Dear NEO family,


Greetings in the matchless name of Jesus! I trust you are walking in the grip of his grace and love today.

We have been reminded in recent days how our lives can be turned upside down very quickly. Last Sunday, Family Church Pastor, Brady Wisehart, was on the way to church to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Church. Someone ran a red light and broadsided his vehicle. We rejoice that Brady did not have more extensive injuries or broken bones, but he is dealing with significant bruising and pain. Let’s continue to lift him up in prayer.

On Tuesday, a huge crowd gathered in Mustang, OK to honor the memory of Maxine Morris, mother of Broken Arrow Pastor Larry Morris, and to celebrate the hope we have in Christ. Pastor Larry and his wife, Christy, both shared and helped all of us in attendance to laugh and cry. Let’s continue to pray for comfort and strength for Larry and his family.

The Tulsa Southwest Church has unanimously called Rev. Wayde Normandin to be its pastor. Pastor Wayde has served the Chelsea Church the past three years. The Normandin’s last Sunday at Chelsea is Oct. 10 and they begin work at Southwest on the 17th.

The Davenport Church has unanimously called Rev. Lowell Clark to be its pastor. Pastor Lowell and Marilyn are on the job and already deeply loved by all ages in the congregation.

Southern Nazarene University to open campus in south Tulsa. See the link below for details. http://www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?id=10009558
Work and Witness Opportunity: MIAMI NEW LIFE CHURCH; OU-Texas Weekend, Oct. 2
OK it is a big game day and we still want to enjoy helping out at Miami church….sooo we will have the
game on the big screen and have a hard working, but fun, time. Chips, popcorn, beverages and a little
friendly fun. We will be doing the following tasks:

• Assemble the Kitchen and place new tile down in this area.
• Remove old kitchen area and construct a wall in the existing fellowship hall.
• Install tile floor in Kitchen.
• Help with general cleanup.
• Make cookies for the hard working folks.

We think we can accomplish this in a single visit if we have enough help. (Apx 25-30 folks needed).
We will meet at the church at Miami on October 2 at 8:30 am game kickoff is 2:30PM. Some may want
to group up in cars/ trucks in Tulsa area and carpool or caravan up there. I can help coordinate this if
you will call me at 918-607-8561,or better yet, e-mail me at Jerry@thermoflo.net

The NEO “Hit The Mark” District Men’s event, held on September 18, had 30 in attendance. Thanks to Pastor Jeff Wooten for coordinating this first time event and for all who participated. We hope this will be an annual event. I understand tomahawk throwing may be added next year.

1. Top 5 in hand gun will receive a certificate that enables Top Shot bragging rights for the next year.
      1st Shannon Rasmussen Muskogee
     2nd Jeremy Rasmussen Muskogee
     3rd John Cochran Claremore
     4th Brock Lewis Wagoner Cornerstone Community
     5th J. J. James Claremore

2. Top 5 in Rifle will receive a certificate that enables Top Shot bragging rights for the next year.
    1st Daniel Brewer Wagoner Cornerstone Community
    2nd Amanda Brewer Wagoner Cornerstone Community (Yes we allowed some ladies in and they placed)
    3rd Roger Malchow Claremore
    4th Wayne Metzger Claremore
    5th Rodney Rasmussen Muskogee

3. Top 5 in shotgun clays will receive a certificate that enables Top Shot bragging rights for the next year.
     1st Daniel Brewer Wagoner Cornerstone Community
    2nd John Cochran Claremore
    3rd Roger Malchow Claremore
    4th Brock Lewis Wagoner Cornerstone Community
    4th Lyle Rasmussen Muskogee
    5th J. J. James Claremore
    Carl Brown from Hominy made it to the 2nd round but left before it started. He did look like a contender.

