NorthStar Community Church

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:04:26 PDT

As I sit on my cushion, typing on my mini laptop, letting my injury from a fall heal, my mind has been allowed much time to ponder. Sometimes when the Lord wants my attention He tends to stop me in my tracks for awhile. Due to my hyperactivity and OCD and other afflictions I have I guess this is necessary. I still don’t like it. I remember Beth Moore teaching one time that God told her she could bow her knees or He could break her legs. Better to bow. It could be I am just clumsy, either way I am fairly immobile.

I have been feeling very humbled and more aware of how fragile and uncertain life is. I am thankful for life. I love life and I love people. Especially my family. In my feeble state I have been reflecting on what God can do with me even though I not able to get up and physically run around doing my tasks. I am learning it isn’t all about doing but about being. I have realized over the last few days I have some more character adjustments I need to make. I am praying for wisdom and God’s help to change. Mostly attitude (heart) and control issues. I am not sure why I feel so overly responsible for everyone in my world. I guess that cliché is true. “Let Go and Let God“. Whew, that is hard. I always think He needs my help.  That is arrogant on my part. He wants me to a part of His work but He doesn’t need me, I need Him. We all need Him!

The main reason I began writing today is to share about becoming all God made us to be. It is more than just finding a purpose; instead becoming more like Him. It is so easy to get distracted. As you know we planted a church about 4 years ago. It has been hard with all the tasks to stay focused on my relationship with God. One of our statements is to become a fully devoted follower of Christ. That is my desire.

When we began it was hard to pick a name for the church. We felt led to the name NorthStar. I loved the name from the start. Some thought it was too astrological. New Age. It was a star that led the wise men to Jesus and stars have always been symbolic of directing people to something or someone. Then I learned the NorthStar is actually made up of 3 stars. Symbolic of the Trinity. So I just loved the name and the meaning. Our purpose is to lead people to Jesus so thus NorthStar was named.

Lately, I have been unsure about our name. Wondering if we made the right choice. It is hard to work with on publications and people aren’t sure what kind of people group we are. LOL. Anyway, I have been pondering over the name for several months. Letting my mind wander to cooler names. Cooler logos. Catchier names to attract people.

This morning this scripture jumped off the page at me. I just love it. I just love God. He is so funny the way He does things. Philippians 2:14-16 “Do everything without complaining or arguing so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like STARS in the universe--AS YOU HOLD OUT THE WORD OF LIFE” (emphasis mine). Wow, people reach people. Not names or logos.

As I have watched countless hours of TV this week I can tell you we live in a crooked and depraved generation. I have watched some crazy Christian TV also. As I read this scripture it spoke so much truth to me. We must become pure and blameless in doing our work for the Lord in the world. If we complain and argue and act like the world as we hold out the word of life it is a contradiction and the world will not reach for it. I am guilty of this very thing. We work so hard making our church services great. That is a good thing. It isn’t everything. To quote Henry Blackaby, “You can sit in a garage all day and you will not become a car.” Same with church. Being in the building doesn‘t make us a Christian. It helps us grow to become more like Christ if we know Him. If we don’t know him it is just another self help meeting.

We must shine like stars of the universe as we live our lives inside and outside the church walls. I love the night sky. I always have even as a child. It is so awesome to look up at the contrast of the blackness of the sky and the brightness of the twinkling stars. The different sizes and patterns are spectacular. All unique. They give us light, direction and also beauty. As a Christian in a dark world we can bring light, direction and beauty. Pure beauty and love that only comes from Christ. Be spectacular for Christ. Not a spectacle.

I love our name NorthStar. Be like a star in the universe. SHINE BRIGHT BROTHERS AND SISTERS! The world is watching. The world needs a Savior.

Lana

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Wed, 13 May 2009 12:51:23 PDT

HELP IS ON THE WAY!
Each summer Student groups from various churches take the time to go on mission. Throughout the years I have been blessed to lead groups to Florida, California, Arkansas, Texas and Mexico to help churches reach out and meet needs in their communities while sharing the Good News of Christ. God did so many great things through us and with us. Those churches were forever grateful for the lives that were changed and the needs that were met.

Our own Student ministry has done the same thing over the past 4 summers. They have gone out and met needs and shared the Good News of Jesus. They have been great helpers in various communities.

This year NorthStar Community Church is about to receive this kind of blessing! Actually the Columbus Baptist Association is going to be blessed!

