Contact, an edition ofThe United Methodist ReporterTwo Sections, Section A • 039000 • Volume 157, Number 19 • September 10, 2010

THE OKLAHOMA UNITED METHODIST

www.okumc.org

The United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profit Drive, Dallas, TX 75247. Periodicals Postage Paid at Dallas. Postmaster: Send address changes to The United Methodist Reporter, PO Box 660275, Dallas, TX 75266-0275.

q Grow in your spiritual life, 4-5Aq Chainsaw class is new training tool, 8A

Photo by Amelia Ballew

Mike Brown and Evelyn Phyffer of OKC-Crown Heights UMC are surrounded by boxes filled with books, ready for shipment to Ganta United Methodist School, Liberia, for a new library. The book drive began in November, and the donations filled several rooms at Crown Heights. Total: 12,000 books and 1,000 periodi-cals, in 271 boxes. Phyffer said donors were creative in procuring materials. One church member visited the Oklahoma City “Friends of the Library” book sale; former teachers donated from their education collec-tions. The Hobby Lobby company delivered the books, plus other school supplies, to Indiana. From there, UM-related Operation Classroom will transport them to Liberia. Phyffer has served on multiple missions to Liberia, including a team trip with Bishop Hayes. In February 2011, she and Gay Abarr of OKC-Wesley will lead a VIM construction team to Liberia.

Booked for travel

Wagonload of love

God Squads sparka powerful force for good

Volunteers from Fairland UMC prepare to deliver backpacks filled with food for elementary students. From left are Norma Kraus, Glenda Sparkman, Joe Kraus, Pastor Carole Minter, Kim Anderson, and Jane Wilson. More projects feed the hungry, 6A.

Volunteers swarm the Walnut house in Altus, refurbishing it as a Youth Force project. See the inset above for the outstanding results. Youth Force stories, 7A.

Worshippers literally will always stand on the Words of God at East Cross UMC in Bartlesville. A remodeling project is under way, and the congregation is writing biblical verses on the concrete floor. As they write, they pray for all the people who will use the facility and be impacted by the church’s ministries. Pic-tured are mother and daugh-ter Kay and Kary Ruehlen. At one entryway, “Welcome all children” was inscribed. Some people pen favorite Scriptures, and the Prayer Group compiled a list of sug-gested verses. If a selection is lengthy, several people may take turns to complete it. Special ink pens are used, and helpers assist people with physical challenges. Carpet and tile will cover the verses, but the words will remain to form a firm founda-tion for East Cross’ witness. Emery Mason is senior pastor at the church.

Photo by Paula Lindblom

Groundedin prayer

The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact Sept. 10, 2010Page 2A

The Oklahoma United Methodist Phone: 405-530-2075 Fax: 405-530-2093

1501 N.W. 24th Oklahoma City, OK 73106

Robert E. Hayes Jr., bishopJoseph Harris, director of communicationsHolly McCray, editor

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Sign up online for Contact Digest, a free electronic newsletter. Find information at www.okumc.org.Send news to editor@okumc.org. Next publication date: Oct. 1.

The Oklahoma Regatta Festival and Head of the Oklahoma regatta return to the Oklahoma River on Oct. 7-10 in Oklahoma City. The festival is a four-day celebration of rowing, kayaking, dragon boating, and family fun on the Oklahoma River.

This year’s festival includes a na-

tional coaching clinic, OCU Head of the Oklahoma racing, OG&E Night-Sprints, and a family festival with live music, art, a children’s area, and food from some of Oklahoma City’s best restaurants. For more information, visit www.headoftheoklahoma.com.

OCU and OKC National High Per-

formance Center athletes will celebrate the christening of the Devon Boathouse on Oct. 7. With the boathouse open, the community will have opportunities to enjoy recreational river sports. Kayak and bicycle rentals, fitness classes, and trails are open to the public through the OKC RIVERSPORT program.

August also saw the opening of a new venture sponsored by the univer-sity.

Bluetique, a resale shop for donated items, opened in a converted house at the northeast cor-

ner of 23rd and Virginia, at the edge of the campus.

This new enterprise offers employment op-portunities for students, and proceeds from sales will fund more student job opportunities on campus.

Oklahoma City University began the new academic year with the Matriculation Convo-cation on Aug. 18 in Kirkpatrick Auditorium.

This opening worship service previously was held in the chapel, but an overflow crowd there last year n e c e s s i t a t e d the move to the larger Kirkpat-rick Auditorium. Almost every seat was filled in this perfor-mance hall this year.

OCU continued the tradition of greeting new undergraduates with applause from faculty, administration, and trustees, who lined the sidewalk to the auditorium. The line began in Centennial Plaza, near 23rd Street, and stretched to the Fine Arts Center.

New President Robert Henry put the freshmen at ease by noting this also is his

first year at OCU. A stirring anthem by the 80-voice Matriculating Freshmen Chorus was one highlight of the service, led by the vice-president for University Church Relations, UM clergywoman Margaret Ball. Freshmen

joined in an-other university tradition; touch-ing the gold star symbol on their

way from the building. This gesture served as a sign of their covenant to uphold the United Methodist tradition of academic excellence, spiritual development, and service to others.

Throughout orientation week, a number of freshmen commented on the warm welcome they received. This included appreciation for upperclassmen helping them move into the dorms and opportunities to share meals together and meet new friends.

Freshmen begin school year with worship

Faculty and administrators line the sidewalk to applaud freshmen walking to the new school year’s convocation.

Boutique supports studentsBoating events set for Oct. 7-10

United Methodist Women from across the state will gather in Tulsa at the largest UM church in the state for their annual meeting on Oct. 1-2.

