The church has always relied on men who could be counted on to carry out important matters discreetly and competently. In I Cor. 16:3 Paul refers to such men who were to safely transport a money gift from the Corinthian church to the church in Jerusalem, some 800 miles away:

  “...When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem…”

It’s interesting to note that Paul never mentions who these men were in later  references. These were the solid men who quietly cared for the church’s  business and needs without fanfare or drama.

We are blessed to have many such men in our congregation who work behind the scenes to guarantee  that the many needs of the body are met in an efficient and humble manner usually requiring personal sacrifice in time and effort.  Although we rarely point out these men for praise or thanks, it is only fitting that we recognize them when they are at the point of laying down their tasks after a long period of service.

Allen Arnold, deacon, and church treasurer, responsible for managing the  finances for the Choctaw congregation over the last 14 years has advised the elders that he is stepping down as a deacon and thus will be relinquishing his duties. Allen and Barbara live in north Edmond and are both finishing doctoral studies this year thus making the commute to services and the time to carry out his duties as treasurer extremely difficult. In his role as financial manager, Allen has guided the congregation through challenging times and brought us to a point where our bookkeeping methods have been streamlined and our indebtedness has steadily been reduced. We owe him a debt of gratitude for both his  willingness to serve and the great expertise he has brought to the task.

We are happy to note however that he and Barbara say that they will continue to attend despite the long commute and the demand of their PhD programs (he in education, she in nursing). I suppose the loss of our treasurer is offset by the fact that we will gain not one, but two doctors!