Dear NEO family,

I received an email today from a friend whom I have not seen for 30 years. He was trying to locate a former pastor to see how he was doing and to thank him for being such an encouragement to him as a teenager. I was challenged by what he was doing. Who are people who have helped shaped me and make me who I am today that I need to take time to locate and say “thanks”. Wouldn’t it make for a great week of thanksgiving if each of us took time to not only thank God for his abundant and amazing grace, but also to thank people who invested in us? Let’s do it!

Last Sunday was a wonderful day at Tahlequah. We thanked a wonderful couple, Don and Lois Nichols, for 30 years of pastoral ministry in the Church of the Nazarene, 14 of them at Tahlequah. Enjoy the pictures. Tahlequah, November 15, 2009
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTMsg&emid=sharshar&linkid=link5&cid=EMsharshar

We come to God with our thanksgiving, but also our petitions:
Nick Vernier’s brother-in-law, John Griffis, fell off the roof last Saturday and died yesterday. John was only 43 and leaves behind a wife and four children.

Linda Gresham, wife of SNU President Loren Gresham, had two surgeries last week to remove cancerous tissue. A pathology report after the second surgery showed what the surgeon calls 'adequate margins' of healthy tissue surrounding those sections extracted on which to focus radiation for preventing return of the malignancy. She started the treatments Tuesday and is tolerating the effects of the beams well. If this protocol of treatment is successful she will complete 10 rounds of radiation on Monday the 23rd, and then will be monitored regularly in the future.

Diane Howard and Laura Farnsworth are still recovering from surgery.

Jerry Hollingsworth, Casey’s Dad, is in a difficult struggle with pancreatic cancer.

My wife Gloria’s Dad, Bob Robison, has pneumonia and is on oxygen.

People in our communities need Jesus.

Thanks for lifting up our brothers and sisters in prayer.

I saw a great column this week from Harvey Mackay. He is writing about business, but if you substitute the word “church” for “business”, I think it all applies. See what you think.

Building on the past to secure the future
One of the fastest growing hobbies today is genealogy—tracing your roots. It is fun to find out where you came from, how you got here, and what happened along the way. It can also help you determine your legacy.
I would submit that tracking your family tree is not just for families. It's also a good idea for businesses—how you got started, what accounted for your success, and where you are today. What is the root of your corporate culture? How did you become so successful from such humble beginnings? Or, on the other hand, when did the big happy family start to splinter?
If this sounds like an exercise in futility, consider this: Businesses come and go every single day. If businesses don't know why, or don't know how to adapt to changing requirements, the statistics will include them sooner rather than later.
Knowing the reason you are in business and what you plan to accomplish will help keep your doors open. Keeping an eye on long-term goals will help you build a solid foundation and stay in business when others are failing. Understanding your starting point, successes and failures helps prevent repeating mistakes. Remember the George Santayana quote: "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it."

Grace and peace,
Dave McKellips