Contact, an edition of

The United Methodist Reporter

Two Sections, Section A • 039000 • Volume 157, Number 32 • December 10, 2010

THE OKLAHOMA UNITED METHODIST

n General Conference delegation is 18 — 2A

www.okumc.org n Is your church a mission All-Star? 8A

Circle of Care
recognized
nationally
Oklahoma United Methodist Circle of
Care has been named Organization of the
Year by the United Methodist Association
of Health and Welfare Ministries (UMA).
“We are tremendously honored to be
recognized nationally by UMA for the
work we do here in Oklahoma,” said
Circle of Care Board Chairman Lissa
Wright in late November.
The Organization of the Year Award
is part of the UMA Celebration of Ex-
cellence program. Honorees will be
recognized in March at the UMA Annual
Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
Circle of Care was recognized for pro-
viding programs and services to at-risk
children, youths, and families in Okla-
homa. The agency’s programs include
the United Methodist Children’s Home Crimson Clover Photography
in Tahlequah; the United Methodist Boys STRATEGY TO KEEP KIDS SAFE—A race raised funds for the child car-seat ministry by Church of the Servant. Page 4A.
Ranch in Gore; Holsinger Home for Chil-
dren in Enid; Pearl’s Hope, a transitional
program for homeless women and their
children in Tulsa; and the statewide Child
SHARE foster care program.
At a time of increased demand for
Medical network will change
to Blue Cross Blue Shield in 2011
services amid a faltering economy, Circle
of Care has managed to both tighten its
belt and help even more people in need.
The Independent Living Program, an By Holly McCray Health Benefits Plan director.
extension of the residential programs at Services will expand
The new year will bring a change in the The switch to BCBS was primarily driven Board weighs choices
the Boys Ranch and Children’s Home, has health insurance network for the Oklahoma
grown from serving five youths in 2006 by long-term cost savings offered by that net- The Conference Board of Pension and
Conference’s self-insured medical plan. work for the Health Benefits Plan, according Health Benefits, chaired by Mouzon Biggs
to more than 80 in the first half of 2010. Beginning Jan. 1, Blue Cross Blue
These teens and young adults now have to Brian Bakeman, Conference Treasurer. Jr., has oversight responsibility for this Plan.
Shield of Oklahoma (BCBS) will become Additionally, new services provided by The board conducted a lengthy review before
the opportunity to make the transition into the statewide network for the Conference’s
full adulthood with the structure, support, BCBS will enhance the Plan. Among them: deciding to partner with BCBS.
Health Benefits Plan, which insures active n The largest network of hospitals and Nationally, health care costs continue
and Christian values of the Circle of Care. Oklahoma United Methodist clergy members physicians in Oklahoma. to rise. Yet the Conference long has been
Continued on 8A and lay employees. committed to offering as a benefit health
n National and international coverage as
Their claims for hospital or physician the medical claims provider. insurance that is both comprehensive and
services now will be processed through the n Free online health and wellness tools, affordable.
BCBS network. The Kempton Group will such as personal health risk assessments and As a self-insured plan, ways to cut costs
continue as the Plan’s administrator, issuing a confidential advisory program, “Ask A are limited, said Rev. Dr. Biggs. Personal
payments. New ID cards are being mailed (Nurse, Trainer, Dietitian, or Life Coach).” responsibility for healthy living practices is
to participants in the Plan, for use begin- n Free stop-smoking and weight man- the best way, he noted. “We have an older
ning Jan. 1. Until then, use your existing agement programs, with personal coaching. census. Our biggest single cost is for phar-
current card. n Discount programs for vitamins, fitness maceuticals.”
An exception to the network change is and weight centers, and more. The board also considered the numerous
the retiree Medicare Supplement Plan, which n The free 24/7 Nurseline, available in health insurance networks that negotiate
The Hartford will continue to maintain. A English and Spanish. costs with physicians and other suppliers of
Barrel racing is a highlight at the few other exceptions are noted later in this Some of these were announced in a health care.
Boys Ranch Rodeo on Oct. 16. story. December letter sent out by Jan Tofani, the Continued on 2A
The United Methodist Reporter (USPS 954-500) is published weekly by UMR Communications, 1221 Profit Drive, Dallas, TX 75247. Periodicals Postage Paid at Dallas.
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Page 2A
General Conference delegates: 18
The Oklahoma Conference will elect 18
people—nine clergy and nine laity—as del-
egates to the denomination’s 2012 General
Conference.
That number, which is determined by the
secretary of the General Conference, was
reported on Dec. 2 to Annual Conference
Secretary Joe Harris.
They will be chosen during voting on
Monday, May 30, 2011, at the Annual Confer-
ence in Oklahoma City.
Those 18 people also will serve as 2012
Jurisdictional Conference delegates. Rev.
Dr. Harris explained an additional 18 Okla-
homans will be elected as Jurisdictional
Update your church officers online
Between Dec. 15 and 31, each church is re-
quired to update information on its 2011 church
officers in the Conference’s online database.
This procedure and its timing are crucial to
the accuracy of communications throughout all
levels of the Church in Oklahoma. The names,
addresses, and other content collected are the
building blocks for our UM connection.
Russian pastor named Distinguished Alumna
The Oklahoma United Methodist
Phone: 405-530-2075
Fax: 405-530-2093
To subscribe, send mailing information
1501 N.W. 24th
oklahoma City, oK 73106 Moving? Send change by mail or e-mail: aballew@okumc.org.
The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact
delegates, making a total group of 36 people,
equally divided between clergy and laity, for
that meeting.
Those people in the second set of 18, in or-
der of their election, become reserve delegates
to the General Conference. Alternates are
also chosen, and the Oklahoma Conference
decides that number, Harris said.
The General Conference is the top pol-
icy-making body of The United Methodist
Church. It meets once every four years. The
2012 meeting will take place April 24-May 4
in Tampa, Fla.
Oklahoma City will host the Jurisdictional
Conference in July of that year.
You will find instructions for the updat-
ing process at www.okumc.org. Follow these
links: Finance—Local Church Officer Update
Information—Instructions for Updating Church
Information. The procedure uses the Brick River
system, accessible via your church’s log-in code.
Send questions to websupport@okumc.org or
mmyers@okumc.org.
Katya Marsakova Zoubkova of Tyumen,
Russia, was recently honored as a Distin-
guished Alumna for the Wimberly School
of Religion at Oklahoma City University.
This honor was presented Nov. 6 at the
Alumni and Athletic Hall of Fame Awards
Dinner, held at the Devon Boathouse, home
of OCU Rowing and Canoe/Kayak, on the
Oklahoma River near downtown Oklahoma
City.
The award was accepted on her behalf
by Rev. Tom Hoffman of Tulsa. He worked
with Rev. Zoubkova when he served as a
missionary in Russia in the mid-1990s.
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union
in 1990, the Oklahoma Conference Campus
Ministries and OKC-St. Luke’s UMC sought
ways to enter into ministry in Russia. Their
mission centered on Ulyanovsk, a city 600
miles east of Moscow.
There Zoubkova learned of a student
exchange program with OCU and accepted
an invitation to complete her bachelor’s
robert E. Hayes Jr., bishop
Joseph Harris, director of communications
Holly McCray, editor of publications
and $15 to our address at left. 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: Jan. 7.
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Continued from page 1A
“Our board asked a nationally known
actuarial firm to compare networks for
us in Oklahoma,” Biggs said. The firm
responded that “if we changed networks,
we might save a half-million dollars.”
He continued, “We decided BCBS is
the strongest network that meshed best
with the providers we have (doctors,
hospitals, etc.). BCBS is bigger, stronger,
negotiates tougher for reductions in cost—
and that savings comes to us, to our Plan.”
Biggs said the Conference Plan will
also see major savings through the BCBS
stop-loss insurance program. Stop-loss
insurance is applied to catastrophic costs
incurred for medical needs such as organ
transplants and certain premature births.
Advisers projected that, overall, the
new partnership with BCBS “may save
us $1 million if we have the same health
record experience next year,” Biggs said.
“That’s why we’re shifting.”
Some programs unchanged
Some healthcare programs will not
change, such as The Hartford supplement
for Medicare, noted earlier in this story.
n Prescription drug coverage will
remain with MaxCare.
degree. She completed her degree from the
Wimberly School of Religion in 1995.
Upon returning home, she was named
director of Youth and Young Adult Minis-
tries for the Eurasian Area of The United
Methodist Church.
In addition to coordinating this ministry
across nine countries, she helped begin an
ecumenical student ministry at the university
in Ulyanovsk.
Zoubkova later returned to the United
States, to earn her Master of Divinity de-
gree from Saint Paul School of Theology in
Kansas City, Mo. While there, she served as
an intern at Church of the Resurrection in
Leawood, Kan.
Her first appointment in her home coun-
try was to pastor a church in Pervouralsk, a
city in the shadow of the Ural Mountains
in western Siberia, on the border between
Europe and Asia.
She soon married and moved with her
husband to his home region, Tyumen, Sibe-
Nyla Wallin, administrative assistant/video coordinator
alicia Galyon, Web ministry/graphics design
amelia Ballew, The Media Center
Dec. 10, 2010
n Kempton also will continue to
maintain the Flexible Spending Account
(FSA) and Health Reimbursement Ar-
rangement (HRA) programs.
n VSP and Delta Dental will continue
to provide voluntary vision and dental
insurance, respectively.
As the Conference transitions to
working with BCBS, plan participants
are encouraged to learn more at www.
bcbsok.com.
Rates change in 2011
Delegates at the 2010 Annual Con-
ference, in late May at Tulsa, approved
higher premiums in 2011 for the Health
Benefits Plan, as well as increases in
office visit co-pays, prescription drug
co-pays, and deductibles.
Each church’s contribution will in-
crease 8.6 percent to the Health Benefits
Fund, which is one of the Ministerial
Support items within the Apportionment.
For individuals, both active partici-
pants and retirees, the monthly premium
will rise 10 percent. The co-pay for an
office visit will rise from $20 to $30.
Individual deductibles will be $1,250.
Extensive information can be found
at www.okumc.org/healthcarebenefits.
ria, in southern Russia near the border with
Kazakhstan. There were no United Method-
ist churches there.
While employed as a social worker,
Zoubkova founded a local congregation.
Today, she serves as pastor of Tyumen
United Methodist Church of the Salva-
tion; she is the only female pastor in the
region. The church she leads is involved in
humanitarian aid to orphans and in a prison
ministry for prisoners and guards. The grow-
ing church is now looking to start a building
program.
Rev. Zoubkova will be in Oklahoma in
April, to visit her partner churches and renew
old friendships. One of her stops will be at
her alma mater, and OCU has invited her to
share her inspirational story with students
and friends.
She truly embodies the ideal of servant
leadership, the core of OCU’s mission, and
is a worthy recipient of the Distinguished
Alumna honor.
Page 3A The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact Dec. 10, 2010

