Michael Davison Blog

It’s that time of year.

Be weather aware.  Radar indicated rotation.  Strong inflow or updraft.  Watch or warning?

Sirens warn of storms that can bring wind, hail, and flooding, changing a person’s life or entire communities in minutes. The National Weather Service has documented 56 tornadoes in Oklahoma this year. The first occurred on January 8th in McLain and Cleveland counties. In the moments just after nature’s power, often it is strangers or neighbors who are the first faces and hands people see and grasp as first responders race to the area. Central

It was Saturday, April 27, 2024. Our siblings in faith at First Christian Church in Sulphur experienced one of those awful days when a tornado damaged the church and vacuumed up much of downtown and a neighborhood to the northeast.

After the storm, it’s a different whirlwind.  Tears and gratitude.  Where to begin?  The well-meaning, yet sometimes exhausting, question “What do you need?”

People and donations descend: water, food, clothing, and money, along with cleanup volunteers. The Red Cross, politicians, spiritual leaders, and volunteers arrive. Insurance company adjustors. FEMA. MARC (multi-agency resource center). Roofing and construction companies. The curious, the hucksters, and, as 60 Minutes reported, sometimes racially motivated disaster tourists.

Time on hold.
The emails.
Gratitude and frustration are two sides of a coin.
Neighbors just south of Enid, in Caney, and in communities beyond Oklahoma are living this experience.

It was Sunday.  On April 27, 2026, members and friends at First Christian Church in Sulphur celebrated the church’s restoration during worship.  There were some tears and so much gratitude.  There were stories, images, prayer, song, special music, and a delicious fellowship dinner.   Much of downtown remains flattened. Bare walls or neat piles of rubble are visual reminders of that day two years ago.  The neighborhood is in various states of repair or rebuilding.  Oklahoma disciples and those beyond our borders expanded and mobilized the banquet through local donations, volunteering, and the Week of Compassion.

It’s that time of year.

“How long before summer break?” The student and teacher both knew: 19 days. Graduation ceremonies are almost planned. Exams and grades. Invitations mailed.  Names are being double-checked on diplomas.

Summer jobs.
Mission Trips.
Summer sports.
Family vacation.
Vacation Bible school.
Church camp (registration closes May 15, and the camp banquet has space).

Rev. Shannon Cook began her service as our Associate Regional Minister last month.  She is working with volunteers, visiting churches, and preparing for our church camp season next month.  You may not know or remember that our Region offers camp at three sites: Canyon Camp (near Hinton), Camp Christian (near Chouteau), and Disciples Center at Tawakoni (near Augusta, KS).  Markers and paper, AV equipment, t-shirts, art and craft supplies, and small group boxes are moved to each site for each camp.  Shannon will be at Water Weekend too.

And this year, Pentecost is the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.  It’s the time of year when we remember that following Jesus opens us to the Spirit and enables people to hear and experience the good news of God in their native language.  It is a banquet of action and word, symbols of God’s abiding love.

Celebrating.
Welcoming.
Expanding.
Mobilizing.
Creating.
Staying.

Email me your congregation’s stories of the banquets you are hosting so Shannon and I can share them with our siblings in faith around the Region and help build up the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), a movement for wholeness in our fragmented world. Thank you for being a part of the story.

Oklahoma Disciples, you are a blessing.

Oklahoma Disciples, may the risen Christ inspire you, transform you, and give you the strength to be a blessing or a miracle for someone who passes through your sphere of influence.

Looking for Jesus of Nazareth

It was odd, the first time I saw it there.  A “Where’s Waldo” poster was visible just above the bright light that the hygienists used to see to clean my teeth.  It was big enough to search and keep your mind occupied while the sounds of dental health echoed.  She changed the poster every six months.  “Has anyone ever found him?” I asked.  “Oh, sure.  Mostly, older children.  It helps them focus and takes their mind off what I’m doing.  It can make my job a little easier.  Sometimes, an adult will, too, especially people with grandkids or teachers and people who spend time with kids.”

Here, midway through Holy Week, I’m thinking about Mary Magdalene, the one person all the gospel writers agree went to the tomb.  She was the first to proclaim a risen Christ.  The first preacher, as it were.   The gospel writers show us different responses to finding and meeting Jesus, to faith in Christ, and to the faith of Jesus in the God he proclaimed. 

