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Newsletter>
First Christian Church Newsletter, June 2007
June 12, 2007
SEND A KID TO CAMP
The cost of camp is ever rising. We have 11 kids in our
church that we are sending to camp this season, costing a
total of $1,800.
Can you help offset this cost?
Would you sponsor one kid for camp?
Your gift of 10, 20, 50 dollars will go a long way! IF you
can sponsor a kid, place your gift in the offering plate
with "Camp" indicated in the memo section, or give directly
to Curtis or Beth.
If you have any questions, contact Carla.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL
VBS dates have been set for July 23rd-27th at First
Christian Church. Your help is needed in any area you are
comfortable. Please contact Carla Hudson if you are able to
assist.
We are also looking for any western theme decorations. Keep
your eyes open for any thing we might be able to use!
LOST AND FOUND
We have discovered a pocket size New Testament with the
following notation inside the front cover: Presented to
Beryl Parrish for faithfulness in attendance for one
quarter of the year 1937-38. Methodist Church School,
signed Mrs. R. M. Murphy Jr Supt. Other handwritten
entries include The Bible Pledge, Memory Gem, and
Temperance Pledge.
If you recognize either name, or know how to contact the
families of Beryl Parrish or Mrs. R. M. Murphy, from the
years 1937-38, please call the church at 276-3093, we would
like to return this memento to the family.
DYF CANOE TRIP
The Youth Group is sponsoring a Canoe Trip on Lake Murray.
We will leave the church on June 9th at 0800. Anyone
interested in going is welcome to attend. Curtis has made
arrangements for a few canoes and life vests. Anyone under
18 attending must wear a life vest or you will not be
permitted on the water. We will launch and spend some time
on the water before stopping and having a Bible Study and
lunch. We plan to return to the church by 3pm. All Youth
attending without parents must have a signed permission
slip to go. Contact Carla or Curtis if you would like to
attend or help with lunch.
NURSERY ATTENDANTS NEEDED
We are in need of nursery attendants each week. You will be
in the nursery from 9:45 to the end of church. You will
have a junior helper with you. If you need to split a week
with someone that would be great!
Nursery Requirements: Children Kindergarten and under are
welcome in the nursery.
SUMMER CAMP 2007
This year we have 11 total campers headed to Texoma
Christian Camp. We have in the Junior Camp, Alex, Shane,
Callie, Sarah, and Ryan. In the Chi Rho camp we have
Morgan, Mckenzie, Bibiana, Jackie, Kendra and Conner.
This year, Ro, Morgan and Mackenzie will be cooking for the
Junior Camp and Carla will be attending Chi Rho as a
counselor. The camp address will be in the bulletin so you
can write our campers.
Our campers are attending on money raised by fundraisers,
sponsors and scholarships. If you would like to sponsor a
camper, just place your donation in the offering plate with
an attachment that it is for DYF or give directly to Curtis
or Beth.
SPECIAL OFFERING FOR THE
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
Dear Church Family:
If you are like me, you live on a budget and have to plan
for upcoming events. Well, I am asking you to start
planning. By a suggestion given to the Worship Team by a
member of the church, we will be hosting a "Love Offering"
to be given to The American Cancer Society. Many of us in
the last few months have been touched by cancer. Some
directly, some in-directly. As a result, we've lost loved
ones and friends and we've rejoiced in the healing and/or
remission of others. On June 3rd and June 10th, we will
accept donations to ACS. Envelopes will be placed in the
pews and can be placed in the offering plate. You can
specify either a memorial or in honor of, or you can give a
donation with no name. The American Cancer Society will
receive all funds given with a list of names that are
specified. You may also give your donation directly to
Curtis or Beth. This is our opportunity as a church family
to help support an organization that is for the good of
many.
Thanks for your consideration. ~Worship Committee
LAWN MOWING SCHEDULE
Mowing the church lawn is scheduled to be done by
volunteers this summer. By doing the work ourselves we will
save $900 to $1000 this summer. Anyone desiring to help
with the mowing please contact Jerry Cochran 276-5486 or
276-7074. There is also a sign-up sheet in the fellowship
hall.
COMMUNION PREPARATION
December is available!
Just bring your juice and put things together! All other
items supplied.
FEASIBILITY COMMITTEE
The Feasibility Committee, chaired by Jerry Dutsch has met
twice to discuss our church's need of additional
classrooms. Currently we do not have enough classrooms for
all our age groups.
Our initial meeting was held to discuss an immediate
solution to the problem We decided some items taking up
valuable space in the church could be moved to the storage
building to provide more space, and the choir room and
office area could be used for classrooms on Sunday
mornings. A work day was held to clean out these rooms so
they will be available for class.
The second meeting was to discuss our thoughts and ideas
for future expansion of the church. Several suggestions
were presented; from a building to be constructed that has
several classrooms and a large open area for fellowship and
events, to a youth center complete with basketball court
and full kitchen. A drawing of our future plans will be in
the narthex for everyone to see in the future.
