V O L U M N 6 7, I S S U E 2. Feb 4 Psalm 147:1-11 Mark 1: Feb 11 2 Kings 2:1-12. Mark 9:2-9. Joel 2:1-2, Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18

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1 Northlawn United Methodist Church 1157 Northlawn Street N.E. Grand Rapids, MI Phone: Fax: (616) Northlawnumc.org SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST The Lamplighter V O L U M N 6 7, I S S U E 2 F E B R U A R Y, February Worship North End Wellness News EnhanceFitness Classes Potluck on February 4 Singing Valentines I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E : Pastor s Pondering 2 Calendar 3 Admin Team 4 NECM News/Needs 5 Volunteer List/ Birthdays 6 Silver Seniors 7 Feb 4 Psalm 147:1-11 Mark 1:29-39 Feb 11 2 Kings 2:1-12 Wed. Feb 14 7pm Ash Wednesday Mark 9:2-9 Joel 2:1-2, Matthew 6:1-6, Feb 18 Deuteronomy 8:1-5, Mark 1:9-13 Feb 25 Psalm 63:1-8 Luke 4:1-13 Avoiding Black Holes Transfiguration Sunday A Secret Journey A Spirit-Led Journey A Simple Journey Adult Sunday School Clatter Offerings 7 ReNew Gathering 10

2 P A G E 2 Pastor s Pondering "We are to continually be transformed into Christ-likeness by the Holy Spirit working within us." 2 Corinthians 3:18 (translation by John Ortberg) We are in transition, individually and as a congregation. This is a result of the fact that I will be your pastor only until June 30th and your pastor after June 30th has not yet been discerned by Bishop David Bard and the Michigan Area Cabinet. Transitions can be defined as the process of changing from one condition or state to another - something is ending while what is beginning is not yet known. Change is the fuel for transitions. Most of us do not like change which is why transitions usually are hard places for us to be. In the Bible we find numerous examples of men and women who have unexpectedly discovered God waiting for them in the transition times of their lives. Moses and the burning bush, Elijah on Mount Horeb, and Mary Magdalene at Jesus tomb on Easter morning are but a few examples. It seems that God knows our spirits are more open to encountering God during transitions, whether we are consciously aware of it or not. As you journey through this season of transition I encourage you be open in new and creative ways to discovering God waiting for you in the midst of your journey: pray, serve, worship, journal, witness, read Scripture and love others in ways that are new to you. Try asking new questions. How is God getting my attention? What relationships and emotions am I avoiding and/or clinging to? Are there questions or answers from God that I cannot hear because I do not want to hear them? It is helpful for us to be continually reminding ourselves that God is always in the process of transforming us to be more Christ-like (see 2 Cor 3:18). Which, no matter how difficult it may seem, is how we become the person God created us to be so that we can become the church which transforms the world into God s Kingdom. May each of us unexpectedly discover over and over again, God waiting for us as we journey through this time of transition. May we become more and more the church that boldly reaches our community with Christ s love. Grace, Pastor Tim T H E L A M P L I G H T E R

3 P A G E 3 February 2018 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat :30 pm Yarn/purpose 4 Potluck & games following Sunday School :00 am Bible Study 7 Bell Choir 8 SPRC 6:30 pm Yarn w/ purpose 9 10 It s up to us to keep our hearts 11 12:00 pm Congregational Care 3:00 pm Vista Springs 4:30 pm Sing to Shutins 12 6:30 WON Circle 13 10:00 am Bible Study Trustees 14 Bell Choir 7:00 pm Ash Wed. Service 15 Finance Team 6:30 pm Yarn w/ purpose :00 pm Admin Team 9-2:00 pm Pastor Tim VCI Peer Mentoring Grp 10:00 am Bible Study Bell Choir 6:30 pm Yarn w/ purpose :00 am Bible Study 28 Bell Choir

4 V O L U M N 6 7, I S S U E 2 Northlawn United Methodist Church 2017 Leadership Team P A G E 4 Administrative Team Chairperson... Phil VanHammen Finance Chairperson... Diane Ludwig SPRC Chairperson... Judy VanLente Trustee Chairperson... Jerry Lachniet Lay Member to Annual Conference... Women of Northlawn President...Ruth VanValkenburg Worship Team... Jan Jager Education Team... Congregational Care... John Secord VCI Team... Phil VanHammen Large... Alan Claybaugh Worship... Jan Jager Congregational Care... John Secord Administrative Team Rep.... Jerry Lachniet CHURCH CALENDAR ALL MINISTRY LEADERS...In order to ensure clear and concise communication, please make sure all meetings/ events are on the calendar in the office. Newsletter Deadline Help Earn Money for the Church! Deadline for The Lamplighter Newsletter is the 17th of the previous month. All articles must be received by this date or they may not be included. You may your articles to Sharon@northlawnumc.org or leave them in her mail slot. Thank you. If you use the internet for any type of search, you can use GoodSearch and a donation will be made to the church for every search and purchase you make over the internet. All proceeds go toward the mortgage principle. Here s all you need to do: Go to goodserarch.com/nonprofit/ Northlawn-united- Methodist.aspx. Click REGISTER NOW and begin raising money for Northlawn every time you search, or shop on line!

