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Green Chalice Recognizes Federated Church

Weatherford Federated Church is celebrating its recent designation as a Certified Green Chalice Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Green Chalice recognizes that this church community is living out its faith by caring for God’s creation and leading the denomination and its community in authentic ways.

The Federated Church (Weatherford, OK) began the process by forming a Green Team, consisting of Rev. Kelsey Cobbs, board president Holly Clanahan, Tim and Sara Marie Bodenstein, Gaylene Perry and Marcie Grant. The Green Team then signed the Green Chalice covenant, a promise to make meaningful changes toward sustainability.

Working with the local utility company, the church had an energy audit conducted that identified a number of ways that the Federated Church could become more energy efficient. The most pressing need was to replace an antiquated HVAC unit, which the church was able to do almost completely through denominational grants. Very soon after installation of the new unit, the church’s utility bills were cut dramatically.

Lastly, in April, Rev. Cobbs led the congregation through a month-long sermon series titled “We Are Standing on Holy Ground: A worship series on the creator and a creation in peril.”

This trifecta of awareness, action and prayerful contemplation about how to walk more gently on the earth are worthy of celebration, and the Federated Church pledges to continue working toward better environmental stewardship, one green step at a time.

Weatherford Federated Church sings along with the Psalmist who wrote, “the earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.” (Psalm 24) They invite other congregations to join in caring for God’s creation. Learn more about Green Chalice Ministry.

Earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.

(Psalm 24)

2024-06-25T16:25:39-05:00Jun 4, 2024|Congregations|Comments Off on Green Chalice Recognizes Federated Church

Acting on Opportunities

By Marilyn Bohlender, ODW President

Let’s look at opportunities. In February, we gave an offering for Week of Compassion; they have already reached out to our Oklahoma Region about our storm damaged churches. The opportunity to donate to Week of Compassion is online year round.

Let’s look at the opportunity to go to church. I was reading the most attended Sundays are Christmas, Easter, and Mother’s Day. Another highly attended Sunday is “Bring a Friend Sunday.” How important is it to ask a friend? Did you know someone is more likely to visit a church because a friend invited them! Relationships are important!

I will also ask, ladies are you inviting other women to our events? Bringing others to our events may get them excited about our churches besides being uplifted from the event. If you haven’t already, find out more about upcoming events.

ROSES, June 28-29th, is an event with women from a six state area and held only once every four years.

The NEODW Fall Retreat, Oct 4-5th, is for all women across Oklahoma. We will be adding more.

To keep in the loop, go to Oklahoma Disciples Women Facebook, Northeast Disciples of Christ Women Facebook, sign up for Regional Roundup or go to our Oklahoma Disciples Women page.

Pray for God to give you opportunities and act on those opportunities!

Colossians 4:5 (NIV) Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.

2024-05-06T09:12:41-05:00May 2, 2024|Disciples Women|Comments Off on Acting on Opportunities

Tornadoes Damage Two Oklahoma Churches

04-29-24

We join in prayer and care for all those impacted by the tornadoes this past weekend. Of special concern among our Oklahoma Disciples family are First Christian Church, Sulphur, and First Christian Church, Morris. Both suffered significant damage to their buildings.

Expressions of care may be sent in care of their pastors, Randy Martin (Sulphur) at martins_ada@sbcglobal.net and Tim Craighton (Morris) at tim.craighton@gmail.com.

Monetary gifts to help with recovery may be sent to

  • Week of Compassion designated for “Oklahoma tornado relief”
  • Oklahoma Region designated to our “Oklahoma Regional Disaster Fund”. Give online through Givelify or mail to Christian Church in Oklahoma, PO Box 891140, Oklahoma City, OK 73189-1140

2024-06-25T16:24:52-05:00Apr 29, 2024|Congregations|Comments Off on Tornadoes Damage Two Oklahoma Churches

What do we have to guide us in a spiritual direction?

By Marilyn Bohlender, ODW President

Do I trust my GPS? Recently it gave directions that did not feel right to me. I took a different turn and the words “recalculating” shouted at me.  Actually the path felt right and I did reach my destination!

