CHURCH COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER



| [pic] CHURCH COMMUNITY NEWSLETTER |

|A Bi-Weekly Publication – Issue Date: February 17th, 2015 |

|St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church |

|Thomas Hoffmann, Pastor |

|Jose Estrada, Associate Pastor |

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|Our Vision Statement: To enable our family of believers to lead our community to Jesus Christ |

|Through love and the sharing of God’s Word and to be an inviting refuge of comfort. |

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|Dear Friends, |

|The year 2015 will be for us a year of change. As Pastor José said in a sermon sometime back (using my words): “Be careful what you pray for, because God |

|might answer your prayer!” We have prayed to be even more of a dynamic, relevant church, especially to children and youth and our eastside neighbors—and we |

|are already starting to see God’s answers to these prayers. |

|Which means that the word “change” will either be to us “The C-Word” or it will be a word of blessing of hope and future. Some days it will feel like both! |

|This is because change is hard and it’s personal. Change changes everything. |

|But change can be for us a journey of spiritual growth, and this means it will never be easy. Take a look at what happens to you and me when we go through |

|change: |

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|My question to you is, Where are you on this journey? Notice that out of the 12 places you could be on this curve right this moment, only three of |

|them—happiness, acceptance and moving forward—feel good. The rest don’t! And some will take you completely off the curve, like disillusionment and denial. |

|The biggest danger is complacency—just doing nothing, and seeing what happens in the end—succeed or fail. |

|So far I have been blessed to be a part of a spiritual community who is willing to walk the ups and downs of an unknown future because God has asked them to.|

|But let’s all be aware that all of us at some time or another will likely find ourselves making a cultural mistake, or a little confused about who St. |

|Matthew’s is as a church, or even just feeling angry at times. What this means is, You’re on the right path! Just don’t get stuck where you are. Let’s |

|keep moving forward, and see what God has in store for us at the top of the hill. (Exodus 3:1-12) |

|Because I am on this path of change with all of you, I am once again . . . |

|Blessed Beyond Belief. |

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|Pastor Thomas |

|Mission Outpost |

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|WEDNESDAY EVENING SCHEDULE |

|4:00-5:30 p.m. Gathering and Small Groups - Children/Youth |

|5:30-6:15 p.m. Community Dinner |

|6:15-7:15 p.m. Small Group/Adults (please try to be in your room by 6:15) |

|6:15-6:50 p.m. Small Groups – Children/Youth |

|6:50p.m. Load bus for home – Children/Youth |

|7:30-8:30 p.m. Choir |

|8:30-9:3 0 p.m. Praise Band |

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|Average Worship Attendance – 2014 & 2015 |

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|November |

|87 |

|Feb. |

|100 |

|May |

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|August |

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|November |

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|December |

|108 |

|March |

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|June |

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|September |

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|December |

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|January |

|99 |

|April |

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|July |

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|October |

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|Average Mission Outpost - Attendance – 2014-2015 |

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|November |

|52 |

|Feb. |

|43 |

|May |

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|August |

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|November |

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|December |

|57 |

|March |

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|June |

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|September |

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|December |

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|January |

|48 |

|April |

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|July |

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|October |

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|NEWSLETTER DEADLINE |

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|The deadline to submit articles for the |

|March 3rd, 2015, newsletter is |

|Monday March 2nd. |

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|Please send articles to the church at stmatts@ and be sure to copy suzanne.pfeifer@ |

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|BEST CHOICE |

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|Thank you all so much for saving the Best Choice labels. I got the money for all of them. Please continue saving the labels for 2015. |

