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