Maranatha Class Website

In the days of the ruler Reagan, two young men, Rick and Roger, felt compelled to go hiking on Turkey Mountain. As they were hiking on the trail, an elf popped out of the brush and said, “Hey, you guys look like you could use a set of Snack Commandments!” Thinking this was a trick of the great Keebler to tempt them, the young men looked at each other, then at the elf and both said “Nope.” The elf scurried back into the brush and the young men finished their hike.

The years went by and the young men forgot about the elf and focused on raising their families and securing their respective retirements. They acquired a small amount of wisdom – mostly by making mistakes – and soon found themselves thinking of their sixties as the new forties, or at least the new late fifties.

Now in the days of the ruler Trump, they found themselves leading the tribe known as Maranatha. They quickly adopted a policy of “Try not to mess this up”. The first six months went well, but then there was a great outcry, lamenting and gnashing of teeth regarding the snacks and more specifically with the understanding of responsibilities regarding the snacks. To be fair, there was always gnashing of teeth with the snacks. That’s what you do with a snack – you gnash it with your teeth. Duh.

After the briefest of investigations, the two men concluded that the tribe could benefit from a set of Snack Commandments and regretted the day they turned away from the elf. “Where, oh where can we find such a set?” cried the men. Lo, the elf appeared to the men, who rejoiced that they did not have to hike Turkey Mountain again to find him. The elf then presented them with the following commandments along with a complimentary set of festive napkins:

The Snack Commandments

I. Thou shall set before the tribe a table with two kinds of snacks, each divided according to their kind, guilty and healthy.

II. There shall be a Provider of each kind of snack unless a single Provider chooses to provide both.

III. The Provider of one kind of snack shall setup the snack table and the Provider of the other kind of snack shall clean up the table immediately after class.

IV. Both kinds of snacks shall be delivered and set up by 9:40 on the Sabbath Day.

V. The Provider responsible for cleanup shall profusely thank Becky Morris for her help, but they shall not rely upon her to do it for them.

VI. After setup, the Providers shall be stationed at the door and greet the members of the Maranatha tribe upon arrival. Lost and wandering members of the tribe shall be shown the way and prospective members and visitors shall be dragged forcibly into the classroom.

VII. The Providers shall warmly welcome visitors and lead them to walk in the righteous path that leads to the coffee machine and the snack table.

VIII. When called upon to report visitors and guests, the Providers shall do so in a loud and cheerful voice that conveys the great joy with which the tribe celebrates the presence of these wanderers.

IX. That’s about it. We couldn’t think of nine, much less ten.

The two men read the commandments and said: “Let there be clapping of hands and slapping of thighs for the Maranatha tribe has been given the Snack Commandments. Surely Snack Joy will reign in the house of Maranatha for all the days of our lives. Or at least until the end of our term.”

And the tribe said “Amen.”

Happy final moments of Independence Day, Maranatha friends!

Rev. Susanna Weslie Southard will continue her excellent series, “Apocryphal Narratives in Judith, Esther and Tobit,” this Sunday. Hope you can join us! You can hear her first presentation, and all of our past lessons, at http://www.bostonavenue.org/maranatha.html .

Rev. Sarah Pugh Montgomery will teach us on July 15 and 22.

CLASS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to our guests, Clifford Webster and Michael Dishman.

Happy birthday to Patty Banes on July 8! Happy anniversary to Sherry and Jim Stinson on July 7th, and to Carol and Dave Grim on the 8th.

Thanks to Lynn Russell for our prayer last week, and to the Evans and Denise Klein for our snacks. Jimmy Berg will give our prayer this Sunday, and our hosts will be Mickey and Carol Maus and Ed and Judith Payton.

IMPORTANT INFO:

We continue to remember Mary Staat and family after the death of our friend Paul last week, and we were so grateful to have her and Kate in class last Sunday. Thanks to all who are supporting them tomorrow (Thursday) by bringing food, serving, and housesitting, and to the Donleys for coordinating. Paul’s memorial service begins at 10 a.m.

