We try to be a church where it’s not just a small percentage of people carrying the vast majority of the weight.

Serving is a part of our walk with Jesus. We don't get to opt out of service, and we need our people to commit to serving here at Northgate.

There are numerous ways you can volunteer at Northgate. Our greeters and parking lot attendants are volunteers. Volunteers are serving on our worship team. There are openings with our audio/visual team. We need helpers in the Children’s wing. Every Sunday, our volunteers work to keep the cafe open, making it a great place to grab coffee and a snack and mingle. They sometimes require extra help as well.

We'd like to encourage you to explore volunteer opportunities and try them out. You may find a good fit for you, but you're not stuck forever with the first thing that you try. Sometimes, when you volunteer in a church, it feels like this is now your job, and it's your job until you die or find someone to replace you. That's not the commitment here. Sometimes people serve for a season, and they move on.

It’s incredibly important to us that we help you find the right fit. We do not want you being at home on a Sunday morning going “Oh man, I'm in the toddler room today. Oh, it's going to be the worst.” If you don't enjoy being around kids, please refrain from volunteering in our kids' wing, as we have staff who genuinely love working with children and strive to make it the best hour of their week.

Given the chance, we could introduce you to people serving here who will say it is one of the most meaningful and rewarding things that they get to do because serving isn't an obligation to fill a need. It’s so much more. Pastor Andy Stanley said, “If you aren't engaged, something is missing, and if you aren't engaged, you are missing something.”

We need to understand both sides of that coin because, often, especially in a church of this size, people will come into Church on a Thursday or Sunday, and someone has opened the door. There were people at the desks, and the cafe was in great shape. There are people at the kids' desk checking-in the children. The lights are on, the stuff is happening. The sound's going. People drop off their kids, and they say, “Oh, okay, they're good, they don't need me.”

Every single thing we do needs more people. It needs a larger pool of people to help. It would be better if we weren't asking the same people in the kids' wing to do the same thing every week.

Some people want to serve every other week. Some people say, “Hey, once a month.”
The bigger that pool gets, the better. So, go for it. Get involved. We need this, and you need this. Both you and Northgate will be better off when you make that commitment to serving.
If God is giving you a nudge, listen to that nudge. God will give us those nudges. We have a responsibility to listen.

We should be aware that when God does give us those nudges and we don’t listen, at a certain point, He’s like, “All right, well, I'll stop doing it then.” Remember that every job matters, every gift is important. Paul tells the church in Corinth that every job matters. Some of us preach. Some of us play bass. Some of us shake hands with a smile and a shared joy. Paul says that there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of work, but in all of them, it is the same God at work through all those gifts. (1 Corinthians 12:4-6)

Each manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good, so Paul is saying that we all have gifts, and they're different gifts, but they all serve God and are for the common good.
Tom Reneer did some studies and found that 80% of first-time guests know whether or not they're coming back to church before the service starts, before we've played a single note. Before anyone has prayed, read a verse, or preached, people have already decided, four out of five, whether or not they're coming back. Doesn’t that tell us that each gift is not incredibly important because people are making that decision based on the parking lot, based on the lobby, based on the cafe, on kids check-in, on how friendly the people are there, so if you haven't already, we ask that you pray about it and you consider making a commitment to serving. It’s a part of our walk with Jesus.

It’s the great commission — go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). We are commanded by Jesus to reach out to friends, neighbors, family members, and even people we meet in the supermarket, inviting them to meet Jesus.

Over the centuries, an effective and less intimidating way to share the Gospel is to invite people to church.

At Northgate, most of us are here because we love this church. We love life in this church, from weekly services to groups, volunteer opportunities, and socializing between services over snacks and coffee, talking with one another.

“I love this church, and so when other people come and they love this church and they say, 'I felt so welcome the first time I came to your church,’ or ‘I found this,’ or ‘I connected with God in that way,’” says Pastor John Keller.  “When that happens, it tells me that it felt like home to them.”

Many of those at Northgate will say that was their experience when they first came to Northgate.

We often hear people say, when they’ve missed a weekend, “I missed being here,” to which they receive a response, “Yeah, I miss it, too, when I’m not here.”

Being here is how you draw closer to God.

So, what possible reason would you have for not sharing with people you care about what you’ve found at Northgate?

“When there’s an amazing play in a game, I want to tell people about it,” says Keller, a die-hard Red Sox fan.  “In a Red Sox game, we were playing the Blue Jays, and a guy hits it to the deep center field 400 plus feet, and the outfielder falls, somersaults, and then catches it backwards. It was incredible. I’m telling you I showed that play to everyone in my family. I was like, 'You're going to watch this play, we're going to watch it, pay attention or we'll run it again,’ right? I want them to see it.

"If I see a great movie, I want to tell you about the movie and try to convince you to go see this great movie. If I listen to a great podcast or see a great show, I'm doing the same thing. I’m going to share it until people are sick of it.

"So when I find a church that my family loves and where my family is loved as well, a place that has given us an environment to grow more and more and become more and more like Jesus, I'm going to share it until people are sick of it.”

We need to commit to inviting people. Don’t worry about the seats. If we need more seats, we’ll figure it out. That is a good problem to have.

Peter says when we're living differently, when we're living with hope, people are going to take notice, and when they notice, they're going to ask about our hope. When they ask, we need to be ready to give an answer. In 1 Peter 3:15-16, he tells us in our hearts to rever Christ as Lord. We should always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope inside of you. You must, he says, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

So, here's your obligatory reminder not to be a jerk on Facebook.

God will provide opportunities for you to share the Good News, so be ready to point them to Jesus and be ready to invite them to Northgate so they can connect with Jesus and share in the hope you’ve found through faith in Jesus Christ.

At Northgate, we recognize that life is full of demands and unexpected changes. We don’t expect anyone—volunteers, staff, or even our pastor—to be here 52 Sundays a year, 52 services a year. People get sick, families travel, and schedules fill up. That’s why we emphasize grace over guilt and flexibility over legalism when it comes to attending worship.

