Pastor Lois Bartley 

What excites me about ministry:

What excites me about ministry, is when I hear from an enthusiastic parent of a young person say; “My kid woke up this morning and was thrilled to come to church”! That excites me! That encourages me because, I know I have little to do with a young person’s experience in church. It mostly has to do with my Church family and their ministry of love, discipleship, and faith.  It is when people truly embrace living out our mission of making disciples.  I am encouraged by those who are devoted to others in our church and community by graciously helping them grow in their faith and meeting needs. These are powerful moments in ministry for me. I become excited and blessed.  

Ministry Background:

My first vocation and call on my life was serving as a Register Nurse for 27 years. My nursing career was a significant and meaningful experience that had an important effect on my educational and emotional development. It was rewarding to be able to use my learned skills and leadership to help people in many ways which in turn gave me deep satisfaction and purpose.

Early in my Christian walk, I volunteered for many years in ministry for Youth For Christ and it has given me the discipline to take a good look at myself in the area of being a good mentor and role model for today’s youth. This experience led to a call to over-seas mission work in Tallinn, Estonia, for a total of 3 years. Serving as a missionary strengthened my faith and confidence in God’s working presence in my life.

Soon after returning from Estonia, I accepted a call to ministry by serving as a Campus Minister at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Illinois, for five years. I completed my call to Ordination and education in the American Baptist denomination while working in this Christian ministry. This ministry included managing a Student Resident House. This call has helped me in developing my counseling and leadership skills. It has also given me the opportunity to serve, disciple and share my life with a group of college students every week. It was a significant life changing and turning point in my faith in God and my leadership.

Ministry Experience:

Co-Pastor, Albright United Methodist Church                                          Ponca City, OK. June, 2021- present

Preaching Pastor, Prairie Chapel United Methodist Church             Ponca City, OK. June, 2021- present

Pastor, United Methodist Church of Tonkawa                                                      Tonkawa, OK.- 2019- present

Director Wesley Foundation, Northern Oklahoma College                              Tonkawa, OK.- 2019- present

Creator/Director “Joy Bear Ministry of Tonkawa”                                             Tonkawa, OK.- 2019- present

Creator/Director “Runner Girls of NOC”                                                                Tonkawa, OK.- 2019- present

Walk to Emmaus                                                                                                            Cross-Point Camp, OK  -2019

Creator/Director “Runner Girls & Guys Ministry”      Ava, Illinois, Valliant/Wright City OK.-  2011-2019

Creator/Director “Joy Bear Ministry of Valliant”                                                    Valliant UMC -   2014- 2019

Co-Director, “Toy Makers of Hugo” Ministry                                                               Hugo, OK.-  2015- 2019

Pastor, United Methodist Church of Valliant/ Wright City UMC                        Valliant, OK. - 2014- 2019

Pastor Stratford United Methodist Church, Oklahoma                                     Stratford, OK.-  2013- 2014

Campus Minister, American Baptist Campus Ministries- SIU-C                   Carbondale, IL. -  2007-2012

Pulpit Supply in American Baptist Churches                                                           GRR- Illinois - 2008-2012

Register Nurse at Memorial Hospital                                                                        Carbondale, IL.-  2006-2008

Missionary-YFC/USA Staff in Tallinn, Estonia                                                  Tallinn, Estonia-  1993-1996

Grief and Loss Facilitator at Stormont-Vail Medical Center                                 Topeka, KS-   1999-2005

Volunteer Staff –Youth for Christ                                                                                      Topeka, KS.-  1986-1993

Register Nurse at Stormont-Vail Medical Center                                                    Topeka, KS.-  1983- 2006

Education:

Stormont- Stormont-Vail Nursing R.N. Degree                                                                    Topeka, K.S. - 1984   

Youth for Christ- Summer Institute.                                                                                            Denver, Co.   -1994

American Baptist Church of Ava- Local Pastor Academy and GRR Ordination              Ava, Illinois  -2010

United Methodist Local Pastor’s Academy                                               Oklahoma Conference -2013

Course of Study/ Saint Paul School of Theology                                           Leawood, K.S. - 2014 - present

Work Experience/ Skills:

My volunteer work in ministry and along with my 27 years of Nursing has given me the confidence to care for people in a number of settings and expressions. I have facilitated grief and loss support groups, counseled youth and adults in conflict resolutions, goal and vocational choices, faith issues and relationships and life transitions.  I was honored to participate in American Baptist Women’s Conferences and United Methodist Women Groups as Devotional Speaker and Spiritual Leader.

I have directed short-term and long-term Mission and Spiritual Retreats in Former Soviet Union, Estonia, Mexico, Inner-City St. Louis, Missouri and several Devotional Hiking/Camping experiences in Colorado, Tennessee and Illinois. I am currently serving as Pastor in the Oklahoma Conference as Local Pastor and Director/Campus Minister of the Wesley Foundation of Northern Oklahoma College.  

Spiritual Journey:

When I responded to God’s grace and gave my life to Him, I was in my early twenties. My spiritual journey and call on my life continues to be a dynamic process. It has been a growing willingness, or even a willingness to be made willing, to say yes to God every day, wherever He leads my steps to serve Him and others. God has been faithful and often God surprises me along the way. But, I believe God likes to surprise us!

My husband Francis and I felt that from the very beginning that each of our Calls has been linked in each of our ministries. Through the 1980’s and 90’s Francis and I volunteered as much as we could in the ministries of our local church and Youth for Christ. We also prayed daily for God’s direction on our lives in serving Him full time. It was in 1992 that we both felt a call to serve as Missionaries in Tallinn, Estonia. This move was also confirmed by our home church at the time. While we were in Estonia we partnered together in teaching classes on relationship building and Christian principles in an Estonian High School. With my Nursing background I taught ‘Heath Awareness’ classes and Bible Study classes and worked with several churches helping them to develop and maintain their youth ministries.

My husband Francis and I have naturally worked together as a team in ministry for many years and have together supported each other’s individual ministry.  Our ministry skills balance each other out as we have supported each other’s strengths, weaknesses, and when to lead and when to supportively follow the other’s direction. This continues to be a passion in my life.

Pastor Francis Bartley