The Olive Branch JUNE Olive Branch Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

The Olive Branch JUNE 2017 Olive Branch Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Richard D. Cline, minister Web Address: www.ob-cc.org Susan C. Fournier, secretary Office Email Address: obcc1833@gmail.com 757-566-8077 (Church Office) Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:30AM 1:30PM OBCC is updating its database. If you DO NOT wish to receive this newsletter OR if you have changed your address, please contact the office to let us know. 757-566-8077 or obcc1833@gmail.com WELCOME NEW MEMBERS! Jim Romesburg & Janet Dombrowski made it official and joined OBCC on May 14 th. Thank you for becoming part of our family! SLEEPING, CREEPING, AND LEAPING When Ann and I built our home in 2003, it first required a major clearing of the lot. Trees and massive amounts of vines were removed in order to provide room for the house and yard. Shortly after moving in, we noticed a section of what we called wild grass growing at the edge of the yard. Within a couple of years, it grew to a large area, taking over all the weeds, and in the process producing a dense and attractive turf. Curious, we asked the county extension agent to help identify it. Samples were sent to Virginia Tech, and a month later we had our answer. We have Centipede Grass, which was introduced to the United States in 1916 from seed collected by Frank Meyer while in he was in South China. Identifying the grass, however, only created a more curious question: how did that grass get in our yard? The short answer is: I have no idea. Surprisingly, Centipede Grass is widely grown in the southeastern United States, and has steadily pushed its way through North Carolina and now Virginia. Which just seems to prove what one person who grew up with Centipede Grass offered: The first year it sleeps, the second year it creeps, and the third year it leaps! Church programs and projects seem to fall into the same pattern. We talk, plan, discuss, meet, and present a new project, and then meet, talk, and present again and again and again. Finally, at some point, action is taken and progress begins, slowly at first, then eventually in great leaps. Our search for an associate/youth pastor is in the creeping stage. Our wonderful committee, headed by Christy Jensen, has patiently sorted through resumes, interviewed some applicants, and prayed a great deal in order to find a person who will be the right match for Olive Branch. That person has yet to be identified. But the process continues; which is where you can help! Please lift up this committee in your daily prayer, as this group seeks to complete this important task. And when this work is completed, and the right person selected and called, then watch out! Ministry will be a leaping! Blessings, ~Pastor Richard These lyrics by Tim McGraw are good watch-words for living every day. HUMBLE AND KIND You know there's a light that glows by the front door Don't forget the key's under the mat Childhood stars shine, always stay humble and kind 1

Go to church 'cause your momma says to Visit grandpa every chance that you can It won't be wasted time Hold the door, say please, say thank you Don't steal, don't cheat, and don't lie I know you got mountains to climb but When the dreams you're dreamin' come to you When the work you put in is realized Let yourself feel the pride but Don't expect a free ride from no one Don't hold a grudge or a chip and here's why Bitterness keeps you from flyin' Know the difference between sleeping with someone And sleeping with someone you love "I love you" ain't no pick up line so Hold the door, say please, say thank you Don't steal, don't cheat, and don't lie I know you got mountains to climb but When those dreams you're dreamin' come to you When the work you put in is realized Let yourself feel the pride but When it's hot, eat a root beer popsicle Shut off the AC and roll the windows down Let that summer sun shine Don't take for granted the love this life gives you When you get where you're goin Don't forget turn back around And help the next one in line Take Care, ~Fred CWF NEWS The CWF has purchased new dishes for meals prepared by our talented cooks. Our kitchen renovation is progressing, and I hope to have another report in the next newsletter. Seven of our ladies will attend the Virginia Women s Retreat from June 2-4. Look for a report next month. Our Spring Dinner meeting will be at my home (10134 Sycamore Landing Road; Williamsburg) at 6:30 pm on Monday, June 12 th. Please bring a covered dish to share. Everyone is invited, and, hopefully, the weather will cooperate so we can enjoy the deck overlooking the York River. CWF offers many opportunities for fellowship, Bible study, and, of course, meals, so please join in our events. God Bless! ~Kay Ainsworth, CWF Director CHRISTIAN WOMEN S FELLOWSHIP The Tuesday Circle met at Interlude with 12 attending. We missed those unable to attend. Of course, we began with a table full of wonderful dishes. Elaine made a special birthday cake for Donna and Vicki, and everyone sang to them. Elaine gave her lesson on The Bible of Jesus. As always, it was such an interesting lesson. Thank you, Elaine, for our lessons and the time you put into present them to us. Our next meeting will be June 13, at Interlude. Come join us. ~Donna Haulsee MONDAY CWF WILL MEET on June 19th at 7 PM in the Education Building. The group is a series of lessons on the Fruit of the Spirit. We are using a book called Golden Fruit. This book looks at the fruit of the Spirit as seen in women in the Bible. Our first lesson looked at love as seen in Ruth. Please join us on the 3 rd Monday of each month as we meet in Andy's Sunday School room at 7:00 pm. ~Carole Kerr We are gearing up to leave for our mission trip. We ask for prayers for safe travel, and for a rewarding week serving others. We are so excited to be experiencing this new type of trip to an Indian Reservation. Lauren, Bryant, Harold, and I cannot wait to share this experience with all of you when we get back. Lauren just celebrated her birthday. She is finishing up her junior year of high school. Bryant is working at the Great Wolf Lodge and is finishing up his junior year as well. Both are looking ahead at colleges. We will be meeting June 11 th & 25th. ~Abby Matschke

