LAKESIDE STAFF Pastor ................. Rev. Mark Rickman Music Director ................ Jason Grife Pianist ....................... Corie Melaugh Media ...............................Don Taylor Youth Director ............Lauryn Schmitt Youth Director ...............Lanc Schmitt Admin. Assistant ............. Randy Rice Nursery Attendant .....Patsy Kouhdari Nursery Attendant ...... Deanna Bond

A MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF LAKESIDE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

2925 NW 66th Street, OKC, OK 73116405-843-5777

email: lakesideumc@coxinet.netweb: http://lakesideumcokc.ning.com

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The LAKESIDER July, 2013

United Methodist Church websites: www.UMC.org www.OKUMC.org

A Little More about Sheep and GoatsAs people filed out of worship last Sunday, a few of you questioned my sugges-tion that our congregation has a few goats in its midst. Our guest preacher, Rev. Adam Leathers, Director of our Criminal Justice and Mercy Ministries programs, had preached on the text in Matthew 25 where the sheep and goats had separated at the Final Judgment. Part of his point was that we need to allow time and space for God’s grace to work; just because a person has made mistakes, we cannot simply write them off as goats.My point, afterwards, was that, as we can be too hard on others, we can be too easy on ourselves. We assume too quickly that we are on God’s side and that God is on ours. We forget that, out of God’s great love for us, he often comes to us as enemy. God stands in opposition to our comfort, our prejudices, our pat conclu-sions, our storehouses. God stands truly as enemy to our lives and hearts as they are.Rather than push back directly at God, many of us aim for an uneasy truce of sorts. What results is something like a prolonged siege where we try to keep God at bay and continue with our lives. It reminds me of a poem by the great Ger-man poet Ranier Maria Rilke in which he compares some of our lives to a state of siege upon “unassaulted cities:”

You many unassaulted cities: Have you never yearned for the enemy, that he might besiege you for long irresolute years, until, in hopelessness and hunger you receive him?He extends like the land beyond your walls, and he knows he can hold out longer.Look from your balconies: There he camps. He does not tire or diminish in size or strength.He sends no messengers to threaten or to promise or to persuade. He who will overcome you is working in silence.

Of course, our Beloved Enemy has indeed sent messengers to us – chiefly his Son Jesus Christ – yet still many of us tremble behind our walls, frightened of a life given over to God’s purposes. That, friends, is what makes us goats.

– Mark

From The Pastor

Report On Annual Conference from Lay Delegate I never come away from Annual Conference that I don’t feel enthusiasm, joy, hope, excitement and anxiety to find out what God has in my future. When you’re surrounded by people who love God, the feeling of joy is overwhelming, and you let that joy carry you through the week and hope that joy stays with you when you go back to that comfortable nest that you left for a week. Reports were too numerous to cover them all, so I have chosen a few to share with you. 1. Health Insurance Changes: coverage changes due to the Affordable Care Act and Pension Benefits due to a revised pension program passed at the 2012 General Conference. 2. Four goals approved by our conference: A. Start more worshipping communities. B. Revitalize and increase the number of congregations. C. Recruit and train new leadership. D. Help local churches in mission. 3. A Mandatory worker’s compensation program for all churches. If you have questions regarding any of these topics, see Pastor Mark. 4. 2006 to 2012 Worship attendance has continued to decline.

From 2006 to 2012, the number of people who have joined the church by profession of faith has declined.

The following churches had resolutions for discontinuance: Hillcrest United Methodist in Oklahoma City, Fuente de Vida UMC, Renfrow United Methodist in Renfrow, Oklahoma and First United Methodist in Commerce, Oklahoma.

Now the positive. Over the past seven years, the number of people from congregations engaged in local, national and international mission/outreach ministries has increased.

The total amount given by congregations to other organizations to support benevolent and charitable ministries has increased in the past seven years.

Lydia Patterson Institute graduated 81 students in May 2012 – all of whom are in college today, and 95% of their 2013 graduating students are going to college.

The accomplishments by many churches, small and large, makes me wonder if we are really doing enough at Lakeside. Are we in a state of satisfaction? We do mission work with our participation and giving, but is that enough? We have love, but do we have enough? We reach out, but do we reach out far enough?

After hearing about what is happening in United Methodist churches across our state, I’m not sure that Lakeside should be satisfied with what we are doing. Small churches are reaching out into their communities to give, to pro-vide, to love, to help others no matter the task and no matter how uncomfortable it makes them feel. So, I would like to challenge our church. Lakeside United Methodist Church, I would like for all of you to put your minds to work and dream, think, and pray. Pray for how we can be disciples of God by reaching out when it is uncomfortable. Love until it hurts, give more than we thought we could. Don’t be satisfied with the status quo. Go beyond.

