February 27, 2013
Church of the Servant Bi-Weekly Newsletter Issue: 13.4
Believe s Belong s Become
Stop Hunger Now is THIS Sunday! The church will be a-buzzin’ as 1200+ people gather to make 151,000 meals. If you have not registered for a shift you can contact Scott Smith through Thursday at ssmith@ churchoftheservant.com to see if there are spaces still available.
• Remember to be in prayer for this day, that in the midst of serving, many might meet Christ anew in their lives. • Remember to plan which service you will attend for worship.
• Remember to wear a ball cap and come to the Centrum to begin your shift.
United Methodist
Church of the Servant s 14343 North MacArthur, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73142 s (405)721-4141 s www.ChurchoftheServant.com
Child SHARE Easter Party
Kenya Medical Mission Team
Saturday, March 16 Eggs and Cookies Needed!
Each spring Church of the Servant hosts the Easter party and Easter Egg Hunt for foster children and their families who are supported by Child SHARE, part of our United Methodist Circle of Care ministry. It is a beautiful experience for these families to be cared for in this simple way and shows them that we love them and appreciate all they are doing for the children. To make this Saturday morning a success, we need the help of the church. There is a table in the Concourse where you can: 1) pick up and drop off eggs that you have stuffed with wrapped candy, 2) sign up to bring cookies for the party, and 3) sign up to help decorate on the Friday afternoon before. Those who can come and help at the party need to arrive Saturday morning at 9 a.m. For more details, please contact MJ Means at means1@sbcglobal.net or come by the table on Sundays.
Places Still Available! Traveling Dec 2013
We have a special opportunity to visit with two staff members from Maua Methodist Hospital as well as two longtime nurse missionaries on Tuesday night, March 5 at 6:00 p.m. Any medical personnel who may be interested in going with us in December this year, or in the future, is encouraged to attend. We will be serving a light dinner, so please email annknut@gmail.com if you will be attending or call Ann’s cell, 323-4292.
Edgar Cruz in Concert
To Benefit Mobile Meals Sunday, March 10 at 3:00 p.m. (Centrum)
Named Oklahoma’s Best Performing Artist/ Acoustic Guitarist five out of the last ten years by the Oklahoma Gazette, Edgar Cruz gives over 200 live performances a year, mesmerizing audiences everywhere with his unorthodox style. Solo performances by Mr. Cruz typically include live renditions from his amazingly diverse collection of over 400 titles. He is a master technician whose abilities on one instrument have been compared to the sounds delivered by an entire symphony orchestra. Why Mobile Meals? Every week hundreds of volunteers deliver meals to homebound older people through the statewide Mobile Meals ministry. Church of the Servant is a part of this ministry with our devoted members who deliver meals every week here in northwest Oklahoma City. Edgar Cruz is committed to this ministry and is offering this concert to help the work of Mobile Meals continue. The concert is free, but an offering will be taken during the concert.
Car Seat Ministry Update
In 2012, our car seat ministry installed 201 seats into the vehicles of Oklahoma City families. We began 2013 this past weekend with a fitting event where 34 seats were installed for 24 families. Twenty of those families did not speak English. Therefore, the fitting team needs some assistance on those days from individuals who are bilingual and fluent in Spanish. If you have considered getting involved in this ministry, several things are needed at this time, including several people who will come and do administrative paperwork and greet clients, and individuals who can serve as interpreters. If you might have these skills to offer and are willing, please contact Dr. Robyn Goggs at rgoggs@churchoftheservant.com. The next event is on April 20, 9-noon. Page 2 I SERVANT February 27, 2013
Rebuilding Together Day Saturday, April 13
On Saturday, April 13, the Mission Council will sponsor a longstanding church tradition of partnering with Rebuilding Together, a national organization striving to keep elderly people in their homes by repairing and updating for their changing needs. Again, this year we have adopted two homes here in the OKC metro area. To complete these projects, we need 100 people who are willing to make a 4-hour commitment to work that day. We will also form a group that can prepare lunch and snacks for our workers. Workers on these sites must be at least 18 years old. This is a great opportunity for a Sunday School Class or Small Group to have a mission experience together. There is a morning shift and afternoon shift. Come by for more info and register at the Mission Kiosk beginning in March.
