Blog Posts

Remembering our promise to God

6/24/2005

Bishop Hayes preached the ordination and commissioning sermon. By BISHOP ROBERT E. HAYES, JR.The first day I returned to my office following Annual Conference, the mail was stacked high and a great number of messages were sitting next to the telephone awaiting a return call. As I took my seat behind the desk, I started sifting through the letters slowly, reading one after the other. To my surprise, there were a great number of letters celebrating the success of our conference. Some said the ...

Do you hear what I hear?

5/27/2005

Strength for the Journey - A collection of ideas and thoughts from our Bishop"And are we yet alive, and see each other's face? Glory and thanks to Jesus give for his almighty grace!What troubles have we seen, what mighty conflicts past, fighting without and fears within since we assembled last! Yet out of all the Lord hath brought us by his love; and still he doth his help afford, and hides our life above." And Are We Yet Alive, Charles Wesley, 1749, The United Methodist Hymnal Listen. Do you...

Beware of friends bearing gifts

4/22/2005

"It is better to meet a she bear robbed of her cubs than to encounter a fool in his folly." Proverbs 17:12 Part I Every now and then, I get a Saturday morning in which to sleep late. Granted, there aren't many of them, but on this particular weekend, I was all prepared to sleep as late as I could. You know, Rip Van Winkle late. The kind of late that has you eating breakfast at 2:00 in the afternoon. I had looked so forward to this very special Saturday, that I was tempted to go and buy me a ...

A life well lived

Robert Erick Hayes Sr. 1920-2009 On behalf of the entire Hayes family, we would like to express our deep appreciation for the hundreds and hundreds of cards, letters, flowers, and other acts of kindness shown to us since the loss of my father, Dr. Robert E. Hayes Sr. We cannot personally respond to all these expressions of sympathy, so we want to take this opportunity to say thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers. The strength that the people of Oklahoma provided ...

A storm is brewing

"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. -Luke 12:34   By BISHOP ROBERT E. HAYES JR. Let's see if we have all the provisions we need. Canned goods? Check! Enough snacks and self-contained meals to last several days? Check! Emergency generator, in case the electricity goes out? Check! Several radios and extra batteries, so we won't miss a thing? Check! Enough gas in the car in case we find it necessary to get to another location fast? Check!      Sounds like the kind of list I'...

Feeling out of place Part 1

"And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, ‘Who is this?’"—Matthew 21:10 (Part 1 in a series) By BISHOP ROBERT E. HAYES JR. One of the things I’ve enjoyed most in my 36 years as a United Methodist minister has been watching the growth of the children and young people I’ve had the privilege of pastoring. It is so gratifying when, in adulthood, some tell me about my influence in their lives, about the difference my ministry made in helping them make good choices in...

Feeling out of place Part II

"And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying: Who is this?"–Matthew 21:10 (Part 2) By Bishop ROBERT E. HAYES JR. At the close of Part 1, I had just exited a wedding reception where no one knew me. That feeling of rejection and isolation brought to my mind the ultimate incident of confused identity that occurred when Jesus rode into Jerusalem, on a day we now celebrate as Palm Sunday. Even though Jesus had been in their midst for three years—preaching, teaching, healing ...