I wonder if God tries to keep us on track and has “recalculating” moments when we take a different direction. The wise men followed a star to find Jesus. What do we have to guide us in a spiritual direction? We can turn to the Bible; we can pray for wisdom and discernment. Do we listen when we pray? Will God send messages through different means? This is a question many have explored and a question with many different answers.

It has also been my experience that I feel God’s presence when we as Christians gather together. Of course, we gather in church but for the women we have other opportunities to gather together. These events have quality presenters, service projects and the icing on the top is the fellowship and spiritual feeling that happens when Christian women gather.

All these events are welcoming of our church women outside their area. Pray for these events and our women to find a path to attend.

Coming Events

  • CADW at Southern Hills Christian Church, Edmond, April 23rd
  • NE Area Spring Meeting, April 27th
  • ROSES June 28th-29th Note: ROSES scholarships must be received by April 29, 2024

Details Here

Save the Date

  • Oct 4-5, 2024 for NE Fall Retreat; detailed info will come at a later date.

~Prayers and Blessings

Marilyn Bohlender, ODW President

Psalm 25:4 (NIV) Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.

2024-05-02T14:16:12-05:00Apr 4, 2024|Disciples Women|Comments Off on What do we have to guide us in a spiritual direction?

2024 Regional Assembly (On Land) April 20, 2024

Join Us at FCC Stroud

We’re pleased to share that First Christian Church Stroud is hosting our 2024 Regional Assembly on Saturday, April 20, 2024 from 10 am-noon.

Please join us for the biennial business meeting with:

  • Election of new officers for the 2024-2026 term,
  • Approval of the date and location of Regional Assembly 2026,
  • 2023 financial recap,
  • Introduction of Interim Regional Minister Rev. Randy Kuss,
  • Worship featuring Rev. Dr. Nancy Pittman from Phillips Seminary,
    plus fellowship and lunch.

This in-person event will also be broadcast on the Region’s YouTube channel.
Let’s gather Oklahoma Disciples!

Click here to learn more!

What is the Biennial Business Meeting?

The gathering of the 2024 Regional Assembly will include voting delegates from each congregation and Oklahoma’s clergy to participate in the Region’s biennial business meeting. They will vote on the 2024-2026 officers of the Regional Board and the location of the 2026 Regional Assembly. They will also hear Interim Regional Minister Rev. Randy Kuss’ State of the Region address, and receive the Region’s 2023 financial recap.

Registration

$35 Adults – includes lunch
$20 Youth (7-18) – includes lunch

2024-03-27T15:56:03-05:00Mar 27, 2024|Regional News|Comments Off on 2024 Regional Assembly (On Land) April 20, 2024

ROSES! It will be BIG!

We have a new lady at our church ready to serve and be involved. I love new people! They give us fresh energy. She asked, “What is ROSES?” I said it is that big Disciples Women’s event we are going to in June!  When I go to these events, I come back energized, ready to serve and be involved just like a new person.

Save the date June 28-29th for ROSES, an inter-regional Disciples Women event normally held every four years, and in 2024 being held in McKinney, Texas!

ROSES was last held in Tulsa in 2019; it is now Texas’ turn. Well, Oklahoma set the bar high in 2019 and Texas is ready to fulfill their slogan that everything is bigger in Texas!

Their region is actually Texas, New Mexico, and our panhandle. It is called Christian Church in the Southwest. Talk about bigger; they have almost three times as many churches as our Oklahoma Region. Also, Great Rivers Region, the three states to the east of us, is a part of ROSES. In four years, they will have their chance to host.

As I have traveled around Oklahoma, I know we are an awesome group and when we go to McKinney, Texas on June 28-29th, they will know Oklahoma is in the room!

Registration

ROSES registration and details is online at CCSW.org. For now, check out the flyer with three keynote speakers plus other presenters. These are awesome women: one has spirit, another energy, and all will leave you wanting more! You will love how God is using them.

