God bless you this holiday season

november / december 2014

God bless you this holiday season

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014

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his year went by quickly. It is hard to believe that very shortly we will be into the holiday season and wrapping up 2014. I have a few updates and reminders.

Discipleship development is Asbury’s primary goal. An important part of our strategy is to put increased emphasis and resources into adult discipleship. Jason Jackson started a few months ago as our adult discipleship director. He works in our discipleship group led by Janet Day. That group also includes student and children’s ministry. Jason has been busy coming up to speed and working with a group to form ideas for the future. You will hear more about this effort early next year.

Our campaign to eliminate our mortgage debt and establish a fund for the long-term support of our facility is going well. It ends December 2015. This is an extremely important initiative. We are very thankful for all who are continuing to contribute toward the commitments made when the project started at the end of 2012.

Many of us make year-end gifts to Asbury. At the time I’m writing this, the stock market is near an all-time high. Remember that there are additional tax benefits to making a gift of appreciated assets such as stocks and mutual funds compared to making a gift of the same amount in cash. Giving appreciated assets can take several weeks to accomplish, so the process must be started early. On a separate note, Congress has not yet decided if the IRA charitable giving provision will be extended for 2014. If you want more information on these points or others related to giving, contact Dean Hatch at 918.392.1136 or dhatch@asburytulsa.org.

For some of us, 2014 has been a very good year. For some, it has been a tough year. If you’ve lost a loved one this year, I encourage you to participate in the Service of Remembrance. It is a meaningful service heading into the holidays. The Service of Remembrance is Sunday, December 14, at 5:00 pm in Mason Chapel.

The Thanksgiving holiday is a personal favorite of mine. I wish you and your family and friends a great holiday season.

Contents A Word From Tom Harrison Day of Service 2014 Unexpected Gifts, Given and Received Asbury’s First VIM Team to Guatemala City God’s Plan “B” The Latest on the Congo Bibles Listening for Holiday Sighs Couple-to-Couple Blessings Christmas Casting Call Lead Small Known Grandpa John Opportunities Special Announcements

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We need you! Do you have a story of what God has done in your life? Please contact us and tell us a little bit about what God has done. We will all be encouraged by hearing stories of what God is doing in the lives of those around us.

Are you a writer or someone who enjoys writing?

The Communications Department is always looking for someone to do an interview and write a story for us for Tidings.

Have you noticed that we’ve been making some changes in Tidings? Please give us your feedback—both good and bad.

Email kmains@asburytulsa.org or call 918.392.1140.

Asbury Tidings is a bi-monthly publication designed to tell stories of lives being transformed by the power of Jesus Christ.

Dwight Yoder Executive Director

You may read back issues by visiting www.asburytulsa.org.

Editor: Asbury Communications Department, 918.392.1140, kmains@asburytulsa.org Graphic Design: Tim Jurgensen, tjurgensen@asburytulsa.org Photographers: Sarah Adams (yellowchairphotography. com), Becky Croft (digital-detours.com), Rachel Davis, Jaime Jurgensen (humblebump.com), Richard Meulenberg (tpdphoto.com), Mark Moore (mark moore.photo.net), Ryan Farran (ryanfarranphotography.com) Guest Contributors: Kathryn and Michael Cleverdon, Charlene Giles, Stephanie Hurd, Jim Lenderman, Katelyn Moore, Christina Treat, Marcy Weidman , John Westervelt

PA S TO R TO M

A Word From Tom Harrison

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want to share with you about what a special season is approaching. We have some terrific opportunities before us in November and December. Let me tell you about them.

November 16 – Our Bishop Robert E. Hayes will be preaching in all three Sunday services! He is an absolute delight to hear – and he loves Asbury, too.

November 24 (7:00 pm) – Our fourth annual joint Thanksgiving service with First Baptist, First Presbyterian and First United Methodist will be held at First Baptist Church. Deron Spoo, Jim Miller and Wade Paschal have all become friends of mine, and this will make our rotation complete among the churches. We started here in 2010. I will be the speaker this year.

November 30 – This is the first Sunday in Advent, the season of preparing our hearts for Christmas.

7 (7:00 pm) – This is going to be ★★December EXTRAORDINARY this year!!! We will be hosting

“Saviour: The Story of God’s Passion for His People.” Our choir and orchestra have done this before (and we even rented out Union High School as an outreach event). We are going to do it again. This is the 20th year anniversary of the production which was written by Bob Farrell. We are going to be having some of the leading Christian vocalists come from Nashville and share their gifts with us. You’ll not want to miss this evening!

14 (5:00 pm, Chapel) – This is our Service ★★December of Remembrance. We have a special way to honor and

remember those special people who have gone on to be with the Lord in the past year. We acknowledge our human loss and God’s comforting grace. This is a very meaningful service for those who grieve. We also pray together for those who have had other types of significant losses in their lives.

The Christmas season can be the most difficult time of the year for many people.

14 (6:00 pm, Sanctuary) – Rick Fraley, my long★★December time friend, will come again and play the piano. For a solid hour he plays one favorite after another. Some say it’s their favorite time of the Christmas season.

19 (7:00 pm, Venue) – Peter Mayer, the ★★December extraordinary lead guitarist for the Jimmy Buffett band,

will be sharing his Christian faith with us in the “Stars and Promises” concert. This is a joint venture, sponsored

by The Burkhart Foundation, which raises money for The Goodland Academy. All profits support this Presbyterian children’s home in southern Oklahoma. Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian co-sponsors the event with us.

24 (5:00/7:00/9:00 pm, Sanctuary and 11:00 ★★December pm, Chapel) – Our Christmas Eve services. Times and

formats are as always. The children’s joyous service kicks things off, the choir and orchestra lead us at the 7:00/9:00 services, and it’s a Holy Communion service in the Chapel at 11:00 pm.

This will be an incredible holiday season. I hope you’ll participate—and you’ll reach out and invite your friends and family to be blessed, too!

Dr. Tom Harrison Senior Pastor

Volunteer in Children’s Ministry!

At the earliest ages, we teach our children to share.

Now, it’s our turn. To share our time, wisdom and love with those who need it most—our kids. We invite YOU to share with us in children’s ministry by serving as a volunteer for ages 6 weeks to 6th grade. Contact Heather Horton today at hhorton@asburytulsa.org.

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 | TIDINGS

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Thank you to all of the volunteers who participaed in this amazing outreach opportunity, and a special thank you to Betty Higgins, Lanette Celoni and Kim Renkema for organizing this event.

we came ready to work...

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we teamed up...

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All ages pitched in...

We got a lot done together...

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and In the end, we had fun

and helped to spread the love of God to our community.

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Unexpected Gifts, Given and Received

By Stephanie Hurd

When my dad was 38, he decided to start his own business. With five kids and one on the way, he set up shop in his bedroom. He had a single desk, and my mom was his secretary.

As a chemical engineer, he’s capable of designing all kinds of processing plants but his specialty is recovering liquid gas from natural gas. A business associate he knew in Texas, Mr. Davis, was his first customer.

Mr. Davis took a chance on the young entrepreneur and bought a plant design. This risk-taker had some foresight because he saved the original design and gave it to my father as a gift on his 50th birthday. Hanging in Dad’s office is a framed piece of green graph paper with a simple pen drawing. At the bottom of the page it reads, “Job #101.” Our family had a merry Christmas that year because Mr. Davis, a well-established and successful businessman, was willing to support a younger man trying to start a company.

As with any business start-up, the first few years are critical. My dad had exhausted our savings, and with no projects to work on, he was within days of closing the doors. That weekend he was taking my older brothers and a few cousins on a camping trip. When they arrived at my aunt and uncle’s house to collect the other boys, there was a message from my mom who was still acting as his secretary. Someone named Mr. Smith needed a plant moved from Montana to Utah and wondered if my dad could do it.

