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Wow! What a wonderful welcome the Boston Avenue family gave me and my family on Sunday. We have been so lifted up by your strong support of our coming to be a part of your family! Thanks to each and every one of you who have contacted us or were here Sunday and came by to give us a hug and a warm greeting!!

Just being in the sanctuary is an uplifting experience and draws me closer to God, but even more than that, as folks filtered into each worship service and the sanctuary began to fill and then the organ began to play and then the congregation sang, I was truly inspired. The choirs and orchestra did so well, coupled with the praying and singing and reading of God's Word; it made the worship service a great experience to be a part of Sunday morning.

We are planning now to make next Sunday just as wonderful. For the sermon text, I will be reading Galatians 6:7-10.

Paul is writing to the early Christians at Galatia and giving them instruction about Christian faith and practice. As he is drawing this letter to a close, he reminds them of the importance of service for those who want to be followers of Christ.

It reminded me of some insight Jim Collins shares in his bestselling book, Good to Great. He talks about the issue of the great opportunities that come to us during our lifetimes. We will be examining these issues for our time.

The sermon title is, "IS IT A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY?" I really hope you will come, praying and expecting God to speak to you and to bless you while we worship together this Sunday.

Also, when someone or something is new, it is a great time to invite another to come experience it with you. Think of someone you know who is not going to church and offer to bring them with you to Boston Avenue this very Sunday! It might just be the best thing you could ever do for them.

Your friend in faith,
David

Sign up for a Meet and Greet with Rev. David Wiggs

It was a great day at Boston Avenue as we welcomed Rev. David Wiggs and his family, enjoyed Sunday School class with Katie and Lindsley, prepared our classrooms for the Creative Spirit Camp, and ended the day with a delightful concert by the Chapel Choir. Who could ask for more??? Oh yes, punch and cookies topped it all off. There is excitement in the air!!

If you would like a creativity boost, stop by the church this week and see what our children and youth are making in the Creative Spirit Camp. Thursday evening at 6:00 PM, we'll culminate our four days of classes with a celebration in Community Hall and open house to show all of the pieces of artwork created this week.

Wednesday night a photo scavenger hunt is planned for this Summer in the City evening.

There is still time to register for The Great Unknown mid-high mission camp! Two nights at the church, mission projects and lots of fun -- June 21, 22, and ending after church on the 23rd.

Keeping our JEM campers close in prayer this week as they travel to Canyon Camp.

Joyfully yours,
Debbie

It's a month of mission with the Senior High Youth this summer. We just can't get enough! Youth Force, Project Transformation,The Great Unknown, the garage sale, and Day Center for the Homeless meal... all in less than 18 days! Wohoo!! It's a good thing that God holds us tightly!

Thank you for continuing to pray for our Youth Force team. They are having a great week in OKC living as the hands and feet of Christ! It's amazing what can happen when people come together to do God's work!!

Thirty senior high youth and adults will join forces with the Project Transformation interns on Wednesday to spend individual reading time with children and then travel to the ZOO! For many of these kids, this will be their first time to see the animals. We are so excited to share this experience with them!

On Friday evening, The Great Unknown begins! You never know where God may lead us as we serve others!! The one thing the youth have been allowed to know this year is the joining of forces with the total church to travel to the Moore area on Saturday. We are looking forward to being the church together!!

The collection of items for the Happy Children's Garage Sale has begun! Thank you for all the phone calls!! We would love to help your junk find new homes to help Li Qi! If you have things to donate, please bring to church or call me at 918-699-0130.

In all of the craziness of helping others, let us remember that these we help are truly our brothers and sisters... each with their own lives, loves, celebrations and heartaches. May we treat everyone with special attention, compassion and respect.

In ministry TOGETHER!

~ Audra

By Robyn Aydelott

The next Boston Avenue UMW Unit meeting will be held Thursday, June 20, 2013, at 11:30 AM in the Little Dining Room. Rev. Jeff Jaynes from Restore Hope will discuss, "Poverty in the Community and Restore Hope's Mission." There will also be a potluck salad luncheon.

Other Tulsa District UMW units will be invited to this meeting, so bring enough food for extra guests.

"It's all about the children!"

On Wednesday, June 26, 2013, from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM, there will be fashion show and luncheon benefiting the Happy Children's Home in China. This event will be held at Faith United Methodist Church. Tickets are still available for $25. Call the Tulsa District Office at 918-742-7496.

Thank you to all the UMW members who served as readers and helped supply and serve lunch for the volunteers at Project Transformation at the Metropolitan Baptist Church on Monday, June 10, 2013.

Trent Steward (left) describes the tornado damage to his home in Moore, Oklahoma, to the Rev. Jeremy Basset, Oklahoma Conference Missions Director (center) and Bishop Robert E. Hayes, Jr. A United Methodist News Service photo by Mike DuBose.

A team of one hundred adults and senior high youth, ages 15-80, will meet early Saturday morning to eat breakfast together, then load the vans and travel to Moore, Oklahoma, to work all day.

When they arrive in Moore, they will be deployed in teams to clean up debris. They will be taking rakes that the youth have decorated with encouraging scripture passages, and the rakes will be left at the sites.

"Who knows? Maybe we'll plant a seed that helps someone find God or grow in faith," says Senior High Director Audra Fogle. "I'm excited to be the church together, because together, we are stronger."

The youth are participating as part of The Great Unknown mission experience. This year's theme is "God never lets us go."

"I want to thank everyone who signed up so quickly to participate in this mission," says the Rev. Paul Staat. "We will have more teams going to help throughout the spring and fall, so there will be more opportunities."

Audra Fogle (left) and Janet Purinton unload supplies for tornado victims.

This Sunday is Father's Day!

All worshipers will receive carnations in honor of their fathers as they arrive Sunday morning: red for those whose father is still living and white for those whose father has already gone to be with God.

If your father lives close by, bring him to worship with you. If that's not possible, let him know that you were in church, thanking God for him.

Another Helping, the monthly luncheon for seniors, will feature an opportunity to meet and visit with our new senior minister, the Rev. David Wiggs. It will be held this Wednesday, June 19, 2013.

Lunch begins at noon and the Meet and Greet will conclude at 1:00 PM.

The meal is $6.00 or you can bring your own "brown bag" lunch or just come for the time with Rev. Wiggs.

Call 918-699-0129 to make your reservation today!

Rev. David Wiggs

PLEASE NOTE:  To sign up for a specific date please click the date on the calendar and the then click the REGISTER NOW button below the calendar.