Hi, NEO family,

Next Tuesday and Wednesday we will be gathering at Tulsa Central Church for our HOMECOMING 2010: A Celebration of Mission and Ministry. I love it when we get to hang out together – worship together, eat together, play together and serve together. You will love our General Superintendent, Dr. Jesse Middendorf. And our Zone Cluster meetings are becoming a hi-light for our laity as we hear reports from churches on our Zone and pray for one another (notice we had to move the Zone Cluster meetings to after lunch!). I am excited about my report – I quote Angie Bentley, Roger Staubach, Hal Perkins and other great church leaders.

Check out the schedule below. Make plans to attend. Pray that God will use these gatherings to inspire, equip and correct His church so that we can more effectively “make Christlike disciples in the nations.”

NEO Homecoming 2010

A Celebration of Mission and Ministry

Tulsa Central Church


Tuesday, June 1 District Assembly

8:00 am Registration

8:30 am Opening Session.

Message from our General Superintendent, Jesse Middendorf

Welcoming new NEO pastors and spouses

Report of District Superintendent, Dave McKellips

Elections of District Leaders

Vote on Constitutional Amendments

Reports from District Leaders, Boards and Committees

Report of SNU President, Loren Gresham

Noon SNU Luncheon for Lead pastors, spouses and Advisory Board

2:00 pm Zone Cluster Meetings

3:30 pm Concluding Session of District Business

7:00 pm Ordination Service with Dr. Middendorf. In addition to ordaining four pastors, we newly licensed ministers will be challenged and retiring pastors will be honored.

Wednesday, June 2 NYI and NMI Conventions

9:30 am Registration

10:00 am Great Commission Rally – Parade of Flags w/Children and Youth; Youth worship team; Missionary John Williams, speaking; Reports of how NEO is “taking Christ to the Nations”!
11:30 am Lunch for all

12:30 pm NMI Convention in Worship Center; NYI Convention in youth room (203)

2:00 pm Youth and Family Service Projects around Tulsa ; Missions workshops

5:30 pm Dinner together

7:00 pm Closing Service – A Gathering to Give Thanks. In one hour, our DS will preach, we will engage in corporate worship and thanksgiving and join together at the Lord’s table in communion.


See you on Tuesday! You are loved!

Dave McKellips

Dear NEO family,

NEO Homecoming 2010 is only a few days away – June 1 and 2. I love it when the District family gathers together to celebrate our mission and ministry. The past year has been a challenging one in many ways. We have endured some brutal weather, a troubled economy and all kinds of attacks of the enemy, but God’s church and His truth is marching on. Come join us June 1 and 2 as we celebrate God’s faithfulness and the victories He has given us.

Thanks to the great work of Jim and Christy Thornton and all the NEO leaders who turned in reports, our Assembly Handbook has gone to the printer and we are finalizing plans for the Assembly on June 1. Dr. Jesse Middendorf, our General Superintendent, is an outstanding leader, theologian and preacher. I am excited for our District family to get to catch his passion for Christ and the church. Our time of reporting by Zones and praying for each church has become a hi-light of our assembly. We expect to have four pastors ordained in the evening service, along with recognizing many first time licensed ministers.

I have had several meetings, emails and phone conversations with NMI President, Debbie Martin, and NYI President, Jonathan Odom, and the plans for the combined conventions on June 2 are coming together beautifully. It will be a day of worship, inspiration, challenge, some business and service to our community. Of course, we love to eat and fellowship together and meals for the whole District family are being planned for lunch and dinner.

Troy Farmer will be picking up Compassion Care Kit boxes during the District Assembly and NMI Convention. Please put church name on each box, put 1 CCK box inventory in each box, and tape the box. Manna House can always use peanut butter and jars of jelly. Let’s bring these to registration tables on June 1 or 2.

For the complete schedule and details for Homecoming 2010, go to our website, www.neonaz.com .

Pastor J.J. James reports on the latest on our response to Tennessee flooding: “We sent some ladies out to TN yesterday with a truck load of supplies. They are helping out at a distribution center today. We still need at least one more welder to go with us next week. We are leaving Monday and will be back on Friday. We will be building the bridge that was washed out at the Tennessee District Campground. Do you know anyone who might be able to go with us?”

