David Garrison, Author at Northminster Evangelical Presbyterian Church

News & Announcements for Sunday, July 19, 2026

Posted on Jul 15, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 0

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

If you’re looking for an opportunity to grow as a disciple of Jesus Christ, we encourage you to join us Sunday mornings for a intergenerational Sunday school class, from 9:30-10:30. We look forward to seeing you!

MIDWEEK PRAYER – WEDNESDAYS @ Noon

Please join us on Wednesdays at noon for a time of prayer in the sanctuary as we bring our needs before our loving God.

COLLEGE & CAREER BIBLE STUDY – SUNDAYS, 6PM

Join us for a weekly(ish) bible study for College & Career Young Adults this summer. We meet at the Garrisons for dinner (probably something fancy, like pizza) and then spend some time digging into God’s Word. This is a place and time you can bring your questions and whatnot as well. All young adults, ages 18-29(ish) are welcome.

MISSION FOCUS FOR JULY: HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Our mission focus for the month of July is Amherst County Habitat for Humanity. We have partnered with Amherst County Habitat for Humanity for many years. Recently, we helped fund three houses in Amherst and provided volunteer support for two new homes off Coolwell Road. Learn more about Amherst County Habitat for Humanity in this month’s newsletter. You may make a donation by specifying Habitat for Humanity on your check memo line.

Jul '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, July 12, 2026

Posted on Jul 8, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 4

Jul '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

MIDWEEK PRAYER – WEDNESDAYS @ Noon

Please join us on Wednesdays at noon for a time of prayer in the sanctuary as we bring our needs before our loving God.

COLLEGE & CAREER BIBLE STUDY – SUNDAYS, 6PM

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING – THIS MORNING

The Session has called a congregational meeting for this morning, July 12, to update the Pastor’s Terms of Call. Changes to the terms of call are available upon request. This will be a brief meeting, immediately following the worship service.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS TOUR – WED, JULY 15, 10AM

Join us on Wednesday, July 15 for a tour of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors facilities. We’ll learn more about the ways they are seeking to serve the needy in our community and how we can continue to support their work. Please let June Hedrick know if you plan to attend. Meet in the church parking lot at 9:30am, and carpool together.

MISSION FOCUS FOR JULY: HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Jul '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, July 5, 2026

Posted on Jul 1, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 4

Jul '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

MIDWEEK PRAYER – WEDNESDAYS @ Noon

Please join us on Wednesdays at noon for a time of prayer in the sanctuary as we bring our needs before our loving God.

COLLEGE & CAREER BIBLE STUDY – SUNDAYS, 6PM

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING – NEXT SUNDAY

The Session has called a congregational meeting for next Sunday, July 12, to update the Pastor’s Terms of Call. Changes to the terms of call are available upon request. This will be a brief meeting, immediately following the worship service.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS TOUR – WED, JULY 15, 10AM

MISSION FOCUS FOR JULY: HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Jun '26

JULY 2026 MILLS’ MUSINGS – MOZART, MUSIC, AND MEDICINE

Posted on Jun 30, 2026 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, HomePage, Mills Musings, Spiritual Growth | 12

Jun '26

Emblazoned in white letters on the black t-shirt for sale in the gift shop were the words, “Music is the medicine of the mind.” I smiled at the sentiment. I also suspected my appreciation of the slogan was enhanced by the location of the gift shop – the ground floor of the apartment building where, three floors above and 270 years earlier, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart had been born.

As many of you know, Tim recently took me on a long-discussed visit to several German-speaking cities in Europe. His German language skills are considerable and, apart from the record heat, the trip was wonderful. I had opportunities to see, hear, and experience places and events that I had read, heard, and taught about. (I’ll share more observations from this trip in future newsletter articles.)

We spent the first night of our trip in Salzburg, Austria. The city has a long relationship with music. Not only is it Mozart’s birthplace, it’s also the setting for the events that became the basis of the film The Sound of Music. We heard a wonderful concert in the cathedral, which traces its history back to 774 and still contains the baptismal font in which Mozart was baptized.

Tim pried me out of bed that first morning. Two short walks and two bus rides later, we were standing in front of the home where Mozart was born 1756. Tragically, he would die in Vienna, Austria in 1791 at the age of 35. The cause of his death remains unknown. But his body suffered some sort of disorder that the medicine of his day simply couldn’t overcome. That leads me back to the t-shirt in the gift shop.

