CCOK301, Author at Christian Church in Oklahoma

Fall 2022 Annual Fund Encourages Generosity

Greetings Faithful Disciples!

Thank you for your generous giving to the Regional Church! We are always grateful for your financial support that helps our Region equip and empower Disciples to tell this amazing story of God’s love and grace, which is for everyone.

Below is a glimpse of how your gifts are working for congregations and clergy to make a difference in simple and profound ways. You may see more of the Region’s activities by browsing our website or our monthly Regional Roundup newsletter. (You may sign up here)

Fall is an exciting time for your congregations with outreach into your local communities: backpack blessings, teacher blessings, Pride activities, planning for Fall festivals and Pumpkin Patches, as well as new bible studies and retreats. Thank you for loving your church. Soon we will be preparing for the holy season of Advent and Christmas!

Remember, we are in mission and ministry together, and we cannot do this ministry without you! So we are inviting you to prayerfully consider a monetary gift to the Regional Church Annual Fund. Please click this secure link to give online, or return your gift in the envelope we mailed to you recently.

Note: If you have a retirement account where you are required to take a distribution, you may make a charitable donation directly from your “required minimum distribution.” Please contact a financial advisor to learn more and if eligible, please include the Christian Church in Oklahoma as one of your gifts.

Peace and God’s Grace,

Pamela G. Holt, Regional Minister

CCOK3012022-10-06T11:31:33-05:00Oct 6, 2022|Regional News|Comments Off

Demolition of Iconic FCC OKC Building

A Pastoral Letter from the Regional Church:
Years to Build, Hours to Demolish

A Community Service of Remembrance and Hope
upon the demolition of the iconic building of
First Christian Church Oklahoma City

Sunday, October 2, 2022 at 4:00 pm

at Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma
The Disciples Center
301 NW 36th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73118

On Monday, September 26, 2022, the iconic sanctuary built and owned by First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Oklahoma City was demolished. This demolition was surprising, shocking, and unbelievable to many. And yet, over the years this sacred space had become an unhealthy building with more overhead than First Christian Church of Oklahoma City could manage. Interestingly, this building took years to build and only hours to demolish.

As you know, this demolition was quickly reported in the media who primarily focused on the generosity of the congregation to open the space back in 1995 to serve as the gathering space for the families of the Murrah bombing victims. This is a significant part of this building’s story, but not the only story.

Over the years, the unique building of First Christian Church has been a sacred place of worship. It is a place where members and friends have come to sing and praise God, to pray for the sick and the vulnerable, confident that no prayer would go unheard or unanswered, to hear and be transformed by a Good Word from the Lord, to gather around the Lord’s Table every week and to receive God’s grace and mercy.

This sacred space has served as a gathering place over the years for families to celebrate baby dedications, baptisms, graduations, weddings, and funerals, as well as installations of new ministers, and ordinations of clergy. This space has been a place of faith formation with members as well as gathering the entire Region of Disciples of Christ in Oklahoma for our Leadership Training School and for Regional Assemblies. This building has been very visible to the community in its iconic structure, and it has drawn the community into its Jewel Box Theatre for amazing musicals.

Six years ago, First Christian Church listed their entire property, 31 acres, for sale on the commercial market. Only then did they realize the community impact. There was mighty opposition from a segment of the community who desperately wanted to save the iconic architecture and design and did not want anyone who purchased the property to demolish the building.

As of this date, the property has not been sold. Over the years, this building has become a heavy burden with maintenance and upkeep, and very costly to the worshiping community of First Christian Church. Thus, the congregation decided to undertake the demolition, knowing the impact this destruction would have on so many people’s hearts and memories.

To honor this difficult time and to recognize the surprise, shock, anger, dismay, and deep grief, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma, also known as the Regional Church, will be hosting a Community Service of Celebration of Remembrance and Hope on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at 4:00 pm on the grounds of the Disciples Center located at 301 NW 36th Street, OKC. This is the building just east of First Christian Church.

We lament the unique, iconic building is gone, but the joy of remembering is always with us. Please join us as together we grieve and invite the Holy Spirit to bless whatever will rise next from this sacred ground.

