Dr. Larry W. Leonard District Superintendent

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Dr. Larry W. Leonard District Superintendent lwleonard@midsouthnaz.org 2016 THE BIBLICAL ENDORSEMENT FOR SABBATICAL Sabbaticals have a long history.

For centuries sabbaticals have been a part of the tradition in academia and many churches. Tenured professors and clergy have been granted sabbatical leave for renewal.

1 Dr. Larry W. Leonard District Superintendent 2016 THE BIBLICAL ENDORSEMENT FOR SABBATICAL Sabbaticals have a long history. In biblical times, sabbatical years occurred every seventh year. For that whole year there was no cultivation, people and fields rested and rejuvenated. For centuries sabbaticals have been a part of the tradition in academia and many churches. Tenured professors and clergy have been granted sabbatical leave for renewal. According to the periodical, The Sabbatical Coach, Part of the reason that sabbaticals have such an enduring appeal is that they offer people a chance to be themselves rather than their work roles (e.g. a doctor or a lawyer). This stepping outside one of our most insidious false identifications (the mistaken belief that I am my job) gives access to immense personal freedom and renewal. In fact the freedom to explore beyond the bounds of our normal routine is often essential if we are to connect deeply with ourselves and our vision for what is next in life. The practice of sabbatical has entered the commercial world in the past 50 years, with major employers such as IBM, Intel, Microsoft, Goldman Sachs, McDonalds, Xerox, Nike, Wells Fargo and American Express offering sabbatical leave programs. Over the past 41 years I have served as a minister in the Church of The Nazarene. I had never been offered a sabbatical. Last April, the District Advisory Board recognized that I had been district superintendent for 7 years and they offered me a sabbatical of 8 weeks. Having requested of our churches that they give their pastors a sabbatical, and having urged the pastors to accept sabbaticals I was grateful to be given this opportunity. Beginning March 6, 2016 I will exercise the great discipline required and be away from all district responsibilities until May 6, This district article is a product of work prior to sabbatical in order to be prepared for this time away. Plans have been made, calendars adjusted, and schedules considered for the district to continue without problem. Pastor Jeff Sexton, assistant district superintendent, will give guidance to the district. As you all know, Jeff is exceptionally qualified to fulfill this role. In addition, our Mission Area Coordinators are ready to assist churches where the need exists. I love this district! It is my true joy to serve you. When I return I am sure I will have restored and renewed and will have a new vision for the future of the district. Thank you to the DAB and the district for your love and concern for my spiritual, emotional, and physical health. I look forward to the years ahead.

2 MEN S RETREAT: Titles and Testimonies Friday, March 18 Saturday, March 19 Camp Garner Creek Retreat Center, 700 Sam Hollow Rd., Dickson TN Please forward any questions to: John Meeks, MidSouth District Men s Leader (931) ; johnmeeks32@gmail.com PRIME TIME RETREAT APRIL 4~6 Speaker: Dr. James Diehl, General Superintendent Emeritus Camp Garner Creek Retreat Center 700 Sam Hollow Rd., Dickson TN Please forward any questions to: Sharron Shands (615) ; sashands1963@gmail.com DISTRICT ASSEMBLY MAY 29~30 AND NMI CONVENTION MAY 31 Camp Garner Creek Retreat Center 700 Sam Hollow Rd., Dickson TN (Service schedule and details will be available soon.) FAMILY CAMP MAY 31 ~ JUNE 5 Evangelists: Dr. Michael Benson and Dr. David Busic Special Music: Tony and Abby McCrary Camp Garner Creek Retreat Center 700 Sam Hollow Rd., Dickson TN (Service schedule and details will be available soon.)

Mrs. Mary Friedeman NMI President friedy@bellsouth.