5 P A G E 5 Food Needs at NECM Canned Meats Canned Soups Spaghetti Sauce Boxed Potatoes Canned Vegetables Canned Fruits Instant Jello or Pudding Salad Dressings Ramen Noodles Instant Powdered Milk Peanut Butter Snack Items: Granola Bars, Crackers, Chips, etc. Desserts-Baking Mixes: Cake, Brownies, Cookies Boxed Mac & Cheese Pasta Fruit Juice Cereal Condiments Personal Care Items Rice Beans NECM Executive Director s Report NECM has been incredibly busy signing up clients for Holiday Baskets and delivering them. Donors came forward to fulfill every one of our baskets. NECM is grateful for all of the generosity and support in making many people s lives a little brighter for the holidays through all the Holiday Food Baskets and Gift Card Donations!! I applied for 2 grants and am awaiting the results. NECM raised $545 from the Younker s Community Day Event, selling 109 coupon books before and during the event. NECM will receive Meijer Simply Give cards from both Plainfield and Knapp Corner Meijer. The Simply Give Cards are an incredible blessing in keeping our food pantries well stocked! NECM is grateful for all of the donors and Meijer for facilitating this awesome campaign!! North(East) Pole again made it possible for many parents and grandparents to select gifts for their children/grandchildren by purchasing them at 10% of the retail value of the donated gift. A big thank you to all who donated to the cause!! As a small token of NECM s appreciation, volunteers were invited to celebrate their time, talent and dedication at a luncheon in early October. Food, games, fun, and laughter were enjoyed by all! A gift was given in honor of each volunteer toward the relief efforts of Hurricane Irma in lieu of an appreciation gift. Kalsbeek/Huizenga/VanReken dormitories at Calvin College have adopted NECM once again this year and held a Live/Silent Auction to benefit NECM in late November. Periodically students also come in to volunteer through our NE Supper House Program. THANK YOU, Calvin students! Great work! A Christmas Carol Sing-Along took place at Oakview Community Church in early December, with proceeds from the offering benefitting NECM! Laura L. Castle T H E L A M P L I G H T E R

6 V O L U M N 6 7, I S S U E 2 P A G E 6 FEBRIARU VOLUNTEER LIST Liturgists 4 Emmanuel Joshua 11 Paula Wright 18 Hilda Russell 25 Chris Longstreth Coffee Fellowship 4 Potluck 11 The Joshuas 18 Doris Black 25 The Russells Greeters Chuck & Rose Dennis Connection Corner If you would like to serve at Connection Corner, please sign up at Connection Corner. There are many opportunities to serve in February. Please sign up at Connection Corner. These are important ministries here at Northlawn. FEBRUARY BIRTHDAYS & ANNIVERSARIES BIRTHDAYS 6 Carmen Bazan 13 Michael Roth 18 Doris Black 21 Sarah Diebold 21 Jody Hamilton 22 Clare Loveless 23 Don Hamilton ANNIVERSARIES No anniversaries in February Each day is a gift from God. Keep These People in Your Prayers Bishop David A. Bard G.R. District Superintendent, Rev. Bill Haggard Pastor Tim Pastor Jan Marcia Loveless RuthAnn Buschert Sharon Longstreth & Family Patty Powell Dee Roberts Theresa Gorter-Hoff Sue Smith Family of Floy Boelens Wanda Tahaney Pastor Jan Sharon Sumner & Family Nothing is too great, and nothing is too small to commit into the hands of the Lord. --A.W. Pink

