Top Ten - January 4
1. Communion This Weekend – We’ll be receiving communion in all of our services this weekend. Let’s prepare our hearts and, if you will be joining us on-line, prepare your juice and bread so you can participate in communion with us!
2. Bible Reading Plans – The start of a new year is always a good time to start a Bible reading habit, if you don’t already have one. If you are looking for a Bible reading plan to follow you can find many on the internet. Here’s one trustworthy site to check out that has a few available: https://www.navigators.org/resource/bible-reading-plans/
3. Flower City Work Camp 2024 – Pastor DL is leading a group of youth to Rochester from April 1-5, 2024, for Flower City Work Camp. Currently, he still requires assistance in filling the required adult volunteer roles. These roles play a crucial part in supporting our students during the camp. For every 3 students Northgate sends to FCWC, we need to provide 1 required adult leader. Required adult leaders should be available to serve from Monday, April 1st, to Thursday, April 4th, approximately from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM each day. There are four different types of required leaders:
If you are interested in serving in any of these roles or would like more information, please contact DL at dl@northgatefmc.com.
4. Madeline Bartz Mission Offering – Thank you for your continued generosity and diligence towards God’s kingdom in 2023. Because of it, our budget was met in November (praise the Lord!), and so the decision was made to bless our community this Christmas season by supporting the Madeline Bartz Mission with our Christmas Eve offerings. Madeline was a young lady of our church who passed away just over two years ago. Her family has started the Madeline Bartz Mission to bring support, compassion and resources to those in our area affected by childhood trauma and the mental illnesses they cause.
The offerings collected during services on December 23&24 went to this organization. With God’s help, we were able to collect $12,000 for this Christmas Eve blessing!
In addition to the offerings received in our Christmas Eve services, tithes and offerings given during the week totaled $45,975.31! And the offering for this past weekend was $30,537.58. These offerings reflected significant year-end giving.
We are so blessed to be a church of individuals and families who financially support the ministries of Northgate. Thank you! Your faithful giving will continue to bless those in our community and beyond. We are truly humbled to be a part of what God is doing in Batavia, Gahanda, and so many other places to which we’ve been called to share the love of Christ.
5. Grief Share – A new session of Grief Share is beginning on January 23. Grief Share is a 13-week video program/support group for those who have lost a loved one. It is held from 6-7:30 at 34 Williams St. in Batavia. If you have any questions or would like to register please call Patti Chadwick at 585-297-3009 or email her at patti.chadwick@juno.com
6. Divorce Care – The Divorce Care group is resuming on January 6 from 5 to 6:15 on Saturday nights in Adult Room number 1 at North Campus. New people are always welcome. For more information on this group you can contact Patti (585-297-3009/ patti.chadwick@juno.com)
7. Gatherings for Moms…
8. Sight and Sound Trip to See “Daniel” – Angelique has been putting the final touches on a trip to see “Daniel” at Sight and Sound in Lancaster, PA next year. If you’d like to get your name on the list for more information on the trip to see “Daniel” you can email Angelique at angelique@northgatefmc.com.
9. New Year Reading Club – With the start of the New Year the Northgate Book Club is going to read a devotional together, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Many, many people have gained understanding and encouragement from
this daily devotional over the years, and we think that reading this and sharing with each other what God is telling us will be a wonderful experience.
This devotional is available free online at https://utmost.org/. You can sign up to have the email sent to your inbox daily. If you prefer a hard copy, they are available for $6.99 on Amazon. (If needed, we can order for those who do not have internet access.)
We will have discussions of the devotional on our Northgate Book Club Facebook Page and some small groups will be using this for their time together. If you would like use this devotional with others and need any help with that, please let Angelique know at angelique@northgatefmc.com.
10. Save the Date – You might want to mark your calendar for February 14. Our Children’s Ministry Team is planning to offer you an evening out, by providing childcare for your younger children. More details will be coming soon.
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You Can Count on This – Titus 3:1-2 – Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. (Read Titus 3:1-15)
These two verses give us a nice, concise summary of how we might want to live out each day, as people who have been saved by the love and mercy of God (v.4-5), and who have been renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit (v.5), and who know they have the promise of eternal life (v.7). We have been justified by grace of Christ (v.7) and so we are called to live as people of grace.
What does that look like? Well, in part it looks like what Paul describes in these first two verse of Titus chapter 3. It looks like people who submit to “rulers and authorities”- i.e., anyone who has a position of responsibility over us. That would include parents, supervisors and employers, government leaders and so on. We seek to be obedient as far as we can be without violating our faith and call to be obedient to God.
Grace-filled living looks like people who are eager to do good. We look for opportunities to bless others. On the other hand, we don’t speak evil of others in an attempt to destroy their character, or gossip about people. We do seek to be peaceful and considerate to all people, and gentle (not harsh, demeaning, arrogant or abusive in language or behavior) toward everyone.
There’s plenty in these two verses for us to think about and endeavor to apply on a daily basis. As people who represent Jesus to all those who do not know Him, let’s do our best to live out Titus 3:1-2, God helping us.
