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712 S. Columbia Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74104
918.592.5800
Church Office Hours:
Mon - Th, 9 am - 3 pm
Closed on Fridays
Worship Schedule:
9:30 am - Church School - all ages
10:30 am - Fellowship
11:00 am - Worship in English
11:00 am - Worship in Spanish
Church Email:
Pastor Email:
Website:
Join us for coffee, juice, cookies and
conversation in Fellowship Hall before
Church School and Worship.
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'Fall Back' This Sunday, 11/6
Be sure and set your clocks back one hour Saturday before bedtime.
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3 - Maise Stagner-Speer
4 - Ruby Oldham
8 - Vance Vanderburg
8 - Paul Hartman
9 - Elizabeth Turnbull
9 - Sara McCullough
9 - Emily Gamel
10 - Christy Lyke
10 - Jeff Ream
11 - Vicki Jordan
12 - Gretchen Hannefield
13 - Sally Gammie
13 - Terry Bloss
14 - Rebecca Howard
15 - Margarita Bustos
18 - Matt Schone
18 - Adrienne Williams
23 - Polly Kelly
24 - Steven Bostic
24 - Lori Decter Wright
26 - Todd Redding
29 - Jamie McCullough
29 - Gay Miller
30 - Gabrielle Porter
Remember the
Birthday Endowment Fund!
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Luke Oldham joins wife Emily and daughter Ruby (baptized on October 30) as a new member.
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Lori Decter Wright (with husband Joseph) along with children Libby and Theo.
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Congratulations to our
Newly Elected Elders
Elders were elected during our
Congregational Meeting on October 30
Class of 2019
Gay Miller
Alicia Odum
David Robertson
Trisha Thompson
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Life & Ministry at College Hill
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Visit our Facebook page for
more photos!
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Penny Fund Donations Welcome
Thank you for your donations to the Penny Fund! You are always welcome to donate your pennies (or any loose change), in the red container on the Narthex table. This money goes toward funding many College Hill events/needs!
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According to the ancient Celtic (Gaelic) calendar, October 31/November 1 marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter, the “darker half” of the year. It was one of four seasonal festivals called Samhain (pronounced sow-en). Christianity transformed this ancient holiday to All Hallows’ Eve (Halloween) on October 31, followed by All Saints’ Day on November 1. Then, and now, it was a time to remember the faithful departed. It was believed that this was a “thin time,” when the veil between this world (material) and the “Otherworld” (spiritual) was particularly thin and accessible.
Following the cycle of nature itself, this time of year marks the end of the old cycle and the beginning of the new. As such, this is a time of death and the promise of re-birth, a time of waiting and reflection. It is also a season of preparation, gathering resources for the long winter months that are coming. It was understood that in the dark silence comes whisperings of new beginnings, the stirring of the seed beneath the ground.
As nature takes a “time out” to prepare for the new growth of spring, it’s a good idea to follow that natural cycle in our own lives, materially and spiritually. May this be a time of waiting upon the new, and a time of reflection upon all that has occurred in the past year. Yes, this is kind of like the beginning of a new year, but following the cues of nature, not the calendar.
I often find the month of November to be a time when I can slow down a bit and seek some renewal for my body, mind, and spirit. So I encourage each of us, individually and as a congregation, to take time to pause and reflect upon all of our many blessings over the past year.
And remember, living life with spirit of gratitude is one of most important elements necessary in order to live life to the fullest. The gift of being thankful, to God and for each other, lays the foundation for other qualities and virtues such as generosity, compassion, and good stewardship, which are true hallmarks of life Jesus calls us to live. It is within the spirituality of gratitude that also expresses itself in the giving of our time, talents, and financial resources, as good stewards, so that we live into what it means to be part of the household, realm, kingdom, or kin-dom of God.
Blessings to all as we enter this season of thanks.
Rev. Todd
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Commitment Sunday November 6
Completed pledge cards will be collected during the service of worship, or you may send it directly to the church office as soon as possible. For anyone interested, we will answer any questions about the 2017 Proposed Budget in Fellowship Hall after the service.
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Fellowship Ministry Team will roll up their sleeves and prepare prime rib for today’s meal. Bread and drinks will also be provided. We would like the congregation to divide by last name as follows for food items:
A-G = salads
H-O = potato or rice dish
P-Z = dessert
Plan to come to church with your pledge cards AND a dish to share with your church family!
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Family Advent
Luncheon & Celebration
Sunday, November 27 after worship
This year we will celebrate Advent right after worship and enjoy a holiday luncheon together.
Plan to join us to kick off the holiday season by making ornaments to hang on the church Christmas tree and also baking & decorating cookies.
Please bring finger foods or snacks to share.
We hope to see you there!
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Luncheon Club
Thursday, November 17 at Noon
Be sure to join us for Luncheon Club in Fellowship Hall the third Thursday of the month for delicious food, fun and fellowship!
This month's program will be "A Mad Dash through Morocco", presented by Gretchen Hannefield and Susan West, who will share photos and memories of the exotic sights, smells and foods of Morocco.
Please (click name to) contact Gretchen Hannefield or Gay Miller to learn more about this group, or if you are interested in being a guest speaker.
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Book Study
Small Group
Tuesday, November 22 at 6:30 pm
Meets the 4th Tuesday of each month.
Next gathering is on Tuesday, November 22
at 6:30 pm
at the home of Sue Haskins.
This fall, you are invited to join this group in reading and discussing:
The Fifth Gospel: A Novel
by Ian Caldwell
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The Chancel Choir of College Hill Presbyterian Church rehearses Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m. in the second story choral room (next to the church office) for singing, fellowship and fun!
