Southern Nazarene University alumna Tamera Berg was chair of the 2011 Oklahoma Mission of Mercy last weekend.  Mission of Mercy is a two-day clinic designed to meet the critical needs of dental patients of all ages by providing free dental care to as many adults and children as time, volunteers and supplies will allow.

The second annual Oklahoma Mission of Mercy treated a total of 2,201 patients Feb. 4-5 despite snow and ice, tying the national Mission of Mercy record with New Mexico for the most patients treated at the free two-day dental clinic.  The total value of the donated dental services was at least $1,091,781 with nearly 9,000 procedures performed; including cleanings, fillings, extractions and anterior root canals.

There were over 1450 volunteers including dental, medical, pharmacy, and lay people.  The SNU softball team volunteered on Friday and the SNU football team participated in teardown on Saturday.

“We were incredibly pleased with the turnout for the event,” said Tamara Berg, Oklahoma Dental Association president and Oklahoma Mission of Mercy chair. “Despite our concerns about the weather, we had many volunteers and hit our final patient capacity early on Saturday at 6:30 a.m.”

Berg graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology. She then attended University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry and graduated in 1995. She is currently the President of the Oklahoma Dental Association.

Southern Nazarene University‘s mission is to transform lives through higher education in Christ-centered community. As a Christian community of scholars, we model the hospitality of grace, the pursuit of truth and the practice of discipleship, all within the Wesleyan-holiness tradition, as we prepare graduates who THINK with clarity, ACT with integrity and SERVE with purpose.

Dr. Stan Toler ('88), 39th General Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene

Dr. Stan Toler (‘88), elected 39th General Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene on July 2, 2009 at General Assembly in Orlando Florida.

Toler, just prior to his election at General Assembly, was elected Southwest Oklahoma District Superintendent. “I have spent my whole life as a pastor,” he said. “I have never aspired to be anything but a pastor. But, four weeks ago on a Sunday morning I heard the words of Carl Summer and Talmadge Johnson ringing in my ear: ‘Don’t be so closed minded’ … and I thought if I was elected Southwest Oklahoma District Superintendent, I would do it. He has been serving as pastor of Oklahoma City Trinity since January of 1997. He also served as pastor for Nashville (Tennessee) First, and Oklahoma City First. Upon Toler’s acceptance of the election, General Superintendent Nina G. Gunter declared him the 39th general superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene.

Excerpts from NCN News