Connectional Opportunities News
NSO celebrates designation as a UMC historical site
7/13/2022
Neighborhood Services Organization has been recognized as United Methodist Historic 567. NSO is one of eight ministries in Oklahoma and the second non-church organization in the state to receive the ...
Connection in the midst of uncertainty
3/13/2020
The Methodist understanding of connection began as a way for the denomination’s founder, John Wesley, to make sure every community of believers could be connected to the church as a whole. That ...
Mission & Ministry: Hispanic/Latino Ministry
2/7/2020
When people think of doing ministry with Hispanic and Latino communities, they may imagine familiar worship services or outreach efforts translated into Spanish. However, there is much more to ...
Mission & Ministry: Oklahoma City University
1/10/2020
Founded in 1904, OCU is a private, independent, coeducational institution with a long-standing affiliation with the UMC. The institution offers a diverse, inclusive culture committed to producing ...
Mission & Ministry: Cookson Hills Center
12/13/2019
Cookson Hills Center is a project of the United Methodist Church. It is the only rural mission program in Oklahoma and the only mission program that is a joint effort of the Oklahoma Conference, the ...
Mission and Ministry: Restore Hope Ministries
11/1/2019
The Mission of Restore Hope Ministries is to restore families in financial crisis to economic and spiritual vitality. They do so through three major avenues: prevention of homelessness, reduction of ...
Mission & Ministry: Skyline Urban Ministry
10/5/2019
Skyline Urban Ministry is located in the shadow of the downtown Oklahoma City skyline, and its mission is to serve those who live in that shadow. Skyline lives out its mission to impact lives by ...
Mission & Ministry: Campus Ministries
9/6/2019
Reaching more young people is something churches talk about all the time, but which often seems just out of our grasp. Most local churches, even large ones, are happy to have ANY sort of stable young ...
Mission & Ministry: Circle of Care
8/2/2019
Circle of Care makes it their mission to provide Christian help, healing and hope to children and families in crisis to ensure a safe, healthy and spiritual future. Three programs help them ...
NPNP 2020 grant applications due Aug. 31
8/2/2019
New People New Places is preparing for its sixth year of awarding grants to ministries that “reach new, younger, and more diverse people to become world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ.” ...
Mission & Ministry: Neighborhood Services Organization
7/5/2019
Neighborhood Services Organziation, better known as NSO, serves some of the most vulnerable populations in the Oklahoma City community. “At NSO, we provide housing and health care services to the ...
Mission & Ministry: Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference
6/14/2019
The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference is one of three missionary conferences in the United States and has been established for 175 years. According to the General Commission on Archives and ...
Mission & Ministry: New People New Places
5/3/2019
New People New Places challenges churches to see and reach more of the people in their neighborhoods and communities, and help them grow into disciples of Jesus Christ. The goal is to introduce a new ...
Mission and Ministry: Office of Mission
4/5/2019
The Oklahoma Conference has been working on formalizing covenant partnerships in ministry and mission with FIVE conferences within our Methodist family: Bolivia, Eastern Mexico, Chile, Colombia and...
Mission & Ministry: Criminal Justice & Mercy Ministries
3/7/2019
“I was in prison, and you visited me.” (Matt 25:37) These are words that Criminal Justice & Mercy Ministries takes to heart. With Oklahoma being the state with the highest incarceration rate in the ...
Confirmation Camp heads to Canyon Camp on Feb. 22-23
2/1/2019
By Meagan Ewton What does it mean to be a United Methodist? Allen Carson, pastor of El Reno-Wesley, hopes to help youth answer that and other faith-related questions during a special 24-hour camp. ...
Connectional Opportunities now called Mission and Ministry
2/1/2019
During Annual Conference in May 2018, 14 ministries were removed from apportionment giving and given their own designation: Connectional Opportunities. Nearly nine months later, this collection of ...
