Newsletter 07.04.12

July 4, 2012

Church of the Servant Bi-Weekly Newsletter Issue: 12.13

Believe s Belong s Become WHAT’S INSIDE: The Shape Project July 9 Page 4

Student Ministries Staff Page 7

Hannah’s Promise Volunteer Page 8

Joyful Noise Summer Camp: We Can Praise! Children go-

ing into Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to join us for this exciting camp! Monday, July 23 through Friday July 29 from 9:30-noon, the children will work on familiar (from VBS 2012) as well as new music to prepare for a performance on Friday July 29 at 6:30 p.m. , and again in both Celebration Center services the following Sunday. The cost for the week will be $40 for the first child and $30 for each additional child from the same family. The deadline to register is July 9, so register soon! You can find the registration form on our website http://joyfulnoise.servantokc.com or email joyfulnoise@churchoftheservant.com for more information.

United Methodist

Church of the Servant s 14343 North MacArthur, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73142 s (405)721-4141 s www.ChurchoftheServant.com

HAPPENINGS UPCOMING EVENTS: HS DaySpring Camp........................... July 6-12 Joyful Noise Arts Camp.................... July 23-26 Jen Hatmaker.................................... August 24 Servant Day....................................... August 25 Children’s Pack the House................ August 26 Disciple Bible Studies Begin........September 9

MINISTRIES: MINISTER NOTES: You Need to Know the Story! ............................................pg. 3 WOMEN’S MINISTRIES: The Shape Project ..................................................................pg. 4 Ladies Night Out with Jen Hatmaker....................................pg. 5 CHILDREN’S MINISTRIES: “Fun in the Sun”day ...............................................................pg. 6 STUDENT MINISTRIES: Meet Our Student Ministries Staff! .......................................pg. 7 MISSIONS: Be a Hannah’s Promise Volunteer .........................................pg. 8 ADULT MINISTRIES: Getting the Love You Want Seminiar ....................................pg. 9 Faith in Reel Time - “Buck”................................................... pg.10

You Need to Know the Story!

At first look, 74-year-old nun Dorothy Stang didn’t look like the typical kind of person who would have a contract out on her life. She was short with grandmotherly gray hair and glasses that slipped down her nose in the heat. She didn’t carry a weapon. She read her Bible faithfully. Friends knew her as “Sister Dorothy” or “Dot.” On February 12, 2005, Dorothy was walking to a meeting in the Boa Esperanca settlement in Brazil. As she walked to the meeting along with two peasants from a nearby village, two gunmen emerged from the bushes astride the path. They asked her if she had any weapons. She said that her only weapon was her Bible, which she opened and began to read.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are the peacemakers,” she read.

One of the men opened fire, shooting her once in the abdomen. As Dorothy fell to the forest floor, the gunman fired another round into her back and four more into her head. She was killed because of her faith and her Dr. Robert Gorrell work with the poor.i Christians are being persecuted all over the world. Today’s headlines are filled with their struggles. Most recently we have become aware of the Christians in Egypt. It looks like they have some very dark days ahead of them.

You need to know the stories about our fellow Christians who are being persecuted. Pray for them, please. And learn from them. They have a lot to teach us about being followers of Christ.

One of my favorite stories is about an American visitor who went to Uganda. She found herself listening to a group of Ugandan Christians as they traded stories about the dark and bloody days under Idi Amin.

They told story after story of fellow believers who were killed, often in horrible ways, by the ruthless tyrant who was trying to stamp out religious opposition to his regime. But they told these stories with a merriment that was quite puzzling to their American visitor.

Finally the American took her host aside and asked him, “Why are these stories of martyrdom being told in such a lighthearted manner?”

And the man replied, “You see, it is because Idi Amin didn’t know the story.”

“The story? What story?” she said.

And he answered her, “The story of Christ. Whenever you kill him, he rises again. You can’t kill off the body of Christ. Idi Amin thought he could put an end to us. We are laughing because he didn’t know the story.” ii

- Robert i Buncombe, Andrew. “The life and brutal death of Sister Dorothy, a rainforest martyr.” The Independent (UK), February 15, 2005. Reprinted on the Common Dreams Website. commondreams.org/headlines05/0215-03.htm. Viewed January 12, 2012. ii

James Friedrich, The Christian Ministry, September-October 1999, 24.

