Top Ten - June 13
1. Baseball Night in Batavia – On Wednesday, June 19 we are inviting everyone to come out to the ballpark in Batavia and enjoy a baseball game. What makes this a special night is that one of our young people will be singing the National Anthem and our K-4 kids will be singing God Bless America. Tickets are $7 a piece and you’ll be able to register for this soon on our website or our app.
2. Thank You Veterans! – All veterans and active service members are invited to our Veteran's Open House Brunch. It will be a chance to connect and chat with fellow veteran’s and people in active service. We will be serving a brunch this Saturday, June 15, in the cafe at the North Campus from 9 AM to noon. Feel free to come as you can and leave as you need. Your presence, whether brief or extended, is what truly matters. Please RSVP to Northgate Office at 585-343-4011 or email Angelique at angelique@northgatefmc.com. We look forward to seeing you there.
3. Father’s Day Ice Cream – Father’s Day this year is this upcoming Sunday, June 16. We know dads like ice cream, so that weekend we will be providing it. Saturday night we’ll have ice cream treats available, and Sunday there will be an ice cream truck. This is an opportunity to invite dads that you know to come and worship with us and have an ice cream on us too.
4. Northgate Missions Group – Pastor Chris is organizing a Northgate Missions Group. This group will be involved in planning and supporting events that are a part of Northgate's involvement in local and global missions. For example, this group will help organize special events when we host missionaries from Free Methodist World Missions and work with our local partners to participate in events such as the Salvation Army's Christmas Program. This group will also work on coming up with new ideas for how we can serve those who are in need in our community and in the world. If you are interested in being a part of this group there will be a meeting after the second service at the North Campus on June 23rd. If you have any questions email Pastor Chris at chris@northgatefmc.com.
5. St. Paul Lutheran School – St. Paul’s is a Christian elementary school in Batavia that a number of Northgate people have utilized for the education of their children, and which several Northgate people serve at as education leaders. St. Paul’s is now registering PreK-6th grade students for the 2024-2025 school year. If you’d like to know more about the school you can contact them at 585-343-0488.
6. Kid’s Camp! – Registration is open for the Northgate Kid’s Camp – “Set Sail” – which is taking place this July, from the 15th through the 19th. Kid’s Camp is open to all children from the age of 4 through those who will be entering 4th grade in September. Camp runs from 9-3pm Monday through Thursday and 9-1pm on Friday and lunch is included. To register for camp, visit the “Register” page at northgatefmc.com.
7. Foster Care Informational Meeting – The Genesee County Permanency Planning Unit is currently seeking potential foster and adoptive parents to show love and care for the children in the Genesee County region. This is a great need in our area, and a wonderful way to share our love with children who need a temporary or forever family. The informational meeting is taking place at Grace Baptist Church on July 9 from 5:30-7pm. If you have any questions, please reach out to Danielle at 585-344-2580 extension 6446 or email her at Danielle.wojtaszczyk@dfa.state.ny.us
8. Young Adults (18-29) Bible Study – Brandon Northup is leading this study at 11 AM in room #4 (next to the Cafe). This group looks at topics relevant to this phase of life and what the Bible says about this season of life. Hope to see you there!
9. Caregivers Connection – If you are a caregiver, you know that no matter how rewarding it is to care for a loved one, at times you may become frustrated or discouraged. If you would like to meet with other caregivers to share coping skills and receive encouragement, please call Susan Wakefield at 585-297-0466.
10. Celebrate Recovery – Pastor Dave Odachowski and the CR TEAM lead those of us who are gaining joy and freedom in Christ by applying the 12-Steps of Celebrate Recovery to the hurts, habits and hang-ups we struggle with. This group meets on Thursday nights at 7pm at North. For more info, please contact Pastor Dave at dave@northgatefmc.com.
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You Can Count on This – 1 Peter 1:14-16 – As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (Read 1 Peter 1:1-25) . (Read 1 Peter 1:1-25)
There is a change that is supposed to take place when we give our lives over to Jesus. Recognizing that through faith in Christ we become children of God (John 1:12), and that we receive the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13), we are called by God to cooperate with His Spirit and become “obedient children.” This means we seek to stop living according to our evil desires and instead conform our lives to that of Jesus. We are to think like, act like and follow the lead of Jesus. It’s a process that includes having a mind renewed so that we can know and do the will of God. (Romans 12:2) We can no longer claim to be ignorant of God’s will for us – His will is that we be holy, which is to say that we separate ourselves from the ways of the culture around us when they are in opposition to God’s revealed will, and we obey His word.
That’s not the way of the world in general. Many people, even some who would call themselves Christians, are not seeking to conform themselves to God’s word, but are instead seeking to reimagine God’s word in a way that conforms to their own desires and justifies their sinful behavior. It’s understandable that people would do this. Our sinful nature is strong and without God’s help it easily reigns over our will (see Romans 7, e.g.). But the Bible is clear. We don’t have the right to conform God, or His word, to whatever makes us happy or condones our sinfulness. We are to be conformed by God’s Spirit and His word. We’re to be obedient children. It isn’t always easy to be an obedient child, and thank God for His mercy and forgiveness, but this is our calling as followers of Jesus. This is the path to holiness.
