HillSpring Church holds community Serve Day across Sand Springs

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HillSpring Church invaded Sand Springs Saturday morning, undertaking dozens of projects to show the love of Christ for the community.

On their annual summer “Serve Day” more than a hundred volunteers in Sand Springs joined with hundreds of churches across the nation to make an impact both physically and spiritually.

“We’re doing this so we can make a difference,” said Lead Pastor Brent Kellogg. “To show the love of Christ and show the power impact of the church.”

At the Sand Springs Care Closet volunteers helped Katie Acuna sort clothing in preparation for an upcoming outreach. On August 6 & 7 the Care Closet will partner with Clary Sage College to provide children with free haircuts and a free outfit to start the school year. The organization opened last July and offers free diapers, formula, toys, clothes, and more at 3417 South 113th West Avenue.

Helping schools was a big part of the day. Volunteers painted at Lake Country Christian, Angus Valley, and Limestone Elementary schools. At Lake Country they also repaired appliances like sinks. At Pratt Elementary they mowed the lawn and worked in the flower beds.

Kellogg led a team at American Legion Post 17 painting the exterior, replacing old caulking, and serving the community’s veterans. HillSpring volunteers have plans for additional work at the Legion in the near future. 

Workers cleaned up and organized storage rooms at the Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum and Sand Springs Community Services. At SSCS they cleaned out the basement and sorted through food and clothing donations. 

"Folks from the Sand Springs area are connecting with the agency in a way that allows for us to better utilize the donations and the items that we have," said SSCS Director Nathan Woodmansee. "It really is meaningful to us. We really appreciate the work they're doing, it's going to help us serve our clients better."

Just down the road from the those two teams was a group including Vice Mayor Phil Nollan and State Representative Jadine Nollan. The crew completely moved the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce from their old location to a new facility around the corner. 

At the Salvation Army campus workers cleared hundreds of yards of brush along their back fenceline. They also picked up trash in downtown, cleaned up overgrown areas obstructing City traffic signs, did home and lawn improvement for the elderly, and painted the front gate at the Keystone Ancient Forest.

One group constructed a raised wooden walking path at Hamalot Pot Bellied Pig Rescue to keep the organization volunteers from having to walk in the mud and risk getting knocked down by the pigs at feeding time.

Another team spent the day making blankets for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. 

Associate Pastor Matt Barnett said that they had around 130 volunteers, up from 100 the year before. He hopes to see HillSpring team up with other churches for a city-wide service day in the future. 

HillSpring meets at 8801 West 41st Street on Sundays at 10:00 a.m. They can be found online at http://www.hillspring.tv/

CPHS Memorial Stadium to host non-denominational praise and worship night

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Unity Praise
7:00 p.m. 
April 7, 2017
Memorial Stadium
500 N. Adams Road
Sand Springs, OK 74063

Donations to the event can be addressed to:
In Jesus Name Ministries
P.O. Box 1616
Sand Springs, OK 74063

Click HERE to donate online
Visit In Jesus Name Ministries on Facebook.

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

It has been thirty years since Jim and Stephanie Schrepel first felt God calling them to start a ministry. But the timing never seemed right until now. Jim turned 71 years of age last week and the couple celebrated their 38th anniversary, but he is more energized than ever before when it comes to following God's call on his life.

You could compare the couple to Abram and Sarai, and fittingly enough, Stephanie's maiden name is Abram. Jim personally identifies more with Noah. He feels God calling him to do something that has never been done before, and like Noah, he has had to endure some skepticism from people who don't share his vision.

The vision came to Jim during an intercessory prayer session. "I saw myself standing at the old Forward Youth Building, looking down in to the Charles Page High School stadium, full of people praising the Lord." He knew that God was calling him to make it happen.

Thus began the difficult but rewarding journey to launch the first and possibly annual Unity Praise event. "It's a time to bring the body of Christ together, without worry of denomination," says Schrepel. "No denomination has the corner on praise. Praise is universal. God is trying to put this together, showing that denominations can come together and work together."

A lifetime in the Sand Springs community has given Schrepel plenty of connections. He has attended church with House Representative Jadine Nollan and City Councilman Phil Nollan in the past. Jadine introduced him to City Manager Elizabeth Gray. "Mayor (Mike) Burdge and I have known each other for decades," says Schrepel. "The City has just embraced this. Everyone I've crossed paths with has been there to meet a need."

Word of Life church recently moved Forward Youth Ministries to their main campus and sold the old building to The Stronghold church, formerly known as The Church at Moriah. Stronghold pastor Brent Thurber has caught on to Schrepel's vision and will be one of the speakers at Unity Praise.

