Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?
BY REV. PAM COTTRILL
On August 19, Inola United Methodist Church began hosting free community lunches 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Monday. The first Monday, they served 18 people. The second Monday, they served almost double that number. The church hopes that the numbers will continue to increase as word gets out.
“The idea for this started with a ‘Dream a Church’ visioning campaign I started last January during a worship series titled Dare to Shift based on the book by Bowie and Handy that the Oklahoma Conference promoted last fall,” says pastor Pam Cottrill. “I asked each member of the congregation to submit at least two ideas for new or renewed ministries for our church: one for within our church, and one for out in our community or beyond.”
a Pig a Pancake, then you will understand what happened next. One thing led to another. The church’s playground had been in disrepair for several years. They were wanting these meals to be family-friendly events. So, it was decided that the playground would need to be refurbished before they started inviting the community to attend meals. This was a big undertaking. During the months it took to complete the playground work, the church
The Church Council reviewed the submitted ideas at its Visioning Retreat in early March. They quickly noticed a common theme - food. This should not be too surprising coming from a group of United Methodists!
Several different ideas for meals were considered. Some Council members recalled how successful
community dinners had been years ago. Others thought that perhaps offering a free Saturday breakfast from time to time would be worth a try. So, initially, the Council decided to move forward with the breakfast idea.
Now, if breakfast makes you think of pancakes; and pancakes makes you think of the children’s book, If You Give
Inola UMC serves a well-balanced meal every Monday to members of the community. Submitted photos.
Volunteers Rev. Pam Cottrill, Marcia Davenport, Rhonda Harrell, and Marcie Wildey serve salad with lunch.
spent time re-visiting when would be the best time to offer a feeding ministry that would help fill a need within the community that was not already being met by other groups. It was pointed out that the Inola Public Schools do not have classes on Mondays. So, there could be school-aged children that normally rely on school lunches that might not have access to food for lunches on Mondays. The Inola Senior Center offers meals for a nominal cost on Tuesdays and Thursdays but nothing on Mondays. Another area church has a well-attended after school
program on Wednesdays, and several area churches offer Wednesday night dinners.
So, Mondays seemed to be a perfect fit for offering a free lunch for young and old alike, whether they are food insecure, lonely, or just want to share a meal with friends. The idea took off like wildfire with several church members that have a passion for feeding people. They did not just want to do this occasionally. They wanted to do this every week. And that is what they are doing.
Lunch is now being served weekly with the exception of holidays, school breaks, and inclement weather cancellations, for free to anyone who desires to come. Already, there has been much positive feedback from the community.
As a small,
rural church with an average weekly worship attendance of 27, they are excited about where this might lead them. It is amazing what can happen when the church dares to dream.
Volunteers Ellie Lane and Marcia Davenport offer service with a smile.
Community members enjoy lunch with members of Inola UMC.
Kaylor Lane and James Friedel invited the community to lunch with a handmade sign.
Volunteers Molly Gregoli and Judy Conwell make cleanup a breeze as they have fun while they work.
Kingfisher FUMC Teams Up with Habitat for Humanity for Home Project
For over two years, Habitat for Humanity has been working on the permits and applications to begin their biggest Habitat Community build in Piedmont, Oklahoma. With 160 acres, the new community will have over 400 homes north of Northwest Expressway just off of Morgan Road in the Sam Noble Foundation addition.
When Rev. Dr. Jennifer Long of Kingfisher First United Methodist Church heard about the build, she got excited about connecting members of the church to this community. On August 10th, 15 participants from the church and 6 persons who will soon live in the community joined the Habitat for Humanity construction staff to frame a three bedroom, two bath home. Tyisha, the homeowner,
was visibly overcome by the help of those who came to build. “I just can’t believe it,” she said. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”
Church participants, members and regular visitors alike, shared in the work and lots of laughter. “I love this kind of stuff,” Jim Butcher shared. “I would definitely do it again.”
To get connected with this build, or other builds in your area, contact Rick Lorg at rick.lorg@ cohfh.org.
Rev. Dr. Jennifer Long (RIGHT) and Jason Bush work alongside the Habitat for Humanity family.
Wayne Endres and grandson Paykus Graham spend quality time together on the work site.
Keila Ruhl (LEFT) and Jim Butcher work with Israel Webber and Daniel Ruhl in the background
Jerry
Kadavy and Kathy Kadavy work with hammer and nails.
Mark McCully, Dana Zook, Mike Copeland, and Russell Zook hang plywood. Russell Hopkins works on the frame of the home.
