SHUMC TIMES March 2010

CELEBRATE HOLY WEEK WITH US!

Palms Up!
In our worship on Sunday, March 28th - we will celebrate the entry of Christ into
Jerusalem wi t
ht hec arryingoft hepa lm br anche s,praisesa ndpr oclama ti
onof“ Ha
llelujah!Praise
theLor d!”This year, the Worship Committee is preparing a way to celebrate this occasion in a
fun new way. And yet, even as we celebrate we also recognize that this celebration is also the first
day of a painful week in the life of Christ. The same crowds that affirmed Jesus one day were
shouting“ Cr uc i
f yhi m! ”later that week. As we celebrate Holy Week this year, we will once again be
reminded that Jesus gave of himself to the point of death on the cross so that we might have a certainty and
confidence of faith, enabling us to live out our lives with passion and purpose.

Extra Special Seder Meal

Set aside Thursday, April 1st during Holy Week, to join together in our traditional
Se derMe al,ar eme mbr anc eofJ esus’la sts uppe rwithHi sdi sciples.The sacrificial lamb,
fresh salads, herbs and fruits will be prepared for our enjoyment and education. We will
meet at 6pm on April 1st for this special time. I encourage you to invite family or friends
to join us for this unique celebration. Just as Jesus finished his Last Supper with Holy Communion, so too will
we as we prepare our hearts and also the sanctuary for Good Friday.
Sign-up sheets will be posted on the bulletin board for this important step in our spiritual journey.

Good Friday, Into the Heart of Darkness

The season of Lent is a 40 day journey that can sometimes feel quite dark. Each
week our sanctuary gets a little bit darker as candles are extinguished to signify the
darkness of the season. This journey has taken us many places but it leads to one place:
the cross. On Good Friday, our Lenten journey will end at that very place, the
cross. Beginning at 6 pm on Friday, April 2nd, we will enter a special and difficult time
of introspection and repentance of our sin.
Years ago, Rosie Ruiz made history by entering the New York Marathon toward the end of the race
andt henc el
e brati
nghe r“victory”a ss hef inishedf ara headoft hepa ck.That celebration was short-lived when
others found out about her actions and, ultimately, her celebration and victory were unsatisfying. In the same
wa y ,ma nyChr isti
anspul la“ Ros i
e ”a nds kipove rt hedi ff
iculte xpe ri
enceofLe nta ndGoodFr idayonl yt o
move directly to the victory celebration that is Easter. In doing so, they miss out on the true meaning of both
and the power of the difficult marathon that is Lent. Sodon’ tpul laRos iea ndc omet oourGoodFr iday
Service—y ou’ llbeg lady ouma det hewhol ejourne ya ndf i
nishedt her ace.See you on the 2nd!

Come on Up for the Rising Celebrate the Resurrection with us!

