Dr. Larry W. Leonard District Superintendent lwleonard@midsouthnaz.org 2017 A VALENTINE FOR THE NATIONS It seems a little strange to me to arrive at the month of February, the month of Valentine s love emphasis, only to be confronted with an emotional, angry, and fractured culture both outside and inside the Church. I understand the lack of love in our secular society, but for Christians to be so anemic in our selfless concern for others, I am left empty, sad, and searching. If the self-absorbed ethos of our nation had not crept into our Christian fellowship, there would be little need for this article. In seeking answers I feel led to propose that perhaps our greatest flaw is that we have lost touch with the authentic meaning of the word love. If God is love, and God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, and if love really does cover a multitude of evil, and There is no fear in love because perfect love drives out fear, then why isn t love informing our thoughts, words, and actions? Perhaps we need to reinvest in the power of scripture. Eugene Peterson, in The Message, paraphrased 1 Corinthians 13 to open up to us the full impact of this one all-encompassing word, love. Please internalize and take personal this passage as if you are hearing it for the first time. If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don t love, I m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, Jump, and it jumps, but I don t love, I m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don t love, I ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I m bankrupt without love. Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn t want what it doesn t have. Love doesn t strut, Doesn t have a swelled head, Doesn t force itself on others, Isn t always me first, Doesn t fly off the handle, Doesn t keep score of the sins of others, Doesn t revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit. We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. But when the Complete arrives, our incompletes will be canceled. When I was an infant at my mother s breast, I gurgled and cooed like any infant. When I grew up, I left those infant ways for good. We don t yet see things clearly. We re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won t be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We ll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us! But for right now, until that completeness, we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagantly. And the best of the three is love.
OUR CHURCH YEAR END is just around the corner. ALL budget payments can be made on line. P&B, WEF and Unified can all be made on line thru the Fund The Mission site at fundingthemission.org Education payments can also be made online at Trevecca. The link can be found on Funding The Mission thru the green Make a Contribution button and looking for the Trevecca Education Payment Link ; or you can mail payments directly to: Trevecca Nazarene University, Attn: Lisa Hathcock, 333 Murfreesboro Rd., Suite 101, Nashville, TN 37210. Please DO NOT send the education payment to the district office. DISTRICT ASSEMBLY and NMI CONVENTION May 28-30 Camp Garner Creek June 21 ~ 30, 2017 Indianapolis, Indiana for more information visit http://ga2017.com
Sunday School Make the Connection Rev. Michelle Lunsford SDMI Chairman michelle@thelunsfords.net Improve Your Serve March 4 One Vine, People of Prayer Engaged in the Word Making Christlike Disciples midsouthnaz.org Many Branches Improve Your Serve (IYS) is MidSouth s annual event to provide training, fellowship, and encouragement to all those who serve in the local church in discipleship ministries. IYS offers something for everyone, whether you re a pastor, volunteer, SDMI Superintendent, Sunday School teacher, small group or discipleship leader, worship leader, children s or youth worker, church board member, or serving on any one of our ministry councils (SDMI, NMI, NYI). It s going to be a great day and we hope to see you there! Three locations: Nashville First, Memphis Calvary, and Hattiesburg First Plenary Speaker: Daron Brown, pastor at Waverly Additional details, promotional materials, and registration at midsouthnaz.org/sdmi facebook.com/midsouthsdmi sdmiusacanada.org SDMI: Sunday School Discipleship Ministries International IYS SCHEDULE 8:00 Registration check-in 9:00 Opening Plenary Session 10:15 Session 1 Workshop 11:30 Session 2 Workshop 12:30 Lunch 1:30 Session 3 Connect 2:30 Closing Plenary Session (with prizes!) IYS REGISTRATION Registration