Judas and Me… I once played the part of Judas. Pretty funny – right? I’ll always remember my first lines. Do you remember the opening lyrics from Jesus Christ, Superstar? Here are the opening words, sung by Judas: My mind is clearer now. At last all too well I can see where we all soon will be. If you strip away the myth from the man, You will see where we all soon will be. Jesus! You’ve started to believe The things they say of you. You really do believe This talk of God is true. All the good you’ve done Will soon get swept away. You’ve begun to matter more than the things you say.i
Dr. Robert Gorrell
Over the years, I find that Judas and I have stayed pretty close! It was Bach who helped me understand that Judas represents the sin in all of us. Judas’ question to Jesus (Is it I, Lord?) had always been a solo in other cantatas, because Judas is an individual. Not so for Bach. Breaking all tradition, he has the whole chorus instead sing that guilty question, ‘Is it I, Lord?’ The chorus represents you, me, the whole world. Judas is within us all, not ‘out there’ or ‘back in history’ somewhere comfortably remote. But I do have a choice. I can stay Judas. Or maybe I can become a little more like another apostle - Peter. Like me, Peter was far from perfect. But he found his way to Christ. Eugene Peterson wrote on the difference between Peter and Judas in Leadership (Vol. 4, No. 1): Among the apostles, the one absolutely stunning success was Judas, and the one thoroughly groveling failure was Peter. Judas was a success in the ways that most impress us: he was successful both financially and politically.… And Peter was a failure in ways that we most dread: he was impotent in a crisis and socially inept. At the arrest of Jesus, he collapsed, a hapless, blustering coward; in the most critical situations of his life with Jesus, the confession on the road to Caesarea Philippi and the vision on the Mount of Transfiguration, he said the most embarrassingly inappropriate things.... “Time, of course, has reversed our judgments on the two men. Judas is now a byword for betrayal, and Peter is one of the most honored names in the church and in the world. Judas is a villain; Peter is a saint. Yet the world continues to chase after the successes of Judas, financial wealth and political power, and to defend itself against the failures of Peter, impotence and ineptness.
The truth is that I am made up of equal parts Judas and Peter. It is Christ alone who redeems my life and makes it worthwhile. It comes down to choosing who I want to be. Judas or Peter? - Robert i
Lyrics by Tim Rice; music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.
SPRING FORWARD March 10th
Don’t forget to set your clocks forward 1 hour! SERVANT February 27, 2013 I Page 3
Holy Week Prayer Vigil -- March 25 - March 30 Sign Up Continues through Sunday, March 24 Drop prayer cards in box at Welcome Center.
SPRING HAS COME TO EARTHGLOW!
Just in... Easter decor, sequin Easter eggs, yard flowers, and bunnies. Get yours while they last at Earthglow Gift Shop. Also, come see our table set with candles to help feed a child. All profits go to missions.
Page 4 I SERVANT February 27, 2013
Lent offers us all a very special opportunity to grow in our relationship with God and to deepen our commitment to a way of life, rooted in our baptism. In our busy world, Lent provides us with the opportunity to reflect upon our patterns, to pray more deeply, experience sorrow for what we’ve done and failed to do, and to be generous to those in need. The Passion Week leading to the death and resurrection of Christ is a powerful time for us to focus our lives on His great love and sacrifice by offering ourselves as a sacrifice in prayer for others. During Holy Week a prayer vigil in the Columbarium will give us the opportunity to pray for the people who have shared care concerns with the congregation. We want to offer prayer throughout that week for them, and also for the preparation of our hearts for Holy Week and Easter. Would you consider praying for at least 15 minutes during that week over these concerns? During Holy Week, the church will be open for prayer Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to noon. Come by the table in the Concourse on Sundays through March 24 to sign up and take a reminder card of your time. Begin to pray that as we offer ourselves to God in this commitment, each of us will see transformation in our own lives!
VBS - Save The Date! June 10-13
Calling all kids, parents, and volunteers! Mark your calendar now and plan to be a part of KINGDOM ROCK VBS. Information about volunteering and sign-up will be coming in March. Please start saving empty Kleenex boxes, shoe boxes and empty water bottles (20 oz or less) for us!
