February 6, 2020 | Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
The Lie and The Truth:
The World's Wisdom and the Beatitudes
Northminster Family,

On Sunday, the text was the Beatitudes of Jesus, which is what Dallas Willard calls one of “the literary and religious treasure of the human race.” We walked through how this masterpiece is really best understood when put up against the conventional wisdom it seeks to critique. When the voice of the ego (the stories we tell ourselves that cover up the Divine nature within us, what Paul calls “the flesh” or Jesus called “the world”) is put up against the voice of the Holy Spirit (the inherited piece of God’s image within us, or what Paul called “the mind of Christ”), then the shape of both are seen more clearly and the lies of the ego are exposed.


Your ego says: Blessed are those with a  strong  spirit,
for they can obtain heaven.

But the truth is: Blessed are the  poor  in spirit,
the Kingdom of Heaven is already theirs.

Your ego says: Blessed are those who  avoid suffering ,
for they will be okay.

But the truth is: Blessed are those who  mourn ,
for they are the only ones who will find consolation.

Your ego says: Blessed are  those who dominate ,
for they will own the earth.

But the truth is: Blessed are the  meek ,
for they will inherit the earth.

Your ego says: Blessed are those who  satisfy  their hunger and thirst,
for they will be filled.

But the truth is: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst  for justice ,
because they will truly have their fill.

Your ego says: Blessed are those who  punish iniquity ,
for they will achieve justice.

But the truth is: Blessed are those who  show mercy  to others,
for they will be shown mercy.

Your ego says: Blessed are those whose  hands  are clean,
for they shall see God.

But the truth is: Blessed are those whose  hearts  are clean,
for they shall see God.

Your ego says: Blessed are  those who conquer evil ,
for you will be called children of God.

But the truth is: Blessed are  the peacemakers ,
for they will be recognized as children of God.

Your ego says: Blessed are those who  keep the approval of the people ,
for they know they are in the right.

But the truth is: Blessed are those who are  persecuted for their struggle for justice ,
the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
When people insult you and come after you and utter every kind of slander against you because of me…
then you’re in the company of the prophets and freedom fighters and holy women and men who came before you.
Be glad and rejoice in the Kingdom of Heaven.


Through the art of the beatitudes, may we become more aware of our own ego-patterns so that they may die and Christ may live in us.

Love and Grace for the Journey,
Zach
Prayers of the People
An opportunity to celebrate and pray alongside siblings in our community.
We pray alongside...

Samuel Boateng, whose father died of cancer this week in Ghana.

Josh and Brian Evans as Josh recovers from another back surgery.

Connie and Fred Rushing, as Connie recovers from surgery.

Charles Creech, who recently found out his beloved German Shepherd, Sasha, has a malignant tumor.


We celebrate alongside...

Kaylee Grassi (8th) and Pat Cohn (Cluck) (8th) as they celebrate their birthdays.

Ella Mayfield, Alex Bradley, and Anna Barnett , who got first place high school group in the category of political science at the regional social studies fair at ULM, and won the high school group project grand prize! Their project focused on the question: How is media affecting our presidential elections?
If you have concerns and celebrations you would like us to add to the newsletter, please call the church office or email office@northmin.org.
The Work of the People
How we are responding to the Spirit of Love
Northminster Advocates for Immigrants in Detention
In response to Christ’s call to serve the most vulnerable, Northminster church has recently begun a coordinated journey to learn how to minister to the needs of immigrants in detention at Richwood Correctional in the following ways:

While in detention...
  • Visiting at least 3 detainees, twice a month.
  • Writing at least 5 letters (one letter per person) per month.
  • Organizing and running seasonal book drives in coordination with Richwood
  • Correctional.
  • Coordinating and publicizing specific book requests from detainees.

Post Release...
  • Providing your schedule of availability to transport detainees following their release. This includes transportation to places such as a bus station, hotel, or host home.
  • Adding your home to a registry of places in which released detainees or their families (in town for visitation) may stay.

Fundraising...
  • Creating avenues for individuals to donate to detainee’s commissary accounts or contribute to other needs (i.e. purchasing prepaid mobile phones or clothes), and publicizing those needs monthly.
  • Coordinating a seasonal phone drive to collect old cell phones.

If you would like to partner with us in this work, please sign up on the "Work of the People" board in the hallway. If you would like more information, email Zach.
Vote for Northminster's February Movie Night

The stories we consume shape our perceptions of the world and the kinds of lives we ought to live. Cinema is perhaps the most popular and advanced mode of storytelling in history, shaping us whether we’re intentional about that or not. Let’s make a space to allow good stories to shape us together.

In observation of Black History Month, please go to the Work of the People board to vote on one of three films by black filmmakers, telling stories about different pieces of black experiences in the US. Vote for the film you’d like to see us watch and discuss together. Voting will be open through the morning of the 16th.
Chris and his girlfriend Rose go upstate to visit her parents for the weekend. At first, Chris reads the family's overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter's interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.

Nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor. Won Best Original Screenplay.(2017, R)

Ron Stallworth, an African American police officer from Colorado Springs, CO, successfully manages to infiltrate the local Ku Klux Klan branch with the help of a Jewish surrogate who eventually becomes its leader. Based on actual events.

Nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Supporting Actor, Best Original Score, Best Film Editing. Won Best Adapted Screenplay. (2018, R)

Filmmaker Ava DuVernay explores the history of racial inequality in the United States, focusing on the fact that the nation's prison s are disproportionately filled with African-Americans. In this thought-provoking documentary, scholars, activists and politicians analyze the criminalization of African Americans and the U.S. prison boom from 200,000 incarcerated in 1970 to over 2 million in 2016.

Nominated for Best Documentary Feature. (2016, TV-MA)

Winter Book Study Continues
This month we continue our study of Kate Bowler's Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I've Loved for our Winter Book Study. We'll gather on Wednesday nights at 5:30 to tackle this readable memoir of personal grief and the pain that bad theology can layer on top of it. Please note that the book deals with the author's experiences with cancer and with infertility, so if these are triggering subjects for you this may not be the best season for you to encounter this book.

Remaining Dates & Readings
February 12: Ch. 6-7
February 19: Ch. 8-9 (and appendices)

Feel free to join us for any or all of these gatherings.
Northminster Book Club: Tonight!
Educated, by Tara Westover
The Northminster Book Club is currently reading Educated by Tara Westover for our February 6 meeting.

Educated is the stunning memoir of a woman growing up in a fundamentalist, survivalist Mormon family in the mountains. It touches on unhealthy family dynamics, religious trauma, the power of shame, the importance of education and perspective, and the path to healing in a way that many of us can relate to, even if our circumstances have not been as extreme as those of the author.

If you haven't finished yet, go read! And then come join us for dinner and conversation tonight in the home of Mark Windham. Call the office or check your directory for the address!
February Mission Trunk:
GO CARE Community Health Center

GO CARE Community Health Center is a non-profit dedicated to comprehensive healthcare for everyone, with an emphasis on individuals who are low-income, medically underserved, and/or LGBTQ+. Needs include office supplies such as letter size copy paper, paper clips, binder clips, letter sized manila envelopes, inexpensive blue ballpoint pins (Bic Sticks), staples, and post-it notes.
Holy Ideas
How might we respond to the Spirit of Love?
The following are currently on the Holy Ideas board in the hallway. If you'd like to support an idea and help it become reality, be sure to stop by and sign your name to it. If you have questions, email the sponsor of the idea.

If the idea gets the support it needs (3 signatures) by the expiration date, the supporters will meet with the appropriate commission to clarify and refine the idea into a specific, time-limited plan.
Arts
No submissions at this time.
Education
No submissions at this time.
Missions
No submissions at this time.
Community
No submissions at this time.

For more opportunities to get involved, check the hallway table and bulletin boards.

If you'd like information on getting involved in leadership commissions or Sunday School groups, you can click here .

To support Northminster financially, you can click here or scan the QR code below.
Around Town
How can we be present in our community?
ULM VAPA PRESENTS:
The Music of André Thomas
On February 11 at 7:30pm in Brown Auditorium on the campus of ULM. composer André Thomas will join with the Bayou,MasterWorks Chorus , the ULM Concert Choir and the Mississippi State Chamber Singers and conduct several of his compositions. The concert is free. See Debi Chandler for tickets to the Conductor's Gala following the performance.
Art Show to Celebrate Black History Month at the NELA Delta African American Heritage Museum
On Saturday, February 15th from 3-5pm, the NELA Delta African American Heritage Museum will feature an exhibit of African wax prints on loan from the Mid-American Arts Alliance in MO. There will also be paintings by Bernard Menyweather, musical art by Karen Gant, and poetry by Jamie Mayes.

Adult admission is $10, admission for 11-18 year olds ia $5, and admission for children 10 years and under is free. Refreshments will be served. All proceeds go to the museum.
Over the Coming Week
Sunday 2/9
9am - Choir rehearsal
10am - Sunday School
10:45am - Musical Preludes
11am - Call to Worship

Wednesday 2/12
5:30pm - Winter Book Study
6:30pm - Choir rehearsal
Worship This Week
The text for this week is:
  • 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
  • Matthew 2:13-16

Sunday's sermon will be preached by
Claire Helton.
Upcoming
February
6th Northminster Book Club
16th NELA Food Bank meeting at 12:30pm
19th Final Winter Book Study meeting
20th Family Ministries Meeting 6pm
25th Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper
26th Ash Wednesday Service
March
7th Northminster Parents Dinner
4th Lent Book Study Begins
13th-14th Daughters of Eve Production Weekend
29th Movie Night
Ongoing
Daughters of Eve rehearsals: Feb. 8, 15, 22, 29
Lent Book Study: Mar. 4, 11, 18, 25, Apr. 1
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