Construction has begun on a long-awaited pavilion to serve a variety of NDBC activities. Construction firm Sugar Hill Outdoors broke ground Thursday, May 6, on the site, which is located on the south lawn of the church. Project completion is expected by May 31. Watch the Pinnacle for photos of construction progress.

Our church owes a debt of thanks to many who have made this dream project come to life, but special gratitude goes to JB Gilbert, Josh Mudd, and Don Janney for their guidance and persistence.

Come join your fellow NDBC members and friends for an evening full of fun and fellowship on Saturday, May 15. Chequered Blue, Atlanta’s own classic rock and blues band, will be playing on the sanctuary lawn from 5 to 7 pm. NDBC’s Dianne DaLee is the bass guitarist and backup vocalist for the group, and she will be joined by bandmates Terry Heinlein (drums and vocals), Mark Kowal (lead and rhythm guitar) Ramsey Mohandiss (lead and rhythm guitar and keys) and Corey Waller, saxophone, harmonica and vocals.

This will be an outdoor, BYOE (bring your own everything) event. Grab your family, friends, blankets, chairs, and picnic basket, and meet us on the lawn between 4:30 and 5:00 pm to set up your space. Enjoy a tasty King of Pops (our treat!) as we listen to the music. We look forward to seeing you there. In the meantime, please email Jackie Hardin with any questions about the event.

It was a joy to be back in worship with the people of Northside Drive Baptist Church this past Sunday, May 2. Some have observed that it will take time to become accustomed to being in one place focused for about an hour. We are used to having our iPhone or tablet in one hand while we partially pay attention to the big screen.

Deep focus and silence are the twin antidotes to the noisy collusion of chirping phones and social media updates. To sit, just to sit, in silence for a few minutes. To pray, just to pray, for a few minutes. To listen to Scripture, hymns, a sermon, for a few minutes. Give yourself grace for the way your mind wanders and jumps. Our brains were not designed for the powerful algorithms of Facebook and Google. Neural pathways are being rebuilt as we speak.

Patience with church and the ways of church will gift us all. Many elements of our shared life together will take some time to unfurl and return. For example, our traditional liturgy. Our liturgy is a bit bruised and uncertain, with the changes wrought by our yearlong sojourn on my iPad and then the balcony cameras. We are steadily journeying back home, introducing little things like the Morning Chimes and three Scripture readings.

Grace for the community called Northside Drive Baptist Church will gift us too. We are out of practice and in different stages of life and need. We invite all to join in this community and help us discern the future. If you have been disconnected this past year, overwhelmed by Zoom and children and school, you are not alone. We want to shower you with grace. If you have been isolated and alone and fearful, you are not alone. We want to shower you with grace. Whoever and wherever you are, there is grace for you. Help us practice grace.

These are the practices I am holding on to in this new period of the return: deep focus, silence, patience, and grace. Oh yes, I shouldn’t neglect love.

None of our practices would matter much without the deep and eternal love of God, from whom all love flows. We do church as a verb because God loves us, we love God, and we love neighbor. We limp along and practice the liturgy, the work of the people because we love the God who created people to worship this God of love.

We return to each other and to church knowing of God’s love, ever present, ever faithful.

Grace and peace,

Daniel Headrick, Associate Pastor

The goal of Sustainable Liberia is to counter hopelessness by creating sustainable communities through evangelism and discipleship, leadership development, education and job training, infrastructure development, and economic empowerment. Jessy writes in his most recent newsletter that much of their development work has been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis in the country, causing food insecurity issues including high prices and food scarcity. They are using their successful Community Gardens program as a food bank and to help individuals learn food preservation techniques. They have also expanded the gardens program, Tools for the Gardens, with a goal of establishing 100 new gardens for 100 families. A donation of $100 can provide a family of five with food, gardening tools, seeds, as well as, an income for a year. 

To learn more about Sustainable Liberia, you can read the most recent newsletter here. You can also donate through their website at www.SustainableLiberia.org. or send a check to Sustainable Liberia, P.O. Box 308 Decatur GA 30033. Every gift will make an impact.

Carson and Laura Foushee are Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Field Personnel to Japan and serve in partnership with the Japan Baptist Convention in local church and community leadership. NDBC supports their work through our Missions Committee. Here is the latest update on their work. Note that when you view the newsletter, you can subscribe for future updates.

This Sunday the Art & Soul class continues its study of the weekly lectionary scriptures. Our guide is the Feasting on the Word curriculum, and we invite you to read the participant's guide for prior study. Cathy Wooten will lead our discussion this Sunday.

Please join us at 9:00 a.m. via Zoom. We will conclude in time for driving to worship.

As we move back into our beautiful sanctuary for Sunday services, we would like to be able to enjoy beautiful, fresh flowers once again as we worship. If you are interested in donating flowers, please contact Will Mathews, via phone or email at will@northsidedrive.org. He can offer Sunday dates in need of arrangements. You can donate the flowers in honor, in thankfulness, or in memory of a person or a group. The cost is $100. Please let Will know if you plan to take the flowers with you after the service.

Virginia Gilbert, Flower Team Chair

Art and Soul Church School - This Sunday at 9:30 am via Zoom

Meeting ID: 824 8851 2109

Passcode: 936319

Sunday Morning Worship - 11:00 am live-stream via YouTube, a recording of which will be available for later viewing.

Wednesday Pastor's Morning Bible Study - 10:30 am via Zoom

Meeting ID: 250 663 1572

Passcode: 6789

You may make your donation via our website through this link or by mail to

3100 Northside Drive, N.W. Atlanta, GA 30305

Nick Bonner, Custodian

Melinda Clark, Organist

Daniel Headrick, Associate Pastor

Rose Hidlay, Business Manager

Andrea Johnson, Director of Children's Ministries

Will Mathews, Administrative Manager

Joleen Neel, Preschool Director

Mary Lou Swann, Director of Children's Choirs

David Vaughns, Custodian

Keith Walker, Director of Music Ministries