Mission and Ministry: Camps & Conference Programming
2/1/2019
Camping ministry provides Oklahoma United Methodist churches the opportunity to engage in meaningful experiences, relationships, and ministry. Three campsites around the state provide a ...
Avedis Foundation awards grant to Circle of Care to build foster homes
1/11/2019
The Avedis Foundation and Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of Care, a statewide foster care agency, have announced plans to collaborate on a building project to provide homes for sibling sets in ...
Connectional Opportunity: Project Transformation
1/11/2019
Project Transformation is one of the Connectional Opportunity ministries supported through the generous giving of churches in the Oklahoma Conference. Based on a model founded in 1998 in the North ...
Canyon Camp raising funds for nurse’s station
12/7/2018
By Meagan Ewton Canyon Camp is raising $40,000 for a new nurse’s station that they hope to build in time for the summer season, according to Director David Combs. The camp began to focus on ...
Challenge grant matches up to $25,000 for independent living program
12/7/2018
Circle of Care is raising $25,000 to match a $25,000 challenge grant from the Paul Milburn Gift Fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.This grant will benefit the Preparation for Adult Living ...
OCU holiday shows make the season bright
12/7/2018
The fall semester at OCU will come to a close with some fun holiday performances. The American Spirit Dance Company’s annual “Home for the Holidays” showcases the school’s world-renown program with a ...
OCU: Bishop Scholar Application Now Open
12/7/2018
High school seniors who feel called to ministry and who are interested in studying in the Oklahoma City University Wimberly School of Religion are encouraged to apply for the prestigious Bishop ...
OU Wesley Foundation holds open house
12/7/2018
The Wesley Foundation at the University of Oklahoma held an open house and dedication on Nov. 10 to celebrate the completion of a $700,000 rennovation. Updates include asbestos abatement, a redesigned...
Challenge grant matches up to $25,000 for transitional living program
11/2/2018
Circle of Care is raising $25,000 to match a $25,000 challenge grant from the Paul Milburn Gift Fund at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation.This grant will benefit the Preparation for Adult Living ...
Counting on connection
11/2/2018
By Meagan Ewton Andre Contino wears a clergy collar to his downtown office in Oklahoma City every Wednesday, where he offers prayer and communion to more than 100 people gathered in the parking lot ...
New nonprofit turns coffee into employment
11/2/2018
By Meagan Ewton In a small basement office in Oklahoma City, a new non-profit is hoping coffee can address a societal problem: employment after incarceration. Red River Roasters is dreaming big and ...
OCU student named “Champion of Character”
11/2/2018
Devaunjue “Jay” Williams has been named as the recipient of the 2018 Sooner Athletic Conference’s Champions of Character Award. The award recognizes a junior or senior student-athlete who demonstrates...
OCU: Musical and Bible study join the national conversation
11/2/2018
The OCU Musical Theatre Department is bringing the American opera “Susannah” to the main stage Nov. 16-18. Based on the biblical story of “Susanna and the Elders” from the Apocrypha, this modern ...
OCU: UCR dinner recognizes outstanding service
11/2/2018
Each year OCU’s University-Church Relations department teams up with the Wimberly School of Religion to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the vitality of their community...
OKC-St. Luke’s Asbury hosts fiesta during Hispanic Heritage Month
11/2/2018
By Tabitha Beckman In honor of Hispanic Heritage month, OKC-St. Luke’s Asbury threw a fiesta for their community with crafts, games, food and music. The children painted maracas and Mexican flags, ...
CJAMM honors OCU program director with Stan Basler Award
10/5/2018
By Tabitha Beckman On Tuesday, Sept. 11 the Criminal Justice and Mercy Ministries (CJAMM) hosted a Benefit Dinner and Silent Auction to help support the continuing work of CJAMM and to present the ...
New home offers shelter, hope for foster children
10/5/2018
By Meagan Ewton Foster siblings living in northcentral Oklahoma have a better chance of being placed together thanks to a spacious new home built by Circle of Care. The Vera Mae Home in Alva held a ...
