CHUMC: The Trumpet

The Pastor’s Column

By Rodney Newman

A Glorious Celebration

June 6, 2004 will be remembered as a significant day in the life of our congregation. We celebrated our 75th anniversary in grand style. Over 325 people were here for a worship service filled with music from a magnificent choir, a presentation from our Lieutenant Governor, and recognition of members by decades. We even had a bagpiper playing in Draper Garden as people arrived and playing Amazing Grace from the side balcony as we remembered those who have died. Many stayed for lunch in the backyard listening to music from a DJ, doing the hokey-pokey, jumping in the Moonbounce, watching a clown, and in the Fellowship Hall enjoying live music on the stage, looking through old photographs, and writing their piece of history on the timeline. Copies of a history book, written by Willis Wheat, sharing reflections of our first 75 years, were distributed and copies are still available around the church.

I saw on display that day the lingering impact this church has on people. Many former members returned to tell stories of their time here and to witness to how those experiences shaped, and continue to shape, their lives.

Thanks to the 75th Anniversary Committee led by Marsha Funk and Ann Trudgeon. All the phone calls, meetings, and emails were worth it. You gave the church a wonderful gift.

Nourished by this celebration, we now rededicate ourselves to being God’s people in this place and reach to the future with confidence.

Thanks From Our Director of Music

Note: George Massey was recognized at the anniversary celebration for his 10 years of excellent service to our music ministry. Here is his expression of appreciation:

On behalf of my entire family, Susan, Brent, my mother Maureen, and myself, I would like to thank everyone in the church for their support and encouragement concerning my work in Music Ministry. We have progressed in every facet of this very important ministry; Chancel Choir, Handbells, the expansion of our Children's Choirs from 6 to over 25 children, the formation of our superb Youth Girls Vocal Ensemble, the inclusion of Orchestra for two major Cantata presentations with Endowment support for each, and our recently concluded Summer Music Camp.

This ten year experience has been such a positive influence in my life. Most notably, the Chancel Choir has been not only greatly supportive, but also willing to undertake some rather challenging and difficult music. Working with the children throughout the year, but especially during the summer musical, has also been also been a tremendous experience.

We are also very fortunate to have Mariann Searle in our midst. Our success could not have been accomplished as effectively without her superb keyboard and musical skills. She has also brought the Handbell Ensemble to new heights, as evidenced by their marvelous playing during our 75th Anniversary service.

I have truly been blessed with the opportunity to work with Senior Pastors that were also most helpful and supportive. Reverends Newman and Thompson have helped me nurture any new idea or concept I brought to them. I look forward to continuing the forward movement in our music program as we grow together.

This Month In Worship

July Revival

This July we will once again enjoy a summertime revival. We will sing old favorite gospel songs and incorporate a Psalter from the Celtic tradition. While we may not duplicate the intensity of some revival meetings, I am giving a nod to them by preaching from the book of Revelation. This is widely acknowledged as the most difficult book in the Bible with its fantastic images and violence. Many have given their scenarios on how they believe this message speaks to our day. I encourage you to read this book during July and come ready to engage the text with me.

Shopping in the Summer!!! What fun!!! Now you can do some Mission Shopping while you are having all that fun.

Skyline needs new shoes, new jeans or khaki pants, new pull-over blue or white shirts, new socks, and new underwear for kids ages 6-18 years. The McKee Center will be getting those clothes to the kids right before school, so they can start their new year feeling good about how they look. If you can provide any of the items mentioned, bring them to the church during July and place them in the colorful grocery carts around the church. If you can't go shopping and want to help, send a check to the church with a note that it is for "Skyline Clothes" on it. For more information about this clothing drive, call Charlene Jones (524- 5075).

9:30-10:00 Gathering assembly for ages 3 to 5th grade in the library/choir room.

10:00-10:45 Age level classes. Pre-K to 1st grade are in the creation room. Grades 2 to 5 are in the yellow room on the end of the east hall.

Please drop your children off in the appropriate place instead of the toddler nursery. This will keep the nursery staff from having to leave their duties to take children to their group.

The Sunday schedule will change in the fall. We are working on moving to a rotational model this year. This means that there would be several changes in the way that Sunday school will be scheduled and structured. We will have planning sessions to decide if rotational is really best for Crown Heights and how to go about imple-menting the new model. A survey with some information will be sent out to the parents so we can receive feedback from everyone. Please either mail the surveys back or put them in the box in the workroom. The first planning meeting will be on Wednesday, July 14, at 5:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Everyone who is interested in Sunday school for the children is encouraged to attend.

