Northeast Oklahoma District Church of the Nazarene

Dear NEO family,
It was great to be together for Homecoming 2011! We were so blessed by the messages of Bob Skinner and Jesse Middendorf … the reports of victory by our pastors … the NMI workshops and NYI fun …the worship led by Silver Creek Youth Worship Band, Remedy, James Peterson and Steve Davis …the interaction with SNU and denominational leaders… the chance to be together as a family. Thanks for your presence, support and prayers.

Giving to Others. NEO Nazarenes are a generous bunch! Wasn’t it great to hear that the NEO District has paid 112% of our Giving Goals for World Evangelism! And we are trying to get to 100% on our 2011 – 11 Pensions and Benefits Giving Goal. Going into Assembly, we needed a little over $13,000 to reach our goal. The District offered to match every dollar given. To date we have received almost $4900! If we can raise about $1500 more, with the District’s match, we will reach our goal. Today we received a check from one of our Retired Elders equal to the amount of his monthly pension. Isn’t that just like our retired elders, always willing to give and sacrifice! That’s why we need to be there for them and get our giving total up to 100% of the goal!

New Pastors.

• Pastor Joel Heid has accepted a call to serve as Pastor of the Dewey Church.. Joel is already preaching in Dewey and trying to sell his house in Tulsa so he, Julie, Braden, Chandler and Cadet can move to Dewey.

• Pastor Monty Nichols has accepted a call to be lead pastor at Muskogee First, where he has been serving as Youth and Worship Pastor. Pastor Nichols will be installed this Sunday and Sharon, Sara, Shelby and Sydney do not have to move!

Our Monthly Statistic Report for May is posted on the NEO Website. You can find the report at http://www.neonaz.org/resources/stats-report  . Here is what our pastors are celebrating:

I WANT TO CELEBRATE...5/2011

Brad Farnsworth, BA Connection. . . 9 salvations during month of May ; 9 C3 Life Groups meeting weekly; 14 committed to Partnership Covenant on May 22; 1 baby dedication on Mother’s Day.

Steve Davis, Sapulpa. . . Financial Peace University; 2 New Ladies Bible Studies; Beginning new Bible Study for Men; Great time of vision clarification; Beginning to see God answering prayers in a new way; All-church Passover celebration; Children’s Easter Musical; Blessed Easter Sunday; One new salvation
Cole Weston, Okmulgee. . . We are getting the membership rolls under control, adding new classes and restructuring others; family class is being shifted around to better meet needs of working parent; Youth Center continues renovation

Angie Bentley, Bristow. . . The Father’s faithfulness and loving-kindness at all times and the successful end of our first year of Caravan’s!

David Stevens, Vinita. . . God is moving in our Church and in our community. We had a higher averages for April and May ’11. The Spirit in the services has been wonderful, powerful. God is delivering, helping, healing. It is an honor to serve the Lord!

Scott Behm, Chelsea. . . In May, the highlight was our Mother’s Day service. The love and admiration shared through personal witness created a very moving service. Several testimonies about Mom’s and their holiness leadership provided in the family and in the church. One particularly moving testimony was shared by a daughter with her arms around her Mother’s shoulders (who was sitting in her wheel chair), caressing her saying “I wish you could have known my mom when, before she had Alzheimer’s.” The Lord was at work in growing and restoring many relationships that day.

Jim Thornton, Tulsa Hills. . . Took at team of 20 to help in Joplin. Faith in Action Sunday ministered to two families connected to people in the church as well as visiting a nursing home. Very effective day.

General superintendents' radio program spreads message of holiness. "The Way of Holiness", a program featuring the Church of the Nazarene's Board of General Superintendents, began airing January 1 on the Oasis Radio Network based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Part of a larger communications strategy being developed by the Board, the purpose of the radio and podcast program is to spread the message of holiness.

"The message of holiness is much needed in our world today," said Stan Toler, general superintendent. "Richard S. Taylor once said that 'holiness is as necessary for the spiritual life as food is for the physical life.' The Way of Holiness offers an encouraging word to hearts that are hungry for this message."

OASIS and Sky Angel currently broadcast the minute-long program at 7:50 a.m. CST Monday through Friday across the U.S., featuring a different superintendent each month. Podcasts and previous programs are available at http://www.isaiah358.com/ .

The program schedule for the next seven months is:
June Jerry D. Porter
July Jesse C. Middendorf
August David W. Graves
September Eugénio R. Duarte
October Stan A. Toler
November J. K. Warrick
December Jerry D. Porter

Prayer concerns:

• Pastor Rodney Amos’ brother, Matt, stepped on an IED overseas; he is alive but lost both legs below the knee. He is in Germany with severe trauma to groin/leg/fractured hip.
• Fire casused extensive damage to the house of Tommy and Delores Loving two weeks ago in Republic, Missouri. The Lovings, who formerly pastored in Muskogee, will be displaced for about six months while their home is rebuilt.

• New Pastors

• Churches involved in Pastoral Search – Tulsa Central, Bartlesville, Cleveland, Cushing and Wagoner.

Thanks for your partnership in the ministry of Christ in NEO! You are loved!

Dave McKellips