Conference E-Newsletter
September 2019 - Volume 2, Issue 9
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The purpose of the Oklahoma Conference is to
"Proclaim, Disciple, Live With Christ
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Make plans to attend one of the ministry opportunities taking place throughout Oklahoma both at the conference and local church level.
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God desires great success in the Oklahoma Conference! The secret to healthy marriages, strong families, happy relationships, prosperous living, healthy churches and much more is linked to the prayers of faith. Come to the Prayer Retreat for practical, life-changing exercises through prayer.
Ellen G. White wrote, “Prayer is heaven’s ordained means of success in the conflict with sin and the development of Christian character. The divine influences that come in answer to the prayer of faith will accomplish in the soul of the suppliant all for which he pleads. For the pardon of sin, for the Holy Spirit, for a Christlike temper, for wisdom and strength to do His work, for any gift He has promised, we may ask; and the promise is, ‘Ye shall receive.’”
Acts of the Apostles
, 564.1
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Youth Leadership Training - September 13-15 at Wewoka Woods
Please join us for our annual youth leadership training at Wewoka Woods. If you are serving in any Youth or Children's ministries such as Pathfinders, Adventurers, Youth, Young Adults, Children's Ministry, etc., this will be a great learning opportunity. Additionally, we look forward to the fellowship and sharing opportunities.
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The Oklahoma Conference Youth department invites young adults ages 18-35 to its first Young Adult Fall Retreat. Come join us for a fun and relaxing four-day weekend at Wewoka Woods beginning on Thursday night. We will have the pool, the boat, canoes, and multiple outdoor activities for everyone to enjoy. Come be part of a refreshing outdoor worship experience and relax in between activities as you hang out with other awesome Oklahoma young adults. Limited cabin beds are available; register your spot soon!
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October 5 has been set aside to give special emphasis to the children in our churches. We encourage all churches to plan something special for the children on that Sabbath, either for them or by them, providing a special meal, organizing an outreach project, or putting together a special worship program on Sabbath afternoon just for children. Visit
okadventist.org/youth for suggestions and ideas.
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Join Rich for a special 90-minute visual and interactive show that helps kids and adults understand how dinosaurs fit into the Biblical worldview. This show is specially designed to help both kids and adults have fun learning what science, literature, nature, fossils and the Bible says about theses fascinating creatures. Get ready to laugh and be surprised as Rich keeps his audience on the edge of their seat from start to finish. Every person will receive a pair of 3-D glasses needed for certain parts of the show.
Pathfinder and Adventurer club members/staff will earn the Dinosaur Honor and receive the patch for their sash at the event. Resources will also be available. The October 11th presentation will take place at Parkview Adventist Academy and the October 12 presentation will be at Tulsa Adventist Academy. Tickets will be available soon at
onemustardseed.com
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As the end of time grows nearer, we must be ever more diligent in sharing the Three Angels' messages to a hurt and dying world. Native Ministries wants to partner with each member of the Oklahoma Conference to share the good news of the Gospel to the Native population and all nations, tribes, tongues, and peoples.
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Dear Conference Family,
Many of us returned from the Oshkosh International Pathfinder Camporee a couple of weeks ago that yielded over 1300 baptisms! “Chosen” was the theme for the week. A message that can be carried out throughout all of our lives as children of God. In John 15:16 we are reminded, “You didn’t choose Me, I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name.” I pray that each of us finds strength in that verse because if He has chosen you and me for a particular task, He will give us what we need to get through it. Be blessed, children of God, as you do His bidding.
The Executive Committee for the Oklahoma Conference met Thursday, August 29, 2019, and I want to share with you the decisions and reports affecting our conference family.
Youth Department Report:
Oshkosh Report: 1,320 baptisms (10 from Oklahoma); 58,000 people were in attendance representing 95 countries; over 400 Pathfinders and leaders (19 clubs) were from Oklahoma. We hosted over 300 international guests, and our kitchen fed almost 700 people at every meal. Seven Oklahoma youth leaders were invested as Master Guides.
ACA Accreditation: The American Camp Association (ACA) visited Wewoka Woods Adventist Center in June for an accreditation review. Results of this review will be made available at the end of October.
Education Report:
Schools opened throughout Oklahoma with a total of 209 students!
School breakdown: Ardmore, 15; Bristow, 8; Claremore, 9; Guymon, 13; Ketchum, 6; Muskogee, 8; Parkview, 51; Tulsa, 99. The grades breakdown is as follows: PreK-K have 23 students; Grades 1-8 have 146 students, Grades 9-10 have 21 students; and Grades 11-12 have 19 students. (Since the opening date, several new students have been registered so the above numbers may vary.)
Executive Secretary's Report:
- The Garnett Spanish Company was organized as a church on August 31, 2019.
