Newsletter 09.10.14

September 10, 2014CHURCH OF THE SERVANTBi-Weekly NEWSLETTERIssue: 14.18

• Troop 177Photo from canoe trip on the

Lower Mountain Fork RiverINSIDE:

Bible StudiesKid’s Music Project

Fall FestivalFit to Serve 5K

... and MORE

I ChurchoftheServant.com

Dr. Robert GorrellSenior Minister

Good News for Quitters!Vince Lombardi, the great pro foot-

ball coach of the 1960s, had a saying about giving up: “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” Stirring words, for sure. But wrong.

All through history, winners have quit one thing and moved on to another. Mat-thew tells us that Jesus “left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea,” where he began his ministry (4:13). Simon Peter and Andrew quit fishing and followed Jesus (4:20). Saul quit “breath-ing threats and murder against the disci-ples of the Lord” and became the apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-22). And the quitting has continued, right up to the present day. Abraham Lincoln quit being an owner of a general store and entered politics. Ju-lia Childs quit being a CIA intelligence of-ficer and became a world-famous cook. Harrison Ford quit being a professional carpenter when he was offered a part in a little movie called Star Wars.

Sometimes quitting is spiritually the smartest thing you can do! In Matthew 21, the parable of the two sons, Jesus tells a story to the chief priests and the

elders of the people -- a tale of a man with a couple of sons who are needed in his vine-yard. This

father goes to the first and says, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” The son doesn’t want to alter his plans, so he answers, “I will not.”

But later he changes his mind, quits what he is doing and goes out to work.The father goes to the second son, makes the same request, and the sec-ond son answers, “Sure!” In his enthusi-

astic response, he seems like a real win-ner. But he fails to go out and work in the vineyard (v. 30).

So, Jesus asks, “Which of the two did the will of his father?” (v. 31). Which one is the real winner? “The first,” an-swer the chief priests and the elders. They grasp that the son who quits what he is doing and goes out to work in the vineyard is the real winner. Discovering exactly what you need to do is the upside of giving up. “Truly I tell you,” says Jesus to the religious leaders, “the tax collec-tors and the prostitutes are going into the kingdom of heaven ahead of you” (v. 31).

“What?” snort the chief priests and the elders? “People like that can’t be win-ners.”

“For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him,” explains Jesus, “but the tax col-lectors and the prostitutes believed him” (v. 32). These folks saw the truth of what John was saying, and they discovered exactly what they needed to do and what they needed to quit doing.

But the chief priests and the elders? “Even after you saw it,” says Jesus, “you did not change your minds and believe him” (v. 32). The priests and elders were so sure that they were winners that they did not see the need to quit what they were doing, change their minds and be-lieve him.

In spiritual matters often it is the quit-ters, the ones willing to change, who lead the way into the kingdom of God. Exam-ine your life carefully. Are there things you need to quit to become a better fol-lower of Jesus?

Make a list. Start today. - Robert

Sometimes quitting is spiritually the smartest

thing you can do!

It’s not too early to shop for the most unique Halloween decorations at Earthglow. Hurry in while they last! All profits from your purchases go to missions.

SERVANT September 10, 2014 I

Missions

Mission GuatemalaHigh School Ministry is partnering with our Missions Ministry

for an incredible opportunity. Next summer we will be heading to Guatemala - June 14-21. We are excited about this chance to serve the people of Guatemala, but also one another.

We are working with Potter’s House, a Guatemala based or-ganization, that is fighting against poverty, equipping people with education, social skills, and work. They are making a huge differ-ence in their communities.

We are taking a ratio of 2 students to 1 adult. Limited spots are available. The total cost of the trip is $1600 per person. If your student is interested or if you have any questions, we will have an initial meeting on September 21 at 12pm at the Student Point. Team fundraising will also be presented during this meeting. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Sang Nguyen, [email protected], or Robyn Goggs, [email protected].

