Dear Pastor/Friends,

First, I want to report to you about our sabbatical. Though I’ve advocated for many sabbaticals for our pastors, this was the first time we’ve ever been able to actually take one ourselves. It was wonderful! We are so very grateful for the time away…and I am excited about being back in the saddle. I do want to particularly thank our office staff and other district leaders who kept things running smoothly over the past two months. The photo in the upper corner of this article was taken during the last evening of our sabbatical. We had the joyous privilege of having all of our grandkids together! Also, we visited Korean congregations (including a North Korean Nazarene Church) in Los Angeles, attended the annual District Superintendents Conference in San Diego, and spent a week resting on the beach at Bolivar Peninsula, near Galveston.

We want to express our love and support for two of our pastoral families who are in transition. First, we congratulate Al and Carol Mixon who are retiring this month after 23 years of pastoral service in Dodson and 46 years of service in Nazarene ministry. What a blessing they have been to their people…and to our district family!

Also, Pastors Clint and Bridget Benn of Arlington First Church announced this past Sunday that they have accepted an election as co-pastors of the Bethel Church of the Nazarene in Spokane Washington. Bridget and Clint just completed their eighth year at Arlington First Church, and we have all come to appreciate and love them deeply. We wish them the very best in this next exciting chapter of their ministry.

Please join me in prayer for these two congregations, along with Denver City, as they seek the Lord’s direction for new pastoral leadership.

I want to express special thanks to the Work and Witness group led by Lee Lennon (we call them “Lee’s Bees”) who recently assisted with a powerful renovation project of the new building being used for compassionate ministry to the homeless people of Amarillo, under the ministry of Pastor Shawn Fouts and our Intersection Community congregation. Pastor Fouts wrote, “On September 21, Lee Lennon and his team landed at Intersection Community Church. From the time the team landed and hit the ground, they were making an immediate impact on a building that was once condemned. Endless, tireless hours coupled with skill sets provided by Jesus, this team started a renovation of a building that simply would have taken us months to accomplish.”

We want to welcome professional Christian counselor, Barbara Wallis, to our Pastors’ Family Safety Network team. Counselor Wallis is a veteran Nazarene pastor’s spouse, living in Ohio, after serving many years in Texas, where she still maintains her counseling license. We are pleased to add her to the list of counselors in the Nazarene Pastors’ safety network, and I am pleased to commend her to you. She would be available for Zoom counseling sessions and can be contacted by phone at 330-401-8039. To learn more about the Nazarene Pastors' Safety Network you can view and download the flyer below. 

Finally…can you believe that the church statistical/financial year is already half over? God has blessed us all in so many different ways. We are grateful! Pastors, please take a moment and CLICK HERE to be sure that your records match ours and the GMC’s regarding your generous giving for others.

For you and with you,

Pastor David Downs

Dear Pastors and Children’s Ministry Leaders,

The Board of General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene has made a formal statement regarding our policy regarding sexual misconduct. “The Church of the Nazarene has adopted a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior with minors. All workers, leaders, and pastoral staff are to be above reproach in their conduct and to act in the best interest of others. This requires not only that they themselves refrain from engaging in any abusive or suspicious behavior involving minors; they will also be required to report without delay to the proper authorities anyone seen engaging in such behavior.” The Board of General Superintendents (statement from M11 conference in Louisville)

The West Texas Children and Youth Ministries partner with MinistrySafe for our online sexual abuse training. MinistrySafe is a tool to help churches begin the process of protecting the children and youth in their ministries. The West Texas Ministry Safe Training Team (MST) will be working with each church on the district that ministers to children to begin (or update) this process at their local church.

We will be taking the following approach.

Step 1 – Every Senior/Lead Pastor communicates with the West Texas Ministry Safe Training Team (MST) a list of pastoral staff, leaders, or volunteers who minister with children or youth (18 years of age or younger). All Senior/Lead Pastors are required to complete the training regardless if they directly minister to children/youth or not.

• Provide First/Last Name, working email, preferred language, and identify if Sexual Abuse Awareness Training (AWT) or Skillful Screening Training (SS) is required.
• Please note, Skillful Screening is required for all senior/lead pastors and anyone who screens/hires/fires staff or volunteers who will be ministering to children/youth.
• 
  

Step 2 – The MST will send a training email to each person’s email provided from Step 1. This email will include a link for each individual to complete the training. If there are individuals who do not have a working email, the senior pastor (or delegate) can contact the MST to discuss an alternative approach for training.

Step 3 – Each individual will open the link provided (open the link only once). They are to watch all seven videos and then complete the online quiz. This will take approximately one hour to complete the entire process for Sexual Abuse Awareness Training. (Senior Pastors are provided a separate link to complete the Skillful Screening Training).

Step 4 – The MinistrySafe system will notify the MST that the training is completed. The Team will update records and notify West Texas Kids Treasurer to initiate payment from local churches.

