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Dear Pastor/Friends,
It has been a very satisfying Christmas season for Susan and me as we've toured the district zone Christmas parties this year. I want to thank each of the zone coordinators for organizing these great events. Each one was unique!
We enjoyed a Christmas illusionist in Lubbock, Santa and Mrs. Claus (Jack and Jeanene Smith) telling the story of Jesus in Euless, delicious Mexican food in Lamesa and Pampa, and the zone pastors ministering at a local elementary school in Amarillo. Of course, seeing our pastoral families is always the most satisfying aspect of our assignment. We are so grateful for our district family!
I am very pleased to announce that Camp Arrowhead has been selected to house 200 Central/South American children who are refugees during the month of January. Our district leadership has enthusiastically and unanimously endorsed our plan to receive, and minister to, these kids. Already, our Spanish-speaking leaders are looking for ways to encourage and minister to them. Many details are still to be worked out, but perhaps there will be ways for all of our churches to participate. I'll let you know as soon as we learn more.
The whole immigration/refugee issue is such a major point of discussion and controversy in America these days. I am very gratified as I continue to hear wonderful stories about how our pastors and congregations have become God's instruments of grace and peace during these trying times. Of course this is very appropriate as we are a district of great and powerful diversity. I see it everywhere I go across the district, from our Middle-Eastern Arabic-speaking congregation here in the Metro, to our African congregations in the Panhandle, to the omni-ethnic ministries in Cactus, our Korean congregations, our numerous Spanish-speaking congregations, and the beautiful blended (and sometimes multi-lingual) congregations we have everywhere. I am so proud and pleased to be associated with the West Texas Nazarenes!
Along these same lines, I was pleased to learn recently of the new ESL classes being offered in Arlington as a joint effort between Antioch (Korean) and Arlington First Church. The fall semester was a huge success. The class was taught by Amy Spigelmyer.
Congratulations to Ft. Worth Northside on the calling of their new pastor. Rev. Lynn Nichols and his family will be moving to Ft. Worth to begin their new assignment in late January. For the past seven years he has served as pastor of Tampa, Fl., First Church. Prior to that Lynn was pastor of Warren, Ohio, First Church for twenty years. He and his wife, Penny, are graduates of Mt. Vernon Nazarene University. He is also a graduate of NTS. They are an outstanding couple! We welcome them to our district family!
Finally, it appears we will have our best registration ever for the upcoming Shepherds' Sabbath Ministers and Spouses Retreat coming up in Abilene in just three weeks. I really appreciate my daughter, Kimberly, stepping in at the district office to help us organize this event. We are very excited about having our district family together. I am praying that this will be an inspirational and encouraging time for everyone.
God bless you brothers and sisters! Have a wonderful, wonderful Christmas!
For you and with you,
Pastor David Downs
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Jenni and Vito's first winter here they noticed many of the children were walking to school in the dead of winter with not much more than a hoodie on. This inspired the event
Bundle-Up Cactus
, where CNMC collected donated new or gently used coats, hats, and gloves to give to the children and teens of Cactus.
Each year has been a huge success. In addition to giving away coats, this year we wanted to find a way to educate our community on ways to stay healthy during the winter season. So we started the first annual CNMC Health and Wellness Fair. We had people from ten different agencies come and set up booths to educate our neighbors about the health services available to them, as well as some fun activities for the kids!
This year we received around 200 coats and managed to serve almost 300 people. As staff we reflected together on the stories in the Bible where Jesus multiplied a simple sack lunch to meet the needs of the crowd and seems that God did it again, here in Cactus. It is clear that God was at work on Saturday and somehow turned 200 coats into enough to meet the needs of Cactus, Texas.
One of the kids who received a coat left singing a song and dancing. When we listened closer we realized he was singing about his new awesome coat! We are thanking God for each of you that continues to pray for us, donate, and volunteer with us and of course for his incredible provision when we need it most.
by Dana Franchetti
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You can also view the reservation form on our website by
clicking here.
