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An Open Letter To The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference

From Bishop Robert Hayes, Jr.


Without a doubt, one of the proudest and most humbling moments of my life happened on Sunday November 7, 2004. It occurred during the investiture service that officially welcomed me and my family to the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference. Over four hundred people representing every tribe gathered to fellowship, sing, pray, and commune with one another. It was truly a spectacular night!
 

When I rose to the pulpit to deliver my sermon, the sight of all those people that filled the Angie Smith Chapel stirred my heart. The Spirit of the Lord came upon me, and for the very first time I realized the awesome responsibility that was upon me in that moment. Sitting before me were people who had driven from distances far and near. There were members of the conference from Texas, Kansas, and all over Oklahoma. As I looked into their faces, I saw an expectation I had never experienced before, and in turn, I felt the need to share what was on my heart. I guess you could say we all came there looking for something, and I can only pray that the people who were present received as much as they gave me..
 

My sermon that night was titled, “We Can Get There From Here!” It was a message that chronicles the journey that God has set out before us. No one but God knows where the journey will lead us, however, in the midst of our moving from one place to another, God is requiring of us to be faithful and steadfast. And even though the destination of our passage is unknown, there are two things we must do.

First, We Must All Agree To Leave What Is Behind Us, And Embrace What Is Before Us.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippian church, he urges them to “forget those things which are behind and reach forward for those things which are ahead”(3:13). I firmly believe that God is calling the people of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference to prepare themselves for a better and brighter day. It will be a day when the equality we seek will be obtained, and we will have our rightful seat at the long table of United Methodism! I shared with those in attendance my dream of one day seeing a United Methodist Bishop of Indian birth, and if we begin the preparation now, that day will come! But the first thing we must do is “forget what is behind us and press toward the goal for the prize” which is to be found in Christ Jesus! I firmly believe that God sent me here as your bishop to direct our path in that direction!

Second, Throughout The Journey We Must Always Trust God To Lead And Guide Us. Throughout the scriptures it records God’s mighty acts of deliverance in difficult circumstances. From Moses’ rescue through the Red Sea to the events of Resurrection morning, God has shown us what God can do. And deep within my hear, I know that God is the guardian and guide of our journey together, and in essence God is saying to me and to you, “We can get there from here!”.
 

As your Bishop, I am looking forward to working with the superintendents, pastors, and members to determine for us where we want to go! I want every member of OIMC to know that I will work tirelessly to get us there! But most of all you need to know that I serve and trust a God who has never let me down, and who is always on the side of those who are Faithful and obedient.
 


God is about to do a new thing in the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, and we need to be faithful, obedient, steadfast, and loyal. God will do the rest!
 

We will get there from here!