Newsletter 08.28.13

August 28, 2013

Church of the Servant Bi-Weekly Newsletter Issue: 13.17

Believe s Belong s Become

Fit to Serve 5K September 22

Registration begins this Sunday for the 4th Annual Fit to Serve 5k and One-Mile Fun Walk on Sunday, September 22 at 4 p.m. at Gaillardia Country Club. The race will be capped at 500 runners, so you should plan to register early!

Each year a ministry relating to children is selected to be the focus of this mission run. Your participation this year will help the Whiz Kids Ministry along with other after-school educational programs with inner-city children. These ministries remind us that we are “big feet running for little feet�.

We want to build enthusiasm on Sunday of the race by inviting everyone to wear running shoes to church that morning, September 22! A Golden Shoe award will be given to the Sunday school class with the highest percentage of participation and to the class with the highest monetary donation.

Then, that afternoon we will gather and share in the run/walk, and afterward will be provided a meal by Gaillardia on the golf green as the awards are presented. You can also register online at www.signmeup.com/94895.

United Methodist

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

Servants Bless Others on Servant Day “We went to Shawnee with a group from Servant and met other churches there working in the VIM efforts to restore the places destroyed by tornadoes in May. What a place and what a day! We put together a somewhat pre-staged wooden storage building for a man named Wendell and his family. The trailer park, which is not what I expected at all, is really small acreages with mostly manufactured homes and normal roofs, fences, and porches, and not really what we all think of when we think about “trailer houses”. The folks living and volunteering in this “camp” are really good down-toearth folks. We learned that there were 3 residents of this neighborhood who were killed in the tornado. A lot has been done to reconstruct this area, but there is still an enormous amount left to do to help them get back to normal. Some are already building new homes and some lots are empty and in various stages of repair.”

-Russ Sullins, CrossTraining Sunday School Class Thank you to those who could come out for a great day of service! We sent teams to the Regional Food Bank, Shawnee Tornado Clean up, St John’s UMC, Infant Crisis Services Car Seat Event, Exodus House, Servant Hands, and Child Share. It was a great day of serving and blessing others and spending time with each other in mission.

If you or your small group or Sunday school class is looking for a place to serve together on a Saturday, contact Robyn Goggs, as many of these sites are still looking for volunteers throughout the year.

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1. Cub Scouts cleaning our church.

2. Food packers at the Food Bank 3. Painting at Church of the Servant.

4. Building sheds in Shawnee.

5. Sorting toy at St. John’s UMC. 6. More packers at the Food Bank.

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The Definition of Evil In Dr. M. Scott Peck’s intriguing book “People of the Lie,” he says that evil needs to be studied and named. Until we identify it, he suggest, we have no way of disarming its power.

Early in the book Peck tells one of the stories from his counseling practice that helped lead him to see that evil is a genuine reality in the world. He calls it, “The Case of Bobby and His Parents.” Bobby was a 15-year-old boy who was sent by the court to see Dr. Peck because his grades in school were falling precipitously, he was depressed and he had an accident with a stolen car. Dr. Peck met with Bobby and heard his story. He noticed that Bobby’s face was dull and expressionless, the kind of face one sees in people in a concentration camp.

Dr. Peck was alarmed by what he saw. He was even more alarmed by what he heard. He learned that Bobby’s older brother, Stuart, had committed suicide in June of last year. Stuart had shot himself in the head with a .22 caliber rifle.

Stuart’s suicide had clearly been the cause for Bobby’s academic slide and Dr. Robert Gorrell personal depression. But there was more. At Christmas time Bobby’s parents gave him a .22 rifle. “Isn’t that the same kind of gun your brother used to kill himself?” an amazed Dr. Peck said to Bobby. “It wasn’t the same kind of gun,” Bobby replied. “It was the same gun.”

Dr. Peck was stunned. Bobby’s parents were all but telling him that the whole matter with Stuart was his fault and things would be best if he would commit suicide too. Dr. Peck called the parents to his office. They seemed to be quite normal, blue collar, church-going, hard-working folks. Dr. Peck confronted them with their deed. “Don’t you see that giving Bobby this gun was like telling him to go out and kill himself?” Dr. Peck inquired. The parents, Dr. Peck tells us, could see no such thing. They were blind to the consequences of their own deeds.

