WEST TEXAS DISTRICT NEWSLETTER
October 31, 2019
Dear Pastor/Friends,

It was wonderful to see many of you at the Awakening in Arlington last week! I want to commend Pastor Corey Jones and the Crossroads Tabernacle staff for their hard work and faithfulness in hosting this event each year! They are always so gracious and efficient! Incidentally, I want to congratulate Pastor Jones on the
Corey and Beth Ann Jones
outstanding pastoral review he received from his board in September. He and Beth  Ann have completed 23 years at Crossroads!
Allen and LeAnn Hughes
Pastor Allen Hughes of Wichita Falls First also had a wonderful pastoral review in early October. It was a blessing to meet with Allen's board as they tearfully recounted the faithfulness and love of their pastor and his wife, LeAnna. They have served wonderfully in Wichita Falls since 2005!
 
Kochersperger Family
Congratulations, also, to Amarillo North Beacon on the unanimous election of their new Pastor, Rev.  Steve Kochersperger. Pastor Steve, his wife Mary and their family will be moving to Amarillo in December from Evansville, IN . We are very excited about having the Kocherspergers as a part of our WT district family!
 
      Paul and Esther Lee
I met recently with Pastor Paul Lee, of our Antioch Korean congregation and learned of the wonderful work he and his wife Ester are doing in Carrolton where they are planting the Watered Garden
C hurch of the Nazarene, which meets in Carrolton First Church. They are reaching out to the large  Korean population in the area through computer classes, martial arts, and art classes. Ester is meeting weekly with a women's Bible study she is teaching among her coworkers. I am very proud of the Lees! We are so honored to serve the Lord with them! 

It was a blessing to host newly licensed ministers at our annual "Discovery Weekend" in Abilene this past week . This annual event guides recipients of district ministers licenses through the licensure/ordination process and focuses on their giftedness using Strength Finders. Each year we have the privilege of having Dr. Linda Cantwell of SNU as our resource person. Pictured here with Dr. Cantwell are this year's female participants.  Special thanks to Pastor Earl Robertson who has been the primary organizer of this powerful annual event.

It's time to begin registering for this year 's Shepherds ' Sabbath with Dr. and Mrs . Fili Chambo. Please see the flyer below for registration information.
 
Please take a moment to read the Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center article below.  Next weekend is Bundle Up
Dr. Robert Broadbooks
Cactus/District W&W weekend at CNMC. We are delighted about the leadership of new co-directors, Phil and Denise Anderson.  Incidentally, CNMC recently received a $15,000 grant from SDMI for after school children's programming. The  beauty of this grant is that the funding came from the 2017 denominational summer children's offering. Our district led the denomination in this offering that year, as I recall. Incidentally, the USA/Canada region has been extremely generous with the WT district over the past eight years that I've been our superintendent, contributing over $350,000 in church planting grants, Alabaster grants, and other gifts!  We are extremely grateful.  I have invited regional director, Dr. Robert Broadbooks to attend the upcoming district assembly so we can express our gratitude personally. 
 
Thank you to Pastors Greg and Lori Key and Ft. Worth Renewed Life Church for their offer to host Pastor Michael Gatkek and the new Mid-Cities United African Church of the Nazarene.  I had the privilege of worshipping with RN two weeks ago as they welcomed Pastor Gatkek and their core group.  They will launch the new work in December! Also, Michael is spending one week monthly in Arizona, where he is planting two new churches.  He is pictured here with a one of his African partners in Phoenix and Arizona DS, Dr. Doug Pierce.
 
I had the privilege of meeting with our lead pastors from the Amarillo zone on October 1st. This is an awesome group! Several of the most dynamic and powerful ministries I know of taking place in the western panhandle. It is an honor to be associated with this great group. Susan and I are looking forward to being with them again on Dec. 13 for their Christmas gathering. We are also scheduled to be with the High Plaines zone on Dec. 14, Lamesa zone on Dec. 3 rd , and Lubbock zone on Dec. 4th.
Finally, we are almost 3/4 of the way through our church year.  Pastors, please double check the updated Funding the Mission report provided by our finance officer, Dan Davisson to make sure it is correct. It is important that each pastor make every effort to lead his or her church in this important responsibility.