Using my aunt’s phone, my dad called Mr. Smith back immediately and said he could. That job was the job he needed for his company to survive.

From then on his company grew, and he was eventually able to hire employees, rent a real office and build a shop. Once again, our family had a merry Christmas because a well-established and successful businessman took a risk on a younger man trying to make his way in life. Within a few years, my dad’s company was big enough to start sending out Christmas turkeys, and he made sure Mr. Smith always got one.

Shortly after Christmas, many years later, my dad received a letter from Mr. Smith. The letter indicated that as much as he appreciated the

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Christmas turkeys, he had not bought a processing plant from my dad’s company in several years, and my dad shouldn’t feel obligated to continue sending the Christmas turkeys. My dad wrote the gentleman back, and while we don’t have the exact letter it was something close to this: Dear Mr. Smith, I received your note about the Christmas turkeys. Yes, I realize you haven’t bought a plant from us for many years. However, you gave me a job when I needed it the most. It is because of you and your willingness to take a risk that my company was able to survive all those years ago. It is because of you that I can keep hundreds of people employed today and work at a job I love. I owe you a huge debt of gratitude, Mr. Smith, and I will always send you a Christmas turkey.

Sincerely, Tom

Like my dad and my mom, Mr. Davis and Mr. Smith, we are all people of influence, and our influence has long reaching effects.

Our influence on one person can, in turn, influence many others and even generations to come. Where and how we choose to do business is important. How we treat our spouses and our children is important. The tip we leave our servers matters. How we drive matters. The words we speak matter. Being grateful and saying “thank you” matters. The way we worship our Lord and how we represent Him to the world—matters.

This Christmas season and in the coming year, look for opportunities to give help and hope to others in ways they wouldn’t expect. Be a risk-taker. Be an encourager. Be a faithful friend. Be gracious. Be courageous.

Pray more. Give more. Smile more.

My dad sent the letter, and continued sending Christmas turkeys.

Fast forward another several years. My dad was in Mr. Smith’s hometown on business and rang him up. The old friend, long since retired, quickly organized a gathering, and my dad joined them for drinks. As they talked about business, the topic turned to that critical job that saved Dad’s company. And to Dad’s surprise, Mr. Smith went to his desk and pulled from the top drawer my dad’s letter. The gentleman’s wife commented that he looked at it often. It was a simple gift of gratitude, but it was full of meaning for both the sender and the recipient.

Our influence on one person can, in turn, influence many others and even generations to come.

As with any industry, the energy market has experienced times of plenty and times of scarcity. In business, the typical response to a financial crisis is to lay off the lowest-level employees. My dad’s opinion is the highest-level employees have the most invested in the company’s success and they should be the ones willing to make the biggest sacrifices. Generally, the upper-level employees can absorb cut-backs more easily than those at the bottom. His policy has always been to ask more of those at the top so all employees can keep working and providing for their families. During times of scarcity, the lower-level employees at my dad’s company were able to give their families merry Christmases because they still had jobs.

Because God has the biggest investment in humanity, He was willing to make the biggest sacrifice. The best and most unexpected gift of all time is that God became flesh and dwelt among us. As Christians, we have a living hope that is born from our relationship with Jesus, our Savior. Our hope comes from the One willing to risk it all. That hope should form our decisionmaking and all our choices, no matter how big or small.

Life is filled with opportunities. Some are risky. Some require humility. Some are born from difficult circumstances, adverse conditions or tough dilemmas. Some opportunities come when we have the means to respond generously and graciously because of God’s provision at work in our lives. This Christmas season and in the coming year, look for opportunities to give help and hope to others in ways they wouldn’t expect. Be a risk-taker. Be an encourager. Be a faithful friend. Be gracious. Be courageous.

Pray more. Give more. Smile more.

To paraphrase John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, do all the good you can in all the ways you can and always remember that, best of all, God is with us. May the Earth be better and heaven be richer because of you and me—because of our lives, our influence and the choices we make.

Postscript: After 26 years and hundreds of plants, my dad and the owner-employees sold the company. Five years later, at the age of 69, my dad started a second business, and he still enjoys going to work every day. He is 81 years old and his new company just sold “Job #389.”

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GLOBAL OUTREACH

Outreach support and Asbury’s children’s ministry, we were able to provide a majority of the supplies requested.

Our projects included installing a security system throughout the orphanage, playing with the children, painting a bathroom and doing some touch-up painting, playing with the kiddos, installing a screen roof in their atrium to protect them from mosquitoes, playing with the young residents, VBS/crafts with the children and staff, and having our speech therapist assess one of the children with cerebral palsy! Another BIG project was taking the children and staff to an amusement park. That was THE BEST DAY EVER! Here is how our week went:

Asbury’s First VIM Team to Guatemala City

By Marcy Weidman

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ou might be thinking Asbury has been to Guatemala before. Well, you’re right! Our students have been going to Guatemala City for Spring Break Missions since 2003, but on September 3-9, our church sent its first adult mission team there.

The Latin American Mission Team has been working to organize an adult team for a few years. After much prayer and planning, the Lord brought together nine willing hearts to make up our team. It was definitely a God-ordained group; three very “do it yourself” handy men and six women, each with unique experience with special needs children. The team was composed of John and Marcy Weidman, Jennifer Neely, Marilene Long, Kay Skaggs, Tricia Harsley, Craig and Merry McElwain and Joe Brower. We were very blessed that Jeneva Lynn, an Asbury student who just graduated from high school and is doing a 3-month internship with Hope for Tomorrow, was able to join our team. It was wonderful for all of us to be able to spend time together.

We focused on working with the ministry Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home. It is an orphanage which usually has 12–16 children of various ages in a home setting. Many of the children have special needs, ranging from mental and physical disabilities to language differences, the newest additions speaking a rare dialect of Mayan. Working with the children’s home director, Kenneth Sese, we developed a set of projects and activities for the children which the team could accomplish during the time we were there. In addition, Kenneth sent us a long list of supplies, clothing and household needs for the home which are not readily available in Guatemala City. With the support of Faithbuilders, Legacy and LinC communities, the Latin American Global

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Day 1: Our travel was smooth with all team members and luggage arriving together. We settled into our lodging, toured Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home, met and loved on the precious residents, started the security system installation, enjoyed two yummy meals and crashed fairly early after our team devotional time. A wonderful and full day one.

Day 2: We had a great day at Hope for Tomorrow! We worked on a construction project and painting at the orphanage. We had tons of fun painting canvas bags and coloring beautifully created pictures with the precious children! Jennifer, our speech therapist, also had a really great meeting with the wonderful and receptive staff concerning therapy for the resident with cerebral palsy. Carlos, the resident, was great to work with, too!

Day 3: The amusement park was pure joy! We went with the children and staff of Hope for Tomorrow to an amusement park in Guatemala City. It was a first-time treat for the children, and we can report that the smiles on their faces were priceless! We had a day of laughter, fun and adventure. We agree with Edwin as he said, “This is the best day ever!”

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Day 4: Saturday we had a busy, productive day. The team worked diligently all day on several construction projects around the home while the rest of the team did VBS crafts with the children and walked to the park for games. There were many smiles from the precious children. It was a good day.

Day 5: Sunday, we attended church at Shalom Baptist in Guatemala City. We really enjoyed a special time of worship with our Guatemalan brothers and sisters and saw the lighting system Asbury had donated in full use. We then went back to the orphanage to complete the construction projects and say our goodbyes to the staff and children. We finished up with a dinner in Antigua and a time of fellowship in preparation to head back to Tulsa the next morning.

