NOVEMBER 2014
“Celebrating and Sharing the Love of Jesus Christ”
Consecration Sunday is November 23!
The schedule will be:
a.m.
Sunday
School
When9:00
Things
Don’t- Go
As Planned
- Part 2…..
10:00
a.m.
Worship
“Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come.” Mark 13:33
.
11:15 a.m. - Potluck Luncheon
www.JoyLutheranTulsa.org
Breathing In and Out
“For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are
one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.” -Romans 12:4-5 (NRSV)
About a week ago, I was reading an article by Bishop Brian Maas of the Nebraska Synod. He wrote about having Exercised
Induced Asthma:
“For years, I thought the asthmatic attack meant I was getting too little air, and in my pained panic I would always
try to breathe in even more deeply. I eventually learned that the problem isn’t getting too little new air in, it’s
getting the old air out. Concentrating on exhaling rather than inhaling helps.”1
I eventually learned that the problem isn’t getting too little new air in, it’s getting the old air
out. As I thought about that phrase, I began to think about our life together as the Body of
Christ. So often the church approaches its shortcomings as though all our problems would be
solved if we got more “new air in”—that is to say, if we would just get more new members to
come in to us, then there would be more. More people, more money, more volunteers,
more ideas, more… more… more.… But what if Bishop Maas’ analogy is right? What if the
problem isn’t getting the air—or should I say people—in as much as it is getting the people
out? What if the best way to get new people into the church is to get the established
members out and into to the world?
Nov. 3 - Family Art Night
Nov. 7 - Crystal Bridges Trip
Nov. 8 - DOT Spot at The
Bistro at Seville
Nov. 9 - The Holidays and
Grief Workshop
Nov. 16 - Youth OCCJ Trip
Nov. 19 - CFBEO Service Trip
Nov. 23 - Consecration
Bishop Maas goes on to say, “No human body survives, let alone thrives, without a steady
Sunday
rhythm of breathing in and breathing out. In the Church, that has to do with a community
Dec. 3—Wednesday Advent
being gathered in for worship, inspiration and learning, and then sent out to be Christ’s voice,
services begin
hands and feet in the world.”
Dec. 6 - Property Work Day
So, I wonder, do we “breath out” as much as we “breath in”? As a community, there is a lot
we have done to reach out including opportunities like Trunk or Treat, CROP Walk, Helping
Hands Thanksgiving Baskets and Family Art Night that you will read about in this month’s
newsletter. Certainly these are important ministries that help us “breath out” into the
Continued on next page.
Dec. 6-7 - 94th annual
Messiah at First
Lutheran
community. In addition to these, we will explore new ways to reach out to those in need through DHS’ “Adopt-a-worker”
program in the coming months (if you are interested in learning more and helping with this new outreach ministry, talk
with Martha Lowe).
However, one observation I have made as individuals write when and why they came to Joy on the timeline in the
fellowship hall (it isn’t too late to do this still!) is the significant number of people who have come to Joy as a result of
personal invitations. The truth is this is still the most effective form of reaching out—a personal invitation to come to
church. If such an invitation has brought you to a congregation—even if it was just for a visit—you know what I mean. It’s
also one of the *seemingly* scariest things to do as a Christian, which is why we will spend some time discussing this topic
on November 9th as we begin our fall stewardship emphasis with the theme of “Fearless Living” and the story of the man
born blind in John 9. So, if the thought of inviting someone to church causes you shortness of breath, that Sunday is for
you.
Bishop Maas put it this way, “we’ve forgotten that healthy bodies exhale every bit as much as they inhale. Too often,
Church has been a place we go to weekly, not a body we’re a part of daily. We don’t let the Spirit exhale through our
congregational and personal lives Monday through Saturday. Our congregations’ breathing becomes imbalanced, we try to
breathe in more deeply, we panic and we suffer.”
As we continue to imagine new ways of being the Church in our culture, I am convinced that God will ultimately make the
Body of Christ vibrant and healthy—because if God could raise Christ to new life, God can raise the Church—the Body of
Christ and its members—to new life as well. Indeed, as God breathed life into Adam and Eve, so God continues to breathe
life into us and the Church as a whole each day. So let’s fulfill our call to be God’s partners in the world by doing the
same—breathing in, breathing out and bearing the breath of the Holy Spirit to all of God’s world.