Take, for example, young Jack. He loves being here, serving with energy and excitement. There was a time when his family was traveling, and Jack was genuinely concerned about missing church. “I can’t miss church,” he said. “This is what we do on Sunday.” His family gently reminded him, “Pastor John was just traveling and missed church, too. It’s okay to take a Sunday off.” Sometimes, it’s even your children who get you here—motivated by their own desire to be part of our community.

We never want to be legalistic about church attendance. In fact, if you’re sick, we encourage you to join us online. We care about you, and we want you to take care of yourself and those around you. At the same time, we do encourage a commitment to worshiping together. Gathering as a church is not just about ticking a box; it’s about making worship a priority in our journey of faith.

As Richard Foster writes in Celebration of Discipline: The Path to Spiritual Growth, worship is a key step in spiritual growth, alongside prayer, fasting, and the study of Scripture. Foster says, “If worship does not propel us into greater obedience, it has not been worship. To stand before the Holy One of eternity is to change.” Worship is not just about singing or sitting in a pew—it’s about encountering God and being transformed by that encounter.

Being part of a church means committing to spiritual growth, which includes worship as a priority. It also means fellowship—coming together frequently to build the bonds that sustain our faith. Hebrews 10:23–25 reminds us:

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

The priority of meeting together is so that we can encourage one another and spur each other on toward love and good deeds. This is essential for us as followers of Christ.

We want to make this commitment to worship as accessible as possible. That’s why we’ve introduced a Thursday evening service at 7 p.m. For those whose jobs or family commitments make Sunday attendance difficult—whether you work in healthcare, have children in weekend activities, or are traveling—Thursday offers a spiritual respite. It’s the same message and music as Sunday, providing another opportunity to worship and connect with your church family.

There’s an old saying, “Going to church on Sunday is a Saturday night decision.” For some, it can now be a decision made on Wednesday or on Thursday afternoon. Either way, we’ll be here, offering God-centered worship, the Word of God, and the encouragement of brothers and sisters in Christ.

Worship is not about perfection or attendance records. It’s about encountering God, growing in faith, and supporting each other as we journey together toward Christ-likeness.

Quite simply, what the church expects from you is that we are all on a team right now.

In America’s sports-obsessed culture, we’re all familiar with the concept of teams. If we don’t watch or participate in sports ourselves, we all know people who always wear their Bills jersey, or never miss a Sabers game, or have children playing soccer, basketball, baseball, or are part of the track team.  We intuitively get the concept of teams and teamwork.

We can’t forget the hockey parents. If you’re a hockey parent, you’re spending more money on kids sports than any of the rest of us.

In our context -- in the church context -- that rah-rah, we all cheer for the same thing, it’s all about winning, when we win, others lose, mentality, is not exactly what we mean by team.

In an early edition of Webster’s dictionary, "team" is defined as two or more horses harnessed to the same plow. So, a team is when two or more people or animals come together to pull in the same direction.

When we break it down, a Belgian plow horse can pull 8,000 lbs. If you need to move 8,000 pounds and you've got one Belgian plow horse, you're in good shape.

I would think logically, if we put two of them together, they would pull 16,000 pounds. But that’s not actually the case. Two Belgian plow horses together pull 24,000 lb. If you train them and they become comfortable working as a team, two can pull 32,000 pounds. Two of them trained together can pull four times what one can pull on their own.

In a way, a church is like a sports team. We have many team members. If you're a regular attender of Northgate, you are a part of the team now. If you're just checking out Northgate, you might not be a part of the team yet. I hope you know we'd love to see you make that decision to be a part of it.

All too often, in churches today, we’ve lost focus on what it means to pull together, that we each have a role to play — a football coach might exhort his players to do their 1/11th — in caring for our community, both within the church walls and without.

The Apostle Paul uses many sports analogies in his epistles, but when he talks about each church member doing his or her part, he compares the church to a body, the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).

“Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.”

The foot has its role to play, Paul tells the Church, so does the eye, so does the ear. With each part doing its part, there are no divisions, and all the parts have equal concern for each other.

“If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.”

Too often, we come to church and expect people to serve us, feed us, care for us, and care for our kids, doing all these things for us. But God did not give us churches to become a country club where we attend, or where being a member is about "what I can get from the church?" He placed us in churches to serve others, to care for others, to pray for leaders, to learn, to teach, and to give.

If we aren’t careful and understand what it means to be part of a church, being part of a church can be turned upside down. We go from being contributors to being consumers.

Most of us remember, either because we saw the speech or because it is such an iconic part of American history, but in 1961, when John F. Kennedy took office, he said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

The church finds itself in a similar place. We need to give similar encouragement because the main point we all need to hear is that for a church to truly reach its potential, everyone must be a fully committed contributor. That's what ultimately determines whether or not a team reaches its full potential. What determines if a church reaches its full potential is whether everyone is a fully committed contributor. Is everyone coming in every week saying, 'What can I do for my church?' and not just 'What can my church do for me?'

You can build a pretty good church with just 15 to 20% of the people being fully committed. I know it because I think we've done that here, but if any church is ever going to reach its full potential, that number needs to be much, much higher. It needs to have all of the people all in.

What does it look like?

Here is our expectation: It starts with a commitment to follow Jesus daily. If you're a fully committed contributor, you will begin by committing to follow Jesus daily. This is what we want from every single person. This is our goal. We’re not going to be subtle about it. To be clear, you are still welcome at Northgate even if you aren't there yet. This is a great place to explore what following Jesus is all about, even before you make that commitment. This is not a place where you have to believe to be part of the journey.

Now, don't wait forever because coming to Northgate will not change where you spend eternity. It is only a relationship with Jesus, only a commitment to follow Jesus daily, that will change your destination.

We talk a lot about what it is to be a follower of Jesus, a disciple of Jesus. In Luke 9:23, Jesus says, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.”

That is where it starts for each of us. That is what following Jesus requires — denying ourselves, making other people our focus.