- The Conference Employee handbook is being updated. The Executive Committee members are reviewing the changes before taking a vote on the final draft.
- A Wewoka Woods Capital Campaign will begin fundraising to make improvements to our camp. This multistage process is in the beginning stages. We will share more information soon.
- Summit Ridge lagoon system (wastewater system) improvement plans are going well. We are also evaluating the WWAC lagoon system to assure compliance with government agencies. A few areas of the lagoon systems need to be upgraded in order to meet DEQ requirements.
Personnel:
- Roger and Carol Driver accepted a call to the Arkansas/Louisiana Conference. We currently have no treasurer so the Southwestern Union treasurer, John Page, came to our Executive Committee meeting to give the financial report.
- The Conference Personnel committee is scheduled to interview a prospective treasurer. Please pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the search of a new conference treasurer.
- The Executive Committee voted to bring Pastor Nicolas Coutet from Australia to the Adventist Fellowship Church in Tulsa to serve as senior pastor.
Other Business:
- Voted to organize the Enid Spanish Group to become a company.
- Voted to recommend to the SW Union the ordination of two Oklahoma pastors: Pastor Moises Kindelan, who pastors the South OKC Spanish and Durant Spanish churches; and Pastor Maximo Elvira, who pastors the Garnett Spanish Church.
Apple Park, Executive Secretary
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International Pathfinder Camporee at Oshkosh, WI
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Nearly 60,000 pathfinders and staff attended the camporee held August 12-17, 2019 in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
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During the week, over 1,300 pathfinder were baptized. Ten of those kids were Oklahoma Pathfinders. Praise the Lord!
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Together, pathfinders accomplished two World Records at Camporee which were verified by Guinness World Records® personnel! Thank you to everyone who participated.
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OSHKOSH, WI - We would like to congratulate a group of youth leaders who have worked hard the last couple of years to complete their Master Guide curriculum. We are proud of them and thrilled to know that God has called them to work in youth ministry. Congratulations to Sarah Shepherd, Candis Broadnax, Ruth Vargas, Alonna Dickhaut, Danielle Clay, Emily Lambeth, Anthony Jason Vargas, and Jacqueline Mogendi.
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Guymon Church Hosts Citizenship Class
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GUYMON, OKLA - Have you ever tried to take a citizenship test? How about one in a different language? Many of the Guymon church members are refugees from Myanmar. Some of them have gone through the citizenship process and have become citizens of the United States. Just last week one of our ladies took the “Oath of Allegiance” completing the process of becoming a citizen. The problem is that others are still in the process and need more help to understand our language and history.
At the beginning of April, Pastor Mang Lian started a citizenship class with the help of three English speaking members. Every Sunday in April, May, and June were spent learning about our country, pronouncing the words, writing sentences, quizzing them on US trivia, and filling out the paperwork to receive their citizenship to this country. What a fun experience to see parents and church members working together to understand who the Founding Fathers were, how to pronounce Monticello or Eisenhower, or even learning what prepositions are. The teacher who was working with pronunciation class said that the words “of, about, and rights” were the hardest to teach. The word “rights” for the Bill of Rights takes a paragraph of words in Zomi
to our one word. The words “of” and “about” are words that, well you think about that. How would you define them or illustrate them? Trust me, it’s not easy, but she did find a way with a big bowl “of fruit.”
The church’s second phase of this program will have three parts: inviting the community people who are also trying for their citizenship to go through this class, to start English as a Second Language class for adults, and a Zomi reading and writing class for the children so that they will not lose their mother language. Please keep our 19 citizenship students in your prayers as they wait for the date to test and interview, and that they will continue to grow as citizens of this country, and that our outreach to the community will help spread the Good News about Jesus’ Second Coming. The second phase of this program will need donations, so if you can help out the Guymon Seventh-day Adventist church, we thank you.
By Amy Ward
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OKC Spanish Children's Ministry Training
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MIDWEST CITY, OKLA - The Oklahoma City area Spanish churches came together to receive Children's Ministries Training on Augustst 23-24, to help them better serve children. We had representatives from Midwest City, Capitol Hill, OKC Spanish Central, Enid, Stillwater, and OKC Peregrinos. Almost 40 people attended the training. The theme of this training was "Teaching Children," where participants learned how to teach children in a more interactive and fun way. Classes included helping children to think, interactive storytelling, teaching children to pray, and much more. If you didn't have the opportunity to be part of this event, attend the same track at Leadership Training Weekend from September 13-15 at Wewoka Woods.
By Yesenia Ortega
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Independence Spanish Celebrates One-Year Anniversary & TAA Dedication
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TULSA - On Sabbath, August 24, the Independence Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church celebrated its one-year anniversary in its new building. It was a holy convocation were the Holy Spirit was present. A number of Tulsa Adventist Academy (TAA) students, staff and faculty also attended to support the church, one of five constituent churches for the academy. Tulsa Adventist Academy (TAA) provided special music from two alums, Michaela Lazarus and Alexa Fisher, and they were joined by teaching alum Sharne Lazarus. All were dedicated through prayer for the upcoming school year.
