106 Clearview Rd, Madison Heights VA, 24572
Northminster Church © 2017
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15
Jan '19
Pastor’s Corner – January 2019
15
Jan '19
Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. (1 Tim. 4:7–8 ESV)
What’s Your Resolution?
This is the time of year that gyms and diet programs love, because we all seek to take advantage of the new year and the “fresh start” it provides. Year after year, at the top of the list sits resolutions to get healthier and lose weight. We know we need to take care of our bodies, that we just spent a month (or more) overeating and indulging, and that summer is just a few months away. Taking care of our physical health is important, and I applaud you if you’ve made such a resolution. But as Paul says in the passage above, are we as equally resolved regarding our spiritual health and well-being?
Lord, Teach Us To Pray
Just as with physical health, our spiritual health takes intentionality and commitment, and it begins with prayer. Prayer is a funny thing — most everyone has prayed at some point in time since they were a little child, and yet it’s also the one thing I hear that people struggle with more than most anything else. In fact, at one point even the disciples had to ask Jesus to teach them to pray: Now Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples.” (Luke 11:1 ESV)
Praying Like Jesus
We’re going to be intentional in learning to pray like Jesus prayed. On Sunday mornings through the course of the season of Epiphany, we’ll dig deeply into The Lord’s Prayer – a prayer we all say every Sunday, but many of us don’t fully understand what we’re saying about or asking of God. Then, through Lent and leading up to Easter, we’ll explore the prayer book of the Hebrews, the Psalms, and find guidance for some of the problem areas of prayer.
If you, like the disciples (and most of us if we’re honest), are looking for someone to teach you to pray, or maybe you could use some encouragement in your prayer life, I hope you’ll join us. May God bless you in this new year!
Blessings, Rev. David Garrison
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01
Dec '18
Pastor’s Corner – December 2018
01
Dec '18
Consumed by Consuming
I received my first email announcing Black Friday, the annual celebration of greed and gluttony that defines the day after Thanksgiving (a day of gratitude for all God has provided for us), on November 2. Not only that, but the email announced that the Black Friday deals were available NOW! Of course, for years the stores have been opening on Thanksgiving to offer Black Friday “doorbuster” sales (full confession: I went shopping on Thanksgiving to get one of those deals). The mentality that comes from shopping for the best deal leads to two consequences. First, we live in a state of perpetual dissatisfaction and discontent. Second, we apply the consumer mindset to other areas of life – we just keep looking for the best “deal” that will better meet our “needs.” We are a consumer-based culture. And we are being consumed by it. One might say we are literally selling our souls to satisfy our consuming.
A Prescription for A Better Way
There are times when something happens to our bodies, maybe a deep-set illness is discovered, and the doctor issues us a prescription for medicine to help return us to physical health. It often doesn’t happen overnight, but through faithfully following the prescription, over time we begin to notice a difference and feel better. Eventually, we are restored to full health. The prescription to our rampant consumerism is the Christian season of Advent. Advent comes from a Latin word that means “coming.” It is a 4-week season that leads up to Christmas and is meant to be a time of intentional reflection and preparation for the coming of the Messiah – both celebrating his first Advent 2,000 years ago, and hopefully anticipating his second coming. The giving of gifts (started by the Magi that first Christmas) is a good tradition, but this one aspect has taken over the entire season.
There are rituals and traditions surrounding our celebrations of Advent and Christmas. Some of those are particular to our families, others are more broadly practiced by churches or communities. Many of them have their roots in centuries past, or maybe they are new traditions only a few years old. The rituals of putting up and decorating the Christmas tree, of lighting the Advent candles (both in worship and at home as a family), of going caroling are all great ways to slow down this holiday (holy-day) season. Consider other activities and start new traditions that your family (both nuclear and extended) can practice and celebrate each year to move us deeper in our understanding of what this season is supposed to be about and find ourselves moving away from consuming and toward joy and contentment in Christ.
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (Phil. 4:11–13)
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison
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24
Apr '18
How To Support the Recovery Efforts Going Forward
24
Apr '18
According to a press release from Amherst County, 126 homes have minor damage, 25 are restricted use and 22 are destroyed. That means at least 47 families are displaced until their homes are repaired or rebuilt. The recovery needs for these families will be ongoing, long after this event moves out of the news cycle. And many of those in the path of the tornado, whether their home was destroyed or not, are dealing with wounds and hurts that go beyond physical. So what can we do to support our neighbors and friends in the weeks and months to come?
