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News & Announcements for Sunday, April 19, 2026

Posted on Apr 16, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 1

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.

“LAST THINGS” SEMINAR – TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 5:30PM

Whitten Funeral Home invites you to a seminar at NEPC covering “last things” (Will and Testaments, Living Wills, Estate Planning, Funeral Planning, etc.) on Tuesday, April 28, 5:30-7:30 pm. Dinner included. See flyer for more information.

MISSION FOCUS FOR APRIL: NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Our mission focus for the month of April is Neighbors Helping Neighbors which assists individuals in Amherst County in overcoming food insecurity. They also help connect those in need to area resources that can help build self-sufficiency and quality of life. You may make a donation by specifying NHN on your check memo line.

Apr '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, April 12, 2026

Posted on Apr 7, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 6

Apr '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 BIBLE STUDY – TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 3:30PM

Women’s Bible Study will be meeting on Tuesday, April 14 from 3:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon. We are using the book, “Sermon on the Mount” by Jan Wilkin. Homework for Week 6 is, Secret Righteousness, pages 96 – 113. Grab your book, your Bible and a snack that you can share with the group and come on over for an amazing Bible study. Come, even if you don’t get your homework completed. As always, bring a friend. Any questions, talk to Karey or Sharon.

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, APRIL 16, 10:00 AM

The Northminster Book Club will meet on Thursday, April 16 at 10:00 a.m. at the church. This month we are reading The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher. Read the book and join us for a lively discussion! 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!!

“LAST THINGS” SEMINAR – TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 5:30PM

MISSION FOCUS FOR APRIL: NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Mar '26

News & Announcements for Easter Sunday, April 5, 2026

Posted on Mar 31, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 18

Mar '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL – NEXT SUNDAY, APRIL 12

Next Sunday, April 12, Bob Mills will lead the adult Sunday School class in the first of a two-part study, “Saying Yes to Jesus.” We’ll look at key themes in John Henry Newman’s book The Grammar of Assent, which, coincidentally, is also the title of next Sunday’s sermon. Based on John 20:19-29, the sermon will explore the Apostle Thomas’ response to hearing about Jesus’ resurrection – and Jesus’ response to Thomas. We’d love to have you join us for class and for worship.

SPRING COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES

Easter and final exams are coming up! For the first two Sundays in April (4/5 and 4/12), we will be collecting items to fill care packages for our seven college students. Please drop off non-perishable items on the table in the narthex. If you’d rather not bring items, we’d also welcome cash donations to cover the cost of shipping (roughly $10 per box for the four out of area students). We’ll also have cards available for you to sign. See the April newsletter for more information.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY – TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 3:30PM

“LAST THINGS” SEMINAR – TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 5:30PM

MISSION FOCUS FOR APRIL: NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Mar '26

APRIL 2026 PASTOR’S CORNER — (EXTRA)ORDINARY

Posted on Mar 31, 2026 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Pastor's Corner, Reading the Bible, Spiritual Growth | 5

Mar '26

Westminster Larger Catechism Q. 154. What are the external ways Christ uses to bring us the benefits of his mediation? A. The ordinary external ways Christ uses to bring the benefits of his mediation to his church are his regulations, particularly the word, sacraments, and prayer, all of which are made effective for the salvation of his chosen ones.^a

a.. Mt 28.19-20, Acts 2.42,46-47, 1Tm 4.16, 1 Cor 1.21, Eph 5.19-20, 6.17-18.

We are a culture that is obsessed with the extraordinary. As Michael Horton writes in his book, Ordinary, “We’ve become accustomed to looking around restlessly for something new, the latest and greatest, that idea or product or person or experience that will solve our problems, give us some purpose, and change the world… Who wants a bumper sticker that announces to the neighborhood, ‘My child is an ordinary student at Bubbling Brook Elementary’?”¹ We chase after “mountaintop” spiritual experiences, launch mission and evangelism efforts that will “take this city for Jesus,” believing that the only way to actually make a “real difference” (whatever that means) is to do something, well, extraordinary on behalf of Jesus and the Kingdom of God. I have been wondering lately if we haven’t gotten the extraordinary ends that God is able to achieve mixed up with the ordinary means by which He goes about doing so.

