Regional News Archives - Page 21 of 22 - Christian Church in Oklahoma

SW Region Searching for a Regional Minister

The Southwest Region is currently searching for a Regional Minister.

The Southwest Region of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) is a region of 32,625 participating members in over 400 congregations in New Mexico, Texas, the panhandle of Oklahoma, and Liberal, Kansas. The Region is searching for a Regional Minister who:

Embodies and articulates a strong identity as a Disciple of Christ.
Understands and encourages the missions of local congregations.
Proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ in word and action.
Supports and equips clergy.
Works with areas in ministry.
Understands and is experienced with transformation in the church.
Respects and celebrates diversity in race, culture, theology and language.
Is accountable and responsible for all Regional staff and programs.
Maintains and builds relationship with the denomination on behalf of the Southwest.
Delegates and oversees representatives of the Region on boards and in other obligations, done in consultation with the Regional Council.

Interested candidates should send an email of interest to chair of the search committee, Jeff Billings Jbillings@ccsw.org.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:52:26-05:00Jan 17, 2017|Regional News|Comments Off

New Year’s Greeting: Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins

January 2017

Dearest Friends in Christ –

“Hope is a star that shines in the night, leading us on till the morning is bright.”

From the Advent promise of Emmanuel: God with us; to the Epiphany revelation: God-with-us-now, we hope.

And yet, I confess, as 2017 begins, my heart is bruised by the pain and division the United States and Canada have experienced which have filtered into our communities and congregations. Antagonistic elections in the United States have upended civil discourse. Repeated public incidents of both individual and institutional racism have fractured relationships in communities. And beyond our borders, civil wars in places like South Sudan and Syria, as well as natural disasters in long-suffering Haiti, only increase the need for healing of all kinds.

Still, along with “all of creation” in Romans 8:18, we wait expectantly “for the children of God to be revealed.” In fact, we hope to be among them. We are Disciples of Christ, a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world. We know God to be a God of abundance who provides enough for all and makes room enough for all.

This is the time for Disciples to shine! We have long found ways to live together in unity for the sake of God’s mission. Our ability to respect (and engage!) a diversity of faithful opinions is needed now more than ever. Our emphasis on healing the rifts of racism with pro-reconciling work is foundational to moving forward in our part of the world and globally. Our shared sense of service that came through loud and clear in our Mission Gatherings of 2016 gives us some of the connections we need to start living into the wholeness God so ardently wishes for us.

Our deep hope in God’s healing presence leads us to action.

Mission First!

Disciples are on the move toward new ways of being God’s hands and feet in the world through our work on Mission First! The Mission Council met late last year to identify common themes arising from the mission gatherings. We found many Disciples are hearing a call to mission with and for children, youth and young adults through efforts at inclusion, speaking up for the vulnerable and addressing racism. The Council affirmed welcome and accompaniment as hallmarks of our participation in God’s mission. At some of the gatherings – in the MidAmerica Region, for example – people found others who share their missional passions and formed connections to work together immediately. The Administrative Committee is preparing a proposal on how we might implement what we learned from the governance portion of the Mission First! pilot effort.

Pro-Reconciliation

As called for in General Assembly resolution 1328, the Racist Language Audit Task Force presented their report in 2016. General ministries, regions and the General Board, have already started to address the issues surfaced. Governing documents are being translated, sometimes for the first time, into French, Spanish and Korean. The National Convocation, at the 2016 Biennial Session, committed to renewed support for Reconciliation Ministry and calls upon the rest of the church to do the same.

New starts

In 2017, we look forward to new beginnings with our next General Minister and President to be elected in July at the General Assembly, along with our new moderator team. We anticipate gathering once again at the Lord’s Table to be united as ONE, celebrating Jesus’ prayer on our behalf that the world may believe.