It was a trip of many firsts. But we know it won’t be the last.

“I was blessed in ways we will never know, and God’s grace and service were truly shown here on Earth.”

–Tricia “It was amazing that each person could give of themselves in ways that truly served, but each in his own way. What a team!”

–Jennifer (comment about her first mission trip) “It was amazing! Loved every second of the experience and feel so blessed by the new friendships formed.”

–Merry “I was so happy to go serve with such a great bunch of fun believers. Each added a special gift to the trip. Only God could have put this team together with all the builtin connections.”

–John “Thank you Asbury, for allowing us the privilege to serve. We were all truly blessed!”

–Marcy Weidman and the Guatemala 2014 Team

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GLOBAL OUTREACH

Foundation to assess the country’s ability to finance malaria medications. Our conversation quickly turned to faith, and Kira offered that she was not a believer but had been exploring that possibility. I shared the love of Christ with her and as we left, felt confident the Kingdom would soon be welcoming Kira to the family of believers.

Plan “A” would assume that our luggage would arrive on time.

Plan “B” allowed for the luggage to come in time. We arrived early Sunday morning and our luggage arrived Thursday afternoon. Many lessons were learned, from what to pack in our carry-ons for future trips, to what we actually needed. We were able to pick up a few articles of work clothing at the used American clothing shops to get us through the week.

God’s Plan “B”

By Nancy Eckerd, MS, RN

Plan “A” was to arrive at Tulsa International Airport on Friday two hours before our flight and ultimately arrive in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, at 4:00 the following afternoon. However, due to a flight delay in Tulsa, we missed our flight from Chicago to Zurich, which set the dominoes up to fall into God’s Plan “B.” We had no choice but to change carriers to Turkish Airlines and reroute through Istanbul, which put us in Dar es Salaam at 2:30 Sunday morning. Our team handled the change well, knowing full well that this was God’s Plan “B.” Our divine appointment was waiting for us in the “lost luggage” line in Dar es Salaam Airport. Her name is Kira, and she is from Vancouver. She also was on a Plan “B” journey and came in on the same flight we did. She had been sent by the Clinton

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Our Asbury-supported missionary in Tanzania, Robert Spitalari, recommended a building project for a family in a village very near a sponsored church he oversees. Mama Joyce is 60 years old, part of the Mkwere Tribe and lives with her family in a grass hut.

Her daughter Joyce is wheelchair-bound. Joyce has a 2-year-old son named Robert. Joyce’s disease started when she was 12 years old. Now at age 24, a degenerative disease has sentenced her to a wheelchair with no use of her hands, arms, legs or feet. Neither Mama Joyce nor Joyce can read or write. Mama Joyce works hard to attend church. She straps young Robert on her back and pushes Joyce’s wheelchair almost two miles down a dirt road to worship with their congregation. Mama Joyce physically lifts Joyce’s dead weight from cot to wheelchair at least twice a day.

As a nurse educator, I demonstrated the technique of gently preforming range of motion on Joyce’s joints to Mama Joyce, in hopes that Joyce might regain some movement.

GLOBAL OUTREACH

The major goal of this trip was to complete construction on a tworoom house for this family. Members of her church prepared the foundation, made the bricks and completed the house except for the roof. Donations from Asbury paid for the mortar, roofing, door and miscellaneous building supplies. Our team was to install the metal roof, place mosquito and security screens on the windows and paint the walls. We also completed an outdoor kitchen which consisted of a slab of concrete with a metal roof. Team members were Marilene Long, Sam McCullough, my husband Sid Eckerd and myself.

spiritual level, both aware of and humbled by our role in our Savior’s Plan “B.” On Thursday, we received our luggage. Having spent several days with the Tanzanian people, it wasn’t our clothes that we were excited about. Our luggage contained a small truck for little Robert. This was the first toy he has ever had. The sight of Robert playing in the sand brought laughter and joy to both Joyce and Mama. The most important piece of luggage, however, was a large box carrying a new wheelchair for Joyce. We presented the chair to her on Friday just before handing over the keys to her new home.

As the four of us were flying back to our families, friends and comforts, I think we were forever changed to have had this privilege, in our small way, to truly be the hands and feet of Jesus. We are the ones who are the recipients of God’s unending blessings. What a joy to be part of a church which serves others in so many ways and places around the world! Thank you, Asbury, for your commitment to God’s people.

Mama Joyce invited us into her hut, large enough only to hold two cots. Everything they owned was contained in a 6x8 space.

By American standards, they had nothing. By Tanzanian standards, they had all they need to survive. It was at this point the dichotomy of our two worlds collided within us. It quickly became obvious that God’s Plan “B” was to bless our team with incredible understanding, contentment and grace for having only the clothes on our backs.

While I’m sure Joyce’s disease did not fall within her Plan “A,” God’s Plan “B” is always perfect. He has used Joyce’s condition as such an incredible witness for His Kingdom. The local villagers have witnessed first-hand the protection and provision of our Jehovah Jireh. Four Americans came from around the world to work side-by-side with Muslims and Christians in finishing Joyce’s home! God’s blessing does not stop with Joyce. While Tanzania land ownership laws are somewhat complex, missionary Spitaleri was able to secure a document stating that the house will always remain with Joyce’s family. This valuable piece of paper serves to provide longevity of shelter for young Robert as well.

The house also provides security for the family. Mama Joyce confided that just recently Joyce was home alone in their hut. A snake came in, and Joyce was unable to move to defend herself.

Mama Joyce worried as she walks to get water from the stream or gather food that Joyce was in danger in their hut.

In the midst of the noise and commotion of finishing the construction, I wheeled Joyce out to the porch of her new home.

I washed her feet with my drinking water as I performed range of motion on her feet, already drooping at the ankles. At that point, it didn’t matter that she could not understand English or I could not understand Kiswahili. We communicated on a

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GLOBAL OUTREACH

The Latest on the Congo Bibles

By Pastor Jim Lenderman

O

ne of Asbury’s great passions is providing God’s Word to people around the world who otherwise would never dream of owning a Bible of their own. One of the countries where we are making a big difference is in the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa. Over the past threeplus years, we have provided thousands of believers with a Bible in their own heart language (the language people use with their family and closest friends rather than the main trade language of the country).

Through our partnership with the North Katanga Conference of the United Methodist Church, we have provided: • 100s of cases of printed Bibles in the Swahili and Kiluba languages for distribution throughout the region, enabling those who can read to own a personal copy of the Bible for the very first time • 50 solar-powered Proclaimer audio Bibles for use in churchbased listening groups to help reach those who cannot read with God’s Word • 5000 micro SD cards containing dramatized audio Bibles for use in flip cell phones, enabling individuals to reach others through evangelism as they listen to the Bible together in small groups We are excited to announce that our effort to provide Bibles continues to expand in the DR Congo. This summer, we entered into a new partnership with Hope International to distribute Bibles through their Christ-centered microenterprise development efforts (micro-savings and micro-finance). Hope’s mission is to give the poorest of the poor a hand up rather than just a handout. They do this by addressing spiritual poverty as well as the financial needs of their clients. As Hope puts it, “If we solve a family’s financial poverty but don’t address their spiritual poverty, they are still very poor.” A key component of their whole-person strategy is to engage in culturally appropriate evangelism and discipleship. That’s where we came in.

• We provided 600 large-print Swahili Bibles to meet their clients’ “heart desire of knowing Jesus deeper and abiding in Him.” (Delphin, Hope International’s Spiritual Integration Coordinator in the DRC) This distribution enables Hope to provide a pair of Bibles that will be shared among the members of 300 Bible study groups, thus reaching several thousand clients. Once a local resource is found, we will provide another distribution of Bibles in the Tshiluba language to reach a different tribe of people.

