Maranatha Class Website

CLASS: Roger submitted the following response to the note from Rick, Carol & Mickey. I did not read it until after I sent you the story. I agree with Roger. I believe that we need a little more time to review, analyze and discuss the opportunity. At least you are aware of their efforts to serve others. Thank you…..Michael

The Peanut Butter Factory

Mickey, Carol, and Rick worked on a new idea for a missions effort we wanted to test for our classmates. We think it might be great to make 150 peanut butter and jelly sandwiches during your birthday week to deliver to the Day Center for the Homeless. Carol took pictures.

Ingredients:

14 loaves of bread (22 slices) $1.99 ea found on North wall @ Costco

200 oz. Peanut Butter spread $9.99 for 2 28 oz. aisle 311

200 oz. Strawberry spread $6.99 ea for 42 oz. aisle 311

150 Ziploc baggies $11.49 for 580 aisle 324

We set up an assembly line on the kitchen counter. Mickey was on one end with 7 loaves of bread and the peanut butter spread. The spread is easier to put on than normal peanut butter as it has more oil in it. 1.3 ounces of peanut butter is a generous helping. I was at the other end of the counter with the jelly, doing the same thing with 7 loaves of bread. We would smear our ingredients on with big spoons and pass them to the middle of the counter. Carol would slap them together, put them in a Ziploc bag, and put the completed individually-wrapped sandwiches back into the bread wrappers for hauling. They don’t all fit in the bread wrappers, we also needed a couple of boxes for hauling the sandwiches.

The three of us were able to assemble 150 sandwiches in 1-3/4 hours.

Mickey and I went to Costco again to get the ingredients needed for the next assembly team and to get prices of everything. The total expense is about $100 for 150 sandwiches. We took them to the Day Center at about 1pm, and the lady there met us at the kitchen door. She said “We will distribute these right now. We could use these every day”. She was very appreciative. The Day Center is just West of Denver on Archer St.

We have the ingredients except the bread for whoever wants to be next “chefs”.

Rick

Class: Just a reminder that we’ll be meeting on Zoom again this week at 10:15 on Sunday Morning, April 19th. Special thanks to Roger Rowe for hosting our online meeting last week. Barbara Meehan will be hosting Sunday’s meeting. The Agenda for our meeting will be as follows:

• Welcome – Barbara Meehan (Host)
• Opening Prayer – Meredith Davison
• Church and Class Announcements – Michael Dishman
• Caranatha Update – Carol Maus
• Missions Update – Bruce & Sharon Chucoski
• Joys and Concerns – All, time permitting. We will cut this off at 10:40.
• 40th Anniversary “Preview” – time permitting
• Closing Prayer – Barbara Meehan (Host)

PLEASE NOTE: We will be using the link from last week’s meeting (see below) for this Sunday’s meeting and from now on.

Virtual Maranatha Meeting – Link Removed for Security Reasons. Class members should have received the link by e-mail.

This link should not be published or shared anywhere that makes it publicly available. This includes Facebook and other social media sites.

Our intent is to re-use this same link week after week but we’ll need to change it again if it is leaked. Thank you and see you Sunday! Michael

K. Michael Dishman

3046 South Cincinnati Avenue

Tulsa, OK 74114

(918) 407-6885 (cell)

dishman3

MARANATHA CLASS MEMBERS: I am passing along the following message I received from Richard Wansley. I encourage everyone, if possible, to participate.

Michael,

If possible, please pass along this message to our Maranatha classmates:

There is still an opportunity for you to give to the Easter Offering in support of our Methodist-related missions here in Tulsa and Oklahoma. Go to the church’s website, https://www.bostonavenue.org/make-difference/online-giving, and simply follow the instructions. You can give a one-time amount and mark it as an "Easter Offering". Or, you can mail your check to the church and mark it as an "Easter Offering".

As you know these are demanding times for everyone including especially our mission programs who serve those who are most in-need. I asked Kristen Harlin, Executive Director for Criminal Justice and Mercy Ministries (CJAMM) and Jeff Jaynes, Exec for Restore Hope, to prepare short videos about their programs and needs. If you haven’t already seen these on the church’s Facebook page, I urge you to check them out on the following links. Please GIVE!

CJAMM

https://www.facebook.com/BostonAvenueUMC/videos/277669293227086/?t=2

Restore Hope

https://www.facebook.com/BostonAvenueUMC/videos/587268675211048/?t=103

Thank you, and remember that God has bless us with HOPE and LOVE! Be safe and healthy!

Richard Wansley

Co-Chair, BAUMC Work Area on Missions

Happy Easter everyone!

It was really fun to see so many of you wearing your Easter hats this morning during the Zoom Sunday School meeting. We have had 60 – 70 attendees these first couple of weeks. Fantastic!

These meetings will continue weekly on Sundays from 10:15 to 10:45 through this time of social distancing and can be accessed at:

Virtual Maranatha Meeting – Link Removed for Security Reasons. Class members should have received the link by e-mail.

This link includes an embedded password to reduce our chances of being hacked by outside parties.

Accordingly, this link should not be published or shared anywhere that makes it publicly available. This includes Facebook and other social media sites.

Our intent is to re-use this same link week after week but we’ll need to change it again if it is leaked.

Our meetings are being recorded and we are looking into posting them on the website for those who may have missed our class time.

Remember that if you have any social events, announcements, prayer requests, etc. that you would like included in the weekly newsletter, please let Sharon Earley know.

Sunday School Lessons

As previously announced, Joel is recording his lessons for Lent and they are being posted online.

