Camp Gideon Mission Team

Fall 2015

Camp Gideon Mission Team

Online registration is available until September 10.

Go to www.asburytulsa.org for more information or to sign up.

Contents Fall 2015 Asbury Tidings is a bi-monthly publication designed to tell stories of lives being transformed by the power of Jesus Christ. You may read back issues by visiting www.asburytulsa.org.

Let the People Praise the Lord 1Nation1Day: Dominican Republic Camp Gideon, Estonia Parnu, Estonia Guatemala The Road to Wholeness God Will Provide

2 4 6 8 10 13 14

Restore Hope: A Lifeline from God’s Heart 16 Building the Kingdom in Student Ministry 18 UMM and UMW Scholarship Winners 20 How Did It Come to This?

22 RoadMap Fall 2015 23

PASTOR TOM

A Word From Tom Harrison

O

ne of Asbury’s historic anchors has been our role in missions.

Every church should be committed to the world beyond itself.

One of the quotes of the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, was: “The WORLD is my parish.” His parish (his assigned area of ministry) was not his world. To a large extent, John Wesley being sent in mission was the “Methodist WHY?” “Why” do we do what we do?

Because we are people on mission. We have a story to tell to the nations.

So many other Christians have echoed this worldview. A Swiss theologian, Emil Brunner, put it this way: “The church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by mission. Where there is no mission, there is no church; and where there is neither church nor mission, there is no faith.” Whether we are preaching the gospel at Asbury, sharing the gospel in our neighborhoods or taking it with us around the world, we are called to be in mission as a congregation and as individual members of it.

If this is one of the core answers to our “Why?” question, we also need to know “HOW can I be involved?” We have some wonderful stories of this happening.

You’ll see in this Tidings edition stories about mission trips abroad. I saw firsthand the impact of Asbury’s footprint when Mary Ann Smith and I were in

Estonia and saw the 2015 graduating class from the Baltic Methodist Theological Seminary in Tallinn. They’ve now graduated over 200 students since the seminary started in 1994. This school would not exist were in not for the generosity and friendship of Asbury.

Student Retreats, Spring Break Missions, 2nd Saturday, Celebrate Recovery, Restore Hope, Operation Hope, car care clinics, men’s and women’s ministries, support ministries (like divorce and grief recovery groups) and so on. The partnership we share with Union is a further expression of work done right in our own backyard (Global Gardens, English as Second Language, a GED program, as well as a mentoring program to help Union students get started in college and finish). I’m only scratching the surface. It’s AMAZING all the good our congregation does for people here in our community and around the world.

A congregation is a gathering of individuals. WE do something together, but we also practice mission in our personal lives. I shared in August about a 6th grader, Landon, who will go on a mission trip to Haiti with his family this fall. When he learned of the severe deprivation of the Haitian children, he created the “Hustle for Haiti.” He combined his love for soccer and his concern for others to raise funds to bring soccer equipment to kids there. He’s

found a way to go, build relationships, to care and to share.

I love this story about Landon because it shows that it’s not our age or resources that matter; it’s a matter of one’s heart being drawn to care for others in Jesus’ Name. There’s something all of us can do to help others in the Spirit of Christ.

In Christ,

Dr. Tom Harrison, Senior Pastor

P.S. Tidings will be published quarterly starting with the Winter 2016 issue. That issue will cover January, February and March.

Christ’s Love on Wheels Grandpa John Building a Legacy of Generosity 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.

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

Editor: Asbury Communications Department, 918.392.1140, kmains@asburytulsa.org Graphic Design: Tim Jurgensen, tjurgensen@asburytulsa.org Photographers: Sarah Adams (yellowchairphotography.com), Mark Moore (mark moore.photo.net) Guest Contributors: Guy Ames, Radhika Aussieker, Kylee Broadhurst, Jennifer Dunn, Marilyn Glass, Glen Grusendorf, Betty Higgins, Marilene Long, Caroline Smallwood

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Let the People Praise the Lord

By Marilyn Glass

Johnny Fuller, new associate in the music ministry, his wife, Heather, and their children are recent transplants to Tulsa.

Before arriving at Asbury, Johnny was on staff at a Dallas church where he served for 17 years. When he was moved to part-time, he began teaching music.

When Sean Groombridge, Asbury’s Director of Traditional Music, visited the Dallas area, he and Johnny met. They had come to know each other over the years. “Be in prayer for me,” Johnny requested.

“I’ve been reduced to part-time.”

Sean immediately broached the subject of moving.

“Would you be interested in being an associate at Asbury?”

Johnny replied that he would love to be a part of the Asbury ministry. “But I signed a contract to stay until the end of school,” he divulged. “I can’t, with integrity, walk away early.”

Sean agreed, but regretfully advised that the position would need to be filled before Johnny could be available.

“I realized they couldn’t wait months until my contract ended,” he acknowledges. “Of course, someone else would be able to step into that dream opportunity without a moment’s hesitation. I felt excluded—by my own decision.”

It was a challenging period of his life. “I was a trained symphony orchestra conductor,” he explains. “But there were no known openings for such a person in the church. I confess that I was not trusting in the Lord when I transitioned to education. I just gave up on God’s call for my life.”

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Then three months later, he got a phone call, advising that the position was still open. He visited Asbury, was guest conductor for two rehearsals and a performance, and met decision makers.

The position was offered to him. He accepted, and at the end of the school year, relocated to Tulsa.

“God showed Himself faithful, as He always has,” he affirms, “despite my lack of faith.”

After completing his bachelor’s degree, Johnny began work on a master’s degree at the University of North Texas, but that was short lived, because an organization offered to pay for his degree if he would attend seminary.

In his third year at the seminary, however, he was advised that the money was no longer available.

It was at a Billy Graham Crusade in Oklahoma City that 7-year old Johnny accepted Christ. When he returned to his home church, he was baptized.

“The unpaid bill for that semester was $2,000. Two weeks later, a check for $2,000 arrived in my mailbox with a note that read, ‘The Lord told me that you were supposed to have this.’ I was stunned,” he recounts.

Shortly after his conversion experience while at his grandmother’s home one day, Johnny began to play her organ. He had never been exposed to the instrument before, but he started to play melodies of sacred songs. He soon began taking piano lessons. “So my spiritual and musical journey launched together,” he laughingly says.

When Johnny called his benefactor to thank him for the financial assistance, he remarked, “You obviously knew about my situation.” The man answered that he had no idea of the situation, but he was so moved by the workings of the Lord that he offered to pay for the remainder of Johnny’s master’s degree expenses as he returned to UNT.

The young musician participated in junior high church choir. By high school, he was ready for a different outlet for his musical interest and started playing in the orchestra.

An experience that had great impact on him occurred when Johnny was selling memberships for the Garland, Texas, Chamber of Commerce. He had made an appointment at a small beauty shop. When he arrived, no one was there; the salon was empty. Soon, however, an woman drove up and welcomed him inside.

In the midst of pre-med studies during his first year of college, Johnny distinctly heard God call him to ministry. “I knew two things,” he reports. “God was calling me into ministry, and it would be fulltime music ministry.”

He changed majors and began to work toward a piano performance degree. An orchestra internship followed, and he became interested in composition.

“I still remember when I conducted my first composition recital,” he smiles. “I felt so comfortable. It was such a joyous and confirming experience. The music inside me just poured out.”

“When she saw me,” he recalls, “her eyes grew wide, and she said that she could see the blessings of the Lord all over me. She said that I would have a strong ministry in the area of music. Then she said that my wife with curly brown hair would be involved, as well. I discounted her words because my wife was not musical. She then anointed my head and wrists with oil and prayed and wept over me.

“Two weeks later, the Lord gave me a vision for New Life Symphony Orchestra, complete with logo—a cello, an ichthus, and a cross. I felt Him impressing me

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to form a professional-level symphony comprised of Christian instrumentalists who would raise funds for scholarships for deserving Christian instrumental artists.

