NE NEWS - September 24, 2013

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 29^th. Please be in prayer for Paul as he prepares to visit us!

 

This Just In – Fall Festival Outreach Event – Sunday October 20^th

 

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

NE NEWS - September 17, 2013

Northeast Community News – September 17, 2013

 

 

Dear Friends and Family,

 

 

What a Spirit Filled Day we had in the Lord, Sunday! It was a joy to join with the ‘family’ to be discipled, pray, worship, and hear the preaching of the Word by Pastor Amy! God is moving in our midst and we are blessed! Love and blessings, Pastor Dan

Hello Everyone!

God’s message to us this week came from Luke 15:1-10 and was titled “Have You Heard the Gospel?” – or, have you heard the good news? Biblical scholars have called this passage “the gospel in the gospel,” “the mini-gospel,” or “the very heart beat of God.”

Unfortunately in our culture today, not everyone hears the gospel as “good news,” and many are bitter and jaded because of bad experiences with Christianity. This passage is about the good news that God seeks us before we seek Him, loves us before we love Him, and restores us to relationship with Him and with others when we turn to Him. In its simplest form, Luke 15:1-10 contains the plan of salvation: God seeks us, we repent, God forgives us and restores us, and heaven and earth throw a party. It is all good news!

In our text, Jesus was surrounded by “sinners and tax collectors,” and the Pharisees and teachers of the law were grumbling, because Jesus was hanging around with such low-down people (v1-2). Jesus responds to their grumbling by using the image of a shepherd (v4) to describe the nature of God as one who seeks out the wandering lost sheep, the broken, low-down sinners of the world. He also uses the image of a very valuable coin (v8) to show what great lengths God goes to in order to bring us back to Himself.

You see, before we ever think a right thought about God, He is knocking on our hearts, drawing us to Himself, and inviting us to turn to Him. We can deny it, we can try to ignore it, we can keep on sinning, but the Holy Spirit is always reaching out to us, and there is no lost cause person for God! This is good news, we are never too far gone!

While God starts this process by seeking us, we also have a part to play, a decision to make. Verses 7 and 10 both speak of the rejoicing which takes place in heaven when one sinner repents. When we repent, we stop walking into sin, and we start walking into Jesus. This means Jesus is Lord over our life. When we repent, we say yes to God’s seeking grace, and like a shepherd, He joyfully carries us home (v5). We cannot expect to know the love, peace, joy, and abundant life of walking with Jesus if we are still holding onto sin and refusing to let God be God.

Lastly, in verses 7 and 10, we see that heaven and earth throw a party when one lost person returns home to God and God’s people. The good news is not just about our individual salvation. It is also about returning to where we belong. We were created to be in loving relationship with both God and community. As a church, we are a community of repentant sinners, which means there is no spiritual superiority. This is good news. We are just sinners sharing the life-giving love of Jesus Christ with other sinners.

If anything, these parables show us the good news that God loves broken, wandering, sin-sick people. In fact, He loves them so much that He actually seeks them out, calls them to repentance, and carries them home to Himself and His people the church. As a church shouldn’t we do the same?

Let’s remember that we are people of good news, people not basing our evangelism on fear, anger, or superiority, but on the love of God for a sin-sick world in need. Let’s care about our wandering sheep, let’s pray for them, let’s do what Jesus does and eat with them and laugh with them and throw a party for them. 

With love, Pastor Amy

 

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 will continue our new study on the ‘Fruit of the Spirit’ by finishing our first lesson on Love! Join us Wednesday at 6:30pm to pray and discuss the fruit: love!

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 don’t 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 want to write one, by all means let us know!

This week we examine ‘tap’ or ‘bottled’ water! It is hard to believe that what once seemed impossible has happened! People are paying for water! But is it best to drink from a bottle instead of the tap? Read the following article and decide!

A bottle of water’s name and packaging may give you the feeling you are drinking the purest H20 around, but the truth be told, bottled water is not better regulated nor necessarily safer than tap water. Although some bottled water comes from natural springs, a great deal of it actually comes from a municipal supply. It’s regulated for safety, but bottlers are not required to list the source on the label.