Also speaking at the event will be former Word of Life Children's Pastor Smiley Elmore, Jr. Elmore played running-back for the University of Missouri from 1987-1989, participated on the TV show American Gladiator, and is an active bodybuilder, speaker, and physical fitness coach. 

There will be multiple worship teams and speakers from area churches working together to put on the event. "God has just opened doors and given us favor. Every day people are getting on board with it."

Securing a venue, sound equipment, advertising, and insurance can get expensive, but Schrepel isn't sweating it. "It has just totally blown us away how the money has come in. It's come from the individuals--not just businesses and churches. They're catching the Unity Praise vision and wanting to see change in Sand Springs."

"God's going to build up Sand Springs to be a spiritual hub in America," says Schrepel. "I asked myself, 'Tulsa's right in the middle of the Bible belt, why is there not more happening here?'"

In the beginning, many church leaders doubted whether Schrepel could pull off an event of this magnitude in Sand Springs. But he insists he has nothing to do with it, it's all God's work. "It's to raise up a new generation of ministers."

The event is on sure ground now. Flyers have gone up all around town, the location, speakers, and musicians are all secured. The Schrepels will even be guests on Good Day Tulsa on April 3rd at 9:00 a.m. to promote the event.

"This event is going to saturate Sand Springs with the word of God."

In correlation with the Unity Praise event, the two have also founded the nonprofit organization "In Jesus Name Ministries." Jim was previously a Radiologic Technologist at City of Faith, while Stephanie supervised Respiratory Therapy at the Oklahoma State University Medical Center. Now they feel called to be paramedics to the body of Christ. 

The Power of Partial Improvements: dozens of volunteers clean up Sand Springs park

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More than fifty individuals came together this past weekend in Sand Springs to help with a massive cleanup effort in a now-defunct Tulsa County Park. (SUBMITTED).

By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

Power of Partial Improvements began simply, as a group of friends with a passion for nature and the Oklahoma waterways. The river rats have spent ample time cleaning up the shores of local lakes and rivers over the years, making a point to leave the area cleaner than they found it on every outing. 

In November of last year Brian Hunter, Joseph Alchami, and Ashley Sorrell decided they needed to do more. The trio officially incorporated their new nonprofit and began a mission to change the culture in Oklahoma.

"We want to start a movement," said Hunter, the Executive Director. "Our number one goal is to inspire community involvement. Little by little, partial improvements can make a difference."

Left to right: Joseph Alchami, Ashley Sorrell, Brian Hunter--founding members and Power of Partial Improvements staff. (SUBMITTED).

They took the first big step toward inspiring community involvement last Saturday when more than fifty volunteers gathered together to clean up the Arkansas River shoreline in Sand Springs. The average worker spent nearly four hours trying to clean up the largest illegal dumping ground in the Sand Springs area.

Estill Park, once located along Wekiwa Road, west of Sand Springs, has been a dumping ground for decades since the closure of the park in the 1980s. But despite not being an official park anymore, it still gets its fair share of use. ATVs can often be heard through the trees of the overgrown property, and fishermen utilize the access point at Euchee Creek year-round.

SEE RELATED: The Land That Time Forgot: Estill Park and Wekiwa Road

More than thirty syringes were recovered from the Arkansas shoreline. (Submitted).

American Waste Control donated four roll-off dumpsters to the effort, each of which was completely filled by the end of the day. The volunteers didn't stop there. They also loaded up as many trucks and trailers as possible and got to dump it all for free thanks to the American Environmental Landfill. 

All sorts of strange items were found. Two abandoned cars were stuck in the sand along the river. Multiple abandoned boats were in the area. A few deer carcasses had been dumped by poachers. Most importantly, they were able to remove 30 syringes from the area.

More than 200 tires were piled high in the entrance to the property and the organization is working together with Danny Smith at Same Day Tire and Auto Repair in Sand Springs to get them removed and recycled. Hunter also cites the Tulsa County Conservation District and Bruce Hardy with Tanglewood Nurseries as critical to the success of the project. "Bruce made it happen," said Hunter. Hardy spent the full day on the project, running the loader for the dumpsters. "That was incredible. We wouldn't have gotten half as far as we did without him."

"We're really trying to reach out to the younger community and get them to care," said Hunter. "The community needs to come together to say, 'It's not okay to dump here.' We really want to help lift the burden on government entities."

Volunteers filled four dumpsters with trash Saturday along the Arkansas River. (SUBMITTED).

Despite the massive improvements made Saturday, Hunter says they're not done yet. The nonprofit plans on putting together future large-scale clean-up days every two months in the near future, and expects to return to the former Estill Park area again soon. 

"I would never have expected it to be so big. They answered the call...we know something great will happen from this." 

