Standing Up to Make a Difference by Asbury Church

SUMMER 2017

Standing Up to Make a Difference

PASTOR TOM

A Word From Tom Harrison As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. (Matthew 4:18-20) Fishing on the Sea of Galilee was probably a good business. Peter and Andrew, James and John probably had some great fish stories. But following Jesus was the adventure of a lifetime. Following Jesus would have been an introduction into the unknown and the unnerving. Jesus did not say, “Just sit there and listen to Me talk and watch Me perform miracles.” Rather, they were invited to an entirely different way of life. It all began with a response to His call to leave what they were doing and to follow Him.

Libera in Concert August 6, 6 pm, Sanctuary About Libera

With shimmering, mystical chords and ecstatic harmonies, they are unlike any other group you have ever heard. These are truly sounds to lift the soul. Celestial sounds for a new time. The singers of Libera who are aged seven to sixteen attend many different local schools in South London and come from a variety of backgrounds. The universal appeal of the unique sound of Libera has endeared the group to fans all over the world, and they pack concert halls appearing in their trademark flowing white robes on imaginatively lit stages.

The people in this Tidings are following Jesus and helping others follow Him, too. They have found Jesus to be “the Way, the Truth and the Life.” He gives us eternal and abundant life. He gives us purpose in this life, too.

Performances:

· Concert performances in Krakow as part of the 2016 World Youth Day, and featured performer during the climactic Vigil, in the presence of Pope Francis and 1.2 million pilgrims

I did not grow up with the personality, temperament or drive to be a pastor or to have any public speaking role at all. I was a shy kid who preferred anonymity in the classroom to being called upon to speak. I changed when Jesus came into my heart when I was 14 ½ years old. I still had very limited communication gifts, but I did

· Papal Mass at the climax of Pope Benedict XVI’s first visit to the USA. Performing to a capacity congregation of 60,000 at New York’s Yankee Stadium · Appearance on the Tonight Show, with Jay Leno · Concerts and Masses in UK Cathedrals including Westminster Abbey; Buckfast Abbey; St Georges Cathedral, London; Beverley Minster; Clifton Cathedral; Arundel Cathedral; Guildford Cathedral; Bristol Cathedral; St Anne’s Cathedral, Edinburgh.

Contents SUMMER 2017 Asbury Tidings is a quarterly 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.

A Word from Tom Harrison

The Joy of Serving

Impact the Nations Simply by Caring

Relationships Are Born in Small Groups

Not Too Young to Be Baptized

Trusting God, Even in Grief

An Ordinary Family– Empowered to do the Extraordinary! Cherishing and Training our Students

12 14

Standing Up to Make a Difference

Miracle Grow

Responding to God’s Call

Field Experience

God, Rosie, and the Zeoli Family

Worshipping Outside the Pews

My Testimony

God at Work–Even on Vacation!

My Path to Salvation Started Under a Tree Special Announcements

33 35

have a new desire to share with others the most meaningful experience of my young life. A month after my conversion experience, my 9th grade friends, Jamie and Don, told me that they had noticed I had changed. Tears immediately came to my eyes. I was not ashamed as they flowed. I said something like this, “I don’t know how to explain it, but I asked Jesus to come into my life. He did. He forgave me of my sins. I am a new person now.” Following Jesus changed me. It changed what I wanted to talk about and what I wanted to do. I wanted to be with other Christians, talk about my faith, pray, sing and read the Bible. I even wanted to give my money for the purposes of God. I wasn’t very good with any of it, but over the years, I’ve grown. So many others helped me along the way to find and follow Jesus. Now I’m spending my life as a way of saying “thank you!” to the Lord for His forgiveness and for the gift of eternal life. As the quote goes: “I’m just one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread.” We all have our own stories to tell. Many were birthed out of painful experiences. Others originated from places of ignorance or fear. Some, like mine, were dramatic beginnings while others were gradual progressions. But the thing that unites our stories is that we are folks of all generations who not only follow Jesus but earnestly desire that others follow Him, too.

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.

MARCH / APRIL 2016 TIDINGS

We want to invite YOU into this relationship with Jesus: “Come, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” The invitation is given. But we have got to get up out of our boats and follow Him. Like the witnesses in this Tidings, we can find a way to go fishing, too. This is when our faith truly becomes alive.

Dr. Tom Harrison, Senior Pastor

Editor: Asbury Communications Department, 918.392.1140, kmains@asburytulsa.org Graphic Design: Thomas Bradford, tbradford@asburytulsa.org Photographers: Mark Moore (mark moore.photo.net) Guest Contributors: Jim Davis, Lucienda Denson, Stephanie Hurd, Karen Johnson, Missy Lenhart, Carrie Neff, Dick Read, David Thomas, Lisa Witcher, Athena Zeoli

DISCIPLESHIP

The Joy of Serving

Alex and Rachel Fish and Owen

by Lucienda Denson

Alex and Rachel Fish obviously believe it’s never too early to teach children the value — and the joy — of Christian service. Their son, Owen, is already bringing smiles to the people Alex and Rachel come in contact within their duties in Guest Services as greeters and ushers. Married for six years, both Alex and Rachel were brought up from infancy in strong, supportive, churchattending Christian families. From there the similarities part. Alex grew up with very large local family presence, with dozens of aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents surrounding him. Large family gatherings of 30 or more were and continue to be the norm for the Fish family. Rachel was blessed with a close, but much smaller, extended family living in Tulsa— just her two

grandparents and her family of four, all long-time members of Asbury. Rachel, however, is also quite comfortable with Sunday lunches, holiday and campout gatherings of 30-plus due to a close circle of Asbury family friends. “Growing up at Asbury, my parents were part of an active small group which arose from their church community. This circle of friends is who I grew up with. With so many shared experiences and exciting times together, these families and their children essentially became my Tulsa aunts and uncles and cousins.” Alex and Rachel’s vision for Owen is that he will reap the benefit of both worlds. Already blessed by Alex’s large family, Owen’s parents hope to also secure the life-long family friendships Rachel experienced, derived from their own close-knit Asbury community, Rooted. Rachel

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and Alex expect a crowded home, filled with laughter and love for many holidays and special times for years to come. When Alex and Rachel are hosting in Guest Services, they are usually in the cascade section, which is upstairs near the children’s ministry; Rachel typically holds Owen as they greet the entering congregation, while Alex hands out the church bulletins. “Owen makes a lot of people smile,” Alex said of his cheerful son. “I think we are more approachable,” Rachel said. “When you have an infant with you, people are instantly drawn to the child.” An instant ice breaker, Owen allows the adults to connect more quickly.

our community and also go to church. We still hear the lesson while we are serving, so it serves us very well,” Rachel said. “It helps us get connected in the church.” “Pastors can’t be there 100 percent of the time,” Alex said. “The bigger the church, the harder it is to get plugged in.” “That’s where programs like Guest Services become so important,” he said. “Asbury is a very large church. Participating in one or more of the church’s many service opportunities helps it become a small church, both for the person serving, and the person being served.”

Alex has been very active in Guest Services for three years, and views what he and Rachel do as a form of ministry. “We chose Guest Services. It was an opportunity to serve

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Impacting the Nations Simply by Caring By Carrie Neff Why do I go on mission trips? The answer is simple. I go to serve. Being on a mission trip is a blessing for me, more of an impact than I get by staying at home. But I guess that’s the best secret of mission trips - you are the one impacted! For me, a mission trip is like attending a symphony. I get to see God orchestrate a beautiful arrangement of His mighty power. He takes all the different instruments and puts them together to make beautiful music. I see Him open the eyes of those who serve and hear the excitement of children hearing the word of God in a fun, interactive way. I sit in wonder of how God provides for those who are faithful to follow Him even when they are unsure what the future holds as they share God’s love. This summer will mark my fourth mission trip, and with each mission trip I get a chance to grow in my faith. In 2013, I was asked simply, “Do you want to go to Ecuador?” I was in Dr. Story’s Disciple Bible Study when one of my group members handed me that invitation. Little did I know that question would spark an interest that I never imagined I had. I love to travel, but traveling is a personal interest of mine. This trip was putting others first and not simply a relaxing vacation. There was a hesitancy to say yes because I had been attending Asbury less than a year. I wasn’t even a member of the church. However, I was attracted to the idea of seeing the world so I signed on. Ecuador was quite an adventure for me, to say the least. I had to learn to open up and be accepting of the help of others. I also had to learn how to take initiative and step up where I was needed rather than wait to be told where to go. The biggest lesson God taught me was how to be open to other cultures and how people experience God within their culture. It was overall a great experience, but I wasn’t sure if I would go on another mission trip because I was out of my comfort zone. The next year someone asked me that simple question again. “Do you want to go to Estonia?” I serve in the children’s ministry on Sundays, and a volunteer was sharing with the kids about how he went to Parnu, Estonia, and helped the church with Vacation Bible School. His stories reminded me of my childhood and how much I loved VBS. So my attempt at small talk turned into my saying yes to another mission trip. Being in Estonia was a great introduction to learning how to watch God’s handiwork even when you feel unequipped for the task at-hand. During that trip, I helped teach handbells (something I hadn’t done for years) so the kids could learn a song

in English. They were so grateful and excited to have us there that they didn’t care how badly I played. The relationships I started building with my team became a huge impact in my life and my walk of faith. After that trip, I was thinking I would go to different places and decided I probably wouldn’t return to Parnu. After all, God is everywhere, so I can serve him wherever I go. But two years later, I returned to Parnu. The catalyst for my return was the relationships I made on the previous trip. When I learned some of the same team members were going again, they easily convinced me to come with them. And I am so glad God allowed me to go. During this trip, I had the amazing opportunity to see how God was telling me that I needed fellowship with believers. My team members embraced me and encouraged me to go deeper in my faith. By doing so, I was able to see God’s work even more during this trip. It was rewarding to see the children around town displaying their crafts made during VBS. It was also humbling to see how each year their VBS captures the attention of more and more children. It was inspiring how open the church’s volunteers were to us and how welcoming they were even when we were not sure in what way we needed to assist them. I also learned the power of prayer. Our team had some amazing prayer warriors. I have never seen myself as much of a prayer warrior, but when I saw them praying I was touched by how prayer strengthen them. It was amazing to witness this power and encouraging to me that someday I can be like them. This summer I will be going to Nicaragua with 1Nation1Day. Again, God is pushing me out of my comfort zone with the massive size of this mission trip. I have always worked with kids, but this time I will help with the medical team, and I couldn’t be more excited. I am praying more fervently for the trip than I have for another mission trip. I am looking forward to seeing how this team will work together. Our group leader told us to expect a miracle. Had this been my first mission trip, I probably would have a little seed of doubt of witnessing a miracle. However, because of my experiences with mission trips and knowing how much my faith has grown during these experiences, I am looking forward to seeing that miracle.

