February 12, 2017

Acolyte Rianna Gray & Angie Newton

Worship & Wonder Storyteller: Valerie

Greeters: Jana, Christy, & Regina

Following Jesus Storyteller: Amanda

Greeter: Tiffany

JYF with Carolyn

Pre K & K with McKiesha

Youth Sunday is

coming up. If your

teenager would

like a part in this service, we WANT them to

come to youth group. We are meeting Sun-

day afternoons and Wednesday nights. If

your teen cannot make these times, have

them call me. I want desperately to include

them in our Sunday morning worship service.

Please do not forget our parents meeting for

youth members on Sunday afternoon Feb 12

at 4:45 until 5:45. Dinner will be provided and

we will talk about the future of youth ministry

here at Central.

Online registration will open on Monday,

February 13th for church camp this summer.

I have publicized the dates,

Discovery Camp June 23-25,

Junior Camp June 19-23,

Chi Rho Camp June 5-9,

CYF June 26-30.

Mission Stillwater will take place on July 2- 7.

Coffee Stains

Sunday, February 12 - Scout Sunday 8:00—Chapel Service 9:00—Sunday School 10:15—Worship Service 11:30—Centour Luncheon 3:30—Chi Rho, 5:00—Snack Supper 5:30—CYF

Monday, February 13 11:00—Tai Chi Class

Tuesday, February 14 10:00—Lifelong Learning 3:00—Greenbrier Service 5:15—Emmaus Reunion Group

Wednesday, February 15 10:00—Inactive Members 11:00—Tai Chi Class 10:15—Staff Meeting 12:00—Senior Luncheon 5:30—WWNF Dinner 5:30—Children’s Bells/Music/Bible Study 6:30—Bible Study, Youth Group 7:00—Chancel Choir 7:30—Cabinet Meeting

Thursday, February 16 10:00—Lifelong Learning 2:00—Commons Service 7:00—Suicide Support Group

Sunday, February 19 8:00—Chapel Service 9:00—Sunday School 10:15—Worship Service 3:30—Chi Rho, 5:00—Snack Supper 5:30—CYF

April 1, 2017

8:30 am – 12:30 pm

First Christian Church Oklahoma City

3700 N. Walker, Oklahoma City

Communication in the Church

This week, I want us to look at what Beth Kennett calls the third characteristic of healthy churches:

Healthy congregations work at communicating who they are and what they do, both internally and externally, so that members and others can decide how and when to engage.

We live in what has been called “the communication age.” Computers, email, smart phones, and social media are tools used to improve communication. However, in spite of our great technology, some argue that we actually communicate

less today with one another, even in the church.

Perhaps we have made it easier to miss a worship service, because we know we can watch it on YouTube later or read the sermon on the pastor’s blog. Perhaps we no longer invite others into our homes for a face-to-face, personal visit, because we know we can message them on Facebook. Perhaps we send fewer cards and seldom sit down to write a letter, because we know we can quickly shoot an email or a text later.

I suppose technology has been designed to make communication quicker and easier to give us more time for other things. However, because we are so busy with those other things, we never get around to watching YouTube or sending a private message or shooting an email.

Perhaps we communicated better in 1987 when we had to receive company into our homes to get to know someone instead of glancing at their social media profile. Perhaps we were more in tuned with what was happening in church when we made worship, fellowships, and mid-week Bible Study more of a priority, instead of expecting to stay on top of things by reading a text, a tweet or by checking our email. In 1987, perhaps we sat down and read the newsletter in full every week, because we did not have a website that we could go to 24/7.

I believe there are several things church leaders can do to improve communication. We can continue to have regular, open committee meetings; we can participate in leadership retreats; we can keep sending out a weekly church newsletter; and we can keep tweeting, uploading, and posting sermons. Committee chairpersons and Bible Study leaders can continue emailing and updating the website and Facebook.

But maybe communication would most improve if we started communicating more like we did thirty years ago.

- Dr. Banks

The VisitorThe VisitorThe Visitor

February 8, 2017 Vol. 81 No. 6 Phone: (580) 233-1214 Fax Number: 233-1228

Website: www.centralenid.org

CHURCH VISITOR (USPS 112-800) Published weekly except week of December 25.

