At Tulsa-area Native American church, Sunday service means singing in four languages

Every Sunday morning, there is an intertribal meeting that includes representation from four to six tribes. 

They’re not gathered to discuss compacts with the state or concerns over sovereignty. The group has come together inside Native Stone Baptist Church to worship and pray together. 

On a recent January Sunday, 31 members arrived at the nondescript white metal Muscogee (Creek) Nation building along Highway 117 on the east side of Sapulpa. There’s no steeple or stained glass windows at 875 McDonald Road. If there’s a baptism to be done, they have to meet on the south side of the highway inside Faith Baptist Church.

Its appearance mirrors modern tribal community buildings commonly found in small rural communities throughout northeast Oklahoma. There’s the name on a sign outside a building that features blank white walls, except for glass doors and a tan folding partition pulled across to close off the kitchen and dining area — which doubles as a space for Sunday school classes.

There are no wooden pews. The chairs are the maroon-cushioned variety — six to a row with every other one holding a pair of hymnals. There’s enough seating for every member of the 60-member congregation, but roughly half are filled most weeks. 

By this time next year, congregants believe this space will be a part of the church’s history. Native Stone’s congregation recently merged with Tulsa Hills Baptist’s seven members and will soon move into their church at 8600 S. Union Ave. The name on the outside will change to Native Stone, and the steeple will remain.

“It feels so good to be growing as a church family,” Augusta Smith said during the Jan. 11 service. She and her husband, Mike, joined the church in 2013 when there were less than 10 people attending weekly services held in a home. 

A little after the 11 a.m. start, Interim Pastor Bill Johnson (Cherokee) prays for guidance on two inspection results. There’s also a prayer for the safety of Associate Pastor Del Beaver, who is traveling. Beaver also serves as Second Chief of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The congregation’s goal is to find a new pastor by the time they move into their new home.

There isn’t a choir. Church co-founder Wanda McCulley plays a keyboard while Smith is the vocal lead. Among the songs are “Victory in Jesus,” “When We All Get to Heaven” and “You Are My All in All” from a traditional hymnal.

“Spend a Sunday with us and you will sing in four languages,” Smith said before leading the group into “Sweet Hour of Prayer” sung in Cherokee, Choctaw and Muscogee. The group also joins in singing the offertory Muscogee hymn “ESTVMN ESTOMIS FULLAKTSKIS” from Native Stone’s Tribal Hymns book. 

Johnson delivers the week’s message on the discipline of fasting six days before the congregation is encouraged to do so for a day. 

“Fasting is about desiring God more than comfort, more than food, more than life,” Johnson said from the altar. He later reminds them to drink lots of water. 

Johnson, wearing a plaid button-down, blue vest, blue jeans and cowboy boots, cited Matthew 6:16-18, Deuteronomy 19, Luke 1-2 and Judges 20:23 during his message. He reminds those in attendance that fasting “is not a (Biblical) law. It’s a privilege.”

Johnson calls on everyone to devote that day to prayer. To pray for the Tulsa Hills Baptist transition and for the pastor search. There’s a national shortage of Native preachers, he said. As service wraps up, there’s a congregant request to pray for mission outreach, for families and “for the laborers in God’s gardens.” 

“We need to pray for calmness,” another said. 

Johnson agreed, adding: “We need to pray for our nation. The world is a tinderbox.”

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