FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH

NEWSLETTER 200 E. 5

TH St. Claremore, Oklahoma (918) 341-1199

Vol. 8 No. 6 74017 June 1, 2015

Personally from the Pastor

“Old Dog, Old Trick, part 2”

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

No doubt about it: it IS challenging to

teach a person something new, usually because

they have been doing what they do for so long that

learning how to do it differently is hard.

Last month, I offered some signals that the

Church is executing our “old trick” the Great

Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) faithfully and

effectively. The first signal is our focus on what

we are called to teach, the first part of this “old

trick.” 1. Its members are passionate about be-

coming and being teachers of the Gospel. 2. Its

members are committed to helping each other

learn and practice the Gospel.

So here is the second signal that we are ex-

ecuting the Great Commission: we focus on whom

we are called to teach about Jesus and his love.

This spring, all members of the high school

Sunday school class learned something new.

These younger Disciples accepted a challenge

from their teacher, Angela James. They memo-

rized something really, REALLY old--the books

of the New Testament. Then they celebrated with

a “field trip” for milk/hot chocolate and dough-

nuts. Yum!

Angela encouraged, led, and motivated

these youth to learn something new. They trusted

her thoughtful Christian insight that knowing the

New Testament books was something valuable for

Christians to learn. Trust between a teacher and

students is born from the time a teacher spends

with them, listening, leading, preparing. I believe

such golden teaching moments witness to how im-

portant are those younger and older persons whom

the church is called to teach.

A second example of our focus on on

whom we are called to “disciple” into Christ’s

body is found in the church’s commitment to

speak in “new languages.” Like missionaries who

learn the language of their mission field, the

church is challenged in our increasingly secular

society to identify and use methods that faithfully

and effectively translate the Gospel into language

understandable to persons who don’t know him.

We do some “Gospel translation” using audio/

video technology in worship and in our class-

rooms. Our use of a church webpage and several

church pages on Facebook also offer those beyond

the church a “translation” of the Gospel in a fa-

miliar form. And our works of love, serving and

helping others--our mission made visible--also

truthfully translate His gospel in ways under-

standable for those who have not seen or heard it.

In Christian love,

On May 31, the Board approved the hiring of Josh

Linton as our new Director of Youth Ministry.

We will have a reception and light supper for him

to meet our 6-12 graders and their families from

4 - 6:00 PM, Sunday, July 7 at the church.

NEWS

Kay Waterman Forest Schermer

Jim & Lottie Norwine Cecilia Villalobos

Dave & Adrienne Crutchfield Nancy Nees

Marilyn Bohlender Teri Robinson

Carolyn Wood Ronald Musser

Welcoming Words

Members Can Say to

Worship Guests

Thank you for being here.

Let me help you with that.

Please, sit with me/us.

Here is my phone number (or email address). Please

let me know if I can help in any way. (If the guest

mentions a need.)

May I show you where you need to go?

Let me introduce you to __________.

Would you join us for lunch?

The newsletter and upcoming events may be viewed

on the church website at claremoredisciples.com

Rev. Janet Edge transferred her membership from First

Christian Bethany on May 3. She is very active in the

Kairos Prison Ministries.

She currently resides at:

524 Will Rogers Blvd, Apt #301

Claremore, OK 74017

Ph: 918-407-2450

If you lost a stone out of a piece of jewelry, please

bring your item to the office to see if it fits and tell us

the color of the stone.

Please remember to notify the church office of any

phone or address changes so we may update church

records.

When the need for an urgent prayer arises, the prayer

chain is called to action. The chain

operates mostly by email, though

requests can be called in as well.

By calling in or emailing a

request, it can be sent out

within a matter of minutes. You

may send in your requests by calling

918-341-1199 or email fccaa@sbcglobal.net.

Noon - June 25

I wish to thank everyone for cards, prayers, calls, flow-

ers, also, Pastor Charles for visits during my hospital

stay with pneumonia. They all meant a lot to me.

Joyce Martin

My heartfelt love and thanks for the many well-wishers

and beautiful cards from those at First Christian Church

here in Claremore. I have had a rough journey thus far

and still have a long way to go. So it means a lot to know

others are holding me up in their daily thoughts and

prayers. Thanks for your great outpouring of love and

concern.

Pastor Mark Newman

Dear Church Family,

Thank you for my gorgeous faith journal. I can’t wait to

take it to Drury with me so I can write down all of my

experiences. Thank you for everything these past 18

years. You all have made such a profound impact on my

life and I could not be more grateful to have grown up

with such a loving church family. I love you all!

Love,

Madeline

Class of 2015

Kairos Prison Ministries of Oklahoma

Kairos Prison Ministries International operates in

nine countries and 35 states. Kairos has three main

sections:

Kairos Inside - brings a four day weekend, based

on the Emmaus Walk model, to the adult residents

of maximum or medium security prisons.

