THE MESSENGER
May 2014
College Hill Presbyterian Church 
A Theologically Progressive, Inclusive, Multicultural,
'More Light Presbyterian' Congregation (PCUSA)
 

CH 2-2013  

712 S. Columbia Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74104
918-592-5800

email:

[email protected]

 

website:

 

Like us on Facebook

 

 Church office hours: 

 

 Mon - Th, 9 am - 3 pm
Closed on Fridays

 

  

   9:30 a.m. Church School-all ages
 11:00 a.m. Worship in English
 11:00 a.m. Worship in Spanish 

  

  

Join us for coffee, juice, cookies 

 and conversation in the 

Fellowship Hall before
Church School 
and before Worship.  
  

 

Quick Links
Mission Statement 
Build an inclusive
community of faith.
  
Receive and openly
share the love of God.
  
Reach out with a
compassionate voice 
for peace and justice.
Join Our Mailing List
 Church Retreat
at Dwight Mission
  
 
 
  
to view more Retreat photosLike us on Facebook!
 

Luncheon Club

Thursday, May 15 at 12:00 noon

 

 

 

Rev. Freeman will be presenting a PowerPoint presentation on the history and variety of:

Frankoma Pottery

He will bring several pieces from his 600+ piece collection to display. Check out the Display Case in Fellowship Hall starting on May 11.

 

Another presentation will be held

Sunday, May 18 after worship.

     

 
 Inaugural Harold E. Hill
Lecture Series
  
The Inaugural Harold E. Hill Lecture Series on April 7 was a huge success and made a big impact here in Tulsa with its debut. With over 500 people in attendance at the Great Hall on the University of Tulsa campus, Krista Tippett, author and Public Radio host of On Being, delivered a wonderful lecture and question and answer session on the intersection of science and religion.
  
It was great having church members Marilyn Hill and Emily Major in attendance! A special thanks for the Steering Committee: John Gammie, Pat Lucy, Bill Major, Rev. Todd Freeman, Rev. Dr. Gary Peluso-Verdend (President of Phillips Theological Seminary), and Dr. Roger Blaise (Provost at the University of Tulsa). 
  
 
  
  
  
 
The church office will be closed Monday, May 26
 
Mother's Day is May 11th   
Flower Butterfly 
Microbank Update
  
Click here to view the women of Chacraseca's stories and how College Hill's support is truly making a difference in their lives.
  
Member Spotlight
    Amy Williamson

   

   

 Amy enjoying her time with her children, Isabelle and Cooper ____________________________________________
 
 

What brought you to College Hill?

I started attending College Hill when I was 12. At the time (and still is the case) Fritha Watts Ohlson was a close friend. Her family attended College Hill and I spent many Saturday nights at their house and would then attend church with them on Sunday. Throughout high school I attended College Hill on my own (meaning without my family) and was very active. After moving away for college and other parts of the country for work I still stayed connected when I was in town visiting.  The church and my faith were a big part of my life and it felt/feels like home. I even married a co-member of the youth group, Matt Thomason, who is Alice Stanford's son. He is the father of my two beautiful children.

I moved back to Tulsa last summer with my kids and began attending College Hill again. What brought me back is similar to what brought me there in the first place - the warmth and kindness and inclusiveness of the people in the church community, the progressive voice on Christian faith, and its mission in the larger Tulsa community. The added component now was that I wanted my children to have the same opportunity to grow up and develop their own faith in a progressive church community like College Hill. I thoroughly enjoy Todd's sermons and perspectives on Christianity and I appreciate his leadership and welcoming of discussion and questioning. How rare that is in this part of the country?  And ultimately, College Hill still feels like "home". It truly is a special place.

Could you tell us a bit about yourself?

I am an assistant professor at OU-Tulsa in Early Childhood Education. I have my PhD from UNC-Greensboro in child development and have worked with children's issues most all of my life. I have taught preschool and kindergarten, directed child care programs, taught pre-service teachers at the college level, and worked on many research projects aimed at improving the lives of children. In my current position I am the infant/toddler specialist and teach courses for students who are obtaining their bachelor's degree at OU through George Kaiser's early childhood education funding. Many of these students go on to teach in Tulsa's Educare and Head Start/Early Head Start programs. Additionally, I participate in research evaluating these programs and teacher professional development programs at the Early Childhood Education Institute on the OU-Tulsa campus. When I am not working I am usually spending my time with my two children - Isabelle (age 9) and Cooper (age 5). Some of my favorite hobbies include reading, music, and travel.