Tulsa’s Asbury UMC will host the 37th UMW Annual Meeting. Theme is “Let’s Get Together!” Guest speaker will be Yvette Richards of Kansas City, Mo., an elected director in the Women’s Divi-sion.

On Friday evening, sign-in opens at 5:30, with food and entertainment planned.

For Saturday’s program, Asbury’s Hands of Love Choir will perform, and Richards will speak. Also on the agenda are presentations about two missions in Oklahoma, Neighborhood Services Organization and Cookson Hills Center, and special guest Bishop Robert Hayes Jr.

Gift cards to support the two missions are being collected by UMW chapters.

Richards’ 20-year career in the insurance industry includes work as a catastrophe claim representative.

She has a communications degree. She is highly involved in church and civic endeav-

ors. She joined UMW in 1987, and her leadership includes offices in the Missouri West Conference UMW, dean of that conference’s School of Mission, and regional Schools of Mission study leader. She served on the Teen and College/University Women Adult Consultative Team.

Richards also has volunteered with Ronald Mc-Donald House, Alpha Kappa Alpha, and Girl Scouts.

Christian activist Shane Claiborne will speak at several United Methodist venues on Oct. 16 and 17 in the Oklahoma City area.

His presentations that weekend are jointly sponsored by the Youth and Young Adult Councils of the Oklahoma Conference.

Claiborne writes and travels extensively, speaking about peacemaking, social justice, and Jesus.

Claiborne is a founding partner of The Simple Way, an inner-city faith community in Philadelphia. His ministry experience has

varied from working alongside Mother Te-resa in Calcutta; to a post at Willow Creek Community Church, a megachurch outside Chicago; to serving with the Iraq Peace Team in Baghdad.

His work was spotlighted in the Septem-ber/October issue of Interpreter, the Church’s ministry magazine.

His books include “The Irresistible Revo-lution,” “Jesus for President,” and “Becoming the Answer to Our Prayers.”

Here is Claiborne’s schedule.

n Oct. 1610 a.m., Youth Summit 2010, Yukon-First

UMC7 p.m., plenary on solidarity with the poor,

Edmond-Acts II UMCn Oct. 178:30 and 10:50 a.m., guest preacher, morn-

ing worship, Norman-St. Stephen’s UMC3 p.m., workshop on creating intentional

community, Smith Chapel, Oklahoma City University

(www.thesimpleway.org/shane)

Young leaders invite Christian activist to OKC

Claiborne

Richards

United Methodist Women will gather at Tulsa-Asbury

The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact Sept. 10, 2010

Bishop Hayes

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“He will not let your foot be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” (Psalm 121:3-4)

By BISHOP ROBERT HAYES JR.

Ah, sleep—reluctantly we close our eyes on the day’s potential, yet regretfully we leave our

slumber. Ah, sleep—we make up our mind to rise early, but our body draws us to linger in respite.

What a delightful thing rest is! Napoleon wrote: “I would not exchange it for all the thrones in the world!”

Few people I know would argue against the benefits of a good night’s sleep. Yet in our fast-paced culture, statistics tell us that a great number of us do not get the sufficient hours of sleep we need to be healthy. Let’s face this truth: Our bodies are like coils, and after a long day of work, of dealing with the daily challenges thrown our way, many of us get so wound up that we seldom take enough time to fully unwind.

When the lights go out and you pull the covers over your weary frame, have you ever wondered what God is doing while you’re asleep? Have you given much thought to the idea that God needs us to rest in order to do God’s work?

Let me explain.The Psalmist declares that we belong to

a God who needs no sleep. At all times God is wide-awake, busy at work in us and all around us. A popular Jewish belief is that God did not actually need the seventh day to rest, but only to “survey” what had been created.

If the Creator is a 24-hour God who

watches over us by day, what happens dur-ing the night? I surmise that God is busy at work, shaping and molding our lives in ways we cannot comprehend or understand. I believe God literally needs for us to “be still” and “get out of the way” so His work can continue.

God molds our livesLet me share the story of Sir Herbert Von

Herkomer to better explain what goes on at night when God is at work. It is a charm-ing tale about an artist of the 19th century.

It seems that Herkomer’s father was growing old and feeble. Because of the increas-ing difficulty in taking care of himself, he went to live in the home of his distinguished son. He, too, had worked as an art-ist, and to pass away the many hours while his son worked,

the father asked for clay to mold and model. Yet each night, because of his physical

frailty and failing eyesight, the old man put away his work in despair. He was not as good as he once was. Because he could not make the pieces as he wanted them to be, he went to bed very sad and disappointed.

But after the lights went out and the old man fell asleep, the son secretly worked on his father’s clay.

In morning, his father would look at his work from the previous day and—not know-ing another hand had touched it—would exclaim delightedly, “Why, this isn’t so bad after all! I’m still pretty good. Maybe I’ll keep trying.”

And he did. Each night the son reworked the clay, and each morning the old man awoke with a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of value and worth.

In many ways God works like this in our lives. We are the clay, and God molds us even while we sleep.

Long after we close up shop for the night, one of the proven ways our brains function is to continue processing the thoughts we held in mind before we went to sleep. Many times we awake in morning to realize we have solutions to problems we could not resolve the previous day.

You may say that is the benefit of a good night’s sleep or of giving oneself time to see things from a different perspective. But in my opinion, God kept working while we slept.

When you run up against a wall, unsure what you should do, the wisest advice I can give you is this: Turn it over to God before turning in. Place that challenge in God’s hands during the night.

You can be assured that it will be in God’s care, and if it can be solved by morning, God is certainly the One to solve it. God can and will mold your prayer and your wishes within God’s will, just as Herkomer molded his father’s clay.

