The Contact 2-21-24

THE OKLAHOMA UNITED METHODIST

Weekly

Volume 6, Number 8 • February 21, 2024 • www.okumc.org

From the editor 2

The Miracle of the Little Food Closet 6

Education opportunities for ministry professionals 4

NSO releases annual report, good news 10

ERE , H K bs CLIC ts, jo even for more! and

Save the Date Employment Passages

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

February 21, 2024

From the editor

I

JENA BARBER EDITOR OF PUBLICATIONS

’m an editor. I like to edit things. When someone gives me a text with commas in all the wrong places, or with dangling modifiers, misplaced apostrophes, or run-on sentences, I get excited. I love to put commas in their place, undangle modifiers, remove extraneous apostrophes, and partition sentences into their correct elements.

I like to edit things. I need imperfection in order to do that editing. I need imperfect writers who may not even consider themselves writers. I need others’ expertise so that I can use my expertise.

I like to edit things. I like to edit experiences, recommendations, extrapolations, narratives, and explanations. I like to edit instructions, biographies, treatises, and documentaries. I am a voracious consumer of editable content.

I like to edit things.

So if you have knowledge but think, “I’m not a great writer,”

Director of Communications: Joseph Harris Multimedia & Web Manager: Andrew Himes Editor of Publications: Jena Barber Communications Specialist: Tabitha Beckman 1501 NW 24th, Oklahoma City, OK 73106

Stories and photos by the editor unless otherwise noted.

please have no fear! I like to edit things!

If you worry you have too much to say and would make a story too long, please worry no more! I like to edit things!

If you consider that you might sound like a braggart or a “toots-his-own-horn” sort, please reconsider! I like to edit things!

If you write too little, please write more. I like to edit things! But making something from nothing is hard to do as an editor. And, as you know, I like to edit things!

Please send me your stories, and know they are safe with me. After all, I like to edit things.

To sign up as a contributing writer for the Contact or Say So, please reach out to me at editor@ okumc.org.

To learn about our publication standards and processes, click here.

Send news to editor@okumc.org.

Submission deadline: Each Monday.

Next publication date: Feb. 28.

Subscribe online at www.okumc.org.

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

February 21, 2024

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Experience the freedom you deserve and check out our spacious cottages and beautiful apartments at EpworthVilla.org.

14901 N. Pennsylvania Avenue | Oklahoma City, OK 73134 | (405) 225-3038 |

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

February 21, 2024

Education opportunities for ministry professionals

G

row in your knowledge and understanding of effective leadership and expand your professional skills in fundamental areas with OCU! Expand your organization’s impact and your professional knowledge with expertise from nonprofit thought leaders providing insights tailored for those working in faith organizations.

These interactive workshops will be held Oct. 1, on OCU’s campus.

Workshops can be attended in-person or virtually. Those attending in person will also receive snacks and beverages and ample time to dine for lunch in any of the excellent locations around the campus. Continuing Education

Unit (CEU) credits are available for those interested, and all attendees will receive a certificate of completion.

connect with stakeholders, and amplify community empowerment.

Project / Program Design Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024: Afternoon Session, 1 - 3:30 p.m.

Diving into the arts of effective project design - From defining goals to mapping out timelines and resources, gain practical skills to turn your ideas Find out more here. into impactful projects and programs.

Community Mapping & Outreach Turn your vision into practical, measurable plans.

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024: Morning Session, 9 - 11:30 a.m.

Elevating outreach and fostering collaborative, resilient communities - Uncover tools and techniques to create impactful community maps and implement effective outreach strategies. Learn to identify assets, Sessions are $25 each or $40 per day (2 sessions). Registrations are nonrefundable; however, they are transferrable.

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

February 21, 2024

New this year!

Summer 2024 For Ministry Study Leave Professionals Are you looking for an opportunity for renewal and study this summer?

Over the span of five to seven days participants can immerse themselves in learning, reflection, and relaxation through self-directed study, worship, and prayer on the Duke University campus.

June 3-7, 2024 June 24-28, 2024 July 15-19, 2024 Learn more about this unique opportunity at divinity.duke.edu/ program/study-leave Questions: contact us at events@div.duke.edu

F

ind time to read, reflect, research, or just relax with Study Leave for Ministry Professionals.

Over the span of five to seven days, participants can immerse themselves in learning and renewal through self-directed study, worship, and prayer on the Duke University campus.

