….what is was like to live in Bible times?

….if that guy in the den of lions really survived?

….how the three friends lived through the fire?

Click HERE to register, today!

Monday, June 11 thru  Friday, June 15   *   9:00am – 12:00pm    *  All kids ages 3yrs – 6th Grade

Absolutely FREE!

While you’re at it:

Don’t forget to sign up for VBS ENCORE – our AFTER VBS Camp

Children ages Kindergarten thru Grade 6 (entering)

Same week — 12noon – 5:30pm  *  Only $30 for an entire week of fun!

For more information, contact Hannah at 946-0681

    The Oklahoma Jail and Prison Ministries (OJPM) is a nonprofit, non-denominational, evangelical Christian outreach organization providing chaplains, personnel and resources to bring the good news of Jesus Christ   to those incarcerated and to equip them for life and service.  It functions with three paid staff members and approximately 130 volunteer chaplains to meet the spiritual needs of the inmates of 7 county jails, including the Oklahoma County Detention Center, the largest incarceration facility in the state. 

  The Oklahoma County Detention Center is the home base fror OJPM with additional satellite ministries in the jails of Payne County, Muskigee County, Garfield County , Canadian County, Rogers County and Midwest City. Staff consists of Rev. Don Duncan, Senior Chaplain, Rev. Jorge A. Vara, Sr., Assistant Chaplain and Rosetta Clifton, Seretary and Women’s Ministry Coordinator.  Chaplain Duncan also serves as Chaplain of the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office,oversees the work of OJPM, recruits volunteers and provides help in raising financial support for the ministries’ operations.  He is the Founder of Destination Character Discipleship which is a discipleship process to assist the believer in understanding how God transforms the believer into the image of Christ.  He also teaches Character First classes to Detention Center staff and is responsible for initiating the character trait of the month. 

  OJPM Assistant Chaplain Jorge Vara coordinates volunteer chaplains counseling activities for male inmates in the Oklahoma County Detention Center. He assists Chaplain Duncan in handling emergency notifications of deaths or serious illnes in inmate families, facilitates the work of male volunteer chaplains and assists in overseeing the work of the female volunteer chaplains.  His ability to speak Spanish is an asset to the ministry. 

  Rosetta Clifton coordinates women’s volunteer chaplains counseling activities.  She preares monthly reports and other office functions. 

OJPM coordinates  the activities of 130 volunteer chaplains weekly.  Volunteers may spend anywhere from 1-8 hours at the jail, with some volunteers coming more than one day a week.  The men and women ministries are conducted in separate rooms, with  volunteers in the men’s area able to minister to six male inmates at a time and the women’s area able to minister to four female inmates at one time.  Each volunteer has a small cubicle where he/she can conduct “in-person, face-to-face, one-on-one” quality encounters with male and female inmates of all races.  There are sheriff deputies present in the room during the counseling sessions so one feels safe during the encounters. Encounters with each inmate are approximately 20-60minutes in length. Volunteers also receive training several times at year that teaches how to deal with the inmates.  

I usually begin a session with an inmate by inquiring about their relationship to Jesus, asking them if they know Jesus and believe in the Triune God.  I always ask how long they have been incarcerated for that can make a big difference in their attitude and willingness to listen.

  Many of the women have attended church in their youth but many have fallen away, there are some who have belonged and participated in a church just prior to their being incarcerated.  For the most part, they accept the fact that they are in jail because they have done something wrong. If they are not Christian or if they have fallen away, I tell them about God and what Jesus has done for them and ask if they would like to commit or recommit their lives to Christ.  Many do so.  The ministry provides  some helpful pamphlets that aid in describing this.  The women also like to talk about their families and the effect their incarceration on the family.  I use different parts of the Bible to help them in their need and also like to use The Bible Promise Book to find relevant verses. I always ask the inmates if they have any particular prayer requests and then pray with them to end the session. 

The ministy  has individual Bible lessons each inmate can take to their cells to study and complete.  The lessons begin with the book of John.  Each willing to work on the lessons is given a New Testament.  When the series of   Bible lessons is completed (24 units/8lessons each), the inmate may receive Blackaby and King’s Experiencing God for their study, followed by The Search for Significance by Robert McGee, Disciples Prayer Life: Walking Fellowship with God and The Mind of Christ, if they are in the jail for an extended period. Other Christian books and novels are available for checkout, such as The Purpose Driven Life and Mentor The Kid and The CEO.  Inmates may also receive the monthly devotional Our Daily Bread. 