What a comfort to know I am the child of God, who is at work even as I sleep! I have confidence to face the day because I know God watched over me all through the night as well.

What about you? Are you tensed up, having trouble sleeping? Have you tried hot chocolate, sleeping pills, counting sheep?

Try counting on God! Any time of day or night, God’s ear is inclined to you. God can dress the sky each night in the glittering array of stars and moons, and can bring up the sun each morning at a precise moment. Be reassured God can work in you and on your problems even while you sleep.

Sleep well tonight, dear friends. All you need for tomorrow will be taken care of tonight!

The value of good sleep

Strength for the journey: Ideas and thoughts from our bishop

An informational meeting will be held Nov. 6 at OKC-St. Luke’s for any layperson interested in being nominated as a General or Jurisdictional Conference delegate, and anyone who wants to learn more about the election process.

Host will be Oklahoma Conference Lay Leader Judy Benson. “Our goal is to inform interested people about the process of being a delegate, as well as what to expect when elected and what is expected of delegates,” she said.

The meeting will be from 10 a.m. to noon that Saturday. Presenters will include:n Joe Harris, Oklahoma Annual Confer-

ence secretary, who will share information about voting procedures during the 2011 Annual Conference and other details from his perspective.n Frank Denney, an associate Conference

lay leader, who will speak on the spiritual aspect of being a delegate as the foundation for the work, on discernment, and on worship opportunities.n Carl Young, who chaired the Oklahoma

Conference delegation in 2004. He will explain what to expect as a participant in a delegation.n Bill Junk, executive director of the

Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation, will offer his perspective as a first-time del-egate at the 2008 General Conference.n Katie Mayes, a Young Adult repre-

sentative and recent college graduate, will focus on youth delegates and Jurisdictional Conference delegates.

Other lay members of the 2008 delegation will be present to answer questions.

At a meeting in December or January, each district will nominate up to 10 layper-sons as potential delegates to the 2012 Gen-eral and Jurisdictional Conferences. Contact your district superintendent or district lay leader for the specific date of this district meeting.

The election will be held at the 2011 Oklahoma Annual Conference.

Seated are James and Molly Davis Scott, who are the guest presenters for the upcoming Bish-op’s Retreats. With them are, from left, planning team members Derrek Belase, Janice Meese, Brian Matthews, Tish Malloy, and Craig Stinson.

Focus for the 2010 Bishop’s Retreats lat-er this month is “The Methodist Movement: Who Were We and What Were We Doing.”

UM elders James Scott and Molly Davis Scott of Tulsa will lead Oklahoma clergy as they explore this topic in the context of “…What can be restored in the 21st century?”

The Scotts’ ministry has included being pastors, missionaries, adjunct seminary professors for three Doctor of Ministry pro-grams, speakers, and authors. Their books include “Kingdom People,” a 12-week Wesleyan discipleship study, “Restoring Methodism,” and “Restoring the Wesleyan Class-Meeting.”

Bishop Hayes requests clergy read the Scotts’ book “Restoring Methodism: 10

Decisions for United Methodist Churches in America” prior to attending the retreat.

During the week of Sept. 19, three re-treats are offered, one at each Conference campground. Each begins at 7 p.m. on Day One and concludes with worship at 11 a.m. on Day Three. Each active clergy member is expected to attend one of the retreats.n Sept. 19-21 (Sunday-Tuesday) at

Canyonn Sept. 21-23 (Tuesday-Thursday) at

Cross Pointn Sept. 23-25 (Thursday-Saturday) at EganClergy can register at www.okumc.org/

camps. Information about the Scotts is at: www.

christianconnexion.com.

Wesley scholars to lead retreats

Meeting for laityoffers insight about elections

AppointmentsJerry Raab to North-

west Texas Conference f rom Hooker /Tyrone (Woodward District), ef-fective Aug. 1.

Marsha Alexander, missionary, to Asbury Col-lege, Philippines, from Manos Juntas Mexico, effective Sept. 1.

John Corbin to retire-ment from Wynnewood UMC (Ardmore), effective Sept. 1.

Roland Barr ick to Wynnewood from Calera UMC (Ardmore), effective Sept. 1.

Page 4A

Two witnesses honoredA question is asked on the nomination

form for the prestigious Harry Denman Evangelism Award. “What difference has this person made in the lives of people, the Church, and the community?” Nominees should be “persons respected for their outstanding success in helping others ex-perience God’s transforming love through Jesus Christ.”

Pastors Stan Warfield and Sharen Hale received Denman Awards at the 2010 Oklahoma Annual Conference.

The witness of these two United Methodist champions for Christ is vividly described in the written words of those who nominated them, quoted in this story.

Their witness should be emulated by all. They are bringing about holy transformation in widely dif-

ferent settings: Rev. Warfield in Stillwater, population 47,000-plus; Rev. Hale in Gene Autry, population 120.

Stan Warfield: ‘We’re glad you’re riding with us, Preacher’ An American serviceman from Stillwater was killed in

Afghanistan. From the local airport, his coffin was escorted into town by military veterans on motorcycles, each flying the American flag. These men in leather jackets and motocycle boots were joined by Stan Warfield, in his helmet, suit jacket, and orange necktie, riding his orange motor scooter. “We’re

glad you’re riding with us, Preacher,” said one of the men. They knew him and

welcomed him. He is also known as “Pastor

Dude.” In his years in Stillwater, Warfield has met and shared with people from all parts of the community.