Peace and God’s Grace,

Rev. Pamela Holt
Regional Minister

View a video from ABC affiliate KOCO 5 about the service.

CCOK3012022-10-06T11:37:50-05:00Sep 27, 2022|Regional News|Comments Off

Going Digital!

In November of 2023, the Lease Agreement between OKC First Christian Church and the Disciples Center comes to an end, and the Disciples Center will revert back to OKC First Christian Church. This has been a long-held relationship between the two. For sixty years, the Disciples Center has been the home of the Regional Church, Oklahoma Disciples Foundation, Oklahoma Conference of Churches, and Oklahoma Interfaith Alliance, working together to share space, collegiality, and oftentimes collaboration.

As this Lease Agreement comes to an end, that means that all four entities will be transitioning to other locations some time in 2023. This does not mean that our collegiality and collaboration will go away, just the shared space!

Over the 60 years, the Regional Church has collected many, many, many paper files such as Official Board Minutes, Financials, Clergy Files, Congregational Files. Over the summer, the fabulous staff has been going through files, cleaning them out, in preparation for all of our files to be scanned and digitized into a database. It has been and still is an overwhelming process.

We have secured the services of eFileCabinet for our digitized filing system, and plan to do the scanning in three to four phases. Last week, the first phase began. We boxed and shipped to the scanning company in Utah all of our active “clergy and congregation files.” The team there is in the process of scanning our documents and uploading them into the system so we can have access. It is a remarkable process and also requires us to re-imagine our thinking and workflow processes! All of the Regional Church files should be in the new system by the end of 2022. This will allow us to significantly reduce our square footage for a future space.

After the first of the year, we will also need assistance in packing what we need to keep and selling the remnants. The Regional Church Board is on task to help! After the first of the year, there will be a sign-up schedule for volunteers!

We will keep the Region posted here on our ongoing office transition! Thank you for your patience and your prayers as we continue to do our work in the midst of all of this.

CCOK3012022-09-08T13:58:41-05:00Sep 8, 2022|Regional News|Comments Off

30th Annual Dinner for OK-Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty

The Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty gathered on August 20th for their 30th annual dinner. The Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene hosted the dinner and the event featuring keynote speaker Shane Claiborne. Several Disciples of Christ were present including Rev. Don Heath, Chair of the OK-CADP, Rev. Pamela & Randy Holt, Rev. Dwayne & Ye’Maya Rodgers, Rev. David & Cherie Wheeler, Rev. Marilynn Knott, Pastor Israel Hogue, and two tables of members of OKC Simplicity Church.

Learn more about the Oklahoma Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty on Facebook or on the OK-CADP website.

Israel Hogue and OKC Simplicity CC members

Guests at the 30th Annual OK-CADP Dinner

Guests at the 30th Annual OK-CADP Dinner

Guest Speaker Shane Claiborne at 30th Annual OK-CADP Dinner

l-r David & Cheri Wheeler, Don Heath, Pamela & Randy Holt

What do Disciples of Christ believe about the death penalty?

Over the years, the sense of the Disciples of Christ assemblies have opposed the death penalty. Here are the Resolutions from past general assemblies: 0324, 9131, 8554, 7534, 7344.

25 Months. 25 Scheduled Executions

Oklahoma currently has 25 people on Death Row. Executions are scheduled for the next 25 months, and their names are listed below. Copied from Death Penalty Information Center.

James Coddington (August 25, 2022; Oklahoma County) experienced poverty, trauma, and abuse from the time he was born. He has severe mental illness and drug addiction, and immediately expressed profound remorse for killing a friend while in the throes of a crack-cocaine binge. Executed on August 25, as scheduled. Executed August 25, 2022

Richard Glossip (September 22, 2022; Oklahoma County – Rescheduled to May 18, 2023) maintains his innocence in the 1997 murder-for-hire of Barry Van Treese. An independent investigation found that police urged the perpetrator to say Glossip paid him to kill Van Treese. A box of evidence was destroyed, at the order of Oklahoma County prosecutors, before Glossip’s second trial.

