Pastor Vern's Top Ten
April 8, 2021
1. New Women’s Bible Study Starting Next Week – Women’s Journey will start a new Bible study on Wednesday April 7 @ 7pm at North. This is a 12-week, Women of Faith study called “Uncovering God’s Word”. Please contact Cricket Johnson if you are interested in attending. You can reach her at (585 )815-5356 or cricket@2ki.net.
2. Food Distribution/Volunteers Needed – In April we may have the opportunity to be part of the Salvation Army/Food Link food distribution for our area. We are looking for volunteers to help with that. The dates for the food distributions are April 14 and 28 and volunteers will need to come to the church around 1:30pm. Thanks!
3. “Centered” - Three Evenings Focused on God’s Power – We are planning three special evenings April 18-20 at 6pm. We’re calling this event “Centered” and we invite everyone to come and experience the power of connecting with God through prayer and Scripture.
Pastor David Prince from Cross Creek, the Free Methodist Church in Palmyra, will join us Sunday night with his wife Linda to share their incredible story of Linda’s recent healing from multiple sclerosis.
Monday night will feature Sandie Brock, a spiritual advisor who will join us by Zoom. She will lead us in a listening prayer exercise, explaining the "why" of healing prayer, how it fits into the work of sanctification and how physical healing and heart/mind healing is related.
On Tuesday evening Kyle Sullivan, Assistant Dean of Students at Roberts Wesleyan College, will lead us through a focused reading of Scripture – an ancient Christian practice called lectio divina.
All three evenings will include a time of worshipful singing and time for prayer, including prayer for healing of physical, emotional and relational issues. Please mark your calendars now and plan to join us for one, two or all three evenings! We are asking people to register for any of the nights you plan to attend, so we can keep track of the numbers/space. Thank you!
4. Coming Soon: Pray Station – The Children’s ministry team is also planning a fun event at the church dedicated to the importance of spending time with God. This will be built on stations, with each station taking your family deeper into what it means to talk to God. We hope this activity stimulates meaningful conversations about connecting with God and how kids can continue to do so on a regular basis. More details will be coming out soon.
5. The Rummage Sale is Back This Year – Our Early Bird group is going to hold their rummage sale again this year, after having to miss last year due to COVID. The proceeds from this rummage sale goes to support mission work and this year it is going to be held on May 7 and 8. So start setting aside those items you’d like to donate and we’ll let you know when and how to bring them in for the sale. Thanks!
6. International Child Care Sponsorships – Thank you to all who were able to sponsor a child from Gahanda last weekend. 10 more children are going to receive the benefit of your love and support, on top of the 150+ we already sponsor. These sponsorships really do make a huge difference not only in the lives of these children and their families, but also in the lives of the community in which they live, and the Free Methodist Church and the school where they worship and learn. May God bless you for your generosity and love!
7. Pastor Marsha is Going to Senegal – Please keep Pastor Marsha in prayer as she prepares for a trip to Senegal in Africa. Marsha is going as a member of our Conference Ministerial Education and Guidance board, on the invitation of a group of pastors in Senegal who are interested in uniting with the Free Methodist Church. Please prayer for her preparations for this trip which begins on April 17.
8. First Aid Supplies for Senegal – Ever wish you could hop into someone's suitcase when they're going on a trip? Luggage restrictions won't allow Pastor Marsha to take us with her to Senegal in Western Africa, but she is taking a suitcase full of first aid supplies to distribute to the communities she visits, and you can add something to that! Marsha leaves April 17 as a member of our Conference Ministerial Education and Guidance board, on the invitation of a group of Senegalese pastors who are interested in uniting with the Free Methodist Church. Items she is collecting:
•Bandaids/bandages/dressings, etc.
•Antibiotic ointment (like Polysporin)
•Vitamins (adult/children – pills and liquid)
•Advil/Tylenol (generic is fine)
Please bring these items to the North Campus lobby by April 15, and please pray for Pastor Marsha and the collaborative team with whom she will be ministering.
9. Prayer-Walk Opportunities – Prayer walks have begun this week. These groups are meeting once a week to walk and pray together and are in various locations around our community. If you’d be interested in joining a prayer-walk group please let Pastor Marsha know by emailing her at marsha@northgatefmc.com.
Right now we have these prayer walk opportunities lined up (actually one is a “prayer-run” opportunity!)