Designed for Christian institutional leaders, pastors, program staff, or laity; participants select their topic and Duke Divinity School provides the resources needed for a

relaxing and productive week.

Information is available on the website.

1. June 3-7, 2024 2. June 24-28, 2024 3. July 15-19, 2024 Registration opens March 1 New this year! - Summer Summer Study Leave will Study Leave 2024 include the same amenities and Are you looking for a time and resources as fall and spring place for renewal and study this sessions except for faculty summer? Have you been granted engagement in classes or sabbatical time and are looking meetings. Information and the for a peaceful and inspiring Registration link are available on location to spend it? Duke the website.

Divinity School offers three opportunities this summer to provide you with what you might be looking for.

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

February 21, 2024

The Miracle of the Little Food Closet that Jesus himself was coming to visit. It was a rumor at first, whispered among the townsfolk, n the small town of Lexington, Oklahoma, nestled but soon it became a fervent belief.

People gathered at the church, their among the rolling hills and hearts brimming with anticipation vast fields, there stood a modest and hope. church with a humble little food As the sun dipped below the closet. This food closet was stocked with donations from the community, horizon, casting a warm golden glow over the town, a figure appeared at providing a lifeline for those in need. It was tended to by a group of the doorstep of the church. It was a man with kind eyes and a gentle dedicated volunteers who believed smile, radiating a sense of peace and in the power of compassion and serenity. The townsfolk knew in their generosity. hearts that this was indeed Jesus.

One crisp autumn day, as the With a soft voice that seemed leaves danced in the gentle breeze, to carry the weight of the world, news spread throughout the town

BY REV. DAVID COOK

I

Jesus spoke to the crowd gathered before him. He spoke of love and compassion, of empathy and understanding. And then, he turned his attention to the little food closet.

“Bring forth what you have,” Jesus said, his voice echoing through the still evening air.

The volunteers hesitated at first, unsure of what to make of his request. But with a sense of trust and faith, they opened the doors of the food closet and presented its contents to Jesus. There were cans of soup and bags of rice, loaves of bread, and jars of peanut butter.

Jesus smiled warmly and nodded

Lexington UMC has served 17,000 people in the past five years of its food pantry operation. The food closet has offered services for 16 years.

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his approval. “Now, let us feed the hungry.”

With a sense of purpose and determination, the volunteers set to work, organizing the food and preparing to distribute it to the townsfolk who had gathered outside.

But as they began to hand out the provisions, something miraculous happened.

The food seemed to multiply before their very eyes, replenishing itself as quickly as it was distributed.

What was once a modest supply of provisions now seemed inexhaustible, as if touched by the divine.

Word spread quickly throughout the town, and soon people from all

The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

corners came to witness the miracle unfolding before them. Families who had struggled to put food on the table now found themselves with an abundance of provisions, enough to sustain them for weeks to come.

And so it was that Jesus fed 2,323 people utilizing the little food closet in Lexington, Oklahoma. It was a miracle that would be spoken of for generations to come, a testament to the power of faith and the boundless depths of compassion.

And though Jesus would soon depart, his presence would linger on in the hearts and minds of those who had been touched by his love and grace.

As the townsfolk gathered together to share in the bountiful

February 21, 2024

feast, they knew in their hearts that they had witnessed something truly extraordinary. From that day forward the doors to the food bank were open the third Saturday of each month and for the past sixteen years, people of the surrounding towns were fed through the gifts of others much like themselves. The spirit of Jesus stood in the middle of that little church and those who gave to that food bank were the very fishermen of our time.

The spirit of Jesus continues to this day each third Saturday as the doors of Lexington United Methodist Church Food Bank are open in love and grace to serve the community.

It’s a Jesus Thing!

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

February 21, 2024

10 a.m. to 4 p.m., March 5, 2024 Southern Hills OKC 8200 S. Pennsylvania Ave. Oklahoma City, OK

$15

Lunch included!

Plan to bring an electronic device to use for skills practice.

Wondering what A.I. is all about and how it can be used in the church? A little nervous about what is and isn’t legal? Concerned about ethics?Just not sure it’s for you? Those questions and more will be answered in the Using A.I. Tools in the Church seminar. Amazon Bestselling Author and consultant Jason Moore will guide a conversation about what A.I. is, which tools are most useful for various aspects of ministry and will demonstrate how to use them. Best of all, most A.I. tools are free to use, or are very affordable. Regardless of your church size, budget, and worship style, this A.I. primer will be helpful for you.