200 Students from the Memphis area are coming to town the first week of July to do Acts of Kindness and conduct Back Yard Bible Clubs. Two groups of Students will be helping us and our own Students will be joining in ministry with them!

HOW CAN WE PREPARE?

The first thing we must do to prepare is PRAY!

Pray for...

Big Impact for the Kingdom of God - prospects discovered; children and parents coming to Christ; God adding to the church daily those who would be saved!
Our Students and the TN Students that God will prepare their hearts and bodies for service and then use them for His glory!
Ministry projects to do the Acts of Kindness
A home or apartment complex to conduct the Back Yard Bible Club

If you are interested in hosting a BYBC at your home or apartment please contact me ASAP! If you live in a neighborhood or apartment complex where there are lots of children, we need to talk this week so call me... one call... that's all!!!!!

If you have suggestions as to what and where to do our Acts of Kindness, I need to hear from you as well. One call... lol

The second thing we must do is PARTICIPATE!

We need people (you and me) to get involved in this great week of impact! The dates are July 6-9. The Acts of Kindness will be in the mornings and the Back Yard Bible Clubs will be in the afternoons. After supper the Students will gather at Calvary Baptist Church for worship!

My prayer is that the Lord will stir your heart to pray and participate in this big week of impact for the Kingdom!

You can sign up beginning today by emailing the church: northstarcc@bellsouth.net or write on your Connection Card in your Worship folder.

See you Sunday.

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 13:05:33 PDT

NEW STAFF MEMBER
On Sunday May 10 we will be introducing to you the Carter family - Troy, Jennifer, Eli & Ethan. Troy will be serving NorthStar part-time in our growing and dynamic Children and Preschool areas and he will be working closely with all our present leadership (and looking to recruit more). We are blessed to have them with us. Troy works at LifeWay and Jennifer is a nurse at Columbus Hospice. Pray for them as they join and serve the NorthStar family.

By the way, NorthStar is very blessed with all the volunteers who have helped create and grow ministries for all our children. We praise the Lord for their faithfulness and service! And there's more to come!

SWINE FLU
With the Swine Flu creeping around America and even in our area I wanted to give some thoughts concerning church attendance. If you or one of your family members is sick please, all of you stay home...God understands and so do we! There really is no need to share that blessing with everyone else! lol

No matter the sickness, let's not spread it around. Just use some common sense - wash your hands; cover your mouth if you cough or sneeze; wash your hands again; don't rub your nose, mouth or eyes; wash your hands again... I think you get the picture.

I am waiting for the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT that says to avoid all crowd situations, which would include Church. As of today, we are planning to have church this week, but we will also monitor the situation. Keep watch on the BLOG and your email Inbox for any updates. In the meantime, instead of handshakes, let's gently knuckle-punch!! Don't you just love "creative" fellowship?????

DESTINY
We continue our DESTINY teaching series this week with a very pivotal message on how God uses DELAY in our lives. I hope you don't miss it. You can find the other messages from this series on our web site or just click here for direct access.

Thanks also to Walter Johnson for doing a great job last week on Making Wise Decisions!

WEDNESDAY NIGHT SUMMER SCHEDULE
NorthStar will be the place to be on Wednesday nights this summer. Our children will be experiencing AWANA while the students and adults will be in the Worship Center. There will be awesome and powerful praying, music and Bible study. This will be the mid-week lift to help get you through the rest of your week!

I have been wanting to teach CLASS 201 Growing in Christ & CLASS 301 Serving Christ for some time. Our Wednesday worship time is ideal for these classes. Make this time a priority in your family's schedule. Just imagine a whole church going through discipleship together!!

Many of you have been wanting to advance in your spiritual life and here is a great opportunity for you.

TENNESSEE STUDENTS
A large group of teenagers from the Memphis area will be in Columbus the first week of July to serve the churches of our Association. I have requested a few of their teams to work with us and help us minister and reach out to our community. We could do all kinds of ministry projects, back yard Bible clubs, block parities, witnessing, Vacation Bible School, etc. We need your prayers as we zero in on what the Lord would have us do that week. This will be a great week of impact for Christ!

See you Sunday.

Pastor Joel

WELCOME!

