COMPosition 20

EXCITING HAPPENINGS AT NORTHPARK

On Monday, March 15th the Governance Board appointed the following officers as required in our Bylaws: Chairperson: Kelly Menard, Vice Chairperson: Charles Stewart, & Secretary: Terrie Carlisle. They will serve in these capacities through our fiscal year which runs from March, 2021 to February, 2022.

This weekend, March 19th–21st, our Student Ministry is hosting the Mississippi State Youth Convention here at NorthPark. As a result, MSYC will be using the Celebration Center for their closing worship service Sunday morning from 10:00 to 11:15 AM which will overlap with our regularly scheduled Children’s Ministry and adult worship. Pastor Amy has made the necessary adjustments to Kid’s Connection and we ask that you be mindful of this change as you move about the building.

The Search Team is beginning to have some initial conversations with individuals interested in the position of Lead Pastor here at NorthPark. They are calling the church family to a Day of Prayer on Saturday, April 10th from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. The idea is a prayer vigil with 30 minute increments for individuals or families to sign-up to pray for the search process and our next Lead Pastor. There will be a prayer guide to unify our prayer focus and an area set up in the church building or you can pray remotely. We would like to see every timeslot filled for continuous prayer and welcome multiple sign-ups for any timeslots.

I have decided to host a brief Sonrise Service on Easter Sunday, April 4th at the gazebo in the Forest Lawn Cemetery. It will be a simple service beginning at 6:15 am with some Scripture and comments followed by a period of reflective silence as we watch the sunrise and conclude with a time of group prayer. “Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb.” (Mark 16:2)
 
Baptsim Sunday, April 11th: Baptism is a significant event in the life of every believer. The Apostle Paul explains it in Romans 6:1-4 as our identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. It is a defining moment when we die to sin, bury that old person, and resurrect to live a new kind of life. If you, your child, or grandchild are interested in learning more about this important and life changing opportunity please contact Pastor Amy, Pastor Justin, or me. On Palm Sunday, March 28th, Pastor Amy will be offering a 20-minute presentation called JUMP START immediately after morning worship where parents/grandparents and kids learn what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Jump Start is designed to help families have those meaningful conversations about faith and obedience. At 9:00 AM that same day, I will be hosting a BAPTISM CLASS in the Chapel for any adult who is curious or considering this important step of faith.

As I wrote back on January 23: “Several have asked about our plans to resume the in-person Sunday School hour. Due to the smaller classrooms and the need for social distancing we, the Governance Board and I, do not think it is prudent to resume in-person at this time. We think it wise to wait for a drop in the number of cases and allow time for the vaccine to be more widely administered. We are hopeful this will occur by mid to late April and will definitely keep you updated.” Well, with the increase in vaccinations and the decrease in COVID cases and hospitalizations, along with the lifting of the mask mandate by Governor Reeves, we may be getting closer to resuming in-person Sunday School classes here at NorthPark. We don’t want to be naïve or reckless but if things continue to move in this positive direction, we are hoping to resume a full Sunday School hour on Sunday, April 18th. There are several things we need to do in preparation for this to happen. FIRST, we need to continue to pray for wisdom, patience, and protection as we begin to add more activities and gatherings. SECOND, we need more volunteers serving in our Children’s Ministry to create a warm atmosphere and maintain a safe environment. THIRD, we need to maintain some basic safety protocols like social distancing and masks when in close proximity to others in order to minimize risks and maximize confidence.

History of NorthPark: History provides context for the present and inspires hope for the future. It can be written down for others to read, recorded for others to watch/listen to, or relived for others to experience. On Sunday evening, April 25th we are planning to conduct a History Night here at NorthPark to celebrate the blessings and acknowledges our losses over the last 65 years. It will be an interactive experience for all ages fostering generational integrity as we learn about our legacy and dream about our potential. We will be gathering in the Celebration Center at 6:00 pm around tables of 6-8 people for directed conversations. As we proceed through the evening there will opportunities for people to post their memories on large sheets of butcher paper placed around the room representing the 8 decades, 1950s through 2020s, of NorthPark’s history. We hope to include some kind of meal option but will be following the appropriate COVID safety measures. Childcare for nursery and preschoolers will be available and there will be activities for elementary students. It will be an incredible experience you won’t want to miss.

For His Glory,  Pastor Greg

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