CCOK301, Author at Christian Church in Oklahoma

April 23: Statewide Conversation with Family Communities

Do you have questions about the Coronavirus and the impact on faith communities? Are you wondering how your faith community should respond, or how to care for others while protecting yourself? How do you address the fears and anxieties associated with the virus?

The impact of this virus on our faith communities is very real and serious. Faith communities need the facts to make the best decisions possible to care for their congregations. As the chairperson of Oklahoma City-County Health Department’s Faith-based committee of the Wellness Now Coalition, I have brought together OKC-County Dept. of Health, Tulsa County Dept. of Health, the State Dept. Of Health and the American Heart Association to do a presentation for clergy and faith communities along with an opportunity for questions and answers.

You are invited to attend but must RSVP by contacting [email protected] to receive the Zoom link for the live broadcast next Thursday, April 23 at 3pm.

Be sure to send your questions along with your RSVP. Click HERE to view the flyer.

Hope you can join us on Zoom for this important conversation,

Blessings,

Daniel U’Ren

CCOK3012020-04-29T13:36:22-05:00Apr 22, 2020|COVID-19 Resources|Comments Off

Thinking of Returning to Worship?

During a Zoom call last week, Oklahoma Governor Stitt announced to a group of faith leaders that he determined that May 3rd, is the day that houses of worship could begin welcoming people for “in person” worship. He encouraged social distancing.

As you plan, prepare, produce, and pray this week, Pam Holt and Michael Davison invite you to meet with colleagues for a conversation. We will discuss things to be thinking about IF AND WHEN you intend to return to the sanctuary for worship and church for other activities. We’ll consider some questions and ideas for guiding your congregation to return to gathering for worship.

You may access the planning document HERE.

Michael and Pam are leading two opportunities for clergy to meet: April 21 and April 23. Information to connect to the conversation can be found on the Christian Church in Oklahoma Disciples Clergy Facebook page, a place for our clergy with standing to discuss theology, biblical issues, share joys, concerns, and prayer.

CCOK3012020-04-22T11:08:26-05:00Apr 21, 2020|COVID-19 Resources|Comments Off

Radio Easter Worship from SW Clergy

Radio Broadcast of Easter Services 2020

Provided by Oklahoma’s Southwest Clergy

The Clergy of Oklahoma’s Southwest Congregations are pleased to provide this pre-recorded radio broadcast of Easter Sunday Worship Service. It was produced by KBZQ Radio (99.5 FM Lawton) in coordination with Rev. Chuck Pettigrew. (Used with permission of KBZQ Radio, 99.5 FM).

Order of Worship

PART 1

Introduction – Rev. Chuck Pettigrew, Liberty Heights CC, Lawton

Welcome – Regional Minister Rev. Pamela Holt

Opening Hymn – Poem/Recitation “Praise for the Pandemic”, Christine Valters Painter

Call to Worship & Invocation – Rev. Jason Williams, FCC Thomas

Hymn – “Jesus Christ is Risen Today”, King’s College Choir

Children’s Story “The Twelve Easter Eggs” – Joan Roberts, FCC Frederick

Hymn – “Risen”, Shawna Edwards & Children’s Gospel Choir

Pastoral Prayer – Pastor Jim Roberts, FCC Frederick

Hymn – “Praise to the Lord The Almighty”, Westminster Abbey Choir & Congregation

PART 2

Meditation “Death and Burial” – Rev. Michael Oberlender, FCC Chickasha

Hymn – “How Great Thou Art”, Vince Gill & Joy Foster

Part 3

Meditation “Christ’s Birth & Resurrection Reflection” – Rev. Paul and Sage Appleby, FCC Lawton

Hymn – Excerpt from Resurrection Medley “Were You There?”, Willow Springs Community Church Praise Singers

