The Stillwater

It is the mission of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Stillwater to be the church of Jesus Christ in the world. We do so by developing DISCIPLESHIP, Enabling OUTREACH, and embodying COMMUNITY in our lives together.

Christian
Volume 2013 | June 25
Mission to Jamaica Group 1 Working This Week

Red Cross Blood Drive This Sunday! If you havent made an appointment, thats OK! Walk-ins will be accepted.
Group 1 arrived on Saturday and continues to work throughout the week until Saturday. They will return home, while Group 2 will be flying to Jamaica on Saturday. We knew that communication would be spotty, but we do know that everyone arrived safely on Saturday. Please keep this group in your prayers. Group 1 consists of: Ashley Ward, Jonathan Gregory, Ronda Gregory, Zach Gregory, Morgan Gregory, Trey Gregory, Makayla Levings, Courtney Levings, Owen Cayton, Lori Krase-Cayton, Toviel Cayton, Mattai Cayton, Justin Secrest, Melanie Secrest, Jaxton Secrest, Jordy Secrest, Garrett Hines, Janet Hines, Mary Ann Grimsley, Alex Sefcik, Lincoln Sefcik, Claire Zevnik, Carly Hart, Candy Michalski, Taylor Hall, Julianne Hall, Erin Brownlee, Cole Brownlee, Ryan Parker, Beau Bigheart, Garrett Guthrie, Gavin Guthrie, Levi Ross, Sharon Gunkel, Dalyn Gunkel, Stacy Gunkel, Sondra Ladd, and Cassidy Ladd.

Remember the 2 for 200 Campaign!

So far, we have raised $2,716.00 of the $4500.00 we need for our Back to School Clothing Project. We are 60% of the way there!! If you have not contributed yet, please consider making a donation. If you have already contributed, consider saving your spare change, sacrificing a Starbucks drink, or that extra pop from Sonic and donate that to the cause. You will be helping 200 children whose parents cannot afford new back-to-school clothing to receive a couple of shirts that they will be proud to wear. Other churches and agencies are raising money to provide shoes, socks, underwear, and more. Some of you may be wondering why we are not providing school supplies this year. We have learned not only that other churches are fulfilling this role, but also that the school district is now absorbing the cost for supplies. However, we have learned that school kids are still asked to provide boxes of tissues or Ziploc sandwich bags, so we and/or one of our community partners plan to add these to the shopping list, if funds are available.

Lets make this the most successful Christmas in July ever! Wednesday Night Fellowship Planning

PROGRESS

Mark Your Calendar

June 22-June 29 Group 1 of Jamaica Mission Trip June 29-July 6 Group 2 of Jamaica Mission Trip June 30 Red Cross Blood Drive

Even in the middle of summer hustle and bustle we are planning for something that will make your midweek inspiring and uplifting. WNF will resume on Sept. 4th. Sondra is thinking about programming that will help us get to know and appreciate each other on a deeper level. If you have a talent or story to share with this congregation, please contact Sondra soon so we can dream and brain storm together. Making Classrooms More Attractive Thank you to the FCC Preschool and Mothers Day Out program for purchasing new blinds and having them installed in the Pre-K and Kindergarten Sunday School Room.

Please join us to celebrate

MARY ELIZABETH CRISWELLS

th

Birthday
Saturday, June 29th 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm First Christian Church Your presence is her gift

Join us this Sunday for Owen Caytons Message, Sweet Summer Fruit, Mon! Based on Galatians 5:13-25 and Luke 9:51-62 Traditional 9:00am Sunday School 10:10 Contemporary 11:10

Hughes Views
David Hughes, Organist/Choir Director cdavidhughes@gmail.com Think back to last Christmas. Did you attend the service on Christmas Eve? Who was there with you? What do you remember about it? What was special about last Christmas that made it different from other times? For me, the most special things about last Christmas were the time I spent worshipping and the time I spent with my family. I remember the service on Christmas Eve with its joyful carols and the reading of the Christmas story, and I have continued to reflect on that joyful experience ever since. The time I spent with my family was special because my sister came to visit and I spent nearly a week with her and my grandparents. Christmas was six months ago! So of course, that means that the next Christmas is also six months away. It is not an accident that the winter solstice coincides with the birth of Jesus on the Christian calendar. The summer solstice (June 24) also coincides with an important Christian holiday: the birth of John the Baptist. When Jesus was conceived, Lukes Gospel tells us that her cousin Elizabeth was six months pregnant at the time. When the early church began to compile a chronology of the events in the narrative of Jesus life, they did not make an attempt to find the actual dates of the occurrences. Instead, they tried to link the celebrations of these events together in ways that illuminated their importance to the church. We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life. (1 John 1:1) On the longest day of the year, the church remembers the birth of John the Baptist, the greatest of the prophets. Not coincidentally, six months later, on the shortest day of the year, the church remembers the birth of Jesus. As many of our church family from First Christian Church are spreading the good news this day in the country of Jamaica, please remember to keep them in prayer. This is the message we have heard and proclaim to you: that God is light, and in God there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). Whether it is the darkest evening of the year, or the brightest and hottest day, God loves us so much that God wants to soar through our darkness and show us the light so that we can proclaim Gods love to the whole world.
The Stillwater Christian is a weekly publication of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The deadline for articles each week is 1pm Monday. Tracy Freeman, Editor editor@fcc-stillwater.org Church Office Phone: 405.372.7722 Fax: 405.372.7726 Find The Stillwater Christian and more information at www.fcc-stillwater.org Send prayer requests and general email to office@fcc-stillwater.org Facts & Figures for June 23, 2013

Sondra Ladd, Children/Youth Ministry Director youth@fcc-stillwater.org

CH ILDR EN & YO UTH MI NISTR Y NEWS

Part of Group 1 at 2:30am on Saturday morning, preparing to leave FCC for Jamaica.

Jamaica Mission Work Underway Group 1 arrived and is hard at work. Keep an eye on Sondras Facebook page for updates on their activities! Group 2 leaves Saturday, June 29 and will be there until July 6th.

No Kids Own Worship June 30

Upcoming Events Our next summer adventure begins on Sunday, July 21 when youth and sponsors will be serving the community of El Reno during Mission El Reno 2013. Its not too late to join us! Contact Sondra

NEXT SUNDAY IS 5TH SUNDAY HELPING HANDS OFFERING!

Attendance(92 and 80)..........172 Jamaica Mission Trip....38 Sunday School....104 General Fund Receipts...$3,710.00 Capital Fund Receipts.......$200.00 Loose Offering/Sunday School...$47.00 Project Funds Receipts....$18,196.84 Preliminary Facts & Figures as of May 31, 2013 YTD Budget Receipts....$196, 617.52 YTD Budget Expenses...$184,829.29 Net Receipts over Expenses...$11,788.23 Presented by Kay Smith, Treasurer, dkwsmith@suddenlink.net

Happy Birthday to: 6/26 Ron Elliott, Hazel Griffin, Isaiah Traylor 6/27 April Traylor, Clinton Trench Alexia Matthews, 6/29 Searcy Crow, Noah Gade, Garrett Guthrie, Adeana Sallee 6/30 Ethan Ley 7/1 Roy Sturgeon 7/2 Erin Gober, Pat Nance Happy Anniversary to: 6/27 Abe and Katy Benge; JD and Amy Goad 6/28 Jerry and Nancy Crenshaw 6/30 Gale and Barbara Andrew 7/2 John and Carolyn Baird