Vol.054.February.2009

Dr. John H. Calhoun, District Superintendent, E-mail: jcalhoun@norcal.org

Northern California District Church of the Nazarene

1866 Clayton Rd., Ste. 200, Concord, CA 94520,

Editor: Kay Clark, E-mail: kay@norcal.org, 925-680-0538 (District office)

Web page: http://www.norcal.org

Contents

Page 1 Dr. John Calhoun, “The Vision of Your Church”

Page 2 Updates on Churches and Pastors

Pages 3-4 Sunday School Ministries International (SDMI)

Pages 4-5 Nazarene Missions International (NMI)

Page 6 Nazarene Youth International (NYI)

Page 7 Men’s Advance, Feb. 20-22^nd, Calendar of Events

Dr. John H. Calhoun, D.S.

“The Vision of Your Church”

I often ask people what is the vision for their church. Many times the response is: "Our vision is for our church to grow." Who can argue with that? Except, it is a little too general to be very effective. Let me suggest a thought that can be helpful. Grow your mission and God will grow your church.

Grow your mission means, what are you doing to bless people outside the four walls in your community? If your church suddenly was absent, who in your "non-churched" community would notice? That is an indicator of how much is invested in these people. As your mission is to invest love and blessing in them, God will show Himself in places previously unrealized.

How about stating a vision in these terms?

JHC

Dr. John A. Knight, General Superintendent Emeritus passed on to glory to meet his Father in heaven, during the night on Sunday, February 1^st. He was at his home in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 10^th at 2:00 p.m. at the Bethany, Oklahoma First Church of the Nazarene.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the John A. and Justine A. Knight Religion Scholarship Endowment at Southern Nazarene University.

He was a Nazarene, he served 16 years as general superintendent, he served as president of two Nazarene colleges, he authored eight books, and his reputation as one of the finest theological minds in the church. He was a remarkable man. If you would like to read more about his life, go to http://www/ncnnews.com and click on John A. Knight. It is a wonderful story of his life.

Frances Dawes passes to Heaven at 93. As some of you may remember, her husband Rev. Gordon Dawes went to be with our Lord in December. His sweetheart of 73 years went to meet him on January 30^th. I am sure they had a grand reunion with each other and Jesus! She loved the Lord, she love Gordon, and she loved to pray for all of us. She will be missed by many that had a great respect for her.

The celebration of her life was held on Saturday, February 7^th at the Castro Valley Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Steve Redmond presided over the service. He was her pastor and friend for many years.

If you’d like to give a gift of remembrance, you are encouraged to give to the Gordon and Frances Dawes Foundation. You can send it in care of the Castro Valley Church of the Nazarene, 19230 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley, CA 94546. They will forward the gifts on to the university.

Monthly Reporting Procedures

Attention all Pastors, Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries Chairpersons, church secretaries.

Sunday School Reporting procedures will change beginning March 1, 2009. To report your monthly averages visit the district website at www.norcal.org, select Sunday School Ministries in the left side bar and then select CLICK HERE TO

ENTER FORM.

NOTE: The form will not be fully functional until the March 1^st.

Reporting is very important and we are going to strive for 100% reporting every month. Please help us by taking a couple of minutes to do this.

Also on the reporting page is an opportunity to:

Share significant events or milestones in your ministry. Nominate teachers and workers who are doing kingdom work in you church. Talk about things you are doing in your ministries that are effectively building the Kingdom of God.

In the near future, the website will also contain a large amount of resources for you local Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries workers. More to come.

Bay Area Sunday School Convention

Don't forget! One of the greatest resources for your church is just around the corner. Check it out.

http://www.bassconvention.org/

Celebration on the Lawn with the Blackwood Gospel Quartet

Please be sure to mark your calendar!

On May 8^th, Northern California Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries will sponsor the Blackwood Gospel Quartet and Barbecue on the Lawn. This celebration will be an exciting event you will not want to miss. THIS EVENT IS NOT JUST FOR DELEGATES!

Please get the news out to everyone in your church and let's have a great time. We will have door prizes, special awards, teacher appreciation tributes and more.

Don't Miss it!!!!

Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries Team

If you would like to be a part of the Sunday School and Discipleship Ministries Team, contact our district chairman, Steve Redmond, today. cvpastor@yahoo.com.

May God empower your mission to teach and disciple everyone with whom God has given you influence.

NMI News

FEBRUARY TIME TO SHOW LOVE FOR OTHERS THROUGH ALABASTER!

WHAT IS ALABASTER?

The Alabaster Offering provides funds for property and buildings around the world. It gives a sense of permanence, the attitude that the Church of the Nazarene intends to "put down roots." Eighty percent of the money is used in world mission areas, and twenty percent goes to multicultural congregations in the United States and Canada. Alabaster funds help provide land for most Work & Witness projects. The entire offering goes toward the construction of churches, schools, medical facilities, and homes for missionaries and national workers. Copied-

HAVE YOU PRAYED YOUR TWO HOURS YET?

Nazarene Missions International, in cooperation with the Board of General Superintendents, is honored to again sponsor a “Million Hours of Prayer” (MHP) in preparation for the General Assembly and Conventions in June.

While praying a million hours sounds monumental, it is actually a task that can easily be accomplished. We ask that each Nazarene pray for a minimum of two hours between January and June for the General Assembly and Conventions. The times of prayers can take place individually, in small groups, or in corporate worship, or even in a prayer room designated within your church. General Assembly and Conventions are times when the international body of Nazarenes gathers to consider the vision, mission, and passion of the church. Such an important event must be bathed in prayer, seeking the Lord’s wisdom and guidance to follow in His path.