With everything happening in the world between religious and non-religious people, and among the diverse expressions of Christianity vying for relevance, power, and authority in our Nation, I’m thinking about clergy colleagues and those who will attend worship on Easter Sunday.  Magdalene’s, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him,” (John 20:13c) echoes in the chaos of our context.   There is no doubt that many feel her distress.  The dissonance is real.

For Doug Wilson’s neighbors, CNN documentary a reminder Moscow is Christian nationalism’s ground zero.
(Religion News Service)

The United States at 250: How the Country Has Changed in the Past 50 Years
(Pew Research)

Where do Americans turn first for information about breaking news?
(Pew Research)

At Pentagon, Hegseth prays ‘every round find its mark’
(Baptist News Global)

White evangelicals remain among Trump’s strongest supporters, but they’re less supportive than a year ago.
(Pew Research)

Urgency Is Not Faithfulness
(Christianity Today)

In the Easter story, women are the first to proclaim the resurrection – but churches today are still divided over female preachers.
(Religion News Service – Religion Hub)

Easter in a brutal world
(The Christian Century)

H. Richard Niebuhr calls it “the enduring problem.”  His Christ and Culture is a challenging conversation partner today, as it was when I first read it as a religion major in 1985, revisited it as a seminarian, and, in the time since graduation.  Niebuhr frames looking for Jesus and the enduring problem for his followers in these chapters:
Christ Against Culture
Christ of Culture
Christ Above Culture
Christ and Culture in Paradox
Christ Transforming Culture.

I’m grateful for the ways our clergy and congregations proclaim the good news of God and follow the ways of Jesus, whom we claim as Christ.  We don’t always get it right.  Jesus never said we would.  In the chaos of our context and the real struggles, I think it is important, maybe more than ever in my lifetime, that followers of Jesus do Jesus-like things.  We know what that looks like.  Where are you finding Jesus?  How are you sharing your faith and Jesus’ faith in God by celebrating, creating, expanding, mobilizing, staying, and welcoming at the banquets in your life and that of your congregation?

Alithos Anesti (Truly, he is risen).

Describe Your Church in 3 Words

Regional Assembly 2026 Business Meeting

State of the Region

Rev. Michael Davison
March 7, 2026
Regional Assembly

Good afternoon, Oklahoma disciples, partners in ministry, guests, and friends, both here in Edmond and in the digital space on YouTube.  Thank you for gathering for fellowship, prayer, study, worship, and service.  In this brief time, we’ve experienced what happens at church camp every day.

Camp registration is open, and camp directors are recruiting counselors.  Children, youth, and adults of all ages are invited to spend a week in the wilderness with other followers of Jesus to build connections, be equipped, and empowered for their journey in faith.  That kind of intentional community can transform places and people into Holy ground and proclaimers of the good news of God.  And, I still believe that can be enough to alter the trajectory of a person’s life.

Oklahoma Disciples have many partners in ministry.  We just heard from three we know well: Phillips Theological Seminary, the Oklahoma Disciples Foundation, and the Convocation of Christian Churches. Thank you, Doug, Eric, and Milton, for giving us a glimpse of the ways your organizations equip people and empower them to proclaim the good news of God.

We share ministry with partners beyond our borders, and we are thankful for those who have traveled to be with us:
Rosario Ibarra, from Disciples Church Extension Fund.
Jose Martinez from New Church Ministry.
Thomas McCracken from the Pension Fund.
Bobby Hawley from the Christian Church Foundation, and
Terri Hord Owens, our General Minister and President.
Thank you for the ministry you offer all Disciples and our neighbors.

From solo State evangelists to a large staff in a centralized location, to the small decentralized staff today, the Region’s strength and vitality are embodied in the volunteerism, collaboration, and covenantal accountability of the laity and clergy.  It’s always been that way.

In 1997, Chalice Press published You Might Be a Disciple If . . . ¹   It’s a little book of tongue-in-cheek sayings that were used to describe our denomination.  I think these four continue to describe who we are pretty well.

