Church and Society News
Human trafficking: a global menace everyone can help fight
1/17/2024
BY REV. DERREK BELASE The month of January is designated as Human Trafficking Awareness Month. The United Methodist program calendar designates January 11 as Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Bishop ...
Black Clergy Women Gathering an Oklahoma First
9/7/2023
Black Clergy Women of the UMC held their annual gathering July 31 to August 3, in Washington, D.C. The theme was Be You. This is the first time in the 30-year history of the event that the Oklahoma ...
Lift Every Voice: Celebrating Black History Month
2/7/2023
Through the month of February the OKUMC will be sharing “Lift Every Voice - Celebrating Black History” video series. Join us every Wednesday posting at 10 am on the conference Youtube, facebook and ...
We Shall Overcome: Re-Envisioning a Beloved Community
2/7/2023
With the theme of “Re-Envisioning A Beloved Community: Expanding the Kingdom of Love and Justice,” the 2023 MLK worship service was timely and necessary for this time in United States history. Clergy ...
OIMC, MLCC partner to learn from one another
3/7/2022
Issues of race and racism have taken the forefront in recent years when it comes to social awareness. However, much of that discussion has ignored the experience of indigenous persons according to ...
OKUMC churches join in local efforts to help refugees from Afghanistan
9/10/2021
Congregations in Norman, Oklahoma City and Tulsa are joining with local organizations to help refugees who are coming to Oklahoma from Afghanistan. Rev. Adam Shahan who leads OKC-Wesley said the ...
Shattering the Stained Glass initiative makes new resources available to ministry leaders
9/10/2021
The Shattering the Stained Glass initiative has started its next resource offerings for ministry leaders in the Oklahoma Conference. “Stained glass windows can bring beauty to our spaces of worship, ...
MLCC begins new series to “shatter” old paradigms, expectations
6/16/2021
The Minority Local Church Concerns team is creating a new series that they hope will bring attention to traditional and sometimes foundational practices that either started with or perpetuate systemic...
Tulsa prepares to remember Tulsa Race Massacre 100 years later
5/24/2021
By Tabitha Beckman From May 31 to June 1, 1921, the Greenwood District of Tulsa—known as Black Wall Street—was burned down by a white mob, and many of its residents were killed in what became known as...
OKUMC appoints full-time leader for multi-ethnic initiatives
4/26/2021
The Oklahoma Conference has appointed Rev. Bessie Hamilton as the new Associate Director of Connectional Ministries for Multi-Ethnic Initiatives effective April 1. She has been serving on the staff ...
GBCS offers free lectionary curriculum for youth
12/11/2020
The General Board of Church and Society has published its Year B lectionary curriculum for youth. The curriculum is the last in the “Connecting Faith and Justice Youth Curriculum” series to complete ...
GCORR launches 30 days of anti-racism
9/4/2020
The General Commission on Religion and Race is hosting 30 Days of Anti-Racism in September. The campaign encourages participants to engage in an activity every day that helps them become more ...
Oklahoma Conference student chosen for GBCS Ethnic Young Adult Internship Program
8/6/2020
ViaFaith McCullough, a senior political science student at Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas and member of the Oklahoma Conference, has been selected as one of four interns for the ...
Conference Communications Update
7/3/2020
Beginning in July, the Oklahoma Conference is shifting from sending out weekly updates related to COVID-19 and other ministry needs via email to sharing updates twice a month: once in the Contact and ...
Can we talk about race yet?
6/12/2020
By Meagan Ewton. On June 13, 2019, the General Commission on Religion and Race released a statement regarding racist elements in a popular Vacation Bible School curriculum. Days later, I asked five ...
Ministry in a Minute: United Methodists join rally to protest treatment of migrant families
8/2/2019
Lay and clergy members of the Oklahoma Conference were present during a rally held outside US Senator James Lankford’s office on July 3. The rally was organized by Women in Action for All, ...
Facing racism with grace and truth
10/5/2018
Get on the Bus examines how racism shaped American history and culture today By Meagan Ewton What started as a civil rights tour on Thursday had by Sunday become something much more personal to the 44...
Council Oak DS receives Frances E. Willard Award
9/6/2018
By Jennifer Ahrens-Sims What do 19th century suffragists and 21st century women in ministry have in common? A shared common value that wherever they are, whatever they are doing and whatever gifts ...
Diversity kits reflect diversity in faith
7/6/2018
Left to right: Pastors Twila Gibbens (retired), Valerie Steele, and Ruth Atterberry hold up items used in diversity kits that were given away during the 2018 Annual Conference. The items are meant to...
Churches help out during walkout
5/18/2018
BY CHRIS SCHUTZ United Methodists across Oklahoma stepped up to help when public schools closed, some for 10 days, in early April during a teacher walkout and protests at the Capitol about education. ...
