News & Announcements for November 26, 2023

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 9:00-10:00.  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.

 

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS – ORDER YOURS 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. To place an order, please sign your name on the bulletin board outside the sanctuary and fill out the form provided for payment.   They are $6.00 each and the deadline is Sunday, Dec. 10.  Please contact Liz Boothe if you have questions.  See the November newsletter for an article explaining why poinsettias are so important to the Christmas season.

 

HANGING OF THE GREENS – SATURDAY, DEC 2, 9AM-Noon

        You are invited to join us on Saturday, December 2 from 9-noon as we prepare our church to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  We will gather together to decorate beautiful trees with Chrismons, set up Advent candles, wreaths, and banners as we enjoy light brunch refreshments, Christmas music playing in the background, and above all, each other’s company.

 

MISSION FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

Our focus for the month of November is Christmas Cheer Baskets. Peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, soups, and jelly or jam are always a good idea. Since we are closer to the delivery date, mid-December, we can now add packaged foods such as mac and cheese, pasta, and pancake mix. Of course, spaghetti sauce and syrup are welcome too! When buying something for yourself, consider getting two and bringing one for this worthy mission. Donations can be placed in the receptacle in the narthex. Thank you for your support!


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News & Announcements for November 19, 2023

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 9:00-10:00.  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.

 

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS – ORDER YOURS 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. To place an order, please sign your name on the bulletin board outside the sanctuary and fill out the form provided for payment.   They are $6.00 each and the deadline is Sunday, Dec. 10.  Please contact Liz Boothe if you have questions.  See the November newsletter for an article explaining why poinsettias are so important to the Christmas season.

 

HANGING OF THE GREENS – SATURDAY, DEC 2, 9AM-Noon

        You are invited to join us on Saturday, December 2 from 9-noon as we prepare our church to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  We will gather together to decorate beautiful trees with Chrismons, set up Advent candles, wreaths, and banners as we enjoy light brunch refreshments, Christmas music playing in the background, and above all, each other’s company.

 

MISSION FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

Our focus for the month of November is Christmas Cheer Baskets. Peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, soups, and jelly or jam are always a good idea. Since we are closer to the delivery date, mid-December, we can now add packaged foods such as mac and cheese, pasta, and pancake mix. Of course, spaghetti sauce and syrup are welcome too! When buying something for yourself, consider getting two and bringing one for this worthy mission. Donations can be placed in the receptacle in the narthex. Thank you for your support!


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News & Announcements for November 12, 2023

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 9:00-10:00.  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.

 

GLEANING FOR THE WORLD – WEDNESDAY, 8:30AM

Please join us in the parking lot of the church for carpooling. We will return to the church around 11:30 am.

 

CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS – ORDER YOURS 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. To place an order, please sign your name on the bulletin board outside the sanctuary and fill out the form provided for payment.   They are $6.00 each and the deadline is Sunday, Dec. 10.  Please contact Liz Boothe if you have questions.  See the November newsletter for an article explaining why poinsettias are so important to the Christmas season.

 

HANGING OF THE GREENS – SATURDAY, DEC 2, 9AM-Noon

You are invited to join us on Saturday, December 2 from 9-noon as we prepare our church to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  We will gather together to decorate beautiful trees with Chrismons, set up Advent candles, wreaths, and banners as we enjoy light brunch refreshments, Christmas music playing in the background, and above all, each other’s company.

 

MISSION FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

Our focus for the month of November is Christmas Cheer Baskets. Peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, soups, and jelly or jam are always a good idea. Since we are closer to the delivery date, mid-December, we can now add packaged foods such as mac and cheese, pasta, and pancake mix. Of course, spaghetti sauce and syrup are welcome too! When buying something for yourself, consider getting two and bringing one for this worthy mission. Donations can be placed in the receptacle in the narthex. Thank you for your support!


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News & Announcements for November 5, 2023

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Children are welcomed in the service. A nursery is provided for infants – 4 years.  Others needing childcare may leave worship after the ANTHEM.

 

 

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 9:00-10:00.  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.

 

AUTUMN HARVEST PICNIC, Today @ The Hendersons

Gather with the NEPC church family at 2:30pm at the Hendersons’ as we celebrate the beautiful Fall season together! Please plan to bring your favorite soup and/or salad to share – and desserts are always welcome! Bread and drinks will be provided.  See Cindy Henderson if you have any questions and to RSVP.