For now, the group maintains a Facebook group with more than 1,400 members where fellow activists can network and make plans for smaller cleanup days.

Visit their website at www.powerofpartial.org

Sand Springs Rotary Club hosts local nonprofit organization showcase

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The Sand Springs Rotary Club and the Sand Springs United Methodist Church hosted a nonprofit showcase this past Thursday and dozens of local organizations participated. The free public event included free food and door prizes to help bring public awareness and attention to the organizations and the opportunities for community involvement. 

2 Angel Toy Run is an annual event hosted by Church That Matters in South Sand Springs with the purpose of providing toys for children at Christmas time, as well as scholarships for Charles Page High School students. The Toy Run is held each November. The annual event is named for Hannah Christian and Cassidy Rotramel, two Charles Page High School students who were killed in a motor vehicle accident in 2010. For more information, visit www.2angelstoyrun.com

The Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce is an organization of local businesses, organizations, and individuals working together to bring growth and economic development to Sand Springs. Members meet the first Monday of each month at noon in an open forum at the Tulsa Technology Center. For more information, visit www.sandspringschamber.com

Church That Matters seeks "to be a church that matters to God, each other, our city, and the world." The church has Wednesday evening youth service from 7:00 to 8:30, and three Sunday morning services at 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30. For more information, visit www.churchthatmatters.com

Camp Courage is an independent Christian youth camp located in Owasso and holds traditional camps during the Summer, Spring, and Fall breaks. They also offer a day camp with fishing, hiking, canoeing, paintball, swimming, archery, and more. For more information, visit www.campcourageusa.com

Counseling & Recovery Services of Oklahoma is an outpatient community mental health clinic for adults and children. The organization believes in "treating the whole person," both mentally and physically. They offer adult and children's mental health services, substance abuse assistance, physician visits, pharmaceutical needs, housing, and more. For more information, visit www.crsok.org

Daughters of the American Revolution is a women's only group that works to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. The group meets every third Thursday at 11:30 a.m. at Greentree Retirement Center in Sand Springs. Membership requires that a person be directly descended from a person involved in the United States' struggle for independence, and is only for adults aged 18+. For more information, visit www.oklahomadar.org

Day Spring Villa Women & Children's Shelter provides physical, emotional, Christ-like care to enable women and their children to live God-honoring lives. The shelter accepts any and all victims of domestic violence, human sex trafficking, and more. For more information, visit www.dayspringvilla.com

Hillspring Church is located in South Sand Springs and offers numerous small groups including Kids Outdoor Zone and Zumba. They are also hosting a motorcycle Toy Run on December 3rd at 11:30 a.m. For more information, visit www.hillspring.tv

Junior Achievement of Oklahoma serves K-12th grade students by introducing financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship into the classroom by empowering the students through exciting, hands-on learning experiences. For more information, visit www.jaok.org

Mobile Missions Network is a local organization seeking to meet the needs of mobile home communities in Northeast Oklahoma. Volunteers meet Sunday evenings at the River Oaks, Shannon Valley, and Valley Brook Mobile Communities from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. MMN hosts special events in these communities, including sports camps, bible clubs, and Halloween parties. They also help provide Christmas gifts and help families with light remodeling projects in the area. For more information, visit www.mobilemissionsnetwork.com

Oasis Adult Day Services provides affordable daytime care in a home-like environment for cognitively or physically impaired adults. Oasis has locations at 5525 East 51st Street, Tulsa, and 410 East Lee Street, Sapulpa. For more information, visit www.oasisads.org

Osage Forest of Peace bills itself as an "interspiritual Contemplative Retreat Center." The grounds are open to guests seven days a week with meditation times at 7:00 a.m. and noon daily, plus a 4:45 time on Tuesdays through Saturday. The Forest hosts various retreats and programs, with overnight cabins, meals, yoga classes, hiking, as well as a Zen Garden and labyrinth. For more information, visit www.forestofpeace.org. 

Rotary Club of Sand Springs is the local chapter of a worldwide organization promoting service over self. Rotary believes that service is the basis for success and happiness in business and community life. The local chapter meets ever Friday at 12:00 noon at Broadway Baptist Church. Some of the annual activities sponsored by Rotary include Downhill Derby, the Nonprofit Showcase, a February Chili Cook-off, and a June Bass fishing tournament. For more information, visit www.sandspringsrotary.com

Saint Francis Community Services works toward the recruitment, certification, and retention of quality foster homes in Oklahoma. The organization is not associated with Tulsa hospital, and is corporately located in Kansas. For more information, contact jason.cloud@st-francis.org

Sand Springs Area Support Group for the Visually Limited meets on the third Monday of each month at the Lucile Page Manor Community Room in Sand Springs. The organization helps the visually impaired, and their caregivers, to access resources and creative solutions to overcoming the disability. 