The next meeting will be at 2:00 PM on Tuesday, June 6 th at the Schmidt home. Hope to see you! ~Dick & Betty Barber Our condolences go to Robin Moscati and her sister, Janet Marshall. Janet s husband, Jim, died over the weekend of May 17/18. Please keep them in your prayers. Church Family: Pat Allred, Vicki Anderson, Charles & Betty Boy, Duie Brantley, Gertie Duke, John Hill Gardner, Lucy Hall, Lena Jeffries, Ruby Jones, Bob Key, Edie Larkin, David Love, Val Mason, Ellen Sullivan, Richard Thiel, Sarah Waid, Dennis Williams, David Wolverton Family and Friends: The professional and volunteer women and men who protect and defend us, our nation, Betty Boley Family (Cleve s sister), Caleb Brickhouse (Marney Brickhouse s husband), Judy Carter (Christy Jensen s Aunt), Donna Clark Family (former member), David Cooper (friends of Willards), Kim Dempsey (friend of Harbours), Charles Friend (Emily Friend s brother), Melissa Fulgham (Josh & Jessica Fulgham s mom), Mike Getsi (friend of Harbours), Tiena Griffith (Nancy Griffith s daughter-in-law), Amy Gustafson (Irma s granddaughter), Mike & Christina Harvey (friends of Ruskeys), Carl Hendley (Family of Gene & Cheryl Johnson), David Hunt (Jim Hunt s brother), Allison Izzo (friend of Heslinks), Tish & Finn Jensen (Skip Jensen s parents), Laura Jessee Family (friend of OBCC), Barbara Johnson (Robin Moscati s mother), Lisa Johnson (daughter-in-law of Gene/Cheryl Johnson), Janet Marshall (sister of Robin Moscati), Vince Mason (Judy Eley s brother), Jackson Moscati (Robin Moscati s grandnephew), Bryson Phenicie (Dallas & Joann Mitchell s nephew), Bill, Allie, Cecelia Raines (daughter-in-law family of Pat Dressler), Rose Ratcliffe (friend of Harbours), Theresa Robertson, (friend of Donna Haulsee), Zoey Jane Rolfe (Vicki Anderson s grandniece), Bill Russell (friend of Doug Haulsee), Ralph Schwartz (friend of Willards, Gillian Sickles (friend of Mitchells), Shannon Starmer (Donald White s daughter), CR Sullivan (Roy & Ellen Sullivan s son), Jamie VanCleave (Jerry VanCleave s granddaughter), Vivian VanHolten, Bob Williams (Linda Williams husband), Marolyn (Carolyn Hunt s twin sister), Drs. Anil & Teresa Henry, the students and the staff at Christian Hospital Mungeli Our condolences go out to the Donna S. Clark family. Donna died on Friday, May 12. Her memorial service was held on Saturday, May 20 th in Providence Forge. Donna and many of her family were members here and married here. Donna directed that memorial donations cold be made to either the Providence Forge Presbyterian Church or to Olive Branch Christian Church. Notes or cards can be sent c/o Kenny Clark; 1716 Walt Hall Creek Drive; South Chesterfield, VA 23834. Please keep Donna s family in your prayers. Worship and Wonder (Ages 3-8) June 4 Harold/Patty Barker, Josh Fulgham June 11 Ann Bradshaw June 18 Landa Simmons June 25 Missy Harbour June 4 OPEN June 11 OPEN June 18 OPEN June 25 OPEN SCRIPTURE SELECTIONS The following scriptures will be used during the Sunday worship services this month. The underlined passages are the primary passages for Pastor Richard s sermons. June 4 Acts 2:1-4; Galatians 4:1-7 June 11 Psalm 8; Matthew 28:16-20 June 18 Genesis 18:1-15; Romans 5:1-8 June 25 Psalm 86:1-10,16-17; Romans 6:1-11

