Congregations

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

2021-01-11T14:04:18-06:00Jan 11, 2021|Congregations|Comments Off on Weekend Breakfast Program at Southern Hills CC

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.

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

Infographic of COVID-19 Congregational Impact

Infographic of COVID-19 Congregational Impact Survey by Pension Fund

In September and October of 2020, the Pension Fund did a survey of congregations they serve across the country concerning COVID and its impact on the congregation and the community.  There were eight hundred and eight completed surveys.  Here is the infographic of the final survey results which you might find interesting.

Click here to download a pdf document of the infographic.

2020-11-17T08:57:40-06:00Nov 17, 2020|Clergy News, Congregations|Comments Off on Infographic of COVID-19 Congregational Impact

Next DRYG: October 28

Reconnect with God

Digital Regional Youth Group began last month (Sept 23rd) as five congregations met up with Regional Youth Council members.  The fall theme, Reconnect with God, invites Chi Rho, CYF, and their adult sponsors to consider the ways they are actively meeting God through spiritual practices, music, service, and community.  We had 24 participants in September.  Let’s make it 45 or more this month.

There is time to chat, a game or two, and time with the speaker.  There is a short closing worship.  Join DRYG this month!

Digital Regional Youth Group

6:30pm – 8pm

October 28: Music

November 18: Service

December 16: Community

Youth Leaders Email Rev. Michael Davison to RSVP to receive the link for DRYG.

2020-10-06T11:57:02-05:00Oct 6, 2020|Congregations, Youth|Comments Off on Next DRYG: October 28

Virtual Regional Assembly Replay

Rev. April Johnson and Rev. Dr. Nancy Pittman offered insight and challenge to all that participated in our Virtual Regional Assembly.

Oklahoma Disciples gathered on Sept 26 for our Virtual Regional Assembly from 9am-1pm.  During VRA, there were 225 unique connections to the event.  Voting delegates, clergy, and Regional Board members participated through the VRA Zoom and the event was streaming live to the Region’s Youtube channel.

Our Regional Minister, Rev. Pamela Holt’s reflection about the State of the Regional Church focused on what has happened since Covid-19 changed the ways congregational ministry and regional ministry live and love like Jesus.

You can replay all of VRA or portions of Virtual Regional Assembly using the links for the Region’s Youtube and Vimeo channels.

We Give Thanks

It takes many, many people to produce Regional Assembly (virtual or in person) and we pause to offer our thanks for their work.

Rev. Colton Lott who worked with the original Leadership Training School team to organize the workshops and made arrangements with our VRA Bible Lecturer, Rev. April Johnson.

Rev. Joshua Bell who planned and organized the VRA Worship service.  Rev. Bell collaborated with all those that led worship during VRA and created the Lord’s Prayer chorus of voices for worship.

Rev. Tom Stanley served as our Regional Moderator.  Tom worked with our Regional Minister, Rev. Pamela Holt, and the Regional Board to make the decisions and changes necessary to hold Virtual Regional Assembly.

Jacque Bass as she begins her service as the Regional Moderator.

Ms. Ellen Beer Spleth, Executive Assistant, who prepared all the documents for VRA, managed the VRA webpage, sent many emails, made calls, and kept us on schedule.

We give thanks to the Tech Team that made VRA possible:
Top Left: Chuck Marshall (Southern Hills Christian Church)
Top Right: Jeff Champeau (First Christian Church Norman)
Bottom Right: Rev. Michael Davison, Associate Regional Minister
Not pictured: Travis Carlson (First Christian Church Chickasha)

2020-10-07T11:00:56-05:00Oct 6, 2020|Congregations|Comments Off on Virtual Regional Assembly Replay

Sept 23: Digital Regional Youth Group Begins

Digital Regional Youth Group Logo

Like all our congregations and clergy, the Regional Youth Council is improvising and adapting to offer opportunities for the Region’s youth groups to play, pray, worship, study, and serve.  This fall, RYC is offering four digital youth group gatherings for Chi Rho and CYF on the theme, Reconnect with God.

These monthly gatherings will last 90 minutes and meet via Zoom.  To maintain the security of our meetings we ask youth group leaders will need to register.  Email Michael Davison for more information.

DRYG (Digital Regional Youth Group) kicks off Sept 23rd, with the focus on spiritual practice to reconnect with God.  Our Guests are: Rev. Nancy Brink and Andra Moran.

DRYG is planned and led by the Regional Youth Council.

Q: How do I get my group to DRYG (digital regional youth group)?

A: To access DRYG youth group leaders need to email Rev. Michael Davison who will send them connection information to share with their group(s).

Upcoming Dates & Theme

October 28: Music
November 18: Service
December 16: Community

Schedule for DRYG

6:25pm: Digital Room Opens
6:30: The Fun Begins!
7:55: Preview Next Month
8:00: We bid you goodnight

Rev. Nancy Brink
Rev. Nancy BrinkGuest Speaker
Rev. Nancy E. Brink, the Donna (Ford) and Fahmy Attallah Endowed Director of Church Relations at Chapman University.