Communion Devotion – Rev. Arnold Nelson, FCC Duncan

Hymn – “I Remember”, House of Peace Worship

Offering Devotional – Regional Minister Rev. Pamela Holt

Hymn – “In Christ Alone”, Steph McLeod & Celtic Praise Band

Benediction/Sending Forth – Rev. David Wheeler, Federated Church, Weatherford

Closing – Rev. Chuck Pettigrew, Liberty Heights CC, Lawton

Worship – Part 1

Worship – Part 2

Worship – Part 3

CCOK3012020-04-10T15:00:18-05:00Apr 9, 2020|Livestream Church|Comments Off

4.19.20 Moving to Easter with Passion and Compassion by Regional Minister, Pamela Holt

Compassion asks us
to go where it hurts,
to enter places of pain,
to share in brokenness, fear, confusion, and anguish.
Compassion challenges us
to cry out with those in misery,
to mourn with those who are lonely,
to weep with those in tears.
Compassion requires us
to be weak with the weak,
vulnerable with the vulnerable,
and powerless with the powerless.
Compassion means
full immersion in the condition of being human.

~ Donald McNeill, Douglas Morrison, and Henri Nouwen, Compassion

Rarely do I weep in worship. On Palm Sunday, as we watched several worship services from our living room, I was so moved, I wept. Our clergy spoke words that were filled with compassion and passion about Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem, the crowd gathered, and their cry, Hosanna, which means “save us.” Jesus, save us. Yes, Jesus, save us all!

As we continue walking with Jesus this holy week, may we find strength in the one who leads us, and who stays focused on the journey, and who continues to gather disciples around the table, and who suffers and dies for us. On this journey with Jesus, may we continue to stay connected to each other and with the biblical stories that each day of this Holy Week brings, and may we keep our hearts and minds fixed on Jesus. This week has traditionally been one of the most difficult weeks in the Christian story with the death of Jesus. And it is especially challenging when news feeds tell us that this week could be one of the most difficult weeks to endure in reference to the consequences of COVID-19. Here’s what we know, though. Jesus does suffer and die. But on Sunday, from the story in the Gospel According to John, Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb to discover it is empty. Weeping and confused, a man in the tomb interrupted her grieving and inquired, “Why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” There is uncontainable joy when Mary Magdalene realizes this man is Jesus, and she exclaims, “I have seen the Lord!” This is the Lord who comes to be fully immersed with us in our humanness. He comes with deep and abiding compassion to share in our brokenness, fear, confusion, and anxiety. He comes to sit with us in our sickness, to mourn with us in our loneliness, and to weep with us in our deep sadness. He comes to bring us joy and new life!

While our sanctuaries may be empty this Easter Sunday, our clergy will speak once again words of compassion and passion. In our hearing and participating via live stream, may our hearts be full knowing that Jesus, in all his compassion, will speak to each of us with an abundance of love, grace, mercy, and hope. May it be so!

Rev. Pam Holt, Regional Minister

CCOK3012020-04-07T11:43:09-05:00Apr 7, 2020|Regional News|Comments Off

Interfaith Prayer on March 30, 2020

In response to COVID-19, the Interfaith Alliance of Oklahoma called for a time of prayer for Oklahoma faith communities on March 30, 2020. The following faith leaders joined together in prayer:

Rabbi Abby Jacobs, Interfaith Alliance & Emanuel Synagogue

Rabbi Vered Harris, Temple B’nai Israel

Rev. Kayla Bonewell, Church of the Open Arms, and Cathedral of Hope

Deacon Bill Gordon St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church

Chris Peters, Dharma Teacher, the Dharma Center

Rev. Shannon Fleck, OCC

Father Joseph Alsay, St. Augustine of Canterbury

Scott Harvey, First Unitarian Church of OKC

Terri Angler, Baha’i Faith of Edmond

Rev. Daniel U’Ren, Western Oaks Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

Imam Imad Enchassi, ISGOC

Saurabh Singh, Sikh Gurdwara of Oklahoma

Rev. Aaron Bolerjack, First Church of the Nazarene OKC

You can watch the video in its entirety here https://www.facebook.com/rev.daniel.uren/videos/10222032543391277/

CCOK3012020-04-07T09:29:32-05:00Apr 6, 2020|Regional News|Comments Off

Creavitity Abounds: This is What Love Looks Like Right Now!

