contribute to Project Mockingbird, understand that their generosity extends so far beyond just what happens here at 3300 Mockingbird.”