Congregations Archives - Page 18 of 27 - Christian Church in Oklahoma

Make a Difference and Get Involved with the DHS CarePortal Program

Rev. Ray Belford, First Christian Church Shawnee, is involved in finding much needed care solutions for children and families in the DHS System. Read about Ray’s experience, and find out how you can get involved as well.

The Department of Human Services CarePortal Program for churches is in place to help provide needs and services to children and families in the DHS system.

There are currently more than 9,000 children in the State of Oklahoma who are in the Department of Human Services custody. Only about half are in foster care. Now there is something that every church can do to help improve the lives of these children.

The DHS has adopted the CarePortal program that has been very successful in other states for helping churches become involved in being a part of the solution. Rev. Ray Belford, first became aware of the magnitude of the foster care needs in our state last April when he attended a Children & Law Conference.

While at the conference, Ray was struck with the reality that most of the homes willing to accept DHS children, only wanted one child, and the foster parents wanted a specific age range. The bottom line was that there was no place that would accept both a 6-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl. The role-play exercises during the conference were eye-opening and heart breaking.

Oklahoma’s extremely high incarceration rate, particularly of women, is a major reason many children end up in DHS care. According to Kris Steele, former speaker of the house in Oklahoma, about 80 percent of the women incarcerated at Mabel Bassett are mothers, with the majority of that group being mothers of small children. In effect, a mother serves time in prison and her children serve time in DHS custody.

The CarePortal is a step toward improving life for these children. The purpose of CarePortal is to provide support services through local churches to children and families in the DHS system.

The CarePortal is an email notification system that forwards needs via email to participating churches. It requires a group of about 20 churches within a community that agree to provide what resources they can to meet specific needs of children and families in their area.

The CarePortal works in this way: A DHS worker becomes aware of a need, and that need is emailed to the member churches that are part of the CarePortal. The church then forwards the request to members of their church to see if anyone can supply what is needed in the request. If the church, or a member of the church, is able to meet the need then the church responds to DHS to fulfill that need.

As soon as the need is met, the other churches in the CarePortal receive an email message that informs them that the need has been met. A simple and powerful process!

A common type of request is the need of a bed. One of the requirements for taking in a foster child is that the foster family must have a separate bed with mattress for the child. If a bed is requested, it is very likely that someone in the CarePortal group has an extra bed that is not being used or is stored in the garage which can be donated, and the need is met.

One of the things the CarePortal advocates is meeting specific needs and discourages providing cash for numerous reasons.

With all the problems that we have in our state, this is one for which churches from all denominations pulling together can certainly make a difference.

Remember, Matthew 25:40 tells us, Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. (NRSV).

There is a website for the CarePortal program with step-by-step instructions for participating. The website can be accessed at careportal.org.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:40:32-05:00Mar 13, 2018|Congregations|Comments Off

Important Copyright Guidelines for Churches

The Region would like to share a useful document about copyright information. This could be useful to you and your church. It was published by the General Council on Finance and Administration of the UMC.

Click HERE to open the document.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:40:38-05:00Mar 12, 2018|Congregations|Comments Off

Soup for the Soul

You are invited to Soup for the Soul, an ecumenical Lenten dinner and discussion held annually at Western Oaks Christian Church.

This year’s theme is focused on the scripture Micah 6:8 with an emphasis on “Justice”. What does it mean to seek justice and how does loving kindness and walking humbly with God influence that pursuit of justice? Western Oaks Christian Church brings in various guest speakers from the area to present their own perspective on a particular topic.

Speakers include Rabbi Vered Harris, Rev. Lori Walke, Dr. John Starkey and Rev. Dr. George Young. We hope that you will join Soup for the Soul, for a bowl of soup and an opportunity to engage in meaningful dialogue on Sundays Feb. 25-March 18^th at 6:00pm.

For more information about this event and to read more about the speakers. Click Soup for the Soul 2018.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:40:49-05:00Mar 12, 2018|Congregations|Comments Off

Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism Training – March 9, 2018

The Christian Church in the Southwest and Brite Divinity School invite you to attend Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism Training facilitated by Sandhya Jha and David Bell.

