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MARCH 2026 PASTOR’S CORNER — SPIRITUAL PATHWAYS
“This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”
— Jer. 6:16
We just wrapped up our Epiphany series on the Aaronic Blessing in Numbers 6:24-26. Through that series, we found that many of our presumptions about how blessing works were turned upside down. We view blessing as transactional — drop your quarter of obedience or good behavior into the vending machine, and God will dispense blessing in your life. Yet God gives the blessing before the people earn it (in fact, He gives it to them while they are rejecting Him!). If we want to keep God’s face turned toward us, we have to make sure we don’t mess up and disappoint Him. But we saw that what God wants from us is for us to rest in Him, to turn our faces toward His face, to listen to what He has to say to us. It seems that God is much more interested in our “being” rather than our “doing.”
I’ve often thought it somewhat ironic how hard it is for us to “be” in Christ. It is just so much easier to “do” for Jesus rather than “be” in or with Him. And yet, we are human beings, not human doings. Back to blessings for a moment, as an example: God blesses us not because of what we have done, but because of who we are. We haven’t earned His blessings, rather He has chosen us as His children and turned His face toward us in grace. We are His children, and so He has chosen to bless us. In the life of the disciple of Jesus Christ, what we do is meant to flow out of who we are, which presents another irony. It is quite possible to spend your life doing things for Jesus without ever being in Him, but when we focus on being in Christ, the doing will naturally and almost automatically flow out of it. Our primary focus as Christians should be, as we said at the end of the ‘Blessed to be a Blessing’ series, on keeping our eyes on Jesus and listening to Him. Simple, but not easy.
Of all the seasons of the Christian calendar, the season of Lent is most associated with the disciplines of the faith, particularly fasting. For many of us, we see Lent as a season of deprivation. Coming at the tail end of winter, when most of us have gotten sick and tired of the dark and cold, the church comes along and says, “Since you’re already miserable, you should give up something that brings you joy (like, say, chocolate) so you can be a little bit more miserable, so you can learn to love God more.” That’s weird, right? But that’s not the intent of Lent at all. Lent comes from an old English word that means “springtime.” When spring comes around, we get about “spring cleaning” — cleaning up the cruft and detritus that’s built up in our homes and yards over the long cold of winter so the new spring growth can burst forth. Lent is an opportunity for spring cleaning of the soul. It’s not about giving up things that bring us joy, but looking for habits that might have taken root that keep us from being with Jesus and getting rid of those things. In their place we learn new ways, new disciplines, that bring us into the presence of our Savior.
Over the course of the 2,000 or so years since Jesus ascended into Heaven, the Church has struggled with this and so developed a series of disciplines, of tools, to help faithful followers of Christ learn how to do those very things. Yes, there’s a third irony: being is more important than doing, so here are some thing to do to help you be. As Richard Foster explains in his classic work, Celebration of Discipline, “God has given us the Disciplines of the spiritual life as a means of receiving His grace. The Disciplines allow us to place ourselves before God so that He can transform us… By themselves the Spiritual Disciplines can do nothing; they can only get us to the place where something can be done.” These disciplines provide something of a path toward spiritual growth, of teaching us how to keep our eyes on Jesus so we can listen to Him.
Through the season of Lent, we’ll focus on six particular disciplines: fasting — the pathway to spiritual nourishment; simplicity — the pathway to spiritual riches; fellowship — the pathway to love; worship — the pathway to God’s presence; meditation — the pathway to Scripture; and prayer — the pathway to spiritual intimacy. In addition to the Sunday messages, we’ll provide a study guide for you to use through the week to learn more and provide opportunity to being practicing that week’s discipline. It is our hope and prayer that as we intentionally spend time being with Jesus over the season of Lent, we will find ourselves living more of a life that reflects His love and grace into the lives of those around us.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.” — John 15:5-8
Blessings,
Rev. David Garrison
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MARCH 2026 MILLS’ MUSINGS — MARCHING ON
According to the weather-wise, March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Or, to rephrase that well worn saying, admittedly with less poetry but with much more alliteration, March musters much meteorological mayhem.
