TIDINGS SUMMER 2021
HELPING Others
JESUS
Follow
TIDINGS
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BAPTISM
SUMMER 2021
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Editor: Angie Brashears
Graphic Design: Belinda Wilson
Photographers: Mark Moore (markmoore.photo.net)
Guest Writers:
ASBURYKIDS PAGE
Abigail Roesler, Kyle Salomon, Tracy LeGrand, Lisa Witcher, Lauren Berlingeri, Gabby Roesler, Tom Harrison
What's your favorite church camp memory?
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NEW MEMBER PAGE
CELEBRATE RECOVERY PAGE
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DISCIPLESHIP COMMUNITY PAGE
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STAFF
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Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, don’t hinder them, for such belongs the Kingdom of God.” Hence why “Kids Come First” is one of my sayings. Jesus said this during a time when children (and women) were shoved aside. Jesus tried to elevate the status of children and women. He made room for them over the objections of His disciples and the prevailing culture.
GIVE. Teach children stewardship. They have money. Part of their money should go to the Lord’s work. Practice this. Show your kids what you are giving to your church. Explain it.
Many parents want their kids to grow spiritually but do not know how to do it. To help disciple kids, we are giving parents a small booklet, “Grow at Home.” It is a great beginning place.
SERVE. 2nd Saturday is a wonderful opportunity Asbury has for families to serve together. Serving is an essential spiritual discipline and one of Asbury's membership vows.
So, what should a parent do? I came up with seven simple, but strategic words for parenting.
To clarify, while Jesus emphasized “Kids Come First,” actually “Jesus Comes First.” Child-centered rather than Christ-centered families minimizes the faith. While academics, sports, music and vacations are important, the Lord should be first place. The #1 priority of a family should be “Helping Others Follow Jesus.” In fact, our kids can help lead other kids to faith in Christ.
COME. Only miss Sundays at church for a reason you know God would approve. Do not set a bad example of skipping church. Atrophy happens quickly. Little eyes and ears are watching what we do, maybe more than what we say. Be present. PRAY. Most Asbury parents say they do this with their kids. Mealtime and bedtime are great opportunities for rituals. PLAY. “All work and no fun makes Jack a dull boy.” Laughter is healing. Having fun is essential. We do not have to spend a lot of money or travel. A family night each week can provide opportunities for play.
READ. The best thing a parent can do to help their child academically is to teach them to read. Help them find good books, too.
People today need community. They also need a purpose for life. We can help with this. We CAN have good results. What we plant we will reap. Abundant seed produces a harvest. Nothing good happens without hard work. We have to be diligent and insist on certain practices and behaviors. These seven words can help shape a Christcentered family.
EAT. The Jewish faith centers around the weekly family meal. This is a great opportunity for bonding. Turn off the screens, and spend time at least once a week with the family.
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BAPTISM Alexander Smith
BAPTISM is a sacrament JESUS told ALL
people to do. 4
Alex Popa
Chloe Brown
Syri Ramkaran 5
BAPTISM Ian Hottel
Aiden Rotondo 6
Tanner Hottel
Nila Dellavedova
Hutch Bedell
Blaze Branham
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ASBURYKIDS 8
CONNECT CAMP
CLOSER by Abigail Roesler
As long-invested members of Asbury, Jennifer Beach and her fourth-grade son Freeman had been aware of Asbury’s Connect Camp and planned on taking part for a long time. They were finally able to attend this latest Connect Camp, and it did not disappoint. The deep, personal atmosphere that greeted them made it obvious why the camp was initially known as Family Camp when it first started in 2010. Its purpose was to provide a place where parents and their children, usually ranging from fourth to fifth grade, could spend time together for the sole purpose of strengthening their relationship with each other and with God.
Jennifer remarked, “I cannot emphasize enough how smoothly everything went; it just flowed.” The weekend started with a chapel service and transitioned smoothly into breakout sessions. After, Jennifer and Freeman reunited as the camp activities moved into a time where they were free to roam the campgrounds and share what they had learned from the sessions. The activities ranged from archery and ziplining to horseback riding and a giant swing. Both Jennifer and Freeman were able to enjoy a relaxed and organized weekend that beautifully balanced bonding, entertaining and spiritual
but she was not prepared for the amazing adventure of being able to see the camp through her son’s eyes. Jennifer said, “It was enlightening and a very fulfilling weekend,” and as a single mom, she left with an overwhelming joy after having spent this time focused on family.
For Freeman, his favorite aspect of the camp was simply spending time with his mother: from singing in chapel to bonding in prayer groups and everything in between. Jennifer and Freeman’s relationship together had always been open and deep; they read the Bible together, prayed together and shared everything with each other.
“After we came out of it, I felt like we were even closer with each other and with God,” Jennifer said. Especially after a long and challenging year, this camp was just the blessing that Jennifer and Freeman needed: a safe and personal environment to realign their thoughts and allow God to piece everything back together.
pursuits. Even in the free time
when it rained or the only activity planned was spending time with one another, the camp never missed a beat and still provided a personal and spiritually enlightening experience. Having been to several church camps before, Jennifer had known what to expect walking in,
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ASBURYKIDS 10
QUALITY TIME by Abigail Roesler
CONNECT CAMP
After attending Asbury for 10 years, Gianni Giannandrea and his fifth-grade son Anthony recently visited Asbury’s latest Connect Camp for the first time. The camp, originally called Family Camp, was created in 2010 so that fourth-to fifth-grade children and their parents could attend together and grow closer to each other and God. There were abundant opportunities to connect with the leadership for Anthony’s age group.
Asbury staff were always there, ready to make disciples and follow the charter of the church. The camp excelled with combining entertainment and bonding opportunities with the spiritual goals of the weekend. As the father of three children, Gianni’s favorite aspect was being able to spend quality time with his son in a safe and spiritually strengthening atmosphere. Along with numerous
activities and events—such as ziplining, horseback riding and archery—the camp focused significantly on giving Gianni and Anthony time to learn more about each other.