Rev. Brink will talk about centering prayer and offer other practices youth might explore. 

Andra Moran
Andra MoranMusical Guest
Andra Moran lives in Nashville, Tennessee where she works as a songwriter, singer, author, worship designer and freelance touring musician in a variety of ecumenical settings. In addition to her work in concert and commissioned music, Andra is a consultant in worship design, modern liturgical music and leadership in churches and denominational conferences across the country. She is regularly engaged as a clinician and workshop leader, teaching songwriting and creative expression in colleges and retreat centers. Currently, Andra tours and writes full time, and works part time on the staff of Woodmont Christian Church in Nashville as the Creative Director and worship pastor. She has a four year old daughter named after the heirloom lilies in that bloom in her garden.
2020-09-10T07:20:04-05:00Sep 10, 2020|Congregations, Youth|Comments Off on Sept 23: Digital Regional Youth Group Begins

Reconciliation Grant Helps Fund FCC Stroud’s Children’s Ministry

Funding Provides New Children & Youth Coordinator

FCC Stroud is benefiting from two grants and finding ways to serve its community. One grant was received from the Oklahoma Region’s Faith in Action Reconciliation grant program. The Oklahoma Disciples Foundation provided a second grant with funding from four of its endowments including Children, Youth & Young Adults, Education of Clergy & Laity, Pastoral Support, and United Ministries for Higher Education.

Using the two grants, FCC Stroud called Israel Ragle to serve as Children & Youth Coordinator, beginning her ministry on August 1, 2020. Israel is the mother of three children and is a student at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Back-to-School Care Packages Serve Local Children During the Pandemic

Senior Minister Paul Ragle said, “Israel shared with us when we interviewed her as a candidate for the position that ministry would look a lot different during these times of the COVID-19 pandemic.”

One of the very first ministry projects Israel undertook was to organize the congregation to share Back-to-School Care Packages with the children in the congregation’s sphere of influence. Members of the congregation donated school supplies, gifts (snacks & toys), and notes of encouragement as the kids were heading back to their classrooms.

FCC Stroud Reconciliation-1
FCC Stroud Reconciliation 3
FCC Stroud Reconciliation-4
2020-09-09T12:14:33-05:00Sep 9, 2020|Congregations|Comments Off on Reconciliation Grant Helps Fund FCC Stroud’s Children’s Ministry

Reconciliation Offering 2020: The Rocks Are Crying Out

I tell you, if you were to keep silent the stones would cry out. Silence is the absence of sound. To speak is to convey a feeling or opinion. This is not the time to be the absence of sound but to convey the injustice of those feeling the weight of racism and oppression. This the time to speak up and convey the truth of God’s love and equality for us all.

Matthew Tippell, Musician, Allisonville Christian Church, Indianapolis, IN

In Luke 19:39 to 40 we read that some of the Pharisees in a crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher rebuke your disciples.” “I tell you,” he replied “If they keep quiet the stones will cry out.” Though we know that God’s spirit will cause the stones to cry out if we remain silent, when it comes to being an anti-racist, pro-reconciling church, silence is not an option.

The form of this ministry may be changing,
but the need for addressing racism
has never been more obvious.

Your gifts to Reconciliation Ministry allow your communities and your congregations to ensure the human dignity of every child, to ensure all have access to Christ’s abundance, to fully flourish in education, and financial stability, and friendships across God’s human diversity. Won’t you join the chorus in shouting out Hosana, Hosana blessed are we who come in the name of the Lord. Thank you for your generosity.

To show up is more than a selfie at a protest, or a social media post… showing up means to cry with me, and to let the pain of my people’s tears move you to fight WITH those of us who are pushed to the sides because of the color of our skin, the thickness of our accents, or the documents we hold.

Yesenia Caldwell, Lay Leader, Iglesia Hermandad, Indianapolis, IN

About the Special Offering

The Reconciliation Ministry Special Offering is used to fund our Church’s mission imperative to become a pro-reconciling and anti-racist church utilizing experiential education, inclusive worship, and intentional dialogue. Our efforts to promote healing, relationship, and restoration in the whole family of God are enlivened by funds from this offering. Through it we are able to provide programs for leadership development, curriculum for dialogue and learning, and partnerships within the Church and our communities.

Recent events have reignited the conversation about human brokenness evidenced in the sin of racism and perpetuated in our institutional structures and systems. Your generous giving to Reconciliation Ministry is transforming lives and strengthening Christ’s witness in the world showing that we love one another, even as Christ continues to love us!

Donations on behalf of emergency grants to support impacted communities and congregations toward healing of racial unrest can be directed to the Reconciliation Annual Fund/Racial Justice Response.

The Reconciliation Offering will be received in congregations on Sunday, September 27th and Sunday, October 4th.

