The value we place on relationships is one of the things I appreciate most about our congregation. Our church is a warm and welcoming place for people to be themselves. Many have said that when they first visited Harvard Avenue they felt like they were home.

Because of the value we place on building relationships, our church’s leaders have been working on a plan to deepen and strengthen our community by expanding our group life and educational opportunities.  Our hope is that everyone will have a place to form deeper friendships and grow in their faith. This is the main way that we form people in faith as Disciples of Christ.

To prepare for the new opportunities that will be rolling out over the next few months, some changes to our existing Sunday morning schedule are necessary.

Beginning Sunday, August 8,
the Rising Worship service will begin at 9:00am
and our Traditional Worship service at 10:30am.

Groups and classes will take place at both 9:00am and 10:30am. Children’s and youth programming will also happen during both worship hours.

This new schedule has some significant advantages:

• We will have a full hour for classes and groups to meet, AND twice as much classroom space available for groups on Sunday mornings.
• We can better engage our Children’s Ministry volunteers, AND offer continual care for children throughout the Sunday morning schedule.
• AND we enjoy 30 minutes of fellowship time between worship and class hours to connect with others. (Our coffee bar hospitality will be back on August 8!).

You may wonder what these changes mean for Sunday morning groups to which you currently belong. Our group leaders have been an important part of our planning, and will be coming to your group to determine what works best for you, whether that means 9am, 10:30am, or something completely different.

This plan is a strong step for the future health and growth of our congregation, and has received the blessing and support of our church’s leaders. Our staff is excited about supporting this next season of ministry.

We can’t wait to tell you more, and answer questions about what’s coming next.

You are welcome at information sessions
coming up July 18 (10am in the FLC),
or in the Challengers class on July 25 (10am in the chapel).

WE NEED YOU to make this happen!
Connect with our volunteer teams:
deacons, greeters, welcome center, coffee hosts.
Check in here for more informaiton.

For now, I would ask you to join us in praying for the ways Harvard Avenue will be Christ’s presence here in Tulsa.

With love and blessings,

David Emery
Lead Pastor

The JUNE Book Group date has changed to June 24, discussing Last Bus to Wisdom (Ivan Doag). We’ll meet next in September (see below)!

Read. Meet. Discuss. Listen. Learn.

Exciting selections are on the books (ha!) for the Book Group at Harvard Ave 2021-22 season. To be part of the Book Group email list, contact group coordinator Charlie Bennett. 

Join in … all adults of every age are welcome!

3rd Thursday monthly
11:00am

**We’ve linked everything below through BOOKSHOP , an online book retailer that supports local bookstores!
You can purchase online, have it delivered to your mailbox (or e-reader, in most cases), AND support the local store of your choice. When you go to Bookshop you can click ‘find a bookstore’ and select from the local map (Magic City Books and Fulton Street are two of our favorites); then just go to the search line or browse for what you want, and a portion of your purchase goes to support the local store you chose. Everyone wins! Buying from Bookshop helps ensure that a larger share of the profit goes to the authors and publishers who brought you this work … AND keeps your local retailer encouraged and growing in theirs.**

September 16 2021
This Tender Land . William Kent Krueger

October 21
Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend . Susan Orlean

November 18
Southernmost . Silas House

January 20 2022
Facing the Mountain . David James Brown

February 17
All the Devils Are Here . Louise Penny

March 17
The Other Einstein . Marie Benedict

April 21
Chances Are . Richard Russo

May 19
My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry . Frederik Backman

June 16
West With Giraffes . Lynda Rutledge

The definition of FITNESS is ‘enjoying the gift of good health’. The balance of mind, body, and spirit contribute to a full life, improved cognitive function, and have been shown to lower blood pressure, stress, anxiety, and depression. Here are a few ways to be part of HEALTH & FITNESS @ Harvard Ave !

** All fitness groups enter through the far west doors
of the Family Life Center (nearest the park). **

ZUMBA
Tuesday & Thursday : 5:30pm

Over five Wednesdays in Lent, our pastors will be in conversation with friends and colleagues – about the work of the church, personal faith and ministry, what faith looks like in the everyday world, and how to love like Jesus every day.

February 24 2021 :
Community Pastor Rev. Kevin Howe, in conversation with Rev. Caroline Hamilton-Arnold, Associate Director, Week of Compassion

March 3 2021 :
Lead Pastor Rev. David Emery, in conversation with Rev. Ron Nofziger, retired hospital chaplain

March 10 2021 :
Lead Pastor Rev. David Emery, in conversation with Rev. Deron Spoo, Pastor, First Baptist Church, Tulsa

March 17 2021 :
Lead Pastor Rev. David Emery, in conversation with Dr. Deborah Gist, Superintendent, Tulsa Public Schools

March 24 2021 :
Lead Pastor Rev. David Emery, in conversation with Rev. Amy Venable, Associate Pastor, Boston Avenue United Methodist Tulsa

As we mentioned in today’s e-news, beginning this Sunday (December 6), we’ll include a chat feature with our livestream worship. Say hello to each other, share prayer concerns (that you’re able to offer publicly), learn about who’s leading worship, or something about music being offered. You’ll be joined online by Connections Pastor Courtney Richards.

If you’re new to Facebook Live and YouTube livestream chat features, here’s a quick tutorial:

We are often asked ‘Who are you?’ – what is your church all about? In the current national crisis (which is actually centuries-old), our Lead Pastor Rev. David Emery suggests we remember some of our denomination’s statements of identity and priority:

(from disciples.org): “At the 2001 General Assembly, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) adopted the 2020 Vision, which contained four priorities that guided the Church through the first two decades of the 21st century and continue to be priorities beyond 2020.”

The FIRST priority of the four  :

BECOMING A PRO-RECONCILING/ANTI-RACIST CHURCH

“The Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism Initiative was founded upon the need to make visible God’s beloved community. It invites the church to listen to the once silenced voices of its racial/ethnic communities, learn from their wisdom and gain insight from their leadership. It calls the church to discernment and prayer, study of the scriptures and reflection, dialogue and table fellowship. The true goal is to transform, strengthen and deepen the church’s spirituality, resulting in a community that understands its mission to be about bringing justice and salvation to the world.”

Three of our national church leaders have spoken into the moment (click the bold/underline links):

Rev. Terri Hord Owens, our General Minister and President, speaks to the church she prays to see : “I want a church…”

Rev. April Johnson, the Disciples’ Minister of Reconciliation, offered a reflection on the fires of Pentecost

Rev. Dr. Timothy James, Associate General Minister and Administrative Secretary of the National Convocation, says ‘What the world needs today’ is a love that doesn’t hold back

Outreach Ministry Team Lead Diana Booren, along with Community Pastor Kevin Howe, have created this quarterly update (click image below) to keep us posted on the ministries we are part of – and how to do more!

Fully committed to our ‘Become.’ core value, discover community engagement at Harvard Avenue as part of the ‘big picture’ of who we are.

Summer ’19: Support Grimes Elementary  // A Letter from Francis // Coming Events : Family Promise, Bridges Out of Poverty, JustHope’s Wine to Water

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