When we have a bigger focus in our lives than just what we want to do and what we feel like doing at the moment, taking up our cross daily, picking up that cross, dying to ourselves, dying to our own desires, and then once we have put those selfish, self-centered parts in check, replacing them with the love and the grace and the nature of Jesus, and when we do those things, we follow him.

Don't miss in that verse, it's "daily." This is every day. This is not a one-time decision. This is not a one-time commitment. It is the commitments that we need to make to be a fully committed contributor.

At Northgate, we are a team that pulls together, each doing our part to serve, putting others ahead of ourselves, both within the walls of our church building and outside throughout out lives, at home, at work, with our friends, at the supermarket, or at the Bills game, or volunteering to help others, we follow Christ.

Being a Christ follower is always a team sport. It will always be tied to other people. It will always involve considering other people, taking into account their perspectives, harnessing empathy, and maintaining unity.

That is a commitment to maintaining unity. This is a hallmark of our church. We are a notoriously non-complaining church. Unity doesn't mean that we agree on everything. It doesn't mean we have to agree on everything. It means that when we do disagree, we do it well.

We are not a church of people who run over to Facebook and build a coalition of 20 people who agree with us.

When we disagree, we do it well. We go to the person and we talk to the person and we address it in a scriptural way, in a loving way, in a grace-filled way. We do it humbly and gently and patiently, as Paul instructs the church in Ephesus in Ephesians 4:2-7.

He tells them, "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

Paul says we need to make every effort to keep the unity of the spirit because that unity has already been given to us by Jesus. That is who we're naturally supposed to be. Unity and peace are made possible by Jesus, but we must do the work of maintaining these virtues. We must maintain unity even in the midst of disagreements, especially when disagreements arise, because it is easy to get along with people who think and believe the same things. That is why Paul says we must make every effort to maintain unity.

There are some Christians who make every effort to find a way to be offended instead of making every effort to keep the unity. One of the greatest gifts that we can give each other is the benefit of the doubt. That is such a gift — to believe the best about each other until proven otherwise.

When we give each other the benefit of the doubt until proven otherwise, we say, "Hey I'm not sure why they said that but I'm going to go talk to them and have a conversation and give them a chance to explain it," as opposed to just saying, "They're a terrible person. I knew it."

In the second half of those verses from Ephesians, there’s a word that stands out — one. One hope,  one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father. We are to serve one God. We’re covered by one baptism through faith. We are united with one hope, so why would we ever focus on the differences instead of everything we have in common?

This is why we need to keep the main thing the main thing. Jesus Christ is the son of God. He came to earth to die for our sins. We’ve accepted that grace as the only way that we can be forgiven. It is the only way that we obtain eternal life. If we agree on that, we're good. There might be some non-essentials. There may be some preferences with which we disagree. There might be styles where we are on opposite sides, but if we agree on those things, we're good. When we do disagree, it's okay as long as we do it well and in a way that maintains unity. We do it in a way that allows us to continue worshiping together, because that is a commitment we have made to each other as followers of Jesus.

At Northgate, we are committed to growth.

What is growth? It’s certainly growth in church attendance, but our heart is also for your spiritual growth.

We have many new Christians here who are growing rapidly. They're passionate. They're on fire, and it's awesome to see.

Our goal is to be a community that attracts new followers to Jesus and then equips them to live out our calling to live a Christ-centered, Kingdom-centered life.

As the Apostle Peter encourages, we strive to be a community of Jesus followers who continually grow in grace, knowledge, and give glory to our Savior, Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Our prayer is that each of us, including you, may grow in grace and knowledge. As Methodists, we join in the call of our theological founder, John Wesley, to emphasize the necessity of growth in grace and knowledge.

He said, “The Christian life is not a static state, but a growing state; not a standing still, but a going on unto perfection.”

With Wesley, we encourage ourselves that though we are born of God in an instant, our growth often comes in slow degrees.

What does grace mean to us? It is the active presence of God in our lives, empowering, guiding, forgiving, and transforming us to the kind of people who love neighbors and forgive enemies. It is how we join Christ in his Kingdom work.

Knowledge equips us for growth.

To grow, we never stop learning.

In 2 Peter, we see that growing in grace and knowledge are intertwined in a way that commands us to work the two areas of growth together.

Peter is saying in essence, 'Please don't just grow in one of those two areas.'

Too much grace without any knowledge of God will lead us to enable and condone sin.

Too much knowledge without any grace leads to legalism.

So Peter says, "Grow in both. Become more and more knowledgeable about God, about his son and his word, but also become more and more grace-filled and loving every single day.'

We must ask ourselves every day, “Am I becoming more grace-filled and more loving?”

When we grow in grace and knowledge, when we do that, the peace and the joy and the hope that overflows from life in Christ is palpable. It will be life-changing, and not just for you. It will be life-changing for the people around you because being a Christ follower, it's never just about us.

This week, someone asked about using quotes from pastors or other sources in messages. I thought it would be helpful to address this topic here. You may or may not agree with my perspective, but I hope this gives you insight into where I’m coming from.

When I use a quote from someone, I’m endorsing the quote—not everything they’ve ever said or believed. For example, I’ve quoted Pastor Benjamin Cremer many times regarding how Christ-followers should approach politics. I find him to be one of the most insightful and wise voices on that subject. However, I don’t agree with him on everything, and I wouldn’t endorse every word he’s ever said. Honestly, I wouldn’t even endorse everything I’ve said over the years! I’ve been right, and I’ve been wrong. I’d caution against dismissing everything someone says just because you disagree with them on one issue. Proverbs 2:6 reminds us, “All wisdom comes from the LORD, and so do common sense and understanding” (CEV).

For instance, I often reference the Psalms in my messages. Many were written by David, a man who committed heinous sins, including rape. Yet I continue to share the wisdom of his words, separating the truths he spoke from the actions I don’t condone in his life. If a flawed person shares something wise and useful, should it be invalidated because of their flaws? Doesn’t that contradict what Proverbs says about wisdom coming from God?