Reconciliation Logo

I choose to stand up for people of color because racism seems unbeatable. But if God can make the rocks cry out, then just imagine what He can do with people whom God has intentionally created with the capacity to love one another.

Chris Kozak, Central Christian Church, Indianapolis, IN

Why Have a Special Offering

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has a history dating from the 1960s of sharing our resources to address the racism of our society and the racism within our own church. We have called this process the Reconciliation Ministry.

We receive this offering in the fall and use the funds throughout the year to give grants to the pro-reconciliation/anti-racism initiative to organize to dismantle systems and structures that perpetuate this sin of division within the Church.

The 2020 Vision adopted by our church names this work as one of the four priorities of our mission together as a whole church. This voluntary annual offering is the only source of funding for this ministry.

So may our voices echo across the stones and across this land as we work toward the restoration of God’s beloved community.

Rev. Brian Gerard, Sr. Pastor, First Christian Church Louisville, KY
2020-09-02T14:56:41-05:00Sep 2, 2020|Congregations|Comments Off on Reconciliation Offering 2020: The Rocks Are Crying Out

Association of Disciples Musicians 2021 Conference in Tulsa

ADM Selects University of Tulsa as 2021 Site

The Association of Disciples Musicians is well on the road to preparing for its 2021 conference. The theme is “Holy Spirit, You Are Welcome Here.” They will meet at the University of Tulsa from June 21-26, 2021. ADM has made arrangements with TU to meet on the campus each summer through 2023. This will allow the organization to benefit from financial savings and see what effect staying in one location for a few years will have on ease of conference planning and conference attendance.

2021 ADM Clinicians Announced

Clinicians for 2021 are David Cherwien, organ; Suzanne Castle, worship; Joel Raney, choral; Andra Moran, emerging worship; and Nancy Krause, handbells. Our own Alin Cass will lead the Chapel Choir with Sara Collins as the accompanist. ADM president Katrina Cochran is excited to have these returning talented leaders in their respective areas of expertise.

If you are interested in leading an option session at the 2021 Association of Disciples Musicians Conference, please let Katrina know by texting 405-514-8647 or emailing katrina.cochran@gmail.com. The 2021 Planning Team is still working out those details.

Oklahoma Connections

Several Oklahoma individuals are active in ADM. Rev. Larry Metzger serves on the 2020/2021 ADM Planning Council, and Rev. John Malget is also involved in ADM activities. Incoming ADM president Brad Burnham resides in Tulsa and may be reached at Bradb1007@gmail.com or 918-810-8630.

Download the September ADM newsletter

2020-09-08T11:47:12-05:00Sep 2, 2020|Congregations|Comments Off on Association of Disciples Musicians 2021 Conference in Tulsa

Faith in Action Reconciliation Grants Awarded to 8 Churches

We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. As part of the one body of Christ, we welcome all to the Lord’s Table as God has welcomed us.

Living our identity is a great challenge in our world today, making our Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism work even more critical. Through your generosity in supporting the Reconciliation Fund, The Faith in Action Commission has awarded approximately $20,000 seeking wholeness in 2020. These grants have gone to rural and urban areas and large and small projects. Some are offered by individual churches. Others are part of the work of communities. Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing with you more information about these projects. Here are just brief descriptions.

  • Central Christian Church, Enid—Enid Welcome Table—in coordination with other organizations in the Enid community a diverse population of food-insecure persons are provided a meal on Sunday evening
  • First Christian Church, Chandler, Bridging the Gap—Intensive program designed to lift people out of poverty, a debilitating impact of racism
  • First Christian Church of Midwest City, Eastern Oklahoma County Homeless—Addresses the needs of families who are homeless with children in school. It serves a very diverse population of all races and persons of Hispanic ethnicity
  • Simplicity Christian Church, Oklahoma City, Every Kind of Bird—Targets Reconciliation among all people who feel excluded from the general society, including people from the LGBTQ population
  • Stroud First Christian Church, Faithful Follower—Helps support a program that brings together Native American, black, and white youth from the community which includes a feeding program
  • First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Guthrie, Thankful Fest— Has a goal of creating more inclusiveness in a church that is 99% white in a community with 25% of the population being persons of color or Hispanic ethnicity
  • Shepherd Street Christian Church, Chickasha, Building Healthy Families—A predominately black church helping youth and their families flourish in a challenging world
  • First Christian Presbyterian Church, Pryor, The Meal—Building Reconciliation in a community with wide diversity and poverty

Reconciliation Funds were also awarded

  • To develop a lecture series piloted by Central Christian Church of Enid in cooperation with Phillips Theological Seminary regarding anti-racism that will be coordinated by the PRAR Team to make it available statewide
  • To Caminante to help address the discrimination impacting Haitian refugees in the Dominican Republic

Congratulations to all Faith in Action grant recipients. We thank you for serving your community in these important ministries.

2020-08-13T14:27:28-05:00Aug 11, 2020|Congregations|Comments Off on Faith in Action Reconciliation Grants Awarded to 8 Churches
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