Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
Greetings, grace and peace in the name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
In one of the most memorable passages of the New Testament, the disciples went to Jesus and made a request: "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples (Luke 11:1)." They had witnessed for themselves the power of prayer, and because they had the courage to ask Jesus to teach them, Jesus gave them the Lord's Prayer," which to this day remains the centerpiece of our petitions to God.
Because you are leaders in the Oklahoma Conference, I make this request of you, as the disciples did of Jesus. I ask you to join me in a 40-day period of prayer and preparation, leading up to the week of our Oklahoma Annual Conference. The 40 days will begin on April 15 and conclude May 24. I call on all United Methodists in Oklahoma to be in prayer for a momentous event scheduled for Tuesday night, May 27, at the annual conference. A Strategic Plan will be presented for our Conference - a detailed course of action that will shape the future of ministry and growth for Oklahoma Methodists for years to come. Since this presentation will affect every aspect of our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ, it would be unthinkable to consider this at our yearly gathering without first seeking God's guidance in this important undertaking. Therefore, I ask that you join me as we prepare to take this giant leap forward.
To help us prepare for this significant moment, two important tools are being made available. First, a guide for reading, meditation and prayer, which consisting of 40 entries, can be accessed via the Internet, from our web-site, www.okumc.org. The guide will help you be fully engaged in the 40-day period of preparation. Secondly, each district will hold a pre-conference meeting in May to discuss the plan and other issues pertinent to Oklahoma and the General Church.
I am energized about the possibilities as we prepare for our time together in Tulsa! I am even more excited about what the future holds for our conference and the generations to follow. I believe in the power of prayer, and I hope you will join me as we witness God's movement in our great conference. If we have the courage to ask, God will have the boldness to respond.
In His Service,
Robert E. Hayes, Jr.
Bishop, Oklahoma Area, The United Methodist Church