stewardship matters - first christian church · 5/22/2015 · we express our christian sympathies...

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Double Ring ClassNext Sunday: Richard Lawson will be our teacher.Upcoming event: Western Party on June 19thCelebra�ons: Margaret Willhour would have had a birthday; Norma and Hugh Henderson celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary.Class Concerns: George Hauger needs prayer. Peggy Ziglar will have surgery on June 3rd.47 Present

Sojourners ClassNext Sunday: We will have biblical studies by recording.Last Sunday: We studied Ezekiel Chapter 37.Celebra�ons: Hope Vi Kenne� has a great vaca�on!3 Present

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Elder Prayers: 10:30 AM, Sandra Lewis, offering; Brian Knight, communionScripture Reader: Gay WionCommunion Prepara�on: Tom Nulf and Bob ParksDeacons Serving Communion: Raylene Barclay, Christy Brooks, Don Brooks, Jim Freeman, Sandra Freeman, Mary Garner, Joan Hauger, Joyce Kendall, Bobbie Lewis, Kylie Rathbun, Lockie RathbunFlowers for Sunday, May 24: The flowers are given by Sharon Regnery in loving memory of her husband, Jim. Their 47th Anniversary would have been May 27th.Flower delivery week of May 24: Helen and Bill Pummill

Elder Prayers: 9 AM, Jay Gibson, offering; Jean Swanson, communionScripture Reader: Dick WillhourElder for 11:30 Service: Richard LawsonCommunion Prepara�on: Mary Lynn Howard and Winnie StanberyDeacons Serving Communion: Raylene Barclay, Christy Brooks, Don Brooks, Jim Freeman, Sandra Freeman, Mary Garner, Joan Hauger, Joyce Kendall, Bobbie Lewis, Kylie Rathbun, Lockie RathbunGreeters: Jim AlspaughFlowers for Sunday, May 31: The flowers are given by Ruthie Wildman in memory of her husband, Les, whose birthday would have been June 23rd, and their anniversary would have been June 14th. Flower delivery week of May 31: Helen and Bill Pummill

Elder Prayers: 9 AM, Sandra Lewis, offering; Brian Knight, communionScripture Reader: Molly KrummeElder for 11:30 Service: Kate Northcu�Communion Prepara�on: Darlene Blackburn and Hunter BlackburnDeacons Serving Communion: Darlene Blackburn, Marcia Boyd, Millie Elswick, Chris Murphy, Thressa Northcu�, Tom Nulf, Bob Parks, Hunter Blackburn, Kaleb Bowlin, Ka�e Murphy and Madeline MurphyGreeter: Charlie Crews and Bill ClarkFlowers for Sunday, June 7: The flowers are given by Mary Ann and Charles Hargrove in memory of their parents, Gus and Naomi Caldwell and Merwin and Jane Hargrove.Flower delivery week of June 7: Helen and Bill Pummill

Serving Schedule Sunday, May 24 PENTECOST - ONE SERVICE AT 10:30 AM

Serving Schedule Sunday, May 31

A publication of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Tulsa Vol. 20, Number 10 May 22, 2015

From the Pastor’s PenKeyboard

FCC Activities & Opportunites

Birthdays, Attendance, Gifts

Serving Schedule, SundaySchool News, Save the Dates

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.org Page 1 First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.org

May 24 Sunday School 9am Worship at 10:30

Regular Sunday Schedule9:00 am Tradi�onal, Sanctuary

9:45 am Breakfast for Children, SFH

10:15 am All Sunday School classes

11:30 am Contemporary Worship, FH Children’s Worship, Prayer Chapel

What’s in this Issue

Worship Times

SundaySchoolClassNews

The First Christian Church VISION (USPS 012-958) is published semi-monthly for its members by First Christian Church at 913 South Boulder Ave., Tulsa, OK, 74119-2033. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, OK. POSTMAS-TER: Send address changes to VISION, 913 S. Boulder Ave., Tulsa, OK 74119-2033.

23456Serving Schedule Sunday, June 7



Page 10


















Worship Times




Come celebrate the work ofthe Holy Spirit on

May 24th, 20159:00 am Sunday School

10:00 am Fair Trade Coffeeand Donuts

10:30 am WorshipLunch to Follow

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.orgPage 12 First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.org Page 1

CONGREGATIONAL FORUMJune 7th at 10:15 AM in the Sanctuary

“Sunday Schedule & Worship at FCC: Moving Forward into Our Future”

Be present to listen and respond in faith. See Michael’s article for more information.

From the Pastor’s Pen Keyboard

Attendance and GiftsHappy Timers Banquet

FCC Activities and Opportunities

Ministry Council Matters

Pentecost Offering

Tennis Shoe Sunday

Stewardship Matters

Literacy GraduateVacation Bible School

Midweek VolunteersRoute 66 Patriot CruiseMemorial Gifts

The Wilder SideScholarship ApplicationsPrayers and ConcernsServing SchedulesSunday School Class News

Prayers and CaresWe express our Christian sympathies to the family of Heather and Chris Murphy. Heather’s grandmother and Katie, Madeline

and Caroline Murphy’s great-grandmother, Geraldine “Jill” Horstman, passed from this life on May 12, 2015.

Donna AckenhasenJohn AckenhausenMatthew AlspaughLisa ArringtonDavid BaggettJo BakerBernie BowersSteve and Marilyn Bowers & familyMarilyn Carlton & familyPeggie ClendeninJim Dalby & familyJeff Daniel

Roger FordKern FreemanPeggy Lee Gay-HarrisLarry GibsonNita GriggsAlexia HaleLes & Marcia HamesNorma & Hugh HendersonGeorge & Joan HaugerMelissa & William JonesJeanette KetchumBetty Keys’ familyIrene Lewitt

Mike MillerPat & Dennis MolloyVic OsteenLeon & Rossie PattersonMark PitcherSusan PrabhuBarbara ReinhardtVeda RiggsAbbey Roberson’s momJack SandersChristie RichardsonSchreppelBetty Smith

Michael SmithLibby Stoppard’s familyAshley StubblefieldIrene TudorKendra Turner’s familyBeverly VakounVicki VandivortNeva VarnerAnne WebbJoy WelshJoe Wilkinson & familyDick Willhour familyKaren Younger & family

Continued prayers for Prayer Quilt RecipientsBeckie, Brian, Chesney, Christie, Cindy, David, Debbie, Gordon, Gordon’s family, Gyniss, Irene, Jerry, Jennifer, Joan, Joseph (PJ), Karen, Larry and

Molly, Les, Lilia, Marcia, Margaret, Marilyn, Michael, Miranda, Otavia, Richard, Stacee, Susan, Susie, Sybil, Tonya and Vicki

Those of you out there pray-ing for rain...you’ve overdone it! Please stop now. It took so long to get my grass mowed I almost lost my dog, and I have a big dog.