Everyone's input is needed in this process. If you have
any questions, comments, ideas or suggestions please
contact Jerry Dutsch.
PARSONAGE MOVED
Most of you have noticed that the parsonage has been
relocated. The building was sold at the end of last year,
and has now been moved off the property. It did not go
far. The house was moved directly south of its old
location, and now sits on the corner of 2nd and Broadway.
We can still see it from the church.
TEXOMA CHRISTIAN CAMP HISTORY
Before 1949 it was necessary to rent facilities for the
camping programs. On March 31, 1949, a certificate of
incorporation was issued to Lake Texoma Youth Conference
Grounds of the Disciples of Christ. By-laws and a
constitution were drawn up and adopted May 18, 1949. 14
acres, comprising the grounds were given to the First
Christian Church, Durant, who in turn leased the grounds to
the Texoma Youth Conference Grounds of the Disciples of
Christ, incorporated, to be developed and used for the
training of the youth of Christian churches in Southwestern
Oklahoma.
It was a very primitive camp. No utilities available. The
people were working hard to clear the brush, install a
water system, get electricity into the camp. Plans were
developed on building a dining hall, kitchen and bath
house. Everybody was working hard and raising funds to do
things to the grounds to get the camp ready for campers by
1951.
On April 8, 1952, James Michael, minister of the First
Christian Church of Ada, sent a letter saying: "Here is
exciting news! Camp Jack Little, a well developed, well
located camp about 14 miles south of Madill, Oklahoma, with
a capacity of over 200 people, has been offered to Texoma
Youth Conference Grounds Inc., or to the churches of
Southwestern Oklahoma, at a price of just about what we
planned to raise for the erection of a mess hall, Kitchen,
and bath house at our present location. This camp has
everything. Several small dormitories with bathrooms,
furnished, ventilating fans, and screened porches. Several
cabins centers about a bath house, and a large lodge with
large kitchen, well furnished, ventilating fans, double
fireplace, with a screened in porch. All these buildings
face a beautiful view on the lake front. There is also a
swimming pool, caretaker's house, tennis court, baseball
grounds, boat dock with 10 aluminum boats, six horses, play
ground, and 100 acres of land. It was estimated that this
camp would cost over $150,000 to develop, but Mr. Rural
Little wished to sell it to a religious group for youth
work at a nominal price." A date was set for families to
come for a picnic and inspect the grounds.
There was a Parker Foundation, which had a lease and were
managing the camp at this time, wanted to buy the grounds
also. Mr. Little wanted a $20,000 down payment and the
balance of $19,000 paid off in ten installments. To raise
this money, each church was asked to pledge $10 for each
member. $5 to be paid immediately for the cash down
payment. Three churches, Ada, Ardmore, and Durant committed
to at least $6,000 each. At a Texoma Youth Conference
Grounds board meeting on May 8, 1952, at the First
Christian Church in Ada, it was voted and approved to
purchase Camp Jack Little from Mr. Rural Little. On July 1,
1952, Texoma Youth Conference Grounds took over the
operation and ownership of Camp Jack Little.
From that point on, raising funds to meet the annual
payments to Mr. Little and operating expenses of the camp
was necessary. Families were encouraged to come and rent a
cabin for a fishing weekend. A committee was appointed to
sell the old camp site. At the annual general board meeting
on November 17, 1952, the name of the camp grounds were
changed to Texoma Christian Camp
By 1954, business was as usual and there was never enough
funds. It was decided to have churches take responsibility
of certain cabins for maintenance and repair, do the work
themselves, instead of sending money, which was not
happening. That is why there still was an Ada cabin. For
the winter months, the caretaker's salary was cut in half
to $105 per month and he was only to do janitorial duties
and continue to live in the house, bills paid. April 1 when
camping season should start again he would be put on full
time.
Much has been accomplished in since the purchase. All the
old cabins were torn down and new concrete block buildings
were constructed. The last new cabin was built around 1985.
The 80's were good years of progress. Five outdoor shelters
and a life guard building and shelter by the pool were
built. Ada cabin replaced with a double-wide mobile home,
flag poles installed, new gate entry built, 100 new padded
chairs bought, deck built on Ada cabin.
In the 90's, cook cabin replaced with a mobile home, deck
built on to the dining hall, and all showers were tiled.
All buildings were re-roofed due to hail storms. Sometime,
a large shop and storage building was built, a bedroom and
bath was added to the manager's house and a sewage lagoon
system was installed.
JUNE
BIRTHDAYS
5*Bill Batson
5*Darlene Beardsley
10*Mackenzie Hartman
22*Lisa Allgood
24*Tate Ward
24*Juanita Randolph
26*Grace Drennan
29*Beth Willis
ANNIVERSARIES
2*Dean & Arletta Bobbitt
17*Ryan & Skye Ward
20*Jack & Anne Drennan
21*Charles & Carla **Hudson
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