He also said that after asking Anthony about his experience, “he told me that it was one of the best times he’s ever had in his life, and that was pretty cool—made me cry a little bit.” By sharing their perspectives and personal spiritual journeys, Gianni and Anthony grew closer as father and son, and they left the camp extremely thankful for the opportunity to attend an affordable, Christian weekend that helped both see through the other’s eyes.
“I couldn’t recommend it enough,” Gianni said. Between the bonfire prayer sets, late-night sports in the gym and prayer walks through the campgrounds together, the time spent was fulfilling for both father and son; it gave them the opportunity to take their minds off of the chaos of the last year, empowering them to toss their distractions away and recenter their focus on family and Jesus.
According to Gianni, “For father and
son it was incredible because we had time to do what we wanted.” By the end of the camp, both had certainly connected on a deeper level, leaving the weekend with a greater understanding of each other’s heart and spirit toward God. Gianni described it as “a chance to learn a little bit more about how much my son understands, how his mind works spiritually, and how he’s working to become a Christian man.” 11
ASBURYKIDS
7 PILLARS
OF PARENTING 7 PILLARS OF PARENTING
Parents influence their children the most. Deuteronomy 6 says to show them day-by-day what faith in God looks like.
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COME
PRAY
PLAY
EAT
GIVE
READ
SERVE
Asbury Parents Committee Launches by Kyle Salomon In late 2020, Asbury's Senior Pastor Tom Harrison approached long-time church member Janell Carter about starting a parent committee. Following several months of discussions on what they wanted out of this new group, the Asbury Parents Committee launched its first meeting in January. Outside of Janell and Pastor Tom, the other committee members consist of Chris Breiland, Teresa and Ryan Goodnight, Madalyn Gudmundsson, Becky Williamson, Ashlee Tselee and Marcie Raglan. Janell is chair of the committee.
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The Asbury Parents Committee also receives input from AsburyKids and Asbury Students staff, as well as, Pastor Tom's research assistant Stephanie Hurd. “Tom really wanted this committee to consist of parents with children of all ages and in all walks of life,” Janell said. “Last fall, we had a parent meeting, which was open to anyone who had children. We held the meeting on a night where student ministry was taking place, so parents would be able to attend. We had an open forum and really began to see some areas where our parents’ needs weren’t being addressed.”
Janell said a lot of people approached her saying they wanted to be a part of the new parents committee. They received many references from people who were already serving in AsburyKids and Asbury Students, who also wanted to be members. “We wanted people who wanted to be involved,” Janell said. “We began to choose people who were parents with newborns, parents with elementaryage children and up to high school-age kids. We wanted to make sure we had all ages represented. The needs at each age are so different, so that was very important.”
The committee’s first session was designed to pinpoint several areas they felt needed improvement. “We wanted people to tell us what they felt like we were doing well and tell us some areas they felt like needed improvement,” Janell said. “I would say the best thing that came from that first meeting was that people feel Asbury does so many things well. We did identify some key components we felt were missing, so we were able to address those, but we received really good feedback from parents who are in the trenches doing the work. It was important for Tom to hear directly from the parents.”
and figure out how they can be the best parents they can be to their kids.”
The goal of the committee is to help parents raise functional adults who follow Jesus. The three initiatives to help the committee achieve that goal: 1. Equip and empower parents to disciple their families, 2. Connect parents to helpful resources, and 3. Grow parents’ confidence as spiritual leaders.
“We recognize families come in all kinds of configurations and many children are being raised by caregivers other than their biological parents,” Janell said. “We use the term ‘parents’ inclusively and seek to help anyone who is filling the role of parent to a child.”
Starting a committee can be a challenge any time but doing it in the midst of a pandemic added several more challenges.
“Meeting the needs of people is a little different during a pandemic,” Janell said. “We didn’t want to keep postponing it, we didn’t want to kick the can down the road any longer. People’s needs have changed during COVID in all areas of ministry. Being a parent has changed during COVID. Being a parent is really hard, but it became harder during COVID. We just wanted to represent the parents 13
NEW MEMBER
TAKE TIME Jacob Simpson
by Tracy LeGrand
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Often the most important decisions we make in life require the most prayer and consideration before we make them. That was definitely the case for Travis Eden this past spring as he was taking steps to become a member of Asbury.
Travis is the husband of Kylee Eden, one of Asbury’s Modern Worship Leaders. The couple settled down in the Tulsa area after getting married in September 2020. Travis is originally from Northwest Arkansas and was heavily involved in Reach Church, located in Centerton, AR before getting plugged in at Asbury. In the beginning of their relationship, Travis traveled back and forth between Reach and Asbury. After praying, speaking with mentors and having conversations with his wife, Travis officially became an active Asbury member this past spring. “Getting plugged in and being in an environment where we could be most fruitful was the focus of the conversations we were having,” Travis said. “We started praying about it and what meant a lot to me was the hospitality and the love and the kindness Asbury members showed to me. That was very important and good to see. It showed the heart of Asbury.” Travis grew up in church his entire life, but became serious about seeking the Lord during his college years. However, his main turning point came after college, when Lead Pastor Bryan See of Reach Church reached out to him. “He invited me to a discipleship class called ‘The Journey’ and was asking if I was interested in joining. I joined and went through that eight-or nine-month program and that really just changed my life forever,” Travis said. “It taught me that you
don't just read the Bible for a story, but actually put yourself in the Bible and see how you would
react and respond, and how you can apply that to your life now.” After being heavily impacted by the discipleship class, Travis then assisted Pastor See in leading it the next year and was able to help guide his brother through the program. The following year, Travis led the discipleship program on his own and helped guide his dad through the program as well. “Reach Church has meant so much to me in regards to what Bryan [Pastor See] did by reaching out to me and mentoring me.” Because of his deep connection to the church, Travis took his transition of membership quite seriously and approached it with much consideration. Since becoming a member, Travis has already started taking steps to be more involved in Asbury. “I’m continuing to seek God and put myself out there,” he said. “My relationship with Asbury and the people now is a good one. They’re pouring Christ’s love into everybody and into me. It makes you want to pour Christ’s love out to others.” Travis said the most important thing he’s learned is that getting wrapped up in constant work for the kingdom is not the most important aspect of Christianity. The most important thing you can do is simply be with Jesus. “We can get really busy doing all of these tasks and we miss out on the true focus, which is being in the presence of Jesus,” he said. For anyone considering moving their membership to Asbury, Travis said it’s good to question the decision and take time to pray. “I think that’s wise, not to just jump into a decision.
