There are many exciting things happening in our life together. First, I hope you were able to read our Reopening Update. We look forward to gathering in the sanctuary again come May 9. Registration for all worship services is available on our website. More information about reopening can be found here.
This Sunday is Confirmation Sunday and we'll receive seven young people into membership in this church. We'll also ordain and install Easy Ezell as a deacon. It will be a joyful day in the life of this congregation! I hope you'll plan to join us.
With great anticipation,
Betsy
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Rev. Elizabeth Lyles Swetenburg will be
preaching a sermon titled Follow Me!
You're invited to read John 21 in preparation for Sunday.
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Confirmation Sunday
is this Sunday, May 2nd
Join us in celebrating the seven students who dared to journey through Confirmation during 2020-2021! They all passed their Session examination and now we get to celebrate them as they become the newest members of Northridge.
Our confirmands are Vivian Chauza, Grace Giles, Anna Nicholson, Zachary Scurria, Truman Scurria, Jane Treadway, and Lucia Wahl.
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Each Sunday at 10 AM we will offer an in-person outdoor worship service, including special activities for children. This is the same time as our livestreamed virtual service from the sanctuary, which we will continue to offer. You can register for this Sunday using the link below.
Registration is necessary for all Sunday morning, in-person worship opportunities. Masks and social distancing required.
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DEACONS OFFER HOME COMMUNION MAY 23 |
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HOME COMMUNION, a ministry of the Deacons, will resume on Sunday, May 23, and be offered each time communion occurs during the Sunday worship service.
If you are wanting to be served communion at home, please contact Barbara Rader.
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Northridge Kids at Outdoor Worship - A Pray-ground
The kids of Northridge are in for a treat at outdoor worship. There will be a developmentally appropriate, fun, and meaningful area to quietly play outside while simultaneously experiencing the worship service. In some faith formation circles, this is called a "pray-ground". This will consist of coloring stations, playdoh, sand, puzzles and more that will help keep little hands busy while they listen and learn about our worship service and the rituals that are a part of worship. Parents are encouraged to sit near the Northridge Kids area to keep an eye on their child and to allow for a natural flow in the worship service. Our childcare staff will be busy keeping things sanitized between kid usage to help prevent the spread of COVID, and are asked to keep a distance of six feet from the children to protect themselves and others. We are so excited to see and worship alongside our beloved and delightful Northridge Kids!
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NORTHRIDGE VBS
SAVE THE FRIDAY EVENING DATES
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Mark Your Calendars for
Northridge VBS 2021!
Compassion Camp:
Friday evenings in July
July 9, 16, and 23
from 5:30pm to 8:30pm
More details and
registration coming soon!
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Youth Mission Trip
Circle of Care Boys Ranch
in Gore, OK
June 27-July 3
Deposit of $75 per youth
is due on May 2.
for more information.
Payments are now accepted online for the deposits.
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Bible Study: Tuesdays - 7:30 a.m.
Studying the Scripture for each coming Sunday. Join us!
Meeting ID: 954 9571 6184
Passcode: 027540
The Wired Word: Wednesdays - 7 p.m.
Christianity and a current event - a group discussion.
Meeting ID: 837 1620 1906
Passcode: 681172
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"Praise God for This Holy Ground" |
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“Praise God for This Holy Ground”
Bryan Page
As you may know, I am a candidate for the doctor of pastoral music degree at Perkins School of Theology, SMU. Among the many wonderful aspects of this program is the opportunity for scholarly publication. Last fall, our professor and program coordinator Dr. C. Michael Hawn assigned everyone in the degree program a hymn to research—my hymn was “Praise God for This Holy Ground” by John Bell. We first sang this hymn at Northridge on August 2, 2020, and most recently on Sunday, April 18, 2021, during both online and outdoor worship.
I invite you to click here and read my article, published Thursday, April 29, 2021, on The United Methodist Church Discipleship Ministries website. It was published in a slightly varied form on February 9, 2021, on the Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology website, which requires a subscription for access.
Thank you to my Northridge family for supporting me in so many ways as I pursue this educational, vocational, and spiritual journey. I am grateful for this opportunity and I look forward to sharing what I learn and what I am doing with all of you. I especially want to thank my friend, reader, and editor, Marisu Fenton. Her comments and critique were invaluable, and I shudder to think what this article would have looked like without them!