being willing to serve is enough to make an impact on others. I do not see myself playing an amazing, significant role in someone’s life during any of my trips, but what I do see is our team, together, doing something amazing. Our teams get to support, encourage and lift others who may be limited in their resources as they share Christ’s love. We get to remind them that they are not alone in this commission. We witness God’s children (yes, both young and old) embrace his love by simply being there. It does not take a great sermon to show love. All it takes is being present and willing to step into someone’s life for the day to remind them how much they are loved in God’s eyes. There is the added benefit of being reminded yourself of God’s provision and blessings and love. He reminds us that we all have the opportunity to leave an impact on each other. It doesn’t matter if you are a missionary or not. We are called to love and have the daily choice to put on that armor of God and serve.

Yes, the goal of a mission trip is to share the love of Christ. Yes, my original motivation may have been to see the world. But God is good. He knows how to take even a self-interest motive and use it for His glory. He was able to help me see that sharing the love of Christ does not have to be like a Billy Graham crusade. Simply being with people in their environment and Carrie Neff

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

CHILDREN

Relationships Are Born in Small Groups By Lucienda Denson Cheryl Baker knows a thing or two about life not going according to plans.

“I didn’t like the classroom experience,” Cheryl said, “But I love the small group environment.”

She has a teaching degree but really wanted to work with special-needs children. When she graduated college with what she thought was the degree she needed to do that, she learned she would need to get a master’s degree as well. “My late husband and I decided we couldn’t afford to do that, so I went to work at the YMCA (in Wichita, Kansas). … I was the only woman teaching the men’s exercise classes.”

She’s involved in a group of about seven youngsters, 3rd through 5th grades. It’s partly a place for them to be with other people their own age who attend Asbury. Volunteers talk with the kids, play games, ask questions, talk about a particular scripture and, in general, just hang out. The adults are there partially in a supervisory role but mostly to answer questions. The kids get to interact with teenage mentors who not only answer questions but are role models.

Cheryl doesn’t dislike children; she just wasn’t used to being around them. She explains, “I was the baby, and while I had younger cousins that I enjoyed, I never babysat as a teen or had much experience with kids. My friends all had younger siblings and all seemed more comfortable with kids than I was. My interest in special-needs kids came from an uncle who was developmentally disabled. My grandmother was involved in setting up social activities for disabled adults, and I spent a lot of time with disabled children and adults. But ‘normal’ kids were a mystery. My student teaching in an ‘open concept elementary school’ (no walls, three classrooms in one large area, 80 distracted 3rd graders...) totally put me off classroom teaching.” After her marriage, Cheryl was blessed with two children, Brian and Jamie. When they were older, Cheryl began teaching Sunday school and helping with Vacation Bible School, and discovered she really enjoyed working with small groups of children. “So, my journey with volunteering with children can be summed up by ‘with obedience comes joy.’ Getting to know kids, just being kind of a guide and having fun is a whole lot more fun. I didn’t know how to talk to kids, but you don’t have to. You just have to listen.” Her life took another unexpected turn when her first husband died. “I didn’t expect to remarry,” Cheryl said. Time passed, and her direction changed again. In 1988, she married Jeff Baker. “He worked at Boeing. I moved here, and we started going to Asbury immediately.” At Asbury, she found another perfect mix of working with children outside the classroom experience in the church’s small groups. Her current small groups assignment is for 3rd through 5th graders.

One of the people Cheryl has bonded with is Hannah Sutterfield. Hannah is 10. She has just finished 4th grade and will be in 5th grade this fall. Melissa Sutterfield, Hannah’s mother, said when Hannah arrives at the small group, she immediately looks for Cheryl. “She makes me feel happy,” Hannah said. Melissa said the two have a special bond. Part of that bond is because Hannah is shy. “I’m an introvert, and Hannah’s father is an extrovert. She’s like me,” Melissa said. Hannah is a good student and makes good grades. Her favorite subjects are math, and “maybe reading,” and she “likes to play soccer.” Cheryl will stay with basically the same small group even as they advance to the next age level. The concept is especially beneficial for children who, like Hannah, may take a little longer to establish friendships and connections with new people. “She is beginning to do that,” Melissa said. The small group sessions actually begin with a big group lesson. It includes all the small groups, then everyone goes to their individual groups. The small group lets the children apply the large group lesson to their lives and reinforces it. Melissa is encouraged with the feeling of community the small groups provide. Hannah is beginning to become less shy, but it still takes some time for her to become comfortable with new people. Melissa believes that small groups will not only serve Hannah well in her church life, it will help her establish a network of friends that is likely to last a lifetime. Cheryl Baker and Hannah Sutterfield

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

WORSHIP

Not Too Young to Be Baptized! By Lucienda Denson

Last year, at the age of 9, Dallas Ellsworth made a faith decision; he decided to be baptized. It wasn’t a last-minute decision. Asbury United Methodist Church has always been a part of Dallas’ life as his family has attended Asbury for four generations. Dallas lives with his grandmother, Elizabeth Ellsworth. Each Sunday, they attend worship services with Kathleen Buffington, his great-grandmother. Dallas has been going to Asbury since he was a baby in the nursery, Elizabeth said. He has been involved in the 2nd Saturday community outreach projects since he was 7, and played basketball with the Asbury Upward teams. He is currently a 5th grader at Jenks East and also plays baseball and football. He attends Sunday worship services with his grandmother and greatgrandmother. When asked did he agree with some people his age who think being a Christian leads to an uneventful and boring life, Dallas answered “no.” He doesn’t think being a Christian keeps him from having fun. He can serve Jesus and still have fun! Kathleen and Elizabeth were surprised when Dallas told them he wanted to be baptized. “We talked about baptism and the meaning of it. We met with Pastor Tom about a week ahead

Elizabeth Ellsworth and Dallas

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

of time. Pastor Tom challenged him and asked him if he understood what baptism meant, and did he know the story about Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist. “Dallas, I think, showed a lot of maturity in wanting to follow Jesus in water baptism, and the symbolism of becoming a new person after going into the water, and the Holy Spirit coming down upon Jesus in the form of a dove. We were surprised when Dallas was so insistent on meeting Pastor Tom about getting baptized,” continued Elizabeth. Approximately a year before he was baptized, Dallas said he began to think how joyful it would be to be baptized, knowing God loves us. Dallas was offered the choice of sprinkling or immersion for his baptism. He knew baptism was an ancient Jewish and Christian rite, and that Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, so he elected immersion. Dallas said he believes baptism does wash away sins. He walked into the water, and Pastor Tom took hold of him and eased him into the water. When he came up, he said he felt “My sins that were in my body weren’t there anymore. I felt like a new person.” When asked what prompted him to make the decision to be baptized, he said he knew someday he would die. “I really wanted to enjoy life being with God, and someday, when I die, I want to enjoy being with God and Jesus.” That knowledge was reinforced by the death of his father, Aaron. “My father was happy that I was baptized. Now that I think about it, being baptized actually makes me feel that whenever I die, I will actually be able to enjoy more time with him (his father). I will be able to spend time with my father, and with God and Jesus.”

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

LIFECARE

Trusting God, Even in Grief By Lucienda Denson

Johnny and Heather Fuller know the heartfelt joy of having a close and loving family. Their four children range in age from 2 years to 11 years old. Selah, their youngest, is 2. Andrew is 7, Isaac, 8, and Hannah, 11.

“One of the hardest things for a man to go through after experiencing the loss of a child is the conflict of knowing he needs to be strong to care for and protect his wife when what he also wants to do is give in to his own grief,” he said.

Ally, the Fuller’s second child, died when she was 8 months old. It is still their hardest loss, Johnny said.

“I think the way to be a strong man is by encouraging your wife. A lot of the pain is seeing her pain; Heather would blame herself and feel responsible. I would try to encourage her by assuring her that it was not her fault, and there was nothing she could have done to extend Ally’s life. The Bible says our days are numbered – and we believe God is the source of life.