At least in the parts of the country where I have lived, March usually starts out cold and blustery. As the month unfolds, it is not surprising to encounter snowstorms, thunderstorms, or even both in the same week. But, roughly coinciding with the arrival of April, the weather patterns generally become less contentious as we again make our way out of Winter into Spring.
This year, the month of March contains a couple regularly scheduled changes. On March 8, we solemnly set our clocks ahead one hour to enter into the mysteries of Daylight Savings Time. In 2026, each of March’s five Sundays falls within Lent, the liturgical season that leads Christians to the festive celebration of Jesus’ resurrection on Easter Sunday morning. And if we turn the civil calendar ahead a few more pages, we will see that this July 4 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States of America declaring that it is not a collection of colonies ruled from abroad, but an independent nation.
Such temporal transitions bring to mind another cliché: Time marches on. Winter is followed by Spring. The seasons continue their cycle. Current calendars will run out of months and be replaced by new calendars with the same months and most of the same events. And as time marches on, everything changes. Well, almost everything.
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17, ESV).
The italicized phrase translates a technical term used in ancient Greek astronomy. It describes the shifting shadows caused by the movement of the sun, moon, and clouds across the earth each day. As James reminds us, God is “the Father of lights,” that is, God is the creator of the planets, moons, and stars, all of which have long been used to help us keep track of time. Time – the minutes and hours, days and seasons, years, millennia, and ages – is also part of God’s good creation. And all that God creates is under God’s control.
So God is not surprised when things on earth change. Changes in the weather or in a people’s form of government do not catch God off guard. Neither do changes in our churches or our families. At some idyllic moments in our lives, you and I might wish time would stand still. But we know it won’t. We know it can’t. Only God never changes. God’s nature and will do not shift like the shadows. The God who himself is light remains our one constant in this life, and in the life to come.
All of us know that some things will change for us this year. We may even know the date of the upcoming change: a graduation or perhaps a wedding. But there also will be changes we will not see coming. Some may be welcome, others troubling.
As we move into March and on through the rest of this year, let’s encourage one another to keep our focus on our God, “the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”
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News & Announcements for Sunday, February 22, 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!
COMMUNITY LENTEN SERVICES CONTINUE WED. FEB 25
The Community Lenten Services continue Wednesday, February 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 Christian Church, with Rev. James Braxton (from Rose Chapel 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, FEBRUARY 26, 10:00 AM
Northminster’s Book Club will meet on Thursday, February 26th at 10:00 a.m. at the church. We are reading “Twice” by Mitch Albom. Please join us on February 26th to discuss the book! Also, bring a snack to share with the group. Come, even if you have not read or finished the book. And, as always, bring a friend.
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 in the Church Center app.
MISSION FOCUS FOR NEXT MONTH: 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.
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News & Announcements for Sunday, February 15, 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!
ANNUAL MEETING & POTLUCK – SUNDAY, FEB. 15, NOON
The Community Lenten Services begin on Ash Wednesday, February 18. Each ~30 minute service is at noon at a different church in Madison Heights, with a different pastor preaching each week. The first service will be at Amelon UMC, with Rev. David Garrison (from Northminster EPC) preaching. We look forward to celebrating Lent with you and our fellow brothers and sisters in the area.
WOMEN’S BOOK CLUB – THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 10:00 AM
Northminster’s Book Club will meet on Thursday, February 26th at 10:00 a.m. at the church. We are reading ” Twice” by Mitch Albom. Please join us on February 26th to discuss the book! Also, bring a snack to share with the group. Come, even if you have not read or finished 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..
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News & Announcements for Sunday, February 8, 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. 15, NOON
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY – TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 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 4, “You Have Heard That It Was Said” – pgs. 62 – 73. 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!
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…
COMMUNITY LENTEN SERVICES BEGIN WEDNESDAY, FEB 18
The Community Lenten Services begin on Ash Wednesday, February 18. Each ~30 minute service is at noon at a different church in Madison Heights, with a different pastor preaching each week. The first service will be at Amelon UMC, with Rev. David Garrison (from Northminster EPC) preaching. We look forward to celebrating Lent with you and our fellow brothers and sisters in the area.
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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