“You Might Be a Disciple If . . .  when you’re asked what Disciples believe you say, “Which ones?”²

“You Might Be a Disciple If . . .  you’re sure the ‘free church’ tradition doesn’t mean you don’t have to put anything in the offering plate.”³

“You Might Be a Disciple If . . .  your pastor’s weekend is filled with weddings nobody else in town would do.”⁴

“You Might Be a Disciple If . . .  the children in your church think the Last Supper must have been a potluck.”⁵

Siblings in faith, this is a time of opportunity and experimentation as we build a bridge to a future of the church we continually imagine, envision, and claim. Rev. Terri Hord Owens encourages us to  “Be the Church we say we are.”  We call ourselves disciples, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world, welcoming as we have been welcomed.  That is lived out in each congregation a little differently, depending on local needs, resources, and leadership.  This is not work and service we will ever finish, though, maybe we can take something off the list for the next generation.

Last fall, I invited the Region to “describe your church in three words.”  One of my responsibilities as Regional Minister is writing a report about our Region for the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  I submitted that report last week, and this is how I described the Region: “In their own ways, our congregations are faithful, effective, and innovative⁶  as they proclaim the good news of God and follow Jesus.”  Let’s take a trip around the Region for a few minutes.

First Christian Church in Luther offers GED classes and what they call “Boots on the Ground ministry.” Members of the congregation pack bags with personal items, toiletries, snacks, and other necessities, then travel to Oklahoma City to deliver them to unhoused (homeless) neighbors in need.

Our hosts here at First Christian Church, Edmond, offer Breakfast on the Boulevard, a hot breakfast and sack lunches weekdays from 6:30-7:15 am for anyone who needs a meal.  That began in 1990.

Central Christian Church in Enid continues to organize and host ‘The Enid Welcome Table.’  Anyone can come on a Sunday evening for a sit-down, plated meal served by volunteers of all ages from organizations around Garfield County.

First Christian Church in El Reno leads its community’s Blessing Baskets, a non-profit that provides food for people in need.  On Thursdays, the Lunch Bunch volunteers serve a free lunch to 100 or more high school students and provide snack bags for them to take home.

First Christian Church in Ponca City continues to host a Friendship Feast every weekday evening for anyone in need of a meal.  And they host a community garden on their property.

In Chickasha, Shepherd Street Christian Church and First Christian Church worship together on World Communion Sunday.  Shepherd St. Christian Church hosts a spring gala, an evening of food and music, to raise money to fund scholarships for high school seniors.  That’s coming up on March 14th.  First Christian Church helped found the Chickasha soup kitchen.  Most of our congregations have an outdoor food pantry or support one in their community.

Tomorrow, the members of East Sixth Street Christian Church, Shepherd Street Christian Church,  and New Vessels Christian Church will worship with Wildewood Christian Church, as they host our General Minister & President, who is preaching.

Harvard Ave. Christian Church is partnering with First Christian Church in Broken Arrow to help the congregation experience renewal and sustainability with leadership, visioning, and funding.

First Christian Church in Stillwater, as they have for many years, led an intergenerational mission trip last summer and invited other congregations to join them.

First Christian Church in Sulphur emphasizes mission and service for its youth group alongside bible and fun.  One way they do that is by creating Valentine’s cards for Veterans and nursing home residents. They deliver the cards each year.

One more, “You Might Be. . .”  “You Might Be a Disciple If . . .  when asked if your congregation is pro or con on any social issue, you answer, “Yes.”⁷

The renewed war in the Near East and our Nation’s role in it is an ongoing lament for me.  I know others disagree.

Rev. Don Heath ministers to persons on death row and represents Disciples with the Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.

Rev. Kelley Becker and Rev. David Wheeler traveled with a group of ecumenical clergy to Minneapolis to mourn and witness one of our government’s policies in practice and its tactics.  They also received training for standing with the stranger among us.

First Christian Church in Norman often hosts lectures to help educate and create conversation about relevant topics of the day.  Last weekend, they hosted an event for the Oklahoma Faith Network’s “No Hate in the Heartland” lectureship series on “How the Holocaust Relates to the Events of Today.”

Reconciliation isn’t easy, but it is possible.

No report to the Region can be complete without some numbers.  Last year, the Region distributed $8,750.00 in Disaster Funds to congregations and members.  The Region gave $1,900 from the Pastoral Care Funds to help clergy in need.

There will be five of us when we welcome Rev. Shannon Cook to the Regional staff next month.  I want to thank our excellent staff, Ellen Spleth, Carrie Cobbs, and Marla Hensley, for all they do that you don’t see and for their work, encouragement, and preparation alongside the planning team and all the volunteers for this Regional Assembly.