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 19:13:42 PDT

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NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:30:24 PDT

LORD'S SUPPER
This Sunday we will celebrate the Lord's Supper! It is always a wonderful time of reflection of what Christ Jesus has done for us. He willingly laid down His life as a ransom for every man, woman, boy and girl. His body was broken and beaten. His blood was spilled on the ground and on the cross. Why? Because He loves you and me that much. His torture and death paid the penalty for our sins and purchased a place for us in Heaven for all who would accept it. It's free to us to accept, but let's not forget what it cost Him. Thank you Lord Jesus!

RELATIONSHIP RESCUE
This weekend we also wrap up our Relationship Rescue series. My prayer is that God has done a beautiful work in you and your marriage. Continue to practice the things He has taught us in the Word and make the much needed EFFORT to keep your marriage growing.

EGG HUNT
We have an egg hunt planned for Saturday April 11 at Lake Heath Park on Weems Road. The fun begins at 4 PM. We ask each family to provide one dozen candy filled eggs and you may drop those off at the church on Sunday morning, evening or Wednesday evening.

EASTER
We are a little over a week away from the greatest day in history - the resurrection of the Lord Jesus! Make sure you invite your friends and family to come to NorthStar and celebrate with you, especially those who are unchurched and who are unbelievers. It's going to be a great day!

DESTINY
On Easter I will begin a new teaching series called DESTINY: Pursuing My God-given Dreams. God has plans for you and He puts dreams in our lives to direct us to accomplish those plans. His plans are filled with purposes. Can you imagine that God wants to use you? He does and He will if we will pursue those dreams.

The necessary ingredient for the journey is FAITH. The Bible tells us that without faith it is impossible to please God. So we will learn the process God uses to build our faith to pursue and fulfill those dreams He gives us.

CLASS 101
Our membership class will be meeting at NorthStar on Sunday April 19 at 4 PM. If you have not made that next step to belong to NorthStar this is the class for you. In CLASS 101 you will find out everything you need to know about NCC to help you make a wise choice when it comes to belonging to a church.

GROWTH GROUPS & AWANA
Our Growth Groups and AWANA ministry will take a break the week of Easter but will resume again the following week. If you are not in a Growth Group you are missing the best opportunity to get connected at NorthStar. In our groups we grow spiritually, connect with other people and serve our church and community. Each group will begin new material when we resume so now is a good time to get involved.

SUMMER WEDNESDAY NIGHT SCHEDULE
The Foundation Team has planned a great Wednesday night schedule for June and July. More details will be coming soon. We are going to have a great summer at NorthStar!

See you Sunday as we celebrate the Lord's Supper.

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:13:07 PDT

EASTER IS COMING
Easter 2009 is almost here and we are looking forward to God doing some awesome things here at NorthStar on that day! That means we have lots of work to do before Easter arrives on April 12.

First and foremost we must pray and ask God to do an immeasurable work on that day. And as we pray let's ask Him specifically to help us invite people we know who need Jesus! Pray together in your Growth Groups for God's mighty power to be evident.

NEW TEACHING SERIES
On Easter Sunday I will begin a new teaching series called DESTINY and it's all about developing the faith we need to pursue God's dream for your life. What is that dream that God has placed in your heart? It's going to be a very timely series.

GROWTH GROUPS
We are right in the middle of the FIREPROOF study and we are seeing God at work in the lives of many people. The next study will begin the week after EASTER. I am previewing some really good material for those sessions.

By the way, if you aren't in a Group, a new study is always a good time to join in!

See you Sunday.

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 16:45:54 PST

GROUPS ARE ON THE MOVE
Our Growth Groups have gotten off to a great start! We have 7 Adult groups and 1 Student group meeting this semester and we praise the Lord for all He is doing in this area.

AWANA
We have also begun our new AWANA ministry for kids! We meet on Wednesday nights at 6:30 PM at the church. This ministry coincides with the Wednesday night Growth Groups and provides a great discipleship ministry for our children.

RELATIONSHIP RESCUE
This past Sunday we kicked off our new teaching series called RELATIONSHIP RESCUE: Finding the Lifeline of Hope and NorthStar is in the business of providing HOPE for marriages. Our society reflects the hopelessness people feel about marriage. Over 50% of marriages end in divorce each year. 65% of second marriages also end in divorce! Where is the hope?

You won't find the hope you need in society. You will only find the hope you need when you put God in the center of your marriage. Like a rope that has 3 braids, your marriage needs 3 components to make it: Your commitment to your spouse: Your spouse's commitment to you; God in the center holding it all together!