BSA TROOP 177
BSA TROOP 177 has just come back from a Top Shot campout at Diamond H Scout Ranch, just east of Lake Tenkiller. This campout was a great lesson for the boys to learn that if you are not prepared for a campout you might get a little chilly. This was an exciting campout where we got to shoot different guns such as shotguns, muzzle loaders, and rifles, but we also had a chance to shoot sling shots and blow darts! I think this was a good campout. I especially liked the shotgun activities. We are excited to welcome 15 new scouts into the troop, adding up to 31 boys. We are creating 2 new patrols in our troop to lead to a grand total of 4 patrols! Our March campout at Camp George Thomas will be a training campout for the new scouts. On this campout we will be teaching the new scouts skills such as hiking and the use of knives and other tools. We will teach the scouts how to set their own tents and how to cook their own meals. I bet they are going to have a great time as the newest addition to Troop 177! Follow us at www.BSAtroop177ok.org or check out our Facebook page at BSA Troop 177. Scouting is fun for the whole family. We now have a Cub Scout Pack and a Girl Scout Troop. If you have anyone interested in scouting, have them visit: •
www.BSApack177ok.org for Cub Scouts
•
www.GStroop177ok.org for Girl Scouts Josh Bruza BSA Troop 177 Senior Patrol Leader SERVANT February 27, 2013 I Page 5
D-Groups
D-Groups, Small Group, Discipleship Group, Chaos. It’s been called a lot of things. What is a middle school D-Group exactly? A D-Group is half of what happens on Wednesday nights in the middle school ministry area. After Garage - this is games and worship - the students break into small groups by grade and gender. The purpose of D-Groups is to teach a little about faith and learn a lot about each other. Everyone gets a chance to share about what is happening in their lives. After we check in and pray, we go through a lesson designed to help the students learn more about God and what it means to be a follower of Jesus. So far this year we have learned that we are made in God’s image and He loves us more than we can imagine. Sin has twisted our relationship but Jesus puts everything back together. We have learned we are each uniquely created with certain gifts and talents. The church is a puzzle of all different kinds of people and we need each other to complete the whole picture. Basically, we cover the entire gospel. That’s a lot to do in an hour. Woven through these lessons students get to know each other. They pray for each other. They come from different schools and different kinds of families. Some have been at Church of the Servant since they were infants. Some have moved into the area recently. Others have no ties to Church of the Servant except that they come with friends on Wednesday night. Some students are quiet, some are loud, some share a lot, and some hardly say a word all year. But week after week they learn to trust each other, to trust their leaders and to trust Jesus. Basically, they do church: small church, intimate church, church like Jesus modeled. D-Group is two leaders and a small group of students learning how to live life with Jesus and each other. - Jill Perrin, Small Group Leader
Get to Know Me!
God led me here and I could not be happier or more blessed. I was asked to write an article of what this youth group means to me, but I almost cannot put it into words. The community here is so beautiful and it brings a smile to my face when I think of all the incredible things going on in this ministry. This is a place where students can find friends and see Christ move. It’s a place that spreads God’s word and love to students with the hope that they will go and do so themselves. When times get tough and the weight of the world seem unbearable, they can come here and find peace knowing that the love and care they receive is genuine. This ministry has given me so many opportunities to see The Lord work in the lives of those around me and work in my life as well. During the Confirmation 2012 retreat, I stepped back during worship and watched everyone around me worship The Lord and I saw and felt something that still brings tears to my eyes today. Students had their hands raised, reaching out toward God. Others were sitting on the ground with their arms wrapped around each other, praying for all the things going on in their lives and thanking ...Continued on page 7 Page 6 I SERVANT February 27, 2013
Mission Saturday!
We are all called to be the hands and feet of Jesus – to serve others and to share the love of Jesus. Many times we get stuck thinking that in order to accomplish this, we have to do something HUGE! That simply isn’t the case. One of the small ways students and leaders in the High School Ministries have chosen to accomplish this is through their monthly mission outreach. These folks meet at the church one Saturday a month and spend a few hours at a designated organization to assist in whatever way is needed. In January, we went to BirthChoice in OKC. This organization offers assistance to young women through confirming pregnancy, ultrasounds, counseling, and community referrals. While there, the group sorted clothes and other items for the donation room, organized and archived records, trimmed bushes, and picked up trash. In February, we went to Cross and Crown Mission in OKC. This organization provides after-school and summer programming for students of all ages with mentoring and tutoring as well as some meals, prayer and worship. Some of the tasks accomplished on this visit included painting, weeding and mulching flowerbeds, sorting and stacking firewood, and picking up trash. The work is not glamorous and can be challenging at times, but the laughter and joy never cease. And the compassion to the mission and to each other endures. It is easy to see the results of these acts of service and to walk away with a sense of accomplishment. Yet equally important are the relationships that are being built among all involved. Jesus is alive and thriving in High School Ministries! I am blessed to have a small glimpse of Him each time I am with these special young men and women. On March 17 we will leave for our trip over spring break to New Orleans where the skills we have already been utilizing will be put to good use through our mission outreach with Kenner First United Methodist Church and various organizations in that area. We would appreciate your prayers for safe travels and for our hearts and minds to be open to sharing Jesus along the journey in whatever way He directs us. - Laurie Simpson
High School Ministry Spring Mission! High School Ministry will be heading to New Orleans the week of March 17-22. Forms are due on March 3!
