FCC Calls New Associate Minister

A publication of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Tulsa Vol. 20, Number 14 July 24, 2015 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Worship Times NEW SCHEDULE! 9:00-9:30 Breakfast for children and youth 9:00 Coffee Fellowship, 9:15-10:15 Adult Sunday School 9:30-10:30 Sunday School/VBS for children and youth, 3rd Floor & Fellowship Hall 10:15 Coffee Fellowship, 10:45 - Noon Worship, Sanctuary 11:00-11:30 Children s Worship, Fellowship Hall 11:30-12:00 Children s ac vi es, 3rd Floor What s in this Issue From the Pastor s Pen Keyboard Attendance and Gifts FCC Activities and Opportunities Outreach Project Mid-Week Peak Meals Pastoral Needs Youth Trip to Kansas City Mid-Week Peak According to Luke Installation of Toulouse Baptisms VBS Family Fun Festival The Wilder Side Letter from Toulouse Prayers and Cares Serving Schedules Sunday School Class News FCC Calls New Associate Minister The First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in downtown Tulsa, Oklahoma, is excited to announce that it has called Joshua Toulouse to serve as an Associate Minister beginning August 1, 2015. He is a member of South Hills Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Fort Worth, Texas, and has served several Disciples congregations in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, including having recently served Richland Hills Christian Church as Associate Minister from 2010-2014. He also has been serving as a Professional Tutor and Writing Associate at the TCU Writing Center since 2010, focusing especially on the academic writings of Brite students. He is under the care of the Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and is working toward ordination in the Disciples of Christ. Toulouse earned both a Master of Theology (2014) and a Master of Divinity (2012) from the Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, receiving the Brite Book Awards for both Asian Church Studies and the Chalice Press in 2012, and he earned a Bachelor of Science (2003) from TCU, having graduated Magna cum laude with a major in Radio/TV/ Film and a minor in Religion. He has served as a keynote speaker, worship leader, counselor, and director at various Disciples camps and has been involved in various committees in the Southwest Region. Toulouse has a passion for God s love, whether proclaimed from the pulpit, discovered in study and conversation, made manifest in works of compassion and social justice, or celebrated in worship and community. He brings gifts for communication and evangelism to help people encounter this good news and invite them into the shared ministry of the Church in the world. He treasures pastoral care and building strong relationships both within the church community and with the communities beyond. First Christian welcomes Joshua Toulouse as its newest Associate Minister to join with us in making a difference in the heart of Tulsa and sharing the good news of God s love in Jesus Christ with the world. Page 1

From the Pastor s Pen Keyboard For the past few days, the people of Columbus, Ohio have thrown open their doors to the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and oh what a welcome we have received! The 2015 General Assembly has welcomed so many Disciples to tables of conversation, services of worship in community, gatherings of hymn singing (with perhaps some liquid courage help), and meals of grace. We have been fortified as the Body of Christ to do holy work we have been equipped to SOAR! Soon, First Christian will welcome a new minister within its storied walls to help us SOAR. Joshua Toulouse comes to Tulsa to join with us in the holy work of sharing and embodying God s love in Jesus Christ right here in the heart of Tulsa and beyond. (Yes, we have yet another minister to break in, but we should be really good at this by now!) We are a growing church not just because we are adding staff, not just because we have new members, not just because