Pastor Vern's Top Ten
1. Christmas is Coming! – We’ve been thinking about Christmas and we’re looking forward to a wonderful celebration of Christ’s birth! This year we are bringing back “Vintage Christmas” – our community-minded festival that will be held in our “backyard” on December 3 and 10 from 6-8pm. We’re looking for some volunteers to help us make this a wonderful time for everyone who attends. We need people to read, stoke the bonfire, help in the parking lot, serve as trail guides and more. If you can help out, please try to attend the information meeting on November 7 right after the second service in Room 2/3. And thank you!
2. Legacy Journey Class – Rick and Sara Kent began a Legacy Journey class focusing on financial health this past weekend, but it’s not too late to join. The class meets on Sundays at 9:30am and it is 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:
3. Communion – Please note that our next communion observance at North will be the weekend of November 6 and 7. We now have communion services the first weekend of every month. If you will be taking in the service from home or elsewhere online, please be sure to have your communion elements ahead of time!
4. Great Day of Giving – Each year at Thanksgiving we seek to focus on how God has blessed us as a church by blessing others. We do this through a special offering called the “Great Day of Giving” and then we share that offering between local agencies that provide help to people, a global missions project and a capital project here. This year the offering will be taken on November 20 and 21 and will go to: Genesee Cancer Assistance; the Mental Health Association; the Suicide Prevention Coalition; the new Gahanda, Rwanda Free Methodist Church sanctuary; and the playground being planned for our North Campus. Thank you for your generous giving to this offering.
5. Thanksgiving Meals for Migrant Families – For many years now we have been packaging and delivering bags of groceries to migrant families living in our area. These bags provide the families with everything needed for a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. They also are an expression of our love for these families. Even though the leader of this project, Rosalina, has moved to Buffalo to be closer to family (insert sad face here!) she continues to return to Northgate and make this happen. Thank you, Rosalina! If you’d like to help with the cost of the groceries, it’s usually around $30 and you can note that your gift is for “Thanksgiving bags”. You can also help by praying for our local migrant families or with the distribution of the groceries. For questions, contact Pastor Chris at chris@northgatefmc.com. Thanks!
6. Hymn Sing – This past Tuesday our Caregivers group hosted a hymn sing down at our South campus and I want to thank Susan Wakefield, the Dunn family, the Caregiver Team, Tim Spink and everyone who attended! It was a wonderful night as we called out numbers from hymn books and sang songs many of us grew up on in church. We’re blessed to have a wonderful praise team led by Anthony Hoisington every weekend who lead us so well as we worship, and we appreciate them so much. And we’re blessed to be a congregation that can appreciate older music as well as newer styles and enjoy both. Thank you to all of our Northgate song-leaders and musicians. As Psalm 63:4-5 says, “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.”
7. Get to Know Northgate – The first three Sundays of November the Northgate pastors will rotate leading “Northgate 101” at 9:30. This group will provide an opportunity to learn more about Northgate, ask questions of the pastors and also serve as the “Membership Class” for anyone who is interested in membership. Sign-ups aren’t needed – and all are welcome, whether you are new to Northgate or have attended for many years!
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. Summer 2022 Mission Trip Being Planned – Pastor Daniel is in the beginning stages of organizing a summer 2022 mission trip to Gyor, Hungary. He will be looking to take 5 or 6 people with him, including youth, and this team will be providing a Vacation Bible School for a group of kids at an orphanage in Gyor. Some of us did a similar trip a few years ago and I can tell you that it was a wonderful time of ministry. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Dan: daniel@northgatefmc.com.
10. Join Pastor Daniel for Game Nights – Pastor Daniel is hosting game nights at South, on Monday nights from 6-8pm. A variety of board games are provided, and people of all ages are invited to come and bring a friend. This is a great time to get to know some new people and form more connections in the Northgate family. For more information contact Pastor Daniel at daniel@northgatefmc.com.
To learn more about these opportunities, or to suggest an idea for a group or a gathering, or to inquire about reserving space at the church or the pavilion you can always email the office (office@northgatefmc.com) or call 343-4011. You can check out our website too (northgatefmc.com).
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You Can Count on This – Romans 2:13 – For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Read Romans 2:1-16)
I told you that Romans was a book of theology and would require us to think carefully about what it says, right? If you’re reading along, I’m sure you’re noticing that. Here in chapter 2 Paul talks about judgmentalism, grace, repentance, perseverance, sin, righteousness, the law and more.
One of the questions that comes up from this passage is, “Is Paul saying that we are saved because we do good?” The testimony of the whole New Testament tells us that cannot be the case. Actually, Paul is most likely writing to Jewish people (see verse 17) and he is warning them that they shouldn’t consider themselves “saved” just because they are Jewish. They shouldn’t condemn others who weren’t Jewish because God was showing grace to them. And they should understand that true faith will be seen in the way we live toward each other: in our “doing good.”