The Oklahoma clergyman began preaching when he was in

high school. Ordained in 1976, he was appointed to lead Stillwater-

First UMC in 2000.Fruits of the spirit attributed to

Warfield: Personal. Peacemaker. Com-munity-minded. Empowers people to do their

own ministries. Encourages diversity. Embraces and embodies the idea that we are a Church Beyond Walls. In-tentional about becoming involved with those searching for meaning in their lives. n Warfield met with a class of college students. “Are you

going to stay for the church service?” he asked. They declined; they had to hurry to lunch. He learned the dormitories and fraternity houses served no noon meal on Sundays. “Come to church next Sunday, and I’ll see that there will be lunch for you after church.” Since then, when Oklahoma State University is in session, the Sunday School classes take turns providing lunch for students.—Will Painen We had been attending church sporadically for about a

year when Stan was appointed. We listened carefully to see what the new preacher would bring to the church we consid-ered joining. Week after week, I would watch Stan work his way through the people in the sanctuary with a welcoming greeting, a kind word, and a hand of friendship outstretched.

Stan was the officiating pastor when my daughters, then ages 4 and 2, were baptized. My children have benefitted by knowing that a pastor enjoys laughing and knows it is OK to cry, that a pastor honors his faith through word and deed. My youngest daughter referred to Stan as “the talking God” because of the weekly conversations with the children about God’s love for them.—Brenda Rollsn He interacts comfortably with executives and hourly

workers, men and women, young and more mature people. When I have faced business challenges, Stan has proven to be a good listener, helps me work through issues, and sup-ports my desire to create a business that honors Christ and my faith. He has helped me understand that my position as CEO allows me to minister to people I encounter in the business setting.—Brenda Rollsn Warfield has served as a chaplain and mentor for fire de-

partments and law enforcement agencies. “I have witnessed him going to an apartment for a death notification. Many times he is invited in, and offers God’s grace and hope to those who have never experienced the grace of Christ. You can imagine the im-pact this has on the family in such situations.”—Andrew Ransonn I walked with Stan through helping move a grand, his-

torical, and wonderful church into becoming one transforma-tional in nature, ready to meet challenges of this new century. As a Don Nation’s Association pilot church, Stan and other Stillwater-First leaders worked with the district on issues of transformation. The association’s transformation score for that church was 41, the highest level awarded.—Bert Potts

Another nomination letter eloquently summarized this clergyman’s impact: “Stan does not expect people to seek him out; rather, Stan seeks out the people to whom he can share God’s love and grace. Stan is clear about his commitment to ministry. Stan says we must ‘let them see Jesus.’ Rev. Stanley Warfield Jr. does just that.”

Sharen Hale: She ‘identified with the heart-language of the people’

In southern Oklahoma, Sharen Hale is appointed quarter-time to minister at Gene Autry UMC. She holds a full-time secular job; more time goes to her college studies.

Her timing is right for God. The church in southern Oklahoma reported 26 professions

of faith in 2009. Worship attendance averaged 20 people in 2007; in 2009, that average was 80.

“Rev. Hale believes and practices that no one should be in the same place now than they were a year ago in their relation-ship with God,” stated Katherine McQuistion.

The Ardmore area has always been home to Hale. In child-hood, she attended Ardmore-First UMC. She experienced her call to ministry in 2006, while attending a Walk to Emmaus event. She became a Lay Speaker, filling pulpits for two years in Ardmore District before receiving her license to preach. Gene Autry UMC is the first appointment for this Local Pastor.

Chuck Stewart, an associate lay leader for the Oklahoma

My

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L i v ing the P lan

Let’s get personal. Your own faith growth is key in the Oklahoma

Conference’s Strategic Plan. The Church’s mission “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the

transformation of the world” is both personal and collective. Transformational ministry—by churches, districts, the conference, and beyond—depends on you.

Are you closer to God today than you were last year? Further away? Or about the same? What does a disciple do? Have you shared your experiences? Has your church helped you?

Those questions were posed by Craig Stinson, director of Connectional Ministries and Congregational Development, at the 2010 Annual Conference.

“Faith is both inward and outward,” Rev. Stinson said. “My faith has an individual compo-nent and a group expression within my community of faith. With a quarter of a million United Methodists in Oklahoma, we ought to see transformation going on!”

This “Living the Plan” series in Contact launches today with stories of individual spiritual development and personal Christian witness. — Holly McCray

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Conference, taught a Lay Speaking class in which Hale was en-rolled. “I saw in Sharen a passion for people that exceeded her own anxieties,” he said. “People can learn relationship-building skills. Sharen is the person who should be teaching the class. She leads with her heart, and I believe she knows no other way.”

Attendance at Gene Autry UMC had been steady, about 20 people, for several years prior to her appointment. Few children or youths participated. Building debt totaled about $75,000.

In March, the church celebrated; that debt has been fully repaid. More than 40 children and youths participate in learning and fellowship on Sundays and Wednesdays. A community Vacation Bible School, a joint effort with First Baptist Church, drew more than 100 people. “As you enter each Sunday, you will probably be greeted by a teenage usher,” wrote Guy Ames, Ardmore District superintendent.

“In over 30 years of ministry, I have rarely witnessed such a fit between pastor and congregation,” said Rev. Ames. Hale “immediately identified with the heart-language of the people of Gene Autry. Her personality and passion for people has created a strong lay-led ministry, into many areas of witness and mission.”

With Hale’s leadership, the congregation has organized ac-cording to the Book of Discipline, has begun using The United Methodist Hymnal, and is learning about the liturgical seasons, Ames said. And the church is “always looking for more opportu-nities to be in mission.”