It’s true that many pastors, unfortunately, have fallen into sin, including abuse and adultery. Bill Hybels, for example, was a ministry hero of mine and had a significant impact on my journey to becoming a pastor. He shared incredible wisdom and insight during his ministry, but we later learned about his abuse of power and mistreatment of women. Do we dismiss everything he said because of his failures? Some might, but I choose not to. When I use a quote of his, it’s not an endorsement of his entire life or ministry—it’s an endorsement of the specific idea or insight that aligns with God’s truth.

The alternative—refusing to cite the source—is even more problematic. I want to give credit where it’s due, even if it’s to someone with whom I have disagreements. So, my encouragement to you, as people tasked with listening and wisely discerning, is this: Let’s not discard all of someone’s contributions because of one area of disagreement or failure. I believe God can still use flawed people to speak wisdom to us, just as He can use their words to convey truth.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out. I’m easy to find and always happy to respond.

See you this weekend!

Pastor John 

Well, the winter weather has definitely arrived! Two Thursdays in a row, we have had to close our facilities, so it seems like a good time to make sure everyone is on the same page about how and when we make the decision to close Northgate for winter weather.

There are really two different scenarios: the first is during the week, and the second is on the weekends.

During the week, if Batavia Schools close, we close as well. This was the case last Thursday and this Thursday. That is a quick and easy way for you to find out if the office is open for the day and if groups, meetings, or events are happening. If afternoon activities are canceled, the same applies to that evening’s activities. For example, if Batavia Schools canceled all afternoon activities on a Wednesday, there would be no Base that night.

As far as communication for those weekday cancellations, you can check if the Batavia Schools have closed through local news outlets, like The Batavian, or you can check the Northgate social media feeds on Facebook and Instagram.

For our weekend services, the Northgate staff will make the call. If there is a Travel Ban in Genesee County, we will cancel. We have too much respect for our emergency workers and the people working to get and keep the roads clear to do otherwise. It takes a lot of staff and volunteers to make services at Northgate happen. We also know that if we are open, some of you will come no matter how bad the weather looks.

Since we have a service on Saturday as well as our Sunday services, it may be that we only cancel one or the other. In the case of a cancellation, we will again publicize that on social media, update our website to reflect it, and report it to local news sources in Batavia, Buffalo, and Rochester.

We love being together, and we obviously value being able to worship together. Sunday is my favorite day of the week! But I also take seriously the responsibility that we have to keep our people safe. On most weekends, we have people here from seven different counties (the GLOW Region, Monroe, Erie, and Niagara Counties). So while it may be safe for us to have church, it might not be the best choice for you to drive to church that day. On the other hand, it might look fine where you are, but it is not at the church (which is the case as I write this from Churchville, while Genesee County is getting blasted again). Whatever the case, please know that while we believe in-person worship should be a priority for each of us every weekend, it is not a higher priority than your safety or the safety of the staff and volunteers who would have to drive in if we are open.

As always, I love to hear from you, and if you have thoughts on this, you are always welcome to email me at john@northgatefmc.com or talk to me in person.

Stay warm and stay safe, and see you this weekend!

Pastor John 

Last week I talked about what a full December calendar we have, and this week I am going to tell you about one additional event that we are excited to be adding to the calendar!

On Thursday, December 19th, we will have Brothers McClurg join us for a Christmas Concert at 7:00pm. If you’re not familiar with Brothers McClurg, that is our Worship Director, Anthony’s, band. They are fan favorites at Kingdom Bound and have recorded several fantastic albums. One of my personal favorites is their awesome Christmas album “Goin Back to Bethlehem” (available on Spotify or wherever you stream music). They’ll be performing songs from that album, and you have my personal guarantee that it will be a night of great music and A+ harmonies! This would also be a great event to bring a few friends to.

Admission is free, but we are requesting that everyone bring a non-perishable food item for the Salvation Army Food Pantry. We will also be receiving and offering to thank and support the band.

If you’re free, I hope that you can join us!

Thank you to all of our amazing volunteers and dedicated staff for the great job that you did with our Vintage Christmas event! It is so great to see the property filled with so many people and so much excitement. We are already discussing how we can reimagine Vintage Christmas for 2025 and beyond!

December is filled with wonderful ways to celebrate the Christmas season together! There’s something for everyone, so get ready to mark your calendars.

Take a look at the other upcoming events below!

Here we are—it’s officially Christmas season! As I look at all the great events happening at Northgate this month, I have two main thoughts:

1. It’s going to be a wonderful month as we prepare for Christmas together.
2. I hope you don’t try to attend everything on the calendar!

That might sound odd coming from a pastor, so let me explain. Of course, I hope you’ll make it a priority to join us for worship services every weekend—this month and always. But when it comes to the other events on the calendar, I encourage you to wisely pick and choose what will be most life-giving for you during this season. Focus on what will best prepare your heart, mind, and soul for Christmas.

For some of you, the Service of Prayer & Remembrance will be a key part of that preparation. It’s an opportunity to acknowledge grief in a healthy, God-centered way. (By the way, if you haven’t registered for that yet, the deadline is December 1 at 5 p.m. https://www.bataviafuneralhomes.com/resources/annual-remembrance-service

If Vintage Christmas offers you warmth and nostalgia that prepares your heart for the season, I hope to see you there one of those nights. If singing hymns at the Christmas Carol Hymn Sing is what helps you focus on the meaning of Christmas, then don’t miss it! But don’t feel pressured to attend every event. Honestly, this is my full-time job, and even I won’t be at everything—I’m not even invited to the Women’s Christmas Gathering! So, choose wisely. Show up for the things that will help you center on Jesus this season. But also take some quiet nights at home to sit by the glow of the tree, breathe deeply, and relax. That’s an important part of preparing for Christmas too. We’re anticipating an incredible December here at Northgate, and we can’t wait to celebrate the birth of our Savior with all of you!

December is filled with wonderful ways to celebrate the Christmas season together! There’s something for everyone, so get ready to mark your calendars.

Take a look at the other upcoming events below!