Tap water that comes from your public water system is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and must meet strict safety standards. Of course, this doesn’t mean that your water is free from contaminants – it just means that the water doesn’t pose any serious health risks.

So what’s the best option? It all comes down to personal choice. Bottled water is a good, but expensive option [three 20 ounce bottles a day at $1 each= $1,095 vs. $2 for tap water]. Tap water is indeed safe, but you may want to consider a water filter to help purify your water. (Welcoa – August Issue – p. 5)

For the Christian we should also consider the stewardship aspect of our water choice. What could an additional $1,000 saved by drinking tap water provide for God’s Kingdom? What about the thousands of plastic bottles produced and recycled? While I am not claiming it is the best way, Janie and I purchased a Brita Pitcher to filter our water. We still enjoy purified water while saving money by using tap water and conserving energy needed to produce and recycle a lot of plastic bottles! Think about it!

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

 This Just In – Fall Festival Outreach Event – Sunday October 20^th

If you just read the sermon summary, then you know that God’s message this week was in part about seeking and searching for people who belong in the fold of God. 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!

 

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 2 more weeks, 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 – Sunday September 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 29^th. Please be in prayer for Paul as he prepares to visit us!

Mission Mania & Missionary Visit – September 21-22

Everyone is invited to Mission Mania which is taking place in Grand Haven on Saturday September 21 from 5:30pm-8pm. Mission Mania is full of activities, as well as missionary speakers. But there’s more! These same missionaries, (Charlie, Carney, and daughter Alyssa) from Paraguay will be coming to our church the very next day on Sunday, September 22^nd! Why not make it a Missions weekend, and attend Mission Mania and Sunday service with our missionaries? See details for Mission Mania on the bulletin boards or talk to Janie Hathaway. Please note we will also be taking a love offering for the missionaries when they visit us on Sunday the 22^nd.

 

Wednesday Night Potluck Dinners Return in September!

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

 

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 19                        Artprize Adventure Week One, 6-8pm (arrive early for GRATA bus)

September 21                        Mission Mania 5:30pm – 8pm Grand Haven, MI

September 22                        Missionary visit during morning worship service

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 17-19                       Come to the Fire Women’s Conference in Holland

October 20                            NE Community Fall Outreach Festival

NE NEWS - September 10, 2013

Northeast Community News – September 10, 2013

Dear Friends and Family,

We had another wonderful day in the Lord, Sunday! In addition to our regular time of discipleship, greeting, praying, singing, giving, and receiving our message from God we had the opportunity to hear from Mr. Nelson VanderLugt, President of the North Kent Chapter of Gideon’s International. How thrilling to hear how God is working around the world! If you would like to give to the work of the Gideons you can give next week, too!

God’s message came from Acts 17:10-12 and was titled, “Receiving, Examining, and Responding to God’s Word.” As Nazarenes we regularly emphasize the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us and this is right! But it is important to ground all of our promptings and experiences and validate them in God’s Holy Word.

Because Luke declares the Berean’s are of noble character, we would be wise to learn from them if we want to be all Christ wants us to be. First, Luke reports the Bereans received the message with great eagerness (17:11a). The word translated ‘receive’ comes from the Greek word dechomai and means to accept an offer deliberately and readily. While dechomai can be used metaphorically, Luke is literally saying the Bereans accepted the offer of the Good News deliberately, readily, and eagerly! Our faith in Christ must be received! We must respond to grace!

Second, the Bereans examined the Scriptures every day (17:11b). The word translated ‘examine’ comes from the Greek word anakrino and is a legal word meaning to examine, question, discern and judge before passing a sentence on its truthfulness. Every day the Bereans metaphorically put Paul on the witness stand and cross-examined his message of Jesus against the O.T. prophesies to see if what he said was true! (and it was true!)

Finally, the Bereans responded obediently after receiving the message, examining the Scriptures, and determining they were true (17:12). The Bereans responded with a yes to God because they desired to be obedient to God even when the revealed truth surprised and challenged them! I pray we are not only ready to be challenged and surprised by God’s Word, but ready to say ‘yes to God’ when His truth is revealed!

