Are you alarmed by what you've seen in Asheville and let's face it, everywhere on our planet? The latest Tending the Garden will cover how to start a creation care movement in your faith community, and hopefully in collaboration with other faith communities. Watch live or afterwards on our YouTube channel!

For the past 16 years, Oklahoma Faith Network has hosted an Interfaith Youth Tour, where students visit diverse houses of worship to gain understanding and appreciation for other faith traditions.

We are excited to continue this important program this year with the following communities:

Emanuel Synagogue

Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City

Nithyanandeshwara Vedic Temple of Oklahoma

Participants will transport themselves to and from each site.

Individual ticket: $15 (includes swag item*)

If you are a student, or if this is a hardship, please register even if you are unable to donate at this time. To help ensure youth groups and others can participate, we are offering a sponsorship opportunity:

Sponsoring organizations will receive a discounted price for participants, swag items for participants, a discussion guide, No Hate in the Heartland stickers, and will be gratefully acknowledged in the OFN newsletter and on our social media. 

$300 donation = 25 spots for the Interfaith Youth Tour + swag items*
$100 donation = 10 spots for the Interfaith Youth Tour + swag items*

*Those registering after September 1 can't be guaranteed swag items, but we'll try!

We are excited for the chance to expand this event and bring even more young Oklahomans into a deeper understanding of diverse faith experiences and consequently, of their neighbors.

OFN Religions United Committee

Did you know fall is the best time for planting? So July is the perfect time to start planning for more sustainable landscaping at home and at your faith community.

On July 18, hear from two regular people who made changes in their yards little by little, chatting about what worked, what was a huge hassle, and other details with “Eco-Chat with Kat” and the Compost Fairy, Crystal Walter.

Did you know fall is the best time for planting? So July is the perfect time to start planning for more sustainable landscaping at home and at your faith community.

On July 2, hear from the Grounds by Grounds project about converting some of the lawn at your faith community to community gardens or just more life-supporting plants.

On July 18, hear from two regular people who made changes in their yards little by little, chatting about what worked, what was a huge hassle, and other details with “Eco-Chat with Kat” and the Compost Fairy, Crystal Walter.

Join us for this important two-part conversation!

Live on OFN’s Facebook page and YouTube channel - available to watch afterwards on our YouTube channel.

Part 1: History and Signs & Symptoms June 25 @ 7pm

Part 2: Healing from Religious Trauma July 9 @ 7pm

Faith communities should be, and often are, safe places where people can explore their connection to the sacred in ways that are expansive and life-giving. However, many in Oklahoma grew up in communities that were oppressive, unhealthy, or even abusive. This can impact spiritual well-being in profound ways that often necessitates deconstructing and healing.

The Very Rev. Dr. Robert Willis is a theologian, hymn-writer and pastor. He served as Dean of Canterbury, running the mother church of the Anglican Communion and the King’s School, Canterbury, (the world’s oldest school, founded by St Augustine in 597) and advising three archbishops, government and the crown from 2001 to 2022.

Dean Willis will be visiting Oklahoma, and speaking to us on cultivating hope, progressive faith, and the dangers of extremism.

Dean Willis is most recently well-known for the broadcasts of Morning Prayer that he and his civil-partner of 22 years, Fletcher Banner, made every day for 26 months during the COVID-19 pandemic, which attracted and still attracts millions of views from all over the world of people of all faiths and none (www.youtube.com/@GardenCongregation). Conservation and wildlife are close to his heart and have resulted in Dean Robert being nicknamed “the Green Dean” by many.

What's the most effective way to advocate from the values of your faith? Check out this panel, featuring:

Senator Mary Boren, Oklahoma Senate
J'Shawna Smith-Hayes, The H.O.P.E. Foundation
Rev. Dr. Lori Walke, Mayflower Congregational Church

This is another great panel brought to you by the Religions United Committee at OFN.

Oklahoma is lucky to be home to a diverse faith population, many of whom know and work closely for religious understanding and cooperation in our state. This year, on February 20, 2024 these organizations will unite to host the Interfaith Impact Lunch at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City.

Join our wonderful hosts and sponsors for an afternoon of community and collective action with interfaith partners around the legislative session. The luncheon program will consist of a panel discussion around the separation of church and state, an issue that is vital to maintaining religious freedom in our state and country.

Advance registration is required. Lunch will be provided. Tickets start at $10*. Space is limited, so register now! 

*This fee reserves your spot at the event. Ticket proceeds will be donated to the Regional Food Bank after the event. 

Organizations interested in sponsorship can contact info@okfaith.org for more details.

Security will be on site for this event.

Deep gratitude to our sponsors for making this event accessible:

Phillips Theological Seminary

Respect Diversity Foundation

We know all about Christmas, but many of our neighbors in Oklahoma celebrate other holidays! Join us for a fun interfaith conversation to learn more about our friends of diverse faiths and traditions, including:

Hinduism
Islam
Judaism

Tuesday, December 5 at 7pm
OFN Facebook and YouTube (available on our YouTube afterward)

This is another great panel brought to you by the Religions United Committee, which seeks to promote interfaith collaboration and understanding in Oklahoma.

In order to better serve the needs of Oklahomans, the Oklahoma Faith Network is hosting a free Mental Health First Aid Training, courtesy of the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. Mental Health First Aid is a public education program that introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact and overviews appropriate supports. This 8-hour course uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to offer initial help in a mental health crisis and connect people to the appropriate professional, peer, social and self-help care. The program also teaches common risk factors and warning signs of specific illnesses like anxiety, depression, substance use, bipolar disorder, eating disorders and schizophrenia.