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BOOKS! BOOKS! BOOKS!
Mission Committee will be leading a MAY BOOK DRIVE to collect new and used books for Presbyterian Children's Homes and Services, one of our long-time Mission Partners. The books will be given to children, youth, and parents who are on PCHAS campuses in Itasca and Waxahachie. Remember ... new or used books can be a shared treasure. SO ... before you run out to sell off the books you no longer want to keep, please consider sharing them through this Mission Committee May collection. Children's books are especially welcome. Stay tuned and thank you, Northridge!
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Mo-Ranch Women’s Conference - May 21-23
Women of Northridge – you are invited to attend the 2021 Women’s Conference at Mo-Ranch May 21-23. If you’ve been thinking of getting away – the Texas Hill Country is a great place to go! The Rev. Shannon Johnson Kershner, pastor of Fourth Presbyterian Church in Chicago, is this year’s keynote speaker. This isn’t her first time in Texas. She grew up in Waco where her father, the Rev. Jimmie Johnson, was pastor of First Presbyterian Church. If you think “that church sounds familiar,” it is because Emily Cox, our Director of Faith Formation, grew up in Waco where her family are members of First Presbyterian.
Presbyterian Women of Northridge made 16 reservations for the conference. You don’t have to be a regular among the perceptive women of the Morning Circle or among the curious Night Owl Women. All women in Northridge are part of Presbyterian Women.
Mo-Ranch is following CDC guidelines. As a result, dining hours will be extended to limit the number of people in the dining hall at one time. Likewise, special seating arrangements will be made for workshops, the keynote addresses and worship services.
For more information contact Sandy Barron.
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CAMP NORTHRIDGE - COMING JULY 5th |
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CAMP NORTHRIDGE
JULY 5-JULY 23
All Northridge families will be eligible to register one day early.
Exciting news for our church! We are hosting Camp Northridge, summer day camp for church members and neighborhood children ages 4-10. Camp will be held July 5-23. This will be an awesome opportunity for our church to welcome young children and families. Please help spread the word to young families. Click here for a list of weekly camp offerings.
Follow us @CampNorthridge on Facebook and Instagram. If you have questions you can email us at: CampNorthridge@gmail.com.
Laurie Bret, Director of Camp Northridge
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Camp Northridge is seeking high school age teens to apply for a job with our program. We offer real work experience and pay for young job seekers, ages 15 and older. All applicants will need to fill out an application, be interviewed and provide references for this job. We are giving the youth of Northridge first opportunity to apply. If your Northridge teen is interested have them contact Laurie Bret via email: CampNorthridge@gmail.com before May 3rd. We will accept applications after this date but will open application process to the general public on May 5th. We look forward to hearing from our fantastic young people of Northridge! |
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VIRTUAL COFFEE HOUR
at 11:00 AM
Be sure to join the Engagement and Connection Committee for a Zoom Coffee Hour, on Sunday after worship, from 11:00 to 11:45 am. This will be a good chance to visit with your Northridge friends and catch up on what is happening. So grab a cup of cocoa or coffee and visit with us for awhile.
Meeting ID: 874 5231 0584
Passcode: 758389
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Small Group Happenings at Northridge
We’re happy to announce that over 140 Northridgers are connecting and RE-connecting through our small group initiative. You’ve sat around the firepit or you’ve walked around the lake. You’ve shared some pizza, and you’ve shared some stories from our year apart. AND you’ve SEEN each other – in 3D – and connected in a way that is hard to achieve through a computer screen. Hopefully, you’ve also sensed the new energy rising at Northridge and have been able to imagine our bright future together.
If you’re interested in being a part of a Northridge small group, please contact Kim Shuler. And stay tuned for more fun Northridge Small Group happenings brought to you by the Engagement and Connection Committee!
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MINISTRIES of the DEACONS |
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Northridge Meal Train Volunteers
Do you like to cook? Or maybe you have been the recipient of a Northridge Meal Train in the past and want to pay it forward.
To participate in providing meals to Northridge members through the Northridge Meal Train, contact Laura Olivo.
Have a need for meals?
When you or your family member has a need for meals due to illness, the birth of a child, the death of a family member or other time of need, contact Laura Olivo.
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