May 3, 2017
CHURCH OF THE SERVANT Bi-Weekly NEWSLETTER
Issue: 17.08
Worship at Servant Greetings, As I begin to plan, dream and prepare for our family’s arrival in OKC, one of the things I am so excited about are the options that exist at Church of the Servant. More specifically, I am excited to be able to serve a church that has three distinct styles of worship each week. For me, these options are exciting and very important. Today, so many churches only focus on one type/style of worship. Sugarloaf UMC (where I currently serve) only provides a modern worship experience. When Sugarloaf was founded, the leaders of the church decided to only have one style of service. While I love the environment provided at Sugarloaf, at times I feel as though something is missing. In my childhood, I remember serving as an acolyte, saying the creeds, learning the Lord’s Prayer, and singing hymns. As I grew older, I was exposed to contemporary worship and now modern worship. For me, great worship is not one single style, but an offering of multiple styles that help me to encounter God during the seasons of my life. A number of years ago, Amber and I experienced a miscarriage. The loss of that child caused both of us to enter into a new season where the days and emotions we experienced varied. During that season of our lives, Amber and I needed a different type of worship experience. Some days, it was hard to worship. We questioned, we wondered, we cried, and we were upset. Needless to say, singing Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee was very hard. We needed a deeper worship where we could cry out to God. It was during this season we were thankful to serve a church that had two options for our family. Dr. Matthew Mitchell Senior Minister Designate
So often, we take for granted the things we have in life – the opportunities directly in front of us. I am thankful and excited that Church of the Servant has multiple options and styles so that each of us might encounter the Risen Lord no matter the season of life we face. Please know, I look forward to worshipping with you in different rooms, in different seasons, and through different styles. In fact, it will be fun to wear my robes and stoles again, and at the same time, still go to the 9:23 (modern) service where I may just untuck my shirt one day because my hands are lifted high in celebration. Excited for options during this new season, Matthew
Jesus: Understanding His Death and Resurrection A Study of Mark 14-16 Wednesdays, June 14 – July 26, 9:30-11:30 AM Leader: Nancy Harris
The long-awaited Messiah had finally arrived – only to be betrayed and sentenced to death. Why would Jesus, who knew beforehand all that would happen and who held the power of heaven at His command, submit to being humiliated, tortured, and ultimately killed? In this powerful study centered on the final chapters of the Gospel of Mark, you’ll consider for yourself all that Jesus endured to bring forgiveness to sinners and hope to the hopeless. And you’ll understand as never before why it’s so essential to share with others the good news of His death and resurrection. If you are not familiar with the Inductive Style of Study, this will be a good introduction for you. All work is done during class time, so this is perfect if you want to study “light” this summer. Join Nancy for seven weeks of exploring and Understanding the Death and Resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and what this means to each of us as believers! Book cost is $8 and deadline to register is June 2. To register, contact Susie Cobden at scobden@churchoftheservant. com or 728-4711. Page 2 I ChurchoftheServant.com
Clothes 4 Kids Special Fish Appeal Offering Sunday, May 14 (during all worship services) For many years, Church of the Servant has partnered with Skyline Urban Ministry to provide two pairs of pants, two shirts, shoes, socks, and underwear to children in need for the upcoming school year. Approximately 89% of children in the Oklahoma City School District are eligible for free or reduced school lunches due to incomes at or below poverty level. All Oklahoma City Public Schools require children to wear uniforms, but no financial assistance is offered for the uniforms through the state. It can be a financial burden on families that are already struggling to make ends meet. It is such a blessing to be able to serve these children so that they can attend the first day of school wearing clothes and shoes that are just as shiny and new as the clothes that all the other children are wearing.
Missions
Skyline begins fitting uniforms the first week in July. How can you help with this project? $120 will put a child in uniforms for the 2017-2018 school year. Or any amount – $60, $85, $100 – will go toward helping a child have a uniform. Thank you for your support and for helping those in need in our community.
Surgical Glove Donation Matt Fay, who attends the 9:23 worship service, recently contacted the Kenya mission team saying he had a pallet of sterile gloves. He works at McBride Orthopedic Hospital and due to regulation changes, McBride could not use the gloves. Could we use them? The answer was a resounding YES! Maua Methodist Hospital provided a list of greatly needed items and sterile gloves was on it. They requested specific sizes and so 5 members of the team spent a morning sorting them. They are desperately needed as well as being very easily packed into our donation suitcases! The donation is valued at $2,000.
