Dear NEO family,

Greetings in the majestic name of Jesus! We are only a few days from Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, the most important seven days in the church calendar year. It begins with the commemoration of Jesus riding into Jerusalem to a cheering crowd and being crucified five days later. I know that our pastors and lay leaders are working hard to plan services and sermons that help us tell again the wonderful story of Jesus and His love. Let’s invite our friends and pray, expecting God to again break into our services with His forgiveness, hope and power.

I love how our churches are keeping the main thing the main thing. I was at Tulsa Family last Sunday (Pastor Brady Wisehart moved here from Ohio – the snow doesn’t faze him!). Family Church is using the Salvation Candle. They light the candle when someone becomes a new follower of Christ through the ministry of the church in the previous 7 days. It was great to see Brady light the candle and hear the story of someone who was saved this past week.

Connection Church and Pastor Brad Farnsworth are intent on sharing the good news with people in their sphere of influence. Brad asked the members to turn in names of people they are praying for and inviting for Easter. Over 150 names have been turned in! Let’s join them in prayer that the Connection Church people will have an opportunity to give invitaitons and those they ask will be open to the Holy Spirit.

Chandler will begin Spiritual Renewal Services with John Juneman this Sunday. Pastor Keith Cole says, “Sunday Morning will be evangelistic in nature. We are praying to have guests of our church family that been cultivated through “Each One, Win One” present at the opening service. We will have a fellowship dinner following the service. A prayer cell has been ministering in prayer on Sunday nights just for these meetings and praying for individuals who need Jesus.” Services will continue nightly through Wednesday, March 31. A half-hour before each evening service a prayer room will be open. And following each evening service we will have a chat room for people to gather with our evangelist for an extended communication and fellowship.

Thanks to those who participated in the free delivery of Crisis Care Kits. 60 boxes (360 Crisis Care Kits) from NEO are on their way to Haiti. Troy Farmer reports, “I met the shipment on its way to Florida in Durant on Tuesday morning (3-9-10) and loaded 60 boxes of CCk's plus 2 boxes of supplies on the truck. I hope we will have enough CCk's to make a trip to the warehouse in PA after District Assembly.”

SNU students partner with NCM to work on Haiti project in Port-au-Prince
Students and sponsors from Southern Nazarene University (SNU) have partnered with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries (NCM) to work and serve those who suffered devastation from the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. A trip to Port-au-Prince has been set for May 14 -23.The SNU students who are participating in the Haiti project went through an interviewing process and have been chosen, along with student alternates. SNU pre-med and nursing students will be able to partner with Heart to Heart International and go out on rounds with them during the day while serving in Port-au-Prince. The cost for SNU students and participants is $1,200. In addition, the group is working hard to raise $18,000 for project costs. During the visit, team members will stay on property owned by the Church of the Nazarene which is located on the outskirts of Port-au-Prince.For more information about the work NCM is doing in Haiti, visit www.ncm.org/haitiearthquake/.

It is a joy to be a partner in the mission of God with you! You are loved!

Dave McKellips