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 working from home on Mondays.
Worship Schedule:
11:00 am Sundays
Worship services have resumed in the sanctuary.
Services are also live streamed.
Church Email:
Pastor Email:
Website:
YouTube Channel:
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Nancy Vanderburg
April 10, 1934 ~September 22, 2021
There will be Memorial Service
in December.
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Sunday, October 3, will be a special Sunday – our annual World Communion Sunday. We will be receiving our annual PCUSA Peace & Global Witness Offering, of which we keep 25% for our own peacemaking and reconciliation efforts here in Tulsa.
Last year, we used part of the Peacemaking collection to paint the Black Lives Matter mural on our parking lot. This year, we may consider how we can help our new Afghan refugee neighbors coming to Tulsa. Tally Ferguson with the Outreach & Mission ministry team has graciously agreed to head up our coordinating efforts in this regard with Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry (TMM), and Catholic Charities, which is the official organization recognized in Oklahoma our refugee efforts.
It has been a while since it has been mentioned, but we are still collecting items for the Kendall Whittier Emergency Food Pantry on the first Sunday of each month.
Given the interest in the current social situation in our nation, a congregation-wide book study on “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents” by Isabel Wilkerson will begin on Tuesday, October 5. We will meet every-other Tuesday for 6 sessions. I will be the primary facilitator for our discussions, which will follow the information in the book, therefore being more like an adult church school class. Please see the more detailed article in this newsletter.
For your calendar, we will have a Called Congregational Meeting on Sunday, October 31 for the purpose of electing a slate of Ruling Elders for the Class of 2014, and a member of the congregation for the Nominating Committee. More information later.
Let's intentionally continue to work to stay connected with one another, praying for each other, and keeping our hearts and minds open the Sacred Presence of God in our midst.
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Blessings, Rev. Todd
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Congregational Care Team Needs Substitute Drivers
Barbara Perry has two people who will take her to and from church on most Sundays, but there will be weeks when we need a driver to do one of these things.
Would you be willing to be an occasional substitute driver for Barbara? If so, please let CC Team moderator Gretchen Hrachovec know. Call or text Gretchen at 918-697-4198.
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College Hill's Celtic Circle group met for a wonderful and spiritual gathering, led by Mark Miller, at the home of Gini Fox on September 21. |
Visit our Facebook page for
more photos!
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Day Center THANK YOU!
Thanks to our faithful cookie bakers, adding that special touch to our
Day Center for the Homeless dinners:
Johnna Thurston
Brad Burnham
Martha Brown
Jan Swafford
Crystal Zerger
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Introduction: At the fall equinox, our Celtic Circle gathered under the trees in Gini Fox’s backyard. Appropriately, readings and discussion centered on “Listening to the Trees.”
Following is Mark’s meditation:
Begin by imagining your breath. You breathe in air rich in oxygen. Your lungs make a trade, oxygen for carbon dioxide. You exhale air rich in carbon dioxide. The trees do the opposite – they exchange your carbon dioxide for oxygen. What we have produced becomes part of the trees and what the trees have produced becomes part of us.
Think about our relationship with the trees and imagine a year in the life of a tree.
It’s late winter, maybe early spring. Branches are bare. All of the tree’s energy is stored below ground in the roots. Some branches are damaged, no longer useful to the tree, so they are discarded with the spring storms. What is not useful to the tree becomes fuel for our fires and homes for insects.
With spring, the sun returns and the days get longer and warmer. Sap rises and the buds begin to swell. Unseen to us, the trees in the grove are talking to each other. They may even share energy with other trees who need help.
The buds open into flowers and make a trade with the bees, nectar for pollination. Flowers become fruit and seeds. Flower petals are discarded. They have served their purpose.
The summer fruits ripen and are shared with all that live around the tree. Most fruit is eaten, but the tree has produced plenty. The squirrel has stored away and eaten many nuts but the few that lay forgotten will sprout into new growth.
With fall, the days get shorter. The tree takes the last bit of energy remaining in the leaves and they turn from green to yellow, red, orange, and brown. The leaves are no longer of use to the tree and fall to the ground. All of the nutrients lost in creating the leaves in the spring are returned to the earth to be reused.
Returning to our human lives, are there things in your life that need to be left behind?
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Related pod cast & readings:
“Forests Are Wired for Wisdom” by Suzanne Simard, Canadian scientist on Krista Tippett’s NPR weekly broadcast, “On Being.”
“The Overstory” by Richard Powers, 2019 Pulitzer Prize winner about five trees whose unique life experiences with nine Americans bring them together to address the destruction of the forests.
“Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer, essays of indigenous wisdom, scientific knowledge and the teachings of plants.
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SCORE ONE for the
Green Team!
McDonald’s plans to “drastically” reduce the plastic in its Happy Meals worldwide. Restaurants in the UK and Ireland already offer only soft or paper-based toys or books.
It’s working with companies to develop new ideas such as three-dimensional cardboard superheroes that kids can build or board games with plant-based or recycled game pieces.
McDonald’s is also exploring using recycled plastic toys to make new restaurant trays.
Note: Burger King removed plastic toys from kids’ meals in the UK in 2019.
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Flower Chart
Sign Up
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. There are many open dates available for the new year. Your dedication will also be announced in the worship bulletin.
Flowers can be purchased from any store or brought from home. Please bring them in two containers the morning of the service for which you have signed up.
