Newsletter 11.06.13

November 6, 2013 CHURCH OF THE SERVANT Bi-Weekly NEWSLETTER Issue: 13.22

Fit to Serve 2013:

Big Feet Running for Little Feet A great success again! - page 3

Hope for the Season: When the Holidays Hurt - page 5

Fall Festival 2013: Fun photos! - page 7

United Methodist

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

E

Surrender

xasperated by the lack of cooperation he received from Lucy, Charlie Brown once asked, “Where do I go to give up?”

Surrender is a very hard thing in our culture. Giving up control and allowing Christ to lead is tough. Carl B. Rife in his book, If Only Kittens Never Grew Up, reflected on the great Methodist missionary E. Stanley Jones:

Dr. Robert Gorrell

The writings of the great missionary to India, are permeated with the subject of surrender. At one place he writes, What happens to the self when surrendered to God: Does God wipe it out or wipe it clean? Jones goes on to answer, He wipes it clean of selfishness. The very act of self-surrender gives God the opportunity to cleanse us from selfishness with our consent and cooperation. Having cleansed us of our central selfishness, God gives the self back to self. Jones continues: It is a paradox, but you are never so much your own as when you are most his. Bound to him, you walk the earth free. Though at his feet, you

Jesus does not expect perfection, but he wants us to give ourselves wholeheartedly. stand straight before everything else. You suddenly realize that you have aligned yourself with the creative forces of the universe, so that you are free. Free to create. Free to love. Free to live. Free to live at your maximum. Free to be. Free to be all he wills you to be.

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Last Sunday 487 families in our church kicked off our 2014 Stewardship Campaign by pledging $2,358,065 to next year’s budget.

That is up $50,000 dollars over the first Sunday last year. It’s a great start and represents people in our church surrendering to Christ and inviting him to lead their lives. So…we are about half way there.

For those of you still praying about your 2014 pledge consider the words of Heinrich Arnold:

We have to give ourselves wholeheartedly to God, and if we fail, we must give ourselves again.

We all need daily forgiveness for our sins and failures. But what matters is whether we want to be faithful -- faithful to the end of our lives. This means surrendering everything -- our self-will, our hopes for personal happiness, our private property, even our weaknesses -and believing in God and in Christ.

This is all that is asked of anyone.

Jesus does not expect perfection, but he wants us to give ourselves wholeheartedly.i

May God bless you and guide you as you decide how you will support the work of Christ in 2014.

- Robert Heinrich Arnold in Discipleship: Living for Christ in the Daily Grind, quoted in Christianity Today, Issue Number 80. i

MISSION IS ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS Fit to Serve 2013

Missions

Big Feet Running for Little Feet A Great Success Again!

On Sunday, September 23, which turned out to be a beautiful sunny afternoon, 346 people from our church gathered at the Gaillardia Country Club for a 5k and a one-mile fun run. This annual event has turned out to be a great evening of fitness, fellowship and fun for the purpose of mission. The evening raised $11,909, which will help fund our church’s Whiz Kids ministry where 50 children and 70 adults are involved weekly in a literacy mentoring program with Edgemere Elementary and Wesley UMC. The Mission Council is so grateful to the leadership provided by Chairperson Jamie Adamson and to everyone who surrounded him to plan before and during this event to make it such a success. The event would not be possible without our faithful volunteers and also the many members who donated funds as individual and business sponsors. They help pay for the race so that our registration fees can go to help WhizKids. And, the partnership with Gaillardia has continued to be such a great friendship here in our community. We look forward to the event happening again next fall to help us continue the mission work to which God is calling us!

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Missions Mission Trips 2014 Mission trip to Liberia, West Africa Date: March 15-24

Cost: $2400 inclusive of travel, lodging, food and mission

Serving children and teens with special needs, the team will assist the mission of My Heart’s Appeal Inc. MHA was begun in 1996 by Lovetie Major and now serves a group of these individuals monthly in a respite ministry similar to Hannah’s Promise. The team will be serving in the ministry as well as helping to do preparations for a new vocational center. The week will also be a time to celebrate with a walk for National Down Syndrome week. If you would like to know more, please come to an information meeting Sunday, October 27, 5:00 p.m. in the South Conference room, or contact team leader Dr. Arthur Richardson at IBMI@ sbcglobal.com or 317-6909.

