CCY CONNECT JANUARY 2023 EDITION

Often times we treat church like a restaurant; a place to go in, sit down, and be served. We fill up, pay our tab and leave until the next time we visit. We may complain about inconsequential nuances; the music was too slow, the sermon too long, and the coffee too strong. You get the idea. Maybe you are put off because someone didn’t speak to you or ask how you are. Too many people, not enough people, not enough activities, too many activities. And the list can go on and on and on. However, the church was never meant to be a place to be “served” or “entertained”. It isn’t about flashy lights and stunning stage displays.

Ephesians chapter four verses 11-14 says:

” It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness in Christ.”

So the church is the body of Christ and each of us in the church has been given unique spiritual gifts we can use to help build the body. We must remember being present doesn't mean we are participating. Presence is a matter of invitation, and participation is a matter of integration.

Jesus says in Matthew 28:18,

“Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

Therefore discipleship is more than just being exposed to the gospel and the community of believers, but being engaged in the gospel and community of believers.

I, too, am guilty of being a frequent “diner” at church. Coming in, being served, and leaving, not giving it much thought until I came again to be “served and entertained”. I was not realizing how much time and effort goes into each Sunday morning, Wednesday night, women’s event, children’s event, senior event, youth group event, community outreach, missions, etc. So many places people are needed to build up this body, this church.

There is a saying here at CCY that I love, “No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.” What a great reminder that we can all serve in some capacity. It is what we are called to do. As we enter the new year, be praying about where and how God might be able to use you to serve.

Don't just be present in the church, participate. You are the church!

I’m so excited about the new year! It is a perfect time to think about doing the things that God wants us to do. There is something about getting a new planner that makes me so excited. I can not wait to fill out the pages and make new plans! As last year went on, my planner started to look a bit messy and old. It became full of happy memories, not-so-fun things, and all that was in between. This new planner is beautiful. Nothing is written down, so the possibilities of what 2023 can hold are endless. It’s time to start fresh. As we begin to plan for the new year, we need to ask God what He wants us to do. Talk to Him and ask Him to open doors for us to tell people about Him and invite them to church. Look for opportunities to fill in the calendar with times when you and your loved ones can be the hands and feet of Jesus. When you write in the scheduled doctor appointments, don’t forget to ask God to shine through you at that appointment. You never know when you are giving someone a glimpse of Jesus! This year, church family, remember to invite God to be part of your plans, and share His love with people you meet along the way!

We all have emotional buckets…okay, mine might be a cup at times because I too often feel drained and tired. But thankfully God replenishes me to the full each day whether I have a bucket or a cup to pour out. In 1 Kings 17:7-16, because of a severe drought, a hungry and thirsty Elijah is told by God to travel to Zarephath where he would meet a widow that would supply him with food. Come to find out, upon meeting the widow, she was preparing for her and her son’s very last meal – this woman’s bucket was empty! But under God’s plan, Elijah challenged her to use her last baking supplies of flour and oil and share them with him. In verse 14, Elijah shared God’s word with her that ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.’ She did what Elijah had told her and there was food every day for her, her son, and Elijah.

God gives to us every day. He just keeps pouring and pouring whether you realize it or not. So, what are you giving back with what He’s giving you?

Jesus says in Luke 6:38:

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Through their faith, together, Elijah and the widow were filled through God’s provision. This leads me to talk about our widow’s ministry called Christ’s Crew.

It’s been a blessing and a joy to lead this ministry which is based on 1 Timothy 5:3. Currently we have twelve CCY widows on our list. While most of them are very self-sufficient and have families they can depend upon, some do need occasional help.

I have the most wonderful “crew” that pours from their bucket when help is needed, such as giving rides to church, bible study, doctor appointments, and household needs such as repair work. One particular area that is much needed is strong muscles that can handle somewhat heavy or large items. This area of need would probably be limited to only once or twice a year. If you are reading this and feel called to help in this ministry of service, please let me know. As I’m sure Elijah and the widow were blessed in breaking bread together, you can be certain that you will be blessed in the pouring out and serving these sweet, precious ladies.

– Janita Ruedy

Updating the lighting in the sanctuary at CCY has been more complex than we could have possibly envisioned when starting the project.

“And God said let there be light.” (Gen 1:3). For a portion of the project, it seemed that we were going to need another God-creating light moment to get a good solution to our dim lighting.

