The Stillwater

It is the mission of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Stillwater to be the church of Jesus Christ in the world. We do so by developing DISCIPLESHIP, enabling OUTREACH, and embodying COMMUNITY in our lives together.
Volunteers Needed to Run Computer in Contemporary Service Please contact Alyson if you can help with this; we need a few new volunteers! You can be added to the rotation (run the computer for 2 weeks and then take about a month off). The job entails about 4-5 hours of work per week (including worship). The training is thorough and working with the worship team is fun!

Christian
Volume 2013 | April 2
Schedule for Sunday, Childrens Musical Sunday 9:00 Sunday School 10:00 Caf Bistro Open 10:30 Combined Worship Service for Musical

Auditions for Worship Band Auditions, April 14 Anyone who has a gift of music (vocal or instrumental), a desire to service God musically, and become more involved at FCC is invited to audition on Sunday April 14th between 5:00-6:00pm. Sign up on the Choir Room door. Come prepared with any worship song of your choice. If you need help with selection or practice, contact Alyson at 405.880.7382 or friesen.alyson@gmail.com. Be The Church: Nonprofit Focus Habitat for Humanity (building component) is an ecumenical Christian housing ministry dedicated to eliminating substandard housing for people of all faiths, races, and ethnicities around the world. Families/individuals are selected to become owners of Habitat houses on the basis of income, number of family members, employment record, current housing conditions, and other indicators that the applicant can succeed as a responsible homeowner. Volunteers work alongside the family to construct simple, decent homes. The family contributes hundreds of hours of "sweat equity" in building their own home, then pays a mortgage that is profit-free and interest-free. Habitat applies the mortgage payments to the construction of additional houses. YOUR ENDOWMENT FUNDS AT WORK The First Christian Church, Stillwater, Oklahoma Managed Endowment Trust was put into operation in October of 1999 and has grown from a market value of $238,962.07 as of 12/31/99 to a level of $743,198.95 as of 12/31/13. Distributions of net income (basically dividends and interest minus management fees) from the fund are made each year to further the work of the church by supporting such things as seminarian study, family counseling, childrens ministries, mission trips, youth scholarships, world and regional outreach, stewardship, and church renovation. The Endowment Fund Management Committee recently met and determined that a total of $13,859.26 was available for distribution from the previous years earnings. This value and its component breakdown into project gifts, restricted funds, and unrestricted funds will be forwarded to the Trustees for their consideration and final allocation.

Mark Your Calendar

April 4-5 CWF Rummage Sale April 7 Childrens Musical April 13 CMF Mens Breakfast April 20-21 Bruce Barkhauer Visit April 20-28 Be The Church April 21 Red Cross Blood Drive

CWF Spring Rummage Sale This Week!

Drop Off continues until Wed. at 5pm. FCC members are welcome to come shop early on Wed. night from 5pm to 7pm. The general public is invited to shop on Thurs. and Fri. On Fri., eve-

rything is $1 per bag (bags provided)! Also, not only is everything sold at low prices which benefit shoppers; all proceeds go toward CWF projects such as Mission of Hope, Wings of Hope, Payne Co. Youth Services, and more.

Join us this Sunday for the Childrens Musical, The Prodigal Clown, Sunday School 9:00 Combined Service 10:30

Owen Cayton, Senior Minister

The Care and Feeding of A Candle

pastor@fcc-stillwater.org

CH ILDR EN & YO UTH MI NISTR Y NEWS

Sondra Ladd, Children/Youth Ministry Director

youth@fcc-stillwater.org

Growing up, I couldnt wait each month for when my mothers Readers Digest would come in the mail. As soon as I could grab it, I would and dig into the Laughter is the Best Medicine jokes. In the same way, I would pull the newspaper apart just to get to the comics. I love to laugh. I love watching funny movies, listening to stand-up comedy, seeing funny pictures, watching satirical news programs, and reading funny stories. I know I am not alone. Laughter lightens our mood, expresses our joy, relieves our stress, and perhaps even makes difficult things a bit less difficult. It really is, in many ways, the best medicine! O sure, it cant cure cancer or terminal diseasesbut, if you have ever heard someone facing cancer laugh, or seen someone on their deathbed smile at their family, you know the power of those moments. Laughter is important to us as people of faith. During Easter we celebrate the joy of the resurrection, which has been described as God supreme joke played on that old imposter, death. (Rev. Donald B. Strobe). The thing about a joke is that it is often something that turns the tables on what is expected. It hinges on the unpredictable. That certainly describes the gospel accounts of the resurrection. In all four gospels the resurrection story begins in the cemetery with women bringing spices to anoint Jesus dead body. In all of the accounts, the expectation is that its over, death has won, Jesus is dead. Instead, God has turned the tables on death. God has surprised us with grace. One can almost imagine God waiting for the surprise to come to light on Easter morning like the perfectly planned April Fools joke: grand smirk on the face of God peering around the corner on baited breath with a belly laugh barely able to be contained, ready to spring forth at any moment to yell, Surprise! Death has not won! The resurrection sets us free to celebrate, to laugh, to smile, and to begin again. Experience the laughter of the redeemed. I invite you to abandon all pretense this Easter season and laugh, laugh like there is a tomorrow. Tell jokes! Greet one another with laughter and joy. Christ is risen! Christ is risen, indeed! Shalom, Pastor 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

Prodigal Clown Musical Performance, Sunday, April 7th 10:30. These kids have worked SO HARD. Please join us Sunday for what is sure to be a SPECTACULAR performance. Invite your friends and neighbors too! Jamaica Mission Team Meeting, Wednesday 6:30-7:30 Well meet in the youth room to work on posters, flyers and table jars for our Applebees Pancake Breakfast. Prodigal Clown Rehearsal Schedule and Info April 3rd 4:00-6:00 You Can Be Clean - Water Day/ Rehearsal (Pizza will be served). T-shirt money due ($10) and Zoo Snooze Money due ($20/student, $10/ adult) April 5th: 4:00 practice, 5:00 Pizza, 5:30 Leave for the zoo! Bring a pillow/bedding/bed roll; pjs; toiletries; change of clothes (bring weather appropriate clothing). Snacks and breakfast will be provided. Cost is $20 per student and $10 per adult. April 6th: We will head back to Stillwater between 9 and 10 and will call when we are about 1 hour from home. April 7 9:30 - be in the Youth Room 10:30 - Performance FLAPJACK FUNDRAISER SATURDAY, APRIL 20TH 8-10am $7.00 PER PERSON Purchase your tickets now to support FCC Jamaica Mission Team! Tickets are available in the church office or from any mission team member.

Outreach Corner
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! Someone who is always anxious to help others, now needs our help with an in-town move on Saturday and Sunday. Call Leila 405-742-5174 if you can help. We are still signing up anyone who would like to participate in the community garden and share the proceeds. Questions or to sign up, contact Leila.

Facts & Figures for March 31, 2013

Attendance (180 and 219)...399 Sunday School....41 General Fund Receipts.$5,240.00 Capital Fund Receipts.....$735.00 Loose Offering/Sunday School...$331.50 Project Funds Receipts..$12,564.70 Facts & Figures as of February 28, 2013 YTD Budget Receipts.....$73,507.61 YTD Budget Expenses...$78,636.10 Net Receipts over Expenses.($5,128.49) Presented by Kay Smith, Treasurer, dkwsmith@suddenlink.net

Happy Birthday to: 4/5 Nicole Gumm Ina Lasiter 4/6 Pauline Minnick 4/7 John Baird 4/9 Claudia Thomas Happy Anniversary to: 4/7 Trevor and Joy Fieldsend