Mission trip to Potter’s House Guatemala City, Guatemala Date: June 1-8 Cost: $1600

This will be the 5th team to serve at Potter’s House from Church of the Servant. This youth and adult team will serve the people in the dump community where 16,000 people live and work in the center of the city.

The team will do a construction project, go on prayer walks, present VBS, and learns so much about how to change the direction of poverty in the lives of these families. There are many great testimonies in our congregation about this trip. For more information, contact Pat McGarrity at 990-2265.

Church of the Servant Family, Friends and Neighbors

Deer Creek Elementary School wants to say “THANK YOU” for all the Box Tops you gave us last year. Together we raised $4,870.87! That’s extra money our principal and teachers can use for library books, music instruments, art supplies, PE equipment, iPads and apps and other things our budget doesn’t quite cover. We hope you will continue to help us this year by putting your Box Tops in the coffee can at the missions kiosk. Once again, we thank you for your support!

Christmas Grace Begins in November!

On November 3, profiles will be available showing details on a child, family, young person, or senior adult who would love to receive a gift this year. Most profiles have two suggestions listed in all different price ranges. This is a great way for a family, Sunday school class or small group to work on a mission project together as you shop and wrap gifts. There will be helpful information and people at the Christmas Grace table all throughout November. Gifts must be returned by Sunday, December 1 so the agencies can distribute them by Christmas.

If you have any questions please contact Susy Wilson at scoxwilson@aol.com.

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Adult PRIME TIME

EARTHGLOW

Newest must-read and captivating book, DRIVEN: The Real-Life Journey of a Minister, by Rev. Tim Travers, now for sale in Earthglow.

Get your signed copy while they last!

EARTHGLOW MARKET is SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 9:00 a.m. 3:00 p.m. Over 100 booths with gifts, decor, antiques, etc. Earthglow Cafe will be serving beans and cornbread, chili dogs, Frito chili pie, and Texas cake. Plus a bake sale...stock up for the holidays on breads and sweets.

See you there!

On Thursday, November 14, 10:30 a.m., in Community Hall, Prime Time will be extremely honored to present pianist extraordinaire, Manuel (Tony) Carrillo. Tony has taught in private and public schools at all levels of education and holds two master’s degrees in piano performance. He currently serves as Music Director and organist at Peace Lutheran Church in Edmond and adjunct professor of piano and voice at Oklahoma City Community College. In 1999, Tony made his New York debut at Steinway Hall in New York City. In 1998, he was guest of the cultural exchange program sponsored by the People’s Republic of China. Tony promises to bring us a variety of popular, classical and hymns to delight one and all!

Following this exciting program and short business meeting, we will be served a traditional Thanksgiving menu featuring turkey, dressing, candied yams, green beans, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.

Make your reservations now at the Welcome Center or call the church office, 721-4141, by 4:00 p.m., Monday, November 11. Cost of the program only is $2.00, but we recommend you stay for a delicious meal and fellowship with old and new friends for a total cost of $10.00. If you make a reservation and later find you cannot attend, please call your cancellation. Prime Time must pay for all reservations.

Grandparents’ Dinner November 21

Whether you are a new grandparent or have been a grandparent for a while, you will not want to miss this special Grandparents’ Dinner! The speaker is Ellen Mercer, the state’s only certified laughter yoga teacher and leader. She will be speaking on “Laughing on Purpose with Our Grandchildren”.

This program is something no grandparent of any age will want to miss. It is scheduled for Thursday night, November 21, 6:00 p.m. in Community Hall. Cost of the meal and program is $9 per person.

You can sign up at the Welcome Center on Sunday or call the church office at 721-4141. If you have any questions, feel free to call Tom McGee on his direct line, 728-4701. Mark your calendar now and plan to be at this event.

