No classes Wednesday night

No children's and adult's classes will be meeting tonight.

With the power still out for some of us, this is a good evening to do Advent Reflections.

See previous post for first two weeks of Reflections. Print off and read Scriptures, discussion questions, prayers and sing or play songs that go with each.

If electricity is returned, the office will be open Thursday.

Email church office

Advent Weeks 1 & 2

Advent is a time to prepare ourselves for the celebration of Christ coming into the world, to imagine what life was like as Israel was waiting for the promised Messiah, and to get ready for the final return of Jesus. So each of the four Sundays leading up to Christmas are marked by storytelling about Christ’s coming and self-examination and hearing from voices who announced his coming.

Each Sunday during Advent season a brief resource is provided for you to use with family or friends. The recommendation is that you set aside at least 15 minutes each week to gather with friends or family to share these Advent Reflections. Much of the material is inspired by and taken from www.simpleliving.org.

Consider making an Advent Wreath
Take a shallow bowl and fill with sand or salt and place four purple candles around the edges, or use candle holders. Place one large white candle in the middle. Make a circle of evergreens and place around the bowl or candle holders.

You need a Bible, matches, and you can also use a manger scene.

Light one candle during this week’s reflection. The second week, light two, then three the third week and four the fourth. On Christmas Eve, light all and the middle white candle.

Set aside some time each week for this short ceremony. Invite those who are alone to join you in worship. Use the telephone to join someone. Gather as a family or with friends.

Read and Meditate and Prepare Ourselves
Isaiah 2:1-5; Romans 13:11-14; Matthew 24:36-44

Discuss
Are you prepared for this season? Are you already stressed out? Why? Have you considered giving the gift of time this month?

Average Americans consume five times more than Mexicans, ten times more than average Chinese, and twenty times more than average person in India. What do you really need this Christmas?

Are we willing to spend less on ourselves and more to needy people?

With your Nativity scene at home . . . What if we hide Wise Men, Shepherds, Jesus until we read that part of the story closer to Christmas, then we put each person in as we read along?

Calendar--Plan times to make visits, bake cookies for someone, donate your time or money to charities. Plan your shopping only on certain days. Plan NOT to be going to stores everyday in December but plan this out together. Plan your Advent Reflection times for a certain time together.

Sing
O come, O come, Emmanuel / And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here / Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice!
Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

Advent Reflections Week 2

Read and Meditate
Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-13; Matthew 3:1-12.

Read this aloud . . .

Make room in your heart for the Lord!

“While Waiting”
Start in the basement where it’s cold and dark;
Reach deep into the shadows of the recesses of your heart.
Empty crammed closets; donate clothes no longer needed.
Throw out the trash; from your fears be relieved.
Remove extra furniture and bric-a-brac that clutters;
Climb attic stairs, and without oaths one sometimes uters,
Clear out a lifetime of baggage and broken toys.
Take a broom to clinging cobwebs and the memory that cloys.
Throw open attic windows and that stuck cellar door;
Breathe in a breath of fresh Spirit;
Welcome God’s newborn Son forevermore.
Make room in your heart, your mind and your soul
For Christ each day to dwell.
Embody the Good news that angels still sing;
Jesus is God-with-us,
Emmanuel!

--Ashley M. Calhoun, Beulah UMC, Knoxville, Tennessee

Make room in your heart for the Lord!

Sing
Play your favorite songs about Jesus and Christmas. Each person in your group or family could decide a song to play. Have one of the children burn a CD with all the songs off of iTunes or just play CDs . . . or old records, if you have a record player!

Pray
Dear Father, we’re wandering in your world. We often come fully in a circle and recognize the path we’ve been so many times. Teach us to learn from this journey to love you more as you have loved us. Holy God, help us make room in our hearts for Jesus, Emmanuel, God-with-us.

Video From Sunday

Here is a link to the video we watched on Sunday.

Letting Go of the Workshop

For many years Garnett has partnered with the Memorial Church in hosting and directing the Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop. God has been very good to the workshop during this time. He has used many of you to help put on an event that has challenged, encouraged, and changed the lives of many.

It has been a blessing and an honor for Garnett to be a part of this ministry. We love the workshop and we support its mission and vision. We also recognize that it is time for us to let go of our leadership responsibilities in this area so that we can direct our energy in other directions.

Memorial has graciously accepted full responsibility for the Workshop. Their passion for and commitment to the workshop is unsurpassed. Letting go of the workshop was a relatively easy decision to make because we know that we are leaving it in good hands. Please continue to support, encourage, and pray for Terry Rush and the leadership of the Memorial Church as they shepherd the Workshop into the future.