we have former members returning, but because we recognize the need to get out in the world and extend the invitation to Christ s table of love that has been extended to us. We are growing in grace, growing in hope, growing in outreach, growing in wisdom, growing in learning, growing in strength, growing in Spirit but, like every church, we still have some growing edges. FCC needs to reestablish its brand identity in the Tulsa metro area beyond an iconic architectural façade and dome. We need to become a recognized community of faith that engages the real issues facing real people and that takes real action. We need to become trusted conversation partners with other communities that listens and cares and responds. We need to become the church that makes the difference and calls people together in the Spirit of love and justice, establishing hope and peace and building the beloved community foretold by prophets and preachers, witnessed in scripture, celebrated in sacrament, and storied in sacred song. To this end, we have called Joshua Toulouse to add his gifts in communications, public relations, new community development, and social media to help get the message of Christ s love (and how we as FCC live into it) out there among the people as well as among us the current membership. As an Associate Minister, he will share in preaching and teaching and reaching out just as does Rev. Cassie. Speaking (writing?) of, Cassie will focus upon our outreach ministries, hospitality, and congregational development, and she will continue to work with our youth and education programs. We have been very privileged to have had excellent ministers on staff (most recently the Rev. Carol Lawson), and I look forward to Joshua joining the Green Team beginning August 1, 2015. Joshua s first Sunday with us will be on August 2, and we will officially install him during morning worship on August 23. Please pray for him as he moves from Fort Worth, searches for housing in Tulsa, learns where the light switches are around the church building, and gets to know our community. Please consider hosting a small gathering of FCC members and friends for a time of coffee/drinks/ food/conversation or whatever fits your personality and ability during the next few weeks and months. This is the perfect opportunity to get to know better all three of your ministers and for them to get to know you better outside of Sunday mornings. (Besides, we know that church is more than what happens at 913 S. Boulder, right?!) Go find your name tag. Or call the church office and get a new one made. Introduce yourself and welcome the new among us. Take a moment to go have a conversation. Take another moment later and have another one. Wash, rinse, repeat. Be Christ s invitation. Embody hospitality. Help make FCC full no, brimming over with love and grace and welcome for Joshua, for each other, for visitors and guests, for our neighbors, for the alien among us, for those whom Christ calls our sisters and brothers as yet unmet but called to a joyous reunion at the Table, the family gathered for Supper. It s a new day at First Christian, and behold God is indeed making all things making us new. Soli Deo Gloria, Rev. Michael Week of July 12 Worship 133 Children 27 Total Attendance 160 Sunday School Preschool 9 Elementary 23 Youth 14 Adults 74 Total 120 General Fund $11,075.00 Sunday School 39.50 Total $11,231.50 Attendance and Gifts Budget Contingency Fund In memory of George Hauger from: Marcia Hawkins, James and Mary Lynn Howard Double Ring Scholarship In memory of George Hauger, Week of July 19 Children 32 Total Attendance 128 Sunday School Preschool 9 Elementary 23 Youth 14 Adults 74 Total 120 Sunday School 32.50 Total $8,762.33 from Double Ring Class, Kim Stansell, Ian and Isaac, Ann Sullivan Endowment Trust Fund In memory of George Hauger from Ellen and Donald Atkins, Barbara and D. Burdette Blue III Marian Bovaird, Bill Clark J. Harley Galusha and Mary McIlhany, Bob and Rihab Garner J. Alan and Mary