Blood Drive Sunday, May 14 Community Hall
Make a Difference, Save a Life, Give Blood! A decision to donate your blood can save a life. On Sunday, May 14, give a gift of love to a stranger by giving blood. Our church faithfully continues to hold quarterly blood drives in partnership with the Oklahoma Blood Institute. Over the years, some of our faithful donors have not been able to continue giving blood due to health and life circumstances. Would you consider taking their place and becoming a part of our team of donors here at Servant? Stop by Community Hall on Sunday, May 14, and in a few moments of your time, you can help save lives. It is a simple Sunday morning commitment that truly makes a huge impact!
This is just another example of the generosity of our congregation. Church of the Servant members truly are servants of so many missions.
Do Your Mother’s Day Shopping At Earthglow Have you given any thought to how you are going to make mama happy this Mother’s Day? Well, drop by and take a look at the beautiful new merchandise on display in Earthglow. What mother would not be delighted by a piece of jewelry, some fragrant body lotion, soap or bubble bath, a colorful crossbody purse, a decorative picture, a designer scarf, or a cute frame in which to display her family? And, of course, there are tea towels of all varieties – even the one pictured here! a The shop has been reset and is boasting many new, beautiful items. Let Earthglow be your first stop for a gift for mom or for any other gift items you might need. Your purchases are bound to please and, as always, will benefit local missions. SERVANT May 3, 2017 I Page 3
Prayer Walk Servant’s high school students and their leaders participated in a meaningful prayer walk as a part of their preparation for Easter. As the students stepped into a dimly-lit room with quiet music and moved slowly from station to station, the events of Jesus’ last hours on earth unfolded before them. Scripture and activities centered on the theme of each station guided them step-bystep. The students began with the acknowledgement of God as Creator by writing favorite aspects of creation on Post-It notes to stick on a large world map. The next station involved watching a stirring poem about the fall of man entitled Free Fall on YouTube. As the students continued through the walk, they were asked to put themselves in Pilate’s place by washing their hands. Each person carried a stone to remind them of their sin. They hammered a nail to the cross, hearing it echo across the quiet room. In a stirring depiction of God’s grace, they had the opportunity to leave the symbol of their sin, the stone they had been carrying, at the foot of the cross. High School pastor, Sang Nguyen, designed the evening for the students. “Easter is a beautiful celebration of the Risen Christ,” says Sang. “I think one of the challenges is that we isolate the Resurrection from the moments leading up to it. My hope was for students to get a small glimpse of what Jesus endured during the last hours of his life, the fractured world, and the tension Jesus faced as He laid down His life for us. I think understanding these things helps us, as followers, celebrate what the Resurrection really means for us.” Page 4 I ChurchotheServant.com
The students agreed that the prayer walk impacted them in a powerful way: “One of the experiences called us to wash our hands like Pilate. When I put my hands in the water, I was reminded of my sin and how I feel unworthy at times for not standing up for what’s right. We also had to hammer nails into the cross. When I did this, I felt shame for my sins and felt God whispering to me that I am forgiven.” – Drew Perigrin “I was impacted by the nails on the cross. I wasn’t just reading it, but experiencing what happened when Christ was crucified.” – Garrick Johnson “We carried a rock that represented our sins throughout the experience. At the end we got to lay it down at the cross and be reminded that we have been forgiven.” – Tyler Neaves “We watched a spoken word video from Prolifik about the fall of man in Genesis. It was powerful.” – Garrison Barto Student Ministries’ adult leaders also participated. Todd Neaves summed up his walk by saying, “Powerful experience! This walk forced me to recognize my disconnects, my gaps, my selfishness, and my willing separation from Christ, and yet His consistency in standing in for me.” The prayer walk was a powerful example of the way Student Ministries seeks to lead students to become fully committed followers of Jesus Christ.