Bless our Schools at Hefner Middle SchoolWeekend Food Backpacks for Students

Hefner Middle School has a pantry for the weekends that distributes food filled backpacks for students and their families in need. Under the leadership of Amber Neaves our church is going to be preparing these bags each week for distribution by the administration. We are looking for 10-15 volunteers that would be interested in working in pairs to prepare the bags. Preparation can be done Wednesday-Friday morning for a Friday afternoon distribution. This is a flexible commitment that we hope will be once a month with enough volunteers.

Sunshine Committee: Do you enjoy creating thoughtful things to bless others or write notes just to let someone know you are thinking of them? Would you be willing to bless the teachers of Hefner once a month by working on a Sunshine Committee?

If you are interested in either of these new ways we are connecting with Hefner, please contact Amber Neaves at [email protected].

Needed for Hefner Concession Stand: A refrigerator that works; it doesn’t have to be new. Please contact Dr. Robyn Goggs at [email protected] if you have one available.

Want to serve in a ministry where life transformation is at the heart?

Exodus House and Redemption Church, our United Methodist ministry to incarcer-ated individuals and their families, are looking for people to serve. This is a ministry that wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for people giving their time and sharing faith and hope with these families. Here are some of the most urgent needs in this ministry. Exodus House is located at NW 25th and Walker. Redemption Church is located at NW 10th and Penn.

Exodus House Needs: someone to watch 4 of our residents’ kids on Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8 p.m. during our Tuesday night class. They are 2 girls 6 years old, and 2 boys 10 & 12 years old.

The Oklahoma Department of Corrections mandates that we maintain a 1:8 ratio of volunteers to inmates, and as of right now Penn Ave Redemption does maintain that, but does so by an uncomfortably low margin. We are in desperate need of volunteers, particularly to drive inmates to and from church on Thursday evenings and on Sunday mornings and afternoons. If you are interested in either of these ministries, please contact Rev. Adam Leathers, 530-2015 or email: [email protected].

Mission intern, Tim Hedrick fills backpacks in preparation

for distribution at Hefner Middle School last week.

Come join him in this mission!

Skyline Urban Ministry NewsThe new Skyline Urban Ministry complex on SE

15th Street is complete! All of Skyline’s Ministries - food pantry, clothes closet, seniors programs and eye clinic - will be housed there. There will be opportunities to tour this new building and see all the wonderful ministries that will continue to be offered in the urban areas of our city. The food pantry is closed in the transition and will be officially moving on Friday, September 19. If you are interested in helping move items to the new site that day, please contact Dr. Robyn Goggs at [email protected].

Please continue to bring items for the food pantry and clothes closet even through this transition! Thank you for your faithfulness!

I ChurchotheServant.com

FAM FEsT! In the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit hides a secret to risk with a huge pay-

off. This secret deals with what I would argue is the riskiest and scariest place to bring Jesus. Are you ready for the answer? The Gospel travels best through families. That’s the “secret.” And I believe it, because I’ve experienced it—whole families toppling like a string of dominoes because the first one “fell” to grace. It started with my own family; my parent’s grace-filled lifestyle reached my heart. As a pastor, most people I talk to tell me that the most spiritually influential person in their lives was a parent or a sibling.

But I also believe it because it’s a pattern we see multiple times in Scrip-ture, especially in Acts. Check out the story of Cornelius and his family in Acts 10. Take a look at a lady named Lydia and her family in Acts 16. Watch what happens to the Jailer and his whole household in Acts 16. Just one influential person in the family trusts in Jesus, and then the whole household topples like dominos to His redemptive power.

Friends, if we can help one another understand the incredible hidden pow-er of this dynamic - that the Gospel travels best through families - it’d be like lighting a match in a dynamite factory! There is explosive redemptive potential in this idea… if we live it out.

This past Sunday, our church had a monumental “Gospel travels best through family” moment! We saw over 1,000 families impacted by our Fam Fest event and we saw 158 first time individuals! I believe our church family understood the power of inviting people to experience our Church in a new and family-friendly manner. This type of event allows our community to get a taste of our grace-filled community of faith. And it all started with the family. Way to go, Church of the Servant!