We hope that you will join us for this celebration Thursday, October 26, 2023, at the Renaissance Waterford Hotel in Oklahoma City at 6:30 p.m. We will look to our present and our future, particularly with regard to our community programs.

Learn more about this special evening, get tickets, or sign up for sponsorship here.

For the past 15 years, Oklahoma Faith Network has become known for a project with a focus on middle/high school youth education — in the form of the Interfaith Youth Tour. As part of this tour, students visit diverse houses of worship to gain understanding and appreciation for other faith communities.

We are excited to continue this important program this year with the following communities:

First Americans Museum

East Sixth Street Christian Church

Masjid Mu'min

Go early and visit this world-class museum (opens at 11am), or have brunch at their sensational restaurant, and then meet us at the mound for the beginning of the tour.

Participants will transport themselves to and from each site.

In-person ticket: $15 (includes swag item* + discussion guide + Coexist sticker)

If you are a student, or if this is a hardship, please register even if you are unable to donate at this time. To help ensure youth groups and others can participate, we are offering a sponsorship opportunity:

Sponsoring organizations will receive a discounted price for participants, and will be gratefully acknowledged in the OFN newsletter and on our social media. 

For example:

$300 donation = 25 spots for the Interfaith Youth Tour + swag items* + a group discussion guide + Coexist stickers
$150 donation = 10 spots for the Interfaith Youth Tour + swag items* + a group discussion guide + Coexist stickers

*Those registering after August 27 can't be guaranteed swag items, but we'll try!

We are excited for the chance to expand this event and bring even more young Oklahomans into a deeper understanding of diverse faith experiences and consequently, of their neighbors.

OFN Religions United Committee

Hear how different traditions integrate connection with ancestors into spiritual beliefs and practices. We'll be joined by practitioners of indigenous African religions, pagan traditions, and Buddhism.

Tuesday, April 11 at 7:00pm
OFN Facebook page + YouTube channel

This is another great panel brought to you by our Religions United Committee, whose mission is to bring about interfaith understanding and collaboration.

https://fb.me/e/5EfZcVMxB

Register today for the Opioid and Stimulant Faith Response Conference!

This powerful event will be offered at no cost. Come hear and learn from leaders, practitioners, and others in the field. Whether you are dealing with substance abuse or have a loved one that is struggling with addiction, this conference is for you. We will also be offering Continuing Education credits for those who need them.

2023 Opioid & Stimulant Faith Response Conference Agenda & Schedule

9:00 - 9:30 am - Participant Registration & Check-In 

9:45 – 11:00 am – Conference Breakout Sessions I 

*1-Hour Workshop with 15-minute Discussion/Question/Answer

• Prevention Methods & Best Practices

• Treatment Community Resources 

• Providing Support for a Loved One Dealing with Addiction

11:15 am – 12:15 pm – LUNCH

12:30 pm – 1:45 pm – Conference Breakout Sessions II

*1-Hour Workshop with 15-minute Discussion/Question/Answer

• Prevention Methods & Best Practices 

• Treatment Community Resources 

• Providing Support for a Loved One Dealing with Addiction

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm Keynote Speaker including Question/Answer portion

2:45 pm - 3:00 pm Closing Remarks and Announcements

It's our favorite event of the year! We'll be doing the Tour virtually again this year, since it allows us to move around the state and "visit" smaller faith communities that aren't possible in person. Plus, adults and students from all over can participate! Register here.

This year, we will be hearing from:

Religious Society of Friends (Quakers)

Hindu Temple of Oklahoma

Masjid Mu’min

Baha’is of Norman

Since the pandemic started, substance abuse has increased as people cope with stress, loss, and anxiety. Join us for a panel on the signs, prevention and treatment of people suffering with substance abuse. Whether you are a person of faith or not, addiction affects us all.

Join us for this important discussion about the passing of HB1775 last month in the Oklahoma legislature. To learn more about this new law, click here.

This panel, facilitated by Adam Soltani (CAIR-OK), will feature:

Lawrence Ware, Professor of Philosophy at OSU and co-director of the Center for Africana Studies

Rep. John Waldron, Oklahoma House of Representatives

Alicia Priest, President of the Oklahoma Education Association

Rev. Dr. Shannon Fleck, Executive Director of OCC

This panel is brought to you by OCC's Religions United Committee, which seeks to bring more interfaith understand and collaboration to Oklahoma.

This panel is brought to you by OCC’s Religions United Committee, which seeks to broaden interfaith understanding and collaboration in Oklahoma. Watch it live, or later after it’s archived!

Join us for this Earth Day reflection on our Facebook page or YouTube channel! Tuesday, April 20 at 7:30pm.

Rev. Dr. Mark Davies engages in advocacy and activism in the areas of peace, social justice, and ecological sustainability. Locally this is expressed through his work with the Human Community Network, to create non-violent systemic change for a just, flourishing human and ecological community.

“We are living in a time of fierce urgency to do something about the climate crisis. Our actions and our policies today will determine whether we head down a path of climate chaos or begin the sacred work of healing our ecological community.”

This panel will provide the perspectives of elected officials who are people of faith, on how faith and politics intersect. Panelists are Rep. Mauree Turner, Sen. George Young, and Rep. John Talley. This panel is hosted by our Religions United Committee, which is dedicated to promoting interfaith understanding and collaboration in Oklahoma.