ThePornEvent.com (http://thepornevent.com ) is a response to the influence of pornography in our community, and you are welcome to participate. From May 23-28, LIfeChurch.tv and XXXChurch.com are offering this event to help people who are caught in pornography’s grip. It’s an interactive 25-minute online experience with segments for men and women. Anyone from any church, any country, and any place can attend. They can be anonymous if they want, they can receive prayer, and they can get connected with a next-steps group that will offer preliminary help and a path to a safe recovery group.

Pastor John Whitsett sent his congregation a wonderful note this week on the power of our expectations, especially focusing on the expectations we bring to corporate worship. Let me share a small portion of the article with you: “I believe our expectations powerfully shape and influence our experience. If we come to church with positive expectations---with the belief we’ll encounter God---then it’s highly likely it’ll happen … not because we willed it so, but because we were open to God’s presence, and He was able to capitalize on that openness. But if we come to church with negative expectations---that we’ll be disappointed, or that the service is a drudgery to be endured---it’s highly likely that we’ll go home dissatisfied and embittered. For our close-mindedness will have significantly quenched the Spirit’s ability to use what happened in a meaningful way.
This Sunday, do me a favor. Come to church with a singular expectation---that you’ll encounter God, and that He’ll speak to us in a meaningful way. I believe it’s going to be a great service---Pentecost Sunday, when we celebrate the reality and ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. We’ll hear a couple of first-hand accounts of how the Spirit that arrived at Pentecost is continuing to make a difference in people’s lives---just as He did those first followers that were gathered in the Upper Room. It’s going to be a great day!”

I pray that Pentecost Sunday will be a great day in every Nazarene Church in Northeast Oklahoma!

Anticipating,
Dave McKellips

Dear NEO family,

I have been at Southern Nazarene University the past two days for meetings, first with the SNU Region District Superintendents followed by the SNU Board of Trustees. The school has had another good year. Enrollment was above projections and the school was in the black again (I think it is about 20 straight years!) A hi-light of the trustee’s meetings are always the testimonies from students about how God is using the university to impact their lives. Our own Travis Vernier was one of the students who shared this year. Nick and Kay would have been proud of him, as I was. I am grateful to the impact of Nazarene Higher Education on my life and on the lives of my daughter’s and their spouses. Let’s continue to invest in our school for it is an investment in the future of our church! Let's also pray diligently for Dr. Gresham and SNU. I hope you pray for them regularly, but they can especially use your prayers these next two months.

A number of the people on the NEO know Glen and Thelma Miller from Work and Witness trips. They will be celebrating their 70th Wedding Anniversary next Sunday May 16 at Horton Chapel from 2:00 to 4:00 PM.

NEO Students - You don't want to miss the opportunity to meet with 1,000 other teens and adults from around the South Central Region on the beautiful campus of Southern Nazarene University for a weekend of fun sports, talent, and quizzing competition. Plus, we will have some epic worship experiences! Extravaganza is May 28 - 30. Go to www.snuextravaganza.com for more info and get registered today!

Pastor Rodney Amos had a wonderful Faith Promise with Dr. Fletcher Tink from Nazarene Theological Seminary. The good, generous people of Tulsa First Church had a goal of $10,700 and their pledges were $11,025. Rod recommends Dr. Tink ( Fltink@nts.edu )

Work Project on the Tennessee District Campgrounds
Claremore Pastor, J.J. James, writes: Heather and I have been hearing a lot of stories about the devastation from the floods in Tennessee. Many homes, businesses, and churches were flooded and folks out there are saying that it will take months for that area to be fully restored. Yesterday, we finalized the plans that we have been making to go out and help. Some ladies are going out there next week to help in a distribution center. Many people that have lost everything that had. They need basic every day supplies like bathroom supplies and cleaning supplies, toilet paper, paper towels, or non-perishable food that doesn’t need to be prepared. A group of men will be leaving a week from Monday (May 24th) to build the bridge that washed out at the Tennessee District Church of the Nazarene Campground. We hope to complete it in time for their camps to begin. Several from the NEO district are going to help build the bridge but we could still use some help. Any men (especially those with welding experience) are welcome to go with us. Call me if you would like to go with us.

We are only about two weeks away from NEO Homecoming 2010! It is going to be a great time of inspiration, positive accountability, training and service. Reserve the dates – June 1 and 2!