WED. NIGHT ADULT BIBLE STUDY AT 6:30PM

We completed our study on community last week! This week we will begin a study on the ‘Fruit of the Spirit.’ Paul declares “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22-23). Join us Wednesday at 6:30pm to discuss the first fruit: love!

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! This week we examine a food superstar: Red Onions!

Although they quite literally bring us to tears, red onions are truly medicinal in their power to protect our health. Red Onions are uniquely high in both quercetin and anthocyanins – two of nature’s most remarkable anti-inflammatory agents (inflammation is a key driver of most chronic diseases). Health benefits of red onions are optimized when chopped/sliced and eaten raw or lightly steamed (Welcoa Spark16 NutritionGuide).

While I am not a scientist and you probably shouldn’t trust me completely, I am convinced that in creation God provided us everything we need to keep ourselves healthy naturally. If only we would listen to all of our collective mothers and ‘eat our vegetables!’ So forgo the french fries this week and instead eat a salad or sub with some red oinions on it! God is good!

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!                            

      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

 Alabaster Offering – Sunday September 15^th

Our Fall Alabaster Offering will be held during service on Sunday September 15^th. 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. You can get your own Alabaster box off of the soundboard in the sanctuary. Fill it with loose change, and bring it on the 15th! Children can participate too! 

 

Come to the Fire Women’s Conference PLANNING MEETING – September 15th

Attention all women, you are invited to the Come to the Fire annual women’s conference October 17-19. The conference will be held Holland, MI. We are holding a planning meeting for any women interested in coming! If you are interested, join us after Sunday service on September 15^th to plan transportation, meals, and lodging! Last year, a group of us traveled to the conference, stayed in a hotel, and were blessed by it! It is a great weekend of worship, teaching, fellowship and renewal. There is no cost for registration, but we will be discussing how to pay for meals and lodging. If you are interested in attending this conference, please talk to Pastor Amy or Janie soon! For more information, you can also grab a pamphlet from the table outside of the sanctuary, or go to cometothefire.org.

 

Mission Mania & Missionary Visit – September 21-22

Everyone is invited to Mission Mania which is taking place in Grand Haven on Saturday September 21 from 5:30pm-8pm. Mission Mania is full of activities, as well as missionary speakers. But there’s more! These same missionaries, (Charlie, Carney, and daughter Alyssa) from Paraguay will be coming to our church the very next day on Sunday, September 22^nd! Why not make it a Missions weekend, and attend Mission Mania and Sunday service with our missionaries? See details for Mission Mania on the bulletin boards or talk to Janie Hathaway. Please note we will also be taking a love offering for the missionaries when they visit us on Sunday the 22^nd.

 

Wednesday Night Potluck Dinners Return in September!

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

 

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 15                        Alabaster Offering

September 15                        Meeting for women attending Come to the Fire – after worship

September 19                        Artprize Adventure Week One, 6-8pm (arrive early for GRATA bus)

September 21                        Mission Mania 5:30pm – 8pm Grand Haven, MI

September 22                        Missionary visit!

September 25                        Weds Night Dinner @ 5:30pm

September 26                        Artprize Adventure Week Two, 6-8pm

October 03                            Artprize Adventure Week Three, 6-8pm

October 17-19                       Come to the Fire Women’s Conference in Holland

NE NEWS - September 3, 2013

Northeast Community News – September 03, 2013

Dear Friends and Family,

What another wonderful day we had in the Lord, Sunday! The sun was shining outside and the Son shone all around and through His people, too! You may not realize it, but your warmth, smiles, and joy you share is a testimony to how awesome our God is! As we gathered around the Lord’s Table this week we were reminded of the reason! Jesus!