The quote “Music is the medicine of the mind” is attributed to John Logan (1748-1788), a minor Scottish poet whose brief life almost exactly overlaps that of Mozart. I find his poetic parallel between medicine and music compelling. Music and medicine both recognize that human life has a natural tendency toward disorder. Each in its own way, tries to restore at least some small measure of what’s been lost.

Physical and mental illnesses abound. Many in our communities suffer from emotional distress and spiritual confusion. Modern medicine effectively addresses many of these disorders, from colds to cancer to depression. But as the Bible recognizes, music can also play a role in healing both the body and the soul. “And whenever the harmful spirit from God was upon Saul, David took the lyre and played it with his hand. So Saul was refreshed and was well, and the harmful spirit departed from him” (I Samuel 16:23).

This wasn’t an isolated incident. Throughout history, music has often served as a pathway that leads God’s people into God’s presence. The singing and sharing of “psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs,” (Ephesians 5:19) continues to bring healing to those who are suffering. The more I study such topics, and the more I experience of sin-induced disorder in our world, the more convinced I am of the restorative power of music in our lives.

Whether the music of Mozart or different composers or styles, I pray that all of us may grown in our recognition that God’s gift of music can be medicine for the mind.

Jun '26

JULY 2026 PASTOR’S CORNER — CAN A CHRISTIAN BE A PATRIOT?

Posted on Jun 30, 2026 by David Garrison in Christian Living, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 81

Jun '26

What role does or should patriotism play in church and congregational life (in Northminster, specifically, as well)?

Instead of a regular sermon on Father’s Day, we did a “Q&A Sunday.” Folks submitted questions about faith, the Bible, the church or Christianity in general, and I did my best to answer them that morning. We received way more questions than we had time for, so I will be addressing some of them through the newsletter and others in Sunday School. As this month we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, I thought the above question was particularly timely.

This is also timely due to how Christian and biblical values are being politicized (in some good and some not so good ways) in our current cultural moment. There are a lot of issues that very quickly come up when we start to talk about how to be a faithful Christian and a good citizen, so we’re going to keep our focus pretty narrowly on the question asked. To that end, it would probably be helpful to start with defining our terms. According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, “patriotism” is defined as “the quality of being patriotic; devotion to and rigorous support of one’s country.” Dr. Case Thorp, moderator of the 39th EPC General Assembly and current theologian in residence at First Presbyterian Church of Orlando provides a more helpful definition of patriotism for our conversation: “love of one’s country — its people, its history, and its common good — without ultimate allegiance to a nation or people group above Christ.”

As we think about what patriotism looks like for a faithful Christian, I think there are a few principles we should keep in mind. First, our love for country should follow the biblical counsel on love for self. Scripture holds two truths that exist seemingly in tension with one another. On the one hand, we are created in the image of God and as such are the “crown jewel” of God’s creation. On the other hand, we are fallen and sinful human beings. As a result, we do not ignore our brokenness, nor do we wallow in our sins. We give thanks that God created us as we are (Psalm 139:13-14), while also confessing our sinfulness (1 Tim. 1:15-17). So, we should give thanks for the country in which we live with all the freedoms and blessings that come with that, while also acknowledging our country is as imperfect as the people who comprise it. Our country has done great things, and terrible things, and a faithful patriotism holds those truths together, in tension.

Secondly, our love for country should be balanced by remembering our true citizenship is in the Kingdom of God. It’s easy to miss how radical it was for the Apostle Paul to write, “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (Eph. 2:19-20) In Paul’s day, all of the rights and privileges one enjoyed was entirely contingent on one’s status as a citizen of the Roman Empire. For Paul to put his citizenship in heaven above his citizenship in the Roman Empire was to put himself a great risk. The risks are not as great for us, but the truth is no less the same. When we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we become citizens of the Kingdom of God, and that citizenship should be first and foremost in our hearts and our lives, over and above any citizenships in the kingdoms of this world.