The first three of five lessons in Joel Panciera’s Lenten series for our Maranatha Class are now available for viewing through Google Drive, using this link:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_bWRaIlWADOMDFufZLbWkeQZWpwbkMNW
Joel encourages feedback. Send your questions or thoughts to joelpanciera@bostonavenue.org.

Prayer
Janet Purinton gave the opening prayer. Roger Rowe gave the closing prayer. Thank you Janet and Roger.

Birthdays and Anniversaries

Happy birthday to the following folks:

Michael Lane – 14th

Pam Low – 14th

Ed Vierheller – 15th

Joey Manduano – 16th

Happy anniversary to the following:

Joey & Nancy Manduano – 15th

Gary & Melanie Linsky – 19th

Upcoming Social Activities (and cancellations)

The May 1 celebration of Maranatha’s 40th Anniversary has been postponed – it will be rescheduled in the future.

We have restarted the weekly Maranatha Men’s meeting to continue fellowship (birds of the same feather) for strength and support. We are now adapting to the current social safety constraints due to COVID-19 by using Zoom for our meeting location, every Tuesday at 11:30 AM.

All are welcomed whether you stay a few minutes or longer. We also pass on info in regards to supporting BAUMC in their everyday effort to maintain and support all of BAUMC members on a broader scale/scope. Here it the link:

Maranatha Men’s Meeting – Solving the World’s problems, one lunch at a time – Link Removed for Security Reasons. Class members should have received the link by e-mail.

This link is password protected and is embedded. The meeting ID will change on a regular basis and as needed.

Christmas Party/Auction – December 12 at Tulsa Country Club

Upcoming Mission Opportunities

Remember your Easter offering to BAUMC that supports many area missions.

July 26 – Serving dinner at Redemption Church

September – Operation School Bell

Oct 9 – Serving dinner at the Day Center for the Homeless

Nov 22 – Serving dinner at Redemption Church

McCurdy Mission – The McCurdy mission originally set for late in May has been postponed and be rescheduled for an August or September timeframe. Stay tuned.

Joys and Concerns

For all of our class members, their families and our elders during these uncertain times.

Pray for our first responders and medical professionals including those with Maranatha ties (Clark Bundren, the Bundren’s daughter, Pam Sherman’s daughter Bethany, the Rowes daughter, Sam Embrey)

Gary Linsky had shoulder replacement surgery and is doing well.

Rob Morgan has recovered from COVID 19. The rest of the family is wrapping up their quarantine period without any symptoms.

Cisco Maldonado recent scan results show him to be cancer free!

John Harkins was hospitalized with a brain bleed last week. He is stable and has moved to rehab.

Lynn Goodwin has finished his first round of chemo. If you would like to see updates as they become available, Lynn & Shari’s girls have set up a CaringBridge site and the link is caringbridge.org/visit/lynngoodwin. He expressed thanks for all the cards, prayers, support, etc.

Jim Seymour’s cancer has returned. He is waiting on a treatment plan.

Walter Berg has been furloughed from his job. Jimmy Berg wishes everyone a Happy Easter.

Our Caranatha team stands ready to help. For the month of April, please contact Sherry Griffin (918-629-5112) or Carol Maus (918-361-5392).

Other Class and Church Announcements

• Remember to register your attendance when watching or viewing the BAMC church service each week. It would be helpful if you would do this online rather than by calling the church as the church gets overwhelmed with calls for those who are not comfortable doing this online.
• Also remember to send in your Easter offering or make your donation online. The Easter offering helps to fund many of our church mission outreach areas.
• See pictures of the zoom meeting with our Easter bonnets below. Also below are pictures from the Chucoskis when they delivered food for the Day Center last Friday.

Attachments area – See photos on the Class Member Page

Pam & John Sherman sent me this Easter poem. They asked if I would share with the Maranatha Class.

Michael, one of John’s friends shared this on Facebook and wanted me to send it to you. This poem was shared between my daughters, Catherine and Hannah, today and is very good. We can’t get together like we want to as a family, but still will celebrate Jesus as “The reason for the season”, Happy and Blessed Easter to all my friends and family! He is risen! He is risen, Indeed, Hallelujah!

How the Virus Stole Easter

By Kristi Bothur

With a nod to Dr. Seuss

Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began

Bringing chaos and fear to all people,

each land.

People were sick, hospitals full,

Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring, The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.

They YouTubed and Zoomed,

social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed.

“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.

No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.

The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.

“Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.”

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.

The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.

The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.

The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

“Pooh pooh to the saints,” the world was grumbling.

“They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.

“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!

Their mouths will hang open a minute or two, And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.

“That noise,” said the world, “will be something to hear.”

So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.

It started down low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn’t depressed.

Why, this sound was triumphant!

It couldn’t be so!

But it grew with abundance!

The world stared around, popping its eyes.

Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Every saint in every nation, the tall and the small, Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!

Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine Stood puzzling and puzzling.

“Just how can it be?”

“It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies, It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”

Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.

“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.

Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

And what happened then?

Well….the story’s not done.

What will YOU do?

Will you share with that one

Or two or more people needing hope in this night?

Will you share the source of your life in this fight?

The churches are empty – but so is the tomb, And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.

So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer, As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.

May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.

May the world find Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.

May 2020 be known as the year of survival, But not only that – Let it start a revival.

CORRECTION: Glenda Silvey’s husband, Larry, passed away from a stroke. Please pray for Glenda.

UPDATE: The Sunday school meeting recording is being posted to the website and here is the audio/video file:
zoom_0.mp4
Be patient, it takes a bit for it to really get going.