What would the Tulsa World have done this month without FCC? All the wonderful articles about WWII have been about our folks. Aren’t you proud of them? The latest one about Jack Sanders is wonderful, except the picture of him. I’ve never seen him when he wasn’t smiling.

There was a nice picture of Kevin Byrne, showing some of his

beautiful pottery, to be featured at the Iron Gate Founders Dinner.

Inverness just had our annual fund raiser, and several FCC’ers were guests of Bob and Susan Rorschach - San-dra Lewis and Bill Osteen, Tom Rorschach and Molly

Krumme, Marcia Hawkins and Mary Carolyn and Bob Len-gacher. Della Davidson and Charlie Crews invited Kay and Paul Thompson as their guests.

The Bowers’ grandson, Kern, from Norman, was named “Outstanding Student,” and he is on his way to Kentucky to the National History Bee. Kern is a 7th grader.

It was fun to see Bill and Lucy Spear’s granddaughter, Lucy Hobbs recognized for graduating from Northeastern State University. She is Vicki Vandivort’s daughter. She and her husband Andrew have worked with the youth for several years. Our other student recognized Sunday was Meghan Comer, Charlotte Comer’s granddaughter.

A fisherman had gained such a reputation for stretch-ing the truth that he bought a pair of scales and insisted on weighing every fish he caught before a witness. One day, a local doctor asked to borrow the scale to weigh a newborn baby. The baby came in at 47 pounds.

See you next Sunday at 9:00 for Sunday School, and 10:30 for Church, and the Pentecost Picnic afterward - wearing RED. - Ruthie

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLEIt’s time to start applying for next school year’s scholarships for college and post-graduate students! Applications and guidelines are available on the church Website under the Ministries Tab -http://www.fcctulsa.org/themes/fcct-ulsa/schol.html - or in the business office. Applications, transcripts and a recent photo are due by June 15th. The scholarships awarded over the last 40 years have touched the lives of hundreds of students and continue to help in a time when university costs are unmanageable for many families. Thanks to all the members and Sunday school classes who have built these funds to provide a bright future for youth and young adults.

After my last three-page exposé from the previous newsletter, some of you may be wondering if I have run out of words. Well for one, you should NEVER ask a preacher if he or she can run out of words – but that’s beside the point. What is important is that we as a church are transparent and forthright with each other and that we endeavor to communicate as well as we can with one another. If you haven’t read my previous article, you really need to do so, for it details much of what is going on in the life of our congregation and how we are living into a new vision for our future. I won’t labor you with repeating myself here; rather, I want to edify a few things for us all and let you know how exactly we are moving forward.

Our search for an additional full-time associate minister is mov-ing forward. The Personnel Com-mittee has reviewed and approved a set of updated job descriptions for all our clergy, both those for Rev. Cassie and me as well as for the new position. Over the next several months as we live into those descriptions, there may be some modifications made to reflect reality and to refine the purposes and language of each. Having approved this set, the Personnel Committee has moved forward with the recommenda-tion of one particular candidate among a handful of possibilities and is in the process of doing interviews with that person and that person’s references. Nothing more can be said at this time regarding the details of the search, of

course, but please do keep the Person-nel Committee and our church in your prayers as we work to discern who God is calling to join us in ministry.

Our conversation about our Sunday morning schedule and ser-vices is moving forward. Members of the Worship Team have been hav-ing information conversations among us regarding what Sunday morning could look like if we made any chang-es, what people have experienced over the last few years, and what they would like to see in the future. We are now at a point where our conversation is now much closer to reality than ab-stract conjecture. On Monday, May 11, the Ministry Council moved to hold a Congregational Forum during the Sunday School hour on Sunday, June 7 regarding our consideration of changes to our current Sunday morn-ing schedule.

This is NOT a congregational meeting wherein we vote on changes or make any binding decisions. Rath-er, this is a forum by which we as a congregation can understand how this process came about, how it continues forward, and how we each can be a part of it.

If we are going to be honest with ourselves, we don’t have the most dig-nified track record when it comes to congregational meetings over worship. While it is good that we are so passion-ate about worship, we mustn’t take out our passions on those who think or feel differently. Rather than let our con-gregation become divided and polar-ized, we will give each other space and permission to hold differing opinions, recognizing that it is in Christ that we are made one – unity, not uniformity – and therefore we will give each other grace and welcome in a manner befit-ting the name of Christ which we bear. This forum is not the time and place to fight the worship wars – Church is never the place for fighting or waging war within the body of Christ, so bring your thoughts and opinions as well as

an open mind and heart.Our church is on the move, and

we need your help. While the afore-mentioned search and conversation have not been brought to a conclusion, the work of the church isn’t stopping to wait. The work of the church goes on, and we need your help. The following is a list of just some of the opportuni-ties to make a difference in the life of FCC and in the lives of others through your volunteering (and all of these are on a rotating basis shared with other volunteers):

• Make dinner and dessert for Mid-Week Peak

• Help prepare and serve a monthly meal at the Day Center for the Homeless

• Call the local hospitals to ask if we have any members there

• Be a “cradle rocker” in the nursery on a Sunday morning

• Be an assistant to the Sunday School teachers for our kids for a short period of time

• Post attendance for Sunday School and worship to our office records

• Run the sound board during worship (comes with free training)

• Run the slideshow during worship (comes with free training)

• Greet CDC parents at pick-up and drop-off times

There will be more opportunities to serve in Jesus’s name in the future – this is just a quick list to get us started. Thank you in advance more making a difference!

Our church is on the move! And my friends, we have good news to share and a great church by which to do so. I look forward to our building FCC’s future together and helping God write this new chapter in our congregation’s story. God bless you, I love you, and we’ll see each other at church soon.

Soli Deo Gloria,Rev.Michael

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.org First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.org Page 11

Week of May 10

9:00am Worship 8211:30am Worship 29Children 43Total Attendance 154

Sunday SchoolPreschool 14Elementary 29Youth 13Adults 64Total 120

General Fund $12,933.91Sunday School 29.00

Total $12,995.41

Week of Compassion $100.00

Week of May 17

9:00 am Worship 97 11:30 am Worship 24

Total Attendance 173

Sunday School

Elementary 37Youth 24Adults 68Total 144

Total $6,046.33

Attendance and Gifts

May 20 -31, 2015

Bill Holmberg 5/20Alice Hauger 5/25Marc Rogers 5/27Jay Phillips 5/27

Doneto Grayson 5/29Honey Wilson 5/29

June 1 - 14, 2015

Jay Gibson 6/2

Charles Hargrove 6/9Emergency Infant Services - for Quilts John 3:16 MissionMeals on Wheels

Neighbor for NeighborThe Salvation Army

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.orgPage 3

Happy Timers Banquet May 28Appetizers at 5:30PM

Dinner and Entertainment at 6:00PM(You’ll be home before dark!)