Kairos Torch - brings this same instructional

weekend of basic Christian beliefs to incarcerated

juveniles.

Kairos Outside - ministers to women impacted by

incarceration.

Women attending a Kairos outside may be wives,

mothers, daughters, siblings, aunts, or grandmothers

of an incarcerated person; or they may themselves

have been incarcerated during some period of their

lives. This ministry is brought to these women

because they are “serving time” along with their

loved one. Because of our often judgmental society,

they feel isolated. Since these women are often the

sole support of their families, Kairos Outside week-

ends begin on Friday evening instead of Thursday.

Kairos Inside hopes to be able to host 42 residents of

the facility at which the weekend is taking place. A

dozen cookies are given to each resident of the facility

on Friday and Saturday, not just the ones attending

the weekend.

At Mabel Basset, the maximum/medium facility for

women in Oklahoma, the cookies are homemade

according to one of three specific Kairos approved

recipes. 5,000 dozen cookies are needed for a week-

end here. At present store bough cookies, brought

inside in their original packaging are given out at the

men’s prisons.

No matter which weekend is being presented prayers,

cookies, financial support and volunteers are needed.

You can learn more about this ministry at

www.kairosoklahoma.org or feel free to call Janet

Edge at 918-407-2450.

Special Guest at

Disciples Women’s

Salad Supper & Installation

Yvonne Lewis walked away from 27 years as a TV

news anchor last September, when God called her

into the ministry full time. Minutes after her resigna-

tion, Yvonne was invited to accompany a group from

the Disciples of Christ to the Dominican Republic

last October. The Caminate Mission is supported by

Disciples Women groups nationwide. Come and learn

more about this special ministry to children at risk,

in danger of being drawn into prostitution or drug

running. All our church family are invited, including

our high school and college age, and a few interested

friends. Yvonne holds a Master of Divinity (MDiv)

from Phillips Theological Seminary. There will be

more information later. Sign-up sheets will be circu-

lated for those who want to come, so we will have

enough food prepared. Yvonne will be our guest

speaker Thursday, June 18th after our Salad Supper.

Plan to reserve June 18th and come.

If you saw the FCC Facebook post, you know Janet

Edge asked for prayers for Kairos Outside Western

Oklahoma (KOWO) #29. Kairos is a ministry to

women whose lives are impacted by incarceration

(either by family, friends, or they themselves have

been). An awesome weekend. It is amazing to be

able to watch God work in the lives of these women.

The next KOWO reunion is June 13 from noon - 3:00

pm @ Asbury UMC, 1320 SW 38th St, OKC. Kairos

Outside Eastern Oklahoma (KOEO) to be announced.

As of Jun 1

Proceeds support the Youth attending International

Affairs Seminar in Washington, DC and New York next

spring. 10% of proceeds will be tithed to Light the World

to help pay utilities and provide lodging for those in need.

June 5 & 6

Children Worship & Wonder June & July: Children will be

reviewing our manners and the sto-ries of the past year and finishing up work from our folders.

Children, Youth, & Young Adult Ministry News

Acolytes Schedule June 7 Abbi Elizabeth

June 14 Aiden Alec

June 21 Andrew Bobby

June 28 Trenton Zachery

Spring SUNDAY SCHOOL

9:30 am

First Floor Nurseries

Infants & Toddlers

Christine Pool

Pre K - 1st grade Jennifer Swinney

2nd Grade-5th Grade

Ann Smith/ Laurel Ragland /Sara Masters

Chi Rho 6th-8th

Barry Clark/ Cinda Franklin

CYF 9th-12th Angela James

Mission Campers: Have you paid your camp tuition ?

Was due MAY 31 in the church office.

Register for Mission Camp at the

Missionclaremore2015.com

Click on ONLINE Registration

On May 31, the Board approved the hiring

of Josh Linton as our new Director of

Youth Ministry. We will have a reception

and light supper for him to meet our 6-12

graders and their families from 4 - 6:00

PM, Sunday, June 7 at the church.

NEWS

Disciples Women

The Day Group of Disciples Women will be guests of

the Rachel Group for a $2 Salad Supper at 6:30 PM,

Thursday, June 18th. Following the supper, we will have

a very brief installation of officers. Everyone bring your

offerings from your Blessing Boxes. Then we will have

a very special guest speaker, Yvonne Lewis. See page 3

of newsletter for more details. Projects this month are

Habitat for Humanity and Caminante. Our speaker has

been to the Dominican Republic twice and will share her

experiences there at Caminante, a project supported by

all Disciples Women groups for the past few years.

Our Church Book Club

A group of readers met in the Church Library on

Tuesday, May 5 to discuss the author C.S. Lewis and

his 1941 satirical book, The Screw Tape Letters.