As part of our congregation’s 125th Anniversary, all church members are encouraged to take a survey by this Sunday, July 8, to help with long-range planning. Your input is important and is greatly appreciated. You can take it online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BostonAvenueUMC . If you prefer a paper version, those are available on the desk in our classroom.

JOYS AND CONCERNS:

Karen Campbell thanked the class for all their expressions of sympathy after the death of Karen’s and Denzil’s father, Carrell Tallent.

Bill Tankersley shared that Karen has finally turned a corner and is getting better, but she has a large incision that is painful. He thanked the class for all the meals, cards and visits.

Bruce’s sister had her leg amputated and she and her husband are having some related financial issues.

Please continue to remember Jennifer Hall in your prayers as she battles cancer.

UPCOMING CLASS MISSIONS:

Seven more volunteers are needed next Tuesday, July 10, from 9:30 a.m. to noon to read with children at Project Transformation. It meets at Metropolitan Baptist Church on Apache in north Tulsa. Please contact Dave or Carol Grim if you can help. We will also need to provide lunch that day for 12-15 college interns who are leading that ministry, and snacks for 65 students who are participating in PT this summer.

Richard Wansley announced that July is Mission Month, and each of the classes have been challenged to provide snack packs for Cookson. Maranatha is challenged to provide 22 packs, and you can bring them (as many as you want) to class this Sunday or next.

Volunteers are also needed to help host Family Promise July 29-August 4. Please sign up or contact Richard Wansley if you are interested. Training will be provided as needed. Richard has more information, and it is also available on their website.

Other future mission opportunities are listed on the board, and lists are available on the check-in desk.

SOCIAL EVENTS:

The Drillers baseball game auction event is this Friday, July 5, at 6:05 pm. The game starts at 7:05. You can park right behind OSU Tulsa.

All are invited to eat lunch together at Mexicali Border Café on Sunday, July 22nd, and then watch this year’s Broadway at B.A. production, Guys and Dolls. Sign up this Sunday and we will try to sit together. Text or email Scott Morgan if you would like for him to get a ticket for you.

The potluck picnic and Bluegrass Concert at Keystone State Park has been rescheduled for August 18 at 2:00 p.m. More details later.

OTHER:

We give thanks for all of you! We’ll look forward to seeing you Sunday.

All, the food needs for the Staat family meal after Paul’s services have been met.

Thanks to all,

Roger

Allene’s phone number is corrected below:

All,

Allene has five more opportunities to bring food to help feed the Staat family on Thursday. Please contact Allene at (918) 851-0630 if you can help.

Roger

All,

Allene has five more opportunities to bring food to help feed the Staat family on Thursday. Please contact Allene at (918) 851-630 if you can help.

Roger

All,

Just a quick note to thank everyone who helped with the Love Offering for the Staat family today. We raised enough to make a difference and Mary was very appreciative when Rick and I presented her with a check after class. If you were not able to participate today and still would like to contribute, please send your contribution directly to Mary and let her know that you were unable to participate today. Mary’s address is:

4917 S. Madison Avenue

Tulsa, OK 74105

Thanks to all,

Roger

All,

Allene Donley has been in touch with Mary and while there are no immediate needs for meals, Mary plans to reach out to Allene when help is needed. There are no food allergies, but healthy foods are preferred.

Paul’s service will be at the Church on Thursday, July 5 at 10am. Our class will be serving a meal afterward.

If you can help with meals for the family this week and/or with serving on Thursday, please contact Allene at 918 851-0630.

Lastly, just a reminder that we will be collecting a love offering for the Staat family in class tomorrow. The basket will be on the check-in table by the door. Checks may be written to Maranatha Class. Love Generously.

Roger

Dear classmates,

The "love offering" basket will be available to all of us this Sunday, July 1. The basket will be placed at the attendance desk. As you are aware, Paul was unable to work recently due to his illness challenges. Please love generously!