God’s message last week came from Colossians 3:22-4:1 and titled, “Your Real Boss.” While there is little Christian reason to celebrate Labor Day, we do find clear biblical guidelines to help us understand God cares about our work, whatever that might be, and He claims it as His own! Throughout the letter to Colossians, Paul argues that lives which remain rooted and built upon Christ are different. As we yield our lives to Christ our appetites and actions change as the Holy Spirit transforms us from the inside out!

Paul declares throughout Colossians this transformed life ‘in Christ’ affects everything, including our work! First, Paul tells Christians they need to be people of integrity as we go about our work! (v. 22) Regardless of our situation, when we are in Christ, we are to be obedient to our earthly bosses and do our best even when nobody is watching! We work sincerely, Paul tells us, because this brings honor and glory to Christ.

Second, we need to realize our ‘real boss’ is Jesus! In vv. 23 and 24b we are reminded that when we ask Jesus to be Lord of our life we are now working for Jesus! Whatever you do for a living do it as if you were doing it for Jesus! This means your earthly boss does not have ultimate authority over you anymore. If you’re a personal assistant type that letter as if Jesus was going to sign it; if you’re a builder build as if Jesus was moving in; and if you’re a stay at home parent, care for your children like you would care for Jesus!

Finally, Paul reminds us in v. 24a and 25 our choices have consequences! He wrote, those who work at their work with their whole heart as if they are working for the Lord “will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward,” but “Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism” (v. 25). Work is serious business! As a person living the Christian life your work can either bring honor to Jesus or something else! How will you choose? Will you work with your whole heart or show little concern? Choose well! Work has consequences! And those outside the Kingdom are watching!

WED. NIGHT ADULT BIBLE STUDY AT 6:30PM

This week our Adult lesson is titled, ‘A Haven for Healing’ and is based on Ezekiel 34:1-16. The author writes, “In the King’s community, the citizens are protected, loved and healed.”The Bible argues it is not the responsibility of the government to protect, love and heal people, but God and His people! Come Wed. at 6:30pm to discuss this!

ARTPRIZE WANDERING! SEP. 19, 26, OCT. 03 – 6:00-8:00PM

Do you like art? Do you like to have a 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 andleaves promptly from downtown at 7:45pm arriving back at 8:00pm! Remember to check the evening temps and dress accordingly!  Questions? See Pastor Dan

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! Here’s an article on hydration from the wellness council of America!

H2O – It’s an indisputable fact – every system in your body depends on water. Indeed, water flushes toxins out of your vital organs, lubricates your joints, and carries nutrients to your cells. For your body to function properly, you must replenish it with water every day. So how much water do you really need a day to remain hydrated?

Many of us have heard that we need to drink eight, eight ounce glasses of water a day, in addition to any other drinks. However, more recent recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) say that you no longer need to worry about drinking specific amounts of water. Rather, you should focus on your overall fluid intake, which can include other sources of water like milk, coffee, tea (yeah, that’s right, coffee and tea) soup, and unprocessed fruits and vegetables. Believe it or not, your body absorbs the water in these items the same way it would with a bottle of water.

The IOM recommends healthy women should aim for about 91 ounces (11-plus cups a day) of fluids and men should shoot for 125 ounces (15-plus cups a day). Of course, water should remain your ideal beverage of choice, and always keep in mind that soft drinks, sports drinks, and juices often pack extra calories and sugar.

Thirsty? If you want to maintain the ‘temple of the Holy Spirit’ it sounds like ‘water,’ the Living Kind and material kind is still the best choice for the body and soul!

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

 School Pal-Pak Thank You!

For the month of August we collected items for our school pal-paks for our Nazarene Missions International department. This year we are thrilled to send TWO boxes or TWENTY pal paks which will go to help students all over the world have the supplies they need for their education. We also received some extra items which will be donated to our local NECM mission! Thank you all for your generosity!

First Friday Chinese Lunch Continues – Friday September 06 @ 11:30am

Everyone is invited to a Chinese lunch on the First Friday of every month at 11:30am. The group meets at the Hibachi on Alpine located behind the Target. The food is cheap and delicious, and conversation is even better. You are welcome to bring a friend! Talk to Tracy Tamm with questions.