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|Joyce Hargrove |

|[pic] Good News from the Pantry |[pic] IT’S BREAKFAST TIME! |

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|Our Food Pantry is still in very good shape. |The VIM Team LOVES to cook breakfast for YOU!    Join us Sunday, March 1st, as|

|There has been a drop in requests and a  number of generous donations so our |we whip up your favorites – pancakes, French toast, scrambled eggs, biscuits |

|Pantry is very well stocked for the present. |‘n sausage gravy and more.  Breakfast will be hot and ready for you from 7:30 |

| |until 9:00.  And as always, we THANK YOU for supporting our breakfasts and |

|Thank all of you who have been so generous! |mission trips. |

| |The VIM Team |

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|Barbara McDowell | |

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|[pic] |[pic] March Birthdays |

|February Birthdays | |

| |6 –Deanna Rocha 22-Kaleb Schneider |

|10-Jeanne Broussard |10- Ann Marie Boyce 22-Barbara Patterson |

|11-Elinor Bartleson |16-Alon Soderfelt 23-Brona Kimbrel |

|20-Tammie Blessing |17-Larry Boyce 30-Noah McCammon |

|21-Cindy Rutledge |18-Jim Kimbrel 30-Deanna Peterson |

|23-Scarlett Arnold | |

|24-Elson Hargrove | |

|28-Pastor Jose |If you want your birthday listed in the newsletter, contact Alon at 622-7006 |

|[pic] |[pic]Sarah’s Circle |

|Ronald McDonald House – Feb 26th | |

| |We are studying the book, The Power of a Positive Woman. We welcome anyone who|

|Main dishes will be provided by BJ Moore and Joyce Hargrove. Desserts by |would like to join us for Bible Study and refreshments Tuesday mornings at 9:30|

|Barbara Roderick & Freda Heath. |in the Parlor. |

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|We will continue to furnish frozen casseroles, purchased cakes, cookies, |Jeanine Keller |

|pies or fresh fruit for Ronald McDonald House.  Thank you to you ladies. | |

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|Matthew 17:1-2 “And six days later Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John His brother and brought them up to a high mountain by themselves. And He |

|was transformed before them; and His face shone like the sun and His garments became as white as light.” |

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|Our prayers are really needed for healing for those who are once again fighting allergies, flu, virus, colds, and pneumonia, bronchitis, and ear |

|infections. |

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|June Vannoy is asking for prayers for her cousin who has stage four cancer. |

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|Pray for travel mercies for Jan and Sharon Polliard. |

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|B J Moore needs our continued prayers as she is having severe pain in her hip. |

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|Blakely Kendall is home from the hospital and doing better. Her parents appreciate our prayers. |

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|Continue praying for Deanna Peterson who hopes for results in her next chiropractic visit. |

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|Del & Sharon Gatzke need our continued prayers. Del’s son has serious health issues, and Sharon is having back issues and may have to have additional |

|surgery. |

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|CONTINUED PRAYERS  |

|Richard Bachelder’s friend, Sharon Polliard’s friends, Mary Seville, Nancy Hoffman's mother Helen, Deanna Rocha's friends Peggy Dorsey, Becky Powers and |

|parents, David Wilson, Ann Marie Boyce's brother Eric, Gordon Godfrey, Bud Loveless' daughter Karen, Barbara Patterson and her son, Jarrod, and his family |

|and for the sale of Barbara’s house, and Andrea Laney's mother Vivian Michaels. |

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|BEREAVEMENT – Barbara Youngblood, Nancy Wilson and families in the loss of their mother Gladys Robertson. Ann Marie Boyce and family in the loss of her |

|mother, Louise Pridey. Mike Arnold's mother, Sherry Tolbert and family in the loss of Mike's step-father. |

|Family of Faye Miller. |

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|Yours in God’s love |

|Barbara Roderick |

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UMW Calendar

 All women at St. Matthew's are invited to any UMW events. Most meetings are the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:30.  Child care and rides are available upon request. 

WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP – FEB. 19

Mark your February calendar for our next fellowship get-together on Thursday, Feb. 19th at 6:30pm.  Nancy Hoffman is going to share with us about their life and mission in Russia.  We hope you will be able to join us and hear her story.  Deanna Rocha and Judy Williams will be our hostesses.

If you need childcare or a ride, please call Ann Marie Boyce 918-438-1622.

Dear UMW and St Matthews Members,

 

Mere words cannot express my gratitude for the beautiful prayer quilt made by UMW and blessed by St Matthew’s members.  The hard work, love, and prayers that went into it make it so special, and I appreciate everyone's participation in its creation.  It’s just the right size to cover me and my little dachshund when we sit in my recliner.  I feel the love in it every time I use it. 