Heather is from Mississippi, and Johnny from Dallas. They met while they were studying at Dallas Baptist University. Johnny had been called to the ministry when he was a freshman in college. It was a strong call, and he responded immediately. Heather worked in the registrar’s office with Johnny’s step-mother. But, both were dating other people when they met! “I remember looking at his picture (on his step-mother’s desk) and thinking, he is so cute, I could never get a guy like that”, Heather commented. A few months later, Johnny asked her to attend church with him, and now they’ve been married 17 years. Five years into married life, the Fullers began their family. Their first and sixth pregnancies ended in miscarriage. Ally, their second child, was carried to term, but then lost as the result of a tragic accident eight months later. “It’s so unnatural to lose a young child, to pick out a baby coffin for a child who has had very little time on this earth, and to ask what is his/her purpose,” Johnny said. He now recognizes Ally did indeed have purpose, and she is part of their testimony. “Not only do you grieve your own loss – the empty arms you have – you also grieve for the loss of what she and her sister (Hannah) could have had together. You wonder what kind of a people they would have grown up to become (if they had experienced time together),” Heather said. Johnny said it was hard watching their sons grow up together as playmates, knowing that, had Ally lived, Hannah would also have had a friend to grow up with. While paramedics were trying to save Ally, Heather went into a closet, fell on her knees and pleaded for God to give her back. “But God had a different plan. I know someday we will see her again. It changes your whole perspective. You have to take each moment as it comes. There are times you feel like you’re drowning in grief. You have to just let go to grieve.” “The grieving process has to happen before you can move on,” Johnny added. When the paramedics finally told them Ally was gone, Johnny said he cried out to God, asking why He would let that happen, since Heather was a good mommy.

Johnny and Heather Fuller with Selah, Andrew, Isaac and Hannah

TIDINGS SPRING 2017

“I think it’s okay for a man to cry. I would let go and bawl when I was alone. I’ve often thought it might have helped her if I had been with her when I grieved. But I felt like I needed to be strong.” Johnny said late at night was the hardest, and he would often experience what felt like panic from the silence. “Ally was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it. I had no control over the situation.” Often, it was friends reaching out who helped them endure the unendurable. That help came in the form of food, cleaning, home improvements, and with just the day-today things of life. This allowed Johnny and Heather to feel the love of Christ in a practical way. “Being in a situation when it is so obvious you are out of control brings to light that we don’t have control of our life in general. We can choose how we respond to things, but we’re not going to go through a life without problems. It is in times of difficulty that we become most aware of our need for Christ, and the greatest spiritual growth takes place.” Johnny said people need to remember they are not in control, that God is ultimately the only one in control. “We have a plan for our lives, but our ways are often not His ways. We need to remember we are totally dependent on Christ in all areas of life.” God revealed Himself in an intimate way during the most tragic situation in Johnny’s and Heather’s lives. His faithfulness and undeniable presence during that time is what led to their holistic healing, and to bringing them closer to each other and Him. Although they will never consider their family as complete on this side of heaven, they know that whatever life brings, Christ will sustain them. Because of Him, they can hold onto the hope that He gives. To read more of Johnny and Heather’s story, go to http:// www.newlifesymphony.com/founder-and-director.php.

SPRING 2017 TIDINGS

CHILDREN

view cloud our relationship with God. We never stopped believing and knew our faith was something we could always rely on, and we wanted to give our daughter the same opportunity to know God. We had been listening to this guy named Tom Harrison on the radio and enjoyed his “Perceptions” of everyday life and decided to give Asbury a try. We began attending on a regular basis, Andrea attending Sunday school while we attended worship. Summer rolled around, and there was a sign posted on the children’s area doors that read something to the effect of “unless you want to take your angel to worship with you, you need to sign up to serve in the classroom for at least one Sunday this summer.” Kim Renkema has always been very direct in her approach to recruiting volunteers, and I love her for that! Mike and I briefly discussed this request on the way home and agreed that this must be meant for the members, not newcomers like us. So the next Sunday, Kim said “I don’t see your names on the list to volunteer yet.” We explained that we were not members yet, but Kim made it clear that membership was not a criteria. Summertime meant “all hands on deck” so that the regular volunteers could have a much needed break. This is how our service at Asbury began, and God has been leading us to service through Asbury ever since.

Mike & Missy Lenhart, Andrea, Ray, David, Avery

An Ordinary Family— Empowered to Do the Extraordinary! By Missy Lenhart

As we walked out of the 8 am service on April 23, after an outstanding message from Steven Haas of World Vision, my youngest daughter Avery, age 7, turned to me and said “Mom, I have $60 at home, I really don’t need all of it. I want to give $50 to help kids who need it more than me. Our family already has so much, and I really don’t need any more toys.” They had been studying the character trait of humility in AsburyKids, and I could see the Holy Spirit working in her heart, giving her compassion for those less fortunate. That Sunday, God revealed to her how she could make a difference. Since the mission project in the kids’ area for the month of April was collecting food for Restore Hope, and with Restore Hope Sunday only a couple of weeks away, she decided she would contribute her money

to Restore Hope, knowing this would help children and families in her own community. It is a joyful and proud moment as a parent when you witness your child do something so selfless for the benefit of others. It is even more touching to watch them grow in their relationship with Christ and learn to listen to the Holy Spirit and move into action. This is what our church does; we prepare all generations for significant life in Christ. No role is too big or too small to make a difference. Mike and I began attending Asbury in 1998. Our oldest daughter Andrea was about 18 months old. We had both grown up in church, but as adults we had let our worldly

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

We placed membership the first time in 2001, but in 2005 we purchased a house in Coweta and were led to serve in our local Methodist church. Even then, Asbury was working in our lives. FUMC in Coweta is a very small church and did not have budget available at the time for children’s curriculum. They had a Sunday school class for older children, but up to 3rd grade the kids stayed in the nursery during the Sunday school hour. Some other moms and myself wanted to start a Sunday school for pre-k – 2nd grade, but didn’t have curriculum available except what was available online. I contacted Kim to find out if Asbury had any curriculum that was no longer being used and was surprised when she said that my call was an answered prayer. They had several books, leftover craft supplies, etc. that they needed to pass on so that they could use the space for new materials. Even better, the curriculum was the same curriculum I had been using at Asbury before we moved to Coweta so it was very familiar and comfortable. Through the generosity of Asbury, a new Sunday school program was started and several children had the opportunity to know God from a young age. Many of these children later accepted Jesus as their personal savior through confirmation. God is so good! By 2010, we had four children, ages 9 months to 13 years! Although we loved being part of our local church and serving in our community, we returned to Asbury because of the strong programming it offered to all our kids, in

diverse stages of childhood and adolescence. As a result, we have seen all of our kids develop their own personal relationship with Christ and begin to identify their spiritual gifts. Andrea was 13 when we returned and beginning her 8th grade year in school. We were encouraged to get her into a small group where she was immediately able to meet girls her own age, going through the same life challenges. Her friends convinced her that she should sign up for the Spring Break Mission trip in Kentucky. She did and her life was transformed. It was through Spring Break Missions that she discovered her passion for people, especially children. She has had the opportunity to go to Kentucky, Jamaica, Guatemala and Rio Bravo. I had the privilege to serve alongside her for two years in Guatemala and this past spring break in Memphis where she was a college leader. Watching God move through her and witnessing her boldness on these trips has been an inspiration. Our son Ray, now 15, has been able to turn his passion for music into a means to serve. The summer before 8th grade at Disciple Camp, he felt God calling him to ministry. He shared this call with Mark Fowler and began discussing what this call he was feeling meant. He and a group of friends volunteered to lead worship for the Kentucky SBM trip. These kids began rehearsing in October so that they would be ready in March. They poured their heart into the worship time, and we could feel His presence through them. Most recently, as a result of Serve2, Ray has had the opportunity to work as well as lead worship in AsburyKids. David, age 10, has become our prayer warrior. Last fall, AsburyKids selected prayer as their monthly mission project. Prayer cards came home with a prayer theme for each day. David and Avery took turns leading the family each night, and I saw David’s desire to pray grow, not only for our family, but friends, neighbors and even enemies. Soon the month was over, but David has continued this prayer time in our family and actively listens and seeks needs that he can raise to God in prayer. When Tom says “the people who get more out of life are those that give and not take” he could not be more spot on! I have had the opportunity to serve in children’s ministry, children’s choir and spring break missions for nearly 20 years. Not only do I get weekly hugs from sweethearts such as Max Lawson, I get to know the kids and listen to their stories, and witness God working in their lives. In addition, I have watched my own kids develop their identity in Christ and grow in their desire to serve. We are just an ordinary family, but through Asbury, God has empowered us to do the extraordinary. God is so faithful and has returned our service ten-fold.

