News & Announcements for Sunday, January 25, 2026
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.
ANNUAL MEETING & POTLUCK – SUNDAY, FEB. 8, NOON
Plan to join us for a potluck luncheon on Sunday, February 8th immediately after church. Please bring a pot of soup or chili and a dessert to share. The church will provide drinks and bread. We plan to have our annual church meeting and a little Valentine fun, as well. We will also vote to approve the Pastor’s Terms of Call for 2026.
NORTHMINSTER PHONE TREE ANNOUNCEMENT SYSTEM
Northminster uses the One Call Now phone tree system for church announcements and the prayer chain. If you would like to be added to the phone tree, please click here to fill out the form.
Coming Soon…
INQUIRERS CLASS
Would you like to know more about our church? Are you interested in the possibility of becoming a member? This class will give you the opportunity to hear about our church, the denomination we belong to, and where we see God leading us. If interested, tell Pastor David or sign up by clicking here..
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News & Announcements for Sunday, January 18, 2026
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.
WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 10:00 AM
Northminster’s Book Club will meet on Thursday, January 22nd at 10:00 a.m. at the church. We will be reading, “Whistling Past the Graveyard” by Susan Crandall. Please join us on January 22nd to discuss the book and bring a snack to share with the group. Come even if you have not read the book. And, as always, bring a friend!!
NORTHMINSTER PHONE TREE ANNOUNCEMENT SYSTEM
Northminster uses the One Call Now phone tree system for church announcements and the prayer chain. If you would like to be added to the phone tree, please click here to fill out the form.
Coming Soon…
INQUIRERS CLASS
Would you like to know more about our church? Are you interested in the possibility of becoming a member? This class will give you the opportunity to hear about our church, the denomination we belong to, and where we see God leading us. If interested, tell Pastor David or sign up by clicking here..
Read more...
News & Announcements for Sunday, January 11, 2026
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.
WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, JANUARY 22, 10:00 AM
Northminster’s Book Club will meet on Thursday, January 22nd at 10:00 a.m. at the church. We will be reading, “Whistling Past the Graveyard” by Susan Crandall. Please join us on January 22nd to discuss the book and bring a snack to share with the group. Come even if you have not read the book. And, as always, bring a friend!!
NORTHMINSTER PHONE TREE ANNOUNCEMENT SYSTEM
Northminster uses the One Call Now phone tree system for church announcements and the prayer chain. If you would like to be added to the phone tree, please click here to fill out the form.
Coming Soon…
INQUIRERS CLASS
Would you like to know more about our church? Are you interested in the possibility of becoming a member? This class will give you the opportunity to hear about our church, the denomination we belong to, and where we see God leading us. If interested, tell Pastor David or sign up by clicking here..
Read more...
News & Announcements for Sunday, January 4, 2026
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.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY – TUESDAY, January 6, 3:30 PM
Women’s Bible Study will be meeting on Tuesday, January 6th at 3:30 in the afternoon. We are using the book, “Sermon on the Mount” by Jen Wilkin. Homework is to read and answer questions for week 3 – A People of Influence – pgs. 42 -55. Grab your book, your Bible, a snack you can share with the group and come on over for some amazing Bible study! If you don’t get your homework done, come anyway!! And, as always, we would love for you to bring a friend!! Any questions, talk to Karey or Sharon!
MISSION FOCUS FOR DECEMBER – CHRISTMAS BASKETS
The December Mission Focus was the Christmas Baskets. Thank you for your generous support that brightened the holidays for several families in our area!
NORTHMINSTER PHONE TREE ANNOUNCEMENT SYSTEM
Northminster uses the One Call Now phone tree system for church announcements and the prayer chain. If you would like to be added to the phone tree, please click this link and fill out the form.
Read more...
JANUARY 2026 MILLS’ MUSINGS — SAME TIME NEXT YEAR
Were there angels in heaven who kept records of such things, I suspect most of us one day would be amazed to learn how often we thought, yet how little we knew, about time.
Please don’t take that as a criticism. The concept of time has long perplexed poets, painters, philosophers, physicists, and those of us who persistently look up at a wall or down at our wrist (or our phone) to learn what time it is. It might seem that attempts to learn what time it is presuppose that someone, somewhere, has determined what time is. But that presupposition is optimistic.
Most of us have a deeply intuitive sense not only that time exists, but that it matters. Even if we can’t precisely define it, we continually experience it. And many individuals, coming from many different starting points, have tried to express their perceptions about time.
Poets, going at least as far back as William Shakespeare, eloquently survey the effects of time on human beings. Often, but certainly not always, poets portray time as an enemy. The best-known painting of the Surrealist Salvador Dali, formally titled The Persistence of Memory, is more popularly known as Melting Clocks. Years after finishing the painting, Dali addressed the wide range of meanings ascribed to the work by saying even he didn’t know what it meant.
Then there are physicists and philosophers who don’t believe there’s any such thing as time. Some modern physicists use Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity to argue that in space-time, concepts such as past, present, and future are meaningless. A century earlier, the philosopher Immanuel Kant had argued that temporal order is found only in an individual’s mind and that time does not objectively exist.