1
For the full text of Bishop Maas’ article, see: http://www.nebraskasynod.org/reflections/breathe/
Step in Faith—Capital Campaign
"Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were
taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness." -Colossians 2:7 (NLT)
This verse reminds me of the sturdy oak tree that grows behind the altar here at Joy. No doubt the roots of this tree are
deep and strong to withstand over 100 years. I often wonder what stories it would tell of storms it has
weathered, changes it has witnessed around it, and people that have sought refuge under or prayed under it.
We are in the last months of our formal "Step in Faith" capital campaign. God has granted us so many gifts to build not
only on a foundation which now contains new spaces for new ministries and outreach already, but through His Word, love
and grace ways we can continue to use our gifts to maintain and spread the "roots" and the foundation of this
congregation to grow in mission and ministry toward the future. In thankfulness, we give these gifts to Him! Let's finish
strong in our commitments we have made.
As of October 30, we have received $263,270.16, toward the Capital Campaign. Thank you for your contributions! As we
begin the last three months of the campaign, let’s finish it with a strong push to exceed our $305,000 goal! If you need an
update on your total contributions to date, please contact the church office or our Financial Secretary, Ione Allison.
Council Corner
At the October council meeting, members looked at a draft of the budget. Pr. Nathan asked for people to attend the
Bishop’s Summit at Sta. Scholastica on November 21 and 22. Also discussed was meeting with Pr. David Misenheimer to
discuss possible next steps following the CAT survey, LED lighting for the sanctuary and offices that would take advantage
of PSO rebates, the stewardship emphasis, upcoming events (see the rest of the newsletter for some of them!) and
property maintenance items to address.
Finance
Demonstrate your thankfulness this season
Each holiday season, Joy Lutheran Church anticipates and relies on a seasonal increase in contributions. It is through the
donations of every individual and family in the congregation that we are able to carry on our work now and throughout the
year.
If you need a convenient way to make recurring contributions or plan to make an additional gift before the end of the year,
we encourage you to check out our electronic giving options. As the pace of life speeds up around the holidays, you may
find electronic giving a most welcome way to make contributions.
To set up a recurring giving schedule, visit us online at www.joylutherantulsa.org and locate the Online Giving button.
Finance Committee Meeting
The next meeting of the Joy Lutheran Church Finance Committee will be held on Tuesday evening, November 11th at 6:00
p.m. The meeting will focus on 2014 Budget development.
Joy Lutheran Church Offering/Contribution Year-End Statements
Just an early reminder that all offerings and contributions to Joy Lutheran Church must be received at the church office no
later than Wednesday, December 31, 2014 to be recorded on the year-end statements of giving. The statements will be
mailed in early January for income tax reporting purposes.
Financial Report
Following is a financial summary of contributions and expenses for the month of September and a January 1-September 30,
2014 year-to-date summary.
Finances for the Month of September 2014
Actual Income
Actual Expense
Net
General Offering
$25,915
$21,219
$4,696
Mortgage Reduction
$2,970
$4,893
($1,923)
September 2014 Totals
$28,885
$26,112
$2,773
Finances Year-To-Date January 1-September 30, 2014
Actual Income
Actual Expense
Net
General Offering
$246,164
$200,015
$46,149
Mortgage Reduction
$44,367
$44,037
$330
Year-To-Date Totals
$290,531
$244,052
$46,479
Ministry of the Month
As in years past, we will team up with Ascension Lutheran’s Helping Hands pantry to provide
Thanksgiving baskets for clients of Family and Children’s Services.
The cost of each basket is $30. Please fill out a bulletin insert and mark on the check “Thanksgiving
Baskets”.
Children’s Education
We had beautiful weather as we filled the
grounds with families enjoying games,
inflatables, facepainting, food, decorated
cars, and lots of candy.
Thank you to everybody that
volunteered, attended, prayed, and
donated towards the event.
October's Family Art Night celebrated National Pasta Month and
National Pizza Month by creating "pasta pizza color wheels".
31 people participated, most of which were not members of Joy.
The next Family Art Night is Monday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m.; it
is free for all children in kindergarten through fifth grade and an
adult.
Youth Group
As the youth prepare to attend the National Youth Gathering, they are making a “Road To Detroit Board” next to the
mailboxes. This will update the congregation on their financial progress in attending. There will also be envelopes on the
board; on each envelope is a number. People are encouraged to take an envelope (or more than one) and put in the
amount of money to match the number on the envelope. For example, if you pick envelope #12, you would donate $12;
if you pick envelope #184, you would donate $184 dollars.
Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO) will meet at Joy on Sunday, November 9 at 1:30 p.m.; all youth are encouraged to
attend and invited to lunch at Qdoba at 91st and Yale at noon.
Youth will participate in the OCCJ 2014 Operation Understanding Interfaith Youth Tour on Sunday, November 16, 1:30-5:30
p.m. According to OCCJ, “The annual Youth Interfaith Tour of diverse houses of worship – ‘Operation Understanding’ – is an
effort to encourage interchange, interaction, and dialogue among individuals of varying faith traditions. The Tour, which is
held on a Sunday afternoon in the fall each year, has been enormously popular and successful since its inception in 1981.
Operation Understanding brings together middle school and high school students to afford them an opportunity to learn
about some of the different religions in Tulsa. No proselytizing is allowed. As the group visits the houses of worship, the
clergy will speak to them and answer questions. We hope this experience will help the students understand, appreciate
and respect differences in religion. Attendees are not expected to participate in the worship, but are asked to respectfully
observe.”
2014 Tour Stops:
Temple Israel: 2004 E. 22nd Pl.
Fellowship Congregational Church UCC: 2900 S. Harvard Ave.
Masjid Al-Salam Mosque: 4630 S. Irvington Ave.
Tam-Bao Buddhist Temple: 16933 E. 21st St.
Thank you to the youth group for
running the Trunk or Treat games!
GrandBuddies Needed
With more kids in the program than ever before, we need more
volunteers. Please sign up at the Welcome Center or see Alicia to
volunteer to serve as a GrandBuddy.
As part of the year-long program, you
will be paired with a child and asked to
speak to that child on Sundays, taking
an interest in what they are doing in
school and church. The commitment is
low, but the reward is high.
Adult Education
Be sure to come and join one of our Sunday morning adult education opportunities! We have three classes going and
you can join any of them at any time:
·
Book discussion: Invitation to Discipleship, by Martin Marty, led by David Humphrey in rooms 105/107
·
Bible Study of the Book of John, led by Pastor Norm on the north side of the Fellowship Hall
·
Video discussion on Biology and Belief: Conversations of Faith and Science, led by Roger Meyer and Pastor Nathan in
rooms 106/108
Our midweek lectionary-based Bible study is currently held on Wednesdays at noon. We are looking into finding
another time that may work for more people to attend, so please let Pastor Nathan know if you’re interested in
attending and have a suggestion for when to meet.
Caregivers
THE HOLIDAYS AND GRIEF
Presented by Ginny Ryan Perkins, LPC
Sunday, November 9, 2014
4:00-5:30 p.m.
Joy Lutheran Church
The holidays are generally associated with great anticipation and joy. But for those who have experienced
the death of a loved one, the prospect of the holiday season may be bittersweet. Join us for this free seminar
and learn ways to help yourself or others manage the holiday season while grieving.
Evangelism & Outreach
Nine Joy members raised funds and walked in the 2014 Tulsa Crop Walk. In total,
$24,000 was raised for local and world-wide efforts to fight hunger.
Fighting hunger has been a key focus of Joy's outreach. We continue ongoing
support for the Eastern Oklahoma Food Bank through regular volunteer nights.
Joy's hunger outreach aligns with the ELCA
World Hunger mission program. The ELCA
World Hunger program raised $18.6 million
dollars in 2012 to fight hunger in the U.S. and
throughout the world. To learn more about what the ELCA is doing to fight hunger,
search Google using the keywords ELCA and hunger.
Joy's CROP walk team included children and adults. We value the engagement of
children, youth and adults working together to enhance our word and deed
ministry. Keep world hunger and the 2015 CROP Hunger Walk in your thoughts and
prayers because hunger deserves our attention, our time and our financial support.
Finally, come join us on November 19 from 6-8:00 p.m. as we serve at the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma.
Stewardship
November 9th will be the beginning of a three-week emphasis for our congregation
called Fearless Generosity. We will challenge ourselves to become more faithful
stewards as we explore what it means to practice:
• fearless living (Nov. 9);
• fearless giving (Nov. 16); and
• fearless service (Nov. 23).
Each week we will focus on one of these concepts during worship. We hope you will be
present each week. On November 23, we will join together to present our
commitments of giving for 2015 in support of the ministry and mission to which we are
called as Joy Lutheran Church.
