Native American leaders honored for longtime service

The Revs. Homer Noley (left) and Alvin Deer are honored at an April 28 dinner in Fort Worth sponsored by the Native American Comprehensive Plan during the United Methodist General Conference. UMNS photos by Ginny Underwood

By Deborah White*

FORT WORTH, Texas (UMNS) -- The Revs. Homer Noley and Alvin Deer were honored April 28 at a dinner celebration for their longtime commitment to Native American ministries in The United Methodist Church.

About 50 Native American leaders and supporters from across the United States -- in Fort Worth for General Conference 2008 -- attended the dinner sponsored by the Native American Comprehensive Plan.

Hymns sung in the languages of the Choctaw, Kiowa and Creek tribes set a spiritual tone for the celebration. The Rev. Kenneth Locklear, pastor of Prospect United Methodist Church in Maxton, N.C., added some levity by singing songs with special lyrics he wrote for the occasion with help from the Rev. Larry Jent, a delegate from the Virginia Annual (regional) Conference.

Noley, a Choctaw, is a retired clergyman and former executive director of the National United Methodist Native American Center at Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, Calif.

Now living in Wilburton, Okla., Noley serves as a consultant to the center and is developing a history of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference. He is the author of First White Frost: Native Americans and United Methodism and co-author of A Native American Theology with Clara Sue Kidwell and George Tinker.

The Rev. Alvin Deer, a Kiowa and Creek, was executive director of the Native American International Caucus until he took disability leave in 2007. A member of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, he now fills the pulpit at Seminole (Oka.) Hitchitee United Methodist Church.

Both men are featured in the "Journey to Inclusiveness" display at General Conference, sponsored by the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race.

‘There was a time we couldn’t do this’

“They have been mentors to me,” said the Rev. David Wilson, superintendent of the Oklahoma Indian Missionary Conference, chair of the Native American Comprehensive Plan and a delegate to General Conference.

“I’ve watched these two men at General Conferences,” Wilson said “In Louisville, they worked until 2 and 3 in the morning when they got this program started. They have given a lot of their lives. We thank God for what He has been doing in and through them.”

The Rev. Anita Phillips, executive director of the Native American plan, organized the celebration with Wilson. She presented Noley and Deer with shadow boxes containing beautiful feathers imprinted with small warrior faces.

Both men spoke briefly at the celebration, emphasizing their pride in the progress of Native American ministries. “I have a passion for people who are hurting,” Deer said. “I want my church to be that way. We can never be complacent about where we are in ministry because we can do more.”

Noley expressed gratitude that so many Native American leaders are serving in ministry across the United States. "There was a time we couldn’t do this -- nobody showed up and we weren’t invited," he said. "We could not have done this if you hadn’t continued to work."

Anne Marshall, chair of the Native American International Caucus, said, “This is an historic event -- not only to honor Homer and Alvin, but also this is an opportunity for all of us to have a new beginning together … as Indian people moving forward.”

*Deborah White is associate editor of Interpreter magazine.