July 15, 2016 - First United Methodist Church

First United Methodist Church
300 W. Delaware
Tahlequah, OK. 74464
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July 15, 2016
Non-Profit Org
U.S. Postage
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Tahlequah, Ok
Permit No. 281
The Tahlequah Testament
Dear Friends,
In Mark Batterson’s book,
The Circle Maker, quotes
“Psalm 126:1 which says,
“When the Lord restored
the fortunes of Zion, we
were like those who
dreamed.”
When I was
young, I used to dream big
Rev. James Graham
dreams, because it seemed as if anything was
possible. As I have grown older, common sense
and logic tells me those things are impossible.
Mark Batterson reminds us that, “Neuroimaging
has shown that as we age, the center of cognitive
gravity tends to shift from the imaginative right
brain to the logical left brain. This neurological
tendency presents a grave spiritual danger to us. At
some point, most of us stop living out of I
magination and start living out of memory. Instead
of creating the future, we start repeating the past.
Instead of living by faith, we live by logic. Instead
of going after our dreams, we stop circling Jericho.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
As we age, either imagination overtakes
memory or memory overtakes imagination.
Imagination is the road less taken, but it is the pathway of prayer. If you keep praying, you’ll keep
Office: 918-456-6141
dreaming, and conversely, if you keep
dreaming, you’ll keep praying. The
more you pray the bigger your dreams
will become. The older you get, the
more faith you should have because
you’ve experienced more of God’s
faithfulness.
And it is God’s
faithfulness that increases our faith and
enlarges our dreams.
Our date of death is not the date
etched on our tombstone. The day we
stop dreaming is the day we start dying.
When imagination is sacrificed on the
altar of logic, God is robbed of the glory
that rightfully belongs to the creator.
Nothing honors God more than a big
dream that is way beyond our ability to
accomplish. Why? Because there is no
way we can take credit for it. As we go
forward into an uncertain future, I
encourage you to pray and dream BIG
dreams. When we encounter problems
that are too big for us to handle, let us
each do our part and lean on God to
provide the miracle. May you keep
dreaming until the day you die. May
imagination overtake memory, and may
God deliver you through prayer.
Web: www.tahlequahumc.or g
Happy Birthday
Greeters for July
Ushers for July
Lela Stowers
Rick Pry
Tom Been
Colton Johnson
7-1
Marianne Marshall 7-2
Anderson Daniel
7-2
James Gruber
Don Brock
Nancy Derr
Stan Young
Tara Wolf
Darrell Lingbeck
Margot Purdy
Ramona Frazier
7-3
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7-6
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7-9
7-10
Here are two pictures from our trip to Clinton OIMC Church and Community Center. We had six to go with us. Sandy Singleton from Bartlesville, Belinda Wallis
and Alexandria Miller from Warner, Judy Young, James and Jane Bond from
Tahlequah. We worked with Donna Pewo, missionary at Clinton and the kids there
doing a VBS/Sports camp, June 20-24.
Reagan McClanahan 7-11
Reed Felts
John Horner
Ken Polak
Debbie Jensen
Robert Parrish
Mary Reeves
Zach Frazier
Emma Gardner
Pat Archambo
Rosilyn Warren
Gaye Bekkering
Robert Daniel
Jo Ellen Culver
Betsy Kenyon
7-13
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7-17
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7-20
7-22
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7-26
7-27
7-30
Thank You
I want to take this opportunity to thank this
congregation for your warm wishes and cards
and gifts (and food) in recognition of my retirement. You are my family here and I have
been blessed over the years to have you all so
close to me. It has been my joy and honor to
be associated with FUMC music. I especially
want to thank the choirs for their dedication to
our ministry in worship. Music has long been
an important part of our church, and I suspect
it will continue that mission with ever increasing zeal in the years to come. I extend my
hearty blessings to the new leadership of music
at FUMC.
Tahlequah Feed My Sheep
Celebrating 5 Years of Service-July 14, 2016
Tahlequah Feed My Sheep is an all-volunteer organization,
which provides nutritious meals for the hungry every Thursday from 5-6 p.m. All meals are served at the First United
Methodist Church Activities Building at 301 W. Delaware.
Guests use the south entrance.
Over 60 volunteers perform myriad duties to be of service
to more than 150 guests each week. Energy is focused on
providing community for one another.
