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Puppets of Praise
Ministry
The POPs puppet team is a ministry
of Tulsa Christian Fellowship that provides an opportunity for young
people to be trained in service and outreach using puppetry and
performance arts. POPs’ goal is to share the good news of the love
of God and the gift of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ, and
to encourage believers in their Christian faith.
 | Pops attended One Way Street’s Regional Puppet Festival on March 12-13 in Kansas City, Missouri. On Friday the team competed in the puppet song competition using the song “Everybody Praise Now” done with our own creation of “Spring Bob” puppet in blacklight, which is manipulated by five guys at once. The team was very thrilled to receive a gold award (highest rating), an Outstanding Choreography award and the Peoples Choice Award for that performance.
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Outreach
POPs does outreach and street ministry
at orphanages, children’s shelters, nursing homes, schools,
churches and more. POPs provides training for churches desiring to
begin a puppet ministry. (See POPs history.) Team Members
POPs is led by Patty Eland, TCF’s
children’s ministry director, and Sarah Wright.
Dawn Ferrill helps at ministry events.
They are assisted by student leaders
Brian Beck and Nathan Sheppard. Other team members are:
Trey Burgard, Anna Clutter, Michele
Ferrill, Micah Morris, Mandy Miller, Grace McEndarfer, Rachel
Sheppard, and Nicholas Woodard. (POPs is still blessed by help from
Ethan McEndarfer and Jonathan Beck who are trying to retire from
POPs!)
 | Back L to R - Patty Eland, Nathan Sheppard, Micah Morris, Grace McEndarfer, Brian Beck, Rachel Sheppard, Mandy Miller, and Sarah Wright.
Front L to R - Nicholas Woodard, Anna Clutter, Trey Burgard, and Michele Ferrill.
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 | Kenya Team Summer 2009. Back L to R - Ethan, Jon, Kevin, Nathan, and Tim. Front L to R - Brian, Patty, Rachel, Sarah.
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Want to see Pictures from the POPs Kenya trip? Click Here
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For more information on scheduling POPs for your next event, contact Patty Eland by email or call TCF at 918-587-2400.
POPs History Highlights:
1999 God birthed POPs in the
hearts of Patty Eland and Sarah Wright and ten young people (ages
twelve to fifteen). Though the group has changed members over the
years as youth mature and move to college and other ministries, POPs
members continue to share God’s love wherever He opens the doors.
2001 San Pedro Sula, Honduras
POPs traveled to Honduras where they ministered in
orphanages, churches and in street ministry.
2003 San Pedro Sula, Honduras
POPs again traveled at the invitation of host church, Amor
Viviente, to train their young people in puppetry and drama. The
Honduran puppet team established at that time, La Visión, continues
the ministry there.
(Note: Sarah Wright lived in San Pedro
Sula, Honduras for two years, from 2004-2006, perfecting her Spanish
and teaching. She also served as a missionary in the Amor Viviente
church and lead their puppet team during that time, as well as
trained other teams in puppetry.)
2003 Featured performers at
One Way Street Puppet festival in Tulsa, Oklahoma
2004 Presented a demonstration
workshop at the International Puppetry Festival in Kankakee, Illinois
sponsored by One Way Street.
2006 Featured performers at
One Way Street Festival in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
2009 Kakamega, Kenya POPs
was part of TCF’s mission to Kenya. The POPs team trained over
thirty members from AFCEA Ministries in puppetry and ministered in
many outreaches to schools and on the street. The new Kenya POPs team
is continuing to use the puppets in evangelistic outreaches. |
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