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Cherishing and Training our Students By Lisa Witcher

Everyday love, every day… Joe and Ruth (known affectionately as “Fufi”) Brower are “the embodiment of the spirit of outreach in the Asbury community” offers Gabe Stoops, one of the many students with whom the Browers have served on missions. Having served hundreds of high school and college students while on mission in Guatemala and Mexico, the Browers believe that these mission trips change lives. They are quick to praise Asbury and the work that is done to prepare students to travel and work in a far-away country; however, they also believe that “God has something specifically planned for us” whether we live in Tulsa or Guatemala or Mexico. Part of God’s plan for the Browers includes pouring light into the lives of the youth of Asbury. Ruth captures this thought so well, “When you first go on mission trips, you really think you are going only to build relationships with those you are serving; then you see that you are lifetime friends with those you are serving with as well as those you chose to serve.” After 12 Spring Break Mission trips to Guatemala, Papa Joe and Fufi, as our kids know them, continue to both rejoice in and seek more relationships with youth as they serve Tulsa and communities abroad. Papa Joe says, “It is our mission trip, our way to serve by loving, encouraging and being a parent figure sometimes.” Joe develops these in-depth relationships working closely with students by sharing his love of the outdoors, the complexities of electricity, or the finer skills of building. One student pursued a degree in engineering because of Joe’s influence. “By teaching life skills to students, we build relationships and show them that serving, an action we are all called to do, can be rewarding in a multitude of ways.” One of those earthly rewards lies in being called Papa Joe by kids who have chosen Joe Brower as a father figure. In addition to pouring into our kids during Spring Break Missions, Joe and Ruth bring a well-spring of hope to underprivileged or underserved individuals in countries like Guatemala and Tanzania. They speak of cherishing the uncherished and valuing the undervalued. Joe and Ruth model being a learner to the students they lead on mission trips. Ruth

relates one story about encouraging the women of Tanzania to teach our young girls how to cook over an open flame, how to open a coconut with a machete, prepare ugali and carry a baby. Valuing these Tanzanian women serves two purposes: one, these actions breathe importance into women who are often taken for granted in their own culture; two, these actions illustrate the powerful message of playing a lesser role to lift another soul. Joe and Ruth offer quickly that they do not look for an earthly impact from each mission trip. Watching kids being broken and becoming servants for other broken people serves as lesson and reward enough. Ruth insightfully envisions the day when she, her girls, and the women they have served in Guatemala and beyond will be singing together for eternity. Moreover, Papa Joe and Fufi share with us these poignant lessons: • Kids are brave and bold. • They are strong – mentally and physically. • Many have been hurt, are hurting and need to heal. • If they go on mission trips and have fun, they will go again. • They are going to be instrumental church leaders. • Never give up on kids. • They need every day love, every single day. Fufi shares, “When I work with these young people, my cup is filled. When my cup is full, I can give back to someone else.” When that heavenly reunion occurs, we will see the hand prints as well as the heart prints left on the backs, and hearts, and minds of the children and adults Papa Joe and Fufi have loved every day with that every day kind of love. They are truly the manifestation of the great commission to go into all the world and share the good news – the world far away and the world in our own backyard sharing light like Matthew 5:16 implores us to do. “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven….”

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

David Read

Joe and Fufi are two of the best people that I have ever known. Their compassion, hospitality and love for people is a true reflection of God’s Kingdom. They have touched the lives of many of our college students and if it weren’t for them, Asbury’s College Ministry would not be where it is today. Personally, Joe and Fufi have been great influences in my life and are a constant source of joy and happiness to me. The love they have for Jesus shines through their everyday lives and they always make others feel loved. If it weren’t for Joe and Fufi, my time at Asbury would not be as enjoyable as it has been. They are genuinely great people who are a shining example of what it means to follow Christ.

Christine Jones

I have known of Joe and Fufi Brower for a long time but didn’t personally know how great they were until I went to Guatemala with them my junior year of high school. Joe was one of my leaders and Fufi was just so fun and joyful to be around. Both immediately made me feel known and loved. Joe is patient, gentle and wise. Fufi is joyful, fun and intentional. The Browers have a big heart for others, especially students. They have been faithful in following the call on their lives in leading students. They have the gift of hospitality and always open up their ranch for anyone and everyone. I am eternally thankful for the way that they have supported me, loved me, and encouraged me in my faith over the last couple of years.

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Emily Sell

I’m a high school graduate who went with Joe and Fufi Brower to Guatemala over spring break. Papa Joe and Fufi are pretty much ideal missionaries: they’ve been on dozens of missions trips to different countries, but beyond that, they take in everyone they meet as a friend. The whole world is their mission field, and that’s an inspiring thing. When I went with them to Guatemala, I was surprised at how they treated a bunch of kids they’d just met like their own, even inviting everyone to spend a couple days at their house. They’re some of the most kind and generous people I know.

Hunter Sistrunk

I was first introduced to Fufi and Joe Brower during the SBM Trip of 2013 in Guatemala. It was there that Joe Brower served as my small group leader with Emmie Galle. Fufi and Joe are very time-investing people, meaning they invest their time in most everyone and everything to the best of their ability, all the while being the most happy and light-shining people I have met. Joe began to notice that I had a strong draw to the outdoors and invited me out to their ranch shortly after the mission trip that year. Without hesitation, I made the trip down to Texas where I found my current passions, which are hunting and fishing. The guidance and wisdom that the Browers express is one that I will never take for granted, as it encompasses the love of Christ as they reach out towards others. After years of spending time with the Brower family, I have come to find God in places that I never thought I would, such as the lakes we fish on, the woods we hunt in and the roads we travel. Through them, it has opened my eyes as to more of what Christ looks like, and knowing that He is all around in every little thing.

Gabe Stoops

I met the Browers on a Guatemala mission trip. Joe was my group leader and by no means a likely prospect for a lifelong friend. We hardly had anything in common at the time, but Joe and Fufi have gone out of their way to consistently include me in their lives for almost six years now. Despite their demanding schedule, the Browers are constantly dropping everything to help anyone in need. When I left Tulsa for the University of Oklahoma, I remember asking how I could stay connected with Asbury other than through the Browers. I was making an attempt at humor, but underlying truth is that the Browers are the embodiment of the spirit of outreach in the Asbury community. They lead by example, consistently stepping up in effort and generosity, creating the change they wish to see in the world. Without ever lecturing, they are always teaching. I think it would be impossible to overstate how big a blessing the Browers have been to my life and how much better I am for it.

Andrea Lenhart

I met Joe and Fufi Brower on my first mission trip to Guatemala in 2014. I had the opportunity to be in Joe’s group and there was never a dull moment. I then went on another trip to Mexico with Joe and Fufi that summer and had the trip of a lifetime. Whenever I’m around Joe and Fufi, I feel like I am walking with the Lord. They have a calming and joyful presence that makes me feel at peace with myself. In just a short three years, Joe and Fufi have become like family to me. I know that anytime I am struggling with anything, I can count on them to be in prayer for me. They are constantly checking in on me to see how I am doing and they continue to be involved with my life even though I am in college now. Joe and Fufi have played a huge role in my walk with Christ, especially in high school. Without these two, I would have never learned what it is like to live life fearlessly abandoned.

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

Maddie White

I first met the Browers my junior year of high school on a mission trip in Guatemala. Like all of the high school students, I was immediately drawn to “Fufi’s” fun energy and “Papa Joe’s” calming presence – the perfect combination and pair for each other! At the time I was going through a life transition and felt lost and confused. Papa Joe spoke one night about an upcoming mission trip to Rio Bravo. I felt a strong calling to go, but the trip conflicted with a prior commitment. I felt pulled in two directions and was looking for guidance. Fufi listened to me for hours and helped talk me through the decision. They showed me love and guidance in a time I needed it most. Since then, they have encouraged me, poured into me, believed in me and loved me through it all. I have now been on the Rio Bravo trip three times, and have served as an intern at Big Heart Orphanage in Reynosa, Mexico. I never would have followed my calling to Mexico had it not been for Papa Joe and Fufi. They allowed God to use them as vessels and spoke truth into my life. I am writing this from Big Heart Orphanage in Reynosa, thanking God for the Browers and their willingness to constantly pour into teenagers and love them like their own.

Allison Vincent

When I think of lifetime role models, Papa Joe and Fufi are the first people who pop into my head. Both radiate warmth, welcoming anyone and everyone with open arms and a love that could only come from Christ. Even after getting to know them on mission trips to Guatemala and Mexico, they still blow me away with their generosity. Papa Joe’s tackle box full of candy is always open to a hungry student, and Fufi’s supply of warm hugs is always abundant! The trait that sets Papa Joe and Fufi apart is their commitment to relationships outside of a church setting. There are few people who would be willing to drive to Springdale, Arkansas, to take me to lunch at a famous chicken house, but Papa Joe is one of them. Along with taking time to see me, they ask me how I’m doing regularly; they even sent me not one, but two messages on my birthday to make me feel doubly special! Just by letting me know that they care, they have had an incredibly positive influence on my life. They inspire me to give freely, serve humbly, and live fully. If we were ever to elect two leaders to point the world towards Christ by simply loving others, Papa Joe and Fufi would have my vote!

Megan Harju, OU Student

One thing stands out to me throughout all the memories and laughs I’ve shared with the Browers over the years. They have shown me what the church looks like as Jesus intended it to be. Joe and Fufi pour into students at Asbury in a crucial point in life – the transition from high school to college. I went to Guatemala with them on Spring Break Missions my junior and senior years of high school, and Joe and Fufi spoke words of wisdom about college into every one of us students. When I moved to Norman the next fall, Joe and Fufi continued to reach out to me with listening ears and encouraging texts. Just like Paul wrote letters to groups of Christians in the New Testament, the Browers lead college students closer to Jesus through community with one another. Most of my favorite memories from the past two years of college include the Browers in some way or another. Whether it is driving to Mexico over winter break on a college mission trip, spending a weekend at their ranch in Texas with all my Asbury friends, or going on late night ice cream dates, Joe and Fufi make any place feel like home. And just as much as I laugh when we’re together, Joe and Fufi challenge me to live like Jesus did. They remind me that my grades won’t matter in five years. They remind me that fun is important, but so is sleep and my family back in Tulsa. They remind me that although I may feel lonely sometimes, I am never alone. God has called Joe and Fufi Brower to a very special sphere of influence at Asbury, and I am grateful for the impact they have had on my life and on the lives of my friends.

