Dear Pastor/Friends,

Thank you for your faithful service to Christ and His Church. Every day, it seems, I grow more appreciative of the challenges you face in the modern pastorate. Also, the joy of serving our Lord has never been greater…and the opportunities for creative service and evangelism (which go hand in hand) are amazing. I am looking forward to reading your written annual reports. This year, in line with the USA/Canada Regional Initiative, I am asking that, in your report, you share one or more ways that you and your church are blessing your community. Even reading about this will be a great blessing to me…and I might be calling on some of you to share with the entire assembly. 

Speaking for the Assembly, please remember to double- and triple-check your church's Funding the Mission report (CLICK HERE) to be sure that our giving statistics match those of your treasurer's. Pastors, I trust you to make every effort to finish the year strong regarding allocations and giving to others. You will be receiving an email this week from our district secretary with the instructions on how to submit your year-end-reports. Remember that this coming Sunday is the final Sunday of our church/financial/statistical year and that your year-end-reports are due on March 10th. Getting your reports in on time is especially important this year as we welcome a new district treasurer, Rev. Connie Lincecum, and a new district secretary, Rev. Premal Awasarmal. For more information regarding your APR and year-end-reports, you can also view the instructions below my article. 

We are saying farewell this month to our faithful district secretary, Reverend Zack Smithson, who is leaving Euless First Church after 14 years of outstanding pastoral service to take on pastoral duties in Kingfisher, Oklahoma. After serving for 18 years on the WT district, Zack, Corrie, and their precious kids will be very much missed. We wish them the very best in their new assignment.

We are so grateful for the efficient, sacrificial, and deeply committed work of our recently retired district treasurer/finance officer, Dan Davidson. With the addition of two large compassionate ministry centers and numerous multicultural New Starts on our district, the work of our treasurer had become increasingly difficult and sophisticated over the past decade. Dan has taken all of the developments in stride…with real professionalism! He is loved and appreciated by everyone who is associated with him. Over the past 13 years, he has become a highly valued friend and confidante to me. I praise God for this great colleague and friend!

I’m pleased to announce that Rev. Connie Lincecum has replaced Dan. Already, she has proven to be highly capable. She is seen here, seventh from the left, in this photo of one of our recent staff meetings. Dan snapped this picture of our staff. I’m so grateful for each of them. Shown from left to right are: Rev. Premal Awasarmal (our new district secretary), Rev. Vania Palacios (our office manager), Rev. Zack Smithson (Zack will soon begin his new pastorate in Kingfisher, Okla.), myself, Rev. Jose Palacios (Assistant to the DS for Hispanic Ministries), Rev. Connie Lincecum (our new treasurer/finance officer), and Mrs. Griselda Sierra (our district bookkeeper). We are all (I am especially) so blessed to have this dedicated team serving our district!

I'm very pleased to report that we have completed this year’s three-day schedule of credentials meetings, recommending to the district assembly 40 district licenses and six candidates for ordination on April 11, in Fort Worth. Pictured here are the combined Studies and Credentials Boards. We are grateful for their service. 

You can view other district assembly information by CLICKING HERE or viewing it in the body of the newsletter below. 

I’ve had the privilege of installing two new pastors on our district this past month. First, on January 21, Pastor Jose Palacios and I installed Rev. and Mrs. Abelardo Cerda at our Riverside Community Church in Fort Worth. Brother Cerda has been serving as their interim this past year. The people are very excited about his servant-leadership.

On March 4th, I joined with our Big Spring congregation as they welcomed their new pastor, Rev. Allen Dunlap, his wife, Macy, and their precious daughter, Amelia. The Dunlaps are returning to our district from the Baltimore, Maryland, area where they’ve served for the past several years. Before that, he was the associate pastor at Amarillo Valleyview. He is a graduate of SNU and NTS. 

Also, it was wonderful for Susan and me to visit our newest congregation, Ft. Worth Gospel (Burmese) Church of the Nazarene, which is led by Pastor and Mrs. Luri Thang. They are meeting on Sunday afternoons in our FW Northside Church building. I am very grateful to Northside pastor Lynn Nichols for graciously hosting this new congregation.