Take time to truly seek God and pray and see where the Holy Spirit guides you,” he said. “Ask God to open doors and reveal things to you if that’s needed.” Travis is grateful to the congregation and leadership within Asbury and is looking forward to his future involvement in the church.
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NEW MEMBER
Connected at Asbury by Kyle Salomon 16
For Kerry and Gail Randolph, life looks a little different than it did a year ago. After living in Springfield, Missouri for 37 years, the couple decided it was time to uproot and move to the Tulsa area to be closer to their son’s family and their grandkids.
They made the move in November 2020 and then began to consider where they wanted to attend church once they were vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine. A former pastor of theirs in Springfield, who had interned at Asbury, recommended the Randolphs try out the Tulsa-based church. Ironically, their second vaccine shot took place at Asbury, where they met Senior Pastor Tom Harrison while waiting in line.
When they were fully vaccinated, the couple decided to go back to church attend Asbury and become official members. “’Helping Others Follow Jesus' struck us as a brilliant phrase,” Gail said. “Following Jesus is the most significant choice one can make, giving us the foundation for decisions and perspective. Helping others learn about Jesus through teaching and study and seeing Jesus in acts of kindness and outreach share the life that has been impacted by the gift of love and forgiveness from God. Worship
included prayer, teaching and beautiful music.” Church has always been a big part of the Randolph’s lives, even before they were married. “We were both fortunate to grow up in homes that found church to be important,” Kerry said. “We have always been active in church. It is the centerpiece for us, so it is important to find the right place. Asbury is much bigger than our previous church, but it has a similar kind of outreach.”
The Randolphs said it was a tough decision to move away from Springfield, but the right one. “It was tough to uproot,” Gail said. “We look at it as a new chapter. We really liked Springfield but needed to be closer to our grandkids.” The Randolph’s, who recently celebrated 47 years of marriage, look forward to getting more connected at Asbury.
“We visited several Sunday Community groups and saw and heard classes helping and caring for each other, and the church announcements previewed many opportunities to serve, follow and help,” Gail said. “We are grateful to be new members of Asbury.”
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BAPTISM
SIMPLY STATED by Lisa Witcher 18
And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them… Mark 10:13-16 Alexander Smith, a member of Miss Maddie’s Sunday class, was recently baptized on an April morning at Asbury. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom.
“When my dad got baptized, I wanted to know [about Baptism]. I told my mom and my teacher, Miss Maddie. She was so excited!” His little voice rose with intention at each syllable of his story. “Oh! and I talked to Pastor John, too.” Alexander’s mom, Mary, worried he was too young to really understand what he was asking. Like many wise mothers, she let his initial request rest a while. When her son persisted, Mary and Parker Smith contacted Pastor John Vick. Alexander reacted comfortably to Pastor John questioning his youthfulness.
“Pastor John asked me what it means to be baptized; I told him ‘that you believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and that you become a follower of Jesus.’” "And what does being a follower of Jesus mean, Alexander?" Wisely, he paused. “It means that you tell others about Jesus. And follow Him.” …accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child… Alexander showed great joy in sharing his baptism story and what he might tell a friend about baptism. “Talk to your mom or your teacher. Your teacher would know more about it. You can have a meeting.”
His parents, Mary and Parker are thankful for Miss Maddie’s role in the spiritual development of their child, and how the example of Parker’s own baptism in 2018 when the Smith’s joined Asbury must have connected some of the stories Alexander’s parents and teachers have shared with him.
How does Alexander feel in his heart knowing he is a forever friend with Jesus? His sweet, clear, innocent voice responded quietly with, “Jesus saving me.” And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them.
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BAPTISM
WALKING THE WALK by Kyle Salomon 20
Syri Kennah Ramkaran is only 8-years-old, but in many ways she is setting examples of how to walk the Christian walk. Young Syri has had to endure the pain of losing a parent early in life with the passing of her father, but she has not let anything stop her from devoting her life constantly chasing after her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Syri was baptized in May at Asbury by Pastor John Vick. Syri made the decision it was time to get baptized after a year of talking with her family about it. “She came to me and said she was ready,” Syri’s mother, Britney Langston Ramkaran, said. “She fully understood what it symbolizes and said she wanted to do it because she had learned a lot about it, and
she wants to be like Jesus. She was so excited she was going to be baptized, she told as many people as she could beforehand.”
Syri, who loves going to church, attending Vacation Bible School and telling people about Jesus, said being baptized was amazing. “I was so excited and happy because I know how special it is,” Syri said. Syri was so thrilled going into her Baptism and afterwards when her schoolteacher allowed her to show the video of her being baptized to her classmates. Britney said she was happy Pastor John was the one who baptized her daughter. “We knew Pastor Vick because he had preached at my grandma’s funeral,” Britney said.
“He was awesome with Syri. He made sure she understood what it meant to be baptized and he let her ask as many questions as she wanted. He answered every question and was just so patient and kind.” “I loved every second of it,” Pastor John said. “After she got to tell her story, she asked questions about everything. It was precious. My favorite question was when she asked if you had to be smart to get baptized. It was such a sweet question, meeting and of course, the morning of the baptism was great.” Britney added that Syri has taught her so much and made her a better person and a better Christian. “I am excited about being baptized and being a Christian because that means one day I will get to go to Heaven and see my daddy and my nanna,” Syri said. 21
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
KEEP GOD IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT by Kyle Salomon 22
Christy Crowe’s life has been like a rollercoaster ride. However, she has found when she turns her will over to God, the Lord does amazing things.
