Top Ten - September 15
1. New Small Group Starting This Sunday – 9/18 – Rick Kent will be leading a small group designed to help people make the best use of the financial resources God has given to them. It’s called “Legacy Journey” and it’s based on the teaching of Dave Ramsey of Financial Peace University. This group is open to anyone and will begin this Sunday, 9/11 at 9:30 in Room #1 on the Adult Wing. For more information you can contact Angelique at angelique@northgatefmc.com.
2. Another New Small Group Starting This Sunday 9/18 at 9:30 – Lisa and Jake Russell (my apologies to Jake who I called “Jack” in last week’s Top Ten!) led a “Five Love Languages” group last year that couples really enjoyed. Starting Sunday 9/18, they will lead another small group for couples based on a Right Now series called “Love Talks.” We hope to see a number of Northgate couples take advantage of the Russell’s good leading and join them in Room 2/3 at 9:30 on the 18th. Contact Angelique (angelique@northgatefmc.com) for more information.
3. Still Another Small Group Starting this Sunday 9/18 at 12:15 – I am starting another book study on Sundays at 12:15 (following second service). We’re going to be studying The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. If you are interested in joining us please let me know at vern@northgatefmc.com. We’ll get going on Sunday September 18.
4. And This Small Group Will Start on Sunday October 2 at 8:30 – Debbie Vick will be leading the popular “Parenting Adult Children” group that she led last year. We heard a lot of positive comments about this group. Parenting never stops, but it does change. If you have adult children, you might want to check out this small group.
To learn about all of the groups being offered by Northgate please check out this link: https://northgatefmc.churchcenter.com/groups/unique. You can also view the list on the Northgate app.
5. MOPS Could Use Your Assistance! – MOPS is a wonderful ministry to young moms that will meet this Fall at Northgate North from 6-8pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays starting 9/27. One of the areas we could use some help with is in childcare. If you are available once a month or so to watch over some children, we’d love to talk with you. Contact Pastor Marsha at marsha@northgatefmc.com. And thank you!
6. Prayer Shawl Ministry – The Prayer Shawl ministry restarted this month and will meet the first Saturday of every month at 10am at Northgate North. This group makes prayer shawls which are given out to people going through difficult times in their lives. All are welcome to come and join in; if you don’t know how to knit a shawl this is a great place to learn!
Also, please know that you are invited to join others for prayer on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 during the first service in meeting room 4. During this time people pray for the services, needs of our congregation and other topics as God leads. We would love to have you join this prayer team.
7. Mothers & Grandmothers – Moms In Prayer International group will begin on October 11, 2022 6-7 p.m. at North campus on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month while school is in session. We meet to pray for our school and/or college aged children, their educational successes and needs while they are enrolled in school and the typical challenges that students meet on a daily basis. Moms in Prayer guides, written by founder Fern Nichols, can be ordered and purchased if desired, however prayer outlines are provided each week. The hour is spent praising God using scripture, silent confession, Thanksgiving for answered prayer and praying for specific needs. You can check out the website for more information (www.MomsinPrayer.org) or contact prayer leader Paula Neumann (585)201-0079.
8. Right Now Media – As a church we subscribe to Right Now Media, a web-based video service which offers thousands of videos on all kinds of topics of interest to the Christian community. Included are many Bible studies of various kinds which make leading a family or small group discussion really easy. It’s free for you to use as a Northgate attender, but you do need a password. To get that contact Sherrie in the office at sherrie@northgatefmc.com.
9. Grief Share and Divorce Care – If you or someone you know has experienced a loss and is walking through the feelings of grief or has experienced a divorce and is coming to terms with that and would like to know how to handle grief or divorce from a Christian perspective, we have a group for each here at Northgate. New sessions of Grief Share will begin on September 20 at 6pm, meeting at 34 Williams St. in Batavia.
And new sessions of Divorce Care will begin on September 24 at 6pm at our North campus building (8160 Bank St. Rd. Batavia). For more information contact Pastor Vern at vern@northgatefmc.com.