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

LOCAL OUTREACH

Standing Up to Make a Difference By Lucienda Denson

Prejudice has to be taught. This past Lenten season, 8-year-old Lola Heffington, the daughter of Melanie Heffington and Don Heffington, decided to do her part to help prejudices be unlearned. Lola was inspired by a sermon by Pastor Tom Harrison when he said there were two kinds of things people could do for Lent. They could give up something, or they could do something. After church, the youngster asked her mother if, instead of giving something, she could do something. She wanted to plan something many people wouldn’t even consider. She wanted people to have empathy for those who were different from them and to share the love of Jesus Christ, Melanie said. It could be a different skin color, ethnicity or a disability. Melanie continued, “She wanted to help people understand what it was like to be in that person’s shoes, and wanted people to ask how they would like to be treated if they were that person,”

Lola’s desire to host a children’s conference on prejudice and racism launched a flurry of activity that involved everyone in the family. Lola’s responsibilities included organizing the event and formulating questions for a panel discussion, contacting local leaders and asking if they would be willing to be part of a conference on racism and prejudice and what it feels like, and determining what children can do to stand against it. Melanie called the director of the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art and he agreed to host the event because he felt what Lola wanted to do was also part of the museum’s mission. Invitations were given to Greater Tulsa leaders to serve on the panel, and nine people accepted. Behind the scenes, Lola’s backup crew sprang into action. Displays were planned for a variety of ethnic arts and crafts. Invitations were sent.

Melanie said Lola may have been influenced away from prejudice by her The day of the event, officials and own family. After several years of trying to business people did what they said they have children, Melanie and her husband would do. They showed up for a panel decided to adopt Gracie, a girl from discussion on an unpopular subject with Guatemala. While it’s obvious Gracie isn’t an 8-year-old child as the organizer and Lola leading the panel discussion an exact match to Lola’s birth family, it’s moderator. It wasn’t business as usual. also obvious to family and friends that the girls love one Lola came prepared with a list of questions she believed were another and are equally loved, Melanie said. appropriate, including, “What does prejudice look like, and has anyone ever stood up for any of the panel members when That, and Pastor Tom’s sermon, set in motion an agenda the panelist has been the target of prejudice or racism?” braver adults might have viewed as an impossible mission. One of the things that surfaced was what people often “On the way home I asked my three daughters, Melanie displayed or felt were not full-blown prejudices. “They were said, ‘What are you guys going to do for Lent?’” often more biases than prejudices,” Melanie said. But even biases have the potential to influence how certain groups of “I want to help people know the love of Jesus Christ, and people are accepted and treated. help the brown, black and white people get along better,” stated Lola. Melanie went from being afraid no one would show up, “It was an’ out-of-the-mouths-of-babes’ moment,” Melanie even though at least one television news program carried the story about what the 8-year-old was doing, to being said. She added Lola has always been sensitive and grateful that 62 people attended. inquisitive and has a well-developed spiritual sense. She also acknowledged Lola is a little young to be She acknowledges what Lola did was a very brave thing thinking along those lines. to do. She said what her daughter did is proof anyone, including a child, can make a difference by standing up for For several months when she was what is right, and for doing what Jesus would do. 6-years old, Lola would look

Lola Heffington

out the window of the family minivan and smile at people. Melanie said she was trying to share her smile with them, partly because many of the people she saw didn’t have smiles of their own.

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

PASTORAL

Miracle Grow By Stephanie Hurd When I became a Christian at the age of 17, I had a lot of enthusiasm but not a lot of knowledge. When I arrived at college a year later, I joined two campus ministries, one of which had a great discipleship program. My new-found faith was soon off and growing. This campus ministry was really big on accountability, which I didn’t appreciate. In fact, I became resentful of it. Week after week, my leader would ask me how my “quiet times” were going. What I wanted to say was, “Look, lady, I’m too busy to have quiet times, and I don’t really see what the big deal is, anyway; I don’t even know what one is, and I’m too proud to ask. And I wish you would quit bugging me about it!” What I actually said was, “They’re going alright, I guess.” During college, I went on a Catholic retreat with a friend. As part of the retreat, we were offered confession with a priest. I wasn’t aware of any sins, but I thought I should say something, so I confessed to telling some white lies—which wasn’t actually true (until I told the priest that, which is ironic when you think about it). This is another area where my limited knowledge was hindering my growth. Sin is defined as “missing the mark.” I didn’t know what the “mark” was, so I didn’t know if I was missing it (I was).

practical living; our adult discipleship community, Cornerstone, sent my young family on a mission trip which became a “cornerstone” of our family’s faith; the Lord convicted me that tithing was a non-negotiable and our financial situation actually changed (for the better) as a result; I learned how to worship by watching Geoff Logan lead worship (back in the Chapel service days) and that helped me grow from spectator to participant on Sunday mornings . . . and these are just to name a handful. The Lord has worked all these things (and much more) together to help me grow spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, materially and practically. Humans have a dual nature; we are spiritual and material beings, therefore, all our growth is interrelated: All growth is spiritual growth. And our growth happens (almost miraculously, it seems) when we apply God’s truth, that is—His rightness—to our everyday lives.

Recommendations to anyone seeking growth:

Thirty years of growing have taught me these things:

4. Intentionally connect with other believers. We have to help each other.

1. Corporate worship is the center of the Christian life. God comes first, always has and always will. Our actions and choices reflect our beliefs about this. We can bungle everything else, but not the preeminence of worship.

Eventually, my knowledge grew, which allowed my faith to grow. It took many years for me to learn the benefits of a quiet time and how to have one—how to sit quietly with the Lord, read His Word and talk with Him about it, and it took many more years to realize my sins. I’m still learning how to consistently confess and repent of them.

2. Scripture is God’s instruction book for life (real life, for regular people—not just for pastors, nuns and Billy Graham).

During what I would call phase two of my growth, I had a lot of knowledge but not a lot of wisdom. Shortly after getting married, my husband and I went to seminary. Over the next few years, my biblical knowledge increased tremendously, but I didn’t really “get” how Scripture applied to life. That took more time and frankly, more life. I don’t mind telling you my biggest, most constant sin is pride. As life threw different situations at me, I always tried to handle them in my own strength and wisdom. I never brought any of my troubles to God, never prayed about them, never looked to see what Scripture had to say about them. I was learning everything the hard way. Wisdom was something that grew little by little and in varying ways. Some examples: A believing friend taught me I could pray about anything and everything, and I actually started depending on the Lord because of it, which in-turn helped me understand the power of the Holy Spirit; Sunday after Sunday, Pastor Tom’s sermons would show me how biblical passages applied to

4. No part of the body can grow independent from the body itself. Think about Paul’s analogy in 1 Corinthians. A severed finger or toe isn’t going to grow, folks. It just isn’t.

1. Be in worship every Sunday. This is our first and most important work—to gather and worship. This precedes all other work, all other ministry and all growth in the life of a believer. 2. Read the Bible. If you don’t know where to start, use Asbury’s journal and its reading plan. The Author of Life gave us an instruction book for life and a power source to apply it. When we follow His instructions, our lives will change for the better. 3. Learn to pray. This is simply talking to God. He knows you and loves you, so you can just be yourself. Prayer takes time, effort and practice, but it’s the only way to have a relationship with the Lord.

I’m now 48, and I guess I’m in a new phase of growth. I have more knowledge and wisdom than before, and increasingly, the capacity to apply it. My goal is to keep seeking and growing, to not get comfortable, stagnant or lazy. I want to keep my enthusiasm up and stay motivated to continue making progress. One lesson I learned in phase two is, I don’t want to learn things the hard way (which is why I have to keep my pride in check). I always want to be attentive and responsive to what the Lord is doing. I know He’s with me, and I know He’s for me. The same is true for you, too. Someday we will all meet Jesus face-to-face. I want to make Him proud. When we meet, I want Him to turn to the Father and say, “Abba, look at her! Didn’t she grow up big and strong?!” And the Father, in His own-God-way, to smile and say, “Yes, indeed. Well done, my daughter. With you, I am pleased.”

5. Ask the Holy Spirit for His help and guidance on, well, everything. The power that raised Jesus from stone-cold dead to walking, breathing life is available to us. Think about that.

3. A person’s relationship with Jesus will never grow beyond his or her prayer life.

5. The Holy Spirit is the source of power for all growth. The Bible explains it this way: When we seek God, He allows Himself to be found (that is, He grants us access to Himself). When we seek His righteousness (that is, His right way for living) as found in Scripture, then He adds everything else we need to it. The Lord wants us to grow, He gives us all the resources we need for growth, and He is patient and gracious with us as we grow. Your growth chart will look different from mine because we’re different people with different backgrounds and experiences, but what causes us to grow will look largely the same, so my practical recommendation to anyone seeking growth is this:

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Responding to God’s Call by Jim Davis In many ways, Asbury member Chuck Brashers is a typical member in our congregation – he has been involved in the life of the church and has also had an engaging professional career, working as an information technology manager. However, while not at retirement age yet, Chuck is preparing for a new phase in life. He has felt the call to cross-cultural missions for a while, and has now stepped out in that direction. About five years ago, he experienced a major loss in his life with the death of his wife, Carol. He used that difficult period of change to go on a mission trip for the first time, choosing Asbury’s men’s team to Rio Bravo, Mexico. Being in such a different setting than Tulsa allowed him to serve others in a new way and began to change his worldview. He enjoyed serving on that trip so much that he signed up to go on other Asbury mission trips. In Central Asia, he experienced part of the world where the church doesn’t exist like in many other parts. In thinking about the Great Commission in Matthew 28, where Jesus tells us to go and make disciples, he realized that should be our primary vocation. In further exploring global missions, he learned about the 10/40 window, a band on the map from 10 degrees north latitude to 40 degrees north and stretching across Africa, the Middle East and Asia. This is the part of the world least reached with the Gospel and encompasses Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists and atheists. He realized that Paul says in Romans 15:20 that he wanted to preach where Christ was not known instead of building on someone else’s foundation. Chuck noted that only about three percent of missionaries serve among the least-reached people groups of the world, where there is no access to the Gospel. Most of these groups are in the 10/40 window. Another Asbury mission trip to Tanzania in 2016 prompted even more thinking. While working with one of the churches that Asbury helped to establish, he felt he was ready to serve on a longer term. He was in a setting away from the busyness of life where he could hear from God. He made the decision on that trip to begin liquidating his assets, including selling his home, so that he could be ready to go. As he began to pursue what was next, he wanted to go on a longer trip to further explore his long-term calling to missions. He chose to do the Discipleship Training School through Youth with a Mission (usually referred to by saying their acronym as a word, Y-WAM). These schools, held all over the world, include a threemonth course in a classroom setting, and then a three-month practicum in a different country. Chuck chose the school based in Colorado Springs because of their focus on new and strategic frontiers of mission. After three months in Colorado, he headed to Athens, Greece, for three months to work with refugees.