Christy was adopted as an infant in Oklahoma City. She and her brother, who was the biological son of her parents, were raised in a Christian home and attended church on a regular basis in Tulsa. She gave her life to Christ at an early age and lived what some might call a relatively normal life through high school. However, her brother's behavior and treatment of Christy contributed to the start of her co-dependency and opened the door for building toxic relationships.
“I had a great childhood,” Christy said. “I am blessed with the parents I have. It was a struggle being away from them as an adult, as I lived all over the country. I felt like I should be here for them.” She then started more toxic relationships, and this led her to her first husband, to who she was married for 13 years; and they had one daughter. Christy was able to exit the marriage after the relationship turned abusive for both her and their daughter. Christy attended Celebrate Recovery for the first time in 2005 and completed her first Step Study. Life had taken a turn for the better, as she had turned over her will to God.
After Christy went through a second divorce, she decided it was time to move back to Oklahoma and be close to family. Her daughter, who was grown, moved to Springfield, Mo. In 2018, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and tried to cope in unhealthy ways. She became isolated and depressed. Christy decided it was time to get back to Celebrate Recovery, so she did so with Asbury. Christy was able to complete another Step Study, has even led one while serving and serves in other areas of Celebrate Recovery as well. “Through Celebrate Recovery, God has brought me out of dark points two times,” Christy said. “I learned how to have good relationships with women. I made great friends, which are sacred to me. It’s extraordinary what this program does. The Step Study we go through is so powerful. Its gives hope and Faith in God.”
Through what she believes are miracles performed by God, she has been able to connect with her biological family allowing her and her parents to get to know her biological mother. 23
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
GOD TRANSFORMS by Kyle Salomon
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“Celebrate Recovery is for anyone who is humble enough to admit they are not perfect. They need a little help in understanding God’s will, God’s grace, and God’s purpose in their life.” That is the saying that sticks with Nick Ary, as he continues the path of pursuing a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Nick came to Celebrate Recovery at Asbury for the first time in January 2017. “I grew up seeking pleasure in everything. I became addicted to pot early on, started drinking and then gambling became a part of my life. Several months prior to coming to CR, I had just gotten out of a relationship and was drinking heavily and gambling a lot. I would go to the casino on payday and often lose my check. My parents bailed me out, but made it clear this was the last time. I was 34 and took no responsibility.”
I started dealing with my denial and realized God could restore me. I always tell people now that my insanity wasn’t doing the same things over and over and expecting different outcomes, it was doing the same things over and over knowing what was going to happen and doing it anyways.”
Nick said it wasn’t the alcohol, drugs or gambling that was his problem, it was how he coped with reality. “Celebrate Recovery helped me live in actual reality and deal with it in a healthy way. CR will give you the tools to live life in a healthy way. Life is still going to come at you, but you can live confidently knowing you are not creating the chaos, you are just dealing with it as it comes.”
Several months later, Nick found himself back in a casino in a similar predicament. “I called my mom again and it was a pretty rough call. She told me I needed to get help, but I wanted them to just lend me the money. That was the attitude I had. I was living in denial.” Nick’s parents agreed to take over his finances and he made the decision to go to Celebrate Recovery. “I remember the first night thinking I didn’t know what I was supposed to do there. Within the first month, I got into the Step Study and over the next eight to nine months, God transformed my life. 25
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
LEAD TO JESUS by Kyle Salomon 26
The phrase “better late than never” couldn’t be truer for Tim Rondthaler.
At age 58, Tim gave his life to Jesus Christ after many years of battling addiction and depression. Tim came to Celebrate Recovery at Asbury in March 2018 and his life forever changed. “I felt something I have never felt before, which was a ray of hope,” Tim said. “The people here accepted me for who I was, which was a broken sinner. They showed me a lot of love, so I kept coming back and started to take part in the 12-Step Program. While doing that 12-Step Program, it became clear that being a Christian was a vital part, so I decided to turn my life over to Jesus Christ.”
Growing up, Tim said he suffered from low self-esteem and even though he attended church with his family, he didn’t feel welcome and felt unworthy of God’s love. “I focused on the bad things in life. I had a lot of anger, I was shy, had anxiety and in my early teens, I found drugs and alcohol. I used them as a coping mechanism to take the pain away and to dull the anger. I always thought love was conditional.” The drugs and alcohol continued into Tim’s adult life, and he would eventually fall into a deep depression and even questioned whether he wanted to continue to live."
Tim met his eventual wife at 35, married at 41, and had four daughters. He eventually was able to quit his drug addiction, but the alcohol progressively got worse.
“I had a large fight with my wife, so I left and went to a friend’s house, and I had alienated two of our four children,” Tim said. “After that, I quit drinking cold turkey. I started going to a therapist, who then advised me to come to Celebrate Recovery, so I did. This church helped me find Jesus and has given me a purpose in life.” Since his transformation, Tim has become a leader in Celebrate Recovery and is working on restoring his relationships with his daughters.
“They say ‘iron sharpens iron’,” Tim said. “At Celebrate Recovery, we sharpen each other. That is what we are about here at Celebrate Recovery, helping each other.”
“Something inside me always told me to keep going, but I had no idea what it was,” Tim said. “I didn’t feel worthy of God’s attention.”
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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS Men's BBQ
Winning teams were able to direct donations to the Christian ministry or nonprofit of their choice.
RIBS
1- Compass, Voice of the Martyrs 2- Asbury Media Team, Restore Hope 3-Christians for Life, Horizons International
CHICKEN
1- Christians for Life, Horizons International 2-Compass, Voice of the Martyrs 3- Covenant, Building All Children 28
BEST OVERALL WINNER: Compass Community
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS Grad Sunday
38
graduates
Easter Spring Fair
1,050
in attendance
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EVENT HIGHLIGHTS Mother and Daughter RoyalTea
148 in attendance
30
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
43 children
Summer Song 31
ASBURY STUDENTS
Abbie Youman
Tasha Heare
Madeline Payne
Harper Grace
Avery Glaze
Laci Martin
Lauren Berlingeri
CAMP VS. REALITY by Lauren Berlingeri
There’s something special about the moment when the church camp bus exits off the main highway, passes the camp sign and crosses over into the campgrounds. While reality (and cell phone service) slips away, God’s presence seems miles closer than it did back home. One would think this transitional moment is only noticeable as an adult leader – leaving the real world of bills, work emails and home responsibilities behind for a week – but in all actuality, your students, even as young as middle school, feel the weight of the world lifted once they arrive at camp too.
to focus on Him and only Him,” said Avery Glaze. “It was a really great opportunity to escape reality, focus on what really matters and what we should be doing in life. Just getting away from toxic relationships or things that are taking you away from God and really drawing you close to Him.” It’s strangely comforting, yet absolutely terrifying that experiencing seasons of distance from God is so relatable across generations. “Before camp, it was pretty distant and alone without Him,” said Abbie Youman.