For you and with you,



Pastors David Downs
 


DISTRICT MINISTRIES


Dear Pastors, 

If there are new local ministers in your church planning to apply for a district license please contact:

Rev. Earl Robertson
erobertson@juno.com
540-312-4500


Our district treasurer, Dan Davisson, has prepared the West Texas District 2019-2020 "Funding The Mission" report as of October 31, 2019. 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. Click here to download the report.




 

THE WELL HEALTH CENTER
 
News from Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center 
 
Sa Be, a refugee mother of 3 legally came to the US after her husband was slain and his body never recovered.  Her application for citizenship was denied on three different occasions, one time because in her photo she wore a khimar.   Another time she was denied,  because she didn't have proof of birth.  This is a common problem with people who have been living in refugee camps, because they don't have a courthouse to issue birth certificates.  The final denial was because she didn't have proof of her husband's death.  CNMC Immigration Office assisted with all of these issues and today, Sa Be and her three children are all United States Citizens.  This week, she called the office to ask if she could take the CNMC office staff out to lunch in recognition of their support and help.  
 
How can you help?  Many persons come into the centre for help and even though our fees are nominal in regards to immigration, do not have the resources to pay the Center's services.  It is our desire to help persons in situations like Sa Be and her three children.  You can help by supporting CNMC financially.  
  • A gift of $220 can cover CNMC costs to help one person apply for citizenship.  
  • $1200/monthly would hire a part time worker to enable Immigration Services to assist more people seeking a green card or citizenship. 
 
Other ways to support CNMC/The Well Health Center:
  • Financial support of $2500 to pay the temporary Medical Receptionist. Debi Schmidt, our regular receptionist, will be on medical leave in November and December.  
  • Please pray for Debi's back surgery and healing.  
  • Financial support for The Well Health Clinic to continue paying our Medical Receptionist upon return n January. 
  • Become a volunteer:  We currently need someone to coordinate the work of Ministry Teams (Work & Witness) and there is a desperate need for someone to plant an English Multicultural Church. 
  • Please pray for, and consider how, the Lord would lead you to give to Cactus Nazarene Ministry Center as we strive to build the Kingdom of God through the ministry of compassion in Cactus Texas.    
 


 
NMI




NCM 2019 Christmas Project

This Christmas, you can help empower women and create opportunities for hope. In Liberia, only 17 percent of girls receive secondary-level schooling, and 36 percent are married before they turn 18. Churches of the Nazarene in Liberia have joined together to create the Empowering Women With Dignity project to offer another option with dignity. For more information, visit.  www.ncm.org/christmas.

NYI






 

SDMI


 
CALENDAR
November
Thanksgiving Offering due for the WEF
November
Coats for Cactus
November 2
Camp Board Meeting, Arrowhead Camp
November 6-10
West Texas Work and Witness Trip to Cactus
November 7-8
SNU Board of Trustees Meetings, SNU
December 3
District License Application Packets Due
December 7
SNU Winter Commencement
Dec. 27-Jan.2
Commission to Mexico (Chihuahua)
January 7
Ministerial Credentials/Education Committee, Amarillo First
January 10-12
Shepherds' Sabbath, Abilene, TX
January 13-14
Ministerial Credentials/Education Boards, Fort Worth Northside
January 24-25
NMI District Council Planning Retreat, Arrowhead Camp
February
Alabaster Offering to General Treasury
February 7-9
Brighter Girls Conference, Lubbock, TX
February 23-29
Nazarene World Week of Prayer
February 27-29
Regional Children's Leaders Training, Camp Bond-Oklahoma
February 26
Vision Conference & District Assembly Planning Session
February 27
District Nominating Committee Meeting
 
 


11/1 Carol Mixon
11/4 Jimmye Cole
11/4 Tony Jang
11/6 Danny & Dreanna Dyer
11/9 Kathleen Baskett
11/10 Lawrence & Deborah Gulley
11/10 Zoey Fredlund
11/10 Alvin & Melissa Newton
11/11 Phil & Martha Patalano
11/11 Nathan Awasarmal
11/12 Deborah Gulley
11/12 Jim Knisley
11/13 Phillip Griffin
11/13 Han Lih Thang
11/14 Terry & Sandra Porter
11/14 Tiffany Frazier
11/16 Harvey Baskett
11/17 Shawn & Rochelle Fouts
11/20 Brycin Newton
11/25 Blanca Perez
11/26 Steve Swanson
11/28 Jim Graham
11/29 Lynn Nichols
 


RESOURCES
Click on the links below to download district resources.