Israel Weber, Jason Bush, Daniel Ruhl
One Fun Day
BY TERRI GREER
Churches and camps came together for a “1 Day Fun Day” camp held at CrossPoint Camp on August 10. This event was a collaborative effort among Lighthouse UMC, Durant FUMC, and other local churches, and it was made possible by the generous support of the Southeast District of the Oklahoma Conference.
With 40 children and youth in attendance, accompanied by 15 adult leaders, this day was filled with worship, learning, and activities centered around the theme, “I am a Child of God.” The curriculum provided by the camp conference guided us through science, crafts, Bible stories, prayer time, and outdoor recreation, all of which were enjoyed by children and adults alike.
Participants came from various
churches, including Kingston UMC, Colbert UMC, and even as far away as Poteau FUMC. The connections formed during this day of fellowship have left us inspired and eager to continue gathering in similar ways. We hope this event is just the beginning of more opportunities for our churches to unite outside of our regular worship settings.
Click here to see additional photos from the camp.
We are hopeful this event will encourage others to explore similar events that bring together our congregations in fellowship and fun.
Click here to learn more about booking a retreat at one of our three camp sites.
Photos by Candace Henderson.
Getting Ready for Christmas
Merry Christmas!
It seems like a strange greeting when it’s been 100-plus degrees and we’ve just celebrated Labor Day.
New Day Camp has an extension camp this December - something CJAMM is calling New Christmas Day. In an effort to keep in contact with the kids who attended camp, CJAMM is hosting New Christmas Day as a weekend overnight camp for the kids to gather for social activities, spiritual renewal, and celebrating Christmas.
“We’ve discovered that many of these kids won’t have a Christmas dinner, or a family party, or even gifts,” stated Anne Robertson, CJAMM’s assistant director and event organizer. “That’s why we are hosting this event.”
In addition, Robertson said, “Events like this also allow us to keep encouraging these kids as they navigate the challenges of having an
incarcerated parent.”
The cost to host the kids is $465 per person. That includes providing a sleeping bag and pillow for the weekend retreat, matching pajamas and socks, fillings for Christmas stockings, two personalized Christmas gifts, attendance at the Nutcracker Festival, and food for the weekend.
anne@cjamm.org, mail a check to CJAMM (PO Box 1149, OKC 73101), or use PayPal
If anyone is interested in sponsoring a child to the New “Christmas” Day event, contact
Reunion Brings Campers Back Together
New Day Camp OKC-area reunion, slip and slide, and backpack event hosted at Wesley Church OKC: A United Methodist Community. The smiles, mischievous giggles, and water splashes captured the fun for the kiddos and adults today. Thank you to Exodus House OKC clients for help in setting up/tearing down for the event. It’s CJAMM’s way of keeping in touch with the kids and continuing to show love and hope. Submitted photos.
US TODAY TO
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Ministry in a Minute
Members of FUMC Tishomingo welcomed Murray State College students by giving out toothbrushes, toilet paper, flowers, candy, and church information. Submitted photo.
Eden Chapel UMC will be dedicated as a United Methodist Historic Site September 29. The church was founded in 1895 after a three-week revival that inspired homesteaders to build a church. This United Brethren Church (later merged with the Methodist Church) was the seventh built in the Oklahoma territory. It hosted the first and last UB Conferences in 1898 and 1946.
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Retired Clergy Retreat
How do you spell "RELIEF"? - How about a 24-hour retreat in beautiful Canyon Camp near Hinton OK with friends from across the Conference?
Time for visiting, resting, & relaxing. Friends, fun, campfire, singing, learning.
Cost per person is $123 for a single, or $76.50 for a double (lodge & 2 meals). Contact Brian Bakeman, registrar, at brian405@prodigy.net with questions.
JOIN US SEPT. 30 - OCT. 1
Thomas Hoffman will speak on two topics:
• The 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre
• Pilgrimage to Camino de Santiago (The Way of St. James) in Spain
Call to Action
Register for a Communities Impacting Poverty Workshop.
• Enid (Christ UMC) - 3-7 pm, Sunday, Sept. 15
• Tulsa (University UMC) - 3-7 pm, Sunday, Sept. 22
• OKC (Lakeside UMC) - 10 am - 2 pm, Saturday, Oct. 5
• Weatherford - Sunday, 3-7 pm, Oct. 6
• McAlester (First UMC) - 10 am - 2 pm, Saturday, Oct. 12
• Lawton (Centenary UMC) - 3-7 pm, Sunday, Oct. 13
Click here to register.
Share your event or job opportunity in the Contact For consideration, email your listing to editor@okumc.org.