Northwestern Ohio Nazarene District

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Northwestern Ohio Nazarene District

Resourcing and inspiring local churches to build leaders and reach all kinds of people.

Resourcing and inspiring local churches to build leaders who will plant,
revitalize, and remake all kinds of churches to reach all kinds of people.

04/03/2026

Celebrating Great Things at Sidney Nazarene!

Pastor Chad reports: this week, one of our high school teachers had a student in crisis. In the middle of that moment, they remembered the challenge: “Who’s your one?”

And it clicked and they thought… this is my one.
They stepped in, shared their faith, and brought real hope and encouragement right when it was needed most.

And that’s not all…God’s power is being displayed in changed lives at Sidney Nazarene…

20+ people said the big YES to Jesus at the close of service
31 new members were welcomed into the church and to the mission
22 baptisms are going to happen across their Easter services as a result which makes 35 baptisms already this church year

This is what happens when we live SENT and take responsibility for our one.
God is working!

03/30/2026

MVNU Women's Auxiliary Spring Conference
April 17th 7pm-9pm & April 18th 9am-Noon.

It’s not too late to join us for a weekend of encouragement, faith and inspiration as we welcome Rebekah Gregory-2013 Boston Marathon bombing survivor, inspirational speaker and founder of Rebekah's Angels Foundation.

Register by going to:
mvnu.edu/church-relations/womens-auxiliary

Can’t wait to see you there!!!

03/16/2026

NWO Hispanic/Latino Summit and NWO's growing focus on multicultural ministry kicked off Saturday

The NWO Hispanic/Latino Summit and NWO's growing focus on multicultural ministry kicked off Saturday with leaders from 7–8 NWO churches, joined by Marcelo and Viviana Fretes. Marcelo is the Nazarene Spanish Ministry Advisor for the U.S. Region, and Viviana pastors a multicultural congregation.

The event was marked by a time of concentrated prayer, sharing about the vision for Hispanic ministry on the district, and a commitment from church leaders present to concrete next steps to get started. It concluded with a new resolve to begin intentionally reaching and caring for Spanish-speaking cultures in our communities in order to build sustainable Hispanic ministry.

Stay tuned for some exciting announcements and important steps forward in the next few months. Great days are ahead!

03/03/2026

Gold Weekend is Golden!

One developing pastor shared that this was her third year attending as a locally licensed pastor — and this year it all clicked. The doctrinal teaching came into focus, the credentialing process finally connected the dots, and she now feels ready to pursue her first district license. She also loved building relationships with other candidates. Clarifying. Encouraging. Powerful. That’s the power of the cumulative effect. Year after year, this weekend is helping developing pastors take their next steps in ministry.

And the fruit from the weekend is real:
• 4 Ordinations + 1 Recognition of Credentials
• 11 First-Time District Licenses (the most in recent history)
• 26 District-Licensed Pastors being renewed
• 8 more candidates preparing for licensing interviews next year

Board of Ministry members are seeing the growth of the developing pastors and the rising number of pastors God is raising up.

This is a healthy, growing pastoral pipeline — and the future is bright.

02/11/2026

Pastors and leaders from across Northwestern Ohio gathered for Big Day at the District Center—and it was a powerful time of equipping, connecting, celebrating, and catalyzing a new season of ministry across our district.

We focused on the Five Critical Systems for Healthy Churches, digging into practical ways to strengthen every local church:
Financial Systems and Funding the Mission
Organizational Clarity
Community Missional Engagement
Leadership Development
Preaching and Worship

Grateful for the leaders who led these sessions and are seeing real fruit in changed lives—Mark Atherton, Jacob Hawes, Mike McClurg, Mark Coulter, Eric Anderson, Stephen Ambrose, Ben Hartford, Dave Dooley, Jeff Stark, Stan Tharpe, and Wesley Hurles!

Encouraged by what God is doing and excited for what’s ahead. Our pastoral and leadership teams are continuing to get stronger. The momentum is real—and it’s growing.

02/07/2026

What a powerful day at Fort Recovery Church of the Nazarene!

Pastor Jesse Sibert and the church celebrated a special baptism service, and God moved in incredible ways. One of the baptisms offered a powerful testimony to the church’s outreach, as the individual first connected with the ministry through social media after coming to Christ in December.

In addition to the planned baptisms, one person accepted Christ that morning and immediately requested to be baptized. During the service, two others were so moved by God that they also chose to take that step of faith the same day. It was a beautiful display of God at work within the community.

This marks the second baptism service this year, following another service where four new believers were baptized. Fort Recovery Church is truly leading the way in making disciples and reaching their community for Christ.

02/03/2026

LEAD | NWO District Advance 2026 is coming
Friday, June 19 – Saturday, June 20

Two days. One district. Lots of Jesus followers.
A renewed call to lead.

Join us for a powerful gathering to refocus, recharge, and lean into our call to lead through keynotes, breakouts, and shared moments for you and your teams.

We will lean into this missional work:
Called to Lead
Leading Self
Leading Others
Leading Leaders
Leading Mission

Plus powerful moments of ordination and commissioning, team updates and conventions with NDI, NMI, and NYI, and a send-off for our teens heading to NYC.

Pre-conference gatherings will take place on Friday for various groups.

Mark your calendar now. This is one you will not want to miss.

# District Advance 2026

01/31/2026

Es tiempo de comenzar ministerios e iglesias Hispano/Latinas en el Noroeste de Ohio.

Dios ya ha puesto a las naciones en medio de nuestras comunidades, y queremos responder con intención, fe y acción. En 2026, estamos dando pasos concretos para alcanzar y servir mejor a nuestras comunidades hispanas/latinas.