OJPM chaplains see an average of 1632 inmates per month withapproximately 1475 hours of volunteer counseling  provided at the Oklahoma County Detention Center alone.  The ministy recently celebrated its twenty year anniversary and is thankful to Sheriff John Whetsel for the priviledge of having this ministry at the Oklahoma County Detention center. 

I started volunteering in the jail ministry about eight years ago.  It was the voice of the Holy Spirit that drew me.  I was seeking a word from God about what work/service I should be doing and He spoke to me one night telling me that jail ministry was where I needed to be.  That was a real shock and one I did not expect.  I followed that call, inquired about places to serve and was led to OJPM. OJPM gives me the opportunity to share the showering of blessings God gives me every day and speak of His faithfulness to those who trust in Him.  We can depend on Him to be there for us if we are in relationship with Him.  He is always there whether we are at a mountain peak or down in the valley.  Since the women I see are usually in a valley, I am given the opportunity to tell them about the love of Jesus, His sacrifice for us, the forgiveness of all of our sins by His death and resurrection and the hope we all have for eternal life if we trust and believe His Word.  On some occasions, I am also rewarded with and inmate’s testimony to me – telling me of her love for Jesus and what He has done in her life.  Instead of my ministering to her, her words minister to me and lift me up reminding me again of our great God.  The ministry continues to be a blessing to me.

• February 22   ASH WEDNESDAY: CHRIST’S HEART, HAVING COMPASSION
• February 29   CHRIST’S EARS: READY TO LISTEN
• March 7         CHRIST’S HANDS: RECREATING
• March 14       CHRIST’S EYES: OPENING EYES
• March 21       CHRIST’S FEET: JOURNEYING
• March 28       CHRIST’S KNEES: PRAYING
• HOLY WEEK: PALM SUNDAY thru EASTER SUNDAY APRIL 1-APRIL 8

  The author of this story, Margy Muenchow, is pictured right, with Watson Michel, about whom this story was written.

Watson Michel – Missionary to Haiti 

It was January 2003 when Mark and I went to Haiti with our Pastoral Leadership Institute collegial group.   During this mission trip we became acquainted with Watson.  Watson was 26 years old at the time – he lived with Pastor Israel Izidor’s family in Les Cayes, Haiti, and helped Pastor with his ministry.  Watson made such an impression on us, that Mark and I invited him to come to the United States to live with us and study at the University. . . . Not the  typical invitation one extends to another – like – want to come over for dinner?  Or how about let’s meet for coffee?  Neither one of us really understood the implications of what we had just done.   It just felt right.  So – on July 16 of that same year, this young Haitian man – Watson Michel – was adopted into the families of Mark and Margy Muenchow and Messiah Lutheran Church. 

Little did Mark and I realize how our lives were to be changed forever.  There were many memorable first experiences as Watson learned our American culture – how to turn the water on in the shower; going to the grocery store (no markets like this in Haiti); first day of English as a Second Language school; acceptance at the University (that was a big Hallelujah!); first snow; driver’s education; first car; first Christmas with the extended families; first phone bill (this is a story in itself); first apartment and living on his own.   The years flew by and in that time, Watson successfully completed 3 years of study at the University of Central Oklahoma; became a certified nursing assistant; got experience in varied jobs; married his wife, Sherry; became a stepfather to two adorable children; and started his studies to become an LPN (another Hallelujah!). 

This past Fall – in our Experiencing God class, I remarked to the group that I hoped that I would have the chance someday to see the divine reason why God brought Watson into our lives.  Not long after, an e-mail crossed  my computer screen about the call for RN’s to go to Jeremie, Haiti,  to conduct a  medical mission.  I didn’t know who the originator of the email was – but since the email was forwarded from Iris Wilson – I thought they must be okay. . . And hopefully were “our brand” of Lutheran – chuckle, chuckle. Memories of Jeremie flooded my mind – Pastor Isaac and his wife Mariana, that treacherous ride from Les Cayes to Jeremie through the mountains that took 9 hours.  The orphans living at the “mission house” and – Ruth – their caregiver.  The spirit-filled Haitian women who taught me so much during our Bible-studies together (and we thought we were supposed to be teaching them!).  The beauty of the ocean and mounds of trash on the beach with the pigs rooting through it looking for something to eat.  I realized that this was a Call for both Watson and me.  “How perfect,”  I thought!  This is what God had in store for us!   I wondered why I had not figured it out before.  The day came quickly for Watson and me to head to the airport. . . . To Chicago to meet the mission team. . . . Then on to Miami, Port ‘au Prince, and then to our final destination in Jeremie aboard a 16-seater prop plane (yikes! – also the runway wasn’t paved). 

