The 78 congregations of the Oklahoma District met at its 51st convention June 13–14, 2025, under the theme Praying to the Lord of the Harvest, based on Luke 10:2. Our main focus was the LCMS Set Apart to Serve initiative to raise up church workers from our congregations. The district is a fellowship of congregations committed to caring, sharing, teaching, preaching, and reaching people. Through God’s Divine Service in Word and Sacrament, the Holy Spirit brings them into a living relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. On May 19, 2024, the district celebrated its 100th anniversary at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Okarche. Some of the participants in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889 were members of the Lutheran Church. They helped establish a foothold for the church in the Oklahoma Territory. Many had migrated to Oklahoma from Kansas. Lutheran pioneers also came from Nebraska, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, and the northern states. In 1922, the Kansas District petitioned the Synod to create an independent Oklahoma District. The district is able to designate three-fourths of its budget for mission work, with the remaining budget used for administration, professional growth, and ministerial wellness. The district board of directors also steadfastly pledges one-fourth of its budget as a financial commitment to the Synod. Several communities in our Central Region are good spots to plant new churches. These include Piedmont, Yukon, and Tuttle. Piedmont is the fastest growing zip code in the U.S. The Yukon and Mustang areas are not far behind. Tuttle is also experiencing exponential growth. Currently, Piedmont, Yukon, and Tuttle have no LCMS presence. We are working with the Office of National Mission to plant a new church there. The district educates children from infants to twelfth grade. We currently have 17 early childhood programs and 8 elementary/middle schools across the state. Our oldest school, established in 1926, is St. Paul in Enid. Immanuel in Broken Arrow (Tulsa area) is home to our only Lutheran high school.
In the Western Region, which includes the Enid, Kingfisher, and Panhandle circuits, outreach continues among the Burmese Karen people. The result includes multiple baptisms and confirmations. Luther haven Retreat Center is located near Knowles and offers wilderness and waterfront experiences. Youth retreats are held in the summer. Continuing education courses are also hosted for church workers. Various seminary professors have taught there and discovered the open spaces of the Oklahoma Panhandle.
We treasure the Bible, the Book of Concord, and the hymnal. The ordinary elements of water, bread, and wine become extraordinary when connected to the Word of God. What amazing power comes into the lives of people through preaching, teaching, baptizing, absolving, and communing around the altar!
In the Central Region, which includes the Oklahoma City, Lawton, and Norman circuits, the Hispanic ministry continues. The future growth of these ministries offers exciting potential. We support pastors and missionaries from this region who now serve at the new seminary in Shinyanga, Tanzania. We also assist in church planting in Italy and Latvia. One teaches systematics and also assists in pastoral formation. Ministry to the armed forces has continued at the U.S. Army Training Center at Ft. Sill. Local pastors have conducted the Divine Service on the military base for the soldiers who are serving our country.
David R. Nehrenz, President
In the Eastern Region, which includes the Tulsa, Miami, and Ponca City circuits, spiritual doors have opened for outreach among Hispanic people. Also, our Camp Lutherhoma resides on 120 acres in beautiful eastern Oklahoma, located along the Illinois River just east of Tahlequah. The mission of the camp is to nurture discipleship in Jesus Christ in outdoor settings. It ministers to hundreds of youth during summer and winter programs. They learn how to share the love of Christ to the world. The camp also offers its beautiful facilities as retreat settings for groups, congregations, and families. When a tornado went directly through Camp Lutherhoma in June of 2025, we worked together with district volunteers, the Lutheran Early Response Team, and Ross Johnson from LCMS Disaster Response to begin the extensive recovery and clean-up work. By the grace of God, no one was seriously injured, even though the camp was filled with youth campers. It was a joint effort that brought together dedicated and joyful service in the midst of a stressful event. God be praised! Three campus ministries are active in Norman (University of Oklahoma), Stillwater (Oklahoma State University), and Tulsa (The University of Tulsa). The impact from these ministries has included baptisms, confirmations, and marriages. Students have been directed into various church vocations of deaconess, teacher, director of Christian education, and pastor. Pastoral supervised vicars and student peer ministers have served in these campus ministries. English-as-a-Second-Language programming and international student ministries on campus have also brought the Gospel to various cultural and people groups. The saints of Oklahoma continue to carry out the Great Commission. Christ Is Risen Indeed is what we proclaim in the southwest part of our country and throughout the world. “In fact Christ has been raised from the dead. … By a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. … In Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Cor. 15:20, 21, 22). The dedicated, sanctified service of our congregations is exceptional. We are friendly people. We are faithful to the Word of God. We are family oriented. We rejoice in sacred spaces, sacred words, sacred music, sacred ways of acting and speaking. We are shaped by God’s Word, and not by the world. We understand that in today’s world, the old things have become new. The Gospel is best delivered to people by
using the tools we have always had in the LCMS.
May the Lord Jesus continue to work mightily through our faithful commitment to make disciples of all nations through His Means of Grace. He will guide the next generations of our children and grandchildren in this place we call home, the LCMS Oklahoma District!