February 27, at DaySpring Community Church, with 65 in attendance.

helping participants experience life and ministry in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

the gospel, and had an up-close-and-personal visit with missionaries Stéphane and

Stéphane is field strategy coordinator for the Africa Central Field, which includes

NMI: Nazarene Missions International The Tibis toured the Coastal and Capitol mission

Their heart for ministry was a blessing to all who met them.

Map, an innovative tool he has developed for teaching the Nazarene Articles of Faith.

SOUTH ASIA PARTNERSHIP MEETING Date: April 1-2 Place: Camp Garner Creek, Dickson, TN

3 Mrs. Mary Friedeman NMI President KIDS MISSION JAMBOREE The first MidSouth KidsJam of 2016 took place Saturday, February 27, at DaySpring Community Church, with 65 in attendance. Children s Mission Coordinator Rhonda Boone and her team did a fantastic job of helping participants experience life and ministry in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The children sampled chakrey and fried plantains, played Congolese games, and crafted their own safari vests. They visited a medical clinic, discovered how the Jesus Film is being used to spread the gospel, and had an up-close-and-personal visit with missionaries Stéphane and Sandra Tibi. Stéphane is field strategy coordinator for the Africa Central Field, which includes the DRC. Below are some pictures from the event. NMI: Nazarene Missions International The Tibis toured the Coastal and Capitol mission areas February 25-March 6. Their heart for ministry was a blessing to all who met them. At Improve Your Serve, Stéphane presented a workshop on The Articles of Faith Study Map, an innovative tool he has developed for teaching the Nazarene Articles of Faith. God is doing exciting things in central Africa! SOUTH ASIA PARTNERSHIP MEETING Date: April 1-2 Place: Camp Garner Creek, Dickson, TN Cost: $47 (lodging), $24 (3 meals) The meetings will start at 5:00 p.m. on Friday and conclude by early afternoon Saturday. This event provides a wonderful opportunity to hear ministry reports from national leaders and from the field strategy coordinator; engage in prayer for South Asia; and learn about partnership through Compassion 575, Work and Witness, and other avenues of involvement. For more information, contact Ted Diehr at diehrte@bp.com.

Rev. Jason Underwood NYI President jason@gccnaz.

I am sure that many of your students are counting down the days until they can escape the school halls in search of

Plans have been underway for some time for these events but as they grow closer I am anticipating the spirit of the Lord

TNT@TNU We are preparing to invade Trevecca Nazarene University April 7th-10th.

This will be where you receive registration directions, hotel room keys, MidSouth swag and more.

Who: Middle School Camp ~ Completed 6-8th grades High School Camp ~ Completed 9-12th grades When: High School ~ June

4 Rev. Jason Underwood NYI President We are about to enter into the busiest and most exciting time in youth ministry spring/summer. I am sure that many of your students are counting down the days until they can escape the school halls in search of warms days, sleeping in, and of course a wildly busy church schedule. Plans have been underway for some time for these events but as they grow closer I am anticipating the spirit of the Lord renewing us together daily. Stay connected and informed for all the details about MidSouth this spring and summer. TNT@TNU We are preparing to invade Trevecca Nazarene University April 7th-10th. We will gather for our MidSouth pre-party in the MidSouth tent April 7th from 5:30-6:30. This will be where you receive registration directions, hotel room keys, MidSouth swag and more. If you have questions about the event you can info@midsouthnyi.com. Who: Middle School Camp ~ Completed 6-8th grades High School Camp ~ Completed 9-12th grades When: High School ~ June 6-10; Middle School ~ June Where: Camp Garner Creek, 700 Sam Hollow Road, Dickson, TN Camp forms and zip line releases may be found at I love you and there s nothing you can do about it! NYI: Nazarene Youth International Stay up to date with us here: The fiscal church year end is March 31! Please check your budget allocation payments to make sure your church will reach 100% giving in each area.