Lou Gibson, Bettie and John Heckenkemper Barbara Iverson, Richard and Sue Jeffrey, Lawrence Mancini Joyce Marston, Julia Martin, Connie and Mark McFarland Dr. and Mrs. R.D. Miller, Jane and Larry Mozer Helen and Bill Pummill, Don and Lynn Ray, Harry Rouse, Jean Tate, Sue Trimble Joanna Duck and Earl Tuers, Jr. Velma and S.R. West, Beverly and Robert Williams Wanda Vint, Peggy and Richard Ziglar July 22-31, 2015 Don Brooks 7/22 Sandra Freeman 7/22 Randy Sullivan 7/23 Carl Oliver 7/24 Norma Henderson 7/28 Ken McCharen 7/28 Harley Galusha 7/30 Bill Pummill 7/30 Ruth Reather 7/31 August 1-15, 2015 Kay Thompson 8/6 Joyce Marston 8/9 Sue Trimble 8/9 Katie Murphy 8/10 David Dunning 8/11 Berneita Semones 8/13 Ethel Mae Brown 8/14 Thanks Received for Outreach Gifts John 3:16 Mission Neighbor for Neighbor Salvation Army Thanks Received for Prayer Quilt Dear Members of the Prayer Quilt Ministry, Thank you so much for the gift of the Prayer Quilt. What a wonderful expression of love, as well as being a beautiful piece of art. with each knot. Joe and I have felt the warmth both literally and by way of our bonds of Christian love. Blessings, Joe and Cindy Semones Page 3 Page 2

FCC Activities and Opportunities Saturday, July 25 Communion Preparation: Raylene Barclay and Barbara Iverson Sunday, July 26 9:00-9:30 Coffee Fellowship, East Fellowship Hall 9:00-9:30 Breakfast for children and youth, South Fellowship Hall 9:15-10:15 Sunday School for Adults 9:30-10:30 VBS on 3rd Floor & Fellowship Hall - children and youth 10:15-10:40 Sanctuary Choir Warm-up 10:15-10:40 Coffee Fellowship, East Fellowship Hall 10:45-12:00 Worship, Sanctuary 11:00-11:30 Children's Worship, Fellowship Hall 11:30-12:00 Children's activities, 3rd Floor Ed. Bldg. 1:30-3:30 Mission Tulsa serving meals to homeless in east parking lot NEACCO Prayer Calendar: Linden St., Sapulpa Gary Sheely Monday, August 3 Vision published 8:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald's 49th and Harvard 5:30 FCC Members Dinner at Inverness Tuesday, August 4 9:30 Prayer Group, Library Wednesday, August 5 1:00 Staff Meeting, EFH 5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer Chapel Midweek Peak 5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45-7:15 Bible Study, FH - Luke Thursday, August 6 10:00 Outreach Opportunity - Snack Pack Packing, Rm.104 Friday, August 7 6:00 Wedding Rehearsal for Katy Gotwals & Rich Saint, Sanctuary Outreach Project - Hawthorne School First Christian Church is the sponsor of Hawthorne School. Bring General School Supplies - any and all gifts will be appreciated. Our goal this year is to provide 50 Back-to-School Kits. If you would like to participate in this Act of Kindness and Generosity we would love to invite you to be a part of this Outreach Project. A basket will be provided in the Main Street Lobby July 26th Monday, July 27 8:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald's 49th and Harvard 6:00 Stewardship Meeting, Tuesday, July 28 9:30 Prayer Group, Library Wednesday, July 29 1:00 Staff Meeting, Thursday, July 30 - No events scheduled Friday, July 31 - No events scheduled Saturday, August 1 Communion Preparation: Vi Kennett and Don Swanson 7:00 PM Lock-in for VBS kids, 3rd Floor - practice in sanctuary Sunday, August 2 VBS Finale! Welcome Joshua Toulouse! 9:00-9:30 Coffee Fellowship, 9:00-9:30 Breakfast for children and youth, South Fellowship Hall 9:15-10:15 Sunday School for Adults 9:30-10:30 VBS on 3rd Floor & Fellowship Hall - children and youth 10:15-10:40 Sanctuary Choir Warm-up 10:15-10:40 Coffee Fellowship, 10:45-12:00 Worship, Sanctuary - VBS Celebration 12:00-2:00 Family Festival - Potluck lunch (Fellowship Hall and parking lot) NEACCO Prayer Calendar: Skiatook Christian, Skiatook Trey Harper Saturday, August 8 CDC Indoor Work Day Communion Preparation: Joan Hauger and Joyce Kendall 6:00 Wedding, Katy Gotwals & Rich Saint, Sanctuary Sunday, August 9 9:00-9:30 Coffee Fellowship, 9:00-9:30 Breakfast for children and youth, South