Scripture Reference: John 9:39-41

We know lots of you guys are asking how to specifically get involved with the tornado relief efforts here in Shawnee, so let me give you a few options to help out.

1) PRAY.

Many of the families in and around Shawnee are in major need right now. Many of them lost homes, loved ones, and security. Many of those effected are asking questions like, “where was God in this?” There is no question that this was a devastating event however; our greatest need is and will always be our need for a Savior. Please join us in praying for our community. Pray for those who’ve lost loved ones. Pray for those who have lost their homes. Cry out to God for our city that those effected would find comfort, security, and redemption in the faithfulness of Jesus in times of suffering. We are also hosting a worship and prayer night at the Shawnee location tomorrow night (Wednesday) @ 7:00p.m. We will be glorifying Jesus and interceding for our city. Prayer is crucial at this time.

2) GIVE.

The amount of people that have lost everything is staggering… but we have to start somewhere. There are several great organizations hard at work making immense strides towards restoration that we will be able to partner with. Here are a few organizations that we already have a working relationship with…

-The Salvation Army – 200 E. 9th, Shawnee OK 74801 – The Salvation Army is currently only in need of monetary donations. All you have to do is swing by and drop of your donation at the Shawnee office.

-The American Red Cross – 232 N. Broadway, Shawnee OK 74801 – The Red Cross is also currently in need of monetary donations. Please take the donations directly to the Red Cross base in Shawnee.

-Arvest Bank in Shawnee has set up a relief fund for the hard hit city of Bethel. All you do is visit ANY location and tell them you want it put into the “Town of Bethel Acres Emergency Fund”

PLEASE DO NOT BRING CLOTHES OR OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS TO ANY OF THE SHELTERS OR EMERGENCY RESPONDER LOCATIONS.

As you can see there is a great financial need for funds that can be distributed to various cleanup crews across the state. These organizations are the best way to centralize all monetary donations.

This coming Saturday (May 25th) Pott County Farmers Market is hosting a tornado relief event for Shawnee, Bethel, Dale, and McCloud. The event will be held from 8am-2pm. If you are not able to make monetary donations but would like to give supplies, this is the place to bring them. There will be FREE FOOD, face painting for kids, live music, prayer tents, and available supplies for those in need at the event. Specific donation needs are: clothes, hygiene products (male and female), bottled water, leather-work-gloves, snacks, and contractor bags for clean up crews.

3) SERVE.

We have organized some clean up crews for tomorrow (Wednesday). We are meeting at the church at 9:30am tomorrow morning and then dividing into groups and going out. Primarily we will be working as clean up crews in Bethe Acres and north of town on 177, plan on staying as long as you can. We also need a TON of people for Saturday at the Farmer’s Market event. We need people helping with supply organization, supply distribution, kids events, and prayer tents.

This is what we have so far. If you hear of anywhere else in the area that needs clean up, supplies, or anything else please contact us at 405-273-7779 or Shawnee@frontlienchurch.tv.

Right now, we need to pray and we need to trust Jesus.

For many of us, it would seem the best thing to do is become the Lone Ranger, drive our cars into the disaster zone, and just start helping. We have been asked by our city leaders NOT to do that. Instead, we are being asked to stay away and let the first responders do the jobs they were trained to do.

Sean Evans, Frontline South’s lead pastor, is right in the middle of the recovery planning meetings for the city of Moore. I literally just received a text from him saying that plans are being developed that would allow all of us to help, but we need to prepare for the long haul. The recovery process won’t be completed overnight, so that means we are – and must plan to be – in this long-term. We will be communicating needs as they arise.

In the meantime, here are your next steps:

1. To make sure everyone in each of your community groups is accounted for, and then to ask if their friends and family are accounted for. This is how you/we can identify people and families in need.

2. If you’d like to be a first responder, you can attend a Red Cross Training at 9:00 AM or 1:00 PM at their Red Cross Headquarters, located at 601 NE 6th St in Oklahoma City. There will be an orientation followed by disaster training. They have warned us that it will be HECTIC, so show early if you and your c-groups would like to be trained.

3. If you’d like to volunteer at the Red Cross offices, there is an orientation at 5:30 PM at their Red Cross Headquarters at 601 NE 6th St in Oklahoma City.

4. We have a grief counseling team on hand for anyone needing assistance. Contact us at care@frontlinechurch.tv to be connected ASAP.

5. Continue to pray. Pray for families dealing with loss, pray for the rescue efforts, pray that Jesus would grab glory from the jaws of death like only He can.

We are behind our cities. We will actively show love in Shawnee, Edmond, Moore, and Oklahoma City as they recover from the damage from the last two days of storms.

We love you, we care, we’re here, and we’re trusting Jesus — together.

Parents, do NOT miss this event! If you have a child in the Frontline Children’s Ministry (birth – 5th grade) we want to see you at The Myriad Gardens! The Frontline Children’s staff & volunteers will be on-hand to visit with and get to know you more. You’ll also get all the information you need for our Summer of Fun!

For lunch we’ll have a traditional cookout feast of hot dogs, potato salad, watermelon, and more. Be sure to bring an extra set of clothes for your kids because we plan to play in the Thunder Fountain. Sidewalk chalk and Frisbee toss are just a few of the activities we’ll do, not to mention the awesome Children’s Gardens to explore!

**Please RSVP to rfoster@frontlinechurch.tv by May 22nd

Dates: August 3rd-11th
Cost: $1,600

As a woman, I know how we can so easily reduce life to a list of to-dos that eat up our time and energy. I see how we compare ourselves to other women, regardless of our stage of life. I even understand how easy it is to judge ourselves and others harshly, taking on burdens that the Father never intended us to bear.

We sometimes carry the weight of the world on our shoulders! Plus – okay – that extra fifteen pounds that no amount of cycling, swimming, or running ever seems to melt away.

And this is the reason for Titus 2. (Not the extra-fifteen-pounds part, but the carrying-the-weight-of-the-world-on-our-shoulders part.) Paul asks us to

“teach what is good, and so train the young women to …”1

do a lot of amazing things that can quickly become a list of requirements rather than an avenue through which the gospel can do its practical work in our lives.

Did you know Jesus spent a lot of time training, teaching, and disciplining women as part of His ministry?

Jesus spent time with the mothers, manual laborers, professionals, women in ministry, and YES, even the “bad” girls. They were all important and important to Him. And now, just as they did back then, women hold an irreplaceable role in society.

Because we play such a pivotal role in our society, learning our identity in Christ is imperative and profoundly transformative. As in, it changes everything.

On May 31st, we will unite with the goal of understanding how the gospel is able to form our identity, and we’ll learn how to apply this amazing new awareness in our daily lives. We’ll enjoy a live interview with Nancy Kouri, take part in the intimacy of small groups, lean into the power of prayer, and – of course – eat (yummy) food.

You don’t want to miss this! It is time to walk in our identity as God’s daughters. Please be sure to register and invite your friends

1 Titus 2:3-4

God has graciously blessed us with a very diverse crowd of people, among which are lots of college students. As you may or may not know several of our students go home for the summer and in turn this shrinks our core down considerably for the summer. It is our hope that by going to 10am we will be able to pack in for one service and have a great opportunity to spend more time reaching out to the community that surrounds us. As a church we will be spending TONS of time each Sunday in neighborhoods spreading the Gospel and meeting needs. Come join us for a summer full of community and mission!

Be sure to get plugged into a community group, click here to find one.