The lighting in the sanctuary is no longer adequate during services. Our goal has been to find a solution that brings our outdated system into this century while also looking toward the future and a good long-term solution. One of the challenges we ran into was getting good control of newer LED lights without running new cables on the ceiling. We do not want to risk ruining the look of the sanctuary’s wood ceiling but this presented a number of challenges with the outdated equipment we currently have.

After an extensive search for the best available solution, we partnered with the same company that did our stage lighting to provide us with a good solution to our problem. We will be able to get much more efficient LED light fixtures put in place without running new cables to the fixtures across the ceiling. These new lights will also provide good lighting that is dimmable, works well with our updated software, and is a long-term solution. We are currently working through the details of the new system and are hoping to order lights and look toward an installation date sometime in 2023.

WEEKLY EVENTS

• Men's Breakfast - Tuesdays at 7:30 am - CCY South building. All men are welcome! Bring your own breakfast and join in the fellowship. Led by John Miller.

• Family Meal - Join us for a family meal on Wednesdays from 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm in the South Building. Donations accepted.
• Women's Morning Bible Study - Wednesdays at 9:30 am in the Celebrity room at CCY. The next eight-week series starts on Wednesday, January 4th, 2023. The Bible study will be on "The Beatitudes."
• Women's Evening Bible Study - Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in person, led by Jennifer Parrett. The next six-week series starts on Wednesday, January 4th, 2023. The study will be based on Lysa Terkeurst's book, "Good Boundaries and Goodbyes."
• Bible Study led by Brian Mitchell - 6:30 pm on Wednesday evenings in Sunshine Station. All ages are welcome to attend.
• Senior Saints Small Group - 6:30 pm on Wednesday evenings in the Library. The Bible says in Galatians 6:2, "Carry each other's burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ" (NIV). Mostly retired age, but not limited to this.
• Youth Ignite - 6:30 pm in the South Building Warehouse. Ignite! is our Wednesday night gathering that takes place during the school year for grades 6-12.
• Royal Warriors - 6:30 pm on Wednesdays. Royal Warriors at CCY is a fast-paced, action-packed, Bible-based children's program for 1st through 5th graders.

• Men's Lunch - The men of CCY meet for lunch at 11:30 am for food and fellowship. Different locations each week. Locations are posted in the mid-week email, Facebook, or call the office at 405-354-0245.

Adult Classes - 9:30 am on Sunday

• Adult Sunday School - Celebrity Room at 9:30 am. Currently in the book of Luke - led by John Miller.
• "Revelation" -  (South Building Warehouse) led by Ryan Porter. Also offers a Zoom online option. Join the Facebook group at CCY Porter Sunday Class and register at www.ccyok.com/revelation.
• "The Christian Life" - Starts on 22 January in room 200 (upstairs). First six weeks will be on marriage. Led by Clay and Jennifer Parrett.

Youth Classes - 9:30 am on Sunday

• On Sunday mornings, students have teenager-focused Bible studies during Sunday School led by CCY Student Ministry leaders. Meet in the South Building.

Children's Classes - 9:30 am

• Nursery for 0-2 years - led by trained CCY volunteers. If your child is an infant up to 2 years old, they will love the Nursery! It's a nurturing place where caring adults show Jesus' love to children in a safe, secure, and fun environment. Parents will feel comfortable trusting their little ones in the nursery.
• The Ark for2-5 years - Your two through five-year-olds will love The Ark! It's a nurturing place where God's Word comes to life through fun, interactive bible stories, music, and video.
• Truth Blazers for 1-5th graders - Truth Blazers is a hands-on in-depth, FUN, Bible study for kids grades 1st-5th.

Children's Classes - 10:30 am

• Bible Barn for 3-5-year-olds - Your child will LOVE this room with the GIANT BARN in it! Here, God's Word comes alive through storytelling, upbeat music, and interactive games/crafts. In this encouraging environment, your child will have fun, play, make friends and learn more about who Jesus is.
• Power Zone for 1-5th graders - PowerZone is a high-energy worship service for kids grades 1st-5th. Kids are welcome to worship in song, dance, prayer, offering, and communion. Scripture is taught in-game, in crafts, and in team-building form. PowerZone is definitely the Zone where we power up God's Word!

Sunday Worship Service - 10:30 am

• We welcome you to join us for an hour - fifteen-minute service that includes contemporary and traditional Christian music, relevant preaching from the Bible, communion for all believers, and prayer. Sunday service is in-person and online.