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It’s a small world.

God made Pastor Jim aware of the incredible need for nativelanguage Bibles in the DR Congo when he heard Bishop Ntambo preach at General Conference in Pittsburgh in 2004. Bishop Ntambo is the United Methodist Bishop who leads the North Katanga Conference of the DRC. During the opening worship service, Bishop Ntambo mentioned in his sermon that almost all of his pastors had to walk 12–20 [miles] to reach the only Bible in the region. His pastors had to decide what they would preach for an entire month, walk to the only Bible in the region, memorize those scriptures, then return home to preach those sermons. Each month, this arduous process had to be repeated. Since that time, Jim has worked to provide heart-language Bibles for believers in the DR Congo and Asbury has played a crucial role in making Bibles available for people who desperately want one.

Fast forward 10 years. At the September Joining Asbury luncheon, a couple who had recently moved to Tulsa was introduced to Pastor Jim. Their names are Christian and Carrol Yav. The connection? Carrol is Bishop Ntambo’s daughter. 1000s of miles away, the Yavs had found their way to Asbury and have begun the process of becoming members of Asbury. The amazing part? They had no idea Asbury was playing such a big role in providing Bibles in the DR Congo through a partnership with Carrol’s father.

Small world. God does indeed work in mysterious ways.

If you would like to help with our efforts to provide native-language Bibles for believers in the DR Congo, you may do so by indicating your donation is for the “Congo Bible Project.” If you have any questions about this project, please contact Rev. Jim Lenderman at jlenderman@asburytulsa.org.

CARE AND MARRIAGE

Listening for Holiday Sighs

By Charlene Giles

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n a line at a department store; in a family discussion about getting together on Thanksgiving; during an office meeting about sponsoring needy families; in the middle of your Asbury community excitement about the upcoming Christmas party; even while you listen to your friends’ upcoming plans—if you are quiet enough you will hear some sad or frustrated sighs.

If you observe the people who exhale these deep breaths that may sound like a moan or a huff of exasperation, their lips might be tightly pursed or frozen in a fake smile. Their eyes may seem glazed over and unfocused, or may even be closed. Sighs are no respecter of age or sex. If you ask God to help you listen to unspoken words you might hear thoughts and feelings similar to these…

(25-year-old female) “I’m standing here in line to buy a Christmas gift for my sister. I don’t even know if she’ll like this book. But she always gives me something so I need to get her something, right? I really can’t afford it. What am I doing here?! Sigh.”

(35-year-old male) “Sure, it’s easy for my boss to recommend that everyone kick in $100 to help needy children at Christmas. Heck, I won’t be spending that much on my OWN kids this year since my wife lost her job. I’m so embarrassed to be the only one who isn’t pulling my share of the load to help. I guess I’ll just pay less than normal on the credit card bill…Sigh.”

(45-year-old female) “Oh, dear. I just talked with Mom about the Thanksgiving dinner she’s having at her house. She’s told me how important it is to her that all of her children and grandkids be there. Since our 10-year-old died last year, I just don’t enjoy

family get-togethers anymore. It’s still so hard. Our college-age daughter says she has to work, but I wonder if she’s just avoiding the family gathering. I know how disappointed Mom will be; how do I explain? Sigh.”

(55-year-old male) “When I passed on the sign-up list for those who are coming to the big community Christmas party, the person next to me asked me why I’m not coming. Do I tell her the real reason? Last year was the first year after my wife left me for another man, and when I walked into the elegant dining room, I desperately searched for a place to sit with some people I knew well. But couples were saving all the seats for other couples.

I ended up sitting at a back table with a couple I didn’t know.

Nope, I’m not putting myself through that again this year. Sigh.”

(65-year-old female) “Sally just finished telling me about her fantastic Christmas plans for her entire extended family plus assorted fiancés and girlfriends to gather at her home for a meal followed by the Christmas Eve service. Not only am I a widow, but none of my grown children attend church, and I haven’t seen one of my daughters for two years. Guess I will be attending Christmas Eve service alone…again. All my friends are with their families. What happened, Lord? It wasn’t supposed to be like this! Sigh.”

Lord, help us be alert to the holiday sighs around us. Many people of all ages struggle to feel the joy at holiday time that we hear about constantly on the media. May we know when to offer a listening ear and a prayer. May we know when to extend an invitation. May we also be humble enough to know when we are the ones who need the comfort of a friend or listener. Amen.

Stephen Ministry offers confidential one-on-one listeners.

Contact Charlene at Cgiles@asburytulsa. org or 918.392.1145 for more information.

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CARE AND MARRIAGE

Couple-to-Couple Blessings

By Kathryn and Michael Cleverdon

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e were married on a gorgeous Saturday evening the night of June, 14 2014. Pastor Jim Lenderman officiated our wedding at Asbury’s Mason Chapel. We could not have been more honored and thankful for Asbury that day.

The events leading up to our wedding, like most married couples know, were nothing short of stressful and chaotic. With a few months left before the wedding, we began Couple-to-Couple in the spring with Tammy and Guy Yoes. In retrospect, the C2C ministry was the most vital part of our engagement.

Before we officially began our mentoring sessions, the Yoes asked us out to dinner at a local restaurant as a general meet-and-greet.

While eating dinner, the four of us had friendly conversation to break the ice and get to know one another on a more personal level. Not only did we get to know one another, but we also discussed the expectations of the program. In addition to better preparing the two of us for what was ahead, we found this to be an excellent way to transition into the personal discussions of the topics that would be covered in our C2C meetings.

to meet with us before beginning the course was extremely beneficial in the sense that we did not just dive right into the material, which includes materials that can be awkward for some couples to discuss with others. The introspective online PREPARE relationship inventory administered prior to the course was also an interesting, helpful tool to compare our individual personalities and how we really think and react to certain domestic scenarios. We especially loved the spiritual nature of the course, and knowing that if we place faith first into our marriage and into one another, God will be there with us through thick and thin.

Many couples spend their engagement preparing for the wedding. The C2C course helped us prepare for our marriage.

A couple of weeks later, we were invited to the Yoes’ household for our first official C2C meeting. The get-togethers were very casual, mostly held in the Yoes’ living room with snacks and the occasional pizza for lunch. Initially, we discovered that the course consisted of 13 chapters that we would be completing individually, discussing with each other and finally reviewing with Tammy and Guy. They expressed one of the key points we needed to take away from the completion of C2C: Many couples spend their engagement preparing for the wedding. The C2C course helped us prepare for our marriage.

Throughout the duration of the program, we scheduled our mentoring times roughly every other week. Tammy and Guy were extremely flexible with these meetings, given both our schedules were hectic at the time. We went over many important topics that married couples will undoubtedly come across. Several of the topics reviewed included family values, spirituality, romance, conflict resolution and finances. We found these to be important and much-needed conversations to have not only with each other privately, but also with the Yoes. In between sessions, we would cover the material with one another, followed by reviewing each chapter with the Yoes as they could provide insight on the topics at hand with their own marital experiences. The personal anecdotes from the Yoes were a calming reassurance that we could be prepared for whatever our marriage may encounter.

Tammy, Guy and the C2C program were instrumental in preparing us for a long and fruitful marriage. Their willingness

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If you are a couple with a growing Christ-centered marriage and are seeking a ministry together, please consider becoming a Support Couple. Training begins Tuesday, February 3, 2015. Why not explore this now?

It’s not too soon to get information. Contact Charlene, 918.392.1145, cgiles@asburytulsa.org

CHILDREN

chrIstmaS Casting calL (Say that three times fast!)