fee is $15 by February 23. This is the final date to register with guarantee of lunch. After February 23, including walk-in/event day registration is $25. Registration fees are non-refundable. The fee includes all IYS sessions and lunch. It was a great weekend for MidSouth Tweens and Women Nazatween 17 hosted at Hermitage and Memphis Grace January 27-28 provided worship, fellowship, and fun to nearly 240 students (4th-6th grade) and over 80 adults. We appreciate the leadership of Pastor Jeremy Byler and his team for coordinating this annual lock-in that has become a Tween favorite. Women s Breakaway was held at Nashville Grace on January 28. A group of 70 in attendance enjoyed the ministry of speaker Joyce Williams. MidSouth Women s Ministry Director, Ruth Chandler and the Women s Council continue to provide outstanding leadership and ministry to our district. They welcome your prayers as they carry out preparations for the Memphis Women s Breakaway scheduled April 22. Upcoming ministry opportunities Men s Retreat March 10-11 @ Garner Creek Campground Worship led by ExitRight. Speakers Pastor Josh Cougle, Dr. Carlton Harvey, and Dr. Charles Johnson. Registration at midsouthnaz.org/mens or contact MidSouth Men s Director, John Meeks at johnmeeks32@gmail.com or (931) 220-0462. Registration deadline is March 5. Prime Time Retreat April 3-5 @ Garner Creek Campground Adults 55 and over are welcome! Worship led by Ann Downing. Speaker Karen Fry. Registration fee of $35 (non-refundable) reserves your room. Additional fee (depending on room occupancy) includes two nights lodging and five meals. Registration at midsouthnaz.org/primetime or contact MidSouth Prime Time Director, Sharron Shands at (615) 337-5381. Registration deadline is March 15.
Mrs. Mary Friedeman NMI President maryfriedeman@gmail.com ECUADOR WORK & WITNESS NEWSFLASH! One spot has opened up for the trip to Ecuador, March 14-22. If you are interested in participating, please contact Melanie Holcomb ASAP (melanie.holcomb@wildblue.net). FEBRUARY: Alabaster Since 1949, over 100 million dollars has been given globally through the Alabaster offering, to erect buildings around the world for the purpose of ministry. More than 9,000 projects - including churches, schools, medical facilities, and homes for missionaries and national workers - have been constructed with these monies. Last year, 58% of MidSouth churches participated in this offering, contributing $47,103. So far this year, 46% of our district churches have given a total of $29,846. Every congregation is encouraged take part in the Alabaster offering this month! DEPUTATION UPDATE The MidSouth District recently enjoyed a deputation tour by Brian Helstrom with the Jesus Film. Brian spoke at five mission area rallies, two church services, and a men s breakfast. One pastor reported, NMI: Nazarene Missions International The time Brian spent with us at my church was great. He spoke from a deep passion about spreading the gospel, and it was awesome to see all of the electronic tools and other items that we are using globally to teach and disciple the people of God worldwide. My people were encouraged and inspired to hear of what God is doing through the Jesus Film ministry, and I was thrilled to host Brian and his wife. They were very encouraging to me in my ministry, and a blessing to have. I am so proud of our denomination when I see that people in places of leadership like he is are marked by such wonderful spiritual maturity and passion. I look forward to seeing them again whenever I can, and I am grateful for the opportunity to host them and be a part of their ministry. It was a great night! Deputation services provide an unparalleled opportunity to see the fruit of our mission giving. If you would like to schedule a missionary to speak in your local church, contact the district NMI president (maryfriedeman@ gmail.com or 601-668-2793). UPCOMING EVENTS Nazarene World Week of Prayer: Sunday, February 26 Saturday, March 4 Nazarene World Week of Prayer is an annual event during the week that includes the World Day of Prayer, which this year is on Friday, March 3. During this week Nazarenes dedicate themselves to interceding for our church and our world. Specific requests for each region will be provided via the Prayer Mobilization Line (nmi.nazarene.org/pml_email.html). Improve Your Serve: Saturday, March 4 There will be three workshops on the NMI track. Go to midsouthnaz.org/sdmi for information, and plan to attend at one of the three locations: Nashville, Memphis, and Hattiesburg.