Because our congregations give to the Reconciliation special offering, the Commission for Faith and Action provided $9,432.00 in reconciliation grants to 4 congregations: New Covenant Christian Church in Oklahoma City, First Christian Church in Guthrie, Central Christian Church in Enid, and First Christian Church in El Reno.

There were two ordinations. Rev. Patrick McKenzie was ordained at New Vessels Christian Church, OKC, in August of last year.  And, Rev. Richard Bowles was ordained at Simplicity Church in Edmond last month.

In 2025, First Christian Church in Claremore committed $10,000 from a gift they received and purchased medical debt, relieving $1.74 million in debt for 1,575 beneficiaries.   The Claremore congregation has committed $5,000 this year and is asking their siblings in faith in the Region to join them in raising $20,000, which, through the organization Undue Medical Debt, could relieve up to $3.3 million in medical debt for our neighbors this year.  I will ask the Region’s executive committee and board to commit dollars for this project, and I encourage all our congregations to join FCC Claremore in helping our neighbors in need.

Mr. Rogers often recalled his mother’s advice: “Look for the helpers.”⁸  Oklahoma Disciples, you are the helpers.  And that is no small thing.

The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) can’t fix the bacterial polarization that has returned to our world, our Nation, some of our congregations, and Christendom, but we might be an antibiotic that can treat it: through our service, through our willful intention to stay at the table when we disagree and the two or more hours of honest conversation about our beliefs, connections, accountability, and covenants, and through our commitment to be a voice of gospel that incarnates grace.  As one of our clergy put it, “It is moving toward people rather than away.”

Oklahoma Disciples, there is ministry to do and gospel to be that only you can do in your communities, and only you can be around your banquet table.

The same is true for this covenant we share as the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma: there is ministry to do and gospel to be that only WE can do and only WE can be: celebrating, creating, expanding, mobilizing, staying, and welcoming when we host a banquet.  Beyond the walls of the church is the banquet.

That was a quick trip around the Region and a glimpse of the Jesus-like things congregations are doing.  If I didn’t mention your church, please let me know what you are doing to embody the gospel in your community.

It is my honor to serve alongside you.

Disciples, you are a blessing.

——-

Endnotes

1. David Polk, ed., You Might Be A Disciple If . . . , Chalice Press (St. Louis) 1997.
2. Polk, You Might Be A Disciple If . . .
3. Polk, You Might Be A Disciple If . . .
4. Polk, You Might Be A Disciple If . . .
5. Polk, You Might Be A Disciple If . . .
6. I first encountered the idea of faithful, effective, and innovative congregations in the mid-2000s while serving on the Kentucky Regional staff.  We spent time in consultation and workshops with George Bullard, who uses this idea to understand the lifecycle of a congregation and its resilience through change.  George Bullard, The Congregational Life Cycle, bullardjournal.org 2021.
7. Polk, You Might Be A Disciple If . . .
8. Fred Rogers, Mister Rogers Talks With Parents. Berkley Books (New York) 1983.

March 6-7

First Christian Church, Edmond

It’s time to learn more

Describe Your Church in 3 Words

It’s Time for Regional Assembly

I can’t explain it
I couldn’t if i tried
How the only things we carry
Are the things we hold inside
Like a day in the open
Like the love we won’t forget
Like the laughter that we started
And it hasn’t died down yet

Let it go my love my truest
Let it sail on silver wings
Life’s a twinkling that’s for certain
But it’s such a fine thing
There’s a gathering of spirits
There’s a festival of friends
And we’ll take up where we left off
When we all meet again
Carrie Newcomer, A Gathering of Spirits, 2002.

Let’s take up where we left off in 2024.  Some of us gathered at First Christian Church in Stroud for fellowship, worship, and business.  Some of us gathered at sea that summer for worship, study, and fellowship.   Let’s lift our voices in song, fellowship, worship, prayer, and serve together at First Christian Church in Edmond this weekend.

As Oklahoma Disciples, siblings in faith, guests, and friends gather for Regional Assembly this weekend, and for worship each Sunday, we carry the tension of living midway through the second decade of the 21st century.  Polarization is all around: economic, political, and religious.  With many media choices and individualized truths, it can be hard to separate fact from the dominant narrative or your chosen team’s narrative.  Gamification has made everything a win-or-lose proposition, even in congregational life, where we once worked for the best solution or the common good.  Our clergy are committed to a representative ministry that is pastoral, teacher, preacher, and always prophetic.