- Rev. Scott Bartlow

WoMEnFall Offerings

Classes Begin This WeekIt’s not too late to join a women’s study group this fall. One of the most popular, which meets on Tuesday mornings, is

called Sharing the Kingdom. This is a study that doesn’t require a lot of preparation or homework, but is a good solid hour of Bible study and fellowship with other women. Dr. Robyn Goggs opens with a thoughtful devotion and prayer time at 9:15 a.m., followed by Rev. David Wheeler taking on the new role of Bible teacher this fall. If you haven’t met David, you will love his warm personality and style of teaching and sharing. He is going to help the women of Sharing the Kingdom dive into the book of Luke this fall. The class meets in Community Hall and usually finishes by 10:45. There is childcare for all Tuesday morning, Wednesday night, and Friday Morning women’s study groups.


MusicThis year, Children’s Choir is undergoing a makeover. It is now called, The Kid’s

Musical Project and will begin Thursday, September 11. Paul and Brooke Gebb will be joining forces to turn Thursday evenings, 6:30 - 8pm, into a music and dance event. Grades K-5 will be divided into two groups and each group will receive 45-minutes of instruction in music and dance. This is a great opportunity for your child to receive musical theatre training from two working professionals who have performed around the world and now teach at OU and OCU. Musical-based worship performances are planned for October 5 & November 16 and will culminate in a musical performance before the annual Christmas Show on December 13. Sign-up tables are located in the Concourse for registration. Contact pgebb@churchoftheservant for additional informa-tion. You may also sign up using the google link here:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Y3fQDdMjs5IKkfZVE6FjWXB9m9uH0r-TCkbK-40MTaeo/viewform?usp=send_form.

Troop 177BSA Troop 177 August Canoeing Campout

On Saturday, August 30, Troop 177 left for what is in my opinion the best campout of the year! We were going on a canoe trip on the Lower Mountain Fork River thru the Wild Goose Canoe and Kayak Rental in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. The drive was about four and a half hours long, so we took a side trip to the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, Okla-homa. There was Stickball, a game where the object is to hit the top of a pole with a ball thrown with sticks similar to the ones used in Lacrosse, only shorter. Most importantly, there was Mountain Dew, and a working AC.

The canoeing part is the highlight of the trip (No, really?) so we were really exited about it! And with good reason too. One thing we loved about last year was the canoe wars, where we threw water at each other, and tied canoes together to make SUPER canoes! We wanted to do this again, but people kept changing their minds about whether to be Americans, British, or Germans. So we did a regular canoe trip, until later, when two of the older scouts decided to purposely capsize people’s canoes, then make them part of Hydra (see Captain America for details). You might say that this water splashing and capsizing might be dangerous, but really, it wasn’t at all (We had life jackets, and the poor swimmers were paired up with really strong swimmers) and the water splashing was the fun part. At least I think it was fun. It was a little different than normal, but that’s okay.

For more information, visit our website at www.BSAtroop177ok.org or follow us on Facebook at BSA Troop 177.

Evan ChamberlainFirst Class Rank

BSA Troop 177 Scribe/Bugler


AdulTTake the next step into a Bible study!Beginning this week are several outstanding Bible studies in which you still have time to attend. Take a minute and read the short descriptions and see which one meets your need and schedule. Then go to www.churchoftheservant.com, click on the Bible Studies button and register!Sundays, 4-5:30pm, Session 1: Sept 14 – Nov 16, Session 2: Jan 4 – Mar 8Each 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.

• Disciple I – over two 10-week sessions you will have an in-depth overview of both the Old and New Testaments. You will not only gain information which will help you understand the bible, you will discover how God’s word can transform your life. Taught by Alan Warren and Alex Wright• Disciple II – over two 10-week sessions you will focus 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. Taught by Blair Schoeb.

Tuesdays, 7-8:30pm, September 16 – October 21 • The Case For Christ - Who is this Jesus? Is it possible for us to know if Jesus was, in fact divine? Examine the evi-dence for who Jesus is and why Christianity is worth thinking about. It begins September 16 and will be taught by John Farr.

Wednesdays, 9:30-11:30am, September 17 – October 15• Study on Jude - Although he was the half- brother of Jesus, Jude did not claim any relationship to Jesus Christ other than that of being His bond-servant. He had grown up in the presence of the One who came to save His people from their sins. He had to preach a strong message about God’s judgment of sin. How would you contend for your faith? Taught by Nancy Harris.