What would you like to see in College Hill's future?

My main hope is that College Hill continues to be a voice for inclusiveness and progressive Christianity in Tulsa. 

Birthday Fund
 

The new year brings about another Birthday for each of us during 2014.

 

A meaningful way to celebrate this occasion is to donate an amount equal to your new age to the Endowment Fund.

 

This donation is also a wonderful way to honor others such as children, grandchildren and friends.

 

Keeping College Hill's Endowment Fund strong will allow us to have funds available for special projects.

 

Birthday Fund envelopes are available on the Narthex table, under the Birthday balloon. Checks can be made payable to College Hill and marked "Birthday Fund" on the memo portion of the check. 

May Birthdays

  2 - Lindsey Fox

  2 - Brooks Williamson

  4 - Ethan Watts

  5 - David Robertson

12 - Pam Alexander

13 - Wyatt Fox

13 - Grayson Patterson

17 - Fred Schone

17 - Diane Bucchianeri

21 - Hallee Collins

22 - Kevin Smith

22 - Johnna Thurston

23 - Trinna Burrows

23 - Mike Evanson

24 - Ben Buchanan

25 - Jonnie Bankhead

25 - Stephen Morgan

25 - Josie Speer

28 - Danielle Hovenga

  

 

 

Remember the

Birthday Endowment Fund!

 

 

Flower Chart
  
If you would like to 
bring flowers to decorate the sanctuary for an upcoming worship service, please sign up on the Flower Chart on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall. There are many open dates available. Your dedication will also be announced in the worship bulletin.  
  
Flowers can be purchased from any store or brought from home. Please bring them in two containers the morning of the service for which you have signed up.
Book Club
 
The Power of Habit- Why We Do What We Do In Life and Business

 by Charles Duhigg

 

Book Club meets monthly after worship for lunch and discussion at Panera Bread 1624 E. 15th St. (just west of Utica on the south side of 15th St.)

Click here for more information about this month's read. 

If you are interested in learning more about Book Club, click here to contact Fritha Ohlson.
 
Something
for the Spirit

 

The Promise of Shared Brokenness
by Heather Kopp at soberboots.com

 

When folks gather around a system of shared beliefs, the price of acceptance in the group is usually agreement, which means the greatest value-stated or not-is being right.
  
Unfortunately, this often creates an atmosphere of fear and performance, which in turn invites conformity.

 

But when people gather around a shared need for healing, the price of acceptance in the group is usually vulnerability, which means the greatest value-stated or not-is being real. This tends to foster an atmosphere of safety and participation, which in turn invites community.

 

 

Please click here to read the entire blog.  

 

 
We strive to provide a quality eNewsletter publication to our readers each month. Please note that inconsistencies you may have noticed with text/paragraph spacing, wrap-around, margins, etc., are due to glitches within the computer program used to create this publication, and may vary depending on your email program. Thank you for your understanding.  
~Rev. Freeman
  
Word from the Pastor

April was an exceptionally meaningful month in the life of College Hill. It included a well attended Work Day at the church, the rollout of our new Congregational Care program, the Inaugural Harold E. Hill Lecture Series, the debut of our newly-formed Bell Choir (BELLissimo) under the direction of Dr. Kim Childs, meaningful Holy Week services, a joyous Easter Service with our remarkable new organist, Mike Gibson, and it was all topped off by our first All-Church Retreat in many years, attended by 70 at Dwight Mission, coordinated by Gary Watts and included a great session for the adults led by Glen Olson.

 

While all of that might fit into the category of "too much church" for some folks, the incredible participation and enthusiasm of the congregation throughout the month highlighted something we've all known for a long time - College Hill is a very special community of faith in that while we gather to be enriched and strengthened in our own personal lives, we realize that is accomplished primarily through the real, authentic, caring relationships that continue to develop with other church members.

 

The month of May will provide many more opportunities for us to "be the church" together. And I really look forward to the Fourth Annual Memorial Day Weekend Picnic at my home on Sunday, May 25.

 

Blessings,

 

 

Rev. Todd Freeman 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

Upcoming Events

Zerger Baby Shower

this Saturday!