While there are many Syrian refugees in Athens, most of Chuck’s interaction was with Afghani refugees and Iranians. He taught English and was impressed how dedicated his students were to learning. In addition to teaching vocabulary and grammar, there was also focus on conversational skills. These conversations sometimes led to spiritual conversations, and Chuck had the privilege of seeing some students come to believe in and follow Jesus! One surprise for Chuck was that he enjoyed teaching English and was able to teach well. Back in his own school days, he never considered himself a particularly good student of English. As a computer science major, he met the English requirements to graduate but nothing more. Therefore, he was apprehensive about teaching English in Athens. However, he wanted to serve well, so he gave it a try. By opening each class with a prayer, he realized it flowed well. It was as much about building relationships and demonstrating love as it was teaching, but God also gave him the skills to teach. Chuck remembered an expression he had heard before – God equips the called, not calls the equipped. What a great perspective as we serve anywhere in God’s Kingdom. So what is next for Chuck? He is still exploring but is prepared to go wherever God calls him, likely to the least-reached parts of the world. In July, he’s joining the Asbury team to Nicaragua as part of 1Nation1Day, where around 3,000 shortterm missionaries will be for the week. All the while, he will be listening for God’s prompting of his next assignment.

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

GLOBAL OUTREACH

Field Experience By Lisa Witcher

A young but established engineer with Tulsa-based Williams company, Ryan Proctor embraces John 13:3435 - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” He mentions a paradigm shift, a new way of thinking, God challenged him to accept and live out two mission trips ago. It’s not about me. Loving another person without expecting anything in return epitomizes the way Christ loves people. After several mission trips as a young Asbury student and more as a college student and adult facilitator, Ryan’s heart carries this task, recognizing it is a far cry from the way people love ordinarily. A quick interview sandwiched between Ryan’s family celebrations for his brother’s wedding and Ryan’s job interview in West Virginia revealed his hunger for serving. Bright and articulate, Proctor’s leadership opportunities are dawning; however, he cannot consider professional advancement in the engineering field without some coveted “field experience.” In engineering, particularly in the oil and gas business, field experience translates into supporting operations directly. It means being in the field and gaining an intimate understanding of the engineering strategy and its success. Ryan feels strongly he needs this experience in his professional life before moving into a leadership position. As we discussed missions, the idea of field experience became a metaphor for our conversation. Our mission trips, Ryan submits, differ from general philanthropy. Our mission trips exist as an opportunity for us to understand the kind of love John 13 describes. In Jamaica or in Mexico, we have an opportunity to do some hands-on work and experience the personal struggle in making the mission about someone other than ourselves. Ryan remembers being in Jamaica and being asked to go facilitate an activity that was not his favorite. Our old friend, “but that’s not what I want…” raised its voice inside of Ryan’s head. However, his “field

experience” touched his heart and rebutted with “but Ryan, it’s not about you.” As the conversation continued, Ryan’s passion for becoming known as a disciple of Christ illustrated itself as he related this story. With great humility, Ryan said that God recently revealed something cool after he returned from a mission trip in Jamaica. He listened to podcasts about Christian community in Germany in early 1900s. The Moravians, a small community of believers, were big into missions. To live as Christ lived, they moved to a new place, then they lived and served just as Christ would in that community. Their objective was to become a part of the fabric of the community, and their mission was to live a life like Christ–serving. While he is quick to offer that he has much more to learn and many areas in which to grow, the idea to love as Christ loved centers Ryan. He strives to serve here in Tulsa, at Williams, at the gym, and live a Christ-centered life. It’s a challenge to us all. Our field experience does not have to involve a passport and the acquisition of a foreign language. Rather, our hands-on loving could occur on any given day in any given location where we choose to understand that we are a part of the engineering strategy of Christ’s love, where we understand we are always on a mission. “When you serve,” Ryan almost whispers, “You get a taste of God, and you want more of that. There’s no sainthood in mission work or because of mission work.” When we serve on missions apart from the comfort of our own homes or our home country, we get a taste of true reliance on God, and as a result, we get a taste of heaven. Ryan quotes Dave Read on missions, on serving others – “This is the closest thing to heaven on earth we are ever gonna get – serving the poor, the hungry – loving people.” Ryan continued by saying that Christ never loved us because of what we would do for him; Christ’s love is given with nothing expected in return. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. This is our field-experience opportunity.

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

Ryan Proctor

SUMMER 2017 TIDINGS

MUSIC

God, Rosie, and the Zeoli Family By Athena Zeoli

He looked up the churches in closest proximity to the house, read through what they believed/taught, and decided to try Asbury because of its emphasis on service to the community. After dropping me and the kids off at my parents’ church, he attended the 11:00 service. When he came to pick me up, he said he felt very comfortable there and thought I would really like the atmosphere and the music. We decided to go as a family the following Sunday. During the service, there was an announcement about the new member luncheon directly following the service. We decided to go and hear a little more about the church. We prayed and discussed throughout the week, spoke with Pastor Jon Odom regarding a few questions we had, and decided to join the church the following Sunday. That was February 8, 2015. What happened next really helped solidify the fact that we were now where God wanted us to be. On February 10, I looked at my phone and saw that I missed a phone call earlier in the day from a Tulsa number. The reason that was odd is that, even though we had been here for a few years, I still had a SC area code, so it would be extremely unlikely for someone with a 918 area code to call my cell without meaning to. I texted the number to my mom, asking if she recognized it. The only people I knew in this area were people I had met through her, so I figured if they were trying to get hold of me, she would know who they were. She didn’t. I was very confused. So I texted the number to find out who they were, and the conversation went something like this... Me: H ello, I received a call from this number earlier today. May I ask who you were looking for?

Tony & Athena, Logan, Gabby, Eli, Tali, Rocco

Tony and I met in August of 2004, our freshman year of college in Anderson, SC. He began to attend the college where I was working and attending. It was definitely love at first sight; I knew I had to have him in my life. Only a year and a day after we began dating, we were married. We transitioned to Oklahoma by moving in with my parents in January of 2008, and Tony found steady work in working at the cafeteria at St. John Hospital. As he was looking at his job options, he decided to go back to school to finish his degree. Since he also needed to support a family, he decided to do online school through the University of Illinois. Through this time, we did not have a home church and didn’t know anyone but my family. We began to go to church with them, but Tony never really felt at home there. We searched for our own church for a few Sundays, but

I had an issue with having our children in every church system in Tulsa, so we decided to put a hold on things until after Tony was done with school. Tony graduated college in December of 2013 with his master’s in computer science, and this gave us more time to start looking for a new home church. Again, I was skeptical about having all the kids (by this time it was four) names in every church database in Tulsa, so we agreed that Tony would scope out options by himself before having us all tag along. I had my family to help at their church, so it wasn’t difficult for me to have the kids by myself, and that gave Tony a chance to search unencumbered. I have a way of feeling at home just about anywhere, and I wanted Tony to find a place where he could feel at home, and feel like he could truly grow. That was the most important thing to me.

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Mystery number: I don’t know. Are you getting married at Asbury? Me: Nope. Married since 2006. Think we have that covered. But we did just join the church on Sunday, though. Mystery Number: I’m Rosie. I play organ for Asbury. Me: R eally? Did you get this number from the church? Rosie: No. I have no idea how or why my phone called you. Me: Th at is weird. Rosie: Do you want to join the choir or orchestra? Me: Maybe. When does choir meet?

Me: We may do that. Talking to her later, she said that she had been at an eye appointment, her phone was in a folded case in her bag at the time of the “pocket dial.” My number had never been placed or dialed in her phone. There is no natural way that call should have happened. So not only did I “randomly” get a call from a 918 number, but it was from a person at the church that we had just joined two days prior! Quick background. Tony and I were both heavily involved in music through church and college. We had just been talking about finding a choir of some sort that we could do together, but we would need to also figure out child care, which with four kids, seemed hopeless... and then this. We came to choir, met with Beth Groombridge, the director’s wife, met with some of the choir members and sat through rehearsal. On Sunday, we auditioned with Sean Groombridge, the director; on Wednesday were in the choir. Before all of this happened, we went through a tough time spiritually. There were a lot of doubts about God’s hand and direction in our family and marriage, to the point of wondering if He was even there at all. Needless to say, this was a strong proving point in our lives. It gave us the push we needed to pursue Him with new strength and vigor, not to mention a reason beyond ourselves to make it to church every Sunday. (With five kids, it is very easy to convince ourselves to skip out on the rush of getting there early.) Since then, we have added to our family; our youngest son was born in September 2015. Our oldest has enjoyed two years of Counterpoint Arts (CA), and our next two are excited to join this next season. Tony and I have also volunteered in Counterpoint Arts this year and have been blessed to see the children learn and grow in their faith. Not only have they learned some of the technical aspects of what it takes to lead worship musically, but they have also learned what it means to lead each other spiritually and support each other through difficult times. Over the last two years, our family has been richly blessed by the love and support shown to us by/through the music ministry here at Asbury. Not only have we been able to serve in a way that we love but with people who love with the love of Christ. And by the way, we later found out that the choir had been specifically praying for God to increase their number in creative ways. This is truly a case of answered prayer!

