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Facts & Figures for January 13, 2013 Attendance (118 and 136)..........................254 Sunday School.. General Fund Receipts... Capital Fund Receipts...................... Loose Offering/Sunday School. Non-Budget Funds Receipts........ Facts & Figures as of December 31, 2012 YTD Budget Receipts.........$484,747.04 YTD Budget Expenses...$451,300.44 Net Receipts over Expenses$33,446.60 Presented by Kay Smith, Treasurer, dkwsmith@suddenlink.net

Volume 2013
Announcements

The Stillwater Christian

1 2

In This Issue
Care and Feeding of a Candle

January 23 WNF: THRIVE This Week! Meal: 6:00 - 6:30 Class: 6:30 - 7:30

Join us at 6pm for a buffet style meal. Also, Sondra has fun surprises each week! Then stay for an encouraging Birthdays & 3 class. Anniversaries Menu for 1/23: Buffet Style - Beef EnchiFacts & Figures 4 ladas, Chile Verde casserole (eggs and mild green chilis), Beans, Chicken Fajitas, Quesadillas, Green Salad, Taco Soup, Brownies, Fruit Salad Outreach Corner: Did you know that the Outreach Committee of FCC distributed more than $78,000 to local, regional, national, and international causes in 2012 and that only $25,850 of that amount was from the general budget? The rest came through project funds, endowments, and donations. Vote Sunday to Elect Nominees to Endowment Fund Management Committee Please stay for a brief moment after service on Sunday to vote on the nominations of Kenda Baker and Troy Levings to the EFMC. The vote will be held following both the Traditional and the Contemporary Services. Official Board Installation this Sunday, Jan. 27th In both services, we will install all of the members of the 2013 Official Board. Board Leadership Training Workshop Feb 2nd 9:30am-12:30pm Mark your calendars! We encourage everyone to attend this annual training, as we have the new structure of the bylaws and constitution. Questions? Ask Owen or Sonny Apman, Board Chair Thank You Note, from Fred Matafori I am very glad to be writing this to you after my safe return from Kenya. Because of your generous contribution, jointly with friends and FCC members, you made it possible for me to visit home for the first time in two years. We (my wife, children, and I) wish to appreciate you because you brought us together and gave us lasting memories of December 2012. It was the best Christmas gift to my family. Your expression of this love will live with us and with Gods help; we hope to spread it to others. My very special thank you for your solidarity with us and God bless you out of His abundant riches this 2013! Sincerely, Fred Matofari
Join us this Sunday for Owen Caytons Message, Gifts of Leadership and Unity based on Luke 4:14-21 and 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Traditional 9:00am Sunday School 10:10 Contemporary 11:10

Central Area Churches Praying for Churches This week we are praying for: Britton Christian in OKC

First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Of Stillwater, OK, Inc. 411 W. Mathews Ave. Stillwater, OK 74075-7517

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

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

Owen Cayton, Senior Minister

The Care and Feeding of A Candle

pastor@fcc-stillwater.org

CHILDREN & YOUTH MINISTRY NEWS

Sondra Ladd, Children/Youth Ministry Director youth@fcc-stillwater.org

Ponder with me about worship for a few moments. There are certainly many forms of worship. Even the two different worship opportunities we have on Sunday morning are a small drop in a very large bucket. I think it is fair to say that we tend in worship toward our preferences; we move toward what we feel comfortable doing and happening around us. And while we are open to something different every now and again, byand-large, we tend toward what is familiar. I dont know that this is entirely a bad thing. Ritual serves purpose. It connects us in many ways to what has come before, in our lives and in the history of our faith tradition. However, I do think that far too often, our primary criterion for our evaluation of worship (most often informally) is the question Do I like this? Think about that for a moment. We use, in some ways, the same question about our time as a community with God as we do to determine what to order at a restaurant, or to what kind of music we listen, or what kind of clothes we wear. We ask of each song we sing, each piece of worship, perhaps even each word that is spoken, Do I like this? That is not to say it is not okay to have our favorites our favorite songs or hymns, our favorite moments in worship, or even a favorite scripture or sermon or two. By its very nature, however, worship is a corporate experience. It is, as I alluded to a moment ago, our standing intentionally in community before God. It is, therefore, a shared experience. What one person likes another may dislike, and vice-versa. Sometimes sharing means giving up what is yours so that another can have what is theirs. Even more exciting might be that yours and theirs are gathered together and a third way is established. I guess I am trying to find a nice way to say that worship is not about you. It is not about me. It is about us, us being together in Gods presence. I also think that there are times that worship should shape us. Certainly there are times that it should provide comfort and support. But, standing in the presence of God would only leave the perfect person unchanged. In other words, it should stretch us, challenge us, change us; it is even conceivable that it might make us uncomfortable and be something that we dont like. I want to offer a different evaluative question. I dont know where it will lead, I simply pose the question for us to consider as we worship. I invite us to think about worship and the parts of worship as we participate in them this way: What does doing this teach me about this part of worship, God, myself, or the world? Or to be more specific, what does singing this song tell me about God? What does doing communion this way say about communion itself? What does it say about God? What does it say about our community? What about our prayers? What does the way we do them say about God? What do the words say about us? Ill see you when we stand together in Gods presence again! Shalom, Pastor Owen

Mystery Trip, Feb 8-10th

FCC CYF youth will be heading out for the annual Mystery Trip on Friday, Feb. 8th. Here are the clues: 1) We are NOT heading East 2) Bring a swimsuit and warm clothing 3) 3) Expect the unexpected. Each person needs to bring money for three fast food stops. Transportation, lodging and activities will be provided. Cost is $50 per person. We will return to Stillwater on Sunday, Feb. 10th late afternoon/early evening.

The Prodigal Clown

Rehearsals are being held each Wed. in conjunction with WNF. Children 4-12 are invited to participate in learning the music, dance, and speaking parts for the musical to be performed on Sunday, April 7th during one combined service. ALL REGISTRATION FORMS MUST BE COMPLETED AND TURNED IN THIS WEEK parts will be assigned after rehearsal tonight and announced next week. If you did not receive a registration form during rehearsal, find them on the church website. Its not too late to join in the fun. FCC Chi Rho and CYF Youth Meetings Class is each Wed 6:45-7:30 and Youth Group is Sunday 5:30-7:30. All 6-12 grade students are encouraged to attend. Friends are always welcome. After School Fun for SMS and SJH Students Set to Begin in February! SMS and SJH lunches are now closed and religious organizations are not allowed to send visitors. I still would like to keep in touch with SMS and SJH students throughout the week, so beginning in Feb., we are going to try something different! First and Third Tues. and Thurs. of each month, I will be at the school to pick up students for a coke, ice cream or other treat. Here is the schedule that we are going to start with: Feb. 5th - SMS girls Feb. 7th - SJS guys and girls Feb. 19th - SMS Guys Feb. 21st - SJS Girls and Guys. Students can be picked up at FCC at 5:00. If you have questions give me a call. Happy Birthday to: 1/23 Carmelita Bell, Judy Mitchell; 1/26 Merl Miller; 1/28 Tracy Nordquist; 1/29 Amy Goad