Adults PRIME TIME For the May Prime Time meeting, expect an awesome musical program featuring two of Church of the Servant’s finest – Crystal Johnson and Matt Schinske. Join us Thursday, May 11, at 10:30 a.m. in Community Hall. Crystal Johnson attended East Central University, studying Vocal and Theatre Performance. After completing her degree, Crystal moved to New York City where she studied under Nancy Opel, well-known singer and acting coach. Crystal has performed in such shows as “Oklahoma”, “Annie”, and “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Dorothy Summers Theatre and Fort Peck Theatre. She now lives in Oklahoma City where she is active in choir, ensembles, and drama at Church of the Servant. Crystal is currently working on a recording project that will be completed in the fall. The project includes beautiful melodic songs, such as “I Won’t Mind” and energetic songs like “I Got Love”. Crystal is working with Matt Schinske on the project. Matt is a freelance composer and performer. He is the principal keyboard player at Church of the Servant where he shares his love through music. Following this incredible program, we’ll enjoy a delicious picnic meal of assorted BBQ, baked beans, potato salad, and a yummy dessert! Program alone is $2; with the meal it is $10. Prime Time fellowship is free! Sign up soon at the Welcome Center or call the church office, 721-4141. Don’t miss the music!
13.2 COFFEE SHOP NEEDS YOUR HELP! Many of us start off our Sunday morning at Church of the Servant with a stop at the quaint coffee shop known as 13.2. The name of the cafe’ has its roots in scripture. It is based off of Hebrews 13:2 – “Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it!” Service to the customers at 13.2 comes from a terrific staff of volunteers, and there are a couple of slots that could use some new volunteers. Could you be available one Sunday morning a month from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.? Or would you be able to work on Thursday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.? If either of these opportunities would fit into your schedule, please contact Dana Israel, disrael@churchoftheservant.com. You will receive hands-on-training in the art of specialty drink making, will enjoy meeting and serving a host of terrific people, and will possibly have the opportunity to entertain some angels in the process! SERVANT May 3, 2017 I Page 5
Vacation Bible School We are ready for your curious kids with MAKER FUN FACTORY VBS! Vacation Bible School is coming to Church of the Servant – Monday, June 5 - Thursday, June 8, 9:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. each day. Kids from age 4 to those entering 5th grade are invited to take part in this FREE week of fun, and we also need lots of adult volunteers to make this incredible week happen. Registration is free and available online NOW. Go to churchoftheservant.com/events and click on the VBS link. VBS T-Shirts and Music CD’s will be available to purchase for $10 each at the table in the Concourse starting May 14. Sign up and invite your kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, neighbors, and friends! Our VBS theme for this year is MAKER FUN FACTORY: Built by God, Created for a Purpose. Kids will see the church transformed into a wild, wacky factory as they experience God’s love and learn to watch for God in everyday life. At MAKER FUN FACTORY VBS, kids discover not only that God made them the way they are, but for a purpose too. MAKER FUN FACTORY is filled with incredible Biblelearning experiences kids see, hear, touch, and even taste! Sciency Fun Gizmos, team-building games, cool Bible songs, and tasty treats are just a few of the standout activities that help faith flow into real life. MAKER FUN FACTORY is an exciting way for kids to learn about God’s love. Each day concludes at the MAKER FUN FACTORY Finale - a celebration that gets all participants involved in living what they’ve learned. We hope MAKER FUN FACTORY will get everyone thrilled about God in our community. Each year, we wrap up the VBS fun with a family night. This year, we will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 8 for a closing program in the Celebration Center. Following the program we will have an Ice Cream Sundae Party in Community Hall. Mark your calendar now and plan to join us! Kids will have the opportunity to participate in a mission project during Vacation Bible School week. Each year, we collect supplies to benefit an organization. This year, we will support Citizens Caring for Children – an organization that provides support for children in foster care. We will collect toothbrushes and toothpaste for the toiletry bags given to each child who visits the Resource Center at Citizens Caring for Children. These donations really have an impact in the community! Can you help make an impact on a child’s life by volunteering with Vacation Bible School? We need help with a variety of tasks and are sure to have an area that corresponds to your particular talents! Participating in VBS is guaranteed to touch your life as well as that of the children involved. You can help out even if your children are too young or old to participate in VBS. We can always use teen helpers, and nursery care is available for volunteers’ children that are younger than four. Please prayerfully consider how you can help support this tremendous ministry. If you have any questions at all, you may email me at marthastone@gmail.com or call/text (405) 822-7484. Volunteer and child registration is available at churchoftheservant.com/events. I hope to see ALL of you at Vacation Bible School this year! Martha Stone, VBS Director
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Our Prayers
Our Life Together Our Prayers Continued
u Ad Acers as Ad is hospitalized at Deaconess Hospital.