“I scheduled auditions, and the response was overwhelming. We had over 60 instrumentalists for our first performance.”

In the symphony’s eighth season, the Lord changed focus and gave Johnny a new vision. Evangelistic symphonic performances were to be given in great music halls to glorify Christ around the globe. “We played in Russia, Australia and Scotland,” he reports.

“In every venue the Gospel was shared, people accepted Christ as Lord and Savior. (For more information on Johnny and Heather or the symphony and its missions impact, go to www. newlifesymphony.com).

“Before long, Heather decided that she would like to take up an instrument. She chose the cello—the same instrument in the logo the Lord gave me. She was gifted and learned quickly,” her husband notes.

My ‘wife with curly brown hair’ also joined the symphony, thereby confirming the words of the woman.”

The darkest days that Johnny and Heather have experienced was the death of their daughter Ally, on her 8-month birthday. “Heather and I were devastated,” he reveals, “but the Lord gave us His peace in the midst of this huge storm. We know that the Lord is sovereign and that He has purpose in every moment of our lives. We trust Him completely. Through her death, we have a deeper longing to see lost people come to Christ. We have faith that God works all things together for those who love Him. God’s glory is more important to us than our comfort, our health, or even life itself.

Our response in all things, good or bad, is praise.”

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1Nation1Day: Dominican Republic

By Marilene Long

“Who has ever heard of such things? Who has ever seen things like this? Can a country be born in a day or a nation be brought forth in a moment?” Isaiah 66:8a This verse serves as the call to action for 1Nation1Day, a vital arm of the ministry Missions.me. July 18-25, over 2500 missionaries and translators, from 38 states and 10 countries, infiltrated nearly every community across the nation of the Dominican Republic (DR). Thirteen Asbury members had the privilege to be part of a 40-member medical team which served in the state of Monte Plata. Our incredible and talented team leaders were Asbury members Nancy and Sid Eckerd.

Additionally, members of the Tulsa-based Combat Team, a martial arts Christian ministry, served in the same state.

We began our adventure with over 2200 missionaries gathering in Miami, Florida, on Saturday, July 18, for a day of worship, preaching, training and fellowshipping. What an amazing sight as all 20 states of the DR were represented by the people who would be serving there, wearing the color t-shirt designated by their state! Beginning late that evening through Sunday afternoon, all the missionaries were transported by charter flights to the Dominican – quite an organizational endeavor.

So, can a nation be saved in a day? A country changed in a moment? Yes – it can. The flame of change that branded Honduras in 2013 has now burned through the country of the Dominican Republic. And now, as the sun rises on the dawn of a new missions era, a global movement has begun.

Once again, pioneers left behind their egos, their labels, their logos, and joined together under one vision – to see a nation changed in a day. Welcomed by community leaders, pastors, teachers and students, the 1Nation1Day team planted flags in the largest capital city-centers across the country. Launching “La Mejor Republica Dominicana”—a declaration of peace, prosperity and purpose for: “The Best Dominican Republic.”

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Over the course of a week, the team of over 2200 brought practical aid and the life-changing message of hope to nearly every section of the nation. Massive medical clinics were organized and a team of over 300 doctors, nurses and medical professionals provided care to thousands of people in need.

A local Tulsa ministry, Blessings International, provided all the necessary medications for all six clinic sites across the country. Our team in Monte Plata truly had the chance to serve as the hands and feet of Jesus. Among our team were nurses, physicians, pharmacists, nursing students and several tireless helpers which included a five-member prayer team who prayed with every patient at the clinic. It’s not about the numbers, but when each number represents a human being, each number does matter! During the 4 ½ days of our Monte Plata clinic, there were 862 patients, 343 reading glasses distributed, 34 healings, and 195 commitments for Christ. To God be the glory!

Hundreds of youth and young (and not-so-young) adults served on ministry teams in every state doing neighborhood outreach with street dramas, dance routines, and presenting the gospel message. The response was phenonemal.

Homes for the homeless and fresh water wells for entire communities were built, as well as thousands of shoes being distributed to needy children.

The passion of 1Nation1Day has always been sustainable change, that’s why thousands of pastors and business leaders were empowered in historic conferences and training events in the two largest cities in the country.

In order to change a nation, you must start with a generation.

That’s why, for the first time as part of the 1Nation1Day vision, a partnership with the nation’s largest universities allowed educational forums on leadership, entrepreneurship and innovation.

On the last night, the energy of the campaign culminated as the entire nation came together in 20 different cities, in 20 different stadiums across the nation. Millions watched or listened to the event as it was broadcast on major networks across the Dominican Republic and all of Latin America. The following morning, the front page of the largest national newspapers documented, “1Nation1Day: Advocate for A Better Country.”

A new missions era has begun. Uniting the global church with one vision—the salvation and transformation of nations. I pray this is the new normal.

Written by Marilene Long, with excerpts from 1Nation1Day website (see https://vimeo.com/135007159.) For information on where 1Nation1Day will serve in 2017 or any of our life-changing mission team opportunities, contact Marilene in the mission office.

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Camp Gideon, Estonia

By Jennifer Dunn

Pree-vet! Hello! On June 26, our team of 10 travelled over 5,000 miles to carry out a 20year tradition of support to our friends in Estonia.

Camp Gideon is beautiful with chipped cement angels and peeling stucco, hand painted vignettes, the Baltic Sea, and the gorgeous sunsets,…all reminders of the love of our Creator.

On our first day, we went to Johvi to attend Pastor Artur’s church. David Read delivered a powerful message that was translated to the congregation.

There was a sense of sincere gratitude and warmth extended by our Estonian friends.

Christy Hoppie, Gloria Cardamone, Heather Pionke, Megan Harju, Our Estonian friend, Dima!, David (Davidka) Read, Madeline Harney, Angel O’Dell, Marissa Smith, Loren Golliver, Jennifer Dunn

After grabbing some crepes and some rest on our first night in Old Town Tallinn, we headed to Camp Gideon, a property dedicated by Asbury in 1995. The camp opens up each summer to offer camp opportunities for children, youth and young adults. The week we were there, the camp was open to young teens thru young adult ages. Many of the older campers come back each year, strengthening their friendships with one another, and their relationship with Christ.

The first day at camp I was struck by the warm welcome by the Estonian leadership team, and I was struck by the beauty of the property.

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This particular mission trip is all about being relational.

It’s a great development opportunity for us, as we stretch to find our place on the team and within the camp. There are no construction projects to complete or medical services to provide. We are there to encourage our brothers and sisters in

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Christ, learning to use the talents we have been given. Despite many differences, our kinship in Christ transcends cultural and language barriers. Humor also transcends barriers!

Harney and I represented America on Team Zhol-tee (yellow). Despite our weak Russian skills, we got along just fine and our team even adopted an Americanized logo, “In it to win it.”

We all led English classes in the morning for the older group and crafts classes in the afternoon for the young kids.

The programming at the camp is done with excellence and intentionality with morning Bible study and worship and afternoon team games. As the sun set over the Baltic, we gathered each night in the chapel for worship and sermon time.

It was moving to worship thru Russian worship songs, knowing that it’s the spirit in which we offer ourselves to God—not the words we sing—that draw us to Him. The messages were dynamic and we witnessed many accept a calling into a new role in the kingdom.

Little Lighthouse of Tulsa was represented

by Gloria and Heather, who spent their day at Sunbeam, a home dedicated to helping children with disabilities and their families. Children with special needs in Jõhvi receive love and care in this warm environment. Heather and Gloria worked with the staff on discipline, coaching, curriculum and development.

On the last night at camp, we were invited to Pastor Artur and Valentina’s home for a special dinner. Before dinner, Artur thanked us, and Asbury again, saying that 30,000 kids have come thru the camp since the dedication in 1995. I am glad to be a part of a church that has a vision to make a difference in all the nations, committing to invest in the people of Estonia.

Thank you, Asbury, for this opportunity, for your prayers, and for your commitment to make disciples.