The 456 Christmas Eve Family Service takes place at 5:00 pm on Christmas Eve, and we need your help. We need you to fill one of the positions listed below. Rehearsals will happen on December 3, 10, 17 from 4:30–6:00 pm.

Instrumentalists: From 11 pipers piping to the little drummer boy Actors (Silent): Mary: Mother of Jesus, must have extreme patience Joseph: Father of Jesus Gabriel: Angel that is not afraid of heights Angels: Angelic personalities needed Shepherds: Sheep Counters Wiseman: Ability to follow the North Star and must come bearing gifts Stars: Ability to shine bright for the wisemen Narrators: Telling the story of our Savior’s Birth for all to hear.

Scripture Readers: Presenters of God’s Word

If you are interested in taking part in this Asbury tradition, register at www.myasburytulsa.org by November 30, 2014 For more information, contact Cara Phillips at 918.392.1131 or cphillips@asburytulsa.org

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CHILDREN

Lead Small

By Christina Treat

I

n the book, Lead Small Culture, author Reggie Joiner makes a simple statement filled with truth. “Every kid needs to be known by someone, and to belong somewhere.”

As I read through this book and searched for ways to expand the sphere of spiritual influence for our children’s ministry, I paused at this statement and related it back to my own life experience.

In sixth grade, I was that kid needing a “someone and a somewhere.” My home life was in a state of turmoil, and I needed God in a big way. I just didn’t know it at the time. But God knew, and it was then that a group of college-age students felt called to connect with me and my friends over a summer—a summer that changed the course of my life.

Dedicating one night a week to meet with us, these young leaders walked us through a Bible study and discussion. After our study, we would spend some time in fellowship. This included everything from swimming, singing and some games of Charades that could bring just about anyone to tears of laughter.

Just those few hours a week they committed to me transformed my faith and led me to my first real experience of relationship with Jesus Christ. That summer I learned that I was NOT alone. I leaned into the comfort and peace of Jesus. And I had something to look forward to each week—a “someone” who cared enough to walk alongside me as I grew in my faith and a “somewhere” to go that would feed my spiritual development. I praise God for sending me people who could help me navigate through such a trying time in my young life and for introducing me to the loving arms of our heavenly Father.

As I look around our children’s ministry at Asbury, I’m moved every Sunday by the devotion I see from our volunteers who pour the love of Jesus into our kids. We have more than 500 children who pass through our ministry each Sunday. These children and their families need a “someone” who will invest a little bit of their time to make a big impact in nurturing the faith of these young lives. The best way to help kids know God is to connect them with someone who knows God. This is where YOU come in. 1 Peter 4:10 says, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” I have witnessed the blessings that both children and volunteers experience when working together and forming relationships. YOU could be that “someone” a child needs to experience the love of Christ and to help them connect the dots towards building their faith. I encourage you to serve with us in children’s ministry. Come share your time, wisdom and love with those who need it most. Take the time to plant a seed. My hope is that the return on your investment will be a spiritual transformation in the hearts of our children…and your own.

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CHILDREN

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STUDENTS

Fall Retreat 2014

By Katelyn Moore

What does it mean to be known by the Creator of the universe? He knows your every thought, your every fear and your every praise. He knows where you go, what you do and who you are. Because He created you.

Everybody wants to be known. We want people to care, to know what’s going on in our lives, and to truly and deeply understand us. But no one can understand us quite like the One who made us.

Our world is filled with this instantaneous, celebrity culture. People get famous for nothing these days. You no longer have to work hard for a lot of people to know who you are. If you do something funny or crazy enough, you’ll end up on YouTube, and it will get shared all over Facebook and Twitter, you’ll get a few hundred likes on Instagram, and people will probably SnapChat about you. And

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STUDENTS

all of those people will see you do this one thing, and they may watch it a bunch of times, but they probably don’t even know your name.

For those of us on the other side of the little screen, we see these instant celebs, and we want to know more about them. So we watch reality TV or skim the magazines or read the articles, and we get an idea of what their life must be like. And then we set about creating our own. You can tell 400-plus people what you had for breakfast, but you don’t have someone to talk to about your parents’ divorce. You can take 34 selfies until you get the one you want to post, but you don’t have someone to talk to about the names you were called at school today.

We are more desperate than ever to be known.

Social media has redefined the culture we live in. This is the information age and the age of fake information. We can create any type of life that we want via social media profiles. We can be reached anytime, anywhere. We don’t own our cell phones; our cell phones own us. And if you didn’t take a picture of it, it didn’t happen.

And yet we are more desperate than ever to be known.

At fall retreat this year, we explored what it means to know and be known. The first night, Mark Fowler opened up by talking about how God knows us. The God of the universe cares about the smallest details of our lives. He is taking the time to make us into the people that He has called us to be, and He knows the depths of our very being. This theme was carried into our stage design by a massive sign that spelled out “KNOWN” with 6,000 feet of twine strung between nails. This only further expressed the intricacy with which we are knit together. God knows every thought before we think it, every action before we do it, and every word before we speak it. Mark also gave everyone the opportunity to anonymously write on a card something that they wish others knew about them, and leave it at the foot of the cross.

On Saturday morning, I got to talk about the importance of knowing each other. The plan for deep, Christ-centered relationships within the Church is discipleship. It is so important to have someone older and wiser in your life that can pour into you, and to also have someone younger who you are pouring into. At every stage of our lives, we are both the younger and the older generation. We need to always be teaching and always be teachable.

We also need to cultivate our friendships. We must care deeply for our friends. You never know when someone needs an ear to listen.

The students got the chance to pick up one of the anonymous cards and learn that everyone in the room has things they want to tell someone. There is always more than meets the eye with people.

There is always a story behind a word or an action. And it is worth it to take the time to get to know someone’s story.

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STUDENTS

Saturday night, Caroline Smallwood spoke about how much God wants us to know Him. He desires a relationship with us. He sent His Son to die for us so that we could have a personal relationship with Him. It’s not just about head knowledge and having the facts. It’s about spending time with God and really getting to know Him through shared experiences and reading His Word.

Caroline presented the gospel message and opened up the room for a powerful time of prayer. It was a beautiful thing to witness as students and leaders talked and prayed together.

Sunday morning, Josh Coats wrapped up the weekend and talked about what comes next. God wants to be known, too. He wants us to make His Name known. He wants us to make Him famous and tell people about Him. Most often that opportunity comes through caring for people and taking time to get to know them or help them. But we need to take those chances to tell others that, as much as we love them, God loves them even more.

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Fall Retreat 2014 was definitely one for the books. We had a bonfire with stories and s’mores, a prayer walk that ended with a massive party in the party barn and a student-led devotional with a lot of mud. There were lemon-juice challenges, a late-night game, and a miscommunication with our buses that resulted in a rushed order of 96 pizzas. There was worship that felt like a workout, card games that drew blood and canoes that “just somehow tipped over.”

But there was also quiet prayer, whispered truth and honest conversation. There were new friendships, deep questions and big realizations.

God knows us better than anyone else in the world. He wants us to take the time to get to know each other deeply. He longs for us to know Him and have a relationship with Him. And He wants us to turn around and make His Name known.

G R AN D PA J O H N

Remembering Mother

by John C. Westervelt

A

s a boy, I remember turning the clothes-wringer handle to help Mother and Daddy with the laundry. I remember Mother, for good reasons, always sitting between my brother Wallace and me every Sunday in the pew at Wesley Methodist Church in Oklahoma City. I remember picnics in the park.

My mother had been a widow for two years when I entered summer school at Oklahoma University in 1945. My year-older brother was in the U.S. Navy.