If you are a singer and would like to sing with the Chancel Choir, we are welcoming new members for the upcoming season. Please contact Kim Childs, our Director of Music.
BELLISSIMO
HANDBELL ENSEMBLE
BELLissimo Handbell Ensemble of College Hill Presbyterian Church has bell-ringing rehearsals Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.
If you are interested in playing in this fun ensemble (permanent member or substitute), please contact Director of Music for more information.
(Click name) to contact our Music Director,
Dr. Kim J. Childs, Director of Music
Mike Gibson, Organist
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Spiritual Superfoods
www.patheos.com
One of my friends who glows with vitality lent me a book about superfoods, those foods that are insanely good for us – blueberries, salmon, spinach, green tea, etc. Foods that seem to cure whatever ails you, from clearing out arteries to boosting the immune system to sharpening eyesight. So I was wondering, what would be the superfoods of spirituality? What are the spiritual practices that are so nourishing we should partake of them every day? ...
Create quiet time: Call it prayer, meditation or just stillness. It might involve reading or music. It might include journaling in some form. A period of stillness, I believe, makes the day go more smoothly, whatever we encounter. It boosts our immunity to small irritations and niggling fears.
Practice denials and affirmations: These are tried-and-true spiritual superfoods to clear out toxins and build up strength. You don’t deny the reality of whatever is happening, but you can deny its power over you, whether brought about by people, events or circumstances. You get to choose how to feel about them. Then affirm what you know to be true: that you are part of the Infinite, you live in a universe of abundance, and there is order you cannot yet see.
Speak positive words: This is the equivalent of drinking fresh water throughout the day. It keeps you in the flow of universal well-being, constantly reminding you what’s true about your existence. What’s true? That good far outweighs anything we consider bad on this planet. And you attract more good every time you speak of it.
Hold a vision. Have some idea, some picture, of where your life is headed. Write the vision of your future life as if it has already happened, and read it every day. A vision allows you to take steps in the direction you want to go and measure your progress. Of course, you’ll leave room for the wonderful surprises — and perhaps challenges — you might never have desired consciously.
Move your feet: Action based on spiritual guidance is the equivalent of daily exercise. As you consciously connect with the divine in you, you might feel moved to take action, even in ways that surprise you. Action is never forced. Wait for clarity and inspiration, but be ready to move when called.
None of these spiritual superfoods are complicated. Many are old and familiar, like salmon and broccoli. But they can keep you strong and supple, day in and day out, so if you should ever encounter a catastrophic emergency, you are better equipped to survive it. When I think of eating healthy and getting exercise, I think of the dread word
discipline. But it comes from the same root as
disciple, a follower who adheres to a particular teaching. Just as we adhere to the wisdom of our bodies, we also can follow the promptings of the divine, so we may gratefully partake of the most nourishing and satisfying fruits of the spirit. We are filled from within.
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Due to the business of the season, Game Night will not be held
in November and December.
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Our third annual Outreach and Mission membership team Mission Faire added a little color and excitement to our previous years. The fair’s objective was to marry our budgeted unrestricted outreach and mission funds with the priorities of our congregation.
Outreach and Mission added two new causes to the slate this year.
Marion Medical Mission (“MMM”) seeks to share the love of Christ with the extreme poor in Africa by providing all in need with a sustainable source of clean, safe drinking water. You voted to invest $250 of our 2017 unrestricted budget to buy over 60 wells to help quench a thirsty continent.
Just Hope focuses on self-sufficiency in Nicaragua. Its mission is to create a network of partnerships between North American groups and Nicaraguan communities to increase cultural understanding, combat poverty, and nurture sustainable communities. You voted to invest $250 in Just Hope to use as they see fit in their mission. This is on top of the tile we donated to Just Hope’s cultural center and the wagon load of supplies we provided to Just Hope last January.
2016’s Mission Faire saw a couple of return contestants. Our second place vote getter brings new technology to African villages that lack clean water.
Solar under the Sun (“SUTS”), supported by our Synod, seeks to illumine our fellow human beings with hope and life through solar energy. To do this, SUTS trains volunteers to design and install solar power systems with communities that lack reliable electrical power. Their projects are mainly in Central America and Haiti. We will designate $500 of next year’s unrestricted mission funds to Solar Under the Sun.
For the third year in a row, the
Community Foodbank of Eastern Oklahoma received the most votes. This worthy cause has been a mainstay of College Hill support. It feeds the hungry of eastern Oklahoma through a network of Partner Programs and engages our communities in ending hunger. Supporting them enables food security, with dignity, for all eastern Oklahomans. You voted to designate $1,000 of next year’s unrestricted mission funds to the Community Foodbank of Eastern Oklahoma.
Thanks to the organizers of this event, and then you, our membership, for supporting College Hill’s outreach program and for caring how we invest your generous pledges.
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2016 Budget & Stewardship Update
The
Finance & Stewardship Ministry Team remains committed to keeping the congregation informed about the status of our budget at points throughout the year, including updates on overall giving.
Overall stewardship by both the congregation and the ministry teams remains reasonably healthy. However, ministry team spending and capital funds expenditures are expected to increase through the remainder of the fiscal year.
Therefore, if your pledged giving has fallen behind, please allow this to serve as a gentle reminder to resume offerings to the church.
We appreciate everyone’s support in meeting College Hill’s financial goals!
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1st Sunday Food Collection - KWI
Our
First Sunday food collection will go to the
Kendall-Whittier, Inc.
Emergency Food Pantry.
Current needs include canned vegetables and canned fruit, as well as other non-perishable food items.
Cash donations are also welcome!
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