OCU: Bishop W. Angie Smith Chapel celebrates golden anniversary
10/5/2018
In the fall of 1967, massive steel I-beams began to rise in pyramid-shaped sections above Historic Route 66 on the campus of Oklahoma City University. Ground for the campus’ new chapel had been broken...
GBGM, Hispanic/Latino Ministries expand focus
9/8/2018
Community initiatives to be included in outreach efforts Hispanic/Latino Ministries is expanding its focus to include community initiatives, said Carlos Ramirez, pastor of Putnam City UMC. The ...
Continuing education together
9/7/2018
Oklahoma pastors and laity traveled to Dallas, Texas for course of study at Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology in Dallas. From left to right: Daniel Ramey of Atoka and New ...
Mobile day camps see growth in second year
9/7/2018
Voyage Mobile Day Camps saw a 56 percent increase in the number of campers this year, according to Neil Tate, program director for Camp and Retreat Ministries. Eight week-long day camps were held in ...
Rising stars - OCU welcomes Class of 2022
9/7/2018
In August, Oklahoma City University welcomed the largest freshmen class in almost a decade. The fall semester officially began with the Matriculation Convocation service on August 15, where Dr. Martha...
Theologian Matthew Fox headlines OCU Willson Lectures
9/7/2018
World renowned theologian Matthew Fox is slated as the featured speaker at this year’s annual Willson Lecture Series on the campus of Oklahoma City University. Father Fox, an Episcopal priest and ...
OCU announces 2018 Bishop Scholars
8/3/2018
Madison Day Allison McMurry The Wimberly School of Religion at Oklahoma City University has announced its selection of two incoming freshmen as recipients of the prestigious Bishop Scholar ...
Passion and profession collide for camp nurses
8/3/2018
By Meagan Ewton If it takes a special kind of person to volunteer for camp, it must take a little something extra to volunteer for camp nurse. Waking up early, caring for more than 100 patients, ...
Wesley Foundations host watch party for racial justice documentary
8/3/2018
By Tabitha Beckman and Meagan Ewton What does a collaboration between two Wesley Foundations to examine racial justice look like? A new documentary exploring this question debuted at Edmond-First UMC ...
600 foster children prepare for Back2School
8/2/2018
Citizens Caring for Children and Circle of Care help foster children get ready for new school year OKLAHOMA CITY – Supply lists are out and preparations for the new school year are in full swing. That...
Langston’s Wesley Foundation to host 10th Anniversary Gala
7/6/2018
On August 4, 2018, at Church of the Servant, at 4 p.m., the Wesley Foundation at Langston University will have its 10th Anniversary Awards Gala. The purpose of this event is to celebrate those who ...
OCU team builds tiny homes for the homeless
7/6/2018
"Alaska is Calling and I Must Go" reads the back of the official OCU mission team t-shirts. On June 1, a team of 12 students, faculty and family members flew from Oklahoma City to Fairbanks, Alaska ...
OIMC celebrates 176th annual conference
7/6/2018
The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference held its 176th Annual Conference on June 7-9. Delegates and guests gathered at the OIMC’s Southwest Region Center a few miles west of Anadarko. The opening ...
United Methodists take center stage at OCU
6/15/2018
During two ceremonies on May 5, Oklahoma City University conferred 543 undergraduate and 362 graduate degrees in its 113th annual commencement exercises. OCU President-Designate Martha Burger, ...
Grant helps OCU law students help tenants at risk
5/18/2018
OKLAHOMA CITY — Tenants facing possible eviction in Oklahoma County can get help from Oklahoma City University’s Law School to remain in their homes. The law school recently received a “generous grant...
Honorary doctorates for two UM leaders
5/18/2018
Bill Junk and Craig Stinson received honorary doctorates from United Methodist-related Oklahoma City University on May 6. Junk is president of Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation, and Rev. Stinson is...