We believe that Oklahoma City can be transformed by the Son of God, the Spirit of God, and the People of God. We are committed to encourage and challenge the Church to remember its mission to meet the needs of our community. Our role is to network and mobilize the Church to strategically partner together on behalf of the poor and forgotten among us.
A wonderful relational network has formed over the past several months. I am excited by the prospect of strengthening this community of leaders to make Oklahoma City a better place to live for all people in Jesus’ name. We facilitate a monthly networking lunch on the first Tuesday of every month. We simply want to be consistent in creating space for friendships to take shape and partnerships to be strengthened.
We will be gathering for lunch at the City Rescue Mission located at 800 W. California Ave. - OKC, OK 73106 on Tuesday, June 1st from 11:45am to 1:00pm.
Since 1960, City Rescue Mission has been a center for transformation, changing lives plagued with addiction, poverty, mental illness and homelessness to lives filled with stability, health and hope. It’s a vision started by the Mission founders Herman and Lois Janzen, and one I’m proud to continue and intensify still today.
Please visit www.CityRescue.org to learn more about the City Rescue Mission.
We will be gathering for prayer at the Sandridge Auditorium located at 123 Robert S. Kerr Ave. - OKC, OK 73102 on Monday, May 17th from 7:00pm to 8:00pm.
Children come into the United States foster care system for various reasons, including neglect, abuse, abandonment, and substance abuse by their primary caretakers. Historically the church has cared for children such as these out of obedience to God’s repeated mandate to care for the marginalized. However, many Christians today are simply unsure of what they can do to make a difference. Perhaps the best place to start is on our knees, crying out to a Holy God on behalf of these children, their birth families, their foster families, and their social workers.
Please visit www.CryOfTheOrphan.org/PrayerVigil to learn more about the 2010 National Foster Care Prayer Vigil.
We have identified dozens of opportunities for your faith community to engage the community and meet the needs of at risk children over the summer months.
We launched our latest citywide initiative this month called Season of Service. This effort was started to capture the momentum that is created by Sharefest and focus it toward long-term impact. Season of Service will address these issues related to our children: foster care, homelessness, hunger, and education.
Please visit www.ServeOKC.org to learn more and start serving this summer.
I would like to leave you with a Franciscan Benediction:
May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart. May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace. May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy. And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.
For the Good of The City,
Ben Nockels
