In last month's reflection I reflected upon the horror of recent (and on-going) mass shootings and gun violence in our country, including right here in Tulsa.

The month since has also been filled with sadness, anger, frustration, and discouragement. There was the overturning of Roe ("the curtailment of women's rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens") and other decisions of the Supreme Court that seem a huge step backwards in this experiment we call democracy. Then there's the Congressional Jan. 6 hearings.

Yet, I shared during a recent service of worship an article by Rebecca Traister entitled, The Necessity of Hope. She encourages us to never stop moving forward and that it is our responsibility not to despair. She writes: "It means doing the thing that people have always done on the arduous path to greater justice: Find the way to hope, not as feel-good anesthetic but as tactical necessity."

I am looking forward to the month of July, including the start of a 6-week sabbatical, of which I am deeply grateful, on July 25. The three weeks in Ghana in August will prove to be very educational and inspiring. I'm looking forward to the adventure.

Speaking of which, I encourage you to be intentional in giving yourself permission to seek rest and renewal during these times that remain stressful.

Blessings, Rev. Todd

A couple of months ago you received a letter outlining Pastor Todd’s Sabbatical Leave {July 31-September 10} where he will tour and be on a mission trip to Ghana.

The Session created a special fund for this leave

and you were asked to consider a gift for this fund.

3 donation options to choose from:

• Mail a check to the church [noting it is for the '2022 Sabbatical Fund']

• Place your contribution in the offering plate during worship [earmarked for '2022 Sabbatical Fund']

• Click the button below to donate through the church website [through Special Donations-using Note on next page to designate to '2022 Sabbatical Fund']

Afghan Neighbors:

The vast majority of our Afghan neighbors have arrived in Tulsa (nearly 750 of our 800). College Hill has donated a Narthex and van full of food, clothes and supplies to help. 

Now though, our neighbors need core volunteer “wrap-around” groups to help them orient to Tulsa and through whom to report needs as they come up. Pursuant to Session approval,

Outreach & Mission invites you to participate in a College Hill “wrap-around” group to support an Afghan family in a number of ways that range from minimal time commitment to nearly a part time job. 

Click here to learn more about “wrap-around” group roles. 

After that, click on this link to sign up to join a group.    

If you want to know more about this initiative, please (click name to) reach out to:

Tally Ferguson or Mark Thurston.

The Celtic Circle will gather at the home of Mark and Gay Miller to celebrate the Celtic Harvest Festival of Lughnasa.

Our program title is "Peace within and peace without". (Click name to) contact Mark for more information

To support emergency relief for those fleeing Ukraine, you may designate monetary gifts via text, online, or by phone:

You may also pick up a flyer on the table in the Narthex, that provides all the details.

We’ve got to stop worrying about whether our favorite team or candidate is going to win and start worrying about our environment! Our world is on fire and it’s quickly becoming too late to save it!

Thus spoke Joel Sartore, National Geographic photographer recently in Tulsa for the opening of his Photo Ark exhibition at Gathering Place.

His Photo Ark project is a 25-year effort to document the approximately 12,000 species living in the world’s zoos and wildlife sanctuaries. The 12,000th was photographed in November 2021.

Sartore also works to inspire action through education and help save wildlife by supporting on-the-ground conservation efforts. “RARE: Creatures of the Photo Ark,” a three-part PBS miniseries, is available on home video.

On display through July 31 at the ONEOK Boathouse, his photographs showcase Oklahoma’s animals, from bugs to bison, with a few fun exotics for decoration.

Meanwhile, in your own backyard, here are tips to water wisely through the heat of summer:

1. Water in the morning, deeply and slowly, focusing on the root zones and not the leaves. Containers may need to be watered twice a day.

2. Learn the signs of overwatering. Push your index finger into the soil past your first knuckle. If it is moist, you can wait to water.

3. Adding mulch around your plants helps slow evaporation and reduces runoff. It also improves soil as it breaks down, helps prevent weeds and protects against temperature changes.

4. Consider installing a drip irrigation system, preventing water loss due to evaporation and overwatering. It is a low-pressure, low-volume method.

We no longer have a place to reuse egg cartons. Please purchase eggs in paper cartons when possible and recycle them. 

Styrofoam is not recyclable.

This Sunday, July 3

Our First Sunday Food Collection for the Kendall Whittier Food Pantry is in need of breakfast cereal (Cheerios, Corn Flakes, or other less sweet cereals) and 1-2 lb. bags of rice. 

Cash donations are also accepted and appreciated!

2 - Bill Major

  

   Remember the 

One of the meaningful elements of our ministry that has been missing for so long is the causal gathering around a cup of coffee, etc, in the Fellowship Hall before the service of worship.

We are looking for volunteer(s) to help setup and prepare the coffee each Sunday morning before gathering around 10:30 am. There are many options to help make this happen, depending on the availability of one or several volunteers taking turns.

If interested, please contact/text Emily Oldham at 918-237-9592. THANK YOU!!!

Our 5th Sunday Special Offering will focus on providing uniforms and basic needs for both Kendall Whittier and Sequoyah Elementary School students.

A very special thank you to Susan West and the Christian Education ministry team, volunteers, and all who participated in our intergenerational Vacation Church School event!

We ate, sang, learned what the Bible says about KINDNESS, put together Blessing Bags as our mission project, played games, and had great fellowship!

If you would like to bake cookies and deliver them either to Caroline Johnson’s house or to the Day Center, text Caroline 918-629-2882. 

You can join at any time during the study because each chapter is self contained enough that you don't need the previous chapter to understand the next. SO.. PLEASE JOIN US. Look for the weekly email with the zoom link.

John Pavlovitz, author of A Bigger Table, was our Harold E. Hill Lecture Series in 2018.

The Chancel Choir of College Hill Presbyterian Church rehearses Wednesdays at 7:00 pm in the second story choral room (next to the church office) for singing, fellowship and fun!

BELLissimo Handbell Ensemble of College Hill Presbyterian Church rehearses Wednesdays at 6:15 pm in Fellowship Hall (1st floor).

If you would like to sing with the Chancel Choir, or are interested in joining our Handbell Choir, (permanent member or substitute),

BELLissimo is in recess until August 14.

Please (click name to) contact our

Director of Music, Kim Childs.

JULY 3 ~ Mike Gibson, organ

JULY 10 ~ Lisa Wagner, oboe

JULY 17 ~ Suzy Law, soprano

JULY 24 ~ Jim Alexander and Terry Baxter, tenors

JULY 31 ~ Alex White, tenor

·      Resume communion by all types of provision, including intinction. Endeavor to provide a no-touch option whenever possible for congregants who desire such (similar to providing a gluten-free option)

·      Resume regular passing of the peace, while respecting individuals’ rights to avoid or limit physical contact

·      Resume full-spectrum fellowship activities, including special services, receptions, and potlucks

·      By policy, if masks become required due to high (RED) community spread of COVID-19 in Tulsa County per the CDC county map, College Hill will automatically revert to Phase III and the Re-Union ministry team and Session will review metrics and consider further restrictions, as required.

A meaningful way to celebrate your Birthday, 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.

If you would like to bring flowers to decorate the sanctuary for an upcoming worship service, please sign up on the Flower Chart on the bulletin board in Fellowship Hall.