Michael Davison, Author at Christian Church in Oklahoma

Hopeful Covid-19 News and Returning to Worship

Several congregations have asked the Regional Office to provide some guidance on returning to in-person worship. I am delighted to suggest some guidelines for your leadership to consider as you make plans.

The Oklahoma State Health Department is reporting lower numbers for COVID-19 positivity rates and hospitalizations. Let’s just pause and celebrate that for a moment! Sadly, the COVID-19 deaths in Oklahoma and nationwide are still very high.

Also, the Oklahoma State Health Department is reporting that 17% of the Oklahoma population has been vaccinated for COVID-19! Another moment to pause and celebrate!

This week, another level of the population is eligible to be vaccinated: teachers and persons with co-morbidities. Pending vaccine supply, the state should be able to move through this segment of the population rather quickly.

Despite this good news, here is the link to the CDC Guidelines for Faith Communities, updated on February 12, 2021. The CDC Guidelines are continuing to invite all faith communities to be VERY cautious, and in fact continue to recommend on-line worship or outdoor worship.

With this information from the CDC, and as the coronavirus numbers trend down and the vaccination numbers trend up, we do not want to rush. However, I believe it is a good time to begin considering plans to return to in-person worship. If you have already returned to in-person worship, I trust you are continuing to practice all safety protocols. If you have not yet returned to in-person worship, your church members might be more than wondering when in-person worship will be possible. Also, please take into consideration your perspective and comfort level as the shepherd of the flock.

Wherever your congregation is on the grid, here are some suggested questions for discussion among your leadership, remembering that best practices are still wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance.

What does the current CDC Guidelines recommend?
What does our church insurance provider recommend?
What is the positivity rate of COVID-19 in your community?
What are the hospitalizations of COVID-19 in your community?
What is the positivity rate of COVID-19 variant in your community?
How many church members are fully vaccinated? Will just vaccinated members be returning for a first phase? Or will all be invited to return allowing members decide what is best for their safety & well being?
What parts of worship should still be restricted? Singing. Passing the Peace. Passing the Offering Plate and Communion. Hugging/Handshaking.
What is a target date to begin in-person worship? Still hard to determine but we are getting closer!
Should safety protocols continue for in-person worship? Absolutely. Wearing masks, washing hands, watching distance (6 ft).
Will your congregation continue on-line worship? I hope so!
Lastly, what crisis will determine a need to return to on-line worship only?

First Christian Church Norman

In Person Worship Protocols

Now that the church has returned to in-person worship at both the 8:40 and 10:45 services, we continue the following protocols that are to be strictly observed…

*Masks must be worn over the mouth and nose at all times when in the church building.
*Greeting one another must be done from a distance and without physical contact.
*Extended conversations are to be held outside the church building.
*Maintain safe distancing (at least 6 feet) in the pews between households.
*Hymns, liturgies, prayers are to be hummed and/or spoken very softly.
*Please wash hands and wipe down surfaces in the bathroom after use.
*If you have been engaged in high-risk activities such as large gatherings, have been instructed to quarantine or isolate, or have been identified as a close contact of an individual with COVID-19, please do not attend worship in person.
*If you are considered at high risk for a severe COVID-19 infection (with health conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, chronic lung disease, immune deficiency, or needing supplemental oxygen), please do not attend worship in person. In addition, it has been found that individuals over age 65 are at higher risk for a more severe infection.
*Even those who have received both vaccines must follow the above protocols to ensure maximum safety for all those participating in worship in the sanctuary.

Michael Davison2021-03-08T08:02:42-06:00Mar 8, 2021|Congregations, COVID-19 Resources|Comments Off

March Prayer with Global Ministry Partner Phyllis Byrd

Merciful God, we look for your strength and guidance at a time when the whole wold is affected by Covid-19. We pray for the vulnerable members of society, who are most impacted by the virus.

We lift up the member os the world family who are:

homeless,

refugees,

migrants,

We bring to you all who are sheltering at home; especially those for whom home is dangerous because of violence. We pray for all who are living in areas in the world where healthcare is not available or affordable. We pray for those who don’t have access to running water, for farmers, and all other essential workers.

God of new things, we come to you during such a kairos moment in history. We come at a time when the universal Church is being called out of the ineffectual retreat that some have found comfortable. We are called out of the echo chambers of our coffee hours and from the endless sound/fee god documents we produce, to a deeper reflection of the meaning of the cross in this day and time.

We are being called to move beyond the pageantry of Easter to the revolution it ignited in the world. Transforming God, we are in desperate need of the stimulus check. Stimulate us with fresh and new articulation which will lead your children to action. Revive your church, to a 365-days-a-year Pentecost experience. A Pentecostal experience which will blow away the spirit of complacency and stimulate the whole church to be Spirit-driven and cross-shaped. Blow upon your church as we boldly participate in confronting the evil powers of poverty, injustice, greed, and inequality and work to build a more just human community.

