Northstar Church: December, 2011
What A Year Its Been
Every year about this time I start thinking about how crazy it is that another year has come and gone. How is it that time can go by so fast? And it goes by especially fast now that I have kids.
So in reflection I just wanted to put down some of the highlights in Children’s Ministry this year. We have done some really fun stuff! And all glory to God that we were able to pull it off! 
We began last year uncertain of what would happen with our Jumpstart classroom. We were losing some faithful servants as teachers, our curriculum was no longer applicable, and we were uncertain how to manage having classes for the Elementary kids at 2 different services. Although it is still a work in progress, God has blessed us with some amazing new teachers and assistants, a wonderful new curriculum and a classroom to house it all at the high school.
We had two baby dedications in 2011. Eight families committed to raising their children God’s way with help from their Northstar family. We were so excited to see a baby boom in late Summer and Fall and began to recruit more workers for the Nursery! And they keep coming! More babies are due in 2012!
Over the summer we challenged our families to get to know their neighbors, coworkers and friends and invite them to a picnic at the end of the summer. The picnic at Hand in Hand park and our pool party at the Shawnee Pool were lots of fun.
We had a Northstar family night at Chick-fil-A and enjoyed some yummy food together in October. We also gathered at Sinkland Farms to watch some pumpkin flinging and pick one of our own. In November we collected over 106 boxes for Operation Christmas Child and in December we had a Family Fun Day and made edible nativities.
And in the midst of big events there were the most important things to remember of all: the parents who prayed over their babies, the mamas who asked God for wisdom as they taught their children at home, and the dads who dealt daily with ungodly coworkers in a godly way. The kids who made their teachers uncomfortable by telling other kids about Jesus and inviting friends to church. The boy who told his parents, “I am fantastic!” after learning Psalm 139:14. Or the girl who went home and washed her whole families’ feet after studying John 13. These are moments worth celebrating!
So tonight at the end of this 2011 year I am thankful to call you all family and to know that you are running beside me toward the same goal of bringing God glory! I hope it has been a wonderful year for you and I pray the best for your families in 2012!
Abundance at Christmas
At Christmas, we celebrate God’s abundant provision of love in Jesus Christ! Listen in as lead pastor Jeff Noble shares from Ephesians 1:7-10 about what God gave the world for Christmas.
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January worship schedule
Happy New Years! At Northstar Church, we think 2012 has great wonders ahead as we seek the Lord and make Him known to our community, state and world. We invite you along on this faith adventure with us!
Here’s our January schedule for worship services:
- January 1 – ONE service at 11:00 a.m. at the Baptist Collegiate Ministry building (click for map)
- January 8 – ONE morning service at 10:00 a.m. at Blacksburg High School; 6:00 p.m. service, same location
- January 15 - ONE morning service at 10:00 a.m. at Blacksburg High School; 6:00 p.m. service, same location
- January 22 – TWO morning services at 9:00 and 11:00, BHS; 6:00 p.m. service (back to normal school schedule)
Merry Christmas!
What a great year..
What an amazing year 2011 has been in our fellowship! Consider the following:
We grew from an average attendance of 275 (school year) to 350. Our high attendance Sunday was in September, when we had 472 in two services! We began a third service at 6:00 pm, and it has averaged 50 people. Some of the most exciting news this year has been the transformation we’ve seen in lives. So many have given their hearts in faith to Christ! We have rejoiced as they and others have expressed their faith in obedience through baptism. We’ve seen 39 people baptized in 2011!
Also this year, you as the church have traveled to Spain to minister with an unreached people group called the Basque. Northstar sent a team to a Christian camp in the wilds of Alaska to assist with renovations. Our small groups have been active as they’ve grown in number and influence. Our service teams have helped with local food closets and tornado cleanup. With all the activity, we’re pledged to keep the gospel of Christ central as we serve others. As we reflect on this past year, we’re overjoyed with all that Christ is doing in our midst!
