712 S. Columbia Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74104
918.592.5800
Church Office Hours:
Mon - Th, 9 am - 3 pm
Closed on Fridays
Rev. Freeman is now taking Mondays off so he can work on a sermon on Fridays because the videoing of the service happens on Saturdays.
Worship Schedule:
Virtual Worship
until further notice
Church Email:
Pastor Email:
Website:
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Please, if you have not done so, return your 2021 Stewardship pledge card to the church office so that we can complete our stewardship campaign.
Thank you!
Click to view a copy of the
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If needed:
Please click the Give Now button below to remit your CHPC pledges/contributions.
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The Session will meet again in this month to re-assess when (upon the recommendation of our Re-union ministry team) we feel it is safe to return to in-person church activities.
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Please look for our weekly email
with a link to the Sunday Morning
Zoom Church Gathering!!
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Well...
(Sometimes I think that's just about all I can say in reflecting upon the year of 2020.) But I'll think of something in time for our Annual Report, which will be presented virtually in our Annual Called Congregational Meeting on Sunday, January 24.
Strangely, and speaking personally, I perhaps had my most joyous Advent and Christmas season ever. "Grow where you are planted" has been one of the mantras I've lived by throughout my life, primarily because our family moved so often that it became a necessity.
With all the disorientation and tragedy brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and in trying to figure out how to "be" the church while physically distanced, has necessitated the need to be flexible, creative, and forgiving. In an unexpected way, leaning more than ever on God's grace, and choosing joy over the despair of our times, has made all the difference.
As I mentioned in a recent sermon, and on past occasions, the coming of a new year provides an important opportunity to decide what to take with us into that new year - that which is life-giving - and to leave behind that which is not.
I remember a Time With the Children in January demonstrating this by using a backpack. We all can decide what to keep in our backpack as we journey into the new year, and what to take out, let go of, and leave behind. We also need to pay attention to what new things we would like to add to our backpack.
I can think of no better New Year than 2021 to put this into action in our own lives, for there is much we don't want to take with us from 2020. And yet, there is much we do - probably more than we think when we reflect upon our unexpected blessings.
May you, and us together as a community of faith, look for God's unexpected Sacred Presence in people, places, and in simply living our lives throughout this new year!
Blessings,
Rev. Todd
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Check out our YouTube channel:
College Hill Presbyterian Tulsa
Please subscribe.
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Transitions in 2020
New Members
Tom & Lori Clark
Mary & Price, Benson and Jack Purvis
Weddings
Tava Bronston-Young to Tom Pilgrim
In Memoriam
Vance Vanderburg
David Hensley
Jeanette Featherston
Barbara Bucchianeri
Rosie Brown
Roy Wimer
Marci Platt
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Advent & Christmas Eve
2020
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It was indeed something very different this year!
In addition to a virtual Christmas Eve service posted to our YouTube page, we felt it would be special to basically repeat that service out on the church parking lot on Christmas Eve itself. Thanks to an awesome new device of Bill Nole's, we were able to transmit our liturgy live, as well as pre-recorded organ music by Mike Gibson, and a beautiful solo by Rebecca Howard, directly to an FM channel so folks could listen in their cars.
Due to a delivery problem of individual battery operated candles that were to be passed out to everyone, we simply used the flashlights on our cell phones as we sang Silent Night! Flexibility, along with the 2020 mantra "It's enough!" was the order of the day.
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2021
Birthday Endowment Fund
A meaningful way to celebrate your Birthday in this new year is to donate an amount equal to your new age to the Endowment Fund.
This donation is also a wonderful way to honor others such as children, grandchildren and friends and allows the church to have funds available for special projects.
Checks can be made payable to College Hill and marked "Birthday Fund" on the memo portion of the check.
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Visit our Facebook page for
more photos!
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1 - Paulino Allande
4 - Megan Featherston
6 - Damion Williams
7 - Louis Coleman
8 - Julia Allande
9 - Theo Wright
11 - Camellia McKenzie
13 - Terry Gamel
14 - Jennifer Campbell
15 - Parker Brobston
19 - Fritha Watts Ohlson
20 - Jeff Dickason
20 - Kathy Brandon
21 - Chris Newsome
22 - Jan Swafford
25 - Ethan Buchner
25 - Libby Wright
25 - Ethan Voelkers
27 - David Moser
27 - Tanya Patterson
30 - Dena Schone
31 - Nancy Foote
Remember the
Birthday Endowment Fund!
