June 2022 Newsletter by Church of the Servant UMC

THE SERVANT

CONNECT E DITIO N NO. 22 .06

JU NE 2022

MO NTHLY NEWSLE T TE R

A NOTE FROM OUR SENIOR MINISTER

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS! GREETINGS, CHURCH OF THE SERVANT FAMILY! Last month, I mentioned how this summer would be different at Church of the Servant as we celebrate 10 Weeks at 10:00. Since last month’s newsletter, so many details about the repairs and refurbishment of the campus have been finalized. I am glad to share many of these details in this month’s newsletter. I hope you will find these details helpful as you develop your summer plans at Church of the Servant.

PARKING LOTS & DRIVES

Dr. Matthew Mitchell Senior Minister

Over the past two weeks, extensive work has begun on a comprehensive repair program for all parking lots and drives. This work is tedious, dirty, and must be carefully completed to ensure future challenges to the parking lot will be resolved. Please be careful in the parking lots when you come to the church. The blacktop pavement is being removed in sections, and large piles of debris and heavy equipment will be present. When driving, make sure to check your surroundings. As this project progresses, there will be times it is hard to see the parking lot material that will be removed. We hope to have the parking lot completed as quickly as possible. However, we all know that the weather can change in minutes, and the changing conditions can impact the progress.

CELEBRATION CENTER ROOF REPLACEMENT

04-07 Servant Kids

08-10 Servant Students

12-18 Missions in Action

SERVANT CONNECT

The Celebration Center was built in the early 1990s, and due to the age of the building and evidence of water leaks, it is now time to replace the underlayment and the concrete shingles. Currently, the roofing shingles necessary for completing the Celebration Center roof are being staged along the north drive of the church. There will be times when the north driveway onto and off the campus will not be available as >>> next page

CONCOURSE RENOVATION PART ONE Beginning Monday, June 6, the concourse renovations will ramp up, and phase one will consume more than half of the campus. Many areas will not be accessible during this time. These areas are Earthglow, Café 13.2, the Centrum, the Courtyard, the Columbarium, and the classrooms behind the Centrum. The Columbarium will have limited availability throughout construction. To access the Columbarium, please contact the church office. To enable the contractors to work most efficiently, three entrances to the church will be closed during the first phase. Please reference the campus map in this newsletter to determine how best to enter the building through this first construction phase. the removal of the old and installation of new materials begins to take shape. Keep an eye out for a large commercial crane on campus; once you see the crane, you know the roofing project has already started!

SKYLIGHT REPLACEMENT When you and I walk through the concourses of the church, there is so much to look at and so many people to meet. There are essential windows and skylights throughout the concourses that allow natural light to engulf our campus. Many of us never look up long enough to see the beautiful skylights. Over the years, these skylights have been damaged by hail, Oklahoma weather, and the ravages of time. Thankfully, all the skylights in the original concourse will also be replaced in the summer repairs and renovations.

SIDEWALK REPAIR & REPLACEMENT Due to settling over time, some of the sidewalks closest to the building must be replaced. The seems where the concrete meets the building can no longer be sealed, and water is penetrating the building. Due to this, you will see new concrete sidewalks being poured at limited locations on campus. These new sidewalks will have the proper slope ensuring the rainwater runs away from the building and not back into and underneath the foundation.

Sunday mornings at Church of the Servant will be different this summer, but for the best reasons. Some of our favorite ministries will be temporarily suspended, such as the Earthglow Gift Shop, and others like Café 13.2 will be moved and have limited service. Do not fear; limited coffee service will be available in Community Hall on Sunday mornings. For those who use the valet parking ministry on Sunday mornings, do not fear. This important ministry will not stop during construction. For those who use this service, please continue to operate as expected. I hope you are as excited as I am about all of the important work being accomplished on campus this summer. See you Sunday! Dr. Matthew Mitchell Senior Minister

SERVANT KIDS Report LOOK WHAT WE DID... MAY 12TH—TWO GREAT EVENTS! Kourtney Aller Director of Servant Kids

We had our 5th grade move-up event and the “May the Fourth STILL Be with You” party to celebrate the end of the school year. For the move-up event, we spent some time reflecting on the kids’ time in Servant Kids and celebrating a new journey in Servant Students. Immediately following that event, we had our Star Wars-themed end-of-year bash with Servant Students. We celebrated the close of another successful school year with inflatables, movies, laser tag, Bingo, snacks, and more. It was a fun night of celebration!