5 Attendance Report for February Capital Mission Area SS AM Bread of Life Community...NR... NR BridgePoint Brookhaven First...NR... NR Crystal Springs DaySpring Community Hazelhurst Hillside Community Meridian Fitkins Memorial Meridian Northside New Beginnings Christian One Accord Community Quitman...NR... NR Vicksburg First Vicksburg Hispanic Clarksville Mission Area Camden Clarksville First Clarksville Grace Clarksville Hope Riders Biker Clarksville Korean Clarksville Park Lane Dickson Lighthouse Dover Erin Fulton Gray s Chapel Griffin s Chapel Jason Chapel Long Creek Paris Pine Hill Waverly Woodlawn Community Costal Mission Area Crossroads Gloster Gulf Coast Family Gulfport Hattiesburg First...NR... NR Iglesia Taller del Maestro...NR...NR Laurel Bresee Laurel First LifePointe Community Long Beach Community Magnolia Palabra de Vida Prentiss...NR...NR Victory Praise & Worship Center Waynesboro Trinity Columbia Mission Area Columbia First Columbia Grace Elmore Fly Jones Chapel Lawrenceburg Grace Lawrenceburg Vaughan Lewisburg First Mount Wesley-Akin Nashville New Life Korean Pleasant Point Savannah Spring Hill Restoration Comm Summertown Hills Mission Area Bent Knee Cowboy Clarksdale Cleveland First Columbus First...NR... NR. SS AM Divine Grace Sunflower Fellowship Greenville First Grenada First Houlka New Albany Oxford/Oxford Hispanic Pearson Chapel Ripley Hispanic Rosebloom Sentobia N.O. Nabors...NR... NR Starkville Wesley Comm Tupelo Union Way of the Cross Memphis Mission Area Covington...NR... NR Crossroads Community Dyersburg Memphis Calvary Memphis Eastside Memphis Emmanuel Memphis Faithful Believers Memphis Friendship Memphis Grace Memphis Holiness Tabernacle Memphis Hope Tabernacle Memphis New Hope Memphis Refreshing Springs Millington Southaven Southaven Spanish Nashville North Mission Area Ashland City Faith Comm Gallatin Goodlettsville Hendersonville Hermitage...NR... NR Highland Joelton Madison Madison Hispanic Nashville First - (Main Campus) Nashville First - (Bethel Campus) Nashville Grace Nashville Inglewood Nashville Whites Creek Old Hickory Portland Springfield Nashville South Mission Area Brentwood Concord Comm Franklin Comm of Faith Gateway Community Kingston Springs Nashville Bell Road Nashville Blakemore Nashville Christ Nashville Community Fellowship Nashville Donelson Nashville First Calvary Korean Nashville Glencliff Hispanic Nashville Kaleo Nashville Trevecca Comm Nashville Trinity Nashville Westwind Comm TOTAL

