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My heart has been warmed as I've heard of the congregational responses around the district to the recent events in Dallas, Louisiana, and Minnesota. Many of our churches are engaged in racial reconciliation. One of our metro-area pastors, Lynn Nichols of FW Northside, shared with me that, as he was praying in the sanctuary on Monday morning, the Lord very clearly spoke to his spirit, asking him to go to the nearest police station and offer to pray for the officers. He obeyed, and was able to meet with the police chief of the Watauga force and pray with him and several of the others who were there. He was able to open up lines for future support and ministry.
In Abilene, Pastor Dave Kessell, at First Church, felt led to take up a special offering for their police department. On Sunday evening, he and a large group of his people visited the police station to deliver snacks and other expressions of support... and to pray for them (left and below pictures). I know that it meant a great deal to the men and women in blue.
Finally, due to Susan's eye surgery, I stayed home with her on Sunday morning and we watched, together, the live feed of the worship service at Crossroads Tabernacle, where pastor Corey Jones preached a stirring message of peace and reconciliation to his predominately African-American congregation. Afterwards, one his precious parishioners, an older woman, came to him in tears and said, "Thank you, Pastor. I know that black lives matter to you."
Regarding Susan's surgery, at her most recent visit with the surgeon he indicated that he expects that within the next month or so she will regain sight in her right eye. We are so very grateful! We have received so many expression of kindness and support (including great meals brought by several of our metro-area pastors!). Susan cannot drive for some time... and cannot fly for several months, so, very regrettably we have had to back out of the Pastors' Work and Witness trip to Dominica next week. Certainly, we will be praying for this great group of pastors and their families as they spend ten days in Dominica with our WT missionaries, Steve and Amanda Pettit. Special thanks to Pastor Larry Dunlap, group coordinator.
I am very pleased to announce that Pastor Jack and Jeanene Smith have accepted the pastorate of our Prairie Point congregation. I think this is going to be a great fit. We welcome Jack (who has been retired for a few years) back into the pastoral saddle. They will keep their home in Frisco and live 3-4 days per week in the Prairie Point parsonage. I know their new congregation is very excited about the Smiths!
We've been receiving great reports from our NYI president, Gary Young, and teens who are involved with the Encuentro W&W ministry in Puerto Rico. We have 59 West Texas participants! We are proud of our group and grateful for their great sponsors who support them!
I want to congratulate Pastor David Kessell of Abilene First on a fantastic two-year church board/pastoral review. As was expected, the board was unanimous and enthusiastic in their support of David and Kathy. He snapped this selfie of the group just after the meeting.
Finally, I want to give you good news regarding our African District Licensed Minister who was virtually trapped in the middle of violent civil/tribal conflict in the capital city of South Sudan last week. You read about him in a Leaders Link prayer request we sent out. I am very pleased to report that, even though he is still there, trying to catch a flight out, we have located him and he reports that he is safe. Please continue to lift him, and all of our South Sudanese brothers and sisters in your prayers. Virtually all of our West Texas South Sudanese Nazarenes have family members, including wives and children, still living there.
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IN THIS ISSUE:
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Discovery Weekend - A Ministry-Equipping Weekend
October 28-29, 2016
This is a special weekend for first-time licensed ministers. They will explore their strengths for ministry through our affiliation with Nazarene Strengths Institute. Also, practical information will be given to equip them in the process toward Ordination and ministry in general.
For information contact:
Earl Robertson, our Asst. District Superintendent
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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.
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Dear Pastors and NMI Leaders,
If you haven't already, order soon. Go to the following links for specific education materials -
adult curriculum,
adult books,
children's curriculum, and
children's books. The International Mission Education Journal, a version of the adult and children's curricula in global English and translated into other languages and dialects, is available
here.
Fast Fact. NMI partnered with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries to give more than US $9.19 million for disaster response and compassion projects around the world in 2015.
Deputation. July is another busy month for deputation in West Texas! Note changes:
July 17 am- Denton Willowwood hosts the Riggins
pm- Denton Hope Community hosts the Riggins
July 18, 19 - Open
July 20 -Burkburnett New Hope, WF First/ WF Cristo Vive/ WF Lakeview host the Riggins
West Texans on the Field - THREE of our West Texas Mission teams are out or headed out soon! Pray for them!
July 10-16 -
Encuentro Mission Trip;
July 18-25 -
Pastors' Work & Witness Trip to Dominica;
July 28-Aug 7 -
NMI W&W Trip for Refugee Relief, Croatia & Serbia.
West Texan Called -
Tyler Parson, son of our Hamlin pastor, will leave the US next year to serve in the Philippines through 365m, a Nazarene training program. Please consider supporting him through prayer, financial gifts, and opportunities to speak in your churches.
International Ministry, Bible Schools, and Seminaries
July is a great month to pray for "our" 2 classes of pastors from India! We have 12 graduates in Mid-Maharashtra and 13 graduates in Simla. West Texans sponsored their education and we want to continue to pray for them as they serve throughout their country!
