CONNECT THE SERVANT EDITION 22.09 | SEPTEMBER 2022 | MONTHLY NEWSLETTER
NOTE FROM OUR SENIOR MINISTER
Thankfully, Jesus has given us multiple examples of healing throughout the Gospels. We often focus on the problem being healed in the Gospel stories, but Jesus is always up to something much more profound than healing a physical issue. Jesus always deals with more than one area that needs his attention.
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WHAT'S NEXT?
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This question has been asked by all of us in recent days. To begin to truly answer this question, it is important we admit we are all hurting. No one who calls Church of the Servant their faith family is absent from this reality. In every family, there have been disagreements since the beginning of time. Just as no family is immune from this reality, neither is a church family. Now is the time for Church of the Servant to begin the healing process and come together no matter if you voted yes, no, or abstain. For healing to truly begin, it will take all of us!
Dr. Matthew Mitchell Senior Minister
SERVANT CONNECT
My favorite John Wesley quote is, "God is with us!" Wesley does not say God is with me; he says us. I promise God has not forgotten one single person in the Servant family. God deeply loves every single person who voted. Now is the time for all of us to unite and show the community how we will not be consumed by our hurts. Yes, we are hurting, but we are not broken. God can heal us in a way that shows the entire community the redemptive grace and healing power of Jesus Christ. Could it be that God wants Church of the Servant to be an example of his healing power in this season? I believe this is exactly what we are called toward at this very moment. Whenever we have surgery, we all know the recovery process is essential for sustained health. The reality is that physical, mental, and spiritual healing is not achieved easily or quickly. The patients who focus on recovery and healing after surgery are those who can begin a new journey stronger than those who do not.
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TUESDAY MORNING STUDIES
BIBLE
LARGE-GROUP BIBLE STUDIES FOR MEN & WOMEN
CAFÉ 13.2 HOURS OF OPERATION
To help us walk together into the future, I would like to invite you into a season of healing. On September 18, we started a new worship series titled Healer: The Miracles of Jesus . In this teaching series, our church family will look at six different miracles Jesus performed and how Jesus was doing so much more than healing a physical issue. Here are the passages we will be studying:
• September 25 —"I Was Blind, But Now I See” (John 9)
• October 9 —"Don’t Forget to Praise God for the Healing Moments" (Luke 17:11-19)
• October 16 —"Hear Jesus Say the Hard Things Lead to Deeper Healing” (Luke 22:47-53)
I cannot wait to be with all of you on Sunday! Before you come into worship, take a moment, and experience all the new updates to the Main Concourse. Café 13.2 and Earthglow Gift Shop are open and ready for you! The construction in the Main Concourse is complete, and renovations to the North Concourse began last week. Do not fear! You will be able to access the Celebration Center on Sunday, and the coffee will be ready. Most importantly, we will gather for worship.
• Monday Nights - 5:45-7:30 PM
• Mon, Tues, Wed Mornings - 8:30-11:30 AM
• Town Hall Mornings - 8:30-11:30 AM
• October 2 —"Healing is Much More Than a Moment” (Mark 5:21-39)
I cannot wait to see all of you on Sunday!
• September 18 —"Friends Who Help Our Healing” (Luke 5:17-26)
Ongoing | Resumed September 6th
... continued from page 2WHAT'S NEXT?
• Sunday Mornings - 8:00-9:45 AM, 9:45-11:30 AM
Contact MJ at mmeans@churchoftheservant.com
• October 23 —"Healing our Friendships through Christ” (John 11)
Buck and A Bible and Women in the Word resumed for the fall on Tuesday, September 6. Men’s Bible study meets at 6:30 a.m., and women’s Bible study meets at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays in Community Hall (or The Point during construction). Mark your calendar and plan to attend!
Volunteers Needed!
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Assistant
POP UP SUNDAY
SERVANT KIDS Report
BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH
SIGN UP FOR TEXT ALERTS BY TEXTING @SERVANTKI TO 81010.
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FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA! WE POST UPDATES, INFORMATION, PICTURES, AND MORE, SO DON’T MISS OUT! GO TO @SERVANTKIDS ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM!
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LOOK WHAT WE DID
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 KALLER@SERVANTOKC.ORGATOR405-728-4715.
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SERVANT CONNECT
Kourtney Aller Director of Servant Kids Snodgrass Director of Servant Kids
As kids “popped up” to the next grade level, we celebrated the beginning of a new school year by praying over them during the service and giving them goodie bags filled with treats to add to the excitement of going back to school.