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District Licensing Information
A. Qualifications for receiving a First-time District License
1. Have a local license for one year
2. Have registered with the District Ministerial Studies Board:
www.wtnazed.org
3. Have completed a minimum of 6 courses in the Course of Study which must include the following
two:
1. History & Polity of the Church of the Nazarene (the Manual course)
2. Becoming a Holy People (the Holiness course)
4. Meet with the Ministerial Credentials and Ministerial Studies Boards:
January 12, 2016 at Amarillo First Church of the Nazarene*
January 19, 2016 at Fort Worth Northside Church of the Nazarene
5. If applying for a district license and there has been a divorce in the past, the candidate must meet
the boards on January 19th at Fort Worth Northside.
6. Request an Application Packet from:
Earl Robertson
540-312-4500
B. Qualifications for renewal of a District License
1. Completed 2 courses from the Course of Study
2. Meet with the Ministerial Credentials and Ministerial Studies Boards:
January 12, 2016 at Amarillo First Church of the Nazarene*
January 19, 2016 at Fort Worth Northside Church of the Nazarene
3. If applying for Ordination/Recognition the candidate must meet with the District Boards on January
19th at Forth Worth Northside
4. Request an Application Packet from:
Earl Robertson
540-312-4500
*Please note that the meeting place on the west side of the district has been changed to Amarillo First.
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WTD Kids Ministry News!
WTD Kids Leaders -
We have two more quiz meets planned for January. Please come and support these churches as they provide opportunities for your quizzers to practice before zone and district meets this spring. Make sure you RSVP as soon as possible so they have adequate time to prepare.
Below is a link to our Children's Council Contact Page and District Kid's Calendar for the year. We have also updated our children's page on the district website at
www.westexnaz.org, so check it out!
Because Jesus Loves Kids!
Jennifer Sommers
WTD Kids Director
Upcoming Quiz Meets for WTD Kids!
Bowie Church
Saturday, January 9, 2016
9:00 AM
Digsites - TBD
Lunch - TBD
940-923-1123
Ft. Worth First
Saturday, January 23, 2016
9:00 AM
2001 E Main St
Crowley, TX 76036
Digsites - 1-16
Lunch - TBD
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WTNYI Update:
A few more spots are available to join the team for Encuentro 2016 next July in Puerto Rico! Register and get more information at
www.wtnyi.com.
West Texas is preparing for EXTRAVAGANZA '16 on the campus of Southern Nazarene University! There's a new date this year so be sure to get all the details and register online at
www.snuextravaganza.com
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Dear West Texas NYI Family (students, youth workers, pastors, etc.),
Please take the time to read all the information below. There are exciting things happening in WTNYI.
In 2016 West Texas NYI is trying something new! Youth A Rama will be joining the region at Southern Nazarene University to make Extravaganza 2016 a truly exceptional event.
The West Texas NYI council spent much time in prayer and discussion before making this decision. We understand the tradition of Youth A Rama and the impact that is has made on the lives of so many students. Extravaganza at SNU is a meaningful regional event that has impacted the lives of many students over the years as well. That being said, the NYI Council is excited to join forces with Extravaganza. We pray that it will be received as a new opportunity and tradition, taking Youth A Rama to the next level; Introducing our students to the region, and our university, while still maintaining unity as a district. We want to see more students attending our fine university and one way to do that is to get more of our West Texas Students on the campus. The region has moved Extravaganza to March 31 - April 3 in 2016. If you are not familiar with Extravaganza at SNU, it is almost identical to Youth A Rama but on a larger scale. It offers more options for students to display their talents and has separate divisions for junior high and high school. The regional council has made recent changes putting more emphasis on the worship services at Extravaganza. It already is a great event. Add in a little West Texas flair and it becomes an exceptional event. :) The WTNYI Council is excited to get on board with this event and bring our West Texas students to SNU. We pray you too will be excited about the potential. Most importantly we want our students to encounter God! Join us in praying that God will prepare all our hearts for what He wants to do at all our local, district, and regional events!
Also in 2016, ENCUENTRO 2016. July 10-16, 2016. West Texas NYI is taking a team of students, sponsors, families, etc. to Encuentro 2016 in Puerto Rico. This is an NYI- sponsored mission trip with over 2500 students anticipated to participate during July 2016. We will work along side our Puerto Rican Nazarenes conducting youth, adult and family evangelistic missions. Prayerfully consider how you can get your students involved in this incredible mission opportunity. Go online to
www.wtnyi.com for more information and to get your students registered.