We are humbled by the challenges that we feel God has given us for the days ahead. Some of them include planting a new church in southwest Virginia, mobilizing our people and resources to establish a ministry to an unreached people group, planning for future worship locations for our growing congregation, and calling new ministers on board our staff team to serve in vital areas of strategic ministry.
As we conclude the year, would you consider giving to the kingdom of Christ through Northstar both to wrap up this year and to prepare for next year?
You can mail in your gift Northstar Church, 403 Washington St SW, Blacksburg, VA 24060. You can also click the online giving graphic to make a donation through the internet.
Thank you so much for being a part of Northstar Church in 2011! We all are humbled by the great things God has done in His people. We are eager to follow our Lord as He calls us forward in 2012.
“And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.” 1 John 5:20
Merry Christmas!
Jeff Noble, Pastor
Announcing the Parent Partner ministry…
If you are the parent of a college or grad student in Blacksburg, we’d love to invite you to consider our Parent Partners ministry as an option for your involvement. One of our church’s great joys is our intentional ministry to students. They come in so many forms in Blacksburg – collegians (from three area colleges: VT, Radford and New River Valley Community College), graduate students (both master’s and doctoral), and medical school students. While the summers are relatively quiet, traffic swells and the energy level of the community vibrates with enthusiasm as August begins.
Ministry to students is a delight and a challenge. They arrive in Blacksburg with such high hopes for life, career and relationships. Unfortunately, many get sidetracked, and experience heartache, broken dreams and shallow friendships. It’s a formative and crucial time for these young adults. Some choose to abandon faith, while others embrace it for the first time.
Northstar is a people who want to not only ease this life transition, but we want to lead others to find their ultimate joy and fulfillment in a love relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ while they are here in Blacksburg.
Northstar loves students, and we’ve seen our church experience significant growth in the past two years as students have flocked to Northstar. They don’t just attend; they get intricately involved in ministry and service with us. We’ve grown from one Sunday worship service to three in the past year, and we are eager to keep providing ministry and discipleship for all those that the Lord brings to Northstar.
Our Parent Partner ministry is for parents of students who desire to assist our church in its ministry to their students and friends. It’s an opportunity for parents to contribute to our ongoing ministries and help reach our campuses and communities with the gospel of Christ, lead them to spiritual maturity and equip them for further ministry and service in our world.
Here are some advantages to being a Parent Partner:
- Confidence that your gift is assisting vibrant, biblical and strategic ministry to our campuses and communities.
- Regular updates on what God is doing through your students and our congregation in Blacksburg, the New River Valley and beyond.
- Opportunities to serve on our Parent Advisory Team that will assist us in communicating with other parents and plan strategic events for outreach to new families and students.
What next?
- Email us to let us know of your interest.
- Visit our online giving page and indicate your support through a one-time or regular gift to our church. (Make sure you memo your gift “Parent Partner.”)
- Share with us stories of how you’ve seen your student grow in his/her faith since they’ve been in Blacksburg.
Adjusting Our Prayers
In Luke 22:39-62, Jesus prayed and was betrayed. Learn about how our own prayers can be guided by faith instead of emotion and as a result resist the temptation to deny Christ.
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Small Groups coming!
Our next small group semester starts the week of January 22! Check out our small groups page in the days to come for new and updated group locations, times and offerings.
The Last Supper
From Luke 22:1-38, Jeff Noble teaches about Jesus’ last supper, which is now our Lord’s Supper. Learn about three attacks on faith: fear, love of money and pride that occur in the lives of the disciples and ours.
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Christiansburg Parade
Tonight is the night! If you missed the Blacksburg parade we really just feel a little sorry for you because it was so much fun! We had such a blast handing candy canes and playing music for the Blacksburg community, and I guess they enjoyed it to because Northstar Church took home top prize and won the float contest!
But wait, there is good news! Tonight we will be doing a repeat parade performance in Christiansburg! Do not make the same mistake twice, if you are part of Northstar and want to walk with us, meet as at the Hardees on Roanoke Street at 5:30p. The parade starts at 7:00pm, so if you just want to be in the crowd and support us come on out!
Worship Schedule
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