Crown Heights Home > News & Events >

August 2006

The Pastor’s Column
By Rodney Newman

Learning from Another

Ann and I sometimes refer to Rachel as our ecumenical child. She attended a Catholic preschool for a while where she learned of the nuns and their special clothes and how to make the sign of the cross at prayer times. When she told us one day that they celebrated Mary’s birthday, it took us a while to figure out that she was talking about Mary, the mother of Jesus, not her teacher, whose name was also Mary. This summer, she’s spending a few weeks at Camp Chavarim sponsored by the Jewish Federation. There she eats kosher meals, bakes bread for Sabbath, and learns a few Hebrew words and songs.

Rachel’s involvement has been good for the whole family. We’ve met Catholic and Jewish families whose faith permeates every part of their lives. Rituals shape their time together in worship and in the home, their daily lives acknowledge days of saints and feasts, they have a clear sense of identity as a people. It causes me to look at my own life to see if I am as diligent and intentional in living out what we hold to be of ultimate significance.

Recent events in Lebanon and Israel have taken on new meaning for us. We now know people who have family in the affected areas and whose relatives serve in the military there. I have to believe that if more people would follow Rachel’s example and enter into another person’s world so completely, we would find greater understanding and better tools to discuss our differences. Our prayers for peace would take on particular faces and our fears subside when taking the hand of ones we come to trust. I wonder where Rachel will lead us next?

"Just For Fun" Fellowship Lunch
Sunday, August 6
Noon

Do you remember the fun you had at those old fashion church potluck dinners? The Genesis Class would love to bring back that fun and fellowship with our “just for fun potluck lunch”. We will provide the meat or main dish and we ask that you bring the side items. See where your name fits into the list below:

Genesis Class - Hot Dogs and Hamburgers
A - H - Chips or Side Dish
I - O - Beans or Sliced Lettuce,
Tomato, & Onion
P - Z - Dessert

Come join in the fun. Everyone welcome!

Clothes for Kids Night
August 10

Every child needs the opportunity to start school with the right clothes. Skyline Urban Ministries offers a program to help many children who would have difficulty making that dream a reality. For the past 10 years our church has supported this effort and we’re ready to join again this year. Call Charlene Jones at 524-5075 if you can help CHUM members distribute clothing the evening of August 10. You may contact Imogene at the McKee Center (500 SE 15) at 632-2644 to help with clothing distribution any time the week of August 7-11.

If you can't help with the “shopping” you may support this mission with your financial gifts. The UMW is collecting money to buy clothes, shoes, and gift cards for this special ministry that will clothe over 1,000 children this year. Send your money to the church office soon with a note for UMW Clothes for Kids

This Month in Worship
By Reverend Newman

We return to the Gospel of Mark, our featured gospel of this liturgical year. Jesus goes from one conflict to another in this telling and we examine three such encounters this month. In the first story, Jesus deals with angry neighbors after casting demons from an outcast. Next he corrects his jealous disciples for silencing another healer then he hears the pleas for mercy from blind Bartimaeus. The month begins with a strong witness from our youth as they lead our worship services.

Sermon Titles & Texts

• August 6 - Youth Sunday
  Tenth Sunday of Pentecost
• August 13 - Storm Season
  Mark 5:1-20
  Eleventh Sunday of Pentecost
• August 20 - Removing Impediments
  Mark 9:38-50
  Twelfth Sunday of Pentecost
• August 27 - Hard to Let Go
  Mark 10:46-52
  Thirteenth Sunday of Pentecost

Member News

Weddings

On July 8 James and Jeanene Carver renewed their marriage vows celebrating 50 years of marriage. Reverend Newman officiated at the service at the church.

Memorial Gifts

In memory of Loretta Brown
Robert L. Tedoldi
Ronald & Bernice Erickson
Kevin & Jennifer Kingston
Charles Bracht
Robert & Barbara Liss
Richard A. Koop

In memory of Willis Wheat
Laura & Joseph Whitaker
Joe & Carol Borg
John Sexton
Robert & Beverly Fuller
Russell & Suzy Wolfe

In memory of Bill Hayes
Stanley Kitchens

Music Ministry
by George Massey

Chancel Choir

August is your vacation time! Please put September 6 on your calendars. This is the Wednesday we get back to work for the fall musical activities. December 10 will be our Christmas Cantata, so please try to keep that weekend free for our big rehearsals and service.

We will send you a letter detailing our collaboration with another wonderful church choir for our Christmas cantata. This will mark my 25th anniversary cantata with our church, so I will endeavor to make it a memorable experience for everyone. In this letter, we will give you all the details and info on the one extra rehearsal that will be required to make this a success for everyone.

Children’s Choir/Summer Musical

A very special thanks goes to Ryan Mobley and his excellent assistants for making our summer musical such a success. I know everyone in attendance on July 16 enjoyed this presentation!