Nelson Vanderlugt from the Gideons is Coming to Visit! This Sunday September 8!

On September 08^th during our morning worship service, we will once again be welcoming Nelson Vanderlugt from the Gideons. If you don’t know, the Gideons work to provide the Bibles which can be found in places like hotel rooms and prisons. Often, this provides a way for God’s Word to be available for people in desperate need. Nelson will give us a report from the work of the Gideons, and we will also be taking a love offering for the Gideons, so be prepared to give to this excellent cause!

Alabaster Offering – Sunday September 15^th

Our Fall Alabaster Offering will be held during service on Sunday September 15^th. 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. You can get your own Alabaster box off of the soundboard in the sanctuary. Fill it with loose change, and bring it on the 15th! Children can participate too! 

Come to the Fire Women’s Conference PLANNING MEETING – September 15th

Attention all women, you are invited to the Come to the Fire annual women’s conference October 17-19. The conference will be held Holland, MI. We are holding a planning meeting for any women interested in coming! If you are interested, join us after Sundayservice on September 15^th to plan transportation, meals, and lodging! Last year, a group of us traveled to the conference, stayed in a hotel, and were blessed by it! It is a great weekend of worship, teaching, fellowship and renewal. There is no cost for registration, but we will be discussing how to pay for meals and lodging. If you are interested in attending this conference, please talk to Pastor Amy or Janie soon! For more information, you can also grab a pamphlet from the table outside of the sanctuary, or go to cometothefire.org.

Mission Mania & Missionary Visit – September 21-22

Everyone is invited to Mission Mania which is taking place in Grand Haven on Saturday September 21 from 5:30pm-8pm. Mission Mania is full of activities, as well as missionary speakers. But there’s more! These same missionaries, (Charlie, Carney, and daughter Alyssa) from Paraguay will be coming to our church the very next day on Sunday, September 22^nd! Why not make it a Missions weekend, and attend Mission Mania and Sunday service with our missionaries? See details for Mission Mania on the bulletin boards or talk to Janie Hathaway. Please note we will also be taking a love offering for the missionaries when they visit us on Sunday the 22^nd.

Tri-District Men’s Retreat – Friday September 20 thru Saturday September 21

Attention all men, you are invited to attend a tri-district men’s retreat being held at Lost Valley Bible Farm in Gaylord, MI. Activities will include teaching, small groups, golf, trap shooting, rifle range, basketball, fishing, horseshoes, deer rifle sight-in and table tennis. The cost is only $55 per person, meals included. We would love to send a group of men from our church! Registration deadline is September 08^th, talk to Pastor Dan!

Wednesday Night Potluck Dinners Return in September!

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

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

Here are Fall Events coming soon at Indian Lake:

Evangelist Homecoming Meeting: The third annual evangelist homecoming meeting will take place over the weekend of August 31- September 2. Everyone is invited to this weekend of enrichment and fellowship, including preaching, teaching, equipping, and a song evangelist’s concert. More details can be found at www.nazcamp.org

Craft and Scrapbooking Weekend: This weekend is just for ladies and takes place fromNovember 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

PLAY YOUR INSTRUMENT IN CHURCH!

Do you play an instrument or used to play an instrument and want to use your gift to bless others and glorify the Lord? Recently, the church purchased sheet music to the hymnal we use for flute/oboe and clarinet. Trombone is also available. We would love to have a few people play their instruments occasionally during the offering time! If you are interested or even think you might be interested see Pastor Dan.

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

September 06                        First Friday Chinese Lunch, 11:30am Hibachi Alpine

September 08                        Gideon Visit during morning worship service

September 08                        Registration for Tri-District Men’s Retreat due

September 10                        Tuesday Morning Prayer Meeting @ 9am

September 15                        Alabaster Offering

September 15                        Meeting for women attending Come to the Fire – after worship

September 21                        Mission Mania 5:30pm – 8pm Grand Haven, MI

September 22                        Missionary visit!

September 25                        Weds Night Dinner @ 5:30pm

October 17-19                      Come to the Fire Women’s Conference in Holland