Southern California District Office
[...] the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias,[...] Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight." (Acts 9:10-12)
Back in elementary school, I used to hear stories. Lots of stories. And, usually from people who thought us kids had it too easy. The tales usually revolved around having to walk 10 miles each way in "snow up to here!" to get to a 1/2 room school house with 120 kids sharing one chewed up pencil to do trigonometry lessons, the books of which were all in Latin. After school, they would all stare at the sun until nightfall, because it was the only thing to do for 100 miles in any direction. Kids had it rough back in the day. I'm convinced that most of these stories emanate from one child's experience from the mid 1800's in rural Wyoming and are leased out to every couple at the birth of their first child to use at their discretion. [click below to read more]
One of these types of stories which I always enjoyed was the one about pinning a note to some poor kid's shirt to deliver to his teacher when he got to school because there was no way in the world he'd every remember to give it himself. The picture in my mind was always this fantastic image of some little boy with messed up hair, 3 missing teeth, and the attention span of a hydrogen atom, prone to intense bouts of spinning and bouncing around - arms flailing and careening everywhere, like he'd just got them last Friday and still didn't know what to do with them. About a nano-second after his mom finishes explaining to him the importance of going directly to his teacher, Miss Peterson, with the letter, he forgets not only about the mission but even that he has a letter pinned to his chest. After arriving at school, he swirls into his classroom and is eventually rounded up by his teacher who notices the little piece of paper hanging on for dear life. Opening it up, she finds some wonderful news - he and his parents are going on vacation in a few days and he will be missing class for the entire next week. Everyone rejoices at the turn of events. He gets a week out of school and Miss Peterson gets a week to recuperate from the human nuclear reactor that delivered the note - the power of good news made manifest.
The simplicity of such messaging system, although likely a bit hyperbolic as it plays out in my mind, reflects in some ways the call to evangelism the early Church is given. Throughout Acts we see God provide the explicit message His Church is to offer and the specific persons to whom they are to give those messages. Two instances of this providential prompting stick out as exemplary: God's call to Ananias to bring a word to Paul and God's call to Peter to bring the Gospel to the household of Cornelius. In Acts 9, God appears to Ananias in a dream, providing him both a verbatim message he is to relay to Paul and the exact place he is to go to relay that message - the Holy Spirit equivalent of pinning a note to Ananias's chest. As Ananias is obedient, the scales fall from Paul's eyes and he is transformed. Peter's message in chapter 10 is slightly more confusing, but, as the story goes along, Peter finds himself merely having to react to the scene the Holy Spirit has been orchestrating all along. God has been preparing Cornelius and his household for, potentially, years to receive Peter's message of God's good news. Peter is brought to Caesarea by a cohort sent to fetch him from Joppa, and, as Peter delivers the gospel, his audience is instantaneously changed - imparted with the gift of the Holy Spirit. All Peter had to do was show up and hand over the note "pinned" to his chest.
While this is perhaps an oversimplification of that which God continues to call His Church to (e.g., sometimes, God calls His people to labor in evangelism and outreach with little to no fruit to show for it), evangelism is rarely as difficult as we often make it out to be. Over the District Assembly weekend, we heard from multiple church planters and missionaries who told the stories of God's miraculous expansion of His Church. Two common themes were the call to intentional, continual, prayerful communion with God and subsequent obedience when God opens up doors of opportunity. Much like God's interaction with Ananias and Peter, we are not called to places where God has not already been working. Evangelism is not a human "first strike" team, clearing a path so that we can give the Holy Spirit a shot at reaching people. Rather, God's call to evangelism is a call to be the physical embodiment of His hand casting the seed, aerating the soil, watering the rows, wielding the scythe, and gathering in the harvest. And, as such, the most important part of evangelism is our connection to the Head that is Christ. As obedience stems from this daily communion, evangelism becomes the love note pinned to our chest offered readily and freely to those we encounter. And, even hyperactive, messy, easily-distracted children can do that.
Your District Admin.
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For all teens, parents and pastors of teens - NYC 2019 will be held in Phoenix, AZ and promises to be an amazing time of fun, fellowship, spiritual growth, and profuse sweating. Click HERE for more event information.
Check out all the info for this year's PALCON (Pastors and Leaders Conference) happening on Monday, July 30th to Wednesday, August 1st on the PLNU campus (Or see below)
Mark March 15-17 on your calendars to join us at the Town & Country Hotel in San Diego. Registration coming soon.
Te invitamos a que vengas a aprender las estrategias que
toda iglesia necesita considerar para alcanzar la siguiente generación de jóvenes. Para obtener más información y registrarse, visite aqui o descarga un folleto aqui
Pastors - A Quick Request
Do you remember what happened in 2015? Yeah - neither do we. Something about the musical "Hamilton" opening, David Letterman leaving the Tonight Show, and Vanilla Ice getting arrested for burglary. At least, that's what a quick google search told us. The problem is, most of your district website church profiles are about as current as those events. So, we need some revisions. All we're asking is a one-to-two paragraph description of your church. You can make it longer, but no need to. Click here to see one of the updated profiles. Please send the paragraph to rodneykilgoresocal@gmail.com. Thanks
Lifelong Learning Update
As of January 1, 2018, the record-keeping and reporting system for lifelong learning hours is handled on the Global Lifelong Learning Registry (learning.nazarene.org). Every Nazarene minister now self-reports on the Registry. If you need information on lifelong learning activity reported through the previous system, feel free to request that information by emailing us at learning@nazarene.org. Use that same email address with any questions you have about the new Registry (or call us at 800-306-7651). To see the lifelong learning activity of the Nazarene ministers on your district, simply establish an account for yourself and then send us an email letting us know you have done so. We’ll upgrade your administrative rights accordingly. You can also ask us to do the same for district office personnel or other district leaders who need access to that information. You’ll find more helpful information about lifelong learning and the Registry here.