Deputation Schedule for Missionaries in NEO this Fall.
Bob and Rosa McCroskey (Indonesia)
Oct. 10 a.m.----Regency Park------p.m. ---Miami

Scot and Jill Riggins (Papua New Guinea)
Oct. 17 a.m.---Sapulpa--------p.m. ---Claremore (NE Zone)
18-----------Coweta-Wagoner
19-----------
20-----------Tulsa Hills (Zone)
21-----------Pryor
22-----------Vinita
23-----------
24 a.m.---Muskogee-----------p.m. ---Broken Arrow (SE Zone)

Jim and Kay Williams (China)
Oct. 9------------Drumright
10 a.m.---Tulsa First------------p.m. ---Tahlaquah
17 a.m.---Owasso--------------p.m. ---Okmulgee
Nov. 7 a.m.---Bartlesville-------p.m. ---Sapulpa (SW Zone)

Steve and Brenda Heap (Brazil)
Oct. 24 a.m. ---Pryor (Faith Promise)--p.m.______________

George and Nancy Miller (Solomon Islands)
Dec.. 19 a.m. ---Owasso---------p.m.______________

There are still a few open dates. Please let me know if you would like to schedule one of these missionaries for your church.  Naoma Hemphill, Deputation Coordinator, 224-8204

Hope you have a great weekend! You are loved!

Dave McKellips

Are we doing it? Are we giving the world a symmetrical, authentic, fully-formed image of Christ? There is still time. Spiritual growth is not a matter of chronology alone. It’s a matter of spirit. Of heart. Of who you are to the next person you meet. In the next crisis you face. In the next moment you live.    - Lloyd John Ogilvie, from his book The Magnificent Vision

Dear NEO Nazarenes,

Greetings in the strong name of Jesus! I pray that all of are being shaped daily more and more into the image of Christ and letting our light shine before a watching world.

Transitions on the District:

• Pastor Steven Hundley’s last Sunday at Cleveland is Sept. 19. Steven and Debbie and family are moving to Victoria, TX where Steven will serve as lead pastor.

• Pastor Mark Sanford, Associate Pastor of Students and Families at Sapulpa, has accepted the call to serve as lead pastor at Van Buren, Arkansas. We wish Mark and Ashley God’s best in their new assignment.

• Rev. Marci Marquis and Rev. Randy Marquis have accepted pastoral staff assignments at Tulsa Regency Park and are off to a great start.

• Pastor Sam Book’s grandmother (Ken’s Book’s mother) passed away Wednesday morning. Aren’t you thankful for the hope we have for the ultimate transition!

Celebrations on the District:

• Pastor Brad Farnsworth recently sent out a video report on 2nd birthday celebration of Connection Church! 250 names were turned in by members of the congregation of people they were praying for and inviting for the celebration. They had one of the largest crowds in the history of the church with 180 present. More importantly, 9 people accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord that day and 7 were baptized. 20 first time guests were present. To see the video report yourself, go to http://vimeo.com/14940245   To see the two year highlight reel, go to http://vimeo.com/14942341

• This Sunday, September 19, Family Church will be celebrating the Church’s 10th birthday!!

• Mike Howard called on Monday to celebrate that Drumright welcomed 15 new Nazarenes into their membership last Sunday.

Work and Witness Opportunities

MIAMI NEW LIFE CHURCH –OU-Texas Weekend

OK it is a big game day and we still want to enjoy helping out at Miami church….sooo we will have the
game on the big screen and have a hard working, but fun, time. Chips, popcorn, beverages and a little
friendly fun. We will be doing the following tasks:

• Assemble the Kitchen and place new tile down in this area.

• Remove old kitchen area and construct a wall in the existing fellowship hall.

• Install tile floor in Kitchen.

• Help with general cleanup.

• Make cookies for the hard working folks.

We think we can accomplish this in a single visit if we have enough help. (Apx 25-30 folks needed).
We will meet at the church at Miami on October 2 at 8:30 am game kickoff is 2:30PM. Some may want
to group up in cars/ trucks in Tulsa area and carpool or caravan up there. I can help coordinate this if
you will call me at 918-607-8561,or better yet, e-mail me at Jerry@thermoflo.net


If you have an interest in the discussion over the Emergent Church, you may want to read the recent blog by Dr. Scott Daniels. http://drtscott.typepad.com/pastor_scotts_thoughts/2010/08/the-death-of-the-emerging-church.html  

Prayer Requests:

• Dwain Young is having injections in his spine to deal with some excrutiating pain.

• Doug Dawson continues to heal from back surgery.