In his continued work with Bobby and his parents Dr. Peck began to formulate the thesis that these parents were evil people. He then cites a law of child development: “When a child is grossly confronted by significant evil in its parents, it will most likely misinterpret the situation and believe that the evil resides in the self.” Bobby, that is, was in the clutches of evil powers. This evil resided in his parents whom Dr. Peck discovered to be, as his book title states, “People of the Lie” (based on John 8:44-45). They were people who could simply not tell the truth about themselves.

That is Dr. Peck’s definition of evil. Evil people deceive others by building layer upon layer of self-deception around themselves. Evil people are not the same as sinful people. It is not their sins in themselves that distinguish between evil people and sinful people. The difference is that evil people refuse to acknowledge any fault at all in their character.

- Robert

-- 13.2 Needs Your Help --

Your favorite coffee shop, 13.2, has new openings for volunteers, individual or a team of two, to fill 2 different opportunities: Thursday mornings -- 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Monday evenings for a Men’s BSF -- 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Both only extend through the school year.

Contact Dana Israel, 918-914-0630.

Stop in Earthglow and browse our selection of ceramic leaves, which are handmade from leaves found at Church of the Servant. The latest ones have cute ceramic lady bugs on them. Great on curio shelves, coffee tables or as gifts! All profits go to missions. Thank you for giving through Earthglow!

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Financial Peace University

Love To Stay: A Love That Lasts a Lifetime!

“There lies within the heart of most human beings a deep longing for close companionship with another – one who is like us, yet mysteriously and sometimes maddeningly different from us.” writes Adam Hamilton.

On Sunday, September 22, a four-week journey begins to explore the meaning and mission of marriage. Using the resources, Love to Stay by Adam Hamilton, Dr. Robyn Goggs and Rev. Jeremy Sanders will lead this 4-session study with the hope of offering an honest, real, and hope-filled picture of the blessings and the challenges of marriage, and what it takes to make it work.

Though the focus is on marriage, many of the principles being taught can also be applied to other committed relationships and to nearly every other relationship in our lives. So, whether you are married, considering marriage, or are in a committed relationship, we are offering this 4-week journey to help you achieve a love that lasts a lifetime.

It will be offered two separate times on Sunday mornings, 9:15 and 10:45 in Community Hall. The cost per couple is $25.00. You can register at Church of the Servant or online at churchoftheservant.com. For more information, please contact Scott Smith, Director of Discipleship, at ssmith@churchoftheservant.com.

Servant Foundation Golf Tournament Saturday, September 21

The Servant Foundation Golf Tournament that was scheduled for June, but rained out, has been rescheduled for Saturday, September 21, 8:00 a.m. at Fairfax Golf Club. The tournament is a 4-person scramble and the entry fee of $55.00 includes the green fee, cart, range balls, lunch, and prizes. This event is always a wonderful outing and fun for everybody!

If you have already signed up to play in the tournament, we would like you to stop by the registration table in the Concourse and verify that your team will still be playing. If you did not sign up to play in June and would like to put together a team or play individually, you may register at the table in the Concourse beginning Sunday, September 1.

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We all need a plan for our money.

Financial Peace University (FPU) is that plan! It teaches God’s ways of handling money. Through video teaching, class discussions and interactive small group activities, FPU presents biblical, practical steps to get from where you are to where you’ve dreamed you could be. This plan will show you how to get rid of debt, manage your money, spend and save wisely, and much more!

FPU will be held at Church of the Servant from 6:30 to 8:30pm beginning Wednesday, September 25 through December 4. Tom McGee and Peter Weaver will be instructing the 9-week event. For more information and to register go to: www.churchoftheservant.com.

Have You Lost A Loved One?

At Church of the Servant, we will offer a course using a book called Beyond the Broken Heart. This will be a support group for anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one, whether it has been a recent loss or quite some time ago. If you have a relative or friend who might be interested in being in the group, feel free to invite them to come as well. A complimentary copy of the book will be provided for each participant, and will be distributed at the first session.