MAY 11TH–SKATE NIGHT Another part of celebrating the end of the school year and the beginning of summer was by having a skate party at Skate Galaxy! This Way Back Wednesday event had kids dress in their favorite decade attire while skating or rollerblading at the rink. We saw some totally rad 80’s costumes as well as some groovy 70’s styles. Kids and students met together for this fun skating time that also included arcade games and concession stand snacks. We are excited for summer break! Josh Snodgrass Assistant Director of Servant Kids

UPDATE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS AND OTHER INFORMATION, SO YOU DON’T MISS OUT ON COMMUNICATION ABOUT EVENTS! CONTACT KOURTNEY TO CHECK OR UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION AT KALLER@SERVANTOKC.ORG OR 405-728-4715.

SERVANT CONNECT

KANAKUK KAMPOUT The first week of Kampout was a great success! We had over 100 kids participate in worship, games, activities, a rock wall, inflatables, Bible study, and so much more. We are so thankful for everyone who helped make this week possible! The host homes, lunch providers, and overnight security people played a huge roll in allowing us to host Kanakuk Kampout again this year. We appreciate your help and support in helping kids have such an incredible week of learning about Jesus!

SERVANT KIDS SUNDAY MORNINGS

KANAKUK KAMPOUT LEADERS!

Servant Kids meets in person each Sunday morning this summer at 10:00 and/or 11:00 a.m. All kids will be downstairs for the summer. Two-hour programming is available. The same topic will be covered all morning long, but each hour will have different activities and videos to reinforce the lesson. This is a great option for parents who want to attend both a class and worship service on Sunday mornings. Drop your kids off between 9:45-10:00 and pick them up again at noon! Virtual options are available on our website each week. If you can’t make it in person on a Sunday morning, check out the lessons and videos online at ServantOKC.org/KIDS! ServantOKC.org

JUNE & JULY… MAKE WAVES

SUNDAYS IN JUNE & JULY AGES 3 YEARS THROUGH KINDERGARTEN Have you ever seen the commercial where one person does something kind? Then, a person who witnesses this kindness, is motivated to do something kind. Followed by another person seeing this kindness who feels moved to also be kind. It’s not just in commercials. It’s in real life, too. Waves of generosity. Lives changed. And it all begins with one act of kindness. During the next two months, we are going to be teaching our preschoolers that they, too, can Make Waves when they choose kindness—as well as love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Most importantly, we want them to know that Jesus is there to help them choose these things. Because when Jesus is my friend forever, Jesus can help me do everything! Our memory verse this month comes from Philippians 4:13 and says, “I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” This month, we will learn about how Jesus can help us choose love, joy, peace, and patience. Who can help us do everything? Jesus can help us do everything!

MAKE WAVES

SUNDAYS IN JUNE & JULY GRADES 1-5 This summer, we will learn about the connection between MAKING WAVES and God’s character, as shown through God’s big story. Resilience is getting back up when something gets you down. We were created in God’s image. God sent Jesus to show us the best way to be human. But God knew we’d need help. That’s why God sent us the Holy Spirit. With the power of the Spirit, we can produce fruit that points others to Jesus. Every month, kids discover something about God’s character and how they can reflect or respond to that character because they are created in God’s image. Our memory verse comes from Galatians 5:22-23A and says, “The fruit the Holy Spirit produces is love, joy and peace. It is being patient, kind and good. It is being faithful and gentle and having control of oneself.” We will learn to love others because God loves us. We will discuss how to choose joy no matter what’s going on and how to help others make peace. We will talk about what it means to be patient with each other. We can’t wait to see you this summer!

SERVANT CONNECT

STILL TO COME... SAVE THE DATE FOR SOME FUN EVENTS HAPPENING SOON!

KANAKUK KAMPOUT! If you missed the first session of Kanakuk Kampout, don’t worry! We will be hosting again on August 1-5. Register at https://kanakuk.com/ kampout/.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! WE POST UPDATES, INFORMATION, PICTURES, AND MORE, SO DON’T MISS OUT! GO TO @SERVANTKIDS ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM! SIGN UP FOR TEXT ALERTS BY TEXTING @SERVANTKI TO 81010.

SERVANT STUDENTS 6TH - 12TH GRADE

SO MANY BLESSINGS! Wow! There have been many moments in ministry where you have to step back in just a little extra-awe of the goodness of God. This month was undoubtedly one of those times. In less than one month, a crew of our high school students will head to Washington, D.C. on a mission trip of a lifetime. We will head to our nation’s capital to serve at Hughes United Methodist Church and witness what God is already doing within this community. We will bring Yee-Haw VBS to the children’s ministry and serve in their county food distribution. Along with serving, we will get to see parts of Washington D.C., including the National Mall, the Museum of the Bible, and more.

