Overflowing Joy

My heart is full and overflowing as I hear how God is at work in NEO churches. Surely this is in response to God’s people humbling themselves and crying out to God in repentance and faith. Let’s continue to draw near to God during these 40 Days of Prayer with Fasting. I was privileged to preach in Bristow last Sunday. What a delight to see the way God is restoring this church under the leadership of Pastor Larry and Cathy Allen. I met with the Church Board and, with their recommendation, have removed the interim from Pastor Larry’s title. Good days are ahead in Bristow! Pastor Jim Thornton told me on Monday that Tulsa Hills has 17 kids going to NYI Mid-Winter Retreat. Guess how many youth they have in the church? 17. Think of the impact this could have on their church!

NYI Retreat

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Prayer for Parsonage Families

I appreciate the dedication of our members to pray for their pastors and their immediate families. For some reason, many of our pastors or spouses are facing major health issues with their parents. Let’s pray for: ·Pastor Scottie Behm (Chelsea), who recently was in Florida with his mother who had a mass removed from her bladder. ·Anita Hiehle (Claremore) who spent a week in Ohio with her mom who had open heart surgery. ·Pastor Jim Thornton (Tulsa Hills), who rushed to New Mexico to be with his parents last week as his Dad was dealing with a health challenge. ·Mandy Alsop’s Mom has moved in with Pastor Ryan and Mandy (Wagoner) as she goes through chemo for ovarian cancer. ·Pastor Rodney Amos (Tulsa First) has twice been to Texas to help with arrangements for his dad who experienced a life-saving miracle. January 28 Children's Quiz Invitational @ Owasso at 10:00 am Please RSVP Lunch reservation and number of red and blue level quizzers to pastorjan@bfcnaz.org

December Leaders

We are pleased to report the following UPDATED NEO District leaders for December 2011:

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I Want to Celebrate...

James Wilson, Pawhuska. . . Our Annual Christmas Children's Program was a huge success this year as five sets of parents whose children attend but they do not stayed for church. Distributed 30 gift bags at our local nursing home for Christmas. Tim Odom, Collinsville. . . 9 baptisms! Mark Hiehle, Claremore. . . Three people accepted Jesus as their Savior and Lord and 2 were baptized.  The third will be baptized in January.  God is moving and we are praying for a great harvest in 2012! Prady Thimmaiah, Nowata. . . Had great Advent and Christmas Services. Steve Davis, Sapulpa. . . Seeing more answers to prayers Repeat new attendees finding a home here Greater unity in the body Adult small group studies going well Moving of God’s Holy Spirit in our services New students in youth Ministry Breaking the 200 barrier on several Sundays Scott Behm, Chelsea. . . We have had a wonderful month filled with celebrations, with the highlight being our Christmas week services.  Our teen night Christmas party went well early in the month.  On Christmas day our children came together to offer a gift of music to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  We had a children’s chorus of 14 children and a three piece band share Christ’s love in seven Christmas hymns as the focal point of our Christmas service. We also had a teenage girl profess her love for Christ and receive the sacrament of baptism on that day.  She, the others in attendance, nor will I ever forget her baptism.  She elected to enter the bitter cold waters of Lake Oolagah to have a baptism of full immersion. We also had a wonderful all church Christmas dinner party. God is at work in our little church we are seeing lives changed and new people asking Christ to help them have a new and closer walk with Him.  We closed out the year by having a New Year’s Eve celebration focused on and for the children and their families to end the calendar year in a fun celebration with God’s Children. Brad Farnsworth, Connection. . . Held a Christmas Celebration for the residents of Observation Point Apts. Pastor Don played the part of Santa, and children(and some adults) had their pictures taken with him. Food bags were handed out to needy residents. David Stevens, Vinita. . . Again the Christmas Season is the highlight of the calendar year. God is helping us in spite of some problems, particularly illness. Carl Brown, Hominy. . .A wonderful Christmas Season with many wonderful people and the presence of the Spirit in every Service. We had over 100 attend our Christmas Program and were able to give help to families that were in need this Christmas. Christ is alive and sending forth his love to all of us. Amen

Praise

Report from Pastor Rodney Amos regarding his dad, James: "On Sunday, he was found barely alive, but throughout this week, with God's touch, Dad's stubbornness and your prayers...it is truly a miracle!"

