Newsletter November 2022

THE SERVANT

CONNECT E D I T I O N 22 .11

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NOVEMBER 2022

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MO NTHLY NEWSLE T TE R

A NOTE FROM OUR SENIOR MINISTER

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!

Advent & Christmas are almost here!

Advent will begin in just a few short weeks, and with the start of Advent, each of us will have many opportunities to celebrate this wonderful season at Church of the Servant.

Not only will you and I have the chance to worship, but we will all have an opportunity to connect and serve in many different and meaningful ways. I hope you will be part of all that is taking place during the Advent season. Volunteering is a wonderful way to experience Advent from a different vantage point.

A quick look at the Advent Season leading up to Christmas will include:

Sunday, November 20: Dr. Matthew Mitchell Senior Minister

WALK THROUGH BETHLEHEM CASTING CALL at 12:15 PM WOMEN'S MINISTRY HANGING OF THE GREENS at 2:00 PM If you or your Sunday School class are planning to be part of Walk Through Bethlehem this year, please plan to attend the CASTING CALL. This meeting will take place in the Chapel of the Cross and is for anyone or any group wanting to help at this year's Walk Through Bethlehem (WTB). You will be able to learn more about WTB, sign up to host a booth, become a cast member, and so much more. Save the date!

The Hanging of the Greens will be hosted again this year by Women's Ministry and take place from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. Please read more about this amazing event on page 5 of this newsletter.

ServantOKC.org/poinsettia

06-10 Kids • DINNER TIME 5:00-6:30 PM • BIBLE STUDY 6:30-8:00 PM

12-15 Students

02-05, 16-17 Advent/Christmas 02

SERVANT CONNECT

Wednesday, November 30: WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNERS KICK OFF WITH A UNIQUE ADVENT STUDY I will lead this study for four weeks, and each Wednesday night will be a special time of fellowship, breaking bread, and learning more about Advent. Dinner reservations are requested, and you can sign up today at ServantOKC.org/kitchen.

Sunday, December 4: CHRISTMAS MUSIC CELEBRATION AT 10:00 AM SERVANT KID'S JINGLE JAM AT 3:00 PM You will not want to miss this year's Christmas Music Celebration during the 10:00 worship time. Josh Phelps and Matt Schinske are working hard along with the Celebration Choir and praise team to develop an impactful worship service for our church family. The first Sunday of December is a day you will want to circle on your calendar and not miss. Be ready to catch the Christmas spirit and celebrate the birth of Christ that morning.

Servant Kids Jingle Jam (3:00-5:00 PM) is a special worship event planned for children and all those who consider themselves young at heart. Join us in the Centrum for laughter, games, dancing, singing, and the telling of the Christmas story! After the event we invite you and your family to join us at the After Party to meet Santa Claus!

December 9-11: WALK THROUGH BETHLEHEM 2022 This year, Walk Through Bethlehem will begin on Friday, December 9, and run through Sunday, December 11. Friday and Saturday will take place from 6:00 until 9:00 PM, and Sunday will be from 6:00 to 8:00 PM. So many volunteers are needed to ensure Walk Through Bethlehem is the success it has been in past years. To enable more people to participate in the village construction, the Men's Ministry will host multiple Saturday workdays from 9:00 AM until noon. The first Saturday workday is November 12. Additional Saturday workdays (except November 26) will be added each week until the village is complete.

For those cast members who wish to use a church-supplied costume, you will be able to check out a costume on Wednesdays, November 30 and December 4 and 7 at 5:30 p.m. outside Community Hall, or on Sundays, November 27 and December 4 at 11:00 a.m. Please contact the church office if you have any questions about cast costumes.

Volunteers are essential for Walk Through Bethlehem (WTB) to be the success it has been each year. Please do not hesitate to contact the church office to learn more and sign up to be a cast member, construction team member, or volunteer.

December 16-18: BAD WEATHER MAKE-UP WEEKEND In the case of bad weather for any of these special events, the staff has set aside this weekend so that no one will miss out on any of the wonderful events planned. Last year, WTB had to be delayed one week due to terrible winds that severely damaged the village just hours before opening night was to begin. Thankfully, due to proper planning all was not lost and WTB happened the following week. As we all know, weather could impact more than WTB and other important happenings during Advent. This weekend is a save-the-date weekend, just in case.

December 24: CHRISTMAS EVE CANDLELIGHT SERVICES Two Holy Communion Candlelight Services will be held on Christmas Eve. Plan to attend either the 6:00 or 8:00 PM service with family and friends for the most special night of the year at Church of the Servant.