The 20 and 30-somethings I know often remind me that regional war, economic uncertainty, government dysfunction, and politicized religion are all they’ve known.  Some have taken a side.  Some have checked out.  A few have wondered, “What does patriotism mean? Do we cheer, pray, protest, or look away?”  As a follower of Jesus, I wonder which parable is a teachable moment in this situation?  Who is my neighbor?  What belongs to God?  What belongs to Caesar?  Who do I invite to a banquet, and where do we all sit?

Amidst it all, there are good things happening in our congregations through their service and witness of the good news of God.  We are being faithful in our diverse contexts.  We are tending to our neighbors and members alike.  You will hear about some of it at Regional Assembly this weekend.  You will experience some of what makes our expression of Christian faith unique as we embrace the tension of unity, liberty, and grace around a table with a place set for you.

See you at First Christian Church in Edmond!  Stay centered in God’s shalom.

Disciples, you are a blessing.  Be a blessing.

March 6-7

First Christian Church, Edmond

It’s time to learn more and register!

Describe Your Church in 3 Words

Equip: Celebrating, Welcoming, Creating, Staying, Mobilizing, Expanding

Too long we have wandered, burdened and undone
But there is room at the table for everyone
Let us sing the new world in, this is how is all begins
There is room at the table for everyone

No matter who you are, no matter where you’re from
There is room at the table for everyone
Here and now we can be, the beloved community,
There is room at the table for everyone

Room at the Table – Words and Music by Carrie Newcomer
©2014 Carrie Newcomer Music (BMI)
From the 2014 album “A Permeable Life” – Listen on Spotify

Last year . . .
150+ Disciples gathered for the spring Empower & Equip event at Crown Heights Christian Church in OKC.
13 Clergy gathered for the Northeast Area Clergy Retreat.
200+ children, youth, and adults gathered at church camp.
180+ gathered in June for the Called Regional Assembly at First Christian Church in Edmond.
13 Clergy gathered for the Northwest Area Clergy Retreat.
18 Clergy Women gathered for an October Retreat.
70 Women gathered for the fall Oklahoma Disciples Women’s Retreat.
127 youth and adults gathered for Chi Rho/CYF Fall Retreat in November.

This year . . .
90 youth and adults gathered for the Chi Rho/CYF Midwinter Retreat in January.

And next month, March 6-7, Oklahoma Disciples will gather for Regional Assembly ’26. There is room at the banquet table as we explore our experience of hospitality, faith, and discipleship.  We know the verb(s) matter.  Attend RA26 and join the storytelling and conversation.   Our biennial gathering is more than a required detail in our governance; it is a celebration of our local and shared ministries as the Christian Church in Oklahoma.  It is one way we connect, equip, and empower one another for a life of faith and be the church we say we are: people who claim a covenant of unity, liberty, and charity (grace) as we proclaim the good news of God, follow Jesus, and welcome as we have been welcomed.

We are excited to hear from our special guests at Regional Assembly ’26.   

Carrie Newcomer, a songwriter and singer, will offer a songwriting workshop on Friday afternoon (3:30 pm), a Friday evening concert (7:30 pm), and join worship on Saturday afternoon.  Worship will include special music from:
– A Super Choir of voices from around the Region will offer special music, “The Gift of Love.”
– Musical guest Carrie Newcomer will lead the singing of a song written by workshop attendees on Friday afternoon.
– The Priase Band from First Christian Church, El Reno, will sing one of my favorite U2 songs, “Grace.”

Rev. Dr. Virginia White will lead and preach for our Dinner Church worship on Friday night (6:00 pm).  Come for a family-style meal and worship in a different style and setting.

Rev. Terri Hord Owens, our General Minister and President, will offer a workshop on Saturday morning and preside and preach for my installation as Regional Minister during worship on Saturday afternoon.  

On Saturday morning, Rev. Dr. Douglas Powe, President of Phillips Theological Seminary, will lead a workshop titled “Reimagining Evangelism.” It is one of six excellent workshops offered (10:00 am to 11:15 am).  Disciples are outreach-focused locally and globally.  Throughout the day and into the late afternoon, adults and youth can help package meals (no experience necessary) for Stamp Out Starvation.  Bring your youth group to RA26, stay after worship to finish packaging meals, enjoy pizza, then head to Main Event for a couple of hours of fun before heading home.