My year-younger sister Harriette attended Classen High School in Oklahoma City. A Sears Roebuck scholarship for $300 enabled me to enroll in analytical geometry and physics. I thought taking some college courses might mean a better assignment when my turn to be drafted would soon arrive on my 18th birthday in December. The Franklin House dormitory food prepared for 40 boys tasted good to me.

One day that summer, Mother called to say she would like to take me out to lunch. She was likely coming to Norman to see her advisor for her master’s degree. She graduated with a master’s in home economics four years later, the same year that Wallace graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. I graduated the following year in electrical engineering.

The Copper Kettle, close to campus corner, was Mother’s choice for our lunch. I had not yet eaten in a nice restaurant in Norman. Mother and I ate and talked. I don’t suppose we had talked as two adults before. I don’t remember what was said, but the occasion is ingrained in my mind.

I remember a decade of Christmas Eves at Mother’s, with my brother Wallace, his wife Barbara, my sister Harriette, her husband Lloyd, my wife Nelda and all of our children. Wallace and I would drive from our homes in Tulsa to Mother’s house in Oklahoma City on Christmas Eve. My sister Harriette’s family lived in Oklahoma City.

While the men entertained the seven children, the women gathered in the kitchen for their assignments to prepare the dining room table and to help finish cooking the Christmas dinner. At bedtime, the mattresses were moved to the living area. The children would sleep on the box springs. Late in the evening with the children sleeping, the adults arranged gifts from Santa Claus around the tree. Harriette’s family would sleep at their house. Wallace, Barbara, Nelda and I would sleep on mattresses on the living room floor. All that hosting happened in a house with one bathroom.

On Christmas morning after gifts and breakfast, my family departed to celebrate Christmas with Nelda’s mother and dad in Enid, Oklahoma.

Mothers create precious memories that are remembered for a lifetime.

To read more stories go to www.jwestervelt.com.

You can click on a link there to download my books from Kindle.

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O PP O R T U N ITI E S

Asbury Opportunities GENERAL INFORMATION

ASBURY FOUNDATION

Surgery or hospitalization? When you enter the hospital, please designate Asbury as your church. Otherwise, we will not know you are there and a pastor will not know to visit.

Some hospitals in the Tulsa area do not ask for this information, so you will need to alert Asbury at 918.492.1771, Monday– Thursday from 8:30 am–5:00 pm and Friday 8:30 am–noon. The after-hour hospitalization and surgery line can be reached at 918.392.1198 and is checked each weekday at 8:30 am. If you know ahead of time and would like a pastor to do a pre-surgery visit, please call 918.492.1771. We encourage you to use the Hospital Visit Online Form. This can be accessed at any time and is a great way to get your message seen in a timely manner.

(Go to www.asburytulsa.org and click on “Get Help” in the center of the page. Next, you will see “Hospital Visits” as the second option where you can click on the “submit a hospital request” link). If this is a surgery, please let us know the date and time of surgery in the comments section. Please know that Asbury pastors want to be in prayer for you and your family.

Leave a legacy that continues to give forever to a ministry you want to support. There are endowments that support many areas of Asbury’s outreach including children, youth, music, missions, and training of pastors as well as a general endowment. You can easily impact a ministry through your will or a current gift.

• Contact Guy Ames at 918.392.1125 or games@asburytulsa.org

If you have an emergency or death to report after hours, please call 918.392.1192 and leave a message for the pastor on call.

You will be contacted as soon as possible.

Prayer Line If you would like for Asbury’s prayer team to pray for you, please call 918.392.1142 to leave your prayer request which will be included on Asbury’s prayer list.

Death in the Family When a family member dies, you should make one phone call automatically. Contact Victoria Williamson at 918.492.1771 and she will help you make arrangements for your loved one.

Victoria will also work with your family to arrange the memorial service at Asbury. www.myasburytulsa.org This website is available to all members as a way to update your contact information, register for events, give online and indicate ministries you would like to receive communication from. Make sure you have an account and check it out. If you have any problems setting up your account, call Kim at 918.392.2159 or email her at krenkema@asburytulsa.org.

Breakfast available on Sundays Did you know that you and your family can enjoy one of Virginia’s wonderful breakfasts every Sunday morning from 7:30–9:30 am in the Community Life Center (CLC). Cost is only $5 for adults, $1 for children, $20 maximum for family.

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CARE AND SUPPORT The Holidays are Coming…Good Grief!

Workshop to provide hope, support and practical holiday planning guides for individuals and families grieving the loss of a loved one.

• Saturday, November 8, 1:00–4:00 pm, Room 2820, cost is $10, maximum $20 family • Minimum age 16, register online Stephen Ministry Recruitment When was the last time someone really listened to you? That’s one of the ways Stephen Ministers care for others during a hard time.

• Join us for a “Meet and Greet,” Thursday, November 13, 6:30–7:30 pm, Room 1508 • Questions? Contact Charlene: cgiles@asburytulsa.org, 918.392.1145 Congregational Care Ministry Training • Orientation meeting, January 13, 2015, 7:00–8:00 pm, Room 2821 • Training begins Tuesday, January 27 • Contact Adrena Mahu at 918.392.1144 with questions Asbury Bear Bags • Anyone may deliver an Asbury bear bag to someone who is grieving.

• Pick up bags at the south Guest Services desk.

Counseling Referrals • Individuals or couples who are seeking referral to a local Christian therapist are encouraged to call 918.392.1199, X270 anytime, night or day, and leave a message.

• Calls are returned Monday through Friday. In-church recommendations also given.

Divorce Recovery • Tuesdays, 7:00–8:30 pm, Room 1335, child care available • Contact Malia Miller at 918.494.9596 or malia.miller@sbcglobal.net

O PP O R T U N ITI E S

Divorce Rebuilding • Thursdays, 7:00–8:30 pm, Room 1335 • Contact Jim Small at 918.697.4220 or divorce-rebuilding@cox.net Healing Hats (Created to provide hats to cancer patients) Simply knit, crochet or sew a hat or decorate a ball cap of your choice and drop it in the collection box located near the northeast entrance.

• Crochet/Knitting Group –– Every Tuesday, 2:00–4:00 pm, Room 1506 • Ball Caps (If you can cut and glue, this is for you! Baseball caps and decorating items available) –– Fourth Tuesdays, 9:30–11:30 am, Room 1508 –– Contact Sue Fisher at healinghatsmin@aol.com or 918.455.2816 Mental Health Support for Families • Fourth Thursdays, 1:30–3:00 pm, Parlor • Contact Linda Lytle at 918.298.2707 or lllytle@wildflower.net Care Card Ministry/ Military Connection • Send cards to people who are ill, going through a difficult time or in the military • Usually meets first and third Mondays at 9:00 am, Room 2821 • Contact Ruth at 918.392.1146 or rwinn@asburytulsa.org to volunteer or add someone to list to receive cards • Military: Contact Jo VanDeWiele at 918.459.0888 Quilting Ministry • Second Wednesdays in odd months (January, March, etc.), 1:00 pm, Parlor • Utilize your love of quilting to make lap quilts.

Contact Dotti Westerberg at 918.369.5460 or dottiwesterberg@hotmail.com.

• If you know of someone who is ill or in the hospital and would benefit from the comfort of a lap quilt, call Adrena at 918.392.1144.

S.M.I.L.E. (Single Mothers in the Lord’s Embrace) Join us for scripture-based lesson and discussion.