“It was still pretty close, but it just kept NICHOLE NORDEMAN
“I think everybody kinda just got a break from the real world and reality, and we all got 32
getting distant and distant,” said Laci Martin.
“It was kind of distant. I didn’t really do anything about it. Like I believe in Him and all that, but I wasn’t reading my Bible, praying nightly and dedicating my life to Him or anything,” said Avery Glaze. “It was kinda on and off,” said Madeline Payne. “In the beginning of 2020 it was going really good and I was reading my Bible everyday, but then I sorta drifted out of that when school started. So it wasn’t as good as it should have been,” said Tasha Heare. Through worship, small groups and typical camp activities (archery, kayaking, high ropes, etc.) Overlap Camp provides a week-long example of how to build or refocus on a personal relationship with our Savior. Simply being surrounded by other believers and firsthand seeing their freedom in Jesus was attractive to Harper Grace Walton. “I definitely saw God through the people around me. I could see how important He was to them and I wanted to have that same relationship too.”
Young and old alike, Overlap challenged all to cross the threshold, live as a new creation in Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17) and most importantly, implement His teachings back home. “Through friendship and worship, I feel like I’ve found Him more. I just hope I take what I learned from camp back home. I think I made really good friendships at camp that will help keep me accountable,” said Tasha Heare. We can all learn a thing or two about our personal relationships with Jesus from our middle school girls who attended Overlap. “Just come next time. It’s the best thing and you have a three in one – you get to learn about God, you get to have fun and you get to hangout with your friends. It’s just the best thing,” said Laci Martin. “My relationship with God was so much stronger after camp. The people impacted me positively and I became closer with God… and I want that for you too.,” said Harper Grace.
Overlap Camp 2021 Theme: Friday Night: Are you going to open or close your hands to God this week? Saturday Morning: God is Capable | 2 Corinthians 12:7-11 Saturday Night: God is Unstoppable Sunday Morning: God is Reasonable | Matthew 7:78, Jeremiah 29:11 Sunday Night: God is Comfortable | Matthew 6:24-25 Monday Morning: God is Loveable | John 3:16, Romans 8:38-39, Mark 12:30-31 Monday Night: God is Available | Psalm 139:1-12 33
WOMEN
FIND COMFORT by Kyle Salomon
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Amanda Colby’s late husband, Kraston, passed away April 20, 2017, after living 11 months with glioblastoma. Amanda’s focus immediately turned to their four children, as they began therapy the following week. That summer she reached out to Melissa Phenicie to seek information about LifeCare Ministry and Widows Support Groups.
Amanda, who was 32 at the time, began attending the Young Widows Support Group led by Shae Hedrick in the winter of 2017. The group meets twice a month at 6 pm on the second and fourth Mondays of each month. Amanda attends the Church of Saint Mary, but says she enjoys the standing support groups that Asbury provides. “Melissa and Shae are both so sweet. They always remind us that anxiety does not come from the Lord. I really like the groups because we can talk about stuff others don’t understand.”
Twice a year, the widows support groups have social events with the “Beautiful Masterpiece” dinner around Valentine’s Day and “Lemonade and Laughter” in July.
Prior to Kraston’s passing, Amanda was an electrical engineer; but now she devotes her time to homeschooling her children. Benedict is now 12, Rosemary is 9, Gabriel is 7 and Eleanor is 4.
“Homeschooling my kids has been great. It is very relaxing, and we are having a great time. I really enjoy having them around.”
The widows support group isn’t the only group from Asbury that has been there for Amanda. A discipleship community has volunteered twice at her house. Once to help put up Christmas decorations, and again to organize her garage and clean up her yard in preparation for spring.
Amanda said her faith was never in question throughout this time, but instead it has gotten stronger. “God has always been a part of my life. Kraston was very service-oriented and had become a member of the retreat teams at our church, even after he was diagnosed. The whole time he was sick, he had such strong faith. ‘Thy will be done’ was his phrase. He wanted to use his remaining time to help as many people as possible and share about God. There has never been a period of questioning God. There has just always been trust. This experience has brought me closer to God, closer to my kids and closer to my friends.”
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DISCIPLESHIP COMMUNITY
TRAINING UP YOUR CHILD by Tracy LeGrand 36
Supporting other parents and working together with each other and other parents to strengthen their families in God’s grace is a way Chad and LaDonna Whisman serve Jesus, their family and their church. The newly formed community Parents of Kids is a Sunday school for those with younger children in which the Whismans are members. “We were looking for community and we heard about this one starting up and thought it seemed like a good one to be involved in and it really has,” says Chad. “We have three daughters in different stages. Finnley is 11; Harper is 9; and Darcy is 7.”
“There were several established communities with large memberships and that made us a little nervous and so this one, being new—helped with that,” says LaDonna. For the Whismans, a group centered on families with small children and based on the curriculum of AsburyKids is a great fit for them in part, Chad says, “because with the curriculum, we get literature every week and can answer their questions.”
There are currently fewer than a dozen attending the new community and plans are to keep the group small enough to be close-knit. Goals for the stillnew community include being a closer-knit group of parents, “where you can share the ups and downs of life with your kids,” he says. “A lot of us have children in that same
“Sometimes, we discuss in class how at times we feel like the responsibility is on the church to introduce the faith to your child,” says Chad. “But in community, we are proactive as parents so we felt as a community that we wanted to take a proactive approach and basically introduce our kids to the faith and Jesus in the home, not just the church. As a family following the AsburyKids curriculum now, we follow the Bible verse every month they are taught to memorize and that will be the key concept for the month."