Benjamin Cole (October 20, 2022; Rogers County) has brain damage and has been diagnosed with severe and chronic schizophrenia with catatonia. His attorneys have initiated proceedings to have him declared incompetent to be executed. Executed October 20, 2022

Richard Fairchild (November 17, 2022; Oklahoma County) experienced repeated head trauma as a teenager and has schizoaffective disorder. Evidence of his brain damage, which impaired his impulse control, was never presented to his jury. Executed November 17, 2022

John Hanson (December 15, 2022; Tulsa County) has multiple mental illnesses, brain damage, and autism. He was manipulated by his co-defendant, whose death sentence was overturned and is now serving a life sentence.

Scott Eizember (January 12, 2023; Canadian County) Executed January 12, 2023

Jemaine Cannon (March 9, 2023; Tulsa County. Rescheduled to July 20, 2023) was allowed to represent himself at trial, despite his severe mental illness.

Anthony Sanchez (April 6, 2023; Cleveland County, Rescheduled to September 21, 2023)

Phillip Hancock (May 4, 2023; Oklahoma County. Rescheduled to November 30, 2023) says he killed in self-defense, but his trial court refused to admit evidence relevant to his self-defense claim. His trial judge has been disqualified from multiple criminal cases due to her pro-prosecution bias.

James Ryder (June 1, 2023; Pittsburg County) has untreated paranoid schizophrenia. His jury heard no evidence of his illness, even though his delusions directly contributed to the crime. The District Attorney says that if she had known how severely mentally ill Ryder was, she would not have sought a death sentence.

Michael Smith (July 6, 2023; Oklahoma County) has lifelong documented intellectual disability, but was denied a hearing on the issue. He was 19 years old at the time of his arrest.

Wade Lay (August 3, 2023; Tulsa County) has schizophrenia, but his trial judge allowed him to represent himself without ever having him evaluated by mental health professionals.

Richard Rojem (October 5, 2023; Washington County)

Emmanuel Littlejohn (November 2, 2023; Oklahoma County) has lifelong brain damage as a result of his mother’s alcohol and drug abuse while pregnant. His jury did not hear evidence of his brain damage or his childhood of neglect and trauma.

Kevin Underwood (December 7, 2023; Cleveland County) has autism spectrum disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and bipolar II disorder, none of which were presented to the jury.

Wendell Grissom (January 11, 2024; Blaine County) has severe brain damage resulting from oxygen deprivation at birth and traumatic brain injuries during childhood. His brain damage affects his impulses and explosive behaviors, causing an otherwise non-violent person to commit a single crime for which he immediately showed great remorse.

Tremane Wood (February 8, 2024; Oklahoma County) was represented by an attorney who was addicted to cocaine, alcohol, and prescription pills at the time he represented Wood. The attorney presented no evidence in Wood’s defense. Wood was a lesser participant in a murder committed by his older brother, who confessed to the crime and is serving a life sentence.

Kendrick Simpson (March 7, 2024; Oklahoma County) has PTSD as a result of the trauma he experienced as a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. His trial court refused to admit evidence of his mental illness.

Raymond Johnson (May 2, 2024; Tulsa County) “is a devout Christian whose Indiana church deeply values his role in the life of their congregation.”

Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez (June 6, 2024; Oklahoma County) experienced sexual abuse, poverty, and homelessness during his childhood in Cuba, leaving him with PTSD and brain damage.

James Pavatt (July 11, 2024; Oklahoma County) is an 18-year Air Force veteran with no prior criminal record before the crime for which he was sentenced to death, where it is disputed whether he or his co-defendant was the shooter.

Clarence Goode, Jr. (August 8, 2024; Tulsa County) was sentenced to death while his co-defendants, who may have been the actual shooters, received life sentences.

Ronson Bush (September 5, 2024; Grady County)

Alfred Mitchell (October 3, 2024; Oklahoma County)

Marlon Harmon (December 5, 2024; Oklahoma County) was neglected and sexually abused during his childhood. His victim’s family did not want the death penalty, but prosecutors intentionally kept that information from the jury.