Thursdays, 6:30-8:30pm, September 4 & 11; October 2 & 9; February 5 & 12• Seminary Lite – a program of Saint Paul School of Theology designed to help lay persons go deeper in their faith and serve as disciples of Jesus Christ. Three courses will be offered this school year: New Testament – Oct 2 & 9; Church History – Feb 5 & 12. All will be taught here at Church of the Servant.

Servant Foundation 19th AnnualScramble Golf Tournament

SIGN UP HAS BEGUN!The tournament will be held at Coffey Creek Golf

Course on Saturday morning, 8:00 a.m. September 27. Cost of the tournament is $60 per player, which includes range balls, cart fee, green fee, lunch and prizes. The 4-person scramble tournament will be a shotgun start and the teams can be made up of youth, adults, men, and women. This tournament is always well attended and a wonderful opportunity to meet and have fellowship with other church participants. Sign up at the special table just outside the Celebration Cen-ter on Sunday or call the church office at 721-4141. If you have a business and would like to sponsor a hole you can sign up for that as well at a cost of $100. The deadline for sign up is Sunday, September 21.

“Quartet”Faith in Reel Time

Sunday, September 14, 1:00 p.m., CentrumIn this elegant film, Dustin Hoffman directs a sterling

cast to produce a moving, funny film about music, love, and second chances. At Beecham House, a retirement home for classical musicians tucked away in the British country-side, a gala concert is planned, in hopes of raising enough money to keep the home open. At the same time, this home will be welcoming a new resident; word is it’s a star. But the trio of Tom Courtenay as Reggie Paget, Billy Connolly as Wilfred Bond, and Pauline Collins as Cecily Robson are in for a shock when this former “star” turns out to be none other than their former singing partner - and Reggie’s for-mer wife - Jean Horton, played by Maggie Smith. Will the once-famous quartet let old wounds keep them from mak-ing music together again, or will they be able to patch up their differences in time for Beecham House’s gala concert? This film is so full of affection, tenderness and charm. Plan now to spend a great Sunday afternoon by enjoying a meal in Community Hall after worship services, then making your way to the Centrum on Sunday, September 14 at 1:00 to view “Quartet”. Sign up at the Welcome Center or call the church office, 721-4141.


childrEn

Children’s Mission Leadership Team(Registration extended to September 17th)

Do you enjoy helping others? Do you ever think about doing more? Have you ever wondered if YOU could make a difference? YOU CAN!

Church of the Servant Children’s Ministries is beginning a new program, the Children’s Mission Leadership Team. We are planning to build a leader-ship team of at least six to eight 4th and 5th graders who are interested in guiding our Children’s Ministries Outreach.

Our vision is that these young people will begin their journey of serving others here, and have a great basis from which to build as they grow older. Also, we hope that they will understand our calling to serve others through our faith and build leadership skills in working for Jesus.

This leadership team will be responsible for searching for needs, de-termining choices and being involved in as well as leading the missions we support in our Sunday School, WOW, KOW, and Grapple groups.

See our church Website -- Children’s Ministries, Special Events and Pro-grams for all the information!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!Girls’ Night Out (October 3rd)Boys’ Night Out (October 4th)This is a great night of fun and fellowship!

4th and 5th grade girls will meet Friday, Oc-tober 3, and 4th and 5th grade boys will meet Saturday, October 4. We will have pizza, snacks, pop, and a great movie, as well as some other fun things to do! We ask for $4 per child to cover some costs. Both nights, we will meet from 6pm to 9pm in Suite 45. LOTS OF FUN! Please RSVP to [email protected] (so that we have an idea of how many to plan for) by Oc-tober 1. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Save the Date for Fall Festival!Church of the Servant’s annual Fall Festival is just

around the corner. Friday, October 24, 6-8:30 p.m., we will transform the church into a carnival midway, complete with clowns, food, games, candy, inflatables, face painting and more! Mark your calendar and plan to bring your fam-ily, friends and neighbors to this great event. Contact Erin Page at 740-1208 or [email protected] for volunteer opportunities.