As you read this on a crisp Saturday morning, Pastor DL and his incredible team of youth leaders are spending the weekend with nearly 50 Northgate students on the shores of Canandaigua Lake at the LeTourneau Christian Center.

Watching the growth of our youth ministry over the past year has been one of the most exciting and encouraging parts of life here at Northgate. Since our students moved into the main area of the Youth & Community Center a few weeks ago, they’ve consistently had over 50 middle and high schoolers joining them on Wednesday nights. It's been amazing to see! They’re not only having fun but also engaging with meaningful, relevant messages and unpacking those ideas together in small groups.

On Sunday mornings, we regularly have 30-40 students checked in for Base. With many of the teens attending Sunday not overlapping with Wednesday nights, we’re reaching over 75 students each week. That’s incredible!

Pastor DL has done a phenomenal job building a dynamic culture and recruiting an exceptional team of volunteers. As a parent with three kids in this age group, I couldn’t be more grateful for his leadership and passion for helping students grow in their faith.

If you have kids in grades 5–12 who aren’t connected with our youth ministry yet, they are truly missing out! While it’s too late to join this weekend’s retreat, there’s still time to get plugged in. Whether it’s our regular Wednesday or Sunday gatherings, Flower City Work Camp 2025, or even the 2026 Costa Rica Missions Trip, there are so many opportunities for them to be part of something life-changing.

Feel free to reach out to Pastor DL at dl@northgatefmc.com with any questions about our youth programs.

The future is bright for the students here at Northgate!

See you this weekend!

December is filled with wonderful ways to celebrate the Christmas season together! There’s something for everyone, so get ready to mark your calendars.

Christmas Eve Services - Tuesday, December 24 — At 4:00pm we will have a service specifically geared towards families with younger children. This is a great time for the children to celebrate Christmas at an age appropriate level where you don’t have to worry about them being a little more loud and excited than you might want at a traditional service! We will have regular candles and battery operated candles and parents can decide which option is the best, and safest, for their children. We will also have our Infant and Toddler Rooms open for this service.

At 7:00pm we will have a traditional Christmas Eve Candlelight service. This service is one of my favorite times at Northgate every year. I’m excited about the (shorter) message that I am going to share that night, we’ll end with candle lighting, and you know that the music will be awesome. Invite some friends and family to join you!

Take a look at the other upcoming events below!

Two things I can promise you about my time as your Lead Pastor:

1. We won’t always get things right.

2. When we don’t, we will acknowledge it, own it, and do our best to make it right.

As some of you noticed, we missed the mark last weekend. In the busyness of church life and everything we need to get done, we failed to recognize Veterans Day during our services.

There is no one to blame for this but me.

I understand that some of you were disappointed, and that feeling is both fair and valid. Please know it was not intentional—it was an unfortunate oversight. We deeply love and appreciate our Veterans here at Northgate, and we are incredibly proud of their service. I am truly heartbroken that some people left last weekend’s services feeling otherwise.

This week, I’ve spoken to many of our Veterans, and I am so grateful for the grace and kindness I’ve received in return.

We are looking forward to honoring our Veterans this weekend, and we also took time in our staff meeting on Tuesday to create a better system to ensure this doesn’t happen again in the future.

 
Two Things For Feedback

1. Salvation Army Food Collection — Did you know that we have a place for non-perishable food collection for the Salvation Army Food Pantry? You can bring those donations in and leave them in the designated area of the air lock, on the guest lounge/Kids Wing side of that space. We are currently looking for someone with a heart for service who is willing to keep an eye on that space and deliver the food when it fills up. If you are interested in being the point person for that, please contact me!

2. Financial Peace University Class — I mentioned Financial Peace University in last weekend’s message. Even though a lot of that class has moved online I had someone ask me if we would consider offering it as an in person class again. If there is enough interest, I would certainly be open to Northgate hosting that again. The class currently costs $80 per person or couple. Please let me know if you would be interested in participating in that!

See you this weekend!

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

December is filled with wonderful ways to celebrate the Christmas season together! There’s something for everyone, so get ready to mark your calendars. This week, our staff started preparing for Vintage Christmas on December 5-6, and we’re so excited to welcome you! Check out the upcoming events below, and stay tuned for more as we get closer!

When this hits your inbox on Saturday morning, it will be exactly 100 days since I started as Lead Pastor and Allison began her role as Operations Director. It’s been an invigorating challenge, deeply meaningful, and I’ve loved (almost) every minute of it.

I wanted to share a few thoughts of gratitude as we look back over these first three plus months.

• Allison and I have so much appreciation for Pastor Vern and Mark Logan—not only for the excellent work that they did in their roles but also for setting us up for success after their retirements. It brings me (and so many of you) so much joy to see them attending Northgate again after some time away. This kind of healthy transition doesn’t happen everywhere, but it is definitely who we want to be as a church community.
• This is an incredible church. I don’t say that because I’m supposed to; I say it because it’s true. The heart of the people here is absolutely unmatched. Even with the responsibilities that come with this position, you all truly make it a joy.
• I can’t say enough good things about our staff. This is an amazing team! It’s full of people who love Jesus, love Northgate, love each other, work hard, and operate in their strengths. It’s such a gifted group, and they’re so much fun to be with on a daily bases. Even Becca. (Just checking to see if she’s reading this!)
• I am incredibly proud of how our church has engaged with challenging series like Under the Influence and American Idol. I know there are lighter, more cheerful topics we could cover each weekend, but you’ve embraced the challenges and truths of these messages. I believe we’re a stronger church for it, as we address hard things together.
• Thank you also for how you’ve responded to changes we’ve made during these early days. It’s encouraging to see a church that holds nothing sacred above Jesus and the Gospel when shifts do happen.

I’m proud of how we’ve navigated another election season with grace, love, and integrity.
I look forward to the future and am excited to see what God will continue to do in this church as we fully surrender to Him and His will for us—both as individuals and as a community.You all are the best, and I appreciate you so much.
 
See you this weekend!