• Third Wednesdays, 6:00–8:45 pm, Room 2502, child care provided, attend any time • RSVP to Janet at 918.688.3392 or asburysmile@ymail.com

CELEBRATE RECOVERY Celebrate Recovery/The Landing/Celebration Station • Celebrate Recovery – God never intended for you to live in bondage. Every Monday night: dinner at 6:00 pm, worship from 7:00–8:00 pm, small groups from 8:00–9:00 pm, dessert from 9:00–9:30 pm • The Landing – Hope-filled truths and real-life strategies for students. Every Monday night, 6:30–9:00 pm in Venue north

lobby. Grades 6–12 • Celebration Place – Inspiring kids with hope, joy and happiness while they learn to rely on God. Mondays, 6:45–9:00 pm, downstairs children’s area. Kindergarten through fifth grade. Contact Christina Treat at ctreat@asburytulsa.org.

• CR Child Care – Parents who are involved in Celebrate Recovery have child care provided for children 6 weeks to pre-k with no reservation needed. Mondays, 6:45–9:00 pm, downstairs children’s area.

CHILDREN FaithZone Sunday Mornings • Sundays, 7:45 am, ages 6 weeks to pre-k, downstairs children’s area • Sundays, 9:00 am and 10:45 am, ages 6 weeks to pre-k downstairs, and kindergarten to sixth grade upstairs in the children’s area In order to encourage families to worship together, children from kindergarten–sixth grade are invited to stay in their Sunday school room for one hour only. The exception is for those children of parents volunteering within the church or members of the choir/orchestra. These children may stay two hours in their Sunday school class to allow their parents to serve. Children in the nursery and preschool may stay for both hours.

Core Childcare Hours Childcare for children 6 weeks to sixth grade is provided for parents attending RoadMap courses or communities during these core hours with no reservation needed: • Tuesday and Wednesday 8:45 am–12:00 pm • Tuesday and Wednesday 5:45 pm–9:00 pm Special Volunteers for Special Kids Do you have a heart to help children with special needs? Contact Heather Horton, Volunteer Recruiter, hhorton@asburytulsa.org, 918.392.4581.

Casting Call for Christmas Eve Family Service The 4th, 5th and 6th graders have the privilege of presenting the Christmas Story to the congregation at the 5:00 pm Christmas Eve Family Service. We would love instrumentalists, scripture readers, actors and actresses to make this a memorable evening for all involved.

• Register online by November 30; parts will be assigned before the first rehearsal; all rehearsals mandatory • Contact Cara Phillips at 918.392.1131 or cphillips@asburytulsa.org • Adult volunteers needed

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O PP O R T U N ITI E S

DISCIPLESHIP Adult Discipleship Communities If you are looking for an adult class Sunday morning or Wednesday evening, check out “Community Life” on the website, www.asburytulsa.org, or pick up a brochure at one of the Guest Services desks.

Ongoing Opportunities Women of the Word • Gail Knox teaches on different passages from God’s Word.

No cost and no registration.

• Every Wednesday 10:00–11:00 am, Room 2818, child care not available • November – no classes or lunch • December – class meets December 3, 10 and 17 only; lunch December 17, 11:00 am, Community Life Center (CLC)

GUEST SERVICES The guest services team will welcome all guests (whether they are regular attendees or first-timers) that enter the church. In addition to greeting people, volunteers answer questions and proactively help guests find their way around the campus.

As a Guest Services volunteer, you are one of the very first impressions our guests will have of our church.

MARRIAGE & FAMILY 8 Great Dates with Your Mate • Last time for this year will be November 13, 6:15–6:30 pm, Room 1502 • Child care cost: $5/child, $20 max per family (RSVP to discipleship@asburytulsa.org no later than one week prior to each date) Couple-to-Couple Training See how you can make a difference in families of the future!

Become equipped to meet with engaged couples in your home. Serve together and reap the blessings in your own marriage. Perfection not required.

• Tuesdays, February 3 – April 14 (except 3/17 & 3/31) • Contact Charlene at 918.392.1145 or cgiles@asburytulsa.org Milestone Wedding Anniversaries Milestone Wedding Anniversaries Email your upcoming Milestone Anniversary (5, 10, 15, 20, etc.) to Stephanie Locher at stephanielocher7@gmail.com or call 918.808.8813.

MEMBERSHIP Joining Asbury Are you interested in membership at Asbury or just want to learn more about who we are? Plan to attend our Joining

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Asbury luncheon.

• Sundays, November 9 and December 14, 12:15–2:00 pm; lunch provided; Community Life Center (CLC) • Child care available for children six weeks to sixth grade • Call 918.392.1191 to register or register online at www.myasburytulsa.org

MEN Car Care Ministry Workday • To volunteer to help with this ministry, contact Mike at 918.492.8177.

• Saturday, November 8, 9:00 am–noon • Outside the Family Room lobby entrance R.O.M.E.O. Luncheons • Friday, 11:15 am, Village Inn (71st and Memorial) • November – November 14 only • December – no lunches, will resume January 9, 2015 • Contact Jim at 918.249.4571 Men’s Prayer Breakfast • Wednesdays, 6:30–7:30 am, Community Life Center (CLC) • Cost is $3 per person; first-time guests are free

MISSIONS/VIM 2nd Saturday • Saturdays, November 8 and December 13, 8:15 am–noon, meet at Venue. Choose between multiple work sites.

• Contact Betty Higgins at bhiggins@asburytulsa.org or ssaturday@asburytulsa.org Thanksgiving Baskets The Thanksgiving Food Baskets will be assembled and delivered on Saturday, November 8, as a part of 2nd Saturday.

• If you would like to donate to the Thanksgiving Baskets, the cost for one basket full of food is $50. Please make checks payable to Asbury UMC with “Food Baskets” on the memo line • For questions, please contact Radhika Aussieker at 918.392.1116 Adopt a Christmas Child We have a wonderful opportunity to reach out to children connected to our local outreach ministries. The children have requested articles of clothing with sizes, and a game or toy. We ask that you provide one article of clothing and one game or toy.

• Sunday, November 23: Cards with names available at the south entrance by preschool and upstairs by elementary, north entrance, CLC gallery (L), Venue lobby north • Sunday, December 7: Wrapped gifts due back at CLC gallery • Saturday, December 13: Gifts delivered as part of 2nd Saturday • For questions, contact Jamie at 918.636.2460

O PP O R T U N ITI E S

OJT (Overcoming Job Transitions) • Third Tuesday of each month, 6:30–9:00 pm, Room 1502 • Contact Russ Knight at OJTJobs@gmail.com Volunteers in Mission (VIM) 2014 TEAM SCHEDULE Where will God have you serve?

• Fall: Cookson Hills, Oklahoma – Light construction/ministry support • November 5–9: Rio Bravo, Mexico – Medical • November 12–16: Rio Bravo, Mexico – Men’s construction VIM Team Leader Training • November 1 For more information about these exciting mission opportunities, contact Marilene Long at 918.392.1164 or mlong@asburytulsa.org. For information about the Men’s Rio Bravo, Mexico, opportunities, contact Jim Furman at jnlfurman@cox.net.

MUSIC

SENIOR ADULTS Tweenagers November Program and Luncheon Our speaker will be Bach Cao, who is a member of Asbury and the Mariners community. Bach and her husband escaped from Vietnam and she has an inspiring story to tell. Our vocalist will be Darlene Wagner, and we will honor our military veterans.

• Thursday, November 13, 10:30 am–1:00 pm, Community Life Center (CLC) • Lunch $1.00, donations welcomed Tweenagers December Program and Luncheon Performing will be the Bixby High School Choir, under the direction of Connie Coleman. You will hear and enjoy a new style of music known as “popcapella.” Asbury’s preschoolers will also perform.