We celebrated the start of a new school year at Main Event with Servant Students on August 31st. We ate pizza, played in the arcade, and even did some fun activities like bowling and laser tag. It was a great start to a new semester!
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SUNDAY MORNINGS WITH SERVANT KIDS
ServantOKC.org/kids
Servant Kids meets in person each Sunday morning this summer at 10:00 and/or 11:00am! 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!
Our preschoolers are going to experience feeling sad, afraid, frustrated, and happy – sometimes all in one day! But here’s the good news: We are wonderfully made in God’s image, and God gave us all of these emotions!
This month, we will learn about the connection between TRUST and God’s character, as shown through God’s big story. Trust is putting your confidence in someone you can depend on.
Throughout history, God has been faithful to us. God kept the promise to send Jesus to save us. When we remember that God will continue to be dependable, we can choose to trust God no matter what we face in life. The Bible shows examples of people who knew first-hand what it meant to trust God in many circumstances. This month, we focus on three of them who happen to be part of the same family: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Through their stories, we’ll discover how we can trust God no matter what we
Weunderstanding.”willlearnhow to trust God no matter what, even when we have to wait. We will discuss how to trust that God has a plan, and we can trust Him, even when we’re worried.
SERVANT CONNECT
We want preschoolers to know that they can trust God with all their hearts and talk to God about everything, including how they feel. And when they do, God will always listen and help them because God loves them no matter what.
HIGH WIRE: DARING TO TRUST SUNDAYS IN SEPTEMBER GRADES 1-5
Ourface.memory
SEPTEMBER HAPPENINGS…
Who loves us no matter what? God loves us no matter what!
verse comes from Proverbs 3:5 and says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Do not depend on your own
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Our memory verse this month comes from Proverbs 3:5 and says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” This month, we will learn that God loves us when we’re sad, afraid, and frustrated. God also loves us when we’re happy.
ALWAYS SUNDAYS IN SEPTEMBER AGES 3 YEARS THROUGH KINDERGARTEN
SEPTEMBER 18TH!
BIBLE SUNDAY
Kids from age 3 through 3rd grade received a Bible on this special day. Kids were recognized in the Celebration Center at the 10:00 service. Enjoy these great photos by Carl Shortt from that special day!
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REGISTRATIONTRUNK
SAVE THE DATE FOR SERVANT FALL FEST
Servant Fall Fest and Trunk-or-Treat is back! Join us on Sunday, October 30, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. for Church of the Servant’s annual familyfriendly Fall Fest. This event will include a trunk-or-treat, where kids can safely trick-or-treat and play games in our parking lot. Guests will also enjoy favorites like inflatables, face painting, balloon animals, a cake walk, games, and so much more.
O c t o b e r 3 0 t h 4 : 0 0 - 6 : 0 0 p m FALL FEST C H U R C H O F T H E S E R V A N T
AND SO MUCH MORE!
The excitement and outreach generated from previous Fall Fests has been incredible. Can you help us continue that success? We need Sunday School classes, Bible study groups, small groups, families, groups of friends and individuals to commit to provid ing a car and passing out candy for trunk-or-treat. We welcome decorated trunks and costumed volunteers, and there will be prizes awarded! We also need hospitality volunteers during the event, help with set-up and clean-up, donations of baked goods for the cake walk, and donations of bags of individually wrapped candies (candy can be placed in any of the drop boxes around the church by Wednesday, October 26). For group or individual volunteer opportunities, contact Kourtney Aller at 728-4715 or kaller@servantokc.org
TRUNK-OR-TREAT, GAMES,
FACE PAINTING, INFLATABLES,
HONK HONK!!
Of course, this is only for a season. We look forward to the day that we get to be back in the building and get to be back in our weekly small groups that we have become so accustomed to. One of the things we look forward to is our Fall Kickoff on October 5th at Church of the Servant. We are hoping for this to be the night where we get to be back on campus for the remainder of the school year. You can read more about this awesome event on the next page!
WHAT ABOUT WEDNESDAYS? GROW GROUPS!
