All posts by ETNMI

Newsletter, November 1, 2023

November 3, 2023NewsletterETNMI

ALABASTER HEROES HAVE REMITTED OFFERING

This will be final report of September Alabaster on newsletter;

if you have a question about your church’s Alabaster offering, contact jthodge4676@bellsouth.net

Church names in orange have been added since last week:

Athens Barfield Beulah Chapel Carthage Chattanooga East Ridge Chattanooga Grace Crossroads Cleveland 1st Cleveland New Hope Cowan Crossville Doyle Elizabethton Estill Springs Family Worship Center Hill Top Himesville Jasper Lenoir City Manchester Maryville Mayland Murfreesboro Mt. Juliet Newport Pleasant Green Real Life Community Shady Grove Shelbyville Southview Community Sweetwater The Church House Watertown/Agape

Tullahoma Westside

Still need to send in Alabaster offering? Send through FTM portal, or mail check to:

Church of the Nazarene, GTS
PO Box 854116

Kansas City, MO 64184-3116

CAN’T HAVE NMI MEETING?
PRAY TOGETHER, USING NMI CENTRAL!

Often, especially during this busy time of year, churches don’t have time for a missions meeting…Great Solution: get as many as possible in your church receiving NMI Central! A new NMI story will come to the inbox of all those signed up! Your church can pray, TOGETHER, yet separately, for the requests & praises in each week’s NMI Central!

Subscribe to NMI Central and receive a new story from a Nazarene field every week. Visit

www.nazarene.org/nmi-central

to subscribe.

Introducing Region 2-Knoxville Zone Chairpersons

Marie Valentine

I was born and raised in Knoxville, TN and I now reside in Seymour, Tn with my husband, Bill. We have been married for 23 years.

My home Church is Knoxville South. I remember as a child walking each Sunday to Church along with my Mother and four Siblings as we only lived a block from the church at that time. I was raised at Knoxville South. I became a Christian at Knoxville South and was baptized by Rev. Jack Conn as a teenager at the river near his home. Knoxville South is the only Church that I have ever known and I am so blessed to call it my church home for over 55 plus years! I am grateful that God has blessed me with a wonderful Church home and Family!

Over the years, I have served as a SS Teacher, Board Member, Worship Leader alongside both Pastor Walls and Pastor Ford, and NMI President for 35 plus years now with Missions being at the center of my heart. In 2016 I had the privilege to go on a medical Work and Witness trip to the Dominican Republic.

Occupationally, I am an LPN and Certified X-Ray Technician. The Lord called me to serve as a nurse many years ago. For the past 25 years, I have worked in an office setting with Allergy and Asthma Affiliates and I am the Clinical Coordinator for 9 offices overseeing Staffing, nursing responsibilities and administrative responsibilities.

My heart’s desire is that others will come to know The Lord and that I too will draw closer to HIM every day and remain in the center of HIS will.

Laura Dockery

Pastor’s wife, Laura, says, “I do not have a public job. I am a volunteer child entertainment for my grandchildren when my kids need me. I volunteer at the local fire hall. I mow the fire hall yard during the summer. I also volunteer as a member of the Red Cross. If someone has a house fire, I go meet them and give them funds from Red Cross to help them get on their feet. I am a nursery worker at church. I also do a mission service once a month for NMI meeting. I’m very active in Work & Witness.

Newsletter, October 25 , 2023

October 26, 2023NewsletterETNMI

THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT!

Tullahoma/Decherd zone chairmen, John & Sandra Butler

have done a super job organizing the dinner for the

“Deputation DINNER,” with Creative Access Missionaries, the Wheatleys

WEDNESDAY, 6:00 PM, EST AT TULLAHOMA FIRST

If you are from a zone, other than Tullahoma/Decherd, you are SO WELCOME!

Because this is a dinner meeting, let us know you are coming:

Call Sandra Butler 931-607-5355
_________________

Don’t miss the latest “From the Heart of a Veteran Missionary” story

attached

from our Retired Missionary, Dr. Geneva Silvernail.

___________________

Latest Report from Funding the Mission Website – 10/24/23
Alabaster Offerings Remitted

This report is shared, with full knowledge that many more churches on our district, not listed below, have received very generous Alabaster offerings. The purpose of this report is to notify NMI presidents and pastors which churches’ September 2023 Alabaster offerings have been received at the Global Treasury and reported on FTM website.

Church names in orange have been added since last week:

Barfield Carthage Chattanooga Grace Crossroads Cleveland 1st Cleveland New Hope Cowan Crossville Doyle Elizabethton Estill Springs Hill Top Himesville Jasper Lenoir City Manchester Maryville Mayland Murfreesboro Mt. Juliet Newport Pleasant Green Real Life Community Shady Grove Shelbyville Southview Community Sweetwater The Church House Tullahoma Westside

Thank you for your generous support of Alabaster, particularly during this 75th anniversary year. Local presidents: confirm with your treasurer that all funds received for Alabaster have been submitted

If your church is not listed, and you have a question about why, contact your church treasurer, or ask them to contact jthodge4676@bellsouth.net.

