NEO Team Update
A message from our District Superintendent,
Dave McKellips.
What an exciting season!! Advent reminds us that God is With Us … God is For Us … and God is enough. I pray that you will draw near to God during this Advent season and allow His Spirit to give you fresh hope, peace, joy and love!
Our Global Missions Director, Rev. Jim Ritchie, organized an exciting 24-hour world-wide prayer emphasis on Zoom called: “To the Ends of the Earth”. More than 4000 leaders joined in prayer around the globe on December 6 and 7. I was moved by prayers for God to give us a deeper passion than we have ever had for the lost. Prayers invited God to seize our hearts. We prayed that we would see more people come to Jesus in 2025 than we have in any year of our history. We prayed for life transformation that only God can do.
Over and over as prayers were lifted, you could see the hunger for God to do a new thing in our church. Jim Ritchie prayed Isaiah 64:4, “Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!”
Thankfully, God has been helping us in the Cycle of Resurgence to see a turn-around in statistics, not only in Northeast Oklahoma, but throughout USA/Canada. The last year our worship attendance in USA/Canada was up 7% and our discipleship attendance up 9%. Thanks be to God.
Cushing Kinetic is a place where God is doing a new thing. Gloria and I were privileged to worship with them and witness a big day of “Blessing our Community”. I am so grateful for the leadership of Ben and Alycia Finkbeiner at Kinetic. Really, I am so blessed to serve alongside some of the greatest clergy and lay leaders in the world. I love you and am praying with you for a mighty work of God in NEO in 2025.
NYI NEO Retreat, January 10-12, 2025
Register Here for the Winter Retreat
Bringing People to Jesus
January 14, 2025 at 12pm
Join missionaries Sam and Kristi Senica as we explore why we are emphasizing evangelism on the USA/Canada Region in 2025 and what resources and partners will be available to help you as you navigate evangelism in today’s culture! *Lifelong learning hours will be available*
Register here.
SPARK, Feb 20-22, 2025
Training for Children’s Workers at Salyer Lake
M25 is a USA/Canada regional quadrennial Nazarene conference focused entirely on evangelism. It will further the regional vision, our CoRe Strategy (Cycle of Resurgence), and in particular our 2025 emphasis of Bringing People to Jesus. The agenda will include plenary speakers, break-out workshops, affinity group meetings, and corporate worship times. Pastors, lay leaders, and students will leave this conference encouraged, equipped, empowered, and ready to engage in new ways of Bringing People to Jesus.
Check out the excellent line up of exhibitors that will be ready to support you in ministry here!
Kids’ Ministry
is Going to be Exciting in 2025
SAVE THE DATE
NEO Kid’s Camp, Jul 14 – 17, 2025
Cost: $185 per student
NDI Council Expands
At their meeting on December 8, the NDI Council elected new members to their council:
Secretary – Janice Bell, Pryor RHOP
Treasurer – Betty Wilburg, Broken Arrow Connect
Children’s Ministry Director, Amanda Carroll, Tulsa Central
Adult Ministry Director, awaiting confirmation
NDI would love to find people with passion for Men’s Ministry, Marriage and Family Ministry, Young Adult Ministry.
Please contact Joe Gschwandtner, joe@thegreatcommission.org for more information.
Bartlesville First is having a “Blue Christmas” service for those dealing with grief. From the newsletter: “On Sunday, December 22, 2024 at 4:00pm, we will have a very special service for all those who have lost a loved one (especially this past year) and are dealing with grief. The Christmas Season can be a very difficult time for those of us who have suffered a loss so great. There will be a special guest speaker and a service meant to encourage you, uplift you and prepare your heart for this season of Christmas. There will be a special gift of remembrance for all families who attend.”
*This might be something for other churches to consider next year.