newsletter 06.18.14

Vacation Bible School - THANK YOU!On behalf of the entire VBS team, THANK YOU for all of

the prayers and support for VBS... and most importantly, THANK YOU for sending your kids by the hundreds!

... More on page 6

June 18, 2014CHURCH OF THE SERVANT

Bi-Weekly NEWSLETTERIssue: 14.12

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Rev. Tim TraversAssociate Minister

God’s CallinG and joyful serviCeI’ve been privileged to be a full-time

ordained pastor serving in churches for more than twenty-one years. Ten of those years were in the Nebraska An-nual Conference of the United Method-ist Church, having been born and raised there. I’ve now been a member of the Oklahoma Conference for eleven years, serving that entire time at Church of the Servant. For these past five years, I have been the Minister of Congrega-tional Care at Servant, which means I do lots of hospital and nursing home vis-its, pastoral counseling, grief ministry...and training of lay Care Chaplains to do much of the same. It is such a blessing to be there with people during some of the most spiritually-meaningful times of their lives, like when they are facing a surgery or medical diagnosis, grieving over the loss of a loved one, making the transition to living in a nursing home, or caring for someone in their family who is sick - just to name a few situations. I feel that my particular gifts and graces help share the love of God with those

who yearn for such peace. Like most pastors, I have many stories about how God’s holy and soothing presence was manifest in such ministry situations. It’s

not that there is really anything special about me. I simply believe whole-heart-edly in a God who loves us and wants to bring us salvation, joy, and peace. Therefore, ministering to - and with - people in the life of the Church has al-ways been deeply joyful and fulfilling to me.

How about you? Do you feel a spe-cial kind of joy when being part of the work that a church does? Could it be that God might be calling you to some form of full-time ministry? God has put it on my heart to write this particular arti-cle because sometimes all people need to hear is a little bit of encouragement. Perhaps there is someone reading this article right now who wonders if full-time ministry (either ordained as clergy or serving as a layperson) might be their true calling. If so, I encourage them to find someone they know and trust who is engaged in ministry and ask them for help in sorting out whether such a voca-tion might be right for them. As for me, I knew that I wanted to become a pastor when I was sixteen years old; but more often than not, a calling toward minis-try starts much later in someone’s life. If you are someone who has seriously thought about such a calling, whether you are a youth or adult, I invite you to contact one of the pastors at our church and discuss such a possibility. If this is truly your calling, you will feel blessed in so many ways by serving the Church full-time!

- Tim

Do you feel a special kind of joy when being part of the work that a church does? Could it be that God might be calling you

to some form of full-time ministry?

SERVANT June 18, 2014 I

MissionsSummer Opportunities to Serve in Mission

June 29 & July 6 - Freedom Boxes for TroopsJuly & August Mission Focus: - Bring School Supplies for TeachersJuly 8 - Meeting for “Bless our Schools” TeamJuly 12 - Attend Hannah’s Promise Prom, “A Special Day at the Beach”July 14-25 - Help fit children for uniforms at SkylineJuly 16 - Sunday Blood Drive - Give a pint of life!

Freedom Boxes for our TroopsEvery summer as we celebrate our national independence on the Fourth of July,

we partner with Blue Star Mothers to show gratitude and support for our troops. Over the next two Sundays, you are invited to bring the items below to put in the freedom boxes that will go overseas this summer. Items can be placed in the patriotically-decorated box next to the Mission Kiosk in the Concourse.

EZ-Mac & Cheese (NOT BOWLS)Soup - READY TO EAT (pop top)Tuna, chicken, or salmon pouchesDried fruit (individual packets)Beef jerky/Slim Jims (small or individual)Instant oatmeal (individual packets)Breakfast/granola barsCrackers (individually wrapped packages)Pop tartsRamen noodle packets (NOT BOWLS)Sunflower seeds or trail mix (single packs)Coffee (individual)Tea bags (individual)Powdered drink mixes (individual packets)Spiced apple cider (individual packets)Candy (individually wrapped)Cream/sugar packetsBaby wipes (resealable bag) unscented

