Northeast Community News – June 11, 2013
Dear Friends and Family,
Let the new church year begin! Yes, while we finished another year in the Church of the Nazarene on May 31 and enjoyed hearing how God had led and moved in our church at our graduation/annual meeting potluck after the service, our wonderful experiences and encounters with the Risen Christ continue unchanged! God is good all the time!
This year we celebrated two graduates! We celebrated Morgan Barber, the daughter of Pat and Shannen Parsaca, who graduated from City High School and is enrolled at Cornerstone, and Dr. Beverly Shepard who finished her PhD from Walden University! Congratulations to both of you! God has even greater things in store for you! Amen!
God’s message to us this week came from Galatians 1:11-24 and was titled “The Gospel Changes Lives.” Whether your decision to believe and receive Christ for your salvation made the front-page news and everyone took notice and was supportive or few noticed, and your friends were skeptical, the fact is that the Gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives!
In Galatians 1:11-24 we find Paul sharing with skeptical Jews in Galatia his journey to receiving Christ as both Savior and Lord. First, he reminds his audience he once hated and persecuted the Christian church and embraced Judaism like they are in vv. 13-14. Do you remember your time before you encountered Christ? We all have one!
Second, Paul encounters Christ (and everything changed!). Paul reminds them (and us) the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not a man-created myth or something he made up, or even something he learned, but a revelation, an encounter with the living Christ (vv. 11-12).
When we encounter Christ at an altar or in the backyard or in a car alongside the road it is more than a mental acknowledgement of some distant and impersonal God! It is a life-changing encounter with a God who comes to live within us as the Holy Spirit! As His Spirit begins to move within us, cleansing, guiding, convicting, comforting, and leading, He gives us assurance we are His and He is ours! Have you encountered Christ?
Finally, after his encounter with Christ Paul takes time to prepare for ministry. Paul would become the greatest missionary ever, but he needed to get ready! In vv. 17b-18 we discover Paul goes to Arabia for 3 years and spends 15 days with Peter in preparation. Throughout church history we have discovered the greatest spiritual fires ever ignited came from men and women who committed the time needed to grow closer and deeper with God. Yes, we need to move outside the walls of our church – yes we need to share our faith with “those people out there.” Yes, we need to serve and love the least of these! But we must take the time to pray, read our Bibles, meditate and grow deeper, too!
WED. NIGHT ADULT BIBLE STUDY ON CHRISTIAN DISCIPLINE AT 6:30PM
This week is our last lesson on Christian Disciplines! This week we will examine the discipline of Christian Community! Attention loners: We really do need each other! Please come join us and see what Christian Community is all about Wed. at 6:30pm!
Healthy Living! It is a way of life as Holiness People!
“Everything is permissible”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible”—but not everything is constructive…So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:23, 31).
Everything we do or do not do can bring honor or dishonor to God and be constructive or destructive to the temple of the Holy Spirit! With that said, we plan to bring a variety of articles, thoughts, and opportunities to keep the temple holy and honor God!
If you have any thoughts or suggestions for an article or would like to write one, by all means let us know!
Margin! Marginless Living! and Pain!
In his book Margin: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial, and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives, Richard A. Swenson, M.D., a Christian doctor, sees a steady stream of exhausted, hurting people coming into his office. The majority of them are suffering from an uncontrolled societal epidemic he calls living without margin.
Swenson writes, “We must have some room to breathe. We need freedom to think and permission to heal. Our relationships are being starved to death by velocity, No one has time to listen, let alone love. Our children lay wounded on the ground, run over by our high-speed good intentions. Is God now pro-exhaustion? Doesn’t He lead people beside the still waters anymore?” (Swenson, p. 30).
In the next several issues of our newsletters we will examine the pain of marginless living and the prescription – living within margin. For now, I want to let you know if you are exhausted and feeling overwhelmed there is hope! We do still serve a God who not only leads us beside the still waters, but restores our souls! (Psalm 23:2b-3a).
Blessings, Pastor Dan
Hello from Pastor Amy, your Associate Pastor/Administrative Secretary
My office hours will vary every Tuesday, and 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, please feel free to contact me!
On Prayer Requests: If you have a specific praise or prayer request which you would like to appear in the program and/or newsletter, please make sure to fill out the tear-off sheet in the weekly program, or contact me at any time.
Please Update Me! We have a long, ongoing list of prayer requests. Please keep me
updated. Requests will be pulled from the newsletter & program after three weeks.
Church Office: 616-459-2773 My Contact Info: 616-514-9521 or aorban@nnu.edu
NEWS AND EVENTS
Indian Lake Paint Project – will you help?
Irene Pratt is leading an effort to repaint part of the Indian Lake Nazarene Camp Tabernacle. So many of us cherish the experiences we have had at ILNC over the years, and we want to help take care of this wonderful place which is truly a gift from God. While this might seem like an enormous project for our little church, we believe that God has called us to make it happen, and He will provide a way! We still need $400, and this Sunday, we will be taking up a special offering for this project. But money is not the only way to give! Irene is also asking people to come down to the camp to do the actual work. If you are willing to get on board, contact Irene!
Attention Teens – Summer Youth Group has begun!