Anna Hubbard, Minister at First Christian Presbyterian Church in Pryor, created this video by asking colleagues to submit photos of their empty sanctuaries. Out of the photos, she created a moving video entitled “Empty Sanctuaries. Right now, this is what LOVE looks like . . .” Loving our neighbor and friends and families by staying at home and worshiping on-line. Even though watching this video is emotional, I know your sanctuary looks like this out of our love for one another.

CCOK3012020-04-10T14:53:39-05:00Apr 6, 2020|Congregations|Comments Off

Congregations Are Eligible for the CARES Act

April 3, 2020

Colleagues & Congregational Leaders,

Good Morning. This is a glorious and cold Friday morning in Oklahoma, but this email brings some important news regarding the CARES Act.

The CARES Act Payroll Protection Program (PPP) is to help prevent employees from losing their jobs, and is designed to assist non-profit organizations which include churches, pre-schools, and schools with loans to be an immediate cash infusion for payroll costs, group health care expenses, interest on any mortgage obligations, rent, and utilities (electricity, gas, water, telephone, internet). There is a forgiveness element to the loan. The loan becomes a grant if used within the specified time frame of funding. Your church is eligible to apply for this Payroll Protection Program. Click here to read how to apply through Disciples Church Extension Fund.

I participated in the webinar from Church, Law & Tax yesterday and am providing you some important information regarding this part of CARES Act. Eric Gray from Oklahoma Disciples Foundation has also provided some resources. Eric Gray, Michael Davison, and I will be available to help you through this process. Do not hesitate to call us.

After reviewing the documents below, invite the appropriate person in church leadership to complete the application and apply directly with your bank, which needs to be an SBA lender. This will take some work in completing the form, gathering documents, achieving the appropriate approval from the church Board, but it is vital to your church. The time to apply for this loan is limited.

Week of Compassion is instituting a grant program, Household Solidarity Grants for Income Loss, to help respond to critical economic needs during the COVID-19 outbreaks in the US and Canada. We are coordinating this program along with other General Ministries to help Disciples individuals and families during this pandemic. Access to the application is below.

Household Solidarity Grants for Income Loss are available to Disciples of Christ congregations on behalf of members and pastors who are experiencing significant financial hardship. Eligible households must have lost wages due to COVID-19 (illness, protective social measures, or reduced hours/gigs) and must not be eligible for state unemployment insurance (USA) or the GSTC (Canada). Additional funds are available for households that do not qualify for federal stimulus benefits. (This application is also in Spanish and Korean should you need it.) For more information, email Week of Compassion at [email protected]

Please call us if you need assistance or have any questions.

Peace,

Rev. Pamela Holt

Resources
We created a folder that contains all the forms/applications listed below so you can download them. Click here to access the folder.

CARES Act Interpretation by Disciples
General Unit Presidents Gary Kidwell, Rick Reisinger and Todd Adams have provided some interpretation of the US Federal disaster bill, CARES Act. PDFs of all their work can be found at this link (under “financial considerations” on the COVID-19 page): https://disciples.org/dns/disciples-and-covid-19/#financial

Week of Compassion
WOC Income Loss Grant Application

SBA Link
https://content.sba.gov/sites/default/files/2020-04/PPP–IFRN%20FINAL.pdf

BOK Documents provided by Oklahoma Disciples Foundation Regarding PPP
BOK Check List for Documents
PPP Eligible Loan Amount
PPP Forgivable Calculation
PPP Is My Business Eligible

National Council of Nonprofits Summary Regarding PPP
CARES Act Loan Options for Nonprofits

Application to apply for PPP
PPP Borrower Application

501c3 Verification
You will need a 501c3 letter with the various US federal programs requiring proof. Please email directly to [email protected] so the letter can be sent directly to you.

Governing Documents
Please review your congregation’s governing documents, Constitution & ByLaws for how to hold a Board meeting. If there is no provision for the Board to act electronically or in a crisis, here is what the State of Oklahoma says about action by a Board without a meeting.