Finally, O God, we don’t want to go back to normal, we stand open to your metanoia, a change in the mindset in our life. We pray these things in the name of your Son, our liberating Lord and Savior.

Amen.

Michael Davison2021-03-08T08:00:27-06:00Mar 8, 2021|Mission|Comments Off

Summer Camp Update #4

We are excited to announce Mission Camp: Enid!

Our friends at Reach Beyond Mission have decided to cancel their multi-state program for this summer. We understand and keep this quality, Disciples related organization in our prayers. We had planned for Mission Camp Road Show to travel to Albuquerque with Reach Beyond Mission. Instead, twenty-four (24) youth will be welcomed to Central Christian Church in Enid for a week of learning about food insecurity in Enid and serving our food insecure neighbors in Enid and Garfield Co.

Rev. Tom Stanley (Minister at Central CC Enid) will direct Mission Camp and work with = six (6) adult counselors. Like our other camps, they will blend play, prayer, study, worship, and SERVICE each day of this unique opportunity. You can download the flyer and registration is OPEN!

Register for summer camp Here, or visit the Families and Youth webpage to learn more.

Michael Davison2021-03-05T10:15:40-06:00Mar 5, 2021|Youth|Comments Off

What will it be like?

“Count me in.”
That’s the opposite of, “count me out.”

Either you seek to unite and be part of it. Or to divide and watch it go away.

Whatever ‘it’ might be.

We can seek to trigger those we’ve decided are our enemies, undermine the standards and burn it all down. Or we can commit to the possibility that together, we can create something that works.

It’s not that hard to realize that even if we can’t always see the gunwales on the boat, we’re all in the same one.

(Seth Godin, 02/28/21)

How do you begin or end your day? Some may have a soundtrack. I do. Sometimes, it is treadmill tunes pulling me along the 6am walk or jog. Sometimes, it is the playlist of my favorite bands while I was in high school and college.

At the end of the day, I’m another day older, and it is the sound of the ocean.

During Lent, I’ve traded the morning soundtrack for live and pre-recorded video from the International Space Station Youtube channel. (pictured above). There is a soft piano soundtrack. The view is inspirational and aspirational for me, as I handwrite a card to someone.

Lent is an intentional time of honest self-reflection. As I wander with disciples and with Jesus toward Jerusalem this year, what has come into focus are the aspirations of christians, of myself, based in the inspiration of Jesus, who most often talked about the empire of God. Jesus’ teaching about the empire (kindom or kingdom) of God was often followed by “is like.” Christian theology speaks of the “all ready” but “not yet” nature of the empire of God in which baptized believers exist and are supposed to be capable of recognizing. Christians have a kind of dual citizenship that often puts us at odds with ourselves, our behavior, and competing visions of God’s empire and Jesus’ role.

After twelve months (and counting) of pandemic time, overt political conflict, cancellations, and growing institutional and neighborly distrust where have you, have I, recognized the empire of God that Jesus described?

My lent is filled with wondering what “could” it be like or “would” it be like or “will” it be like when . . .

Leaven [Matt 13:33b, Luke 13:20b-21]

Good Samaritan [Luke 10:30-37]

Dishonest Steward [Luke 16:1-9]

Vineyard Laborers [Matt 20:1-15]

Mustard Seed [Matt 13:31b-32, Mark 4:31-32, Luke 13:19]

I leave the house without a mask in the car.

Michael Davison2021-03-01T10:03:56-06:00Mar 1, 2021|Michael Davison Blog|Comments Off

February Prayer with Global Ministry Partners Maria and Nishan Bakalian

Nishan and Maria Bakalian, serving in Lebanon with the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, are two of our Global Ministries co-mission workers. In the summer of 2019, they were back in the U.S. attending Disciples summer camps sharing their stories, faith, and lives. Our Region hosted Maria and Nishan for a week of summer camp. Maria at Chi Rho/CYF at Texoma Camp and Nishan at CYF Camp at Central Camp.

For Christmas this year, the Region received two gifts related to Global Ministries. The first was our insurance company, the UCC Insurance Board, who made a contribution to Global Ministries in honor of the Oklahoma Region. The second was from Global Ministries who created a collection of business cards, each with a mission co-worker’s or home-based staff’s photo, name, place of service, favorite scripture, and website to read about their mission, and who also published Nothing Can Separate Us, a book of prayers written by each mission co-worker and home-based staff. As a way to connect with our siblings around the world, we will be highlighting our mission co-workers and home-based staff and joining them in prayer.