Strength for the journey: Ideas and thoughts from our bishop

Finding reason in this season

“But when the fullness of time had come,
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman,
born under the law, to redeem those who
were under the law, that we might receive
the adoption as sons and daughters.”
—Galatians 4:4-5
By BiSHop roBErT HayES Jr.
must decide to open or reject that gift.
Every December, I intentionally pen this
column to point toward the true message of
the Advent and Christmas seasons. I do that
because I know how easily we get caught up
in other, gaudy themes contending for our
attention. This year, I invite you to join me
providential that the most ingenious of the
Caesars sat on the Roman throne and ordered
a worldwide census that required the Son of
God to be born in Bethlehem of Judea?
And consider Mary, the mother of Jesus
and the Maid of Galilee. The angel Gabriel
visited her with a startling announcement:
ing? Circumstances dictated this birth, for
the Gospels report there was “no room for
them in the inn.”
Regardless of what our songs and legends
declare, a manger is a dirty, crusty trough for
feeding livestock. Surely the God of heaven
and earth could have selected a better place.

I
t’s sad to me that this holy time of
year has, for so many people, become
focused on themes
such as Black Friday, Cyber
Monday, and a host of other
subjects that have nothing
whatsoever to do with the
Christian observance of
Jesus’ birth.
The real joy and beauty
of Advent and Christmas will
never be found in swarming
shoppers, fighting to be first
in line for a purchase, play-
ing parking-lot bumper cars, Bishop Hayes
or giving gifts to those we
know will reciprocate. Only when we look
away from the cultural mayhem associated
with the holiday will we rediscover God’s
gift of the Son.
God has given us this gift to redeem and
free us. During these few weeks, we again
in returning to the simplicity of the story that
has never grown old.
It’s a story that fascinates and captivates
my heart and imagination each and
every time I read it.
God’s timing
When Paul wrote to the Gala-
tians, what did he mean by “the
fullness of time”? Simply stated,
the birth of Jesus occurred when
God was ready—not humankind.
For thousands of years, the
hopes and expectations had grown
about Messiah’s coming. But with
each passing century, so did ques-
tions of God’s faithfulness. Then,
in God’s appointed year, at a specified place,
and involving a host of unlikely characters,
God acted!
We do not know why God chose to send
Jesus during the reign of Augustus Caesar.
Was it accidental, coincidental, or perhaps
“Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!
Do not be afraid, for you have found favor
with God!”
Mary was stunned. Surely the angel made
a mistake, mixed up addresses or perhaps
even Marys. She lacked the education, cul-
ture, or background seemingly required for
this task. But God chose her.
Why this place?
Then reflect on where Jesus was born.
Bethlehem. Five miles north of Bethlehem
was the finest religious center of that time:
Jerusalem. Why not there? Could it be that
Bethlehem fulfilled the prophecy? Great
leaders of the faith, from Rachel to David,
also had been born there.
And the story gets better. The exact spot
where Jesus was born? In a barn!
Do I need to remind you of the sights,
sounds, and smells of a typical barn any-
where in Oklahoma? What place could be
less desirable for the birth of a human be-
But God didn’t.
Who other than God could have writ-
ten, directed, and produced such a beautiful
story? At the core of all those developments,
could it be that God wanted to prove no be-
ginning was too humble or hostile, too crude
or lowly for the King of Kings? Could it be
that God is reminding us there is no situation
from which God cannot bring joy?
All this evidence tells me that God can do
anything, with anybody, anywhere.
And that’s where we come in. This story
revives my joy for Advent and Christmas.
You and I serve the One who can take the
ordinary in any life and turn it into a revela-
tion of Glory.
That’s the truth for us in this season! God
was revealed to us in a way never before
known. We realize God comes into our midst
in ways we least expect even now.
Do you see Jesus this season? Do you
sense His presence? Will you open God’s
gift and receive Him?

Will You Join Us & Become One of the

1000
Dear Friends:
I would like to
make you awar
the Circle of Ca e of a new cam
re is undertaking paign that
ministry to the . It is an effort
next level, to pu to take the
ing help, healin rsue a grand vi
g and hope to ev sion of extend-
families. en more childre
n, youth and
It is called Proj
ect 1000. We ar
donors who will e seeking to re
each pledge $1 cruit 1000 new
Project 1000 is 000 per year fo
an ambitious ca r three years.
of Care to look mpaign that will
ahead: How m allow Circle
families can be any more Child
lifted up? How SHARE foster
served at the Bo many more yo
ys Ranch, the Ch uths can be
pendent Living ildren’s Home,
Program? How the Inde-
helped through many more fam
Lissa & Bill Wright Robert & Doris McKown How many mor
Pearl’s Hope? ilies can be
e lives can be fo
Donald & Cheryl Baker Billy & Lora Meade In just seven sh
ort years, Circle
rever changed?
years of minist of Care will ce
Don & Lynn Batson Christy & Mike Mordy board of direct
ering to those in
need in Oklahom
lebrate 100
ors has taken th a. Our
David & Laura Beal Shannon Nakvinda & Mike Self a future in whi
ch even more liv
is bold step forw
ard to envision
Care’s program es are impacted
Mary Wheeler & Spencer Brown Martha & Bill Smith I hope that you
s. by Circle of
will join me an
Mary Butler Rev. Craig Stinson & Dr. Krista Jones porting Circle
of Care, and ou
d the others liste
d here in sup-
and families of r ministry to th
Dr. Ralph & Midge Coffman Ken & June Tucker For the Childre
Oklahoma. e children, yout
h
n,
Lloyd Cole Barbara & Donald Wright
Dr. John & Jamie Crooch Circle of Care Staff:
G. Michael Crooch *OKC/Communications/ Lissa Wright
Board Chair
Rev. Linda & Ralph Harker Pearl’s Hope
Bishop Robert & Dee Hayes *UM Boys Ranch
Jenny & Jono Helmerich *UM Children’s Home
Keith & Patricia Kennedy *Independent Living
Dwight Maulding *Child SHARE