Coming this month for our annual banquet is Sherri Williams!

Sherri is a versatile vocalist who can accompany herself on keyboard and also play the flute. She has won vocal competitions throughout the years both as a soloist and in vari-ous groups.

Mrs. Williams is a jingle vocal-ist, wedding vocalist, gig vocalist and worship leader at many venues across the United States over the past 25 years. She performs pop, gospel, classical, country, worship,

R&B, and for us she will do some of our favorite oldies.Sherri has written, recorded and helped to produce three proj-

ects. In 1998, she traveled and sang in a vocal trio winning a regional competition that sent them to the Dove Awards, to be featured as one of the top 10 new contemporary Christian groups in the nation. Sherri is a tenured and textured alto who has been compared to Amy Grant, Adele, Shania Twain, Gloria Estefan and Karen Carpenter.

BANQUET MENU - $8~Appetizers

~Mixed Greens w/ Crushed Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Feta Cheese & Raspberry Vinaigrette

~Boneless Smoked Chicken Breast with sautéed Bell Peppers & Onions

~Vegetable Medley, Bread & Butter~Carrot Cake

Please make your reservation by noon on Tuesday, May 26th by calling 918-582-8237 or emailing [email protected]

VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDto prepare Mid-Week Peak Meals.

If you are able to help by cooking a sim-ple meal for 30 people on Wednesday night please call Rev. Cassie Sexton-Riggs to let her know which Wednes-day you can help. The church will re-imburse meal expenses.

MAY 23 ROUTE 66 PATRIOT CRUISE

On Saturday of Memorial Day week-end, our church is invited to display our patriotic spirit by decorating our property along 11th St. with Ameri-can flags, banners, ribbons etc., as cars and motorcycles cruise from East Cen-tral High School to Crystal City Shop-ping Center along Route 66. The parade should reach our church around 9:30. If you would like to help decorate or come to enjoy the parade, we welcome that support. For more information on the event, go towww.route66patriotcarshow.org.


Dwight (second from right) and his tutor, JAN (second from left), celebrate Dwight’s successful completion of Firm Foundations, Book 2. Larry Buell, TLC Coordina-tor (far left), and Dwight’s encouraging wife Tiffany (far right) share in the celebration. Dwight has recently finished Book 3, thus graduating from the Firm Founda-tions curriculum.

A deacon in his church, he is now reading his King James Bible, reaching the goal we hope for each of our students.

Literacy & Evangelism International 2015 Annual Re-port “...in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130

Dwight Wallace, Literacy Graduate

We will be starting VBS for our children preK-5th grade on Sunday, May 31, 2015. We will be using Thai-land Trek from Group as our Sunday School materials. Many of the youth have volunteered to lead all the dif-ferent classes with music, snacks, Bible stories , and crafts under the direction of Mrs. Marti Rathbun. It is

sure to be a great time. Just between the Bible stories, the elephants and the tasty treats, I know our kids are in for a some great adventures. If you would like to help please contact Martie Rathbun or Beverly Vale-Brown. Be sure to check out future newsletters for more about VBS throughout the summer!

VACATIONBIBLE SCHOOL

FCC Activities and OpportunitiesWednesday, May 2010:30 CDC Chapel Time, Rm. 2231:00 - 2:00 Staff Meeting, EFH 5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer ChapelMidweek Peak 5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45 - 7:15 Bible Study, FH -The Book of

Revelation7:15 - 8:30 Sanctuary Choir, Choir Rm.

Thursday, May 2110:00 Sewing Group, Rm.101 – last until Fall10:00 Outreach Opportunity - Snack Pack

Packing, Rm. 104 11:45 NACBA Lunch and Program, SFH

Friday, May 22 - No activities scheduled

Saturday, May 23Communion Preparation: Tom Nulf and

Bob Parks9 AM Classic Car Parade Route 66 (past FCC

around 9:30)

Sunday, May 24 – PentecostPentecost Offering 8:45 Breakfast for the Children, SFH 9:15-10:15 All Sunday School classes10:30 Combined Worship Service, Sanctuary Noon - Pentecost Picnic - Hospitality Team1:30 - 3:30 Mission Tulsa serving meals to

homeless in east parking lot NEACCO Prayer Calendar: Regional Camp &

Conference ProgramPentecost Offering for Disciples Mission Fund

Monday, May 25 - Memorial DayChurch and CDC Closed8:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald’s 49th and Harvard

Tuesday, May 269:30 Prayer Group, Library

Wednesday, May 271:00 Staff Meeting, East Fellowship Hall5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer ChapelMidweek Peak 5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45 - 7:15 Bible Study, FH -The Book of Revelation7:15 - 8:30 Sanctuary Choir, Choir Rm. (Last until August)8:30 Choir gathering, Choir Room

Thursday, May 285:30 Happy Timers Banquet, Fellowship Hall

Sherri Williams vocalist (see for details)

Friday, May 29- No activities scheduled

Saturday, May 30Communion Preparation: Mary Lynn Howard andWinnie Stanbery

Sunday, May 31 – Trinity SundayVBS Begins8:30 - 8:50 Sanctuary Choir Warm-up 9:00 - 10:10 Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary 9:45 - 10:15 Breakfast for the Children, South Fellowship Hall 10:15 -11:15 Contemporary praise band practice, Fellowship Hall10:15 -11:15 All Sunday School classes10:15 -12:30 VBS on 3rd Floor11:30 - 12:00 Children's Worship, Prayer Chapel11:30 - 12:30 Contemporary Worship Service, Fellowship Hall 12:00 - 12:30 Children's activities, 3rd Floor 1:30 Piano Recital, Prayer Chapel 1:30 - 3:30 Mission Tulsa serving meals to homeless in east parking lot NEACCO Prayer Calendar: Camp Christian, Chouteau – Dan Bubach

Monday, June 18:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald's 49th and Harvard6:30 Strategic Planning Meeting,

East Fellowship Hall

Tuesday, June 29:30 Prayer Group, Library

Wednesday, June 31:00 Staff Meeting, EFH5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer ChapelMidweek Peak5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45 - 7:15 Bible Study, FH -The Book of Revelation

June 4 & 5 - No activities scheduled

Saturday, June 6Communion Preparation: Darlene Blackburn and

Hunter Blackburn

Sunday, June 7 – Corpus Christi9:00 - 10:10 Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary10:15 Congregational forum, Sanctuary 9:45 - 10:15 Breakfast for the Children, South Fellowship Hall10:15 -11:15 Contemporary praise band practice,