Some of us connected to the youth by joining one of the four teams that competed in games ranging from obstacle courses, midnight games (yes, really), athletic events, IQ tests and trivia.

The leadership team is quite creative, and…not quite as safety minded as we may be here in America. Madeline

The Call of Gideon, Judges 6:13–14: Then Gideon said to him, “O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.” The LORD looked at him and said, “Go in this your strength and deliver Israel from the hand of Midian. Have I not sent you?”

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VIM OPPORTUNITIES September 4–14 Tanzania, East Africa – Construction September 3–8 Guatemala, Orphanage and Construction Fall Republic of Georgia, Relationship, Teaching and Light Construction November 4–8 Rio Bravo, Mexico – Medical Men’s Rio Bravo, Mexico construction teams is November 11–15*

VIM TEAM LEADER TRAINING September 12 or November 14, 2015 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.

We also plan domestic teams in response to needs due to natural disasters.

There are additional VIM opportunities available through our OKVIM offices.

Some scholarships are available for most teams. We also encourage team members to share support letters with family and friends to enlist financial and prayer assistance.

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Parnu, Estonia

By Radhika Aussieker

On July 2, 2015, our team of six adults, one teen and one toddler departed our comfortable surroundings in Tulsa and arrived in Pärnu, Estonia.

Asbury has partnered with the Baltic nation of Estonia for 21 years. This long-standing partnership includes sending volunteer teams throughout Estonia to share the light and love of Jesus Christ in word and deed.

Left to right (top row): Austin Aussieker, Joe Aussieker, Bill Wagner (team leader), Darlene Wagner, Andrea Livingston, Denise Waters (bottom row): Aleah Aussieker, Radhika Aussieker

Our particular mission to Pärnu was unique in that a 2-½-yearold toddler named Aleah Aussieker was a member of the mission team. Aleah was accompanied by her family, Joe, Radhika and Austin, team leaders, Bill and Darlene Wagner, as well as Andrea Livingston and Denise Waters.

Can God really use a 2-year-old? God sent His own Son in the form of a baby to this world. The Global Outreach Leadership Team approved Aleah’s travel with this hope: children open doors for conversation about Jesus. Europe is family friendly, and Estonia proved to be no exception. The airports, grocery store, museums and hardware stores had facilities that catered to kids and their caregivers.

It is easy for children to connect with one another. Children make it easy for parents to connect with others, too. Aleah’s presence certainly opened doors to hearts that may have otherwise taken a long time to penetrate due to both the language barrier and fear.

Anticipating Aleah’s stay, Pastor Tonu and his wife, Kylli, started the first “baby room” at the church to encourage young families to attend. This was ground breaking for Agape Church in Pärnu.

Aleah traveled well, experienced no jet lag, bonded with the team and Estonian people and hopefully served as an inspiration for other families with toddlers to go into all the world through Asbury.

This Parnu grocery store has one euro kid rides throughout. Aleah wanted to ride the school bus-looking taxi, of course. We were surprised when a little boy jumped in the bus. Aleah was excited as his spontaneous gesture made their ride legitimate.

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At one service, two bowls of water were placed in front of the children, one holding white pearls, the other blue. Kylli, our main translator and the pastor’s wife, explained that the white pearls indicated a desire to invite Jesus into their life and the blue pearls represented a need for prayer for yourself and one

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another. Eighteen white pearls were dropped into another clear water bowl. With each white pearl, Pastor Tonu gently laid his hands on the child’s head and prayed for them. Many blue pearls were added, showing the children clearly differentiated between the two colors of pearls. The bowl containing both the white and blue pearls was then placed at the altar in the sanctuary. Because of the language barrier, many of us did not quite understand what the pearls signified. When Kylli explained what had transpired, that 18 children had given their hearts to Jesus, needless to say, the team was in awe.

All this was because of a question team member, Joe Aussieker, asked at the pastor’s feedback session the day before, “Are these children being given an opportunity to respond to the gospel message, to make a clear decision about Jesus Christ becoming their Lord and Savior?” That question, in turn, prompted Kylli and Tonu to prayerfully consider the opportunity and offer the invitation.

Precious pearls.

Saturday morning, before our tearful goodbyes, Kylli and a handful of Team Pärnu, aka Team “Pearl” members, knelt below the blue tapestry cross above the altar and prayed over this precious bowl of white and blue pearls, thanking God for His work of grace in the souls of these children and asking Him to protect and grow them in the faith.

Matthew 13:44–46 AMP: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, who on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.”

We believe God has only started a necklace of “fine and precious” pearls at Agape. May Asbury and Team Pearl keep it strong through our love and prayers sent their way.

Agape Pastor Tonu and his wife, Kulli.

The Asbury Global Outreach team is ready to consider intergenerational teams with toddlers and their caregivers on VIM trips. If you would like more information on how to take your family and loved ones, please contact Marilene Long, mlong@ asburytulsa.org or Jim Davis, jdavis@asburytulsa.org.

“Asbury UMC is no stranger to Vacation Bible School. Neither is Pärnu, Estonia. They refer to it as summer camp. Our team ministered alongside our Estonian sister church members, Agape, to 69 children during a four day summer camp. On the fourth day, an invitation was extended for children to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and 18 responded!“ –Darlene Wagner

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Guatemala

By Kylee Broadhurst

Well, I’ve made it back safely to Northwest Arkansas after traveling solo to Central America and back—and I’d like to be as honest as possible when talking about how the Lord wrecked my heart as I responded to His call.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t romanticize the idea about traveling solo and ringing in my 20s by holding orphans in a third world country. It didn’t take long for me to learn that there is nothing romantic about walking off

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your plane completely alone and feeling like you’re suddenly in the town of Babel, not understanding a single thing those around you are trying to communicate to you. There is nothing romantic about rocking a 9-month-old orphan knowing that she’ll likely never have a mother that wakes up in the middle of the night just to walk in and check to make sure she’s still breathing. God disturbed me in my peace. It was awful, and it was beautiful.

A big lesson I learned is that sometimes changing the world means changing a diaper. My days began by working at the Hope for Tomorrow Preschool at 8:00 am, which is also where we lived. I did my best to reject the practice of nepotism; however, when little Dani practiced his Spanish words like pantalon or calcetines, I lost any control over the matter. Kids from multiple children’s homes joined the Hope for Tomorrow preschoolers for class until noon. At around noon, Jeneva and I would walk down the street to the Hope for Tomorrow Children’s Home and eat lunch with the 12 children, aging from 9 months to 17 years. There I would spend the rest of my day pouring love into the children as much as I could.

In my past missions, the fruits of our labor were as tangible as a roof over someone’s head or a new plumbing system for an upcoming boys’ home. I struggled with the idea of being a Mary instead of a Martha (Luke 10:38–42). I wanted to come in and shape these children’s lives, and I wanted to do so in a grand way. Honestly, part of that was derived from selfish ambition, but I would say the majority of that desire came from a deep need in me, drenched in zeal to glorify God in an earth-shaking way that He so deserves. I had to humble myself and tame my fire in order to understand the gift of time and just being present in these children’s lives. True discipleship isn’t done in one grand gesture and shaking things up for a bit. True discipleship is done by entering in the lives of your disciples and just walking alongside them in the least glorious of ways. Jesus performed miracles, but the majority of his time was spent just pouring into 12 people and doing life with them. I had 12 orphans. God makes things so obvious sometimes.

True discipleship is done by entering in the lives of your disciples and just walking alongside them in the least glorious of ways.

she should believe that as long as she possibly can. It didn’t take long for Shaida to begin calling me “mama,” and my heart was both made whole and shattered into pieces each time she sought me out.

Many of my hours were spent rocking Ashley, a 9-month old at the orphanage. I would rock her, feed her and encourage her to crawl. I fiercely loved her, and as I rocked this child who hasn’t yet come to understand how she was shorted in this world, I prayed relentlessly over her life.