    I want to tell you about Watson – missionary to Haiti!  Watson has been our missionary in training – our Timothy!  Watson was the anointed one.  His presence among our group was not an accident!  

Watson – you were awesome – your love of God shows on your face – and floods forth in who God has made you to be. It was a privilege to serve alongside you in Haiti.

Some of our OKC circuit congregations have worked to create a new mission that will keep the the LCMS active in ministry within OKC’s inner city. More important than that, we have the opportunity to help elementary aged children improve their reading skills. Did you know that most criminals have less than a 4th grade reading level? Did you also know that many children drop out of school after the 6th grade because they cannot read? Also, a high percentage of these children in Oklahoma City only receive one meal per day and that is usually their school lunch.

Doesn’t that shout out MISSION to you?!  We think it does!

We are looking for volunteers to help tutor, cook, greet, drive and share the Gospel.

Training begins September 19th and tutoring will begin on the first Monday in October. For further information, contact Amy Abernathy, Messiah’s representative, at tabernathy@cox.net.

LUTHERAN TUTORING MISSION: MORE INFO

In April, a small group of ladies from Messiah made the short trek to Chandler, USA, to a retreat area called Jacob’s Ladder. During that retreat, much time was spent in silence, solitude, and prayer, all under the gentle guidance of our outside spiritual director. The following are reflections from the participants of the weekend.

I learned that as women, we all experience similar struggles, pains and insecurities. No one can walk the path of perfection that Jesus did. However, we all share God’s love, and forgiveness. He is the thread that holds us all together. And if we take time – quiet time – to hear his plans for us, and REALLY listen to him, our lives will be so much more fulfilling. And as women, we need to be there for each other.

What I got from this retreat was: REFRESHED, REFILLED, RELAXED, and REJUVENATED…..now I can REFLECT and REMEMBER (until we meet again). Praise God for this opportunity.

~ Cheryl WaiteI found the retreat experience to be renewing and refreshing. It was an intentional time of reflection, prayer, and listening for God’s words of love and care for me. Lectio Divina is a way to not just read the Scriptures, but to pause and ponder what God is saying to me, and challenges me to look at how I will respond to His direction. Psalm 46 was one of the Scriptures that we prayed, and I was struck again with verse 10: “Be still and know that I am God.” By taking the sentence and dissecting it, I was able to experience what God was trying to communicate to me. He asked me to BE: not always Do. Still: to be quiet and let down my defenses and hyper-vigilance I experience day to day. He invited me to Be Still: to quiet myself in Him and stop the noises and distractions I carry with me. He asks me to KNOW, to have confidence that it is He who is carrying me. I AM: God shows me His name, I AM, and all that He is, (I am the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, Living Water, etc.,) is all that I need in my life. All that He is, will be all that I ever need. He reminds me that He is God, and I am not. He reminds me that when I try to carry the world on my shoulders He is God and I am able to turn all over to Him. So that little verse “Be Still and Know that I am God…”, was packed full of meaning for me. I also found journaling to be a wonderful way to sort out my needs, my thoughts, and how God is at work. To put pen to paper and let my thoughts flow allowed me another opportunity to “hear” God’s message for me. ~Kathy BrownI only thought I knew what this retreat experience was going to be like, since I had helped Kathy to plan this weekend, but God — once again — reminded me of who is in charge. And as much as I would like to think it — it is NOT me.

The quiet and solitude I experienced there — spending two hours at a time just listening and talking to God — were emotionally overwhelming.

But where I saw God’s hand the most, was when we spent time with our prayer partners. My prayer partner was someone I did not know at all. And in our exercise, we were to simply relay to our partner our prayer needs and feelings — for 15 minutes. Our partner could not talk, or respond in any way to what we said — just pray for us while we said it. 15 whole minutes of talking is difficult when you aren’t used to it. And even harder is 15 whole minutes of listening. We often aren’t good listeners, but through this exercise, I came to experience God as the best listener of all. ~Teresa Laudermilk

If you would like to know more about the next spiritual retreat, or the places where you can go to do your own retreat, led by a spiritual director, just call the church office and talk with Teresa. She has many resources that she can refer you to.