Heather Winner Director of Servant Students

As much as we wish it wasn’t the case, these mission trips can be a little costly. We never want finances to be a reason a student cannot attend, so Servant Students offered various opportunities for fundraising. One of those opportunities included “Desserts for D.C.” At our beloved Wednesday night dinners, our students offered a chance to end their meal with a sweet treat for a good cause. Cookies and ice cream and cake – yeah, we had some good stuff! Donations given went directly to fund the students’ trips who served during our three weeks of “Dessert for D.C.” Another opportunity included Way Back Wednesday at Skate Galaxy. This was a night we will never forget! Students were challenged to dress up, bring a friend, and come skate with Servant Students. The dress code was any generation but the current one! The more students we had, the more funding that went towards our ministry. We had an amazing time roller skating the night away!

Skyler Rodriguez Assistant Director of Servant Students

Would you like more information about Servant Student Ministries? Contact Heather at hwinner@ServantOKC.org or Skyler at srodriguez@ServantOKC.org.

SERVANT CONNECT

We cannot say “thank you” enough to all of those who gave toward Mission D.C. With your help, this group of 22 students will head northeast for a faith-building mission trip for the goodness of God’s kingdom to come on this Earth. This is KINGDOM WORK being done, and whether you are on the trip with us, or you donated a bit of cash you had in your wallet – you are part of it. Thank you for your generosity, your compassion, and your desire to see this generation be the hands and feet of Christ. Heather Winner

SERVANT STUDENTS 6TH - 12TH GRADE

END OF YEAR PARTIES This year, we took a little different approach to our end-of-year celebration. Traditionally, this looks like one big event on the final Wednesday night on the student calendar. This year, we decided to turn our end-of-year celebration into a multi-day, multi-site event. For our first event, on Wednesday, May 11, students and leaders gathered at Skate Galaxy for our Way Back Wednesday celebration. This night was a blast from the past as we encouraged the students to dress up as their favorite decade. It is safe to say that the 80s and 90s were the decades that were most represented. This was a great night for students to get off-campus and do something that is out of the ordinary for them. We even had a handful of first-time roller skaters. For our second event, we had our “May the 4th Be with You” party. This event was originally to happen on May 4th, but unfortunately weather had other plans. We ended up having this gathering a day after Way Back Wednesday. Here at the church, students had the option of playing Star Wars Bingo, try their hand in Jedi Training, play games of Capture the Yoda, and even watch arguably the greatest Star Wars film of all, “The Empire Strikes Back.” And, of course, there were plenty of snacks made available from the Cantina. It is hard to believe that another school year has come and gone. Before we know it, summer time will be over and we will be gearing up for another school year, another group of seniors, and another group of new students. We are so thankful that God has blessed Church of the Servant with such an incredible amount of willing and able leaders who love students and want to help them in their faith journeys. We are looking forward to summer, but are always excited for next school year! Skyler Rodriguez

SERVANT CONNECT

CHARIS CHARACTER CAMP July 11-15 & July 18-22 at Church of the Servant Would you like for your children to learn about Asian Culture while integrating character development through talent enrichment? Reserve your spot today! https://www.charisalive.org/camp Charis Character Camp – the one and only Asian Cultural Camp in OKC – is offering two weeks of learning mandarin, traditional arts, etiquette, cooking, and more! Elective courses include musical instruments, arts and crafts, martial arts, traditional dance, creative media, drama, and coding. This year, we are adding the country of India to our Asian countries’ exploration! Watch the camp promotional video here: https://youtu.be/MOehd9gdVdI

ServantOKC.org

SERVANTOKC.ORG/AFGHAN

M I S S I O N S

While the Afghan children are out of school now, two from each family will be attending summer school for the month of June. The plan for the others is to participate in English classes at their apartment complexes. Since the children will be out of school, we have taken this time to set up dental appointments for ten of the children. We continue to take their parents as bridges/partial plates are made for them. Since we see the staff often, we are on a first-name basis. Recently, the office manager asked how to adopt a family. Rather than adopt a family by herself, we put her in touch with another woman from her same church who needs help with her Afghan family. Bridges of another kind are being built in that dental office! The Nazarene church, who is the sponsor of a brother of one of our Afghan men, has made us aware of a clinic that is very close to their apartment complex. It is in a much better location for us than to take them downtown as we have previously done. The Tulakes Clinic is open one day a week for a few hours just for the Afghans. Because of the need for a phone translator, an appointment takes longer than usual. We are very grateful to them. Ed and Cecelia Beckham have published three videos on YouTube in the two languages that most of the Afghans speak – Pashto and Dari. The first video is an overview of life in America and the second two are about hygiene. They are taping ones on banking and our healthcare system. There is no insurance in Afghanistan, for example – neither health nor car. They have done an incredible amount of research before writing the scripts and then getting feedback from native Afghans. They hope to tape 20 videos in all! It’s quite an ambitious undertaking! The goal is to fill in some of the blanks about American attitudes and culture regarding different aspects of our life here. Here are links to the first ones with an English transcript. •