Fellowship Hall10:15 -11:15 All Sunday School classes10:15 -12:30 VBS on 3rd Floor11:30 - 12:00 Children's Worship, Prayer Chapel11:30 - 12:30 Contemporary Worship Service, Fellowship Hall 12:00 - 12:30 Children's activities, 3rd Floor NEACCO Prayer Calendar: Osage Ave. Christian, Okmulgee

Monday, June 8 Triple Camp June 8-12 (Grades 4-8) Vision to be published7:30 a.m.- 8:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald's 49th and Harvard6:00 Ministry Council, East Fellowship Hall

Tuesday, June 99:30 Prayer Group, Library11:30 - 1:00 Post Partum Care of Tulsa, Welcome Room

Wednesday, June 101:00 Staff Meeting, EFH5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer ChapelMidweek Peak5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45 - 7:15 Bible Study, FH

Thursday, June 115:00 – 7:00 Outreach opportunity: prepare and serve meal for folks at Day Center for the Homeless, 415 W. Archer; Sign-up sheets in Main Street lobby

Friday, June 12 Triple Camp ends (Camp Christian) Discovery Camp at Central Christian Camp, Guthrie begins

Saturday, June 13 - Paul Pinkosky's birthdayCommunion Preparation: Chris, Katie and Madeline MurphyDiscovery Camp at Central Christian Camp, Guthrie

Sunday, June 14Communion to Home-Centered8:00 Vans leave to pick up children9:00 Traditional Worship in Sanctuary9:15 Breakfast for the Children, SFH10:15 - 11:15 Deacons Meeting, Sanctuary 10:15 Elders Home-Centered Communion checkpoint, Archives Center10:15 – 11:15 All Sunday School classes10:15 -12:30 VBS on 3rd Floor11:30 Common Ground Worship, FH11:30 Children’s Worship, Prayer Chapel1:30 - 3:30 Mission Tulsa serving meals to homeless in east parking lot Discovery Camp ends - Central Christian Camp, GuthrieNEACCO Prayer Calendar: First Christian, Pawhuska – Ken Woodhams Remember Fathers


FCC Child Development Center is one of the church’s most enduring outreach ministries. In September of 1988, the Child Development Center opened its doors with a mission to provide quality, nurturing care to families that worked and lived in Tulsa and the surrounding areas. For almost 27 years, we have continued to carry out this mis-sion and touch more than 5,000 lives. Today our mission is even more critical to young families, as we are the only full-time center left in the downtown area.

Three of the other downtown churches have closed their full-time centers over the last 10 years due to their lack of support and commitment to this need. Rising costs and increasing licensure requirements and regulations have also caused many other Tulsa and surrounding area centers to choose to close their doors. So, the established partnership between FCC and the CDC is now even more critical and vital to the families that we serve.

Although FCC and the CDC are separate entities with their individual boards and budgets, this vibrant outreach ministry cannot be sustained alone. FCC is being a good steward of its space - rather than utilizing the property mainly on Sundays, the CDC fills this beautiful building five days a week with smiling, laughing children that are

excited about learning. The CDC not only reimburses the church for the space, supplies and utilities we use, but FCC also benefits from well equipped classrooms and a playground for those children who walk through the doors on Sunday morning.

In many ways, we work hand in glove and enhance each other. Due to the blessing of the annual grant the CDC receives from the outreach committee, we have been able to sustain our non-profit program, keep our tuition affordable and our doors open!

Together, we can continue building a strong foundation for the future development of the minds and spirits of children in our care six days a week. As your Steward-ship gifts continue to sustain First Christian Church in its outreach ministries, our mutual partnership can thrive.

I want to thank you on behalf of the Child Development Center for continuing to respond to Jesus’ call in Mat-thew 19:14, when he said, “Let the little children come unto me!”

Mindy BurkhardtCDC Managing Director

Sharon Regnery and James Howard teaching CDC children at CDC Chapel time.

STEWARDSHIP MATTERS FCC’s Ministry Council met Monday night, May 11, 2015 and had a full plate of matters to attend to. Here are key highlights:

Mary Byrne (the birthday girl) shared a positive financial report:

Through April 30, we have used $11,000 of budget contingency funds for 2015, leaving an available balance of $260,000. Thanks to some generous stock gifts from members, our income was at 98% of budgeted amounts and we were able to repay nearly $16,000 to budget con-tingency savings during April!

In anticipation of hiring another full-time minister we received special gifts totaling $10,000 to fund the antici-pated unbudgeted expense. We appreciate these contribu-tors’ generosity to the financial and spiritual health of our church.

Our committee chairs also shared reports:Resources chair Bill Osteen shared that with the fre-

quent rains a few leaks in the corner of the sanctuary have emerged. We’ve not had that issue for several years.

Rev. Cassie reported the Agapean/Patrian Sunday School class will begin using the Wired Word program once monthly. Other classes are welcome to try this very good Sunday School curriculum, which is discussion-based and rooted in applying our faith to current issues.

Cassie Gray reported the food pantry demand has grown such that Outreach is evaluating options, includ-ing being open additional days. Snack Packs and Prayers & Squares continue to be generously supported by FCC funding and time. Outreach is also assessing further sup-porting Mission Tulsa, as they continue to provide suste-nance monthly in our parking lot across the street.

Rev. Michael, in a follow up to his article in the last Vision, suggested it is time for the congregation to get to-gether and share our concerns and discuss worship. Min-istry Council approved holding a Congregational Forum to seek input on worship on Sunday, June 7, after tradi-tional worship. The congregation is encouraged to make every effort to attend.

James Howard reported that Strategic Planning re-ceived 38 surveys regarding Holy Week activities and is in process of reviewing those responses. Thanks to everyone who completed a survey – your input is needed to steer the church, otherwise, the Ministry Council is flying blind. Rev. Michael also reported they are evaluating online surveys for the church.

The Council also heard other reports:Chris Murphy reported for Stewardship: some of the

trustees and the Stewardship team have met with Okla-homa Disciples Foundation and Christian Church Founda-tion to look at options for getting a better return on our restricted funds. Stewardship will also be addressing on-line donations, communication and education, and a new stewardship campaign in future meetings. The committee will meet again on May 18, 2015 at 6:00.

Kathy Davis reported the Elders have been ill, and will be moving home-centered communion to the 3rd and 4th Sundays in May. Kathy indicated we need two more El-ders, though others in the congregation have been wonder-ful about filling in as needed.

Vi Kennett and Mary Garner reported the Deacons are settling in nicely. Additional help could be used in greet-ing and preparing communion. We will have a Deacons Meeting on June 14, following worship.

Rev. Michael reported he’s been very busy, but high on his priority list are working with personnel to find great candidates to fill the open full-time associate minister po-sition and finding a way for FCC to worship together.

