the newsletter of first christian church (disciples of christ)march 27, 2012

THEvolume xxv | no. 77

april 17, 2012

Tall Oaks Deadline is This Sunday!The time has come again to sign up for Camp! Talk to Traci Burns about registering, or go to www.talloaks.org! Deadline is April 15!

Come and experience God-inspired moments in the great out-doors! You will make new friends, reconnect with old ones, and have fun. Camp moments at Tall Oaks become memories for life. Contact Traci Burns at 816.813.394 or burnsgomsu@yahoo.com, or visit www.talloaks.org and click on “Camp.”

Day Camp 1 June 6

Day Camp 2 July 9

Day Camp 3 August 1

Primary 1 June 23–25

Primary 2 July 5–7

Junior 1 June 6-9

Junior 2 June 30 to July 3

Chi Rho Activity May 29 to June 2

Chi Rho 2 July 30 to August 3

Eighters’ Camp June 30 to July 6

CYF Camp 1 June 3-8

CYF Camp 2 July 8-13

Grandparents Camp 1 June 24-26

Grandparents Camp 2 July 29-31

Equestrian Camp 1 June 17-20

Equestrian Camp 2 July 5-8

Graduation BreakfastWe are continuing to gather names of this year’s graduates to honor at the breakfast on May 13. Please let me know if you are aware of someone graduating that is not listed here:

HIGH SCHOOL: Patrick Burns, Alex Hamilton. COLLEGE: Elissa Miller, Alicia Seevers, Mallory Burchett, Molly Blosser, Luke French.

Thanks! Rachel Drake—rachelldrake@gmail.com

Tall Oaks Day Camp Counselors Wanted!The date is June 6th at Tall Oaks from 8:30 to 3 with children that have completed K-2nd grade. Other than the day of, there is a coun-selor training from 10 to 12 on May 5th at Tall Oaks. If you have any questions or are interested, you can e-mail Megan Burns at miburns@my.okcu.edu, call me at 816-813-3863 or talk to Traci Burns. Any help is greatly appreciated!

christian concert on april 20thWhat is it? A Christian concert! Who is performing? Three cool bands on the Beautiful Unusual tour! Attaboy, Jennie Wellsand, and Calling out Closer! Who can go? Anyone in 9-12th grade! When is it? April 20th. What time? doors open at 6:00 and the concert starts at 6:30. Who is putting this concert on? The Kansas City Regional Youth Cabinet! Anything else? We have a raffle! It includes AWESOME prizes such as; a camera, gift cards to some great places, a customized XBOX controller valued at $120, and much, much more! Anything else else? There are concessions! Can I get more info? Of course! thebeautifulunusualtour.com/fr_home.cfm. Tickets are $10 at Lee’s Summit Christian Church 800 NE Tudor Rd Lee’s Summit, mo 64086. For tickets call: Billy Drake @ 816.532.6090.

a note from megan burnsI am participating in Relay for Life at OCU. If you can, please take a mo-ment and donate on my behalf to this amazing event and organization! The committee and I have been working hard and I would love your sup-port in making a difference. Thanks for your help and prayers. Visit my page, http://main.acsevents.org/goto/MeganBurns, to donate and learn more about why I am relaying this year.

Thank you for all your love and support in all my endeavors. I couldn’t ask for a better church family!

current culture

There are some thoughts in here with which you may not agree, as there might also be some with which you pump your fist. And yet, as we read, we cannot help but reflect on that word, “tax.” How are we “taxed” daily and what in our living causes us to give of ourselves in dutiful ways? As this year we pass another April 15th, explore the ways in which you are taxed beyond those kept by the IRS.

With a challenged and a taxed heart, Ryan

A Word from RyanFrom time to time, I may publish the thoughts of another author. This week is one of those cases. I encourage you to reflect on the thoughts and offerings of Walter Brueggemann. In 2008, Bruegge-mann published a peculiar book called, Prayers for a Privileged People. The book is a collection of prayers meant to be read and said during different occasions that we wouldn’t expect to be “oc-casions:” Super Bowl Sunday, Election seasons, times of relation-ship strife. Below is one of those strange prayers, a prayer entitled, “Income Tax Day.” As you read, I encourage you to think about the deeper meanings of the words Brueggemann uses to pray, and I encourage you to explore how he uses them to challenge us to larger thinking:

Income Tax Day

On this day of internal revenue some of us are paid up, some of us owe, some of us await a refund, some of us have no income to tax.

But all of us are taxed, by war, by violence, by anxiety, by deathliness.

And Caesar never gives any deep tax relief.

We render to Caesar . . . to some it feels like a grab, to some it is clearly a war tax, to some – some few – it is a way to contribute to the common good.

In any case we are haunted by what we render to Caesar, by what we might render to you, by the way we invest our wealth and our lives, when what you ask is an “easy yoke”; to do justice to love mercy to walk humbly with you. Give us courage for your easy burden, so to live untaxed lives. Amen.