Thank you all.

Gail

Sarah’s Circle

We have a good selection of books to read for the 2015 UMW Reading program. There are 5 categories, and listed after the category is a book or books we have available for you to check out and read.

Education for Mission: Chasing Chaos

Leadership Development: Sum it up and Tough Cookies

Nurturing for Community: January First & Vicious

Social Action: Kind of Kin

Spiritual Growth: Finding God in a Bag of Groceries

Jeanine Keller

Youth Schedule

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Sunday February 22nd Youth Mission Trip Fund Raiser Lunch

This will be right after the 2nd service & it will end around 1:30.

If you are going on the mission trip plan to attend.

Saturday March 14th Volunteer Food Bank

Be at church by 8:30am

EAT BEFORE YOU GET TO CHURCH!!

WE WILL NOT BREAK TO EAT BEFORE NOON!!

Again, I love you guys, but we go through this every time so again please,

EAT SOMETHING BEFORE YOU GET TO CHURCH.

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Sunday March 22nd Youth Mission Trip Fund Raiser Lunch

This will be our Edible Auction also

This will be right after the 2nd service and will end around 2:00.

If you are going on the mission trip, plan to attend.

Saturday April 18th Youth Garage Sale

8:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

This is a Mission Trip Fund Raiser. Put it on your calendar and arrange to be here at your scheduled work time.

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BOOK FAIR SCHEDULED

The book fair will be held Friday and Saturday June 12th & 13th.   I already have the paper grocery bags I will need for Saturday’s sale and also plenty of plastic bags.  What I will need are workers to help set up and take down, i.e. put away the books.  I plan to start setting up Tuesday, June 9th.  Knowing your alphabet will qualify you to help, also strong muscles would be helpful.  We are accepting donations any time, but if you can keep your books, CDs, magazines until May that would be helpful.  If you need help getting your items to church let me know alon.soderfelt@ or phone # 918-622-7006.  If you have any questions, please contact me.  The proceeds of the book fair will be used to replace at least 5 padded, folding chairs for the Fellowship Hall, with the remaining money being divided between Spot 31 and the General Fund. Thanks, Alon

Yarn “markers” removed from chairs

About a month ago I went through most of the folding chairs in the Fellowship Hall since I knew some needed to be repaired or cleaned.  Dr. Mike took some home to repair.  I marked them with small pieces of yarn at the bottom rung of the chairs—that way I could identify the ones that needed cleaning at a glance.  I noticed last Sunday (2/8) a wad of the yarn was lying on a shelf in the Fellowship hall. Apparently someone, not knowing why the chairs were marked, removed them. So, if you see yarn on the chair rungs, please leave it there.  I hopefully will get the upholstery on these chair seats or backs cleaned soon.  Thanks.  Alon

LOST & FOUND BOX

 

A number of items have been added to the Lost & Found box in the Office

   

3 pairs of eye glasses

3 key

1 pocket knife with an attachment

1 earring

1 silver necklace (?) attachment

 

If you are missing one of these items, stop by the office to check. There are also some

smaller items in the box.

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Coming Events

2-18-15 Ash Wednesday Come & Go 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

2-19-15 UMW Fellowship – 6:30 p.m.

2-21-15 Sixty Plus 12 noon Fellowship Hall

2-22-15 Youth Mission Fund Raiser Lunch after 2nd service

Ash Wednesday Services

The Ash Wednesday service will be a come and go service. You can arrive anytime between 6:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Upon arriving please enter the church through the doors by the church office.

Coffee Bar Snacks

Feb 22nd Nancy Wilson

Mar 1st Vicky Hime

Mar 8 Andrea Laney

Mar 15 Virgie Bachelder

Mar 22 Del Gatzke

If you would like to sign up to bring the snacks, the sign-up list is on the wall in the Adult Sunday School hall. You will need to bring approximately 4 dozen. We appreciate your service.