Fellowship Hall 9:15-10:15 Sunday School for Adults 9:30-10:30 Sunday School for children & youth 10:15-10:45 Coffee Fellowship, 10:15-10:40 Sanctuary Choir Warm-up 10:45-12:00 Worship service, Sanctuary Children's Worship, Loft 4th Floor 12:00 Elders Check-in Communion to Home- Centered, Archives Center NEACCO Prayer Calendar: First Christian, Tahlequah Monday, August 10 CDC Closed Professional Week 8:00 Prayer Breakfast, McDonald s 49 th and Harvard 6:00 Ministry Council, Tuesday, August 11 9:30 Prayer Group, Library Wednesday, August 12 1:00 PM Staff Meeting, EFH 5:00-5:25 Evening Prayer, Prayer Chapel Midweek Peak 5:30 Light Supper, FH - $5.00 5:45-7:15 Bible Study, FH - Luke Mid-Week Peak meals needed beginning August 5th! If you are willing to prepare a simple meal and/or dessert on a Wednesday evening for about 25 to 30 people, please text, call or e-mail Rev. Cassie at 817-343-0671 (cell), call 918-582-8237 Ext.105 (church) or e-mail rev.cassie@fcctulsa.org. You may also sign up online at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0e48aea823a13-midweek Supper is served buffet style at 5:30pm before Bible Study begins at 5:45. Pastoral needs July 27-31 Rev. Michael will be away July 27-31, so please call Rev. Cassie at 817-343-0671 (cell), 918-582-8237 Ext.105 (church) if you need to speak with a minister. You may also contact Kathy Davis, Elder Chair, at 918-527-7816. If you have an after-hours pastoral care emergency (5pm-10am) please call our pastoral care hotline at 918-246-6726 if you do not have a staff member s cell phone number. The on-call clergy member will return your call as soon as possible. Page 4 Page 5

Great Youth Trip to Kansas City! On July 10-11, 2015 our youth group took a trip to Kansas City, Kansas. A special thanks goes to the people at Saint Andrew Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as they let us stay on their floor and youth room couches on Friday night. We were given the keys to the church and spent the evening exploring their building, especially their beautiful sanctuary and outdoor baptistry (see pictures). Unexpectedly, our fun trip turned into a mission trip! While we were at Saint Andrew s, a bad rain storm came through Kansas City and the sanctuary roof began to leak. Our youth were on the ball though! They jumped right in and helped place buckets all around the sanctuary to help catch all of the water to prevent damage. For our late night activity we played hide and seek throughout the whole church and watched a movie in their XP youth room. Bedtime struck at sometime around midnight. On Saturday morning, all 17 of us got up and went to Waffle House for breakfast. We then went to the Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City. Most of our youth and sponsors ended their day on a very high note. And by that I mean we rode the world s tallest waterslide, Verrückt (As seen in the picture). The Verrückt slide is taller than Niagara Falls! Those who rode the ride slid down a jaw dropping 168 7 structure only to be blasted up a second massive hill and then down another gut wrenching 50 drop! If you want to see a video of the slide check it out at https:// vimeo.com/102402822. Be sure and ask our youth or Rev. Cassie about it because it was so much fun, but none of us wanted to climb all those stairs to ride it again! A special thank you to our youth sponsors who attended this trip with us. This trip wouldn t have been possible without Dave & Marti Rathbun and Samantha & Nick Cox. Until our next adventure, Rev. Cassie COMING TO MID-WEEK PEAK IN AUGUST... Just how BIG is God s love? How BIG is the good news? The evangelist Luke contributed two major works to the New Testament: his Gospel, and Acts of the Apostles. Luke alone provides 25% of our New Testament scriptures!!! The Gospel According to Luke is a proclamation of God s radical love that changes everything! Through the story of Jesus of Nazareth, Luke tells us of how God s love is breaking into the world as we know it