Rick

Greetings, Maranatha friends,

Our hearts are grieving the loss of our friend, Paul Staat, this evening. We will keep you posted as more information and needs are known. He did get to walk his daughter Kate down the aisle and dance at her wedding last Sunday, and he was so excited about that. He then got really sick early this morning, went into septic shock and couldn’t recover.

Rev. Susanna Weslie Southard will be our teacher for the next two Sundays. She will be talking to us about “Apocryphal Narratives in Judith, Esther and Tobit.”

Many thanks to Rev.David Wiggs for his excellent series on John Wesley and the central beliefs of the United Methodist Church. He shared some of his personal theological guidelines and also helped us to explore and better articulate our own beliefs. You can hear recordings of all his presentations at http://www.bostonavenue.org/maranatha.html .

CLASS ANNOUNCEMENTS

Welcome to our friend and visitor, Carlene Tallent, who came with Denzil and Lisa Sunday.

Happy birthday to William Meyer on June 26th and to Roger Rowe on the 29th! Happy anniversary to Mark and Susie Butterworth on the 24th, Lynn and Shari Goodwin on the 28th, and Allen and Jane Smith on the 30th.

Thanks to Shari Goodwin for our prayer last week, and to the Butterworths and Becky Morris for our snacks. Lynn Russell will give our prayer this Sunday.

IMPORTANT INFO:

As part of Boston Avenue’s 125th Anniversary, our church staff is asking all church members to take a survey to help with some long-range planning. Your input is important and greatly appreciated. You can take it online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BostonAvenueUMC . If you prefer a paper version, those are available on the desk in our classroom. Please make your thoughts known by July 8!

JOYS AND CONCERNS:

Our thoughts and prayers are with Karen and Art Campbell and Denzil, Lisa and Carlene Tallent and their family as they deal with the death of Karen’s and Denzil’s father, Carrell Tallent.

Thoughts and prayers are also with Dee Dueck, whose stepfather died last Saturday.

Walter Berg is having a CT scan of his chest this week.

Bethany Willyard is doing well after surgery, and Susan Day is better.

Amber Young Is celebrating her new job with Operation Prison Ministry.

Please continue to remember Jennifer Hall in your prayers as she battles cancer.

UPCOMING CLASS MISSIONS:

Volunteers are needed on July 10 from 9:30 a.m. to noon to read with children at Project Transformation. Please contact Dave or Carol Grim if you can help. We will also need to provide lunch that day for 12-15 college interns who are leading that ministry, and snacks for 65 students who are participating in PT this summer.

Richard Wansley announced that volunteers are also needed to help host Family Promise July 29-August 4. Please sign up if you are interested. Training will be provided as needed. Richard has more information, and it is also available on their website.

Other future mission opportunities are listed on the board, and lists are available on the check-in desk.

POSSIBLE MISSION TRIP: The Maranatha Missions Committee and the Boston Avenue Missions Committee are co-sponsoring a mission trip to the Houston area to help repair a home that was damaged during the hurricane and subsequent flooding. Only Maranatha members will be participating. The trip will take place sometime between mid-October and early November; the exact dates will depend on the schedules of those interested in going. The cost will be covered by the church. If you are interested in exploring this trip, please send an email to Ed Payton at edpayton

SOCIAL EVENTS:

The potluck picnic at Keystone State Park had to be postponed Sunday due to rain, but it will be rescheduled.

The Drillers baseball game auction event will take place next Friday, July 5. Please let Mickey Maus know if you purchased that item and cannot attend.

OTHER:

Pam Sherman announced that her son’s new restaurant, Boston Title and Abstract Company, will open this Friday and will serve brunch on Sunday. Reservations are suggested for the future.

We received a nice thank-you note from Joel Panciera for our class’s financial support of the Chapel Choir Tour. It is posted on the board.

Thanks for all you mean to our class! We’ll look forward to seeing you Sunday.

It is with deep sadness that I report the passing of Paul Staat at 8:30 this evening. We will share details regarding services as they become known. Please continue to pray for the Staat family in this time of loss.

Roger