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|Mission Opportunities |

|VIM Team 15-102, trip to Bolivia on June 13 to 21 is looking for a dentist and ophthalmologist. For more information contact Rochelle Caudill |

|rcaudill@ |

|My Heart's Appeal |

|Ebola Crisis - Fighting Fear and Despair |

|By Arthur W. Richardson |

|By now, the news has changed its focus to events other than the continuing Ebola crisis in Liberia. Over 3,000 have died. The US 101st Airborne Division |

|has returned from building up to 17 non-permanent Ebola treatment units (ETUs), and training between 200-300 healthcare workers per week. But the greatest |

|enemy to be faced in Liberia is fear and despair. |

|Lovetie Major, member of Church of the Servant and CEO of My Heart’s Appeal, led a relief effort to provide sanitizers and foodstuffs to 99 clients and |

|their families, as well as faculty and staff. Local TV stations reported on the 3 dozen volunteers who assembled the donated goods into grocery bags. Each |

|family unit received 13 pounds of sanitizers and a slightly heavier bag of food. Add on the 25 lb. bag of rice and the faucet buckets and the total |

|shipment weighed just over 2.5 tons! While expenditures were kept within budget, scarcity and inflation has raised the price of rice in Liberia leaving a |

|shortfall of $750 for the project. |

|In the meantime, My Heart’s Appeal has also submitted its application for status in The Advance of the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries.|

|If MHA qualifies, they will be able to receive funds from United Methodists all over the USA. The announcement should come in January, 2015. |

|VIM Team |

|Hope this letter finds you well and growing in the power and promise of God’s love. Chuck Rettig (pastor VIM Team Leader at Holdenville) and I will be |

|leading a Volunteer in Mission team to Bethlehem, Israel / Palestine and Mar Elias Educational Institutions in the Galilee June 8-21, 2015 and need your |

|help. We are recruiting a combination team with a focus on doing a medical mission possibly in Zibabdeh. Depending on whom God sends our way, there are a |

|number of things we can do. We can help with needs at a nearby refugee camp. We can also help with maintenance, light construction and administrative needs|

|at the Bethlehem Bible College and Mar Elias Educational Institutions in the Galilee. There are children’s ministries through the Library and Christian |

|ministries close by that need volunteers to show the love of Christ to persons with various handicapping conditions. If God leads you to go, there is a |

|place where you can serve and make a Christian difference. If you are interested in learning more, go to |

|. |

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|VIM Team Leader Training |

|2015 Team Training OKVIM Team Leader Training is coming up. If you are planning a spring or summer mission now is the time to attend! February 21, Owasso |

|UMC, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. To register go to . |

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Together, we reach children, families and communities who have experienced devastation in the wake of disaster.

When disaster strikes around the globe—Haiti’s 2010 earthquake or Hurricane Sandy of 2012—so many watching the drama unfold on our living room televisions feel entirely helpless. How could any one person make a difference in the wake of such widespread devastation? As responders around the globe scramble to help survivors, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, UMCOR, is prepared to act.

So don’t be fooled by the word committee. Since 1940, when UMCOR’s forerunner was established to meet the needs of those suffering overseas at the onset of World War II, we’ve continued to respond to those in desperate need—today throughout more than eighty countries around the world. The response of UMCOR isn’t something “they” do, it’s something “we” do.

When You Give You Equip Christ’s Body to Serve in His Name

That’s because your generous giving to One Great Hour of Sharing is what allows UMCOR to act as the arms and legs of Christ’s church, moving toward the most vulnerable in their darkest days. Convinced that all people have God-given worth and dignity—without regard to race, religion or gender—together we are assisting those impacted by crisis or chronic need.

Because you give, the United Methodist Church’s compassionate response to human suffering continues today:

One Great Hour of Sharing Sunday is March 15, 2015 – continued

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• When tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma, we responded

• When children in Zimbabwe lost parents to AIDS, we responded

• When a massive tsunami devastated lives in Japan, we responded

• And when the next mass crisis occurs, we will be prepared to respond

UMCOR will be able to offer aid in Jesus’ name to those who suffer because United Methodists give through One Great Hour of Sharing. In fact, it’s your generous giving that allows us to respond when disaster strikes. Not “they.” We.