Rev. Cassie is has been primarily focused on VBS and camp planning and considering an evangelism event for September called “Don’t be a Jerk! Be a Neighbor!”

Beverly and her children’s ministry team are gearing up for VBS and summer camps as well. The kids are very excited to go, and are grateful to have the opportunity thanks to FCC’s generosity and Beverly and Rev. Cassie’s hard work. Last Sunday, linens and flip-flops were deliv-ered to the campers for use at the upcoming camps.

A few members of the congregation who were able to attend the meeting asked great questions about the children’s ministry, the congregation forum and the sound system in the sanctuary. We appreciate Jim Alspaugh and Carolyn Crump attending and we’d welcome the rest of you.

If you have questions about the meeting or other Min-istry Council matters, please track one of us down – we’re trying to improve communication, but we have to hear from you to make it work.

Respectfully Submitted,

Chris Murphy Ministry Council Secretary



Dear Pentecost Partner:

People are saying the Church is in decline. Churches are closing their doors and people are closing their hearts. The Church is dying. This is what I used to think!

The truth is we are living in challenging times, but there are great things happening! We are adding to the Church. Since 2001, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has started 850 new churches in the United States and Canada and the numbers continue to grow! Because of the new church movement, Disciples are spreading the gospel to more than 60,000 individuals, who may not have had a relationship with God. During worship, 28 languages are spoken in Disciples congregations every week. It is a Pentecost movement!

You can join this movement by supporting the Disciples Pentecost Offering, which will be celebrated on Sundays, May 17 and May 24. The Pentecost Offering is a special-day offering that will help Disciples establish 1,000 new congregations by 2020. Each year, the Pentecost Offering supports the Disciples New Church movement by making it possible for the Church to recruit, assess, train and coach new church leaders. One half of the offering is dedicated to each respective Region or Area, while the other half is used by Hope Partnership for Missional Transformation to support new church ministry.

Your gift to the Pentecost Offering is vital to keeping the new church movement alive and thriving. It helps create God’s Church, inspire the old to dream and fill the young with vision. Hope Partnership has created a two-minute video that we encourage your church to play on Pentecost Sundays. To access the video and for more information about how you can make a gift to the Pentecost Offering today, visit www.hopepmt.org.

Shalom,

Charlie WallaceMinister, New Church Strategies Hope Partnership

TENNIS SHOE SUNDAY!

This past Sunday, May 17, 2015, our campers visited the Woodlands Hills Mall Payless to pick out their tennis shoes for camp. There were two rules for picking out their shoes - they must either tie or Velcro, and you must be able to play kickball in them without the shoes coming off. The kids had a great time picking out shoes, from FROZEN to glow-in-the-dark to old school “chucks.” Some of them even got matching shoes with their “best friends.” Our bill was a little over $500, and with the store discount we were given we saved over $300. Thank you all for your support in helping send our children and youth to camp and providing everything that they need there, as well!

Enjoy some of our shopping adventure photos. Blessings~ Mrs. Beverly and Rev. Cassie


Dwight (second from right) and his tutor, JAN (second from left), celebrate Dwight’s successful completion of Firm Foundations, Book 2. Larry Buell, TLC Coordina-tor (far left), and Dwight’s encouraging wife Tiffany (far right) share in the celebration. Dwight has recently finished Book 3, thus graduating from the Firm Founda-tions curriculum.

A deacon in his church, he is now reading his King James Bible, reaching the goal we hope for each of our students.

Literacy & Evangelism International 2015 Annual Re-port “...in his word I put my hope.” Psalm 130

Dwight Wallace, Literacy Graduate

We will be starting VBS for our children preK-5th grade on Sunday, May 31, 2015. We will be using Thai-land Trek from Group as our Sunday School materials. Many of the youth have volunteered to lead all the dif-ferent classes with music, snacks, Bible stories , and crafts under the direction of Mrs. Marti Rathbun. It is

sure to be a great time. Just between the Bible stories, the elephants and the tasty treats, I know our kids are in for a some great adventures. If you would like to help please contact Martie Rathbun or Beverly Vale-Brown. Be sure to check out future newsletters for more about VBS throughout the summer!

VACATIONBIBLE SCHOOL

FCC Activities and OpportunitiesWednesday, May 2010:30 CDC Chapel Time, Rm. 2231:00 - 2:00 Staff Meeting, EFH 5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer ChapelMidweek Peak 5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45 - 7:15 Bible Study, FH -The Book of

Revelation7:15 - 8:30 Sanctuary Choir, Choir Rm.

Thursday, May 2110:00 Sewing Group, Rm.101 – last until Fall10:00 Outreach Opportunity - Snack Pack

Packing, Rm. 104 11:45 NACBA Lunch and Program, SFH

Friday, May 22 - No activities scheduled

Saturday, May 23Communion Preparation: Tom Nulf and

Bob Parks9 AM Classic Car Parade Route 66 (past FCC

around 9:30)

Sunday, May 24 – PentecostPentecost Offering 8:45 Breakfast for the Children, SFH 9:15-10:15 All Sunday School classes10:30 Combined Worship Service, Sanctuary Noon - Pentecost Picnic - Hospitality Team1:30 - 3:30 Mission Tulsa serving meals to

homeless in east parking lot NEACCO Prayer Calendar: Regional Camp &

Conference ProgramPentecost Offering for Disciples Mission Fund

Monday, May 25 - Memorial DayChurch and CDC Closed8:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald’s 49th and Harvard

Tuesday, May 269:30 Prayer Group, Library

Wednesday, May 271:00 Staff Meeting, East Fellowship Hall5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer ChapelMidweek Peak 5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45 - 7:15 Bible Study, FH -The Book of Revelation7:15 - 8:30 Sanctuary Choir, Choir Rm. (Last until August)8:30 Choir gathering, Choir Room

Thursday, May 285:30 Happy Timers Banquet, Fellowship Hall

Sherri Williams vocalist (see Page 3 for details)

Friday, May 29- No activities scheduled

Saturday, May 30Communion Preparation: Mary Lynn Howard andWinnie Stanbery

Sunday, May 31 – Trinity SundayVBS Begins8:30 - 8:50 Sanctuary Choir Warm-up 9:00 - 10:10 Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary 9:45 - 10:15 Breakfast for the Children, South Fellowship Hall 10:15 -11:15 Contemporary praise band practice, Fellowship Hall10:15 -11:15 All Sunday School classes10:15 -12:30 VBS on 3rd Floor11:30 - 12:00 Children's Worship, Prayer Chapel11:30 - 12:30 Contemporary Worship Service, Fellowship Hall 12:00 - 12:30 Children's activities, 3rd Floor 1:30 Piano Recital, Prayer Chapel 1:30 - 3:30 Mission Tulsa serving meals to homeless in east parking lot NEACCO Prayer Calendar: Camp Christian, Chouteau – Dan Bubach