To make your pledge today, please call 405-530-2078

or visit our website at:

http://www.circleofcare.org/1000.html
Following the Plan
A fruitful congregation is evidenced by how the faithful relate to one another and to the wider community,
and by how they help people relate to God and serve God's mission.—from the Strategic Plan of the Oklahoma Conference
Runners
make way
for safe kids
By roByN GoGGS
A new ministry began on a
crisp October morning as 300
people gathered for the “Fit to
Serve” 5K run/walk sponsored
by OKC-Church of the Servant.
Organized by the mission
council and supported by the
enthusiastic congregation, this
first-ever running event became
the vehicle to launch the church’s
Car Seats for Kids Project. A
spirit of mission and service to
the community was at the heart
of all the planning.
The car seats ministry was as-
signed to me upon my arrival in
June as the minister responsible
for mission. I wondered, “Car
seats? Is that truly a need?”
Through my research and
collaboration with the Oklahoma
Safe Kids Coalition, I learned it is.
A recent Safe Kids survey
found four out of five child car
seats were improperly installed.
In 2008, accidents killed 71
children in Oklahoma due to
improper installation or lack of
a car seat.
I witnessed the need firsthand
this summer at a giveaway in
southwest Oklahoma City. There
were 100 seats available; 45 min-
Service offers grace to all God’s creatures
A Pet Blessing Service at
OKC-Mayfair Heights Church
took its cue from The United
Methodist Book of Worship.
The resource describes a
Blessing of Animals service as
witnessing “to God’s and the
Church’s love, care, and concern
for creation” and recognizing
“our mutual interdependence
with God’s creatures.”
On Oct. 17, the blessing
service was the highlight of nu-
merous activities between 4 and
6 p.m.. Costumed as Francis of
Assisi, patron saint of animals
and ecology, Pastor Ted Uhlig
blessed 45 pets and their own-
ers. He also extended God’s
grace to animals brought from
an adoption shelter, including
nine puppies.
Some children of the church
were costumed as nursery-rhyme
Racers keep pace in northern Oklahoma City.
utes into the event, none were left
and the many people still in line
were turned away.
The church’s 5K event raised
funds to purchase 140 seats. Prior
to the run, Robert Gorrell, our
senior pastor, set the tone with a
prayer that reminded us we were
“big feet running for little feet.”
Now Church of the Servant
will become a fitting station in
Ted Uhlig blesses a pooch at OKC-Mayfair Heights.
characters, including Mary who
had a little lamb. They handed
out “All Creatures of Our God
and King” bookmarks.
The event included free food,
animal paintings exhibited by
Paseo District artists, and enter-
tainment by a trio from Guthrie
Pages 4-6A continue a series focusing on the Oklahoma Conference Strategic Plan.
Crimson Clover Photography
northwest Oklahoma City, with
members trained as fitters by the
National Highway Patrol. The
ministry will begin in partnership
with Safe Kids in January. The
Second Annual Fit to Serve 5K
will be next October.
One step at a time, we hope
this event is another way Church
of the Servant is transforming the
community.
Photo by Ember Lively
High School and the church choir.
Costumed as Mother Goose, Bar-
bara Chesser-Byrd read animal
stories to the youngsters.
Worship Chairman Marsha
Davis said, “We saw many new
faces—from the neighborhood
and friends of friends.”
Page 4A—The Contact— Dec. 10, 2010
Money ministries:
Anadarko project yields $10,000
Seed money yielded a harvest of
$10,000 at Anadarko-First UMC.
Perhaps this report about the fund-
raising will plant ideas for other
churches to grow financially in the
new calendar year.
The church’s council held a brain-
storming session, and the Finance
Committee challenged the Anadarko
congregation to find ways to over-
come money challenges. Thus was
born “As We Sow.”
On a July Sunday, there were
two offerings. The unusual one in-
volved the church giving $5 bills to
the people in the congregation—an
assortment of ages. Accompanying
each bill was a packet of seeds or a
packet of Kool-Aid drink mix.
“God has blessed each of us
with different talents, interests, and
hobbies,” reported Don and Carolyn
Riffel. “The instructions were to use
the seed money toward a project to
help raise money for the church.”
Rural churches ‘Pay It Forward’
In June, Gage and Fargo United
Methodist Churches implemented the
“Pay It Forward” ministry, drawing
on the catchphrase popularized by a
movie of the same name.
On Father’s Day, worshippers at
each church were asked to enter their
names in surprise drawings. Nelda
Shepherd handed sealed envelopes
to the six people whose names were
drawn. Inside each packet was a $100
bill. The recipients were directed to
give away the money within 30 days
to someone in need.
On July 25, “Testify Sunday,” the
recipients were to report what they
did. Michael Shepherd is pastor of the
congregations in Woodward District.
Nelda suggested options: use the
$100 to launch a fund-raiser; match
the amount; divide it to help several
people; or give it all away at once.
She adapted a longtime program by
her employer to create “Pay It For-
ward” for the church.
Church leaders hoped the project
would help people better understand
the church’s financial and adminis-
trative ministries, as well as boost
participation in committees.
The project was declared a great
success. One recipient at Gage was a
visitor; he e-mailed his report. He and
his wife chose to divide the money
into two equal amounts. “Each $50
has a story to tell,” he wrote.
Their daughter traveled on a mis-
A family talented in photography
took a picture of the Anadarko-First
congregation posing on the church
steps, and sold copies for $10 each.
Children sold Kool-Aid at church
dinners and at a series of Saturday
Markets held in the church’s Landes
Family Center.
Varied products at the markets
raised funds, too. Among the items
were fresh farm eggs and produce,
wooden figurines, quilts, homebaked
goods, UMW tote bags, and used
books. Manicures were available.
Cooked on an outdoor grill, breakfast
burritos, Indian tacos, and barbecue
sandwiches were served.
A churchwide garage sale was
organized.
On an October Sunday, Anadar-
ko-First celebrated a bounty of more
than $10,000.
“We sang praises to God, and
the Finance Committee smiled,” the
Riffels wrote.
sion to assist orphans in Romania.
The couple gave her $50 to apply to
a need there. She donated the money
to help a child go to summer camp.
The other $50 traveled with the
couple on their full-time RV adven-
tures. At Cuba, Mo., a sign caught
their attention at the United Method-
ist Church. They stopped and asked
the pastor about any need for the $50.
The pastor’s answer: “You were
sent here!” A man needed assistance
with a motel room for one night and
travel costs to a job in another city.
The gift-giver told the man there
was one string attached to the money:
“When you can, you…”
The man finished that sentence
with a firm, ‘I will pass it on.’
Another $100 recipient gave por-
tions of the money to a mission proj-
ect, to a family, and to other members
of the congregation to participate in
the ministry. One young woman gave
the lump sum to a family in crisis so
the mother would have gas money to
get to work. One recipient placed his
$100 in the offering plate. Another
helped a struggling college student
at Woodward.
In an epilogue to the “Pay It For-
ward” story, a Gage church visitor
in August presented $100 to Rev.
Shepherd to assist another pastor
battling cancer. And a love offering
was received at the Fargo church for
the same purpose.
Following the Plan Page 5A—The Contact—Dec. 10, 2010

The band leads worshippers at Wickline’s
first WAVE service.
Exercising in Wickline’s Family Life Center are Tate Monroe, left, worship
leader, and Karen Lippe, communications director.
Free-form worship debuts
In Midwest City, a third worship experience
Bishop to preach
at historic Tulsa-Wesley
for centennial
At a Tulsa church that was
burned to the ground during race
riots in 1921, a three-day Christmas
revival will be opened by Oklaho-
ma’s first African-American United
Methodist bishop
As historically black Wesley
UMC completes its centennial year,
Bishop Robert Hayes Jr. will preach
at 3 p.m. Dec. 12.
Now known as Wesley Chapel
Praise and Worship Center, the
church is at 2750 N. Cincinnati.
Current minister Chris Beach is
Wesley’s first white pastor.
On Dec. 13, Darlene Johnson
will preach. She is an associate at
Tulsa-Asbury UMC. Jesse Gist,

Wickline offers walking venue
The Super Striders are on easy street.
The loose-knit group—primarily senior
citizens in eastern Oklahoma County—met
for nearly 30 years at Heritage Park Mall,
Midwest City, to walk and socialize. When
the mall closed in February, they no longer
had access to their beloved walking space.
In July, Wickline United Methodist
Church, 417 Mid America Blvd., opened
the doors of its gleaming new Family Life
Center three days a week for the Striders to
walk to their hearts’ content.
In November, Pastor Mark Barnett re-
ported at least 30 walkers, and as many as
60, regularly take advantage of the space.
“This is bringing the church to the com-
munity,” said Rev. Barnett. “We are living
out the Strategic Plan we implemented last
year.”
The Super Striders group was formed in
1980 by Kathy Wyatt, the mall manager’s
assistant. At one time, Wyatt counted about
200 members. She said there were about 50
Striders when the mall closed.
Then the leadership at Wickline got the
idea to invite the Striders to regroup at the
church for walks, coffee, and socializing.
“We want the community to know they
are welcome to come to our new building,”
said Karen Lippe, Wickline director of com-
munications. The addition includes office
space, Sunday school rooms, and a large hall.
The large space is open for walkers on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from
7:30 a.m. until noon. And just outside the
main hall is a seating area where coffee is
brewed. A designated time for fellowship and
refreshments is observed every Wednesday.
Barnett said some walkers have made
donations to the church to express their ap-
preciation.
(Original story by Kelley Chambers, updated,
reprinted with permission from Eastword)
made its debut on a Saturday evening at Wickline
UMC.
The W.A.V.E. (Wickline’s Active Victory
Experience) swept up more than 100 people in at-
tendance Oct. 9.
The free-form worship features prayer stations,
Holy Communion, and a band.
Its name is based in Scripture: “His Mercy flows
in wave after wave on those who are in awe before
Him” (Luke 1:50).
The 6 p.m. service is in the Family Life Center.
Pastor Mark Barnett said the WAVE is one of the
ministries developed as Wickline UMC implements
its Strategic Plan.
pastor at House of Glory, will preach
Dec. 14.
Both services begin at 6 p.m.
A Christmas gift and food dis-
tribution is also part of the revival.
Founded in 1910, Wesley lists
a number of initiatives for 2011.
Among them: a camp for disadvan-
taged children, a seniors program,
a playground, and a restaurant that
will educate children about food and
teach best business practices.
(www.wesleyministrycenter.org)

Campus In this season of giving, we are

ministry event grateful for the continued
in Stillwater support of the
United Methodist Game
Day, on Jan. 29 in Stillwa- Oklahoma Conference.
ter, will be co-hosted by the
campus ministries of OU
and OSU. May the joy and love of Christ
The event, open to all
ages, begins at 10 a.m. at
live in you and through you
A STARRING ROLE—When a movie crew filmed in
the OSU Wesley Founda- this Season and always.
tion, 823 W. University.
Bartlesville, Oak Park UMC learned about Hollywood The Bedlam women’s bas-
actor Ben Affleck’s connection to United Methodism. ketball game is the featured
The church’s parking lot served as a dining site for event.
about 100 crew and cast members on Nov. 16. All Deadline to RSVP is
the church staff were invited to share in the catered Jan. 14.
luncheon. From left are Pastor David Stewart, actor Sign up online at: www.
Ben Affleck, and church leader Kathy Morris. Film star wesleyosu.com (Link
Affleck shared that his daughters were baptized in a through “Student Registra-
United Methodist church. Other special visitors were at
tion” and “Special Events”).
actress Sissy Spacek, whose husband was involved Details: Rebekah Belase,
in the film’s production, and two disabled children with wesleyosu@gmail.com, A seminary of The United Methodist Church
the Make-A-Wish Foundation. 405-372-5830.
Following the Plan
Owasso honored
nationally by
evangelism agency
Pastor Tiger explains vision
Owasso-First UMC is among the first churches recognized
for growth by a new program of The Foundation for Evan-
gelism, affiliated with the denomination’s General Board of
Discipleship.
According to a Foundation survey of attendance patterns
in thousands of UMC congregations, Owasso was among
those that experienced the fastest growth: 20 percent or more
in five years. Attendance at the church in Bartlesville District
is averaging 500 people.
An interview with Pastor Chris Tiger was featured in
“Celebrating Vibrant Churches,” an online resource by the
Foundation, offered to connect United Methodists with cre-
ative, successful evangelism practice ideas.
In September, the Owasso Progress also published Rev.
Tiger’s insights. He began serving First Church in June
1998.
Due to its growth, the church relocated to a new site
about five years ago. Along with the attendance growth, it
has had a corresponding increase in staff, programs, and
ministries of every type.
Spotlighted here are portions of the interview with Tiger.
n HAVE A SHARED VISION. Your young men shall see
visions, and your old men shall dream dreams (Acts 2:17).
When Tiger was appointed to Owasso, the church al-
ready was engaged in a process called Revision, which had
been recommended by the Oklahoma Conference Board of
Church Development. The church took this very seriously
and became unified about the vision that was developed.
There is great power in a shared vision.
n MAINTAIN THE UNITY. Make every effort to main-
tain the unity of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:3).
A prayer group developed that met weekly to pray for the
church, the upcoming changes, and the construction process.
We included as many people as we could in the planning of
the new facility. We communicated often about the problems
Historic church wants to preserve momentum
Music director Jona Tickle and Dakota Johnson sing to
the Lord as the capital campaign progresses at Guthrie-
First UMC. Theme was “Celebrating Our Legacy, Moving
Into God’s Future.”
United Methodist Men gather after completing a recent work project for Owasso-First UMC.
and the victories along the way. Sermons were preached to
prepare people for what was to come.
n DEVELOP A SERVANT’S HEART. Whoever wishes to
become great among you must be your servant (Mark 10:43).
Emphasizing that we are all servants of Jesus Christ has
helped our church reach out. We have a great reputation in
our community as a church that helps others. We do not have
volunteers in our church; we only have servants.
n BE WELCOMING AND GRACIOUS. Welcome
one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you
(Romans 15:7).
We strive to be a place of grace, where people can come
just as they are and receive a warm welcome. One of my
gifts is the ability to recall names, and I use this gift to reach
people for God. We want the culture of our church to reflect
God’s kindness, love, grace, and mercy.
The people of Guthrie-First UMC have taken the
next critical step toward their goal of rehabilitating and
renovating their historic church home.
The congregation celebrated the centennial of the
building earlier this year, and on Oct. 12 concluded a
capital campaign, chaired by Jim Thomas. A total of
$361,500 has been raised thus far for Phase 1.
The project has received the support of several presti-
gious preservation organizations and the Oklahoma Con-
ference’s Department of Congregational Development.
The church was founded April 22, 1889, the day of the
Run for the Unassigned Lands. The building was begun
immediately after statehood in 1907 and dedicated in
1910. Pastor Mike DeMoss said the building reflects the
historical legacy of Guthrie and Oklahoma as well as that
of church architecture in the early 20th century.
“Our goal will be to bring the building back as close
as possible to its original look and style, that shows its
importance in history, while being sure that this is a living
congregation with an important mission for the future. We
want to continue the ministry and mission here that we’ve
had for generations,” Rev. DeMoss said.
To qualify for the Congregational Development funds,
Page 6A—The Contact— Dec. 10, 2010
Photo by Taud/Buffy Boatman
n REACH OUT TO CHILDREN AND YOUTH. Let
the little children come to me (Matthew 18:14).
The church showed its huge heart for children and youth
by building a wonderful facility for them. We developed a
great reputation in our community as a church who cares
for kids. Our best ministries are aimed at reaching them.
These are some of the things that have worked for us. I
think they can work for you as well.
The Foundation’s director of Church Relations, Kenneth
Lambert, interviewed Tiger. The organization was founded
in 1949 by renowned evangelist Harry Denman.
At each Oklahoma Annual Conference, Denman Awards
for Evangelism honor outstanding clergy and laity who
transform lives in Oklahoma for Christ. Other Foundation
programs also fully endow 13 professors at UM-related
seminaries around the world, including the United States,
Zimbabwe, Germany, and Russia.
Craig Stinson said, the Guthrie church’s plan had to meet
specific growth criteria for existing churches.
Chaired by Jimalea Patterson, a 30-year church mem-
ber, a committee at Guthrie-First has wrestled with how to
balance future needs of the congregation with the physi-
cal needs and historical aspects of the massive building.
The first phase of the work will center on restoration
in the semi-circular sanctuary, including the impressive
dome and stained glass skylight.
In 2008, the Kirkpatrick Preservation Fund for Central
Oklahoma of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
awarded the church $10,000 in matching funds for the
writing of a Historic Structures Report. A $1,500 PlanFirst
grant from Preservation Oklahoma, funded by BancFirst,
and a $500 grant from Guthrie IBC Bank helped the
people of the church fund the match.
“When somebody agrees with you that this is an im-
portant building and gives you money to help preserve
it, it feels wonderful,” Patterson said. “It encourages us
to continue working.”
Project coordinator Wendy DeMoss said the Historic
Structures Report also helped secure other grants, includ-
ing a second one from the Kirkpatrick Fund last year.
 Page 7A
New in Media Library
The Media Library, housed at the United
Methodist Ministry Center in Oklahoma
City, has acquired several new DVDs. To
check-out these free resources, contact
Amelia Ballew, 405-530-2075, aballew@
okumc.org.
You will find a complete online listing of
titles in the library at www.okumc.org. Select
“Media Library” in the links on the left side
of that Web page.
n The Right Start: Beginning Ministry
in a New Setting—Pastor’s Version. This
resource is designed to assist any pastor pre-
paring to move into a new ministry setting.
n More Than One Right Answer‚ by De-
witt Jones, reminds us that it’s usually easy
to find one right answer. The challenge is
finding new answers and angles, to multiple
ministry possibilities.
n Seeing Red Cars encourages viewers
to focus on what they DO want—instead of
what they don’t! Hosted by Laura Goodrich,
this program motivates people to move in the
right direction—to make better decisions,
combat negativity, and create a positive
environment.
n What’s So Amazing About Grace?
Grace is the Church’s great distinctive. It’s
the one thing the world cannot duplicate, the
one thing people crave above all else, for
only grace can bring hope and transforma-
tion to a jaded world. Award-winning author
Philip Yancey explores grace at street level.
If grace is God’s love for the undeserving,
then what does it look like in action?
n Celebrate What’s Right with the World
asks: Do you have a vision for your organi-
In memoriam
Milton Carlin
Rev. Dr. Milton O. Carlin, 79, of Tulsa
died Nov. 10, 2010. He was a retired Local
Pastor.
“Doc” was born Feb. 7, 1931, in Tulsa.
An alumnus of the veterinary school at
Oklahoma State University, he worked for
55 years at Affordable Pet Care Veterinary
clinic.
He ministered at Tulsa-Grace UMC from
1996 to 2001.
Survivors include daughter Corby Carlin
Winters of Georgia, son Scott Winters of
Colorado, and five grandchildren. He was
predeceased by his wife, Eddi.
Memorial service was Nov. 24 at Tulsa-
First UMC.
Dorothy Graham
Dorothy May Wright Graham, 92, of
Oklahoma City died Nov. 9, 2010. She was
the widow of Rev. George Graham.
Dorothy was born in Granite on Oct. 26,
1918. She graduated with honors in 1950
from Oklahoma City University, where she
also met her husband.
She was active in many aspects of The
United Methodist Church, but she was par-
ticularly interested in work with children and
did a lot of teaching labs for that mission.
Following Rev. Graham’s death in 1982,
The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact
zation? For yourself? A vision that excites
you every morning? This resource teaches
the powerful force created when you have a
vision of possibilities.
n Natural Church Development/A Guide
to Eight Essential Qualities of Healthy
Churches, by Christian Schwarz. This resouce
presents practical conclusions drawn from
comprehensive research on the causes of
church growth—more than 45,000 churches
in 70 countries participated in the study.
Adam Hamilton DVDs
n 24 Hours
That Changed the
World. No single
event in human
history has re-
ceived more at-
tention than the
suffering and
crucifixion of Ham
il
Jesus. Adam '24 H ton's
ours
Hamilton Chan T Children’s and youth Director: Full-
ged hat
guides us the W
orld'
through the last
24 hours of Jesus’ life.
n Enough. Money has great power
in our lives and, when used wisely, helps us
meet our goals and provide for our needs.
But some of us ignore this insight when
managing and spending our money and,
instead, spend tomorrow’s money today. The
result is not greater happiness, but greater
stress and anxiety. Enough is an invitation
to rediscover the Bible’s wisdom on prudent
financial practices.
she went to work at OCU as administrative
assistant to the Dean of the Chapel, where
she worked until 2008, retiring at age 89.
She also established the George G. Graham
Memorial Scholarship Fund, through the
Oklahoma United Methodist Foundation;
her husband’s ministry career, which began
in 1945, included service as a superintendent
in two districts.
Her involvement in the life of OCU was
wide and energetic and included sponsorship
of the religious sorority, Kappa Phi. Among
honors she received from OCU were: the
Paul W. Milhouse Award, for her work in
university-church relations; recognitions
as Mrs. OCU Homecoming, Outstanding
Alumna of the School of Religion, and
Employee of the Year; and the OCU Distin-
guished Alumni Award.
OCU established the Dorothy Graham
Endowment, and the United Methodist Foun-
dation for Higher Education honored her.
Survivors include extended family
members.
Service was Nov. 13 at OKC-Nichols
Hills UMC.
• Theron Karns, 90, of Stillwater died
Nov. 18, 2010. He was the father of Rev. Ruth
Atterberry, associate pastor at McAlester-
First.
Dec. 10, 2010
Appointments
Lester Bussell to Hooker/Tyrone (Wood- Charles King to McLoud from Lawton-
ward District) from Marietta/Thackerville Heights, effective Nov. 15.
(Ardmore), effective Sept. 15. Jack Terrell-Wilkes to no appointment
Sharla Reynolds to discontinued from from Moore-New Life UMC associate
Sterling/Rush Springs (Lawton District), (South OKC), effective Nov. 1.
effective Oct. 31. Nancy Hamilton to OKC-Wickline UMC
Michael Dye to Sterling/Rush Springs associate (North OKC) from Edmond-Acts
from Apache UMC (Lawton), effective 2 UMC associate (North OKC), effective
Nov. 15. Nov. 15.
Michelle McCarty to Lawton-Heights Dwayne Heath to no appointment from
and Lawton-Grace (Lawton) from McLoud Purcell-Bowman Chapel UMC (South
UMC (Stillwater), effective Nov. 15. OKC), effective Dec. 1.
Opportunities
youth and Contemporary Worship Director of Children’s Ministries: Part-
Director: Full-time. Muskogee-St. Paul time. Durant UMC, Greg Tolle, 580-924-
UMC, mjardine@stpaulmuskogee.com. 4670, revtolle@sbcglobal.net.
Director of Caring Ministry/Home- youth Director: Part-time. Henryetta.
Dale Durnell. 918-652-4452, 580-660-0353.
bound: Part-time. Minister of Music:
Guitar player/Singer: Part-time. Con-
Part-time. Traditional and blended worship.
temporary service. OKC-St. Andrew’s UMC,
Yukon-Good Shepherd UMC, Jeff Burress,
Ginny Pass, 405-692-4242 ext. 102.
pastorjeff.cgs@sbcglobal.net.
Director of Music Ministries: Part-time.
time/part-time. Eufaula UMC, John Breon,
Alva UMC, 580-327-2571.
918-689-2109, johnbreon@yahoo.com.
pianist: Clark Memorial UMC, Lamarla
youth Director: Part-time. Altus-Grace
Cook, 5808 N.W. 23rd St., Oklahoma City,
UMC, 580-482-4093, altusgraceumc@
OK 73127, 405-641-5524, pastorcook@
sbcglobal.net.
sbcglobal.net.
Children’s Ministries Director. Part-
Choir Director: Part-time. Tulsa-Memo-
time. Crown Heights UMC. Rev. Dianne Pe-
rial Drive UMC, Sharon Fletcher-Taylor, 918-
ters, 1021 N.W. 37th, OKC 73118, Dianne@
398-3891, pastor.mdumc@tulsacoxmail.com.
crownheightsumc.org.
Epworth Villa and Quality Life Hospice
Dedicated to Improving Quality of Life
Through our new
partnership with Quality
Life Hospice, Epworth
Villa is committed to
expanding its ministry
beyond the borders of our
beautiful 40-acre campus.
Our professional, compas-
sionate and understanding
staff take pride in paying
close attention to the
individual needs of each
hospice patient and their
family members.
Please contact us for additional information about our not-for-profit hospice,
serving the needs of those living in central Oklahoma. Volunteer opportunities
available.
For more information about hospice
care, or to schedule a consultation visit,
call 405.767.9033. 20th
A n nive r s a r y
Enhancing Lives So People Thrive
Epworth Villa is a not-for-profit, accredited retirement community related to the
Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Quality Life Hospice is fully accredited by the Community Health Accreditation
Program, certified by Medicare, and licensed by the state of Oklahoma.
Page 8A The Oklahoma United Methodist Contact Dec. 10, 2010