Ames provided several powerful examples of that.n A tornado roared through nearby Lone Grove. The Gene

Autry Fire Department was called out that night. Almost before the sirens had subsided, Hale was teaming up with her firefighting church members, going through debris, bringing aid and prayer to people in desperate need. More than 300 households were impacted. Within days she had organized the congregation to team with an Ardmore District response.n Wildfires struck an area that included Ratliff City, where

Hale works, and other rural communities in Carter and Stephens

Counties. More than 250 homes were badly damaged or burned to the ground.

Hale initiated a daily volunteer support operations service out of her office and later worked as a volunteer in the case management response led by UMCOR (United Methodist Committee on Relief). n On a Palm Sunday, as an act of faith and statement of the

servant nature of this church, the people carried a large cross during a 2-mile walk through the countryside and to the church, calling their neighbors to walk with them and join them for worship.

“As a result of (Sharen Hale’s) energetic witness and servant model, lives are strengthened, the church is healthier, and people have been invited to join the Kingdom family,” Ames said.

By HOLLY McCRAYNew deaconess Elaine Parrent is legally blind. Because of

her visual impairment, she cannot drive. She always enlarges text on a computer screen. Indistinct shifts in floor surfaces may cause her to fall.

But she clearly sees God’s purpose for her life. She was commissioned as a United Methodist deaconess—

a specialized laity role—in St. Louis, Mo., on April 29, in a ceremony piggybacked with the global Assembly of United Methodist Women (UMW). Side by side, Parrent and Kathy Caldron walked in the processional and assisted in serving Communion. Caldron is Oklahoma Conference UMW presi-dent; Parrent serves in that role for South OKC District.

Other Oklahoma UMW members were in the St. Louis audience of 1,600 people.

“Here’s this church full of people. My sister from Kansas was there. And, of course, I can’t see past the first row,” Par-rent said.

But she could feel her goosebumps. “It was a very humbling experience. All these people were

coming through, and they were speaking to me. They were thanking me for doing this! It was so affirming.”

Today Parrent continues her work as church business ad-ministrator at OKC-St. John’s, her employer since 2003. She views her work career differently due to her study and training as a deaconess. It’s more than a job; it’s her mission.

Her faith journey has not always been so focused.When she began attending St. John’s in 1995, she volun-

teered for kitchen duty. “That’s where I always went when I worked for any organization,” she said. “I was comfortable there. My vision was my excuse to not do (more).

“But there had always been this ache. It’s hard to put into words.”

Parrent holds college degrees in mathematics and psychol-ogy. She supervised in an ac-counting office for 12 years. At St. John’s, she began to expand her volunteerism, including office tasks.

Ed Dexter was ap-pointed as pastor. He emphasized mission “outside the building,” she said. And her view of God began to blur. Parrent said, “It was the natu-ral progression of learning what the ache was about: mission. And having some-body verbalize it.

“(Ed) said God is someone you can be a friend with. And I went Huh? In my perception, God was this huge man, up in the sky, beating down on you.”

Dexter’s teaching was transforming. “My eyes were never the problem. My attitude was,”

summed up Parrent. “I used (my vision) as an excuse instead of letting myself see what I could do.”

At St. John’s, “the people were so hospitable, so loving. With the church body allowing me to do whatever I felt like I could, I grew out of that visually-impared excuse mode and became much more mission-oriented.”

Her mission knowledge “increased so much” by her partici-pation in UMW and the annual School of Christian Mission.

In 2007, UM deaconess Susan Hunt spoke to the St. John’s UMW members “about deaconesses, of

which I’d never heard,” Parrent said. “I went home and went to the website. It just made sense to me.”

The formal path to becoming a deaconess begins with discernment and includes five core studies: Church

history, polity, doctrine, the Testaments, and theology of mission.

Parrent traveled to New York City and Nashville; she read a lot. She expressed deep thanks for the support she

receives from her home church.Most deaconesses work in secular roles—inner-city

schools, health care, rural communities—rather than as church staff. Parrent relishes the variety of mission connections at St. John’s. Among them: a daycare, quilters guild, Financial Peace University, Girl Scouts, food pantry, and New Journey fellowship.

Her duties at the church continue, but as a deaconess she now sees all her life in new ways. “It’s a learning experience in the whole faith journey, of different ways to look at things, interpret, and understand from people outside my little niche,” she said.

“The business part of me won’t let me just sit. I’m still learning.”

Parrent is one of three deaconesses in the Oklahoma Confer-ence. Pat Hoerth serves at Turtle Rock Farm, a retreat center in northern Oklahoma, and Nancy VanAntwerp directs Reach Our City, providing health care in Oklahoma City.

Photos, from far left: Lyndon James Redman sits with Sharen Hale, his grandmother; Stan

Warfield presents an achievement award to a teen at JEM Camp; and Elaine Parrent wears her

deaconess scarf at OKC-St. John’s.

Photo by Holly McCray

Elaine Parrent: ‘There had always been this ache’

We will recruit, assess, equip, and send spiritual leaders. (One of three specific goals for the Strategic Plan)

My i

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Native American storyteller Ray Buckley and evangelism professor Elaine Heath will lead the Academy of Spiritual Formation on Oct. 17-22 at Canyon Camp.

Open to all, the academy is offered every two years and is sponsored by the Upper Room and the Oklahoma Conference. The event seeks to:n Provide a comprehensive experience in spiritual

formation;n Educate participants in the history and develop-

ment of the Christian spiritual life; andn Encourage participants to live out their call

through recovering the disciplines of daily prayer and participating in personal and group spiritual guidance.

Topics will be “The Mystic Way: A Contemplative Vision for Evangelism, Outreach, and Community,” by Rev. Dr. Heath; and “When God Changes Your Name: A Spiritual Journey Through Native Tradi-tions,” by Buckley.

