Happy New Year, Church of the Servant!
As we begin the New Year, I want to share about the first message series of 2023 and invite you to Wednesday Night Fellowship. On Sunday, January 8, we began a six-week study titled, “SPIRITUAL HABITS: Scripture, Prayer & Community.” During the series, we will dive deep into the habits Christians have developed for over 2,000 years to help countless generations follow God, hear His voice, and grow in our shared community. Below, you will see each week’s focus text. I want to encourage you to read ahead before you come to worship on Sundays. I also recommend bringing a notepad for each week’s message. This will be an excellent way to collect your thoughts and jot down a few ideas during the message.
The weekly focus will be:
• January 8 – WEEK ONE : What have we learned? 2 Timothy 3:10-17
• January 15 – WEEK TWO: Spiritual Disciplines may become GREAT habits. Matthew 6:1-4
• January 22 – WEEK THREE : Whenever you pray. Matthew 6:5-13
• January 29 – WEEK FOUR: Listening for God’s Voice. Isaiah 55
• February 5 – WEEK FIVE : He came to Jesus by night. John 3:1-21
• February 12 – WEEK SIX : Entering the Sanctuary. Hebrews 10:19-25
I also invite you to be part of Wednesday night fellowship meals and study. This year, Sundays and Wednesdays will complement one another in a new way. I will go even deeper into the previous week’s message as I teach on Wednesday evenings. Now that the winter months are settling in, I know the shorter days can be hard on all of us. Being part of our shared community may be the perfect habit to help kick the seasonal blues many of us encounter this time of year.
To help build synergy between Sunday’s message and Wednesday night’s teaching, I will use brand-new material from Practicing the Way. Practicing the Way is a ministry assisting people to walk more intentionally with Jesus. Practicing the Way’s newest offering will help us focus on cultivating lasting spiritual habits and, more specifically, prayer.
Practicing the Way helps us to engage in the study modules by encouraging us to:
1. BE WITH JESUS—Slow down your life to live at the pace and in the presence of Jesus. Ancient Christians called this “the practice of the presence of God.” Jesus himself called it “abiding.” Discover a life of deep, intimate communion with God.
2. BECOME LIKE JESUS—Be formed in your inner being to become a person of love in God. The end goal is to take on the inner life of Jesus himself, so that the teaching of Jesus become second nature.
3. DO WHAT JESUS DID—Do what he would do if he were you. Fulfill your call. Make your contribution to the church and the world.
I will introduce Practicing the Way at our Bible study time on Wednesday, January 11, at 6:30 p.m. If you are coming to the weekly meal, remember to make your reservation. The price for the dinner is $10.00. Additionally, if you plan to participate in the weekly study, please let the church office know so that a study guide can be ordered just for you. There is no charge for the study materials.
I hope you will join me on Sundays and Wednesdays for an intentional season for our church family. I cannot wait to begin!
“During the series, we will dive deep into the habits Christians have developed for over 2,000 years to help countless generations follow God, hear His voice, and grow in our shared community.”
Practicing the Way helps us to engage in the study modules by encouraging us to:
1. Be with Jesus. 2. Become like Jesus. 3. Do what Jesus did.
The 2023—2025 Board of Governance was duly elected and set this past year at a meeting of the Charge Conference on November 15. Rev. Dr. Sam Powers, the Crossroads District Superintendent, was in attendance to oversee the evening meeting. Below, you will see the names of all those who have been elected to serve in leadership at Church of the Servant.
Three classes of leaders are approved each year to serve on the Board of Governance. Additional lay persons are also elected to serve on the Lay Nominations Committee, Delegates to Annual Conference, and the Servant Foundation Board. As one class of leaders rotates off their leadership position at the end of a given year, a new class is seated to begin a new three-year stint of leadership. In doing so, no more than thirty-three percent of leadership should change each year.