Don't miss an exciting weekend of RELATIONSHIP RESCUE. Bring some other friends along with you and find HOPE together.

BIG THANK YOU
Let's send out a big THANK YOU to all those who helped out on our Work Day a couple of weeks ago. Lights were moved, shades were hung, a new sound booth was constructed and a lot of cleaning and organizing was done. I was so blessed to see all who helped. THANKS again.

FIREPROOF MOVIE
The showing of FIREPROOF was a huge success with 91 people viewing the movie. And the overwhelming majority had never seen it before. Several of you brought friends! That is awesome!

Thanks to Sara Loftin for loaning us her popcorn popper and to Scotty Hill, our resident Popcorn Master! What a great night!

PARENT/CHILD DEDICATION
We have 6 little ones to dedicate this coming Sunday. As a church we have a responsibility to pray for and encourage parents and their children. It is a great privilege to stand in the gap for them.

We continue our teaching series this week. I look forward to seeing you Sunday morning.

Pastor Joel

CHURCH SOFTBALL TEAM

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:09:33 PST

It's that time of year again to dust off the old softball glove and get ready for another great season of church softball!! Coach James Napier is ready to lead our team to many victories this year! GO STARS!!

Contact Coach Napier here to get yourself signed up!

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:14:48 PST

WORSHIP WONDERS
Sunday's worship time was indescribable! We were blessed to have the worship team from For All Nations church in our service observing how we worship at NorthStar! That wonderful group of folks absolutely enhanced our worship!

Chase and Amanda were on fire and this place was doing some big time praisin'!! Amanda said she was so proud of NorthStar for really getting into the worship this week. I am proud of you as well. Sunday was a great time together.

With anticipation we look ahead to this week's worship time believing that God is going to continue His awesome movement in and through us. We must not come this week thinking we can recreate last week's experience. That's a recipe for staleness. Never try to recreate a movement from God.

Instead we must anticipate the fresh movement of God upon our lives to give us what we need for the coming week ahead, just like He refreshed us this past Sunday to give us the spiritual boost for our present week! GO GOD!

CHURCH CALENDAR
Check out the calendar on the church website to see the events and activities planned for February. You can even view the details and click on the calendar icon to automatically sync up with your Outlook calendar!

PRAYER GATHERING
We have two more Prayer Gatherings scheduled for the first 2 Wednesdays of February. I hope you will take the time to participate in this very rewarding ministry. We have been seeing God on the move as a result of our praying together as a church family and I don't want you to miss out! We start at 7 PM.

CLASS 101
Our membership class meets on Sunday night February 8 and if you have not made NorthStar your "official" church home then CLASS 101 is just for you. I look forward to seeing you there.

WORK DAY
We have scheduled a Work Day for Sunday February 15 beginning at 2 PM. There is lots to do in preparing for our upcoming teaching series RELATIONSHIP RESCUE!

RELATIONSHIP RESCUE
Our new teaching series begins Sunday February 22 and many of you have been inviting your friends to attend this great and intense series on marriage. I am so proud of you. Keep up the good work.

That night we will be showing FIREPROOF the movie free of charge for you and your friends.

CHILDCARE NEEDED
We will need to provide childcare that evening for kids ages Birth through 6th Grade. If you have already seen the movie, would you consider working that night so that God could do an awesome work in the people who attend? What a blessing you will be. Thanks for your willingness to serve.

YOUR COMMITMENT
I am asking all NorthStar members and regular attenders to make a commitment with me. Commit to not miss a single Sunday of the Relationship Rescue series! Consider changing or delaying some plans that might prevent you from being here. Let your family and friends know the importance of being here to hear what God has to say about marriages. I know it's a big commitment but the payoff will be awesome!

I look forward to seeing you on Sunday.

Student Trip to Pigeon Forge

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:40:40 PST

January 2009

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NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:50:10 PST

HE'S BACK!
Yes, I am back among the living! Thanks for all your prayers and well wishes while I was down and out with the "crud".

WEDNESDAY PRAYER NIGHTS
As you know we are gathering together at the church on Wednesday nights during the month of January for some focused prayer for NorthStar. Last night (Jan. 14) was one awesome night of prayer. I am looking forward to seeing God in action. If you need an uplift in your heart and mind then I have just the thing for you: Get together with other NorthStar folks for prayer and you will receive more than you could ever expect! After last night all of us better be ready for some God-sized things to happen!