Monday, June 18:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald's 49th and Harvard6:30 Strategic Planning Meeting,

East Fellowship Hall

Tuesday, June 29:30 Prayer Group, Library

Wednesday, June 31:00 Staff Meeting, EFH5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer ChapelMidweek Peak5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45 - 7:15 Bible Study, FH -The Book of Revelation

June 4 & 5 - No activities scheduled

Saturday, June 6Communion Preparation: Darlene Blackburn and

Hunter Blackburn

Sunday, June 7 – Corpus Christi9:00 - 10:10 Traditional Worship Service, Sanctuary10:15 Congregational forum, Sanctuary 9:45 - 10:15 Breakfast for the Children, South Fellowship Hall10:15 -11:15 Contemporary praise band practice,

Fellowship Hall10:15 -11:15 All Sunday School classes10:15 -12:30 VBS on 3rd Floor11:30 - 12:00 Children's Worship, Prayer Chapel11:30 - 12:30 Contemporary Worship Service, Fellowship Hall 12:00 - 12:30 Children's activities, 3rd Floor NEACCO Prayer Calendar: Osage Ave. Christian, Okmulgee

Monday, June 8 Triple Camp June 8-12 (Grades 4-8) Vision to be published7:30 a.m.- 8:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald's 49th and Harvard6:00 Ministry Council, East Fellowship Hall

Tuesday, June 99:30 Prayer Group, Library11:30 - 1:00 Post Partum Care of Tulsa, Welcome Room

Wednesday, June 101:00 Staff Meeting, EFH5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer ChapelMidweek Peak5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45 - 7:15 Bible Study, FH

Thursday, June 115:00 – 7:00 Outreach opportunity: prepare and serve meal for folks at Day Center for the Homeless, 415 W. Archer; Sign-up sheets in Main Street lobby

Friday, June 12 Triple Camp ends (Camp Christian) Discovery Camp at Central Christian Camp, Guthrie begins

Saturday, June 13 - Paul Pinkosky's birthdayCommunion Preparation: Chris, Katie and Madeline MurphyDiscovery Camp at Central Christian Camp, Guthrie

Sunday, June 14Communion to Home-Centered8:00 Vans leave to pick up children9:00 Traditional Worship in Sanctuary9:15 Breakfast for the Children, SFH10:15 - 11:15 Deacons Meeting, Sanctuary 10:15 Elders Home-Centered Communion checkpoint, Archives Center10:15 – 11:15 All Sunday School classes10:15 -12:30 VBS on 3rd Floor11:30 Common Ground Worship, FH11:30 Children’s Worship, Prayer Chapel1:30 - 3:30 Mission Tulsa serving meals to homeless in east parking lot Discovery Camp ends - Central Christian Camp, GuthrieNEACCO Prayer Calendar: First Christian, Pawhuska – Ken Woodhams Remember Fathers


FCC Child Development Center is one of the church’s most enduring outreach ministries. In September of 1988, the Child Development Center opened its doors with a mission to provide quality, nurturing care to families that worked and lived in Tulsa and the surrounding areas. For almost 27 years, we have continued to carry out this mis-sion and touch more than 5,000 lives. Today our mission is even more critical to young families, as we are the only full-time center left in the downtown area.

Three of the other downtown churches have closed their full-time centers over the last 10 years due to their lack of support and commitment to this need. Rising costs and increasing licensure requirements and regulations have also caused many other Tulsa and surrounding area centers to choose to close their doors. So, the established partnership between FCC and the CDC is now even more critical and vital to the families that we serve.

Although FCC and the CDC are separate entities with their individual boards and budgets, this vibrant outreach ministry cannot be sustained alone. FCC is being a good steward of its space - rather than utilizing the property mainly on Sundays, the CDC fills this beautiful building five days a week with smiling, laughing children that are

excited about learning. The CDC not only reimburses the church for the space, supplies and utilities we use, but FCC also benefits from well equipped classrooms and a playground for those children who walk through the doors on Sunday morning.

In many ways, we work hand in glove and enhance each other. Due to the blessing of the annual grant the CDC receives from the outreach committee, we have been able to sustain our non-profit program, keep our tuition affordable and our doors open!

Together, we can continue building a strong foundation for the future development of the minds and spirits of children in our care six days a week. As your Steward-ship gifts continue to sustain First Christian Church in its outreach ministries, our mutual partnership can thrive.

I want to thank you on behalf of the Child Development Center for continuing to respond to Jesus’ call in Mat-thew 19:14, when he said, “Let the little children come unto me!”

Mindy BurkhardtCDC Managing Director

Sharon Regnery and James Howard teaching CDC children at CDC Chapel time.

STEWARDSHIP MATTERS FCC’s Ministry Council met Monday night, May 11, 2015 and had a full plate of matters to attend to. Here are key highlights:

Mary Byrne (the birthday girl) shared a positive financial report:

Through April 30, we have used $11,000 of budget contingency funds for 2015, leaving an available balance of $260,000. Thanks to some generous stock gifts from members, our income was at 98% of budgeted amounts and we were able to repay nearly $16,000 to budget con-tingency savings during April!

In anticipation of hiring another full-time minister we received special gifts totaling $10,000 to fund the antici-pated unbudgeted expense. We appreciate these contribu-tors’ generosity to the financial and spiritual health of our church.

Our committee chairs also shared reports:Resources chair Bill Osteen shared that with the fre-

quent rains a few leaks in the corner of the sanctuary have emerged. We’ve not had that issue for several years.

Rev. Cassie reported the Agapean/Patrian Sunday School class will begin using the Wired Word program once monthly. Other classes are welcome to try this very good Sunday School curriculum, which is discussion-based and rooted in applying our faith to current issues.

Cassie Gray reported the food pantry demand has grown such that Outreach is evaluating options, includ-ing being open additional days. Snack Packs and Prayers & Squares continue to be generously supported by FCC funding and time. Outreach is also assessing further sup-porting Mission Tulsa, as they continue to provide suste-nance monthly in our parking lot across the street.

Rev. Michael, in a follow up to his article in the last Vision, suggested it is time for the congregation to get to-gether and share our concerns and discuss worship. Min-istry Council approved holding a Congregational Forum to seek input on worship on Sunday, June 7, after tradi-tional worship. The congregation is encouraged to make every effort to attend.

James Howard reported that Strategic Planning re-ceived 38 surveys regarding Holy Week activities and is in process of reviewing those responses. Thanks to everyone who completed a survey – your input is needed to steer the church, otherwise, the Ministry Council is flying blind. Rev. Michael also reported they are evaluating online surveys for the church.