It’s almost here! Vacation Bible School is coming August 9-13! This year’s theme is Hero Quest. Look for registration forms in the children’s hallway. Can you decode secret messages? Can you work in the headquarters? Have you ever wanted to work in the municipal library, city park, a diner, or with the daily news? If so, contact Mary or Sarah Curran for some great opportunities to help out during VBS!

Thank you everyone for all your help in the last month’s events. Everyone who helped make the anniversary a success, everyone who helped with Mother’s and Father’s Day, music camp, and all our volunteers for summer Sunday school. Your efforts and teamwork make the ministry work, and I am so thankful for your cooperation and modeling Christ in our world.

Thanks again to all who participated in our very successful production of SAMSON. I felt it was the best overall book and music presentation we have ever presented. Our cast did a superb job!!

Chancel Choir, Handbells, Youth Girls Quartet, and Children’s Choirs are now in your summer vacation! Many thanks for your superb work since last September. You will all be kept informed about our fall activities later this summer. Please mark in your calendars our first Wednesday rehearsal resuming on September 8. Looking ahead, the Christmas Cantata is scheduled for Sunday, December 12, with the Dress Rehearsal on Saturday, December 11, from 10:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

Choir members, remember rehearsals every Sunday morning in July for our small Gospel ensembles at 10:15 a.m.

Four missioners from Oklahoma and Louisiana will join Evelyn Phyffer on a return mission trip to the Buduburam Liberian Refugee Camp near Accra, Ghana, West Africa. They will leave on August 5 and are scheduled to return on August 23.

The primary tasks of the team will be assisting in the skills training ministries of the church and with health screening. Some medicines will be purchased in Ghana which will save shipping costs; however, efforts are underway to raise funds to build a permanent clinic which will be affiliated with the Buduburam United Methodist Church. The team will also be assisting in the Christian Education ministry to children and youth. Bro. Melvin Tarpeh, camp Scoutmaster-in-charge, has also relayed to us that the scout troop we helped start last summer has plans to take 20 scouts to the National Jamboree, but needs funds for transportation and supplies.

Rev. Priscilla Legay Jaiah, Pastor in charge of the Budaburum United Methodist Church located in the Budaburum Liberian Refugee Camp in Ghana, will be visiting Oklahoma City as a guest of last year's mission team.

CHUMC will be serving as a vital supporter of her visit. She will be in Oklahoma City from July 17-25. Hopefully we will all be able to meet her and learn from her during her visit.

We can be a part of this continuing mission, even if we cannot be there this year, through our prayers and financial support. If you would like to be a financial partner in this mission, send your check to the church office with note "for Ghana", or call Evelyn (528-1511 or 522-5554) for additional information.

Project Transformation Day Camps for inner city children will run June through August. Adult volunteers are asked to spend about 2 hours

(10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.) Monday–Thursday mornings, reading with several children, one-on-one.

Crown Heights has been asked to help staff the program housed at the Wesley UMC site during the weeks of July 12-15 & July 19-22.

If you would like to read with some children who are learning to enjoy books, call Janet Kingsolver (524-3895) for more information.

This year, instead of watching the 4th place ACC team play the 5th place Pac 10 team, standing in line at the mall, or sitting in your easy chair eating leftovers until you can’t move, how about spending some quality time with some quality people making a Christian difference in the lives of some of our neighbors in Rio Bravo, Mexico. The Crown Heights mission team is putting together a mission for the week beginning December 27. We will be building homes for two families, conducting a Mission Bible School and, if we have team members with the skills, we will be serving in the medical clinic. Most importantly, we will be sharing God’s love for us and making a Christian difference.

I think I can guarantee a New Year’s Eve celebration that you will never forget, a warm enjoyable night on the San Antonio Riverwalk, a bunch of new friends, and maybe, just maybe, a life changing experience.

Right now, we are recruiting team members, prayer partners, financial backers, and other movers and shakers who will make this dream a reality for Crown Heights.

No passports, knowledge of the Spanish language, or construction skills are needed. We already have team members from ages 10 to 70, and the cost is only going to be around $300. All that is necessary is a willing attitude, a servant’s heart, and a desire to share God’s love for you.

To sign up to be a part of the mission team to Rio Bravo or just to get more information, call Bruce Pitts at 840-7094 during the day or 843-7684 in the evening or e-mail at bruce@smith-roberts.com.