Dewey Mission Trip Pictures

Dear Friends,
Here are some pictures of our Work & Witness Trip to the Dominican Republic. It was the first Work & Witness trip that has ever been done here at Dewey Church of the Nazarene that has been in existence since 1924! We are excited! I hope you enjoy the pictures! The project we did actually coincided with Compassion International to provide more space for the children that they are serving through Compassion! That was truly a joy for me! Talk to you soon! DR-412 is the church we served at!

In Christ's Love,
Gordon

Dear NEO Nazarene family,

August has been a tremendous month here in NEO, and I’m not just talking about the weather. August has been the month to install new pastors. On August 2, we installed Brady Wisehart at Family Church; on August 23 we installed Dan Hazelton at Pryor; and on August 30 we will install Cole Weston at Okmulgee. We welcome these pastors and their families to the NEO family!

What a great team of pastors we have in NEO! This past Monday and Tuesday, 40 of the pastors gathered for BREAKAWAY at New Life Ranch. The focus was on refreshing our relationship with God and with one another. I enjoyed the sand volleyball, playing Farkle and the waterfront activities, but I especially enjoyed the worship and prayer times led by Gary Reynolds and Jim Thornton.

Let me share some pictures from earlier this summer:

Claremore Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for new facilities, July 19
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTK0g

Tulsa First, July 19
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTLDg

Family Church, Installation of Pastor Wisehart, August 2
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTLLA

Two of our New Start Churches will be celebrating their one year anniversaries soon. Connection Church, led by Pastor Brad Farnsworth, will celebrate on September 13 and South County Community Church, led by Pastor Doug Gunsalus, will celebrate on October 4. Starting new churches is not easy, but God is blessing both of these churches. Pastor Doug recently said to me, “I almost forgot to tell you that last Sunday was our largest attendance to date. We had 108 total people here for our 11am worship. I think God is really moving at SoCo. Not sure why, but I love him so much and thank him for blessing! I know that every Sunday can't be our best day of worship or our largest attendance or whatever, but I love the fact that he keeps giving us something to praise him for each and every week. He is truly my deliverer. I am ecstatic about the work that we get to be a part of here.”

Bartlesville First Church is growing the church the old fashioned way – with a Baby Boom this year. And the pastoral staff is leading the way! Children’s pastor, Josh Turner and his wife, Rachelle, are proud parents of Hila Marie Turner, born August 18. And Levi Allen Rogers was born to Youth Pastor, Jade Rogers and his wife, Michelle, on August 21. I expect announcements any day from the Meltons and Schunemans! If we are going to “Strive for Five” with the Pastoral Staff, the Dennisons may need to join in.

As we welcome new life, we also say goodbye to those who have gone on to their eternal home. Rev. Harold Morgan passed away on Monday, August 24. His funeral will be on Friday, August 28, 2pm at Mercer/Adams Funeral Home in Bethany.

Holiness Today, a Publication of the Church of the Nazarene. September is subscription month. We encourage you to subscribe to our Denominational Magazine through your local church or call 1-800-877-0700.

Don Cowan told me this week that a new associate pastor will be coming to Sapulpa beginning October 4. Mark and Ashley Sanford and children Olivia Cooper (2 ½) and Emma Grace (1) will be moving from Fayetteville, Arkansas.

Lois Nichols has some fluid removed from her lungs last week and they found cancer in it. On the positive side, Don says that the medicine they are using to fight the cancer has been effective in the past with Lois, so they are hopeful again. Let’s continue to pray for Don and Lois as they serve the Tahlequah Church and battle cancer.

Otoneil Danneman reports a major breakthrough in the legal battle Gloria is going through in Argentina. There are still other battles to be fought, but we are hopeful for her release in a few months. Let’s continue to pray.


Background checks help uncover criminal history:
Some 450 churches have requested more than 5,000 background checks since LifeWay Christian Resources teamed up with Backgroundchecks.com last year to offer discounted background checks to ministries around the nation, reports ChristianPost.com. As a result, 80 screenings uncovered serious felony offenses and more than 600 people were found to have had some type of criminal history that may have disqualified them from volunteering or working at a church.
That means around 13.6 percent, or roughly one in seven, of applicants were found to have a criminal history. "Good guys don't wear superhero capes, and bad guys don't always have shifty eyes and devious-sounding chuckles. In real life, discerning the heroes from the villains often requires more than a visual assessment," commented Brooklyn Noel Lowery, a spokesperson for LifeWay. "That means you can't know whether someone is 'good' or 'bad' by looking at them when they walk through the front door of your church and volunteer to serve," she added. [Christianpost.com]

Have a great week! You are loved!
Dave McKellips

Dear NEO family,


PASTORAL CHANGES/ REVIEWS
Rev. Dan Hazelton received a unanimous call to be the pastor at Pryor. Some modifications are being made in the parsonage and Dan, Dannel, Cassie, Austin, David and Emily will be moving there soon.

Rev. Cole Weston will be voted on by the Okmulgee Church this Sunday.

