Hello, Oak Chapel friends,
We had a wonderful, worship-filled time at Annual Conference this week. We celebrated the retirement of Bishop Hopkins and 32 pastors, as well as the ministries of 17 newly commissioned and ordained ministers. We heard reports of various ministries and missions and approved the leadership and budgets for the coming year. The highlight of Annual Conference for me, though, is the closing session when the children who participated in the Annual Conference Vacation Bible School come to sing for us. Having VBS at Annual Conference is something unique here in East Ohio and I am grateful to be a part of a conference that values children in this way. It indicates that children are indeed a priority; they are NOT the “future” of the church, but an integral part of the church today.
My spirit was full of joy as I returned home from Annual Conference last night and I’m now preparing for our last worship together on Sunday. You have been a wonderful church family and I am grateful to have served here for five years. Sunday will be a hard day. My sermon, based on Ephesians 3: 14 – 21, is titled “My Prayer for Oak Chapel.” In addition to the choral anthem, Mark Ritchey will provide special music. After worship there will be a fellowship luncheon in Fellowship Hall. Please bring a dish or two to share and your table service.
Below you will also find other announcements and important information about upcoming events. Please review and mark your calendars accordingly.
Children’s Sunday School Assistants
Terra Aten leads the young children’s Sunday School class that meets during worship each Sunday morning. Her assistant this Sunday, 6/19 is Miriam Zech. Her assistant next Sunday, 6/26 is April Aten.
Summer Worship Schedule
As we did last year, our Sunday schedule will flip for the summer months. Beginning Sunday, June 26, worship will be at 9:30 a.m. in the sanctuary, followed by Sunday School at 10:30 a.m. This schedule will continue through Labor Day weekend.
Akron Rubber Ducks Game
Friday, June 24 is United Methodist Night at the Akron Rubber Ducks. In honor of his retirement, Bishop Hopkins will throw the first pitch. The Ducks are playing the Trenton Thunder beginning at 7:05 p.m. We will carpool from Oak Chapel at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $8.00. If you would like a ticket with the Oak Chapel group, please reserve your spot by paying Kim Domer by today, Sunday, June 19. This is a firm deadline. Come join and fun and fellowship that night and cheer the Ducks to a win.
Vacation Bible School
Monday, July 11 through Friday, July 15. The theme is Under the Deep Blue Sea and festivities will begin with supper each evening at 5:30. Parents are invited for supper. There will be an adult class with the same theme for parents and other adults.
2017 Church Budget Requests
It’s our favorite time of the year–the end of basketball season and the beginning of baseball season, which brings with it our favorite pastime-preparing next year’s budget. Why create a budget? (besides the obvious—it’s required at charge conference)
– It allows us to allocate our resources
– It identifies what activities are important to our ministry
– It establishes benchmarks for income/expense tracking
Committee Chairpersons: Please provide your 2017 Budget requests to Stuart Mykrantz, Finance Committee Chairman, no later than Friday, July 29. Then, plan to attend the Finance Committee Meeting on Monday, August 8, to discuss your inputs. Requests can be emailed to Stuart at SLMykrantz@aol.com or put in his mailbox in the church office. Please note: If a committee’s spending pattern is not uniform throughout the year, the 2017 Budget request needs to include the expected spending per month. This helps to forecast cash flow (and the end of year cash carryover) and improve the usefulness of the budget for tracking Year to Date (YTD) expenses. Thanks!
Opportunities for Ministry Next Week
Sunday, 6/19 – Sunday School at 9:30am
Worship at 10:30am
Pastor Robin’s Farewell Luncheon after church
Monday, 6/20 – Trustees at 7:00pm
Tuesday, 6/21 – Girl Scouts at 5:45pm
Wednesday, 6/22 – Pastor Robin’s last office day
Thursday, 6/23 – Pastor Robin moves out
4- H at 7:00pm
Friday, 6/24 – Rubber Ducks Game – carpool at 5:30pm
Saturday, 6/25 – Weight Loss Support Group at 9:15am
It has been a privilege to be your pastor and to serve among such an amazing community! I look forward to our final worship together on Sunday!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Robin