Be sure to grab a registration and join us for an incredible week!
Get to Know Me! ... Continued from page 6
God for blessing them with the opportunity to know each other. Not to mention seeing both of my parents and my younger brother singing their hearts out in praise. As I stood there on the back wall looking at all the things around me, I could feel the presence of God in that room. It was impossible to stand there and not feel Him. He was changing lives right there in front of me. My heart fills with joy when I think of that moment and the fact that God has led me to be a part of this community, and I could not feel more blessed. This ministry has also allowed me to find what God is calling me to do in my life and supplied me with people to talk about it with. The presence of God is so evident in the lives of all those who are involved in the Youth Ministry and I know He will lead all of us to great things. I believe that this ministry changes the lives of young people by bringing them closer to Christ, and I thank God every day for leading me here. - Abby Hammons
SERVANT February 27, 2013 I Page 7
u Marty and Dottie Christensen as their daughter-in-law, Sherri Christensen, deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery in Tennessee.
u Dale and Elaine Cox and Family at the death of Dale’s sister, Betty Cox.
u Jim Farnbach as he recuperates from an accident.
u Peter and Terry Weaver and Family at the death of Terry’s mother, Mickey Gross.
u Keith and Carol Gill as Ketih’s mother, Myrel Gill, deals with health issues. u Chuck and Marsha Gunter as Chuck deals with health issues and faces a procedure at the Spine Hospital. u Danielle, Brice, and Cole Harvey as Danielle deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Barry and Pam Henthorn as Barry deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Jay and Sara Kyte as Sara’s father, Amos Farr, deals with health issues and undergoes tests. u Betty Jo Large as her mother, Ruth Large, deals with health issues and undergoes tests. u Pat Marrs as she deals with health issues. u Tom and Bobbie Roe as Tom’s sister, Swanie Marsh, recuperates from surgery in Missouri. u Barbara Seagrove as she deals with health issues and recuperates from an illness. u Bob Tehan and Linda Quinlivan as Bob’s sister, Cathy Rackley, deals with health issues and is under Hospice care. u Nancy Tessier as her son, Todd Tessier, deals with health issues and undergoing treatment. u Clarence and Chiquita Wallace as Clarence deals with health issues.
u Thomas and Linda Gulley at the birth of their granddaughter, Hannah Claire Ross.
u Dick and Susan Muehleisen and Family at the death of Susan’s cousin, Patty Valentine.
CARE MINISTRIES
When a family is faced with an illness or crisis, it is sometimes difficult to remember to inform Care Ministries of that special situation. As a church family, all of us can help. If you know of a member who would benefit from our specialized care or our prayers through Care Ministries, call Care Ministries at 728-4738 or 728-4735.
WHERE WERE YOU ON ONE OF THE HOLIEST DAYS OF THE YEAR?
Many of us were at nursing centers and hospitals, away from our families for the first time this last Christmas Day. Loving and caring facility staff members – in my case, aids Robert and Richard – tried hard to see that we had a good Christmas, but my greatest comfort came from my knowledge of the love and care of our church family. Our dear friend, Rev. Larry Becker, gave me very welcome and encouraging visits on a number of occasions in a local hospital and nursing center during the last few months. Others members of the Care Ministry provided welcome support, and I was especially encouraged by the many beautiful cards, most from church members I don’t even know, which were sent to me as a result of the efforts of Prime Time and the Care Center. I believe that without the prayers and support of Church of the Servant, my survival of an ordeal that included a period on life support, would have been in grave doubt. This has certainly strengthened my belief that through the actions of our Christian brothers and sisters, we can surely see that the Kingdom of God is truly at hand. Thank you, and God bless all who had a part in my recovery. - Lilly Dunlap
LOST and FOUND
We have a number of items in Lost and Found which have accumulated over time, including earrings, books, umbrellas; more recently a men’s Seiko watch and a wedding band, and, several pieces of sterling silver jewelry. Lost and Found is in the Church office across from Community Hall.