If in the past you’ve been a part of the huge base of volunteers it takes to pull off the workshop, we thank you for all of your effort. The workshop would have never happened without you. If you want to continue to help out with future workshops, you can contact Danna Townsdin: danna0215@cox.net. We’ve been assured that she will put you to work.

So what are the “other directions” into which we’ve chosen to direct our energy? Right now we have three main areas of concentration:

1. Leadership development. We’re focusing more and more of our time and energy on identifying and developing new leaders who can help Garnett step into God’s future with energy, passion, and hope.

2. Being good neighbors. We’re going to continue to explore ways to engage our increasingly multi-cultural neighborhood. We believe that the event center and bi-lingual preschool are but the tip of the iceberg.

3. Planting new churches. We’ve been dreaming about it for several years now and we still believe this is something God wants us to be a part of. As we make progress in areas #1 and #2, we hope it will lead to opportunities to plant new churches.

God has always taken care of His church. We believe he will continue to guide us down this path and provide for us what we need to accomplish his mission. Please join us in praying for God’s kingdom to come and His will to be done in our church, in our community, and in the world.

If you have any questions about anything mentioned in this letter, please speak with a staff member or shepherd.

Blessings,

Garnett Leadership Team

Save the date!

Save the date! January 19, 2008
Garnett is hosting a Crown Financial Freedom Seminar January 19, 2008.

Do you want to get out of debt? Want to understand more about biblical principles for handling your money? Did you know the Bible contains more than 2,000 verses related to money? This is not a get rich quick seminar and Crown is not selling a product or service at the seminar. We do use their curriculum, which participants purchase, and Crown brings in excellent guest presenters.

After the seminar, starting in February, Garnett small groups will be encouraged to use a 10-week curriculum from Crown on Financial Freedom. Imagine the positive impact on your small group and your family as small groups share the journey away from debt bondage and toward financial freedom. To lead a small group, leader couples first attend a small group leader seminar December 8, 9 am – 2 pm at a local church. For more details, contact Pam Rushmore 607-6775.

Food Pantry and Clothes Closet Thursday, November 8

Thursday, November 8, 9:30 am - 11:30 am is our Food Pantry and Clothes Closet and is open for all in need who live within a few miles of the church. We are connected with the Tulsa Food Bank and distributors around the city have certain regions they cover.

Would you like to come and volunteer? Or are you in need of warm clothing or food right now? Know someone who is? Tell them about the Food Pantry and Clothes Closet.

We also typically take orders for Angel Food during this Food Pantry/Clothes Closet time and open our prayer center for those who would like to spend moments of peace with God. This month, because of Thanksgiving, ordering is already done. There is an Angel Food link to the right of this page. While Food Pantry and Clothes Closet is a free service to those in need, Angel Food is a way of helping people reduce their food expenses by offering nearly $100 worth of groceries, meats, frozen foods for $25. You order early in the month and pick it up the last Saturday of the month.

Ask a question about Food Pantry or Clothes Closet: click here
Ask a question about Angel Food: click here

Habitat House is already finished!

All are invited to the Home Dedication Ceremony this Sunday, Nov 11 at 2:00 p.m. The owner and her daughter are very excited and so are we. Many were able to get to know Cat and her daughter and we enjoyed working with them on their home.

Address is 3707 W. 54th Street. Go I-44 West to 33rd St. W. Ave exit and go back under I-44 and immediately turn right along feeder that runs along I-44. Take either second or third street on left and within a block you’ll see neighborhood with lots of Habitat homes and people there for dedication.

From Paul Kent at Habitat Tulsa

THANKS for the gift of service and love that you have shared with
Cat and Mary Catherine through the building & funding of their new home.
You are LIFE-CHANGERS!

Habitat for Humanity International is compiling materials to include in a
scrapbook that will be presented to the family that funds the Open Door
Foundation that graciously made available the grant for building the Tulsa
Habitat/Willow Creek home this fall.

I'm looking for letters that might express what your church's participation
in this project did for you and your people, as well as a "thanks for the
grant funds" ($25,000 matching gift)-HANDWRITTEN LETTERS SEEM TO CONNECT
BETTER THAN TYPED ONES.

If you have a picture that you would like to donate to the cause, that would
be great.

Please let me know if you would like to share something. You can bring it
to me at the Home Dedication Ceremony this Sunday, Nov 11 at 2:00 p.m. or get it to me at the Habitat office by next Wed, Nov. 14th.

Blessings to you!

Paul J. Kent
Director of Development & Chaplain
Tulsa Habitat for Humanity
6235 E. 13th Street Tulsa, OK 74112
(o) 918.592.4224 ext. 203 FAX 918.592.0607
The ReStore 918.592.7904
www.habitat-tulsa.org

How do I spread the word?