Scholarships

If you act before April 29th, ODW plans on assisting quite a few of our Oklahoma women with LDEF scholarships for the registration fee. Applications must be received by April 29th. The scholarship only pays for registration; you will need to book and pay for your hotel. Click here for details.

Hotels

Everyone needs to book your hotel asap! The hotels will fill up fast as the word gets around about ROSES: It will be BIG!!!

For more information see the Oklahoma Disciples Women webpage or contact Marilyn Bohlender ODW President 580-483-5110

2 Corinthians 5:17(CSB)  Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has come!

ROSES June 28-29, 2024

Visit https://www.ccsw.org/ to Learn More!

2024-04-02T14:56:29-05:00Mar 12, 2024|Disciples Women|Comments Off on ROSES! It will be BIG!

Heart in Your Words

Do your words have heart? Do your words lift others up? Sometimes, even unintentionally, our words have the opposite effect. I ponder on the phrase “Sticks and stones can hurt my bones but words will never hurt me!” Words can hurt! This phrase must have been said to teach us to ignore hurtful words.

In the book of James the small tongue is referred to being like a rudder able to turn a ship. When I was young, after a fight between myself and a sibling, our mom would have us say nice words to each other. It wasn’t easy but these words worked and we were back to playing nicely together.

The power of our words are with us as adults. Pray for God to give you the words to say as you encounter people throughout the day. If you are home by yourself, reach out to others who may need to be lifted up. Lifting others up will inadvertently cause you to be lifted up also!

In this February month, fill yourself with scripture, devotion, singing, prayer, praise and worship. As you become spiritually filled, you will discover your words will have heart!

~Prayers and Blessings,

Marilyn

Romans 5:5 (CSV) …because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us

2024-04-02T14:35:22-05:00Feb 13, 2024|Disciples Women|Comments Off on Heart in Your Words

Rev. Randy Kuss Named Interim Regional Minister

February 5, 2024

The Executive Committee is pleased to announce the selection of Rev. Randy Kuss as the Interim Regional Minister. Randy will begin serving on February 15, 2024. He was chosen from a field of highly qualified candidates because of his administrative, programming, and pastoral gifts.

Clergy may reach out to welcome Randy via email starting on the 15th at rkuss@okdisciples.org.

We look forward to his leadership and participation in Regional activities!

Rev. Michael Oberlender, Regional Moderator

Rev. Randy Kuss

Listener • Storyteller • Song-leader • Photographer • Fisherman • Woodworker

Memphis native Rev. Randy Kuss is a 5th generation Disciple, whose grandfather and pastor was Rev. Dr. T. O. Slaughter. Randy is an ordained Disciples of Christ minister with 50 years of experience in congregational, regional, denominational, and ecumenical ministries including a special focus on Youth, Young Adult, and Outdoor Ministries. Those ministries included service with Oklahoma churches in El Reno, Yukon, Burlington, and Ponca City while pursuing degrees from Phillips University and Phillips Theological Seminary.

He retired in 2023 from service with Geist Christian Church in Indianapolis and with Disciples Home Missions. Randy looks forward to returning to Oklahoma to serve as Interim Regional Minister through this in-between time.

Randy most enjoys gathering folk together to hear what is going on in their ministries and helping them discover directions for their journey and resources in their midst to nurture them along the Way.

Randy is married to Rev. Deb Strock-Kuss, who also retired in 2023 from service as Associate Minister with Geist Christian Church, and they have two children. Randy and Deb will reside in Edmond.

FUN FACT: Randy once auctioned off his beard at a teen summer camp in Colorado, raising $1000 to support a camp for economically disadvantaged children.

2024-02-05T12:09:42-06:00Feb 5, 2024|Regional News|Comments Off on Rev. Randy Kuss Named Interim Regional Minister

Last Word from Regional Minister Holt

[Rev. Dr. Todd Adams, Pension Fund, presents the Retired Minister Pin to Regional Minister Pamela Holt accompanied by her husband Randy Holt.]