SERVING THIS MONTH Elders June 4 Landa Simmons, Diana Love June 11 Norm Harbour, Missy Harbour June 18 Ralph Hutton, Jim Thacker June 25 Joyce Allen, Skip Jensen 08 Lauren & Jeanette McWilliams 09 Ralph & Tracey Hutton 09 Steve & Donna Perger, Jr 23 Jim & Paula Thacker 27 Phillip & Lisa Day June 4 Deacons Janet Neal, Kevin Waid, Phyllis Taylor, Harold McKeel June 11 Linda Garrett, Sheila Yeatts, Maralyn Carr, Keeta Hodson June 18 June 25 Lisa Day, Phillip Day, Tracey Creech, Tracey Hutton Abby Matschke, Boyce Mason, Danny Pitts, Elna Pitts Deaconess Emily Dill GUEST PREACHING: A special thanks to Robin Moscati for preaching on May 7th! CONGRATULATIONS TO THESE GRADUATES! Beth Nease PhD Old Dominion University Taylor Nash Cline B.A. Mathew James D'Antuono B.S. (Thacker grandson) University Of Virginia at Wise Liberty University Mariah Crews-Henk Diploma High School Sarah Rebecca Van Cleave B.A. (SCL, HON) (Jerry s granddaughter) Brown University They will be recognized on June 11 th at the picnic. OBCC is updating its database. If you DO NOT wish to receive this newsletter OR if you have changed your address, please contact the office to let us know. 757-566-8077 or obcc1833@gmail.com 01 Missy Harbour 03 Carole Kerr 03 Angela Key 04 Jim Hunt 06 Mason Jensen 08 Janet Neal 09 Nadine Gardner 10 Joyce James 12 Tracie Heslink 16 Kathryn Howard 17 Jane Vaught 20 Leland Williams 25 Gabriele Wolverton 27 Judy Eley 30 Susan Kohlman FAMILY NIGHT ON JUNE 14th: Kelsey Creech will be on hand to teach Word Bubbles. Come and find out more.join in the fun beginning at 6:30 in the New Fellowship Hall. FOOD SHARING PROGRAM UPDATE Food insecurity never takes a vacation. During the summer school vacation our neighborhood children who benefit from our food donations are at an increased risk for food insecurity. The food support programs our neighborhood children receive from the schools they attend are not available during the summer recess. Our increased food donations, we make during the summer months will help mitigate the increased food insecurity these children will experience. Your generous donations are daily blessings experienced at the dinner tables of those

neighborhood families who face food insecurity. We are grateful for your consistent weekly donations to our food sharing program. Thankful, ~Jane & Will Hatcher OUR DAY OUT Emily Friend provided lessons on herbs and we planted! Emily Friend with Robin Moscati, Bob & Jeanne Lawrence, & Pat Allred planting herbs to take home. In Jesus Name, Louise Smith, Christy Jensen Co-coordinators CAMPBELL CLASS CONTINUES STUDY- ON JUNE 18 th : in the upstairs of the Old Fellowship Hall (with new air conditioning!) WORLD OUTREACH NEWS YOU BLANKETED THE WORLD IN LOVE: God has blessed us with so much, and we have much to share. We shared a total of $1,325.00. Thank you for your generosity for God s work. EASTER SPECIAL OFFERING THANKS: God has blessed us with so much, and we have much to share. We shared a total of $3,172.76. Thank you for your generosity for God s work. PENTECOST GIVING ON JUNE 4 & 11: Planting a church can make a huge and lasting impression in the community it serves. Since 2000, the Christian Church has started 980 churches in the U.S. and Canada, thus sharing the gospel with more than 61,500 individuals. The goal of the 2020 Vision is to start 1000 new churches in 1000 different ways. We have almost made that goal, but must continue our journey by setting our sights higher, equipping courageous leaders, and planting even more churches. I encourage you to help to actually change the world by supporting the Pentecost offering on Sundays in June---the 4 th and 11 th. Each year half the offering is designated for our regional area in an effort to start and sustain new churches. The other half is used by the Hope Partnership to support recruitment, assessment, training, and coaching of new church leaders at events like Leadership Academy. With your support, the Christian Church DOC will continue to change the world. TOOLS SUNDAYS ON JUNE 4 & 11: Church World Service is there with tools, seeds, and support for agricultural coops in rural, povertyprone communities. Using boats provided with help from CWS, Ahmad Syarif and fellow members of the Tolong Menolong Fishing group have strengthened both their potential and resilience. These families do not know how to prepare the soil and seedbeds or develop organic pesticides. CWS is there with support to teach and help develop kitchen gardens to feed families. With your donation of $5.00 in honor or memory of your loved one (father, grandfather, son, brother, friend), please give this Father s Day from the heart. In His Name & Blessing ~Sheila Yeatts