The Council also heard other reports:Chris Murphy reported for Stewardship: some of the

trustees and the Stewardship team have met with Okla-homa Disciples Foundation and Christian Church Founda-tion to look at options for getting a better return on our restricted funds. Stewardship will also be addressing on-line donations, communication and education, and a new stewardship campaign in future meetings. The committee will meet again on May 18, 2015 at 6:00.

Kathy Davis reported the Elders have been ill, and will be moving home-centered communion to the 3rd and 4th Sundays in May. Kathy indicated we need two more El-ders, though others in the congregation have been wonder-ful about filling in as needed.

Vi Kennett and Mary Garner reported the Deacons are settling in nicely. Additional help could be used in greet-ing and preparing communion. We will have a Deacons Meeting on June 14, following worship.

Rev. Michael reported he’s been very busy, but high on his priority list are working with personnel to find great candidates to fill the open full-time associate minister po-sition and finding a way for FCC to worship together.

Rev. Cassie is has been primarily focused on VBS and camp planning and considering an evangelism event for September called “Don’t be a Jerk! Be a Neighbor!”

Beverly and her children’s ministry team are gearing up for VBS and summer camps as well. The kids are very excited to go, and are grateful to have the opportunity thanks to FCC’s generosity and Beverly and Rev. Cassie’s hard work. Last Sunday, linens and flip-flops were deliv-ered to the campers for use at the upcoming camps.

A few members of the congregation who were able to attend the meeting asked great questions about the children’s ministry, the congregation forum and the sound system in the sanctuary. We appreciate Jim Alspaugh and Carolyn Crump attending and we’d welcome the rest of you.

If you have questions about the meeting or other Min-istry Council matters, please track one of us down – we’re trying to improve communication, but we have to hear from you to make it work.

Respectfully Submitted,

Chris Murphy Ministry Council Secretary


First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.orgPage 8 First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.org

Prayers and CaresWe express our Christian sympathies to the family of Heather and Chris Murphy. Heather’s grandmother and Katie, Madeline

and Caroline Murphy’s great-grandmother, Geraldine “Jill” Horstman, passed from this life on May 12, 2015.

Donna AckenhasenJohn AckenhausenMatthew AlspaughLisa ArringtonDavid BaggettJo BakerBernie BowersSteve and Marilyn Bowers & familyMarilyn Carlton & familyPeggie ClendeninJim Dalby & familyJeff Daniel

Roger FordKern FreemanPeggy Lee Gay-HarrisLarry GibsonNita GriggsAlexia HaleLes & Marcia HamesNorma & Hugh HendersonGeorge & Joan HaugerMelissa & William JonesJeanette KetchumBetty Keys’ familyIrene Lewitt

Mike MillerPat & Dennis MolloyVic OsteenLeon & Rossie PattersonMark PitcherSusan PrabhuBarbara ReinhardtVeda RiggsAbbey Roberson’s momJack SandersChristie RichardsonSchreppelBetty Smith

Michael SmithLibby Stoppard’s familyAshley StubblefieldIrene TudorKendra Turner’s familyBeverly VakounVicki VandivortNeva VarnerAnne WebbJoy WelshJoe Wilkinson & familyDick Willhour familyKaren Younger & family

Continued prayers for Prayer Quilt RecipientsBeckie, Brian, Chesney, Christie, Cindy, David, Debbie, Gordon, Gordon’s family, Gyniss, Irene, Jerry, Jennifer, Joan, Joseph (PJ), Karen, Larry and

Molly, Les, Lilia, Marcia, Margaret, Marilyn, Michael, Miranda, Otavia, Richard, Stacee, Susan, Susie, Sybil, Tonya and Vicki

Those of you out there pray-ing for rain...you’ve overdone it! Please stop now. It took so long to get my grass mowed I almost lost my dog, and I have a big dog.

What would the Tulsa World have done this month without FCC? All the wonderful articles about WWII have been about our folks. Aren’t you proud of them? The latest one about Jack Sanders is wonderful, except the picture of him. I’ve never seen him when he wasn’t smiling.

There was a nice picture of Kevin Byrne, showing some of his

beautiful pottery, to be featured at the Iron Gate Founders Dinner.

Inverness just had our annual fund raiser, and several FCC’ers were guests of Bob and Susan Rorschach - San-dra Lewis and Bill Osteen, Tom Rorschach and Molly

Krumme, Marcia Hawkins and Mary Carolyn and Bob Len-gacher. Della Davidson and Charlie Crews invited Kay and Paul Thompson as their guests.

The Bowers’ grandson, Kern, from Norman, was named “Outstanding Student,” and he is on his way to Kentucky to the National History Bee. Kern is a 7th grader.

It was fun to see Bill and Lucy Spear’s granddaughter, Lucy Hobbs recognized for graduating from Northeastern State University. She is Vicki Vandivort’s daughter. She and her husband Andrew have worked with the youth for several years. Our other student recognized Sunday was Meghan Comer, Charlotte Comer’s granddaughter.

A fisherman had gained such a reputation for stretch-ing the truth that he bought a pair of scales and insisted on weighing every fish he caught before a witness. One day, a local doctor asked to borrow the scale to weigh a newborn baby. The baby came in at 47 pounds.

See you next Sunday at 9:00 for Sunday School, and 10:30 for Church, and the Pentecost Picnic afterward - wearing RED. - Ruthie

SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS AVAILABLEIt’s time to start applying for next school year’s scholarships for college and post-graduate students! Applications and guidelines are available on the church Website under the Ministries Tab -http://www.fcctulsa.org/themes/fcct-ulsa/schol.html - or in the business office. Applications, transcripts and a recent photo are due by June 15th. The scholarships awarded over the last 40 years have touched the lives of hundreds of students and continue to help in a time when university costs are unmanageable for many families. Thanks to all the members and Sunday school classes who have built these funds to provide a bright future for youth and young adults.

After my last three-page exposé from the previous newsletter, some of you may be wondering if I have run out of words. Well for one, you should NEVER ask a preacher if he or she can run out of words – but that’s beside the point. What is important is that we as a church are transparent and forthright with each other and that we endeavor to communicate as well as we can with one another. If you haven’t read my previous article, you really need to do so, for it details much of what is going on in the life of our congregation and how we are living into a new vision for our future. I won’t labor you with repeating myself here; rather, I want to edify a few things for us all and let you know how exactly we are moving forward.

Our search for an additional full-time associate minister is mov-ing forward. The Personnel Com-mittee has reviewed and approved a set of updated job descriptions for all our clergy, both those for Rev. Cassie and me as well as for the new position. Over the next several months as we live into those descriptions, there may be some modifications made to reflect reality and to refine the purposes and language of each. Having approved this set, the Personnel Committee has moved forward with the recommenda-tion of one particular candidate among a handful of possibilities and is in the process of doing interviews with that person and that person’s references. Nothing more can be said at this time regarding the details of the search, of

course, but please do keep the Person-nel Committee and our church in your prayers as we work to discern who God is calling to join us in ministry.