• Tulsa Southwest and Davenport will vote on calling new pastors this Sunday.

• Dewey and Cleveland are beginning the search process for new pastors.

• Larry Morris’ Mom has stage four lymphoma and is home under Hospice care.

• I will be preaching at a Revival this week in Mustang, Oklahoma.

• A couple of our churches are in need of major healing and renewal.

I have listened many times this week to Selah’s rendition of the great, old hymn, “Be Still, My Soul.” I commend it to you as you go into prayer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9zHn4QSH-8&feature=player_embedded#!

Grace and peace,
Dave McKellips

Dear NEO District Family,

Has anybody told you “I love you” today? God loves you and I do, too.

Cole and Ambre Weston welcomed a 7 lb, 8 oz, 19 ½ inch girl, Caroline, into their world a week ago today. Cole says, “Looks very Choctaw (my side)”. I am excited to get to help in the dedication of Caroline this coming Sunday.

Maxine Morris, mother of Pastor Larry Morris (BA 1st), has been hospitalized and diagnosed with stage four lymphoma.

Don’t forget the Teen event at Sapulpa this Sunday night and the Pastor’s Training Day at SNU on Monday.

Our next “Theologically Speaking” session will be on Monday, October 18. The topic is an important one, “The Word of His Power: Our views on the Bible and Science.” What do we mean by the sola scriptura? The infallibility or inerrancy of scriptures? The Wesleyan Quadrilateral? Are science and Christian faith allies or adversaries?

A statement on the Emergent Church by our General Superintendents
http://www.ncnnews.com/nphweb/html/ncn/article.jsp?id=10009517

TU Football Parking for home games at First Church of the Nazarene located at 12th and Delaware. Donations accepted- -all funds go towards resurfacing parking lot and other unexpected repairs.

Pastor’s “I Want to Celebrate…”

Mike Howard, Drumright…Drumright Church of the Nazarene is so excited and Praising God every day for the exciting time we are having with our thriving Youth Ministry. Last Wednesday evening we had 36 kids and 24 Youth and 8 Adult Leaders. Our Adult Class had a great study time with 9 in attendance. Thanks to the District Work and Witness Ministry led by Jerry Wilburg, our Youth House/Game Room for the Youth of our community is almost finished; some flooring still to be installed and painting and trim work. We are very excited to be able to give the youth in our small community a safe place to gather.

David Stevens, Vinita…We had a great month! God has blessed our services with His inspiration and presence. Don Aldridge and his Country Gospel band from Muskogee First Church helped us have a wonderful worship service on our Annual Western Sunday Service. God has raised up different ones of our group who had illness or surgery. He is faithful!

Casey Hollingsworth, Miami New Life…3 baptisms this month and received 2 adults and 2 teenagers into membership with more to come!

Steve Davis, Sapulpa…9 baptized and 8 members being received into membership; growing sense of unity among the body.

Dan Hazelton, Pryor... a two-day, three-service mini-revival with people receiving spiritual help and one person becoming a follower of Christ. I have started meeting with two new believers to take them through an eight-week discipleship course. We purchased Screenflex dividers, video projector and cart to use our fellowship hall for children's church.

John Whitsett, Tulsa Central… wonderful prayer times and a very powerful sense of God’s presence in our services since the church was called to prayer a few weeks ago. God is helping us negotiate some difficult and ticklish circumstances.

Jim Wilson, Pawhuska… healing in our midst! Three members have received what can only be described as remarkable if not miraculous healing in the last two weeks.

Gordon Smith, Dewey...Troy Thomas being issued his Local Minister’s License.

NEO District Leaders (in attendance gain verses August, 2009)Sunday School/Discipleship
Barnsdall +30
Wagoner Cornerstone +12
Tulsa Regency Park +10
Drumright +7
Bristow +5
Vinita +5
Chelsea +2
Coweta Point of Grace +2
Pryor +2
Skiatook +1
Worship Service(s)
Tulsa Regency Park +25
Collinsville +21
Barnsdall +20
Coweta Point of Grace +13
Hominy +7
Chelsea +4
Tahlequah +4
Wagoner Cornerstone +1

Grace and peace,
Dave McKellips