Top Ten - July 14

If you’d like to help out in some area in the church contact Pastor John at john@northgatefmc.com.

If you’re interested in a small group, contact Angelique at angelique@northgatefmc.com.

1. Child Safety Seat Check – This is taking place today at our South Campus (350 Bank St.) – a free Child Safety Seat Check from 10am to 1pm. Nationally certified technicians will be on hand to answer questions, check recalls and assist with making sure your child’s car seat is correctly installed.

2. Northgate 101 Classes This Summer – The first three Sundays of August we are holding our membership classes. We’ll meet in Room 1 on Sunday morning at 9:30. Everyone is welcome to come and learn about the Free Methodist Church!

3. Playground Construction – Here’s some news from Matt, our project coordinator, about the Adventure Playground we’re building, and an opportunity to help make this a reality!

 

• Setup the ‘bark peeling’ tent (Monday) and peel more bark from logs
• Lay down and secure landscaping fabric (if all goes well, we’ll get the first 150 cubic yards of mulch too – fingers crossed)
• Sort, organize, and stack timber
• Stay out of the way of ‘Kids Camp’ as best as possible
• If we’re making good progress: start rough cutting and stacking timber for a few of the elements

 

4. Kid’s Summer Camp – This will take place at Northgate next week, July 17 to July 21. This is for kids from the age of 3 on up to those entering 4th grade in September. There is a registration cost, but scholarships are available – just let us know if that would be of interest to you. Please contact Becca for more information at becca@northgatefmc.com.

5. Apple Tree Tags – Thank you to all who have taken a tag from the Apple Tree. There are just a few left. The Apple Tree is a ministry that is led by the Salvation Army and with which we assist when we take tags from the tree, purchase the necessary school supplies and return them here for delivery to the Salvation Army, which will then distribute them before the next school year begins to children who are in need of some extra assistance.

6. Volunteer Opportunities at Lydia’s Kitchen – Looking for something to do this summer? Looking to serve others in need? Fun and fulfilling.  Calling all volunteers! High School Youth included! Lydia’s Soup Kitchen (Batavia) is in need of help over the summer. Give a little time in a 3-hour shift, different positions such as the kitchen, set up, prep food, cook, serve at the window or dishes. Contact for info Lydia- (585) 300-7995 or Robin Woodams- (585) 297-9676.

7. Men of Northgate, Save the Date – Our second annual “Man Camp” will be September 1-2 (with some guys staying through the 3rd). Bring your camper, tent, or hammocks and enjoy the beauty of Northgate’s big backyard! Plan on joining us for a great time of fellowship, food, and relaxation. There is no age minimum or maximum. Cost is $20 per person with an immediate family max of $60 and covers all of your food. Registration will be available soon on our website or app. Questions - email john@northgatefmc.com.

8. Bible Study on Monday Nights – The “Digging Deeper” Bible study that meets at North on Monday nights at 6:30 is in a study of the book of Ecclesiastes. This is an Old Testament book that has a lot to say about life in modern times. Everyone is welcome! For more information contact Pastor Vern at vern@northgatefmc.com.

9. New Study on Sundays at 12:15 – Pastor Vern is leading a summer book study on Sundays at 12:15 in Room 1 at North. We’re going to be studying the book The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel. We’ll start our study on Sunday July 23 and run through July and August. All are welcome to join in!

10. Support for Community Action – Community Action of Orleans and Genesee offers help to people in need in these counties and during the month of July they are collecting personal care items for people who have experienced a crisis, such as fire, Domestic Violence, loss of employment and others. Specifically, they are collecting deodorant, shaving cream, can openers, shampoo laundry detergent, feminine hygiene products and toiletries. If you’d like to help them out you can call 343-7798.

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You Can Count on This – 1 Thessalonians 4:7 – For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. (Read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-18)

As Paul begins to give specific instructions to the Thessalonian church about how God wants us to live as Christians, he begins by calling them (and us) to “learn to control” our bodies. We’re not to live in “passionate lust” like those who do not know God. We are to “avoid sexual immorality.”

What this tells us is that the culture Paul lived in and ministered in was in some ways very much like the culture that we live and minister in. Sexual immorality of course is nothing new to humanity. It seems that getting us to respond to sexual desires in a manner that violates God’s will for us is one of Satan’s most effective strategies for separating us from God. He’s been honing this kind of attack for centuries.

Thank God that He does not leave us to fight these battles alone. He sends His Holy Spirit to help us, and He works to cleanse our ways of thinking and acting toward one another. One of God’s strategies in helping us to overcome the lure of immoral behavior is to increase our genuine love for one another. As Paul goes on in this letter, he writes of how we are “taught by God to love each other.” As our godly love for one another grows deeper, our aversion to sexual immorality also grows. As we look upon one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, we stop objectifying one another and truly care for the good of others. Sexual immorality is always a movement toward satisfying selfish desires. Love always moves in the direction of what is best for others. This is the direction God’s love takes 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.