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The Shape Project

Oklahoma’s fastest growing boot camp is coming to Church of the Servant.

The Shape Project is a group of health professionals passionate about motivating others to adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Our program is an excellent way to jump start your fitness goals while providing the motivation and comradery you may need to help achieve your personal goals. Our experienced trainers help you every step of the way. Whether you’re just starting out or you’re a veteran to fitness training, you will receive a workout that meets your needs.

While the idea of a boot camp may be intimidating, our trainers are committed to encourage and motivate. We have already earned a reputation among our clients of delivering results while being compassionate and sensitive to personal needs and barriers. Your success is our goal. For more information, or to register, please visit www.shapeproject.com.

Boot camp begins July 9 and will be held Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 5:15-6:15 a.m. Join us and make a positive difference in your health and lifestyle.

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Ladies Night Out with Jen Hatmaker August 24, 6:30 p.m.

Does it ever seem like we are burdened with excess? Too much spending, too much media, too much waste, too much stress? Best selling author Jen Hatmaker, who wrote the book, 7 - An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, will be here to speak and share an amazing Friday evening for women. Find out about Jen’s social experiment and how living a greatly reduced life helped her discover a greatly increased God.

REGISTER ONLINE HERE

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We had a great time at Kidz Camp!

More photos and stories in next newsletter...

“Fun in the Sun”day

A friend loves at all times…Proverbs 17:17a

Please mark your calendars for Sunday, July 8, because your kids won’t want to miss “Fun in the Sun”day! Instead of the traditional Sunday school lesson being presented in the classrooms at 10:45, leaders will be taking the children outside for some fun-filled and wet activities. The theme will be “A friend Loves at All Times,” Proverbs 17:17a, based upon the friendship between David and Jonathan, told in I Samuel 18:1-5; 20. Children will want to dress in playground and water-friendly attire and it might be a good idea to bring a towel.

(NO SWIMSUITS please… shorts and t-shirts will be perfect.)

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MEET OUR STUDENT MINISTRIES STAFF!

There have been some changes recently to our Student Ministry staff. We would like to introduce you to the entire team and encourage you to meet them on any Sunday morning at The Point, the Student Ministry center.

We are happy to welcome Sang Nguyen as the new Coordinator of High School Ministries. For the past six years Sang has been very active in Student Ministries as a volunteer, a Ministry Intern, and now the Coordinator of High School Ministries. He is an incredible young man who deeply cares about students and their faith. If you have a middle school student, you have surely met Dana Israel, who is doing an amazing job as Coordinator of Middle School Ministries. Vicki Gilstrap is volunteering her time as Administrative Assistant. Also new to the team are Michael Loruse, Ashlee Maxey, Grace Oliver, and Tyler Smith, who have recently joined the L to R: Sang Nguyen, Tyler Smith, Dana Israel, Michael Loruse, Grace Oliver, staff as Ministry Interns. Lastly, Scott Smith, the Director of Discipleship, will assume the responsibilities of Scott Smith, Ashlee Maxey direct oversight of Student Ministries.

Partnering in ministry with our Student Ministry Staff are many volunteers who invest their time in the lives of our students. In Middle School Ministries are: Sydney Barton, Lauri Buchanan, Dave Hammons, Kent Israel, Missy Loftis, Ryan Mobley, Teryl Parker, Jill Perrin, Christy Strickland, and Jordan Todd. In High School Ministries are: Ashlee Adams, Jennifer Beene, Sean Brownlee, Kent Buchanon, Dillon Byrd, Levi Clark, Taylor Dickerson, Mike Gentry, Rachel Gillespie, Amy Hammons, Hurst Jones, Jessica Keyser, Carly Lilly, Chase Lilly, Denise Lingo, John Lingo, Leighann Parham, Scott Seitz, Laurie Simpson, Tyler Slife, and Cassidy Taylor. And there are more who are currently praying about joining the Student Ministry team in the fall.

It is always an exciting time in Student Ministries as God works in and through the lives of our students, parents, and staff. If you would like to know more about Student Ministries, please contact Sang Nguyen, Dana Israel or Scott Smith at 721-4141.

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BE A HANNAH’S PROMISE VOLUNTEER! Put your love to work by becoming a Hannah’s Promise volunteer!