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or the month of September, Servant Students are trying something new. Because of the construction going on in the building, we have decided the best thing for us is to meet off campus. We have created what we like to call “GROW Groups.” GROW Groups function like small groups, gather at leaders’ homes, and include more students. Rather than dividing each grade, GROW Groups are split up by middle school boys, middle school girls, high school boys, and high school girls. Each week, students will watch a video with announcements and a brief message. This will be followed by a time of discussion, questions, and an opportunity for students to pray for one
Thisanother.month,
Heather Winner Director of Servant Students
6TH - 12TH GRADE
GROW Groups would not be possible without the willingness of our adult volunteers as well as our GROW Group hosts. These hosts include Amber and Matthew Mitchell, Annessa and Brad Traynor, Beth and Ben Russ, and Julie and Clay Cockrill. This is a month of change and difference, something that could potentially cause anxiety for many. Please be in prayer for our students and our leaders as we navigate this month.
SERVANT STUDENTS
Would you like more information about Servant Student Ministries? Contact Heather at hwinner@ServantOKC.org or Skyler at srodriguez@ServantOKC.org.
Skyler Rodriguez
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SERVANT CONNECT
Assistant Director of Servant Students
we are focusing on a sermon series called “God Remembered.” Throughout this series, we will be looking at how God remembered His promises to Noah, Abraham, Rachel, and the Israelite people. We will learn that this remembrance does not come from a place of forgetfulness, but instead shows the loving characteristics of God and His steadfastness in His promises. Students will learn about how, even through the trials we face today, we are His and He remembers us.
We will have tons of food, tons of sweets, and tons of activities all centered around kicking off FALL. This will include hot dogs, burgers, s’mores, and so much more. We will also (of course) bring back our ultimate frisbee tournament. Yes, last year we had a fantastic time watching students compete to win a gift card to Church of the Servant’s 13:2 Café, but we obviously couldn’t play just any old game of ultimate frisbee. We added in our own twist of switching out a frisbee for some pretty incredible items: corn on the cob, scarecrows, and pumpkin pie – just to name a few. This year, you can imagine we are going to kick it up a notch.
Out of all the fun though, we are looking forward to celebrating being back together. We have spent such a great summer in and out of town, both together and apart. Now, with Grow Groups, this semester is starting off on a good, but different foot. We are looking forward to October 5th in so many ways and we know it’s going to kick-off our time back at Church of the Servant in the best way.
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The Fall Kick-Off was a blast last year. Many of our students deemed it was one of their favorite events we’ve done. So, it’s back for another round! Fall Kick-Off 2022 will take place on October 5, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m., and is going to be full of celebration as we not only welcome the new season but also welcome our students back on campus! This will be a night students will not want to miss.
WHAT’S GOING ON IN SEPTEMBER? FOR SERVANT STUDENTS
AHEAD
WHAT’S FOR SERVANT STUDENTS?
SEPTEMBER STUDENT CALENDAR
Beginningfellowship!Sunday, September 18, high school students are invited to join Heather and Skyler for a deeper dive into scripture with a High School Bible Study. This study will take place from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Sundays. If your student would like to learn more information about this, please email Heather (hwinner@churchoftheservant. com) or Skyler (srodriguez@churchoftheservant.com).
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Along with Grow Groups, we have a great deal planned that we cannot wait to share with students.
to continue Meet-Up’s. At various times throughout the summer, we had the chance to meet and fellowship with students around town. We want to continue this month by meeting students after school within their particular school districts. So, every Thursday this month from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., we invite students to Meet-Up at locations like Coffee Jerks and Sonic for a snack or drink on us and some time of
We will continue our Servant Student AM at 11am every Sunday. We love getting to see our students on this day for donuts and discussion around scripture, their lives, and how God is in the midst of it all. As we look to move back to the Student Lounge, there is a great opportunity to grow and thrive as a place to meet with middle schoolers and high schoolers on Sunday Wemornings.alsowant
TIME
ServantOKC.org/prime-timeTODAY! MARK YOUR CALENDARS! FUNDRAISER CONCERT WITH G3 TUESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 7:00 PM 14
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION!
Typically, Prime Time meetings follow the school year, running from September through the following May. This year, because of the ongoing construction activity in the church, we will not be able to have our first program and luncheon of the season until November 10.
SERVANT CONNECT
1ST PRIME TIME PROGRAM OF THE YEAR!
Prime Time is a Seniors community within Church of the Servant that was initially formed in January 1987 by 27 hardy and enthu siastic people who braved an Oklahoma ice storm to begin what is today a robust ministry of the church. While Prime Time has predominantly been for those 50+ years of age, we would never turn away younger folks! Any and all adults who would enjoy a community of Christians gathering for top-notch entertainment, tasty lunches and warm fellowship, are invited to join us!