It was, for the most part, agreed that this was a rather

difficult read and Lewis had admitted that it was some-

times difficult to write this tale of a reversal in theolo-

gy. The book is perhaps an example of the author's

playing "the devil's advocate" in order for readers to

really think and analyze their beliefs and behaviors.

This is the fourth book to be read and discussed

since the Education Mission Team launched the book

discussion project in the fall of 2014. Other books have

been; The Red Tent by Anita Diament, a fictional

account of what Jacob and Leah's daughter Dinah's life

may have been like. At Home in Mitford by Jan

Karon, the first in the Mitford series featuring Father

Tim Kavenaugh. Same Kind of Different as Me by

Ron Hall and Denver Moore, a true story of how a

wealthy art dealer and a homeless man became friends.

Chosen for June 25 is The Giver by Lois Lowry.

A children's opera in which Mariah Robinson sang a

solo and a movie have been made from this book about

a society in which the residents have no memories and

few emotions. Books will be available at the church,

at Boarding House Books and at the Public Library.

You are welcome to join the discussion even if you

have not read the book.

Cancer Patients - Karsyn Bratch, Arleigh Williams, Maria Eubanks, Kathy Steele, Toni Weeks, Marcus Matthews, Joe

Beson

Health Concerns - Garrett Robinson (Susan Kotoff’s brother) had kidney stone removed; Pat Robinson (Susan Kotoff’s

mother) having a heart monitor put in; Judah Smith (Gail Mullen’s grandson) was in ICU at St Francis Children’s hospi-

tal; Margaret English (Gail Mullen’s friend) had a massive heart attack; Mabel Bennett not feeling well; Andrew Brown-

lee has been having seizures; Lacy Vickerey (Helen’s grandson’s wife) recovering from heart surgery; Maime ??? (Sally

Marlar’s daughter) recovering from surgery; Jennifer Fuhrman (Danny & Shirley Widener’s daughter) recovering from

surgery;

Sympathies to the family of Lorretta Burrows, Gene Russell (friend of Sherrill Vosberg), Captain Jason Farley

Praise: Cliff & Charlotte Johnson celebrated their 22nd anniversary on May 15. Darrell & Carol Low celebrated their

57th anniversary on May 25. Danny Widener, Jr graduated from Platte College with Culinary Degree

*ELDERS SERVING - JUNE 2015

DATE STANDING ELDER

(Serving Claremore, Brookfield & Wood Manor Nursing Homes)

SERVING & PRAYER ELDER

(Serving Homebound / Hospitals)

Jun 7 Bill Smith Sean Robinson

Jun 14 Mary Fry Bill Smith

Jun 21 Jim Kotoff Mary Fry

Jun 28 Patty Melton Jim Kotoff

*DIACONATE SCHEDULE - JUNE 2015

DATE SERVING

COMMUNION & GREETING SHEPHERD,

PREPARE & CLEAN-UP

Jun 7 Don & Beverly Wofford, Brandon Pool, Sherrill Vosberg, Sheri Book, Zoe White

Don & Beverly Wofford

Jun 14 Larry Young, Sara Masters, Larry & Kay Livingston, Jim Watkins, Rachel Kotoff

Larry Young, Sara Masters

Jun 21 Loretta Pool, Angela James, Katy Galusha-White, Mary Carrell, Gail Mullen, Robbie Ellison

Loretta Pool Angela James

Jun 28 DeeDee Clark, Larry Melton, Ron & Pam Clark, Renee Smith, Madeline Clark

DeeDee Clark, Larry Melton

*If you are unable to serve on your scheduled day, please notify the office once a replacement has been found so we

can update who is serving on the bulletin.

FIRST CHRISTIAN CHURCH NON-PROFIT ORG (Disciples of Christ) U.S. POSTAGE PAID 200 E 5

th St CLAREMORE, OKLAHOMA

Claremore, OK 74017 PERMIT NO 48 Rev. Charles Ragland, Pastor VACANT, Director of Youth Ministry Susan Kotoff, Secretary ________________________________ Sean Robinson, Interim Music Director Ray Teakell, Accompanist ________________________________ RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

JUNE

OFFICE HOURS Monday - Friday

8:30 a.m. - 12:00 Noon 1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

FAITHFUL FINANCES May 2015 2015 YTD

Total Offerings and Other Income for Daily Ministries Expenses

$24,946.16 $101,687.40

Total Daily Ministries Expenses $18,275.77 $93,726.99

Net Income (Loss) $6,670.39 $7,960.41

Needed for Budget (including Outreach Ministries)

$25,515.63 $111,764.53

Budget Excess (Shortfall) ($569.47) ($10,077.13)

1 Ray Teakell 9 Barry Clark 19 Mabel Bennett

5 Lori Cook 11 Jack Spinks 25 Cinda Franklin

7 Sean Robinson 14 Jery Porterfield 25 Mary Fry

8 Mariah Robinson 15 Emalee Ruth 28 Greg Smith