•Tuesdays at 10am (Oakfield)
oTriangle Park Gazebo with Robin Woodams
•Tuesdays at 5:30pm (Batavia)
oThis is a Running Group – Meet at Arbor House (South Campus) with Doug Forsyth
•Every Other Wednesday - Mid-morning/times vary (Rochester)
oJericho Walk at Strong Hospital with Mark Logan (Contact Pastor Marsha for dates/times – marsha@northgatefmc.com)
•Wednesdays at 6pm (Batavia)
oNorthgate Prayer Walk (North Campus) with Suzy Jarrett and Louis Smith
•Thursday at 6pm/starts today, April 8 (Batavia)
oArbor House (South Campus) with Pastor Chris Landon
•Sunday at 4:30pm/starts April 11 (Albion)
oMount Albion Cemetery with Greg & Sherrie Staines
•Sunday at 6pm/starts April 11 (Bergen)
oHickory Park with Pastor Vern
•Thursday at 6pm/starts April 15 (Batavia)
oDeWitt Recreation Area with Anthony Hoisington
10. Questions About Membership, Baptism, Dedications, Etc? – We’ve been getting some questions from people interested in membership at Northgate, along with questions about baptism, infant dedications, etc. In the past (pre-COVID) we were holding classes on membership and special weekends for the baptisms and dedications. For now we have pivoted to offering appointments to talk with people about membership, and we are holding baptisms and dedications on an individually scheduled basis. If you have questions about any of this you can let us know by way of our website, or call the office (343-4011) or speak to one of the pastors after a worship service. It’s a wonderful thing to be in a church where people are seeking out these opportunities and we want to help make it happen for you, so let us know how we can do that! Thanks!
You Can Count on This – Acts 13:52 – And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (Read Acts 13:13-52)
This is a really wonderful passage from Acts. It begins with Paul being invited to preach in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch. Paul starts his message by reviewing in broad strokes the history of the Jewish people, making it clear that God was with them through every era of their history, bringing things about just as He desired, until God “brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.” From there Paul speaks to the salvation that Jesus has made available through His death and resurrection. Paul describes the “good news”: Jesus was raised from the dead; forgiveness of sins is proclaimed through Jesus; everyone who believes in Him is set free from sin – something that the law of Moses could not provide anyone!
Paul’s message is well-received, and many want to hear more. Others, however, become jealous of the attention this gives to Paul and begin to persecute him. Chapter 13 closes telling us that the gospel message was spreading throughout the region, and that persecution of Christians was increasing. And the followers of Jesus were overjoyed! Not for the persecution, of course. But because in all of this God was at work spreading the gospel, the good news of Jesus.
Whenever we followers of Jesus begin to feel discouraged by the troubles we experience for our faith, we should think about those early Christians. Good times and bad times are both prime times for sharing the good news about Jesus, and if Jesus is being proclaimed, there is reason to rejoice!
When you’re not sure what you can count on in the world around you, know this: You can count on God keeping his word. So read what God has to say in scripture! And count on it.
1. New Women’s Bible Study Starting Next Week – Women’s Journey will start a new Bible study on Wednesday April 7 @ 7pm at North. This is a 12-week, Women of Faith study called “Uncovering God’s Word”. Please contact Cricket Johnson if you are interested in attending. You can reach her at (585 )815-5356 or cricket@2ki.net.
2. Food Distribution/Volunteers Needed – In April we may have the opportunity to be part of the Salvation Army/Food Link food distribution for our area. We are looking for volunteers to help with that. The dates for the food distributions are April 14 and 28 and volunteers will need to come to the church around 1:30pm. Thanks!
3. “Centered” - Three Evenings Focused on God’s Power – We are planning three special evenings April 18-20 at 6pm. We’re calling this event “Centered” and we invite everyone to come and experience the power of connecting with God through prayer and Scripture.
Pastor David Prince from Cross Creek, the Free Methodist Church in Palmyra, will join us Sunday night with his wife Linda to share their incredible story of Linda’s recent healing from multiple sclerosis.
Monday night will feature Sandie Brock, a spiritual advisor who will join us by Zoom. She will lead us in a listening prayer exercise, explaining the "why" of healing prayer, how it fits into the work of sanctification and how physical healing and heart/mind healing is related.
On Tuesday evening Kyle Sullivan, Assistant Dean of Students at Roberts Wesleyan College, will lead us through a focused reading of Scripture – an ancient Christian practice called lectio divina.
All three evenings will include a time of worshipful singing and time for prayer, including prayer for healing of physical, emotional and relational issues. Please mark your calendars now and plan to join us for one, two or all three evenings! We are asking people to register for any of the nights you plan to attend, so we can keep track of the numbers/space. Thank you!
4. Coming Soon: Pray Station – The Children’s ministry team is also planning a fun event at the church dedicated to the importance of spending time with God. This will be built on stations, with each station taking your family deeper into what it means to talk to God. We hope this activity stimulates meaningful conversations about connecting with God and how kids can continue to do so on a regular basis. More details will be coming out soon.
5. The Rummage Sale is Back This Year – Our Early Bird group is going to hold their rummage sale again this year, after having to miss last year due to COVID. The proceeds from this rummage sale goes to support mission work and this year it is going to be held on May 7 and 8. So start setting aside those items you’d like to donate and we’ll let you know when and how to bring them in for the sale. Thanks!