u Bob and Opal Warren as Bob and Opal are both dealing with health issues.
u Bud and Alana Atkins as Alana’s son, Jack Jenks, is dealing with health issues.
u Bill and Nancy Whitten as their granddaughter, Brooke Pendley, is dealing with health issues.
u Cary and Jennifer Bartlow as Cary is dealing with health issues.
u Nick and Nechelle Zoller as Nick’s father, Darryl Zoller, is recuperating from surgery in Pennsylvania.
u Gary and Darlene Berkovsky as their grandson, Sawyer Berkovsky, is recuperating from surgery; their niece, Andrea Berkovsky, is recuperating from surgery; and brother-in-law, Lee Mowery, is recuperating from an illness. u Allen and Sharon Bumgardner as their friend, Ed Kaiser, is recuperating from surgery. u Judy Cooper as Judy’s granddaughter, Catherine O’Brien, is dealing with health issues. u Michael and Elaine Frizzell as Elaine is dealing with health issues. u Janet Griffin as Janet is recuperating from surgery. u Curt and Mimi Hendricks as Curt is recuperating from surgery. u Jim and Coleen Henry as Coleen’s sister and brother-in-law, Warren and Carolyn Stroud, are recuperating from injuries from a fall. u Rob and Sissy Holloway as Rob is dealing with health issues. u Niles and Brenda Martin as Brenda is recuperating from surgery. u Tom and Judy McGee as Judy is recuperating from surgery. u Earl and Janna Meyer as their daughter, Melissa Cook, is recuperating from surgery and undergoing treatment. u Cal and Eleanor Moser as Eleanor is dealing with health issues. u Bob and Barbara Neil as they both deal with health issues. u Larry and Cheryl Spears as Cheryl is recuperating from surgery.
Celebrating
u Tommy and Kelly Klein at the birth of their son, Davin Joseph Klein. The proud brother is Tayber Klein. The proud grandparents are Ray and Patty Newsom.
Celebrating Memories
Our Sympathy
u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Mobile MealsMission Fund in memory of Roger Erickson by Cherie and Pete Dennis
u Fay Andersen and Family at the death of Fay’s cousin, Sharon Kingsley.
u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant TV/Video Ministries in honor of Heather DeShazo by Kathleen Kennedy
u Susan Amis and Family at the death of Susan’s husband, Dave Amis.
u Lucas Argo and Rebecca SchoebArgo and Family at the death of Lucas’ father, Trent Argo. u Gary and Darlene Berkovsky and Family at the death of Darlene’s sister, Pam Mowery. u David, Sarah, and Jackson Krivy and Family at the death of Sarah’s uncle, Leon Millsap.
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 312-4634.
u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Care Ministries in memory of Dorothy Conley by Margie Malone u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Music Ministries in memory of Roger Erickson by Constance Blodgett u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Servant Foundation in memory of William N. Weaver, by Terry and Peter Weaver u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Servant Foundation in memory of William N. Weaver, Jr. by Terry and Peter Weaver u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Servant Foundation in memory of Elizabeth Weaver by Terry and Peter Weaver
Sundays in the Kitchen
u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Executive Minister’s Discretionary Fund in memory of Roger Erickson by Sheryl Dunham
u 5/7 – Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas, Rice and Beans, and Dessert.
u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Executive Minister’s Discretionary Fund in memory of Bob McDonald by Sheryl Dunham
Full Breakfast - $6; Lunch - $9; Kid’s Plate - $3.50
u 5/14 – BBQ Brisket Sandwiches, Baked Beans, Okra, Fries, and Dessert. u 5/21 – Catfish (Fried & Baked), Green Beans, Corn on the Cob, and Dessert.
u A contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Care Ministries in memory of D.A. Heggie by Young Men’s Club of OKC SERVANT May 3, 2017 I Page 7
Church of the Servant
14343 N MacArthur Blvd Oklahoma City, OK 73142-9725
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED