Dear NEO family,

Greetings in the strong name of Jesus! I met with the District Advisory Council last evening. What a great group of leaders we have in NEO. I loved hearing reports of baptisms and breakthroughs in some of our churches. Aren’t you glad that God has not taken a vacation this summer?

In our meeting last night, the Advisory Council looked at our mission as NEO District. The District exists to serve congregations - to encourage, resource and help them become what God intended. We looked at all we are doing and tried to develop consensus about what is most important. Then we discussed how we could do those key tasks better. I found the conversation stimulating and helpful. We welcome your ideas in the continuing dialogue about priorities and effectiveness.

News on the District:

·         Our sympathy to Pastor Bill and Kay Hilton upon the passing this week of Kay’s mother. The funeral will be next Wednesday, 10am at Moore’s Funeral Home on 51^st St. It looks like the funeral may be a double, for Kay’s father is within 24 hours of passing, according to Hospice.

·         Pastor Angie Bentley had double carpel tunnel surgery last Tuesday .

·         Retired Pastor Larry Brinkley is scheduled to have surgery to remove part of his thyroid on Aug. 26.  

·         Connection Church is moving to the Green Country Event Center! Pastor Brad hates the thought of not setting up chairs in a school as he has done for the past 11 years at Family Church and Connection Church, but he is going to join a recovery group to help with the adjustment. The  first service  in the Green Country Event Center is on Sept. 25 with the  Grand Opening on October 9.

·         Pastor Steven and Rhonda Lester  are in Tulsa and getting kids settled in schools in Tennessee, Illinois and Tulsa. Pastor Steven will be installed as new lead pastor at Tulsa Central on September 11.

·         Claremore will be meeting the pastor nominated by their Board next Wednesday evening and voting on Sunday, Aug. 28.

·         Pastor Joel and Julie Heid and family are now full time at Dewey, although they are still looking for housing. Joel will be officially installed on Sept. 18.

·         50 of our Pastors will be gathering in Branson next weekend for our Ministers and Mates Retreat. Dr. Jesse and Susan Middendorf will be our presenters. Pray that this will be a time of refreshing and renewing.

·         I have conducted Church/Pastor reviews in Mannford, Tulsa Family, Tulsa Regency Park and Hominy in the past two weeks, with another one this Sunday in Drumright. All reviews have been positive.

·         Naz Night at Six Flags is Friday, Sept. 2!

·         Men’s Fun and Guns will be at Claremore on September 17.

·         A lay member from another church recently  donated $3000 to help the Pryor Church put in a new AC unit in the parsonage. We really do need each other!

·         Do you have a flight voucher you would like to donate? We occasionally need tickets to fly to conferences or to bring candidates in for interviews.

·         Muskogee will be celebrating their 85^th Anniversary on September 25. Dr. Harold Graves, former NEO Superintendent, will be speaking in the morning service.

·         During November, NEO churches will be having revivals with Chic Shaver, Susie Shellenberger and Chad Bohi. Dan Bohi will be speaking  in Joplin over Labor Day weekend.

Have a great weekend! You are loved!

Dave McKellips

God has no blackberry , but is my favorite contact... He does not have Facebook but is my best Friend ... He does not have twitter but I still follow Him ... And even without internet, I am always in contact with Him!!!!  (shared on Facebook by Carol Stevens)

Dear NEO family,

A warm “hello” to you. We will long remember the summer of 2011 and the record heat. I trust there are many who will remember it not just because of the temperature, but also because of Spiritual breakthrough. I am confident that life transformation took place at NYC, Kidz Kamp and Camp Catalyst...and also through the regular services and ministries of the 49 churches in NEO! That is what we are about...making Christlike disciples in the nations!

Our NEO Pastors send me the following reports of celebration this week:

I WANT TO CELEBRATE...7/2011

Gerald Burch, Coweta Point of Grace. . . We had a Children’s Ministry outreach which went very well; and we have great support from our Youth during this event.

David Stevens, Vinita. . .   Held our own statistically in spite of vacation season. Pastor Stevens attended Teen Camp and it was great! Some of our teens testify that it has made a difference in their lives.