Please send Alabaster offering through FTM portal, or mail check to:

Church of the Nazarene, GTS
PO Box 854116

Kansas City, MO 64184-3116

Update in light of the Israel-Hamas war & its effect on Nazarene churches in the area From Eurasia Region Website

The local churches in Israel have not been affected much, but we are analyzing the situation daily. The churches have been helping and supporting their neighbors. As a region, we will continue to support our churches and leaders in the wider Middle East area.

We are praying for peace and an end to suffering for all involved in the tragic circumstances we see unfolding in Israel and Palestine. Please continue to join the region in prayer for the Church of the Nazarene in Israel and throughout the East Mediterranean Field, as well as for an end to this conflict, hatred, and suffering.

“At times like these I take great strength from God’s word and the reality of his sovereign grace over all circumstances,” said Eurasia Regional Director Jim Ritchie. “So, I pray from Psalm 46 that God would, ‘Make wars cease to the ends of the earth,’ that we would know him as our ‘refuge and strength,’ and we would ‘be still and know that he is God.’”

Newsletter, October 18 , 2023

October 19, 2023NewsletterETNMI

E TN District NMI Leadership

Region 3/Crossville-Cookeville Zone Chairs Scott and Debbie Blair

When E TN District NMI council members set up the flags of the nations served by the Global Church of the Nazarene, at District NMI Convention each year, the usual comment: “How beautiful!” Our people are often surprised that E TN has flags of ALL the nations where the Church of the Nazarene serves.

Storing and transporting all these flags is a huge task, one that Scott Blair does year after year.

As Jesus Film Coordinator, Scott is passionate about global evangelism.

That passion has led Scott Blair to many countries as W&W team member.

Debbie Blair, E TN District NMI vice-president, is also our AWESOME webmaster, and a W&W veteran.

There’s no way we could communicate as we do without Debbie’s gifts and mission passion.

Debbie’s creative ability as a seamstress, having made the six beautiful banners of the six regions of the Global Church of the Nazarene, can be seen at every District NMI convention.

Celebrating 75 Years of Alabaster

As part of the 75^th anniversary celebration of Alabaster, from June 2023 – June 2024, the third week of NMI Central each month will feature an Alabaster video. This week’s edition should be in the inbox of NMI Central subscribers TODAY. A great Alabaster video from Peru is featured. To go straight to the video now, click

Alabaster – Peru (English)

Even if your church has already received Alabaster offering, this ready to use video would be a blessing.

Latest Report from Funding the Mission Website – 10/17/23
Alabaster Offerings Remitted

Church names in orange have been added since last week

Barfield Carthage Crossroads Elizabethton Cleveland 1st Crossville Doyle

Estill Springs Hill Top Himesville Lenoir City Manchester Manchester Mayland

Mt. Juliet Newport Pleasant Green Real Life Community Shady Grove Southview Community
Tullahoma Westside

Thank you for your generous support of Alabaster, particularly during this 75^th anniversary year. Local presidents: confirm with your treasurer that all funds received for Alabaster have been submitted

If your church is not listed, and you have a question about why, contact your church treasurer, or ask them to contact jthodge4676@bellsouth.net.

Please send Alabaster offering through FTM portal, or mail check to:

Church of the Nazarene, GTS
PO Box 854116

Kansas City, MO 64184-3116

Newsletter, September 27 , 2023

September 28, 2023NewsletterETNMI

PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE GOD’S LOVE

Velma Louise Mangrum, E TN NMI Mission Area Representative, injured vertebrae in a fall while on the recent W&W trip to Africa Nazarene University. She was prepped for surgery today, but the surgery had to be stopped before it was begun. According to her daughter, Melody, “Mom is moving to a rehab center soon, but she has a long road of recovery ahead, and we want to decorate her room with notes of encouragement. Cards of encouragement may be sent to:

Velma Mangrum, PO Box 1405, Smyrna, TN 37167

“DEPUTATION DINNER”

Creative Access Missionaries, the Wheatleys

HOSTED BY TULLAHOMA/DECHERD REGION

But Our Entire District is Welcome!

Wednesday, Nov. 1, Tullahoma First Fellowship Hall 6:PM, CST

I wish this great missionary couple could tour the district, but they are only available for this ONE service before returning to their assignment. We’ve heard from at least one church, not on this region, who plan on coming! Tullahoma/Decherd area churches will provide the Soup/Chili Dinner

If someone from another Mission Area plans to come, you will be the GUEST of Tullahoma/Decherd Mission Area, but they need to know you are coming, to plan food

If someone from your church plans on coming

Contact Tullahoma/Decherd Zone Chairperson, Sandra Butler *

butler_sandra@hotmail.com or 931-308-1847

Creative Access Guidelines for Communications

This deputation service reminds us that we all need to review guidelines for communications for Creative Access missionaries. Below are guidelines provided by these particular missionaries, which need to be considered according to the field where a creative access missionary serves.