Rosie: Wednesday at 7 pm Me: Do they have child care? Rosie: Yes. Come tomorrow night and see what you think.

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PASTORAL

an angel!?” We decided that whether he was or not, that man was sent to us by the Lord to teach us how simple it is to respond to one man’s hunger in a very personal way.

• Rather than griping about that neighbor’s lawn, go ahead and offer to mow it for him/her.

To me, one of the most intriguing verses in the New Testament comes with simple instructions:

• Listen.

Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. – Hebrews 13:1-2 What a fun adventure to live in such a way to imagine that any stranger we come upon just might be an angel sent from the Lord! The Word teaches us that we should live in such a way that honors God’s Name at all times and urges us to do so with the reminder that we are surrounded by God’s angelic witnesses.

Worshipping Outside the Pews by Pastor Dick Read

A number of years ago, with our 7th graders in Houston for Spring Break Missions, our team started the week with our inner-city scavenger hunt. We had just left the downtown bus station when the pathway toward the-next-item-on-thelist was interrupted by a homeless man holding a sign. “I am deaf and hungry. Could you spare some change for lunch?” I had already instructed our students not to give money directly to homeless people, but they were welcome to provide them with food. Remembering those instructions, one of the students turned full-around to notice a subsandwich deli directly across the street. “There’s lunch!” Five-minutes later, with a full-blown smile across his face, our soundless friend was enjoying a fresh footlong-sub, chips and juice. His facial expression spoke loudly his unheard words of gratitude. That encounter carried our discussion for the rest of the scavenger hunt, including the question, “I wonder if he was

TIDINGS SUMMER 2017

Sunday morning is certainly a sacred time for Christfollowers. Gathering together on the weekly day of the Resurrection causes us to lean in on God’s presence, to worship, to fellowship with fellow believers and to be renewed in the hope and promises of the Word. But worship is not just a Sunday thing or a churchy practice. Our Scripture teaches us that worship is most-of-all a life practice, as in the way we live our lives. The worship we participate in together in the pews of the Sanctuary is also to be expressed in the ways we: • Do our work with godly character and integrity. • Love our families with affection and care. • Extend God’s grace to our neighbors. • Treat every stranger with genuine kindness. • Joyfully share with others out of our abundance. The ancient Hellenistic philosopher Philo is credited with a proverb worth your memorization and life-application: Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. In addition to singing our Sunday songs, reciting our Sunday prayers, listening to our Sunday sermons, might you consider one of these worship ideas? • Give deference to the other driver. • Give a word of encouragement and an extra bit of gratuity to your restaurant server. • Genuinely ask the cashier, “How are YOU doing today?” • Check in on that neighbor you haven’t seen in a while. (Yes, I know you don’t like them. That one probably needs some brownies, too!)

• Give a sack lunch to the one under the bridge. • Write a thank you card to the teacher, the volunteer, the coworker, etc. • Give a pat on the back and a kind word to that one with the shrugging shoulders, whose head is facing downward. • From your own circle, be on the lookout for the “stranger” and invite them in. • Scan the restaurant for just the right “victim” and tell your server you want to buy their lunch. • 2nd Saturday! • Invite the neighbors to your house (yes, inside) for dinner. • Volunteer at Walt Whitman or Grove Elementary School. • Befriend an international person living in our community. • Look for the person alone on the other side of the room – or just ten feet away – and go be a friend. • Find opportunities to genuinely say, “Thank you” at least 20 times every day. Remember that every person is created in the image of God and so holds immeasurable value. It is unfortunate that our natural tendency is to devalue that image of God in other people, while so ardently trying to highlight that image in our own lives. Since worship focuses on lifting up God’s glory in our midst, our everyday worship should include accenting the image of God that is innate in every human being. Your committed endeavors to give, encourage, serve, mentor, influence and leverage both friends and strangers, bring focus on the image of God reflected in those with whom you share life, even if just for a moment in time. The Apostle Paul taught the Roman Christians the importance of doing daily ordinary living in such a way that reflects that of a follower of Jesus: Give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. (Romans 12:1, NLT) Let the worship of the people of Asbury Church be as enthusiastic and transformative every day of the week in our community as it is each Sunday in our Sanctuary!

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PASTORAL

the church, but I didn’t come to know Him as my Savior and Lord. I did not have a personal relationship with our Lord. The second thing was that I also attended a youth camp at Camp Egan outside of Tahlequah. One night the camp preacher gave an invitation for those who would like to “go into full time Christian service,” and I went forward with a number of other young people. I committed my life to the ministry. The problem was, I didn’t have anything to minister, for I did not know our Savior. I came home and told my parents; they were so proud of me. But then, six weeks after that camping experience, my father was killed in a plane crash. The trauma was more than my mother could handle, and she went on about a three-year bender until she finally ended up in the state mental hospital in Vinita. I had two brothers and a sister. We were scattered out in homes of relatives. That was a very difficult time in my life. I dropped out of church, got into a gang of kids and got into some trouble. One night I was with a friend who had known me all through school. We had been drinking and messing around. As we were talking he said, “Dave, I thought you said you were going to be a preacher. Boy, you are sure going to have to do some changing.” I was embarrassed by that, and simply said, “Well, yes, when I get as old as my older brother” (who was two years older than I), “I’m going to do something about that.” Well, I had forgotten all about that incident and what I said, for I was just getting off the spot at that moment.

that time, two years earlier when I was with my friend, and I could hear our Savior saying, “All right, David, it’s time now!” I went forward and recommitted my life to the ministry. Now I had something I wanted to share. My uncle (my mother’s brother), Reverend Bill Hestwood, was serving as the pastor of the Sheridan Avenue Methodist Church here in Tulsa. He knew of some of the problems I had gone through and heard that I had committed my life to the Lord and was seriously thinking about the ministry. He put me on his staff as his head janitor (his only janitor), youth director and pastor’s assistant. God is so good. It has been a glorious and wonderful life. I began serving as a pastor while a senior in high school in 1954. Through the years, I’ve had the opportunity of starting two new churches, serving an inner-city mission church, and city churches of various sizes. I’ve seen how God is able to touch and change the lives of so many people, like the time the Savior touched my mother’s life and brought healing and strength that she had never known before, and it brought the family back together. She became a vital witness to those struggling with addictions and did that until God called her home in 1984.

I have discovered that God never calls us to a task or opens a door of opportunity, without at the same time enabling us through His blessed Holy Spirit to complete the task.

My Testimony Pastor David Thomas

I grew up in the life of the church, Centenary Methodist Church on North Denver until I was about 4, and then Will Rogers Methodist Church at 12th and Yale into my early teens. We were in church every Sunday. My father, though a layman, was the first choir director at Will Rogers Church.

home. We tried to hide it, sought help from every institution available at that time. When I was in the 2nd grade in school, my mother was committed to a state institution in Norman. My father traveled a great deal in his work, so I went to live with my aunt and uncle.

We did have a problem in our home. My mother had an illness. It affected every member of the family. She was an alcoholic. For the first 16 years of my life, we struggled with that illness in our

When I was 12 years old, several things happened that had a lasting impact on my life. The first thing was I went through a confirmation class at the church. I learned a lot about Jesus and

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I was living with my grandparents, and there was a very pretty girl living next door. The problem was her parents would not allow her to date me or ride on my cycle, but I could go to church with them. It had been some three years since I was in church, but I began to attend. Her dad happened to be my Sunday school teacher, and it seemed that every lesson was pointed directly right at me. I even attended the youth group and found out later that they had been praying for me. One Sunday evening, those prayers began to be answered. I went forward at the end of the service, knelt at the altar and lifted a bitter and confused heart into the loving, healing, saving hands of Jesus, and received Him as my Lord and Savior. It was the most wonderful night I had ever known. As I walked home, it seemed as if the windows of heaven had opened, and I knew I belonged to the Lord and Master of the Universe. One Sunday night while sitting in the service, I had a sudden flash back to

It’s interesting how our lives come around in full circle. My uncle, Bill Hestwood, was my pastor and later my district superintendent. Then when he retired, I became his pastor while I was serving in Oklahoma City. Later when I became a district superintendent, I needed an interim pastor in one of my churches, and he agreed to serve, so I became his district superintendent. I do know that it is by God’s grace and mercy that I have been called and kept in ministry. From the beginning, God always seemed to place me in situations that were far greater than I was. One regret is that I seemed to focus more on my inadequacies than upon God-promised provisions. I have discovered that God never calls us to a task or opens a door of opportunity, without at the same time enabling us through His blessed Holy Spirit to complete the task. Praise be to God! I have been given the privilege of ministering with some of the finest people on God’s earth, and now to have the blessing of serving as a retired pastor in a church like Asbury.