th
Come and join us Sunday, April 4 at 6:45 am for Last but certainly not least, our
our Sunrise Service (timed so the sun actually 11 am service Easter Sunday
rises during our service) and program in the (April 4th) will be a time of
church courtyard, to be followed by a wonderful breakfast joyous celebration and
traditionally prepared by the men of the church. Everyone is song. Come and invite your
welcome to join us for great fellowship and great food! family and friends to this
Please sign up on the sheet in the foyer. glorious celebration of our
Lord’ sresur r
e cti
on!
 Pastor Jeff Writes
This month, two things happen to tell us Spring has arrived, after a VERY long winter. First, on
March 14th,wewi l
l“ SpringFor wa r
d”a swemovei ntoDa ylightSa ving
sTi me .Idon’ tmuc hlike
losing the hour of sleep but I do love the longer days. Then, a little less than a week later on
March 20th,t hes easonofSpr in gof f
icial
lya rri
ve swi tht heVe rna lEquinox.Idon’ tknow a bout
y
ou,butIca
n’ twa i
t.Ma rchMa dne ssusua ll
yme ansba sketballinmyvoc abul arybutIthi nkwe ’real
la boutt o
g
oalitt
le“
ma d”wi t
ht hec ol
dwe at
he rwe ’vebe enha ving .
AsIt houg hta boutSpr i
ng ,t
houg h,It houghtaboutot he rkindsof“ springs”t oo.Ofc our s
et her
ea r
e
springs of water, bubbling up from the depths of the earth to provide fresh clean water. And then there are
those enigmatic coils of (usually) metal that, when compressed together, bounce back to their original shape.
Springs work by storing up tension, like a battery, and then, when that
tensi
oni sr eleased,“ spring i
ng ”ba cki ntoplace .It’show at ra mpolinema ke sy ou
jump higher and it is springs that help bounce up and down as your car hits all the
potholes that have been forming in our roads lately due to our crazy weather. As
longa sy oudon’ tpus has pri
ngpa stitsbreakingpoi nt(everys pri
ngha sa n“ elas ti
c
limit
”be yondwhi chi tca nnol ongers tor
ee nergybuti nst
eadbr eaks )
,itwi llrele ase
energyg ivingmor e“ bounc e.”
I
nas ense,theot hers ortsof“ spri
ng s”wor kus ingsi
mi larprinciples.Looka tkidsons pringbr e
a k,a s
an example: energy is stored up over those long winter months and, when it is released for a week in March it
explodes into vacations, time outside, etc. Or those bubbly sources of water: thousands of years of tension
between tectonic plates create cracks which lead to groundwater bubbling up to the surface.
“OK,J eff,
”y oumi ghtbes ay i
nga tthispoi nt,“Tha nksf orthephy s
icslesson.Butwha tdoe st hatha ve
todowi t
ht hec hurch? ” We ll,Ipr omi s
enott og ivea nymor eknowl edgeofphy sics( tha t
’si ns hor ts uppl y
anyway), but I do think these springs can be instructive for us generally and specifically in our life of faith as
Christians.
As we go through the season of Lent, it can feel a bit like those long months of winter, or a steel spring
bei
ngpr e
s s
edt oi tsl i
mit. Themoodoft hi ss easonc a nbeda rka nds omber,wi tht het ens i
onofChr ist’
s
sac
rif
iceont hec ros sbui
l dingupa swemovec losert oGoodFr i
day( Christ
’s“brea ki
ngpoi nt”i fy ouwi ll)
.
The“tect
onics”oft hisseas oncausee ar
thqua ke swi thi
nours oul ,justa sthephy s
ica learths hooka tthede ath
ofChri
staccordingt oMa tthew’sGos pel.
Indeed, in our life together as a church family, these tectonics have been painful these past few months.
We still mourn the loss of beloved members of our church in the past year, and grieve that others have moved
away. The bad weather and illness have kept others from their regular attendance and have generally given us
al
lac a seofthe“ blaws ” --the darkness of the mornings and evenings only adding to our general malaise.
But I hope that, like the trampoline releasing its energy, the kids rushing out on
Spring Break, the hot spring spouting up water, or the season coming into bloom, that this
Spr i
n gs eesusbur stf
orthwi t
hne wl i
fe.Ipr aywe“ spri
ngf or war d”notj ustonourc loc ks,
but in our body, mind, and soul. I pray you will join me in anxiously anticipating the
resurrection of Christ as we celebrate Holy Week and Easter. And I pray that our
celebration of this new life would spread to others around us, like the seeds and flowers that
will soon bloom and blossom in our yards.
Iknowt he seda ysthatma nyofusa rec losetoour“ brea
kingpoi nt,”butIhopet
hes
pri
ngofChr
ist
’s
living water will burst upon us and our world, that we might know new life in Him.
Peace,