When it comes to workers serving in Creative Access Areas around the world, there are many different considerations and each situation is unique. For this reason, there are a few things we would ask you to take into account as we come and visit your church in the near future. We ask these things for our personal security, but more so for the security of the people with whom we work.

In Print or Online

For printed bulletins or announcements and online (whether on your website, newsletters, or social media), if you are going to say anything about our visit to your church, please only say “The Wheatleys” or “the Wheatley Family,” and we ask that our first names never be posted online. When talking about where we serve, please only say that we serve in a Creative Access Area on the Africa Region. Please do not post or print the country name where we serve. Additionally, we ask you to not include our photo in any online publication.

For example, the following would be appropriate: “The Wheatley family, who serve in a Creative Access country in Africa, will be visiting us on….”

If photos of us are taken during our visit, we ask that you please make sure that these are not posted online.

Live streaming or Recording

We would ask to not have our message live streamed or recorded. If this is a problem, please reach out to us and we can see if we can work something out.

As far as the offering, you may bring check, written to General Treasurer, with “Wheatley -deputation” on the memo line. To receive church credit, be sure your church name is on the check.

To give through FTM website, here is the link to our missionaries; page:

https://give.nazarene.org/category/region/africa/mcwheatley

Tullahoma/Decherd Zone Chairpersons: John and Sandra Butler

We’re blessed to have serve as our Tullahoma/Decherd Zone Chairperson Team.

John served as District NMI treasurer for nine years,

Sandra served as District NMI secretary for six years.

Contact John at jbutler552@gmail.com, or 931-308-1847

Contact Sandra at butler_sandra@hotmail.com or 931-607-5355

Newsletter, September 20 , 2023

September 20, 2023NewsletterETNMI

BE SURE TO READ DR. GENEVA SILVERNAIL’S BEAUTIFUL OCTOBER MISSIONARY THOUGHTS (ATTACHED)

MEETING MORE E TN DISTRICT NMI REGION REPRESENTATIVES

We introduced Region 1 NMI Representative, Christie Greene, last week. We’ skipping to Region 4 this week since we’re requesting special prayer for their Co-chairs, Louise Mangrum and Dot Reed. Louise fell/ inured her back while on Africa Nazarene University W&W trip recently, is experiencing quite a lot of pain and needs our prayer. Dot Reed, and husband Rev. Sherman Reed, need our prayer as Sherman is recovering remarkably from a very recent stroke.

ALABASTER QUESTION FROM E TN NMI PRESIDENTS

Several great East Tennessee NMI presidents have recently asked, “What is the project that our Alabaster offering will go towards this year?

The Answer: while I can tell you about Alabaster buildings that have been built in the past year, there’s no way that we can know what OUR Alabaster offering, which is being received in our churches, and sent in soon, will go towards in the coming year.

Here’s the process: District Superintendents and Field Superintendents from around the world present requests for Alabaster funds to their Regional Director. There are six world regions, each with their own regional directors. After all requests are considered prayerfully, Alabaster funds are awarded.

The Alabaster offerings we send in this fall and later this spring will be used to fund projects that will be selected this year. It’s important that Alabaster funds be sent to Global Treasury service, by check or online as soon as collected.

DON’T MISS THESE VIDEOS! ADULTS & CHILDREN ALIKE WILL ENJOY THESE 2 VIDEOS.

TODAY’S NMI CENTRAL HAS A GREAT NEW VIDEO FEATURING THE WINNER OF THE CHILDREN’S ALABASTER BOX CONTEST, A PROJECT OF THE EURASIA REGION.

To download this month’s video from Italy, on the Eurasia Region, click here

Click here Alabaster : Changing Lives for a another great new video to promote Alabaster Offerings

Newsletter, September 13 , 2023

September 15, 2023NewsletterETNMI

TODAY IS A GREAT DAY TO PRAY FOR A MISSIONARY

The prayers of NMI leaders are powerful and effective; the Kingdom of God is advanced because of them. Thank you for praying for the lost and for those who are working to reach them. Missionaries need prayer every day for their work, health, and safety.

TODAY IS ALSO A GREAT DAY TO BUY CARDS & INTERNATIONAL STAMPS FOR MISSIONARIES

Upcoming missionary birthdays: Links Missionary Carla Frazier, November 4, & Missionary Kid (MK) Kaitlyn Haun International stamps cost $1.50, and international mail can. take 6-8 weeks.

