Leading Through Transition: Ministry in Transition Training
A training is available October 1 – 3 in Augusta, Kansas to learn how to lead your church during interim times, in times of crisis or transition. To register click HERE.
Sept. 19: FCC Stillwater Hosts “Ecumenical Social Justice” Event
On Wednesday, September 19, First Christian Church Stillwater and Stillwater World-Wide welcome Rev. Shannon Fleck, Executive Director of Oklahoma Conference of Churches to host the Ecumenical Social Justice Event for Refugees, Immigrants and Dreamers. To read more about this event click HERE.
For more information contact Cara Beer at 405-624-9549
Job Posting: Director of Disciples Men
Disciples Home Missions and the Office of Disciples Men would like to share with you a position description for the newly posted position of Director of Disciples Men.
Application instructions are included within the description HERE. Please call Kelly Harris at (317) 713-2666 with any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
Oct. 26 – 27: Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) Workshop at Western Oaks Christian Church
Western Oaks Christian Church (8100 NW 23rd, Oklahoma City, OK) is hosting a two day ASIST (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training) workshop on
Friday, October 26 & Saturday, October 27, 2018 designed to prepare participants to perform suicide intervention (from recognizing warning signs all the way through safety planning).
The goal of this training is to equip members of our communities with real time skills to recognize, directly ask, and skillfully intervene and assist people, who are having suicidal thoughts and/or plans, to find a “turning point” whereby reason for living is seen, acknowledged, and a plan of safety developed.
It is not a treatment plan or a form of counseling, rather it is an evidence-based model that anyone can use to reduce suicidality and start the conversation toward safety.
Friday October 26: Register 4:30pm / Training 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Saturday October 27: Check-in 8:30am / Training 9:00am – 4:00pm
The tuition is $60 (cost of materials). Some scholarships are available. CEUs are available.
We invite and encourage other churches / organizations throughout the Region to host a two day ASIST workshop or minimally a safeTALK workshop (this half-day training is designed to alleviate the taboo of speaking about suicide; to recognize, directly ask, and refer people with suicidal thoughts to intervention resources).
Contact Cecilia Tolley at 405.513.1334 for further information, registration, or workshop planning.
Sept. 15-16: FCC Edmond Hosts Mindfulness & Contemplative Practice Workshop with Dr. Andy Fort
The Adult Education Team of First Christian Church of Edmond is excited to welcome back Dr. Andy Fort on September 15-16, 2018. Andy will lead us in conversations around mindfulness and contemplative practice.
Andrew O. Fort (Ph. D., University of Pennsylvania) is Professor of Asian Religions (emeritus) and Green Emeritus Tutor at TCU. He has published extensively on aspects of Hindu thought and issues concerning teaching, particularly contemplative pedagogy. He founded TCU’s Contemplative Studies initiative in 2012, and has been on the steering Committee of the Contemplative Studies group at the American Academy of Religion.
Fort has been executive director of the Council of Societies for the Study of Religion and chair of the editorial board of Religious Studies Review. He was president of the Southwest Commission on Religious Studies and received its John. G. Gammie Distinguished Scholar Award.
At TCU, he was longtime faculty chair of its award-winning Hunger Week, has been chair of the Faculty Senate, and has won a number of teaching awards, including Mortarboard’s Top Prof and the Deans’ Award for Teaching. He is currently President of the Board of the Tarrant Area Food Bank. He has been to India numerous times, and has also visited China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and Turkey.
The schedule of the weekend is as follows:
September 15 (Open to Public)
9:30am – First Presentation: What is mindfulness, and what is its value today?
10:45am – Second Presentation: Contemplative Practice in a Group Setting
Noon – Lunch Break
1:30pm – Contemplative Exercises
September 16 (Open to Public)
10am – Panel Discussion: Contemplative Practices
For more details please contact First Christian Church Edmond at 405.341.3544
Aug. 26, 2018: Greenwood Cultural Center Presents “Tulsa 21: Black Wall Street” Play
The Greenwood Cultural Center’s newly formed Theater Company cordially invites your congregation to “Tulsa 21” a theatrical presentation of the worst day in history of Tulsa, Oklahoma, The Tulsa Race Massacre.