God, our rock, our refuge, our hope,

As we wander through this wilderness, doubting we will ever emerge into a place of promise and joy, the voice of fear wells up within us, overpowering your strengthening presence. We cling to you as we seek that voice resounding in our hearts and reflecting in our actions. Remind us anew that this earthly reality is one that you faced in Christ Jesus. From birth, to the cross, and through the resurrection from the dead you showed us that even death cannot stand in the way of your victory. Help us to live in your victory, as we take care to protect others from disease, some of us risking our lives to do so. Inspire us to extend a hand to those whose greatest burden may be one of affording daily bread, or paying tuition, or finding and keeping employment, or caring for someone very old or very young. May your self-giving love be perfected within us, casting out all fear. May the coverings we wear never cover the radiant beauty of Jesus emanating from hearts filled with the grace and truth of your spirit.

Amen.

Nothing Can Separate Us, Global Ministries 2020.

Michael Davison2021-02-08T08:32:38-06:00Feb 8, 2021|Mission|Comments Off

Question. Experience. Reflection. Relationship.

What motivates you to learn and to grow?
(“The Daily Question”, gratefulness.org. 1/31/21)

Question. Experience. Reflection. Relationship.

There was so much happening. I was trying to take in all the moments. I spotted my family several rows up from the floor. Chancellor Tucker was talking about what it means to be a graduate of TCU. This idea, more a paraphrase than direct quote, is all I remember. “You’ve been educated to consult many sources, to weigh the validity of the information from those sources, and to ask quality questions.”

Experience can be a great teacher. Maybe it is the best teacher. If you want to be the best version or better version of yourself, pay attention to the experiences that help you become the better you. There is an entire market of “stuff,” genre of self-help, and virtual selling of experience. There are vacations, trips, and camps. I think we all have an experience that help’s us remember the best version of ourselves when times are hard, tragic, and especially when a moment is nuanced.

Self reflection is necessary. It is not always easy, but necessary. As a child, youth, and even in early adulthood, I never had a good answer for my parent’s favorite question, “Why did you do that?” Like many, I often just fell back on, “I don’t know.” even when I did know and didn’t want to admit it. My mother’s response, “Go to you room and think about what you did and how you will behave differently next time while your dad and I decide the best consequence.” She meant punishment. Once I reached junior high, I was expected to have an answer for the “why” when I emerged from my room to demonstrate that I had thought about my actions. That is when the dialogue about my actions began as well as dispensing of consequences. You never get asked, “Why did you do that?” about the good decisions. Now, why is that.

Stranded alone on a desert island, Chuck (Tom Hanks), opens a box that washed up on the beach. It contains a soccer ball. Wilson, the brand of ball and name Chuck gives him, becomes his friend. Wilson helps Chuck cope with the isolation. In a moment of confrontation, Wilson helps Chuck decide to leave the island for the sea and risk death to be found. But, they and may never being found. Chuck’s wears a pocket watch around his neck. A photo of his fiancé is inside. A relationship can comfort, challenge, create stress, suffocate, be mutual or one-sided. Some relationships are good. Some detrimental. Do you have one or two “good” relationships? A friend, companion, or community.

When Ash Wednesday arrives later this month (Feb 17th), thus begins a ritual journey that Christianity calls Lent. It can be a time of growth. First time growth or renewed growth. Join the Regional Youth Council for questions and reflection about experience and relationship on this ritual journey that disciples take following Jesus to Jerusalem. The RYC Lent devotional can be downloaded on February 15th here on the Region’s website.

Michael Davison2021-02-02T16:09:48-06:00Feb 2, 2021|Michael Davison Blog|Comments Off

Weekend Breakfast Program at Southern Hills CC

“Volunteers work 35 hrs each week.”
by Mary Hirsch

What a year! With all the misery of 2020, I want to share a shining light of life from the Southern Hills Christian Church (Edmond) Weekend Breakfast program. These ladies and gentlemen never “closed”! Before the pandemic began, diners came inside to eat at tables with centerpieces and church members served their breakfasts and sat and visited with those who wanted the company. When the pandemic hit, alternate ways to serve breakfast had to be found so this group just bagged the breakfasts (and lunch and dinner sandwiches) and met people outside to share the food. Everyone is longing for a return to those pre-pandemic days!

Church member Georgia Shaw spearheads this program which she started in September 2018. She requested permission from the Leadership Council, donations from our members, and was off. In addition to Georgia’s leadership, volunteers work 35 hours each week purchasing food and supplies, and preparing, serving and cleaning up for Saturday and Sunday morning breakfasts. We are averaging about 35 guests each day and have had as many as 51!