Rev. Colton Lott, Second-Vice Moderator, the RA26 planning team, and the Regional Staff have worked to ensure there is something for everyone.  We look forward to greeting you!  I look forward to greeting you!  Visit the RA26 webpage to learn more and register. 

Don’t forget to select your congregation’s voting delegates, return the certification form by Feb 27, and be registered by March 2.  

The fee is $35 to attend all or some of RA26. 

We are able to offer this packed and expanded Assembly through the generosity of our sponsors:

• Phillips Theological Seminary
• Disciples Church Extension Fund
• New Church Ministry
• Oklahoma Disciples Foundation
• First Christian Church, Edmond, our host congregation
• Texoma Camp Board
• Central Area, Northeast Area, and Northwest Area Congregations

See you at Regional Assembly ’26!

“The Disciples of Christ are small enough to change, and big enough to change the world.”(1)

——–
1. Rev. Terri Hord Owens, Staying at the Table: Being the Church We Say We Are. Chalice Press (2025) p 93.  Quoting Rev. Dr. David Anderson Hooker, founder of the Narrative Project.

March 6-7

First Christian Church, Edmond

Describe Your Church in 3 Words

Connect

We are many textures, we are many colors,
Each one different from the others.
But we are entwined with one another
In one great tapestry

Weave, weave, weave us together,
Weave us together, in unity and love.
Weave, weave, weave us together,
weave us together, together in love.
Lyrics by Rosemary Crow Copyright 1979 / Chalice Hymnal, “Weave Us Together.” # 495

Disciples across Oklahoma gathered to hear the familiar narrative of his birth and to sing the carols and hymns.  We lit candles to break the darkness of a silent but holy night.  Do you see it?  Do you sense it?  Maybe that’s an epiphany.  Maybe that’s the epiphany the parables and ways of Jesus create space to experience.  Common experience.  Connection.

We are the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma.  We connect, equip, and empower one another to love and serve like Jesus.

Lift a candle.
Lend a hand.
Raise your voice.
Get involved in your congregation and the Region.  Weave us together to be a witness to the good news of God.

SiriusXM radio has played three channels of Christmas music since the first week of November. I wonder how many people chose to listen? Christmas movies and cartoons appeared in mid-November, with some running on a loop. Reading or hearing the news is difficult right now, and it has been for a long time. Still, it seems to have become even more intense, exponentially worse, even as people do their best to do good, help their neighbors, and be ethical in an economy that rewards scarcity, unethical behavior, and divisive voices.  It’s no surprise that we want to speed up hearing all the Whos in Whooville sing, “Welcome Christmas, bring your cheer.” So many could use some cheer, need a break, a good health outcome, or crave some time without drama, chaos, or grief. We need the reminder that hearts can grow, perspectives can change, and people are capable of good.

In a recent sermon, I said, “Advent is the anticipation of a hope that leads to a peace built on a love that creates tangible shalom that is life-affirming, life-giving, and eternal.”  Today’s rewrite.  “Christmas is a hope that leads to a peace built on a love that creates tangible shalom that gives life and is eternal.”  Christian tradition has simply said, Immanuel / Emmanuel.  “God with us” is: a prayer, a faith statement, a feeling, and/or a lived experience.  Some among us use it as a rallying call with an implicit “only.” “God only with us.”  But that’s not the message the angel announced to the shepherds.

Christmas is on the horizon.  What’s the message?  This is what I’ve seen since I visited the manger last year.  Every day, Oklahoma Disciples, our congregations and their members live out Immanuel and embody the spirit and work of Christmas in ways that multiply a shalom that provides: food, shelter, clothing, dollars, comfort, works to transform systems of oppression, rebuilds and nurtures community, and welcomes as they have been welcomed.

Immanuel.  Go and see what God has made known to you, and return to your community rejoicing, comforted, and ready for the work of Christmas ahead of you and ahead of us, in the new year.

Disciples, you are a blessing.

Peace . . . Michael

P.S.
When you think about all the characters in the Christmas story, which one do you identify with this year?  Though they don’t arrive until Epiphany, go ahead and include the Magi in the story, but don’t escape to Egypt just yet.