The Whismans encourage other parents to find their community whether or not it’s Parents of Kids or another group. “Just come and try it,” says Chad. “You’ll find commonality with other parents. You might think ‘oh this is just our kids’ but when you really talk to other parents and find support, you’ll find they’re dealing with the same things. So just come and try and see if it’s a good fit. There are two Parents With Kids communities and we attend the 9:30 am; there is the 11 am community, as well.” A particular Bible verse helps the Whismans in their journey as parents and Ladonna quotes Proverbs 22, verse 6: “Train your child up in the ways he should go and when he is old he shall not depart from it.”
age range, going through the same things. It’s an open forum where parents can share.”
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ASBURY STAFFING
KAROL AUGUSTINE Nurturing the particular strength of women in the walk of faith is a focus of Karol Augustine in her role as Women’s Ministry Leader/Celebrate Recovery. She oversees the Women’s CR team and leaders, recruits volunteers, schedules training, teachers and testimonies, encourages members in their recovery and points them to Jesus. Recovery is a journey and Karol says, “All areas of recovery interest me as most of us can trace our hurts, hang-ups and habits back to similar life experiences. However, I relate the most to women who struggle with anxiety, depression or codependency – as with fixers, people pleasers and approval addicts - as those have been my areas of struggle. I love Rick Warren’s statement that, ‘Our greatest ministry comes out of our deepest pain.’” "I didn’t seek recovery to be of service but to heal from life’s hurts and found God doesn’t necessarily call the qualified, but qualifies the called. I learned that I could give back, that I actually had something to offer or as we say in CR; ‘God never wastes a hurt.’ I continue to be amazed by the life transformations that I get to witness as I walk alongside so many brothers and sisters who work the CR program. I believe it is the best example of the church in action for those with hurts, hang-ups and habits who follow Jesus as their one and only higher power.” Karol grew up attending a Presbyterian church and was raised “in the boonies" of Northern Illinois farm country. She graduated from Elmhurst College with a degree in accounting and married her high school sweetheart before moving to Tulsa. She came to Asbury originally to join a Celebrate Recovery 12-step group, having heard of it while in secular recovery. She came to feel profoundly blessed to immerse in a recovery program with Jesus as the one and only higher power. Her family joined the church and she has served in various positions and says, “This ministry and my CR family have my heart and help keep me living life for Jesus.” Karol’s life in faith and her mission of ministry is influenced by a personally significant verse, 2 Timothy 1:7: For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and of a sound mind, and she says, “This verse reminds me that God’s spirit can lift me above my fears and carries me to walk with His love and strength.” For Karol, sharing the solace of Jesus means, “That no situation is hopeless; I thought that I was broken beyond repair but Jesus can show the way to freedom. All we have to do is become ready and willing and trust Him.”
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BLAKE BROADHURST Asbury Students Associate Blake Broadhurst grew up attending Asbury and was heavily involved in AsburyKids, Asbury Students and then Asbury College Students. “The summer before my senior year at Oklahoma State, I started to feel a pull towards ministry,” says Blake. “It was a call that I hadn’t received before and something that I didn’t know quite how to interpret. I struggled with the call for months; I had gone to school for over three years for a sports media degree.” Blake found himself becoming more active in his faith and says, “I started taking hold of my faith and what it looked like to pursue Jesus every single day, to strive to be more like Jesus every single day and actively taking steps towards that. After months of pursuing Jesus fully, I noticed that many things were changing about me: my values, my morals and what I was pursuing in life. “I recognized I was pursuing a life in sports media because I wanted to glorify myself. I had the talents to reach people, but I wanted to reach people and point them towards myself. As I struggled with the call towards ministry and what God wanted for me, I spent a lot of time in prayer, constantly asking God to show me what He wanted for me and what path He wanted me to pursue. I consulted my community of believers, people who were in pursuit of the Lord and people who knew me well. The people around me encouraged me in my pursuit of ministry and pushed me towards that career.” Blake accepted the position with Asbury Students, with duties including ministering and teaching to middle and high school students on a weekly basis, working with Vacation Bible School, Overlap camp, retreats and Spring Break Missions. “This time of a person’s life is so influential to this person they will end up being. They are surrounded by so much hurt, pain and temptation every single day throughout high school. … I want my students to know what it looks like to walk with Jesus every single day.”
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ASBURY STAFFING
ANGIE COCKRELL With prayerful song on her mind and in her heart, Angie Cockrell, Celebrate Recovery's Worship Leader/Women's Ministry Leader Apprentice-Celebrate Recovery, goes about her work week often contemplating upcoming worship services and all the love and musicianship needed for the community to come together in song. “My passion is worship,” she says. “When I see people take the mask off, totally surrendering to God in worship — it is such a wonderful thing and I am so encouraged by this. I feel honored to be able to do what I do especially in CR because people who hurt much, love much.” Her personal ministry is to, in her words, “lead worship, plan music, rehearse band, schedule agenda and schedule volunteers in PCO, fill in as needed for small groups and cafe grace, teach lessons in large group, serve on T.E.A.M., and back up the Women's Ministry Leader." “I grew up in an environment of abuse and hurt was all around me. I can relate to those that walk in beat-down hopelessness, and listening to the lies of the enemy. I had been in church all my life but I never experienced freedom from my hurts or knew how to deal successfully with hurt until I worked the program at Asbury CR. What the enemy means for harm, God turns into good. Now I can walk in a boldness knowing that Jesus loves me and I am worthy of His love.” Angie came to Asbury after being discouraged in other churches and stepping away from organized religion to perform jazz. Thankfully a friend told her about CR at Asbury and the fit was perfect. Angie finds profound joy in ministering to those recovering and says, “Those that work the program will get results. I love being able to encourage them along, speak words of life, share my ups and downs, and just be real. I love seeing those that started the program now serve in the program giving back to others....what a joy it is to be a part of a ministry that changes lives!”