6 Funding the Mission giving Unified & TNU as of February 29 World Evan. & P & B as of February 29 Funding the Mission Funding the Mission Unified TNU WEF P & B Reported Income Income Updated Ashland City Faith Community $226, /29/16 $11, $6, $17, $6, Bent Knee Cowboy Bread of Life Community $ /10/ Brentwood Concord Comm. $354, /31/16 $11, $6, $15, $5, BridgePoint $58, /31/16 $2, $1, $3, $1, Brookhaven First $1, Camden $22, /29/16 $ $ $1, $ Clarksdale $47, /31/16 $1, $ $9, $ Clarksville First $234, /30/15 $3, $ $1, Clarksville Grace $495, /31/15 $21, $12, $27, $11, Clarksville Hope Riders Biker $66, /31/16 $1, $ $3, $1, Clarksville Korean $90, /27/15 $3, $2, $4, $2, Clarksville Park Lane $249, /15/16 $9, $5, $12, $5, Cleveland First $150, /3/16 $5, $3, $7, $3, Columbia First $94, /31/16 $3, $1, $4, $2, Columbia Grace $917, /31/16 $31, $17, $50, $19, Columbus First $ $1, Covington $14, /14/15 $ $ $1, $ Crossroads $289, /28/16 $6, $3, $12, $4, Crossroads Community $134, /29/16 $4, $2, $11, $2, Crystal Springs $12, /6/16 $ $ $ $ DaySpring Community $240, /30/15 $8, $4, $12, $5, Dickson Lighthouse $68, /28/16 $2, $1, $5, $1, Divine Grace Sunflower Dover First $127, /31/16 $ $ $6, $2, Dyersburg First $1, /19/ Elmore $32, /2/16 $1, $ $1, $ Erin $433, /29/16 $14, $8, $34, $8, Fellowship 0 $ $ Fly $87, /8/16 $3, $1, $5, $1, Franklin Community of Faith 0 $6, $3, $9, $3, Fulton First $30, /20/15 $1, $ $1, $ Gallatin First $578, /28/16 $22, $12, $31, $12, Gateway Community $313, /22/15 $12, $7, $16, $7, Gloster $41, /11/16 $1, $ $2, $ Goodlettsville $865, /7/16 $36, $5, $23, $16, Gray s Chapel $88, /1/ $4, $1, Greenville First $29, /10/16 $1, $ $1, $ Grenada First $30, /7/16 $1, $ $1, $ Griffin s Chapel $125, /29/16 $4, $2, $6, $2, Gulf Coast Family $117, /31/16 $4, $2, $6, $2, Hattiesburg First $38, /31/15 $2, $1, $4, $1, Hazlehurst $21, /28/16 $ $ $2, $ Hendersonville $189, /31/15 $5, $3, $9, $4, Hermitage $906, /31/ Highland $58, /21/16 $2, $1, $2, $1, Hillside Community 0 $ $ $ $ Houlka $16, /30/15 $ $ $ $ Iglesia El Taller del Maestro $16, /26/15 $2, $1, $3, $1, Jackson Emmanuel $48, /28/ $2, Jason Chapel $242, /21/16 $7, $4, $9, $5, Joelton $12, /1/16 $ $ $ $ Jones Chapel Kingston Springs $21, /31/15 $ $ Laurel Bresee $7, /1/16 $25.00 $35.00 $35.00 $45.00 Laurel First $ /19/15 0 $ Lawrenceburg Grace $81, /10/16 $3, $2, $5, $2, Lawrenceburg Vaughan $18, /1/16 $ $ $ $ Lewisburg First $46, /31/16 $ $ $1, $ LifeLine LifePointe Community $45, /28/ Long Beach Community $22, /28/16 $ $ $1, $ Long Creek $59, /8/16 $2, $1, $3, $1, Madison $43, /31/16 $1, $1, $1, $ Madison Hispanic $87, /5/16 $3, $2, $4, $1, Magnolia $34, /31/15 $1, $ $1, $ Memphis Calvary $811, /31/16 $31, $17, $44, $17, Memphis Eastside $16, /27/16 $ $ $ $ Memphis Emmanuel 0 $1, $ $ Memphis Faithful Believers Memphis Friendship $106, /2/16 $4, $2, $5, $2, Memphis Grace $390, /31/16 $15, $8, $15, $6, Memphis Holiness Tabernacle $35, /31/15 $ $ $ $ Memphis Hope Tabernacle $21, /28/16 $ $ $ $ Memphis New Hope $73, /31/16 $2, $1, $3, $1, Memphis Refreshing Springs $36, /1/16 $1, $ $1, $ Meridian Fitkins Memorial $157, /29/16 $6, $3, $7, $3, Meridian Northside $59, /31/15 $2, $ $3, $ Millington $27, /28/16 $ $ $1, $ Mount Wesley-Akin Chapel $56, /28/16 $2, $1, $3, $1, Nashville Bell Road $1, $ Nashville Blakemore $85, /5/16 $2, $1, $4, $1, Nashville Christ Nashville Community Fellowship $53, /29/16 $2, $1, $2, $1, Nashville Donelson $86, /31/16 $3, $1, $4, $1, Nashville First (Main Campus) $2,032, /14/16 $69, $41, $99, $40, Nashville First (Bethel Campus) $204, /31/16 $7, $4, $9, $3, Nashville First Calvary Korean 0 $ $ $ $300.00

Funding the Mission giving 2015-2016 Unified & TNU as of February 29 World Evan.

