Northeast Oklahoma District Church of the Nazarene

Ministers and Mates Retreat

What a privilege it was for me to be with our Pastors and Spouses last weekend for our Annual retreat in Branson. We had the highest turnout in the years I  have been Superintendent. Our speakers, Dr. Stan and Linda Toler, were outstanding, as usual. Pastor Tyler Dunlop (Bartlesville), one of the outstanding young worship leaders on our District, led our times of corporate worship. It was fun to see our pastors and spouses share, laugh, pray and worship with one another. The NEO pastoral team is fun to be around and all seemed to have a great time.

NEO Youth

Tuesday night of this week we had our District NYI Council meeting with President Ryan Amey. It was the first meeting of the year and a time to evaluate events of the summer and plan for the future. We spent a lot of time reflecting on summer camp and planning for next year. I especially loved it when they asked the youth representatives to comment on this past summer’s camp. One of our college age reps who has been to camps for years said, “It was the best camp I have ever attended.” Other teens spoke of the spiritual impact of the camp and the balance of fun activities and worship services. All of them could hardly wait for camp again next year. Thank you camp directors, Todd Barker and Dustin Wine! As we planned for next summer, I saw the care being taken to plan a great camp but make it affordable so as many kids as possible could attend. In 2013 we had five or six more churches involved than in 2012. The council hopes to involve five or six more churches in 2014. The council wrestled with dates and the advantages and disadvantages of each. As the council unveils their plans in the next few weeks, I hope that every church will put the dates on the calendar and begin to plan to send as many students as possible. Our NEO youth are planning to be involved in our “Radical Together” experiment and are planning Radical Mission Days in February and a mission trip to Albuquerque over spring break. Fundraisers for the mission trip include a golf tournament (we need to register this week!) and handling parking at TU football games.  Let’s continue to support our youth as they follow Christ.

New Hispanic Congregation Starting September 8

“Open Skies Church of the Nazarene” will have its first service in a little over a week. Pastor Georgina Lopez, who has served as Associate Pastor at Fuente de Vida for the past few years, will be the lead pastor. Worship services will be on Sundays at 2:30pm at the former facilities of Tulsa First Church. Midweek services and weekend prayer times are also planned. Join us in praying for God to bless Pastor Georgina and this new missional outreach.

The NEO 60-Day Radical Experiment doesn’t begin until January 13, 2014, but now is the time to prepare by reading the book, Radical, by David Platt. Copies of the book can be ordered online or picked up from a Christian bookstore. Ask your pastor if you need help locating a copy.

If you participated in the Webinar on Discipleship on August 26, you can notify David Stevens for CEU credit.

Tickets need to be ordered from Jason Powers this week! 918-316-5899.

Join us at Clary Fields Golf Club on September 23, 2013 in support of sending our district students on a mission trip to Nazarene Indian Bible College in 2014. All proceeds of this tournament will go to supporting that mission. Info / Register

Register this week!