CLASS OF 2023:
• Mission & Ministry – KATHRYN ROBERTS
• Mission & Ministry – JIM BURROW
• PPRC – JILL WALKER *Chairperson, Board of Governance
• PPRC – ANN BUTLER
• Finance & Trustees – GRANT FLURRY
• Finance & Trustees – RANDY STONER
CLASS OF 2024:
• Mission & Ministry – DOT CRUZEN
• Mission & Ministry – SARAH WEBER
• PPRC – CARL SHORTT
• PPRC – SISSY HOLLOWAY
• Finance & Trustees – CHUCK MOSLEY
• Finance & Trustees – DICK MUEHLEISEN
CLASS OF 2025:
• Mission & Ministry – DON WENTROTH
• Mission & Ministry – MICHELLE PARKER
• PPRC – JIM FARRIS
• PPRC – HARLI REEVES
• Finance & Trustees – BILL BAKER
• Finance & Trustees – STEPHANIE BYERS
Ex-Officio Trustee Legal Counsel – MONICA WITTROCK
Ex-Officio—SENIOR MINISTER & EXECUTIVE PASTOR
2023
• NANCY WAGGONER
• JULIE COCKRILL
2024
• TRENT NEAVES
• JIM TALKINGTON
2025
• JIM BURROW
• M.J. MEANS
• DOT CRUZEN
• BETH SHORTT
• CARL SHORTT 2023
• STEVE IVES
• BRAD TRAYNOR
2024
• JIM TALKINGTON
• MARK WOOD
2025
• JOHN MACDONALD
• PRISCILLA CUDE
Church of the Servant operates under the one board model as allowed by paragraph 247.2. The 2016 Book of Discipline in paragraph 247.2 allows for a local church to adapt its decision making structure:
“The charge conference, the district superintendent, and the pastor, when a pastor has been appointed (see ¶ 205.4), shall organize and administer the pastoral charge and churches according to the policies and plans herein set forth. When the membership size, program scope, mission resources, or other circumstances so require, the charge conference may, in consultation with and upon the approval of the district superintendent, modify the organizational plans, provided that the provisions of ¶ 243 are observed.”
Located at the receptionist desk.
Have you checked the LOST & FOUND lately to see if any of your missing belongings ended up at the receptionist’s desk? If not, please stop by the front desk soon to look through the LOST & FOUND. Any items that are not claimed by the end of the month will be donated to charity.
Questions about membership, Bible study, discipleship, or how to get involved? Contact Jessica at jking@churchoftheservant.com
Ladies,
We invite you to come and be a part of Church of the Servant’s Women’s Ministry as we exist to encourage, equip, and nurture women so they can fulfill God’s mission for their lives. We seek to serve women of all ages by offering various opportunities to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and one another. We desire that every woman will find a place to belong and a chance to serve within the body and the community. Please save the dates on the following page, and invite other women in your lives to come and be a part of our community as we press on together in 2023.
Jessica King
6:00-8:00 p.m.
Come enjoy a lovely sit-down dinner, surrounded by other women of faith. Following dinner, we will head into the Celebration Center for an incredible night of praise and worship.
NOVEMBER 5, 2023
4:00-8:00 p.m.
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Meet at the church in the morning, and we will carpool to our first mission project of the day. After, we will enjoy lunch together before heading to our second mission opportunity. Both mission projects will suit people of all ages, so bring your daughters or mothers and let’s have fun giving back!
2:00-5:00 p.m.
Come and join us for an afternoon of games, creativity, and everything pumpkin. This event will be full of laughter and lighthearted fun. Make sure to invite a friend!
We are currently talking with an exceptional guest speaker to come and lead this extraordinary Women’s Ministry event! Once the contract is signed, we will announce her name and the theme. This is an event you won’t want to miss!
If you are interested in volunteering for any of these great events, please contact Jessica King at jking@churchoftheservant.com
Join us on Tuesday mornings for Large Group Bible study - resuming January 10th! Men’s Buck and a Bible meets at 6:30 a.m., and Women in the Word meets at 9:30 a.m. Both sessions are led by Rev. Randy Shrauner, Executive Minister. We will gather in Community Hall around tables for lecture and discussion. All are welcome. No registration is required.
Wednesday Bible Studies for Adults and Programming for Kids and Students will resume on January 11th! Servant Kids meet downstairs, 6:30-8:00 pm. Servant Students meet in The Point or off campus, 6:30-8:00 pm. Check the Students webpage for more details (ServantOKC.org/students).
The Servant Kitchen is open for Wednesday night dinners - 5:00-6:30 pm. Reservations are encouraged for Wednesday night meals. To view the menu and make reservations, go to ServantOKC.org/kitchen
Immediately following Wednesday night meal time (6:30-8:00 pm), Dr. Matthew Mitchell will lead a Bible study for adults (men and women) in Community Hall. No reservation is necessary for Bible study. All are welcome.
If you are interested in joining a Women’s Bible study group, contact Jessica King at jking@churchoftheservant.com Here is a list of groups currently meeting:
• Bible Babes meet Wednesdays, 9:30-11:00 am (Studying “God is Closer Than You Think” by John Ortberg). Led by Patricia Hocker.