CCOK3012023-01-26T11:47:10-06:00Sep 8, 2022|Regional News|Comments Off

Regional Church Board Meeting Recap August 20, 2022

The Regional Church Board met on Saturday, August 20, 2022. For our newly elected board members, Regional Minister Pam Holt provided an orientation which included the Regional Church’s Purpose, Board Member Responsibilities, and our work together in Covenant both financially and in ministry.

Pam also reported that despite the cultural, political, educational, and pandemic challenges of ministry in Oklahoma, there are some exciting and new ministries emerging. Associate Regional Minister Michael Davison reported on the success of summer camp and anticipating the Intersections Trip to Washington, DC.

The Board received an update from Jacqueline Bass, the First Vice Moderator and General Board Representative, on the 2024 Regional Assembly at Sea. Because the cruise lines will be releasing their 2024 summer calendars in November we cannot get too many details yet. However, Jacque will be ready to negotiate some details as soon as she can.

The Board ratified the Executive Committee’s selection of new Commission on Clergy members and the Release of the Region’s interest in the Deed of Broken Arrow Fellowship Christian Church.

We received the Financial Reports given by Robert O’Kelley and celebrated the generosity of congregational giving to Disciples Mission Fund. The Regional Church Board will meet again in November of 2022 to receive reports and to approve the 2023 Budget.

Who is on the Regional Board? Click here!

CCOK3012022-09-07T16:11:37-05:00Sep 7, 2022|Regional News|Comments Off

The Covenant Project Requests Your Input

How To Participate

The Covenant Project is exploring changes in how we gather and how we make decisions as church so that more people are included in shaping the priorities of the church.

Over the course of the summer and early fall of 2022 the church – congregational pastors, chaplains, elders, church boards, regional boards and congregation members – are invited participate in digital town hall meetings.

The Covenant Project is an initiative of the Governance Committee at the direction of the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Read an overview of the project.

Key Areas

Two key areas of change being discussed include:

Moving the General Assembly to a three-year cycle, including a hybrid meeting to include both in person and online attendance.
Transitioning the General Board to a reduced size to become a working board that meets more frequently than once a year. It would consist of board members mostly at-large and selected by the nominating committee for essential skills and experience while reflecting the diversity of the church.

Digital Town Hall Meetings

The Covenant Project town hall meetings aim to provide education around proposed changes, foster conversation and create opportunities for feedback. Town halls will last an hour and consist of a 30-minute presentation by Rev. Terri Hord Owens and other members of the governance committee, followed by Q&A. They are being held July through September 2022.

REGISTER HERE: Town Hall Schedule and Registration Links

Message from Your Regional Minister

I am writing to explain a bit about where the General Church is and hopes to go with us. In 2019, under the direction of the Governance Committee, they developed a plan called “The Covenant Project to strengthen the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ): to be more connected, to be in deeper conversation, and to reaffirm our covenantal relationship with one another and God.

The first step was the development of the Covenant Curriculum, a small group resource for congregations to explore their identity as covenantal partners in the wider church. If you have not seen this curriculum, please look at it. And, please think about utilizing this curriculum this fall. I hope that after many of our Oklahoma congregations complete the study and conversations, that we can somehow have a recognition and service of covenant as we do this ministry together.

The second step is happening now. It is called “The Covenant Project”, and it is a process to review “the Design of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)” to explore how the church’s structures and practices might shift to better serve the church. Part of this project is to engage members of all our congregations with “town hall” meetings for feedback and insight. We now have the capacity to do this online so that many of us across all regions can learn and participate. This will give the Governance Committee and the General Board an opportunity to review the proposed changes at the 2023 General Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky. This will also give us the opportunity to know what all this is about BEFORE we get to General Assembly in Louisville, Kentucky.

Michael Davison and I will be attending a Town Hall Meeting ourselves, and we hope you will not only join us, but that you will invite your church leadership to join you so that we can all participate and learn and grow together.