Easter is coming
and so are the lilies!
Our sanctuary always looks so lovely
ful lo fl
ilies.Wou ldn’tyoul iket
oha ve
one in honor or memory of someone
special? There is a sign up sheet for
lilies on the bulletin board to the right
of the church office.
Praying in Color
with Southern Hills
United Methodist Women!
March 2nd @7pm
Guest Speaker: Ms. Danny Hall
Come learn how to make your prayer
life more colorful!
Mission Trip Cancelled
It is with much chagrin that we report
that the mission trip to Vancleave/
Gulfport, Mississippi has been can-
celled. That said, we would love to go
on another trip and are open to your
suggestions for potential work sites.
Please contact Pastor Jeff today with
your ideas!
Meals on Wheels
Do you have a Thursday
morning free? Southern
Hills staffs the kitchen
each Thursday at the Kirk, from 8:00
am to 9:00 am to package the meals for
our patrons. Because of a surgery, we
have been short workers and would
really appreciate some extra help on the
3rd or 4th Thursday. Look at your
calendar-we have fun doing this. Call
Nicky Layfield, 296-9884
SHUMC Book Club Tuesday, March 9, 7:00 pm
The Blue Sweater is the inspiring story of a woman who left
a career in international banking to spend her life on a quest to
understand global poverty and find powerful new ways
of tackling it. It all started back home in Virginia, with
the blue sweater, a gift that quickly became her prized
possession—until the day she outgrew it and gave it
away to Goodwill. Eleven years later in Africa, she
spotted a young boy wearing that very sweater, with
her name still on the tag inside. That the sweater had
made its trek all the way to Rwanda was ample
evidence, she thought, of how we are all connected, how our
actions—and inaction—touch people every day across the globe,
people we may never know or meet.
From her first stumbling efforts as a young idealist venturing
forth in Africa to the creation of the trailblazing organization she
runs today, Novogratz tells gripping stories with unforgettable
characters—women dancing in a Nairobi slum, unwed mothers
starting a bakery, courageous survivors of the Rwandan genocide,
entrepreneurs building services for the poor against impossible
odds.
She shows, in ways both hilarious and heartbreaking, how
traditional charity often fails, but how a new form of philanthropic
investing called "patient capital" can help make people self-
sufficient and can change millions of lives. More than just an
autobiography or a how-to guide to addressing poverty, The Blue
Sweater is a call to action that challenges us to grant dignity to the
poor and to rethink our engagement with the world.
SHUMC Book Club List:
April—The Help by Kathryn Stockett
A story of race, wisdom, and roles in post-WWII Mississippi
May—Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall & Denver Moore
A modern-day slave, an international art dealer, and the woman
who connected them.
June—Bleachers by John Grisham
A novel about high school football in a small Texas town
July—Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall
A professor facing terminal cancer offers lessons on life.
Re
cor
d“c
atc
h”ofFI
SH
Last month, we read in church Fun Helping Neighbors
about the miraculous catch of fish On Tuesday, February 23rd, a group from
Peter, James, and John experienced Southern Hills UMC went over to South
when they listened to Jesus, and Tulsa Community House (STCH) to
Chr ist’
sc alltobe come“ fishersof volunteer our time in service to our
peop le.” We ll,we ’
veha dourown neighbors. In the past, STCH has had to
recor d“ ca t
ch”ofpe opl ec omingt o close on Tuesdays and Thursdays because
our FISH (Furnishing Individuals the director had a class she had to attend.
Support and Hope) program for help. The program That means nobody could get food assistance
helps people in current financial crisis move toward or use the computers to find a job during that
self-sufficiency and helps with utility bills, rent, etc. time. Now churches in the neighborhood have
Ify ou’dl iket ohelpwe lcomet heseFI SHc lientswhe n begun to step up and take a day to help keep
they arrive, please talk to Pastor Jeff or Linda in the STCH open during those times. Southern Hills
chur chof ficetoda y.I fy ou’dl i
ket ohe lpf undt his UMC has volunteered to take the 4th Tuesday of
grea t“FI SHi ng”e xpe dit
ion,s i
mpl yma rkFI SHont he each month. This month, that day is Tuesday,
me mol ineofy ourc he c
ka ndwe ’llputi ttog oodus e ! March 23rd and we help from 9:30-1. The help is
very easy (last time we sorted canned goods and
counted out diapers). If you can help for all or
part of that time, or if you have questions or
concerns, contact Pastor Jeff today!

REACHING OUT WITH THANKS

"The love of Christ enriches our lives with abundant good."

"And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having
enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work."..2 Corinthians 9:8

Here are notes from two area ministries that received giving and support. The deep
enrichment blesses everyone of our lives as we share what God has entrusted to each one of us. Thank you
from the Outreach Committee.

From Restore Hope:

"What a wonderful statement of support! I would like to thank everyone responsible for this contribution to
us. Blessings to everyone at Southern Hills UMC" Larry Johnson Our contribution to Restore Hope was
$2,200.00.