Sand Springs Community Services, Inc. assists Sand Springs area residents experiencing economic crisis in moving forward towards self-sufficiency. For more information, visit www.sscsok.org

Sand Springs Community Thanksgiving Dinner is sponsored by the Sand Springs United Methodist Church, and works to prepare and deliver Thanksgiving meals to Sand Springs and West Tulsa residents. Volunteers meet the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, as well as Thanksgiving day at the UMC Family Life Center. For more information, contact mcreeves@cox.net

Sand Springs Community Theater is dedicated to the exploration and celebration of the performing arts. The company performs three to four shows per year, hosts fundraisers and school workshops, and provides one scholarship each year for a Charles Page High School senior. For more information, visit www.pageplayers.com

The Sand Springs Cultural and Historical Museum is dedicated to the acquisition, preservation, interpretation and exhibition of information and materials related to the history and culture of the Sand Springs community and surrounding area. The museum holds an annual Night at the Museum event the week of Halloween, as well as a Christmas display. The Art of Giving Holiday Open House will be Saturday, December 18th from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 and will feature the Sand Springs Community Band, Sand Springs Service Clubs, and the Festival of Trees in the museum. For more information, contact SSmuseumSS2@gmail.com.

The Sand Springs Education Foundation is a private partner organization of the Sand Springs Public School district and helps provide creative and innovative materials that cannot be funded through local, state, or federal means. For more information, visit www.sandspringseducationfoundation.com

Sand Springs Park Friends, Inc is a fundraising organization for quality of life projects for Sand Springs Parks. For more information, visit www.sandspringsok.org

The Sand Springs Sertoma Club seeks to meet the needs of those impacted by hearing loss and meets each Tuesday at noon at the Sand Springs IHOP. The Sertoma Club sponsors the annual Sand Springs Fireworks show, as well as an annual Murder Mystery dinner. For more information, visit www.sertoma.org

The Sand Springs Symphony League works each year to bring symphony music performances to Sand Springs elementary school students. For more information, contact sandspringssymphonyleague@gmail.com

The Sand Springs Women's Chamber is organized for the purpose of advancing literacy through charitable, civic and literacy programs in Sand Springs. Members meet the second Wednesday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at Case Community Center, September through May of each year. For more information, contact dmyers@mysersmm.com

Sandite Team Animal Rescue (S.T.A.R.) is dedicated to the rescue and care of abused, neglected, and homeless pets. Volunteers work to find homes and foster homes for animals in the Sand Springs pound. They provide veterinary care, spay-neuter services, transportation, and foster care for hundreds of cats and dogs.  For more information, visit www.STARescue.com

Springs, Inc. provides assistance in daily living for people with intellectual disabilities. The organization is committed to the principle of normalization. For more information, visit www.springsinc.org

Salvation Army Boys and Girls Club of Sand Springs is the local chapter of an international organization rooted in Christianity. The ministry seeks to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. For more information, visit www.salarmytulsa.org

Sand Springs Pilot Club, serving the community since 1954

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By: Scott Emigh, Editor-in-Chief

The Sand Springs Rotary Club and the Sand Springs United Methodist Church hosted a nonprofit showcase this past Thursday and twenty-nine local organizations participated. The free public event included free food and door prizes to help bring public awareness and attention to the organizations and the opportunities for community involvement. One of those organizations is the Sand Springs Pilot Club.

Pilot International was founded by Elizabeth Leonard in Macon, Georgia in 1921, and has since grown to include more than 7,500 members in nearly 400 clubs across the globe. One of those clubs is located right here in Sand Springs.

The Sand Springs Pilot Club was first chartered in 1954 and currently meets twice monthly for lunch and to learn about the needs of the community and make plans for meeting those needs.

The club is heavily involved in Sand Springs Public Schools as well as meeting other local needs. Members holds a weekly reading program at Garfield Elementary School, help fund school projects, and give scholarships annually to Charles Page High School students. They also sponsor one girl per year to attend The American Legion Auxiliary Girls State—a nonpartisan program that teaches young women about responsible citizenship and love for God and Country.

Another way the club contributes to the community is with Brain Minders. Pilot Club volunteers visit local elementary schools and daycare centers to teach children about the importance of using proper safety equipment when riding bikes, skateboards, etc.

The club also makes donations to Sand Springs Community Services, Senior Celebration, Sertoma Fireworks Event, Special Olympics, and more.

The local chapter meets on the first and third Thursdays of each month at noon at Crescent Café. For more information, visit www.pilotclubcares.org.