PRIME
PRIME TIME FUNDRAISER – G3 CONCERT Tuesday, October 18, 7:00 p.m. in the Centrum
Thursday, December 8, 10:30 a.m. in Community Hall
On Thursday, November 10, we will kick-off Prime Time for the current year! We’ll enjoy a delicious lunch, warm fellowship, and an insightful message from Rev. Dr. Matthew Mitchell, our Senior Minister. Put it on your calendar now! Registration will be available soon!
LOOKING AHEAD MARK YOUR CALENDARS
MAKE A RESERVATION
G3 (Gospel Guitar Guys) – a popular group that has gained a WOW rating with its past performances at Prime Time, as well as Branson, Oklahoma State Fair, Oklahoma Opry, UCO Jazz Lab, and other popular venues. They are favorites wherever they go! Tickets are $10. Get your tickets now by signing up online at ServantOKC.org/prime-time , or stop by the table in the concourse on Sundays, October 2, 9, and 16. All proceeds will go to support future Prime Time programming and missions.
Josh Phelps, our Director of Choral Ministries, along with his talented wife, Lacey Phelps, will bring Prime Timers a spectacular program steeped in the beautiful music of the holidays! And we’ll encourage Josh and Lacey to also indulge us with some time for sing-along! It will be a terrific morning!
Thursday, November 10, 10:30 a.m. in Community Hall
We will gather that Thursday, November 10 at 10:30 a.m. in Community Hall. With a small increase in price to help with food cost, the price for the program plus lunch will now be $12, but program only will continue at $2.
After being closed for months to remodel - the volunteers of Earthglow are excited to announce that we are once again OPEN! We have been "refreshed" with a new floor, new paint, and a new configuration! Come in soon and see our new look! We have new decor that will spur you on to decorate for Fall (and anticipate lower temperatures).
WE HAVE MISSED SEEING EACH ONE OF YOU!
Please continue to help our Mission/Ministry that is striving to raise funds to help the least, the last, and the lost in our very own community.
GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP
EARTHGLOW GIFT SHOP
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Thank you for your support!
Additionally, we have a sale area of beautiful and great merchandise that is 50% off! So, come in and take advantage of these wonderful savings.
Have you experienced the death of a loved one? If so, we invite you to be part of our Grief Support Group, beginning on Thursday, September 22, 2022. We'll meet in person. The course will include 12 meetings, going through December 15. We'll meet each Thursday morning (10:00-11:30) in the South Conference Room at Church of the Servant. Perhaps it was just recently that you experienced the loss of a loved one...or maybe you've been on your journey of grief for a long time. Either way, we think you'll find it quite helpful to connect with others and benefit from mutual support. We utilize the Grief Share curriculum, which is Christian based. There's a helpful video each time, and there's always plenty of time for sharing and discussion. There's no cost for the course, and each participant will receive a com plimentary workbook. If you'd like to register for the group, just call Vicki Roberds at (405) 728-4738…or you can send an email to vroberds@churchoftheservant.com. Registration never closes, so you can join us for any or all of the meetings, and it's never too late to sign up.
O S $14,501.00RAISED
FISH FUND ServantOKC.org/fishfund 16
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RestoreOKC nonprofit supplies MLK, Thelma Parks and Britton Elementary schools with uniforms for $15/child. Five hundred uniforms have been ordered for MLK. Throughout the month of August, all contributions to Church of the Servant's "Fish Fund" went toward this cause. We raised over $14K for these schools! Thank you, Church of the Servant!
In addition to the regular trip that Servant will take, Susan Barnes has scheduled a trip for nursing students at UCO for May, 2023. This has been a longtime dream of hers and she spent much of her time at the hospital meeting with the Primary Tutor (direc tor) of the Health Sciences School, talking with Florence who is the Nursing Officer in Charge (NOIC) of the hospital (Mary Gitari retired and Florence is her replacement), as well as talking with Kathie Mann, the volunteer missionary, who makes the hotel, medical camp, school de-worming etc arrangements for all the
becoming involved with this most amazing partnership! Start with prayers and see where you are led! For more information, email Ann Knutson at annknut@gmail.com or Jessica King at jking@churchoftheservant.com
Above: Woman at medical camp
Left: April showing kids an iPhone (on previous trip to Kenya)
HEREKENYAWECOME!