That leads to our third principle, which is that our love for country should never supplant our first love — Jesus. As Jesus says in Revelation 2, “You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” (Rev. 2:3-5) Our primary love, above love for our selves, our families, and even our country, should be our love for Jesus Christ. That’s what Jesus means when he said, “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” (Matt. 10:37) This is why, in our Sunday morning services of worship, we might acknowledge the national holidays, but we do not build the services around them. Worship should be centered only around God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Finally, our love for country should never compromise our love for neighbor (Matt. 22:37-40) and enemies (Matt. 5:43-48). We should be able to express our patriotism without showing favoritism. As James writes, “If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers.” (James 2:8-9) What set the Christians of the first century apart was how they loved all people, regardless of economic, social, or political status. Scripture is replete with commands to love the alien and the stranger, because that is what we once were (see Ephesians 2:19, cited above, as well as 1 Peter 2:9-17).

There is much more that can, and probably should, be said on this topic, and so I recommend these resources for further reading and study (underlined text are links that work in the online versions of the newsletter):

- Michael Babcock, Unchristian America (this book is apparently out of print, but you can borrow my copy if you’d like)
- Russell Moore, How to Have a Patriotic Worship Service Without Making America The Point, christianitytoday.com article
- Case Thorp, Four Political Postures, Substack article
- Tim Keller, Kathy Keller, Reflections on Faith and Politics, gospelinlife.com article

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. — Hebrews 11:14-16

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

Jun '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, June 28, 2026

Posted on Jun 24, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 4

Jun '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

MIDWEEK PRAYER – WEDNESDAYS @ Noon

Please join us on Wednesdays at noon for a time of prayer in the sanctuary as we bring our needs before our loving God.

COLLEGE & CAREER BIBLE STUDY – SUNDAYS, 6PM

AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY BBQ LUNCHEON – TODAY

Join us on Sunday, June 28th after worship for a BBQ luncheon as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday!! The church will provide the BBQ, buns, cole slaw and drinks. The congregation will provide the sides and the desserts! Wear red, white and blue as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday!

MISSION FOCUS FOR JUNE: DAYSTAR JUNIOR SCHOOL

Our mission focus for the month of June is Daystar Junior School in Uganda. We are currently raising donations to help Daystar purchase more land for approximately $160,000 USD. An anonymous donor has offered to match all donations made to Northminster through July 4^th. Our goal is to raise $80,000. You may make a donation to this special ministry by specifying Daystar on your check memo line.

Jun '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, June 14, 2026

Posted on Jun 10, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 4

Jun '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

MIDWEEK PRAYER – WEDNESDAYS @ Noon

Please join us on Wednesdays at noon for a time of prayer in the sanctuary as we bring our needs before our loving God.

COLLEGE & CAREER BIBLE STUDY – SUNDAYS, 6PM

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 10:00 AM

The Northminster Book Club will meet on Thursday, June 18 at 10:00 a.m. at the church. We will be discussing two books this month. This month we will discuss Theo of Golden. If you have not had a chance to read it, you have more time to do so. As always, if you don’t get a chance to read the book, come anyway. Feel free to bring a friend and a snack to share with the group!!

AMERICA’S 250TH BIRTHDAY BBQ LUNCHEON – JUNE 28

MISSION FOCUS FOR JUNE: DAYSTAR JUNIOR SCHOOL

Jun '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, June 7, 2026

Posted on Jun 3, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 5

Jun '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

MIDWEEK PRAYER – WEDNESDAYS @ Noon

Please join us on Wednesdays at noon for a time of prayer in the sanctuary as we bring our needs before our loving God.

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 10:00 AM

MISSION FOCUS FOR MAY: DAYSTAR JUNIOR SCHOOL

Our mission focus for the month of May is Daystar Junior School in Uganda. Opened in 2015, this school is for children ages 3 to 15 years and is located in the slum areas of Kirombe Uganda, East Africa. Donations from Northminster have helped to expand their kitchen, purchase uniforms for the students, wood for new desks, and build a 3-floor classroom building.

We are currently raising donations to help Daystar purchase more land for approximately $160,000 USD. An anonymous donor has offered to match all donations made to Northminster through July 4^th. Our goal is to raise $80,000. You may make a donation to this special ministry by specifying Daystar on your check memo line.

Jun '26

JUNE 2026 PASTOR’S CORNER — OVERWHELMED

Posted on Jun 1, 2026 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Spiritual Growth | 10

Jun '26

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength, but you would have none of it.” – Isaiah 30:15

The situation in Isaiah 30 is about as bad as it can get. The Assyrian Empire is growing and expanding, and Israel and Judah stand between it and Egypt. Basically, Israel found itself between a rock (Assyria) and a hard place (Egypt). The threat wasn’t imaginary, nor was it implied — it was very literal, and very visceral, and completely overwhelming. Both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah knew that, without help, they didn’t stand a chance. There’s a lot of politics and a lot of history in this story, but for the sake of this article, the point is that both Israel and Judah found themselves facing a massively overwhelming force they were utterly incapable of dealing with themselves. It was the working definition of a doomsday scenario.