Many people enjoy watching Christmas cartoons or movies.  I know at least one person who began watching the Hallmark channel last month. I’ll speak for myself rather than for you or “we.”  Reminders are more helpful than nostalgia.  There are reminders and lessons in claymation, animation, over-the-top clumsiness, song-and-dance numbers, and knowing what it means to be the richest person in town.

Here is a short list of my favorite Christmas shows and movies in no particular order.  Email me your list of films or books, and I’ll send you a complete list.

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• A Charlie Brown Christmas
• Christmas Vacation
• A Christmas Carol (Patrick Stewart playing Scrooge)
• Spirited
• A Christmas Story
• It’s A Wonderful Life

Reminder(s).  That’s what I experience on the journey to Bethlehem each year.  I saw photos of the Northern Lights that were visible in Oklahoma last month, but I didn’t see them in person.  The photos and videos I saw were extraordinary.  I imagine those who did see it in person experienced a bit of the awe and wonder of the shepherds keeping watch over their flocks.  At least that’s what I experienced from the photos and videos.

Here’s a short list of the reminders and lessons from the journey to the manger and Christmastide that I’ve experienced over the years.

• The mysterious awe of creation.  
• The presence of God in simple acts of hospitality.
• Abundance is a life-giving perspective.
• Hope, peace, joy, and love break into life unexpectedly.  Learn from those experiences.
• God believes humans are capable of good.

I don’t know what you expect to experience or hope to experience this Advent and Christmas season.  I trust it inspires, comforts, confronts, and reminds you of “God with us.”  Join the Regional Youth Council in their journey to Bethlehem by downloading the Advent Devotion they created.  It’s a conversation with the poem, The Work of Christmas, by Howard Thurman.

Happy Advent and Merry Christmas!

Disciples, you are a blessing.  Thank you.

Come, Sophia, we believe you are the Shaman of the soul
Break us open to receive you
Fill us up and make us whole.
You inspire us to envision
all the wholeness of shalom
On a new path through tradition
That will surely lead us home.

Miriam Therese Winter and Medical Mission Sisters,  Hymn Re-Imagined, “Come, Sophia.” (2495755 Records DK) 1983.

Thank you.

As Clergy Appreciation Month comes to an end and the calendar turns to November, a month focused on gratitude, I’m grateful for all our clergy in Oklahoma.  Without social media platforms or “the algorithm,” they’ve been content creators and influencers before it was fashionable or considered a profession.

They are:
organizing your community for the common good
volunteering in your community
making hospital visits
preparing a bible study
leading youth group, or a children’s ministry
managing budgets and people
listening to concerns, joys, and questions
standing in the gaps of a polarized culture
praying with families in distress
celebrating lives
teaching radical hospitality, or the bible, or the language of faith
preaching the good news of God
following Jesus
welcoming people to faith
and so much more.

Servant leadership.   A ministry of teaching, pastoral care, and preaching that is prophetic.  Sometimes, it is just presence.  

Oklahoma Disciples clergy, “Thank you” for your work and service in the life of the local, denominational, and universal Church.  You model a faith in action. If you are reading this and haven’t offered your minister a word of appreciation, I encourage you to send a handwritten note, an email, or a text.

On social media, amid all the negativity that drives their profits, you will probably encounter your church, minister, or a friend sharing a practice, a meme, or another activity that might reframe your perspective on gratitude this month.  I receive “The Daily Question” from grateful.org every morning (it’s free).  It offers me a different way to start the day rather than opening a news app.  It invites me to consider a sense of the sacred.

As the government shutdown continues, our congregations with blessing boxes on their properties are refilling them more often, sometimes daily. Our congregations that help with their local food pantry or food bank are seeing more clients each day or week, and some of those clients are new. Our congregations that offer free community meals weekly or monthly are serving more people. Over the next 60 days, you will be asked for financial support many times by snail mail, email, and text.  Be cautious with those asks from unknown sources.  Be as generous as you can with known sources.  There are countless “good” opportunities to give your time, talent, and money.  Remember your Church.  I’ve seen Oklahoma Disciples respond before, and I know you will respond again. It’s one of the examples you set for your communities: using what you have and multiplying it to feed the 5000 near and far.

I trust that God will continue to bless us with gospel to be and ministry to do in our congregations and through this covenant we claim and share: the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Oklahoma.

Disciples, you are a blessing.  Thank you.