The Bible takes a different approach. Although both Hebrew and Greek have several words properly translated “time,” Scripture doesn’t speculate about time’s nature. Instead of arguing for its existence or listing its qualities, the Bible simply assumes that time exists. My broad summary of the biblical view of time is that it’s something like a cosmic canvas across which God’s specific acts in the redemption of his people are sequentially unfurled.
Time is God’s creation and it remains under his direction. As such, not only is time real (contra some philosophers and physicists), time is also very good (contra some poets and painters). According to the Bible, human history, and our individual histories, are moving toward a God-established goal. Time is a gift of God that helps us track our progress. We can look back at the places where we’ve wandered off the path. We can also look ahead to get at least a glimpse of the glory God already has prepared for us.
The advent of a new calendar year is often used by individuals and organizations as an opportunity to look back and to look ahead. Both can be rewarding exercises. As Christians, we can look back and see specific points where we’ve grown in our faith. We can also gain clarity about opportunities for future growth. But, as Christians, I think our greatest joy comes from looking ahead. For there we see a God “with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17). And there we see our Savior, Jesus Christ, who “is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb. 13:8).
Happy New Year.
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News & Announcements for Sunday, December 28, 2025
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.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY – TUESDAY, January 6, 3:30 PM
Women’s Bible Study will be meeting on Tuesday, January 6th at 3:30 in the afternoon. We are using the book, “Sermon on the Mount” by Jen Wilkin. Homework is to read and answer questions for week 3 – A People of Influence – pgs. 42 -55. Grab your book, your Bible, a snack you can share with the group and come on over for some amazing Bible study! If you don’t get your homework done, come anyway!! And, as always, we would love for you to bring a friend!! Any questions, talk to Karey or Sharon!
MISSION FOCUS FOR DECEMBER – CHRISTMAS BASKETS
The December Mission Focus is the Christmas Baskets. Thank you for your generous support that brightened the holidays for several families in our area!
NORTHMINSTER PHONE TREE ANNOUNCEMENT SYSTEM
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News & Announcements for Sunday, December 21, 2025
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.
BIRTHDAY PARTY & POTLUCK FOR JESUS – SUNDAY, DEC. 21
Join us after worship on Sunday, December 21 as we celebrate Jesus’ birthday with a potluck lunch, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and then singing our favorite traditional Christmas carols. Please bring a dish or two of your choosing. The meat and drinks will be provided. Even though we will have a birthday cake, feel free to bring a dessert!
CHRISTMAS CAROLING – MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 4:00 PM
Join us for our annual tradition of caroling to our homebound members. We’ll meet at the church and carpool together as we enjoy fellowship and make a joyful noise singing our favorite Christmas tunes. This is a great opportunity for folks of all ages to come together as we spread some Christmas cheer!
CHRISTMAS EVE CANDELIGHT SERVICE – DEC. 24, 7:00 PM
On Christmas Eve, we invite you to join us for a family-friendly candlelight service celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This service of song, carol and Scripture provides a wonderful opportunity to get a sense of how eager the Hebrews were for the coming of the Messiah so long ago and reminds us how eager we are for his return. We look forward to seeing you there!
MISSION FOCUS FOR DECEMBER – CHRISTMAS BASKETS
The December Mission Focus is the Christmas Baskets. Thank you for your generous support that brightened the holidays for several families in our area!
NORTHMINSTER PHONE TREE ANNOUNCEMENT SYSTEM
Northminster uses the One Call Now phone tree system for church announcements and the prayer chain. If you would like to be added to the phone tree, please click this link and fill out the form.
Read more...
News & Announcements for Sunday, December 14, 2025
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS – STILL AVAILABLE
It’s time to order poinsettias to help decorate our sanctuary for the Advent-Christmas season. You are welcome to donate one in memory and in honor of loved ones. The sign up sheet and order forms are available on the bulletin board outside the sanctuary. They are $10.00 each. Please contact Linda Lange if you have questions.
BIRTHDAY PARTY & POTLUCK FOR JESUS – SUNDAY, DEC. 21
Join us after worship on Sunday, December 21 as we celebrate Jesus’ birthday with a potluck lunch, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and then singing our favorite traditional Christmas carols. Please bring a dish or two of your choosing. The meat and drinks will be provided. Even though we will have a birthday cake, feel free to bring a dessert!
CHRISTMAS CAROLING – MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 4:00 PM
Join us for our annual tradition of caroling to our homebound members. We’ll meet at the church and carpool together as we enjoy fellowship and make a joyful noise singing our favorite Christmas tunes. This is a great opportunity for folks of all ages to come together as we spread some Christmas cheer!
MISSION FOCUS FOR DECEMBER – CHRISTMAS BASKETS
The December Mission Focus is the Christmas Baskets. Please bring items to help bring a little joy to needy families in our area. Details can be found in the December newsletter.
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News & Announcements for Sunday, December 7, 2025
CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS – ORDER TODAY
It’s time to order poinsettias to help decorate our sanctuary for the Advent-Christmas season. You are welcome to donate one in memory and in honor of loved ones. The sign up sheet and order forms are available on the bulletin board outside the sanctuary. They are $10.00 each and the deadline is today, Sunday, Dec. 7. Please contact Linda Lange if you have questions.