 

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY – Monday, 7pm @ Church

The Women’s Bible Study meets tomorrow at 7:00pm at the church! We will be using the book, The Love Stories of the Bible Speak by Shannon Bream.  We will be reading from Song of Solomon and the topic is “The Gift of Love.” Karey Garrison will be our hostess and our facilitator. For this lesson. read the chapter and complete the workbook. Plan to join us, even if you don’t have a chance to read the chapter, and bring a friend! 

 

WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, 10 AM

What a special book club we are having this month! Leah Weiss will be joining us at the November meeting! She is the author of our November book, If the Creek Don’t Rise. We will be meeting at Mary Wilhelm’s house.

 

MISSION FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

Our focus for the month of November is Christmas Cheer Baskets. Peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, soups, and jelly or jam are always a good idea. Since we are closer to the delivery date, mid-December, we can now add packaged foods such as mac and cheese, pasta, and pancake mix. Of course, spaghetti sauce and syrup are welcome too! When buying something for yourself, consider getting two and bringing one for this worthy mission. Donations can be placed in the receptacle in the narthex. Thank you for your support!


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November 2023 Pastor’s Corner — Show & Tell 

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? — Rom. 10:13-15

One of my favorite quotations is often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi.  “Preach the Gospel always.  If necessary, use words.”  I love this quote because it emphasizes how important our actions are in backing up what we say we believe.  Telling others about the Gospel is good; living the Gospel is better.  In last month’s article, we talked about how we live the Gospel in our lives, thinking purposefully about how we live in “uniquely Christian” ways in our areas of influence and the places we go.  As the quote above stresses, it is important that we live what we say we believe, and through those actions, proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those who do not know.

But the quote does not say to not use words.  Words are important, and when it comes to sharing the Gospel and good news of Jesus Christ with others, we do need to use our words.  As the words of the Apostle Paul at the top of this article make clear, there comes a point where we have to invite others to learn more about Jesus Christ.  How are people supposed to know about the goodness of the Lord and the joy of our salvation if we aren’t telling them about it?  When God meets you where you are and you experience His love and grace in a new and different way, that is something we should want to share with other people.  As Peter says in 1 Peter 3:15, “…in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for the hope that is in you.

Telling others about what God is doing in our lives doesn’t have to be a full exposition of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to have all the answers, actually, you don’t have to have any of the answers.  Just Jesus.  To paraphrase the (formerly) blind man’s answer in John 9:25, “I don’t know everything there is to know or understand about Jesus.  One thing I do know, I once was blind, but now I see.”  Or even better is Philip’s answer in John 1:46, “Come and see.”  Invite others to “come and see” Jesus for themselves.  Show people what Jesus has done and is doing by living in uniquely Christian ways, and tell them they can come and see for themselves!  It might simply saying something along the lines of, “I had the most incredible experience with God in church this past Sunday.  You should come next Sunday so you can experience it too.”  Or maybe, “I’m so grateful for my church community because they {fill in the blank}.  If you’re looking for genuine community, come with me next Sunday.”  It might even be “Yesterday, my pastor said {fill in the blank}, and I’d never realized that about God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit/etc, and I’m so encouraged!”  Although, it’ll more likely be, “Yesterday, my pastor put his foot in his mouth so badly, and it was hilarious.  Come and hear him do it again this Sunday!”

By all means, seek to love and serve others wherever you go and in whatever you do in uniquely Christian ways.  As much as you’re able, live out the Gospel in which we have found our hope and our life.  Live in such a way that others want to ask you about your hope and faith in Jesus Christ, and tell them about Him! 

How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns.” — Is. 52:7

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison


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News & Announcements for October 29, 2023

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Children are welcomed in the service. A nursery is provided for infants – 4 years.  Others needing childcare may leave worship after the ANTHEM.

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 9:00-10:00.  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.

 

HELPING HANDS OFFERING – THIS MORNING

Each 5th Sunday, any undesignated offerings placed in the collection plates goes 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. Thank you for helping us meet the needs of those in our community!

 

MISSION FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

Our focus for the month of October is Christmas Food Boxes. Peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, soups, and jelly or jam are always a good idea. Since we are closer to the delivery date, mid-December, we can now add packaged foods such as mac and cheese, pasta, and pancake mix. Of course, spaghetti sauce and syrup are welcome too! When buying something for yourself, consider getting two and bringing one for this worthy mission. Donations can be placed in the receptacle in the narthex. Thank you for your support!