The Social Principles
4/13/2018
2 Oklahomans give leadership to revising sections in Book of Discipline OKLAHOMA CITY — Clergymen Mark Davies and Stan Basler serve on two of the global teams of theologians and experts assigned by ...
‘Get on the Bus’ for civil rights tour
4/12/2018
In September, join Bishop Jimmy Nunn and other Oklahoma United Methodists who will travel by chartered bus to tour the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, and Little Rock (Arkansas) ...
Consultant Payne advises churches on poverty ministries
4/12/2018
“God, my shepherd! I don’t need a thing. You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from. True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right ...
Award will recognize Oklahoma advocate for women in ministry
3/2/2018
Every year the Oklahoma Commission on the Status and Role of Women gives the Frances E. Willard Award to an individual who makes a distinguished contribution to the advancement of women in ministry in...
Summer class digs into sustainability
3/2/2018
United Methodist college students have an innovative class option this summer through the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) and partners Oklahoma City University, Professor Mark ...
Ruby Payne will lead free seminar on poverty
2/9/2018
Spend “A Day with Ruby Payne” March 15 to gain insight and develop practical steps for your church’s ministry with the poor. Moore-First United Methodist Church will host the free seminar led by Dr. ...
Save the date
2/9/2018
Get ready for grand outdoor adventures! Registration is now open for this summer’s Oklahoma Conference Camps programming. Go to www.okcamps.org. Lake Country District Spring Lay Servant Training Feb....
What’s in a word? COSROW event explores gender influences
2/9/2018
BY CHRIS SCHUTZ Traditionally male “God-talk” and other word usage that may discourage women from considering a ministry career will be the topic of a Feb. 17 workshop planned by the Oklahoma ...
Domestic violence in spotlight
1/19/2018
The Oklahoma Conference is partnering to present “Safe Town,” a program on domestic violence awareness, on Feb. 27 at OKC-Church of the Servant. This one-day training, which is interactive, is made ...
See all the people: Ruby Payne brings insight on poverty
1/19/2018
On March 15 in Moore, Ruby Payne herself will lead a free workshop about understanding poverty, following her company’s presentation last fall of “What Every Church Member Should Know About Poverty” ...
Church security
12/22/2017
Active-shooter training among ways Oklahomans prepare for crises BY HOLLY MCCRAY Some Oklahoma United Methodist churches invested in safety strategies months, even years, before a gunman burst into ...
Young adults work for racial reconciliation
12/22/2017
General church grant supports vision for 4 partner groups NASHVILLE, Tenn. — An Oklahoma group is among the first recipients of grants for United Methodist young adults who have a passion for racial ...
Church security: Questions rise after shooting at small church
12/1/2017
BY HOLLY MCCRAY and SAM HODGES The shooting tragedy on Nov. 5 at a Texas church has United Methodist churches expressing heartbreak and offering prayers. They’re also refocusing on security. A gunman’...
GCSROW examines clergy pay
12/1/2017
A recent article on the General Commission on the Status and Role of Women website reports pay disparities are widening between United Methodist clergy when comparing genders. The commission has ...
Tour will focus of racism in America
10/20/2017
Plan to “Get on the Bus to D.C.” in June 2018 and travel with other Oklahoma United Methodists to learn more about racism in America. The chartered bus trip is jointly planned by three Conference ...
Prepare for culture shock
9/29/2017
Responding to a crisis call, the police officer saw little to eat yet a massive TV and hundreds of videotapes inside the flimsy home. He wondered why entertainment seemed valued over food in that ...
Group encourages churches to become "greener"
9/8/2017
Churches can take a number of steps to reduce their impact on the environment, according to the Environmental Coalition of the Conference’s Board of Church and Society. The proposals comply with a ...
Justice retreat focuses on issue of ingrained racism
9/8/2017
BY HOLLY MCCRAY Walled in by beauty at Canyon Camp, 80 people recently covenanted to tear down ugly walls of institutional racism in the Church. A 24-hour retreat culminated with agreement on ...
Retreat to tackle systemic racism
7/28/2017
Spend an evening listening. Personal stories of racism will open a justice retreat Aug. 25-26 (Friday evening-Saturday afternoon), hosted by the Board of Church & Society, at Canyon Camp. "Tearing ...
Just causes -- Eco-spirituality is focus for deaconess
8/28/2015
A box fan hummed and birds twittered outside open windows in July as Pat Hoerth discussed her concerns for God’s good earth. This United Methodist deaconess grew up "immersed in nature" on a ...
Caring for our planet
8/7/2015
Personal action at heart of new program The Environmental Coalition hopes to present its new educational program to a wide array of people — civic groups, other secular or faith organizations, even ...
Earth Walk will begin at UM Ministry Center
4/17/2015
Earth Walk will begin in the United Methodist Ministry Center parking lot in Oklahoma City on Earth Day, April 22. Live music will welcome people at 6 p.m. The walking route, just over 1 mile, will ...