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GLOBAL OUTREACH

A village in the mountains of Bhutan

God at Work– Even on Vacation! by Karen Johnson

Don and Karen Johnson at home in Tulsa with Khina

You never know when or where you’ll meet someone who will unexpectedly speak to your heart and become a lasting friend. Last December during a family vacation in Kauai, our daughter Denise and I took a yoga class on the beach. As the class ended, Denise asked the girl next to her to take our picture. Little did we know what would spring from that brief encounter. Later that day in the hotel lobby, we saw the girl again and met her godparents with whom she was traveling. Their names were Helen and Paul and they lived in San Antonio, Texas. And we learned the girl, Khina, was a senior at ORU! Helen, asked us to be sure to go give Khina an occasional hug once we all got back to Tulsa. We exchanged phone numbers, and a month later Khina texted to ask if she could go to church at Asbury with us. Of course, my husband Don and I said, “Yes!”

of those around you. Helen began work at once to help Khina learn English. (See Khina’s full testimony on opposite page.) The other ways Helen and Paul have helped Khina are too numerous to list, but they are perfect examples of “the power of one” that Pastor Jon Odom spoke of in a recent sermon. Each one of us can make a transforming difference in someone’s life.

We feel so blessed God has given us the honor of playing a small role in Khina’s story.

God has also used Helen and Paul in a powerful way as they have helped Khina grow in her faith. The story of their meeting is another example of God’s intervention in our lives. Helen met Khina at the church across the street from her home. She spoke to Khina and realized she spoke no English. She had instant compassion for the shy girl because Helen’s mother had been a refugee, so she knew the helplessness of not speaking the language

Helen and Paul were instrumental in encouraging Khina to apply to ORU, where she graduated this May with a goal of going on to medical school to become a pediatric oncologist. Don and I felt God calling us to give a small graduation party for Khina in our home with her parents, sister, cousin, and godparents (and later our daughter and her family) in attendance. Khina was deeply moved, and I suspect her family was too. As part of the graduation weekend, they all went to church with us at Asbury, which is especially remarkable considering Khina’s family members are still Hindu. They are a precious family, and we pray that they experienced the love of Christ in our home in a powerful way. We feel so blessed God has given us the honor of playing a small role in Khina’s story. Do we think it was a coincidence that Khina and our daughter ended up doing yoga together? Not on your life!

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My Path to Salvation Started Under a Tree. by Khina

My parents were Hindus living in Bhutan, a predominantly Buddhist country. Due to religious differences, they were driven out of the country. I was born under a tree next to a huge river high up in the Himalayan Mountains, close to Mt. Everest. It was a dark and stormy night, and my family was homeless. For six months, my family, together with thousands of others, had been living on the riverbank, waiting for the refugee camp to open. That morning, the camp workers told everyone to go to the jungle and start cutting bamboo, and they would provide a plot for each family to build a little bamboo house. That’s the night I was born.

was sad about the incident since death was a daily event in the refugee camp. Why was this royal family that important? Before that event, I didn’t quite know the value of life. Finally, I made a decision that I wanted to be someone significant like them. That was a turning point of my life.

I started visiting church with her and soon realized that same God who saved her and gave her the heart to serve created me!

Soon after they finished building the house, my father started travelling to different parts of the country, from village to village looking for a job. My mother had to stay home and take care of me and my two older siblings. My father would come to visit us once a year, and every time he would bring some gifts and toys for us. When I was 5 years old, he brought me a radio which was the first radio in the neighborhood. One day, while I was listening to the radio, I heard there was this national news about the Nepalese Royal Massacre; the whole country was weeping. I really didn’t understand why everyone

On my 10th birthday, my father came home, and he had this giant box with him. It was a 14-inch, black-and-white television. My father made some bamboo stools and a sofa, so most of my neighbors and friends would come every evening to watch soap operas. Since there was no electricity in the camp, we had to use an electric generator; my neighbors and friends paid us to watch television.

A few years later, when I was 13, I was watching the news on the TV. There was a debate segment about a project called “repatriation or resettlement” for refugees in Nepal. I told my family, and they were terrified. It took a lot of convincing, but finally my family agreed. Now, I was responsible for all the paperwork for the process. After two years, the application of my family was approved to come to

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GLOBAL OUTREACH

the U.S. By this time, my cousins were already in San Antonio, Texas. We decided to move close to them because we were anxious about the new life in a totally different part of the world. On December 9, 2009, we arrived in the U.S, with only the clothes we were wearing. As I got off the plane in San Antonio, my eyes were dazzled by fast moving cars, tall buildings and the flashing billboards. I felt somewhat lost in the huge world, but deep down I was excited about my new life in the U.S. One evening, a wonderful lady from University United Methodist church in San Antonio came to our house with bag full of school supplies and donated clothes for me to wear to school. I had never heard of Christianity or Jesus. I was amazed at the generosity of this lady and wanted to know more about Christianity. I started visiting church with her and soon realized that same God who saved her and gave her the heart to serve created me! Today, my family members are still devoted Hindus, but I have a faith that God is working in their lives to bring salvation. As of today I have been in the U.S. for eight years. It took quite a while for everybody in the family to get used to the new culture, because we had never even used machines! But with the grace of God and amazing people God has put in my life, I was able to go to school and now have graduated from Oral Roberts University with degree in biology pre-med. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m in the process of applying to medical school to be able to serve as a medical missionary. Whenever I look back at my childhood, I feel like crying. It is the most beautiful part of my life even though it was difficult. My childhood is my inspiration, and it inspires me to move forward to reach my goals.

CHINA NEPAL

INDIA

BHUTAN

BANGLADESH MYANMAR

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SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS

Milestone Anniversaries 75 YEARS

50 YEARS

Gene & Irene Bond 08/15/42

Bob & Dotti Westerberg 07/22/67 Ed & Connie Richter 08/05/67 Bill & Johanna Graham 08/05/67 Jim & Debbie Mizell 08/18/67 Kent & Jeanne Washburn 09/02/67 Ric & Linda Shust 09/22/67 Pat & Janice McNeese 09/15/67 Gary & Tommie Johnson 08/18/67

70 YEARS Murrel & Helen Cowherd 08/14/47

65 YEARS Lee & Oneta Roles 09/19/52 Gene & Mary Ellen Whiteford 08/02/52

60 YEARS Rick & Vi Bowers 08/18/57 Doyle & Shirley George 08/29/57 Dan & Margaret Slagle 07/20/57

45 YEARS

55 YEARS

Dave & Carm Campbell 08/01/77 Dwight & Carolyn Yoder 08/20/77

Don & Carol Martin 09/08/62 Chuck & Kathy Purser 08/25/62 Tom & Hazel Robinett 09/08/62 Kent & Jeanette Young 07/06/62

Mike & Wendy Hardgrove 05/27/72

40 YEARS

Gene & Irene Bond

Murrel & Helen Cowherd

Lee & Oneta Roles

Gene & Mary Ellen Whiteford

Rick & Vi Bowers

Doyle & Shirley George

Dan & Margaret Slagle

Don & Carol Martin

Chuck & Kathy Purser

Tom & Hazel Robinett

Kent & Jeanette Young

Bob & Dotti Westerberg

Ed & Connie Richter

Bill & Johanna Graham

Jim & Debbie Mizell

Kent & Jeanne Washburn

Ric & Linda Shust

Pat & Janice McNeese

35 YEARS Pat & Deborah Calhoun 05/15/82 Asa & Suzanne Adamson 09/03/82

15 YEARS Jason & Ginny Martin 07/27/02

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New Members

Deaths Virginia Turner died 2-7-2017 Logan Boltz died 3-21-2017 Husband of Joyce Boltz

Sam and Kathy Baugh

Don and Brenda Bender

Jonathan Bond

Matthew Chaves

Donald Hayes died 3-25-2017 Father of Steve (& Amy) Hayes and Stacy Hayes Kyle Beatie died 3-25-2017 Son of Brian and Angela Beatie

Diana Cox

Brian Ess

Paul Hanes

Dona Land

LaVerne Gowans died 3-31-2017. Mother of David Cook Marilyn Bartlett died 4-1-2017 Wife of Mike Bartlett

Worship Times 8 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 am Modern Service in Sanctuary

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

John Fox died 4-9-2017 Peggy Moyer

Sally Powers

Shane and Julie Murray with Claire

Jacob “Jake” Ramsey

Coy Peters

Dorothy Sandlin

Kris Peters

Burgess Shaw and Whitney Thomas-Shaw

Edwin Parker died 4-11-2017 Husband of Ann Parker Dorothy Kisselburg died 4-30-2017 Wife of Bill Kisselburg

General Information

Charlie Sessom died 5-4-2017. Husband of Jeanette Sessom

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 make a pre-surgery visit, please call 918.492.1771.

George Humpert died 5-8-2017. Husband of Judy Humpert Rosalie Veatch died 5-30-2017

Not Pictured: Dee and Mary Clark Salomon and Aucra Dionicio Kenneth Jennings Travis and Micah Lauterbach Jack and Mary Sommers Patrick and Martha Stephens

Joy Weddington died 5-29-2017 Wife of Ben Weddington Dick Secrest died 6-8-2017 Husband of Mary Kay Secrest

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

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918.392.1192 and leave a message for the pastor on call. You will be contacted as soon as possible. Need Prayer? If you have a prayer request and would like it to be included on Asbury’s prayer list, please call 918.392.1142 to leave your request, or go online to asburytulsa.org/adults/prayer/prayer-request. Many prayer warriors will be lifting up your concern in prayer. Death in the Family When a family member dies, you should make one phone call automatically. Contact Sheryl Cory-Martin at 918.492.1771 and she will help you make arrangements for your loved one. Sheryl 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.

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

Totally Different This Year! Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Miss this FUN Serving Opportunity to Work and Worship

Day of Service 2017

Sunday, September 10 Check out More Details at

asburytulsa.org