Foot powder (travel size)Eye drops (small)Hand sanitizer (travel size)Sunscreen (small lotion or gel)ChapstickDental flossMouthwash (travel size)Toothpaste (travel size)ToothbrushesDisposable razorsTylenol/Advil (small bottles)Cough dropsBand-aidsSocks (100% cotton or wool)AAA or AA batteriesZiploc bags (any size)Puzzle booksPens or mechanical pencils

Bless our SchoolsBegins this Fall in Putnam City Schools

Children are one of our focus missions here at Church of the Servant, and right now we are in the exploration and planning stages of entering into a partnership with several Putnam City schools, similar to our previous partnership with Eisenhower. The dialogue has begun with Dennis Elementary, Hefner Middle School, and PC North as partnering schools. This might intrigue and surprise you that there is a need even in these schools for volunteer support! There is a need for those who will volun-teer to go into the school and assist teachers, decorate bulletin boards, do handyman work for small repairs, clean up, organization, and Friday running of the food pantry that serves 60 students on a weekly basis at Hefner. If you are interested in how we will be involved and would like to help develop these relationships, join us for a mis-sion meeting on Tuesday, July 8 at 6 p.m. in the South Conference Room, or contact Dr. Robyn Goggs at [email protected].

Skyline Food Drive Success!

Thank You!What a day of Celebration we had

last Sunday as you, the congrega-tion, added 162 bags of groceries to the 3260 items the children brought during VBS! All of these items will go to support the Skyline Food Pantry downtown on NW 8th Street. Each year the Skyline Ministries food pantry feeds thousands of families by offer-ing a food pantry where they can shop for groceries several times a year. Church of the Servant works side-by-side with Skyline in serving the urban city, by collecting food throughout the year. But during the summer, we hold a special focused drive to encourage the whole congregation Thank you for the food you brought and will con-tinue to bring throughout the year!

Summer at St. John’s UMCSt. John’s UMC is in the third session of The

Gallery, which is a learning and activity program for Hispanic children in the area around NW 17th and Meridian. The summer program begins this week, running Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. for the next six weeks. Director, Kristina Thorson, could still use 2 more volunteers each day to help with the reading room, arts activities and computer lab. Call Kristina Thorson at 425-772-8131.

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youth

Save the DateAnnual Girls Night Out“Paint Your Art Out” Evening Devotion by Dr. Robyn Goggs

Friday, August 22An evening of instructed painting, fellowship,

snacking and sharing! Cost is $35, and tickets will go on sale in July. Nursery will be available.

Fridays for Moms Meets in 13:2 at 9:30Childcare provided

Summer days are wonderful, but get very long with kid-dos. Give yourself a couple of hours of refreshment on a Friday morning by joining a caring, vibrant group of moms. They meet all year long, but use the summer to really take care of each other. Sometimes the morning ends with play dates or picnics, but is a great way to connect with other Christian moms caring for kids during the summer. Contact Nicole Baldwin at 613-3887 for more details of the summer study.

Kindred Community(Support Group for women who have lost their husbands)

Losing a spouse creates membership in a club that no one really wants to join. Learning to live alone after being married for years can be a difficult and isolating experience. As much as others try to support and understand, no one really understands if they haven’t been through the same loss. Kindred Community is a support and prayer ministry that is part of Stand in the Gap Ministries. Our chapter here at Church of the Servant currently has 4 small groups. The small groups meet twice a month for 90 minutes to share and pray. There are women ready to begin a new small support group and the invitation is open for others as well. If you would like to be part of a Kindred Community or know someone who might benefit from this support, no matter where they are in the journey of loss, please contact Sherri Price at 202-6954.

WoMen

Disciple CampThis past week, 26 Middle School Students and 7 adults traveled to Welling, Oklahoma for Disciple Camp. The week

was packed full of plans for fellowship, games, and a chance to see and hear God with a clarity that would inspire the lives of the students and leaders there; without a doubt, those plans were fulfilled. God truly blessed those who were there with His presence and showed them His love. The best part of it was the energy the students came with, to not only seek this love, but also to have a time not soon forgotten. The week was filled with laughter and entertainment and reflected the true body of Christ, as students and leaders from different churches across the state came together for the same purpose. Despite the early mornings, kids continuously found it in themselves to not only enjoy each other’s company, but to worship and study in a way that followed the commands of the Lord. Throughout the week, the kids studied parables as taught by Jesus as he spoke to groups of Pharisees and proclaimed sinners alike - including the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and finally the parable of the prodigal son. They got a chance not only to see the power of humility but the power of grace, even for the Pharisees. During the evening they got the chance to listen to the great teaching of Brian and Julie as they poured out there passion and wisdom to the students, expounding on the parables. Last but not least, they sang and danced their hearts out with the inno-cence of children, in a way that reflected the love of David for God. The week was a huge success and ignites hope for a great summer fueled by a passion for learning and having fun in the process!


adultRead The Story, Experience the Bible!