7 Funding the Mission giving Unified & TNU as of February 29 World Evan. & P & B as of February 29 Funding the Mission Funding the Mission Unified TNU WEF P & B Reported Income Income Updated Nashville Glencliff Hispanic 0 $2, $2, $5, $1, Nashville Grace $795, /29/16 $28, $16, $37, $15, Nashville Inglewood $68, /7/16 $2, $1, $3, $1, Nashville Kaleo 0 $1, $ $1, $ Nashville New Life Korean $37, /31/16 $1, $ $1, $ Nashville Trevecca Comm. $1,183, /31/16 $32, $18, $43, $17, Nashville Trinity $ /16/16 $2, $1, $3, $1, Nashville Westwind Comm. $3, /2/16 $ $61.00 $ $ Nashville Whites Creek $80, /3/16 $4, $1, $5, $1, New Albany First 0 $ $ $ New Beginnings Christian Min. $40, /28/16 $1, $ $1, $ Old Hickory $230, /31/16 $8, $4, $11, $4, One Accord Community $8, /15/ Oxford $105, /31/16 $3, $3, $4, $1, Palabra de Vida $20, /9/ $1, $ Paris First $48, /8/16 $1, $1, $2, $1, Pearson Chapel $106, /1/16 $4, $2, $5, $2, Pine Hill $108, /1/16 $3, $2, $4, $2, Pleasant Point $14, /29/16 $ $ $ $ Portland $321, /28/16 $11, $6, $16, $6, Prentiss Quitman Ripley Hispanic Rosebloom $77, /31/15 $3, $2, $8, $2, Savannah $31, /31/15 $ $ $1, $ Senatobia N.O. Nabors Memorial $29, /9/16 $1, $ $1, $ Southaven $10, /1/16 $ $ $ $ Southaven Spanish $8, /31/16 0 $ $ $ Spring Hill Restoration Comm. $148, /8/15 $5, $3, $7, $3, Springfield First 0 $2, $1, $4, $1, Starkville Wesley Community $29, /16/15 $1, $ $1, $ Summertown First $27, /28/16 $ $ $1, $ Tupelo 0 $ $ Union Vicksburg First $80, /31/16 $2, $1, $4, $1, Vicksburg Hispanic Victory Praise & Worship Ctr. $36, /4/16 $1, $ $1, $ Waverly First $591, /16/16 $21, $12, $29, $12, Way of the Cross $9, /31/16 $ $ $ $ Waynesboro Trinity $7, /7/16 $ $ $ $ Woodlawn $170, /25/16 $7, $4, $9, $3, Total $17,382, $599, $323, $853, $340, We appreciate churches utilizing Funding the Mission and reporting the monthly income. If you need any assistance, please contact the District Office at (615) 255~2929 and we will be glad to assist you. It is impossible to express my appreciation to the MidSouth District for the privilege of serving in the district office for 35 years. I have been blessed beyond measure. It was my privilege to serve with four wonderful district superintendents and watch the district expand its border of ministry to meet the needs of our churches and congregations. Truly God has richly blessed the MidSouth District! I am grateful for all of the cards and gifts received from so many and for the lovely thank you reception given by the district and their gift of appreciation. I am grateful for all of your love! I will miss seeing and talking with many of you on a regular basis but look forward to seeing everyone again soon. Thanks, Barbara

Dr. Larry W. Leonard District Superintendent HALFTIME

Dr. Larry W. Leonard District Superintendent lwleonard@midsouthnaz.org 2015 HALFTIME As September rolls around so do other things which attract our attention. There is the new school year, (actually it