Third Grade Bible Presentation!Please join us September 28 as we present our Third Graders with a Bible during the 10:45 church

service. The families of these children are invited for lunch immediately following.All participating Third Graders MUST be checked-in to their Sunday school classroom by 10:15, as they

will be sitting together in a reserved section during the entire 10:45 church service. We will take a group picture in front of the waterfall after the service and then proceed to the luncheon in the Community Hall.

This is a very special event in the life of our church as well as in the life of these families. When children receive God’s Word, it’s like their very own special love letter from God. He wants us to read the Bible and apply it to our lives. Making a “big deal” out of getting a Bible shows kids how important this book is to our faith and its growth.

Please begin praying for the entire third grade class and their Sunday morning leaders. We hope to see you and your family for this important day!

If you have a Third Grader and have not returned your reservation card, or need more information, please contact me as soon as possible. Thank you!

Cindy BrackenburyElementary Coordinator

[email protected]


sTudEnT

High School MinistryFall Program is here! D Groups

starts up on September 10. Old School starts back up September 14. Flyers, registrations, and calendars can be found at the Student Point, youth app, or church Website.

HS ConfirmationThis Fall, we have 5 HS students participating in a HS confirma-

tion class. We are so excited for all the students involved. These 5 students got to select a friend, who has gone through Confirmation, to participate with them in this process. They will be their prayer partner and help them process this experience. In addition to having these students involved, we have 3 other helpers: Karla O’Hara and Hurst Jones will be leading these classes, and Emily Jordan, Senior in HS ministry, will be helping. We want to send a special thank you to the Two by Two Sunday school class for sponsoring our students. We ask that you take the time and pray for every person involved by name. The following students going through Confirmation are Glenn Ches-ley, Elayna Wilson, Jackie Renfro, Ryan Musae, and Cole Parker. Our prayer partners are Abbey Renner, Shae Scheffler, Isaac Wheeler, Evan Jordan, and Daylie DeMario. And our leaders are Karla O’Hara, Hurst Jones, and Emily Jordan.

STRIVESTRIVE, Students Turning Responsibility Into Valuable Experience, has the po-

tential to be Student Ministries’ biggest fundraiser! Our ministry will be volunteering in multiple organizations on September 27. It will be an 8-hour work day. Each student involved, will be responsible for seeking pledges or donation for the hours they work on this work day. It is an incentive based program. Students can potentially pay for every single event for the school year if they raise enough money. To be involved with STRIVE, you must fill out a registration form, which can be found at the Student Point. Once students have turned in their registrations, they will be given a packet with more information. If you have any questions please feel free to contact any of our Student Ministry staff:

John Gilstrap – [email protected] Nguyen – [email protected] Savage – [email protected]

High School LeadersLast week, Student Ministries had our leader training for our

Wednesday evening program. As we were having our meeting, I looked around and couldn’t help but be excited for our students. As Hebrews 12 states, we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses – I was surrounded by incredible Christ chasing people who have incredible hearts for our students. Knowing that these students are in the spiritual care of these leaders is exciting. God has great things in store for our students and I know that God has equipped this min-istry with leaders to do just that, great things for our students and ultimately the Kingdom. Thank you so much Taylor Dickerson, Tim Hedrick, Jacquelyn Schoppa, Kristin Redpath, Linda Barnett, Melinda Jordan, Mike Gentry, Kyle Israel, Taylor Barnett, Amy Hammons, Da-vid Hammons, Todd Neaves, Sidney Barton, Cherie Wheeler, Tyler Smith, Eldon Burns, Cody Keyser, Patrick O’Hara, Missy Loftis, Jill Perrin, Grace Oliver, Mackenzie Carpenter, and Hurst Jones.