In the State of Oklahoma from Articles of Incorporation
Here are relevant portions of 18 O.S. Section 1027 providing for action by a Board of Directors (or other governing body) without a meeting.

F. Unless otherwise restricted by the certificate of incorporation or bylaws:
1. Any action required or permitted to be taken at any meeting of the board of directors, or of any committee thereof may be taken without a meeting if all members of the board or committee, as the case may be, consent thereto in writing or by electronic transmission, and the writing or writings or electronic transmission or transmissions are filed with the minutes of proceedings of the board or committee; and the filing shall be in paper form if the minutes are maintained in paper form and shall be in electronic form if the minutes are maintained in electronic form; and any person whether or not then a director may provide, whether through instruction to an agent or otherwise, that a consent to action will be effective at a future time (including a time determined upon the happening of an event), no later than sixty (60) days after such instruction is given or such provision is made and such consent shall be deemed to have been given for purposes of this subsection at such effective time so long as such person is then a director and did not revoke the consent prior to such time; and any such consent shall be revocable prior to its becoming effective;

G.
2. Except as may be otherwise provided by the certificate of incorporation, the provisions of this section shall apply to such a corporation, and when so applied, all references to the board of directors, to members thereof, and to shareholders shall be deemed to refer to the governing body of the corporation, the members thereof and the members of the corporation, respectively; and all references to stock, capital stock, or shares shall be deemed to refer to memberships of a nonprofit nonstock corporation and to membership interests of any other nonstock corporation.

CCOK3012020-04-07T12:55:53-05:00Apr 6, 2020|COVID-19 Resources|Comments Off

Introducing COVID-19 NBA Response Grants

Updated 04-08-20 To offer a rapid and impactful response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the NBA Board of Trustees has authorized grant funding to support Disciples-related ministries that are working locally in response to this crisis. With this funding we seek to offer relief to ministries that have been detrimentally impacted and to support new projects created in service to those suffering because of the pandemic.

The legacy of the National Benevolent Association is rooted in compassionate response to health, social service, and community justice needs since our founding. Our mission is to accompany one another in the creation of communities of compassion and care, and to advocate for the well-being of humanity. In this ever-changing new era of health crisis, we at NBA hear God’s call to care, and we are moved to action.

Over three grant cycles, the NBA will provide grants of $1,000–$15,000 to eligible Disciples-related health and social services ministries and projects that are experiencing adverse effects related to COVID-19. Ministries may apply to each of the three grant periods, with a capped maximum award of $30,000 per ministry.

Below, please find information and links for the new grant program.

NBA grant webpage and online application is here: https://www.nbacares.org/covid-19-grants. From this page, visitors can download the information in Korean or Spanish.

NBA email newsletter about the grants is available here: https://mailchi.mp/nbacares/covid-19-nba-response-grants

A brief description of the COVID-19 NBA Response Grants program:  To offer a rapid and impactful response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the National Benevolent Association is offering grant funding to support Disciples-related ministries that are working locally in response to this crisis. With this funding we seek to offer relief to ministries that have been detrimentally impacted and to support new projects created in service to those suffering because of the pandemic. All Disciples-related health and social services ministries and congregation-affiliated projects in the United States and Canada are invited to apply. Eligible applicants must demonstrate in detail their financial need for support related to COVID-19. For more information and to apply, visit NBAcares.org/covid-19-grants.

Click HERE to go to the NBA website and learn more about the available grants.

CCOK3012020-04-08T14:07:38-05:00Apr 6, 2020|COVID-19 Resources|Comments Off

Update on Canadian County Lenten Worship Series

Under the inspiration and direction of Rev. Colton Lott, Senior Minister at First Christian Church of El Reno, the five Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) congregations in Canadian County planned a coordinated series of Lenten events to benefit tornado and flood victims in Canadian County. “We still have improper housing following the May 2019 tornadoes and floods,” said Rev. Lott. “Our goal was to raise $2500 to help our neighbors.” This effort was in partnership with the Week of Compassion. First Christian Church of El Reno has been designated a Disciples Volunteering/Week of Compassion mission station in 2020. They will help coordinate volunteers in Canadian County, from around the state and country, to work in Canadian County this summer.