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Going Virtual
January 12: Annual Session Retreat, including January Session Meeting
January 17: Ordination & Installation of Elders
January 24: Annual Congregational Meeting (Annual Meeting Report provided electronically)
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Re-Union Ministry Team
UPDATE
The Re-Union Ministry Team met prior to the December Session meeting. The team recommended keeping College Hill closed to in-person activities for now. The Session approved that recommendation.
While hope is building for a vaccine-induced herd immunity, it will not occur until mid-2021 at the earliest. In the meantime, continued vigilance in measures that limit community spread, including restrictions on indoor gatherings, mask utilization, social distancing and hand-washing, remains vitally important.
Below is a link to the Tulsa County COVID-19 website, which includes a zip code map and much of the data we monitor when determining our recommendation to Session each month. We will meet again in early December and will keep the congregation posted as circumstances change and plans develop.
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The books for the coming months are:
1) How to be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi. We will read the introduction for our Tuesday, January 19 zoom gathering.
2) The second book is an autobiography of Frederick Douglass. The actual title on the title page is: "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass" By: Himself.
ISBN 978-1-64032-144-1 40-50 pages long. Under $5. Be careful - there is more than one autobiography listed in a search on the internet.
On January 19, we will discuss the Douglass book in its entirety and the intro of the Kendi book. We decided they should be read together and that the Douglass book may lend some valuable history to the Kendi book.
If you have never joined in one of our Book Study Group discussions, this is a perfect time to do so, especially given the importance of the theme of anti-racism work - something we will continue to focus on here at College Hill throughout 2021.
Here's the zoom link to the gathering on Jan. 19 at 6:30 pm.
You will need to download the Zoom app if you have not done so already. More complete information will be sent later in January.
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2020 Outreach & Mission Contributions
Your $$$ Hard at Work!
The Outreach & Mission Ministry Team has made the following contributions during the year 2020 on behalf of College Hill Presbyterian Church:
We have assisted both Kendall Whittier Elementary and Sequoyah Elementary Schools by providing clothing, supplies, books, and miscellaneous items.
We have assisted with collection and distribution of food to the Kendall Whittier, Inc. Emergency Food Pantry.
We have made monetary donations as follows:
$600 to Community Foodbank of Eastern Oklahoma
For the Kids Against Hunger Program
$600 to Synod of the Sun
For “Solar Under the Sun”
$600 to Kendall Whittier Inc.
For Their Food Pantry
$600 to Tulsa Day Center
$1,100 to Neighbors Along the Line
$600 to Catholic Charities of Eastern Oklahoma
For Immigration Work
$600 to 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre Centennial Commission
$600 to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance
$400 to Emergency Infant Services
$600 to Marion Medical Mission
$600 to Doctors without Borders
$200 to Ann Lamar for her Jail Ministry
$500 To Synod of the Sun
For Dismantling Racism Program
$1400 to Oklahomans for Equality
$1,000 to Just Hope
For Backpack Program
$500 to Greater Tulsa Meals on Wheels
$250 to City Lights Foundation
For Night Light Tulsa
In addition, funds were also distributed from the Outreach & Mission Budget to: Kendall Whittier, Inc., Tulsa Metropolitan Ministries, Little Blue House, Kendall Whittier Meals on Wheels, and Day Center Meals.
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Saturday, January 23
January’s Day Center dinner will be courtesy of Gini Fox and McGraw Realtors: tamales, chips & salsa, apple slices and Mexican bakery cookies. Yum!
The meal is an extension of the COVID-cancelled Kendall-Whittier Lights-On event, which McGraw traditionally supports by providing event food.
Quickly, a McGraw agent/friend of the church volunteered to use set-aside funds for food for the Day Center for the Homeless, with a Sunday dinner Dec. 20 and another on College Hill’s usual slot, Jan. 23.
It’s ALL GOOD: Delicious dinners for the homeless and a break for our faithful volunteers!
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In an earlier Messenger we discussed the details and source of the survey we conducted this year with our staff members: Kim Childs, Lisa Hays and Mike Gibson.
We asked them how they felt College Hill stacked up against generally accepted best practice categories for dealing with church staff. The survey requested our employees to score each category question from 1 (Needs Review) to 9 (Best Practice). We also added sections for comments and concerns.
Listed below are the compiled numerical results of the survey.
We also asked Rev. Todd to take the same survey to see how his perception of the church’s execution of employee policies and interactions compared to that of the staff.