In Reformed theology, the phrase, “the ordinary means of grace” refers to the proclamation of the Word of God, the right exercise of the Sacraments, and the regular practice of prayer. These are the “ordinary,” as in primary but not only, means by which God brings His transforming grace and power into our lives in order to make us into the new creations He intends and desires us to become. As Thomas Vincent explains, “the ordinances are the most usual way and means of conversion and salvation, without the use of which we cannot, upon good ground, expect that any benefit of redemption should be communicated to us.”² They are also “ordinary” in the sense that there is nothing particularly outlandish or unique about them. The scriptures have existed in their current state for almost 2,000 years. The sacraments make use of everyday items — water, bread, and wine (or juice). Prayer is something we are able to do at any time, in any place; while formal and ritualized prayers have their place and benefit, we can also kneel down beside our bed at night. There is very little that is revolutionary, radical, or groundbreaking about them. And while God certainly works in other ways all the time, His most powerful, effective, and long-lasting works are done primarily through these simple, ordinary means.

What if the same is true for us — as individual followers of Christ, and as a community of people striving to be faithful together? What if our extraordinary God is calling us to ordinary faithfulness, day in and day out, through our regular getting-up-and-going-to-work-or-school lives? Tish Harrison Warren writes,

…what I’m slowly realizing is that, for me, being in the house all day with a baby and a two-year-old is a lot more scary and a lot harder than being in a war-torn African village. What I need courage for is the ordinary, the daily every-dayness of life. Caring for a homeless kid is a lot more thrilling to me than listening well to the people in my home. Giving away clothes and seeking out edgy Christian communities requires less of me than being kind to my husband on an average Wednesday morning or calling my mother back when I don’t feel like it.³

For the past several years, Northminster has not been able to do much that might qualify as “extraordinary.” We see and hear of churches around us doing lots of great things, which is great, but we’re left wondering if God is able to work through an ordinary church like ours. Perhaps striving to be faithfully ordinary is a calling that is equally extraordinary, and perhaps much harder, than anything else. Perhaps, through our ordinary but faithful worship, discipleship and service, our extraordinary God might do a work in us and our community that far exceeds anything we could ask or imagine. Through ordinary people, faithfully and purposefully practicing the ordinary means of grace, God is able to work extraordinary acts of transformation. And maybe, just maybe, that is a radical idea.

When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. – Acts 4:23

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison

¹ Michael Scott Horton. (2014). Ordinary : sustainable faith in a radical, restless world. Zondervan. p.11.

² Vincent, Thomas. A Family Instructional Guide. Electronic edition based on the first Banner of Truth ed., 1980., Christian Classics Foundation, 1996, p. 234.

³ Courage in the Ordinary. (2013, April 3). https://thewell.intervarsity.org/blog/courage-ordinary.html. Accessed 3/11/2026.

Mar '26

APRIL 2026 MILLS’ MUSINGS — Grammar Schools

Posted on Mar 31, 2026 by David Garrison in Christian Living, Devotions, General, HomePage, Mills Musings, Reading the Bible, Spiritual Growth | 3

Mar '26

My academic career began at Elmer Elementary School. Had I been born a decade or so earlier, it would have started at Elmer Grammar School. The Borough of Elmer changed the name somewhere between the late 1940s and my kindergarten year of 1961. Not even the AI-enhanced Internet could find the exact year, but I’m not surprised that my small, agrarian hometown was at the trailing edge of the curve.

The shift from Grammar to Elementary had been underway nationwide since the mid-1800s. By 1920, students in every state were required to complete at least a few early grades of schooling. As the states became more involved in content and delivery of young children’s education, the Elementary School label quietly became canonical. At the time, few Americans realized that this shift was more than bureaucratic or cosmetic. But that’s a topic for another article. Here I’d like to say just a bit about the word that traversed the slippery slope from out of sight to out of mind – grammar.

Grammar is perhaps most simply described as how a language works. It had long been a staple of American education. Studying grammar, both English and Latin, gave students the tools to understand and evaluate both the written and the spoken word. These skills in turn equipped nascent citizens to speak and write with clarity and confidence. Such abilities proved valuable not only in the academic realm, but also in Christian faith and life.

