March 2014 newsletter for WEB

March 2014

BCC-Disciples of Christ 6730 South Sheridan Road Tulsa, OK - Phone: 918.492.1353 www.bethanybelieves.com - Office Open: Monday-Friday, 9 am - 2 pm

Inside

Birthdays Breakfast Club Disciples Women Items to Collect Jeremiah Project Update John Phillip Newell Krista Tippet Leadership Training Lunch Bunch Prayers Readathon Upcoming Events Worship Leadership

Deadline for the April Newsletter is

Monday, March 24

This Lent, Bethany focuses on what it means to be Christian today. With all the emphasis we are putting toward the Jeremiah project, it is important to remind ourselves why we are doing it! The Jeremiah Project is our effort to discover the specific ways God calls this community to be Christian! We will start with exploring what renowned preacher Fred Craddock notes as the original mission statement, The Great Commission. He

says churches often like to develop their own because they don’t like the one Jesus gave us. Hmmm… Let’s explore what The Great Commission means for us as we seek out the specific ways to do that as the community of faith called Bethany Christian Church. Using excellent videos in worship, I’ll preach on these themes in Lent, with help on April 6 from Rev. Dean Phelps, the Transitional Regional Minister in Oklahoma for Disciples of Christ: The Great Commission, Movement, Wholeness, Welcome, and Table. Except for The Great Commission, these themes come directly out of the Disciples of Christ identity statement: We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s Table as God has welcomed us. On Wednesday evenings, March 12, 19, 26 and April 2 and 9, everyone is invited to dinner and conversation around the same themes as the Sunday worship. Free dinner begins at 5:45 with the conversation a little after 6. Please RSVP ([email protected]) so we can prepare enough food and reserve childcare if we need it! Hope to see you at one or all of these Wednesday sessions. Rev. Kelli

Driscoll, Pastor

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Community Events to Note

The Harold E. Hill Lecture Series of College Hill Presbyterian Church in connection with the University of Tulsa Presents

Krista Tippett Host of Public Radio’s On Being April 7, 2014 at 7:00pm Great Hall | Allen Chapman Activity Center @ TU Oklahoma native and Peabody Award-winning host of American Public Media’s On Being Krista Tippett will be the inaugural speaker of the Harold E. Hill Lecture Series. The author of “Einstein’s God” and “Speaking of Faith,” Tippett explores the intersection of science, medicine, theology, and philosophy in her writing and on her weekly radio program heard on nearly 300 public radio stations nationwide.  

Two Leadership Trainings Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Led by Oklahoma City VOICE Lead Organizer, Kris King Hosted by The Tulsa Sponsoring Committee

“Qualities of Leaders” 10:00 am—noon Hope Unitarian Church, 8432 South Sheridan Road (918) 481-0999

“Building a Broad-Based Organization” 6:00—8:00 pm

Church of the Resurrection, 4804 S Fulton Ave (918) 663-1907

These trainings teach how to build power together. We want to develop the leadership skills of our own members (Bethany is a member!) to more effectively work within the democratic process with civic leaders and public officials on issues of concern to families. The Tulsa Sponsoring Committee is a growing group of Tulsa area congregations, nonprofits, and schools coming together out of a deep sense of mission and concern for the pressures faced by families in our metropolitan area. 2

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John Philip Newell Lecture and Workshop

March 24-25

Celtic Christianity Scholar John Philip Newell will give a free evening lecture on Monday, March 24 at 6:30 pm at Boston Avenue Church, 1301 S Boston Ave, in downtown Tulsa. The title of his talk is “Listening for the Heartbeat of God.” On Tuesday, March 25, he will present a workshop titled "The Rebirthing of God: Christianity's Struggle for New Beginnings" from 9:00 am – noon. The workshop costs $30 and includes a box lunch. To register for the workshop, contact Boston Ave UMC.

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ONGOING COLLECTIONS donation bins by the

north door entry

We collect women and children’s clothing to help transform the lives of women and children in crisis through the DaySpring Villa. We collect items for the Day Center for the Homeless. Small toiletries, new socks and underwear, and blankets are examples of items to bring year-round. New item to collect: PAPER (only) grocery sacks to benefit various non-profit groups in Tulsa.

BETHANY CALENDAR ONLINE

Did you know that Bethany has their daily, weekly, or monthly calendar for your viewing pleasure online?

Here are the steps to access: 1.go to Bethanybelieves.com 2. click on Calendar 3. click on days and events for more details.

Email the church office if you have any questions and to add events to the calendar.

IN OUR PRAYERS For healing for our Bethany members: Janet Edge, Dena Fate, Grace Young, Loren Krase, Warren Wirth, Geoff Brewster, Tex Knowland, Ruth Ann Fate, Pat Morris, Margaret Ekey, Peggy Cameron, Melanie Tipton, Steve Ruley, Myrna Jones, Rachel Hicks, and Marci Powell we pray. For friends and family of Bethany members: Aidan Wright, Tom Bower, Sharon Jones, Beverly Shackelford, Kathryn Hopkins, Becky Bland, Don Becker, Rose Hudspeth, Jan Reynolds, Anice Hamersky, Darrian Varnell, Wade Haley, Betsy Wirth Rice, Betty Woodard, Barbara Byrd, Irena Johnston, Kayson Brewster, Paula Brown, The Brown Family, Lela Gillispie, Jan Dameron, Lana Gregg and Aly Lanier we pray. For our sister church: Odyssey Christian Church, Jenks, Rev. Phil Ball, Pastor That the people of Syria, Ukraine & Venezuela know peace. Holy One, we come before you with hearts heavy at the

violence in this world. Relieve our hearts, so that we may be agents of your peace, proclaiming your love!