• The Chosen meet Wednesday, 6:30-8:00 pm (Studying “The Chosen” Part 2). Led by Miki Farris.
• The Tribe meet Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00 pm (Studying “Seamless” by Angie Smith). Led by Sherri Boyd and Darla Bierig. We encourage our group to meet for fellowship at Wednesday night dinner prior to class. Dinner is served 5:00-6:30 pm.
Thursday, February 9, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. In Community Hall
We are delighted to announce that the Red River Ramblers are returning to Prime Time on February 9th! The Red River Ramblers are UCO’s faculty Dixieland band. The group plays traditional New Orleans Jazz, made popular more than a century ago. Favorites include: “Honey Suckle Rose,” “Five Foot Two,” and “When the Saints Go Marching In.”
You may have known the group as the Civilized Tribe, Gloom Chasers, 5th Street Strutters, UCO Faculty Traditional Jazz Group, or countless other names. The band has performed all over the world with jazz greats such as Count Basie, Phil Woods, Clark Terry and numerous others.
DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6th!
REMINDER: JANUARY PRIME TIME FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEON
Thursday, January 12, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. In Community Hall
We are excited to bring Oklahoma Folk to our first Prime Time event of 2023! Oklahoma Folk is a delightful trio of musicians that are known for their soulful harmonies. They are excited to make their debut with Prime Time and are designing a program of music that will be beautiful and moving, aimed at addressing the richest components of the human experience.
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 any time at Guest Central in the concourse, or online at ServantOKC.org/Prime-Time
Perhaps one of the nights the students look forward to the most is the final gathering of the semester. Not because we finally get a break, but because we always know how to end the year right, with a big ol’ party. Thanksgiving and the beginning of Christmas break are so close together that it is hard to have two separate nights of celebration. So, we decided to combine the two holidays and create what we call, “Thanksmas”.
We began the night with games, games, and more games. This was the night that concluded Servant Games, a two-month-long competition between the grade groups, so we had to have a giant scavenger hunt meets amazing race type competition we called “Minion Mayhem”. The students had to run around the church to complete all the tasks as fast as they could. This included games like Candy Cane Relay, Wrap Battle, Sink the Snowman, Away in a Manger, and a few others. It was total chaos. It was incredibly fun.
We ended the night by joining together at one long table for a holiday feast. One of the greatest sights is seeing all of the students sitting together and genuinely enjoying each other’s company as we capped off the semester.
As we look forward to all that this next year holds, we have a very exciting invitation to extend. Skyler and I are ready to kickstart Servant Confirmation 2023 this Spring, and we would like to invite you and your 7th-grade or 8thgrade student to be part of this journey.
Heather Winner, Director of Servant Students
WHAT IS CONFIRMATION?
United Methodists use the term “confirmation” to mark the first time a baptized Christian publicly “confirms” their intention to live the vows of the baptismal and membership covenant and so becomes a professing member of the local congregation and The United Methodist Church. At Church of the Servant, Confirmation has been an integral part of student ministry that occurs every year. Through Confirmation, our hope and our prayer are to show and teach students the beliefs of the United Methodist Church while inviting them into the greater family of the local church and commissioning them to become disciples of Jesus Christ. Here at Church of the Servant, our students traditionally go through Confirmation during their 8th grade year, but for the Spring of 2023, we are offering Confirmation for current 7th AND 8th grade students. We believe that students of this age have reached a point in development and maturity to go through the Confirmation experience. Our 7th and 8th grade class has become very close over the last few years, and we hope to continue this relationship in a deeper way. Confirmation ends with the students making the final decision themselves to fully commit to membership in the local church and a life of faith. This will be a beautiful opportunity to grow closer as a group of middle school students and members of God’s Church.
Students will have the opportunity to absorb and learn so much during Confirmation. We will be looking into the history and foundations of the Church universal, discovering and learning about some of our own traditions at Church of the Servant, and even leaving campus for experiences like what worship looks like in different faith settings. We hope that by diving into these different experiences, the students would feel moved into asking the question, “How do I fit into the greater picture?” Rather than Confirmation feeling like a seminar or a class that the students are required to take, we hope that Confirmation would spark conversation, curiosity, and interest into becoming a lifelong disciple of Christ.