Thank you to those who donated our new patio furniture and to everyone who came to help assemble it!
We know that it will get many years of use!
Sandy Gardner
“In Her Shoes”
The Joy Lutheran Christmas
play will be:
Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame
Sunday November 23, 2014 at 5 p.m.
“A Paper Bag Christmas”
Featuring
Chuck Gardner : Piano, Musical Arrangements
Mike Bennett: Trumpet
Jim Bates: String Bass
Anthony Yohe: Drums
Sam Troxel: Special Guest
(Chuck’s Union H.S. Piano Student)
on Wednesday, December 17
Watch the bulletin and December
newsletter for more information.
Fellowship
Crystal Bridges Day Trip - Fellowship Lutheran’s Vital Aging Ministries is sponsoring a day trip to Crystal Bridges near
Bentonville AR., Friday Nov 7. Cost is $50 for singles and $90 per couple, which includes transportation and lunch. There
are a few spaces left. See flyer/preregistration forms in narthex or contact Sharon Russ at Fellowship Lutheran 918–492–
3698 or [email protected] ASAP in order to save a spot—registration ends when the bus is full!
DOT Spot - DOT Spot will meet at 5:30 on November 8. We will get together at the Bistro at Seville at 10021 S. Yale. After
our dinner, bring your favorite desert to share. We will go over to the church and continue our evening. If you are
planning on joining us, contact Shonda Studtmann at 405-501-2088 or [email protected] to secure your reservation.
Everyone is welcome.
Potluck Meal Consecration Sunday - We will be having a potluck meal on November 18th at 11:15 following our
Consecration Worship service. Contact Tresa Helm ([email protected]) if you can help with set up and/or clean up
that Sunday.
Property Work Day is
Saturday, November 1
from 9:00 a.m. to
Noon.
Any and all time you can
help is greatly
appreciated as we plant
new trees!
The 94th Annual Presentation of Handel’s “Messiah”
First Lutheran Church—13th & Utica, Tulsa
December 6 & 7, 2014
Volunteers Needed—Do you want to be involved in the Tulsa
All Lutheran Messiah? Some additional volunteers are
needed for ushers, set-up and tear down. For more
information and to volunteer, contact Leon or Donna Boggs at
918-258-5201.
Hospitality
Nov. 2 - Mike & Kathryn Daniel, Ed Snyder & Ed Snyder II, Nathan & Laura Allen
Nov. 9 - Jim & Mary Green, Cindy Rogers, David Money, Mark & Marie Newgard
Nov. 16 - Bob & Nancy Young, Lila Martini, Gary & Tedra McCall
Nov. 23 - Bill & Sonya Yates, Walt & Joyce Larsen, Craig Prestegord, Mike Curtis
Nov. 30 - Dave & Jean Dearhammer, Carol Mangels, Clark & Donna Niss, Clifton & Melissa Cain
If you have questions or concerns about your rotation, please contact Ethel Harmon.
Small Groups Ministries
Women’s A.M. Prayer Group meets the second Wednesday of every month at 10:00 a.m.
Stitchers’ Group meets the first and third Wednesday of every month at 9:30 a.m.
November Celebrations
Birthdays
Sara Humphrey
Tom Pigg
Leslie Heefner
Mary Hurst
Laura Allen
Savannah Essink
David Humphrey
Connor Tracy
Debbie Lovelace
Jamie Donohue
Charles Gardner
Bill Yates
11/1
11/1
11/3
11/4
11/7
11/16
11/18
11/18
11/21
11/29
11/29
11/30
Anniversaries
Orval & Viola Meyer
Mark & Marie Newgard
Read & Debbie Furgerson
Malcolm & Judy Tracy
Jerry & Barbara Walser
Tom & Gerry Russell
Mike & Kathryn Daniel
Don’t see your celebration here? Contact the church office with the dates of any
birthdays and/or anniversaries not included in this listing and they will be included next year.
Church Staff:
The Rev. Nathan Allen—Pastor
Alicia Stephens—Dir. of Children, Youth, and Family Ministries
Denise Claybaker—Office Manager
Dr. Alice Brook—Interim Dir. of Music Ministries
Melissa Ward—Nursery Attendant
Church Office Hours: Mon. — Fri. from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Church office phone: 918-299-3292
[email protected]
11/5
11/5
11/10
11/11
11/15
11/26
11/28