Important events and ministry is always happening around Garnett. For example, this Saturday, Oct 27 is Angel Food distribution. It's also the second to last Saturday for building the Habitat House with Cat Darwin and her daughter over in West Tulsa. Warren Barfield is coming to Garnett Monday, October 29.

If you are involved in these events and want to get the word out, how do you do it?
Here are some steps:

1. You must own the responsibility -- that's the first step. Do what it takes to get the word out by word of mouth, phone calls, flyers, emails.

2. Send an email to Garnettinfo@gmail.com
with the exact wording of your announcement and when you'd like for it to go out.

3. For a possible spoken announcement about an event, email Greg Taylor, gtaylor@garnettchurch.org and make your request and deadline for a Sunday announcement is Thursday 4 pm.

4. If you want to put something on the Garnettchurch.org web site, you can also email Garnettinfo@gmail.com and make a note that you'd like for it to go on web site.

What we're reading

The leadership team (shepherds and staff) are reading The Leader's Journey right now. If you'd like to read along and talk to us about it, you can order through Amazon.

Habitat Saturday, October 13

Saturday morning, October 13, 8 am is our next Habitat build time.

We're building the house with a woman named Catherine Darwin, who is buying the house and has done 450 hours of community service. We are not only partnering with about eight other churches but also with Habitat and with Catherine. Catherine has a great outlook on life and is a great joy to be around. Look for her at the build times.

Can you come? If so, please email Charlene Towsley krtowsley@yahoo.com and let her know so we can know if we have enough. We need about 10 to work.

ADDRESS & DIRECTIONS
3707 W. 54th St. South (South Haven neighborhood)….take I-44 west of the Arkansas, take the 33rd W. Ave exit and go south. Just after going south under the interstate, turn right/west on the service road and go to S. 37th W. Ave and turn left/south. This will take you to W. 54th and the site is on the south side.

--Greg Taylor

Habitat: Come help Catherine build her house!

HABITAT HOUSE: WEEK 2

Last Saturday was the wall raising and blessing for the new Habitat house we're helping build with eight churches. A single mom, named Catherine Darwin, is buying the house and has done 450 hours of community service. We are not only partnering with churches but with Habitat and with Catherine.

Catherine has a great outlook on life and is a great joy to be around. Look for her at the build times.

Great story about this area, South Haven neighborhood. A few years ago, South Haven was full of crack houses. An 80-year-old woman got on her knees and started praying for this terrible environment to change. Slowly the city and individuals began to address the problem and tighten down on crime in the area. Many of the houses were repossessed and torn down. Now, the area is rebuilt with Habitat houses surrounding the elderly woman's house!

We will be joining together with Common House Church to build this Saturday, Sep 22, starting at 8 am.

Would you come help? Not only that, but why not mobilize people in your small group to come? Please email Charlene Towsley krtowsley@yahoo.com or Greg Taylor gtaylor@garnettchurch.org and let them know so we can know if we have enough. We need about 15 to work. You will be glad you came!

ADDRESS & DIRECTIONS
3707 W. 54th St. South (South Haven neighborhood)….take I-44 west of the Arkansas, take the 33rd W. Ave exit and go south. Just after going south under the interstate, turn right/west on the service road and go to S. 37th W. Ave and turn left/south. This will take you to W. 54th and the site is on the south side.

--Greg Taylor

A Bigger--and Smaller--View of Mission

Check out this fine article on God's Mission in the World from John Stackhouse.

Anyone who is sent on a mission had better be clear about what is being asked of her and why. If she is not clear about the nature and rationale of the mission, she risks trying to do too much, or not enough, or the wrong thing entirely. She also risks trying to do the wrong thing for the right reason or the right thing in the wrong way.

Let's begin, then, with two ways in which our view of mission should expand. First, Christians typically have believed that those who have not heard the name of Jesus are simply lost and destined for hell. Much of the energy of the great 19th-century missionary movement among Westerners, and much of the impetus of missions work around the world to this day, has come from the horror of a Niagara of souls pouring into a lost eternity for want of an evangelist.

We also need to acknowledge, however, a corresponding horror in the hearts of many—including many missions-minded Christians—about a God who allows whole nations and generations to plunge into a lost eternity simply because no one happened to reach them with the gospel. Does faithfulness to the Bible mean we must retain this picture?

I don't think so. . . Read More

Randy Moody

It is with great sadness that we grieve the passing of Randy Moody. Randy was the former Lead Minister at Garnett and many of us remember him with love and respect. He ministered to us in a spirit of love, humility and service. For all of us who knew and loved him, this world is a little less bright because he has gone home.

