October 6, 2020

First Connect

www.fbcokc.org 405- 232-4255

FBCOKC – A family of faith, growing in God’s love, striving to be faithful.

There is a 17 foot Great White Shark swimming in the waters off Canada that was tagged this week by scientists. 17 feet! That is almost as long as a school bus. She is the largest shark sampled in the Northwest Atlantic study to date. She is known as the Queen of the Ocean, matriarch of the sea, and is said to be over 50 years old. Her body bears the scars of a lifetime of experiences. Scientist Chris Fischer said, “It is really humbling to stand next to a large animal like that. When you look at all the healed over scars and blotches on her skin you are really looking at the story of her life. And it

makes you feel insignificant. It was a powerful experience for all of us.”

I love that idea. Rather than seeing scars as wounds, the researchers saw them as a map to her life. They could see all she survived. Perhaps that is the very way God views our scars. They are a testament to all the ways God has carried us through in the past and assurance that he will do so in the future. Perhaps the scars we bear tell our Comeback Stories. They remind us that we are more than conquerors in Christ.

We all bear the scars of our experiences, some of them wonderful others painful. When I stand next to this enormous building that has stood over the last century, I see the scars it bears from a lifetime of experiences. This building and this church has stood through two world wars and the Great Depression. The building bears the scars of a blast from 25 years ago. If you look closely you can see the decades of love poured into this place by godly men and women. It is a sacred thing for me to preach from the same pulpit as Dr. Herschel Hobbs and to see the well-worn marks where each pastor has placed their hands as they proclaimed the word of God.

What about you? What healed over scars do you see that tell you the story of your life? I wonder what we will look back on this year and see. I pray we look back and remember how we clung to God each moment. I pray we look back and see the good that God brought out of this difficult season. I pray the church is healthier, more focused, more passionate and humble than we were before. I pray we look back and celebrate all that God did in our lives and through our church during this year of all years.

If you look around and see unhealed scars in your life, maybe it’s time to do the hard work of healing. Maybe it’s time to sit quietly before the Lord and listen. Whatever you are going through, this is not the end of you. It is an opportunity to look and see what the Lord can do. Maybe you are only in the middle of your comeback story.

Sarah

FAMILY BUILDING COMMUNITY Bedlam Canned Food Drive – Cowboys Hanging Onto the Lead!

OSU is hanging onto the lead but the Sooners and Green & Gold are not far behind! Here’s the current score: OSU – 262, OU – 240, G&G – 120.

Let’s see who can give the most canned food donations beginning Sunday, September 6 through October 30 (donations must be given by midnight on Friday, October 30 to count) to benefit Care-ForOKC. We will be using these donations to make Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for families in our community.

You can score points for your team (OU, OSU, Green and Gold) by donating non-perishable food items (see list below for suggestions) at the Drop Box in The Commons or Fellowship Hall. Monetary donations are also accepted at https://fbcokc.org/give or in person at the church office or during the offering in worship. $1 donation equals one can. Click on the link below, select CareForOKC in the drop-down menu, and in the “Notes” section put “Canned Food Drive” and what team you’re supporting: OSU, Green and Gold, or OU!

*Please note: Online/cash/check donations may not be immediately reflected in the score. We tally up those donations every few weeks. But be assured that we have your donations recorded and they will be counted for your team!

Suggested Items to Donate:

Stuffing mix (Stove Top, etc...)

Chicken broth

Cake mixes and frostings

Cranberry sauce

Canned vegetables (green beans, etc.…)

Canned sweet potatoes (yams)

CareForOKC Volunteer Opportunities

We need help at CareForOKC and you can make a difference! We need sewers to help sew smaller blankets together to make larger, warmer blankets to give out this Winter. We are also needing help organizing and sorting items in the clothes closet. We have available time slots on Mondays from 9am – 6pm where you can sign up to come volunteer for 1-2 hours by yourself or with a friend. Sign up in the Commons!

Here is the Zoom link/invitation for Rubye Scull Memorial & Celebration of Life Service – this Friday Oct 9th.

The service begins at 11am – Zoom sign in begins at 10:30 AM Central Time (US)

To Join Zoom Service – click on link below:

https://zoom.us/j/97113136476?pwd=L1Yrd3VVeXRqMEp4NTBFbjBMT3VZQT09

https://fbcokc.org/givehttps://nam01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fzoom.us%2Fj%2F97113136476%3Fpwd%3DL1Yrd3VVeXRqMEp4NTBFbjBMT3VZQT09&data=02%7C01%7C%7C928323da2d2e464a33bd08d86942142f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637375079809621126&sdata=fQl9o

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21-Day Gratitude Challenge: Coming November 1

Gratitude isn’t something that comes natural to most of us. It must be intentionally cultivated, practiced, and lived out to the point where it starts to become a habit. You’re invited to join us in keeping a gratitude journal as we seek to become a more grateful people of God. You will receive a guide to use for the 21-day challenge. You’ll want to buy a notebook or journal to use. It doesn’t need to be fancy. Just a way to record en-tries you make. More infor-mation coming soon!