TODAY IS ALSO A GREAT TIME TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH E TN NMI LEADERS

Mission Area 1 Chairperson, our newest leader: Kristie Greene, from Elizabethton Church. Mission Area 1 has not had an NMI Chairperson for some time.

However, God has used the influence of a great veteran NMI president, Patty Schultz , and great pastor, Rev. Kenley Knight, to speak to the heart of Kristie Greene, our new NMI chairperson for Mission Area 1.

When brand new Elizabethton NMI president, Kristie Greene, volunteered for W&W team to Tapachula, Mexico, I knew there must be something really special about her. A broken hip made me miss being on that team, so, as soon as possible, I made it “my mission” to get acquainted with Kristie. I was NOT disappointed! When Kristie worked tirelessly, helping with all kinds of tasks at the NMI convention, I knew we needed her leadership on Mission Area 1.

I asked Kristie to share her story (below) so you could get acquainted:

“My family and I purchased a family home and moved to Elizabethton in 2017 from North Carolina. My mom was from Elizabethton, so I had spent most of my summers as a child visiting with my grandparents and beloved “favorite aunt.” I have a home still in North Carolina as well. I was raised in the Baptist faith and accepted Christ as my Lord and savior at a fairly young age. We were visiting churches in the area when my husband came in contact with Pastor Kenley , Kenley invited us to come hear him preach. Being raised in the Baptist faith I was hesitant at first, but as a family we decided to give it a try. It didn’t take very long to know that Elizabethton First Church of the Nazarene was exactly where God wanted us to be. My son and I joined the church around 2019.

Unfortunately, my husband became sick and passed away in October of 2020. We were married for almost 32 years. My son Jason (33years old) has had 2 heart surgeries, one at a month old and another at age 11. He is truly a gift from God and a true miracle. After my husband passed, I realized that through his death and my son’s sickness that God has never left me, He has carried me a lot. It was time for me to totally surrender my life to Christ and to do Gods will. He has given me so very much! As Ron DeWitt stated at assembly, “we were made for more.” I have always wanted to do some kind of mission work, especially after I became a Registered Nurse in 2005. Having a sick child made that difficult to pursue and honestly my husband didn’t have as strong a faith as I did that Gods will be done no matter where I went in his name. As I started listening to Patty Schultz and how the Nazarenes are a missional people, my heart and enthusiasm for mission work started growing again. I was NMI president 2022-2023 then elected for this year 2023-2024. Tapachula was my first mission trip and I truly hope it not my last. I would honestly love to do medical missions as well. I have been a Registered nurse for 18 years, travel nurse on and off, staff nurse and am currently travel nursing at Methodist Medical center in Oak Ridge, Tennessee until October 15 then who knows where to next. Can’t venture to far from home now though. I love the Lord and missions. That’s me in a nutshell! Hope this helps and didn’t mean to write a book.

Love in Christ,

Kristie Green

Newsletter, September 6 , 2023

September 7, 2023NewsletterETNMI

YOUR PRAYERS MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE WITH KENYA ENTRY!

Several times before E TN District W&W trip to Nairobi, Kenya, E TN churches were asked to pray especially for our entry into Kenya. We had been advised that we would need to pay a large fee for any luggage marked with an X by government agents. The X’s would indicate bags containing tech equipment for the 21st Century project at Africa Nazarene University, Our team waited breathlessly for all luggage to come off the conveyer belt, and…

we were (quietly) overjoyed when there were NO X’s!

More answers to prayer will be shared on coming newsletters…

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING, AND THANK GOD FOR ANSWERING PRAYER!

DISCOVER MISSIONS 2024-AMAZING EVENT FOR YOUNG ADULTS

Please share with young adults in YOUR church!

Discover Missions is an event for young adults, ages 18-26, to come together, June 7-19, 2024, Nairobi, Kenya, to be immersed in another culture and to be equipped for practical missions.

Application deadline is October 15, 2023.

Click here for more information.

Best EVER Suggestion from “September Missionary Thoughts,” from
Our Retired Missionary, Reverend Dr. Geneva Silvernail

In her “September Mission Thoughts”

(attached)

Dr. Silvernail gives seven timely suggestions about how to adjust to a new culture. The 7th, & final suggestion, quoted below, will long be remembered when introducing ANYONE, of ANY culture to my Lord! Thank you, Dr. Silvernail!

“Seventh, I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ but I am not going to introduce my Lord and Savior until I know for sure the Holy Spirit is leading me. One strong rule that I have rarely broken is never invite anyone to church unless we have first spent time eating a meal together, or sharing coffee and cookies, or if there is a potluck at church when the person comes to visit the first time. Something about food breaks down barriers!”

ALABASTER HAPPENINGS AROUND E TN

Alabaster Offering Idea from NMI President, Amanda Crawford, Gordonsville

For details of the “Alabaster Penny War,” see

attachment!