A native of Alaska, Buckley also is an author and illustrator. His books include “The Give-Away: A Christmas Story in the Native American Tradition.” He previously directed the Native People’s Com-munication Office within United Methodist Com-munications, and he led Connectional Ministries for the Alaska Missionary Conference.

Heath is the initiator of New Day, a network of missional, monastic faith communities in the United Methodist tradition. She is the McCreless Assistant Professor of Evangelism at Perkins School of Theol-ogy and director of the Center for Missional Wisdom at Southern Methodist University, Dallas.

Scholarships are offered for lay and clergy mem-bers of the Oklahoma Conference. Registrar is Diana Northcutt, 405-530-2144, dnorthcutt@okumc.org.

October academy explorespersonal spiritual formation

The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact Sept. 10, 2010Page 6A

OpportunitiesYouth Director: Part-time. El

Reno-Wesley UMC, richardcato1@sbcglobal.net, 405-262-3734.

Worship Leader: Contemporary service. Barry Collins, Fort Gibson UMC, bcollins@sbcglobal.net, 918-478-3811.

Church Secretary: Part-time. Computer skills. Cookson UMC, Box 15, Cookson, OK 74427, 918-457-5717, cooksonumc@gmail.com.

Youth Director: Part-time. Susan Whitley, Coweta UMC, swhitley@cowetafumc.org, 918-486-5544.

Youth Director: Part-time. Kyle Kiner, First UMC, Box 310, Hinton, OK 73047, fumchinton@hintonet.net, 405-542-3347.

Musician: Part-time. Wayne Lof-tin, Checotah UMC, 918-473-5714, revloftin1@windstream.net, .

Youth Director: Part-time. Kip Wright, Bristow UMC, bristowfumc@sbcglobal.net, 918-367-3227.

Free: Outdoor sign metal letters. Dan Eischen, Wetumka UMC, 405-452-3367, eischendan15@yahoo.com.

Joseph Christopher Beach was born July 23, 2010. His parents are Anna and Rev. Chris Beach, pastor of Tulsa-Wesley UMC.

Back-to-school blessing offered in Lawton

To mark the beginning of the school year in Lawton, Pastors Norma Quinn and Chris Symes conducted the “Blessing of the Backpacks” on Aug. 15 at Centenary UMC.

The prayer ritual blessed students, school teachers, and Centenary mem-bers who work with children in any setting—plus backpacks, briefcases, and daily planners.

Pins imprinted with “I have been blessed” were presented to 102 peo-ple, who were in turn urged to “be a blessing to others.” The blessing was offered in both the traditional and con-temporary Sunday worship services.

STORM UPDATE—In Tulsa, broken roof rafters were bound together to form a cross in Aldersgate UMC after a tor-nado. Amid ongoing repairs, Aldersgate hosted almost 50 children for Project Transfor-mation, buoyed by the gift of space at a former UM church building and by volunteers from nine partner churches.

Clarita church to mark 100 years this monthClarita-First United Methodist

Church will celebrate its 100th anniversary on Sept. 26, starting at 10 a.m. and continuing through the day and into opening night of the annual Fishermen’s Revival.

The 10 o’clock worship service will feature music and pastors from years past as special guests. At noon, a catered BBQ lunch will be served. At 2 p.m., the centennial commemoration program begins. The 5 o’clock meal will feature hamburgers and hot dogs.

The revival begins at 7, with guest pastors Charles Hanna, Don Johnson, and Ken Boatman.

Reservations for the lunch must be made by Sept. 19. Contact Ann Nelson, 580-428-3355, or Betty Collins, 580-428-3560.

Find out more online at: www.okumc.org/churches/detail/2413.

• Margaret Southall, 81, died Aug. 13 at Overland Park, Kan. She was the mother of Rev. Susan Southall, associate pastor of Enid-First UMC.

• Ina Frisby, 91, of Yukon died Aug. 29. She was the

mother of Rev. Dan Frisby, retired elder.• Viola Brotherton, 92, of Tulsa died Aug. 17. She

was the mother of Rev. Bruce Brotherton, pastor of Idabel-First UMC.

Oologah fills kids’ packsfor weekends

By CHRIS EDENSOOLOGAH—Money is tight

during this tough economy, and some families are struggling to put food on the table. Children shouldn’t go hungry because their parents are struggling financially.

That’s the philosophy behind the “Food 4 Kids” backpack pro-gram.

For the second school year, the program is offered by the Oologah United Methodist Church, through its mission fund, and the Oologah Ministerial Alliance. Church mem-ber Lee Imhoff is the program coordinator.

Students at risk of going hungry on weekends are given sacks of non-perishable food that are placed in their backpacks at school on Fridays.

In September 2009, 10 children were originally enrolled. That number reached 49 by November.

Enrollment for this school year was not yet reported.

“We’ve been blessed with enough money to take care of these kids,” Imhoff said. “As long as there’s a kid in need, we’ll take care of them. One way or another, we’ll take care of them.”

Counselors at the upper and lower elementary identify children who are at risk of going hungry over the weekend. To be eligible, children must be enrolled in the school free lunch program. Parents must give permission for their child to take part.

“The Food 4 Kids program bridges the gap between lunch on Friday and breakfast on Monday for several of our students. The program has been a great addition to the lower elementary,” said Principal Gina Metcalf.

National studies have shown a child’s performance in school is profoundly affected by hunger. Children in the backpack program attend school more often, are more confident in learning, behave better, and stay more alert, educators reported.

