If Oklahoma can avoid the 4th surge currently in the northeast and upper midwest, hopefully we can gather in person in the sanctuary fairly soon. Reaching our own herd immunity as a community of faith (70% vaccinated) will certainly help.

We have all learned a great deal over the past year, including the fact that addressing needed change in the ways we "do" church can transpire much more rapidly than ever imagined.

We have also come to experience "presence" - of each other and of God - in new ways as we have been physically distanced for just over a year now.

On St. Patrick's Day, Rev. Todd celebrated his

The Youth Group gathered last month to paint wooden Easter Eggs, which were shared in some of the 20 Easter Bags (including 4 for the church staff) put together and then delivered to our homebound members by our Congregational Care ministry team.

Congratulations to Nataya and Steven Bostic on the birth of their beautiful baby girl!

Congratulations to Lauren and Patrick Fogarty on the birth of their beautiful baby boy!

March 10, we received notification of officially becoming an Earth Care Congregation.

College Hill is one of three PCUSA congregations in Oklahoma currently certified, along with First Presbyterian in Stillwater and in Norman.

Of the more than 10,000 PCUSA congregations, College Hill was one of 276 applications for 2020; annual recertification is required.

ECC certification is recognition of our congregation’s ongoing efforts in environmental and social justice.

Green Team’s first project as an official ECC congregation will be a pollinator garden along the fence on the west side of the parking lot. Four dozen Rudbeckia Goldsturm – aka Black-Eyed Susan – will be planted, supplying nectar and pollen so bees and butterflies can keep pollinating crops for fruit and vegetable production.

Click here to read more about this certification College Hill was awarded by

Presbyterian Church USA (PCUSA).

Our worship and discipleship will celebrate God’s grace and glory in creation.

Our education will encourage and support each other in keeping and healing the creation.

Our facilities will be managed, maintained, and upgraded to respect and cherish all creation.

Our outreach will encourage community involvement and public policy to protect and restore the earth. 

Once again, I say “Thank you!” I am humbled by the continuing generosity of the College Hill congregation.

1 - Jerry Abercrombie

  Remember the 

No virtual service or communion, but some meaningful resource materials will be emailed to everyone for your own guided reflection at home.

Eastern Oklahoma Presbytery's pastors met several times over the past couple months to put together a video service that will be released during the day on Good Friday. The service will include special music by local jazz musicians and a "play" walking through the events of Jesus' passion. Each of the parts (including Rev. Todd's) were recorded by each pastor individually, and then edited together. A video link will be emailed.

A different video link will be emailed on Good Friday of this year's virtual "Greenwood Walk to the Cross": Remembering the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. It contains edited video of many local Black and progressive religious leaders (including Rev. Todd) sharing Gospel Readings, prayers, remembrances, and songs. This tradition was started by Tulsa Metropolitan Ministry (TMM) about twenty years ago. While it has been an in-person event walking through Greenwood, this year's virtual service will greatly broaden the viewership and experience.

The Session of the church has approved a special service of worship, combining a gathering in the church parking lot and live-streaming over our YouTube channel: College Hill Presbyterian Church Tulsa.

We will observe the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper (using individually packaged Communion wafer and juice sets). Folks can pick one up, along with a printed bulletin, when they arrive.

We will also receive the annual One Great Hour of Sharing offering to benefit Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Presbyterian Hunger Program, and the Self-Development of People program. Special envelopes will be in each bulletin.

We will also have a food collection (non-perishable and non-expired items) on Easter Sunday, for the Kendall Whittier Emergency Food Pantry. 

If anyone who will not be at the service would like to donate any items they may call or text our Outreach & Mission Ministry team Moderator, Mark Thurston at 918-697-1448 to make arrangements for pickup at their home between April 5-12.  

The Re-Union Ministry Team will be meeting on Sunday, April 11, after this newsletter is sent out.

If Oklahoma can avoid the 4th surge currently in the northeast and upper midwest, hopefully we can gather in person in the sanctuary fairly soon.

The Session "highly recommends" that all members of College Hill get vaccinated. Reaching our own herd immunity as a community of faith (70% vaccinated) will certainly help.

As of March 29, Oklahoma is now in Phase 4 of the Vaccine Plan, meaning that Tulsa County is vaccinating all Oklahomans. We have included a link to the vaccine registration portal below.

This March 17th marked Rev. Todd Freeman’s 13th anniversary at College Hill. If you did not have a chance to participate in the “card drive” for him earlier, consider still sending him a card or text thanking him for his efforts during these last thirteen years. Also, Rev. Todd will be turning 65 in September. However, as he pointed out at the Annual Congregational Meeting in January, he has no plans to retire for quite a while.

April 14th brings Mike Gibson’s 7th anniversary as our Organist.

Then on July 13th, Dr. Kim Childs will celebrate his 15th anniversary at College Hill as Director of Music Ministry.

The following month, on August 9th, Lisa Hays will have been serving as our Office Manager for 11 years.

Kathy Evanson, one of the Personnel team members, has remarked that College Hill must be doing something right to be able to retain such talented and dedicated individuals for so long (a collective 46 years this fall). Indeed!!

All the children of the church have received an Easter Box through the mail - each containing a goody bag with chocolate (see below). The other goodies in the box depended on the child’s age group.

The Youth Group met on the lawn to decorate wooden eggs for our homebound church friends.

Upcoming projects include painting a sign for our new pollinator garden and helping with trail building on Turkey Mountain.

(Click name to) email our Christian Education Ministry team Moderator Susan West, or call her at 918-724-7521.

Anti-Racist

EASTER SUNDAY                                     

APRIL 4 Now Let the Heavens Be Joyful –

APRIL 11 I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light Kathleen Thomerson

APRIL 18 Day of Arising – Carl Schalk

APRIL 25 My Shepherd Will Supply My Need – Howard Helvey

The Chancel Choir and BELLissimo Handbell Ringers are in hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic and will not rehearse until further notice.

Unfortunately for College Hill, Mike and Tanya Patterson have made the decision to return to Wichita to be closer to their families. Their smiling faces and outgoing personalities, together with their beautiful children Grayson and Lilly, will be greatly missed by our entire congregation.

As you know, for the past four years Mike has also done a magnificent job as our volunteer Treasurer which with their move causes us to find a replacement to volunteer for his duties.

Mike estimates that he spends an average of approximately 10 hours per month on these duties (this is after he converted our financial records into QuickBooks system). We have an accounting firm, Lohrey & Associates, that is available if any questions or problems should arise.

If any member has any financial or QuickBooks experience and would be interested in volunteering for this important task for College Hill, please contact the Church Office or a member of the Finance & Stewardship Ministry team. We can then provide you with a copy of Treasurer Duties as put together by Mike. Mike will also be available to answer any questions you might have.

1st Quarter giving statements will be emailed shortly after March 31 to donors who have provided an address. The statements come from "College Hill Presbyterian Church <quickbooks@notification.intuit.com>" 

If you don't receive a statement, first check your email spam. Questions or updates to your email address should be directed to the Assistant Treasurer Gary Watts.

Did you know you may be able to deduct up to $300 from your income taxes for cash donations made to charity during 2020, even if you do not itemize your deductions?

A meaningful way to celebrate your Birthday in this new year is to donate an amount equal to your new age to the Endowment Fund.

This donation is also a wonderful way to honor others such as children, grandchildren and friends and allows the church to have funds available for special projects.