Pray
Make praying for those affected a regular part of your prayer routine. Include in your prayers the contractors and builders, insurance adjusters, police, fire and medical first responders who have and are continuing to step in to help these families rebuild their lives. Here are some practical steps and prayers in the weeks and months to come:
- Pray for healing. While certainly praying for physical healing, also pray for emotional and mental healing. Continue to praise God that no one lost their life, and ask Him to rest His hand of healing on those who need it. The emotional and mental scars can last far longer than the physical ones, which leads to…
- Pray for rest. This might sound trivial, but many of these people, particularly the children but also the adults, could well be having a hard time sleeping. Nightmares, stress, the internal need to keep working on cleanup, and especially post traumatic stress can negatively impact sleep. Pray for God’s peace to settle over those trying to piece their lives back together when they sleep.
- Pray for a smooth process. Working with insurance companies, contractors, government aid agencies is a difficult and time-consuming process. It can be its own layer of stress on top of an already stressful and traumatic event. Pray that God would smooth out the process and that there wouldn’t be any hiccups for these folks.
- Pray for moments of normalcy: In the midst of the aftermath of a traumatic event like this, it can feel as if “normal” is a word that will never be used again. Pray for moments of “normal” for these families and people, That might come in a meal taken as family at a restaurant, to even the regular routine of work and school, or maybe even just going to the store to buy groceries. A moment of “normal” can go a long way in helping the healing and recovery process.
- Set a reminder. Put a reminder in your phone to repeat once a week, and maybe another one in a month or two, to remind you to continuing praying for their recovery.
Give
Many have given sacrificially already, but there will continue to be ongoing needs for those affected in the weeks, and especially the months, to come. Many of them have no idea what they need at this time, so gift cards to grocery and home improvement stores can be very helpful, as they can make use of those as they figure things out. There are several GoFundMe donation pages set up for these families, if you would like to give directly to them. Here are some suggested links and ideas:
- GoFundMe: This link is a generic search for “Madison Heights, VA fundraisers,’ however at the time of posting (4/24/18), all but one result on the first page of results were for victims of the tornado (there’s another tornado victim fundraiser on the 2nd page of the results as well). If you would like to give aid directly to the families, this can be a good option.
- ElonStrong.com: Our friends at River Church have been actively involved in helping those affected from the first day. Donations made through ElongStrong.com and AmherstStrong.com are primarily going to families with no insurance.
- Gleaning For The World: GFTW has been partnering with local churches to minister to those displaced by these storms, particularly in providing emergency assistance to those are are victims of the tornado. They have been distributing food and materials directly to the families and victims.
- Through Northminster: Please put “Elon Strong” in the memo field of checks made out to Northminster, and we will direct those funds to those in need.
- Gift Cards: Purchasing gift cards to Food Lion, Walmart, Target, Lowe’s, Home Depot and various places like that are very helpful. Many of these families have lost everything and don’t know what they need right now. A gift card can be very helpful in allowing them to purchase what they need, when they realize they need or are ready for it. Gift cards can be turned in to the Amherst County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor’s Center in Amherst, to the church office, or placed in the offering plate on Sunday mornings. Gift cards given to us will be passed along to Elon Presbyterian for them to give out directly to the community impacted.
- Set A Reminder: As with praying, set a reminder for a month or two, if not longer, from now. There is always a large influx of donations in the immediate aftermath of disasters like this, but the needs last for months.
Volunteer
If you are looking to volunteer, we encourage you to contact Gleaning for the World to see when and where they are distributing materials. Right now, we are not aware of other organizations that are actively looking for volunteers to help victims rebuild and repair. If you know families impacted, we encourage you to contact them directly to see how you might be of service. As we hear of opportunities, we will post them here and on our Facebook page.
Thank you for the wonderful ways you have already cared for our neighbors affected by the tornado, may God bless each of us as we seek to continue to be Christ’s hands and feet in caring for and loving them in the weeks and months to come.
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15
Oct '17
How to pack an OCC Shoebox!
15
Oct '17
We are excited to be helping out with Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child shoebox ministry once again this year. Many of you have been asking exactly what goes into and how to pack a shoebox. Below you can find two very helpful links to get you started.
How to Pack a Shoebox for a Child in Need
What Goes in my Shoebox?
Packing a shoebox is a quick and easy way to make a huge difference in the life of a child in a part of the world that really needs it. Thank you for joining us in this mission opportunity! If you have any questions, contact us at the church office.
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