Hope for the Season: When the Holidays Hurt Sunday November 24, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m., Centrum Teaching moment with Dr. Robyn Goggs followed by a time of worship with Rev Tim Travers.

Have the losses of the last months or years made is hard to think about approaching the holidays this season? Come equip yourself with practical and emotional tools to travel through the holidays, even if you find yourself grieving. The teaching will be focused on how to be authentic to oneself during the holiday season followed by a hopeful worship experience that is sensitive to the reality of loss and the promises about life and death in Jesus Christ. Mark your calendar to be at the experience and invite someone you know to come with you who might benefit from an event that recognizes that the holidays are sometimes a difficult season to pass through when we feel broken and vulnerable.

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923 Worship Community Gets Serious About Mission

Over the last two months the 923 Community has been pursuing ways to be serving our in the community.

In August and October two different teams spent a morning at St. John’s UMC helping to prepare the building for the Arts Academy that will begin there in January in partnership with Hilldale Elementary. In September, a team spent a Saturday morning at the Regional Food Bank. Thank you for the way you are responding together as the body of Christ. There will be monthly opportunities in which the 923 Community will be taking part around the city.

If you are interested, contact Robyn Goggs at 721-4141.

Women Single Parent Support Network Introduces Book “Wingspan”

This locally-written book features several of our own members and inspiring stories from national figures like author Anne Lamott; the parents of Extreme Home Makeover’s Ty Pennington and author Donald Miller; prominent Oklahomans like Governor Mary Fallin; Sheriff John Whetsel; General Rita Aragon; Councilman Ed Shadid; and Oklahoma Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Director, Jan Dunham; as well as everyday single parents with powerful stories of survival through hardships like breast cancer or losing a home during the May 20th tornado. This is a must-read for every mother, father, grandparent, step-parent, or anyone else who ever has or will be involved in the process of raising children.

You don’t have to be single to be encouraged by the depth and width of these parents’ love for their sons and daughters. The book will available Sunday, November 10 in the Concourse and Governor Mary Fallin is planning to be here to sign the book. Stop by the table to share stories and hear more about the Single Parent Support Network.

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Queen for a Day Saturday, November 16 Church of the Servant, along with the Single Parent Support Network, will be hosting “Queen for a Day”, which is a day of learning and support for single mothers.

This event is for mothers, grandmothers and adoptive mothers in all walks of life raising children on their own.

Women of all ages, races and incomes need encouragement when parenting alone. The theme this year is “What Does a Queen Need to Run Her Kingdom?” The workshops will include topics that address body, mind, spirit, and practical issues of single parenting.

Our hope is that we will have participants from this church. Sponsoring women this day who are connected to Church of the Servant is a great way to participate.

Sponsorship of a woman for the day is $125. More and more, we are made aware of single parents in this church that need and want support in this very important role they are playing.

We need volunteers - to care for children in shifts throughout the day, donating items for giveaways, and being available on November 16. Perhaps your Sunday school class or small group might choose this as a mission opportunity together in November. If you or your group might nominate and/or sponsor a mother, or be a volunteer to serve on that Saturday, please contact Robyn Goggs at rgoggs@churchoftheservant.com.

Cookie Dough is Here!

Children’s Ministries will be selling Cookie Dough on Sundays November 10 in the Concourse. A box of 4 dozen pre-portioned cookies sells for $15. Flavors available are Chocolate Chunk, Peanut Butter, Sugar, Oatmeal Raisin, Snickerdoodle, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut and Monster. Monies from this fundraiser support KIDZ CAMP.

FALL FESTIVAL 2013

There was not a quiet spot to be found at Church of the Servant on the evening of September 25, when church members and their families as well as members of the surrounding community embarked upon another fun–filled evening at Church of the Servant’s Fall Festival.

There were games, clowns, the Hot Dog Café, popcorn, cotton candy, a bake sale filled with WONDERFUL homemade goodies, members of the Servant Apawstles, moon bounces, bingo and much, much more.