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

Last night at Centered, we had the joy of welcoming over 40 attendees! Our Group Life Director, Angelique Spring, led a beautiful devotional focused on Lectio Divina. If you’re unfamiliar, Lectio Divina means "divine reading" in Latin, an ancient Christian practice that guides us to engage deeply with Scripture. This contemplative approach invites a spiritual connection and a richer appreciation for God’s word, helping us see its relevance in our everyday lives.

Together, the group explored the four steps of Lectio Divina using 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus." The steps include Lectio(Reading), Meditatio (Meditation), Oratio (Prayer), and Contemplatio (Contemplation).

As we move into this season of thankfulness, consider how you might embrace gratitude this week. Perhaps start a gratitude journal or share a moment of thankfulness with someone close to you. Let’s celebrate God’s blessings together!

Twelve years ago, Pastor and author Brian Zahnd released a voting guide. By the time you read this, many of us will have already voted early, but the wisdom below is still relevant for each of us in the weeks and months ahead:

1. The political process, while necessary, has little to do with how God is saving the world.

2. The fate of the kingdom of God does not depend upon political contests.

3. Don’t be naïve, political parties are more interested in Christian votes than they are in Christian values.

4. The bottom line for political parties is power. The bottom line for a Christian is love. And therein lies the rub.

5. While in pursuit of the Ring of Power, you are not permitted to abandon the Sermon on the Mount.

6. If your political passion makes it hard for you to love your neighbor as yourself, you need to turn it down a notch.

7. Your task is to bring the salt of Christian civility to an ugly and acrimonious political process.

8. To dismember the body of Christ over politics is a grievous sin.

9. Exercise your liberty to vote your conscience and conviction, while accepting that other Christians will do the same and vote differently than you.

10. It’s more important that your soul be filled with love than it is for your political team to win the game.

Let’s make sure we’re taking care of ourselves spiritually, especially during this contentious season. Spend more time in prayer and in your Bible than on Facebook or watching the news. Be informed but not obsessed.

I assure you, God will not be surprised by what happens in our country in the next week. And whatever happens, He is still good and in control!
 
See you this weekend!

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

There are so many exciting things happening around here!

Last week, both our Student Ministries and Kids Ministries hosted awesome fall events. This week, the students in Base got to meet in their new space at the Northgate Youth and Community Center (formerly South, 350 Bank Street) for the first time. It’s the first time our teens have had a space all their own! The program has grown tremendously under Pastor DL’s leadership, and I can’t wait to see how it progresses in this new environment.

We’re quickly approaching the Carol McLeod Conference, happening next Friday and Saturday, November 1-2. The team that organizes and runs this event does such a fantastic job, and I know that every woman who attends will leave feeling blessed and encouraged. Carol is an amazing Bible teacher, and the worship team is going to be absolutely top-notch.

Our last two Primetimers Meetings have been packed! In September, we were scouring the building to find every last chair. What a great problem to have! In October, we made sure to set up even more chairs, and it was still completely full. I’m excited to see the crowd that shows up in November (more details below in “Coming Up”).

We set a new attendance record for Centered in September, but it only lasted a month as even more people joined us for an incredibly powerful time of prayer and worship in October. We’re prayerfully anticipating another amazing night together on Wednesday, November 6.

We already have double-digit signups for our November 3 Northgate 101 class!

God is moving and working in our church!

Why am I sharing all this? Because while I LOVE our weekend services at Northgate, if you’re only attending for one hour a week, you’re just scratching the surface of what being part of Northgate is all about.

There’s an incredible, loving, and caring community here, and there’s a place for you—not just a seat on Saturday night or Sunday morning. If you’re not currently engaged, take the next step. Check out events like the Carol McLeod conference, Primetimers, Centered, or Northgate 101. You can connect with us through the Northgate app, fill out a card from the seatbacks in the sanctuary, or talk to a staff member in person. We love helping people find deeper and more meaningful connections here at Northgate.

See you this weekend!

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

This week marked the third Wednesday of the month, which means it was time for our Administrative Team meeting! For those who may not know, this team is elected by Northgate members to provide oversight and accountability to the Lead Pastor and Operations Director, particularly in areas like finances, facilities, policy, and personnel. They also serve as liaisons between the congregation and the Lead Pastor when needed.

This is a group of wise and knowledgeable individuals who love Northgate deeply and serve our church with dedication and heart. It truly is an honor to serve alongside them.

I want to make sure you know who they are:

• Nate Blowers
• Charley Canon
• Stephanie Debo (Chairperson)
• Diane Deleo
• Bill Hayes
• Keith Keberle
• Jeremy McClellan
• Marlin Salmon
• Mark Snyder
• Bob Wood
• Joan Stevens (Treasurer)
• Manda McGrath (Board Secretary)

We’re so grateful for our board members and the invaluable service they provide to Northgate. Be sure to thank them for their contributions when you see them!

See you this Weekend!

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

Make sure to check out all of the group life offerings at Northgate. If you have any questions you can always contact our Group Life Director, Angelique (angelique@northgatefmc.com)

October is my favorite month of the year! I love the cooler weather, our anniversary, hoodies, football, apple cider, and the start of fireplace season.

Both Pastor DL and Miss Becca have some awesome, fun, and free fall events coming up for your kids. They are listed below in the "Week Ahead" and "Coming Up" sections, but I wanted to highlight them to make sure you get those dates on your calendar.

This Wednesday, October 16, Base will be meeting outside at our Northgate Campus (8160 Bank Street Road) instead of at the Northgate Youth and Community Center (350 Bank Street) for Autumn Adventure Night! There will be pizza, cider, donuts, pumpkin painting, and a night full of exciting games to celebrate the season. This is a great event for your child to invite a friend or two!

Next Saturday, October 19, our Northgate Kids Ministry team will be hosting a Fall Fun Night in our Kids Wing. This event is for kids in K-4th grade and their potty-trained younger siblings. Feel free to drop your kids off and enjoy the Saturday evening worship service, or take advantage of two kid-free hours to enjoy dinner. These events are not only an investment in your kids and the fun they’ll have, but also in your marriage by giving you an opportunity for a date night without having to pay for a babysitter. The kids will enjoy crafts, games, pizza, snacks, and more!