As good as it is for there to be a break, we still wanted to provide an opportunity to be together again over the break. We decided that we would provide not just a time for fellowship, but also a time for service. We created Holiday Happening with that vision in mind, to have students gather together for a time of service and fellowship. We met at the church early on a Saturday morning and started the day with the most important meal–breakfast. We had to go to one of the best breakfast places around–IHOP. After eating together, we headed to downtown OKC and volunteered at City Rescue Mission. This is an organization that works with individuals struggling with homelessness. It provides meals, job opportunities, and works to help them regain autonomy. We were blessed with the opportunity to serve lunch to individuals. For some students, this was their first opportunity to serve people close to home in this form of setting. The students were surprised and thankful to have the chance to serve and spend time with the people at City Rescue Mission. After serving, we headed to Walmart, bought presents, and ended the day with a game of Dirty Santa. It was a simple day, but it was good for the students to be together again.
Skyler Rodriguez Serving at the City Rescue Mission for Holiday Happening!“And now we invite you to come as you’d like, to see our newborn king,” Skyler, acting as Simeon Peter, invited the audience forward after each live nativity. This was my favorite moment as the children inched forward to peek into the manger. There, wrapped in swaddling clothes, laid our representation of baby Jesus. At this moment, the children stood in awe as they looked at baby Jesus, while Skyler and I stood in awe of the Spirit at work through our students and leaders.
Each night, we had a group of students and leaders help us tell the nativity story. As Skyler and I narrated, they came in as Mary and Joseph carrying Jesus, as shepherds, and as wise men, portraying live images of Jesus’ entrance into this world. Thanks to some incredible seamstresses and the creativity of some amazing women here at Church of the Servant, these figures were dressed the part. Though it was the work of the Spirit that created such holy moments after all the lines were read, the places were taken, and Silent Night was sung.
As the children came to look, I was brought to tears thinking of this longing to connect, to see the one true King. These children who came forward, the
parents who stood not too far, the students and leaders who helped reenact, their youth directors – we all have that same desire. And because our God came to be here with us, we are able to see Him. His light, His love, His compassion, His courage – we see Him in one another and the world around us if we are truly looking.
And so, my prayer is after so many came to Walk Through Bethlehem, that so many testify they saw Jesus Christ that night; whether it was lying in a manger or in the goodness of someone they encountered. I did.
Heather Winner
We hosted an event for families to experience Christmas together on December 4th, where we sang songs, played exciting games, laughed until our sides hurt, and heard the Christmas story told in a way that engaged every age. After the program we had pictures with Santa, cookies, crafts, and games. It was a great afternoon!
Snodgrass Assistant Director of Servant Kids
Servant Kids meets in person each Sunday morning at 10:00 and/or 11:00am! 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 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 .
This month, our preschoolers are going to step into their own wonderful workshop as we discover some of the amazing things Jesus did. Everything Jesus did – and the way He did them –showed everyone around Him that He was God’s son, and that means that Jesus is amazing!
We are going to have a lot of fun with preschoolers as we tinker and create together. So, get your workshops ready! It’s time for our preschoolers to discover how Jesus is amazing!
Our memory verse this month comes from Luke 2:47 which says, “Everyone who heard him was amazed.” This month, we will learn that Jesus is amazing. His teaching, power, miracles, and kindness are amazing. Who is amazing? Jesus is amazing.
GRADES 1-5
This month, we will learn about the connection between KNOWLEDGE and God’s character, as shown through God’s big story. Knowledge is learning something new so you can be better at whatever you do.
God is the author of knowledge. Everything we know to be true about the world is because of God. And while we may never know all there is to know ABOUT God, there are lots of ways we can get to KNOW God. We can know God best through Jesus, who showed us how much God loves us and showed why knowledge is so important. The more we know God, the better we can live God’s way each day.
Our memory verse comes from Proverbs 2:6 which says, “The Lord gives wisdom. Knowledge and understanding come from His mouth.”
We will learn to never stop searching for what’s true and that knowing God is the most important thing. We will discuss how discovering new things can change you and remembering what’s true can help you make the wise choice. If you don’t understand something, ask.
We will resume meeting on January 11, 2023! This semester, we will DIG IN to the life of Jesus and what it means to really know Jesus and His heart, not just to know ABOUT Jesus. We will lead kids in walking Jesus’ footsteps through a chronological look at his life from birth to his death and resurrection. Join us from 6:30-8:00 pm downstairs!
