Pastor Appreciation Month

NWIL District is blessed with amazing pastors and pastoral staff. We encourage you to take time this month to show your love and appreciation through a gift, a note of encouragement, or other methods. 

Let your pastor know how God is specifically using them to bless, help, and teach you to follow God.

On behalf of the NWIL District Team, thank you to the pastors for your leadership, friendship, team work, discipleship and loving your churches and district so well. You are loved and appreciated. -Lloyd, Jim, Ray, Pam

THANKSGIVING OFFERING

The Church of the Nazarene's Thanksgiving Offering for the World Evangelism Fund (WEF) raises support and awareness of missionary needs across the globe, and allows each of us to participate in our shared mission “To make Christlike disciples in the nations.”

We treasure the miracles God has provided for global evangelism in the past and anticipate what He will do in the future. In addition to prayer, we desire to creatively prepare and plan in order to have the best possible global impact.

Through your generosity, you can support the fulfilling of the Great Commission!

Would you and your church join us this year as we receive a denomination-wide Thanksgiving Offering to bring the message of transformational hope of Jesus to our world.

Nazarene Missionaries

South Pacific Island Nation of Vanuatu

David and Sylvia Potter are global missionaries involved in training and equipping pastors and leaders for the church in Vanuatu, as well as serving in mission finance and other supportive roles. They take great delight in helping others embrace Christ and become strong, equipped missional pastors and leaders for the church.

They were first appointed as medical missionaries to the Nazarene College of Nursing at Kudjip, Papua New Guinea, in 1992 and served there until they accepted the call to begin the work of the Church of the Nazarene in Vanuatu in 2003.David and Sylvia both received a B.S. in Nursing from Point Loma Nazarene College in San Diego, California. 

They will be on our district for Deputation March 27-April 3, 2022. Please Contact Carole Eatock\Diana Jansen if you are interested in scheduling the Potter’s at your church. 

Dates available: March 28, March 29, March 31

Mission trip opportunity in 2022.

VBS/SPORTS CAMPS

The local church has a deep desire to minister to their community. One way we help fulfill that desire is by partnering with to host VBS and sports camps. Through the resources our teams provide, we are able to evangelize not only to the children of the community but to the adults as well.

CONSTRUCTION

It all begins with a need. Churches in need. We have brought new life to churches with a fresh coat of paint. We have restored churches with a new ceiling. We have planted churches with a new building and much more. Whatever the need, our teams will work to get it completed.

MEDICAL CLINICS

In 2018, we began offering medical clinics at our site locations. We have medical professionals who volunteer their time and supplies in order to serve the community and their physical needs. Doctors and nurses on your team would have an opportunity to use their skills to minister to others.

Full details: ENCUENTROMISSONS.ORG

Moving ahead with a Journey of Grace in Small Groups

By Daryll Stanton



What's happening in your discipleship plan for small groups? The SDMI approach of discipleship is illustrated as a three-fold framework called A Journey of Grace. Let's look at that framework and someof the supporting resources. READ MORE

Children's Ministry Workers 

If you're on Facebook, check out NWIL Children's Ministry and request to join! We will be sharing children's ministry ideas, curriculum ideas, VBS, online meetings, bouncing ideas off one another and encouraging each other as we all seek to point kids toward Christ. 

The Church of the Nazarene provides us with many resources to help our Children's Ministry be the best that it can be. Click below to find resources. USA/CANADA CHILDREN'S MINISTRY      

GLOBAL CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Congratulations to POC's new Lead Pastor, Rev. Zac Alvis!

Zac was born and raised in Bloomington, Illinois, on the NWIL district. He grew up at Bloomington First Church of the Nazarene, where he was blessed to have Rev. Scott Sherwood as his senior pastor and Rev. Todd Keller as his Youth Pastor. Zac was a drummer on the Worship Team and helped lead worship. He met his wife, Lyndsey, at Bloomington First, where they married in 2009. Zac and Lyndsey have four wonderful children—Nathanael, Madilyn, Myah, Levi—and a fifth child on the way (due October 7th).

Zac first felt a call to ministry when he was a teenager, which the Lord solidified when Zac was able to take a trip to Cali, Colombia, to learn from what was at that time the fastest growing Nazarene church in the world. At Bloomington First, Zac started exploring his call as a volunteer youth leader and on the Worship Team where he played drums and helped lead worship. In 2012, Pastor Todd Keller asked the Alvises to consider helping him plant Point of Change Church, and they joined the launch team. Zac continued to serve on the Worship Team, and he and Lyndsey both served as youth leaders. In 2017, Zac was brought on staff as Youth Pastor at Point of Change. A year later, Zac’s responsibilities grew as the new Family Ministries Pastor, overseeing children, youth, and young adult ministries. Lyndsey served as Thrive Kids co-director from 2019-2021. Zac graduated from Ohio Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in organizational leadership in 2020. He received his first district license in 2019 and is currently enrolled in the school of ministry through the NWIL district as he continues to pursue ordination as an elder in the Church of the Nazarene. In 2021, Zac became the Bloomington Campus Pastor and then was elected Co-Lead Pastor of Point of Change alongside Pastor Todd.

Over the years, Zac and Lyndsey have worked in various other professions. Zac worked as a bank teller for many years; he then worked at State Farm and is currently working for Country Financial. Lyndsey was an OB Tech for OSF St Joseph Hospital on the birthing floor from 2012 to 2018. Both have enjoyed the co-vocational ministry they have been doing for the last several years.

Congratulations to PFN’s new Senior Pastor, Rev. Brian Eatock!

After years spent in the medical field as a Respiratory Therapist, Pastor Brian felt the call into pastoral ministry. After obtaining his ordination in 2012, he received his Masters Degree in Pastoral Leadership from Olivet Nazarene University.