Ryan will be contacting all the parents later in August to outline our plans for the Children's Choir this fall.
 

Children’s Ministry
By Ryan Mobley

We enjoyed another exciting week of music camp with fourteen children in attendance. In the mornings, they worked on choreography and singing for our presentation of The Amazing Jerusalem Makeover based on the story of Nehemiah. After lunch they enjoyed a different activity each day that included going to a movie, Bead Town, swimming, bowling, and a pizza party. Thanks to all those who supported this ministry with your gifts and preparation.

Mark Your Calendars

August 9 Children’s Council Meeting
6:00 p.m. in the Parlor. Please bring your ideas for the next school year.

Sunday School

We continue with our lesson series on signs of faith through August 20, then begin a unit on friendship.
 

Youth News
By Tyler Kirk

Youth Week
July 31 - August 4

Monday 5:00 pm OKC ROCKS
Tuesday 5:45 pm MOVIES
Wednesday 5:00 pm MINIATURE GOLF
Thursday 8:00 pm BOWLING
Friday 5:00 pm LOCK-IN (with built in random activities)

Youth Sunday
August 6

On Sunday, August 6, the youth will lead in both worship services. They are preparing the liturgy and will help provide the music and give a witness to their faith.

Rachel Altobello will be sharing a message with us. “Forgiveness is the theme for this special Sunday”. Hope to see you there!

St. Yootz Day
August 19

It’s St. Yootz Day at Frontier City. Family Fun Day and Christian Concert featuring Jonah 33 and the Amber Nicole Band.

If you are interested in attending, please send me an e-mail at tyler@crownheightsumc.org.

A message to Crown Heights

I must say that I am extremely excited about the future of this youth group. I have inherited a great program that has grown through the support of great youth, their parents, and an involved congregation.

Thanks for the open doors and hearts that you have shown me this past month.
Your friend in faith, Tyler

Missions

Whiz Kids Returning to
Crown Heights, Again!

Three years ago the Crown Heights family jumped into a ministry of mentoring children from a neighborhood school. In conjunction with Mayflower Congregational Church and the city-wide Whiz Kids program, we hope to mentor 25 children throughout this upcoming school year. The children’s experience includes a one-on-one mentor for the full year to help with reading skills, a big snack and Bible lesson each week, games and fun, a Christmas party for their families, a field trip, and a huge party on the lake at the end of the year.

Our tutors include businessmen and women, retired people, and college students. This ministry soon becomes about more than reading; relationships become very strong and the children know they are loved by someone sharing the love of God.

You can be a Whiz Kids tutor this year. We meet each Thursday that school is in session from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the church. We provide initial and on-going training in how to help these great children improve their reading skills. Call Janet Kingsolver at 524-3895 for more information on being a Whiz Kids tutor.

New Day Camp Makes a Difference

The temperature may have been hot but it didn’t stop 80 children and 50 adults from enjoying New Day Camp this year. There was joyous singing, challenging activities, good food, and lots of smiles and hugs for the 12-14 year olds who each have an incarcerated parent. Three Crown Heights’ members were a part of this event. Taffy Fellingham went as a group counselor, Janet Kingsolver went as the “tie-dye t-shirt lady,” and Jeanene Carver came in on Wednesday to finish the week as a camp nurse.

In Taffy’s second year at this camp, she tells this story as one that stood out among the many wonderful encounters.

As a counselor at New Day Camp I become very close to my group of kids who each have a parent that is incarcerated. Sometimes they have many things on their hearts that are painful and hard to communicate. One night at worship time I was near one of my boys who said he wanted to go to the altar to pray like several others had done, but just couldn't. When I asked, “Why not?” he said “because he would cry.” So I told him that he could just stay where he was with me and we could cry together. And we did. He still has lots of issues to deal with, but he knows at least one person was willing to cry with him as he deals with them. I'm glad I had agreed to be at camp that week and was there to cry with him.

Janet tells of spending some time with Tony, a 21 year old young man who has attended New Day Camp each year since he was 8. He has served as a junior counselor and, this year, as an adult counselor at the camp. He is now in the Air Force and going to college. He is a caring, wonderful young man whose father is still in prison. He credits the love and Christian witness he found at New Day Camp with many of the positive things in his life and he wants to give pass that on to children with similar experiences to his own.

United Methodist Women

"Virtual Tea Party"

By this time many of you have hosted a tea party in your own home. On behalf of Skyline Urban Ministry’s “Clothes for Kids” project the Crown Heights UMW would like to express their appreciation for your participation in this activity and for your financial support. As of July 18, over $250 in donations has been received, and there is more to come. These funds will help to provide new school clothing and shoes for many of Oklahoma City’s children in need. Please continue to pray for the children who were named on the paper lace doily included in your invitation.

See the article on the front page for more information and how you can participate in “Clothes for Kids.”
 

Return to the top.