Bishop appoints two new district superintendents Page 3

IN THIS ISSUE Over $2 Million Available in Scholarships for United Methodist StudIeNntTsHI2S ISSUE CSeormviPmcaesutnoirt3ayl-wLeidtteerMCLlKarWifyoirnsghiCpalls 2 For IUwnaitsehduWngormy en4in Faith's Weekend of Action 3 OKURMesCtopraerHtnoeprsehMipisnmistarkieesmBelerrsyses 400 Plus Families 5 5 Finding belonging in new places 6 UMCWBhiasht oCposmaesks Achrouurcnhd co7urt for clariFfiicvaet-iDonayoAnc2a0d2e4mCy oannfderTehnecSeecret of Joy 8 7

CU Wesley's New Approach to Old Stories 9 Keeping the Faith 7

Christmas on Sunday 10 Two Countries, Two Cultures, One FaithMin8istry in a Minute 11 MiniOstrKyUiMn aCMBrinieuftseand11Events 12 A Baby Shower for Mary 13 OKUMC Briefs and Events 14

THE OKLAHOMA UNITED METHODIST

Volume 5, Number 1 ? January 11, 2023

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

January 11, 2023

Over $2 Million Available in Scholarships for United Methodist Students

Paying for college can be stressful. For many families, affording higher education is the number one factor when deciding which school a student will attend. UMHEF scholarships help make it financially possible for qualifying students to obtain higher education, especially those attending United Methodist-related institutions. In rare cases, awards are also given to students attending other schools.

Last year, UMHEF awarded more than $2 million to nearly 1,000 students.

If interested, students should check out the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation's website and get their applications in before the deadline of March 1, 2023.

Eligibility requirements include active membership in a United Methodist, AME, AME Zion, or CME church; enrollment in United Methodist-related institutions; and a UMHEF-specific application process.

The three largest scholarships are the United Methodist Dollars for Scholars Program, General Named Endowment Scholarships, and Special Scholarships.

To apply, go to the UMHEF website.

United Methodist Dollars for Scholars Matches support from a student's church, UMHEF, and participating United Methodist-related schools. Awards up to $4,000 are available.

General Named Endowed Scholarships Over 130 named scholarship funds established by various donors are available on a competitive basis and consider GPA, income, leadership, and more.

Special Scholarships Additional scholarships include $5,000 HBCU scholarships for students attending historically Black colleges and universities; Chaplain Samuel Grover Powell Scholarship for students preparing for chaplaincy in any branch of the military; Elliott-Glass Scholarship for Deaf, Deafened, Deaf-Blind or Hard of Hearing, which helps hearing-impaired students attend seminary; and the University of Tennessee Southern (Martin Methodist College) scholarships, which are designated by the UMHEF.

Clergy and laypersons who receive the Contact are encouraged to share this information with staff and volunteers serving youth and young adults.

Enduring Provision :

THE LEGACY ENDOWMENT FUND

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

OKLAHOMA METHODIST FOUNDATION

405-525-6863 ? WWW.

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

Director of Communications: Joseph Harris Multimedia & Web Manager: Andrew Himes Editor of Publications: Jena Barber Communications Specialist: Tabitha Beckman

Send news to editor@. Submission deadline: Jan. 26 Next publication date: Feb. 7

Stories by the editor unless otherwise noted.

Subscribe online at .

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

January 11, 2023

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

For I was hungry

January 11, 2023

Part of the process of becoming a member of the United Methodist Church is professing to faithfully participate in the life of the church through prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness. More and more people are looking for a way to serve that goes beyond ushering and singing in the choir (though

Each service area is linked to contact information for a person at the conference level who will get potential volunteers connected with the resources and contacts they need in order to serve in the ministry where they are called.

Young people are the future of the church, so volunteers who

those are both vital

ministries).

The Oklahoma

conference

leadership saw

that need and rose

to meet it with its

new initiative, I

Want to Serve.

Church leaders,

congregations, or

even individuals

can find ways to

serve the church, the conference, or the world via a central location on the website,

One way to serve is by joining missions. Tim McHugh of Claremont UMC poses with several students during a recent trip to Anda, Philippines for an adventure of construction, relationship building, cultural immersion and servanthood. Submitted photo.

.

From boots-

are looking to impact the church's

on-the-ground direct service

youngest disciples are encouraged

to applying for a position on a conference board or committee, United Methodist members are encouraged to reach out and learn

to get involved through camps, Wesley foundations, or Project Transformation.