Maria is an 8-year old Guatemalan girl who got adopted the first week I was at Hope for Tomorrow. Her single mother from Boston, Jenny, began the adoption process when Maria was an infant. A few weeks from finishing the process and retrieving the child God had chosen specifically for her long, long ago, Guatemala closed their international adoption. Jenny didn’t hear anything for six years. Like any mother, Jenny was willing to go to the ends of the earth for her daughter. By the work of God alone, the Guatemalan national adoption services decided to help Jenny finish the process she started eight years ago, and Maria was finally adopted last week. Jenny didn’t get an infant like she was planning; instead she got an 8-year old who knew solely Spanish and had developmental delays due to the

Shaida is an ornery, independent 2-year old who took my heart and ran with it. I loved her through and through. Even when she pooped on the floor. A couple of times. Sister’s diapers are too big! She admired love and attention but exclusively when she wanted it. Life and love ran on her time, and I liked that. I think

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lacking education system in Guatemala and poor children’s homes she had been placed in. However, on that divinely chosen day, Jenny finally retrieved her daughter. I don’t know if I’ll ever understand why Jenny was robbed of eight years with her daughter, and maybe it’s not my place to know. I do know that no one was happier than Jenny that day, and I do know that Maria will live a life never lacking in love again.

Guatemalans do not understand the idea of personal space, especially Edwin. Jeneva and I have gotten all too familiar with reiterating the phrase “mi burbuja”. Whenever Maria got adopted, the kids were desperate for attention and acted out in a number of ways. While Edwin always seemed to be longing for attention, he was different the day after the adoption. He was sad, and he came to me crying. He told me the story of his parents, and he wanted what Maria had gotten. He wanted parents, but more than that, he simply wanted to be wanted. While this conversation was not without its hiccups due to the language barrier, by the grace of God, I was able to communicate that he has, and will always have, an eternal Father in the Lord. I told him that even though I have parents, I have an eternal Father in the Lord as well.

I told him I need an eternal Father just as much as he does, and that the Lord takes favor in him just as much as He does in me. I felt a sense of shame by trying to make Edwin understand that I was just as in need as he was for the Lord. According to the flesh, the Lord showered infinitely greater favor with me. How could I overlook that? I understand that what Jesus says it means to be blessed (Matthew 5:1-12) is the exact opposite of what the world sees as blessed. I understand that in order to give my life in radical abandonment to the Lord, I actually have to be willing to give up my family (Matthew 10:29). I understand all of these things after years upon years of being molded by the Lord, but does Edwin? How can I expect one who has nothing to understand that the Lord has actually taken favor in Him by allowing no chasm of comforts and worldly satisfactions to lie between him and the Lord? I’m not sure, but I do know that our King will never stop pursuing Edwin all the days of his life, and for that, I am so grateful.

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Rosa is a wild 9-year old who came from an abusive background.

When she first came to Hope for Tomorrow, she was covered in bruises and experienced seizures every other minute. She has scars all over her forehead that serve as a daily reminder of how she was traumatized in the worst of ways. While I was in Guatemala, Rosa celebrated her ninth birthday. The next day, her parents came and visited her. After they left, Rosa was experiencing almost constant seizures, similar to when she first came to the children’s home many years ago. I think with so much going on and the presence of her parents reminding her subconscious of the abuse all over again, Rosa’s body just couldn’t handle it anymore. For her birthday, her parents brought her a tattered, old book filled with Bible stories in Spanish. Rosa sat on my lap and asked me to read her the Bible stories. As I read stories of my gracious King in Spanish, not understanding a thing, I rocked Rosa as she listened and suffered from a seizure every other minute. I alternated between whispering affirmations in her ear and letting her know everything was going to be OK and that I was right there and reading the Spanish Bible stories. Tears streamed down my face as I rocked this seizing 9-year old and read her stories about a God I prayed she’d come to fiercely follow one day. I could have done nothing else during my time in Guatemala, and still felt I fulfilled what the Lord had called me to do just from those moments with Rosa. I know that if Jesus were walking the earth that day, He would have been doing the exact same thing.

My time in Guatemala wasn’t grand, dramatic and earthshattering like I longed for it to be. My time was simple and involved a lot of snotty noses, screaming children, countless giggles, and a bunch of Spanglish. My time was simply just being with 12 children day by day. But my time was so divinely crafted and specifically planned by a God who knows infinitely more than I can even fathom. My time was awful and beautiful, and it wrecked my heart.

TIDINGS Fall 2015

CARE AND MARRIAGE

Then he ventured into the Rebuilding class. He attended both classes for a while. “The Rebuilding class was more structured,” he notes. “The instructors were also excellent, and we worked from a book. In Rebuilding, we got lots of advice on relationships and learned principles for making good decisions.”

The experience, while agonizing, had positive effects on Jeff’s spiritual life. “The process actually brought me closer to God,” he emphasizes. “I started seeing things that God does to help us.

I began to realize that if we don’t have our eyes open, we won’t see what God is doing. Even as things got worse and worse, God opened up opportunities and guided me through the hard times.”

In a particularly trying situation, he saw the faithfulness of God. “A friend had given me a prayer jar,” he recounts. “When you use the prayer jar, you write down a prayer, put it in the prayer jar, and release it to God. At my worst moment, in my deepest despair, I said a prayer. I found it so hard to let go and just trust God. But finally I did. Literally, the next day, everything changed. The situation had seemed impossible for a very long time. Then, when I gave it to God, in one day the problem was resolved!”

The Road to Wholeness Recovery and Rebuilding

By Marilyn Glass

J

eff Woods knows personally that life can be filled with unexpected twists and turns. Painful and destructive, these twists and turns often leave victims hopeless...defeated. But Jeff also knows that there is healing, peace and restoration on the other side.

“I was married to the love of my life,” he volunteers. “We had been married eight years. Everything was going well. And then something changed. Our marriage came to an end.”

Jeff was devastated. “It was a time of such grief. The pain was so fresh and raw,” he divulges.

He learned about the Asbury support classes called Divorce Recovery and Divorce Rebuilding from the website. Though he recognized that they both had merit and could be helpful, Jeff hesitated. “I didn’t know what to expect. I sat in my car, trying to get the courage to go in,” he recalls. “When I finally did go in, someone walked up to me immediately with a smile and a handshake.”

He first attended the Recovery class.

“It had very little structure. It was just a nurturing, supportive and safe environment. I was still hurting, and the class allowed me to recharge. It was what I needed desperately,” he gratefully declares. The instructors were excellent.

Jeff has adopted fundamental principles that have helped to sustain him. “Maintain your faith,” he encourages. “Keep your friends. Focus on the good. Take the high road. Never allow your integrity to be compromised. And try to help others. I have found that when you do, you get the reward, too.”

He also highly recommends that we guard our tongue.

“Speaking positively has such benefit,” he insists. “It makes a big difference. If we say negative things, our subconscious hears it and begins to believe it.”

Jeff sounds a note of warning for those divorced or in the midst of divorce. “When we experience divorce, we are battered and broken. But so often, our inclination is to rush out and get involved in another relationship, which only leads to further defeat and pain because we have not done the hard work of healing. If we enter someone else’s life before we are whole, we just cause dysfunction and failure in that person’s life because again, we bring our brokenness into the new relationship.”

He continues, “The better way is to let God do His healing work and trust Him to fill our tomorrows with His goodness.

“Also, be aware that there are predators out there—male and female—who will take advantage of your vulnerability. We are instructed in God’s Word to be ‘wise as serpents and harmless as doves.’ With God, we can escape these pitfalls.”

In spite of the ordeal he has experienced, Jeff is enjoying the reward of just trusting in God. “I have my faith,” he says simply.

“I’m moving forward, and I have released my future back to God. I don’t know what my path will be, but I know the One who will be leading me down that path.”