WORSHIP LEADERSHIP IN MARCH

Elders (Bread/Wine) March 9 Steve Bower/Alice Jane Lanier March 16 Kelly Kirby/Tommie Kinyon March 23 Steve Fate/Marilyn Bowers March 30 Charles Johnston/Kelly Kirby

Deacons (Acolyte/Prayer) March 9 Vanessa Hunter/Wanda Adams March 16 Emily Fate/Mady Fraser March 23 Janelle Galloway/Vanessa Hunter March 30 Mady Fraser/Bettye Jackson

Children’s Church Volunteer March 9 Judy Krase March 16 Maria Taveau March 23 Jennae Mullins March 30 Mike Cross

Have you liked us on facebook? Follow us on twitter!

Bethany Out and About

Breakfast Club is trying a new place this month – Brownie’s Hamburgers – don’t let the name fool you – they do serve breakfast. Brownie’s is on 71st Street – North Side – just East of Sheridan – used to be Brewburger – on Saturday, March 15 at 9:00 AM. Don’t miss the good food, fellowship and a great way to start a weekend. Sign up at church or let the Grays know you’ll be there. Email: [email protected]

Lunch Bunch is trying a new place this month, too! On the last Sunday of the month, March 30, directly following worship we will head over to The Upper Crust, a pizza place at 9110 S. Yale. RSVP to Jennae Mullins that Sunday.

Breakfast Club and Lunch Bunch are once a month events for anyone who wants to eat!

Disciples Women March 8 10 a.m.

Alice Jane Lanier will lead us in the study on Simpler Living: Energy, in the curriculum written by Mady Fraser. Grissom Elementary School is the service project with an extra collection to purchase items the school needs. Jennae Mullins is our hostess. See you there!

Bethany Community School Readathon

April 4 – 17 Featured Author: Sandra Boynton

During these two weeks, YOU have the chance to read a book

to the preschool classes and get to know our preschool, too! The school also likes to give a book by the featured author each year to every child in our program. If you’d like to help support that financially, please make a check to the church with the memo line “Readathon.” If you can volunteer to read a book to our preschoolers, let Pastor Kelli know. She’ll be reading and would love to have some partners in this adventure. You are guaranteed to experience BIG EYES, BIG SMILES, and BIG THANKS! BOOKS BY FEATURED AUTHOR SANDRA BOYNTON:

BIRTHDAYS IN MARCH

March 1 Mark Bowers March 4 Steffanie Tabor-Keithly March 11 John Tipton March 16 Laurie Davis-Foster March 22 Warren Wirth March 27 John Imbler March 29 Darrell Hensley

SEARCH FOR CHILDREN’S MINISTER We continue to search for a children’s minister to lead, develop and resource our ministry to young families. The position is 5 to 7 hours per week at a compensation of $500/month. Send suggestions to Pastor Kelli or Geoff Brewster know.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

March 8 Disciples Women Brunch and Study 10 am

March 9 Sunday School 9:15 am, Worship 10:45 am Cabinet Meeting 5 pm

March 12 So You Say You’re a Christian? 5:45 pm Discussion Group Week 1 of 5 week series. Dinner provided & childcare available. Please RSVP via phone/email to Kelli or the church office.

March 15 Breakfast Club 9 am at Brownies on 71st at S. Sheridan.

March 16 Sunday School 9:15 am, Worship 10:45 am Jeremiah Project Leadership Team 2 p.m.

March 19 So You Say You’re a Christian? 5:45 p.m.

March 23 Sunday School 9:15 am, Worship 10:45 am

March 26 So You Say You’re a Christian? 5:45 p.m.

March 30 Sunday School 9:15 am, Worship 10:45 am Lunch Bunch after worship at The Upper Crust

CHOIR PRACTICE: Each Wednesday @ 7:00pm

Serenity Group is a 12-step SA group. Meets Sunday,

Tuesday & Friday @ 7:30 pm

JEREMIAH PROJECT UPDATE from Allison Fate

On behalf of those who are serving on the Jeremiah Project leadership team, I bring a report on the next steps in our journey. The team selected the beautiful tree you have on your prayer card because of our deep roots and potential growth. Little seeds nurtured, fed and cared for grow roots and

turn into something many times greater than their start. Bethany is a beautiful tree! It is time to grow into a stronger, wider, tree capable of bearing more fruit. It is time to listen to God’s call in our hearts and bring clarity to who we are, to discover opportunities to engage and empower our community, and one another, to live out our faith. To do this in the framework of the Appreciative Inquiry process, it is time to form our Provocative Proposals. Provocative Proposals are ideas that point to real, desired possibilities. This will be done based on the input we have received and more input from each of you. These Proposals will bridge the best of what is toward what might be. They will be ideas that incorporate our past, the seeds we have come from, the roots of love filled with our core values, and they will help us grow our branches of welcome wider and stronger. Upon implementation, our Bethany tree will blossom with nourishing fruit to share with the world.

We will be meeting on Sunday, March 16, to dig deeper into the process of forming the proposals focused on your input - the values of: hospitality, justice, outreach and family of faith. Please be thinking of ways you might see these themes in action and watch your e-mail and bulletin for details of how you can impact our future with hope and nurture our tree. Also, please keep praying the prayer on your card, available at church and printed below. Will you join me now in it…

Guiding God, Like the ancients of scripture and the people of Bethany before us, we turn to you for a clear vision of what it means to be a strong community of faith in this place at this time. Challenge our assumptions and encourage our sight that we may know how to live with deep roots of love and

wide branches of welcome. Amen.

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