When I say go beyond, let me leave you with this: We have sustained and further developed our relationship with The Methodist Church in Bolivia. We have a Bolivia/Oklahoma Partnership. The peasants of Bolivia earn $1.00 a day. The peasants who worship at the Bolivia Methodist Church fasted for an entire day and sent their earnings to aid the tornado victims of Moore, Oklahoma. This is love for God and fellow man and going beyond. Let’s follow their example. – Barbara Smith

A real positive: UMCOR unloading supplies at First UMC in Moore

9:30 am-Sunday School 10:45 am-Worship COMMUNION

9:30 am-Sunday School 10:45 am-Worship Noisy Offering

9:30 am-Sunday School 10:45 am-Worship

7:00 pm - AA5:30 pm - SPRC

7:00 pm - AA

1:30 - 3:00 Hearing Loss Assn.

2 3 4Sunday Saturday

7:00 pm - AA

5:00 pm-Youth Fellowship

5:00 pm-Youth Fellowship6:00 - 8:00 pm – Hearing Loss Assn.

5:00 pm-Youth Fellowship

5:00 pm-Youth Fellowship

7:00 pm - AA

7:00 pm - AA

NOTES:

GREETERS AND USHERS

Following is the schedule for the next two months:

July - Share Class August - Wesley & Youth

2013

1 5 6

7 8 9 10 11

1817161514

1312

19

26 27

28 29 30 31

20

21 22 23 24 25

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

9:30 am-Sunday School 10:45 am-Worship COMMUNION

FROM BARBARA SMITH Thank you for allowing me to be your Lay Delegate to Oklahoma’s Annual Conference the last week of May. A week led by Bishop Robert E. Hayes, Jr. is always an inspiration and I wish you could have been with me.

The worship services held at St. Luke’s in the evening were the specials of the day. The African University Choir’s performance on Monday night was a highlight, as well as hearing the sermon by the guest speaker, Bishop Peter Weaver, who is from a north-eastern conference. I’m proud to say I’m Methodist and my heart was warmed by spending four days with others who love God and who want to be Disciples helping spread the Word. Thank you, Lakeside, for this opportunity.

Lakeside’s annual blood drive will be August 25th. For more information, contact Mary Ellen Cromwell.

JULY

Thanks to Kristi Smith, Amanda Smith and to all the workers, parents and children who made this year’s VBS so much fun!

MissionNews:Thanks to all the Lakesiders for their prayers and hard work as a VIM Team during several weeks in June. We assisted Carnie & Susan Barnes and their son and daughter during a very hard time in their lives. Banner, OK, was a hard hit area from the May 30th tornado, and they didn’t really know

where to turn for help. Carnie told us he called the Baptists and the Methodists, and we were the first to show up. They were so very appreciative for everything we did, and worked right along beside us. On Sunday, June 9th, Curtis met with Carnie to evaluate what we needed to do. June 10, 13, 15 & 20th we had Lakesiders pitching in and helping, with Curtis and Scott leading the way. Trees were cut down and hauled to the fire pit, along with cleaning debris from one of his fields and all around their home. I think we were as blessed as the Barnes family. Thanks, once again, for stepping up and doing what we are called to do...serve and love one another! A big thank you to those who braved the heat, and worked so hard: Pastor Mark Rickman, Barbara Smith, Pryce Williams, Pat & Linda Donnelly, Greg & Belinda King, Henry & Teresa Bockus, Rob & Roxie Yetter, John & Sunny Richardson, Jim Coffman, Derek Smith, Mary Ellen Cromwell, and Sylvia Frank. A spe-cial thanks to Curtis Cromwell and Scott Schmitt for all the

extra time they spent there and for all the equipment they pro-vided.

Mary Ellen Cromwell, Missions Committee

Please contact A.M. Nowlin with prayer requests and updates(843-6811) or

Use prayer request card located in sanctuary seat back.

New District Superintendent for North Oklahoma City District

Appointed by Bishop Robert Hayes, Jr., Rockford Johnson will lead North OKC District. He has led Chickasha-Epworth since 2007. He was welcomed into the Oklahoma Conference in 1995. In his own words, “I am surprised, hum-bled, grateful, eager, and desirous of your prayers as the current of grace carries me into ministry with the mission, laity, and clergy of North Oklahoma City District.”

Share Class News:We celebrated our May and June Birthday Breakfast June 9th, along with the Disciple Class. We just completed a Bill Hybels Study, and will be working on a Rick Warren Book, “What on Earth am I Here For?” this sum-mer. We will also have a class picnic in early September. We had a very special service wel-coming Captain Robbie Alexander home from Afganistan along with his family. Please keep several members of our class in your prayers, John McGaugh and Sylvia Frank with ongo-ing health issues, and Steven Baca & Coby Livingstone on their move to New Mexico.

Blessings to all this summer!!!

SUNDAY SCHOOL NEWS

Scott Weetie (husb. of Karen Schroeder, former member) Olivia (baby of friend of Ginny Evans)

Jennifer, Aaron, and Reagan BrownSteven Grife (Jason’s uncle)

David Moore Andrew Geist

Lizz Foxhoven (friend of Linda Coffman) Mike Thomas & Family (friend of Pat Donnelly) Nita Winters (Barbara Harris’ daughter-in-law)

Ace Jordan (friend of Bobbie Kaserman) Jay Richardson (John Richardson’s father) Jackie Robb (May Newcomb’s daughter)

Jim and Judy Prophater Christel Murdock

.RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

LAKESIDE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2925 NW 66th Street Oklahoma City, OK 73116