Introduction to America (Pashto) (English Transcript)

•

Hygiene Part 1 (Pashto) (English Transcript)

•

Hygiene Part 2 (Pashto)

Cathy and James Maxwell took our family of 5 to the Blue Zoo at Quail Spring Mall on Memorial Day. It was their first time in a shopping mall and their first time on escalators! They loved sitting in the cars in the food court eating ice cream. And yes, they were amazed by all the fish in the aquarium. Many challenges remain for all the Afghans, but there are moments of laughter and fun too. Ann Knutson

AFGHAN UPDATES

SERVANT CONNECT

AFGHAN

IMMIGRATION OVERVIEW

THE JOY AND NECESSITY OF DRIVING IN OKLAHOMA Many of the Afghans who have moved to Oklahoma are starting to drive, and if you see an old red Lincoln driving around the Church, it is in all likelihood one of the fathers of the families that Church of the Servant is sponsoring practicing driving in Oklahoma. Both men drove cars in Afghanistan, but the traffic, red lights and road signs that we all take in stride is a new, and sometimes, exciting, challenge for them. Both men have completed a driving class. One currently has his permit and will take his test in early June. The other did not pass his eye test a couple of times. We originally assumed he had not learned to read the alphabet well enough but have now determined that eye glasses are required and hope to get those at a Skyline clinic next week. For those who have not had a son or daughter go through this process post-COVID, it is best to get in line at the DMV at approximately 6:30 in the morning and with a little luck you are done by 9:30. Since I am not a morning person, I have grown to re-appreciate the sunrise, but witnessing the pure joy of these men when they are handed their Oklahoma driving permits and can drive their family to the grocery store is truly quite a blessing. James Maxwell

Our Afghan neighbors were not admitted into the US with the legal term of refugees, but rather the term is parolees (the term used by US Customs and Immigration Service, USCIS). It has nothing to do with breaking the law. Their admittance is for 2 years and gives them work authorization. To stay longer, parolees must apply for permanent residence for their family via either a Special Immigration Visa (SIV) process or Humanitarian Asylum application. The SIV process is simpler while asylum application is arduous and costly. Both processes are long and arduous to ensure immigrants are little threat to the health or safety of US citizens. Thankfully, both Church of the Servant families qualify for the SIV, because they were employed as soldiers by or on behalf of the US Government for 8+ years and their safety is at risk if they and their families are returned to Afghanistan. We have helped both our families complete and submit their SIV application and are awaiting approval by the State Department. Once it’s approved, we will help them with the next step which is a petition to the USCIS for a permanent visa (green card) and later full citizenship if they so desire. Harv Hampton wrote the above article and undertook the enormous task of doing the research about the two avenues to a green card, taking statements from our men as to their firsthand experiences with the Taliban and why they fear harm if they return home. Then came all the paperwork that comes with any official federal government undertaking and a visit with an immigration attorney for advice. The Afghan volunteer team is very grateful that Harv took this on, and we now wait for a response from the government. ServantOKC.org

SUNDAY PARKING LOT MINISTRY Sunday mornings by 8:45 the cones are up in the parking lot and the neon yellow vests are being donned with laughs about their stylishness. No matter what time of year, it is guaranteed to be windy at the east entrance. Two or three of us are gathered together and we all know the rest of that quote, “there I am in their midst.” It can be felt in a palpable way - every Sunday, at least one person mentions what a big difference this ministry means to them. We may be laughing about weather or sports, but soon someone will grab my hand and say in a serious tone, “Thank you for doing this.” We can always use a few more volunteers who are willing to work one Sunday a month. For more information, contact Hank Dowell at hwdowell@gmail.com.

Nick Knutson and Bob Johnson visit while waiting for the next car to pull up.

Barbara Eskridge and Jimi Marrs share a few laughs as they wait for their cars to be brought to them.