and reigns over us, turning right-side-up all that we have gotten upside-down. Jesus challenges our preconceptions and shows that God affirms and identifies with the most unexpected of characters, making those of who would be his disciples take a hard look at their own character. Christ has come to bring good news: it s the year of Jubilee! God s love wins! Rejoice and find new life! Beginning this August 5, come share and study the writings of Luke and learn about the good news he brings and our response to it as the church. NEW Bible Study: According to Luke Wednesdays beginning August 5 at 5:45 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall (light supper at 5:30, $5 suggested donation) Page 6 Page 7

Installation of Joshua Toulouse as Associate Minister on August 23rd Baptisms July 12th Skye and Caroline were baptized on Sunday, July 12th. Skye s mentor, Mary Lynn Howard, and Caroline s mentor, Joyce Marston, presented them for baptism, and their church family rejoiced to witness this milestone in their faith journey. On August 23, 2015 during morning worship, Rev. Leslie Dotson (Associate Regional Pastor, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma) will be officiating at the installation of Joshua Toulouse as Associate Minister at FCC, Tulsa Join us for the celebration! Page 8 Page 9

Page 10 Please bring a dish to share. Des ert will be provided by the church. All Church Potluck Dinner Sunday, August 2, 2015 Following Worship in the Fellowship Hall Family Fun Festival to Celebrate our Thailand Trek VBS 2015 Our special closing event will be August 2, 2015. The children and youth will be in the spotlight during worship to share their journey with you. Following worship, we are all encouraged to participate in the All Church Potluck Dinner, and the children and youth will be invited to enjoy some cool summertime outside activities: an inflatable water slide, dunk tank, playground and water activities. Bring your favorite specialty dish for all to sample. The church will provide dessert and drinks. Children/Youth will spend the night on August 1st to practice and prepare to share the highlights of VBS 2015 with you. Plan to join us! Donna Ackenhasen John Ackenhausen Matthew Alspaugh Jo Baker Steve and Marilyn Bowers & family Paul Campbell Marilyn Carlton & family Peggie Clendenin Jim Dalby & family Jeff Daniel Danny Dowling Jacque Dyer Edward Finley Roger Ford Kern Freeman Jarrod, we are loving the piano music!! Thank you for filling in for Paul. Do any of you remember when Rick McKee was in the barbershop quartet, The Yankee Doodle Boys? I was so pleased to see one of the boys, Bryan Wilson, sing a solo with the Signature Symphony at the 4th on the 3rd. He did a great job! A bus load of us went to the Oklahoma Museum of Art to see the fabulous Faberge exhibit. It was amazing and well worth the Peggy Lee Gay-Harris Larry Gibson Nita Griggs Alexia Hale Les & Marcia Hames Ebony Hawkins (Dwight Wallace s daughter) Norma & Hugh Henderson Joan Hauger & family Barbara Iverson Melissa & William Jones Jeanette Ketchum s family Betty Keys family Irene Lewitt Jeanne McCharen Mike Miller Prayers and Cares trip! Of course, we had to go look at the Chihuly glass again. I never get tired of that. We had lunch in their terrific restaurant and it was delicious! Kay and Paul Thompson bought A Fish Fry for Eight at the Inverness Auction, and invited Helen and Bill Pummill, Sharon Regnery, Gay Wion, Tom Nulf and me. It was donated by Della Davidson s daughter and son-in-law, at their beautiful home and lovely back yard. Fun and delicious. It has been said, Women will be equal when they can walk across the street bald headed and with a beer gut, and still think they are sexy. Have you heard of our IT department? It s called the house of ill compute. See ya in church, Ruthie To everyone at First Christian Church, Tulsa It is with great excitement that I write to say hello and thank you for extending this call to me to help serve this congregation