Children with special needs have a special place in our hearts – and in our church – at Hannah’s Promise.

Through this ministry we seek to honor Jesus’ desire that all children be welcomed and embraced as signs of the Kingdom.

Hannah’s Promise offers support for children with special needs and for their entire families through a monthly respite care program. This allows parents who have children with special needs an evening to themselves while their children, including siblings, are treated to four hours of one-to-one care and attention.

The evening for the children includes crafts, indoor and outdoor play, suppertime, and a Bible story and worship time.

There is also a Sunday morning ministry called “Sunbeams”, that offers assistance to the parents, allowing them to worship and attend Sunday school while these special children are cared for in a safe and loving environment.

Volunteers are desperately needed for these special ministries, and there are many ways to be of help.

Right now there are 37 families with a total of 58 children enjoying the ministry. But, we also have 3 families, with a total of 8 children, on the waiting list, and more applications expected. Until we have more volunteers, we are unable to be in ministry to these families.

If you are feeling a tug at your heart and conscience, and thinking you just might find a place in this ministry, please call and visit with Lola Burgtorf at 728-4735. You can check us out by arranging to visit a Hannah’s Promise evening or to try out Sunbeams. But watch out! God may bless you more than you ever thought you could be blessed. You may fall so in love with these special children that you’ll never be the same again!

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GETTING THE LOVE YOU WANT SEMINAR Remember Robert Browning’s famous poem…

ChristWays Sunday School class from United Methodist Church of the Servant provided lunch to our seniors and volunteers at Skyline Urban Ministries McKee Center in Oklahoma City on Friday June 29, 2012.

Grow old along with me!

The best is yet to be; The last of life, for which the first was made: Our times are in his hand whosaith, “A whole I planned, Youth shows but half; trust God: See all, nor be afraid!”

If your deepest desire in your marriage is to finish well, then what do you want your marriage to look like? Do you know couples that are finishing well?

Where are you in your marriage journey? Are you in the middle of diaper days, adolescent years, empty nest? Regardless of where you are, couple life is always teetering on the brink of new challenges, obstacles, and opportunities for growth. Let us encourage you to reinvent your marriage if you need to, hold onto the best from the past, or discover new and exciting ways to enrich your marriage.

Over a thousand couples have gone through the “Getting the Love You Want” workshop presented by Drs. Linda and Curtis Nigh in the past thirty years. Mark your calendar now for the next workshop which is coming soon - Friday, September 7 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 8 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Nigh home. Brochures are available at the Welcome Center, or call the Nigh’s clinic at 848-2181 for more information.

GIFT CARDS Now available at Earthglow!

New items are arriving daily from Market to Earthglow! Things to make you giggle, tutus, journals and pens, bags - big and small, “cheater” eyeglasses, square candles, garden stakes, bibs with washcloths and so much more! Remember that our profits go to local missions and ministries! Come in today! Our summer hours are 9 to 12 Monday through Friday and Sunday mornings!

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FAITH IN REEL TIME Sunday, July 15, 1:00 p.m.

In the Centrum

This film, “BUCK” was created to move people to make changes in how they deal with horses and life’s challenges. Buck Brannaman is a true cowboy who has overcome tremendous personal odds. This film intends to inspire, motivate and teach through principles of respect, partnership and trust rather than anger, fear and intimidation.

“Your horse is a mirror to your soul, and sometimes you may not like what you see. Sometimes, you will.” So says Buck Brannaman, a true American cowboy and sage on horseback who travels the country for nine grueling months a year helping horses with people problems.

“BUCK”, a richly textured and visually stunning film, follows Brannaman from his abusive childhood to his phenomenally successful approach to horses. A real-life “horse-whisperer”, he eschews the violence of his upbringing and teaches people to communicate with their horses through leadership and sensitivity, not punishment.

“BUCK” is about an ordinary man who has made an extraordinary life, despite tremendous odds.

Rated PG, and free of charge, feel comfortable bringing the family for a wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Count on a great discussion to follow, as Chuck Schroeder, President and CEO of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum joins Dr. Curtis Nigh on Sunday, July 15, 1:00 p.m. in the Centrum. Sign up at the Welcome Center or call the church office at 721-4141.