A British writer who recognized the Christian value of such rigorous studies was John Henry Newman (1801-1890). Newman began his Christian journey as an Anglican. He converted to Catholicism at the age of 44, became a priest three years later, and eventually was made a cardinal. Whether as an Anglican or a Catholic, much of Newman’s ministry involved teaching and writing.

In 2019 he was declared a saint by Pope Francis, the patron saint of Catholic universities, colleges, and schools and also of poets. In 2025, Pope Leo XIV declared Newman a Doctor of the Church, a title granted to saints whose writings and teachings are of particular importance. One of Newman’s most influential books, An Essay in Aid of a Grammar of Assent, sparked this article.

(And, if you’ll forgive me a shameless bit of advertising, Newman’s book will make a significant contribution to the Sunday school class and the sermon on April 12, when I’ll be filling in for Pastor David. In Sunday school, we’ll explore the main themes of this book, In the sermon, we’ll draw on Newman’s insights to illumine the Apostle Thomas’ transition from troubling doubt to bold faith.)

The Grammar of Assent, as this work is popularly known, is a careful study of how Christians learn to say Yes to what God did for us “before the foundation of the world” (Eph. 1.4). In this beautifully written volume, Newman helps us understand and experience the grammar of God’s grace. Just as English grammar helps us see clearly, think rightly, and experience fully the wonders of God’s good creation, so God’s grammar schools us in ways that help us better recognize, understand, and participate in God’s free gifts of grace and faith.

As Paul assures us: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:8-9).

Mar '26

News & Announcements for Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026

Posted on Mar 27, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 9

Mar '26

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING – AFTER WORSHIP

The Session has called a congregational meeting for this morning, March 29 following the worship service for the sole purpose of correcting an error in the Pastor’s Terms of Call.

HELPING HANDS OFFERING – THIS MORNING

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.

HOLY WEEK SERVICES

Maundy Thursday, April 2, 7:00 pm – @ Elon Presbyterian

Good Friday, April 3, 7:30 pm – @ Northminster Presbyterian

Easter Sunrise Service, April 5, 7:30 am – Bob Mills preaching

Easter Worship Celebration, April 5, 11 am – David Garrison preaching

EASTER LILIES FOR THE SANCTUARY

Northminster is continuing our tradition of placing Easter Lilies in the sanctuary on Easter morning. The lilies are $11.00 each. If you are interested in purchasing an Easter Lily, a sign-up sheet with information form and envelope are available on the hall bulletin board. Please place your order no later than Sunday March 29.

MISSION FOCUS FOR MARCH: BURUNDI HOPE PROJECT

Our mission ministry for the month of March is the Burundi Hope Project. You may make a donation to this important ministry by specifying Burundi on your check memo line.

“LAST THINGS” SEMINAR – TUESDAY, APRIL 28, 5:30PM

SPRING COLLEGE CARE PACKAGES

Mar '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, March 22, 2026

Posted on Mar 18, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 10

Mar '26

CONGREGATIONAL MEETING – NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 29

The Session has called a congregational meeting for next Sunday, March 29 following the worship service for the sole purpose of correcting an error in the Pastor’s Terms of Call.

POTLUCK LUNCH – NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 29

We are excited to invite you to an Easter potluck luncheon next Sunday, March 29th which will include an “upside down” Easter Egg hunt. The church will provide meat, drinks and bread. Please bring a side and a dessert. We look forward to breaking bread with you!

COMMUNITY LENTEN SERVICES CONTINUE WED. MARCH 25

The Community Lenten Services continue Wednesday, March 25. Each ~30 minute service is at noon at a different church in Madison Heights, with a different pastor preaching each week. This week’s service will be at Madison Heights Baptist Church, with Rev. George Harris (from Madison Heights Christian Church) preaching. Following the service, you are invited to stay for a community lunch.

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, MARCH 26, 10:00 AM

Northminster’s Book Club has been rescheduled for Thursday, March 26 at 10:00 in the morning. We are reading The Miracles Among Us by Dr. Marc Siegel. Please bring a food item to share during our meeting.