We are so thankful to our friends and members who have made generous donations to the program. We also feel fortunate to have received several grants from the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation to help in the purchase of a commercial size refrigerator and freezer and to replace the church’s 40 year old dishwashers!

L-R: Kate Christie, Carolyn Christie (seated), Kay Ferris, Georgia Shaw, Pat Fennell

Michael Davison2021-01-11T14:04:18-06:00Jan 11, 2021|Congregations|Comments Off

Congregations Foster Feet

Foster Feet, a ministry of Central Christian Church in Enid, recently donated 63 pairs shoes and socks to First Christian Church Midwest City to support their “Christmas for Others” program. Every Christmas, for the past 50 years, “Christmas for Others” has provided clothing, shoes and other necessities to families in the Midwest City area. This year, they will serve 60 families with over 200 family members. In 2020, Foster Feet will have provided over 900 new pair of shoes primarily to children ages 4 to 17 in Garfield as well as several other counties in Oklahoma.

In 2020, the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation provided grants to both of these churches for these ministries. This is a good example of how Disciples of Christ churches in Oklahoma, with the help of the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation and the Christian Church in Oklahoma, make a difference by working together.

Michael Davison2020-12-07T14:09:16-06:00Dec 7, 2020|Congregations, Mission|1 Comment

A Christmas Letter from Marilyn Bohlender, Oklahoma Disciples Women

Sometimes a Christmas letter tells of important events in a individual’s or family’s life over the past year. Often, there will be sentiments for a joyous Christmas and a blessed year to follow. It would end with expressions we need to see of love, comfort and peace.

It has been about a month since I submitted a yearly report on Oklahoma Disciples Women . One of the aspects not stressed enough in the report was how busy some of our women were because of Covid-19. Many became the makers of masks. Some women were extremely isolated while others had their children or grandchildren at home. Simple activities such as a grocery store trip became difficult with shortages of certain items and extra precautions taken to maintain as much safety as possible. Some women became the shoppers for others. We adjusted to many changes from doctor appointments to not gathering in person.

In spite of all the challenges, we persevered. We made phone calls, wrote letters, and sent cards. Some learned new technology. We had drive-by parades to celebrate graduations and birthdays. Our many churches that were able to go online reached an even bigger audience. We became creative and even when we open, we will have new ideas to keep and use to carry out our ministries.

As Christmas approaches, I feel compelled to attempt to uplift those of you that may not be able to have the usual Christmas traditions. I have experienced Christmas holidays isolated and discovered it is what you make of it. Plan activities for yourself. It may be a few simple lights and decorations that you especially enjoy while listening to Christmas music. Plan times for phone calls so you will still have the opportunities to visit with others. Write letters or send cards to others who need uplifting like nurses, to those who might be isolated, and to others who might be away from family such as soldiers.

Be proactive and be determined to be creative on what you can make out of the situation. I continue to stress scripture reading, devotions, praise songs, and most of all prayer.

I anticipate that God will be moving even more in 2021 and hope you include this thought of “increase” in your prayers.

Prayers and Blessings,

Marilyn Bohlender

ODW President

Michael Davison2021-06-24T13:37:03-05:00Dec 7, 2020|Disciples Women|Comments Off

Advent Moments

Think back through the last couple of days. Watch with your mind’s eye.

Rewind the tape all the way back to getting out of bed.

Remember . . .

Your morning routine;
school or work or waiting;
The places you’ve been;
The things you saw;
The people you talked to;
and then;
home, dinner, what you watched or read;
Your evening routine and to bed.

Look back and find that moment when you experienced hope.
Bring that moment to the front of your mind.
Who is there? What does it sound or smell like?
Stay in the moment for a few minutes.

Look back and find that moment when you experienced peace.
Bring that moment to the front of your mind.
Who is there? What does it sound or smell like?
Stay in the moment for a few minutes.

Look back and find that moment when you experienced joy.
Bring that moment to the front of your mind.
Who is there? What does it sound or smell like?
Stay in the moment for a few minutes.

Look back and find that moment when you experienced love.
Bring that moment to the front of your mind.
Who is there? What does it sound or smell like?
Stay in the moment for a few minutes.

Pandemic time has stretched moments into a pace that makes me uncomfortable or out of control.

Pandemic time: moments to grieve, moments to savor, and moments to examen.

This Advent there is anticipation of life as we knew it before.
Is that what Advent is really all about?

Who can say if Advent will change me for the better.
Maybe, it is being changed by the moments for good.

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
(A quote from Ferris in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” John Hughes (Paramount Pictures) 1986)

Michael Davison2020-12-07T09:31:35-06:00Dec 7, 2020|Michael Davison Blog|Comments Off