Long before the guests arrive on Thursday, the head chef
for the evening selects the menu, purchases the groceries,
and prepares the food with his or her assistants. Tables and
chairs are placed, the tables set, and beverages prepared by
volunteers.
At Feed My Sheep guests and volunteers alike wear first name nametags. Guests are greeted and seated at
round tables, each with a volunteer table host who makes sure needs are met and conversation flows. Meals
are served restaurant-style, with volunteers waiting on assigned tables; there is no standing and waiting in line.
At meal’s end, guests select from a variety of homemade desserts, prepared and plated by volunteers, and
presented on a dessert tray. On the last Thursday of the month, birthdays are celebrated with birthday badges,
a giant birthday cake, candles, wishes, and vociferous singing.
Following the meal, guests are invited to take home a piece of fresh fruit provided by some of the churches
on a rotational schedule, and bread provided by Reasor’s or by Walmart through the distribution of the Zoe
Institute.
Separate teams of volunteers clear tables, scrape dishes, wash pans and dishes, clean up the dining room and
kitchen, and put away all tables and chairs. Leftovers are immediately shared with local shelters.
Tahlequah Feed My Sheep began service on July 14, 2011, following five months of planning. Volunteers
from five area churches formed to make the initial ecumenical ministry: First United Methodist, St. Basil’s
Episcopal, First Christian, First Presbyterian, and First Baptist. Later volunteers from St. Brigid’s Catholic,
D. D. Etchieson Methodist, Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Cornerstone Fellowship, Grace Baptist,
Citadel of the Open Heart, and other churches and faith traditions became involved. When partnerships were
formed with Northeastern State University Departments of Health Professions and Social Work, Tahlequah
High School, Kiwanis Club, NEO Health, and We Go Global, Feed My Sheep evolved into a community
organization. In recent years, the Tahlequah Area Coalition for the Homeless has provided meals for
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s.
Tahlequah Feed My Sheep is totally dependent on donations. Tahlequah First United Methodist Church
handles all fiduciary responsibilities. To donate: make checks payable to Tahlequah First United Methodist
Church and put “Feed My Sheep” in the notation line. This will direct your contribution to the proper
account. Mail to Feed My Sheep, Tahlequah FUMC, 300 W. Delaware St., Tahlequah, OK 74464.
For more information or to volunteer, contact Janet Stucky at 918/931-2245.
If you have a change of address and/or phone
number, please inform the office.!! Thank you.
Day of Service
July 20th
Community Food Bank
Of Eastern Oklahoma
The Schmegule
Wed. July 13th
5:30 TUMY
Wed. July 20
8am to 5pm Trip to Tulsa
Wed. July 27th
5:30 TUMY
The youth have been gathering
back together since getting back
from mission trip and church camp.
We delivered over 100 flyers last
Wednesday evening to help
promote VBS. A BIG Thank You
goes out to Roselyn Warren and
Barbara Reed for providing dinner
last Wednesday evening. It was
delicious and truly a big blessing.
We are in need of some help
with meals on Wednesday evenings.
If you would like to volunteer to
cook or provide a meal for us please
call the church office and let Barbie
know she will put you on the
calendar.
The youth along with the church
will be going to Tulsa on July 20th.
We will be leaving the church at
8am to go to the Community Food
Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and
working until 4pm. Bring money for
lunch and dinner. There are forms
to feel out so stop by the church office if you would like to go. All are
welcome to come and bring a
friend.
Peace & Love,
TUMY
8am to 5pm
All youth are
welcome to come serve and
have fun at the same time.
We will be leaving the church
at 8am.
Return home some time
around 6.
Faith is dead when it doesn’t result in faithful activity.
James 2:17
Ministry Team
Staff:
Senior Pastor…………….………….………….Rev. James B. Graham III
Associate Pastor…….…..………………...…………….……...Shana Dry
Administrative Assistant…………………………………..Barbie Barnard
Choir Director…………………………….………………………………..
Organist…………………………………………...………Ramona Frazier
Bell Choir Director………………………………............Linda Cheatham
Lil Sprouts Preschool Director…………………………....Brianne Travis
Custodian………………………...………………………..Elaine Funburg
Nursery………….…..... ……………………………………..Angelea Dry
Extension Ministries:
UM Children’s Home
Shana Dry, Director, NSU Wesley Foundation
International Missionary: Rev. Kristen Brown
WEB www.tahlequahumc.or g
OFFICE 918-456-6141