Thanks to all the volunteers. We could not offer such a wonderful evening for families without individuals who were willing to SERVE in this capacity. We thank you all and ask God to bless you in a special way in the days ahead.

- Katy Leffel, Fall Festival Coordinator Cathy Hersom, Director of Children’s Ministries

Children WOW KIDS IN WORSHIP Sunday, November 17

On Sunday, November 17, the children that attend WOW on Wednesday evenings will be participating in both the 9:15 and 10:45 worship services in the Celebration Center. In addition to the special music that is planned, the children will be participating in almost every aspect of the service. It’s a special Sunday for these children and they are looking forward to sharing this worship experience with members of the congregation.

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Student GET TO KNOW ME

Hi! My name is Madison Cude. I’m a Junior at PC North and an avid member of Servant Students here at church. Words can’t truly encompass how much of an impact Servant Students has made on my life. The Point is more than just a place to go twice or three times a week to hang out with friends and learn about our faith. It is a place where relationships are built and a family is formed. Being part of this youth group has given me a family of brothers and sisters in Christ that I know are always there for me to encourage and challenge me. I am so thankful for the opportunities and experiences that I have been given through being part of this ministry. I can honestly say that being part of this youth group all these years has helped shape me into the person I am today. - Madison Cude

High School Fall Retreat

The High School Fall Retreat is our biggest event in the Fall. On November 22-24, students will be joined by a wonderful group of leaders to discuss more about following Jesus and experiencing the life that He brings. This weekend is filled with worship, small group discussion, recreation time, and a wonderful experience! This is a great opportunity to not just deepen our relationship with Christ, but with one another! The Retreat is great for the core members of our youth, but also for new faces! Don’t hesitate to come! You won’t regret it! You can register online at the High School section on the church website or pick up a registration, which can be found at the Welcome Desk or the Student Point Center! If cost is an issue, please contact Sang Nguyen at 728-4754 or snguyen@ churchoftheservant.com.

Pack 177

PANCAKE BREAKFAST

Come join us for our most delicious event of the year! On November 10, High School Ministry will be hosting the church-wide pancake breakfast. Everyone is invited to come! We will begin serving at 7:00 a.m. Cost is $5. And we will also have our silent basket auction! Come eat and bid on some awesome items! Contact Sang Nguyen for more information at 728-4754 or snguyen@churchoftheservant.com.

Girl Scout Troop 177

Girl Scout Troop 177 has been very busy over the past few months. Our HUGS project was very successful and we are very thankful to all the scouts, parents and members of the community who came and helped us make ornaments to send to the troops. We made a significant donation of supplies and will spread a lot of holiday cheer with the beautiful crafts we are sending. It was very evident at the Scout Sunday Service that Church of the Servant scouting ministry has grown and we are very pleased and excited about the growth of the Girl Scout Troop. We have gone from 12 girls last year to 26 girls this year! In September we took the Heartland Express to Fort Worth and spent the day in the Stockyards. This was the first time to travel on a train for many of the girls and was quite an experience. We watched armadillo races, goldfish races, rode ponies and watched a stampede. In October, we had the family camp with our Boy Scout and Cub Scout brothers and families. We went hiking, made crafts, played games, roasted marshmallows over the campfire, and had a lot of fun. Congratulations to Ashley Newsom who completed her Bronze Award, which is the highest award that a Junior Girl Scout can earn; and Congratulations to Emily Vallejo for getting her Gold Award project approved. The Gold Award is the highest award that a Girl Scout can achieve.

She has begun working on her project and plans to complete it in March. The Girl Scouts are having lots of fun building girls of courage, character, and confidence who make the world a better place. Come join us!

Pack 177 has had a busy fall thus far. In addition to recruiting 15 new Cub Scouts (to bring our total membership to approximately 70), we participated in Church of the Servant’s Service Day, where we gathered trash while hiking around the church, learning Scouting methods of Leave No Trace all the while.

September found our Pack participating in several events, including the Fit to Serve 5K where we handed out water to participants as they crossed the finish line!