Celebrating Earlene Hall

Be sure to join us for worship on Sunday, November 1! We will take a moment to recognize Earlene Hall for her years of service with our CareForOKC Ministry. After worship, we will have a brief reception for Earlene in the Commons. If you know Earlene, you know she has a gift for creating beautiful cards she sends to so many of us. This time we are returning the favor. We invite you to write cards of thanks, encouragement, and gratitude to Earlene for the countless lives she’s touched while serving in the Clothes Closet. You may bring your cards on November 1 to give to her at the reception or you can send your notes to the church and we’ll get them to Earlene. Thanks for helping us make this special for her!

Our heart felt sympathy to Patty Cason and family in the death of our friend, Lee

Sneed. Lee was dearly loved by many at FBCOKC for many years. We will miss

him. Lee’s funeral service will be Monday, October 12 @ 1:00pm in the Sanctuary.

********Annual business meeting November 11 @ 6:00pm in the dining hall

October is Pastor Appreciation Month

Love on our Pastors

Something I’m Learning from “Common Prayer”: Marti Hayes

Lord Have Mercy

As I was reading, thinking, and praying through the Common Prayer this morning, a picture went through my thoughts from my first year of teaching. It was a science class of 7th Graders. I had made a test for a chapter and was now grading them. It was quite…several words go through my mind…revealing. Every student failed the test! Even my “A” students! Shock emoji today! How did they all fail the test?! So, putting the papers aside I started thinking about the situation. There were two possibilities: (1) The students hadn’t studied/listened/etc. (2) I, the teacher, hadn’t done a very good job at: (1) teaching (2) made a very bad test. What?! Yes, I-the teacher, did not prepare my students properly AND made a very bad test.

James 3:1 is an eye opening verse for ALL in leadership or “older” in any aspect of life. “Teaching” those under our leadership in classes, home, job, life is a critical responsibility. Jesus demonstrated that continually in his ministry to the disciples at all levels. Jesus demonstrated his love, humility, and mercy everyday towards all even knowing we would fail him.

As I passed out the tests the next morning, I ‘had’ a look of impatience on my face to my class. When they saw their grades, they knew why. I asked them to follow my directions exactly. 1. Turn test sideways 2. Put left hand on top and right hand on top 3. As I ripped my master copy in half, the room went wild. 4. Now, no paper left on the floor! 5. We’re doing this chapter again!

Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God: have mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.

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events subject to change due to COVID-19

FAMILY BUILDING COMMUNITY

Community Blood Drive – October 28th

We’re excited to welcome the Oklahoma Blood Institute to our campus to host a community blood drive from 10a – 2p on Wednesday, October 28. Appointments are preferred, but walk-ins will be accepted as their schedule allows. All donations will be tested for COVID-19 antibodies to identify potential convalescent plasma donors. Use the link below to schedule an appointment. For questions, contact Andrew Bowles.

https://www.yourbloodinstitute.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/343286

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https://www.yourbloodinstitute.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/343286

Volunteer This Saturday with RestoreOKC

Join Andrew in volunteering with one of our newest ministry partners, Restore OKC, for their monthly Service Saturday from 8:30am – 12:30pm this Saturday. Once a month, they gather volunteers from around the city to serve the NE OKC community. All projects will be taking COVID-19 precautions in that they’ll be outdoors, socially distant, and masks will be required. The specific location will be emailed out to all participants on Friday morning, but some projects could include: working in a community garden, upkeep in one of Restore OKC’s partner elementary schools, or doing manual labor for a neighbor’s home (such as repairing siding, building a wheelchair ramp, painting, etc.). Volunteers of all ages, and all skill levels, are welcome to join us!

All participants should show up in work clothes with their own water and mask. If you would like to volunteer, you must sign-up at this link: https://portal.goldenvolunteer.com/opportunities/2P9yBqhDPx?fbclid=IwAR0SoABzZ5Mr9c7_6Tu7HBVJaY3_IQs-Rlh8Uac_9T4LEcvloTHOMaTxkj0

Contact Andrew with any questions.

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https://portal.goldenvolunteer.com/opportunities/2P9yBqhDPx?fbclid=IwAR0SoABzZ5Mr9c7_6Tu7HBVJaY3_IQs-Rlh8Uac_9T4LEcvloTHOMaTxkj0https://portal.goldenvolunteer.com/opportunities/2P9yBqhDPx?fbclid=IwAR0SoABzZ5Mr9c7_6Tu7HBVJaY3_IQs-Rlh8Uac_9T4LEcvloTHOMaTxkj0https://portal.goldenvolunteer.com/opportunities/2P9yBqhDPx?fbclid=IwAR0SoABzZ5Mr9c7_6Tu7HBVJaY3_IQs-Rlh8Uac_9T4LEcvloTHOMaTxkj0

2 Groundbreaking Ceremonies for 2 Ministry Partners in 1 Week!

Last week, 2 of our ministry partners broke ground on new endeavors. On Thursday morning, The Academy and our Church “broke ground” for the renovations that will come as a result of the new lease agreement. Members of The Academy Board, Academy staff, FBCOKC staff, and members of The Academy Committee joined together for this historic ceremony.

On Saturday evening, Restore OKC had a groundbreaking/ribbon cutting ceremony for their new grocery store, The Market at EastPoint. Their new grocery store, at NE 23rd and Rhode Island is one of 2 new grocery stores going up in NE OKC, which was previously a food desert. FBCOKC is a proud Level 4 Community Partner for this project and we are excited for the hope of healthy food access in this part of the city. The store is expected to open by the end of the calendar year.

To see more pictures from these two ceremonies, check out our FBCOKC Facebook Page!

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