Congregations involved were First Christian Church of Calumet, First Christian Church of El Reno, First Christian Church of Mustang, First Christian Church of Yukon, and West Point Christian Church of Yukon. Special worship services on Sunday evenings were planned throughout the five Sundays in March. Each service was to be preceded by meal at 5 pm and contributions collected on each of the Sundays were to go toward the relief work.

Unfortunately, only two Sunday services were held before the COVID-19 crisis put a stop to large gatherings, including a Spring Break “at home mission trip.” However, $1416.66 was collected toward the outreach effort. While COVID-19 has put much uncertainty, groups are still scheduled to come and labor this summer from places like Indianapolis, Kansas City, and from Fort Worth.

Locally, there has been discussion about the possibility of continuing Lenten worship as Canadian County annually. For more information, contact Rev. Lott at [email protected].

Click HERE to read the original article about Canadian County Lenten Workship and view pictures.

CCOK3012020-04-06T10:04:51-05:00Apr 6, 2020|Congregations|Comments Off

First Christian Church – OKC Moves Out of Iconic Building

The Oklahoman published an article about First Christian Church OKC on April 2nd. Click HERE to read the entire article.

Article by Carla Hinton, The Oklahoman on April 2nd:
Photo taken by drone by Dave Morris.

The iconic church building at NW 37 and Walker Avenue soon will be empty.

This week, the First Christian Church of Oklahoma City (Disciples of Christ) congregation is moving into another structure on the church’s property at 3700 N Walker Ave.

And, the church building — with its distinctive egg-shaped dome — is still for sale, said the Rev. John Malget, First Christian’s senior minister.

“We were going to have the last service in the church building on Palm Sunday (April 5) and the first service in the new location on Easter, but things changed,” Malget said.

“Things have just slowed down. That’s just part of what’s happening right now.”

The congregation voted in October 2019 to relocate and close the preschool affiliated with the church. Malget said the church office and worship space will be in the building that formerly housed the preschool. He said the structure was originally the church’s youth center.

Meanwhile, at the time of the relocation vote, the church board decided to end the Jewel Box Theatre’s season after its production in December 2019.

This week, Malget said Jewel Box, a ministry of the church, would be moving to the same building as the church. He said the theatrical company would continue with a new director, Darron Dunbar. Jewel Box Theatre is Oklahoma City’s oldest continuously operating community theater.

First Christian put the historic building on its sprawling property up for sale about 3 1/2 years ago.

In 2019, Malget said the church’s cost of upkeep and utilities had become overwhelming and the congregation needed to move even though the property hadn’t been sold.

Historic preservationists had expressed concerns that a new owner might demolish the unique building on 31 acres in a prime spot just west of Interstate 235.

Then a reprieve seemed likely.

Preservationists and the First Christian congregation thought the building would be purchased by Crossings Community Church, a far north Oklahoma City megachurch whose leaders had expressed interest in it. On Easter Sunday 2019, Crossings’ leaders announced their hopes to purchase the building for use as a Crossings’ satellite.

By that August, however, that proposal had fallen through.

Crossings leaders said costs to renovate the landmark church building exceeded their initial expectations and the church would not purchase the First Christian building.

First Christian opened in the 1950s, led by popular preacher Bill Alexander. At the time, it was one of the largest congregations in the metro area but, in recent years, the size of the congregation has dwindled.

Click HERE to read the entire article by Carla Hinton, The Oklahoman

CCOK3012020-04-06T09:14:25-05:00Apr 6, 2020|Congregations|Comments Off

CCOK301

About CCOK301

Radio Broadcast of Easter Services 2020

Provided by Oklahoma’s Southwest Clergy

Order of Worship

PART 1

PART 2

Part 3

Worship – Part 1

Worship – Part 2

Worship – Part 3