Dwain Young, Horton Chapel. . . Vacations have really impacted our attendance this summer, but the Lord has met with us in a special way! Horton Chapel received an exciting report from four teens in regard to Youth Camp.

James Wilson, Pawhuska. . . This one is personal, but I guess it still relates to Pawhuska. I realized this month that I have been a follower of Christ for 21 years. It has been my joy to walk with my Master for more than half of my life, and I rise to work each day with this single hope; that the life He lives in me will impact others so that they can also celebrate a new birthday.

Steve Davis, Sapulpa. . . Formulation of  vision teams; Beginning to see God answering prayers in a new way; Repeat new attendees finding a home here; Greater unity in the body.

Brad Farnsworth, BA Connection. . . Sent a team of 5 to Zambia, Africa, along with a group from OK-City Nazarene to help build a pastor’s training center, and to visit a Child Development Center that we are sponsoring. The Project Reach team is due back from Zambia midnight Wednesday. New attenders joining our Connection Team.

Casey Hollingsworth, Miami New Life. . . God's Spirit is still working overtime changing lives.  We've seen a marriage that was seemingly hopeless and headed for divorce change directions and is now being healed by God's mighty Spirit! Services are still marked by the distinct presence of God doing "His thing"! God's people continue to publically acknowledge their brokenness and their desire for more of Him.  And He continues to give and give more of His Spirit to us!!  We give Him praise for what He's doing!!

Angie Bentley, Bristow. . . God’s presence in our services!

Doug Gunsalus, Glenpool South County. . . The acceptance of our new board members who will make up our first ever board at SOCO. We pulled through on the toughest month we have ever had financially. We hand another person go through our membership class too and will be introduced officially this coming Sunday.

Scott Behm, Chelsea. . . Our Fathers’ day celebration turned into a four-week move of the Holy Spirit, it is wonderful to see the Holy Spirit at work.  I was seriously at a loss and worried as to what to do for Father’s Day since our Mothers’ Day turned out so nice.  It was through a last minute nudge of the Holy Spirit on the Saturday night before Father’s day, which put these wheels in motion for this movement.

Using small flashlights, we found in the Wal-Mart camping area of the store for a dollar, as a symbol of the Light of Christ, the Holy Spirit has moved through the Chelsea church.  The young man at age fourteen who wanted to be like the dad’s, be a good leader and a father someday when he is older, was formally presented his symbolic Light of Christ, two weeks after Fathers’ day.  The following week after that we asked the young man to share his witness with the children in the elementary age Sunday school class.  Focusing on “why he wanted the light of Christ in his life.”  Three (ages 3, 7, and 9) out four children from that class in turn asked to have the light of Christ in their lives too.

As the three children came forward in worship service later that day, to be presented their lights, a younger brother (age 2) and three other teenagers who at that time were not attending Sunday school, also made expressions of faith.  We asked the children to keep their flashlights by their beds at night and if they ever get scared, it would remind them that Christ is always with them.

We are planning on following-up on these expressions of faith for each of the children, by having the children and their families doing a home bible study series of lessons together.  We are using Psalm 119:105 NIV as our theme verse –“Your Word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  The Chelsea church is mighty, with many faithful believers.

NEO District Leaders                   NEO District Leaders

SDMI                                                 AM Worship

           

Broken Arrow First +69               Broken Arrow First +42

Collinsville +59                         Tulsa Fuente de Vida +30

Owasso Silver Creek +34            Barnsdall +18

Tulsa Regency Park +25              Tulsa Fe y Esperanza +15

Sand Springs +14                       Tulsa Regency Park +15

Sapulpa +14                              Miami New Life +14

Barnsdall +12                            Tulsa First +12

Miami New Life +11                    Tulsa Southwest +5

Tulsa Fe y Esperanza +10            Okmulgee +3

Tulsa Fuente de Vida +10            Pawhuska +2

For more NEO news, go to the website, www.neonaz.com. Have a blessed weekend!

Dave McKellips

NEO District Superintendent