OKLAHOMA INDIAN MISSIONARY CONFERENCE

Monthly Archives: October2020

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Bishop Jimmy Nunn addresses the OIMC via Zoom.

The 2020 Annual Conference Session of The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference was held August 15, 2020 via Zoom. Groups were organized geographically across the OIMC in as many as ten sites.

“We did have some technological issues early, but we took care of them,”  said the Rev. David Wilson, Assistant to the Bishop.

Due to time restraints, only two items were on the agenda. The first was to approve the 2020 budget,  and also the nominations for the new year.

The Southeast Region is the host site for the 2021 conference at Antlers, Oklahoma.

Applications for the Native American Children’s Fund (NACF) increased this year due to COVID-19.  Many Native families have struggled financially as the pandemic shut down schools and impacted Oklahoma’s work force.

Through the NACF, the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference (OIMC) was able to aid 102 Native children.

“My husband didn’t go to work for a week and that really put us back,” said Michele Cruz, grant recipient.

“We didn’t have enough to buy school clothes, so I was thankful to receive the help.”

IMG_9094 LloydThe NACF is one of three Advance Specials within OIMC.  It provides clothing grants for Native American children who meet income guidelines; it also supports graduating seniors; and local churches are able to use the NACF to purchase Vacation Bible School supplies.

The NACF is made possible through donations to The United Methodist Church Advance #583581 through local church giving.

Donations are also accepted at www.umc-oimc.org/give-online.

Roxanna Foster registers voters during National Voter Registration Day in Oklahoma City.

Roxanna Foster registers voters during National Voter Registration Day in Oklahoma City.

The Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference’s Rock the Native Vote effort had two priorities: to make sure people were counted in the U.S. census and to register Oklahomans to vote in the 2020 elections.

Through a grant from the National Urban Indian Family Coalition in Seattle, Rock the Native Vote worked in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa.

Most of the work has been centered on social media due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but workers have been able to host some outdoor events.

Roxanna Foster, coordinator of the Rock the Native Vote said that 324 registration forms were collected in both Oklahoma City and Tulsa. After each event, the forms were hand delivered to the the county election board.

Among the events, Rock the Native Vote partnered with Voto Latino, a student led Hispanic/Latino organization, to take part in National Voter Registation Day on Sept. 22 at Wheeler Park in Oklahoma City.

The Rev. David Wilson holds a proclamation by Mayor David Holt declaring Sept. 22 as National Voter Registration Day.

The Rev. David Wilson holds a proclamation by Mayor David Holt declaring Sept. 22 as National Voter Registration Day.

Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt issued a proclamation recognizing the day. In addition, the OKC Thunder participated in the event.

“Our folks in Oklahoma City and Tulsa have done a remarkable job to get the word out about 2020 census and voter registration,” said the Rev. Wilson, director of Rock the Native Vote.
“We have done our best to help people understand that our voices need to be heard and to be counted.”

DSC_9101The Rev. Wilson says Native Americans were the most undercounted population in the country during the last census. He says for each person who isn’t counted in the census, their community loses thousands of dollars every year for services such as health care, education, infrastructure and housing assistance.

“This is important for our tribal communities and urban areas around Indian Country, and we needed to make sure we are included,” said Wilson.

The census ended on October 15, 2020.

The deadline to register to vote in Okahoma was Oct. 9. Rock the Native Vote is now moving forward with events to help people prepare to vote.

On Oct. 24th, Rock the Native Vote is hosting a  “Meet the Candidates” event from 11:00 to 1:00 p.m. in the parking lot of Angie Smith United Methodist Church located at 601 Southwest Grand Boulevard in Oklahoma City.

Families across Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas received masks, water bottles and backpacks made available by grants and partnerships with OIMC.

Families across Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas received masks, water bottles and backpacks made available by grants and partnerships with OIMC.

October 19, 2020 | The OIMC has been very fortunate to have received funding from organizations inside and outside of The United Methodist Church for COVID-19 relief.

The Native American Community Response Fund was the first to send a grant to strengthen outreach to families in need.

“We were able to give funds  to local churches and areas of OIMC that are further away such as Dallas Indian UMC, Wichita and Lawrence, Kansas to support food banks,” said the Rev. David Wilson, assistant to the Bishop of the OIMC.

“In addition, our churches were able to purchase food and snack packs for children who were at home during the pandemic and they were able to provide utility assistance to families in OIMC.”

Thirty local pastors and lay missioners received a one-time grant thanks to the West Ohio Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church through their Native American Ministry Sunday Funds.

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Juan, only identified by first name, looks through his backpack provided by the OIMC. A grant allowed the OIMC to purchase 72 hygiene backpacks for the homeless.

One of the larger grants came from Perkins School of Theology through the Luce Foundation.  Due to the pandemic, the homeless community continues to grow in Oklahoma City.  Funds were used to purchase backpacks with necessities such as blankets, socks, flashlights and toiletry items for 72 persons.

Most recently we purchased Personal Protection Equipment including masks, water bottles, and hand sanitizer for Native children returning to school through a grant from the General Board of Global Ministries.Those funds came from the Native American Ministries Sunday Fund.

In addition, OIMC has delivered 6,000 school kits to area schools and tribal communities that were made available from the United Methodist Committee on Relief.

“We are blessed with our connectional network within the denomination and the many great organizations beyond who have allowed us to serve our Native  community in this time of need,” said Wilson.

The OIMC has been very fortunate to have received funding from organizations inside and outside of The United Methodist Church for COVID-19 relief.

The Native American Community Response Fund was the first to send a grant to strengthen outreach to families in need.

“We were able to give funds  to local churches and areas of OIMC that are further away such as Dallas Indian UMC, Wichita and Lawrence, Kansas to support food banks,” said the Rev. David Wilson, assistant to the Bishop of the OIMC.

“In addition, our churches were able to purchase food and snack packs for children who were at home during the pandemic and they were able to provide utility assistance to families in OIMC.”
Thirty local pastors and lay missioners received a one-time grant thanks to the West Ohio Annual  Conference of The United Methodist Church through their Native American Ministry Sunday Funds.

One of the larger grants came from Perkins School of Theology through the Luce Foundation. Due to the pandemic, the homeless community continues to grow in Oklahoma City.  Funds were used to purchase backpacks with necessities such as blankets, socks, flashlights and toiletry items for 72 persons.

Most recently we purchased Personal Protection Equipment including masks, water bottles, and hand sanitizer for Native children returning to school through a grant from the General Board of Global Ministries.
Those funds came from the Native American Ministries Sunday Fund. In addition, OIMC has delivered 6,000 school kits to area schools and tribal communities that were made available from the United Methodist Committee on Relief.
“We are blessed with our connectional network within the denomination and the many great organizations beyond who have allowed us to serve our Native
community in this time of need,” said Wilson.