(Reprinted with permission from the Oologah Lake Leader)

Generosity is feeding the success of a meal delivery program, for senior adults, offered by Douglas Boulevard UMC in Midwest City.

Last fall, the church applied for a grant, to address reports of state cutbacks in senior nutrition programs. The church already had in place a free meal program, in which about 150 people were served dinner once a week. The new idea was to deliver meals twice a week to senior citizens.

Food coordinator Donna Bassham was thrilled when the church was granted $33,900 from the Midwest City Hospital Authority in the spring.

“The first week we were in operation, a

reporter from Eastword newspaper came out and did a front-page feature on the new pro-gram,” said Pastor Jeannie Himes. Represen-tatives from a local corporation, which chose to remain anonymous, read the article and donated new commercial appliances for the church kitchen: an oven, freezer, and double refrigerator, valued at almost $10,000.

Douglas Boulevard volunteers now deliver over 100 meals each Tuesday and Friday to seniors in the Midwest City area. All summer, members of the youth group worked side-by-side with adults in the church to cook, package, deliver, and clean up. Rev. Himes said the church receives calls of thanks every week from meal recipients.

“Feed His People” is the mobile meal pro-gram at Douglas Boulevard UMC, Midwest City. Janet Fryar steers a cart of bread.

Photo by Chris EdensFrom left, volunteer Dolores Salyer helps Oologah High School students Lindsay Johnson and Cindy Helvick pack food.

The delivery vehicle was a child’s red wagon when the Backpack Program in Fairland was launched by First UMC in the 2008-09 school year.

The ministry has become a larger, community-wide effort, and the food requires transport by car or pickup truck.

The program has been “an energizer for our congregation,” said Pastor Carole Minter.

“Our congregation has been generous with time and resources. We sincerely feel it is a privilege to serve the children and families of this area. The looks on the youngsters’ faces tell it all.”

First Church for several years hosted the Boys and Girls Club of Fairland, providing leadership and space for that after-school program. The congrega-tion again was ready to step up to start the Backpack Program for elementary students who need healthy weekend snacks.

Church volunteers on Fridays initially delivered 12 backpacks of nonperishable food items to the school, which sent them home with children identi-fied as needing food support. In its second year, 23 students were served. Rev. Minter expects the need to increase this school year.

“We try to get a month’s worth (of food) at once. Anytime we need funds, immediately they come in,” Minter said.

Instead of backpacks, sacks have proven more practical, explained program director Glenda Spark-man. Weekly, two volunteers fill each sack with about a dozen goods, and another volunteer makes the delivery. School personnel distribute the sacks.

Sparkman said the monthly cost was $340 last school year. Businesses, clubs, and other churches have given funds. An electric co-op awarded the program a $2,500 grant.

Feeding projects packed in love

Fairland Backpack Program enters 3rd year

In memoriam Birth

Douglas Blvd. delivers meals to senior citizens

The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact Sept. 10, 2010Page 7A

By JORDAN GRUMMERJean Eagan was skeptical when she

learned her house in Poteau was about to be refurbished free of charge.

Those offering to help weren’t trying to scam her. They were with Youth Force, sponsored each summer by the Oklahoma Conference of The United Methodist Church. This is the second year Youth Force has come to LeFlore County.

Teenagers—those entering the seventh grade to just-graduated seniors—and adult leaders volunteer to build, paint, clean, or refurbish whatever the homeowner may need. Wheelchair ramps, porches, lawn care,

and painting are some of the jobs the partici-pants undertake.

“They’re a god-send. There’s no way in the world I could afford it,” Eagan said.

Not much had been going right for Eagan, age 77, in recent years.

Her sister applied for Youth Force’s services after seeing a notice in the newspaper.

She had lost two jobs, the second of which put her in the hospital because of a bad back.

“On top of that, I had a small lump on my nose,” Eagan said. When she found out the growth was cancerous, she traveled to a Fort Smith plastic surgeon.

“He said the cancer was so bad that he lit-erally had to scrape the bone to get it all out,” said Eagan, who endured 25 days of radiation therapy. “I almost lost my nose.”

Youth Force brought some positive energy into Eagan’s home.

“It makes me feel great. It really does,” Eagan said. “It’s a wonderful program.”

About 70 teens, from churches in Camer-on, Heavener, Henryetta, Norman, Oklahoma City, Poteau, and Princeton, Texas, worked at 10 job sites across LeFlore County from July 18-23. The group split into “God Squads”—teams of about seven teens and two adults who spend the week together at a specific site.

The week can seem like it’s all about the physical work, but Pam Cottrill, pastor of Heavener-First UMC, said the kids also spend the week building relationships.

“As the week goes on, and they travel together and do these things together, they really form a bond,” Rev. Cottrill said from First UMC in Poteau, the base of operations. “It’s a pretty neat thing to see that happen. It would definitely be different if they just kept them in their own church groups.”

The homeowners also forge special bonds with the volunteers, Cottrill said.

“For the homeowners, it’s their little flock or their little chickadees,” Cottrill said. “The homeowners’ lives are touched deeply that these youths are willing to give up five days of their summer vacation to come and work in the hot sun for them.”

Poteau High School graduate Josh Gra-ham, 18, didn’t mind the work or the heat.

“I think I’d rather help someone than just sit at home all day and wait for Mommy and Daddy to tell you what to do,” Graham said.

This was his second year with Youth Force and his last as an eligible participant. But he plans to continue his service as a God Squad leader.

“This is my way to give back. It’s just a way to let people know there are still people in this world who still generally care about helping,” Graham said.

Mayte Vasquez, 14, of Heavener said Ea-gan’s house was going to look great.

“We have to scrape the paint off, so we can paint it over to look new again,” she said.