We have kicked off our summer youth group, and we want all teens to know that they are invited to join us on Wednesday nights. For the summer we will be studying lessons about missions, and so far they have been great lessons. We also have pizza parties, work on painting the youth room, and pray for each other. If you are a teen or know a teen, won’t you join us? Talk to Theo Orban or Pastor Amy.
Wednesday Night Potlucks on break for summer!
We have had another great year of potlucks on the last Wednesday nights of every month. Thank you to everyone who was a part of it, and thank you to Julie for coordinating set-up and clean-up. Dinners will break for the summer – see you in the Fall!
Graduation Party for Morgan Barber – June 15th - You are invited!
Everyone is invited to attend Morgan Barber’s graduation party on Saturday June 15th from 11am-3pm. The party will be at the Riverside Park Island Pavilion/Shelter located at 2001 Monroe AVE NW in Grand Rapids. There will be lots of food, friends and family. We hope you can make it out to celebrate Morgan’s high school graduation! Talk to Shannen Parasaca if you have any questions.
Feeding the Hungry – July 02! We need your help!
Do you realize there are people in Grand Rapids who are hungry and need food? There is more need than you realize! Jesus told us we love Him by caring for those who hunger, are in prison, are thirsty, and those who are sick (see Matt. 25:35-36). One way to do this is to partner with North End Community Ministry (NECM), pay for a dinner to feed 150 hungry people, and serve at the NECM ‘Supper House’ located at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church on July 02. Will you help? You can give a financial gift (it costs us $200) or help serve and clean up (we need 10 servers). See Pastor Dan for more details!
NEW MISSION BOOKS are available!
Every year Janie challenges everyone to read all of our mission books! There are books for adults and teens and children, and even audio books on CD for those who would rather listen than read. This year, the NMI department has agreed to give $10 towards summer camp fees for every book read by a child or teen! See Janie to get your books and start reading for the year!
You can send mail to Larry! Please note new address!
Most of you know that Larry Terhaar is currently in prison. We received his new address. It is important that he hears from his church family! Don’t forget, we even have church postcards that you can use, just ask Pastor Dan for one! Here is Larry’s new address:
Larry TerHaar # 866962
c/o Marquette Branch Facility
1960 U.S. Highway 41 South
Marquette, MI 49855
40 Days of Prayer for Camp Meeting Started May 29
The District Office has put together a 40-day prayer guide leading up to Camp Meeting this summer at Indian Lake. Copies of the prayer guide are available on the table outside the sanctuary. Would you make intercession a part of your daily prayer life from May 29 thru July 7? Bless you in advance for taking the time to pray for our District and Camp Meeting! God is good!
Attention Children and Youth! Do You Want to go to Camp?
Indian Lake Nazarene Camp is located in Vicksburg, MI, and is a place where Nazarenes from throughout Michigan join together everyone summer for camp. Many who spent their childhood and teen years at summer camp will agree that camp is not only a lot of fun, but can be life-changing! This year, Indian Lake is offering a special promotion! If we get three new campers to attend, the fourth goes for free!Registration for camp has already begun, and the first deadline for the cheapest price is JUNE 3RD! We have already had three teens register!
Please note that your church board feels strongly about making sure children and teens who want to go to camp can go! Therefore, scholarships are available to help cover expenses if needed. You can see the bulletin boards, the tables outside of the sanctuary, or Pastor Dan or Pastor Amy if you are interested and want more information! You can also go to the website: www.ilnccamps.org, or call 269.649.228. The dates for different ages and camps can be found below:
CHILDREN AND YOUTH CAMPS!
Discovery Camp (grades 1-2-3): July 1-3
Boys & Girls Camp (Grades 3-4-5): July 29-August 2
Middle School Camp (Grades 6-7-8): July 18-22
High School Camp (Grades 9-12): July 14-18
Indian Lake Nazarene Camp Events
If you don’t know, Indian Lake is a Nazarene campground where people from churches all over our district gather for District Assembly, children and youth camps, and various other activities. Pastor Dan and Janie own two cabins there, and usually invite everyone down to visit during family camp week in July. Here are some upcoming events at Indian Lake as we approach Spring and Summer:
July 4-6 – Family Festival. Fun filled days with activities for all ages, including a 5k walk, other sports, water slides and rides, animal show, crafts, swimming, ponies, pontoon boat rides, a climbing wall and zip line, an outdoor movie and more!
July 7-14 – Family Camp Week/District Assembly. You can find the specific dates for District Assembly events each day of the week by grabbing a brochure from the tables outside the sanctuary, or talk to Pastor Amy. This is a great week and a great time to visit the campground!
Postcard Greetings Now Available
Don’t forget, we have NE Community postcards and they are available to anyone who would like to send them to invite, encourage, miss, or welcome someone to the church! Interested? See a Sunday school teacher or Pastor Amy or Dan.
Upcoming Events
June 16 Father’s Day
June 23 Reverend Chris Christopher visits
July 4-6 Family Festival at Indian Lake Nazarene Camp
July 5 First Friday Chinese Lunch @ 11:30am, Hibachi Alpine
July 7 Family Church/Communion Sunday – NO Children’s Church
July 7-14 Family Camp/District Assembly at Indian Lake Nazarene Camp
July 14 Reverend Chris Christopher visits
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