If travel and face-to-face

more about I Want to Serve.

connection with those impacted by

Service opportunities include disaster response, young adult and campus ministries, mission, multiethnic initiatives and new faith

disasters or hardship are desired, volunteers can serve in disaster response or missions. From filling flood buckets to cutting down

communities, Hispanic/Latino

tree limbs to digging a well in an

ministry, congregational vitality and fresh expression, licensed and ordained ministry, camps, and Project Transformation.

underserved country, opportunities are always available to lend a helping hand.

Multi-ethnic initiatives and

Hispanic/Latino ministries help diversify the church's ministries to all people, regardless of race, color, language, economic status, or anything else. Another area to increase the reach of United Methodist ministries is with new faith communities, including planting new churches.

Some feel called to ministry - to be an ordained pastor, a licensed local pastor, or even a lay speaker. Those who are called can learn more about the opportunities ahead of them when they make their first contact through the website.

Innovators will find partners and support with congregational vitality and fresh expressions. Those with fresh ideas and a passion for finding fruit in creative ways will be able to lead the charge with support from the conference.

"We want people to know that their input is not only needed, but also crucial, and wanted," Carlos Ramirez, associate director of connectional ministries at OKUMC said. "We need their input for the life of the annual conference."

Ramirez added, "If someone wants to start something in their local congregation, they can reach out to us for help. We might be needed just to do training, or to prepare the ground for them to do the ministry. Sometimes it's beyond a worship service."

If churches or individuals want to serve, they are encouraged to check out the website or reach out to Ramirez or anyone in the conference missions staff.

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The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact

January 11, 2023

OKUMC partnerships make merry

In mid-December, Skyline Urban Ministry surprised its patrons when they came in for their monthly food resource pickup. In addition to food resources and an eye clinic, Skyline also offers a style shop, where patrons can shop for clothing for under five dollars per piece. School clothes are also offered at the shop. This year, the style shop featured a Christmas pop-up shop. With donated toys and clothes and other gifts spread throughout the style shop, parents had an opportunity to "shop" for gifts for their children. On one of the shopping days, Oklahoma City Thunder players Lu Dort, Isaiah Joe, and Eugene Omoruyi stopped in, along with other Thunder staff, to help shop and bring good cheer to participating families. As part of the Thunder's Holiday Assist program, the team's representatives bring toys, gifts, Thunder merchandise, visibility, and more, to organizations around the metro area. Skyline patrons were delighted to meet players and Rumble the bison mascot, the Thunder Girls, and the Stormchasers. The event was made possible by donations from the community, and by relationships with area churches, many of which are United Methodist. Chapel Hill, Mosaic, Quail Springs, Blanchard, and others provided a substantial number of gifts this year, plus financial assistance so Skyline staff could do the shopping if that was easier. "Chapel Hill has a long-standing relationship with Skyline," said Peggy Burris, Chapel Hill's coordinator

for Skyline programs. "I would say two thirds to three fourths of our church participates in some way."

Some people prefer to give money, because it's easier, especially during the pandemic. Older adults or those with mobility issues prefer to let someone else do the shopping. Sometimes that's Burris; sometimes it's the Skyline staff and volunteers. Burris said, "This year, they gave us an Amazon wish list, and that was great. Because since the pandemic, everyone is very good at ordering on Amazon."

On the subject of service, Burris had some good advice. "People say, `I'm just one person, what can I do?' Actually, you can do a lot. And when you come together, you can make a big impact."

Burris added, "It's really important for us to do that right now. It feels like everything is out of control. I think you can find something somewhere, to be of assistance."

Burris added that she would be glad to talk other churches and groups through the process of starting this Skyline tradition ? or one like it.

Skyline also has a mobile food pantry program which, again, is hosted mainly by United Methodist churches. Clark Memorial's Lazarus Community, Wesley UMC, and Southern Hills are three of the partners noted by communications coordinator Joel Allen. "We cover a lot of ground, with 14 sites throughout the metro area. We visit each site once a month, and we really get to learn more about how that community operates."

With the help of Thunder players Lu Dort (left, with hat), Isaiah Joe (right, with hat), and Eugene Omoruyi, families choose gifts at Skyline's Christmas Pop-Up Shop. The multi-day event was made possible with donations from the public, including multiple United Methodist churches. Photos by Joel Allen.

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