DATE: Friday, March 9, 2018

TIME: 10 am to 4 pm

WHERE: Bass Conference Center at Brite Divinity School

COST: Registration fee: $20 and includes a light lunch ($10 for Brite students)

WHO: Who should attend? Clergy and laity are welcome! Clergy will receive continuing education credits for this class.

For more information or to register click HERE or call the Christian Church in the Southwest at 817.926.4687

Rev. Sandhya Rani Jha is a respected and inspiring speaker, preacher, workshop leader and a pro-reconciliation/anti-racism trainer with the Christian Church (DoC). Sandhya serves as Director of the Oakland Peace Center, a collective of innovative non-profits working to create justice and peace in the city of Oakland and the Bay Area. She is the author of Pre-Post-Racial America: Spiritual Stories from the Front Lines and Transforming Communities: How People Like You Are Healing Their Neighborhoods.

Rev. David B. Bell is Minister for Indigenous Peoples Concerns at Yakama Christian Mission, Washington, and a pro-reconciliation/anti-racism trainer with the Christian Church (DoC). In the multi-cultural community of the Yakama Reservation, the mission offers a social justice ministry to create opportunities for young people and seeks to change systems outside the reservation through programs which challenge systemic racism.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:41:04-05:00Feb 15, 2018|Congregations|Comments Off

Safety & Security: Wildewood CC Offers Free Workshop

Wildewood Christian Church is raising safety awareness by offering free resources for prevention of and response to an active shooter in a House of Worship.

Did you know that violence in houses of worship is on the rise? In the United States we have had 92 deaths and numerous injuries in the past ten years.

Do you know how to create a balance between your mission and crime prevention efforts? A congregation should not worship in fear, nor should the worship experience be altered to the point of distraction with guard dogs, metal detectors, or armed security officers guarding the entrances to the sanctuary.

Do you have a current Emergency Operation Plan for your site? Wildewood Christian Church is offering free resources to teach congregations how to write an Emergency Operation Plan and give examples that will provide an overview of how to be prepared before, during, and after an incident.

The two-hour presentation covers:

What Makes a Secure House of Worship?
Survival Mindset
What you can do to Prevent a Shooting
Historical Perspective of Shooters
Five Stages of a Shooter
Knowing Who’s Who in Your Pew
What’s an Emergency Operation Plan?
Creating a Vulnerability Assessment of Your Site
Are You Ready?

If you are interested in scheduling a presentation at your location, or need more information, contact: Jim McBride Office (405) 425-7589 Cell (405) 823-5729
Email [email protected]

OKLAHOMA OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY
www.homelandsecurity.ok.gov

At Leadership Training School 2018, two additional classes on this topic will be offered. More details to follow soon on the Region’s LTS Website.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:41:18-05:00Feb 12, 2018|Congregations|Comments Off

Year Book Forms Are Due March 15, 2018

Year Book and Directory forms are important to maintaining your church’s 501(c)3 tax status with the IRS. Submission Deadline is March 15, 2018. The General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) votes and approves the list of member churches, church agencies and institutions published in the Year Book for submission to the IRS. This assures contributions to your congregation may be properly reported as tax exempt to the IRS.

Choose a Way to Submit:

Online at http://disciples.org/yearbook/ then click on the link under Congregational Reporting for English, Spanish or Korean. To file online you will need your CHURCH PIN # found near the top left corner of your Year Book Form, which was mailed to each church on January 24th. If you need help finding your PIN # please contact the Regional Office for assistance. 405-528-3577.
Email a scanned copy to the Regional Office to be received by March 13th: [email protected]
Fax a copy to the Regional Office to be received by March 13th: 405-283-1668
Mail the form to the Regional Office to be received by March 13th. Christian Church in Oklahoma, 301 NW 36th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73118-8661

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:41:32-05:00Feb 7, 2018|Congregations|Comments Off

Ministry Training Program at Phillips Theological Seminary

Don’t miss these courses available at Phillips Theological Seminary beginning January 8, 2018.

The Ministry Training Program at Phillips will continue the work of training persons for local church ministry, providing continuing education, and making ministry training available to a broad audience, including laity.

The Certificate in Pastoral Ministry program includes twenty-two online courses that are practical, hands-on learning experiences and encourage engagement with the local church.

This year is full of educational opportunities and we don’t want you to miss the first three courses. Who do you know that would be interested in learning techniques and tools for Evangelism, learning the how, why, and what of the Mission of the Church, or taking a closer look at the Bible?