 

AUTUMN HARVEST PICNIC, Sunday, Nov. 5

Gather with the NEPC church family on Sunday, November 5th at the Hendersons’ (115 Morcom Place), as we celebrate the beautiful Fall season together! Please plan to bring your favorite soup and/or salad to share – and desserts are always welcome! Bread and drinks will be provided.  See Cindy Henderson if you have any questions and to RSVP.

 

YOUTH MINISTRY HALLOWEEN GAME NIGHT – TONIGHT!  

Join us this evening from 6:30-8:00 for our annual Halloween Costume Contest & Game Night.  We’ll meet at the Garrisons’ home.  Come sporting your best (church appropriate) costume and be ready for fun games!  See you there!

 

 


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News & Announcements for October 22, 2023

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 9:00-10:00.  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.

 

HELPING HANDS OFFERING – NEXT SUNDAY

Each 5th Sunday, any undesignated offerings placed in the collection plates goes 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. Thank you for helping us meet the needs of those in our community!

 

MISSION FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

Our focus for the month of October is Christmas Food Boxes. Peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, soups, and jelly or jam are always a good idea. Since we are closer to the delivery date, mid-December, we can now add packaged foods such as mac and cheese, pasta, and pancake mix. Of course, spaghetti sauce and syrup are welcome too! When buying something for yourself, consider getting two and bringing one for this worthy mission. Donations can be placed in the receptacle in the narthex. Thank you for your support!

 

SAVE THE DATE! AUTUMN HARVEST PICNIC, Sunday, Nov. 5

Plan to gather with the NEPC church family on Sunday, November 5th at the Hendersons’ farm for an Autumn Harvest Picnic. More details coming soon. 

 

YOUTH MINISTRY SCHEDULE CHANGE

Please note that the youth group will not meet on Sunday, October 8, 15 or 22 for fall break.  We will resume next Sunday, October 29 for our annual Halloween Costume Contest & Game Night.  See you then!


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News & Announcements for October 15, 2023

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 9:00-10:00.  We look forward to seeing you!

 

GLEANING FOR THE WORLD – WEDNESDAY, 8:30AM

        Please join us in the parking lot of the church for carpooling. We will return to the church around 11:30 am. 

 

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

The Women’s Book Club will meet Thursday, October 19 at 10:00am at Sharon Bryant’s home. This month’s book is The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls.  The next meeting will be November 9 at Mary Wilhelm’s house.  Leah Weiss, author of If the Creek Don’t Rise will be a special guest.

 

MISSION FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

Our focus for the month of October is Christmas Food Boxes. Peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, soups, and jelly or jam are always a good idea. Since we are closer to the delivery date, mid-December, we can now add packaged foods such as mac and cheese, pasta, and pancake mix. Of course, spaghetti sauce and syrup are welcome too! When buying something for yourself, consider getting two and bringing one for this worthy mission. Donations can be placed in the receptacle in the narthex. Thank you for your support!

 

SAVE THE DATE! AUTUMN HARVEST PICNIC, Sunday, Nov. 5

Plan to gather with the NEPC church family on Sunday, November 5th at the Hendersons’ farm for an Autumn Harvest Picnic. More details coming soon. 

 

YOUTH MINISTRY SCHEDULE CHANGE

Please note that the youth group will not meet on Sunday, October 8, 15 or 22 for fall break.

 

PASTOR DAVID AWAY ON STUDY LEAVE – OCTOBER 9-20

Pastor David is away on Study Leave from October 9-20.  If you have a pastoral need, please contact Bob Mills or one of the Elders.  Thank you to Bob Mills for filling in the pulpit while he is away.


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News & Announcements for October 8, 2023

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 9:00-10:00.  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.

 

NEW WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY – Monday 10/9, 7pm @ Church

The Women’s Bible Study will begin on Monday, October 9th at 7:00pm at the church! We will be using the book, The Love Stories of the Bible Speak by Shannon Bream.  In this book, Shannon Bream draws lessons from the good, the bad, and the ugly of Biblical romances, friendships, and families. These insights into biblical relationships will uplift and encourage you and reveal new dimensions to the most central Christian duty: to love God and your neighbor.  Please come and bring a friend!

