Report from the EKIBA Visit to the KO!
EKIBA Visit
From March 21-29, a delegation from the Protestant Church in Baden, Germany (EKIBA), visited KOCUCC. We have had a partnership with EKIBA for at least 20 years. Bishop Professor Heike Springhart, and Rev. Dr. Jens Adam, who directs the Bishop’s office, traveled with Rev. Dr. Lisa Wolfe of KOCUCC. Lisa, who has ordained standing in KOCUCC, is serving as an ecumenical associate with EKIBA during her sabbatical from Oklahoma City University this year; she organized the trip. Rev. Dr. Lorraine Ceniceros attended Bishop Springhart’s installation in 2022, and this trip provided many opportunities for the EKIBA Bishop and our Conference Minister to re-connect. Additionally, the trip produced countless new contacts between KOCUCC and EKIBA, which we hope will strengthen our partnership for the coming years!
EKIBA Delegation Trip by the numbers:
1 video-linked gathering with partnership members from Oklahoma and Germany (Mayflower UCC)
2 hikes (Bartlesville, OK and Augusta, KS)
2 states (Kansas and Oklahoma, of course)
2 clergy groups (Oklahoma City, Tulsa)
3 Museums (First Americans Museum OKC, Woolaroc in Bartlesville, Brown vs. Board of Education National Historic Park, Topeka)
3 Monuments (Land Run Monument and Clara Luper Memorial, OKC; Greenwood/Black Wall Street Memorial, Tulsa)
3 educational institutions (Oklahoma City University, Saint Paul Theological Seminary at Oklahoma City University, Phillips Theological Seminary)
4 ministry visits (Church of the Open Arms UCC Food Pantry/Clothing Closet/Showers OKC; VOICE OKC, partners with Mayflower UCC; McKinney-Vento, serving homeless children, partners with Wichita UCC; BeAble, partners with First Congregational UCC Manhattan)
4 church meals (Fellowship UCC Tulsa, Wichita UCC, First Congregational UCC Manhattan, Colonial UCC Prairie Village)
6 homes for meals or overnight (OKC x2, Tulsa, Lawrence, Leon, Kansas City)
7 churches (Mayflower Congregational UCC OKC, Church of the Open Arms UCC OKC, Mosaic UCC OKC, Fellowship Congregational UCC Tulsa, Wichita UCC, First Congregational UCC Manhattan, Colonial UCC Prairie Village)
Countless friends, most new!