7 P A G E 7 SILVER SENIORS! Silver Seniors will not be meeting in February. Watch for information for our March gathering. If you have any questions, contact Lee Grey, ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS (men and women) following coffee fellowship. Come join us in Room Each week we will study a different word or phrase from Scripture, determined by the class the week before. This will give us a week to look up scripture and study it so we can discuss it in class) Clatter Offerings January - - Streetlight Ministries $ February - - Ronald McDonald House March - - Church Camp Fund April - - Kids Food Basket May - - Equine Horse Barn Fire, Lowell June - DeGage July - - In The Image (shoes) August - - Catherine s Health Center September - - Forgotten Man Mission October - - Veteran s Home November - - NECM Christmas Store December - -Methodist Community House $2, Kohl s gave us $ from the Craft Show/five Of their employees came to help. We bought items from the wish list of St. John s Home $3, WON Circle thanks all of the people who Help with this mission each month. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We want to thank each one of you who helped to make the Christmas Eve Emergency Personnel Dinner such a success. Our church family is so generous! The weather was nasty, but still we had 23 Emergency Workers show up. There were so many delicious dishes to choose from, and the police officers, firefighters, and EMTs took to-go boxes filled with good food to help them make it through the night. (Many of those attending told us that they looked forward to our Christmas Eve Dinner each year and thanked us for thinking of them.) Northlawn served them and they won t soon forget the love they saw in action. So to those of you who contributed food: Thank you! To those of you who contributed money: Thank you! And, to ALL of you who prayed that God be glorified through this dinner: Thank you! Ron & Marti VanHorn T H E L A M P L I G H T E R

8 North End Wellness News Healthy Living in Northern Grand Rapids January February, 2018 Gentle Yoga Gentle Yoga at St. Andrew s Episcopal Church is back by popular demand! Highly trained instructors lead classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays at St Andrew s (1025 Three Mile Rd NE) from 6-7pm starting Feb 6. Instruction is individualized for your needs and is at the lowest price in town a recommended $5 donation. Stretch and find peace in this loving atmosphere. Free Community Dinners at North Park Presbyterian Church North Park Presbyterian Church invites everyone to our free community dinners on the fourth Saturday of the month (Jan 27, Feb 24, March 24) from 4:30-6pm. Join us for good food and good company at 500 North Park St. NE. Our menu varies, so please call our church office at (616) for menu details and any other questions. East Smart, Live Strong Join St. Alphonsus Young at Heart group for an upcoming cooking education and demonstration class! MSU Extension will host Eat Smart, Live Strong at St. Alphonsus Parish Center cafeteria (224 Carrier NE) on Feb 21, 28, March 7, and 14 from 10:30am-12pm. Eat Smart, Live Strong is a fun, social and interactive 4-part class designed to improve fruit and vegetable consumption and physical activity among adult's age 55 and older. Throughout the sessions participants will gain the skills needed to promote healthy behavior changes to improve their overall health and wellbeing. Short cooking demonstrations will be provided at each class. Participants must register by January 19th by calling (616) or ing Virginia at vscholten18@gmail.com. Spots are limited! Glaucoma Awareness Event January is Glaucoma Awareness Month and physicians and technicians at Metro Health University of Michigan Health Ophthalmology are offering a low cost screening event to test vision and eye pressure. ($5 per person). The event will be on Tuesday, Jan 30 at the Metro Health Conference Center (2225 Main St in Wyoming) from 6-7:30pm for $5 per person. Glaucoma is a group of eye disorders that lead to progressive damage to the optic nerve. People with glaucoma can lose nerve tissue, which can lead to vision loss. Risk factors for glaucoma include age, race, family history, physical injuries to the eye among others. Registration is not required but strongly suggested. Please call (616) or visit metrohealth.net with questions or to register. Community Yoga Whether you are looking to build strength or relax after a long day, this class is for you! Join instructor Nick for this one hour vinyasa, or flowing, yoga class at Fourth Reformed Church. Classes consist of standing poses to build heat, and seated postures to stretch and unwind. Each class is $5. You can bring your own mat or borrow one. Classes are on Wednesdays at 6:45pm at 1226 Union Ave NE. For more information contact Nick at (616) or nick@yogabreakgr.com. Stretch & Flex Class Come for exercise and fellowship with instructor Mary Greer every Monday and Wednesday from 9-10am at North Park Presbyterian Church (500 North Park St NE). All levels of ability are welcome any needed equipment is available for your use. Focus is on play, laughter, deep breathing and gentle movement to encourage flexibility. The class is drop -in only, meaning no registration is required, and costs $2 per session.

