Wow, its September. I am such a bad blogger. Well.
So ok, I am not territorial about my church. I'm not. One of my colleagues thinks this lack is a detriment. I like to think I am ecumenical. I mean I wouldn't just let any joker off the street, come in and have at my kids,in a preaching sense. I'm actually a little overprotective of my kids. But I would let that Baptist preacher I met a few months back come and have a revival if he wanted. But I have heard him preach, spoke with him about his philosophies and I know that he has changed his church around to accomodate and care for the kids in Elk City.
My kids are different demoninations anyway. But the kids told me that The Mormon church has been visiting them in their homes and they have been going to the Mormon church on Sundays and its kinda got me a little unnerved. Ok, its got me territorial and I have been trying to figure out why. Aside from the fact that I don't know anyone in this Mormon church.
I let my kids ask me questions about whatever they want to, which has led to some interesting discussion about Hell, Baptism, Communion and now Mormons. I don't know too much about Mormons other than some of Joseph Smith's history. (He used to be Methodist...Jim Jones used to be too, but that is for another time...) I let them tell me what the elders have told them. They are impressed that Mormons seem to revere Native people. Personally I think if they were so impressed with Native people then why is there only white folks in leadership positions? Right. But I like to encourage open minds and tolerance with other religions so I just enourage them to do just that. But I do worry.
Part of my uneasiness of the Mormons is from my growing awarness of the lack of programs in other denominations and even the UMC has specifically for Native Americans. Originally I was all for ecumenical leadership in the Clinton Church. I reasoned that if my conference were to one day run out of money to have someone there, then something needed to be in place so the kids wouldn't be left hanging. And if the Indian Baptist church could do what we could not then so be it. And my bosses approved of my idea.
But I am also the chair of OIMC's Campus Ministry Board and I realised that OIMC is the only one interested and trying to provide ministry specifically for Native college students. The one at Oklahoma City University attracts Native student of all denominations and some who are not in church. They come because it is a place where they can come together and be indian. The United Methodist church provides scholarships for Native Students and I have no idea what the other denominations have for Native students. I am the one who sends out opportunities for native college students on our Facebook Campus ministry page from the United Methdist church, like Student Forum. And in thinking of the future of my kids, the United Methodist Church might be the better place.
Will the Morman church provide such support for the kids as the get older? I don't think the Baptist do...
So, United Methodist it is...but, see this is why many indian people go back and forth between denominations. The United Methodist church has OIMC which is specifically for Native folks in Oklahoma, Kansas and Dallas, TX but we have no money (literally), and not enough people. So locally they go to the churches that have enough people and money that care care for them in ways OIMC can't. I can't fault them for that because I still want to use that Baptist church in Elk City to provide more people to help care for my kids but its kind of a sad messed up way to exist.
