Local Church News
Stained glass restoration exposes mystery
9/7/2023
Some mysteries are written to be solved. Edmond First United Methodist has its own mystery. During a season of renewal, its members are on the case. A committee has been formed. Some unofficial groups...
Dates set for Western Oklahoma United Methodist Rendezvous and Revival
8/9/2023
Several pastors and churches in western Oklahoma are joining their efforts to have an event they are calling The Western Oklahoma United Methodist Rendezvous and Revival. All people in western ...
McFarlin UMC in Norman becomes UM historic site number 574
8/9/2023
One of the jewels of Oklahoma church architecture, McFarlin UMC in Norman, has recently been named a United Methodist historic site. The soaring church building, built in 1923 and 1924, by Holmboe ...
Circuit Runners at the OKC Marathon
6/8/2023
On April 30, a team of five runners represented the Lawton Circuit Runners at the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon in the marathon relay event. Each runner ran a different leg of the 26.2 mile course. ...
Doing good in Kingfisher
5/4/2023
Kingfisher UMC found a new opportunity to reach out to neighbors in novel ways. In May, they put their love of community into action. Through their “Do All the Good You Can” campaign, the congregation...
Easter story service project connects communities
5/4/2023
The Wacky Wednesday program at Checotah First United Methodist Church embarked on a unique service project this spring. On April 5, a group of 19 students and seven adult volunteers visited the ...
Tornado topples two UMC steeples, leaves churches intact
5/4/2023
An EF2 tornado blazed through Shawnee on April 19, killing three and damaging numerous properties. Two properties affected were United Methodist churches - Shawnee Wesley and Shawnee St. Paul’s. The ...
Verdigris UMC Celebrates 100 Years
5/4/2023
Members and friends of Verdigris UMC gathered April 22-23 to celebrate the church’s 100th anniversary. Saturday’s events included a community cookout and a historical showcase highlighting special ...
Making use of church facilities propels community forward
4/5/2023
Members of Barnard Memorial United Methodist Church in Holdenville looked at their huge building, which is only used a few hours on Sundays and a few more on Wednesdays, and began to wonder how they ...
Two conference programs converge for innovative worship experience
4/5/2023
Kate Miller This Lenten season, Verdigris United Methodist Church decided to try something new. Church leadership could see a desire in the young people of their community to find their own space ...
Radical Hospitality in Action
3/8/2023
Oklahoma church hosts another congregation When Liberty Church, an independent congregation in Weatherford, found itself temporarily without a home, Weatherford First United Methodist Church saw a ...
Blended Group Brings Joy to Uvalde
2/7/2023
by Rev. April McPherson Fifteen volunteers from Boston Avenue UMC and Muskogee St. Paul led a midwinter Vacation Bible School January 11-16, in Uvalde, TX. The VIM trip was a brainchild of Shelia ...
A Baby Shower for Mary
1/11/2023
By Becky Aguilar Can you imagine being a young mother-to-be with an unexpected child on the way? Your fiancé is willing to step up and take responsibility for you and the child, whom he did not ...
Christmas on Sunday
12/6/2022
Throughout all time, churches have grappled with how to handle worship when Christmas morning falls on a Sunday. Many families have established traditions and those include visiting far-flung family ...
Finding belonging in new places
12/6/2022
When Roger Parker was part of the transition team for churches wishing to disaffiliate with the UMC, he and the other members of the team realized that most of those congregations had a number of ...
What Comes Around
12/6/2022
Sometimes when things come back around, they have just the right timing. That’s what happened when Rev. Doyle Sharp, pastor at Marlow First United Methodist Church, received a quilt that had been ...
Ministry in a Minute
11/10/2022
Saying Goodbye
11/10/2022
Church Closing Leaves Big Legacy By Rev. Derrek Belase The church I grew up in is closing, and I am responsible for selling it. To be honest, I never thought I would write those words. I am a fourth...
Resources help rural and small churches tell their story
9/14/2022
Rural Life Sunday calls the church to celebrate the rural heritage of The United Methodist Church. In light of celebrating this heritage, the Rural and Small Membership Church Commission has compiled ...
Workshop to focus on rural and small membership ministry
8/17/2022
The Oklahoma Annual Conference will host a rural and smaller membership focused workshop to address how to use the togetherness, experience, and resources a congregation has in order to achieve more ...
Lazarus Community grows from ministry pitch to ministry plant
7/13/2022
By Alanna Ireland A church in Northwest Oklahoma City is finding new life with Christians wanting to live out their faith in their daily lives alongside those recovering from homelessness. The Lazarus...
New ministries focus on alternate funding
7/13/2022
Tulsa-University has established two ministries that focus on alternate methods of funding the mission of the church. Co-pastors Rev. Matt Patrick and Rev. Matt Austin became passionate about ...
Applications open for second Testimony HQ cohort
6/8/2022
Applications opened May 1 for congregations interested in joining the second cohort of Perkins School of Theology’s Testimony HQ grant-funded initiative. Ten churches will be selected for the second ...
El Reno-Wesley celebrates Historic Site Designation
5/10/2022
Amy Neathery, El Reno-Wesley Press Release On Sunday April 24, Wesley United Methodist Church El Reno, Oklahoma celebrated and dedicated its designation as a Historic Site with significance to the ...
Tulsa-Faith recognized for contributions to non-profit
2/7/2022
Tulsa-Faith received an award from CarePortal, a national non-profit that benefits hurting children and their families, for making the most contributions toward the program in Oklahoma. The church ...
Church donates excess offerings to partner congregation
1/10/2022
Like many local churches, the United Methodist church in Lindsay had struggles with church attendance because of the ongoing pandemic. Despite the challenges, the church also had one of its most ...