    

 Crystal and David Zerger and expecting a baby, and we're going to help them celebrate!  The church is invited to a baby shower for the Zergers this Saturday, May 3rd at 2pm at College Hill

   

The Zergers are registered at Babies 'R' Us and on Amazon.com, and their nursery is decorated in blue, green, and chocolate brown.  (And they are expecting a boy!) 

 

 

Please join the Zergers and their families and guests as we prepare to welcome a new baby into our midst.  Hope you can join us!

 

 

Fourth Annual
Memorial Day Weekend Picnic
Sunday, May 25th
 
 
Be sure and mark your calendars for this event,
held at Rev. Todd's home.
  
Click here to view the details and map with directions.  
  
New Presbyterian Hymnal
Service of Worship
Sunday, May 25
 
We will be rolling out the new Hymnal in a Hymn-fest worship service dedicated to introducing this wonderful new resource. We will be singing many old and new hymns.  
Come dressed casually, because after the service is the All-Church Memorial Day Weekend Picnic at Rev. Freeman's home.
  
Tulsa Pride Interfaith Service
May 29th at 7:00 pm
 

This year's Tulsa Pride Interfaith Service will be held in the Chapel at Phillips Theological Seminary. The theme for this year's Tulsa Pride is "Reflections of Pride: Stonewall 45," commemorating the 45th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots.  

Rev. Freeman is part of the planning team for this service. Plan to join us for this service and for the Tulsa Pride Parade on Saturday, June 7.

Click here to view the complete calendar of events for this year's Tulsa Pride Celebration.
  
Holy Week at College Hill
The children of the church light the
Unity Candle during Easter 
Maundy Thursday Service   
Good Friday Service   
 
Easter Sunday
Congregational Care Ministry Team

Congregational Care

Kick-Off Event

Huge Success!

 

 

 

The Kick-Off event held April 6th was well-attended, displaying
another fine example of how "College Hill Cares".
  
Click  here to email the Moderator of the Congregational Care Ministry Team, Gini Fox, for more information. 

 

  

 

College Hill Choir
 

    

 

CHANCEL CHOIR

We look forward in having YOU a part of the College Hill Presbyterian Chancel Choir! Come join our growing group in singing eclectic pieces for our Sunday worship. We meet at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays for rehearsal (second floor) and we sing for services with a 10:15 rehearsal and 11 a.m. Sunday morning worship (in the balcony/second floor). 

BELLISSIMO HANDBELL ENSEMBLE

 

Our handbell group rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 5:45 p.m. This group of eight musicians will be practicing and performing pieces to be played during occasional services and special services throughout the church year. We may be "growing" in the next year - if you are interested in joining our ensemble, please click the links below to get in touch with Director Kim Childs.

   

 

Contact Kim Childs to learn more about joining the choir. 

 

 

 
Celtic Spirituality
Class Series begins May 14th

 

The Osage Forest of Peace will be sponsoring a six week class on Celtic Spirituality beginning Wednesday, May 14th at 6:30 PM.  The classes will be held at the Boston Avenue Methodist Church. 

 

There is no charge but registration is required by May 10th.  You can register or obtain more information by contacting Dr. Bill Crowell or Sister Jane Comerford at [email protected]. 

Kendall Whittier 
News
Cause An Effect
May 13, 5:00-7:00 pm
 

Chipotle Mexican Grill is holding a fundraiser to support Kendall Whittier GROW (Growing to Reach Out and Welcome). KWI will receive 50% of the dinner proceeds when you mention the flyer to the cashier.  Click here to view the flyer.

  KWI GROW Garden
  

Kendall Whittier's Growing to Reach Out and Welcome project's mission is to improve the quality of life in the neighborhood.

Children at KW Elementary participate in the planting, nurturing, harvesting and consuming its produce.  The children pictured below are tending to their bean crops.

  
 

 Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless Meal 
 Saturday, May 24
    

Dinner will be prepared by our Hispanic congregation. Sign up to serve or donate on Caroline's Clipboard after church.

 The College Hill congregation donated $1,997 during One Great Hour of Sharing on April 13th!
1st Sunday
Food Collection
1st Sunday Food Collection 
Our first Sunday food collection goes to the Kendall Whittier, Inc. Emergency Food Pantry. We will be collecting canned meats and/or entrees, which are desperately needed at this time, as well as other food items. Cash donations are also always welcome.  
Penny FundPenny
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!