Pastor Thang was also the founding pastor of our Burmese congregation in Arlington. I have appointed a very sharp, locally licensed minister, Ah Hong Piltun Thang (pronounced “Tang”) to serve as their interim pastor as he prepares for his first district license. He is pictured here with his wife, Evonne, and their beautiful family. Brother Thang is the nephew of Pastor Luri Thang.  

While visiting our new Burmese congregation at Northside, I was able to spend a few moments with our Rio de Alabanza y Oración congregation lead by Alfredo and Candelaria Alvarado. Again, we are very thankful to Northside for their generosity regarding these two new churches. Incidentally, I’ve discovered over the years that a key to success when congregations are sharing the same building is regularly scheduled meals and worship together. I think, at least once per quarter is wonderful. 

Our hearts go out today to the family of retired Minister, Reverend Jerry Harrison, who went to be with the Lord on Monday, February, 19. He served in pastorates in Dodson and Weatherford from 1987-2011. I want to commend Pastor Randy Anderson who has ministered to Reverend Harrison and his family in recent months.

Thank you for your participation in our first-ever Bible League International district offering. I know that some churches have not yet sent their check, carefully marked, to the district office, or given through the app or website, but currently our total is approaching $7000! Thank you!

For you and with you,

Pastor David Downs

Greetings Pastors,

It is that time of year again as we wrap up another church year and enter another. I hope and pray this year has been a blessed year for you and your church. Although most things look different than what we are accustomed to, the Lord remains the same and He is so faithful. Attached in this email are links for the year end reports that are due in the district office, a link for your church highlight page for the district journal, and the link for the annual pastors’ report for the denomination.

If you have any questions, please reach out to me and I will be available to help you. If you are new to the district this year and don’t have access to your church’s annual pastors report, please call me at 817-897-3558 and we can get you set up so you can finish the report. 

Here are some details for the end of the year reports:

Once you click on the link above, please download and save the reports to your computer. Once saved on your computer, you will be able to type right into the fields that need to be filled out. Once you have filled the reports out (3 reports: certificate of election, associate application, deceased church members), save them again and then attach them in an email back to me at premal@westexnaz.org

Church directory pages: 

In that same Google link, you will find a folder with Church Pages. Please open that folder, find your church and click on that link. If your church is not listed, there is a blank form for new churches started this year. Once you click on your local church report, click on file and then download it at a word doc (that will give you access to edit it), save it as 2024 (Church Name) Church Directory Page.

Once saved, fill out the highlight section, change the picture if that’s not the picture you want to use, and update the church directory information on the bottom. Once completed, save again and attach in an email back to me.

Annual Pastors Report:

Go to https://apr.nazarene.org/ and log into your annual pastor's report and fill in as you have done in the past. Please don’t forget to do the USA/Canada Supplemental report at the end of your report. Again, if you don’t have access to your churches report, please call me and we will get you set up.

All Reports are due back to me by March 10 so we can finalize getting everything ready for District Assembly. Your quick response to these matters is crucial to the District Office as we prepare for our upcoming assembly. Let me know if you have any questions.

Blessings on you all,

Rev. Premal Awasarmal

WT - District Secretary

817-897-3558

premal@westexnaz.org

Our bookkeeper, Griselda Sierra, has prepared the West Texas District 2023-2024 "Funding The Mission" report as of February 8, 2024. 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.

PLEASE MAKE NOTE OF THE ADDRESS CHANGE FOR CHECKS MAILED TO THE GENERAL TREASURER'S OFFICE.

The Global Ministry Center has announced a new mailing address for receipt of checks and correspondence from local churches.

Continue to make checks payable to General Treasurer but mail to:

Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center

Attn: Donor Services

17001 Prairie Star Pkwy.

Lenexa, KS 66220-7900

BLAST 2024

March 1-2, 2024 at Lubbock First Church

The district website is being updated the next few days with all the details for this year's BLAST event. Click here to download the BLAST Church Leader's Packet to help you get started.

Questions?

Elaine Nauert - BLAST event director mselainen@att.net

Chriss Burke - District Quiz Director - thecburkes@att.net 

We hope to see you and your church families at this year's BLAST!



Jennifer

2024

February 23-25              Man Camp, Arrowhead Camp & Retreat Center

March 1-3                       Kids’ Fest, Lubbock First Church  

March 10                        Annual Pastor’s Reports Due

March 10                        Year-End NMI Reports Due

April 10-12                 Vision Conference and District Assembly, Generations Church