Peace & God’s Grace,

Pamela Holt, Regional Minister

CCOK3012022-08-08T16:02:55-05:00Aug 8, 2022|Regional News|Comments Off

Spring 2022 Installations & Ordinations

Rev. Sondra Ladd was installed as Sr. Minister at First Christian Church Stillwater on January 9, 2022

Rev. David Wheeler was installed as Sr. Minister at New Covenant Christian Church, Oklahoma City on May 8, 2022

Alexis Villafane Englebrecht installation

Rev. Alexis Villafane Engelbrecht was installed as Sr. Minister at First Christian Church Claremore on May 22, 2022

Rev. Shane Hickey was installed as Sr. Minister at First Christian Church Broken Arrow on June 5, 2022

Rev. Vera Porter was installed as Sr. Minister at University Place Christian Church, Enid, on July 3, 2022

Nancy-Hodgkinson-Ordination-2022_500x375

Rev. Nancy Hodgkinson was ordained at
Southern Hills Christian Church, Edmond on April 23, 2022

CCOK3012022-07-07T10:08:17-05:00Jun 23, 2022|Clergy News|Comments Off

Fall 2021 Clergy Installations

Rev. Ron Motley was installed as Sr. Minister at West Side Christian Church, Duncan on October 24, 2021

Rev. Stephen Johnson was installed as Sr. Minister at First Christian Church Ponca City on November 14, 2021

Rev. Jan Osborn was installed as Co-Pastor at West Point Christian Church, Yukon on November 28, 2021

CCOK3012022-06-23T15:39:11-05:00Jun 23, 2022|Clergy News|Comments Off

Pentecost Sunday Celebrations

By Regional Minister Pamela Holt

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place . . .

Pentecost was an exciting Sunday in Oklahoma. Michael and I noticed and participated in many congregations across our region celebrating the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. We are grateful to see such renewed energy and spirit among Oklahoma Disciples.

On the morning of Pentecost Sunday, I had the honor and privilege of worshiping at Broken Arrow First Christian Church. It was particularly moving because on this Sunday, four congregations became one family, and we installed Rev. Shane Hickey as the minister.

You remember that Rev. Glenn Davis died at the end of 2021 which left Broken Arrow First without a minister. Broken Arrow Fellowship sold their building to the school district, and they agreed to merge with Broken Arrow FCC. Owasso Disciples had already begun to worship with BA Fellowship so they came along too, also selling their building. And New Life Fellowship Christian Church is an Ethiopian congregation nesting in Broken Arrow FCC. These four congregations made a covenant to unite as the family of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Here’s the litany:

Leader: On this day of Pentecost we celebrate the Spirit of God being poured out on us.
All: We are also here today to celebrate the coming together of our brothers and sisters in Christ to become one family.
Leader: Into this family comes First Christian Church, Fellowship Christian, Disciples Owasso and New Life Fellowship.
All: We have all come together to worship God, to work to fulfill the ministry of Jesus Christ and to empower not only each other with the Holy Spirit, but empower all who enter these doors to be the church we are called to be. We are all now the family of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), the one, whole body of Christ forever! Amen.

Near the communion table was a small table adorned with four taper candles and a unity candle. At the end of the litany above, a representative of each congregation came and together each lit the unity candle symbolizing the covenant of love and serving together. Following this covenant, we installed Rev. Shane Hickey as the pastor of Broken Arrow First Christian Church. It was a moving and memorable morning.

On the evening of Pentecost Sunday, I traveled from Broken Arrow over to Mustang for another moving and memorable fellowship dinner and worship experience. Three of the four congregations in Canadian County came together for a Pentecost gathering: El Reno FCC, Yukon West Point, and Mustang FCC. With joy, these Disciples gathered for a meal and conversation and then gathered in the sanctuary for singing and preaching. Rev. Dr. Lisa Barnett preached a wonderful sermon on the Holy Spirit’s presence in the early years of Disciples at Cane Ridge. The offering collected was designated to treat our summer camp counselors.

. . . They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Pentecost was a good Sunday! May the Spirit continue to be upon us all.

Regional Minister Rev. Pamela Holt installing Rev. Shane Hickey at First Christian Church Broken Arrow.