February 12, 2024

This article is to be the “last word” from me to you. My call to serve as your Regional Minister draws to a close on February 29th when I enter into the season of retirement. Since coming to the Region of Oklahoma in January of 2015, it has been a joy and a privilege to serve alongside all clergy in their respective ministry sites, all congregations, and the Boards I served on, as well as with the remarkable Regional staff. Together, we have accomplished a lot of ministry over these nine years, and I am taking many memories with me.

I am deeply grateful for all who contributed to the wonderful worship service on February 3rd celebrating my ministry. Thank you to First Christian Church, Norman, for hosting. Thank you to David Spain for sharing remarkable prophetic words, the Chancel Choir for singing, John Clinton who stepped in at the last minute to direct the choir, Jenifer Buyten who played the organ and piano, Jeff Champeau for technology, Dave Saunders, Alison Lawler, and Jim Gasaway who ushered. Thank you to Josh Bell, Terri Hord Owens, Todd Adams, and Nancy Pittman who said very kind words. Thank you to Terri Hord Owens, Michael Oberlender, and Milton Bowens for presiding at the communion table.

Thank you to Michael Oberlender and Stacy Minnick for the surprise oil painting. And thank you to Michael Oberlender, Stacy Minnick, Colton Lott, and Ellen Spleth for organizing the service. A huge thank you to Josh Bell and his team for the delicious barbecue meal provided by the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation, the slide show prepared by Ellen Spleth and Michael Davison, and to FCC Norman members Pam Spain, Jim Gasaway, and Donna Brown for cleaning up afterwards.

Thank you to all who attended for this celebration in person or online and for the cards of blessings. I am truly grateful and humbled.

Upon my departure, the Region is inviting congregations to consider a contribution in honor of my ministry. These funds will be divided into two ministries which are so important to my heart: Clergywomen and Children and/or Youth. I am a clergywoman, and I entered ministry through the camping ministry as an adult. I have always been troubled by the story from the Gospel of Matthew recounting the feeding of the crowd of five thousand, “not counting women and children.” I want women and children to count, and I want to honor their hearts, minds, and most importantly, their voices. Thus, a portion of these funds will be directed to the Rev. Pamela & Randy Holt Endowment Fund held by the Christian Church Foundation to support the camping ministry in Oklahoma and the Southwest Regions, and a portion of these funds will be directed to the Scott & Mona Baird Endowment Fund held by the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation to support clergywomen in Oklahoma. Thank you for sharing in this passion.

I am grateful that the Executive Committee called Rev. Randy Kuss to serve as the Interim Regional Minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma who begins on Thursday, February 15th. I am very excited about this call and for you to meet him and welcome him into this vibrant Region. I will encourage him to learn all the words to “Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain . . .”!

May God’s blessing of love and grace continue to be upon you all. And may you continue to strive for loving and serving your neighbors, all your neighbors, in the name of Jesus Christ.

Always praying for peace and God’s Grace,
Pamela Holt

2024-02-12T14:24:47-06:00Feb 5, 2024|Regional News|Comments Off on Last Word from Regional Minister Holt

Immigrants: Helping the Least of These

Rev. Mary Heath
Chair, Refugee & Immigrant Ministries
Oklahoma Region

It was 32 degrees, and the wind was blowing when we arrived in Del Rio, Texas, at 7:30 am. It is late December 2023 at Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition. Del Rio is a busy border town halfway between Brownsville and El Paso, Texas, and the bus was full of families released from detention. Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition had 1,172 assists during the three days another volunteer and I worked with them. We are helping as representatives of the Oklahoma Region’s Refugee and Immigrant Ministries Commission.

The sun was barely up and the first bus of the day was already in the parking lot. I wondered how early and dark and cold it was when the occupants had to get out into the cold weather to board. I had wool socks and sneakers yet I could not feel my toes for most of the day each of the three days. I had three layers and a thick scarf. I started out freezing but after greeting the first bus of families each day, I forgot about myself.