2009 IS WELL UNDERWAY
The New Year has begun and we are already half way through the first month...unbelievable! Where does the time go?

I hope you are making big plans for your spiritual life in 2009. I finished my 2009 Preaching Calendar this year and it looks like God wants to do some incredible things through us. We'll start this week with a new teaching series called FULLY ENGAGED.

FULLY ENGAGED
In what are you "fully engaged"? To what are you strongly committed? Over the next 4 weeks we are going to take a look at the power of a committed life. There's nothing like starting a new year with new and fresh commitments. This week we'll look at what it means to be fully engaged in my walk with God. Make every effort to not miss a single message in this series.

RELATIONSHIP RESCUE
Marriages are continuously being attacked from so many different directions. The enemy hates strong marriages and so he does all he can do to make them fragile or even destroy them. Are you needing help in this area? Do you have friends who are also struggling with their marriages?

HELP IS ON THE WAY! Beginning February 15 I will be doing an intense teaching series to help equip you to combat those things the enemy throws at you to destroy the relationship that once used to be so strong but is now barely hanging by a breaking thread. By the way, did you know that February, the month of love, is the number one month for divorce?

Please begin praying NOW for this powerful series. Pray against the enemy who comes to steal, kill and destroy. Pray for healing and forgiveness. Pray that God's Spirit will draw numerous people to NorthStar to hear from Him to receive the help they need.

STUDENT MINISTRY
Our Students will be on the road this weekend attending a great conference in Pigeon Forge, TN. Let's pray for them and for Walter and Trudy Johnson as they lead our student ministry. Ask God to do an awesome work in the hearts and minds our our students. Pray that they will accept the challenges that are brought to them this weekend. I am looking forward to hearing and seeing what God will be doing in them.

ECONOMIC WISDOM
In the midst of a crazy economy let's keep in mind a few things:

God is still in charge! Spend more time in the Scriptures than watching the media.
God will give you peace if you call on Him.
God will give ALL you need if you put Him FIRST.
God will use you more in a crisis than in a calm.

Let's ask God to use NorthStar during this economic crisis. Let us be a testimony to the world of how awesome our God is!

See you Sunday.

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 17:52:17 PST

THANK YOU
Lana and I want to thank each and everyone of you for the generous Christmas gift we received last week! We were very surprised, honored and humbled. NorthStar is such an awesome Church!

2009
The New Year is here! We are praying that 2009 will be the year that catapults NorthStar into great heights for the glory of our Lord!

The New Year also brings a new lease, new budget, new leaders, new direction and new people!

NEW LEASE
As you may have heard, our Landlords have gone way beyond the call of duty to help us this year as we are facing a financial challenge. It is our goal to pay the full rent each month, however if we are unable to do so they are gracious enough to receive whatever we can pay! This will bring a big relief to us. Thank you Allen Development!

NEW BUDGET
The Foundation Team will be working together on our 2009 budget. You will receive a copy by email in the next few days and we will affirm the budget on January 11. This budget will be for 3 months only.

NEW LEADERS
Speaking of the Foundation Team, the church affirmed Scott Copeland, Jr. as a new member of the Foundation Team and we affirmed Beth Hall and Walter Johnson as new members of the Trustees.

Some other great leaders have also taken on some new ministries. Debra Phillips and Lindsey Greer will be directing our Preschool Ministry and James and Lindsey Napier have already been functioning in our Hospitality ministry. We praise God that He has blessed us with great people who love Him and are so willing to serve in any capacity.

NEW DIRECTION
Actually a new emphasis will be put on our present direction. I am praying and preparing for the State of the Church message for Sunday January 11. It's going to be a great day for NorthStar!

NEW PEOPLE
With the New Year also comes new resolutions. People will be making a conscious effort to make some changes in their lives. One of those changes will be to start attending a church. Let's keep our spiritual eyes and ears open for opportunities to invite others to come with us to NorthStar.

21 DAYS OF PRAYER
Sunday January 4 will be the final day of our 21 Days of Prayer. As a church we have been praying intently for NorthStar and for God to do a mighty work through us. We have already seen a wonderful answer to prayer as God has shown His favor on us through our Landlords. I know there is more favor to come.