If you have any questions about either event, please email dl@northgatefmc.com or becca@northgatefmc.com.

We’re looking forward to a couple of great events and an awesome fall season here at Northgate!

See you this Weekend!

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

Make sure to check out all of the group life offerings at Northgate. If you have any questions you can always contact our Group Life Director, Angelique (angelique@northgatefmc.com)

We’ve concluded the “Under the Influence” series, and I want to thank you all once again for your loving and gracious response to this important topic and the stories shared throughout. I truly appreciated the perspective Dr. Carrie Starr brought in the final week of the series, and I know she left feeling loved and affirmed by this wonderful church.

It's been especially meaningful to hear from so many of you who are affected by addiction, whether directly or indirectly. I hope and pray that Northgate will always be a place where you feel free to share your story, knowing you won’t be judged for being a work in progress.

This week, I met with some of our ministry leaders to start planning the preaching series for 2025. This is one of the most important and meaningful tasks we have the privilege of doing each year. We are deeply committed to ensuring that our message series go beyond just filling time or space—they need to address the topics that are truly impacting your daily life. If we’re not talking about the issues you're wrestling with, we’re missing the mark. This isn’t always easy, and it can feel daunting, but it is also an incredible honor.

I’d really appreciate your prayers as we go through this process again, that we would hear clearly from God and that He would speak through us as we study His word and apply it to our lives. I also welcome your feedback—are there series or topics you think we should cover? Are there areas we might be failing to address that need more attention?

Preaching is one of my greatest joys and deepest honors. I’m excited for what remains in 2024, and I’m eagerly anticipating where God will lead us in 2025!

See you this Weekend!

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

Make sure to check out all of the group life offerings at Northgate. If you have any questions you can always contact our Group Life Director, Angelique (angelique@northgatefmc.com)

For quite some time, our most popular and well-attended group has been Pastor Vern’s Monday Night Bible Study. For nearly a decade, this group has journeyed through books of the Bible at a slow and in-depth pace, usually one chapter at a time.

Teaching this class has been a true joy and passion for Pastor Vern, and it really showed! As we walked through this transition, I couldn’t imagine anyone else leading this class. I am excited to officially let you know that now we don’t have to.

On Monday, October 21 at 6:30 PM, the Monday Night Bible Study will return with Pastor Vern as the leader! This is a part of his ministry that he has found so life-giving that he has agreed to continue teaching, even in retirement. Having Pastor Vern continue to use his spiritual gift of teaching will be an amazing blessing for Northgate.

So, mark your calendars and plan to join us in person or on Zoom. The group will be going through the book of Galatians, so feel free to start reading and studying it ahead of time.

See you this weekend,

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

Make sure to check out all of the group life offerings at Northgate. If you have any questions you can always contact our Group Life Director, Angelique (angelique@northgatefmc.com)

I had the honor of attending the Justice Network Summit of the Free Methodist Church at Pearce this Thursday and Friday. It is encouraging to see our denomination increasingly focusing on issues of justice, and I hope to see the same emphasis here at Northgate. We are called to be people who seek love-driven justice. Our God is a God of justice. He is also a God of mercy and compassion, but make no mistake—He is a God of justice. However, this justice is not driven by anger or wrath. God's desire for justice flows from His love for people.

God loves all people, whether they follow Him or not, whether they are living righteous and holy lives or not. Sometimes, when we live more righteously or more holy than others, we can get the idea that God loves us more because of it. But that's not true, and it's not biblical.

God loves us all, and because of His love for everyone, He desires justice for all people.

What do I mean by justice? When I say justice, I simply mean making things right. Justice is the act of putting things right.

And why should we, as Christ-followers, be involved in making things right? Because God's love compels us to do so.

That is love-driven justice. That is who we are called to be as Christ-followers, and it is what we are called to do: to be on the right side of justice, the side of making things right.

Micah 6:8 — He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

See you this weekend,

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

Make sure to check out all of the group life offerings at Northgate.
If you have any questions you can always contact our Group Life Director, Angelique (angelique@northgatefmc.com)

It has been so exciting to see a steady flow of children using the Northgate Playground during the week and on weekends. That playground is an amazing gift to both our church and the local community.
Did you know that our backyard has even more to offer, and it's available to anyone who wants to use it?

Our Communication Director, Amanda, recently put together this webpage with all the pertinent information about Northgate’s backyard. It’s a great resource to share with family and friends in the area, whether or not they are part of the church! https://northgatefmc.com/community-spaces

We are such a blessed church! Not only do we have incredible people, but we also have awesome properties with so much to offer. One of my hopes and prayers is that we will always be known as a place that is generous with what we have. There are people who don’t attend Northgate but know us as the church that generously lets them play pickleball for free. Or, they don’t attend, but their kids discovered the playground and now love coming to run around. Some people know us as the place with the really nice 9-hole disc golf course in the back.

Ultimately, our mission is to Bring, Build, and Send, but it’s also great to be known as a church that is generous with what we have—whether or not Northgate is your church.

See you this weekend!

Lead Pastor
Pastor John

Wednesday was the BASE Fall Kickoff, and it was a blast! We had 53 students come out, and the pizza, snacks, and Hannah's chocolate cookies disappeared fast!
Make sure to follow BASE to stay in the loop and catch all the action happening on Wednesday nights!

We are so excited to have Andrea Moore starting on staff at Northgate this Monday, the 9th, as our Counseling & Care Director! She is going to do an amazing job and bring so much to the church and the team in this role. I wanted you to get to know her a little bit better, so here is a short interview that I did with her.
 
JK: Tell us about yourself and your family.