The Bible is the best-selling book in history, but how many people are actually reading it? A Gallup survey reports the average American household has four Bibles. However, research by Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life (2008) found that only 16 percent of Americans read the Bible every day. This statistic may not surprise you. While the Bible is central to our faith, for many it is hard to understand and overwhelming. Because of that, they don’t know where to begin. Maybe this describes you or someone you know. Would you consider reading the Bible if you could join a small group or class that would start from the beginning and go through the Bible step-by-step?

Coming this September, Sunday Morning classes and small groups will have the op-portunity to encounter The Story! The Story is an exciting new experience that unites and equips participants as they engage the Bible. Reading like a novel, The Story offers a seamless, compelling narrative. Condensed into 31 accessible chapters, The Story sweeps readers into an unfolding, chronological progression of Bible characters and events.

We want to invite everyone to consider participating in this 31-week journey! Sunday Morning classes and small groups should begin discussing the possibility of participating. For everyone who is not a part of a class, but is interested in participat-ing in The Story, you will be able to join a participating class. Registration for The Story begins in August at church and online at www.churchoftheservant.com.

God’s Will: Tragedy befalls and leaves us confused. Life doesn’t turn out as we had planned. World events bring unspeakable horrors into the lives of innocent people. The unimaginable happens and we are left asking, “Why? Why did God let this happen? Why didn’t God heal my loved one? Why did God give me these desires and no way to fulfill them?”

On Sunday, August 31, Dr. Robert Gorrell will begin a compelling new sermon series called Discovering and Doing God’s Will. Aimed at going more in-depth and helping answer the “Why?” questions with which we all struggle at one time or another, a 4-week class will be offered each Sunday in September taught by Prudy Gorrell. It will meet in the Chapel of the Cross at 9:15 a.m. on Sundays, September 7 – 28. Register at church or online at www.churchoftheservant.com beginning Sunday, August 10.

Coming this Fall:Disciple I and II Bible Studies!

Are you ready to go more in-depth in studying the Bible? Beginning this Fall, we have two outstanding Bible studies from which to choose!

Disciple I, “Becoming Disciples through Bible Study”, is an overview of both the Old and New Testaments. Over the course of two 10-week sessions, you will not only gain information which will help you understand your Bible, you will begin to see how God’s word can transform your life. Allen Warren and Alex Wright are leading this study.

Disciple II, “Into the Word into the World”, focuses on four key books of the Bible: Genesis, Exodus, Luke and Acts. This study will take you deeper into the Scripture. This is the next step for those who have taken Disciple I. Blair Schoeb is leading this study.

Each of these Bible studies will meet Sundays from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m. for two 10-week sessions beginning Sunday, September 14, through November 16. Each will resume Sunday, January 4, 2015 and end March 8. Registration begins Sunday, August 17 at church or online at www.churchoftheservant.com.

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Children

THANK YOU!On behalf of the entire VBS team, THANK YOU for all of the

prayers and support for VBS... and most importantly, THANK YOU for sending your kids by the hundreds! We had 650 children learn all about Jesus’ one-of-a-kind love. The week would not have been as successful if it hadn’t been for everyone who helped make and put up decorations, donated items from our Wishing Tree, and vol-unteered to help as a VBS teacher or leader. We also should thank the tireless efforts of our Children’s Ministries staff whose love for our kids is overflowing!

Our mission project this year was a canned food drive to benefit Skyline Urban Ministries Food Pantry and as always, the kids (and parents) exceeded our expectations! Over 1500 cans of food will be added to the donations from our congregation. What a blessing!

Thank you again for your support of this exciting ministry in the life of our church. And when someone asks you to help with VBS next year, I hope you’ll prayerfully consider how you can help!