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October
1 - Valerie Ordonez
4 - Jeff Richmond
4 - Lillian Newsome
5 - Pat Beitel
5 - Mike Wood
6 - Brooklyn Hovenga
6 - Sherrie Garnett
9 - Ellen Nole
10 - Robert Babcock
12 - Charlotte Bronston
14 - Nataya Bostic
17 - Gretchen Hrachovec
17 - Hayley Voelkers
18 - Cynthia Fox
19 - Crystal Zerger
20 - Allison Redding
21 - Marilyn Hill
23 - Dixie Speer
27 - Francis Garcia
27 - Tom Clark
30 - Emily Major
31 - Tracy Vanderburg
31 - David West
31 - Nancy Bennett
Remember the
Birthday Endowment Fund!
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Charlotte Bronston
Celebrates her
99th Birthday
October 12!
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Join us for Charlotte's Birthday Drive-by October 12th at 11 am!
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Sunday, October 3
Peace & Global Witness Offering.
There are special envelopes in this Sunday’s bulletin. For those watching over live streaming on our YouTube channel, you can mail a check to the church with "Peacemaking Offering" in the note.
25% of this Offering stays with our congregation to support peacemaking and reconciliation in our own community.
25% of this Offering will go to joining with other congregations in our area to support peacemaking work in our region.
50% of this Offering supports the work for peace and reconciliation being done by Presbyterians across the globe.
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Congregation-wide Book Study:
Caste:
The Origins of Our Discontents
by Isabel Wilkerson
Starting on Tuesday,
October 5 at 6:30 pm
Rev. Todd will facilitate the discussions, planned for every other Tuesday from 6:30-8:00 pm via Zoom. A detailed email was sent out recently that provides detailed information and Zoom links.
Please contact Rev. Todd for additional information.
"Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more."
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Another Book Study Opportunity!!
Awakening to Racism
Starting on Wednesday, October 6
at 6:30 pm
Beginning Oct. 6, from 6:30-7:45 pm, a
six-week class (via Zoom) will examine "Embracing God’s Love through Awakening to Racism."
The class has been planned and created by the Presbyterian Church, USA (PCUSA-national office) and Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary, and will be facilitated by Linda Joy Watts (formerly of Tulsa’s College Hill) and Heather Soper of First Presbyterian Church, Lawrence.
The course consists of scripture, videos, podcasts and discussion, and optional homework.
Please click the button below to contact Ms. Watts and sign up for the class.
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Face masks and physical distancing required in the church building.
We need to share with you again the following important information.
· Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery and The Oklahoma Department of Mental Health, among others, are recommending re-imposing indoor masking and social distancing for all individuals.
Session-Approved standards:
1) Re-enter a Modified Phase II for in-person activities at College Hill.
2) Masks are required for all individuals over the age of 2 while in the building.
3) Reduced congregational singing with masks (limit of 2 hymns, 2 verses each).
4) Plexiglass shields to be utilized for soloists & the check-in table.
5) Continue current staggered congregational seating.
6) The “Time with Children” will continue with masks and social distancing, followed by their Worship Connection class on the 2nd floor.
7) No fellowship gatherings allowed in Fellowship Hall before or after worship services.
8) Scheduled fellowship activities in August will be very limited or delayed.
9) Small groups may utilize the church with masks and social distancing.
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Live-streaming for those who choose to watch the service on our YouTube channel: |
COLLEGE HILL YOUTH
Volunteer at the Tulsa Q Marathon
Manning the Water Station #2 on
a very sunny day.
Thanks to Sofia Ohlson, Fritha Ohlson, Kye May, & Susan West!
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Our new Children’s Library on the second floor is open! We will be using books from here for our Worship Connection lessons. If you have books you would like to donate, please (click name to) contact Susan West, or call her at 918-724-7521.
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COLLEGE HILL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC
Dr. Kim J. Childs, Director of Music
Mike Gibson, Organist
SUNDAY MORNING
MUSIC OFFERINGS
October 2021
OCT 3 - O Taste and See- Ralph Vaughan Williams
Kim Childs, tenor
OCT 10 - Be Thou My Vision- Bob Chilcott
Kim Childs, tenor
OCT 17 - Dianne Bucchianeri, cello - TBA
OCT 24 - Kyrie Eleison- Brian Lewis
Kim Childs, tenor
OCT 31 - Lori Decter Wright, soprano, Diane Bucchianeri, cello - TBA
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CHANCEL CHOIR
The Chancel Choir of College Hill Presbyterian Church rehearses Wednesdays at 6:45 p.m. in the second story choral room (next to the church office) for singing, fellowship and fun! If you would like to sing with the Chancel Choir this fall, we are welcoming new members. Please contact the Director of Music at kim-childs@utulsa.edu or call him at 918-230-2770. Chancel Choir is in recess temporarily due to the Delta variant.
BELLISSIMO HANDBELL ENSEMBLE
BELLissimo Handbell Ensemble of College Hill Presbyterian Church rehearses Wednesdays at 6:15 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall on the first floor. If you are interested in playing in this fun ensemble (permanent member or substitute) this fall, please contact Director of Music for more information. Please email at kim-childs@utulsa.edu or call him at 918-230-2770 . BELLissimo Ringers are meeting currently; please wear a protective mask to rehearsals.
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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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