Step 5 – West Texas Kids Treasurer, Candace Clem ([email protected]), will coordinate with each local church to pay for the training. (Training costs $5 per MinistrySafe Awareness Training; $50 for Skillful Screening Training).

The MST is prepared to work with you as you conduct this process on the local level. See team contact information:

Mary Brewer - 817-915-5034 [email protected] Zones: Fort Worth, Lamesa, Metro Mid-Cities, Wichita Falls

Connie Lincecum - 817-240-4474 [email protected] Zones: Abilene, Amarillo, Arrowhead, Denton, High Plains, Lubbock



Jennifer Sommers – 817-919-8078 [email protected]

Regards,

Jennifer Sommers

West Texas District Children’s Director

Our district bookkeeper, Griselda Sierra, has prepared the West Texas District 2022-2023 "Funding The Mission" report as of October 5, 2022. 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.

Your West Texas Children’s Council met on September 10th. Below are the notes and other documents that we updated during that meeting. Please look these over as you prepare your church and its families for this year’s district events.

You’re invited to join us…

Are you looking for an opportunity to be in the Word with like-minded ministry people who serve in ministry to children and families? Need some accountability in your walk with Jesus? Need a safe place? Come and join our WTX Children’s Ministry Team as we take our next step on the Journey! Details in the WTX Journey attachment below.

Praying you have a great week!

Jennifer

WTX Kids Director

Hello West Texas!

We are nearing our first deadline to get registered for Nazarene Youth Conference 2023 in Tampa Bay!!!

Cost of trip: $1750 by October 15th ($1850 October 16th - January 15th)

October 15th - early bird registration deadline with a $150 payment made towards the trip.

$650 must be paid by January 15th, 2023 as well as registration closes after this date.

Trip paid in full by May 15th, 2023

If you have any questions please contact your Youth Pastor/Leader and then contact either Kelsea or I if y’all need anything else!

Thank you kindly, 

Kelsea Gale Beville

Communication Director | Graphic Designer

Lubbock FCN

6110 Chicago Ave.

Lubbock, TX 79424

(806) 794-1675

[email protected]

and 

Michael Preston

West Texas NYI President | Youth Pastor

Lantana Community Church

2200 E Jeter Rd.

Bartonville, TX 76226

469-316-8549

[email protected]

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has announced a newly assigned offering to assist with the devastation caused by Hurricane Ian.

Individuals can give online at:  https://give.ncm.org/category/project-types/all-projects/140017

If churches prefer to donate by check, they can make the checks payable to General Treasurer, note for NCM Project #140017, and mail to:

 GLOBAL TREASURY SERVICES CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE              P O BOX 843116                                                                                           KANSAS CITY MO 64184-3116

This November, from the 21st until the 29th, we are joining once again with a number of other organizations in the Panhandle to raise funds through the Panhandle Gives. This campaign is centered around Giving Tuesday which is November 29th. Last year, you, our friends, and a host of your friends, helped CNMC raise nearly $40,000! This year, we would like to reach our goal of $100,000! This amount will enable us to continue the ministries currently offered though the wonderful staff we have and will have but also, help us to grow and expand the CNMC ministry to help meet even more people's needs in 2023.

Another way you can partner with us during the campaign is to become a fundraising hero yourself; you can have your own fundraising page on the Panhandle Gives website with CNMC and direct all of your friends and acquaintances to your page to give to the ministry of CNMC. If you, as a Peer to Peer fundraising hero for CNMC, raise the most money for the campaign there is a special prize from CNMC. If you are interested in in helping CNMC as a fundraising hero, please contact Phil Anderson at [email protected] to get you signed up.

Also, would you consider praying specifically about what God would have you give to CNMC this November and donate through the Panhandle Gives? The more we raise, the more we receive through the Amplification Fund. Money donated to the Panhandle Gives Amplification Fund is distributed to organizations by percentage of total money they raise over $250. Every dollar helps us reach our goal!

The ministry really needs a very good to good midsize 4 door travel car, such as a Hyundai, Kia, Toyota etc. This car would be used for travel back and forth to the bank in Dumas and meetings in Amarillo and the West Texas District. We would also use it to deliver Meals on Wheels have it available for interns, and other in-town ministries in which walking is not an option. Right now, most of us use our own vehicles to run errands and do ministry for CNMC. This car would be a great blessing to help staff not have to use their own vehicles or drive the large 15 passenger vans we have for teams.

If you are willing to donate for a car, just earmark your donation ‘car’. If you have a car that you would like to donate that is reliable and fits our needs, please call Rev. Olbin Visagie through our office number: 806-421-0160. 

Pastors Alli and Olbin Visagie are available to speak in churches (virtually or in person) to share their missions story. 

You may contact them by calling Cactus Ministry Center at 806-421-0160 or email them directly.  

[email protected]

[email protected]

LANTANA COMMUNITY

CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE INVITES YOU