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

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God Will Provide

By Glen Grusendorf

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 4:19 NIV) It was July of 2002, and my life was about to be turned upside down and inside out. I had given my heart and life to Jesus Christ, and everything was changing as is often the case of many people. I was working for a good friend, but I was very unhappy and not satisfied. It had nothing to do with my friendship; it was my soul and spirit that knew God had different plans for me. My true love and obsession became reading and studying the Word of God and spending as much time as possible doing church-related things.

My first serious group Bible study was a Precepts class on “Covenant,” and this is when I experienced Philippians 4:19, and it was getting ready to really change my life again.

Being well paid at my job had its rewards, but I found myself miserable because I knew I needed to be in ministry. One day, I went into the warehouse and got on my knees and prayed, “What is it that You want me to do? God, You said You will meet all my needs.”

And God said to me, “Do you believe I will meet your needs? Then get up and tell them you quit.” So I got up, found my boss/friend and told him that I quit. To which he replied, “What are you going to do?” I told him I didn’t know for sure; I just knew I wasn’t supposed to work here any longer.

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TIDINGS Fall 2015

Celebrate Recovery meets every Monday at 6:00 pm in the Community Life Center (CLC).

It had been on my heart to visit a “faith-based” recovery ministry in California as ministering to alcoholics, drug addicts and those incarcerated in prison systems had become my calling. God quickly told me that I was not thinking big enough. During the trip to California, Mollie, my great niece, was born. Not being employed at the time gave me an opportunity to visit her on a very regular basis. When she was 8-weeks old, she came to live with my wife and me. Two-and-a-half years later, my wife and I were blessed to be able to adopt Mollie, and she became our daughter. “He will meet all your needs!”

After beginning my journey toward becoming involved with full-time ministry, I can recount numerous occasions where I received gifts of money. Once, I walked to my mail box and said “If God wanted me to receive money, He would just put it in the mail box.” A short time later, a check in the amount of $2,800 arrived in the mail box from a mortgage escrow account I knew nothing about. And, without being asked, a kind and generous woman from church gave me a check for $500 and told me to do whatever I wanted with it.

During this time of struggle to get a ministry started, friends would often advise me that quitting my job was not a good idea. But I was absolutely positive that quitting my job was what I was supposed to do.

It’s easy to look back now and see God positioning me for His plan. I recently celebrated 11 ½ years of ministry and 10 years of employment with my church, leading Celebrate Recovery. God has not wasted any of the pain in my life and hopefully other people will gain from my willingness to share this short story. When that decision was made to do what God wanted me to do, friends and loved ones were not consulted. I didn’t even ask my wife. I started on that journey even though many others disagreed. That was my first step in full-time ministry. Two years went by with no income, but then friends, volunteers and others came together to help me make it happen. “He will meet all your needs!”

God will also meet your needs, even it’s the scariest thing in the world.

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

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LOCAL OUTREACH

Restore Hope: A Lifeline from God’s Heart

By Marilyn Glass

Jeff Jaynes had just finished Day 2 of Project School Supplies. It had been a hectic and demanding day. But as a passionate advocate for the underserved among us, he is always ready to speak about the need in our community and the important role that Restore Hope Ministries has in helping to meet that need.

“We gave away over 550 sets of school supplies, including backpacks, in just the last two days,” he exults. “Our goal this year is to help at least 2,500 students with back to school needs.”

a child who feels well equipped is better able to succeed in school.”

Helping children with back to school essentials is only one area where the ministry provides resources to the working poor.

He continues, “Of course, we all know that education is a powerful tool for breaking the cycle of poverty. It is our belief that

Incorporated in 1978 to provide assistance to families in crisis, Restore Hope also has a robust feeding program. “Studies

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TIDINGS Fall 2015

LOCAL OUTREACH

show that when children are hungry, their grades suffer. A child who has not eaten for a while is more easily distracted, can’t concentrate, and often causes more disruptions in the classroom. Interestingly, when you look at a map of the ‘F’ schools in the area and then lay a map of hunger over it, the ‘F’ schools and the area of hunger absolutely line up,” he notes.

Restore Hope Ministries has a staff of nine, seven of which are full-time. Obviously, the massive work they do could not be accomplished with just this handful of people. “Consistently, we have over 1,000 volunteers who help out during the year,” Jeff says gratefully. “They are invaluable. We simply could not operate without them.”

“In the Tulsa area, 30 percent of families with children will be hungry sometime this year. A staggering 51 million people in the United States are food insecure. Of that number, nationally, one in three is a hungry child; one in five children locally experiences hunger,” Jeff laments.

Now beginning his fifth year in the executive position, abundant growth is evident. “We have just turned three storage rooms into offices,” he reports. “We are using every nook and cranny. We are also constantly evaluating. We want to be willing to change when needed. In days past, we just randomly handed out bags of food.

Now, we ask the recipient what food items would be most helpful.

Instead of seeing a need in front of us, we see a person—with a need, yes—but first and foremost, we see a fellow human being.”

He is, however, keenly aware that the organization for which he serves as executive director, is positively impacting the statistics—and the lives represented by those statistics. “Last year, Restore Hope distributed almost 165,000 pounds of food to over 4,500 families,” he says with pride. “To give you an idea of the volume we handle, this year we have already given out more than 12,000 cans of corn! And of course, we are still several months from year’s end.”

There is excitement among the staff about a couple of innovative pilot projects that are upcoming. “We are working on a project to connect families with churches or to reconnect them,” he discloses. “And isn’t that what the model of the early church was?”

“We had a 100 percent success rate, meaning those families we helped did not return to homelessness. The national rate is 70 percent, so we were very thrilled with the results. Much prayer was woven into that success.”

Sometimes the executive director allows himself to dream, to consider the possibilities. “I saw an article the other day entitled, ‘If the Church Tithed.’ The information was astounding.

According to the research, if all American believers tithed 10 percent, incredibly, an additional $165 billion would be added to church resources. In five years, world hunger, starvation and deaths from preventable disease would be relieved; illiteracy would be eradicated; the world’s water and sanitation issues would be solved; overseas missions work would be fully funded and $100 billion would be left over for further ministry. What a world that would be!”

Jeff notes that most of the families they see at Restore Hope are in need because of an unexpected crisis, not because of bad decisions. “While there are some in our community who have made bad decisions, that is not the reason most people find themselves in need.

Jeff especially would like to thank Asbury for its faithful support and encouragement. Since he grew up at Asbury, it is a partnership he truly loves. “We make a good team,” he muses.

“We feel that we have proven time and time again that we are good stewards of the resources you have given us.”

“A majority of the people we see did not make bad decisions and thus create the problem they are experiencing,” he insists. “A hungry kid did not make a bad decision. In many cases, something catastrophic happened…house fire, disabling accident, divorce, etc. Families who had been stable before often can be again. They just need a timely boost.”

Restore Hope consistently receives the highest quality rating given by an independent charity evaluator. “We expect to receive it as long as we are here,” Jeff declares. “But that is not our goal.

Our goal is to shut our doors—to no longer be needed. Then we will know that we have obeyed His mandate.”

He mentions that all assistance is appreciated and celebrated, but that monetary donations are most effective. “When we have money, we can use it wherever needed. We can help that family about to be evicted or we can buy toilet paper and cleaning supplies for a family, because food stamps cannot be used to buy items that are not food. Have you ever thought about not having the means to buy detergent or shampoo? Even the little things are so important, and as the challenges are overcome one by one, the vicious cycle can be broken.”

Instead of seeing a need in front of us, we see a person—with a need, yes—but first and foremost, we see a fellow human being.”

As Tulsa’s homeless numbers grow, the ministry’s “Homeless Prevention Initiative” becomes an increasingly vital rescue program for those facing sudden income loss. “We provided rent assistance and helped 721 families avoid homelessness last year,” Jeff volunteers.