EARTHGLOW GIFT SHOP Earthglow Board is celebrating our very own “Saint” Donna Armstrong. She has been involved with Earthglow and on the Board for 47 years! WOW! At the beginning, Donna inherited the job of keeping track of all of the crafters who “consigned” handmade items. Can you picture a green ledger sheet with 18 columns? This was all prior to computers. She kept track of it all and paid the crafters, as well. Her contributions are too numerous to even count (including bringing in her fun sidekick/ husband who got volunteered into projects and kept us all laughing)! We are grateful for her sweet spirit, faithfulness and dedication to the Mission of Earthglow. After 47 years, she is stepping down from the board. She is enjoying getting to spend time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Donna will continue to volunteer in the shop on Tuesday mornings. Thank you, thank you Donna for your indefatigable efforts for helping the last, the lost and the least in our community through our Earthglow Mission. POP-UP SHOP: Due to the Concourse construction, Earthglow Gift Shop will be closed through the summer. However, look for pop-up shops on Sundays in the North Concourse!

ServantOKC.org

M I S S I O N S 16

WHIZ KIDS CELEBRATE END OF THE YEAR Whiz Kids hosted a big party at Orr Family Farm for all Whiz Kids sites on Saturday, May 7. Five hundred kids plus adults made it a fun-filled, crazy day! Train rides, bounce pillows, feeding animals, giant slides, zip line, pony rides and pedal cars were some of the favorites. Our last meeting with the kids was Monday, May 9. A pizza party, thanking volunteers, games, a slideshow and fifth-grade graduation filled the time quickly. Then it was goodbye until next year. Many of our tutors will continue to meet with their kids during the summer months. We’re looking forward to enrolling even more kids next year, if we can recruit enough tutors. Please consider joining our Whiz Kids Family. Carolyn Hays chays25@cox.net

SERVANT CONNECT

SUMMER HOURS:

For the summer, Sunday worship will be held in the Celebration Center at 10:00 a.m. There will be three special Sundays of Food and Fellowship during the ten weeks. A meal will take place immediately following the worship service on these Sundays. The meals are free to all who attend, but reservations are recommended. Registering by clicking on the QR Code. The Fellowship Sundays will be: • JUNE 5 – SUMMER KICK-OFF • JULY 10 – SUMMER LUAU & HOMEMADE ICE CREAM COMPETITION • AUGUST 7 – BACK TO SCHOOL B.B.Q BASH ServantOKC.org

M I S S I O N S 18

BLESS OUR SCHOOL treated the staff at MLK Elementary during teacher appreciation. We started the week with a meal after school on Monday and coke floats later in the week. Teachers and staff appreciated being loved and cared for during the week. We also helped decorate for the 4th-grade promotion. The gym was packed with family and friends celebrating this fun time!

SERVANT CONNECT

PRECEPT INDUCTIVE STUDY SERIES

A SILVER REFINED STUDY BY KAY ARTHUR | LED BY NANCY HARRIS August 17, 2022 – November 30, 2022 Wednesdays (In-Person), 9:30 a.m. | North Adult Room 12 How do you respond when your husband or wife tramples your emotions? When your boss fires you unexpectedly? When you lose your life’s savings? When the child you’ve loved and prayed for turns his back on you and your values? When disappointments like these smash their way into your life, you may want to scream, “How could God let this happen?” Are you disappointed that life isn’t turning out like you planned?

EVERYTHING WE DO IN LIFE SHOULD BE LINED UP WITH THE WORD OF GOD. IT IS OUR PLUMB LINE!

But what if God did just “let it happen?” What if the things you call disappointments are really His appointments—events He is using to make you more like Christ? What if He is using your disappointments like flames to melt and burn away the undesirable elements in your life, leaving you pure and radiant—like refined silver? You can be defeated by life’s unavoidable disappointments, or you can become stronger because of them. Kay Arthur paints a graphic picture of the dangerous downward spiral of disappointment that can lead to discouragement, depression, or even despair. But you can learn to break that cycle and embrace disappointment with a faith that recognizes the trials of life as tools that God uses to make you—as silver refined—a reflection of His goodness. If you want to learn how to embrace life’s disappointments and become stronger in your faith, then this is the study for you.

TO REGISTER, email Nancy Harris at nancyquilter@cox.net or text Nancy at 405-420-5463. Please include name, address, cell number.

DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS AUGUST 11, 2022 EVERYTHING WE DO IN LIFE SHOULD BE LINED UP WITH THE WORD OF GOD. IT IS OUR PLUMB LINE!

ServantOKC.org

Church of the Servant 14343 North MacArthur Boulevard Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73142-9725

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