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Dear Pastor/Friends,
What a blessing it is to serve the Lord! Pastors and spouses, I want to thank you for all you do for God and His Church. Please know that He sees your faithfulness...and he is grateful!
Susan and I had the privilege of being with Pastor Santiago Rueda,
and his wife Leticia, for his installation as Pastor of our Fort Worth
Riverside congregation.
We had a wonderful service and
a great meal afterward. Santiago is coming to Riverside from CrossPoint Church in Fort Worth, where he has been the associate pastor. It was a joy to work with the Riverside congregation during this transition! Also, it is exciting to report that Riverside
Associate Pastor Rev. Alfredo Alvarez, who was ordained this past April, and his wife, Candi, will will begin their church planting endeavor this coming Sunday. They have been praying and planning for
many months and are
now ready to begin. Special thanks to Pastor Lynn
Nichols and the Northside congregation as they host Pastor
Alvarez and his people. Northside has been instrumental in the plantin
g of our Emanuel congregation and RisenPoint International. We are grateful for their generous and cooperative spirit.
This was the third Sunday in a row when we have had installation services for new pastoral couples on our district. On August 12 we welcomed Richard and Sara Schneberger to Big Spring.
Last Sunday we celebrated the installation of Adam and Amy Perry in Ha
mlin. I am so very grateful to the Lord for sending these wonderful
couples to West Texas!
Currently, we have two pastoral openings on our district. Please join me in prayer as we lift up our sister congregations in Snyder and Denton (New Hope). Also, I've learned that as we move toward the end of the camping season this fall, our Arrowhead Camp and Retreat Center co-directors, Josh and Terra Edwards, will be taking another assignment. We appreciate the good work
 that the Edwards have done at Arrowhead, and we wish them the very best during this new season of their lives!
I've received several exciting and encouraging reports recently for two of the evangelistic efforts that have been going on our district recently. In Amarillo, Pastor Harvey Basket at Turning Point Church has been involved in an eight-week-long
 summer evangelistic thrust with Evangelist Noe Diaz. This has included neighborhood outreach, visitation, VBS, revival services, development of their large vacant lot into a nice soccer field, and enhanced worship services. Many new families and individuals have been involved in the church. Also, the Chinese ministry at Denton Willowwood
 Church has seen dramatic progress this summer. Pastor Mark Ramsey reports the following: "Just had a great baptism service for Chinese pilots; passed the 100 mark for salvations; One of the guys asked for the mic last night and gave his testimony to the whole group. This is very brave and doesn't usually happen; 120 in attendance most Saturdays; God sent us two restaurant owners who bring trays of food every week; Ridiculous, miraculous things not of our making keep occurring; I mostly just watch in amazement and cheer for the Kingdom in this!"
I want to commend our pastors for your participation in the Ministry Safe Training. As you know, we
want you to report via email to our assistant DS, Pastor Earl Robertson ([email protected]), by September, that everyone in your church who works with children and/or teens has taken the basic Ministry Safe training (or its' Nazarene Safe equivalent)...AND that you, as pastor, and anyone who works with children's or teen's staffing has successfully completed the Skillful Screening training. You can read more about this in the article below...or give us a call if you need help. Dear brothers and sisters, there should be full compliance with this request. Once you complete the Skillful Screening training you will understand completely why it is imperative...if there was ever any doubt.
Monies are coming in for the Children's Offering for Motorcycles for the South Sudanese church  planters who are associated with our district. I am pleased that this project has been granted 10% Giving status by the World Mission Division at the GMC. Please remember that the offerings are to be sent to our district NMI treasurer, Pastor Zack Smithson (see related article below) rather than to the General Treasurer at the GMC. Here is a picture of some of the South Sudanese church planters. This is a very, very difficult time in their country, yet Pastor Mabure Atak of our Amarillo African Community congregation has been organizing church
planters in Awiel, South Sudan. They have established over thirty preaching points with hundreds (perhaps even thousands) of people being reached for Christ. Pictured here is a recent view of the construction of Awiel First Church of the Nazarene, the first church Mabure helped start, located in his hometown.
Finally, our district finance officer, Dan Davisson, has prepared an update on our church's Funding the Mission giving. See report below. It's hard to imagine that the church year is now half over. Frankly, we are running behind in giving for others. Pastors, please make sure our numbers are correct for your church...and thank you for your attention to this critical matter. I am very aware that it is our pastors who are at the forefront of this effort.
For you and with you,
Pastor David Downs
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Our district treasurer, Dan Davisson, has prepared the West Texas 2018-2019, "Funding The Mission" report as of August 22, 2018. Pastors, please pay close attention to your church's contributions so far this year. Please make every effort to encourage your people to faithfully maintain their giving for others.