Fall RetreatOur High School Fall Retreat is Oct 17-19! We

will be at Canyon Camp and explore the story of Exo-dus. The cost for this Retreat is $115. Registrations can be found on the church Website, app, or Student Point. Please feel free to contact Sang Nguyen for more information at [email protected] or 405-728-4754.


our liFE TogEThEr

cElEbrATing MEMoriEsuA contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Music Ministry in memory of Fred Knight by Phyllis Armstrong.uA contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Music Ministry in memory of Fred Knight by Juanita Krittenbrink, ED.D.uA contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Music Ministry in memory of Fred Knight by Leo & Carol Bush.uA contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Music Ministry in memory of Fred Knight by Nelda K Allers.uA contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Sr. Minister’s Discretionary Fund in memory of Arvon Staats by Cal & Terry Moser.uA contribution has been made to Church of the Servant Music Ministry in memory of Linda Kepler by Patricia McGarrity & Leroy Ball.

our prAyErsour syMpAThy

uBrenda Morris at the birth of Brenda’s granddaughter, Harleigh Marie Morris. The proud parents are Grant and Leslie Morris.

cElEbrATing

u Cristi Andrews as Cristi faces surgery at the OK Heart Hospital.u Bud and Alana Atkins as Alana’s father, Jack Swopes, recuperates from surgery.u Jason, Jackie, and Emma Bruce as Emma deals with health issues.u Dan and Terri Bruner as Dan’s father, Robert Bruner, recuperates from surgery in Louisville, Kentucky. u Don and Doris Cline as Don deals with health issues.u Raylene Colbert as Raylene is hospital-ized at Integris Baptist Medical Center.u Jacqueline Cross as Jacqueline deals with health issues.u JoAnne Davis as she recuperates from an illness.u Denene Harper as Denene recuperates from injuries from a fall.u Don and Millie Henderson as their daugh-ter, Cynthia Kelly, recuperates from surgery.u Fred and Sharon Knight as Sharon recu-perates from surgery.u Teresa Kruta as Teresa deals with health issues and undergoes tests.u Sarah Lenz as Sarah recuperates from surgery.u Georgia Lynn as Georgia recuperates from surgery.u Stan and Marcia Mortimer as Stan recu-perates from surgery.u Tate and Gina Musae as Gina’s friend, Jami, deals with health issues.u Jim and Kathryn Roberts as Jim’s brother, Larry Roberts, deals with health issues.u Leona Russell as Leona deals with health issues and undergoes treatment.

u Milt and Frances Ferguson and Family at the death of Frances’ sister, Nina Wolford.u Ray and Mary Meritt and Family at the death of Mary’s mother, Belle Badgewell.u Harrell and Wilma Pickens and Family at the death of Wilma’s sister, Marcie Patteson.u Patricia Sutton and Family at the death of Patricia’s husband, Ramon Sutton.u Mark Wege and Family at the death of Mark’s mother, Maxine Howard “Nan” Wege.

Pioneer Country Emmaus is conducting Walks to Emmaus as follows: The Men’s Walk #135 is October 2 - 5, and the Women’s Walk #136 is October 16 - 19. The deadline for Men’s Walk applications is September 21, and the Women’s deadline is October 5. If you are interested in experiencing 72 hours further-ing your walk with Christ, please contact Judie Ellis at 250-1333.

We still need your help! 13.2 still has weekday openings on Mondays and Thursdays, 8:45-

11:15 a.m. during the school year. Grab a friend and call Dana if you are interested -- 918-914-0630 or [email protected]. We also have 2 openings ONCE a month on Sunday mornings to open, 7:20-9:30.

Also, Fall is in the air! Come by 13.2 and treat yourself to a Pumpkin Spice Latte to start the season off right!

Attention Musicians! If you play the guitar even a little, or

you are a good player, or somewhere in between, we have something for you! The first Thursday of every month, we have a “Jam Session” right here at the church at 6:30 p.m. in the Brides’ room. It is led by Don Cole, a very ex-perienced player and performer and a fun guy too! Please let Don know if you are interested, and we will put you on an email list. This includes all acoustic string instrument players. Banjos, man-dolins, violins, dulcimers etc. Reply to dcole@churchoftheservant.

church oF ThE sErvAnT14343 N MacArthur BlvdOklahoma City, OK 73142-9725

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

BOOTH SPACE AVAILABLE! For more information, contact the church office at 405-721-4141

Newsletter 09.10.14

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