December 25: CHRISTMAS DAY This year, Christmas Day is on a Sunday and the 10:00 Celebration Center Service will take place. Do not miss out on a festive worship service designed especially for the day of Jesus’ birth.

As you can easily see, there is a lot going on at Church of the Servant beginning very soon. Continue reading and learn even more about all that is happening as 2022 comes to an end. Next month’s December issue of the newsletter will share all about how 2023 will kick off with a bang.

See you soon,

ServantOKC.org

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SERVANT CONNECT

Ladies, we invite you to join us on Sunday, November 20, 2:00-4:00 p.m. as we prepare the church and our hearts for the season of Advent. Join us as we gather for fun and fellowship, all centered around the coming celebration of Christ’s coming.

ServantOKC.org/greens

During this special event, we will hang greenery, decorate trees, and make hand-made Chrismon ornaments that we will display on a twelve-foot tree in our concourse.

This participatory event will also include Scripture, prayer, and the reading of the significance of the many different Chrismon images.

So please make plans to attend, and don’t forget to register!

ServantOKC.org

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SERVANT KIDS Report FALL FEST

Kourtney Aller Director of Servant Kids

WOW!!! Fall Fest was outstanding this year! We had beautiful weather and a huge turnout of friends. We had inflatables, games, trunk-or-treating, face painting, balloon animals, hot dogs, a bake sale, and more! We even had a train with our very own Rev. Randy Shrauner as the conductor. Lots and lots of people brought baked goods for the bake sale and the cake walk. Many people volunteered their cars and time totaling 42 trunks to make Trunkor-Treat a HUGE success! We collected packages of wipes and diapers for Infant Crisis Services. Thank you to all who volunteered, donated, sponsored, and participated in any way! We couldn’t have done it without you. See you all next year!

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.

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

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SERVANT CONNECT

@SERVANTKI TO 81010.

SUNDAY MORNINGS WITH SERVANT KIDS Servant Kids meets in person each Sunday morning this summer at 10:00 a.m. and/or 11:00 a.m. Elementary kids (grades 1-5) will meet in The Point Student Center on the south side of church.

Kids in kindergarten and younger will meet downstairs. 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 a.m. 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

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NOVEMBER HAPPENINGS… DONUT TIME

SUNDAYS IN NOVEMBER AGES 3 YEARS THROUGH KINDERGARTEN Sometimes we get so excited about the gift that we forget to remember the giver. So, this month we will take some time to look around at the wonderful gifts God has given us and teach our preschoolers that God is good!

We want our preschoolers to know that all the good things they see in the world are good gifts from a very good God Who loves them. And we can say “thank you, God!” Everywhere we look we see good gifts that God has given us, like friends and family, people who help us, and yummy food. . . like donuts! But DONUT forget to thank God because God is good!

Our memory verse this month comes from Psalm 107:1 and says, “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.” This month, we will learn that we can thank God for God is good. We can thank God for food and family and friends. We can thank God for people who help us.

Who is good? God is good!

STAND: DON’T FACE YOUR FEARS ALONE SUNDAYS IN NOVEMBER GRADES 1-5

This month, we will learn about the connection between COURAGE and God’s character, as shown through God’s big story. Courage is being brave enough to do what you should do, even when you’re afraid.

As we continue our journey through God’s Big Story, we take a closer look at the lives of significant people in the Jewish Scriptures: Joshua and Caleb, David, Daniel, and Esther. Each of them trusted God and found courage to face difficult circumstances. They also represent major time periods in Israel’s history—from entering the land of Canaan, the United Kingdom, and Exile.

Like these people we read about in the Old Testament, God may ask us to take a risk or do something we might not feel prepared to do. But God will also give us the courage we need to face that challenge. We can also look to Jesus. He faced the biggest challenge of all: death on the cross. Still, He chose to be brave and follow God’s plan.

Our memory verse comes from Joshua 1:9b and says, “Be strong and brave. Do not be afraid. Do not lose hope. I am the Lord your God. I will be with you everywhere you go.”

We will learn that we can do what we should even when others are afraid and even when things seem impossible. We can do what we should because God is with us. We will discuss how we can do what we should even when we don’t know what will happen. We can’t wait to see you in November!

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SERVANT CONNECT

ServantOKC.0rg

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WINTER PRECEPT CLASS BOOK OF JOB TRUSTING GOD WHEN ADVERSITY COMES Do you ever ask, "Why is this happening to me? Where is God?" Discover new meaning in the difficulties of your life as you follow Job's amazing journey from prosperity to pain and back again. Learn how to wait in complete dependence for God to come through in your life.