• Thursday, December 11, 10:30 am–1:00 pm, Community Life Center (CLC) • Lunch $1.00, donations welcomed

Choir and Orchestra • New Covenant Orchestra meets Wednesdays, 6:00–7:30 pm in Room 1510 • Chancel Choir meets Wednesdays, 7:00–9:00 pm in Room 2706

Many opportunities are available for our senior adults: • Senior Walk in the Gym With Him - Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8:30–9:00 am, gym • Senior Sit and Fit Stretching Class - Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9:00–9:30 am, gym • Save-a-Label - Can you help? Seniors are collecting Shurfine and Best Choice product labels from canned goods, boxed food, eggs, cheese, etc. Bundle your labels and drop them off at the south Guest Services desk to the attention of “Tweenagers.”

PRAYER

SINGLES

Service of Remembrance All who have experienced grief due to the loss of a loved one in the past year, including a miscarriage or pregnancy loss, are encouraged to attend this special service. Hear a message of comfort with an opportunity for healing prayer and memorial candle lighting to inspire hope during the Christmas season.

• Sunday, December 14, 5:00 pm, Mason Chapel

Singles Ministry Christmas Luncheon Single adults and their families are invited to a luncheon to celebrate Christmas and the joys of the season. Great food, fun and fellowship • Sunday, December 7, 12:15 pm, Community Life Center (CLC) • Cost $5, kids ages 10 and under eat free, no reservations required

Prayer Room Days and Times Our prayer rooms are accessible to you at these times: • Mason Chapel and Venue –– Sundays from 7:00 am–12:30 pm, through the interior doors • Main Facility, Mason Chapel and Venue –– Monday–Friday, 8:00 am–9:00 pm –– Saturday, 10:00 am–3:00 pm –– Sunday, 12:30 pm–9:00 pm

Adult Volleyball • It’s free, and you do not have to be a member of Asbury. For ages 18 and up.

• Every Sunday, 6:00–9:00 pm, gym • Questions? Contact Doug at 918.607.0830

For more information on any of the music groups, please contact the music office at 918.392.1151.

Call Pam in the adult ministries office at 918.392.4589 to reserve the Prayer Room for your group on a weekly or monthly basis or to obtain door codes.

STUDENTS 789 Sunday Mornings • Sundays, 9:15 am, Junior High Room, upstairs in the Venue 10 11 12 Sunday Mornings • Sundays, 9:15 am, downstairs in the Venue

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O PP O R T U N ITI E S / S PE C IAL AN N O U N C E M E N T S

Student Small Groups Small groups are made up of students your same grade and gender, and they give you a place to live life together, pray for one another and dig deeper into the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

They meet together Sunday nights at the Venue, so come and join one anytime. Sign up online at www.myasburytulsa.org.

• 4:30–6:30 pm for 7th–9th grade; 6:00–7:30 pm for 10th– 12th grade • For question, contact Mark Fowler (junior high) mfowler@asburytulsa.org, or Josh Coats (high school) jcoats@asburytulsa.org.

WOMEN UMW November Luncheon Heather Oakley, founder and executive director of Global

Gardens, will speak about its mission and about the exciting things happening across the street with Asbury and Global Gardens. All women are welcome (even non-UMW women).

• Thursday, November 6, 11:30 am–1:00 pm, Community Life Center (CLC) • Lunch $8.00 Car Care Ministry Workday Single women and widows, if your vehicle needs a basic check-up and you qualify, have your vehicle in line by 11:30 am.

Volunteers from the men’s ministry will check your vehicle’s tires, belts, fluids, filters and batteries.

• Saturday, November 8, 9:00 am–noon • Outside the Family Room lobby entrance

Deaths Taylor Witcher died 7/28/2014, daughter of Joey & Lisa Witcher John Alexander died 8/2/2014, father of Rodney Alexander Linda Boothe died 8/7/2014, mother of Rick (Ellen) Boothe Susan Whitney died 8/17/2014 Winifred Graves died 8/25/2014, mother of Sue Day Jayne Mason died 8/28/2014, wife of Bill Mason

Marsha Coburn died 9/8/2014, mother of Caroline Coburn Marcia Futrell died 9/13/2014 Bob Craine died 9/21/2014, husband of Debbie Craine Edward Stadler died 9/26/2014, husband of Joanne Stadler Bob Stotts died 9/28/2014, husband of Wanda Stotts Rowene Wagner died 9/27/2014, mother of Cheryl (Clyde) Wootton.

Milestone Anniversaries 65 YEARS

50 YEARS

Otis & Nell Osborn Jim & LaRue Coover Wally & Barbara Westervelt

11/12/49 12/10/49 12/18/49

60 YEARS

11/07/64 11/28/64 12/21/64

45 YEARS

Ron & Sue Shook Jim & Margie Thomas

11/25/54 12/26/54

55 YEARS Jim & Susie Barrett Bill & Janet Knight Bud & Dianne Mathes

26

Donald & Judy Stout Roger & Carol Fisher Richard & Patty Johnson

11/21/59 11/26/59 12/18/59

TIDINGS | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014

George & Mary Margaret Grisaffe

12/28/69

40 YEARS Don & Martha Harral

09/07/74

10 YEARS Eric & Valerie Dale

05/30/04

S PE C IAL AN N O U N CE M E N T S

Otis & Nell Osborn 11/12/49

Jim & LaRue Coover 12/10/49

Bill & Janet Knight 11/26/59

Wally & Barbara Westervelt 12/18/49

Bud & Dianne Mathes 12/18/59

Ron & Sue Shook 11/25/54

Jim & Susie Barrett 11/21/59

Donald & Judy Stout 11/07/64

Richard & Patty Johnson 12/21/64

Paul and Tabitha Cornell with Andrew, Joshua, Rachel and Caleb

Lauren and David Donald with Connor and Lyla

New Members

Paul and Robin Brush with Luke, Corban and Berea

Randy Collinson

NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 | TIDINGS

27

S PE CIAL AN N O U N C E M E N T S

Rod and Robin Hammack with Kylie and Connor

Seth and Amiee Houston with Rhett and Noah

Chad and Allison Johnson with Bailey and Sadie

Michelle Piper

Tommy Keirsey

Mel Remondet and Patricia Walker

Jennifer Hughes

Pat Lackey

TIDINGS | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014

David and Kathy Neely

Michael and Erin Tygart with Caitlin and Connor

Wanda and Ervin Wedel

28

Nancy Horstmann and Stephen Lower

Sharon Weaver

PERSPECTIVES COURSE Join thousands of believers on an epic journey into God’s story.

The Perspectives course is for anyone who wants a closer walk with the Lord, who is serious about gaining a deeper understanding of His ultimate purpose in the world. It’s for anyone who wants to learn how to strategically invest their lives in seeing God glorified; for anyone who wants to gain insight and direction that will help them to impact their generation.

If the above describes you, no matter what your age or position, Perspectives is for you! This class brings fresh knowledge and understanding of God’s unchanging purposes and why they’re relevant to your life.

Perspectives is a fifteen week course designed around four vantage points or “perspectives”—Biblical, Historical, Cultural and Strategic. Each one highlights different aspects of God’s global purpose.

Perspectives has a long and singular track record in the business of opening students’ eyes to the Bible, world history, international culture, and God’s purpose for it all in a way that no other course can offer.

Perspectives is also unique in that a different expert teaches each of the 15 sessions. This allows you to be exposed to people who specialize in the area they cover.

Tuesdays, 6:00–9:00 pm January 13–May 5, 2015 Family Room at Asbury $250 for key reading or certificate | $500 for undergraduate level credit Limited partial scholarships available for Asbury members.

Register today at perspectives.org

Non-Profit U.S. Postage PAID Tulsa, OK Permit #2439

Compassion International and Asbury UMC Present

At Asbury United Methodist Church

December 7, 2014, at 7:00 pm Purchase tickets at www.itickets.com. Search for “Saviour.�

Tickets can also be purchased by phone by calling 800.965.9324.