AM: I am married to my husband Larry and we have three kids, Lily, Lawrence and Maverick. I come from a large Italian family and Larry is from western Pennsylvania so we are a Steelers vs Bills family. We spend a lot of time with family and a lot of time watching our kids play sports. I am an introverted extrovert, an ambivert! I love to be at home with my family. I love music and my favorite food is pasta. And tacos.
 
JK: What do you love about Northgate?

AM: Northgate is the real deal as far as churches go! The sense of belonging and warmth is tangible and it feels like a place you want to keep coming back to. Northgate is full of life, it is vital and brimming over with the presence of God which is seen and felt week after week.
 
JK: What are you most excited about for this next chapter?

AM: I’m excited to be able to attend to the emotional and spiritual needs of the congregation and I hope to walk with folks through their happiest and darkest times and everything in between. Ultimately I am excited to connect people to the heart of God and point them to His son with every interaction.
 
JK: What do you like to do for fun?

AM: I could spend hours in coffee shops and Barnes & Noble. I love reading and shopping for shoes. I also love the beach and staying fit through bike riding and HIIT workouts. Music makes me happy and my dream is to sing with Celine Dion. It could happen?
 
JK: If you had to fight Mike Tyson at any age of his life, and got one million dollars for each year old he was if you won the fight, what age would you choose?

AM: I think I would choose to fight him at his age right now…58 yrs old. And I’d use my words. We’ll be hugging by the time I’m done!

See you this weekend!

Lead Pastor
Pastor John

Group Life is kicking off this month at Northgate, and we’re excited to offer a variety of groups designed to help you grow in your faith, connect with others, and find community. Whether you’re looking to dive deeper into the Bible, share life experiences, or simply find encouragement, there’s a group for you.

Check out the groups happening here at Northgate and find the one that’s right for you. From men’s and women’s groups to young adults, special needs, and caregiver support, each group provides a welcoming environment where you can build meaningful relationships and explore your journey with Jesus.

The last few years we have done a September fasting focus as we head into the new school year and programming seasons. This year our Free Methodist Bishops are calling on us to fast and pray together, so I am inviting you to join the larger Church as we do this together. Below is a message from our Bishops with the details. I hope that you will consider taking part in it!

See you this weekend,

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

Calling the church to fasting and prayer is a vow every Free Methodist elder takes at their ordination. We, your bishops, are calling all to a month of fasting and prayer that will begin on Tuesday, September 3. Here's all the information you need to know to connect with this united effort:

OUR THEME AND FOCUS
"Seeking Together" is our theme as we unite in seeking the face of God around four weekly themes: Turning to God/Repentance, Awaken Your Church, The Next Generation, and Leaders in the Church/Society. We highly encourage the participation of as many Free Methodists as possible to give your voice to prayer and join the chorus as we seek God together.

HOW IT WILL BE COMMUNICATED
Each day a video with Scripture, a devotional thought, and prayer will be presented from our Superintendents and other FM leaders. Included with their prayer will be prayer prompts for you to use to engage your own voice in added prayer. As you watch the video and pray, you will be joining others in our family who will be doing the same.

HOW YOU CAN RECEIVE THE DAILY VIDEOS AND PRAYER PROMPTS
Receive it by email in your inbox. To do so, subscribe to the email list. SUBSCRIBE HERE 

Blessings to you, Keith Cowart, Kaye Kolde, Kenny Martin
The Board of Bishops of the FMCUSA

We can't run Northgate without our amazing volunteers! It simply wouldn’t happen. You all are what make this church such a great place to worship! Whether you love working with kids, guiding teens, serving coffee, greeting, managing parking, or helping with worship and tech, WE NEED YOU!

A lot of times, especially in larger churches, people think that they aren’t needed. I can assure you that is not the case here. Every single area of ministry that we have would be better, and could be better, if we had more volunteers. As our kids' and youth ministries continue to grow, our need for volunteers will continually increase as well.

The other thing that I regularly hear from people is that they don’t volunteer because they are afraid that if they do, they will be stuck in that area for life. I always want to assure people of two things. First, we would love for you to try out a few areas to see what is a good fit for you. If you don’t love where you are serving, it’s not the best for us or for you to keep you there. We will help you keep looking until you find the place that is the best fit for you. Second, people are afraid (usually from past experiences) that if they volunteer, they will be stuck there until they die or find someone to replace them. Again, that isn’t how we want to operate here. No position is forever, including your volunteer position. When the time comes to move on to something else, we will let you do that guilt-free.

Are you ready to say yes? Check out the serving opportunities that are needed in the lobby.

See you this weekend,

Pastor John
Lead Pastor 

In just the first week of our Salvation Army School Supply Drive, our church community has shown incredible generosity and love. We've already collected an amazing array of supplies for students in need, from UPK to 12th grade.

Here’s what we’ve gathered so far:

• 37 Pencil Packages
• 27 Colored Pencil Packages
• 27 Pen Packages
• 36 Crayon Boxes
• 18 Highlighter Packages
• 22 Scissor Packages
• 21 Glue Stick Packages
• 22 Binders
• 88 Notebooks
• 12 Fully Packed Book Bags

These supplies will be distributed by the Salvation Army to help equip kids in our community for the upcoming school year!
This is amazing—thank you for making such an incredible impact!

Well here we are, 17 days in and so far so good! We are continuing to figure out what this new chapter looks like here, but the best parts have been the amazing love and support that you have shown me, and the incredible team that I get to work with. Thank you for making Northgate such an incredible place to serve and lead!

One schedule note that I wanted to make sure that you see is the return of our Centered Service (after a one month hiatus) in September. Centered is a service that we started a while back to give us the opportunity to just slow down, relax, breathe deeply, and be in the presence of God. In discussing how to approach Centered going forward a friend said “the ministry that happened on those evenings was evident, solid and powerful.  Although unable to attend every month, I did see God move each time I was there.” I could not agree more! Every time I was there I thought two things: 1. God is at work. 2. I wish that more people could be a part of what is going on here!

So go ahead and save the date for Wednesday, September 4th at 6:00. You will be glad that you did!

See you this weekend,

Pastor John
Lead Pastor