With this information we began evaluating opportunities for the Personnel team to address by actions and further discussions with staff members for better insight into their comments/concerns. We plan to utilize the original survey in the future with appropriate additions based on feedback from the staff and Rev. Todd.
2020 College Hill Staff
Best Practices Survey Summary
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Employee Has Clearly Defined Goals AVG: 9
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Job Expectations are Clear AVG: 9
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Written Detailed Job Description Provided AVG: 9
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Tools to Perform Tasks AVG: 9
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Barriers Removed to Perform Job When Needed AVG: 7.7
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Mentoring and Coaching Provided AVG: 9
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Fair Compensation AVG: 9
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Good Communication AVG: 8.3
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Reward and Recognition AVG: 8.3
Staff Over All AVG: 8.7
Staff Question Average, Available Score choices
were 1-9
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Follow the Star:
Spiritual Practices for the New Year
"As you cross this threshold into the New Year, what star beckons you in the night? How might you own your journey more deeply in the coming year?"
1) Follow the star to where it leads.
2) Embark on the journey, however long or difficult.
3) Open yourself to wonder along the way.
4) Bow down at the holy encounters in messy places.
5) Carry your treasures and give them away freely.
6) Listen to the wisdom of dreams.
7) Go home by another way.
For a full discussion of each of these point, you can read the entire article.
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COLLEGE HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC
Dr. Kim J. Childs, Director of Music
Mike Gibson, Organist
SUNDAY MORNING
VIRTUAL MUSIC OFFERINGS
January 2021
Featuring Kim Childs, Director of Music
Mike Gibson, Organist
JANUARY 3
Diane Bucchianeri, cello TBA
JANUARY 10
Kim Childs, tenor - Out of the Deep - John Rutter
JANUARY 17
Kim Childs, tenor - Here I Am, Lord - arr. Ovid Young
JANUARY 24
Kim Childs, tenor - Abide With Us Our Savior - Robert Wetzler
JANUARY 31
Kim Childs, tenor - Be Thou My Vision - John Rutter
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The Chancel Choir is in hiatus due to Covid-19 and the pandemic and will not rehearse until
further notice.
BELLissimo Handbell Ringers are in hiatus due to Covid-19 and the pandemic and will not rehearse until further notice.
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Dr. Light Bulb or:
How I Stopped Worrying and Learned to Love the L.E.D.*
by Mark Miller
Did you know that LEDs use about 10% as much energy as an incandescent lamp? So, why would anyone choose anything except an LED? Here are a few tips to help you find the perfect LED, one that you can fall in love with.
Choose the correct color temperature. If you want that warm glow in the evening, you should get a bulb with a color temperature of around 2700 K. (K = degrees Kelvin) The package might be identified as “Soft White.” A bright white lamp is good for spaces like kitchen, bathrooms and other work spaces and has a temperature of around 3000 K. A daylight lamp will have a temperature of 5000 K, like being in bright sunshine. Most of the LEDs that we have installed at College Hill are in the 2700 to 3000 range.
Choose the amount of light that you want. Think “Lumens,” or measure of light output. Most of the packaging lists “Watt Equivalent,” but once the bulb is out of the package, you’ll need to know what you want in lumens. As a guide, 500 lumens is the approximate amount of light that a 40-watt incandescent produces. Similarly, you get about 800 lumens from a 60-watt and 1600 lumens from a 100-watt incandescent. With the LED, the actual wattage will be much lower and energy savings tremendous!
Choose dimmable lamps. Non-dimming lamps behave rather poorly if you try to dim them. Just buy dimmable ones for all applications and you’ll be happier. And greener!
* LED stands for light emitting diode
To become part of the Green Team, please (click name to) contact Mark, Rev. Freeman, Caroline Johnson, Jan Swafford or Susan West.
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Recycling lives!
Collection continues for:
~ Usable plastic and paper shopping bags for Iron Gate’s food pantry. (No produce or newspaper bags, please.)
~ Egg cartons to repackage eggs for a food bank.
~ Orange prescription bottles for re-use.
The prescription bottles and eggs cartons are projects at Southminster Presbyterian.
To donate any of the above items, please (click name to) contact Mark or Gay Miller.
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Tax Deductions for
Charitable Giving
Did you know you may be able to deduct up to $300 from your income taxes for cash donations made to charity during 2020, even if you do not itemize your deductions?
There is a little known special provision in the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act) that allows for exactly that – cash donations of up to $300 made before December 31, 2020 to qualifying charities may be deductible when people file their taxes in 2021, even when they choose to take the standard deduction, rather than itemizing their deductions.
website with more info.
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