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Our Prayers

Our Life Together

u Dave and Susan Amis as Susan recuperates from surgery and is hospitalized at Integris Baptist Medical Center. u Jason Barger and Jessica Newton as Jason recuperates from surgery. u David and Janet Battles as Janet’s sister, Sandy Neal, deals with health issues in Denton, Texas. u Mark, Tammy, Isabella, Connor, and Luke Beard as Luke deals with health issues and was recently hospitalized. u Hazel Bishop as she deals with health issues, faces surgery at OK Heart Hospital. u Kinlee Farris as she deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Teri Green as her father, Mell Wilson, deals with health issues. u Bill and Jody Humes as Bill deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Melissa Marshall deals with health issues. u Sue Miller as Sue’s cousin, Eleanor Stevens, deals with health issues and is under hospice care in Michigan. u Dick and Susan Muehleisen as Dick’s father, Herman Muehleisen, deals with health issues. u Norman and Kipp Neaves as Kipp recuperates from injuries from a fall. u Pat Marrs as she deals with health issues and is hospitalized at Select Specialty Hospital. u David and Kim Myers as David deals with health issues and faces surgery at Mercy Medical Center in Rogers, Arkansas. u Jeremy and Amy Patman as Amy deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Linda Shaw as Linda’s son, Daniel Shaw, deals with health issues. u Jay Stout as he deals with health issues and faces surgery at Mercy Health Center. u Mary Elizabeth Thigpen as she deals with health issues and is hospitalized at Mercy Health Center. u Alan, Jennifer, Katherine, Aidan, and Brendan White as Jennifer deals with health issues and recuperates from surgery. u Bill and Nancy Whitten as Nancy deals with health issues.

Our Sympathy

u Family and Friends at the death of Gloria Ellis. u Jim and DeAnna Gregory and Family at the death of DeAnna’s father, Darold McMurphy. u Marie Jackson and Family at the death of her husband, Robert Bruce Jackson. u David, Melinda, Emily, and Evan Jordan and Family at the death of David’s father, Robert Jordan. u Betty Jo Large and Family at the death of Betty Jo’s mother, Ruth Large. u Linda Kay Nichols and Family at the death of Linda’s brother, Leonard Gene Harrison. u Rob, Christy, and Elyse Peterson and Family at the death of Christy’s mother, Cindy Hanna. u Steve and Ivy Snider and Family at the death of Ivy’s brother, Charles Jasper.

Celebrating u Rick and Dixie Grosshans at the birth of their great granddaughter, Emma Kate Sheehan. The proud parents and sister are Lance, Laura, and Abbey Sheehan. The proud grandparents are Mike and Penny Sheehan all from Collinsville, OK.

ATTENTION: All Veterans, Family of Veterans, Active Military Families, and Friends of Veterans Please Join Us Sunday, November 10 2:00-4:00 in 13.2 Annual Veterans Day Reception Come and Go

Hospitality One of the challenges of a large church building is accessibility. It can be a long walk across our huge parking lot for a single mother with young children, an individual with mobility issues, or for guests who might be unsure where to go.

To make sure everyone can enter the building and worship with us, Church of the Servant will further extend our hospitality ministries beginning Sunday, November 3. As you pull into the parking lot that morning, you will find parking lot attendants helping guide and direct traffic. If you need assistance, you will be directed to the main portico on the east side, facing MacArthur, where you will be met by attendants who will park your car as well as direct you into the building.

We are also going to set aside six parking spots specifically for guests so that they will know how honored we are by their presence.

These small changes can make a large difference in the life of our congregation. I encourage you to use these ministries and tell others who might need them. Our goal is a warm welcome for everyone as we come together in worship.

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Church of the Servant

14343 N MacArthur Blvd Oklahoma City, OK 73142-9725

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

November Sermon Series: November 3 - Suffering Job 1:8-11 November 10 - Helping People Who Hurt Job 13:1-5 November 17 - Why? Job 30:19-26 November 24 - Faith Job 42:1-5