The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor. Luke 4:18-22A
The Oklahoma Region is excited to invite you to its Virtual 2020 Regional Assembly. This will be a new way for us to gather for worship, learning and business. The Saturday event will include a special guest preacher so we may worship together. An opportunity to learn about the selected scripture from well known leaders. Plus, the gathering of the 2020 Virtual Regional Assembly will include voting delegates from each congregation and Oklahoma’s clergy to participate in the Region’s biennial business meeting. The officers of the Regional Board will present a slate of new officers for the Regional Board, and other action items.
Through worship and learning we are assembling as Oklahoma Disciples to be
Fixed on understanding the Bible better
As Disciples of Christ we are called to read and study scripture in community. Using our critical and thoughtful resources, we take into account the history and background in which bible stories were written. How does knowing bible stories inform our understanding and practice of faith?
Fixed on loving Jesus better
As Disciples of Christ we focus on the example Jesus set for us interacting with culture, with people, and in relationship with God. Are we as authentic in our lives as Jesus was in his?
Fixed on serving through our churches better
As Disciples of Christ we focus on reaching beyond the walls of our congregations with our hearts, our hands, and our feet. Are we listening to the greatest needs in our communities and responding with resources and compassion?
Fixed on showing Jesus’ inclusive boundary breaking love better
As Disciples of Christ we focus on knowing and serving our neighbor. Jesus ate dinner with the tax collector. Jesus fed the woman who begged for crumbs. Jesus invested in the children. Jesus forgave Peter and Judas. Are we really welcoming all to his table of love and grace?
Fixed on being Jesus’ agents of healing and hope better
As Disciples of Christ we humbly embrace the responsibility to do greater things than Jesus as we work for wholeness in a fragmented world. Are our churches primarily a place of safety in a changing culture or are our churches a change agent of culture?
Luke 4:16-22a
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
16When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read,
17and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
18 ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
20And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
21Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’
22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth.
Voting Delegates Use the Zoom Link
Emailed to You Friday 9/25/20
Schedule
9:00 am
Gathering
9:15 am
Welcome to Virtual Regional Assembly & Learning Opportunity
10:15 am
Showcasing Congregational Ministries During COVID-19
10:30 am
Worship
11:30 am
Spotlight on Ministry Partners
11:45 am
Business Session
12:30 pm
Closing Prayers
Congregation Info Center
Voting Delegate Info • Business Meeting Agenda
Rev. Dr. Nancy Pittman
Dr. Pittman is President and Stephen J. England Associate Professor of the Practice of Ministry at Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, an ecumenical seminary affiliated with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Her faith commitments were formed and informed through her work in the Religion Studies and Psychology departments of Texas Christian University where she earned a BA, and at Brite Divinity School where she was awarded an MDiv. Having known a sense of call to ministry since childhood, she was ordained by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the Southwest on April 1, 1984. She has served as a minister in several churches across Texas or Oklahoma and preached or lectured as a guest speaker in numerous congregations and regional and national events.
Dr. Pittman joined the faculty of Phillips Theological Seminary as the Director of the Doctor of Ministry program in 2005. In that position and then later as dean (2013-2018) she has explored the intersection of practical ministry with intelligent and learned theological and biblical reflection. At the seminary she teaches “Capstones in Theological Leadership” as an invitation to graduating students to live at that intersection throughout their vocational lives. She also continues to be challenged by images faithful and faithless community in the New Testament, understandings of ministerial leadership in the 21st century, and our own contemporary ecclesiolatries—idolatries of church and church forms.
Nancy is married to Dr. Don Pittman. In her spare time, she laughs with her family, reads novels, and embroiders flowers.
Rev. April G. Johnson
Rev. April G. Johnson serves as the Minister of Reconciliation for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the United States and Canada. She brings to this work a deep passion for racial understanding, justice and compassion. As Minister of Reconciliation, Rev. Johnson facilitates the church-wide process of awareness, analysis and action toward healing the fractures in the body of Christ that are caused by systemic racism. At Regional Assembly April will speak on “Anti-Racism: The Bible’s Call & Our Response”.
Rev. Johnson earned her Bachelor’s of Arts degree from the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana and Masters of Divinity degree from Howard University in Washington, DC.
In her capacity as both Pastor and administrator, Rev. Johnson emphasizes the importance of relationship-building across difference as one of the critical ways that we embody and extend God’s unyielding grace.
What Is Virtual Regional Assembly?
The Region traditionally has had a biennial Regional Assembly to gather our congregations together in one place to celebrate in worship and being Disciples of Christ in Oklahoma. Due to the season of COVID-19, we know it is still important to gather together as the body of Christ in Oklahoma for worship, to share in learning, and to conduct business. Technology allows us do gather virtually to keep one another safe and well, AND connected. The event will be just a few hours on Saturday morning, September 26th, and you will join us from your living room!
What’s the Best Part?
The best part about this year’s Virtual Regional Assembly is that it we will be connected in a unique way via technology. We may have more folks than in year’s past because there is no travel cost or charge to attend this year’s Virtual Regional Assembly. Together, we will worship, break bread, celebrate our gifts, learn, and conduct business.
Why Does It Matter to Me?
Because each and every church in the Oklahoma Region, and furthermore, each and every member of our churches, are vital towards the part of the Body of Christ that we represent here in Oklahoma.
As we strive towards the global unity that God is calling God’s church to have, we relish these opportunities to embody that unity in our smaller geographies. The work and ministry that each of our churches are doing, especially during this season of COVID-19, planting seeds of faith, reaching out into the community to care for the poor and the broken, feeding the hungry, and providing for children, may be more important now more than ever before.
Come and make sure your voice is heard and that we are lifting up the wonderful ways your church is doing along with all of the other Disciples of Christ in the Oklahoma Region!