We often find ourselves facing our own doomsday scenarios. There is a lot to be afraid of in our world and our lives, and many of those threats are absolutely overwhelming. Some of them are more literal, like when you lose a job, your marriage starts to fall apart, or a natural disaster threatens. Others are more imaginary, such as how political candidates predict the end of life as you know it if their opponent wins. Perhaps it is the ambiguity of those predictions make the threats more frightening. Whether real or imagined, literal or figurative, the end result is the same: we find ourselves facing a massively overwhelming situation we know we are utterly incapable of dealing with ourselves.

During one poignant scene in Batman Begins, a young Bruce Wayne falls down a well into a cave. As we see his father rappelling down the well to rescue Bruce, he says, “Why do we fall down, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” That mentality is deeply embedded in our culture. The only one who is going to save you, is you. You need to fix your problem, you need to pick yourself back up, you need to do the hard work, you need to find someone or some thing to help you out of your situation. After all, we all know that God helps those who help themselves… which, if you take a moment to think about it, is kind of ridiculous. If I’ve already helped myself, then what do I need God to do?

Israel and Judah faced an overwhelming force they were incapable of dealing with themselves, so what did they do? They tried to deal with it themselves. They tried to figure it out using their own wisdom and strength. They tried asking Egypt for help. They made plans to flee. They tried ignoring the obvious evidence in front of them, thinking (hoping) Assyria would just ignore them. They paid lip service to trusting God (see Isaiah 7:10-12), but only trusted in themselves. Much of Isaiah is calling Israel out for this. As Isaiah says, “‘Woe to the obstinate children,’ declares the LORD, ‘to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin; who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge.’” (Is. 30:1-2) Their failure was not that they tried to make an alliance with Egypt, or that they developed plans for how to deal with the “Assyrian problem.” Their sin was that they didn’t turn to the Lord first. They didn’t ask Him what they should do. They didn’t seek His direction. They didn’t turn to the One who is their refuge and their strength (Psalm 46:1).

The means of our deliverance, as verse 15 states (quoted at the beginning), is through repentance and rest, through quietness and trust. It is by turning to the Lord at the beginning of our woes, not waiting until the end of our rope. Time and again we are told to let the Lord fight our battles. Notice what happens every time Israel went into battle: God overwhelmingly stacks the deck against Israel. Even when Israel showed up with military might and power, God had them send soldiers home, and not just some, but almost all (see Judges 7), so that no one would question who it was who delivered them. Yahweh is our deliverer, in Him is our salvation and strength. If we will let him. If we will receive the salvation He offers.

The doomsday scenarios that lie before you are probably very real, and I have no doubt they are overwhelming. Most everyone around you will tell you that you would be foolish to trust in the Lord. But trusting in the Lord doesn’t mean you shouldn’t use your wisdom, or that you shouldn’t seek help from others. It does mean asking God what you should do first, letting the Holy Spirit guide you in the steps you should take, and trusting that however God chooses to deliver you, even if it doesn’t make sense in the moment, is the right and the best way. There is no problem too big for God to handle, no threat so overwhelming that He can not handle it. And He wants us to bring it all to Him in prayer, trusting that because we know He loves us, He will deliver us… in His way, and His time. Be still and know that He is God. Be still and know that He will fight the battle for you. Repent of your distrust, and rest in His salvation.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. — Proverbs 3:5-7

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

May '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, May 31, 2026

Posted on May 30, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 5

May '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

MIDWEEK PRAYER – WEDNESDAYS @ Noon

Please join us on Wednesdays at noon for a time of prayer in the sanctuary as we bring our needs before our loving God.

HELPING HANDS OFFERING – NEXT SUNDAY, MAY 31

Each 5th Sunday, any undesignated offerings placed in the collection plates go to Helping Hands, a ministry of churches in the Madison Heights-Elon area of Amherst County to help residents in need. It is administered through Madison Heights Baptist Church.

MISSION FOCUS FOR MAY: DAYSTAR JUNIOR SCHOOL