In this study, you will learn tools to do just that—to trust God in good times, and bad times. To be able to wait in complete dependence of God. To watch His will unfold in your life. You can trust God because He is sovereign—He reigns over everything in this world—He is always in control, even when we can’t see it.

Come join me as we journey together through this great book of the Bible!

Where: When: Time: Cost:

North Annex Room 12 Wednesday – January 11 – April 5, 2023 9:30 am – 11:30 am Workbook cost estimate $18 + shipping)

YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS CLASS

DEADLINE TO REGISTER – DECEMBER 31, 2022

Fill out the form below and email or text to: 405-420-5463 Precept Leader: Nancy Harris @ nancyquilter@cox.net (Print) FIRST NAME

LAST NAME

ADDRESS

CITY, STATE, ZIPCODE EMAIL ADDRESS

CELL PHONE

Upon registering for this class, you will receive an email telling where to purchase your Precept Workbook as well as items you will need to bring with you each week.

ServantOKC.org

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SERVANT STUDENTS 6TH - 12TH GRADE

FALL FEST 2022

Heather Winner Director of Servant Students

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.

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SERVANT CONNECT

We had a little event here at the church on October 30 called "Fall Fest." And by little event, I mean massive event! Our children’s ministry did an amazing job working so hard on planning and executing our first in-person Fall Fest since 2019. It was evident that the community as well as our congregants were ready to be back to normal. Something that has been so gratifying about this workplace is how closely we get to work with the children’s ministry. There have been many events where they have helped us, and Fall Fest was an event where we got to help them. Our students even got in on the help.

On the morning of Fall Fest, our students spent the morning gathering and moving supplies to get ready for the afternoon.

This included moving over 100 bags of candy, setting up the parking lot, and decorating. During the event, students served as candy runners, helping distribute candy to trunks that were running low throughout the event. But it didn’t just stop there, we even had a handful of students participate in Trunk-or-Treat! It is really a joy for us to see our students step up and be willing to help out other ministries of this church. We truly believe that God is using our students to serve the greater church and the community.

HIGH SCHOOL BIBLE STUDY Over the past two years of serving in student ministries, there has been a buzz around wanting to dig deeper into Scripture. As ministers and pastors, a goal of our ministries is to foster a culture that desires to spend more time in Scripture and discover what God is calling us to through His Word. After much discussion with leaders and students this fall, that buzz turned into something tangible. We launched a high school Bible study. The vision behind this was to create an authentic setting for high school students to gather away from the church and focus on Scripture. We meet off-campus on Sunday evenings from 7-8pm. This fall, we have been using a study called “Faithful.” This study does not just discuss how we can become more faithful followers of Christ, but dives deep into the covenants that God shares with His people, then and today. We see through these covenants that God is faithful to His people and to His creation. So far, our conversations and questions have been deep and powerful, helping both students and leaders understand God’s faithfulness to us.

This study is also helping us learn how to read Scripture in a new light.

Our prayer is that this study would draw more students to spend more time in the Word and to draw their calling and worth from God-breathed Scripture. We are excited to see where this study leads us and how the students grow.

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WHAT’S AHEAD FOR SERVANT STUDENTS? STUDENT CALENDAR

SERVANT GAMES ARE UNDERWAY! Every year, Servant Students have a competition of grand proportions. Students have banded together as age groups this year to compete in our Minion-themed Servant Games. Each week at the beginning of Wednesday Night Small Groups, we gather in The Point Auditorium for a selection of high-energy, slightly messy games that are sure to get everyone involved. It is a fun way to bring these students back into the building and.pumped about all that Wednesday Night Small Group holds.

Our hope out of these Servant Games is to welcome every student with excitement and give them a chance to play games and be kids, even if it’s just for a little while. With all that our students face in the world, we know that a transition into programming is necessary. We feel as though Servant Games offers a moment for students to have fun while taking a break from all their days may have held. It’s silly, yes. But it lets everyone – from our youngest 6th grader to our volunteers – find a moment to laugh together.

And don’t we all need that sometimes?

WE ARE BLESSED For the last month, Wednesday Night Small Groups have focused on a sermon series called "Blessed." It has been a 3-week series on the beginnings of Jesus’s sermon within Matthew 5, known as the Beatitudes. The series began with looking at the differences between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world, and how Jesus is giving a glimpse into the “upside down” nature of what it truly means to be blessed. This led to two weeks of breaking down what these verses mean and how they can apply to our lives today. Students were pushed to realize that Jesus wasn’t just talking the talk, his sermon was also detailing his own life and how no matter the struggles here on this earth, our greatest reward is found in the Kingdom of Heaven. After spending time within Grow Groups the past month, it has been a breath of fresh air to come back together, spend time in God’s Word, and remind ourselves of the truest of blessings.

