September 2002

The Pastor's Column
by Rodney Newman

Service or Serve Us?

I hope you had a chance to hear some of the speakers in our August Sunday School series on missions. Members of our congregation shared from their experiences of repairing houses in Clinton, Oklahoma, teaching sewing skills in Africa, and building a church in Cuba. Although the settings were very different, the common denominator was the enthusiasm and joy expressed by the participants. Each one spoke of how, as a result of their work, they now had a greater appreciation for the blessings of life. People with little of this world’s riches taught them about the riches of community and the joy of their faith.

In the last presentation of the series, Dr. Mark Davies from Oklahoma City University shared how they are preparing to include service learning as a core component of the under-graduate degree and how OCU already is applying its resources to enabling community and personal development. He noted how easy it is for Christians to drift into the attitude that the church exists to serve us, while, in fact, the church exists for service. Our missioners have reminded us of the paradox of Jesus’ teaching, when we give of ourselves in partnership with others we find life in abundance.
 

Round-Up Sunday
September 8

Come join in a two day celebration as we kick off our fall programming season.

Worship

The chancel choir returns to our 11:00 worship service with a special anthem accompanied by a brass quartet. We will participate in a litany dedicating our education ministry members and honor our acolytes with a presentation of their ribbons and crosses.

Ice Cream Social

We start the celebration the night before with an ice cream social in the backyard of the church on Saturday, September 7, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. Bring your freezer of ice cream or other desserts to share for an evening of good fellowship and fun.


New Sunday School Class
for Young Adults

We have been pleased to welcome several young adults to our church in recent months. On September 15, we will begin a new Sunday School class to provide a place of learning and fellowship for this group. Listen for further announcements in our worship services.
 

This Month in Worship

Over the last two months we have explored together the beauty and challenges of Paul’s letter to the Romans. We conclude this series September 1 by considering Paul’s practical instuctions from chapter 12: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.”

On Round-Up Sunday, we turn to the Old Testament story of Moses and the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. We follow this remarkable narrative from the burning bush to the parting of the Sea to the grumbling and doubt in the wilderness.

Reverend Newman

Sermon Titles & Scripture Texts

• Sept 1 - Attitude Is Everything
  Romans 12:1-8
  Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
   
• Sept 8 - A Call You Have To Answer
  Exodus 3:1-15
  Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost
   
• Sept 15 - Crossing The Sea
  Exodus 14:19-31
  Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost
   
• Sept 22 - Whining Already
  Exodus 17:1-17
  Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost
   
• Sept 29 - We’ll Just Do It Ourselves
  Exodus 32:1-14
  Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

 

Nursery Renovation

The Children’s Council announces a project to make our infant and toddler areas more inviting for our children to learn. Please contact the church office if you can help with these projects:

• September 4 at 6:00 p.m. Join us for a “Pick-up Move-out Party” to clear away furniture and toys and prepare for painting. Pizza and refreshments will be provided.
   

• September 7 at 9:00 a.m. Painting begins. Lunch will be provided.
   

• The week of September 8. We will start painting murals on the walls and provide materials to volunteers to sew curtains.

In Our Prayers

• Katie Anthony, heart surgery

• Jack Funk, sports injury

• Marie Kitchens, Bellevue Nursing Center
  
   

United Methodist Women

Rev. Cheryl Hill to Speak at UMW Meeting

Tuesday, September 3, 6:30 pm
Fellowship Hall

Rev. Cheryl Hill is the director of legal ministries at Skyline Urban Ministries. She is also a musician, minister, and lawyer. In the summer of 2000 she became the founding Convener of the Oklahoma City Volunteer Legal Center which provides legal assistance to low-income clients through volunteer attorneys, law students, and paralegals. The center is a project of the Oklahoma City Cooperative Urban Parish. Dinner will be provided by the Deborah Circle. Child care will be available.

The Pumpkins are Coming

Pumpkins will be delivered Sunday, September 29 @ 12:30 p.m. for our Pumpkin Patch fundraiser. Wear comfortable clothes and plan to stay after church to help unload the truck. A baked potato bar is planned for all the hungry volunteers.

 

Music Ministry

The chancel choir will kick off Round-up Sunday, September 8, with a special anthem accompanied by a brass quartet. You and your friends and family are welcome to participate in our choirs.

Celebration Ringers meet in the Bell Choir room beginning Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 6:30 p.m. – 7:25 p.m.

Chancel Choir meets in the Choir Room beginning Wednesday,
Sept. 4 @ 7:30 p.m.

SonShine Choir (preschool – 4th grade) meets in the Children's Library beginning Sunday, Sept. 8, 9:30 – 10:10 a.m.

 

OASIS Fall Classes
Offered at Crown Heights

OASIS, a non-profit organization providing a variety of classes for people 50 and over, will offer two classes at Crown Heights this fall.
 

• Investing Made Simple, Tuesday,
  Oct. 15 from 10:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m.
   
• Relaxation Therapy, a two session class, on Tuesdays, Nov. 5 and 12 from 10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

You may register for these classes at Crossroads Mall on September 10 & 11, or Crown Heights United Methodist Church on September 12 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. OASIS catalogs are available in the church library and contain 85 different classes, lectures, special events, and trips for this fall. For more information, call Marcia Brown at 636-0037.

 

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