You are loved!
Dave McKellips

"We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Thess. 1:2, 3).

Dear NEO family,

By the time many of you receive this blog, we will be in the National Day of Prayer. I hope you will join thousands of your brothers and sisters in setting aside time to pray for our nation, our state our NEO cities and leaders. And pray for members of your own church and our District family that we will be salt and light, speak grace and truth and demonstrate the love and care of God.

One of the ways we put God’s love on display is through simple acts of service. I am sensing somewhat of a “Servolution” in Northeast Oklahoma. Dino Rizzo says that a “Servolution” starts when the church moves out beyond its walls and looks throughout the community for someone in need. I am hearing of this happening more and more in our NEO churches. Following are some exciting opportunities for service:

Burn a Rod for Kids, May 22 at Hope Ranch in Ponca City
Jerry Wilburg reports that we currently have 11-12 welding crews with welder rigs on trucks or trailers to help out at the ranch. We have two runs of 600 feet of pipe rail fence to do and n additional side of about 330 feet. Brian Loderhose from Owasso Church is volunteering to bring a piece of equipment to bring down several dead elm trees that are in the fence row. Other crewmembers are from Miami, Regency Park and Broken Arrow, along with a Boy Scout troop and a boy’s SS Class.
Much to do but it is exciting.

Assistance in Tennessee with Flood Cleanup.
Pastor J.J from Claremore I reports that 9 folks from three different NEO churches have already contacted him and are planning to go with him on Sunday afternoon to help with the flood clean up at the Nazarene Campground in Tennessee. Jim Reeves is helping design a bridge and we will be building it when we get there. There is still some room for many more to go if they want to but J.J. will need to know by Thursday so that he can finalize travel plans. Praise the Lord for the great response!

District Service Projects at NYI/NMI Convention
As you hopefully have heard by now, during the afternoon session on June 2, we will have several service projects in the Tulsa area for children in third grade through Senior Adults.

Zone Service Projects in 2010-11
We are gearing up for work projects at a local church or parsonage on every zone in the year ahead. Plans are in the works for a Parsonage Makeover at Tahlequah on July 2 and 3, a “Sheetrocking the new Facility” Party at Miami, a new paint job for Pawhuska church, finishing up the new Family Life Center at Tulsa Southwest and finishing the youth center at Drumright.

Change a Child’s Forever
Join us for a community gathering to learn the many ways you can help foster children.
Monday, May 17, 2010 Fellowship Bible Church, 5434 E. 91st ST, Tulsa
For more info, call 405-522-0606 or visit www.faithlinksok.org/FeaturedEvents.htm

And God’s call to serve continues throughout our lives. I received an exciting email today from Gary and Elaine Narron. Gary has already retired a couple of times, but he and Elaine are now starting a new church with another couple (the other couple is young – in their 50’s) in Richmond, Virginia. Gary writes, “We have been praying about this for a number of months now and we feel very comfortable this is a calling from God and we are excited about saying yes.” May God continue to raise up people of all ages who are passionate about serving – yes, we need a “Servolution”!

What a privilege it is for Gloria and me to visit the NEO churches. Here are pictures from recent visits:
Sapulpa, April 18, 2010
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTN5g

Chelsea, May 2, 2010
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=0Abt2TZizYsWTOGg

Have you ever had a student come up to you and tell you that God was calling him or her into full time ministry? Helping a student sort out that call can be a challenge. Six years ago the South Central Regional NYI council had a dream to put together a conference designed specifically for students in high school that felt a call to full time ministry. We call it the YES conference. YES stands for Youth Equipped to Serve. This year's YES conference is July 6-9, 2010 on the campus of Southern Nazarene University. The YES conference is a four day conference that is designed to help students understand what it means to be called, understand the preparation that is inherent in that calling, and explore possible areas of ministry. There are general sessions each day when we all meet together to learn about what it means to be called. This year's speaker is Kendall Franklin who is a SNU alumnus and currently pastor's College Church in Bourbonnais, IL. Throughout the week, we also have breakout sessions in several ministry areas: senior pastor, youth, children, music, urban, and missions. We also have a special session for women in ministry that deals with specific challenges our young ladies may face. Registration is already available online at www.nyi-snu.org. The early registration deadline is June 17th, so be sure to register as soon as possible

You are loved!
Dave McKellips