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

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STUDENTS

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TIDINGS Fall 2015

STUDENTS

Building the Kingdom in Student Ministry

By Caroline Smallwood

I

f there is one thing I’ve seen to be true while working in youth ministry, it is exactly what Isaiah 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” There are no words to describe how beautiful it is to see middle school and high school students building deeper relationships with each other and with the Lord, and we are blessed with opportunities to do that every Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night here at Asbury Student Ministry. While these weekly meetings are so important, the Lord also calls for special times of worship and rejuvenation. Retreats, summer camps and Spring Break Missions are just that. These are times to get away from the burdens of the world and to focus on worshiping God and serving Him and His people. When we live like this, when we live in obedience to the Lord, we will never miss out on building His Kingdom and experiencing His glory.

Students in Asbury’s Student Ministry range from ages 11 to 19. They are in the middle of forming their identity and connecting the dots between who God says He is and how their lives affirm that. When they experience worship, teachings and community at retreats and camps, they are often experiencing the Holy Spirit personally for the first time. This is an integral part of owning their own faith and having their own relationship with our Creator. Not to mention, it is one of the most beautiful experiences on this Earth. In these settings, He comes alive through Bible studies, displays His dynamic character through worship, and thrills us with His playful side through fun and games. Likewise, when the students serve the people of a different state or country, they are experiencing Jesus through taking on the identity of a humble servant just as He did. He told us that when we love one of His people, it is like we are loving Him. What an easy application!

As a youth leader, I find joy in watching our students come home, having experienced Christ for themselves, to pursue Him, love on those around them, and begin to comprehend their identity as His son or daughter. In this, I find Romans 8:16 to be true, “The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” What more could we desire for the students of this church than for their spirits to connect with His and for them to declare their true identities? This is what life is all about.

Thankfully I also witness this from a perspective that is near to my heart, as a former student at Asbury. To this day I can look back at every retreat, camp and Spring Break Mission trip that I attended and recall exactly what the Lord taught me during those times. One of my deepest desires is for these precious students to also spend their most formative years among encouraging and challenging community. To meet with Him in a different atmosphere than normal is to have a taste of the eternal life He promises.

Students, please plan on joining Asbury Student Ministry on all future retreats, camps and Spring Break Mission trips. We promise that God will show up and show off.

Parents, expect your student to return from these trips transformed in ways you could never imagine.

In this world of distractions, demands, and anxieties, “let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24,25)

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

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UMW AND UMM

UMW and UMM Scholarship Winners

By Marilyn Glass infirmary. That experience helped to harden the commitment in me to pursue a nursing career.”

Brooke Hall

She feels strongly that she is not going to Temple just for academic purposes but for a greater purpose. “I think God just pointed me to Temple,” she says. “I am so grateful to have been chosen and to be given this great opportunity. Thank you to the UMW.”

Jacob Griffel Jacob Griffel is one of two UMM College Scholarship recipients this year. “It has never been done before, but the men prayed about it and felt they should award two scholarships,” Jacob says.

This recent graduate will be departing soon to go to Oklahoma Wesleyan University to pursue a pastoral degree. He hopes to have the opportunity to work with a church while there. Currently, he serves as a Stephen Minister here at Asbury.

It was on his first mission trip to Kentucky that Jacob felt God’s call to the ministry. “A feeling I can’t describe filled me, and I felt light inside. I just knew I was to be a pastor.”

Then on a recent mission trip to Guatemala, he met a young man who wanted to open a church in a very dangerous area, and the hunger to be in the ministry deepened.

Brooke Hall is a United Methodist Women scholarship recipient.

She recently graduated from Union High School and is headed to Temple University in Philadelphia where she plans to major in nursing.

A lifelong Tulsa resident, she acknowledges that pulling up roots and moving across the country can be a daunting prospect. But she believes it is exactly what she is supposed to do.

“I grew up at Asbury,” she comments. “I was taken to church as an infant. My mother leads the SMILE group. So church has always been an important part of my life.”

Brooke remembers fondly the mission trips and the retreats.

“Some of the experiences I had on those trips really had an impact on my life,” she reveals. “On my 7th grade mission trip to Houston, I gave my life to the Lord. Of course, everything changed. I started going to church and became interested in the things of God. On a trip to Jamaica, we got to go into an

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“We are still in contact, encouraging each other,” Jacob relates.

“Recently, when my friend said he hoped to have his church open in three to four years, it occurred to me I would be getting out of school about that time. Who knows what is in God’s plan?”

As he begins a new season of life, this scholarship winner wants to convey how grateful he is that both he and Tanner were chosen to receive this blessing. “The men have been great examples of Christ to me,” he exclaims. “Dick Read especially took me under his wing, and the desire just grew in me to be a pastor. Thank you to all who affected my life.”

Tanner Stokes Tanner Stokes, one of this year’s UMM scholarship winners, is tending to last minute details as he prepares to leave for Oklahoma State University to study mechanical engineering.

“My dad has always been a big OU fan and my mom is an ORU fan, so it seemed wise to choose a neutral school,” he grins.

“Plus, OSU has an excellent engineering program.”

TIDINGS Fall 2015

UMW AND UMM

of the room when suddenly I felt something on my shoulder, a great weight pushing me down. I couldn’t stand, and I fell to my knees, bawling my eyes out. I knew I couldn’t make it on my own,” Tanner acknowledged.

“I found Mark Fowler, my youth pastor, and spilled my guts out to him. He prayed over me, and I just felt him pouring something into me. I felt different somehow. Later that night, Mark asked if anybody had a testimony, and I shared with the group what I had been doing. I had never shared before, and I had no idea how the kids would respond. They were amazing.

They gathered around me and prayed for me. I felt encircled in their love.”

He related further, “In the following week, I knew I had to share with my family what had happened. I wasn’t sure that I could bring myself to do it. It is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done. But I forced myself to confess. Mom was shocked. She said she had no idea. But our family came together.”

As God brought freedom to Tanner, he was also working in the lives of his family. “Last year, my mom went on the Kentucky SBM trip. It changed her life,” he reports.

Tanner started attending Asbury in junior high, but he said that church didn’t really have much meaning for him until he went on a mission trip to Kentucky in the 8th grade. “Everything changed,” he declared. “It was revival for me. It really sparked an interest in me. I started going to everything that was happening at church. I couldn’t get enough.”

Tanner, a percussionist, joined the Asbury orchestra. “I had started to play in 6th grade at Union and then decided to quit.

Playing in the church orchestra was just great. Everybody just took me in, as if I was family. They are awesome.”

When he was 4, Tanner joined a soccer team. He had always loved playing soccer and loved the camaraderie of being on a team. “To be accepted, I started hanging around the kids on the team, and in the 4th grade, I got into pornography,” he divulges.

“I felt guilty all the time, but I could not break the addiction. It was eating me alive—and for years, I really tried to break free, but I was powerless on my own.”

Then, as a sophomore, he attended Dayspring, a teen camp. “I heard a speaker who shared about stuff he was going through.

Everybody was worshiping. I was standing close to the back

“A year ago, my younger brother and sister were going to Disciple Camp. I was going to be a leader. Mom decided to go also. I urged my dad to join us. His paperwork was filled out and submitted. I was excited that our whole family was going to be together at camp.

“Then two weeks before the start of camp, my dad got a phone call, telling him that his paperwork had been lost. ‘Well, I guess I’m not supposed to go. That settles that,’ my Dad said. But I was very upset that he was not going to go with us. I tried to convince him to go. Dad admitted that he was intimidated at the thought of being a leader. But the next morning, because he knew it meant so much to me, Dad filled out the paperwork again and our whole family went to camp.

“Something happened to him on that trip, and he has never been the same. He changed. He is now a small group leader.”

Tanner recognizes that God has done a remarkable thing in his life. “I was addicted to porn for six years, and I have not had an urge to look for porn since God worked in my life. Not once. I know that is a miracle.”

Tanner would like to express his gratitude to the UMM for choosing him to receive the scholarship award. “It means so much to me that the men have honored me with this scholarship. I am very appreciative, and it will help my family,” he says. “I like how the men prayerfully made their decision.”

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

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DISCIPLESHIP

How Did It Come to This?