Taken from the NMI Website

BECAUSE YOU GAVE… “BOOKS FOR PASTORS-TOOLS FOR MINISTRY”

At the Zambia Luapula District Assembly held on 8 October 2008, several pastors received copies of The Upward Call to add to their libraries. The district is five years old and has about 115 churches and preaching points. It is a remote district located in the northern part of Zambia. While the English version of the book was distributed, most will soon receive the translated version of the book in the Bemba language. This is all made possible through the “Books for Pastors” project.

When visiting one of the new Nazarene Churches in Livingstone, Zambia, I found the pastor using his new copy of The Upward Call and teaching all of his people each Sunday Morning. We saw firsthand a pastor who had received the book, read the entire book, and then proceeded to teach the book to the entire congregation over a period of several weeks. This was a wonderful vision of how the “Books for Pastors” project is helping to make disciples in local churches and improving the effectiveness of the pastor in a local church. The pastor said, “There is power in this book. We need more books like this to help us learn how to live the Christian life.

Rev Gary Sidle
Africa Central Field Education Coordinator
& Zambia Mission Coordinator

TIME TO PRAY WITH OUR NAZARENE WORLD 2009

Nazarene World Week of Prayer, Sun., March 1^st – Sat., March 7^th

The Nazarene World Week of prayer is an annual event occurring during the week that includes the World Day of Prayer (the first Friday in March). During this week Nazarenes dedicate themselves to interceding for our church and our world. Special requests are provided for a regional prayer plan.

“Call to me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” Jeremiah 33.3 (NKJV)

Specific prayer requests for each region are featured on the Prayer Mobilization Line during the Nazarene World Week of Prayer.

· Sunday, March 1^st: Africa

· Monday, the 2^nd: Asia-Pacific

· Tuesday, the 3^rd: Caribbean

· Wednesday the 4^th: Eurasia

· Thursday, the 5^th: Mexico/Central America

· Friday the 6^th: South America

· Saturday, the 7^th: USA/Canada

Next NYI Council meeting and India Team meeting

Date: February 28

Location: Petaluma Hillside Church

India Team meets at 10:00 a.m. and Council meeting will begin at 12:30 p.m.

RSVP by Feb. 23^rd. $5 per person

NYI District Convention

Dates: May 8-9

Location: Santa Rosa Church

Contact Person: Pastor Joel Tippitt at srncyouth@pacbell.net

Elevate

Dates: May 22-25

Location: Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego

Contact person Sports: Pastor Amer at pastoramer@yahoo.com or amer@thepoint.cc

Contact person: Registration: Michele Jung at sportygirl131@aol.com

Jr. High Camp

Dates: June 17-19

Location: Rock n’ Water

Contact person: Pastor Dave at davemyers02@yahoo.com

Global NYI Convention & Ministry Project (Mission Trip)

Dates: June 24 – July (Return date TBA)

Location: Mumbia, India

Contact Person: Donabel Martin at donabelcmartin@sbclgobal.net

All District Mexico Mission Trip

Dates: July 15 – 27

Location: PLNU and Los Cabos, Mexico

Contact Persons: Pastors Curtis, Josh, Donabel at:

è curtisl@discovery-livermore.com

è josh316project@yahoo.com

è donabelcmartin@sbcglobal.net

Children’s Camp

Dates: July 27 – 31

Location: Diamond Arrow

Senior High Weekend Trip

Dates: TBA - Location: TBA

Contact Person: Pastor Eric at elapp@concordnaz.org

MEN'S ADVANCE - February 20-22, 2009

Central California District invites Northern Calif. District men to join them at Mt. Cross Ministries Christian Camp for a weekend of fellowship and worship. The guest speaker is Rev. Doug Pittam, senior pastor of the Church of the Nazarene at San Luis Obispo. Don't miss this special time together!

Mt. Cross Ministries, 7795 Highway 9, Ben Lemond, CA 95005,

US +1 8313365179 Call, www.mtcross.org

Housing information and costs include 2 night’s room and the following meals:

Friday – Dinner, Saturday - Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner, Sunday - Breakfast & lunch

Cost

Outside Cabin $115 each person

Dorms $120 each person

Lodge $130 each person

House $185 each person

RV'ers (dry camp) $ 77 each person

You must provide your own bedding

Outside Bathrooms/Showers (Bring towels/soap)

Registration $75 deposit (non-refundable) must be postmarked by Feb. 1, 2009 with Master card or Visa accepted ($5 handling fee).

After Feb. 1st there is a $5 late registration fee.

Mail registration to:

Lucky Crane, 2755 N. Walnut Rd., #105, Turlock, CA 95382, 209-668-3649

E-mail: cruzinbetty@sbcglobal.net

Calendar of Events

February Alabaster Offering

Feb. 20-22 Men’s Advance Retreat

Feb. 28- Mar. 6 Nazarene World Week of Prayer

April 10 Good Friday

April 12 Easter Sunday & Easter Offering

May 6 Beginning of Norcal District Assembly – “Concert of Prayer”

May 7-9 Nazarene Missions International, District Assembly (Ordination on Thursday night 5/7)

Nazarene Youth International at Santa Rosa, CA

May 22 Elevate – Location at PLNU

June 17-19 Jr. High Camp at Rock-n-Water

June 17 – July (Return date TBA) Global NYI Convention & Ministry Project

Mission Trip

June 21- July 3 One Heart-Many Hands, and General Assembly

Orlando, FL. office@oneheartmanyhands.com

July 15-17 All District Mexico Mission Trip PLNU & Los Cabos, Mexico

July 27 – 31 Children’s Camp at Diamond Arrow

September 21-23 District Pastors’ & Spouses’ Retreat at Mt. Hermon

(Arrive Mon. evening at 4:00 p.m. and depart Wed., after lunch)