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

February 21, 2024

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

JOHN 1:14

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

February 21, 2024

NSO releases annual report, good news You can’t be all things to all people,” or so the old saying goes.

“Challenge accepted,” or so our friends at NSO seem to say.

Neighborhood Services Organization (NSO) is an extension ministry that Oklahoma United Methodist churches have the option to support through pledges.

The organization offers housing, dental care, a WIC clinic, rent and mortgage assistance, and so much more.

The organization’s recentlyreleased annual report offers some statistics from 2023.

Housing The Carolyn Williams Center serves young men aging out of foster care. It provides transitional housing for two years as they gain independent living skills and make the transition into adulthood.

The center has room for 17 young men; the current construction project will grow that number to 21.

Martha’s House serves as a twoyear transitional housing program for unhoused pregnant and parenting mothers with multiple children.

All furnishings and household items are provided, along with case management and life skills classes.

Gatewood, similarly, is a twoyear transitional housing program.

It is geared toward pregnant women or mothers with a child under five years old, and offers the same comprehensive support as Martha’s

The Neighborhood Services Organization’s 2023 Annual Report illustrates the scope of the extension ministry’s reach.

House. Between the two programs, NSO has served 24 mothers and 50 children in 2023.

Palo Duro I and Palo Duro II provide single, unhoused adults living with mental illness, a permanent home. The residences offer space for 36 individuals, with case management and independent living.

The two homes served 39

individuals in 2023, but they had calls from over 2,700 people seeking assistance.

Rent and Mortgage Assistance NSO keeps families and individuals in their homes or helps them find their first home by assisting with rent, mortgages, and deposits.

In 2023, the Rent and Mortgage Assistance Program prevented 68

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February 21, 2024

families, comprising 160 adults and children, from becoming homeless.

Dental Clinic NSO’s dental clinic is a low-cost clinic with no restrictions to qualify for its services. Staffed full-time, including weekends, the clinic provides dental care for all who need it.

In 2023, NSO’s dental clinic provided over 11,700 procedures, serving over 1,600 patients.

Additionally, NSO participates in the Oral Health Outreach Program, which educates adults and children alike about the importance of oral health.

Staff of the clinic provided oral hygiene education and screenings to over 27,000 people in Oklahoma City.

WIC Clinic Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is a vital, national program providing supplemental food, nutrition education, and nursing support for pregnant women and mothers of children under five years old.

NSO’s WIC clinic is the largest clinic in the state, with an average of more than 900 appointments per month.

Corey, a Palo Duro resident and Curbside Chronicle floral artist, speaks during a recent donor event, for which he created the floral arrangements.

NSO WIC Clinic has a case load of more than 58,000, with over 117,000 calls in 2023.

NSO WIC also participates in the Summer Food Program through the Oklahoma Regional Food Bank. The organization provided over 2,300 meals to children in 2023.

If all of this is not enough, NSO WIC Clinic held its first ever Family Fun Health Fair in 2023, with over 500 attendees and 15 community vendors. The event provided children’s immunizations, vision and dental screenings, infant supplies, and games and activities.

to continue its vital ministry.

Church groups and individuals are encouraged to sign up to help at NSO. In addition to working, like the organization’s Outdoor Beautification Project, volunteers can put together homeless hygiene kits, hold donation drives, provide a welcome basket to a young man in the Carolyn Williams Center, or volunteer with ICE Angels, serving the homeless population.

Additionally, volunteers can help with meal prep or catering boxed meals for the Carolyn Williams Center.

For more information or to find out how you can get involved, click here.

What’s Next NSO needs volunteers in order

Watering the Earth :

S TA R T W I T H V I S I O N A N D A P U R P O S E

CONTACT US TODAY TO PROVIDE FOR THE MINISTRIES OF YOUR CHURCH AND LASTING GOOD IN YOUR COMMUNITY

OKLAHOMA

METHODIST

F O U N DAT I O N

405-525-6863

•

W W W. L AST I N G G O O D.O RG

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February 21, 2024

Call to Action Take this survey on grief related to the UMC. The study is conducted by Lynette Moran, an ordained UM deacon and PhD candidate at University of Pittsburgh.

It’s time to start thinking about camps! Make sure your children and youth staff/volunteers have this link.

Check out dates and locations and make your plan now!

Share your event or job opportunity in the Contact.

For consideration, email your listing to editor@okumc.org.