And please be aware that there is a need for hospice volunteers to serve in our area. If you are someone who can find a bit of extra time for a worthy organization, please consider this very important ministry. This service to others is very rewarding and patients and their families will appreciate the gift of your time. For further information visit http://www.homecare-hospice.org/volunteer/. To learn about applying and training please call Pat Meek at 585-343-7596 or 1-877-277-2615 or email her at pmeek@homecare-hospice.org
10. Women’s Conference with Carol McLeod – Carol is a very popular women’s speaker and we’re looking forward to having her join us at Northgate on October 14 and 15 to lead a women’s conference. The conference is called, “Authentic Faith: Embracing Genuine Faith When Life is Upside Down.” We hope to see a lot of women attend this conference and it’s a wonderful opportunity to invite a friend to join you and see what Northgate is all about. Register at northgatefmc.com, under the tab “Register.”
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 – 1 Corinthians 15:35 – But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” (Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-58)
I have a friend who is a very careful and studious reader of the Bible, and very inquisitive too! He often asks me questions about what he’s read, and I love that because it means I often learn things too. Sometimes though I don’t know or can’t find the answers to the questions he asks, and that leaves us both wondering. I think about the verse from Deuteronomy, chapter 29, verse 29: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”
There are many things we just can’t know, things that God has chosen to keep to Himself, at least for now. Paul tells us that the dead will be raised. How? Perhaps we can’t perfectly understand the mechanism, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s going to happen. God created the whole universe with a word; raising the dead is not a problem for Him. I Corinthians 15:35 poses the question, “With what kind of body will they come?” And then he gives us some insight… it will be a splendid body, imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual! Wonderful! Would we like to know more? Maybe. (Actually, we can know more by thinking about the body Jesus had after His resurrection.)
The point is, until we leave this earth and enter God’s heavenly kingdom, we’re going to have questions. I think that’s a great thing. It keeps us looking forward with anticipation and excitement. At least it does for me. I believe we will be given new bodies in heaven – that’s exciting! I believe followers of Jesus will be in heaven – that’s exciting! I believe we will experience life in an incredible way in heaven – that’s exciting! We’ll be reunited with Jesus-followers we know and who have passed away, and those we never knew personally but will get a chance to – that’s exciting!! So much to look forward to. So many questions. But one thing is sure… God is good, God is faithful, and God will bring about everything He intends to. How exciting is that?!
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. Another New Small Group Starting This Sunday 9/18 at 9:30 – Lisa and Jake Russell (my apologies to Jake who I called “Jack” in last week’s Top Ten!) led a “Five Love Languages” group last year that couples really enjoyed. Starting Sunday 9/18, they will lead another small group for couples based on a Right Now series called “Love Talks.” We hope to see a number of Northgate couples take advantage of the Russell’s good leading and join them in Room 2/3 at 9:30 on the 18th. Contact Angelique (angelique@northgatefmc.com) for more information.
3. Still Another Small Group Starting this Sunday 9/18 at 12:15 – I am starting another book study on Sundays at 12:15 (following second service). We’re going to be studying The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. If you are interested in joining us please let me know at vern@northgatefmc.com. We’ll get going on Sunday September 18.
4. And This Small Group Will Start on Sunday October 2 at 8:30 – Debbie Vick will be leading the popular “Parenting Adult Children” group that she led last year. We heard a lot of positive comments about this group. Parenting never stops, but it does change. If you have adult children, you might want to check out this small group.
To learn about all of the groups being offered by Northgate please check out this link: https://northgatefmc.churchcenter.com/groups/unique. You can also view the list on the Northgate app.
5. MOPS Could Use Your Assistance! – MOPS is a wonderful ministry to young moms that will meet this Fall at Northgate North from 6-8pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays starting 9/27. One of the areas we could use some help with is in childcare. If you are available once a month or so to watch over some children, we’d love to talk with you. Contact Pastor Marsha at marsha@northgatefmc.com. And thank you!
6. Prayer Shawl Ministry – The Prayer Shawl ministry restarted this month and will meet the first Saturday of every month at 10am at Northgate North. This group makes prayer shawls which are given out to people going through difficult times in their lives. All are welcome to come and join in; if you don’t know how to knit a shawl this is a great place to learn!
Also, please know that you are invited to join others for prayer on Sunday mornings from 9:30 to 10:30 during the first service in meeting room 4. During this time people pray for the services, needs of our congregation and other topics as God leads. We would love to have you join this prayer team.