9 Fire Safety The Grand Rapids Fire Department wants you to be safe in your own home! The Residential Safety Program is designed to reduce the number and severity of fires in Grand Rapids, and offers the following: Free in-home fire safety assessments Free smoke alarm upgrades and installations One-on-one fire safety consultations specific to the residence A connection with our partners to assist with fire safety issues Rentals do not qualify at this time. Homeowners can ensure their safety by scheduling an appointment. Contact the GRFD at 311. Nurturing Families Research shows that children who receive affection and nurture from their caregivers have the best opportunity for healthy development. Join this free five-week series from MSU Extension to learn what nurturing is and how to be a nurturing parents, how to enhance positive relationships with children, methods to handle stress and anger, and much more. Classes are hosted at MSU Extension (775 Ball Ave NE). Register by calling Georgina at Upcoming series dates: Jan 8, 15, 22, 29, Feb 5 Feb 12, 19, 26, March 5, 12 March 19, 26, April 2, 9 What is the North End Wellness Coalition? We are a group of individuals, churches, non-profits and community organizations who meet regularly to promote health and wellness within the Creston and Belknap neighborhoods. We share resources, learn together, and work to make the North End the healthiest it can be. Join us! We meet on the third Thursday of every month from 9:30-10:45am in the Creston Neighborhood Association s community room (205 Carrier NE). Please contact Jess E. at (616) ext. 204 or jeglinton@catherineshc.org for more information. North End Wellness Volunteer Opportunities One way to practice wellness is to give back to your community. If you find yourself with spare time, skills, and a willingness to help out, please check out the volunteer opportunities below! New City Neighbors: Volunteer as a tutor with New City Afterschool! Work one-on-one with a student or in a small group. Come alongside students as they complete homework and engage in academic activities. Help them stay on track with their education. Opportunities are available on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4-5pm. For more information contact Holly Hetherington, Program Director at hollyh@newcityneighbors.org. POTLUCK SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 4 Please join us for a potluck and games after Worship on Sunday, February 4th. Bring a dish to pass and your appetite. If you have a game to share, please bring that along too. Drinks will be provided. See you there! JOIN US IN SINGING VALENTINE SONGS TO OUR SHUT-INS We will be singing Valentine songs to our shut-ins on Sunday, February 11 at 4:30 pm. They love hearing from us so let s make it a grand expression of God s love. Let s gather in Room at 4:15. MEMBERSHIP EXPLORATION CLASS If you are interested in becoming a member of Northlawn United Methodist Church please contact Pastor Tim. He can be reached at pastortim@northlawnumc.org, (616) or in person.

10 Thank You Thank you very much to those who have sent cards, prayed for me, given me gifts and flowers. They are so appreciated. Dee Roberts RE-NEW GATHERING Thursday, March 1, :00 pm Reslife Church 5100 Ivanrest Ave. SW, Grand Rapids A POWERFUL NIGHT OF INSPIRATION/PRAYER/WORSHIP/UNITY God is doing something powerful in West Michigan. He s unifying the Church, opening new doors for outreach, and mobilizing believers in exhilarating new ways. And it all culminates this summer with CityFest with Luis and Andrew Palau. As we prepare for CityFest, we re excited to come together for a special night of inspiration, prayer, worship, and unity. Join with international evangelist Luis Palau, his son Andrew Palau, and musical guest Phil Wickham for this important and strategic night. It s an opportunity for the entire Body of Christ to hear God s voice and prepare our hearts for a mighty move of the Holy Spirit in our region. Reserve your FREE ticket: Thank you from NECM Dear Friends of NECM:.I would like to express our gratitude and appreciation for your generous donation to benefit our ministry. We are constantly reminded that without the generosity and ongoing commitment from individuals, our supporting churches, schools, and other organizations, we would be unable to continue to remain a beacon of hope for many in the northeast community. Again, thank you for your support of our ministry! (74 bags and 15 boxes of food from 10/5/17 to 1/3/18) In Christ, Laura L. Castle/Executive Director

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12 V O L U M N 6 7, I S S U E 2 P A G E 12 Women of Northlawn received $500 from Kohl s for having 5 of Kohl s employees help for 2 hours at the Craft Show on November 4. Kohl s requirement was that the money be spent on KIDS. St. John s has 10 kids living in each of their houses on campus on Knapp St. N.E. The following is what Women of Northlawn purchased with that $500. Vacuum cleaner Pots and pans (set) Silverware for 16 Cookie sheets and other baking items Kitchen towels and wash cloths Towel and wash cloth sets (bath) Sheet sets and pillows They were so grateful to receive these items. All were on their wish list. If you have any questions, please call Ruth VanValkenburg or Sue Cleveland. To My Friends at Northlawn Thank you so much for the beautiful Christmas plant that Don and Linda Hamilton delivered to me and the nice visit I had with them. I would also like to say thanks for the nice Christmas card with all my friend s names on it. God s blessings to all, Betty Finkbeiner

13 V O L U M N 6 7, I S S U E 2 P A G E 13 Northlawn United Methodist Church 1157 Northlawn Street N.E. Grand Rapids, MI Phone: Fax: (616) office@northlawnumc.org MISSION - Why We Are Here: Making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.