Northeast Community News – September 24, 2013
Dear Friends and Family,
We were a ‘church on a mission’ yesterday and it was wonderful! Originally, we had scheduled missionaries from Paraguay to come in our morning worship service! Well, imagine our surprise when Charlie Carney called Wednesday to let us know they were looking forward to sharing in our Sunday night service! Sunday night service? Didn’t they know we don’t have a Sunday night service? Apparently not! But thanks to Janie, Alannah, and Kamrie, we had a Sunday evening service this week and it was wonderful!
In fact, 33 people turned out for pizza, the missionary service, and a delicious dessert afterglow! In addition to the $300 we paid out of our missionary funds (which come from you when you give loose offerings) we received $222 in a love offering for them!
Our missionary service preparations actually began at 2:00pm when Kamrie, Alannah, and Janie set up tables, prepared drinks, ordered pizza, and baked brownies, cookies, and rice crispy treats, and made whip cream! They also picked out the songs, prepared the order of worship, and created the Powerpoint! Before we ate, they welcomed us, helped carry pizza across the street and served and then insisted on eating last! Did I mention Alannah and Kamrie were our ushers, too? What a HUGE blessing! Praise God!
By the time Barry, Charlie and their daughter Alyssa (our missionaries from Paraguay) arrived at 5:25pm, we were ready to eat, worship, and eat again! The food was good, the message Barry brought from God was good, and the desserts were good, too! But the way God is moving in the hearts of lives of people in Paraguay was incredible!
Actually, both of God’s messages addressed missions! Earlier, we saw that even though the disciples were commissioned in Matthew 28:17-20 (which was Barry’s text) and were instructed by Jesus “to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8), they remained in Jerusalem. Well, that is until God permitted persecution to break out against the church! Then they were scattered!
Both messages concluded God is on a mission to seek and save those who are lost and asks, what would it take for you to go where God wants you to be? From across the street, to the workplace, to Paraguay, God wants to use all of us to share the good news of Jesus with the lost, broken, and hurting people wherever they are found! Let’s go!
WED. NIGHT PRAYER MEETING AND ADULT BIBLE STUDY AT 6:30PM
We have changed our focus in the adult Bible study on Wednesday nights! While we still examine God’s Word, we have decided to sing and then PRAY FIRST to allow us enough time to really pray! So, this means sometimes we don’t finish our lesson and that is ok! This week we are studying Luke 24:33-53 as we examine the second fruit: Joy!
Healthy Living! It is a way of life as Holiness People!
Paul wrote, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (I Corinthians 6:19-20).
I have thought many times about what it means to say my body is indeed a “temple of the Holy Spirit” and how I might “honor God with my body.” In the past, I have limited this thinking to some obvious harmful habits, but as I grow closer to God I have begun to think there are a lot of areas where I ought to take better care of God’s temple.
This week I am thinking a lot about nutrition. When you think about what you ate and drank last week (yes, everything), would it honor God if you brought it all up front in a wheelbarrow and left it at the altar? Last year when I first considered this, I realized I was actually throwing the equivalent of “junk” into the temple of God when I ate. I tried to visualize coming to church and throwing garbage towards the altar. I was horrified!
And yet this is exactly what I was doing in my body every week! God helped me change!
God can help you change, too!
Are you honoring God with your body when you eat? If not, maybe you could try to honor Him one day this week and see how you feel! Eating as worship! Who knew? Now that you know, the choice is yours!
Blessings! Pastor Dan
Hello from Pastor Amy, your Associate Pastor/Administrative Secretary
My office hours vary on Tuesdays, so if you need to see me, just call! My responsibilities also include preparing our weekly program, so if you have an event that you would like to put in the program or newsletter, or a prayer request to publish, please contact me! Also, we have a long, ongoing list of prayer requests. Please keep me updated. Requests will be pulled from the newsletter& program after three weeks.
My Contact Info: 616-514-9521 or aorban@nnu.edu
NEWS AND EVENTS
Wednesday Night Potluck Dinners Return in September! This week!
We went on break for summer, but we will be continuing our Wednesday night dinners which will take place on the LAST Wednesday of every month beginning in September. Bring a dish to pass and join us for good food and fellowship! Regular Bible study follows at 6:30pm. Talk to Julie Orban to help setup or cleanup.
Next Dinner: Wednesday September 25 @ 5:30pm
Alabaster Offering – Thank you and continue giving!
If you don’t know, our Alabaster Offering comes from our Nazarene Missions International department, and is taken twice per year. Every penny we receive from this offering goes directly to the global mission field, to be used for the purchase of land and buildings. We held our Alabaster march on Sunday September 15, and we received $318.50! Praise God! It is not too late to give! The Alabaster house will remain up in the back of the sanctuary for another week, so you can still bring your offerings! Thank you!
ARTPRIZE WANDERING! SEP. 19, 26, OCT. 03 – 6:00-8:00PM
Do you like art? Do you like fun with friends? Do you wish you could go to Artprize without having to drive downtown and park? Well, I’ve got good news for you! For 3 weeks you can join Pastor Dan in the church parking lot and ride the GRATA bus downtown, look at some art, laugh with your friends, and vote for your favorites, and ride back! The cost for the round-trip bus ride is $3 each, (but don’t let that stop you!) NOTE: The GRATA bus leaves PROMPTLY at 6:00pm from the front of the church and leaves promptly from downtown at 7:45pm arriving back at 8:00pm! Remember to check the evening temps and dress accordingly! Talk to Pastor Dan with questions!
Church Work Day! Saturday September 28, 8am-12pm
Please join the trustees to help with our next work day. We will be spending this morning doing various tasks around the church, and preparing the building and grounds for winter. No matter what your skills, we need your help, and there is always a lot to do! Breakfast is included! Talk to Theo Orban with questions.
Olivet Nazarene University Preaching Ambassador Visit – This Sunday Sept. 29
Every year we partner with Olivet Nazarene University to bring a student from their Preaching Ambassador to our church to bring us the message on Sunday. This is not only a great time to hear a message from a student and a future leader of the church, it is also a great time to see what a great job Olivet does in using our contributions to prepare future ministry and world leaders! This year, our Preaching Ambassador is Paul Griffin, and he will be bringing us the message on Sunday September 29th. Please be in prayer for Paul as he prepares to visit us!
This Just In – Fall Festival Outreach Event – Sunday October 20th
Are you prepared to step out of your comfort zone, into your community, and love people who need to know the love of Jesus? Are you willing to rejoice like the angels in heaven (Luke 15:10), to celebrate, to even throw a party for these people? I hope so, because the Stewards are currently planning an outdoor Fall Festival in order to reach out to our community! The plan is to invite the community onto our grounds for a time of food, fellowship, games, prizes, pumpkins, music, and more!
So what part of the Fall Festival is God asking you to take on? Could you canvas the neighborhood, knock on doors and hand out fliers? Could you donate nice items to use for prizes in a raffle? Can you help plan food? Will you take on the role of greeting and welcoming everyone who comes? Can you pray for this event? Could you help make posters to hang in local businesses? We need your creativity and we need all hands in action! Talk to Irene Pratt!
TUESDAY MORNING PRAYER MEETINGS 9AM-10AM
Come pray with us on Tuesday mornings! Everyone is invited to join us for an hour of prayer. We all know many who need Jesus, and many who have other needs. We believe that prayer really does change things, and God really does love the world – especially those who don’t know Jesus yet! Who could you be praying for? It is a midweek blessing and encouragement to join with other believers in prayer! See you Tuesday!
Fall Events at Indian Lake
Craft and Scrapbooking Weekend at Indian Lake! This weekend is just for ladies and takes place from November 1-3. The cost is $25 per day which includes a table, meals, games, prizes, snacks, and devotion time. Lodging costs vary. More details at www.nazcamp.org
Upcoming Events
September 25 Weds Night Dinner @ 5:30pm
September 26 Artprize Adventure Week Two, 6-8pm
September 28 Church Work Day 8am-12pm
September 29 ONU Preaching Ambassador Visit
October 03 Artprize Adventure Week Three, 6-8pm
October 04 First Friday Chinese lunch, 11:30am, Hibachi Alpine
October 06 Communion Sunday/Family Church – NO Children’s Church
October 17-19 Come to the Fire Women’s Conference in Holland
October 20 NE Community Fall Outreach Festival
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