July:
Mail District Work & Witness Offering to District NMI Treasurer
Rev. Zack Smithson
500 Live Oak, Euless, TX 76040
SEPTEMBER DEPUTATION
Liliana Reza had to cancel her tour. Our own
Steve and Amanda Pettit, West Texans serving in Dominica, have agreed to fill each English speaking church from Liliana's tour! Your day and time will stay the same, but your speakers will now be the Pettits. Our own
Vito and Jenni Monteblanco, West Texans serving in Cactus, Texas, will fill all the Spanish speaking churches! Your day and time will stay the same, but your speakers will now be the Monteblancos.
Children's Offering Project is "Power" and will focus on getting God's Word into the hands, hearts and minds of kids around the world. Google "Kids Reaching Kids Nazarene" for information and promotional materials. The offering is
DUE on September 1. It is the general church project, and our whole district is participating in it. (We were number one in the world for the children's offering AGAIN last year! Thank you for your generosity!) Make checks payable to "General Treasurer" and mark with "Children's KRK Offering", your church name, church year, and West Texas. Mail to:
GLOBAL TREASURY SERVICES
P.O. BOX 843116
KANSAS CITY, MO 64184
Thanks for your faithful, beautiful lives and your service.
Blessings,
Cheryl Crouch
WT NMI President
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Urban Encounter is a ministry of Crossroads Compassionate Ministries, an outreach of Crossroads Tabernacle, designed to coordinate Urban ministries in the inner city of Ft. Worth, Texas. UE is under the leadership of Rev. Corey Jones and the people at Crossroads Tabernacle. The dream for UE grew out of a desperate desire to reach out and show God's love to children and their families in low-income housing and government projects.
In the summer of 1999, the first youth groups were called and began urban mission trips in the city. Crossroads Compassionate Ministries continues to host many youth groups each summer and gives them opportunities to have life changing experiences! This summer, we are excited to be hosting youth groups from around the country with over 6 different states represented. The ages of the participants range from 11 years old to 71 years young!
This year our purpose is to lead everyone who comes on this mission trip into a personal encounter with a very living GOD by practicing hearing His voice and discerning truth, first for themselves and then for the city around them. We practice listening and then praying with our community and will be in at least 15 different low income apartments this summer. Our bus was filled Sunday with the fruit of this ministry!!
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Last summer we ended our Urban Encounter with a backpack outreach to our surrounding community. We had many divine encounters. We gave away over 500 backpacks at the local YMCA, a local elementary school as well as at our church. One of the many testimonies from this event is from a young lady who came up to Pastor Corey in tears and asked if he would pray with her. She shared that she had just gotten out of a very abusive relationship and then discovered she was a few months pregnant. She also confessed that she had contemplated ending the pregnancy. Pastor Corey and a few of the ladies from Crossroads gathered around her and prayed. Today, she has a beautiful little baby girl named Gabriel Freedom!!! We are looking forward to ending this summer with many more divine encounters just like this one!
Judy Fraustro
Crossroads Tabernacle
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West Texas District
2016 Calendar of Events
July 10-16
- Encuentro Mission Trip
July 17-21
- Scot & Jill
Riggins on Deputation
July 18-25 - Pastors' Work & Witness Trip to Dominica
July 21-23 - WOW (Women of Worth) Treasured Retreat
July 27-Aug 1 - African-American Conference, Orlando, FL
July 28-Aug 7 - NMI W&W Trip for Refugee Relief, Croatia & Serbia
September - Alabaster Offering to Global Treasury Services
September 1 - Children's VBS / Summer Mission Offering due
September 1 -
LINKS Offering due
September 7-26 - Steve & Amanda Pettit on Deputation
September 9 - Naz Night at Six Flags Over Texas
September 10 - District Children's Council Meeting - Lubbock First
October 10 - Pastor's Forum at SNU
October 12-13 - Youth Ministry Summit
October 15 - Camp Arrowhead Board of Directors Meeting
October 28-29
- Discovery Weekend
November - Thanksgiving Offering to World Evangelism Fund
November 9-11 - SNU Board of Trustees
December 10 -
SNU Winter Commencement
December 27, 2016 - January 3, 2017
- Commission Unto Mexico
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Upcoming July Parsonage Families Birthdays/Anniversaries
7/15 John Lewis
7/15 Phil Patalano
7/17 Felix Torres
7/17 Bridget Benn
7/18 Greg & Debra Johnson
7/20 Ismael Mora
7/21 Sabbatha Taylor
7/21 Tom & Doris McNutt
7/22 Alex Marcoe
7/22 Jim & Patsy Graham
7/23 Burnie Burnside
7/23 Olivia Monteblanco
7/24 Mark Banda
7/25 Sophia Boice
7/26 Al Mixon
7/27 Julian Corpus
7/28 Ronda Menefee
7/30 Audrey Derbyshire
7/30 Ted Taylor
7/31 Harvey & Kathy Baskett
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