Ryan Gone for Bethany Fellows from April 13-20Ryan will be on vacation from April 13-15, and then from April 16-20 he will be joining together with the Bethany Fellows in California. The Betha-ny Fellowships take new pastors and place them into a system of mentor-ship and encouragement meant to build up lifelong ministries. Ryan is one of about thirty young ministers who will be in California for the retreat, where he will take some time to retreat, reflect, and listen to new ideas for his ministry with our church.

During his time away, our elders are available to help you with any im-mediate needs you might have and the church office will be open. Ryan will not be answering his cell phone nor will he be available in case of emergency. Instead, there are several ministers who are helping Ryan by being “on call” during his absence. To reach one of these ministers, please contact one of the elders. Your elders are Matt Dion, Phil French, Rader Miller, Linda Neer, Bill Drake, Ken Lippincott, Mike Gordon, Bud Yazel, and Larry Priddle.

current culture

a look ahead

Tall Oaks Acorn Dash: May 6The Acorn Dash 5k Run/Walk will be held on May 6th at the Tall Oaks Conference Center. If you are interested in participating in this event you may obtain entry forms in the church office.

CWF Service ProjectThe CWF service project for this quarter is for battered women in shelters. We are asking for cosmetic bags filled with lotion, makeup, etc. and also for the lounging pajama bottoms that we all like to wear. You may bring them to the church and put in the container under the table in the fellowship hall. Thank you!

food pantry reportPsalm 119:11

Thanks so much to the Paradise United Methodist Church for their gen-erous donation of canned fruit last week. Thanks to Grace Community Church for three large boxes and at least one bag of all kinds of food. Very nice. We have need of things all of the time but thanks and grace are running over. We need the following items at this time: salt, mustard and ketchup, instant potatoes, evaporated milk, salad dressing, kleenex, and toilet paper. Any amount is appreciated!

P.S. Ask me about last week’s story.Love, RickAmos 8:11-12

a note from megan burnsI am participating in Relay for Life at OCU. If you can, please take a mo-ment and donate on my behalf to this amazing event and organization! The committee and I have been working hard and I would love your sup-port in making a difference. Thanks for your help and prayers. Visit my page, http://main.acsevents.org/goto/MeganBurns, to donate and learn more about why I am relaying this year.

Thank you for all your love and support in all my endeavors. I couldn’t ask for a better church family!

Tall Oaks Camp Registration Deadline—Sunday, April 15Graduation Breakfast—Sunday, May 13

April BirthdaysAPRIL 17: Gary Jones, Kayla Lincoln APRIL 19: Mary Lee Chiles, Brady French APRIL 22: Priest Bingelli, Nora Mcmahon, Christopher Riddle APRIL 23: Kaleb Odle APRIL 24: Treasure Beldo APRIL 25: Ian Holland APRIL 27: Bradley Morgan, Jessica Langner, Phillip Vice APRIL 28: Elizabeth Brown, Doug Gordon APRIL 29: Becky Mcgranahan APRIL 30: Amy Schwind, McKinley Lyn Massie

GREETERS, EAST DOOR: Jerry & Alice Richards

LAY READER: Larry Priddle

DIACONATE: Judy Clough, Peggy Miller, Donna Priddle, Dee Cooper, Les Neer, Patrick Burns, Bruce Hathaway, Margaret Otto

CANDLE LIGHTERS: Alexander Drake & Sam Arnold

CLEAN UP COMMUNION: Peggy Miller

GREETERS, WEST DOOR: Dale & Dee Cooper

CHILDREN’S SERMON: Jacinda Manka

PREPARE COMMUNION: Judy Clough

ELDERS: Ken Lippincott & Larry Priddle

PICK UP SANCTUARY: Patrick Burns

this sunday, april 22

GREETERS, EAST DOOR: Jim & Shirley Owen

LAY READER: Bud Yazel

DIACONATE: Vicki Belcher, Mary Gordon, Linda Prout, Matt French, Jim Mitchell, Steve Prout, Shirley French, Jim Owen

CANDLE LIGHTERS: Max Miller & Cassidy French

CLEAN UP COMMUNION: Steve Prout

GREETERS, WEST DOOR: Rader Miller

CHILDREN’S SERMON: Bill Drake

PREPARE COMMUNION: Jim Owen

ELDERS: Mike Gordon & Linda Neer

PICK UP SANCTUARY: Marcus Burchett

next sunday, april 29

FirstChristianChurch

(Disciples of Christ)

201 North Bridge StreetSmithville, MO 64089-8266phone: 816.532.0773www.smithvillefcc.orgoffice@smithvillefcc.org

Ryan Motter, pastor cell: 913.707.2870email: ryan@smithvillefcc.org

Mark Holcomb, music ministerVelva Fausett, organist Janet George, pianistGreg Atkins, treasurerAbby Carr, communications designer