Please contact Leslie at [email protected] or 573-808-3579.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:44:12-05:00Jan 11, 2018|Congregations|Comments Off

7 OKC DOC Churches Awarded Mobile Meals Grants

Oklahoma City Community Foundation Awards Grants to Seven Christian Churches

The Oklahoma City Community Foundation is providing warm meals to homebound elderly citizens this winter through $65,400 in grants to Mobile Meals programs, including seven Christian churches. Grants were awarded to Edmond Mobile Meals, Meals on Wheels of Norman, Mobile Meals of Oklahoma County and 54 churches that prepare and deliver meals.

Since 2008, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation’s support of Mobile Meals programs in central Oklahoma has grown, awarding nearly $325,000 in the past decade. As the aging population continues to grow, the need for elderly support from Mobile Meals programs also increases, making the nearly 60 percent in increased support from the Community Foundation this year all the more valuable.

“We have had a rough couple of years between the state budget crisis and churches closing, which has really limited our ability to serve this vulnerable population,” said Allen Johnson project director at Mobile Meals of Oklahoma County. “The grants from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation came through at the best possible time allowing the churches to expand their services so they can serve as many people as possible.”

By providing caring, personal contact and nourishing meals, hardworking volunteers at churches and other organizations help Mobile Meals of Oklahoma County serve more than 1,000 metropolitan area seniors age 60 and older who are unable to prepare their own food. Edmond Mobile Meals provides more than 1,000 meals per week and the Norman Meals on Wheels program serves more than 300 clients a day.

“Mobile Meals provides a lifeline to homebound elderly allowing them to remain independent and in their homes when options are limited,” said Nancy B. Anthony, Oklahoma City Community Foundation President. “This year, thanks to generous contributions from an anonymous donor, we were able to increase our support of this vital program.”

Grants were awarded to the following Christian churches that provide meals through Mobile Meals of Oklahoma County:

Crown Heights Christian Church
First Christian Church OKC
Hillcrest Christian Church
New Covenant Christian Church
Nicoma Park Christian Church
Putnam City Christian Church
Western Oaks Christian Church

About the Oklahoma City Community Foundation:
Founded in 1969, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity that works with donors to create charitable funds that will benefit our community both now and in the future. To learn more about the Oklahoma City Community Foundation, visit www.occf.org.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:44:22-05:00Jan 9, 2018|Congregations|Comments Off

MidAmerica Center for Ministry Update from Phillips Seminary

MidAmerica Center will have new life as of January 1, 2018, the ministry of the Center will be transferred to Phillips Theological Seminary. The boards of both the Center and the seminary agreed the seminary will be a good place for the next phase of the Center’s ministry. Under Phillips’ auspices, the seminary will continue the work of ministry training. In addition, the seminary will offer ministry training students some new resources, such as access to an extensive library and hospitable librarians, as well as a broader base of support for their education.

Courses will be offered through Phillips Seminary beginning in January. Registration is open on the seminary’s website at www.ptstulsa.edu/ministrytrainingprogram. The cost has been lowered per course cost, as was the case in the last few years of the Center’s life, the program remains completely online.

For more information please go to Phillips Seminary website.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:44:37-05:00Dec 13, 2017|Congregations|Comments Off

Midwest Blvd Christian Church Hosts Annual “Christmas for Others”

Midwest Blvd. Christian Church, an Oklahoma Disciples Foundation grant recipient, hosted its annual “Christmas for Others” ministry event on Saturday, December 9^th. Over 70 families received free groceries, Bibles, children’s Christmas gifts and pet food as well as an opportunity to take home donated used clothing and household items. The children in each family also received new shoes, socks and underwear.

On Monday, December 11^th until 3 p.m. and on Wednesday, December 13^th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Midwest Boulevard Christian Church is opening the doors of its Activities Center (the large building behind the church and next to the Food Pantry) to anyone wishing to take home items from the remaining donated clothing and household items.

All are welcome, no proof of income or identity is required. Stop by the Activities Center located behind the church at 320 N. Midwest Blvd in Midwest City, OK on Wednesday, December 13, 2017 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:44:42-05:00Dec 12, 2017|Congregations|Comments Off