Dear NEO family,

This is a week we have been anticipating for weeks and months. And not just because of the incredible inauguration events yesterday. We have been looking expectantly toward this week because of our longing for Spiritual Renewal. Through insightful and penetrating devotional thoughts in the Devotional Guide we began using January 1, Nathan Covington has reminded us of the basics of spiritual intimacy with Christ. As we have prayed individually, corporately and at our Zone Clusters, our hunger for God and his righteousness has grown. And now we anticipate more times of refreshing as we gather together from across this District for Spiritual Renewal Weekend.

I have been hearing reports of how God is already at work in our lives. Pastor Angie Bentley sent me this note a couple of days ago: We having been praying and fasting here in Bristow for individual, local, and district renewal. God is already doing great things here - we had 52 in church Sunday - 25 of which were youth! Two of our young people, recent converts, came to the altar asking God to help them quit drinking and smoking. We believe we are about to see the power and blessings of God blow this place wide open!

Let me remind you of the details for this weekend:

Spiritual Renewal Weekend, January 23 - 25.

• We will gather at Tulsa Central Church seeking a fresh outpouring of the Spirit in our midst.
  
• Services will be Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 5pm.
  
• Our guest speaker will be Evangelist Nathan Covington
  
• Worship led by “Leaving 99” from Southern Nazarene University.
  
• 1st – 6th graders will have their own services led by Ken Wheeler;
  
• 3 year olds – Kindergarten will be led by Rachel Bess
  
• Nursery will be provided for those 2 and under.
  
• Youth lock-in after Friday evening service with games, worship and food. Registration is at 9pm at Regency Park Church. Breaking fast of 30 hour famine at midnight. Cost is only $5 and a 16 oz jar of grape jelly, bag of spaghetti noodles or beans. Students are to be picked up no later than 6am Saturday at Soccer City.
  
• Primetimer’s gathering on Saturday, 4:30pm; $5 at the door for good food and fellowship: Registering in advance helps us plan, but whether you register or not, we welcome all senior adults to come.

Let me tell the Senior Adults how excited I am about our dinner on Saturday. Yesterday President Obama challenged all of us to look for ways to make a difference in our communities. Some churches have neglected to see their older adults as valuable resources full of life experience and wisdom. I sense that is changing. Across the nation, both secular organizations and churches are recognizing the invaluable resource resident in older adults. Many older people are looking for significance and purpose and are finding it through service. Saturday, as we eat we will talk about ways our churches are involving seniors in the life and mission of the church. How are we enabling fellowship, spiritual growth, service and fun?

Saturday, Jan. 17, NEO hosted our 2nd Area Children's Bible Quiz at Central Church. There were 35 quizzers from seven churches (Bartlesville, Broken Arrow, Central, Family, Owasso Silver Creek, Pryor and South County). The children quizzed over Dig Sites #8-13 from the Book of Exodus. There were four Red Level quizzers who had three perfect rounds. They were Austin Ogden (Central), Nora Nelson (Central), Levi Ewton (Family), and Sierra Busking (Owasso). Out 3rd Area Quiz will be on Feb. 28 over Dig Sites #14-20. Please remember to pray for our quizzers, parents, coaches and directors as they Journey Through Exodus.

Pastor Brett Rickey, founding pastor of Tulsa Family Church, is moving to Lakeland Florida to pastor Highland Park Church. We are so appreciate of the courageous, faith-filled leadership of Pastor Brett. We are a better District family because of his example and leadership in our midst. We pray God’s blessings on Brett, Mindy and their three precious girls as they embark on this new journey. Brett’s final Sunday at Family Church is January 25.

A major part of the outreach of Family Church has come through the Celebrate Recovery ministry which meets every Saturday evening at Faith Church. Pastor Buddy Davis reports that they have a big 6th anniversary celebration planned for CR on Saturday, Feb. 7. Feel free to drop in to check out this ministry God is using to bring life-transformation.

Dates for your calendar:
Saturday, February 21 – Pastor’s (and spouses) Breakaway. Objectives: Discover, Affirm and Apply Something About You!
March 6 -7 – NEO Women’s Retreat; Cyndi Lamb Curry speaker
Saturday, April 25 – Huge NEO Training Day!
Sunday, May 31, 3pm – NYI Convention
July 13 – 17 NEO Youth Camp
July 20 – 25 NEO Kid’s Camps

Registration is now open for the Feb. 7, 2009, “Forever. For Real.” programs in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Please visit our Web site at ForeverForReal.com or contact Kristin at 877-435-8033 for more information and to register.

See you this weekend!

Dave