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Summer Mission Offering donations are DUE to Zack Smithson no later than September 1st
MinistrySafe Church Check-up Info DUE to Earl Robertson no later than September 1st
WTX Kids Council meeting - Saturday, September 15th at Lubbock First
- ALL WTX Council members and any children's leaders are welcome and encouraged to attend. Contact Candace Clem at [email protected] for hotel reservations. Times: 8:30am - 2:00pm (lunch provided)
- We will be finalizing a 2018-2019 planning guide for ALL of our churches!
- Planning for our 4 BIG events - fall WTX training / SPARK South-Central Regional Training / Kids Fest / ACTIVATE-kids camp
- Details will be sent out in September and available on the district website and our Facebook page
Jennifer Sommers
Children's Pastor
Fort Worth First Church of the Nazarene
[email protected]
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The teens of the West Texas district have been passionately partnering with God in His mission this summer! We kicked off our summer CRAVE youth camp with an intentionally missional focus! Our students participated in three service projects focusing on the different ways we can partner with God in His mission in the world. First we served in "mission where we are" by doing cleaning projects at camp arrowhead. Next we served in "mission to those far away" by partnering with a local non profit to make hygiene packets for orphans in Russia. Last we served in "mission to those in the younger generation" by creating special gifts (hand made hacky sacs) for all the children coming to kids camp. Our students had the opportunity to directly apply what our speaker spoke about as he challenged them to "partner with the creator in cultivating the soil of the creation" which is exactly what missions is all about!
Our District NYI began a brand new missions event this summer called "Mystery Mission Outreach." Our teens all over our district gathered in various zones all on the same day to participate in local missions. Each zone chose their own mission, everything from apartment outreaches, to community trash cleanup. Our students worshiped, prayed, served, and evangelized together all across the West Texas area!
Many of our local youth groups spent time traveling to near and far places to share the love of Jesus through evangelism and service. Lubbock First took a team of 24 to Brazil, where they helped lead a powerful VBS that reached nearly 50 children! Crossroads Tabernacle and Arlington First joined together for a mission trip to New York City, where they partnered with local Nazarene churches to lead several youth rallies, children's outreaches, prayer walks, and food pantry ministries sharing the love of Jesus on some of the roughest streets in our nation!
Chrissy Maldonado
Youth and Young Adult NMI Representative
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We are nearing completion of the health center (The Well) and could really use some help on a couple projects.
1. We will be laying flooring in the health center beginning September 8th. We could use help with this project. If you have the ability to give of your time on the 8th or following days please let us know.
2. HVAC will be installed in the health center in September. If anyone has intersest or ability with HVAC please let us know.
Blessings,
Shawn
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8/1 Sharon Ramsey
8/1 Steve & Rhonda Swanson
8/2 Jeff & Amanda Kleeb
8/2 Misael & Yvette Alvarado
8/2 Cynthia Prentice
8/3 Lowell & Debi Schmidt
8/4 Joseph & Tracy Ricenbaw
8/6 Charles & Michelle Gibson
8/6 Susan McPherson
8/7 Naomi Smithson
8/8 Lowell & Marilyn Clark
8/10 Raquel Forrest
8/10 Burnie & Peggy Burnside
8/11 David & Cindi Tharp
8/13 Michael & Leona Davis
8/14 Dale & Barbara Peirce
8/14 Martha White
8/14 Tyler Parson
8/15 Travis & Tabitha Zachary
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8/16 Grace (Eun-Ha) Shin
8/17 Earl Robertson
8/17 Hope Powers
8/17 Ron & Jackie Miner
8/18 David Tharp
8/20 Mark & Sharon Ramsey
8/20 Ryan & Serina Nelson
8/21 Jimmy & Wendy Cole
8/21 Leticia Rueda
8/21 Lisa Griffin
8/22 Cristi Ashby
8/22 Gregory White
8/23 Awilda Hayes
8/24 Doris McNutt
8/25 Clint Benn
8/28 Corey Jones
8/29 Cayden Callender
8/30 Elijah Smithson
8/31 Marilyn Clark
8/31 Michael & Angalique Parker
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September 7 - NazNite at Six Flags
October 12-13 - JOY Senior Adult Retreat, Lubbock first
October 17-20 - Awakening Prayer Conference
October 26-27 - Discovery Weekend in Abilene
Dec. 27 - Jan. 2 - Commission Unto Mexico (Guadalajara)
January 8 - Ministerial Credentials/Education Committee, Amarillo First
January 14-15 - Ministerial Credentials/Education Boards, Fort Worth Northside
February - Alabaster Offering to Global Treasury Services
February 1-3 - Shepherds' Sabbath Retreat, Abilene, TX
February 24 - Vision Conference and District Assembly Planning Session
February 28 - District Nominating Committee Meeting
February 24-March 2 - Nazarene World Week of Prayer
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