Indian Nations Presbytery to Discuss Joining Statewide Oklahoma Presbytery at June 7 Meeting

Indian Nations Presbytery will meet for its spring Stated Meeting at 10 am on Saturday, June 7th at First Presbyterian Church in Pauls Valley. On the agenda will be a discussion and consideration of two motions proposed by the Oklahoma Presbyteries Task Force as part of the work to envision and create a new, statewide Oklahoma Presbytery. Those motions will be voted upon at a Tri-Presbytery meeting August 9th at First Presbyterian Church of Norman.

The motions to be considered, which will begin the process of constructing a new Presbytery, affirm that Indian Nations Presbytery formally commits to joining Cimarron and Eastern Oklahoma Presbyteries in constructing and creating a new Oklahoma Presbytery, and, as a sign of unity and commitment, INP will meet with Cimarron and Eastern Oklahoma Presbyteries in joint meetings going forward.

Changes to each presbytery’s bylaws will be necessary to be able to meet together for Tri-Presbytery meetings in the near future. Should the three presbyteries agree, the General Assembly may vote on the one presbytery at its 2026 meeting. Full integration would be January 1, 2027.

At its Stated Meeting on Tuesday, May 13, Cimarron Presbytery unanimously approved the two motions to be considered at the August 9th meeting. Cimarron commissioners committed to work with Eastern Oklahoma and Indian Nations Presbyteries in the creation of one Presbytery for Oklahoma, saying that the purpose of the August meeting should be to celebrate the movement of the Spirit among Oklahoma Presbyteries. They agreed that after the August meeting its future Presbytery meetings would be Tri-Presbytery gatherings. And, with the announcement that Cimarron Stated Clerk Mark Southard will not stand for re-election, commissioners suggested consideration of a Transitional Clerk to serve all three Oklahoma Presbyteries, effective January 1, 2026.

Cimarron General Presbyter Gordon Edwards noted that Cimarron Presbytery is unable to function properly due to the shortage of available personnel for various responsibilities. “Yet,” Edwards said, “the creation of a new Presbytery brought joy and excitement among us that was the prominent atmosphere.”