We invite you to worship with us through livestreaming at both our 9:00am contemporary service and our 11:00am traditional service at northwoodpc.org.
If you are new to Northwood, WELCOME! If you are interested in learning more about Northwood or wish to become a member, please visit our website or click on the "I'm New" link below to learn more about us and fill out the form and one of the pastors or staff members will get in touch with you.
If you are unable to participate in worship through livestreamimg, remember the services can be found and enjoyed anytime in the "archives" under "watch livestream" on the church website. We say this especially because with the large number of churches now exclusively livestreamimg services, providers are struggling to handle the volume on Sunday's.
If you have technical difficulties viewing the online services please view in the church livestreaming archives the next day as that is working well.You can call the church office and ask for help you if you are having trouble viewing. We encourage you to ask for help!
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The Church has temporarily suspended in-person worship until further notice in order to protect our most vulnerable populations.
Join us for our continued virtual programs.
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Sunday Sermon Livestreamed |
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Letter from the Pastor
A Series on Plans for Returning to
In-Person Worship at Northwood
Dear Members and Friends of Northwood,
As I have shared before the Session has adopted guidelines for us to use when we are able to return to in-person worship. While that time is not now, you can view the guidelines, by clicking on the "Guidelines" tab at the end of this letter. Let me assure you that one of the top priorities of our returning to in-person worship is that the sanctuary and all surfaces will be cleaned thoroughly for every worship service. Another obvious priority will be the required wearing of face masks and social distancing which we all have grown accustomed to doing everywhere we go. The Commission for in-Person Worship, (established by the Session), is working hard to implement these guidelines in their weekly meetings.
Volunteers are especially important for when we are able to return to in-person worship. You can view a “Request for Volunteers” notice also by clicking on a tab at the end of this letter.
If you have not notified the office about a new email and/or telephone number for you, please do so as soon as possible, so that our records are accurate and you that you receive our weekly mailings. We routinely find that we do not have the best contact information, especially email addresses, for a number of people.
As we know from our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, everyone is learning how to adapt. Even with our guidelines, which will likely change over time, perhaps from the survey we will ask you to complete as soon as possible.
Finally, when our congregation is able to resume in-person worship, please know that we will do so through a careful process of discussion and discernment, in the spirit of constant prayer. Again, I want to thank you to all who continue to make your financial gifts as we seek to be faithful to God and to one another and work through the challenges of this time in the life of our congregation and world
Your Pastor and Friend,
Chris
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A Discovering Northwood Class will be held in Room 4 on Sunday, March 21st from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM for those wishing to learn more about Northwood and consider church membership. (Even when we are not meeting for in-person worship, small groups have begun to meet practicing social distance and wearing masks). Please know you are welcome to attend if you have been visiting us online in worship. You may also join the class through Zoom by contacting Pastor Chris Curvin and letting him know of your interest with an email address for him to send you a link to the meeting.
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“Drive and Drop” for Beth-El
March 13th—10:00am-12:00pm
On Saturday, March 13th, the Mission and Outreach Ministry members will be accepting donations of face masks for the Beth-El farmworkers. Currently, the only face coverings for these workers are make shift bandanas. Any type of mask donation will be most welcome. We will also be taking donations of canned food, paper towels, toilet paper, baby diapers, wipes, napkins, long sleeve shirts, caps, head coverings and socks. The Mission and Outreach members will be masked and ready to accept your donations from 10:00 a.m. until noon at the church. All CDC protocols will be in place and there will be no need to exit your vehicle as this will be another "drive and drop" event. Donations can be dropped off at the church prior to this event from 9:00 to 1:00 Monday through Thursday prior to March 13th. If you would prefer to give on line, please follow the prompts and select Beth-El Mission. Thank you Northwood for your continued generosity.
The Mission and Outreach members will also be accepting all of those "aluminum can tabs", for the Shriners and "medicine bottles" for the Clearwater Free Clinic, that all of us have been collecting during our physical absence from church.
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Easter Lilies
You may want to honor someone with an Easter lily this year. You may order Easter lilies in memory or in honor of a loved one by dropping by the church office with a note attached to your payment of $9 for each lily ordered indicating the person(s) you wish to honor. You may also mail in your check but be sure to include a note indicating the names of your loved ones and whether it is in their memory or honor. If you pay on line for the lilies, in order to be sure their names are included, you will need to send an email to communications@northwoodpc.org with the names of your loved ones and whether it is in memory or honor. The lilies will be put in the church sanctuary whether we are meeting in person or if the services will be live streamed. Requests with payment are due no later than March 28, Palm Sunday.
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Brown Bag Bible Study
Livestream and Facebook Live
Thursday, March 4th at noon, Pastor Paul will continue the study of the New Testament letter written by the Apostle Paul to the Galatians. Join us as we study God's word seeking by God's grace to grow in faith, hope and love.