Church cancels Sunday worship to support members in cross-country relay
10/12/2021
When Rev. Travis Ewton learned that two of his lay members would be participating in the Great American Relay on a Sunday morning, he sent out a message to his congregation: church is cancelled; come ...
New ministry in Tulsa welcomes all to The Table
10/12/2021
One week before the start of Annual Conference, roughly a dozen friends and fellow clergy joined together to celebrate a new multicultural church plant in Tulsa. One day after the end of Annual ...
Lawton pastor honored with South Korean merit award
8/9/2021
Lawton-New Light pastor Rev. Kiyoung Jeong is one of five people chosen to receive the 2021 National Order of Merit Award from South Korea. A representative from the Houston Consulate will travel to ...
Second cohort completes the Academy for Innovative Ministry
5/24/2021
Four ministry leaders in the Oklahoma Conference presented their visions of ministry during the final session of the second Academy for Innovative Ministry. The academy once again invited select ...
Altus Man Draws Pets to Raise Funds for Blessing Boxes
2/8/2021
An Altus man is using his artistic talents to raise money for Blessing Boxes that provide free non-perishable food, hygiene and seasonal items for anyone needing them in Altus. Larry Davis, a retired ...
Church takes steps to be a fully online community
2/8/2021
When the pandemic hit, Dewey UMC was quick to suspend in-person worship. When they came back, they started a drive-in worship service with an FM radio signal and strict safety protocols. But Rev. Jinx...
OKUMC establishes 2021 policy for counting online worship
2/8/2021
The Oklahoma Conference has established a new policy for counting online attendance. The new policy is intended to standardize counting procedures across various platforms and create uniformity in ...
Ministry in a Minute
1/11/2021
Pauls Valley hosted a Drive-Thru the Park Christmas Story in December. The live nativity served both to share the Christmas story and offer New Testaments to guests who enjoyed the event. A ...
Oklahoma City Community Foundation awards $17,900 to 11 United Methodist Churches
1/11/2021
OKLAHOMA CITY – This winter, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation is helping provide warm meals to homebound elderly citizens by awarding $51,600 in grants to 40 area churches and organizations that...
Shoebox ministry thrives despite pandemic
12/11/2020
By Rev. Dan Eischen For many years, Westville-First in Adair County has sponsored a ministry of providing wrapped shoe boxes filled with toys, toiletries, hats and gloves, school supplies, and small ...
The church has left the building
5/1/2020
Pastors across Oklahoma have been putting the adage “the church is not the building, it’s the people” into literal action since in-person gatherings were restricted to 10 or fewer on March 24 in ...
Spontaneous offering yields $4,300 for school lunches
2/7/2020
One pastor’s spiritual nudge has led a church to fund 2,000 hot lunches for students who would not otherwise be able to afford one. Meadowcreek UMC in Collinsville recently donated more than $4,300 to...
Couple finds support system in church after house fire
1/10/2020
Billy Sparks woke on Nov. 2, 2019 to the sound of a neighbor yelling for him to get to safety. At first he thought it was a bad joke, but when he opened his eyes and saw the black smoke, he knew it ...
Choctaw church gives beyond the grant
12/13/2019
A church that offers grants to local teachers went above and beyond to fund a high school food pantry. Choctaw United Methodist Church, along with the Margaret E. Petree Foundation, awarded grants to ...
Blackwell pastor hopes to give away 100 bikes for Christmas
10/5/2019
What started as a simple shipping mix-up has inspired an annual Christmas giveaway. In December 2017, two bicycles intended for grandchildren in California were sent to Blackwell, Oklahoma by mistake....
Kingfisher celebrates grand opening after 100 years in previous location
10/5/2019
By Rev. Pat McPherson On Sept. 8, Kingfisher-First took the next step into the future. After over 100 years in their historic location at the corner of Highway 81 and Highway 33, the congregation ...
Quayle, Skyline partner to open thrift store in northeast OKC
10/5/2019
Rev. Erica Thomas was sitting in a Goodwill Industries board meeting in early 2018 when she realized there were no thrift stores in northeast Oklahoma City. The observation inspired her to start a ...
ALLOT Initiative supports teachers with free supplies
9/6/2019
By Amy Neathery Dozens of public school teachers in El Reno received free books, teaching tools, classroom supplies and other resources through the ALLOT Initiative at El Reno-Wesley. The ALLOT ...
Charis Alive hosts Charis Character Camp
7/5/2019
Charis Character Camp drew new families in to Charis Alive. Camp was held at OKC-Church of the Servant on June 3-7. With a team of 20 members, this splash event drew more visibility in the Asian ...
Grants available for local church racial/ethnic ministries
7/5/2019
Grants up to $10,000 will be available this fall from Discipleship Ministries to strengthen the leadership training, small groups, worship, stewardship and spiritual formation in ethnic local United ...
Apportionment readout for first quarter to be published in May
4/5/2019
In February, the Contact reported that Oklahoma Conference apportionment data would be published beginning in April 2019. Because the first quarter ends after the April issue’s publication date, the ...
El Reno churches partner together for blessing boxes
4/4/2019
By Amy S. Neathery The Blessing Box movement has spread to El Reno, bringing blessings of non-perishable food to those in need. El Reno-Wesley installed the city’s first Blessing Box in July 2018. El ...
Daddy-daughter dance draws delight
3/7/2019
By Meagan Ewton Feather boas and sparkles abounded at the annual Father Daughter Valentine Dance at Enid-First. The annual dance started in 2000 with a gathering of dads and daughters from the ...
Event ties Lunar New Year to Passover
3/7/2019
By Tabitha Beckman On Feb. 17, Charis Alive hosted a Lunar New Year celebration at OKC-Church of the Servant. “We put this celebration together because this is one event that will draw a lot of the ...