Top Ten - December 14
1. Pancakes and PJs – Our Children’s ministry team is planning a fun event for children in K-4 and their potty-trained younger siblings. Wear your pancakes and bring your pajamas… no, wait, I mean wear your pajamas and come enjoy some pancakes! This happens this coming Saturday, December 16 from 10-noon and if you want more information contact Becca – becca@northgatefmc.com.
2. 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.
3. Angel Tree – Thank you for your support of the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree the past few weeks. All but a couple of the tags were taken!
4. Salvation Army Toy Distribution – The Christmas Toy Distribution event takes place at our South campus and is a wonderful day when we get to join with the Salvation Army to bring joy to families this Christmas season. If you’d like to be a part of that day, consider yourself invited! Here’s the information on volunteer opportunities:
There are also two other opportunities for people to volunteer. On the 21st and 22nd the Salvation Army is going to be distributing the gifts and food that have been donated for the Adopt-a-Family program and their Seniors Christmas Program. This will not be held at South, instead they deliver these items to the recipient’s home. Anyone interested in assisting with this part of the program should contact the Salvation Army directly for more information.
5. Great Day of Giving – Thank you so much for your generosity towards our Great Day of Giving. We’re going to be able to really bless All Babies Cherished, Care-A-Van, Angel Gowns, and Habitat for Humanity as a result. We are also going to be giving toward Free Methodist World Missions and be able to take care of some things our buildings need. You are an awesome church and the way you respond to things like this is incredibly humbling. Thank you for sharing the love of Jesus in the ways that you do.
6. Gatherings for Moms…
7. Rwanda Virtual Gifts – If you’d like to help make Christmas a little sweeter for our friends in Gahanda there is an opportunity to do so. We asked Ephaste (the International Child Care Ministries director in Rwanda) what would brighten the children’s faces on Christmas and he said that they would love to get some things they rarely do: juice, cookies and cake. So we’re going to help make that happen. Get more information on the table by the Guest Lounge.
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 June 11-13. 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. Service for Christmas Eve Weekend – Christmas is coming up very quickly and we want to be sure everyone knows what the schedule will look like for our Christmas Eve weekend services at Northgate.
We hope to see you at one our Christmas Eve services, and we pray that you have a wonderful Christmas Day celebrating Jesus’ birth.
10. 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.
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You Can Count on This – Titus 1:11 – They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. (Read Titus 1:1-16)
It’s sad to say, but at the same time no surprise, that since the very beginning of the church there have been disreputable people who take advantage of those seeking to know God and follow Him. Here in the book of Titus Paul speaks quite powerfully about these kinds of people, saying they must be silenced because they are causing turmoil in the households of faith. By silenced I believe Paul means they must not be allowed to spread their false ideas about Christ. They must not be given the opportunity to teach in the house churches and people need to be warned not to listen to them. Their teaching is “meaningless” and “deceptive” and their motivation isn’t the salvation and eternal destiny of their listeners; their motivation is to line their own pockets.
There has never been a time, including ours, that didn’t have its share of greedy, misleading and “detestable” (Paul’s word – verse 16) people who cared only about getting rich peddling lies. We need to be discerning and wise when we listen to someone who claims to speak God’s truth. And we need to evaluate their teaching according to the truth of God found in God’s word. Does what the teacher/preacher say line up with what the Bible says? Are they open to correction if they are in error? Do they seem more concerned about getting your offering than they do your soul? There are many good Bible teachers available for us to listen to and learn from. Let’s not waste time with those who are not.
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. 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.
3. Angel Tree – Thank you for your support of the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree the past few weeks. All but a couple of the tags were taken!
4. Salvation Army Toy Distribution – The Christmas Toy Distribution event takes place at our South campus and is a wonderful day when we get to join with the Salvation Army to bring joy to families this Christmas season. If you’d like to be a part of that day, consider yourself invited! Here’s the information on volunteer opportunities:
- Packing: Dec. 18-19 10am-7pm
- During these times they will be working on sorting all of the gifts that have been donated and packing them into bags and boxes for distribution. Northgate volunteers will be paired with a Salvation Army volunteer who will help them through the process of packing the gifts. Volunteers are welcome to come at any point during the day and stay for as long as they like.
- Distribution: Dec. 20 9am-2pm
- Help is needed distributing the gifts and food, this will primarily include loading the gifts into cars and directing traffic. Volunteers should dress warm as there is a chance they will be outside.
There are also two other opportunities for people to volunteer. On the 21st and 22nd the Salvation Army is going to be distributing the gifts and food that have been donated for the Adopt-a-Family program and their Seniors Christmas Program. This will not be held at South, instead they deliver these items to the recipient’s home. Anyone interested in assisting with this part of the program should contact the Salvation Army directly for more information.
5. Great Day of Giving – Thank you so much for your generosity towards our Great Day of Giving. We’re going to be able to really bless All Babies Cherished, Care-A-Van, Angel Gowns, and Habitat for Humanity as a result. We are also going to be giving toward Free Methodist World Missions and be able to take care of some things our buildings need. You are an awesome church and the way you respond to things like this is incredibly humbling. Thank you for sharing the love of Jesus in the ways that you do.
6. Gatherings for Moms…
- MOPS meets on the 2nd/4th Tuesdays at 6pm at North
- The Mommy and Me play group meets every Tuesday at 9:30am at North
7. Rwanda Virtual Gifts – If you’d like to help make Christmas a little sweeter for our friends in Gahanda there is an opportunity to do so. We asked Ephaste (the International Child Care Ministries director in Rwanda) what would brighten the children’s faces on Christmas and he said that they would love to get some things they rarely do: juice, cookies and cake. So we’re going to help make that happen. Get more information on the table by the Guest Lounge.
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 June 11-13. 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. Service for Christmas Eve Weekend – Christmas is coming up very quickly and we want to be sure everyone knows what the schedule will look like for our Christmas Eve weekend services at Northgate.
- On Saturday at 6pm we will have a “Cookies and Carols” service which will include a lot of singing and some meditations and time of fellowship.
- On Sunday (Christmas Eve) at 10am we will have our Family/Children’s Christmas Eve service at North.
- Please note – only one service that Sunday morning at North.
- Arbor House will hold their Christmas Eve service at 10am Sunday morning (Christmas Eve). This will be a traditional worship service.
- Sunday evening at North we will have two Christmas Eve services, at 7pm and 11pm. These will be communion and candle lighting services.
10. 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.
********************************************************************************
You Can Count on This – Titus 1:11 – They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain. (Read Titus 1:1-16)
It’s sad to say, but at the same time no surprise, that since the very beginning of the church there have been disreputable people who take advantage of those seeking to know God and follow Him. Here in the book of Titus Paul speaks quite powerfully about these kinds of people, saying they must be silenced because they are causing turmoil in the households of faith. By silenced I believe Paul means they must not be allowed to spread their false ideas about Christ. They must not be given the opportunity to teach in the house churches and people need to be warned not to listen to them. Their teaching is “meaningless” and “deceptive” and their motivation isn’t the salvation and eternal destiny of their listeners; their motivation is to line their own pockets.
There has never been a time, including ours, that didn’t have its share of greedy, misleading and “detestable” (Paul’s word – verse 16) people who cared only about getting rich peddling lies. We need to be discerning and wise when we listen to someone who claims to speak God’s truth. And we need to evaluate their teaching according to the truth of God found in God’s word. Does what the teacher/preacher say line up with what the Bible says? Are they open to correction if they are in error? Do they seem more concerned about getting your offering than they do your soul? There are many good Bible teachers available for us to listen to and learn from. Let’s not waste time with those who are not.
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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