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MIKE DELOZIER Recovery is a journey only possible with God’s grace and for Mike DeLozier, Celebrate Recovery's Men's Ministry Leader, that relationship with Jesus is why he’s able to endure the profound challenges of serving those in crisis. An Arkansas native, he was educated at Bacone JC and Eastern Kentucky University and saved as a child at a Baptist church. He answered the call into ministry while at youth camp. Today his endeavors center on Celebrate Recovery. “In 2019, I resigned from my position as Recovery Pastor/CR ministry leader at New Hope AG in Muskogee, “Our pastor's wife had lost her battle with cancer and our CR had been hit with several deaths including two suicides. I was content to just continue as East Central State Representative for Celebrate Recovery and help as many groups as I could to grow.” However, God had other plans and Mike and his wife began to feel the need to “do more” and the couple learned of the position with Asbury. After much prayer, Mike reached out to Pastor Daniel Dennison. “My main area of interest follows my area of struggle— drug and alcohol abuse,” says Mike. “This was how I chose to run from God and hide my pain. As I get to know people, I find they often have similar stories and I find it easy to point them to what God has done for me. He never makes a mistake. We simply have to get back on track and continue with the plan He has for us." “The thing I find most rewarding is when someone is struggling with recovery, then the light goes on, it’s like they understand, I need Jesus. One of my favorite songs is by Third Day, called "Cry Out To Jesus." The song talks about the hurts and struggles many of us deal with both inside the church and in recovery. The chorus says, ‘There is hope for the hopeless, rest for the weary, love for the broken heart.’” With God’s love, Mike has discovered and now shares that “it really doesn't matter who you are, how long you have been saved or what position you hold. God is not done working on you.
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ASBURY STAFFING
RIBBIN DORADO When Ribbin Dorado and her husband walked into Asbury, they knew they were home. Fast forward, and Ribbin is now an Asbury Students Associate. Of the youth she serves, she says, “As a follower of Christ, I am on the same mission as all of them…I am still learning more and more about a relationship with God, that’s the joy of following Christ: you never stop learning. My greatest joy when ministering to others is watching someone’s life change, the joy of watching someone turn away from worldliness and into godliness is absolutely beautiful. It is a joy to do life together, to be a community of believers in the presence of the Lord.” An Oklahoma City native, Ribbin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Ministry Leadership from Mid-America Christian University and is getting a Master of Divinity in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in Pastoral Care at Asbury Theological Seminary. Bringing her personal experience into her work, Ribbin says, “Faith has been the foundation of my life. My story is very different than many others; God has radically revealed himself within the midst of a challenging upbringing. I grew up in a very dysfunctional/abusive home, I was not taught much about a relationship with Jesus, and as much knowledge as I lacked, I always felt like there was something more to what I was going through, deep within I knew there was a God bigger than my situation. “I remember trembling in a run-down home praying to a God I hardly knew just to — in return — realize He knew me so well. I have a very faith-based story; my story is sometimes hard to tell people about but it often reminds others to be faithful in the good and the bad. I tell my students all the time they get to see the glory of me preaching but what they don’t see is the amount of faith it took to be where I am today. I hope my story of faith helps others work daily to ask themselves, “What does my faith look like today?” or “How can I be the most faithful version of myself?”
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KATHY OWENS As AsburyKids Director, Kathy Owens puts her focus on a ministry that helps young ones and their families to have a strong grasp on their faith, their relationship with God and Scripture. “I want our families to know we support them in their walk with being the leader in their kids’ lives,” says Kathy. “We want them to be excited to be here and make it a priority in a world that values faith less all the time.” Kathy doesn’t like her job; she loves and lives it. “I love being a part of children’s lives and I care deeply about their growth in their faith,” she says. She earned a degree in business at Oklahoma State University where she met and later married her college sweetheart. When the two started a family, they began looking for a church home. “After our first daughter was born, I quit my full-time job. I needed to find something to do that would work with our new family and prayed about it,” she said. “A friend of my mother-in-law called and told me about a nursery job at Asbury. It allowed me to be with our daughter and have a community of ladies that were all in the same place in life as I was. After working there for almost two years and another daughter, we decided to make Asbury our home.” Her career at Asbury didn’t end with the nursery position. She joined Asbury Preschool staff teaching 3-year-olds until joining AsburyKids as the first- and second-grade associate. “Later I moved back to preschool to teach music,” she says. “I was there for a long time and was feeling God tell me my time had come to move on. I accepted the role of discipleship coordinator a little over two years ago. My role as director of AsburyKids is to lead staff and volunteers working with the kids from birth to fifth grade.” Kathy and her team sponsor multiple events including Kids Night Out, Parentology classes, Sunday morning programming and much more.
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MOVIE /TV REVIEWS
Cruella
by Gabby Roesler How many of you are like me and never once thought, “I really need a movie detailing Cruella DeVil’s backstory? Obviously, some of the writers at Disney thought about Ms. DeVil’s past—and not just thought about it, but doubled down on the idea to deliver "Cruella," a thought-provoking and entertaining film about Disney’s arguably least villainous villain. Against my will, I found myself drawn into the tragic story of Estella, a girl who survives on the streets of 1970s London, desperately searching for a way to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer. However, it quickly becomes apparent Disney doesn’t intend to leave this story in the safe, fun space it started in, and after a "The Lion King"-level tragedy as the inciting incident, the tone gets progressively more depressing as Estella becomes the furworshiping fashion mogul we all love to hate. The film deals with themes of revenge, self-worth and managing mental illness. Estella’s splitpersonality disorder is obvious from the first five minutes of the film, and rather than giving viewers an example of how to healthily deal with that particular mental illness, the film tends to encourage viewers to give into their darker impulses—all well and good for a classic Disney villain, but not necessarily a good message for impressionable minds. I would not recommend "Cruella" for smaller kids. There are some dark moments that get intense, especially toward the end. For older fans of the original cartoon or the 1996 Glenn Close version, though, Cruella offers (in my opinion) the first truly nostalgic Disney live-action remake that builds up the film we know and love while standing on its own as a hilarious, engaging and moving film.