Several special music numbers by church members were followed by Pastor Michael Smith of the First SDA Church in Tulsa presenting a message about forgiveness. We praise the Lord of heaven for all the wonderful things that as a church we have accomplished. We are grateful to all the members, friends of this community, pastors, the Oklahoma Conference and Tulsa Adventist Academy for celebrating with us. May the Lord continue the growth in the north side of the city of Tulsa.
By Damaris Prieto and Caroline A. Fisher
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Garnett Church Celebrates New Church Status
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TULSA - The Garnett Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church celebrated officially becoming a church after fulfilling the requirements as set by the Oklahoma Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Conference executive secretary Apple Park was present, along with Hispanic Ministries Coordinator, Ciro Castillo, to welcome in the new congregation and encourage the members as they embark in this new journey. This accomplishment comes after a little over a year ago when the group was organized into a company. The church has grown noticeably over the last three years under the leadership of Pastor Max Elvira and a strong lay-led leadership team. We look forward to seeing how the Lord will continue to lead and bless the Garnett church.
By Daniel Ortega
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Master's Degree Opportunities
at SWAU in Texas
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Ruthie Vargas, a Southwestern Adventist University alum and educator from Tulsa, Oklahoma, says she never planned to do her master’s degree, she just needed some continuing education credits for her teaching license. However, when she spoke with Southwestern Adventist University’s Interim Vice President for Academic Administration, Donna Berkner, Vargas decided to take a few master’s classes. When she set foot on campus for her first three-week intensive, she made up her mind...
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Nye lives and works in New York City, the financial capital of the world. Nye comments that “the money that you make determines so many things: where you live; what you do; even who you hang out with in some cases.” In this money-driven environment Nye discovers the joy in systematically giving his money away.
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How Faith Heritage Relates to Faith Practice
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Most practicing Christians became Christians long before adulthood — usually before they were 12 years old — and say their faith was passed down to them. Does an "inherited" religious identity contribute to the maturation and flourishing of the individual and their faith in the long run? How does this experience compare with those who come to Christianity on their own, without positive faith influences in childhood or later in life? A recent Barna report finds some — at times surprising — links between faith heritage and present faith practice. Whatever one's upbringing, the findings suggest extended households and outside community are also a part of robust spiritual formation .
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Surviving Without Announcements
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Some congregations have an Adventist Church sign out front, but they might as well call themselves the Announcement Church, because that's about all they do on Sabbath morning.
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Sex Before Kissing:
How 15-Year-Old Girls Are Dealing With Porn-Obsessed Boys
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Researchers discovered shocking information after reviewing the results of
600 young Australian women and girls who took part in a just-released survey
commissioned by Plan Australia and Our Watch. The survey, conducted by Ipsos, gathered responses from the girls and young women aged 15-19 in all states and territories. Results reveal how 15-years-old girls are being affected by porn-obsessed boys.
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Dinosaur Research Draws Worldwide Acclaim, Inspires New TV Series
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Big things are happening with Southwestern Adventist University’s Dinosaur Research Project. With its Dinosaur Science Museum housing a world-class collection of over 25,000 bones and its ever-increasing media exposure, the project is drawing unprecedented attention. For those who can’t visit the project’s dig site in Wyoming, Hope Channel is preparing to release a six-episode documentary on the project this fall, giving viewers a small glimpse of what hundreds of students, researchers, and hobbyists experience in the wilds of Wyoming every June.
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In 1999 the Oklahoma pathfinders attend the the 22,00 worldwide camporee "Discover the Power" in Oshkosh, WI.
Top: Bristow Stars Pathfinders marching in the Sabbath afternoon parade, "Stay Drug Free."
Bottom, from left: Jack Francisco, Jonny Flores and Rodney Grove pose with a man from Tanzania who gave special music during morning devotions.
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Stuffed Roasted Acorn Squash
Serves:
4
Prep time:
15 minutes
Cook time:
55 minutes
Ingredients:
2 acorn squash, cut in half, seeded
4 tsp. honey
1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
1 cup Israeli couscous or orzo pasta
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. grated lemon peel
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Fresh Italian (flat-leaf) parsley sprigs (optional)
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Please share your church and school activities by emailing pictures and stories to
Communication@Okla-Adventist.org. Invite others to sign up to receive our
E-Newsletter by visiting our conference website at
www.okadventist.org. The sign-up form is at the bottom of the home page.
Daniel Ortega,
Communication Director
Yesenia Ortega,
Newsletter Manager
Caroline A. Fisher,
Newsletter Editor
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Communication@okla-adventist.org
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