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Norman First American Dedicates New Fellowship Hall


“Today you have made history...you have built the place where lasting memories will be made” stated former Senator and Native American Leader of Oklahoma, Enoch Kelly Haney.
 

After nine months of work, and hundreds of hours of labor Norman First American held its’ first service in the newly constructed fellowship hall on it’s property at 1951 Beaumont.
 

“We have been in rented spaced for the past eight years and it is exciting to finally have a place that is our own,” said Rev. David Wilson, Pastor of Norman First American.
 

Mr. Haney was the featured speaker at the Dedication/Consecration services of Norman First American United Methodist Church, on November 14.
 

“Isn’t it wonderful to have a place where we can come and be Indian” stated Haney as he reflected on the significance of the new building.
Norman First American is the newest congregation in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, receiving their charter in 1996. It has been in three different locations throughout the city of Norman of the past eight years.
 

It serves the Native American populations of the Norman area as well as those on the campus of the University of Oklahoma.

Over the years it has become a place where Native people can come and worship, pray, and express themselves as Native American people. It has become a place that embraces Native American traditions, whereas one time that was not the case.
 

“It was important for us as a church to incorporate our Native ways of blessing and praying into the Dedication Services” said Rev. Wilson.
The service included a cedar blessing ceremony performed by Mr. Steve Littleman, member of Norman First American. In addition, Native drummers sang a prayer song as participants entered the room for the processional.
 

The service concluded with a traditional give-away, where the congregation recognized those individuals who have given so much of their time and energy over the years. Those recognized included members of the sister churches in Norman; McFarlin, St. Stephens, and Goodrich United Methodist Churches. In addition several individuals were recognized for the contributions; Terry McCarty Norman First American’s Site Coordinator, Rev. Wilson, and several people from the congregation who each contributed tremendously.
 

“The people of NFA have worked very, very hard to make this building a reality,” Wilson said. “They have sacrificed their time and giving of their money and talent to make this happen.
 

The Norman First American Lambs also performed during the service. Members of the Lambs played flutes and sang tribal hymns. The Lambs are a pre-youth group ministry of Norman First American, who meet and perform regularly throughout the community.
 

Over the past year nine work teams came from out of state to help with the building of this facility. Teams were arranged through the Volunteers-In- Mission program of the conference and came from Maryland, Kentucky, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Arkansas.
Also, work groups from the sister churches in Norman donated numerous hours of labor as the building progressed throughout the summer.
 

The Norman United Methodist Fellowship was established in 1995 and officially became chartered on July 7, 1996, with the Late Rev. Tom Roughface presiding over the service. The name Norman First American United Methodist Church was chosen.