Dear Pastor/Friends,

Susan and I pray that you and your families will have a very blessed and fruitful 2024. We enjoyed, so much, seeing our pastoral couples and families at the zone Christmas parties. I was able to make it to each of them this year, and Susan was able to make it to all but one. I think Susan and I drove around 4000 miles around the district (plus a couple of flights) in December. It was a real privilege for us.

Here are pictures of a few of the parties. I was reminded of what a precious and outstanding group of pastors and families we are blessed with on our district. We are truly grateful! I want to say a special thank you to the zone coordinators and others who organized and hosted the events.

We are certainly looking forward to seeing you at the Shepherd’s Sabbath in Abilene next weekend. I’m pleased to report that again this year we have booked our entire allotment of 70 rooms…and then some. Sometimes late registrations are allowed as the hotel releases additional rooms. You can attempt a late registration by calling or emailing the district office. Please join me in prayer for our speaker, Dr. Mark Lail, our praise team, and all of those assisting this year!

Next Tuesday, we will begin district license interviews in Amarillo, followed by licensing and ordination interviews the following week in Ft. Worth. Our outstanding district secretary, Pastor Zack Smithson, has collected the submitted applications, and we are ready to move forward. It appears that the Lord continues to bless us with outstanding district-licensed ministers, and with what is shaping up to be another wonderful group of ordination candidates. Please join me in prayer for each of these…and for our outstanding credentials and studies boards!

Congratulations are in order to our Big Spring congregation on the very successful election of their new pastor, Rev. Allen Dunlap. Allen, his wife Macy, who is a teacher, and their daughter, Amelia, are moving back to West Texas, taking the Big Spring pastorate. Most recently, Allen has served on staff with his dad, and our friend, Pastor Larry Dunlap, at a great church in the Baltimore, Maryland area. Before that, he served on our district at Amarillo Valleyview. Allen is a graduate of SNU and NTS. The Dunlaps will be moving to Big Spring in early February.

Pastors, as we move into the last two months of the church year, please take a few moments to CLICK HERE to view our updated reports regarding budget payments. It’s important that you take a moment to view this, as sometimes our numbers don’t match the local treasurer’s reports and pastors need to help make sure the data is correct. I want you to know how grateful I am for your attention to this important matter.

Finally, perhaps, you recall that at the last district assembly we announced our new partnership with Bible League International. This awesome organization has already benefited our ministry powerfully, gifting our congregations with multiple language Bibles and providing outstanding, free, ESL ministry training and curriculum throughout our district. You might recall that for many years, each of the churches in USA/Canada took an annual offering for the American Bible Society…but that ended denominationally several years ago. We were encouraged to considering supporting similar ministries…and now we are developing a great relationship with Bible League International! The Offering Sunday will be on January 28. You will be receiving promotional material at the Shepherd’s Sabbath and on the District Leaders’ Link. Let’s all participate in this great district-wide offering!

Finally, Man Camp is just around the corner. Our own Pastor CB Glidden will be the speaker this year. Please see the promotional just below this article to get your men preregistered.

For you and with you,

Pastor David Downs

Our bookkeeper, Griselda Sierra, has prepared the West Texas District 2023-2024 "Funding The Mission" report as of January 3, 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.

Shepherds’ Sabbath 2024

Schedule of Events

Friday, January 12

4:00 PM       Check-In / Registration (Lobby)

6:30 PM       Dinner (Esplanade Room)

8:00 PM       Opening Service with Dr. Mark Lail (Baja/Acapulco Room)

9:30 PM       Ice Cream Social

Saturday, January 13

7:30 AM       Full Breakfast (Fontana Room)

9:30 AM       Worship

11:00 AM     Free Time (Lunch on your own)

6:30 PM       Dinner (Esplanade Room)

8:00 PM       Worship

9:30 PM       Fellowship & Refreshments

Sunday, January 14

7:30 AM       Full Breakfast (Fontana Room)

9:30 AM       Worship

Holy Communion

12:00 PM     Check-out

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

Missionary Deputation availability next month. 

Missionary family, Dhariana and Esteban Murillo, will be on our district this February 4-18 speaking at a number of churches as part of their deputation schedule. You may remember Dhariana as our Vision Conference Speaker this past April. 

Below you will find the churches they are already scheduled at. If you would like to host them at your church, look at the days they will be in your area and let our District Deputation Coordinator, Pastor Steve Pettit, know so he can get you scheduled. Remember, though the point of deputation is to share what God is doing through their ministry while raising support to fund their work, it doesn't have to be a big service. The Murillo's would be happy to have community during their stay, and that may be a house church or just being hosted for dinner. Let's show them we love and support them well. 

You can reach Steve at pastorsteve@afn.church or 682-260-3334. 

Scheduled Churches:

--Beginning of Availability--



Sun AM, Feb 04, Arlington First Church

Wed PM, Feb 07, Wichita Falls Lakeview Church

Fri PM, Feb 09, Wichita Falls Cristo Vive Church

Sun AM, Feb 11, Amarillo Valley View Church

Sun PM (Available but Super Bowl Sunday).

Wed PM, Feb 14, Abilene First Combined Service

Sun AM, Feb 18, Denton Jesucristo Es El Camino

Sun PM, Feb 18, Bowie Church 

--End of Availability--

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

January 9                       Ministerial Credentials/Education Committee, Amarillo First

January 12-14                 Shepherds’ Sabbath, MCM Elegante – Abilene, TX

January 15-16                 Ministerial Credentials/Education Boards, Fort Worth Northside

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