Called to Live in Hope

After nearly 12 years, serving as your general minister and president, I still believe we are a church whose time has come. We are a gifted people, called for such a time as this. Refining our missional focus across the life of the Church, renewing our commitment to racial justice, catching the Spirit in new ways to further our part in God’s work of healing and wholeness – we enter 2017 ready to be and to share the good news of Jesus Christ, witnessing, loving, and serving, from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth

With hope in Christ undimmed, I greet you in this New Year. May we all resolve to live right now in “the assurance of things hoped for!” (Hebrews 11:1)

Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins

General Minister and President

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:52:41-05:00Jan 12, 2017|Regional News|Comments Off

Annual Fund: Why Your Gift is Important

Dear Regional Church Family,

Just as this is the season of stewardship in your home church, this is also the season of stewardship for the Region. We are asking you to help support the ministry of the Regional church by making a contribution to the Annual Fund 2016 before December 31, 2016.

Every dollar counts, and every dollar is significant, especially when these offerings are given and blessed by God. These monies are used to support, encourage, connect and equip the faithful in our midst as we all, in our unique and diverse ministries, seek to bring healing and wholeness in our broken and fragmented world.

Making “Mission” a First Priority

Over 400 people gathered at our Leadership Training Event to hear from Vy Nuygen, executive director of Week of Compassion, and to attend a variety of workshops, including many on mission.

Over 300 people gathered at our bi-annual Regional Assembly where we were empowered and sent forth into the community to “do” mission. Read about how we learned to build bridges, served our community, and enjoyed fellowship.

All of our summer youth camps, generously supported by Oklahoma Disciples Men, were full of young people who hunger for a word from the Lord and long to use their gifts in mission. See a list of the many congregations who participated in outdoor ministry this summer.

Our Region welcomed a visit from a Caminante intern Henry Brewer-Calvert, and we celebrated a Regional mission trip to Caminante, Dominican Republic, which is faithfully supported by Oklahoma Disciples Women.

We have held “Mission First!” gatherings in several places around the Region so that our voice will be united with the whole church.

We Serve Over 150 Oklahoma Disciples Congregations

Over 150 Disciples congregations continue to reach beyond their doors in wonderful and creative ministries in and around their communities. We invite you to read about these joys.

Ordaining and Commissioning Clergy

We also celebrate congregations who ordained 8 candidates into Christ’s church: Amy Grogran, Bethany Christian Church, Tulsa; Joy Naylor, Fellowship Christian Church, Broken Arrow; Chuck Jackson, South Grand Lake Christian Church, Langley; Cecilia Tolley, Northwest Christian Church, OKC; Mark Taylor, FCC Edmond; Kaycee Young, FCC Talequah; Drew Kirtley, FCC Duncan; Sondra Ladd, FCC Stillwater. Two congregations commissioned pastors: Lisa Wynn, FCC Guthrie; Evan Taylor, East Side CC, Tulsa. And the Region continues to support almost 300 clergy called to lead in a variety of ways: congregations, chaplaincy, teaching, hospices, non-profits, and prisons.

New Pro-Reconciliation and Anti-Racism Training

On November 19th, the Region hosted a Pro-Reconciliation Anti-Racism (PRAR) workshop where over 50 diverse folks from around the state united to learn how to create a PRAR team in our Region. Learn more about this important new initiative.

Your Gift Makes A Difference

The Region of Oklahoma has numerous things for which we can be thankful. In this season of Thanksgiving, and as you gather with family and friends on Thanksgiving Day, we invite you to make a list of blessings from this past year. We are sure the list will be long! We trust you will give thanks for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), which is making a difference in the name of Christ in Oklahoma, not only with prayer, but also with a monetary gift. Thank you for your gift so that we may further our mission. You may securely donate online here.

May God continue to bless you, your congregation, and our Region in the name of Christ. Peace & God’s grace,

Pamela G. Holt, Regional Minister

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:52:50-05:00Nov 25, 2016|Regional News|Comments Off

Christmas Offering to Support Regional Ministries

The Regional Office is the portal that unites the diversity and mission of Oklahoma congregations and Christ’s followers.

Our regional staff and its volunteer board work to

Encourage 151 diverse congregations and their clergy, and 10 non-profit ministries in mission.
Support nearly 300 commissioned and ordained clergy serving in congregations, hospitals, military chaplaincy, higher education, camps, foundations, non-profit organizations.
Help congregations seeking to call a new pastor.
Provide laity and clergy with educational and leadership resources.
Pray for and provide pastoral care to our clergy and their families.
Guide those called by God who seek ministry as a vocation as ordained clergy.
Credential all Disciples of Christ clergy in the Region of Oklahoma.
Provide resources and leadership for young people through summer camps and seasonal retreats.