A native of Central Illinois, he spent 13 years as a Senior Pastor in three wonderful churches before feeling his call change to children’s ministry. He has served at Pekin First Nazarene since April of 2017. During his time at Pekin First Nazarene as the Children’s Pastor, Pastor Brian has developed an amazing team. Through leadership development and a keen eye to recognize the spiritual gifts of others, KidZone is led by a team of very hard-working, dedicated individuals. KidZone is dedicated to training up our youngest members of the Church by instilling Christian values, teaching them the Bible, and fostering their servant leadership skills.

In 2000, Brian and Carole were married in Jamaica. They have two boys, Isaiah (2003) and Ian (2006). Both are in Tremont High School and involved in various sports. Carole is a Doctor of Nursing Practice at OSF Medical Systems. Together they have faithfully served the Lord in small churches, large churches, and through many work & witness trips to Africa, Guatemala, Haiti, and most recently, Belize.

Brian has also served on various councils and teams within the Northwestern Illinois District of the Church of the Nazarene. He currently is the Children’s Director but has served as Sunday school and Discipleship Ministries Chair, Vice President of the Missions Council, a member of the Board of Ministry and Finance Committee, and as a Zone Facilitator.

Congratulations SCC!



Nazarene Compassionate Ministries USA/Canada is pleased to officially welcome Southside Community Center as a Compassionate Ministry Center.

Irene LewisWimbley - Director

Austin Smith - Assistant Director

Click https://southside-cc.com for information about SCC.

North Pekin

Tent Revival - Jesus Is Lord

October 20-23, 2021 Time: 6:00pm

North Pekin Nazarene Church

126 South Main Street

North Pekin, IL

October 20

Merge Worship

-Rev. Curt Evans

October 21

Bluegrass Gospel Worship

-Rev. Cali Lindenfelser

October 22

Pekin Worship Team

-Rev. Ron Jansen

October 23

Pekin Worship Team

-Rev. Lloyd Brock.

Havana Church of the Nazarene is making progress.

We are getting excited to see what God has in store for our church. Please pray for our church as we wait patiently for our new construction to be finished.  

Praise the Lord we have had a good month at 1170 E. Laurel Avenue in Havana!  The footings have been poured.  The foundation wall has been poured and the foundation wall insulation has been installed. The foundation has been backfilled. As of now the underground plumbing is being completed.  Next is the underground electrical and underground sound system to be installed. After that the plumbing and electrical inspections will be done and the sub grade leveled and prepared for the floor. Lord willing the floor will be poured this month and the erection of the steel building will begin.  It's great to see all of this happening.  After a few years of waiting and raising money finally the dream is becoming reality thanks to the Lord and His provision and leadership. 

Rockford Samuelson Road

On August 29, our church held a blessing of the backpacks where we prayed for our students returning to school. At the conclusion of the service, we baptized four students.

Homecoming & Family Weekend is a special time for friends of the University to gather on Olivet’s campus. With activities planned for all ages and interests, Olivet celebrates accomplishments and heritage during a three-day schedule of events. We expect many of the events to sell out, so click here to buy your tickets.

“Olivet loves tradition, and Homecoming & Family Weekend activities are one of the best ways for us to celebrate,” said Erinn Proehl, Director of Alumni and University Relations. “We invite everyone — students, their parents and siblings, faculty, staff, friends and our community — and all age groups to join us. Celebrating with all of you adds so much to this special time on our campus.”

We look forward to hosting twice as many class reunions on campus this year: those celebrating in 2021, along with those unable to have their reunion in 2020. We're excited to provide an outstanding experience for everyone! Full details

Give a GIFT that doesn't stop Giving!

Would you give $1.00 a month if it never stopped giving, never wore out, never changed its usefulness or purpose and transformed lives?

The Church Multiplication Endowment Fund is designed to reach unreached people living on the NWIL District for Christ. Every dollar given will continue to give in perpetuity. An endowment fund uses the interest from the principle to do kingdom work.  Will you help fund this goal? 

Currently, our district property funds have been invested in planting 22 new churches these past three years and the district is in need of capital to continue to plant more! We need your help. Presently, there are 36 more potential church plants in various stages of planning which will require additional funding support.

Would you consider a GIFT of $1.00 a month?  We are not trying to take money from your local ministry where you give your tithes and offerings. We are asking for many to give a little.  Our initial goal is 5,000 giving at least $1.00 a month. Would you be one of those 5,000 making a commitment to create a movement to plant churches that change lives?  Here are ways to give:

• You can give to your local church by marking your check or cash gift "NWIL CM Endowment" and your church treasurer will take it from there.
• You can also choose to give online if you want to set up one time or reoccurring payments using debit/credit/Electronic Check on the district website at nwilnaz.org/GIVE/ On District Church Planting or direct  CM Endowment Giving LINK. Or scan this QR code at the bottom of this article.
• You can send a check or cash to NWIL District, 3520 Broadway St., Pekin, IL 61554 (please indicate CM Endowment on check memo)

We are also looking for those who might like to make greater kingdom investments!

You can give cash, stocks, bonds, real estate, livestock, grain, or other personal property.  Basically, any asset of marketable value can be used to help fund this endowment. There are also charitable gift annuity options that allow you to specify the endowment fund or another ministry of your choice while allowing you to receive income for your lifetime and when you pass, your gift goes to the endowment fund or specified ministry. CLICK HERE  to see other ways to model generosity. Gifts can be given in memory or in honor of someone. 

Large or small: Why not leave a lasting legacy that lasts more than your lifetime. 

For more information or confidential consultation please contact NWIL District Administrator, Jim Book 309-678-2357; NWIL District Treasurer, Ray Barker 309-645-7716; or the Nazarene Foundation directly at 913-577-2983.