Native American Churches Featured at Prayer Breakfast

On Wednesday, December 14, the Comanche Nation held its yearly prayer breakfast at Watchetaker Hall.

Twenty-six Native American churches were represented at the event.

According to Tribal Administrator Julia Mantzke, the tribe has a budgeted line item that is voted on yearly to fund the churches.

“It may have something to do with like remodel to the church, or they buy their church candy, their gifts and their meals for the Christmas holiday,” she said.

Mantzke said it’s essential to the tribe because the tribal churches are one of the main venues for Comanche members and their families.

“Some of the children, that's the only time that they receive a gift is from the church. So, we partner with the Comanche Nation casinos,” she said. “We have five of them that collect toys each year starting in November through the Comanche Cares program, and then they deliver the toys out here to us. That way, we can separate them, and then today is the day that they'll pick up their toys for their Christmas events for the Christmas holiday.”

Mantzke said the toys come from patrons who visit the casinos.

“They have a free play, almost like a match to a certain dollar amount each year on a certain day of the week,” she said. “So, a lot of our casino customers come in with toys to where they can get a match of free play in order for them to play. So, it's like a win-win. We receive a toy, and then we match them some free play in order of the exchange of the toy for our community.”

Mantzke said she enjoys these events, especially because she’s been doing them for a long time.

“And each year it gets better and better, and we also try to come together for our community because we've, through the COVID-19, we've lost a lot of our tribal members,” she said. “So, we like to think about those families that lost a loved one, and we also try to pray for, you know, for the following year. It's just something to bring us into the Christmas holiday, you know, positive prayer and fellowship together.”

Mantzke said the executive assistants of the administration, such as Terrence Robinson, did a lot of the behind-the-scenes work.

“It's me and Jennifer's role. We're kind of the event coordinators for the whole event, but it takes us all as a team from our maintenance staff, you know, to our speakers, to Ronna and Braden in the front desk helping with toys, to entertainment serving with food,” he said. “We all just collaborated together to come together as a team to make the event work.”

Robinson said the administration ensured each church received the amount voted on by the tribe.

“My favorite part about helping out is just everyone being here, being together,” he said. “You know, they're not expecting it, and when we're giving it to them, their checks, they're excited, and they really appreciate it, and you can tell by the looks on their face.”

Robinson said it’s important to him to be able to give back.

“The Lord has blessed us, you know, our tribe and our people with so much and at times, you know, we don't consider and think about all that we're blessed with,” he said. “So, I think it's awesome that we had this chance, you know, to give back and, you know, show our appreciation to the churches and to the Lord.”

There was a presentation, prayers and breakfast catered by Comanche Nation Entertainment.