When: August 26, 2018
Where: Greenwood Cultural Center 322 N. Greenwood Ave, Tulsa, OK
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Cost: $10 Cash
This is an original theatre production about the history of Tulsa’s Black Wall Street, the 1921 Massacre, and the current experiences of Tulsa today as a result of this history. The play weaves the narrative of the historical account of the Massacre with true stories of people who live in Tulsa today. These stories were collected in the summer 2017 and are told by a company of all-black actors living in Tulsa. The historical stories were collected by Mary E. Jones Parrish in 1921 just weeks after the disastrous event. All stories are based on factual archival research found in newspapers, TU, and OSU-Tulsa.
The play is written and directed by Tara Brooke Watkins, a native of Tulsa, Oklahoma currently working on a Ph.D. in Theatre and Performance Studies at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.
All the actors and actresses are Tulsa residence. Please announce this play to your congregations and encourage attendance.
Regional Board Orientation
“Called to connect, equip, and empower D(d)isciples of Christ in Oklahoma”
The Regional Church Board gathered on August 4, 2018 at First Christian Church, Moore for orientation. We played purposeful and prayerful group building games, learned about the “Marks of a Faithful Region”, the new Constitution & Bylaws, the Regional Church’s mission & vision, and its priorities for the next year. We met the Regional staff and their responsibilities. We discovered how the Regional Church is funded from congregations (Disciples Mission Fund); individuals (Annual Fund & Special Offerings); endowments and special gifts (congregations and individuals). In closing worship, we were anointed, fed, and blessed for this ministry that we do together with our Region and for our Region.
Meet your Regional Church Board:
Moderator, Tom Stanley (FCC Cherokee) / Moderator-Elect, Jacqueline Bass (Wildewood CC) / Vice Moderator, Brandon Johnson (FCC Lawton) / Secretary, Brenda Denson (Pine Street CC) / Treasurer, Jeff Champeau (FCC Norman) / Personnel Chair, Hank Leonard (Harvard Avenue CC) / Officer at Large, Shannon Fleck (Southern Hills CC) / NW Area Moderator, Ronnie Hopkins (FCC Woodward) / NE Area Moderator, Kevin Howe (Harvard Avenue CC) / Central Area Moderator, Steve Chambers (New Hope CC) / SE Area Moderator, B.J. Gensic (FCC Ardmore) / SW Area Moderator, Jason Williams (FCC Thomas) / Commission on Clergy, Larry Willis (FCC Norman) / Commission on Evangelism, Mary Beth Becker (Simplicity) / Commission on Laity, Shannon Cook (FCC Norman) / Commission on Faith in Action, Marilynn Knott (Crown Heights CC) / Commission on Children, Youth & Young Adults, Sally Wheeler (FCC Arnett) / Member At-Large, Anna Davis (FCC Pond Creek) / Member At-Large, Andy Shelton (FCC Durant) / Member At-Large, Kathy Standridge (FCC Sulphur) / Regional Youth Council, Taylor Puckett (Forest Park CC Tulsa) / Disciple Men President, Inman Jones (Wildewood CC) / Disciple Women President, Marilyn Bohlender (FCC Lawton) / Regional Minister, Pam Holt / Associate Regional Ministers, Leslie Dotson and Michael Davison
Job Posting: Male Vocalist at FCC El Reno
First Christian Church El Reno is looking for a male vocalist for their praise band. See the attached job description HERE.
Another Successful Caminante Mission Trip Completed!
We are pleased to report eleven people from the Region traveled to the Dominican Republic in late July to work in Caminante’s annual Summer Community Fair. The fair served 300 children, ages 5 to 15 years old, along with over 50 Caminante staff and community volunteers. The mission trip participants included six college students and three Disciple ministers. Thank you for all of the prayers while this group was traveling.
In 2019, we hope to have two mission trips to Caminante. One trip would be in late July to work in Caminante’s Summer Fair. The other trip would be in late March/early April to visit with children in Caminante’s homework rooms. This trip will be educational in nature. Partial scholarship and fundraising help is available for interested participants.
Call Don Johnson for information about Caminante or the upcoming mission trips. 580-402-2612
Job Posting: Admin Assistant at Phillips Theological Seminary, Tulsa
Phillips Theological Seminary is looking to quickly fill an Administrative Assistant position. Please see the job description HERE.
The position is 30 hours a week (8am – 3pm) with full benefits. If you know of a good candidate, please have them send a cover letter, resume, and a list of references to our HR Director, Gwen Derrick gwen.derrick@ptstulsa.edu.