Our conversation about our Sunday morning schedule and ser-vices is moving forward. Members of the Worship Team have been hav-ing information conversations among us regarding what Sunday morning could look like if we made any chang-es, what people have experienced over the last few years, and what they would like to see in the future. We are now at a point where our conversation is now much closer to reality than ab-stract conjecture. On Monday, May 11, the Ministry Council moved to hold a Congregational Forum during the Sunday School hour on Sunday, June 7 regarding our consideration of changes to our current Sunday morn-ing schedule.

This is NOT a congregational meeting wherein we vote on changes or make any binding decisions. Rath-er, this is a forum by which we as a congregation can understand how this process came about, how it continues forward, and how we each can be a part of it.

If we are going to be honest with ourselves, we don’t have the most dig-nified track record when it comes to congregational meetings over worship. While it is good that we are so passion-ate about worship, we mustn’t take out our passions on those who think or feel differently. Rather than let our con-gregation become divided and polar-ized, we will give each other space and permission to hold differing opinions, recognizing that it is in Christ that we are made one – unity, not uniformity – and therefore we will give each other grace and welcome in a manner befit-ting the name of Christ which we bear. This forum is not the time and place to fight the worship wars – Church is never the place for fighting or waging war within the body of Christ, so bring your thoughts and opinions as well as

an open mind and heart.Our church is on the move, and

we need your help. While the afore-mentioned search and conversation have not been brought to a conclusion, the work of the church isn’t stopping to wait. The work of the church goes on, and we need your help. The following is a list of just some of the opportuni-ties to make a difference in the life of FCC and in the lives of others through your volunteering (and all of these are on a rotating basis shared with other volunteers):

• Make dinner and dessert for Mid-Week Peak

• Help prepare and serve a monthly meal at the Day Center for the Homeless

• Call the local hospitals to ask if we have any members there

• Be a “cradle rocker” in the nursery on a Sunday morning

• Be an assistant to the Sunday School teachers for our kids for a short period of time

• Post attendance for Sunday School and worship to our office records

• Run the sound board during worship (comes with free training)

• Run the slideshow during worship (comes with free training)

• Greet CDC parents at pick-up and drop-off times

There will be more opportunities to serve in Jesus’s name in the future – this is just a quick list to get us started. Thank you in advance more making a difference!

Our church is on the move! And my friends, we have good news to share and a great church by which to do so. I look forward to our building FCC’s future together and helping God write this new chapter in our congregation’s story. God bless you, I love you, and we’ll see each other at church soon.

Soli Deo Gloria,Rev.Michael


Week of May 10

9:00am Worship 8211:30am Worship 29Children 43Total Attendance 154

Sunday SchoolPreschool 14Elementary 29Youth 13Adults 64Total 120

General Fund $12,933.91Sunday School 29.00

Total $12,995.41

Week of Compassion $100.00

Week of May 17

9:00 am Worship 97 11:30 am Worship 24

Total Attendance 173

Sunday School

Elementary 37Youth 24Adults 68Total 144

Total $6,046.33

Attendance and Gifts

May 20 -31, 2015

Bill Holmberg 5/20Alice Hauger 5/25Marc Rogers 5/27Jay Phillips 5/27

Doneto Grayson 5/29Honey Wilson 5/29

June 1 - 14, 2015

Jay Gibson 6/2

Charles Hargrove 6/9Emergency Infant Services - for Quilts John 3:16 MissionMeals on Wheels

Neighbor for NeighborThe Salvation Army

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) 913 S. Boulder, Tulsa, OK • 918.582.8237 • fcctulsa.orgPage 3

Happy Timers Banquet May 28Appetizers at 5:30PM

Dinner and Entertainment at 6:00PM(You’ll be home before dark!)

Coming this month for our annual banquet is Sherri Williams!

Sherri is a versatile vocalist who can accompany herself on keyboard and also play the flute. She has won vocal competitions throughout the years both as a soloist and in vari-ous groups.

Mrs. Williams is a jingle vocal-ist, wedding vocalist, gig vocalist and worship leader at many venues across the United States over the past 25 years. She performs pop, gospel, classical, country, worship,

R&B, and for us she will do some of our favorite oldies.Sherri has written, recorded and helped to produce three proj-

ects. In 1998, she traveled and sang in a vocal trio winning a regional competition that sent them to the Dove Awards, to be featured as one of the top 10 new contemporary Christian groups in the nation. Sherri is a tenured and textured alto who has been compared to Amy Grant, Adele, Shania Twain, Gloria Estefan and Karen Carpenter.

BANQUET MENU - $8~Appetizers

~Mixed Greens w/ Crushed Walnuts, Dried Cranberries, Feta Cheese & Raspberry Vinaigrette

~Boneless Smoked Chicken Breast with sautéed Bell Peppers & Onions

~Vegetable Medley, Bread & Butter~Carrot Cake

Please make your reservation by noon on Tuesday, May 26th by calling 918-582-8237 or emailing [email protected]

VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDto prepare Mid-Week Peak Meals.

If you are able to help by cooking a sim-ple meal for 30 people on Wednesday night please call Rev. Cassie Sexton-Riggs to let her know which Wednes-day you can help. The church will re-imburse meal expenses.

MAY 23 ROUTE 66 PATRIOT CRUISE

On Saturday of Memorial Day week-end, our church is invited to display our patriotic spirit by decorating our property along 11th St. with Ameri-can flags, banners, ribbons etc., as cars and motorcycles cruise from East Cen-tral High School to Crystal City Shop-ping Center along Route 66. The parade should reach our church around 9:30. If you would like to help decorate or come to enjoy the parade, we welcome that support. For more information on the event, go towww.route66patriotcarshow.org.


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Worship Times






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Worship Times




Come celebrate the work ofthe Holy Spirit on

May 24th, 20159:00 am Sunday School

10:00 am Fair Trade Coffeeand Donuts

10:30 am WorshipLunch to Follow


CONGREGATIONAL FORUMJune 7th at 10:15 AM in the Sanctuary

“Sunday Schedule & Worship at FCC: Moving Forward into Our Future”

Be present to listen and respond in faith. See Michael’s article for more information.

From the Pastor’s Pen Keyboard

Attendance and GiftsHappy Timers Banquet

FCC Activities and Opportunities


Pentecost Offering

Tennis Shoe Sunday

Stewardship Matters

Literacy GraduateVacation Bible School

Midweek VolunteersRoute 66 Patriot CruiseMemorial Gifts

The Wilder SideScholarship ApplicationsPrayers and ConcernsServing SchedulesSunday School Class News

stewardship matters - first christian church · 5/22/2015 · we express our christian sympathies...

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