Where’s Michael? July (3 Good Things)

One.  This month, our expression of faith gathers for our first online (digital) General Assembly (July 10-11).  If you can stream your favorite show on your TV, computer, phone, or tablet, you can attend General Assembly.  If you want to experience the diversity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), this is an opportunity.  Technology is amazing.  It can also be isolating, and the temptation will be to join from home alone.  A radio show(1) I listen to talks about how little we mingle with people unlike us.  Church, places of worship, is one of the places where people from different social classes, educational levels, political perspectives, and priorities meet to experience the mystery of God together.  I believe that is the strength of our movement for wholeness in our fragmented world.  Bring your congregation together either in your building or have watch parties in homes.  Get together with another congregation to experience General Assembly and be strengthened for the work of being good news.

Six congregations have graciously opened their doors to Oklahoma disciples to come together for digital General Assembly. If you or your congregation goes to one of these sites (hubs), please, please RSVP so they can plan for your presence.

Edmond, First Christian Church
Saturday Only, 9:30 am–6:30 pm.
Lunch on your own.
Website: fccedmond.org / Contact Rev. John Regan.

El Reno, First Christian Church
Friday: 3:30–6:15 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am–5:00 pm.
Lunch on your own.
Website: fccelreno.org / Contact Rev. Susan Payne or the church office.

Enid, Central Christian Church
Friday: 1:30–6:15 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am–5:30 pm.
Snacks and maybe a lunch on Saturday, depending on the number of people.
Website: centralenid.org / Contact Rev. Ronnie Hopkins.

Norman, First Christian Church
Saturday Only, 9:30 am–6:30 pm.
Lunch on your own.
Website: fccnorman.org / Contact Jeff Champeau or the Church office.

Ponca City, First Christian Church
Friday: 3:00–6:00 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am–5:30 pm.
Lunch can be provided, but please RSVP.
Website: fccponcacity.com / Contact Karen at the Church office.

Tulsa, Harvard Ave. Christian Church
Friday: 1:30–6:45 pm
Saturday: 9:30 am–5:30 pm.
Lunch on your own.
Website: hacctulsa.org / Contact Rev. Whitney Waller Garcia or the Church office.

Two. Our church camp season wrapped up on June 26th. The camp curriculum didn’t cover the flood story, but Junior campers and staff must have thought of it as it rained almost every day of camp. Everyone was safe and adapted to the weather conditions. At CYF Conference, one evening during worship, campers and staff recognized two Regional Youth Council members who graduated (Jonah and Tabitha) and installed six new RYC members who, along with the six returning members, began their service at the end of CYF Conference. And, Water Weekend, sponsored by Texoma Camp Board, was a splashing, tubing, prayerful success (June 26-28).  Read Shannon’s post about camp and visit the Families and Youth page to find links to photos from all the camps.

Three. Mission Trips and Vacation Bible School. Many of our congregations offered VBS or Mission Trips in June. Many more congregations are offering VBS, Mission Trips, or other service learning opportunities this month.  With funding from a Silver Chalice grant, East Sixth Street Christian Church took a group to the First Americans museum in June and will visit the Greenwood Rising museum this month.  The work, service, and learning opportunities our congregations offer are an invitation, though we don’t often think of it that way — an invitation to a different way of living in the world.

Oklahoma Disciples are taking the connections of community out into our fragmented world.

Oklahoma Disciples are practicing ways to equip ourselves and our neighbors for the journey of faith.

Oklahoma Disciples are empowering people through our work and witness along life’s meandering path, nurturing and growing a sustainable faith as we follow the ways of Jesus and proclaim the good news of God.

Your turn.  Email me 3 good things about your congregation’s ministry or your journey in faith.  I’ll pray for you.  Please pray for me.

Thank you for being a voice of gospel. Disciples, you are a blessing.

And one more thing.

Our Nation celebrates 250 years this month.

250 years seems like a long time, and it is, but compared with other Nations, the United States of America is at the edge of adolescence. Do you remember the angst of your pre-teen and teenage years?  As you celebrate July 4th, remember, we, the people inhabiting this land, are striving to be a more perfect union.  History tells the stories of exploitation and compassion that are part of the successes and failures in our striving.  We are old enough to know, discuss, and learn from all the stories.  Not just the ones that make us feel good about ourselves.  There will always be work to do expanding freedom, opportunity, and living peaceably, and that begins with me within my three feet of influence.  When I put on the Ichthus I wear, it reminds me that followers of Jesus do Jesus-like things.  That’s how I want to be known as a Christian living in a secular, multi-ethnic, pluralistic culture with the freedom to worship, or not, without government preference of one faith over another, but a government that maintains and expands equality for all in this land, this Nation that is 250 years young.

I invite you to read the document that set the American experiment in motion.

Declaration of Independence, National Archives, July 4, 1776

Notes

1. Michael Smerconish is on the POTUS channel on SiriusXM and on CNN at 8 am Saturday morning. His, The Mingle Project, is an example of what I think congregational life provides.  Invite someone to church this week and share a pew with them.