Leaders for the group will be Don and Judie Ellis, long-time members of Church of the Servant. We will meet each Thursday, 6:30-8:00 p.m. in Room 1 & 2, South Adult Area. The first session is September 26 and the last session is December 5. We will not meet on November 14 and November 28. To sign up for the group and reserve a book, contact Vicki Roberds at 728-4735 or vroberds@ churchoftheservant.com.

REGISTER Now for WOW! (Welcome on Wednesdays) …….

Children 3 years through 5th grade can now register for WOW, which begins on September 11. WOW is Children’s Ministries mid-week ministry which meets on Wednesday evenings during the school year from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Registration forms are available at the Welcome Center in the main Concourse and downstairs in the Children’s Area. They are also on the church website under Children’s Ministry.

Children meet in the children’s area where they join their church friends and are encouraged to invite their school and neighborhood friends to spend the evening with them praising Jesus and studying HIS word. Our prayer is that this weekly experience will bring them closer to the understanding that Jesus is their Savior and that there is nothing better in this life than being HIS disciple.

There is a lot of excitement about adding a music rotation to WOW this fall. Paul Gebb and Christiaan Osborn will be spending time with each age group (preschool, 1st – 3rd, 4th 5th), sharing their love of using music to praise God. Paul has led our children’s choir, Joyful Noise, for several years and has also directed the Servant summer music camp. Christiaan has been involved with music ministries for many years as Orchestra Director. Paul and Christiaan have also been involved with children’s music programs outside of Church of Servant for many years, so we feel extremely blessed to have them on board with us this fall. In addition to making music fun for the kids, they will be preparing them for WOW kids in Worship on Sunday, November 17 and for being part of the Christmas production on December 18.

The 2013 WOW Mission Project is “COINS FOR KENYA.” A medical mission team from Church of the Servant will be going to Kenya in December 2013. The kids will be learning about the area in Kenya where this team is going, how the team will be serving others by being the hands and feet of

Jesus while there, and how the coins they bring will be used to help others.

It takes a multitude of adults for the objectives of this evening to be met. Parents and members of the congregation are encouraged to join the WOW team by being a small group leader. There is no preparation for the volunteers; their job is to show-up, make the kids feel welcome, love on the kids, and share their faith with them.

For more information about the evening’s activities and/ or volunteering, contact Cathy Hersom, Director of Children’s Ministries at 721-4141 or chersom@churchoftheservant.com.

Elementary Sunday school classes are having a friendly competition!

We have begun to recognize “Great Attendance” in Sunday school! The boy and girl with the best attendance in each class, from 1st- through 5th-grade, is recognized at different times during the term. Families need to make certain their kids are here to take part in the fun!!

Lost and More Lost!

Chances are that we have something that belongs to you! Many one-of-a-kind items are resting in the Lost and Found drawer at the front desk. If you have a favorite umbrella bag but no umbrella, are missing one favorite earring, an unfinished book, or even some pocket cash, there’s a good possibility you might be able to retrieve those things from Mary during the week, or from Brenda or Helen on Sunday mornings. Check it out! Feel whole again!

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High School Ministry Pancake Breakfast

High School Programming

High School ministry’s biggest fundraiser is coming Nov 10, but we need YOUR help! This year alongside the Pancake Breakfast, we are going to include the silent auction! We need help putting together auction baskets! You can work alone, gather a few friends, or enlist your Sunday school class! Anything helps! If you are interested in helping, please contact Sang Nguyen at 728-4754 or snguyen@churchoftheservant.com.

Summer programs are coming to a close. We will continue to meet on Sunday morning for Fuel, but we will not have Sunday evening program until Sept 8 or Wednesday night program until Sept 11.

However, fall program is coming quickly! Anchor kicks off Sept 8 on Sunday morning. This new program will be filled with an in-depth study of the Bible, with group discussions. Join us from 10:45 -11:45 a.m!

Disciple Groups are coming back as well! Grab a registration form and join us for our small group ministry, which kicks off Sept 11 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m!

Cub Scout Pack 177

BSA Pack 177, Charted by Church of the Servant, has had a great summer! We participated in Twilight Camp where we played games, participated in shooting sports (BB guns and archery), went hiking, and met new friends. In July we marched under an enormous US flag in the Edmond LibertyFest Parade.