Updates about Memorial Services can be found at the Newnan Church of Christ website.

Shepherd Selection Document

Here is the Shepherd Selection Process document (pdf) that was mentioned in the assembly on August 5th.

Please be in prayer for Loy Johnson and Jeff McIlroy and their families as they finish up their Shepherd training.

Kid's Club August 7

We'll do our last Kid's Club for the summer Tuesday, August 7 from 2-4 pm at the Meadows Apartments across the street from Garnett Church.

Student and adult volunteers and "Terrific Tuesday" participants will join adult and student residents of Meadows for games, jupiter jump, Bible dramas, songs, and food.

Would you like to help? Email our children's minister, Susie.

Burnt Cabin Camp 2007

Quest for Truth

Seventy children from Garnett and Memorial Churches of Christ and their friends gathered at Burnt Cabin for what was a fantastic camp experience filled with stories about Jesus and how we can grow into his image.

All the children received a nickname--part of camp they really love. We did crafts, sweated at sports time, swam, sang, prayed, discussed the Bible story each day in "Quest Groups," and of course had all the regular elements of camp, including mail call, three meals a day together, bedtime stories and devotionals, and of course canteen!

If you have a child 8-12, consider sending her or him to camp next summer! If you can't afford it, tell us early and we can raise money for scholarship for your child. This is an important part of spiritual formation in our children's ministry. For more information, email our children's minister, Susie Haltom.

Pictured from left are Addison Martin, Kayla Davis, and Phoebe Voss.

Reports from Ghana & Hominy Prison

Help a orphan in Ghana

Click here to read the latest from two missions we help support. One is a local missionary, Bud Tibbles, who works in Hominy Prison. Another is a school and orphanage in Ghana called "Village of Hope."

We encourage you not only to read these reports but also to pray for the missionaries and those they are partnering with and serving. The addresses and emails are included so you may also write to them to encourage them in their faith and service.

College and Twenties Age Group

Are you in college or in your twenties, single or just married? A group meets twice monthly that is made up of young professionals and college-age men and women. The group meets at Walt and Kathy Erwin's house at 8516 S. 43 W. Ave. Tulsa, OK (Jenks Area).

We welcome new members. We have Bible or Topic study, prayer and snacks on one of the gatherings and generally have an event of some kind on the second meeting (bowling, pizza, volleyball, cookout).

Contact the Erwins at 445-1665 or email

Helping flood victims

A group of men went to Miami, Oklahoma Saturday to help flood victims. From one report, several hundred homes and businesses have been flooded with up to four feet of water inside.

Garnett partners joined a Baptist relief group from North Carolina in tearing out sheetrock, pressure washing floors, cleaning out mold, and getting the homes ready for restoration.

If you are interested in helping families in Miami, contact Jeff McIlroy or write an email.

Take the Plunge

July 4th is a great time for us to be with family, friends, and neighbors in our community, so we are not having VBS at the church building on Wed. July 4th. There will be no adult, student or children’s classes on Wed. night July 4th.

We will resume VBS on Wed. July 11th Plunge into Faith and Wed. July 18th Plunge into Service.

July 25th VBS Take the Plunge Family Event Finale outside with inflatable water slide and a lot of water fun. Wear your bathing suit and be sure to bring a towel.

Tulsa Workshop Podcast

You can download sessions from the 2007 Tulsa Workshop for free at the Workshop Podcast.

You can also find it at Itunes.

Habitat for Humanity build is Sep 2007

We're switching places with the community.

At Garnett, we're encouraging people to go out in our neighborhood to serve. One example is the Kid's Club, described in the previous post on the home page. Another is that we're joining with community groups and other churches to help build Habitat Houses. Want to join us?

And, at our new Green Country Event Center, we're inviting our community to come and use our facility. One example is that the Union School District is renting classroom space to teach English as Second Language courses.

Want to know more about how you can get out and serve?
Click here

Want to know more about how you're invited to use our facility? Click here

Kid's Club July 10, 2007

In June the children's ministry, student ministry, and outreach ministries combined to put on a "Kid's Club" across the street from Garnett Church at the Meadows Apartments.

What's Kid's Club? That's where we get off our turf and go to our neighbors and all have a good time together doing crafts, games, Bible drama, and mostly just hanging out and getting to know each other.

Would you like to join us. The time in June was awesome, and we got to know some of our neighbors and want to keep building on these friendships.

If you'd like to join us next time, email gtaylor@garnettchurch.org or shaltom@garnettchurch.org.