7. Mothers & Grandmothers – Moms In Prayer International group will begin on October 11, 2022 6-7 p.m. at North campus on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month while school is in session. We meet to pray for our school and/or college aged children, their educational successes and needs while they are enrolled in school and the typical challenges that students meet on a daily basis. Moms in Prayer guides, written by founder Fern Nichols, can be ordered and purchased if desired, however prayer outlines are provided each week. The hour is spent praising God using scripture, silent confession, Thanksgiving for answered prayer and praying for specific needs. You can check out the website for more information (www.MomsinPrayer.org) or contact prayer leader Paula Neumann (585)201-0079.
8. Right Now Media – As a church we subscribe to Right Now Media, a web-based video service which offers thousands of videos on all kinds of topics of interest to the Christian community. Included are many Bible studies of various kinds which make leading a family or small group discussion really easy. It’s free for you to use as a Northgate attender, but you do need a password. To get that contact Sherrie in the office at sherrie@northgatefmc.com.
9. Grief Share and Divorce Care – If you or someone you know has experienced a loss and is walking through the feelings of grief or has experienced a divorce and is coming to terms with that and would like to know how to handle grief or divorce from a Christian perspective, we have a group for each here at Northgate. New sessions of Grief Share will begin on September 20 at 6pm, meeting at 34 Williams St. in Batavia.
And new sessions of Divorce Care will begin on September 24 at 6pm at our North campus building (8160 Bank St. Rd. Batavia). For more information contact Pastor Vern at vern@northgatefmc.com.
And please be aware that there is a need for hospice volunteers to serve in our area. If you are someone who can find a bit of extra time for a worthy organization, please consider this very important ministry. This service to others is very rewarding and patients and their families will appreciate the gift of your time. For further information visit http://www.homecare-hospice.org/volunteer/. To learn about applying and training please call Pat Meek at 585-343-7596 or 1-877-277-2615 or email her at pmeek@homecare-hospice.org
10. Women’s Conference with Carol McLeod – Carol is a very popular women’s speaker and we’re looking forward to having her join us at Northgate on October 14 and 15 to lead a women’s conference. The conference is called, “Authentic Faith: Embracing Genuine Faith When Life is Upside Down.” We hope to see a lot of women attend this conference and it’s a wonderful opportunity to invite a friend to join you and see what Northgate is all about. Register at northgatefmc.com, under the tab “Register.”
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 – 1 Corinthians 15:35 – But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body will they come?” (Read 1 Corinthians 15:35-58)
I have a friend who is a very careful and studious reader of the Bible, and very inquisitive too! He often asks me questions about what he’s read, and I love that because it means I often learn things too. Sometimes though I don’t know or can’t find the answers to the questions he asks, and that leaves us both wondering. I think about the verse from Deuteronomy, chapter 29, verse 29: “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.”
There are many things we just can’t know, things that God has chosen to keep to Himself, at least for now. Paul tells us that the dead will be raised. How? Perhaps we can’t perfectly understand the mechanism, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s going to happen. God created the whole universe with a word; raising the dead is not a problem for Him. I Corinthians 15:35 poses the question, “With what kind of body will they come?” And then he gives us some insight… it will be a splendid body, imperishable, glorious, powerful, spiritual! Wonderful! Would we like to know more? Maybe. (Actually, we can know more by thinking about the body Jesus had after His resurrection.)
The point is, until we leave this earth and enter God’s heavenly kingdom, we’re going to have questions. I think that’s a great thing. It keeps us looking forward with anticipation and excitement. At least it does for me. I believe we will be given new bodies in heaven – that’s exciting! I believe followers of Jesus will be in heaven – that’s exciting! I believe we will experience life in an incredible way in heaven – that’s exciting! We’ll be reunited with Jesus-followers we know and who have passed away, and those we never knew personally but will get a chance to – that’s exciting!! So much to look forward to. So many questions. But one thing is sure… God is good, God is faithful, and God will bring about everything He intends to. How exciting is that?!
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.
Posted in Top 10
Recent
Archive
2024
February
2023
September
2022
January
September
No Comments