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. Bible Reading Plans – The start of a new year is always a good time to start a Bible reading habit, if you don’t already have one. If you are looking for a Bible reading plan to follow you can find many on the internet. Here’s one trustworthy site to check out that has a few available: https://www.navigators.org/resource/bible-reading-plans/
3. Flower City Work Camp 2024 – Pastor DL is leading a group of youth to Rochester from April 1-5, 2024, for Flower City Work Camp. Currently, he still requires assistance in filling the required adult volunteer roles. These roles play a crucial part in supporting our students during the camp. For every 3 students Northgate sends to FCWC, we need to provide 1 required adult leader. Required adult leaders should be available to serve from Monday, April 1st, to Thursday, April 4th, approximately from 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM each day. There are four different types of required leaders:
- Worksite Teams:** Performing home repairs, light construction, renovation, painting, and yardwork.
- Sidewalk Clubs:** Reaching out to neighborhood kids through music, drama, crafts, and sports.
- Basketball and Soccer Camps:** Teaching about teamwork and competing in tournament-style play.
- Agency Support Teams:** Conducting service projects for other local area non-profits.
If you are interested in serving in any of these roles or would like more information, please contact DL at dl@northgatefmc.com.
4. Madeline Bartz Mission Offering – Thank you for your continued generosity and diligence towards God’s kingdom in 2023. Because of it, our budget was met in November (praise the Lord!), and so the decision was made to bless our community this Christmas season by supporting the Madeline Bartz Mission with our Christmas Eve offerings. Madeline was a young lady of our church who passed away just over two years ago. Her family has started the Madeline Bartz Mission to bring support, compassion and resources to those in our area affected by childhood trauma and the mental illnesses they cause.
The offerings collected during services on December 23&24 went to this organization. With God’s help, we were able to collect $12,000 for this Christmas Eve blessing!
In addition to the offerings received in our Christmas Eve services, tithes and offerings given during the week totaled $45,975.31! And the offering for this past weekend was $30,537.58. These offerings reflected significant year-end giving.
We are so blessed to be a church of individuals and families who financially support the ministries of Northgate. Thank you! Your faithful giving will continue to bless those in our community and beyond. We are truly humbled to be a part of what God is doing in Batavia, Gahanda, and so many other places to which we’ve been called to share the love of Christ.
5. Grief Share – A new session of Grief Share is beginning on January 23. Grief Share is a 13-week video program/support group for those who have lost a loved one. It is held from 6-7:30 at 34 Williams St. in Batavia. If you have any questions or would like to register please call Patti Chadwick at 585-297-3009 or email her at patti.chadwick@juno.com
6. Divorce Care – The Divorce Care group is resuming on January 6 from 5 to 6:15 on Saturday nights in Adult Room number 1 at North Campus. New people are always welcome. For more information on this group you can contact Patti (585-297-3009/ patti.chadwick@juno.com)
7. Gatherings for Moms…
- MOPS meets on the 2nd/4th Tuesdays at 6pm at North
- The Mommy and Me play group is now meeting every Friday at 9:30am at North
8. Sight and Sound Trip to See “Daniel” – Angelique has been putting the final touches on a trip to see “Daniel” at Sight and Sound in Lancaster, PA next year. If you’d like to get your name on the list for more information on the trip to see “Daniel” you can email Angelique at angelique@northgatefmc.com.
9. New Year Reading Club – With the start of the New Year the Northgate Book Club is going to read a devotional together, My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. Many, many people have gained understanding and encouragement from
this daily devotional over the years, and we think that reading this and sharing with each other what God is telling us will be a wonderful experience.
This devotional is available free online at https://utmost.org/. You can sign up to have the email sent to your inbox daily. If you prefer a hard copy, they are available for $6.99 on Amazon. (If needed, we can order for those who do not have internet access.)
We will have discussions of the devotional on our Northgate Book Club Facebook Page and some small groups will be using this for their time together. If you would like use this devotional with others and need any help with that, please let Angelique know at angelique@northgatefmc.com.
10. Save the Date – You might want to mark your calendar for February 14. Our Children’s Ministry Team is planning to offer you an evening out, by providing childcare for your younger children. More details will be coming soon.
***********************************************************************************
You Can Count on This – Titus 3:1-2 – Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. (Read Titus 3:1-15)
These two verses give us a nice, concise summary of how we might want to live out each day, as people who have been saved by the love and mercy of God (v.4-5), and who have been renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit (v.5), and who know they have the promise of eternal life (v.7). We have been justified by grace of Christ (v.7) and so we are called to live as people of grace.
What does that look like? Well, in part it looks like what Paul describes in these first two verse of Titus chapter 3. It looks like people who submit to “rulers and authorities”- i.e., anyone who has a position of responsibility over us. That would include parents, supervisors and employers, government leaders and so on. We seek to be obedient as far as we can be without violating our faith and call to be obedient to God.
Grace-filled living looks like people who are eager to do good. We look for opportunities to bless others. On the other hand, we don’t speak evil of others in an attempt to destroy their character, or gossip about people. We do seek to be peaceful and considerate to all people, and gentle (not harsh, demeaning, arrogant or abusive in language or behavior) toward everyone.
There’s plenty in these two verses for us to think about and endeavor to apply on a daily basis. As people who represent Jesus to all those who do not know Him, let’s do our best to live out Titus 3:1-2, God helping us.
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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