Dear NEO Nazarene family,

Grace and peace to all of you, especially to our pastors who are completing their Annual Pastor’s Report and all the related forms this week. We sure have a great team of pastors in NEO!

As Churches turn in their last budget payments of the year, I hope they are encouraged by all the good their giving is accomplishing. I received this week the 2009 Benefits Received Report from Pensions and Benefits. In 2009, our District paid $157,367 and our retired pastors received $213,966 assistance. I sure appreciate the faithful giving of NEO Nazarenes to World Evangelism Fund, District Fair Share, Pensions and Benefits and Southern Nazarene University. We are better because we have joined hands and resources in ministry.

Nate Burns, Pastor at Owasso Silver Creek called me last Sunday with great joy and thankfulness. They had a Baptism service planned and 2 people had decided to be baptized last Sunday. During the service the Holy Spirit moved and they baptized 6 people! Praise God! Also they took in 6 new members. I love hearing reports almost daily about how God is working in our churches.

Family Church’s Celebrate Recovery ministry has been graciously hosted by Faith Church the past six years. The ministry is averaging over 250 people on Saturday evening and has outgrown the facilities. Pastor Buddy and Alicia Davis report the Celebrate Recovery Ministry will be moving to the Family Church facilities beginning May 29.

Prayer Requests for parsonage families:
Jennie Schuneman (Daughter of Bartlesville pastor, Randy Schuneman) had her first chemo treatment at M.D. Anderson this week. She is doing well, without any seeming side effects, except fatigue.

Nan Holley (Pastor's spouse at Tulsa Faith Church) had to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours and I spoke with her a little while ago. She is doing better and they think it might be due to a low potassium level.

Nina Marroquin (Pastor's Spouse at Tulsa Regency Iglesia del Nazareno) also had to be monitored for 24 hours after blacking out. The doctor working with her thinks it is due to a lack of vitamin D and anemia. We are grateful the Lord protected her as she fell (she said her neck is very sore).

Change It!, an initiative launched by three of Central’s teens, is hosting an officially registered Guinness World Records event! Change It! will attempt to break the world record for the most change collected for a charity in one place this Saturday, May 1, 2010 at the Riverwalk Amphitheater in Jenks, Oklahoma. The event will kick-off at 10 am and will feature local bands between 2-8 pm. There is no charge for the event. Change It! is attempting to collect over $200,000 in loose change in support of organizations combating HIV/AIDS. They would love to have you join them Saturday and bring all of your spare change!

SNU Tulsa is hunting for a good communicator, Christian lawyer to teach the MBA law class.

The Academy of Senior Professionals at Southern Nazarene University is hosting a Senior Adult Conference 2010 on May, 21. Find out more and register at www.snu.edu/senior-adult-conference-2010.

Pastor's "I want to celebrate..."
Wayde Normandin, Chelsea…The last Sunday of the church year was set aside to review the previous 12 months and record God’s faithfulness to our church and thank Him for it. It was a wonderful way to look back at the year and look forward to a fresh beginning. We also praised the Lord for a great Easter Breakfast and Service. We had 39 people attend our breakfast which was held at the Chelsea Senior Center and then we moved to our church for the service. This was our largest attendance for the year. Also, through the obedience of God’s people all allocations were paid and all other financial obligations were met.

Dwain Young, Horton Chapel… I want to celebrate the Family of three children and two adults who joined Horton Chapel this month. The dad was one of our boys who attended Horton Chapel 30 years ago. Our Church reached out to him then and he felt the love and when he moved back they came to Horton Chapel. Praise the Lord!

Brad Farnsworth, Connection…TEN people gave their lives to the Lord on Easter Sunday; baptized two on Easter Sunday, then two teenagers baptized two weeks later who are related to mother who was baptized on Easter; new families continue to attend each Sunday, one family drives one hour all the way from Keystone Lake area.

Claude Guy, Sand Springs…Spirit-filled services every time we gather for worship.
H. Gordon Smith, III, Dewey… A beautiful Maundy Thursday service where the Spirit of the Lord was truly among us! (2) A fantastic Cajun Dinner fundraiser for Youth Missions Trip coming up in July, (3) The blessing it was to have the Lepley’s join us for deputation and to soak in the memories of this last years missions trip to the Dominican Republic, and (4) 10 members joined our church.

Cole Weston, Okmulgee… New families finding the church God sending us people who truly need help! New people with new energy to begin new ministries. Additional teens for our youth group!

Casey Hollingsworth, Miami New Life… We’ve seen much progress in our family life center. We had a work day where we had 30 individuals show up to help construct a connecting corridor for our new building. Conducted a successful review of our worship leader. Areas to be improved upon were discussed and strengths were affirmed as well.

John Whitsett, Tulsa Central… A number of positive things---an very good Easter Sunday with two stylistically different services with six believers baptized and a combined attendance of over 600 … a deputation service with Dan & Michelle Lepley with an offering of almost $3800 … a wonderful class of twelve new members, most of whom have great stories of how the church has already added value to their lives … a vision-casting Sunday on April 25 that seemed to be well-received and resulted in a number of people stepping forward to volunteer for some key areas of need.

David Stevens, Vinita… I know I am repeating myself, but it is just amazing how God always blesses our Church services. He has answered many prayers, some miraculously. There is a sense of love and care among our people. May He receive all the Glory! Budgets are paid (whew!) and our attendance figures are stable, with small steady growth.

Jim Wilson, Pawhuska… I want to celebrate: Our senior adult ministry has established a small group on Tuesday mornings at Cedar Ridge (local retirement community) and they had 8 in their group this week.

Jim Johnson, Barnsdall… I am so excited about the way God is working in our Barnsdall Church. We are indeed being blessed! Our church attendance is still growing and our increased finances have enabled us to complete much needed building improvements with several more projects in the planning stage. April 18, the Hominy Church invited our congregation to attend a "Barnabas" service. This was a service to encourage and bless our ministry at the Barnsdall Church--wonderful outpouring of Christian love from both churches. To God be the Glory!

J.J. James, Claremore… We had four amazing weekends this month. The first weekend was Easter and we had our annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt. The next weekend we had a wonderful revival with John and Ruth Briscoe. The next weekend we had Guy Penrod and the Talley Trio in concert. Last weekend we had our annual meeting and we set a brand new vision for our congregation; “Experiencing God’s Power. Sharing God’s Love.” Things are starting to look up for us in Claremore!

Alan McBroom, Davenport… Easter Sunday we celebrated the resurrection of Jesus and the baptism of two young ladies!

Angela Bentley, Bristow… So many things! We had a wonderful Easter service with 102 in attendance. We hosted a great community revival service with 140 in attendance and our new worship leader and team were AMAZING! We have a new children’s director and new youth leaders –a husband and wife team! We had a successful annual election with God placing people in just the right positions. We took in 5 new members and have others in the membership class. The Holy Spirit is present in our services – last week we didn’t even have any preaching the Spirit was so powerful! We continue to experience great growth and such a sweet spirit of unity. God is so good – and brings many things to celebrate!

NEO DISTRICT LEADERS in attendance growth verses May, 2009

Sunday School/Discipleship
Tulsa Central +50
Barnsdall +21
Bristow +15
Dewey +15
Miami New Life +15
Wagoner Cornerstone +11
Pryor +10
Okmulgee +9
Chelsea +6
Cushing +6
Sand Springs +6

AM Worship
BA Connection +42
Miami New Life +33
Hominy +21
Pryor +20
Okmulgee +19
Barnsdall +15
Coweta +8
Skiatook +8
Mannford +7
Chelsea +6


Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Can’t wait to hear of more “God sightings”!

Dave McKellips