Over the past year, the Servant Afghan Helper Team has had the privilege to meet all kinds of individuals, organizations, and various churches who all are helping Afghan families resettle in Oklahoma. After obtaining housing, the next huge mountain to conquer is employment. Most of the Afghans speak a language which is difficult, not spoken much here, and their English skills are limited, so the job market is hard. It’s hard to apply for jobs online when you don’t speak English, it’s hard to put together a resume or answer a potential employer’s phone call. Fortunately, both of our men have good jobs – one at Johnson Controls in Norman and the other at a Lebanese restaurant in downtown OKC. But it took many, many difficult months to obtain those jobs.
One family who is sponsoring two Afghan families on their own took a very different approach. They wanted the men to take ownership of a job and wanted them to make a higher hourly rate than the average. They came up with a car detailing business. The couple took care of the legal process of starting a business and bought the equipment. Their whole family (children included) as well as the Afghans learned how to detail cars by doing their own and their neighbors and relatives. It didn’t happen overnight, but they now have a vehicle which goes to businesses or residences and details cars. The OKC couple run the back end – handling the phone calls and making appointments, but the
Afghans do all the work. They make between $30-$35 dollars an hour. They hope to gradually turn the whole business over to the Afghans. It has given the Afghan men great pride in learning a business from the ground up, working in partnership with an American family to create a path forward, and working with other family members.
Ann Knutson | annknut@gmail.com
Golden Eagle Mobile Detailing Service www.gedetail.com
In early December our large Afghan family’s vacuum cleaner was broken so I took it to A1 NW Vacuum Supplies on North May. A salesperson looked at it and asked me if I lived in a small space. Apparently, that’s all the vacuum could handle. I then explained that it was used in a 3-bedroom apartment by a family of 12 Afghan refugees. She looked at it and said that it couldn’t be repaired; then she asked if I preferred an upright or cannister? I really didn’t know how to answer that because I wasn’t sure if I was going to buy a new vacuum or try to find a used one. She left the room and was gone quite a long time which gave me time to think about my options. They needed a good one, but I wasn’t prepared to buy a quality one myself nor was I sure we should use money in our church Afghan funds for it.
When she came back, she had a really heavy-duty Hoover vacuum in an unopened box. I know I looked very confused. She continued by saying that her dad’s parents were Armenian refugees and did not speak any English when they came to the US. They also had a large family so she could relate to our family. They planned to raffle off several vacuums during the Christmas holidays and she decided to donate this to our family!!! I was completely caught off guard! I asked if I could give her a hug and said I would tell them the story about refugees in her family. Her name is Kathryn and she was an undisguised angel that day! – Ann Knutson
Are you looking for a way to volunteer and a place to belong? We would love to have you on our team! We have volunteer opportunities every week on the Media Team! We have openings during the 10:00 Sunday morning worship service for: VIDEO CAMERA OPERATORS and GRAPHIC SLIDES OPERATORS. No experience necessary! Volunteer just one Sunday a month or as often as you would like.
Looking for something during the week? Our Production Team meets every other Wednesday at 9:00 a.m. to assemble newsletters, stuff envelopes, cut out projects for Servant Kids, replenish papers in pews, and other miscellenious projects.
Interested in volunteering? Contact Heather DeShazo at 405-728-4704 or email at hdeshazo@churchoftheservant.com
Whiz Kids celebrated the end of the first semester and 2022 with a Christmas party. Sally Riffey shared a story with us portraying Mary. The kids were mesmerized watching her bring the story to life. Dana & Danny Baze bought blankets for every child with a tag that said, “You are wrapped in God’s love.” Santa came and shared the Christmas story and helped hand out the blankets. The kids made a good-looking snowman with tea lights attached as the nose. So a great time was had by all!
We are looking forward to a great 2023! Come by New Hope UMC any Monday between 3:00-5:00 pm and you will see what a great program this is!
Carolyn Hays | chaysnana25@gmail.com
A great big thank you to all of you who shopped in the store, volunteered your time, donated to the bake sale and supported us in many ways! We don’t have the numbers for the year, but will let you know as soon as possible. Right now, all Christmas decor is 50% off! There are a few exceptions, but they are either marked or listed here:
• Doormat inserts
• Round Top charms (metal squares and shapes) The buyers are going to Dallas Market on January 5, so keep an eye out for new merchandise in the next weeks! Thanks again for supporting local missions!
• Monday - Thursday 9 AM - 3 PM
• Friday - 9 AM - Noon
• Sunday - 8:45 - 11:30 AM (before and after service)