Shane-Hickey-installation-06-05-22-candles

(pictured l-r) Pastor Lisa Wynn, West Point; Regional Minister Rev. Pamela Holt; Rev. Colton Lott, FCC El Reno, speaker Rev. Dr. Lisa Barnett, Phillips Seminary; and Pastor Randy Martin, Mustang CC.

CCOK3012022-06-14T08:55:11-05:00Jun 13, 2022|Congregations, Pamela Holt Blog|Comments Off

Congregations Donate to Support Oklahoma Afghan Refugees

Oklahoma Disciples Response to our Afghan Neighbors in Need

Our Oklahoma Disciple churches are working in different ways to meet the needs of our Afghan refugees who are now a part of our communities! Here are just a few.

First Christian El Reno collected serving trays, tea kettles, tea sets, and teacups and made a cash donation for other essentials.

Crown Heights Christian Church collected toiletries for families.

Southern Hills Christian Church and their Child Development Center collected new socks and undergarments for women, children, and men.

New Covenant Christian Church donated funds to purchase youth clothing that was desperately needed.

Volunteers from New Covenant CC, Southern Hills CC, Western Oaks CC, Edmond Trinity CC, and our Regional staff moved and sorted donations at from November ‘21 to March ‘22.

New Donation Center Open at New Covenant CC

The Oklahoma Region now has its own donation center! The New Covenant Closet is now open and taking donations to distribute to our refugee and immigrant neighbors in need. Donations of clothing, shoes, household items, and toys are accepted Tuesdays from 1:00 to 5:00pm. Items must be dropped off to a volunteer at the door on the northeast corner of New Covenant Christian Church located at 12000 N. Rockwell Ave., Oklahoma City.

New Covenant Closet needs clothing racks, hangars, tables, and shelves to help with the sorting, and of course, you! If you would like to volunteer your valuable time to this ministry, please contact Jerry Parrott at 405-401- 2295.

The following items are needed immediately for our Afghan neighbors:

Large pressure cookers, crockpots, serving platters, mixing bowls, pizza pans, skillets, stock pots with lids, and tea kettles.

Baby items, strollers, swings, bathtubs, play stations, and diapers of all sizes.

Be a part of a wonderful new ministry and give our neighbors a big Disciple welcome!

CCOK3012022-06-13T12:30:36-05:00Jun 13, 2022|Congregations|Comments Off

CCOK301

About CCOK301

A Pastoral Letter from the Regional Church: Years to Build, Hours to Demolish

What do Disciples of Christ believe about the death penalty?

25 Months. 25 Scheduled Executions

How To Participate

Key Areas

Digital Town Hall Meetings

Message from Your Regional Minister

Rev. Sondra Ladd was installed as Sr. Minister at First Christian Church Stillwater on January 9, 2022

Rev. David Wheeler was installed as Sr. Minister at New Covenant Christian Church, Oklahoma City on May 8, 2022

Rev. Alexis Villafane Engelbrecht was installed as Sr. Minister at First Christian Church Claremore on May 22, 2022

Rev. Shane Hickey was installed as Sr. Minister at First Christian Church Broken Arrow on June 5, 2022

Rev. Vera Porter was installed as Sr. Minister at University Place Christian Church, Enid, on July 3, 2022

Rev. Nancy Hodgkinson was ordained at Southern Hills Christian Church, Edmond on April 23, 2022

Rev. Ron Motley was installed as Sr. Minister at West Side Christian Church, Duncan on October 24, 2021

Rev. Stephen Johnson was installed as Sr. Minister at First Christian Church Ponca City on November 14, 2021

Rev. Jan Osborn was installed as Co-Pastor at West Point Christian Church, Yukon on November 28, 2021

By Regional Minister Pamela Holt

Oklahoma Disciples Response to our Afghan Neighbors in Need

New Donation Center Open at New Covenant CC

A Pastoral Letter from the Regional Church:
Years to Build, Hours to Demolish

Rev. Nancy Hodgkinson was ordained at
Southern Hills Christian Church, Edmond on April 23, 2022