Ensure the United Methodist Church Can Keep Helping

Will you continue to give to One Great Hour of Sharing? Will you continue to meet the needs of the children, families and communities who’ve experienced devastation in the wake of disaster? When we meet the needs of those who suffer we actually minister to Jesus, who said:

“I was hungry and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you gave me clothes to wear. I was sick and you took care of me. I was in prison and you visited me.” (Mt. 25:35-36, CEB)

As we respond, we recognize Jesus in those who are reeling in the wake of disaster. Please prayerfully consider giving on March 15. –Deanna Rocha, Mission Chair

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|Did You Know? The Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless is always looking for bright, friendly, dedicated people to volunteer in several |

|areas including our reception desk, kitchen, clothing room, shower desk and more. You can make a difference in just four short hours |

|a week. Contact Co Edwards, Volunteer Coordinator at coedwards@ for more information. |

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|february Needs List |

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|General Shelter Needs |

|Women's Underwear - All sizes |

|Men's Pants or Jeans - Most needed - waist size 30-38 |

|Women's Pants - Plus size |

|Women's Shirts - Plus size |

|Men's Shirts - XXXL |

|Tums |

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|Housewarming Box Items: |

|For clients transitioning to housing |

|Alarm Clocks with battery back up |

|Calendars |

|Hand Towels |

|Bath Towels - extremely low supply |

|Shower Curtains with rings |

|All Purpose Cleaner |

|Comet or Ajax |

|Dish Soap |

|Pots |

|Pans |

|Skillets |

|Spatulas |

|Wooden Spoons |

|Cooking Utensils |

|Hand Held Can Openers |

|Dish Towels |

|Sponges |

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|Nurses Clinic: |

|Canes - aluminum, adjustable |

|Adult Soccer Socks |

|Eyeglass cases |

|Wheelchairs new or gently used |

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|Hudson Villas: |

|Please support our permanent housing complex |

|Extra Long Twin Sheets |

|XL Twin Size Bed in a Bag |

|Bath Towels (white or beige) |

|Hand Towels (white or beige) |

|Wash Cloths (white or beige) |

|Small household items to be used for BINGO prizes |

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|You Can Make a Difference! Not sure where to start?  Here are a few suggestions.      |

|Initiate a Drop Off Station - Ask permission at your school, dormitory, place of worship, gym, favorite lunch spot or wherever you |

|frequent, to place a donation box. List 1 or 2 of our continuously needed items and deliver it to the Day Center when it is full. |

|Speak up - When your school, athletic team, scout group, office or other organization is looking for projects to do in the community |

|give us a call!  |

|Host a Housewarming Party - Do you need a reason (or excuse) to get the girls together for an evening? Hold a housewarming party to |

|benefit our clients transitioning into housing. Each client is given the basics to start a household. We are happy to supply a list |

|of needed items. |

|Invite us to the party - Instead of stating "no gifts please" on the invitation to your next party, include a list of items your |

|guests could bring for the Day Center. |

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We have our drop off station in the Fellowship Hall. Please put your donations in a bag or box and place in the Day Center bin and I will take them downtown. I owe a big thank you to Nancy and Ron Wilson who delivered the donations to the Day Center for me in December. –Deanna Rocha, Mission Chair

2015 ST MATTHEW’S MISSION TRIP

The mission team is going back to the Moore/El Reno/Shawnee area on their mission trip this year. It is scheduled for April 12 – 17. We will leave Sunday afternoon April 12 and return Friday evening April 17. If you are interested in participating in the mission trip for part or all of the week, please let me know. There’s something for everyone to do, and I promise you that spending a week with members of your church family will be an experience that you will never forget. Just as we share our monetary gifts with others, it’s important to share our time assisting those who need help. -Deanna Rocha, Mission Chair

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St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church

12424 E. 31st Street

Tulsa, OK 74146-2202

(918-622-8703)

E-mail address: stmatts@ Website: stmatts.us

|INSIDE THIS ISSUE |

|Mission Outpost |2 | |Prayers |4 |

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|Birthdays |3 | |Events |7-8 |

|Breakfast |3 | |Ronald McDonald |3 |

|Church Rolls |2 | |*Sarah Circle |3 |

|Food Pantry |3 | |*UMW |5 |

|Pastor Message |1 | |Youth |6 |

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