Rev. Jeff Wooten had a very positive review last Sunday at Wagoner and he and Christie will continue their service there.

SNU NAZ NITE AT SIX FLAGS
Enjoy an evening of Fun, Fellowship and Friends at Naz Nite 2009! September 4, 2009, 6pm – midnight. Tickets are only $28.99 each + tax when purchased by August 20, 2009 ($49.99 each + tax if purchased at the park’s main gate.) One free return ticket valid any operating day in September 2009 will be automatically issued for every ticket pre-purchased. Every local church has been sent brochures with more details, or you can visit http://www.sixflags.com/. Promo code: SNUNAZNITE

HOLINESS TODAY
I always find inspiration, insight and challenge in Holiness Today. I encourage you to subscribe to our Denominational Magazine through your local church or call 1-800-877-0700.

CRISIS CARE KITS FROM NEO DELIVERED
The Crisis Care Kits and School Pal-Paks from Northeast Oklahoma were delivered to the warehouse in Pennyslvania, Wednesday, July 8th, 2009. To the best of my knowledge these boxes are being sent to Ethopia. Churchs participating in this years shipment are: Bristow, Broken Arrow, Chelsea, Claremore, Cleveland, Collinsville, Grove, Mannford, Okmulgee, Pawhuska, Tahlequah, Tulsa Hills, and Tulsa Central. If you haven't sent your $10 per box shipping fee to Phyllis Mayberry yet please do so as soon as possible. For the calander year 2008 the warehouse made 14 shipments of 17,000 boxes with a value of $2,300,000.00 US dollars. The next delivery to the warehouse will be made after the next District Assembly unless we get an emergency appeal for kits. Thank you for all you do for Missions. Little is Much when GOD is in it. Troy Farmer

KENDRA HANSEN BACK FROM YOUTH IN MISSION SERVICE
Kendra, member of Tulsa Central and a Junior at SNU, closed a recent letter with these words: And now I’m back in the U.S. where it’s much less humid, much easier to understand people, and a much different culture. I am beyond glad and grateful that I was able to have this experience and be a part of God’s global kingdom. I saw the beauty of God all around me in such an amazing landscape that is indescribable, and I saw the corruption and mismanagement of humans coming through in corrupt governments, disparity and poverty, but mostly and most lasting I saw God work through me and my teammates to minister to others and to be ministered to, in ways we never expected.

Lastly, thank you, thank you, and thank you. Thank you for your prayers, your support, for listening, for caring and for making a difference in my life. God always proves his faithfulness to me through the people in my life and this summer was no different. Thank you for investing in my summer and for sharing it with me. Kendra

“The reality of God's presence is not dependent on any place, but only dependent upon the determination to set the Lord always before us.” Oswald Chambers

"I have but one passion - it is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ." Count Zinzindorf

ANSWER TO PRAYER FROM DEBBIE MARTIN, DISTRICT NMI PRESIDENT
Praise God from whom all blessing flow, Praise Him all creatures here below! The Martin family is rejoicing today! We serve a mighty God. We serve a God of tender mercy, love and grace. We serve a God of miracles! We spent the majority of today at the pulmonologist office. Johnathan was retested to see how effective the infusion treatments he has received the past two months have been. ALL HIS BREATHING TEST WERE IN THE NORMAL RANGE! PRAISE GOD!!! The doctors were amazed at the results of his treatments. I'm always amazed to see what God does when His children call on the name of Jesus and stand of God's word. God is faithful! We were told that the progression of lung disease has been stopped at this time, and Johnathan can begin to taper off his oxygen during the day and only required to use the oxygen at night. He will continue to need the treatments for the rest of his life. We stand on Jeremiah 29:11 " For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Thank you for your prayer support and words of encouragement. We will continue to pray for complete healing and trust God in all things.
Debbie and Phil Martin

MUSKOGEE PASTOR AN UNASHAMED FOOL FOR CHRIST
(From The Pastor's Pen, a publication of Muskogee 1st Nazarene)
This past Sunday morning I took a Nazarene vow. Not a Nazarite vow. That is something entirely different. (You can google it.) No, the Nazarene vow that I took was that if we have 200 or more for worship on August 16, I will shave my head. The last time I had a crew cut was in early elementary school, but I vowed to go further than a crew cut.
In my Sunday evening message entitled, "What Kind of Fool Am I?" I suggested that we are all a fool of some type: an unbelieving fool, and unprepared fool, or an unashamed fool for Christ. I am actually looking forward to the witnessing opportunities that it brings my way when people ask why I did it. I will simply tell them that I did it not because of the August heat, but because I wanted more people to learn how they can escape the eternal heat of hell.
I am really not looking forward to being bald, but I hope that you will plan to be here and contact as many absentees as you can and invite as many people as possible to church that day. I am willing to shave my head. Are you willing to take a risk and invite someone to church? Are you willing to be an unashamed fool for Christ?

What a great team we have in NEO! It is a joy to serve alongside you!

Blessings,
Dave McKellips
NEO District Superintendent