ServantOKC.org

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PRIME TIME 1ST PRIME TIME PROGRAM OF THE YEAR! Thursday, November 10, 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.

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION! Thursday, December 8, 10:30 a.m. in Community Hall 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!

Special message from Josh:

Lacey and I are beyond excited to lead the annual Prime Time Christmas Program! We hope that you'll join us and our colleagues from the music ministry, as well as special guests from around the community, for this fun and inspirational celebration of the Christmas season!

Church of the Servant has an active group of Senior adults that participate in small groups, Bible studies, and other activities throughout the year. On the second Thursday of each month, a special Prime Time Fellowship Program with a luncheon is held in Community Hall.

There’s no membership fee, just a warm invitation to anyone who would like to have a great morning of fun, food and fellowship!

You can sign up anytime at Guest Central in the concourse, or online at ServantOKC.org/Prime-Time. Join us Thursday, December 8, at 10:30 a.m. in Community Hall. Hope to see everyone there!

MAKE A RESERVATION TODAY!

ServantOKC.org/prime-time 16

SERVANT CONNECT

PHELPS’ BIO: Prior to coming to Church of the Servant, Josh enjoyed a fruitful career in music performance and music ministry. Holding degrees in Vocal Performance from the University of Tennessee (Bachelor of Music) and the University of Oklahoma (Master of Music), Josh has appeared as a soloist in celebrated venues across the world.

Choirs under his direction have performed at state and regional conventions and appeared on national and international television broadcasts. Josh has proven to be an effective teacher by preparing his students in singing and conducting for University placement as well as scholarship auditions and significant performances in their careers. Josh is married to Oklahoma native and internationally celebrated trumpeter, Lacey Redfield Phelps. They work in the North Texas and Oklahoma region and can be found lovingly enjoying life with their two rescue dogs, Gracey and Toto.

EARTHGLOW GIFT SHOP Christmas has come to Earthglow! The store is decorated from top to bottom. Everything is gold and red and silver and sparkling!

There are beautiful nativities, Santas and gnomes - something for everyone! Come see the decorations and get first pick of all the great items for Christmas gifts!

And don’t forget Earthglow Market is on November 12. Come join us for a fun day out!

Earthglow Market is set for Saturday, November 12, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. We are expecting almost 100 vendors with a great variety of items to take home. We will also have our usual great lunch and bake sale. We hope to see you there. Proceeds from booth rental, food/bake, and profits from Earthglow Gift Shop go to local missions.

We are back to our regular hours: • Monday - Thursday 9 AM - 3 PM • Friday - 9 AM - Noon • Sunday - 8:45 - 11:30 AM (before and after service)

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WHAT'S HAPPENING AT WHIZ KIDS? We are looking forward to our November and December activities. The pictures are from some of our Halloween activities and a Clubtime lesson about being gentle, showing compassion, kindness, and having patience. All should be covered with God's love. We also honored our Veterans who are on our transportation team and who are tutors. We will hear from the Boy Scouts who will share their mission and activities. Plus the kids are doing great work on their reading and writing skills.

Carolyn Hays | chays25@cox.net

STEWARDSHIP

COMMITMENT CARDS Sunday, November 13, 2022 is Commitment Sunday for our 2023 operating/ ministry budget. This is the day that we turn in our 2023 Commitment Card to the church so that we can plan the 2023 operating/ministry budget. The 2023 Commitment Card represents a tangible opportunity to serve God through generosity. When we return a portion of our financial blessings through our tithes and offerings, we create an opportunity for God to work in and through us. Giving changes lives in our church, our community, and our world!

Please complete a 2023 Commitment Card and return the card one of 3 ways: • Place it in the offering basket at Sunday service; • Return the card to the finance office through the mail; • Scan or click the QR Code to submit an electronic commitment card.

We ask that everyone return a Commitment Card, even if you can only make a limited financial commitment at this time. If your situation changes, you can always increase or decrease your commitment by calling our Finance Department at Church of the Servant, 405-721-4141.

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

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SUNDAYS @ 10AM

CONTACT US: 14343 N MacArthur Blvd.

Oklahoma City, OK 73142 ServantOKC.org 405.721.4141

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