Pastor Vern's Top Ten

1. SEED Tables This Weekend This weekend at North and at Arbor House we will have SEED tables set up. SEED is a Free Methodist missions organization that supports people in countries where our FM missionaries serve. SEED stands for Sustainable Empowerment through Economic Development. By purchasing SEED products we are helping people become more financially stable. And it’s not too early to think about Christmas gifts!
•If you are able to help staff the SEED tables this weekend please contact Pastor Chris at chris@northgatefmc.com.

2. Legacy Journey Class Rick and Sara Kent will be leading a Legacy Journey class focusing on financial health. The class will meet on Sundays at 9:30am and it’s suggested that participants have attended Financial Peace University at some point. This is a video/discussion group and Rick and Sara will be covering the following topics:
•October 17 "Snares and Dares"
•October 24 "The Pinnacle Point"
•November 7 "The Law of Great Gain"
•November 14 "Safeguarding your Legacy"
•November 21 "Generational Legacy
•December 5 "Called to Generosity"
For more information contact Pastor Marsha at marsha@northgatefmc.com.

3.  Pastor Daniel is Looking for Some Board Games Pastor Daniel is planning a game night for young adults in October and would be happy to relieve you of the board games (in good condition) that you have in your closet but don’t plan to use again! For more information on the game night or on donating games contact Pastor Daniel at daniel@northgatefmc.com.

4. Polar Plunge  On December 4 @ 2:00PM your most beloved Pastor Daniel will be leading the "Free to Freeze” Northgate plunge squadron at Woodlawn Beach in Buffalo. “I would love it if we could get a large team to plunge and party! Even if you don’t want to plunge (enduring profound and extensive ridicule) it would be fun to be together, because you can still raise money for a great cause: the Special Olympics. This year I would like to extend the invitation to significant others of staff, along with congregants.” If you’d like more information on this contact Pastor Daniel at daniel@northgatefmc.com or check out his very own Polar Plunge page: http://events.nyso.org/site/TR/Plunge/POLARPLUNGE?px=1495330&pg=personal&fr_id=2390

5. “Out of the Whirlwind” This is a new study being offered in October on Tuesdays at 6:30 (North Campus).  Pastor Chris and Pastor Marsha will be leading it and the focus will be on the book of Job.  Please sign up on the website or contact Pastor Chris or Pastor Marsha if you’d like more information.

6. Some Dates to Keep in Mind Our next “Centered” night of prayer and worship will be on Wednesday October 6 at 6pm at North. We will be having communion at North on Saturday and Sunday October 2nd & 3rd. (We have communion every first weekend of the month now.) And on Tuesday October 19th we're having a hymn sing from 6-8pm at our South Campus, hosted by our Caregivers group.

7. The Prayer Team & the Missions Team If you’re interested in praying with others during the 9:30 service on Sunday mornings you can join our Prayer Team in Room #4.  And if you’re interested in Missions (local and global) you can join the Missions Team which meets on the last Sunday of the month after second service in Room #1.  All are welcome to either or both groups.

8. Mothers Of Preschoolers (MOPS)  MOPS is meeting this Fall in person! The group held a kickoff service this past Wednesday and there is a wonderful year planned.  One change to note is that MOPS will be meeting at our North Campus this year (8160 Bank St. Rd. Batavia) and meetings will be held on the 2nd Wednesday in the morning and the 4th Wednesday in the evening.  For more information contact Pastor Marsha.

9. Middle School Group Middle School youth are meeting at 11am on Sundays at North.  Pastor Daniel oversees our youth and young adult ministries and has a great team of people helping him to provide a worthwhile experience for young people.  If you have any questions or would like to help serve in this area, contact him at daniel@northgatefmc.com.

Senior High Group – Senior High students meeting at the same time on Sundays – 11am.  Again, contact Pastor Daniel if you have any questions.


10.  Men’s Group and Women’s Journey on Wednesday Evenings All men and women are invited to join these groups that meet separately but at the same time (7pm) on Wednesday evenings. If you are looking for a place where you can meet new people, get encouragement, and fellowship and continue your growth in Christ, these are good places to begin.

To learn more about these opportunities, or to suggest an idea for a group the best contact person is Pastor Marsha (marsha@northgatefmc.com). You can check out our website too (northgatefmc.com).

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You Can Count on This – Acts 28:30-31 – For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance! (Read Acts 28:17-31)

We’ve reached the end of the book of Acts. In some ways it doesn’t feel like an ending, since we don’t get to find out what happened to Paul. We’re left with him under house arrest and awaiting a trial before Caesar. Church traditions indicate that Paul was released from jail after some time and may have made his way to Spain, before being re-arrested and then executed by Emperor Nero. That’s possible, although the Bible does not tell us this.

Regardless of what happened to Paul we are left at the end of Acts with a powerful statement regarding his faithfulness to the gospel and to Jesus. In spite of all he had suffered, and now being under arrest, we find Paul using that opportunity to preach boldly about Jesus. Nothing is going to stop this man from telling people the way to salvation! Paul really challenges me to keep up the good fight, as he tells Timothy (1 Timothy 6:12). Paul also may be the author of Hebrews, and in Hebrews 12:1 we read that we are to “throw off everything that hinders” us from carrying the message of the gospel. There’s a lot to think about in that verse. What gets in the way of us telling others about Jesus? Is it shyness? Our sinfulness? Are we too harsh in our approach? Do we not know anyone who needs Jesus? Are we too busy? Paul didn’t let anything stop him. Maybe we need to pray for the boldness and courage to not let anything stop us either. People need to know about Jesus, and we just might be the person from whom they need to hear about him.

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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