Women's Worship Event
Saturday, July 21, 2018, we'll be holding a women's worship event from 7-9 pm at Mission Church of the Nazarene, led by Fern Nichols. Please register for this event at missionnaz.org. Click here to download the event flier.
Minister's Getaway
This October 5-7, 2018 we will be providing a chance for district ministry staff to get away for a weekend of rest, renewal, and rejoicing at the Double Tree Hotel at 14455 Penasquitos Drive, San Diego, CA 92129. Our speaker will be Dr. Carla D. Sunberg, recently elected General Superintendent. The cost is $375/room (double occupancy)and includes accommodations, 2 dinners,. and 1 picnic lunch. Click here for a PDF flier or here for a Word flier. Registration coming soon.
Summer Camps: Info and Registration
- Mid High Camp - July 23-27, 2018 @ Pine Valley Christian Camp
- Sr High Camp - July 29-Aug 2, 2018 @ Palomar Christian Conference Center
SoCal Work & Witness Trips
The SoCal NMI Council is dedicated to helping churches engage their people with Nazarene Missions around the world. We will continue to support Ojos Negros Baja Mexico, Haiti and this year we are adding a new project – Puerto Rico! We are hoping to involve our youth and college students with this project - no passport required! Please ask your church to pray about supporting our District Projects. For more info or to donate, contact Rob Altice: menifeenaz@hotmail.com
Below is a timetable for our W&W trips:
- Haiti: July 3-11, 2018
- Puerto Rico: November 2018
San Bernardino First Church of the Nazarene is looking to fill a part-time worship leader position. If you know of anyone who might be interested and capable, please visit the district job posting and contact Dr. Susan Carole by phone (989-980-8651) or email: susan.carole@gmail.com
PALCON Info
PALCon (Pastors and Leaders Conference) is a quadrennial gathering of Nazarene clergy and spouses – pastors, chaplains, evangelists, staff ministers, and missionaries – co-sponsored by PLNU and the Church of the Nazarene. The conference features worship, fellowship, workshops and forums designed to inspire and equip women and men in ministry. We will be hosting it on PLNU Main Campus on Monday, July 30 - Wednesday, August 1.Check in will be Monday from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM with a Thursday morning check-out.
Click this link to register pastors and spouses: http://palcon.org/register-here
Programs for the Whole Family
The 2018 PALCON will offer outstanding program and ministry options for youth and elementary aged children as well as child care for younger children. Children will be staying in rooms and eating meals with their parents. Youth registering for the “PK Retreat” will be in a separate area of the campus with their own housing and meals.
Click the links below for more information and to register youth and children. (Please note, you will need to register each child or teen individually.)
PLNU PALCON Childcare Registration (12 months - 4 years)
Registration Fee – No Charge! (Pre-registration Required)
https://goo.gl/Whj83B
PLNU PALCON Childcare Registration (5 years - 5th or 6th grade)
Registration fee: June 15 or before -- $99. After June 15 -- $109
https://goo.gl/AwzLuA
PLNU PALCON PK Retreat Registration (6th or 7th grade – 12th grade)
Registration fee: June 15 or before -- $80. After June 15 -- $90
https://goo.gl/BNRDb6
We look forward to seeing you there.
Your District Admin
Pastor's Kids (Childrens) Retreat
The Southwest Field NYI and Point Loma Nazarene University have partnered together to provide a special retreat for Pastors' Kids (PK's) who are between the grades of 7 and 12. We'll be gathering together from July 30th to August 1st on the PLNU campus. Our goal is to have lots of fun, build strong relationships, and provide a safe place for PK's to connect on issues that matter to them. Register at www.southwestnyi.org
NMI News
The intent of the Nazarene Missions International (NMI) Council is to keep you updated with information and resources so you can help engage your congregations in Mission Work.
This year, our annual Missionary Convention will be combined with District Assembly. Many districts around the United States are moving to this combined event. This format will still allow for lots of great Mission information and opportunities.
We will also be collecting Crisis Care Kits that weekend to drive up to Sacramento to the distribution center. Use the link provided to get information on filling your bags and boxes: Crisis Care Kit Instructions. (plus $12 per banana box) Please stick to the directions exactly. Last year our district collected 864 kits in just a couple weeks time. This year’s goal is 1000!
If you would like to be added to our email distribution list, please email me and let me know at brenda.ritchie50@gmail.com. You can also “Like” us on facebook at Nazarene Missions International So-Cal
District Events Calendar
Women's Worship Event: July 23
- PALCON: July 30 - August 1
- Mid High Camp: July 23 - 27
- Sr. High Camp: July 29 - August 2
- Men's Retreat: September 14 - 16
- Minister's Getaway: October 5 - 7
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Southern California District Nazarene
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