6. International Child Care Sponsorships – Thank you to all who were able to sponsor a child from Gahanda last weekend. 10 more children are going to receive the benefit of your love and support, on top of the 150+ we already sponsor. These sponsorships really do make a huge difference not only in the lives of these children and their families, but also in the lives of the community in which they live, and the Free Methodist Church and the school where they worship and learn. May God bless you for your generosity and love!
7. Pastor Marsha is Going to Senegal – Please keep Pastor Marsha in prayer as she prepares for a trip to Senegal in Africa. Marsha is going as a member of our Conference Ministerial Education and Guidance board, on the invitation of a group of pastors in Senegal who are interested in uniting with the Free Methodist Church. Please prayer for her preparations for this trip which begins on April 17.
8. First Aid Supplies for Senegal – Ever wish you could hop into someone's suitcase when they're going on a trip? Luggage restrictions won't allow Pastor Marsha to take us with her to Senegal in Western Africa, but she is taking a suitcase full of first aid supplies to distribute to the communities she visits, and you can add something to that! Marsha leaves April 17 as a member of our Conference Ministerial Education and Guidance board, on the invitation of a group of Senegalese pastors who are interested in uniting with the Free Methodist Church. Items she is collecting:
•Bandaids/bandages/dressings, etc.
•Antibiotic ointment (like Polysporin)
•Vitamins (adult/children – pills and liquid)
•Advil/Tylenol (generic is fine)
Please bring these items to the North Campus lobby by April 15, and please pray for Pastor Marsha and the collaborative team with whom she will be ministering.
9. Prayer-Walk Opportunities – Prayer walks have begun this week. These groups are meeting once a week to walk and pray together and are in various locations around our community. If you’d be interested in joining a prayer-walk group please let Pastor Marsha know by emailing her at marsha@northgatefmc.com.
Right now we have these prayer walk opportunities lined up (actually one is a “prayer-run” opportunity!)
•Tuesdays at 10am (Oakfield)
oTriangle Park Gazebo with Robin Woodams
•Tuesdays at 5:30pm (Batavia)
oThis is a Running Group – Meet at Arbor House (South Campus) with Doug Forsyth
•Every Other Wednesday - Mid-morning/times vary (Rochester)
oJericho Walk at Strong Hospital with Mark Logan (Contact Pastor Marsha for dates/times – marsha@northgatefmc.com)
•Wednesdays at 6pm (Batavia)
oNorthgate Prayer Walk (North Campus) with Suzy Jarrett and Louis Smith
•Thursday at 6pm/starts today, April 8 (Batavia)
oArbor House (South Campus) with Pastor Chris Landon
•Sunday at 4:30pm/starts April 11 (Albion)
oMount Albion Cemetery with Greg & Sherrie Staines
•Sunday at 6pm/starts April 11 (Bergen)
oHickory Park with Pastor Vern
•Thursday at 6pm/starts April 15 (Batavia)
oDeWitt Recreation Area with Anthony Hoisington
10. Questions About Membership, Baptism, Dedications, Etc? – We’ve been getting some questions from people interested in membership at Northgate, along with questions about baptism, infant dedications, etc. In the past (pre-COVID) we were holding classes on membership and special weekends for the baptisms and dedications. For now we have pivoted to offering appointments to talk with people about membership, and we are holding baptisms and dedications on an individually scheduled basis. If you have questions about any of this you can let us know by way of our website, or call the office (343-4011) or speak to one of the pastors after a worship service. It’s a wonderful thing to be in a church where people are seeking out these opportunities and we want to help make it happen for you, so let us know how we can do that! Thanks!
You Can Count on This – Acts 13:52 – And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. (Read Acts 13:13-52)
This is a really wonderful passage from Acts. It begins with Paul being invited to preach in the synagogue of Pisidian Antioch. Paul starts his message by reviewing in broad strokes the history of the Jewish people, making it clear that God was with them through every era of their history, bringing things about just as He desired, until God “brought to Israel the Savior Jesus, as he promised.” From there Paul speaks to the salvation that Jesus has made available through His death and resurrection. Paul describes the “good news”: Jesus was raised from the dead; forgiveness of sins is proclaimed through Jesus; everyone who believes in Him is set free from sin – something that the law of Moses could not provide anyone!
Paul’s message is well-received, and many want to hear more. Others, however, become jealous of the attention this gives to Paul and begin to persecute him. Chapter 13 closes telling us that the gospel message was spreading throughout the region, and that persecution of Christians was increasing. And the followers of Jesus were overjoyed! Not for the persecution, of course. But because in all of this God was at work spreading the gospel, the good news of Jesus.
Whenever we followers of Jesus begin to feel discouraged by the troubles we experience for our faith, we should think about those early Christians. Good times and bad times are both prime times for sharing the good news about Jesus, and if Jesus is being proclaimed, there is reason to rejoice!
When you’re not sure what you can count on in the world around you, know this: You can count on God keeping his word. So read what God has to say in scripture! And count on it.
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