Connecting Adult Family Members

By Betty Higgins

F

amilies comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes. No matter what your family looks like, when people are thrown together by blood or relations and expected to spend a lifetime connected to each other, it will get messy sometimes.

Scripture abounds with examples of messy families, like Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, and Saul and Jonathan. God understands and always has a plan to reconnect and repair families.

The following is a true story. The names and a few small details are changed to protect the subjects.

Susan had a reasonably good childhood. She was the oldest of three children, raised by two parents who adored each other.

This was a time when moms stayed at home and dads worked 9–5. Her parents were busy people doing their best, trying to support their family on one salary and moving three times to follow jobs. Her parents loved their kids but were somewhat unengaged and carefree. Susan was sensitive and introverted, and much of the time she felt unheard and her feelings not validated.

As Susan grew older, she began to resent her parents. She repressed feelings of depression and loneliness, looking for affirmation in her academic achievements and self-sufficiency.

Susan’s resentment grew. As an adult, she rarely visited her parents except on the occasional holiday. She was in therapy for years trying to deal with her sadness and abandonment issues. Her parents were confused at the severed relationship but refused to go to therapy with her. In her late 40s, she decided her parents were too toxic and totally disconnected from them for 18 years. Even though she lived in the same town, she never saw or spoke to them again. They died in their 90s.

Unfortunately scenarios like this happen far too often. Someone perceives an offense, a parent is unaware of a hurt, an addiction starts, bad feelings marinate. Then disconnect occurs. Phone calls go unanswered, hurtful texts start and unwillingness to forgive sets in. The beautiful family unit God designed disintegrates.

any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’ The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings, for Genesis 3:23 – “So the Lord God banished him (Adam) from the Garden of Eden to work the ground from which he had been taken.”

So we see in scripture the original plan was for man to be connected with God, then original sin happened and man was disconnected from God. God’s ultimate design is for people and families to be connected to Him and to each other.

Do you feel disconnected from an adult family member?

Does God tug at your heart to repair the relationship, but you don’t know where to start? The fall roadmap class entitled “Connecting Adult Family Members” will provide ideas and encouragement through: exploring various cause for disconnected relationships, learning communication skills and behaviors to help bridge the gap, looking for wisdom in the Bible for healing in families, and discussing case studies of family relationships. It will be taught by Betty Higgins and Emily Curzon each Tuesday from September 22–November 27, 6:00–7:30 pm, Room 2821.

The story of God begins with connection. Adam was created and joined God in the Garden of Eden. Then God decided man needed a companion, someone to be connected to, so that “a man will be united to his wife and they will become one flesh.”

Genesis 2:24. Then comes original sin which disconnects man from God in Genesis 3:1–7: Now the serpent was more crafty than

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TIDINGS Fall 2015

DISCIPLESHIP

RoadMap Fall 2015 BIBLICAL STUDIES Acts Part 1, A Precepts Study Dee Paige Wednesdays, 6:00–8:00 pm Orientation September 9 Classes September 16– November 4 Room 1504 Cost $20 Believers Don Herrold Wednesdays, 6:00–8:00 pm September 9–December 9 Room 1508 No Cost Luke Part 2, A Precepts Study Nancy Staab Tuesdays, 9:30–11:00 am September 8–October 20 Room 1504 Cost $20 Good to Great In God’s Eyes Jackie Carter Wednesdays, 6:30–8:30 pm September 16–October 28 (Except 10/14) Room 2500 Cost $10 I Still Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist Dr. Pat Calhoun Wednesdays, 6:30–8:30 pm September 2–November 18 (Except 10/14) Room 1502 Cost $15

Revelation Gail Knox Wednesdays, 6:30–8:30 pm September 2–November 18 Room 2818 Cost $20

CARE Surviving the Holidays Grief Workshop Saturday, November 7 2:00–4:00 pm Room 2818 No Cost GriefShare Wednesdays 3:00–4:30 pm OR 6:00–7:30 pm August 26–December 9 (Except 11/25) Room 2319 Cost $15 Beyond GriefShare Wednesdays, 3:00–4:30 pm OR 6:00–7:30 pm August 26–December 9 (Except 11/25) Room 2319 Cost $15

FINANCIAL Financial Peace University John Curley Tuesdays, 6:00–8:00 pm September 8–November 10 Room 1508 Cost $95 (First class is a free preview session) Christian Estate and Legacy Planning Pastor Guy Ames

Wednesday 3:30–5:00 pm OR 7:00–8:30 pm September 9 Room 2500 No Cost

MARRIAGE & FAMILY Raising God-Reliant Children Betty Higgins Wednesdays, 6:00–8:00 pm September 9–October 21 (Except10/14) Room 1506 Cost $15 (Book) Reconnecting Adult Family Relationships Betty Higgins and Emily Curzon, LCSW Tuesdays, 6:00–7:30 pm September 22–October 27 Room 2821 No Cost

Child care hours: 6:00–8:45 pm

WOMEN Beth Moore Studies Cindy Read Tuesdays, 9:15–11:15 am September 15–November 17 Room 2818 Cost $20 Mother’s Fellowship Katie Ruley Wednesdays, 9:45–11:45 am September 9–November 18 (Except 10/14) Room 2821 Cost $10

Smart Stepfamilies Guy & Tammy Yoes, Michael & Traci Owen, Randy & Lindy Vier Wednesdays, 6:30–8:30 pm August 26–November 18 (Except 10/14) Room 2821 Cost: $25/couple 8 Great Dates No program.

Thursdays: August 13 September 10 October 8 November 12 Only cost is for child care: $5/ child, $20 family maximum.

ADULT BIBLE STUDIES FALL 2015

For more information, pick up a RoadMap brochure at any Guest Services desk or visit www.asburytulsa.org/roadmap. If you have questions, email discipleship@asburytulsa.org or contact Robin Brush at 918.392.1133.

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

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MEN’S MINISTRY

Christ’s Love on Wheels

By Marilyn Glass

M

ike Nalley has been deeply involved for about 15 years with the men’s car care ministry here at Asbury. It was the brainchild of Dub Ambrose and the men’s ministry.

Mike’s brother, Mitch, was instrumental in its beginnings. “One year after the ministry began, in June of 2001, my brother had a heart attack and died,” Mike relates.

The ministry was renamed Nalley’s Alley and together, he and Chris Meyer now provide leadership for this mission with the help of many dedicated members who have served faithfully over the years. The name reverted several years ago back to the Asbury Car Care Ministry to be more representative of the overall ministry outreach.

Mitch’s wife, Robbin, and daughter, Hannah, have also participated in the program from the beginning, along with other family members.

“We are committed to this ministry continuing to be a vital outreach into the community,” Mike affirms. “Community flyers and t-shirts have been made and distributed. We want to use anything we can to get the word out to those who might need it.”

The ministry provides car care maintenance, free of charge, to widows, those on a fixed budget, and single moms. “There is no requirement that you be a member of this church,” Mike points out.

that approximately 200 automobiles receive maintenance each year. That computes to at least 3,000 vehicles that have been maintained over the life of the ministry!

The volunteers are an integral part of the program. “Over the years, we have had hundreds of volunteers who have been so faithful,” Mike notes. “Of course, without them, this ministry could not operate.”

He explains, “Our volunteers meet clients as they drive in. They then go over the checklist and answer any questions. After the car has been detailed and inspected, an attendant returns the form and car keys to a greeter. The greeter then returns the keys to the owner and prays with her. Afterwards, the client is walked to her car, and volunteers check mirrors for proper alignment. It is a wonderful bridge to the community.”

Mike is very impressed by the children who help. “They are amazing,” he marvels. I am so thankful for everything they do.

Three of our children have won awards for their outstanding faithfulness and contribution to this ministry.”

Matthew 25:40 proclaims, “Inasmuch as you have done it to the least of these, you have done it unto me.” In 21st century America, Mike, Chris and generous volunteers are bringing to life this ancient truth.