By Central Christian Church

1111 W. Broadway, Enid, OK 73703-5897

Periodical Postage Paid at Enid, OK.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to CHURCH VISITOR,

1111 W. Broadway Enid, OK 73703-5897

Please lift up the following in your prayers: **JUDI HELLER—Methodist Skilled

**MARIANNA POWELL—on hospice at Commons

**RETHA CADY—Greenbrier Skilled Nursing

~ Sunday ~ February 12, 2017 ~

Preaching in 8:00 Chapel service & 10:15 Sanctuary service: Rev. Dr. Banks

Elders: 8:00am—Harry Hammonds 10:15am—Thom & Laurie Bushman

Deacons: 8:00—Georgie & C.E. Haltom

10:15am—Team A—Terri Carpenter (TL), Teena Cornett (ATL), Mary Suzan

Chambers, Barbara Baker, Rick Cornett, Betty Unruh, Chad Newton, Phyllis

Phillips, Jean Long, Maxine Shepard, Sonya Waldrip, Sally Wheeler

Van Drivers: February 12—Ed Gorre February 19—David Dell

WWNF Serving Schedule

On February 15th the

Genesis Class will

help serve the fellow-

ship dinner for WWNF

meal.

Sign Up for Tai Chi Class The movements of the Chinese martial

art Tai Chi can help senior reduce the

risk of falling, increase balance, and

increase flexibility. A six week class

teaches participants ways to improve

their overall mind, body, and spirit

through a series of slow continuous

movements. It does not matter how

strong, flexible, or active you are as Tai

Chi is designed for people at all levels

of health.

To register for a Tai Chi class held at

Central (which began on Feb. 6th), call

Brandy Hise, Northwest OHAI Center of

Healthy Aging, Education Director, at

580-231-5322, or email her at

brandy-hise@ouhsc.edu. You need not

be registered in order to attend.

Vance Skeet Shoot Our church will sponsor a skeet shoot for our adopted class, Class 1715, on Saturday, Feb. 11th at 1pm at the Grand National Quail Club. All are welcome to join them!

Valentine’s Dance—Feb. 10 The church will host a Civitan Dance

on February 10th. We will soon be

collecting cookies to serve to

members of our exceptional needs

community who will be participating

in the dance.

Lenten Devotional Booklet The worship committee is putting together a Lenten Devotional booklet this year. We need volunteers to help write short devotionals and/or prayers. There will be a sign-up sheet at the welcome center on Sunday morning. You can also volunteer by emailing Martha O'Banion at mobanion1@sbcglobal.net. Your devotion can be sent by email (preferred) or hand delivered to me. You may also leave it in the office with Kandy and she will make sure it gets to me. These are due by February 12. Thank you for your help in creating a very meaningful Lenten booklet. Using a congrega-tion made devotional book always makes me feel like I am worshiping with my friends throughout the season. - Martha O'Banion

Attention all Elders, Deacons, and Board Chairs!

The Leadership Retreat has been post-poned to Saturday, March 4th. The

church board is encouraged to meet in

the “Oklahoma Room” of Autry Tech on this day beginning at 9:00am.

Childcare is available at the church with a reservation. Lunch will be served at a small cost for those who

attend. Please RSVP by calling the church office if you plan on going. The retreat will conclude at 2:30pm.

Please pray for the following people who are

in nursing homes or assisted living facilities:

Shirley Ballew, Marion Batterman, Milfred

Becker, Frank & Vera Sue Bunch, “Zee”

Congdan, Mary Ruth Cooper, Ottis

Cornelsen, Frances Ferne Devisser, Betty

Elton, June Frei, Mary Garrison, Jim

Goodness, Peggy Hall, Toy Hoskins,

Betty Keown, Mary Martin, William &

Betty Maxwell, Marjory Mewherter,

Adrian Meyer, Betty Munsinger, Merle

Phillips, Marianna Powell, Peggy

Rountree, Karen Stockwell, Linda Swann,

Virgil Tapp

Thank you for all the cards, calls, and visits. I really appreciate it. - Ken Slack