Attendance Report for January Capitol Mission Area SS AM Bread of Life Community...NR... NR BridgePoint... 9...39 Brookhaven First...NR... NR Crystal Springs... 6...6 DaySpring Community... 258...342 Hazelhurst... 10...12 Hillside Community... 22...22 Meridian Fitkins Memorial... 152...251 Meridian Northside... 15...31 New Beginnings Christian...NR... NR New Vision... 35...60 Quitman...NR... NR Vicksburg First... 35...40 Vicksburg Hispanic... 11...7 Clarksville Mission Area Clarksville First... 222...305 Clarksville Grace... 167...391 Clarksville Hope Riders Biker... 13...56 Clarksville Korean... 55...110 Clarksville Park Lane... 89...119 Dickson Lighthouse... 32...50 Dover... 57...89 Erin...NR... NR Fulton...NR... NR Gray s Chapel... 46...47 Griffin s Chapel... 39...61.Jason Chapel... 89...143 Long Creek... 25...25 Paris... 33...33 Pine Hill... 45...78 Waverly... 184...269 Woodlawn Community... 74... 111 Coastal Mission Area Crossroads...NR... NR Gloster... 33...22 Gulf Coast Family... 67...86 Gulfport... 0...8 Hattiesburg First... 23...38 Laurel Bresee... 15...20 Laurel First...NR...NR LifePointe Community... 24... 28 Long Beach Community... 4... 4 Magnolia... 13... 21 Palabra de Vida... 20... 57 Prentiss...NR...NR Victory Praise & Worship Center... 59... 30 Waynesboro Trinity...NR...NR Columbia Mission Area Columbia First... 31...60 Columbia Grace... 531...621 Elmore... 40...60 Fly... 52...88 Jones Chapel...NR... NR Lawrenceburg Grace... 48...80 Lewisburg First...NR... NR Mount Wesley-Akin... 23...38 Nashville New Life Korean...NR... NR Pleasant Point...NR... NR Savannah... 8...10 Spring Hill Restoration Comm.. 114...199 Summertown...NR... NR Hills Mission Area Bent Knee Cowboy...NR... NR Clarksdale...NR... NR Cleveland First... 47...45.Columbus First... 9...18. SS AM Divine Grace Sunflower... 7...12 Fellowship...NR... NR Greenville First... 0...6 Grenada First... 30...24 Houlka... 6...6 New Albany... 9...9 Oxford/Oxford Hispanic... 60...70 Pearson Chapel...NR... NR Ripley Hispanic... 18...48 Rosebloom... 34...54 Sentobia N.O. Nabors...NR... NR Starkville Wesley Comm... 11...28 Tupelo...NR... NR Union... 11...24 Way of the Cross... 21...21 Memphis Mission Area Colonial Hills... 10...15 Covington...NR... NR Crossroads Community... 49...41 Dyersburg...NR... NR Iglesia Libertad en Cristo... 12...12 Memphis Calvary... 350...395 Memphis Eastside... 17...72 Memphis Emmanuel... 50...96 Memphis Faithful Believers...NR... NR Memphis Friendship... 40...71 Memphis Grace... 142...195 Memphis Holiness Tabernacle... 28...65 Memphis Hope Tabernacle...NR... NR Memphis New Hope... 30...30 Memphis Refreshing Springs... 6...32 Millington... 27...27 Nashville North Mission Area Ashland City Faith Comm... 55...80 Gallatin... 156...293 Gallatin Hispanic... 31...31 Goodlettsville... 245...490 Hendersonville... 93...153 Hermitage... 325...611 Highland... 19...20 Joelton... 16...22 Madison... 11...26 Madison Hispanic... 116...136 Nashville First (Bethel Campus)... 52...88 Nashville First (Main Campus)... 648...1060 Nashville Inglewood... 21...38 Nashville Whites Creek... 28...51 Old Hickory... 57...71 Portland... 104...187 Springfield... 23...28 Nashville South Mission Area Brentwood Concord Comm...NR... NR Franklin Comm of Faith... 61...148 Gateway Community... 220...341 Kingston Springs... 20...31 Nashville Bell Road... 27...50 Nashville Blakemore... 28...47 Nashville Christ... 30...48 Nashville Community Fellowship... 32...40 Nashville Donelson... 24...29 Nashville First Calvary Korean... 28...65 Nashville Glencliff Hispanic... 43...138 Nashville Grace... 210...296 Nashville Kaleo... 17...27 Nashville Trevecca Comm... 443...660 Nashville Trinity... 26...40 Nashville Westwind Comm... 13...14 TOTAL... 7074...10942