Awakening Weekend Services

February 24 – 26 Friday 7pm       Saturday 6pm       Sunday 5pm District Meals on Friday at 5:45 and Saturday at 4:45 Women’s Brunch with Joy Wisehart on Saturday, 10am Youth Incite Night is Friday with pizza and games afterwards Evangelists - Lennie and Joy Wisehart Worship Leader – Marci Marquis Children’s Evangelists – Steve and Janet Raeborn of Big Blast Ministries

Theme song: Awakening by Chris Tomlin

NYI Retreat

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Dear NEO family: I am so excited as I think about what God seems to be stirring up for NEO in 2012. Theme for year and for Spiritual Renewal Weekend: AWAKENING  Normal is not working very well, is it? We need a breakthrough – an awakening! Awakening to the presence and power of God is both a one-time event and a recurring newness we experience throughout our lives. In 2012, in all of our NEO District Events, we will be helping people be “Awakened by His Spirit; Living in His Presence and Walking in His Purpose”. Theme song: Awakening by Chris Tomlin Partner Churches Every church is asked to partner in prayer in 2012 with another church on your zone. Pastors can exchange church prayer requests at regular intervals. To make it even more helpful, we encourage leaders to pair up with someone in a comparable leadership role at the partner church (e.g., pastor with pastor; NMI president with NMI president) and ask at least monthly how they can pray for one another. Holy Convocation January 10-12 at Family Church Dan Bohi felt led by the Lord to gather people from across the country who are desperate for an encounter with God and for His glory to fall upon them.  Participants will gather for three days to seek His face, His plans and His purpose in our lives. Daily: 10am – Noon; 1:30pm – 5:00pm; 6:30 – 9:30pm 40 Days of Prayer with Fasting Sunday, January 15 – Thursday, February 23 Prayer cards have been printed with daily prayer emphases and are available at each local church. E-Devotions E-Devotions will be sent Monday through Friday from January 16 – February 23 that correspond with the daily prayer emphasis. Zone Concerts of Prayer Sunday, January 15, 6:00pm on all of our Zones                    Tulsa Zone @ Tulsa Regency Park                    Northeast Zone @ Claremore (5pm)                    Northwest Zone @ Hominy                    Southeast Zone @ Tahlequah                    Southwest Zone @ Cushing One Zone leader writes as our purpose: we are partnering with God to create an atmosphere where his people can encounter him through prayer, worship and repentance as we prepare for and anticipate personal and corporate AWAKENING...  Awakening Weekend Services February 24 – 26 Friday 7pm       Saturday 6pm       Sunday 5pm District Meals on Friday at 5:45 and Saturday at 4:45 Women’s Brunch with Joy Wisehart on Saturday, 10am Youth Incite Night is Friday with pizza and games afterwards Evangelists - Lennie and Joy Wisehart Worship Leader – Marci Marquis Children’s Evangelists – Steve and Janet Raeborn of Big Blast Ministries Prayer Concerns Nita Williams, mother of Missionary Jim Williams, passed away Saturday. Jim and Kay are traveling home from China. Memorial service will be at Tahlequah Nazarene Friday, Jan. 13th, at 11:00; burial in Ft. Gibson at 1:00. Retired minister, Dean Ferguson, is not in good health and appreciates your prayer. Wilbert “Willy” Heid, father of Pastor Joel Heid(Dewey), passed away on Dec. 30 in North Dakota. Pastor Cole Weston (Okmulgee) has had a series of eye surgeries in 2011. Pastor Rodney Amos’ dad, James, is critically ill in Texas and Rod (Tulsa First) has gone to be with him. Retired pastor Harold McKellips’ brother, Dallas, passed away on January 9 in OKC. New Pastor Installation We will be installing Pastor Don Engie as pastor at Grove Lakewood Community Church this Sunday, Jan. 15. Pray for Don, Jaci and their family during this time of transition and for this church as they continue to reach out in their community. NYI Winter Retreat February 3-5, 2012 Registration Due January 22nd!