We are planning a trip in June 2023 to visit our partner, Maua Methodist Hospital in Maua, Kenya, We can take 14 people on an unforgettable journey to visit our ten-year partner! The trip is two weeks long and will cost approximately $3300-$3500.
M I S S I O N S
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JUNE 15 – 29, 2023
Whiz Kids is off to a great start with 31 great kids and tutors. We are getting to know each other, discovering what we have in common, how we are different and that we are all special in God’s eyes. At Whiz Kids, we look forward to improving reading skills like comprehension, vocabulary and fluency. The kids are practicing listening, being respectful, and having a great attitude! They earn stickers each week if goals are met. At the end of the month if the kids have a sticker for every Monday, they get to go get a prize from the Prize Box. Come by and see what’s happening any Monday, 3:00-5:00 p.m., at New Hope UMC (11600 N. Council Road).
WHIZ KIDS KICKS OFF NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Carolyn Hays | chays25@cox.net
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HOW DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH OUR AFGHAN FRIENDS?
a Pakistan town close to the Afghanistan border. Over the years, many Afghans crossed the border and remained in Pakistan. She grew up learn ing Pashto in addition to Urdu. Her par ents are both retired physicians and so she is comfortable with medical subjects
We had a lovely and very busy 4 days together! She brought her 16-year-old son along and he was a delight. Our Aghan Helper team met for dinner and
I think of Rabia and all the other people we’ve met on this journey with our Afghan families, I can’t help but think about the Dr Seuss book, “Oh the Places You’ll Go.” Our path would never have crossed Rabia’s if we said NO to the opportunity to walk with Afghans. If new opportunities come your way, seize them, keep an open-mind and be intentional about trying new things! The rewards are amazing and immense.
Enter Rabia Ebraheem
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The answer is a translation telephone number. We call it, give them a couple of codes and request the "Pashto" language. This critical service is provided by funds from Catholic Charities and United Way. It has become apparent that there are times when it’s important to request a male or a female translator. When we take a woman to a doctor, she will NOT be comfortable telling anything to a male translator, as an example.
One day early last January, I was on the phone with a female translator who was helping me show Najiba some ethnic clothes on the internet. (There was no place locally where clothes they felt comfortable in could be purchased. Since then, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has collected appropriate clothing and most Afghan women have sewing machines.) I just could not understand what kind of cloth ing she wanted. It seemed to me she wanted fancy cocktail outfits! So, I said to the translator, “Could you tell me what she really wants?” The translator, Rabia, talked to me for about 15 minutes about the underlying cultural issues. From that day on, whenever I could I asked for Rabia. As we got to know each other and as she got to know our families through phone calls, I casually asked her where she lived. When she said, Dallas, I knew we needed to meet! I remember saying, “I sure wish we could have coffee
got to know the person we had been talking to on the phone for 8 months! Videos were taped on Saturday and Sunday as well as visits to both families. One of the other signs that this friend ship was meant to be is that one of our families has a daughter named Rabia! We also met with the Catholic Charities caseworkers (they also knew her from the language line) and finally had lunch with the CEO of United Way. We wanted to thank her for the funding of the line and emphasize the continuing vital need for Whenit.
which is also very handy when we take our families to the doctor! She has lived in the US for over 20 years, has 3 chil dren and graduated from law school in 2019. She is passionate about her work in translation. She calls herself a cultural bridge-builder and has translated for 16 years. She has literally heard it all!
Ann Knutson
When Ed and Cecelia Beckham began filming videos for Afghans new to the US, they found a wonderful Afghan man, Feroz, to narrate the first ones – how to buy a car, how to open a bank account, etc. The topic of hygiene came up, and then health insurance and female health issues. We knew that a woman speaking to other women would be most desirable. Enter Rabia – I simply asked her if she would come to OKC and visit our families as well as tape some videos with Ed and Cecelia. She quickly said yes!
Rabiatogether!”isfrom
Church of the Servant 14343 North MacArthur Boulevard Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73142-9725 Follow Us! @ServantOKC SUMMER WORSHIP TIME SUNDAYS @ 10AM LIVE STREAM Sunday Mornings @ Facebook.com/ServantOKCservantokc.online.church10AM CONTACT US: 14343 N MacArthur Blvd. Oklahoma City, OK ServantOKC.org73142405.721.4141