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The Window Newsletter Crew is in need of a few volunteers to help fold and assemble once a month. The group meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month at 9:00am in rooms 4 & 6 of the Christian Education building. If you’re interested, please contact Emily Cantin at communications@northwoodpc.org. |
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Kids’ Corner Preschool—Registration is OPEN
Registration is currently open for the 2021-2022 school year! We have openings in our 2’s, 3’s, and VPK. Please share the news! You may stop in the preschool office and pick up your registration forms. If you are interested in a tour of the school, please contact the school director, Laura Garcia at 727-723-7679 or email at schooldirector@northwoodpc.org.
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Important Calendar Information
Many meetings have gone to an online platform. However, if your team/committee wishes to meet in person (with physical distance and masks), please check the church calendar online at www.northwoodpc.org to be sure your event/meeting is still listed. Many meeting spaces have been expanded to meet physical distance requirements and a room previously reserved might have been reassigned to a group that has made a new request for in person meeting space.
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Each Sunday we will be worshiping online at both 9:00 & 11:00am. The Ignite contemporary service has a time of “prayers of joy and concerns” where people individually offer prayer requests. While worshiping via livestream we wanted to make that possible. If you have a "prayers, joys or concerns" request you would like lifted up at the 9:00am service, click the button below. Just remember that these prayer requests may be shared via livestream. If anything is private, do not submit it for sharing this way. We will share as many as the time permits.
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Wednesday Bible Study, led by Cindy Huffman
A study of the Book of Matthew meets every Wednesday at 7:00pm through Zoom. The study guide being used is The Immersion Bible Study: Matthew by J. Ellsworth Kalas. If you’d like to join the Wednesday Bible Study or need a study book, please email Cindy Huffman at lucindy1@aol.com and she will forward you the Zoom link. All are welcome!
Experiencing God Class, led by Vicki Krueger
If you’d like to join the Experiencing God class virtually via Zoom at 10:30am on Sunday mornings, please contact Vicki Krueger via email at vickilee33@aol.com and she will send you the meeting details each week.
Fresh Brewed
Fresh Brewed will meet on the first Friday of every month at 10:30am via Zoom. Our next meeting will be March 5th. The study book is titled “Deeply Rooted; Knowing Self, Growing in God” by Christopher Marcie.
Please contact Louise Mylin for a Zoom code and if you have any questions (727) 787-9868.
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Presbyterian Women are using a Bible study called “Into the Light: Finding Hope through Prayers of Lament” by P. Lynn Miller. This is a 9-month study on reclaiming the practice of lament through Biblical study. Study books are available for purchase. The study will be available through livestreaming only on the first Thursday of each month at 11:00 AM and will be led by Pastor Curvin. The next study will take place on Thursday, March 4th. Everyone is welcome to join us through livestreaming of the study! You may also check out the study through our website archive if you are unable to watch livestream. If you’d like more information or have any questions, please contact Cindy Huffman at lucindy1@aol.com
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Giving
Even when we can’t be together, your giving matters. We want to continue being the church in our community and to each and every one of you in the days ahead. Your continued faithfulness to the mission and ministry of Northwood through your giving is critical as the church’s expenses do not stop. Please commit to maintain your regular schedule of giving throughout this time by mailing your gift, dropping it off at the church office during business hours or using one of the online platforms below for giving electronically:
*Text NPCHURCH to 73256 and follow the prompts
*Click “Give” under the ChurchLife app menu options
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Per-Capita Apportionment
Every church shares in the administrative costs of the Presbytery, Synod and General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA) through the annual per capita assessment. Northwood's per-capita assessment is $32.20 per every active member and confirmed youth (communicant member). Please consider paying this administrative cost above and beyond your annual pledge/offering. You can contribute to the per-capita apportionment at any time during the year. To do so just write "per-capita" on the memo line of your check or mark an envelope accordingly. Thank you for your gift.
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Special $300 Tax Deduction
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, includes a temporary special $300 deduction designed for people who choose to take the standard deduction. This deduction lowers both adjusted gross income and taxable income for those making donations to organizations like Northwood and translates into tax savings for the donor. Be sure to consult your tax preparer to see how this new deduction might benefit you.
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You may be aware that some of our members, and even our church staff, have received scam emails, that appear to be from Pastor Chris and others by email. The emails scams of financial help often come in the request for you to purchase gift cards. Our pastors do NOT send these emails. This email scam is also happening to pastors in other churches across the nation at this point. Please know that your pastors and the church staff will never solicit any funds in this manner. Simply forward the message of such a request to the church office so that we can collect them for the police. It saddens us when anyone seeks to do harm but especially when they prey on the kindness and Christ-like hearts of our members. Be aware of scams by email and phone calls! |
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Revised Church Office Hours
The church office remains open with modifications to our hours and staffing model for the health and safety of all. For the time being, we will be open Monday-Thursday from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. and closed on Friday. Our staff will be alternating their days in the office and working from home on the others. The afternoon and Friday hours will be reserved for staff members who need/want to further limit their contact with others during this time. All staff members continue to be available via email or phone regardless of the office schedule.
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