BIRTHDAY PARTY & POTLUCK FOR JESUS – SUNDAY, DEC. 21
Join us after worship on Sunday, December 21 as we celebrate Jesus’ birthday with a potluck lunch, singing Happy Birthday to Jesus and then singing our favorite traditional Christmas carols. Please bring a dish or two of your choosing. The meat and drinks will be provided. Even though we will have a birthday cake, feel free to bring a dessert!
CHRISTMAS CAROLING – MONDAY, DECEMBER 22, 4:00 PM
Join us for our annual tradition of caroling to our homebound members. We’ll meet at the church and carpool together as we enjoy fellowship and make a joyful noise singing our favorite Christmas tunes. This is a great opportunity for folks of all ages to come together as we spread some Christmas cheer!
CHRISTMAS EVE CANDELIGHT SERVICE – DEC. 24, 7:00 PM
On Christmas Eve, we invite you to join us for a family-friendly candlelight service celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This service of song, carol and Scripture provides a wonderful opportunity to get a sense of how eager the Hebrews were for the coming of the Messiah so long ago and reminds us how eager we are for his return. We look forward to seeing you there!
MISSION FOCUS FOR DECEMBER – CHRISTMAS BASKETS
The December Mission Focus is the Christmas Baskets. Please bring items to help bring a little joy to needy families in our area. Details can be found in the December newsletter.
Read more...
DECEMBER 2025 PASTOR’S CORNER — ADVENT: THE KING IS COMING
And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord,
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” — Luke 1:46-48
There’s a tension lurking underneath the surface of our celebrations of Christmas each year. It’s one of those things that can be easy to overlook, but once you see it, it’s really hard to unsee it. In the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we celebrate the fulfillment of all of the prophecies in the Bible that speak to the redemption of all of humanity and creation. Over the course of this month, we will sing of joy, while many are filled with sorrow and struggle with depression. We sing of peace, while wars rage around the world and in our hearts. We sing of love, and yet are surrounded by so much hate. We sing of hope, but wonder, deep down, if anything will ever change. Wasn’t Jesus supposed to change all of this?
Consider Mary’s song of joy of what God has already done in The Magnificat: “He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:51-53) I look around the world today, and I see a lot of proud and mighty people still boasting. I see those of humble estate still struggling. The hungry are still starving; the rich are still hoarding. We know Jesus accomplished these things, because the Bible is very clear that He did, but why is there still so much suffering and injustice, sin and brokenness? It is the season of Advent that helps provide an answer.
In her magnificent book, Advent: The Once & Future Coming of Jesus Christ, Fleming Rutledge writes,
Karl Barth exclaimed, “What other time or season can or will the Church ever have but that of Advent!” This illuminates the present dimension of the season. It locates us correctly with relation to the first and second comings of Christ. Advent calls for a life lived on the edge, so to speak, all the time, shaped by the cross not only on Good Friday but wherever and whenever we are, proclaiming his death to be the turn of the ages “until he comes” (I Cor. 11:26)… In a very real sense, the Christian community lives in Advent all the time. It can well be called the Time Between, because the people of God live in the time between the first coming of Christ, incognito in the stable in Bethlehem, and his second coming, in glory, to judge the living and the dead. In the Time Between, “our lives are hidden with Christ in God; when Christ who is our life appears, then we also will appear with him in glory” (Col. 3:3–4). Advent contains within itself the crucial balance of the now and the not-yet that our faith requires. (Pg 7)
Everything the Bible says about what Jesus accomplished in His incarnation is absolutely true. God is now with us in Jesus Christ. The power of sin and death has been broken. The proud have been brought down and the humble lifted up. Prisoners freed. The blind given sight. The lost found. The broken soul made whole. And yet. And yet, all of these things are also yet to be completed. As Jesus said, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:15) Jesus has absolutely accomplished all of these things, but He has not yet completed all of these things. Advent is the season that reminds us of this tension and invites us into it. It is the season of, as Rutledge said, “the Time Between.”
When Jesus returns, the Kingdom of God will finally be consummated. The work begun with His first coming will be completed. That which has happened now in part will then be completed in full. It is the season of Advent that keeps our focus and our hope on that great and wonderful day. Advent doesn’t merely acknowledge the tension of the already/not yet, it embraces it. Just as in the incarnation our Savior came to earth and met us where we are, the season of Advent reminds us that He is still doing the same today, and that one day He will finish what He started.
This Advent, we’ll take a look at how each of the Gospels tell the story of the birth of our Savior (except for Mark, who doesn’t include a birth narrative), and how each points us to His return. We’ll begin our Advent celebration with a service of prayer, scripture and song, using Mary’s Magnificat as our guide to prepare our hearts and our souls to worship deeply and well this holiday season. As you prepare for and celebrate the birth of our Savior, keep your eyes focused on His return. Joy to the world, the King is coming!
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1 Cor. 13:9-12)
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison
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