21 DAYS OF PRAYER part 2
Monday January 5 will begin another 21 days of prayer for NorthStar! Included in those days will be some Wednesday nights at NorthStar where we can pray together. God loves it when His people call on Him as individuals and as a church. He wants to hear from us! Our first Wednesday night of prayer will be January 7 at 7PM.

CLASS 101
Here's a great way to begin the New Year: Attend CLASS 101 on Sunday evening January 11 and make NorthStar your official church family! I look forward to seeing you there.

Pastor Joel

Way to go NCC

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:48:16 PST

Thank you Church! You poured out your love to those in need by bringing gifts for Mission Columbus. Awesome. Merry Christmas! May God Bless You.

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:49:38 PST

MISSION CHRISTMAS
Mission Christmas is just two weeks away! As a church family we will be sharing in the joy of giving gifts to needy families in our area and we join in with Mission Columbus and their awesome ministry to the Valley. All gifts are to be unwrapped and brought to church on Sunday December 14.

Mission Columbus requests that the gifts we give cost between $5 and $10 and Gift Cards are not recommended. Remember as you purchase your gifts keep in mind that parents will be shopping for their children as well as children shopping for their parents!

We can also share in giving Christmas baskets through Mission Columbus. All donations will be appreciated, however if you want to purchase a complete basket the cost is $80. Maybe your Growth Group would love to take advantage of this opportunity. A small amount given by many people will go a long way.

It is an awesome experience to give to those in need. You are making an impact in our community through your incredible generosity. Let's show our community that we really care by filing our church with gifts for Mission Christmas!

TIS THE SEASON
Christmas has always been known as the season for giving. There's something about this time of year that moves people to do something they may not normally do the rest of the year. A new dynamic is created in the lives of people as they give. Jesus even said that we are more blessed in our giving than in our receiving.

Could it be that we are reflecting the heart of our Creator? After all, GOD is a giver and He demonstrated giving by sending Jesus into the world. "For God so loved the world that He gave..." JESUS is a giver. He gave His life for you and me so that we could find forgiveness of our sins, a meaningful life on earth and a home in Heaven! The HOLY SPIRIT is also a giver. He gives spiritual gifts to Believers to help build up the Body of Christ through service and love.

How would the world look if we took the time to be "givers" 12 months out of the year instead of just one month? Just a thought...

CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS
I will be starting a new message series December 14 called Christmas Traditions - The Traditions that Reveal the Real Jesus. It is going to be a great series. Make every effort to not miss a single message!

GROWTH GROUP SEMESTER
Our Fall semester of Growth Groups ends the week of December 14. Our studies have been incredible. We have learned a lot about discovering and praying for our family and friends who are non-believers or are far away from God. We have also learned how to share the Good News of how Christ can make a difference in their lives. Have you shared that with them lately?

We are also learning what it means to be a spiritual leader as we have studied and discussed the book SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP by Oswald Sanders. We have been challenged in many areas of our lives to be who we need to be and do what God has called us to do as Believers!

My challenge to each of us is to not let what we have been learning fall to the wayside and never be acted upon. Remember James 1:22 "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says!"

See you Sunday.

Pastor Joel

NCC Baptisms

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 06:30:49 PST

Sunday, November 16, 2008
Congratulations on your baptism.
Scarlett Peters, Mark Williams. Channon Jordan, Chelsea Landreau

Elijah Napier is here!

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 08:03:50 PST

Born Monday, November 17. Weighs 6lbs. 14 ozs. 21 inches.

Congratulations James and Linsdey.

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 12:27:28 PST

MISSION CHRISTMAS

NorthStar Community Church believes every Believer has a ministry to the Body and a Mission to the World. This year we have an opportunity to join in on a tremendous mission project to our local area by helping supply gifts for moms, dads, boys and girls and give them the ability to provide Christmas gifts for each other!

MISSION CHRISTMAS is NorthStar’s way of helping Mission Columbus provide gifts this Christmas season to needy families who, without our help, would have no Christmas at all.

We are asking each family to bring an unwrapped gift for a child and/or a gift for an adult on Sunday Dec. 14. Any gift will be greatly appreciated. For childrens gifts, you may purchase new toys or provide toys that are slightly used and in great working condition. Consider gifts for adults as those you would like to receive from your children. Let’s give gifts as if we are giving to our own family members. Gift wrapping will be done in the Christmas store at Mission Columbus the day of shopping.