EASTER LILIES FOR THE SANCTUARY

MISSION FOCUS FOR MARCH: BURUNDI HOPE PROJECT

Our mission ministry for the month of March will be the Burundi Hope Project. You may make a donation to this important ministry by specifying Burundi on your check memo line.

HELPING HANDS OFFERING – NEXT SUNDAY, MARCH 29

Mar '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, March 15, 2026

Posted on Mar 11, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 12

Mar '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

COMMUNITY LENTEN SERVICES CONTINUE WED. MARCH 18

The Community Lenten Services continue Wednesday, March 18. Each ~30 minute service is at noon at a different church in Madison Heights, with a different pastor preaching each week. This week’s service will be at Randolph Memorial Baptist Church, with Rev. Josh Beeler (from Madison Heights Baptist Church) preaching. We look forward to celebrating Lent with you and our fellow brothers and sisters in the area.

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 10:00 AM

Northminster’s Book Club will meet on Thursday, March 19 at 10:00 in the morning. We are reading The Miracles Among Us by Dr. Marc Siegel. Again, we will ask you to bring a food item to share during our meeting. Looking forward to another lively discussion about our book and many other topics that randomly come up. Feel free to bring a friend!!

EASTER LILIES FOR THE SANCTUARY

Northminster is continuing our tradition of placing Easter Lilies in the sanctuary on Easter morning. Northminster members and friends may provide an Easter lily in honor of, or in memory of, a loved one. These lilies will be in the sanctuary on Easter Sunday, April 5 and you may take one home after the Easter service. The lilies will be $11.00each this year. If you are interested in purchasing an Easter Lily this year a sign-up sheet with information form and envelope are available on the hall bulletin board. Please place envelope with form and money in the offering plate or forward to the church office no later than Sunday March 29.

MISSION FOCUS FOR MARCH: BURUNDI HOPE PROJECT

Our mission ministry for the month of March will be the Burundi Hope Project established by Mark and Susan May. The work of Burundi Hope includes schools for deaf and blind students, a fish farm, sewing center, chicken business, church support, and training for pastors and teachers. You may make a donation to this important ministry by specifying Burundi on your check memo line.

Mar '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, March 8, 2026

Posted on Mar 4, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 12

Mar '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

COMMUNITY LENTEN SERVICES CONTINUE WED. MARCH 11

The Community Lenten Services continue Wednesday, March 4. Each ~30 minute service is at noon at a different church in Madison Heights, with a different pastor preaching each week. This week’s service will be at Rose Chapel Baptist Church, with Rev. Derik Hamby (from Randolph Memorial Baptist Church) preaching. We look forward to celebrating Lent with you and our fellow brothers and sisters in the area.

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 10:00 AM

EASTER LILIES FOR THE SANCTUARY

MISSION FOCUS FOR MARCH: BURUNDI HOPE PROJECT

Feb '26

News & Announcements for Sunday, March 1, 2026

Posted on Feb 27, 2026 by David Garrison in Announcements, General, HomePage, News | 3

Feb '26

JOIN US FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL

COMMUNITY LENTEN SERVICES CONTINUE WED. MARCH 4

The Community Lenten Services continue Wednesday, March 4. Each ~30 minute service is at noon at a different church in Madison Heights, with a different pastor preaching each week. This week’s service will be at Northminster EPC, with Rev. Matthew Heckman (from Amelon United Methodist Church) preaching. We look forward to celebrating Lent with you and our fellow brothers and sisters in the area.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY – TUESDAY, MARCH 3, 3:30 PM

Women’s Bible Study will be meeting on Tuesday, March 3 from 3:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon. We are using the book, “Sermon on the Mount” by Jan Wilkin. Homework is to read and answer questions for week 5, “You Have Heard That it Was Said” – pgs. 62 – 73. Grab your book, your Bible and a snack that you can share with the group and come on over for an amazing Bible study. Come, even if you don’t get your homework completed. As always, bring a friend. Any questions, talk to Karey or Sharon.

MISSION FOCUS FOR MARCH: BURUNDI HOPE PROJECT

EASTER LILIES FOR THE SANCTUARY