and this community. I can t wait to begin my ministry with all of you and look forward to the great things we will accomplish together. As my start date quickly approaches, I can t wait to begin to meet all of you in person and begin this journey together. I pray that we can help bring out the best in each other as we strive to do God s work in the church, in the community, and in the world. I can t wait to get started! See you soon, FCC Tulsa, Joshua Toulouse Lisa Mitchell Marianne Moffett s son Pat & Dennis Molloy Vic Osteen Leon & Rossie Patterson Mark Pitcher Susan Prabhu Bill Pummill Veda Riggs Abbey Roberson s mom Jack Sanders Christie Richardson Schreppel Cindy Semones Betty Smith Michael Smith Beverly Southard Libby Stoppard s family Ashley Stubblefield Irene Tudor Kendra Turner s family Beverly Vakoun Vicki Vandivort Neva Varner Anne Webb Joy Welsh Joe Wilkinson & family Dick Willhour & family Ray Wright Karen Younger & family Peggy Ziglar Continued prayers for Prayer Quilt Recipients Ashley, Beckie, Brian, Chesney, Christie, Cindy, David, Debbie, Gordon, Gordon s family, Gyniss, Irene, Jerry, Jennifer, Joan, Joseph (PJ), Karen, Rev. Katie, Kern, Larry and Molly, Les, Lilia, Marcia, Margaret, Marilyn, Mark, Michael, Miranda, Otavia, Richard, Stacee, Susan, Susie, Sybil, Tonya and Vicki Page 11

The First Christian Church VISION (USPS 012-958) is published semi-monthly for its members by First Christian Church at 913 South Boulder Ave., Tulsa, OK, 74119-2033. Periodicals postage paid at Tulsa, OK. POSTMAS- TER: Send address changes to VISION, 913 S. Boulder Ave., Tulsa, OK 74119-2033. Serving Schedule Sunday, July 26 Elder Prayers: Brian Knight, offering; Jean Swanson, communion Scripture Reader: Sandra Lewis Communion Prepara on: Raylene Barclay and Barbara Iverson Deacons Serving Communion: Darlene Blackburn, Marcia Boyd, Millie Elswick, Chris Murphy, Thressa Northcu, Tom Nulf, Bob Parks, Hunter Blackburn, Kaleb Bowlin, Ka e Murphie, Madeline Murphy Greeters: Helen and Bill Pummill Flowers for Sunday, July 26: The flowers are given by Ethel Brown in honor of her sister, Ruth Holman. Flower delivery week of July 26: Helen and Bill Pummill Serving Schedule Sunday, August 2 Elder Prayers: Ka hy Davis, offering; Jay Gibson, communion Scripture Reader: Helen Pummill Communion Prepara on: Vi Kenne and Don Swanson Deacons Serving Communion: Mary Lynn Howard, Barbara Iverson, Vi Kenne, Susan Prabhu, Andrea Rumley, Barbara Russell, Don Swanson, Charlie Crews, Da Marron Turner, Na Karen Turner Greeter: Pa e Gay-Si ler Flowers for Sunday, August 2: The flowers are given by James and Mary Lynn Howard in celebra on of their 56th wedding anniversary. Flower delivery week of August 2: Helen and Bill Pummill Serving Schedule Sunday, August 9 Elder Prayers: Nick Cox, offering; Brian Knight, communion Scripture Reader: Jay Gibson Communion Prepara on: Joan Hauger and Joyce Kendall Deacons Serving Communion: Mary Lynn Howard, Barbara Iverson, Vi Kenne, Susan Prabhu, Andrea Rumley, Barbara Russell, Don Swanson, Charlie Crews, Da Marron Turner, Na Karen Turner Greeters: Bill Clark and Charlie Crews Flowers for Sunday, August 9: The flowers are given by Hugh and Norma Henderson in honor of their family. Flower delivery week of July 26: Helen and Bill Pummill Sunday School Class News Double Ring Class Last Sunday: Charles Hargrove and Joe Wilkinson played Precious Memories. Visitor: Laura Boyd, Marcia s daughter Class Concerns: Bill Pummill is recovering; Paul Campbell will undergo another surgery on Tuesday. 48 Present GAP Class Last Sunday: S ll working on solving all the world s problems. Upcoming events: Please join us on the first Sunday of every month to serve breakfast to our children. Beginning in August, our class will be packing sacks for our Snack Pack ministry on the third Sunday of the month. Celebra on: Cassie Gray has a new Job! Sojourners Class Next Sunday: Bible study - Genesis Celebra on: Vi has a new greatgranddaughter! 4 Present Page 12