We most recently learned how to fish at Lake Arcadia, with representatives from Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation providing instruction on fish identification, responsible fishing practices, and numerous handbooks and coloring books! We all caught fish!!

Our Pack meetings start again on Sunday, September 8, at 3:00 p.m. at Church of the Servant and hope to see you there!! We will have new cub sign-up. Check us out at www.

BSApack177ok.org.

Girl Scout Troop 177

Girl Scout Troop 177 finished up a fun summer of scouting with a Lock-In at Church of the Servant. It’s good that it was called a “Lock-In” because a “sleepover” would not be an accurate description! The girls were so busy with activities that sleep was not high on their priority list. We tie-dyed t-shirts, made crafts and sit-upons and prepared homemade salsa with herbs grown in our own gardens. We were excited to have s’mores with an indoor s’more maker so it resembled a campout without the mosquitoes.

We are preparing for our first family campout this fall. We will be camping with the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts and their families at Roman Nose State Park. We are welcoming new Girl Scouts to our troop this fall. If you are interested in a program that builds girls of courage, confidence, and character while having lots of fun, come join us. Check us out at www.GStroop177ok.org.

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Car Seat Fitting - September 7

NEW LOCATION: St John’s UMC, 1755 N. Meridian A Car Seat Fitting will be held on Saturday, September 7, 9-noon. The event is moving to a location further south to try and serve people in that area. Please share this new location for this event only.

If you know someone who needs a car seat, please invite them to come have their own seat fitted properly; or if they need a seat, the ministry can provide one. Recipient must be a primary caregiver of the child, and that child needs to be present to receive the properly-fitted car seat.

Skyline Food Ministry Needs On-Going Volunteers

Could you give a couple of hours a week to answer phones and connect people to a ministry that could save their lives? The skyline food pantry is in desperate need of a few people who can volunteer a couple of hours each week to answer the phone and help clients when they come to select items from their food pantry. Contact Brandi at 236-5212.

McMurry University Names Colby Stone ’97 As 2013 Spirit of McMurry Award Winner ABILENE, Texas – Thomas Colby Stone ’97, a software engineer from Oklahoma City, OK, has been named the winner of the 2013 Spirit of McMurry Award given by the McMurry Alumni Association Board of Directors. The award is presented each year to alumni who have graduated within the last 20 years and who have shown excellence in their profession and in service to their community.

Stone began working as an Embedded Software Engineer for The Boeing Company immediately following his graduation from McMurry. In the 16 years since, he has worked in the B-1b Bomber avionics software group as well as the B-2 Bomber weapons software group. In 2000, he was named the lead of the B-1b executive software group.

As the lead of this group he was in charge of the operating system used for the avionics software on the B-1b. In 2003, he moved to the B-2 program and became the B-2 Weapons Software Lead. In 2005, he was promoted to the B-2 Integrated Project Team Lead, with responsibilities including monitoring software, requirements and testing of the B-2 weapon system. In early 2011, he was promoted to Software Manager and now manages the B-2 teams he previously worked on.

Stone has been very active with his church in Oklahoma City, United

Methodist Church of the Servant. He was active with the Celebration Ringers hand bell choir and the Celebration Orchestra on tuba, trombone and percussion. When his son became old enough to attend WOW (Welcome on Wednesdays, the church’s preschool5th-grade children’s program). Stone took on the volunteer role of group leader and guides a group of 5-10 spirited preschool/kindergarteners through the evening’s activities. He has also served as the camp Games Leader for our church’s Kidz Camp held for a weekend over the summer. Stone is an inaugural member of the Fit to Serve Car Seats for Kids program – a group of leaders in the church who took the time to become certified in car seat fittings. This group hosts events at Church of the Servant for car seat fittings and gives away car seats to those families who need them.

This has been an outstanding new ministry in the church due to the commitment of these individuals. Stone has also served on the church’s Board of Advisors and is active with the 2x2 Sunday school class and Thursday Morning Men’s Bible Study group.