- Martha Stone & the VBS team


our life toGetherour Prayers

our syMPathyu Gary Adair and Karen Steele, Carol Whit-tenbaugh, and Family at the death of Karen’s and Carol’s sister, Cynthia Jean Gilliam.u Christy, Carter, and Mason Adams and Family at the death of Christy’s nephew, Kyle Raven.u Patsy Brock and Family at the death of Patsy’s brother-in-law, Ellis Brown.u Bryan, Lara, Geneva, and Dorothy Gaston and Family at the death of Bryan’s grand-mother, Mary Ruth Gaston.u Sue Knight and Family at the death of Sue’s husband, Rev. Fred Knight.u James and Loretta McKanna, Ray and Kelly McCaslin, and Family at the death of James’ and Kelly’s mother, Pat McKanna.u Mary Ogunsanya and Family at the death of Mary’s father, Michael Adekoya Fagbohun.u Dan and Susie Waring and Family at the death of Dan’s father, Robert W. Waring.

Faith in Reel Time“Philomena”

Friday, June 27, 7:00 p.m.In the Centrum

The film is a compelling narra-tive of human love and loss and ulti-mately celebrates life. It is both funny and sad and concerns two very differ-ent people, at different stages of their lives, who help each other and show that there is laughter even in the dark-est places. Join us on Friday, June 27 at 7:00 p.m. in the Centrum as Faith in Reel Time presents “Philomena”. Sign up at the Welcome Center or call the church office, 721-4141.

EARTHGLOW: Stop in at Earthglow and see the new fun summer items. For kids, we have flashlights, books, etc. And for those great summer get-togethers, cute picnic plates with ants on them. Thanks for shopping at Earth-glow, where all profits go to missions!

trooP 177As usual, the beginning of summer is a very busy time for Troop 177. Last

month we took a trip to Horse Thief Springs, where we trekked a seven-mile hike over treacherous and rocky trails. The scouts got the chance to cook a few meals on individual hiking stoves rather than as a patrol. We experienced a variety of weather during our journey, having to deal with extreme heat at one moment, then having to pull out our rain gear the next. All in all, it was a successful trip. Ev-eryone finished the hike and we had a great time getting to know the new scouts.

We also hosted a pancake breakfast fundraiser at Applebee’s. It was a huge success for the troop and we would like to thank everyone that came out to sup-port us and eat plenty of pancakes! Also, from June 20 – 30 we will be going on our biggest campout of the year, summer camp! This year we will be going to Virginia to the Blue Ridge Scout Reservation for a full week of outside fun - zip lining, fishing, biking, kayaking, and shooting rifles at the gun range. On the final Friday of our trip, we will be taking a detour to visit Washington D.C. and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

We will also be leading the Fourth of July Liberty Fest parade carrying the American flag with other scouts from different troops. Troop 177 has a very busy

schedule for the next few months and we are looking forward to every second of it. Have a great summer and happy scouting! For more information, visit our website at www.BSAtroop177ok.org or follow us on Facebook at BSA Troop 177.

Mitchell DyeScribe/Troop Guide

u Donna Armstrong as Donna’s sister, Shir-ley Muller, faces surgery at Hillcrest Hospital in Tulsa.u David Edde as David deals with health issues.u Leta Grimes as Leta is recuperating from outpatient surgery; and Leta’s mother, Wanda Baker, deals with health issues.u Rick and Dixie Grosshans as their daugh-ter, Carol Creason, recuperates from surgery in Tulsa.u Donnie and Shellene Guerra as Donnie recuperates from surgery.u Tom and Linda Gulley as Tom recuperates from tests.u Denene Harper as Denene recuperates from tests.u Jay and Jennifer Lacy as Jennifer deals with health issues.u John and Denise Lingo as John’s mother, Charlene Lingo, is hospitalized at St. John’s in Tulsa.u Bob and Barbara Neil as their friend, Nancy Hall, deals with health issues.u Jo Ann Pace as Jo Ann recuperates from surgery.u Lizette Stephens as Lizette is hospitalized at Mercy Health Center.u Don and Eleanor Whitsett as Eleanor faces surgery at the OK Spine Hospital.

ChurCh of the servant14343 N MacArthur BlvdOklahoma City, OK 73142-9725

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