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Help Us Welcome the Feirtags
We are very excited about the arrival of the Feirtag family later this month. They are hoping to arrive in Meridian on July 28th or 29th and will be staying with Julia’s family until their furniture arrives sometime between July 28th and August 6th. To help them navigate this “in between” time the Adult Sunday Morning Life Groups are providing a number of gift cards they can use for meals and other necessities. To help them settle in their new home we want to fill their pantry with the basics and other niceties. To contribute to this pantry fund you are asked to give online or use one of the NorthPark offering envelopes located in the seat pockets and write Feirtag Pantry on the outside. To give online go to www.northpark.church, click on Give in the menu bar, scroll down to Give Online and click on the Give Now button, fill in the information and select “Feirtag Pantry” from the Designation box, and then complete the transaction. We hope everyone can join us on Sunday, August 1st to welcome Pastor Jim and his family.
NorthPark is in a great place! God has prepared and placed you in this exciting season. Over the last eleven months, we have been on a fascinating journey. It began last fall with the Church Assessment conducted by New Church Specialties and the formation of our Transition Team to develop a Master Action Plan. In January, the Search Team was commissioned to identify the best possible candidate to be your next Lead Pastor. After numerous meetings & much prayer….Jim Feirtag was recommended to the Governance Board & Staff with unanimous approval and then to the entire Congregation with a 99.1% affirmative vote. As we wait for Pastor Jim to begin his ministry with us, we are in season of transition as we prepare to pass the baton of leadership from one generation to the next. I am 67 and Jim is 44. Twenty-three years is definitely a generational shift which I believe NorthPark needs and is ready for.
Every successful organization goes through changes and transitions. That’s true whether it’s a large or small church….whether it’s a family business or a publicly traded company. Consider a couple of significant transitions found in the New Testament.
John the Baptist was sent to prepare the hearts and lives of people for the long-promised Messiah. And when Jesus arrived on the scene John immediately recognized him and gladly deferred to his leadership with these words: “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
Timothy was one of Paul’s earliest converts and closest companions. On three occasions, Paul refers to him as his son or child in the faith. And in the two letters he wrote to Timothy, he charged him to preach the Word and continue the ministry entrusted to him.
Apollos was a contemporary of Paul. He was a native of Alexandria in Egypt who was discipled by Aquila & Priscilla in Ephesus. He was a young and eloquent speaker who taught the way of the Lord with accuracy & enthusiasm and he became Paul’s successor in the church at Corinth.
Picture a swimming medley race which consists of four different swimmers in one relay competition, each swimming one of four basic strokes. The backstroke is the first stage, and it is started with the swimmer in the water. The breaststroke is the second stage & the slowest style. The butterfly is the third stage and one of the most challenging strokes. The final stage is called freestyle where the swimmer uses the fastest stroke, usually the front crawl. Each swimmer has their own specialty or style…but they are all on the same team and have one common mission or objective. In much the same way…Jim’s leadership & preaching style are much different than mine. He is much more visionary and innovative than I am and much more spontaneous and creative in sermon delivery than me. We have different styles based on our age, life stage, personality, skills, & talents; but we are on the same team and have one common mission and objective which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20)
One of the defining moments of King David’s life came in his later years when he paved the way for his son, Solomon, to be his successful successor. David created a legacy by putting the nation of Israel in a position of continuing greatness without him. He admitted his own limitations and graciously accepted that it was not God’s will for him to build the Temple. (1 Chronicles 28:1-12) David recruited workers, collected materials, and gave generously; then He stepped aside at the appropriate time and in a healthy manner. (1 Chronicles 29:23-25)
My time here has been blessed and rewarding. Thank you for your acceptance and support! NorthPark has a great legacy! But I am absolutely convinced the best is yet to come!!
For His Glory, Pastor Greg
NorthPark is in a great place! God has prepared and placed you in this exciting season. Over the last eleven months, we have been on a fascinating journey. It began last fall with the Church Assessment conducted by New Church Specialties and the formation of our Transition Team to develop a Master Action Plan. In January, the Search Team was commissioned to identify the best possible candidate to be your next Lead Pastor. After numerous meetings & much prayer….Jim Feirtag was recommended to the Governance Board & Staff with unanimous approval and then to the entire Congregation with a 99.1% affirmative vote. As we wait for Pastor Jim to begin his ministry with us, we are in season of transition as we prepare to pass the baton of leadership from one generation to the next. I am 67 and Jim is 44. Twenty-three years is definitely a generational shift which I believe NorthPark needs and is ready for.
Every successful organization goes through changes and transitions. That’s true whether it’s a large or small church….whether it’s a family business or a publicly traded company. Consider a couple of significant transitions found in the New Testament.
John the Baptist was sent to prepare the hearts and lives of people for the long-promised Messiah. And when Jesus arrived on the scene John immediately recognized him and gladly deferred to his leadership with these words: “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
Timothy was one of Paul’s earliest converts and closest companions. On three occasions, Paul refers to him as his son or child in the faith. And in the two letters he wrote to Timothy, he charged him to preach the Word and continue the ministry entrusted to him.
Apollos was a contemporary of Paul. He was a native of Alexandria in Egypt who was discipled by Aquila & Priscilla in Ephesus. He was a young and eloquent speaker who taught the way of the Lord with accuracy & enthusiasm and he became Paul’s successor in the church at Corinth.
Picture a swimming medley race which consists of four different swimmers in one relay competition, each swimming one of four basic strokes. The backstroke is the first stage, and it is started with the swimmer in the water. The breaststroke is the second stage & the slowest style. The butterfly is the third stage and one of the most challenging strokes. The final stage is called freestyle where the swimmer uses the fastest stroke, usually the front crawl. Each swimmer has their own specialty or style…but they are all on the same team and have one common mission or objective. In much the same way…Jim’s leadership & preaching style are much different than mine. He is much more visionary and innovative than I am and much more spontaneous and creative in sermon delivery than me. We have different styles based on our age, life stage, personality, skills, & talents; but we are on the same team and have one common mission and objective which is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20)
One of the defining moments of King David’s life came in his later years when he paved the way for his son, Solomon, to be his successful successor. David created a legacy by putting the nation of Israel in a position of continuing greatness without him. He admitted his own limitations and graciously accepted that it was not God’s will for him to build the Temple. (1 Chronicles 28:1-12) David recruited workers, collected materials, and gave generously; then He stepped aside at the appropriate time and in a healthy manner. (1 Chronicles 29:23-25)
My time here has been blessed and rewarding. Thank you for your acceptance and support! NorthPark has a great legacy! But I am absolutely convinced the best is yet to come!!
For His Glory, Pastor Greg
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