Through his workplace, Stone has been the point person for his team for the Boeing Food Drive, the Books & Backpacks program and the Boeing Employee Community Fund. He also volunteers with his son’s Cub Scout

Colby Stone

group.

Stone continues to maintain a strong connection to McMurry. He has attended every homecoming since graduation and was one of the main reasons his niece (who will graduate this December) chose to attend McMurry. He has served on the Science and Math Advisory Board (SMAB) since 2004 and has served as co-chair of the Technology Committee of the Science Building Capital Campaign.

While at McMurry:, Stone was involved in Makona Men’s Social Club, the Indian Band, APO Service Fraternity, the Student Ambassador Board and St. Paul United Methodist Church.

- Article courtesy of McMurry University SERVANT August 28, 2013 I Page 7

u Benny Allen as he recuperates from surgery. u Russ and Tawanna Barrett as Russ will be evaluated at MD Anderson regarding his health issues. u Ron and Sharon Hendricks as she undergoes tests at the American Cancer Treatment Centers of America. u Barbara Holland as she recuperates from tests at the OK Heart Hospital. u Kinlee Farris and Dan and Linda Trammell as Kinlee deals with health issues. u Dave and Kay Filson as their daughter, Laurie Nance, deals with health issues. u Matt and Ashley Hensley as their infant daughter, Cambree Lynn Hensley, deals with health issues. u Nick and Ann Knutson as Ann’s father, Tom Conwell, recuperates from surgery and is hospitalized at Bone & Joint Hospital at St. Anthony. u Phil Martin as he deals with health issues. u Jim and Marcia Massey as Jim deals with health issues. u Steve and Betty McDonald as Betty’s sister, Connie Basler, recuperates from surgery and is hospitalized at Mercy Rehab Hospital. u Larry and Linda Nowlin as Linda recuperates from outpatient surgery. u Louise Pelsue and family as they ask for our prayers. u Carol Seljeseth as her ex-husband, Robert Seljeseth, is hospitalized at Integris Baptist Medical Center. u Becky Smith as she recuperates from outpatient surgery. u Eric, Jeanna, and Amelia Stewart as Jeanna recuperates from surgery and is hospitalized at Mercy Health Center.

Our Prayers continued... u Jay and Margaret Stout as Jay recuperates from a procedure at Deaconess Hospital. u Paul and Patti Teague as Paul deals with health issues and recuperates from outpatient surgery. u Tyler, Meghan, and Stella Thompson as Meghan deals with health issues. u Roger and Marlene Wilkinson as Roger deals with health issues. u Richard and Charlotte Wylie as Charlotte deals with health issues.

u Family and Friends at the death of Helen Akers. u Brad, Celine, Lauren, and Tyler Ferguson and Family at the death of Celine’s mother, Katherine Mendelssohn. u Denene Harper and Family at the death of Denene’s cousin, Stella Schmidt. u Harry and Marge Mason and Family at the death of Marge’s mother, Alice Marie Scott. u Jim and Crystal Siggins and Family at the death of Jim’s mother, Marcie Siggins. u Aaron and Kristin Van Nort, Stefanie Van Nort, and Family at the death of Aaron’s and Stefanie’s mother, Annette Van Nort.

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.

u Matt and Ashley Hensley at the birth of their daughter, Cambree Lynn Hensley.

The proud grandparents are Don and Barbara Hensley. u Bob Garbrecht and Fran Daffer were united in Christian marriage on 8-24-13 at 4:00 PM in the Chapel of the Cross at Church of the Servant. The Rev. Tim Travers officiated the ceremony.

PRIME TIME

Thursday, September 12, 2013, 10:30 a.m.

Walk with Dr. Robert Gorrell as he shares highlights of the recent trip to London to retrace John Wesley’s life and ministry. A great meal and fellowship will follow! Sign up at the Welcome Center or call the church office, 721-4141.

Women’s Fall Offerings

Women’s Fall Offerings begin the week of September 9. Brochures are now available for all the classes and studies being offered this fall. You can get a brochure at the Welcome Center, at the Women’s registration table in the Concourse on Sundays, or go to www.churchoftheservant.com to explore what is offered. Registrations by phone can be made during the week with Mary Jessup at 721-4141.