The Chosen: Season 1 by Gabby Roesler
It’s no secret that Christian entertainment— whether we’re talking about movies, TV shows, books, etc.—gets a bad rap. Faith-based films and TV shows are typically hailed as cheesy, and in the modern age of entertainment, the plot device of an unexpected power or event saving what looks like a hopeless situation generally incites more groans of dissatisfaction than professions of faith. But despite this, “The Chosen” has become a hit around the world, flying in the face of stereotypical faith-based entertainment fare. Instead of focusing solely on Jesus, "The Chosen’s" first season follows Jesus’ disciples, specifically Simon Peter, Andrew, Matthew, James and John, forcing its viewers to relate not to Jesus Christ the flawless Son of God but to the ordinary people who walked beside Him and knew Him best. For a believer, watching "The Chosen" is almost an act of worship; the viewing experience draws you closer to Christ, opening your eyes to new insights about Him, making Him real and tangible the way no other depiction of Jesus has. Jonathan Roumie portrays Jesus exactly the way Christians like to imagine Him: warm, inviting, thoughtful— perfect. The disciples are delightfully flawed. They squabble and act irrationally and make mistakes, making "The Chosen" an excellent evangelical tool, because if Jesus can accept and choose those men and women after everything we see them do, He can choose anyone. There seems to be no limit to the new light in which "The Chosen" can paint Jesus and His followers, and with every episode, the world of the show becomes more familiar and the characters become more endearing. "The Chosen," with its modern, relevant message grounded in the Jewish roots of early Christianity, is exactly the kind of faith-based entertainment we need today.
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Color the Asbury Donuts.
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ATTENDANCE | MEMBERSHIP 46
NEW MEMBERS WELCOME TO THE ASBURY FAMILY! Joe & Kristen Azevedo
Pam Boller
Ann Burris
David & Diane Casey
Travis Eden
Walter Edge
Charles & Janice Eye
Marla Fitzhugh
Calvin & Robin Klugh
Sandra McAteer
Nancy Niver
Kerry & Gail Randolph
Sam & Sandy Cluck Robert and Katie
Jerry & Lindsay Dees
Scott & Julie Gareis Abram and Lexi
Linda Rodgers
Mickie Hallock
Bob & Sandra Scadding
NOT PICTURED: Linda Allen, Beth Casey, Jennifer Casey, Patricia Cockman, Lewis and Linda Jones
Myra Starr
Tiffany White
GONE HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD... Billie Suchsland 12-22-17 David Wayne Allison 12-5-18 Ted Forcum 8-29-19 Sylvia Dean 3-25-21 Pat Coughlin 4-1-21 Jim Clark 4-7-21 Richard Wheatley 4-7-21 Doris Bruin 4-11-21 John Neely 4-15-21 Kathryn (Metsker) Harrison 4-20-21 Jo Ellen Keil 4-23-21 Rosalie Denton 4-26-21
Gary Cox Spouse of Linda Allison Spouse of Nancy Forcum Mother of Diana Dean Spouse of Barbara Coughlin Spouse of Glenda Clark Spouse of Lynn Wheatley Mother of Lyn Bruin Spouse of Joanna Neely Mother of Tom (Dana) Harrison Spouse of John Keil
4-27-21 Father of Sarah Cox and Lauren (Jason) Uhrynowycz Gary Zarley 4-28-20 Spouse of Celeste Zarley Wanda Ruth Kennon 5-2-21 Jack L. Hinton 5-9-21 Spouse of Glenda Hinton Dwayne E. Godsey 5-10-21 Spouse of Awilda Godsey Carol (Linde) Bennett 5-10-21 Mother of Mike (& Shirley) Bennett Rev. Jim Lenderman 5-16-21 Spouse of Beth Lenderman Father of Hayden and Jordan Lenderman Ken Koelln 5-17-21 Father of Kelli Collins Carolyn Lippincott 5-19-21 Mother of Beth Leatherman Jean Essley 5-26-21 Mother of Jennifer Judson Ron Bond 5-26-21 Son of Gene and Irene Bond
ANNIVERSARIES
Bill & Joan Matzdorf 4/14/56
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Joe & Barbra Glenn 4/7/61
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Allen & Loretta Deiter 4/8/66
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Bob & Janena Golightly 5/16/71
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Don & Barbara Thornton 5/21/56
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Ronn & Linda Lytle 4/15/61
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Jim & Ronda Norton 4/12/66
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Jimm & Melba Schoolfield 5/25/71
65 - Rollo & Liz Brasuell, 5/26/56 40 - Richard & Meredith Richards, 5/16/81 35 - Jerry & Glenda Dennis, 5/10/86
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Wayne & Sammie Kendall 5/25/56
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Charlie & Anne Hearne 4/16/61
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John & Ann Hill 4/16/66
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Charles & Naomi Redd 6/4/71
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Jim & Nancy Harrison 6/2/56
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Mike & Louise Borden 6/8/61
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Steve & Mona Wood 5/28/66
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Rod & Charlene Giles 6/5/71
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Leonard & Mary Stubbs 6/10/56
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Jim & Sandy Conner 6/9/61
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Bob & Sherrill Vaught 4/24/71
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Frank & Ikuko McCoy 6/7/71
30 - Jack & Diane Harr, 2/23/91 15 - Brandon & Darla Koetter, 4/29/2006
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Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Tulsa, OK Permit #2439
Fly with us June 22-25 Soar with us in 2021 for Asbury's VBS "UP!"
9 am-12:30 pm What is the truth about sex? Not what social media or society says, but what relevant truths does Scripture teach? As Christians, we constantly see conflicting messages between Scripture and society about our bodies, marriage, gender and pornography …. And if the Church isn’t talking and teaching about it, the information is taught from a worldly perspective. August 1 – Beautifully Created: The Truth about our Bodies August 8 – Two Become One: The Truth about Sex and Marriage August 15 – Off Limits: The Truth about Homosexuality August 22 – Fake Fantasy: The Truth about Pornography August 29 – Male & Female: The Truth about Gender
AUGUST
Teaching Series