SUMMER CAMPS: Summer is fast approaching and the Camp, Conference, and Retreat Schedules are out. There are camps available for every age group, including seniors. Specialized camps are available for those with disabilities. See the Schedule posted in the Narthex on the bulletin board in the Education Building. Discounts for early registration end soon, limited funds are available for those unable to afford to go. Contact Andrew Pfister for further details. A FEW REMINDERS FOR JUNE: June 5 World Environment Day June 14 Flag Day, United States June 20 World Refugee Day PICNIC HONORS GRADS, TEACHERS: Plan to join in the fun on June 11 and says thanks to dedicated teachers and a loud Huzzah! to our graduates. IT S A TRIP TO INDIA AT OBCC: ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 6:30 PM, NEW FELLOWSHIP HALL. Join in the fun and a virtual trip to India at a fundraiser dinner for Ann Bradshaw, who will represent the Virginia Region of the Woman to Woman Mission program of the Christian Church, Disciples of Christ this summer in India. Sample Indian fare, hear more about the trip, and contribute to the considerable cost of this trip. When Ann returns, she will be speaking to churches across Virginia about the trip and its results. Please RSVP to Ann or the church office by June 11 th. The Maker Fun Factory is the theme Being created by God. Lessons will include topics on these themes: God Made You; God is for You; God is always with you; God will always love you. Classes will be divided up into groups with all ages. Participants will visit different stations, i.e. lesson, craft, games, music, and snack. The adult class will be taught by Pastor Richard. Early registration will soon be available. SAVE THE DATE: The Lifeline Health Screening team will be at OBCC on Friday, June 30. There are 4 ways to register for this event and to receive a $10 discount off any package priced above $129----call 1-888-653-6441 or visit www.lifelinescreening.com/communitycircle or text the word circle to 797979 or sign up on the bulletin board sheet in the Education Building. LET S SAIL! Would you like to join a group on the Regal Princess for a Western Caribbean cruise from February to March 4, 2018? Starting and ending in Ft. Lauderdale, the cruise will include stops at Princess Cays, Falmouth (Jamaica), Grand Cayman Island, and Cozumel. Depending on cabin choice, prices range from $949.00 to $1,699.00 per person. If you have an interest or want more information, please contact Kay Ainsworth (757-566-3255). We are looking forward to a terrific trip! VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IS ON TAP-- HELP IS NEEDED (SEE ABBY MATSCHKE)!!! VBS 2017 is from July 24-28 (5:30 dinner, 6-8 classes). Please volunteer to cook, teach, assist, lead, and/or be a helping hand to create a successful week. Please e-mail Abby Matschke at robertstick@aol.com, or call/text at 757-532-8552 to help. There is a meeting planned for June 4, following the 11 AM service. Abby will provide lunch for those that attend. If you are unable to attend please let Abby know, and she will get you the information. There will soon be a workshop to make props to decorate our church. Watch for details.

Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames of America on April 25, 1893 adopted a resolution requesting the mayor of Philadelphia and all others in authority and all private citizens to display the Flag on June 14th. Leach went on to recommend that thereafter the day be known as 'Flag Day', and on that day, school children be assembled for appropriate exercises, with each child being given a small Flag. Two weeks later on May 8th, the Board of Managers of the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution unanimously endorsed the action of the Pennsylvania Society of Colonial Dames. As a result of the resolution, Dr. Edward Brooks, then Superintendent of Public Schools of Philadelphia, directed that Flag Day exercises be held on June 14, 1893 in Independence Square. School children were assembled, each carrying a small Flag, and patriotic songs were sung and addresses delivered. The Fourth of July was traditionally celebrated as America's birthday, but the idea of an annual day specifically celebrating the Flag is believed to have first originated in 1885. BJ Cigrand, a schoolteacher, arranged for the pupils in the Fredonia, Wisconsin Public School, District 6, to observe June 14 (the 108th anniversary of the official adoption of The Stars and Stripes) as 'Flag Birthday'. In numerous magazines and newspaper articles and public addresses over the following years, Cigrand continued to enthusiastically advocate the observance of June 14 as 'Flag Birthday', or 'Flag Day'. On June 14, 1889, George Balch, a kindergarten teacher in New York City, planned appropriate ceremonies for the children of his school, and his idea of observing Flag Day was later adopted by the State Board of Education of New York. On June 14, 1891, the Betsy Ross House in Philadelphia held a Flag Day celebration, and on June 14 of the following year, the New York Society of the Sons of the Revolution, celebrated Flag Day. Following the suggestion of Colonel J Granville Leach (at the time historian of the Pennsylvania Society of the Sons of the Revolution), the In 1894, the governor of New York directed that on June 14 the Flag be displayed on all public buildings. With BJ Cigrand and Leroy Van Horn as the moving spirits, the Illinois organization, known as the American Flag Day Association, was organized for the purpose of promoting the holding of Flag Day exercises. On June 14th, 1894, under the auspices of this association, the first general public school children's celebration of Flag Day in Chicago was held in Douglas, Garfield, Humboldt, Lincoln, and Washington Parks, with more than 300,000 children participating. Adults, too, participated in patriotic programs. Franklin K. Lane, Secretary of the Interior, delivered a 1914 Flag Day address in which he repeated words he said the flag had spoken to him that morning: "I am what you make me; nothing more. I swing before your eyes as a bright gleam of color, a symbol of yourself." Inspired by these three decades of state and local celebrations, Flag Day - the anniversary of the Flag Resolution of 1777 - was officially established by the Proclamation of President Woodrow Wilson on May 30th, 1916. While Flag Day was celebrated in various communities for years after Wilson's proclamation, it was not until August 3rd, 1949, that President Truman signed an Act of Congress designating June 14th of each year as National Flag Day. [USFLAG.ORG]

FATHER'S DAY Father s Day, is on Sunday, June 15 th. Will you give your father a card or a present for Father s Day? Some cards say, Dad, I love you! Do you think your Dad likes to hear you tell him that you love him? Of course he does! So be sure you say I love you, Dad every day. Sometimes you hear people say, You look just like your Dad. Just as we look like our earthly fathers, we should also look like our Heavenly Father. The Bible tells us that people should be able to look at us and tell that we are children of the Heavenly Father. The Bible says that we were created in the image of God. It also says that we should let our light shine so that others will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Dads are FORGIVING: even when we disobey or do something wrong. ATTENTIVE: always willing to listen to what we have to say. TEACHERS: teach us the most important lessons of our life; they teach us right from wrong, and teach us by example how to love one another. HELPFUL: help us to make the important decisions each day, offer advice, or may just be a good listener, but he s always there to help us. ENERGETIC: no matter how tired he is, Dad always seems to find the energy to do things with us and for us. READY: always ready to reach out in love to us. He is ready to do whatever we need. The bold and underlined letters above spell FATHER. Just as our earthly fathers do these things for their children; you also have a Heavenly Father who wants to do all of these things for you. After all, God is who earthly fathers use as their example! Listen, my sons, to a father's instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. Proverbs 4:1

The Olive Branch 10

Non-Profit Organization U. S. Postage PAID Norge, VA Permit No. 2 The Olive Branch published by Olive Branch Christian Church Disciples of Christ 7643 Richmond Road Williamsburg, VA 23188-7024 (757) 566-8077. Address Service Requested Note: No longer wish to receive our newsletter? Address changed? Please contact the church office. OBCC is updating its database. If you DO NOT wish to receive this newsletter OR if you have changed your address, please contact the office to let us know. 757-566-8077 or obcc1833@gmail.com