 

MISSION FOCUS FOR THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

Our focus for the month of October is Christmas Food Boxes. Peanut butter, canned meats, canned fruits, soups, and jelly or jam are always a good idea. We are also looking for packaged foods such as mac and cheese, pasta, and pancake mix. Spaghetti sauce and syrup are welcome too! When buying something for yourself, consider getting two and bringing one for this worthy mission. Donations can be placed in the receptacle in the narthex. Thank you for your support!

 

SAVE THE DATE! AUTUMN HARVEST PICNIC, Sunday, Nov. 5

Plan to gather with the NEPC church family on Sunday, November 5th at the Hendersons’ farm for an Autumn Harvest Picnic. More details coming soon. 

 

YOUTH MINISTRY SCHEDULE CHANGE

Please note that the youth group will not meet on Sunday, October 8 or 15 for Fall Break.

 

PASTOR DAVID AWAY ON STUDY LEAVE – OCTOBER 9-20

Pastor David is away on Study Leave from October 9-20.  If you have a pastoral need, please contact Bob Mills or one of the Elders.  Thank you to Bob Mills for filling in the pulpit while he is away.


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October 2023 Pastor’s Corner – Uniquely Christian

 “For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?”

— Matt. 5:46-47

There’s a prayer that pops up in my daily devotional (Seeking God’s Face by Philip Reinders, if you’re interested) every few days: “for God to equip us to serve in uniquely Christian ways in the public arena.”  Praying for God to help us to serve in “uniquely Christian ways” seems such an obvious and unnecessary thing, doesn’t it?  And yet, over the past several months, this particular prayer has needled away at the back of my mind.

The hard truth most of us probably don’t want to admit is that there is very little that is “uniquely Christian” in how we go about our daily lives.  When it comes to living as a Christian, long as we’re generally nice to others, basically good in most respects, and overall relatively happy and content in our lives, we figure we’re doing pretty good.  And there’s nothing wrong with any of those things.  Most every person should attempt to live that way.  But that’s just the thing.  Most every person does live that way.  There is nothing wrong with that, but there’s nothing uniquely Christian about it either.  If that’s the extent of our witness, of how we represent the hope and joy of the Christian life to others, it’s not all that surprising that people aren’t interested in learning more about the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

It’s pretty clear from Scripture that there is supposed to be something about how we live our lives that is fundamentally and uniquely different from how the rest of the world lives.  Consider what Paul writes: “Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.” (Eph. 4:17)  For the Hebrews, there were only two kinds of people: Hebrews and Gentiles.  “Gentile” is simply a name for someone who is not Hebrew.  But when Jesus and Paul, and the other New Testament writers, use the term, it’s more helpful to think of it as “people who don’t believe in Jesus.”  So Christians aren’t supposed to live their lives the same way non-Christians do.  But what does that look like?  Paul continues, “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Eph. 4:22-24)

What does living and serving in uniquely Christian ways look like?  Pretty much every book of the New Testament talks about this, but a great place to start is the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7, a portion of which is quoted above.  In summary, Jesus says that a uniquely Christian life is one that seeks reconciliation with others, honors the image of God in all people, is a person of their word, turns the other cheek instead of seeking retribution or revenge, loves their enemies, gives generously to those in need, seeks God in all things without flaunting their faith in front of others, radically trusts God in the present and in the future, focuses first on personal holiness rather than judging what’s wrong in others.  There’s obviously a lot of nuance in what Jesus says that I just skipped for the sake of summary, but you get the gist.  Another great place to continue your study of what it means to live and serve in uniquely Christian ways is to read the rest of Ephesians 4, which we looked at in the previous paragraph.  Start with Ephesians 4:17, and read through the end of chapter 5.

As followers of Christ, our lives ought to be fundamentally different than those who don’t follow Christ.  Peter writes, “…in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.” (1 Pet. 3:13-17)  Our very way of interacting with others and the world around us, the love we extend to each and every person, the faith we hold on to, the hope that secures us, should be captivating and intriguing to those who don’t know Jesus.  We are called to be different. 

Take some time to look at yourself and your life.  How are you serving and living in uniquely Christian ways?  What might need to change so that you reflect Christ more clearly and brightly to those around you.  These are great questions for any Christian to ask, at any point in their walk with the Lord.

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” 

— Matt. 5:14-16

Blessings,

Rev. David Garrison


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