Vasquez found herself in a unique posi-tion; her home also was chosen by Youth Force to be refurbished. “I see that teenagers and kids are working at my house, and I think that’s pretty cool,” Vasquez said.

Lamarla Cook, a God Squad leader at Eagan’s home, traveled from Oklahoma City, where she is the pastor of Clark Memorial UMC. She said giving back is easy because she knows those being helped would do the same if the roles were reversed.

“I’ve never been a part of any mission team where the people haven’t been loving and appreciative,” Cook said. “I know they would want to be able to help me.”

(Reprinted with permission, Fort Smith (Ark.) Times Record, July 24, 2010)

Youth Force 2010:

The prayers of their home congregations lifted 190 people at work during Youth Force Altus.

Altus-First UMC hosted the mission teams for the second time. A total of 150 students and 40 adults volunteered to work, from Claremore-First, Enid-Christ, Mustang, OKC-St. Luke’s, and Owasso churches, as well as the host church. They formed 15 God Squads that worked on 10 houses, painting, siding, and roofing.

The homes were selected by a group from Altus-First, explained Amy Givens, that church’s youth director. Tarps covered roof holes, and siding was badly damaged.

“Many of the projects selected this year were very big jobs, but we knew God had called us to work on these,” Givens said. “In just four days, the homes are transformed, and the lives of the homeowners and God Squad members are transformed also, as God’s love and grace are shown in a unique way.”

She continued, “God blessed Youth Force Altus that week with cool weather, hard-working attitudes, and loving hearts focused on the service that needed to be done.”

About 100 more Altus volunteers prepared meals, delivered snacks, opened their homes so workers could shower, committed to pray, and delivered supplies during the week.

‘This is my way to give

back’

Summer 2010 sites:

• Hennessey• Oklahoma City• Guymon• LeFlore County• Lawton• Altus

15 God Squads help Altus homeowners

Wetumka broadcasts Internet radio program

Photo by Corey Krasko, Fort Smith Times RecordFrom left, Drew Chancey of Henrietta, Taryn Shelton of Poteau, and Austin Abshire of Heavener build a wheelchair ramp and deck for a home in Pocola.

Wetumka-First UMC is taking advantage of growing interest in Internet radio by of-fering a weekly 30-minute program of Bible teaching by Pastor Dan Eischen.

The program, “Biblical Principles for Kingdom Living,” airs at 12:30 p.m. Sundays and can be accessed at www.tenacityradio.com. It is archived on that website for listen-ing at any time.

Rev. Dr. Eischen has 17 years of broad-casting experience, in country and news/talk

formats. He noted that, unlike the limited frequency range for traditional radio sta-tions, Internet stations can be heard around the world. Due to his Sunday schedule, Eischen’s teaching is recorded rather than presented live. It is uploaded to a station in North Carolina for airing.

The program began Sept. 5. The subject title for Sept. 12 is “When Are You Going To Grow Up?” and, for Sept. 19, the topic is the Sermon on the Mount.

The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact Sept. 10, 2010Page 8A

Some disaster response volunteers were puzzled. Did they really need three days to learn about chainsaw safety?

In the “Storm Damage CleanUp Course,” six Oklahoma volunteers came to value that time commitment.

Trainer Joe Glenn, a professional logger and woodsman, “made believers out of all of us,” said Richard Norman, disas-ter response coordinator and associate director for Volunteers In Mission (VIM). “Joe provided many key elements for us to implement into our overall training program.”

From six districts, the volunteers traveled in July to Mount Sequoyah Conference Center, a UM facility in Fayetteville, Ark. They gave their time, money, and talents to learn skills that will further enable Oklahoma United Methodists to safely, effectively serve victims of disasters.

“One of my responsibilities is to ensure the utmost se-curity and safety conditions are met in any activity in our disaster response ministry,” Rev. Norman said. “Discussion of chainsaws, their use, their safety, their liability, etc., has been at the forefront. We need to have access to expertise if we are going to provide a safe environment.”

Norman emphasized: n Chainsaws are vitally useful and necessary tools in

many disaster response situations.n They are among the most dangerous hand tools.After the training, Michael Sheehan commented, “The

chainsaw course is the needed, appropriate length, although I did have my doubts before we came. Richard is on the right path with his ideas of not getting the cart before the horse in disaster response.” Sheehan is from Boston Avenue United

Methodist Church, Tulsa.Ed Bevers of Lindsay UMC said, “Perhaps the single most

important element of this course is highlighting the need for serious thinking and evaluation of every situation and helping the student to develop capacity to do this.”

From OKC-Lakeside UMC, Curtis Cromwell said, “Pre-planning should be used in every case, in order to keep every team member safe. We can use this plan as we go forward to be used for storms or whatever we are challenged.”

“This was very informative and a necessary step in our evolution of the early-response capability,” said Kent Car-baugh of Copan UMC. A previous class he took in chainsaws

and safety equipment “did little to teach useful techniques for utilizing the chainsaw, safely and effectively, in a disaster response scenario. Having a trainer who actually used the techniques and understood what might be encountered when using the chainsaw was a lot more beneficial. Also, the hands-on experiences we had are irreplaceable.”

Norman said education, leadership, and training are his top priorities at this time for effective and viable disaster response ministry. He urged interested people to contact him about participating in this type of ministry: 800-231-4166 ext. 2032, RNorman@okumc.org.

(www.okvim.org)

VIM puts safety first with training

Participants practice chainsaw safety skills. They are Richard Norman, Ed Bevers, Kent Carbaugh, Mike Sheehan, trainer Joe Glenn, Curtis Cromwell, and Scott Stone.