Please consider supporting Oklahoma Regional Ministries with a gift to the Christmas Offering through your church or you may donate online.

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:52:54-05:00Nov 24, 2016|Regional News|Comments Off

The Joy of Giving – Oklahoma Disciples Foundation

The Foundation is pleased to announce that a grant making committee is working on guidelines, policy and an application process for offering a limited amount of funds to non-profit 501(c)(3) organizations beginning in 2017. The funds are from various endowments within the Foundation and they have specific intents. More details about our grant program will be available after the first of the year. We will keep you updated throughout the process.

We will also be posting information on our website at http://okdfdn.org/. Thank you for your support of the Foundation. Let us know if we can be of any assistance with your planned giving needs. Call us at 405.525.6530.

Eric S.Gray

Executive Director

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:52:59-05:00Nov 21, 2016|Regional News|Comments Off

Pro-Reconciliation and Anti-Racism Training Started

The journey toward Pro-Reconciliation and Anti-Racism (PRAR) in the Oklahoma Region began November 19, 2016 with a gathering of over 50 clergy and church leaders.

Rev. Dwight Bailey and Martha Herrin from the Illinois/Wisconsin Region were our presenters. They introduced us to information on Systemic Racism and the “What Next” question.

Our “What Next?” is forming a task team to setup the process for presentation to the Regional Board. We will also continue to have conversation regarding PRAR so we can be active and effective in this important work and ministry.

Learn more about Reconciliation Ministry.

CCOK3012017-01-08T11:02:54-06:00Nov 20, 2016|Regional News|Comments Off

Alternative Christmas through Global Ministries

Global Ministries is excited to announce Alternative Christmas at Global Ministries is here. Alternative Christmas continues to be an opportunity for gift-givers to turn a donation to Global Ministries into an Alternative Gift to present and to honor a loved one on Christmas.

This year Global Ministries is continuing to highlight the opportunity to give a themed gift this Alternative Christmas. These Alternative giving themes are:

People in Mission, Peace with Justice, Water, Education, Child Sponsorship, Health, Microcredit, Church Capacity Building and Where Needed Most.

These gifts go directly to global partners with ministries and projects within these themes. To learn more about specific ministries or projects of global partners within these themes, you can read more here. If you prefer, you are welcome to choose to give an Alternative Gift which supports a specific partner, special project, or person in mission. As always, 100% of your gift will be used as designated.

Global Ministries also invites you to learn more about alternative gifts and the alternative giving themes through the Global Ministries Alternative Giving Catalog. The catalog contains rich stories and photographs of the life-giving ministries of global partners, as well as information on how to participate in this global sharing of God’s abundant resources. Request your print copy of the catalog today or browse the catalog online.

Continue reading about Alternative Christmas at Global Ministries

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:53:09-05:00Nov 3, 2016|Regional News|Comments Off

You are Invited to a Pro-Reconciliation and Anti-Racism Event

In the spring of 2015 and 2016, a group of Regional Ministers met in St. Louis, Missouri to hear and learn from local Disciple pastors about the chaos surrounding the death of Michael Brown. I remember two things these pastors saying, (1) “We are very tired,” and (2) “This will happen in your community, and you need to be prepared.” Sure enough, as hard as some of us work to be in relationship with our brothers and sisters and our community leaders, a tragedy happened in Tulsa with the police shooting of Terence Crutcher.

The Region of Oklahoma is stepping up its awareness and leadership with Pro-Reconciliation and Anti-Racism (PRAR). It is imperative that each of us and all of us get our hearts and minds around systemic racism.

The Faith in Action Commission and Reconciliation are partnering with the active and existing PRAR team from Illinois/Wisconsin and have invited their leaders to come to Oklahoma to introduce us to the possibilities of developing an Oklahoma PRAR team. This one-day free training experience will take place Saturday November 19, 2016 at First Christian Church Stroud.