See you at the movies!

Our Prayers continued... u Leroy Ball and Pat McGarrity, Craig and Jennifer Robinson, and Allison Ball as Pat’s mother, and Jennifer’s and Allison’s grandmother, Jean McGarrity, deals with health issues and is hospitalized at Mercy Health Center. u David and Janet Battles as David deals with health issues and faces surgery; and Janet’s cousin, Sandra Brown, deals with health issues. u Bill and Lisa Boone as their daughter, Jessie, deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Marty and Dottie Christensen as Dottie recuperates from injuries sustained in a fall and recuperates from surgery. u Don and Doris Cline as Don deals with health issues and recuperates from outpatient surgery. u Ray and Lois Crooks as Ray deals with health issues and is hospitalized at Integris Baptist Medical Center. u Jay and Nancy Collins as Nancy’s cousin’s husband, Brent Hawkinson, deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Grant and Leslie Flurry as Leslie’s aunt, Tina Mailer, deals with health issues and undergoes tests; and Leslie’s cousin, Todd Tacker, deals with health issues and is hospitalized at Integris Baptist Medical Center. u Denene Harper as her infant granddaughter, Abigail Grace Uteg, deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery in Iowa. u D.A. and Carol Heggie as Carol deals with health issues, recuperates from surgery, and is hospitalized at Bone and Joint Hospital. u Gene and Daveene Hightower as Gene deals with health issues, recuperates from surgery, and is hospitalized at Mercy Health Center. u David and Darsi Landsberger as Darsi’s father, Don Carrigan, deals with health issues.

u Ted and Sue McCourry as Ted deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Don and Kay Moore as Don deals with health issues, recuperates from injuries sustained from a fall, and is hospitalized at Integris Baptist Medical Center. u Janice Moore as she deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Jordan and Erin Page as their daughter, Addison Page, deals with health issues and recuperates from outpatient surgery. u Geren and Linda Roberts as Linda deals with health issues. u Joe and Shirley Rolston as their friend, Shirley Hinchey, deals with health issues. u Allen and Gayla Smith as Allen deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Darlene Steeves as she deals with health issues and recuperates from tests. u Eric, Jeanna, and Amelia Stewart as Jeanna deals with health issues. u Jay and Margaret Stout as Jay deals with health issues and faces surgery at Mercy Health Center.

u Mike and Pat Beckner and Family at the death of Mike’s father, Arthur C. Beckner. u Bill and Gail Bright and Mike, Cindy, Ben, and Lauren Brecheen and Family at the death of Gail’s mother and Cindy’s grandmother, Hermina Murray. u Peggie Carinder and Jesse and Jennifer Langford and Family at the death of Peggie’s husband and Jennifer’s father, James Carinder. u Chad, Jennifer, and Logan Cravens and Family at the death of their son and brother, Mason Alexander Cravens. u Family and friends at the death of Ellen Dow. u Bob Garbrecht and Family at the death of his wife, Faustine Garbrecht. u Joe and Pam McCalla and Family at the death of Donnie McCalla. u Brian, Angela, Josh, and Kylie Perry and Becky Powell and Kenneth Smith and Family at the death of Angela’s nephew, Becky’s son, and Kenneth’s brother, Jacob Smith. u Allen and Gayla Smith and Family at the death of Allen’s mother, Marilyn Smith.

u Berry and Linda Wheeler as Berry deals with health issues and undergoes treatment. u Warren and Suzanne Wilson as Warren deals with health issues and recuperates from outpatient surgery.

u Dustin and Laine Baker at the birth of their daughter, Ramsey Elizabeth Baker.

The proud siblings are Bennett and Riley Baker. u Denene Harper at the birth of her granddaughter, Abigail Grace Uteg.

u A contribution has been made to The Servant Foundation, Inc. in memory Pat McKee by Pam & Barry Henthorn. u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Hannah’s Promise in memory of Bryan Chavez by Debbie Jacoway, Judy Mullen, Lee & Vivian Rice, Roland & Katherine Haney, Baldwin & Company, P.C., Stanley & Sherry Selvidge, Dale Putnam & Jolene Ingram, Margaret Price, and Charles & Kathlyn Reynolds. u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Care Ministry in memory of Dale McHard by Arvon & Marilyn Staats.

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