Is your church a mission All-Star? Save the date:

The first year of the All-Star Church mission awards 3-star Recognition
program is nearing its conclusion. Now is the time to • Star One: Support a missionary assigned through
Local Church
review and complete your church’s efforts to qualify
for this honor.
the General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM).
• Star Two: Involve your church in one or more
Leader Workshops
Missional criteria must be met during the calendar local-area service projects or short‐term mission
year 2010. Award applications must be postmarked projects. These can be Oklahoma VIM projects. In 2011, Oklahoma’s
by Jan. 31. • Star Three: Support all six of the denomination’s Local Church Leader
The Oklahoma Conference’s Mission and Service Special Sunday offerings. Workshops—set in January,
Ministry Team has designed this series of recognitions/ February, and March—
awards to recognize second-mile support of UM min-
4-star Recognition
• Complete Stars One through Three. will provide your church
istries beyond the walls of your church. The program officers and others training
• Star Four: Support at least one Conference,
requires full support of the Conference and District to enrich their leadership
General Church, or UMCOR Advance. (Note: “One
Apportionments to qualify for “stars” at any level. skills and their lives.
Great Hour of Sharing” does not apply here.)
Conference Recognition is given to a church that People look forward to the
achieves a minimum of three stars. Conference 5-star Recognition and Award
• Complete Stars One through Four. classes, held in each district,
Awards are given to churches that achieve five stars for the opportunity to share
or more. Stellar Churches excel in missions by earning • Star Five: Establish a Covenant Relationship
with a GBGM missionary. ideas with individuals from
10 or more stars in a year, and they receive special other churches and to gain
honors. Additional stars insight from well-prepared
As the program continues, Gold Star Churches After completing Stars One through Five, a
leaders. All of the
will be honored for four or more consecutive years of church may add stars to its total by choosing from
information for each district
achieving at least five stars annually. additional criteria. Karen Distefano of Bartlesville
workshop is on the Web at:
Here is a general outline of the criteria. For specif- is Conference Mission Secretary. Contact her at:
www.okumc.org/LCLW.
ics, follow the “Resources” link at www.okumg.org. kririe@aol.com, 918-336-0351.

Circle of Care Continued from page 1A Ardmore District—Feb. 5, Ardmore-First UMC

Child SHARE has more than
doubled the number of foster
children served since 2006 and,
over the 11 years of the program’s
existence, 175 children have been
adopted by their Child SHARE
foster parents. The program is
spreading on a regional basis
throughout Oklahoma, through
partnerships with UM churches.
In 2008, Pearl’s Hope for home-
less women and their children was
established—and filled to capacity
in its first week. This program has
remained full.
A dedicated staff and board of
directors ensure that all the agency’s
programs are delivered to the high-
est standards; Circle of Care was re-
accredited in 2009 by EAGLE and
COA (Council on Accreditation).
For Circle of Care, this is
the third time in five years to be
honored by UMA. Previous rec-
ognition came in the Local Con-
gregation Partner category (with
Asbury United Methodist Church
in Tulsa), and the Hall of Fame in
Philanthropy (Circle of Care Vice
Chairman David Beal).
Bartlesville District—Jan. 29, Claremore-First
Clinton District—Jan. 15, Weatherford-First
Enid District—Jan. 30, Enid-First
Lawton District—Jan. 30, Lawton-Centenary
McAlester District—Feb. 12, McAlester-First
Muskogee District—Jan. 16, Wagoner-First
North & South OKC Districts—Jan. 15, OKC-St. Luke’s
Stillwater District—March 26, Stillwater-First
Tulsa District—Jan. 22, Tulsa-Boston Avenue
Woodward District—Jan. 29, Woodward-First

How will you plan for your future?

What happens in the future will
impact your loved ones and your estate
in countless ways. Careful planning is
important to ensure your loved ones
are well cared for, your church and
favorite ministries are remembered, and
your estate is not subjected to
unnecessary and burdensome taxes.
The Foundation’s Christian Guide to
Wills and Trusts will help you organize and
plan for the future. You can’t afford not to
plan! Please fill out the form below, or call
the Foundation at 800-259-6863 for your
FREE Guide.
 Please send me a free copy of your Christian Guide to Wills and Trusts.
 Please send me your eNewsletter, Gift Legacy, with financial planning news.
 Please call me to discuss more details about wills, bequests, trusts, and making a gift to my church.

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Street ___________________________City _________________State _________ Zip__________

4201 Classen Boulevard
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
Telephone _____________________________E-mail ___________________________________ 800-259-6863 • www.okumf.org