Oklahoma recognizes the effectiveness of the Oklahoma Conference of Churches Spiritual & Emotional Disaster ministry that works around the state. A Regional PRAR team will be equally as effective and is much needed.

This opportunity for learning is being supported in full by Oklahoma Reconciliation funds. As leaders of faith and followers of Christ I strongly encourage us all to participate in this event. Please read below for details about the event and how to register (continuing education credit applies).

Peace and God’s blessings,
Pam Holt, Regional Minister
Leslie Dotson, Assoc. Regional Minister

You Are Invited by Rev. Pam Holt & Rev. Leslie Dotson and The Faith in Action Commission of the Christian Church in Oklahoma

To Attend A Free Pro-Reconciliation and Anti-Racism Event
“Introduction to Systemic Racism”

Guest Speakers
Rev. Dwight Bailey and Martha Herrin
Members of the Pro-Reconciliation/Anti-Racism Team of Illinois/Wisconsin

To learn more about this event register here.
Saturday, November 19, 2016
First Christian Church Stroud
(Lunch provided)

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:53:51-05:00Oct 12, 2016|Regional News|1 Comment

Hurricane Matthew Relief Efforts

Winds Rush. Water Pounds. Buildings Fall. People Suffer.
Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti on the morning of October 4 and in Cuba later that afternoon. This powerful and slow-moving storm battered islands of the Caribbean and the United States’ Atlantic coast. The immediate and long-term impacts for survivors are significant.

The storm flattened communities and wrecked agriculture in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba and the Bahamas. Global Ministries’ (UCC/Disciples joint ministry) partners are reporting devastation of crops and houses in the southern regions of Haiti as well as in the city of Port-au-Prince. Houses in Ganthier, Haiti, rebuilt for families displaced from the 2010 earthquake by Church World Service (including both the UCC and Disciples), now are flooded again. Torrential rains reignited fears of waterborne diseases like cholera, an epidemic that already was in Haiti prior to the hurricane. Over 1,000 people have died, most of them in Haiti and at least 22 in the United States. In Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina, coastal destruction, wind damage and freshwater flooding has wreaked havoc.

The United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) are well situated to respond robustly to people impacted both in the Caribbean and within the United States. Already, solidarity grants from the 2016 One Great Hour of Sharing Offering and Week of Compassion Fund are on their way to partners in in the region responding to immediate needs of food, shelter and safety. The UCC and Disciples are poised to respond with other churches to provide food, water, containers, roofs, mattresses, hygiene kits and psychosocial support. Within the United States, both denominations are active in local and national disaster response networks.

Your generosity to this disaster appeal will enable our churches to expand these responses and to walk closely with our neighbors now, in the immediate crisis, and through the long-term recovery process that will follow. In the midst of tumultuous weather, people receive food and water to drink. In the midst of danger, people find safety and rebuild homes. In the midst of hopelessness, people experience a love that will not let them go.
Hurricane Matthew

Pray passionately-
Prayers Following Disasters

Stay Connected-
One Great Hour of Sharing Facebook and Twitter
Week of Compassion Facebook and Twitter
Global Ministries Website and Facebook

Respond generously (indicate Hurricane Matthew Response)-
Disaster Ministries
One Great Hour of Sharing UCC International Emergency Fund
Disciples of Christ Week of Compassion

Global Ministries
Support of specific partners through Global Ministries

CCOK3012019-03-18T15:53:56-05:00Oct 12, 2016|Regional News|Comments Off

Regional Leadership Issues Letter of Hope and Unity

The Regional Ministers and Regional Moderators of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the U.S. and Canada issued an open letter of hope and a call for unity.

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

In this contentious campaign season, we write as leaders who have witnessed firsthand the prophecy of our Lord that “five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three;” (Luke 12:52 NRSV). In a week when we have gathered to confer about the spiritual health of our church, both sides of America’s divided family have called one another racist. As a body that has claimed a pro-reconciliation, anti-racist priority for two decades, we the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada write to offer a word of hope from our experience.

First we offer reflections on some of the more difficult learnings of these past two decades.

CONTINUED>>

CCOK3012016-09-07T15:42:33-05:00Sep 7, 2016|Regional News|Comments Off