Nonprofit Organization US POSTAGE PAID Stillwater, OK Permit No.

280

Facts & Figures for June 24, 2012 Attendance (122 and 113)...........................235 Sunday School..........90 General Fund Receipts...........$9,042.00 Capital Fund Receipts.......................$1,920.00 Loose Offering/Sunday School..$305.28 Non-Budget Funds Receipts...$1,702.55 Facts & Figures as of May 31, 2012 YTD Budget Receipts.........$185,605.15 YTD Budget Expenses....$192,197.18 Net Receipts over Expenses....($6,592.03) Presented by Kay Smith, Treasurer, dkwsmith@suddenlink.net

The Stillwater Christian

Volume 2012 In This Issue
Announcements Spiritually Speaking Children & Youth Birthdays & Anniversaries Facts & Figures 1 2 3 3 4

June 26

Jo Ann Seamans and Others Honored at Encounter Jodelle Stout, Pat Ward, and Jo Ann Seamans attended the Disciples Womens State Meeting, Encounter, in Ponca City last weekend. Jo Ann Seamans received the honor of being included in the Fellowship of the Towel, given to a person who had served the Lord faithfully with compassion and love for others. Doris Armbruster, Steve Armbrusters mother, and Dorothy Messenger, our former ministers wife, were also honored. Next Sunday is First Sunday Food Drive! Remember your donations for COCAA on Sunday.

Central Area Churches Praying for Churches This week we are praying for: FCC in Prague

Mark Your Calendar!

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Of Stillwater, OK, Inc. 411 W. Mathews Ave. Stillwater, OK 74075-7517 June 30-July 7 Costa Rica Mission Trip July 15 FCC Life Celebrations: Church Picnic@Boomer Lake July 23-27 Mission Camp: El Reno

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

FCC Family Picnic and Games Sunday, July 15th, 6:00pm. Bring the family, your friends, and neighbors for an old fashioned summer celebration at Pavilion #2 at Boomer Lake. There will be something for everyone, including tons of great food! Everyone is asked to bring their favorite summer dessert. Fried chicken and sides will be provided. Join us for food, music and games. It is sure to be an evening to remember! (Please note the change in time from noon to the evening.) Christmas in July Set to Begin! Its time once again for Christmas in July, our annual effort to help kids in our area with school supplies and clothes. This year we will do the actual shopping with the kids in August. There are a few ways that you can help: 1. Donations are now being taken. Every small donation helps! 2.Can you be a shopper in August? We need people to take the families to WalMart to go shopping. Questions, call Kimber Taylor at 405-612-3696.
Join us this Sunday for Owen Caytons Message, Believe based on Mark 5:21-43 and Psalm 130 Traditional 9:00am Sunday School 10:10 Contemporary 11:10

The Stillwater Christian is a weekly publication of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). The deadline for articles each week is 1pm Monday. Tracy Freeman, Editor editor@fcc-stillwater.org Church Office Phone: 405.372.7722 Fax: 405.372.7726 Find The Stillwater Christian and more information at www.fcc-stillwater.org

Send prayer requests and general email to office@fcc-stillwater.org

LeAnn Sapp, Pastoral Assistant

Spiritually Speaking

CHILDREN & YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS

leann.sapp@gmail.com

Sondra Ladd, Children/Youth Ministry Director

youth@fcc-stillwater.org

The discussion of spiritual gifts is sometimes difficult. Some may be afraid of the gifts we have, or the ones we don't. We may be afraid of how others will expect us to use them. Whatever the reason, we are hesitant to talk about spiritual gifts. My hope for this congregation is to move into discussion of spiritual gifts, and how to use your gifts to discern how to do ministry in this place. I have struggled with how to move the congregation in this direction. I have planted a few seeds and have been waiting for the next step. I was filled with joy at staff building a few weeks ago as Owen encouraged us to talk about spiritual gifts. We spent some time discussing what Spiritual means and then talking about what someone who is spiritual looks like and finally how we understand spiritual gifts. This discussion was based on 4 prominent texts in scripture that deal with spiritual gifts; 1Corinthians 12:1-27, Romans12:6-8, Ephesians 4:11-12, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. During the course of our conversation, I said that spiritual people have a calming presence in the midst of chaos. While several agreed with this statement, a few mentioned that the they see spiritual people stirring up things. We were reminded that the spirit witnessed at Pentecost was far from calm. Indeed the spirit is not always found in the still small voice, but certainly the spirit is not always brooding over the watery chaos, to combine my biblical metaphors. This conversation has been playing in my mind and helping me sort out how the spirit can be both calming and stirring up at the same time, or not. I think it depends on our individual need. In times of chaos, seeking a spiritual person and sitting in her/his presence is calming. When life seems out of control, walking into the office and seeing Leolas calm presence gives me a sense of relief. When my spirit needs igniting sitting in the presence of a spiritual person can stir me to action. When planning the Wednesday Night Fellowship prayer class last spring, Nancy Trench stirred me to action as we looked at the abundant resources Nancy had for us to use. At the same time there can be peace or calm in the midst of being stirred, because I know I am filling my spirits need. I encourage you to spend time with the questions and scriptures that the staff discussed. Be ready for the discussion as a congregation when the time comes. Blessings, LeAnn

THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone who prayed for our Heifer Project Global Challenge, Bigger Than Me Tour. Please be confident that God certainly answered your prayers. It was an intense experience with an amazing group of young people and some spectacular adults. Each experience packed valuable life lessons and I am hopeful that these lessons were not only learned, but will be applied. Please continue to pray for our youth and adults as they process the past week.

Prayers Appreciated for Heifer Trip Last Week

AND YESwe are off on another adventure! After months of planning, the countdown is on! FCC youth will leave for our Costa Rica Mission Saturday, June, 30th. We are meeting for packing and loading at 5:00am please do not be late! We must not leave later than 5:30am to arrive at the airport on time for international check-in. Each participant is allowed one carry on (bedroll), one backpack (underseat bag) and one check-in bag (must be 40lbs or less). NO ELECTRONICS. There will also be no need for hair dryers or curling irons. You will only need minimal makeup (foundation with sunscreen, etc.), so leave the mascara at home boys. We will be working at Robealto Childrens Foster Care Facility in San Jose, and will return to Stillwater, Saturday, July 7th (Rick and Sondras 36th anniversary, by the way!). Please keep this group in your prayers throughout their week of service. In Case of Emergency while in Costa Rica (these are US phone numbers): Sondra's Costa Rica emergency number: 530.540.7022. Wade's emergency number: 1.916.848.6482. There will be no Kids Own Worship on Sunday. Children are encouraged to enjoy the worship service with their parents. Happy Birthday to: 6/27 Emma Adler, April Traylor, Clinton Trench; 6/29 Searcy Crow, Noah Gade, Garrett Guthrie, Adeana Sallee; 6/30 Ethan Ley; 7/1 Roy Sturgeon; 7/2 Erin Gober, Pat Nance Happy Anniversary to: 6/27 Abe and Katy Benge, J.D. and Amy Goad; 6/28 Jerry and Nancy Crenshaw; 6/30 Gale and Barbara Andrew; 7/2 John and Carolyn Baird; 6/3 Earl and Carol Johnson

CYF COSTA RICA MISSION