From Church World Service:

"He has filled the hungry with good things....Luke 1:53

"Thanks to donors like you, we can provide food, shelter, health care, and clean water to refugees and others
forced to flee their homes. With you help, we can support impoverished communities as they seek to improve
their farming techniques, access reliable sources of safe water, and build a more sustainable
future"
May God bless you for your generosity. Faithfully yours, Rev. John L. McCullough
 Growing Together Naturally
by Nicky Layfield

The committee on Natural Church

Connecting with Connexion
On February 21st, Southern Hills UMC and
two other local United Methodist Churches
hosted the first ever Connexion worship
service. We had a great turnout from
Southern Hills and hope this can be a good
first step toward a regular service to come.
The next service will be March 28th at 6pm
at Trinity UMC (3737 S. Peoria). If you
know someone who may not fit in a more
traditional style church, invite them to check
out Connexion! Thanks, especially, to the
young adults at Southern Hills UMC who are
part of the launch team for Connexion. Our
young adult group meets after worship each
Sunday for fellowship, growing in faith, and
occasionally some good food!
Development (NCD) met recently
under the guidance of Rev. James
Graham (of Verdigris UMC). Rev.
Graham is coaching our team as we
review the results of the NCD survey
many of you took last fall and helping us plan our next
moves. The survey showed that we are doing many great
things and that our overall health is pretty good. But there
are certainly places to grow, and the survey showed us that
one area we should focus on is Holistic Small Groups. The
goal of NCD is for growth to happen in healthy ways led
by the members of our community (not top down or
forced). Thus, for the next few weeks, our church NCD
Team will be taking our church's temperature, and
identifying and encouraging Holistic Small Groups in order
to improve the health of our congregation. The NCD Team
is made up of various leaders of the church, nominated by
the Lay Leadership Committee and includes Wendy
Reeder, Betty Tam, Nicky Layfield, Char Stone, Larry
Reeder, and Pastor Jeff. Your prayers and support will be
invaluable in our questioning and dreaming, when we meet
again soon.

Don’
tGi
veUpEducat
ionf
orLent
!
During the season of Lent (which runs from Ash Wednesday on Feb.
17tht hroughEas terwhi chisApr i
l4th) ,manyofyoumayas k“How wi llIc ele-
brateandobs ervethiss peci
alt i
meoft heyear ?”Here are some opportunities for
you from our Education Committee.
Sunday Mornings:
Friendship Class—will read and study The Passion of Christ as told in Scripture.
Rock and Roll Class—wi lluse“Ce l
ebr atet
heRi senChr i
st”thatf
oll
owst
hel
ect
ionar
yand
relates to the worship emphasis each Sunday.
Wesleyan Class—hassel
ect
ed“BreadInTheWi l
der ness”byKennethCarter
.During the
Lentens
easonwer emembert
hes toryofGod’sf
aithf
ulnes
sinthewilder-
ness
;wearegivenbreadf
orli
fe’
sjour ney.
Young Adults—meet after Sunday worship and are continuing the Nooma DVD series
which helps us understand and live out our faith in our daily lives.
On Wednesdays at 6:00pm Pastor Jeff is leading “ Twent y-four Hours That Changed The
Worl ”a video Bible Study by Adam Hamilton. This is a visit to the holy Land that will help
d,
youexper ienc eandunder standt hesignifi
canc eofJes us’finalho ur
sinwaysyouneverhavebe-
fore. Pastor Jeff will add his discussion and hopes you will too!
 Heart Walk 2010
Southern Hills is participating
in the 2010 Heart Walk. This is
a fund raising event for the
American Heart Association.
Funds raised from this event help the Heart As-
sociation continue its research and provide valu-
able information on heart disease detection and
prevention. Our team is Southern Hills UMC.
The walk takes place on Saturday, April 10 at
Ve teran’s Pa rkl oca teda t1875 S.Boul der
Ave. The festivities begin at 8:00 a.m. Gloria
Ivey can provide you with further information
and materials. You may also join our team online
by following the steps below:
Go to www.tulsaheartwalk.org
Select-register
Select-I agree
Chose-Join a team
Our team is the Southern Hills UMC
A donation is not required to
join our team. Participants may
meet at the church on Saturday,
April 10 and ride together to
Ve ter
an’sPa rk.
Grieving Times
By Deb Stone, LCSW, CNS
When I remember times
of great transitions in my life, the
words of my father reverberate
wi t
hinme ,“ lifei sha rd”,a nd“ lifei
snotfors iss
ies
”.
How life continues to remind me of his quips. Lessons
andl earningc omef rom une xpe c
tedcor
nersofl ife
’s
experience. One of those profound earth-stopping
moments for me was the death of my father. My
knowledge of the expected stages of grief and academic
unde rst
a nding t hat“ l
os si s a nor malpartofl i
fe”
provided little solace or comfort.
The body of Christ, in the form of SHUMC
members, family, and friends was the lifeline that kept
me afloat. My grief journey reminded me of the
impor t
anc eofGod’ spr esencea nd g uida nc
einl i
fe,
ultimately leading me back to the church. Funny how
tough times remind us, God is there always. How
fabulous to rekindle my commitment to serve God and
find the healing presence of God in my life.
The torrent of emotions and questions
surrounding the process of grief can sometimes be
confusing and overwhelming. The ability to be a part of
a support group can aid in coping and help alleviate the
feelings of isolation. If you or someone you know is
grieving resulting from the loss of a loved one or from
any other loss, please be a part of our upcoming grief
support group. Please call me if you have any questions
at 918-760-8116.

