DS Newsletter
January 10, 2025 SNAD DS NEWSLETTER Volume 3 Issue 1
Happy New Year! And although there seemed to be much sickness and grief over the Christmas Holy Days and even into the new year, I have every confidence that God used you to bless many others and share the Great News of His Birth and what that means for all of us. Praise the Lord and thank you for your faithfulness!!!
This DS Newsletter has been a long time in coming and I have no excuse but there are LOTS of reasons. Thank you for being patient.
The following dates and events were given out through all four Zone Rallies last fall. Please continue to share with your congregations.
1) SNAD MIDYEAR CONVENTION: January 30 & 31-February 1, 2025. The itinerary is attached to this e-mail & will be posted soon on the SNAD website (snadcotn.org)
Location: Phoenix First Church of the Nazarene: 19201 N. 7th Avenue, Phoenix) and begins at 6pm on Thursday, January 30.
2) YEARLY PASTORAL INTERVIEWS (for those that already have or are seeking District Pastor Licenses):
The date of interviews will be Saturday, March 1, 2025, at North Mountain Church of the Nazarene (2730 W. Orangewood Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85051).
Those that are required to be interviewed have already been contacted by Rev. Carla Durby (SNAD Ministerial Liaison). If you did not receive the communication from Pastor Carla and believe you should have, please reach out to her now. She is extremely easy to contact (information is listed above) with any questions or concerns.
***The Ministerial Board will meet in Phoenix the evening before the interviews on Friday, February 28, 2025—more details are forthcoming.
3) SNAD DISTRICT ASSEMBLY: June 12-14, 2025. Location as of this writing is: Phoenix First Church of the Nazarene. More details are forthcoming.
REMINDERS
Marilyn Van Yazzie will be facilitating the submissions of the Lead Pastor Annual Reports. The church year ends April 30, 2025. These reports are to be submitted to Marilyn Van Yazzie (our very knowledgeable and able SNAD District Secretary and Treasurer) by May 31, 2025. Historically, some of these reports are not received at all or received hurriedly by the end or perhaps even after District Assembly. This is not just about filling out another report. There are many other particularly good and helpful reasons to complete this report. Let’s try to do better at this, please. Churches, please encourage and help your Pastors in this area. Marilyn is available to help. Her contact information is listed above.
All Ordained SNAD persons are also to submit an Annual Report (also due by May 31, 2025), although not the same report as the Lead Pastor—Marilyn can help you with this also.
Thank you for all you are doing and continue to do!
PASTORAL INSTALLATIONS
How exciting to watch five pastors receive their full ordinations! Their calls were already sure---now they have completed what was begun many years ago. I would love to know how many years in total these five pastors studied to arrive to that point on June 8, 2024. There are so many that have played a part in those many years, too. Praise the Lord for all of this and thank you for the part God gave you in helping to complete this part in the journey!
EVENTS
A) Our churches have camp meetings and tent meetings and other special events. I understand you may have your own social media platforms to get the word out about these happenings, but Eileen and I are happy to also know of and pray for your events and have them posted to the official SNAD website. Please submit the information in a timely manner for website posting (at least two weeks prior to the event). And by getting the word out also through the SNAD website, you never know who or from where the Lord might bring people your way! Please do not hesitate to follow up regarding getting your Nazarene events posted. We know that there are other Christian and Evangelical events in which many SNAD folks are involved and I encourage you to continue to spread God’s Word, Love, and Care in how and where He Leads and Gives you opportunity, but the SNAD website is specifically for the Southwest Native American District Church of the Nazarene events only. Thank you for understanding.
B) Both the Women’s and Men’s Retreats last fall were well planned, attended, and enjoyed!!
**Women’s Retreat for 2025 is aiming to be held in Phoenix at the end of September. Laverne Wilson (Women’s Ministry Leader) will give us more information at the Midyear Convention.
**The Men’s Retreat dates are October 31-November 1, 2025 at Camp Pinerock, Prescott, AZ.
C) I want to send a SHOUT OUT to the almost 30 people from SNAD that joined Eileen and me at PALCON (Pastor & Leadership Conference) last July 2024 at Point Loma Nazarene University. SNAD had people of all age groups in attendance and there was plenty of teaching and activity (and food!) for each of us. Thank you so much for your participation! Each of you were and are a blessing!
D) Thank you so much for continuing to plan and gather and bless each other with Zone Rallies, Bible Studies, Youth & Children’s Activities, Special Celebrations, etc ... jobs well done!!
Keep on in Jesus!! We are STILL in this together!
Sincerely in Christ,
Mike
Rev. Michael J. Andrews, DS
(District Superintendent/Servant)
P.S. Please forward this SNAD DS NEWSLETTER to anyone that may want to receive it and be free to make copies as it would be of assistance to you and your church. Thank you!
https://usacanadaregion.org/cycle-of-resurgence/blessing-our-community
2024 Blessing Our Community Sermon Series
