Local Religion Briefs: Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008
Local Religion Briefs: Saturday, Sept. 6, 2008

Published: September 6, 2008

Contemporary Christian recording artist Robbie Seay will perform in concert at 7 p.m. Friday at Crossings Community Church, 14600 N Portland.

Themed "Hope, Coffee and Melody,” the concert tour's emphasis benefits global missions. Organizers said $1 from each concert ticket will benefit a local Oklahoma mission, Water4, a nonprofit corporation established by Crossings members to suppy water to underprivileged countries.

Following the concert, Crossings college-age ministry, The Wharf, will hold a fall kickoff featuring a talk-back session with Seay. Other artists on the tour include Chris Taylor and Ali Rodgers as well as pastor and author Chris Seay. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $7 and can be purchased by calling 302-1281 or going online at www.crossingsokc.org.

A northwest Oklahoma City United Methodist congregation began as a small group of Christians meeting in the backyards of the community during the summer months of 1968.

That congregation, United Methodist Church of the Servant, will celebrate its 40th anniversary on Sunday at 14343 N MacArthur. The church will offer cake and ice cream after the 9:15 and 10:45 a.m. services.

A commemorative booklet also will be distributed.

About 300 people attended the church's first service with 148 joining that same day. The church, with founding minister Norman Neaves, was chartered on Palm Sunday of 1969 with 280 members. Today, the church's membership is more than 7,000.

Oklahoma Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers prepared about 4,000 hot meals each day for evacuees of Hurricane Gustav housed at a temporary shelter in southwest Oklahoma City. The team of trained volunteers also cared for an estimated 200 children each day through their childcare unit.

As work continues at the Oklahoma City shelter, another team of Oklahoma Southern Baptist disaster relief volunteers headed to Baton Rouge, La., to prepare hot meals for hurricane victims and relief volunteers.

"We have been down this road before. These are our neighbors and it is our job to help out during this very tough time,” said Sam Porter, disaster relief director for the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma.

In addition to assisting with disasters at home, the volunteers are being sent overseas to Gori, Georgia, to assist victims and families displaced by fighting in the region. More than 20,000 people have been left homeless. The team from Oklahoma will feed the hungry and assist elderly with home repair.

Individuals, churches or organizations interested in contributing financially to disaster relief efforts of the Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief Team may make contributions or mail checks payable to Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief, 3800 N May Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73112. One hundred percent of funds received for disaster relief are used for disaster relief. Oklahoma Southern Baptist churches and their members cover administrative expenses with their contributions made through the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma's Cooperative Program.

Scope Ministries International will celebrate its 35th anniversary with a Night of Praise featuring songwriter and Christian singer Dennis Jernigan at 7 p.m. Friday at First United Methodist Church of Oklahoma City, 131 NW 4.

Admission is free. An offering will be received to benefit the services offered by Scope.

The organization, headquartered at 700 NE 63, offers personal guidance sessions for individuals and families and ministry and biblical guidance training classes.

For more information, go online to www.scopeministries.org.

The Coalition of Prison Evangelists' 2008 South Central Regional Conference will be Thursday through Sept. 13 at Westmoore Community Church, 12609 S Western.

The event will general sessions, workshops and luncheons. Registration begins at 4:30 p.m. and the opening session will begin at 7 p.m. Thursday. Sessions begin at 9 a.m. on Friday and Sept. 13.

For more information, call (817) 684-7870 or go online to www.cope

connections.org.

In an effort to help Oklahoma City residents include their pets in their families' spiritual lives, the Central Oklahoma Humane Society has partnered with area churches to hold a series of free pet blessings.

The fall blessing will be from 10 a.m. to noon Sept. 13 at United Methodist Church of the Servant, 14343 N MacArthur. The event will take place in the church's east parking lot.

Five ministers will offer individual blessings for each pet that attends the event. The pets also will receive a blessing certificate as a memento of the event.

The pet blessings are part of Humane Education, a public outreach and education program intended to teach people about the importance of animal welfare.

For more information, go online to www.okhumane.org.

Ironhorse Fellowship, a gathering of Christian motorcycle ministries and clubs, will be at 7 p.m. Friday at New Hope Church, 11600 N Council.

The event will include worship, testimony, teaching and prayer for the Christian biker community.

Participants are encouraged to bring a used or new blanket to be distributed to the homeless.

— Carla Hinton

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