Dear NEO family,

What a joy it was to meet as a District family this week for HOMECOMING 2010. I will be sharing about portions of our meetings in coming weeks, but today let me just hi-light one aspect of my report. The theme of my report was “Engagement”. The first priority I hi-lighted for our churches in the year ahead is to help people engage with God.

Today I was reading H.B. London’s letter to pastors and he emphasized this priority. He told about his reaction years ago when he first saw the movie “Dead Man Walking”:

“As I was walking out of the theatre after the showing, I was quiet. Beverley, my wife, said "What's wrong?" I then burst into a response that even to this day troubles me. I said, "Didn't you hear the prison guard say, 'Dead Man Walking'?" She nodded. Then I said, "We are surrounded here by dead men and women walking. Without Jesus in their lives, they are all dead men walking."

I still believe that. But, I wonder in this day, when it appears evangelism has taken a back seat to style and programming — where is the passion? Where is the urgency?

I am probably talking to the choir today. But, if we are surrounded by "dead men and women walking," what are we going to do about it? What am I going to do about it? We just cannot leave it to chance.”

"He is patient ... not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance"
(2 Peter 3:9).
"I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."
(1 Cor. 9:22).

With the holiday weekend and HOMECOMING, several of our churches did not turn in their monthly reports, but of those who did, the following reasons to celebrate were noted:

I WANT TO CELEBRATE…

Steve Davis, Sapulpa…The contemporary worship service on Sunday mornings. Beginning of new Life Application Groups on Sunday evenings.

Wayde Normandin, Chelsea… Our Sunday School and Worship attendance have increased over last year at this time.

Jade Rogers, Bartlesville… How the church has gotten behind our Pastor and his family. This tragedy God has used to make us one as a church. Our prayer is for this to continue and for the Schuneman family to know they are loved!

David Stevens, Vinita...A great District Assembly! Pastors are able to report successes in spite of the economic slowdown. We praise God that we were able to pay our budgets, several new people are taking their place as contributors and helpers in the work. One new member was an ordained Lay-Minister in the Methodist Church. I plan on using the CLT training for lay ministers for her and others who are interested.

Dan Hazelton, Pryor… 1 teen new believer...Wahoo!

Prady Thimmaiah, Nowata… Praise God we had a new convert. Tanya accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior!

John Whitsett, Tulsa Central…Some really good services during the month of May---a service of worship led by our Arts Ministry on May 1, Mother’s Day, Graduation Sunday, and Pentecost Sunday. I believe we have strung together a number of successive weeks of positive worship experiences.

NEO DISTRICT LEADERS in attendance gain in May

Sunday School/Discipleship Ministries
Barnsdall +26
Nowata +12
Coweta +8
Bristow +6
Cleveland +6
Owasso Silver Creek +6
Pryor +6
Cushing +5
Drumright +5
Mannford +5

AM Worship
Tulsa Faith +17
Barnsdall +17
Tulsa Hills +12
Drumright +10
Manford +9
Owasso Silver Creek +7
Miami New Life +5
Pryor +5
Chelsea +4
Cushing +4

Troy Farmer, our Crisis Care Kit Coordinator writes: I plan to leave for the warehouse Monday the 14th. If anyone has boxes to go and will get in contact with me ASAP, I will try to arrange to pick them up. Contact me by phone 918-207-0617--home, cell 918-650-2064, or e-mail tvfarmer56@hotmail.com .

Abba Homes and Ministries is sponsoring a fundraising golf tournament Saturday June 19th. Abba Homes and Ministries is a Christian Sober living home for men who have a desire to begin a new life in Christ. Buddy and Alicia Davis of Family Church's Celebrate Recovery Program recognized a great need in the community and began to pray that God would make a way. God is good and Abba opened it's first home in June of 2009. If you would like to sponsor a hole or play golf, contact Buddy (buddy@familychurch.tv ).


An SNU student whose father is a Nazarene preacher in Ponca City will be in an 8 week internship at the OU Schusterman Center beginning on June 14. Call me if you would like to know more about helping with this need.

You are loved!

Dave McKellips