Pr. Ruben Duran’s Presentation Part I:  a-oksynod-leadership-i-04-08.ppt

Pr. Ruben Duran’s Presentation Part II: aok-leadership-for-such-a-time-as-this-session-ii-04-08.ppt

Pr. Ruben Duran’s Workshop:  congregational-vitality-a-ok-synod-04-08.ppt

 The Invitation Balloons

Coach John McNeill prepares for the big game

The Intense Game

Linda Richardson prepares the snacks

Margie Faulkner assists Chuck McNeill with medals.

Admiring our medals

The Medal ceremony

The Rev. Anthony Chatman , Redeemer Lutheran in Oklahoma City, OK., leads a workshop on Renewing Prayer, Transformational Leadership and Sharing Vision, Mission, and Values.

 The Rev.  Ruben Durand, ELCA Churchwide Representative to the Assembly leads a workshop on Congregational Vitality.

Pr. Jean DeVoll-Donaldson chats with Pr. Don Marshall & David Curry prior to the opening worship service at St. Dunstan’s Episcopal Church, Tulsa, OK.

Voting Members share together doing bible study. 

Bp. Floyd Schoenhals leads Bible Study on Jonah.

The 21st annual Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod Assembly was held April 17-19 in Tulsa.   Resolutions that were passed at the Assembly were: 

RS- 5 - 2008  Confessing Our Faith Together Toward Full Commnion with the United Methodist Church  which resolved to encourage synod congregations to examine the Confessing Our Faith Together Study and Discussion guide and to encourage the congregations to submit responses to the study guide to Research and Evaluation, ELCA by October 1, 2008. 

Re - 3- 2008 Sacred Conversation on Race, Gender and Immigration which resolved to establish a forum for congregations to come together to participate in a sacred conversation on the issues of race, gender and immigration and urged congregations to intentionally engage the issues of race, gender and immigration in light of our common identify in Christ, and to memorialize the 2009 ELCA Churchwiede Assembly to develop resources and opportunities for this entire church to participate in a nationwide sacred conversation on race, gender, and immigration.

RS - 6 - 2008 A Global Mission Resolution which resolved to encourage the five Conferences in the synod to establish one-to-one reslationships with respective Districts of the Morogoro Diocese for the purpose of sharing prayer concerns, clergy-to-clergy and congregation-to-congregation sharing, and mutual support;  and to explore the possibility of bringing a youth choir from Morogoro Diocese to the Synod possibly by 2009 Synod Assembly time; and to encourage every congregation in the synod to be a Living Water Congregation to collect coins for water well and other water ministry projects and to encourage the ELCA Global Mission unit to send and support a missionary for evangelism in the morogoro Diocese; and to encourage the raising of $20,000 to provide a vehicle for the missionary’s ministry in the Morogoro Diocese.

RS - 1- 2008  Book of Faith Initiative - resolving to become a “Book of Faith” synod, committing ourseleves to live in and from the Word of God and resolving that our bishop shall be a teacher of the faith  of this church and shall provide leadership for the life and witness of this church in coordination with the proposed synod advocate; and to resolve that all voting members of this synod assembly covenant together to begin a regular practice of Bible study and prayer.

RS - 2- 2008 Blessed to be a Blessing:  A Spiritual Stimulus Plan that resolves that the ELCA members in this synod be encouraged to tithe the money they receive from the 2008 “economic stimulus plan” to ministries among persons living in poverty.�

We have 59 congregations with over 17,000 baptized members in these two states and Lipscomb County Texas. Although we live right on top of the “buckle of the Bible belt”, this is a frontier for God’s mission. Over 50 percent of the population in most counties of these two beautiful states are not adherents of any faith community.

This synod has congregations in rural areas, small towns, large cities, resort and retirement communities, on college campuses, and near military installations. We have two primarily African-American congregations and one Native American congregation. Based on average worship attendance 8 congregations are family size, 37 are pastoral size, 8 are program size, and 6 are corporate size.

Our Mission Statement is featured prominently on this web page. By the power of the Holy Spirit we strive to live this mission and bring our vision for mission to life.

I hope that this web page will be both a significant source of information about the variety of ministries in this synod and also a means for communication, mutual support, and idea sharing for all participants. I pray God’s richest blessings on you and on our participation in God’s mission. God’s peace be with you always!

Floyd M. Schoenhals, Bishop

Flyer
Information
Registration
Schedule
Directions
Medical Release Form

We invite you to participate…

WORSHIP
WORKSHOPS
GREAT FOOD & SNACKS
FELLOWSHIP
FUN FOR EVERYONE

Email us for more information.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Genesis 1:27

Mission Statement
“Empowered by the Holy Spirit,
the Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod, in partnership with the whole ELCA, will SHARE the Gospel of God’s Grace in our frontier environment, IDENTIFY and RESPOND to new opportunities for ministry, and STIMULATE our ministries to be vibrant and exciting.”

The Annual Arkansas-Oklahoma Synod Assembly