Mark Your Calendars:
Youth Ministry Summit (Youth Leaders conference) --October 12-13, 2016
SNU West Texas College Days -- February 18-20, 2016
Extravaganza at SNU -- March 31 - April 3, 2016
Crave (Youth Camp) -- June 13-17, 2016
Encuentro Mission Trip -- July 10-16, 2016
WTNYI is so blessed to have so many dedicated youth leaders that passionately care about our students. We join you in prayer for our students and local ministries.
Your NYI Council,
Gary Young
WTNYI President
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PASTOR'S WORK AND WITNESS TRIP 2016
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| PASTOR'S WORK AND WITNESS TRIP 2016 |
Dear Pastors and NMI Leaders,
Enjoy Christmas greetings from the Swains, one of our district's LINKS missionary couples:
We have really enjoyed our many friends, both those we see regularly and those we correspond with. We really appreciate the correspondence from fellow missionaries and from many "LINKS" churches who bless us with their cards and letters. In August, we celebrated our anniversary, and God continues to give us health and energy to enjoy an active life. May God bless all of you during this wonderful Christmas season. JESUS is the reason for Christmas. It is a daily blessing for us to walk in communion with Him.
May all of you have a wonderful Christmas with family and friends.
-- Al and Arlene Swain, Christmas 2015
Also, please remember (as posted previously) LINKS missionaries Ted and Sarah Voigt have a change of address: M
iPad Two, High Street, Wicklow Town Co. Wicklow, Ireland. Email and phone remain the same.
December is a great time to focus on Nazarene Compassionate Ministries. As our hearts turn toward giving, remember to support this great branch of the church that does so much good around the world!
Chris Lewis is a Nazarene missionary currently serving refugees on the Croatian border. He says, "A lot of nonprofit organizations have been denied access, and there are not very many Christians among the volunteers who are allowed entry. The refugees can tell which ones of us are Christians, though, somehow. One Syrian man told me, 'It's easy to see that there is some difference.' He expressed gratitude, especially for the way followers of Jesus have helped him and others, and showed genuine compassion during their difficult journey."
Also, please take time in December to evaluate your church's giving to the World Evangelism Fund. Great programs like NCM cannot continue effectively without the strong base of missionaries and services supported by WEF. Last year, a few West Texas churches did not meet their WEF goal, which made it difficult for us as a district. Thanks so much to you who gave beyond your goal so that we could still contribute 100% from West Texas. This year, it is important for each church to strive to do its part. Present it to your people and give them the opportunity to be a part of this offering which directly impacts the mission of the worldwide church.
Blessings and Merry Christmas!
Cheryl Crouch
WT NMI President
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PENIEL SCHOOL OF MINISTRY LAUNCHES FALL CLASSES in NETWORK OF TEXAS CLASSROOMS
The Practice of Christian Ministry and Introduction to the Old Testament are now being taught in weekly classroom gatherings at web-connected churches in Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Harlingen, Midland, Lubbock, Amarillo, and Tyler. Check out our website at penielschoolofministry.org for online registration and complete information.
The West Texas, South Texas, Dallas, and Texas-Oklahoma Latin Districts of the Church of the Nazarene collaborated earlier in 2015 to create the Peniel School of Ministry. The rotation of classes at Peniel allows a student to complete educational requirements for ordination in as little as three years.
Peniel's fully qualified classes are ideal for ministry students who want the collegial environment and convenience of a nearby classroom. Eleven-week trimesters allow each class to meet just four hours once a week, with typical out-of-class preparation of about an hour a day. The Alliance relationship between the Texas districts and Nazarene Bible College makes it possible for Peniel students to complete 72 hours of an accredited BA degree with NBC at steeply discounted tuition.
SPANISH LANGUAGE CLASSES: Later in 2015 Peniel will launch its NBC-Alliance 24-class ordination track entirely in Spanish. Juan Vazquez-Pla, coordinator of Spanish language instruction for Peniel, will be instructor for Historia y Politica de la Iglesia del Nazareno in the winter trimester.
Peniel's network of video-connected Spanish-language live classrooms will be groundbreaking in USA/Canada. As in English, Spanish-language students who register their studies with Nazarene Bible College may receive degree credit.