Te invitamos a la Cumbre de Ministerio Hispano/Latino, un tiempo para orar, soñar y comenzar a construir caminos hacia nuevos ministerios, discipulado y comunidades cristianas en español.

Sábado, 14 de marzo
9:00–11:30 a. m.
The Well Church | Marysville

Esta cumbre es para pastores, líderes y equipos ministeriales con un llamado a servir a la comunidad hispana—y especialmente para personas y familias que forman parte de esa comunidad.

Nos acompañará el Rev. Marcelo Fretes, asesor nacional del Ministerio Hispano/Latino, quien ayudará a guiar estas conversaciones y los próximos pasos. El español será el idioma principal durante gran parte del evento, con traducción disponible.

Las naciones están aquí. Es tiempo de responder al llamado de Dios.
Regístrese para la Cumbre del Ministerio Hispano:
https://thevalley.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/388/responses/new
¿Preguntas? Escríbanos a [email protected]
___
It’s time to start Hispanic/Latino ministries and churches in Northwestern Ohio.

One of the most strategic ways we can reach our communities is by intentionally engaging the Hispanic/Latino neighbors God has already placed among us. In 2026, we’re committing ourselves to take real steps forward—together.

Join us for a Hispanic/Latino Ministry Summit as we begin building pathways for prayer, discipleship, fellowship, and new ministry expressions in Spanish across our district.

Saturday, March 14
9:00–11:30 am
The Well Church | Marysville

This gathering is for pastors, leaders, and church teams who sense a calling to reach the Hispanic/Latino community—and especially for individuals and families who are part of that community themselves.

We’re grateful to be joined by Marcelo Fretes, Nazarene Spanish Ministry Advisor for the U.S. Region, who will help guide these conversations and next steps. Spanish will be the primary language for much of the Summit, with translation provided.

The nations are already here. Let’s step into the mission God has placed in front of us.
Register for the Hispanic Ministry Summit:
https://thevalley.ccbchurch.com/goto/forms/388/responses/new
Questions? Email [email protected]

01/29/2026

Two NWO leaders from Quest Community Church were nominated and recognized by the Logan County Chamber as the Non-Profit of the Year because of the impact their work is making in their area. This is a church and a people on mission, and it shows what God can do when we keep saying yes to the next thing God shows us. Here’s a cool video about their ministry.

https://www.facebook.com/reel/870072925943103

01/26/2026

Pastor’s Leadership Day at Mount Vernon Nazarene University
Exploring Holiness: The New Testament and The Church
Thursday, February 19, 9 AM – 4:00 PM

MVNU is hosting Dr. Craig Keener and Dr Caleb Friedman for MVNU’s spring Pastor’s Leadership Day to explore Holiness, The New Testament and The Church with all pastors in the MVNU Region.

Dr Craig is one of the world’s leading New Testament scholars and a Professor at Asbury Theological Seminary. A prolific author and respected voice in biblical studies, Dr. Keener is widely known for helping readers understand Scripture within its historical and cultural context while faithfully serving the Church.

Dr. Caleb Friedman is the David A. Case Chair of Biblical Studies and Associate Research Professor of New Testament. He holds a PhD from Wheaton College and is a Wesleyan pastor-theologian whose teaching and scholarship focus on the Gospels, early Christian birth narratives, and holiness theology. He is also a professor at Ohio Christian University.

Event Details
· Date: Thursday, February 19, 9 AM – 4:00 PM
· Location: Mount Vernon Nazarene University – Thorne Performance Hall/R.R. Hodges Chapel
· Hospitality: A lite continental breakfast and lunch will be provided for all attendees.

Join us and together, we’ll shape the future of theological education and strengthen the church for generations to come!

Click the link to Register
https://secure.acceptiva.com/?cst=7f4082

01/16/2026

We’re excited to share that Pastor Lou Reyes has accepted the call to serve as Lead Pastor at One Hope Church of the Nazarene

Born in the Philippines, Lou A. Reyes grew up in poverty—an experience that shaped his deep compassion for people in need. His life changed on August 4, 2008, when a college friend shared the gospel with him, making him the first Christian in his family. At 17, while still in college, Lou helped plant a church in the Philippines with that same friend and committed himself to sharing his faith with his family and community.

At 22, Lou sensed a call to full-time ministry and, in 2014, became the lead pastor of The Grace International Fellowship. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and a Master of Divinity, reflecting his desire to serve both God and people with excellence. He also served as campus nurse at Asia-Pacific Nazarene Theological Seminary (APNTS), providing holistic care to students, professors, staff, and missionaries for four meaningful years.

Lou met his wife, Sarah Kathleen, at APNTS while they were both students. Together, they lead a ministry marked by love, humility, and compassion. They are the grateful parents of two children, Louisa and Levi.

With more than 11 years of pastoral experience, Lou’s journey has taken him from the Philippines to Joliet, Illinois; Marshall, Missouri—where he helped plant Micronesian churches; Mobile, Alabama; and now Tipp City, Ohio. He is excited to serve with a heart for shepherding and discipleship, trusting God to continue writing a story of grace, hope, and transformation.

We’re grateful to welcome Pastor Lou, Sarah, Louisa, and Levi to Northwestern Ohio and the NWO Team. Please join us in praying for God’s favor as they transition to One Hope and begin this new season of ministry!

Address

272 Jack Oak Point Road
Saint Marys, OH
45885

Telephone

+14193944517

Website

http://www.nwonaz.org/

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