Church News

Singing ChurchWomen offer backpacks of love

The Singing ChurchWomen of Oklahoma (SCW) started an outreach project this year called Backpacks of Love. The project supplied more than 350 backpacks full of classroom resources, notes of encouragement and more. Every SCW gave a backpack to an educator, and the response was well-received. To learn more about the SCW including performance schedule visit oklahomabaptists.org/scw.

Hooker, First honors longtime member

Ruth Elliott was recently honored by Hooker, First for her 51 years of service. She taught 3-year-olds in Sunday School along with her husband for many years. Ruth has served on mission trips and has a passion for serving in Hispanic ministry and leading Hooker, First to have an impact in the Hispanic community.

Ruth, center, is pictured with her daughter Rasonya and her son Ron.

CONGREGATIONAL NEWS

NEW CONGREGATION. Muskogee, Iglesia Bautista Hispana is now meeting. Alexander Montero is pastor.

Sans Bois Association holds 63rd Annual Meeting

Keota, Unity hosted Sans Bois Association’s 63rd Annual Meeting with more than 90 people attending, including 54 messengers. The theme for the meeting was “Rekindle,” based on 2 Tim. 1:6-7. Reports were shared on the association’s involvement with Operation Christmas Child, Bella Pregnancy Center and Kiamichi Baptist Assembly.

Elected officers for Sans Bois in 2022-23 include, from left, Vice-Moderator Keota, First Pastor Mike Newberry; Moderator Wilburton, First Pastor Paul Brady; and Historian Lequire member Susette Gibson.

Around the State

Buddy Hunt

East Regional Ministry Partner

Oklahoma Baptists

The eastern region of Oklahoma, where I serve, is comprised of 10 associations and around 450 total Oklahoma Baptist churches. My region goes from the state lines of Kansas, Arkansas, Texas and the associations in which Highway 69/75 passes through.

We have some amazing evangelistic revivals taking place in eastern Oklahoma. In the Black Fork River Valley area, 10 churches participated in the River Valley Revival. Members of Big Cabin in Craig-Mayes Association made up the planning team, and several other churches assisted. The tent revival meetings averaged 400 people a night with 40 people making professions of faith in Christ.

This past summer, East Central Association sponsored an “Up With Jesus” crusade at the Stilwell High School gymnasium. An average of 700 people attended each of the six nights. Forty-six people trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. At least 19 churches were involved in the planning.

Each October, the Native American churches in the Kenwood area host a revival in the Kenwood School gym. This year, Pastor Vern Charette of Coweta, First preached, and there were several commitments each night. More than 21 Native American churches and pastors were involved.

I praise God for what He is doing in the eastern region of our state.

The life of ministry is filled with amazing blessings. But ministry is also filled with unique challenges. The impact not only lands on the minister but also on his wife and family.

For the ministry wife, one of the loneliest times can be on Sunday mornings.

Serving as ministry wife ministry partner for Oklahoma Baptists, I understand this unique struggle. For more than 20 years, I served alongside my husband on church staffs in Oklahoma, Texas and South Carolina. I desire to speak into those broken and difficult spaces with encouragement and the truth of God’s Word.

Every Sunday morning at 7:30 a.m., I post a Sunday Morning Prayer for ministry wives on their private Facebook page. These prayers are directed at a specific felt need in ministry life accompanied by scripture. For those not on Facebook, I update monthly the Oklahoma Baptist Ministry Wives webpage with the collection. You can find the 2022 list at oklahomabaptists.org/ministry-wives/smp.

If you would like to join our private facebook group, find us at “Oklahoma Baptists’ Ministry Wives.”

For more information or questions, feel free to email me at ministrywives@oklahomabaptists.org.

Amy Petersen

Ministry Wives Ministry Partner

Oklahoma Baptists