AUDITING AVAILABLE: Peniel discounts audit registration for interested laypersons or ordained clergy looking to obtain CEUs or simply to sharpen their ministry skills.
THE TRADITION of PENIEL: Did you know that the Church of the Nazarene in Texas predates the October 1908 Pilot Point merger? Phineas F. Bresee preached a revival at Texas Holiness University in Peniel in the spring of 1908. Bresee issued an invitation for those present who wished to join the Church of the Nazarene, an invitation the entire faculty accepted, including THU President E. P. Ellyson. In fact, Ellyson would be elected General Superintendent that fall at Pilot Point. The first pastor of Peniel Church of the Nazarene was Mrs. E. P. Ellyson!
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District Funding the Mission Report
Our
District Treasurer, Dan Davisson, has prepared an updated District Funding the Mission Report. 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. You can view your church's current progress below or by clicking here.
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West Texas District
Calendar of events
2015-2016
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2015
December 27, 2015 - January 2, 2016
Commission Unto Mexico
2016
January 12-
Ministerial Credentials/Education Committees--Lubbock
January 14-
SNU Spring Semester Classes Begin
January 15-17-
Shepherds' Sabbath Retreat
January 19-
Ministerial Credentials/Education Boards--Fort Worth
February 20- Fort Worth Zone Talent & Quiz (Denton, Arrowhead, & Mid-Cities invited)
February 20- ALL Children's Zone Competitions - no later than the 20th
February 25-
Vision Conference/District Assembly Planning Session
February 18-20- SNU West Texas College Days
March 4-5-District Kids Fest & District Quiz at Lubbock First
March 7-
Pastor's Forum Sponsored by the RCPL at SNU
March 12-
Annual Pastor's Reports due
March 17-20-
Youth-A-Rama (Tentative)
March 19-
District Assembly Finance Committee Meeting
March 31 - April 3rd-
SNU Extravaganza
April 13-15-
Vision Conference/ District Assembly- Fort Worth
May 1-Early Bird Camper Registration by midnight
May 12-13, 2016-
SNU Board of Trustees
May 14, 2016-
Spring Commencement
June 1- Regular Rate Camper Registration by midnight
June 1-Counselor, Staff, & Intern registration by midnight
June 5-10- Family Camp at Camp Arrowhead
June 13-Regional Quiz at SNU
June 13-17
- Crave (Youth Camp)
June 15- Late Rate Camper Registration by midnight
June 27-July
1-Kids Camp
July 10-16- Encuentro Mission Trip
August 24-
SNU Fall Semester Classes Begin
September 1-Children's VBS / Summer Mission Offering due to General Treasurer
September 10- District Children's Council Meeting - Lubbock First
October 12-13- Youth Ministry Summit (Youth Leaders Conference)
November 10-11-
SNU Board of Trustees
November 11-12-
SNU Homecoming
December 10-
SNU Winter Commencement
December 27, 2016- January 3, 2017
- Commission Unto Mexico
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DECEMBER PASTORAL BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
12/23 Eugenio Chavez
12/26 Moises Marquez Jr.
12/27 Linda Lennon
12/28 Corey & Beth Ann Jones
12/28 Todd & Raquel Forrest
12/29 Charles Gibson
12/29 Larry Dunlap
12/29 Randy Anderson
JANUARY PASTORAL BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES
1/1 Elizabeth Gatkek
1/2 Amy Scarlett
1/3 Michael & Amy Scarlett
1/3 Rick & Julie Calvert
1/4 David Downs
1/4 Luz Reyes
1/4 Zachary Smithson
1/6 Sierra Kessell
1/9 Gerardo & Luz Reyes
1/9 Larry & Lori Dunlap
1/9 Randy & Joy Anderson
1/10 Alan McGuire
1/11 Julia Benn
1/11 Matthew Carte
1/12 Peggy Burnside
1/20 Emmanuel Gatkek
1/22 Lillie Smithson
1/27 Michael Davis
1/29 Avyn Jude Scarlett
1/29 David Kessell
1/29 Tonda Wallace
1/30 Pedro Cruz
1/31 Rick Calvert
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