Paul also makes reference to the fact that we all have a conscience (verse 15). Everyone has some sense of the fact that there is a God, and that some things are right and wrong, even if they have not heard specifically of Jesus. We might try to dampen our awareness of God or deny it but that won’t erase from the world our sense that God is real, and one day we will all stand before Him. Thank God for the assurance that as followers of Jesus we will stand before the Father with Jesus, and not alone.
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.
2. Legacy Journey Class – Rick and Sara Kent began a Legacy Journey class focusing on financial health this past weekend, but it’s not too late to join. The class meets on Sundays at 9:30am and it is 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 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. Communion – Please note that our next communion observance at North will be the weekend of November 6 and 7. We now have communion services the first weekend of every month. If you will be taking in the service from home or elsewhere online, please be sure to have your communion elements ahead of time!
4. Great Day of Giving – Each year at Thanksgiving we seek to focus on how God has blessed us as a church by blessing others. We do this through a special offering called the “Great Day of Giving” and then we share that offering between local agencies that provide help to people, a global missions project and a capital project here. This year the offering will be taken on November 20 and 21 and will go to: Genesee Cancer Assistance; the Mental Health Association; the Suicide Prevention Coalition; the new Gahanda, Rwanda Free Methodist Church sanctuary; and the playground being planned for our North Campus. Thank you for your generous giving to this offering.
5. Thanksgiving Meals for Migrant Families – For many years now we have been packaging and delivering bags of groceries to migrant families living in our area. These bags provide the families with everything needed for a wonderful Thanksgiving meal. They also are an expression of our love for these families. Even though the leader of this project, Rosalina, has moved to Buffalo to be closer to family (insert sad face here!) she continues to return to Northgate and make this happen. Thank you, Rosalina! If you’d like to help with the cost of the groceries, it’s usually around $30 and you can note that your gift is for “Thanksgiving bags”. You can also help by praying for our local migrant families or with the distribution of the groceries. For questions, contact Pastor Chris at chris@northgatefmc.com. Thanks!
6. Hymn Sing – This past Tuesday our Caregivers group hosted a hymn sing down at our South campus and I want to thank Susan Wakefield, the Dunn family, the Caregiver Team, Tim Spink and everyone who attended! It was a wonderful night as we called out numbers from hymn books and sang songs many of us grew up on in church. We’re blessed to have a wonderful praise team led by Anthony Hoisington every weekend who lead us so well as we worship, and we appreciate them so much. And we’re blessed to be a congregation that can appreciate older music as well as newer styles and enjoy both. Thank you to all of our Northgate song-leaders and musicians. As Psalm 63:4-5 says, “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.”
7. Get to Know Northgate – The first three Sundays of November the Northgate pastors will rotate leading “Northgate 101” at 9:30. This group will provide an opportunity to learn more about Northgate, ask questions of the pastors and also serve as the “Membership Class” for anyone who is interested in membership. Sign-ups aren’t needed – and all are welcome, whether you are new to Northgate or have attended for many years!
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. Summer 2022 Mission Trip Being Planned – Pastor Daniel is in the beginning stages of organizing a summer 2022 mission trip to Gyor, Hungary. He will be looking to take 5 or 6 people with him, including youth, and this team will be providing a Vacation Bible School for a group of kids at an orphanage in Gyor. Some of us did a similar trip a few years ago and I can tell you that it was a wonderful time of ministry. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Dan: daniel@northgatefmc.com.
10. Join Pastor Daniel for Game Nights – Pastor Daniel is hosting game nights at South, on Monday nights from 6-8pm. A variety of board games are provided, and people of all ages are invited to come and bring a friend. This is a great time to get to know some new people and form more connections in the Northgate family. For more information contact Pastor Daniel at daniel@northgatefmc.com.
To learn more about these opportunities, or to suggest an idea for a group or a gathering, or to inquire about reserving space at the church or the pavilion you can always email the office (office@northgatefmc.com) or call 343-4011. You can check out our website too (northgatefmc.com).
**********************************************************************************
You Can Count on This – Romans 2:13 – For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Read Romans 2:1-16)
I told you that Romans was a book of theology and would require us to think carefully about what it says, right? If you’re reading along, I’m sure you’re noticing that. Here in chapter 2 Paul talks about judgmentalism, grace, repentance, perseverance, sin, righteousness, the law and more.
One of the questions that comes up from this passage is, “Is Paul saying that we are saved because we do good?” The testimony of the whole New Testament tells us that cannot be the case. Actually, Paul is most likely writing to Jewish people (see verse 17) and he is warning them that they shouldn’t consider themselves “saved” just because they are Jewish. They shouldn’t condemn others who weren’t Jewish because God was showing grace to them. And they should understand that true faith will be seen in the way we live toward each other: in our “doing good.”
Paul also makes reference to the fact that we all have a conscience (verse 15). Everyone has some sense of the fact that there is a God, and that some things are right and wrong, even if they have not heard specifically of Jesus. We might try to dampen our awareness of God or deny it but that won’t erase from the world our sense that God is real, and one day we will all stand before Him. Thank God for the assurance that as followers of Jesus we will stand before the Father with Jesus, and not alone.
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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