A serviced vehicle goes through three separate stations. The first is a systems/engine check. Fluid levels for the transmission, power steering and brakes are tested; belts, tires, battery—and more—are also inspected.

At the second station, the interior is touched up. The car is vacuumed, the windows and the dash are wiped clean.

Lastly, the exterior receives a wash/dry, and Armor All is applied to the tires and bumpers.

To use the service, a client simply has to fill out a general information form which asks for name, address, phone number and auto information.

“The ladies who come in are phenomenal,” Mike enthuses.

“They are so sweet and appreciative. We have established a good relationship with several of them. Some of them come back repeatedly.”

Car care ministry services are available on the second Saturday of alternating months, from 8:30 am to noon. Mike estimates

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TIDINGS Fall 2015

GRANDPA JOHN

Life Is Like a Day

By John C. Westervelt

T

he day begins with dark turning to light. A baby leaves the darkness of its mother’s womb for the light of day. First as a baby, then as a child, each day brings new beginnings. Boys discover girls. It works the other way too. Marriage follows completion of schooling. The cycle repeats itself.

The children have children of their own. Mom and Dad, now in their 50s, are grandparents.

It is as if the sun were at high noon, and it is half over. The poet said, “The best is yet to be.”

In many ways this is true. A man and his wife can take a trip just for enjoyment without worrying about whether the children are out too late.

By mid-afternoon, there is an offsite wedding of that beautiful granddaughter. Though travel is not as easy as it once was, I must go to be sure the young man is good enough for this perfect girl.

Daylight is almost spent when I move into Oklahoma Methodist Manor retirement home. My children and grandchildren are free to follow their careers, for the staff where I live takes care of me. My second floor apartment has a sliding glass door to a balcony facing west. I look over the tops of the trees covering midtown Tulsa.

As the sun sets, God paints the horizon in shades of orange. I stop and look, for I have the time. I remember those I have loved. I invite them, both deceased and living, to stand beside me and share God’s beauty. We all feel warm, not from the sun, but from our relationships. I want to touch each one, but I dare not for fear of not wanting to turn loose.

Finally, I stand alone. It is dark once more. Day is done.

Postscript Lest you think from my metaphor that my demise is anytime soon, let me say that I anticipate more good years. The metaphor placed in my mind by the Holy Spirit is something I am not surprised to receive because I am on the last leg of life.

Swallowing became difficult for me with a worn out flapper valve that opens the throat to the lungs or the stomach. Ten months ago, I got a PEG tube that provided me with a new lease on life. Five times a day I pour a Nestlé nutritional drink down the tube. I have gained back the ten pounds I lost. I feel good. I go to exercise class five days a week at Oklahoma Methodist Manor.

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

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

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

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ASBURY FOUNDATION

Building a Legacy of Generosity

By Guy Ames

W

hen Methodism’s founder, John Wesley, wrote, “earn all you can, save all you can, give all you can,” he understood the power of generosity. His ministry in the 1800’s to England’s poor helped to transform the nation one person at a time. Teaching new Christians the importance of strong Christian money-management, the second generation of “Methodists” became the first middle class society of modern history. Those earning, saving and giving Christians were able to build colleges and hospitals and churches for future generations. For the next 150 years, millions of individuals encountered the Living Christ because of the investments of that first generation of Methodists.

Building a legacy of generosity first begins with a strong understanding of Christian stewardship. Jesus taught more about the importance of possessions, giving, money-management and the impact of money than almost any other single topic. Why? Because, “where your money is, there will your heart be also.”

(Matthew 6: 21). Jesus’ question for followers would be, “does money rule your life or does God rule your money?” Christian stewardship emphasizes how we manage what we have left, not merely giving away a portion of what we have received.

The spiritual connection between money and life becomes clear when financial difficulties, health crises, loss of a job, or overwhelming debt overwhelms our lives. At times like these, some of us benefit from the support of other knowledgeable Christians. For these reasons, Asbury offers both Financial Peace University for those seeking help with debt and Dave Ramsey’s Legacy Journey, a seven-week specialized course for financial planning, investing and the psychology of money management. In addition, the Asbury Foundation offers a one evening Christian Estate Planning Seminar for those interested in learning more about estate planning, wills and trusts. (See exact dates and times on page 19.)

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Jesus taught that financial freedom follows when we let God rule our things and our stuff. That happens when we learn to hold things loosely. We challenged our congregation to give sacrificially toward a new building and Marge called to visit.

Marge’s only income was Social Security, and she had nothing left to spare. “I am making a $1500 pledge,” she shouted in the phone. With incredible excitement she shared her plan with me.

“I have two luxuries in life, my morning paper and my two diet drinks a day,” she told me. “I have canceled my paper because I can share my neighbor’s paper after he finishes his morning read, and then I’m cutting back to one Diet Coke a day. That saves me $500 a year!” She joyfully exclaimed. “I’m so excited to be able to share in God’s work here. Thank you for letting me give.” After that conversation I remembered Paul’s words to the Corinthian Church: “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. …Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” (2 Corinthians 9: 6–11) For more information, contact Pastor Guy Ames, games@ asburytulsa.org.

TIDINGS Fall 2015

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Deaths Shirley Mapes died 6/20/2015 Betty Wood died 7/21/2015, mother of Jan Kent Dan Vinyard died 7/25/2015, son of Randy & Debbie Vinyard

Madeline Crowell died 7/22/2015, mother of Cathy Anello & Lisa (Greg) Brandon Rae Leet died 7/31/2015 Mark Holmes died 8/8/2015, son of Jayne Ann Holmes

Milestone Anniversaries 55 YEARS Ron & Betty Wadley 09/02/60 Jim & Linda Pat Colgan 09/03/60 Perry & Yvonne Partney 09/16/60 Jim & Ann Schulz 09/29/60 Don & Sandy Nowlin 10/14/60 Dewey & Oralene Sherbon 09/30/60

Ron & Betty Wadley 09/02/60

Jim & Linda Pat Colgan 09/03/60

Perry & Yvonne Partney 09/16/60

Jim & Ann Schulz 09/29/60

Don & Sandy Nowlin 10/14/60

John & Donna Miller 08/29/65

50 YEARS John & Donna Miller 08/29/65 Stephen & Nancy Smith 10/02/65

45 YEARS Mike & Sandy Mastraccio 08/21/70

40 YEARS Gary & Suzanne Ruckgaber 09/03/75

25 YEARS Merle & Jane Martindale 10/06/90

Stephen & Nancy Smith 10/02/65

Fall 2015 TIDINGS

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

New Members

Jim and Sandy Conner

Jerry Harris

Steve and Jill Little

Paula Rogers with Grace

Nancy Rothman

John and Gay Ward

Next Steps to Joining Asbury 1. Attend a Joining Asbury luncheon.

If you are interested in joining Asbury or finding out more about us, please plan to attend one of the Joining Asbury luncheons held monthly.

At the luncheon, you will meet the pastors, find out more about Asbury’s vision and hear about worship, growth and influence opportunities that are available to you.

Luncheons will take place on the following dates from 12:15–2:15 pm in the Parlor: • • • •

September 20 October 11 November 8 December 13

Lunch is provided, and child care is available for 6 weeks to 6th grade. Call 918.392.1191 or register online at myasburytulsa.org.

2. Visit with a pastor.

After you attend the Joining Asbury luncheon, visit with a pastor. Sign up sheets are available at the luncheon.

3. Schedule to join.

Join on New Member Sunday, which is normally the second Sunday of each month.

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TIDINGS Fall 2015

Worship Times 8:00 am Traditional Service in Mason Chapel

Looking for Tidings Opportunities?

9:15 am Traditional Service in Sanctuary

We’ve moved that information to Asbury’s Resource Area located in the main lobby.

11:00 am Modern Service in Sanctuary

You can also find information online at www.asburytulsa.org.

General Information 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.

After-hour Emergencies 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.

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

FAMILY

FALL EVENT October 31

1:00–4:00 pm More information available soon.