Blessings,
Pastor Vern
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. Thank You Veterans! – All veterans and active service members are invited to our Veteran's Open House Brunch. It will be a chance to connect and chat with fellow veteran’s and people in active service. We will be serving a brunch this Saturday, June 15, in the cafe at the North Campus from 9 AM to noon. Feel free to come as you can and leave as you need. Your presence, whether brief or extended, is what truly matters. Please RSVP to Northgate Office at 585-343-4011 or email Angelique at angelique@northgatefmc.com. We look forward to seeing you there.
3. Father’s Day Ice Cream – Father’s Day this year is this upcoming Sunday, June 16. We know dads like ice cream, so that weekend we will be providing it. Saturday night we’ll have ice cream treats available, and Sunday there will be an ice cream truck. This is an opportunity to invite dads that you know to come and worship with us and have an ice cream on us too.
4. Northgate Missions Group – Pastor Chris is organizing a Northgate Missions Group. This group will be involved in planning and supporting events that are a part of Northgate's involvement in local and global missions. For example, this group will help organize special events when we host missionaries from Free Methodist World Missions and work with our local partners to participate in events such as the Salvation Army's Christmas Program. This group will also work on coming up with new ideas for how we can serve those who are in need in our community and in the world. If you are interested in being a part of this group there will be a meeting after the second service at the North Campus on June 23rd. If you have any questions email Pastor Chris at chris@northgatefmc.com.
5. St. Paul Lutheran School – St. Paul’s is a Christian elementary school in Batavia that a number of Northgate people have utilized for the education of their children, and which several Northgate people serve at as education leaders. St. Paul’s is now registering PreK-6th grade students for the 2024-2025 school year. If you’d like to know more about the school you can contact them at 585-343-0488.
6. Kid’s Camp! – Registration is open for the Northgate Kid’s Camp – “Set Sail” – which is taking place this July, from the 15th through the 19th. Kid’s Camp is open to all children from the age of 4 through those who will be entering 4th grade in September. Camp runs from 9-3pm Monday through Thursday and 9-1pm on Friday and lunch is included. To register for camp, visit the “Register” page at northgatefmc.com.
7. Foster Care Informational Meeting – The Genesee County Permanency Planning Unit is currently seeking potential foster and adoptive parents to show love and care for the children in the Genesee County region. This is a great need in our area, and a wonderful way to share our love with children who need a temporary or forever family. The informational meeting is taking place at Grace Baptist Church on July 9 from 5:30-7pm. If you have any questions, please reach out to Danielle at 585-344-2580 extension 6446 or email her at Danielle.wojtaszczyk@dfa.state.ny.us
8. Young Adults (18-29) Bible Study – Brandon Northup is leading this study at 11 AM in room #4 (next to the Cafe). This group looks at topics relevant to this phase of life and what the Bible says about this season of life. Hope to see you there!
9. Caregivers Connection – If you are a caregiver, you know that no matter how rewarding it is to care for a loved one, at times you may become frustrated or discouraged. If you would like to meet with other caregivers to share coping skills and receive encouragement, please call Susan Wakefield at 585-297-0466.
10. Celebrate Recovery – Pastor Dave Odachowski and the CR TEAM lead those of us who are gaining joy and freedom in Christ by applying the 12-Steps of Celebrate Recovery to the hurts, habits and hang-ups we struggle with. This group meets on Thursday nights at 7pm at North. For more info, please contact Pastor Dave at dave@northgatefmc.com.
*****************************************************************************************************************
You Can Count on This – 1 Peter 1:14-16 – As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” (Read 1 Peter 1:1-25) . (Read 1 Peter 1:1-25)
There is a change that is supposed to take place when we give our lives over to Jesus. Recognizing that through faith in Christ we become children of God (John 1:12), and that we receive the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13), we are called by God to cooperate with His Spirit and become “obedient children.” This means we seek to stop living according to our evil desires and instead conform our lives to that of Jesus. We are to think like, act like and follow the lead of Jesus. It’s a process that includes having a mind renewed so that we can know and do the will of God. (Romans 12:2) We can no longer claim to be ignorant of God’s will for us – His will is that we be holy, which is to say that we separate ourselves from the ways of the culture around us when they are in opposition to God’s revealed will, and we obey His word.
That’s not the way of the world in general. Many people, even some who would call themselves Christians, are not seeking to conform themselves to God’s word, but are instead seeking to reimagine God’s word in a way that conforms to their own desires and justifies their sinful behavior. It’s understandable that people would do this. Our sinful nature is strong and without God’s help it easily reigns over our will (see Romans 7, e.g.). But the Bible is clear. We don’t have the right to conform God, or His word, to whatever makes us happy or condones our sinfulness. We are to be conformed by God’s Spirit and His word. We’re to be obedient children. It isn’t always easy to be an obedient child, and thank God for His mercy and forgiveness, but this is our calling as followers of Jesus. This is the path to holiness.
Blessings,
Pastor Vern
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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