We decided to allow the newly paroled men, women, and children to wait inside the bus while we worked to get everything set up rather than have them stand in the cold. We put out the industrial-sized outlets used for phone charging, pulled out the trash cans, opened the bus ticket room, and bring out boxes of snacks for breakfast. After exiting the bus, everyone gets in line to have their wrist bracelets cut off, the tags on bags removed and receive a snack. We will soon have orientation.

Destination Unknown

Many people arrive and have no idea where they are. When we tell them they’ve arrived in Del Rio, Texas, they still have no idea where this is. It is difficult to make travel arrangements when you do not know where the detention bus has brought you. We show them a map of the U.S. and point out Del Rio.

Orientation consists of telling the families their options: get a Greyhound bus to their destination, get a ticket on the charter bus to San Antonio to an overnight shelter, or take the state-run bus to a destination city.

Feeding & Clothing Those in Need

As families try to eat and make travel arrangements volunteers pass out the winter items and toiletries. Many people show up in this very cold weather without coats, hats, gloves, and shoes. We distribute every single winter item collected by Oklahoma Disciples from my fully stuffed mid-sized SUV.

We place mismatched toddler socks on the hands and feet of infants and toddlers whose parents held them out to us. We give out socks to men, women, and children who were wearing only flip flops on their feet. We offer shoestrings to those who had shoes but had the shoestrings taken during detention.

Volunteers try to notice specific needs; while doing this one grandmother has arrived in a sleeveless blouse and capri pants. A father with an infant and a three-year-old is wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He has a mylar blanket around him, but it is hard to hold it around himself and his baby at the same time. It is even more difficult when he is shivering. And on this day, for some reason, several middle-age to senior-age women have ankle monitors.

Mothers and fathers are given diapers and wipes, and they are shown the changing tables. Coats, hoodies, blankets, backpacks, socks and shoes are distributed in between bus arrivals.

An Unclear Future

Some days three or four buses arrive here, some days more. Because there is no overnight shelter in Del Rio, everyone needs to get somewhere else, but several cannot. They either do not have the money, or a contact that can help. Some are waiting for another family member to arrive who was separated during either the trip across or in detention. It is difficult to explain to a family they must move on without their loved one and try to meet elsewhere. There is no way of knowing when their loved one will be released or where they will even be taken. Several families stay overnight out in the cold. They use boxes from the trash and the playground climbers as protection from the cold. We hand out Cup-O-Noodles to those who spent last night outside.

After the last bus for the day has arrived, and everyone has been handed the lunch snack, the operation shuts down. The women selling tickets for the charter buses for San Antonio lock up and leave. Several people have not had the opportunity to make travel arrangements but the organization must lock up and leave even though people are still there in the open-air park pavilion. Unless other individuals or churches bring food, there is no dinner. Porta-potties are available, but there is no running water. There are no beds. There is no clean water to mix for baby formula or to drink. Unless it is Sunday, the day starts all over the next morning.

How Might YOU Help?

We left each afternoon knowing we did all we could but feeling as though we have not done enough. Every day there and every day since the Gospel keeps running through my mind: when we feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, visit the sick and imprisoned, and welcome the stranger, we have done the same for Jesus.

Another drive to Del Rio is scheduled for mid-February 2024, and we could use your help. You may still donate items needed: coats and jackets in all sizes for men and women, socks and mittens for infants and toddlers, shoelaces in red, black, gray, and white.

Monetary donations for the trip are also very appreciated. You may make donations to Disciples Christian Church by mail (1400 NW 178th St., Edmond, OK 73012) or online through Givelify, please specify it is for Refugee and Immigrant Ministries.

AND pray. Pray for better systems of immigration, humanitarian efforts, and all the tragic causes of immigration and asylum seekers.

Please do not believe everything you hear in the news. If you would like to know more about the issues and conditions on the U.S./Mexico border, you may contact Rev. Mary Heath at revmaryheath@att.net.

2024-12-05T14:07:58-06:00Feb 5, 2024|Mission|Comments Off on Immigrants: Helping the Least of These
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