March is National Kidney Month American Diabetes Association

March is designated as National Kidney Month as a way presents
to help increase awareness of chronic kidney disease and end
stage renal disease. In addition to National Kidney Month, “Li
vingwi
thDi
abe
tes
”
March 11, 2010 is World Kidney Day. DaVita teammates are Saturday, March 27th
participating in events across the United States in observance of 8:30am-noon
National Kidney Month and World Kidney Day in an effort to raise
awareness and help people affected by chronic kidney disease. Southern Hills Marriott
More than 31 million American adults have 1902 E. 71st Street
kidney
chronic kidney disease and about 90 percent of them Chronic
ea se dev elops
are not even aware. Often there are no symptoms until dis s lose Diabetes information, free
en kid ney
kidney disease reaches the later stages including kidney wh to health screenings, visit one-
their ability
failure. Another 20 million more Americans are at risk
remove waste and on-one with medical experts
for kidney disease but do not know it.
maintain fluid and
Who should be screened for chronic kidney disease? chemical balances
For more information,
Anyone 18 years old or older with diabetes, high blood in the body.
contact Christy Lamerton
pressure or family history of diabetes, high blood (918) 492-3839, ext. 6037
pressure or kidney disease should be screened for kidney disease. clamerton@diabetes.org
 Non-profit Org
U.S. Postage
PAID
Tulsa, OK
6160 S. Lewis Ave
Tulsa, OK 74136 Permit #72

Voice 918.743.2013
Fax 918.743.3151
Email: shumchurch@shumc-tulsa.com
Website: www.shumc-tulsa.com

Rev. Jeff Jaynes:

pastor@shumc-tulsa.com
Linda Sisemore, Editor:
linda.sisemore@shumc-tulsa.com

Church School Classes 9:45 a.m.

Worship Celebration 11:00 a.m.
Monday Prayer Time 7:00 a.m.

Our Mission
We are disciples serving God, Building a community of grace and love

Receipts for a Lenten Worship Schedule

Great Cause! March 28— Palm Sunday Worship, 11am
Recently, Darrel Foster Sr. April 1— Maundy Thursday Seder Meal, 6:00 pm
(one of our Project Transformation April 2— Good Friday Worship, 6:00 pm
parents) came in to tell us about April 4— Easter Sunrise Service, 6:45 am
McCl ure El ement ary School ’
s April 4— EASTER Sunday Celebration, 11am
program with Warehouse Market.
Apparently, the school gets cash back
from Warehouse Market when we
Look Inside
turn in receipts from any of their  “
Hol
yWeek,Bat
man!
”
stores. A receipt envelope is up on
-check out our Holy Week events on pg. 1
the bulletin board by the church
office so bring in your receipts for a  FISH’
sRecor
dCat
ch
great cause...our neighborhood kids!  Connexion Connects with Tulsa

Our Vision
Focusing Outward, Growing Together, Practicing the Presence of God,
Living Lives of Worship and Inviting Others to Come and See.