You may also consider giving a love offering to Mission Columbus to help supply Christmas baskets to needy families. A complete basket costs Mission Columbus $80, however any amount will be a blessing.

By participating in MISSION CHRISTMAS we have another great opportunity to serve our community and shine our light for the world to see the love of Jesus.

Thank you for being such a giving church! In the past you have been so generous through special offerings and meeting needs. Your generous spirit is an awesome testimony to our community and a great encouragement to each other!

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:17:49 PDT

WELCOME NEW MEMBERS
We welcome 9 new members to the NorthStar family. These awesome folks participated in CLASS 101 on Tuesday night and when all was said and done, they said "YES!" We thank the Lord for these additions to His Body!

Here are their names: Rick & Channon Jordan (and their 3 children); Scott & Kay Morris; Eric Oberle; Chase & Amanda Eiland; and Jeremy & Mary Beth Young! We're glad you now officially are in the family! By the way, Channon will be baptized soon!

NEW GROWTH GROUP SIGN UP
If you are not in a Group this semester then here is another opportunity for you to join. We start a new study the week of Nov. 2 and it is going to be an awesome time. We will be studying the book SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP by J. Oswald Sanders. Each week we will read a few short chapters and then discuss the material in our groups. The book cost is $8 and you can pick yours up at the table in the Fellowship Area on Sunday. YOU WILL NEED YOUR BOOK BEFORE THE STUDY BEGINS! So, don't hesitate to get your copy!

NEW TEACHING SERIES
Along with the new study in our groups I will be starting a new teaching series called INFLUENCE: How I'm Wired to Make a Difference in the World. The series begins this week. I believe you will discover how big of an influencer and a difference-maker you really are!

UPDATED WEB SITE
By now you have probably visited our updated site and may have some ideas and suggestions for us to keep it very user friendly. Please don't hesitate to offer your ideas. Send them to northstarcc@bellsouth.net

One feature to view is our On-Line Messages tab. If you enjoy our Podcasts you can automatically sign up through ITunes or by RSS feed, just by clicking on the IPod icon at the bottom of the Media Player. You can also download the messages to your MP3 player on your mobile phone or PDA by clicking on the phone icon! Now you have the ability to stay up to date with all the teaching series and messages at NorthStar!

JUDGMENT JOURNEY
There are still a few Judgment Journey tickets available for this Saturday night, October 25. Tickets are $5. We will leave from NCC at 6:30 pm and return around 11:00 pm. If you are interested in going with us please contact Trudy Johnson to reserve your tickets: mrstrudy@bellsouth.net

I look forward to seeing you Sunday.

Pastor Joel

Trevor Poole's Baptism

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:52:07 PDT

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 10:45:19 PDT

MOVIE NIGHT
Let's go see FIREPROOF the movie on Friday Oct. 10. Showtime begins at 7 PM and the cost is $9 each. Get your ticket early and we'll see you there. Bring another couple along with you and let's pack the place out!

CLASS 101
CLASS 101 Discovering NorthStar Membership will be meeting on Tuesday night Oct. 21 @ 7 PM here at NorthStar. Sign up using your Connection Card or email us at northstarcc@bellsouth.net to reserve your spot.

MISSION POSSIBLE
Christ gave us the mission He started - to make disciples - and that mission is possible! All we need to do is accept it and then go to work or completing it. Over the next two weeks we are going to help equip you to share your story and also share the good news so that you will be prepared to lead someone to Jesus!

We've been praying for our Top 10 list that each Growth Group developed (60 people we are praying for) and I believe we are going to see some people come to know Christ over the next few weeks! Keep praying and keep preparing. God is going to open the door for you to share your faith. People are ready to receive...they just need someone to show them what to do and Who to put their trust in.

See you Sunday!

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 10:54:16 PDT

CELEBRATE BAPTISM

Join us Sunday as we celebrate Believer's Baptism at the end of our morning service. Our candidate is Trevor Poole, son of Billy and Tracy Poole. Trevor recently prayed to receive Christ and he is ready to follow Him in baptism. Congratulations Trevor! We are proud of you!

COOKOUT REFLECTIONS

Many thanks to Scotty and Kathy Hill for taking on the task of feeding the Church last week at our Cookout! You two were awesome! Make sure they know your appreciation for pulling off this great event.

GROWTH GROUPS

Our semester of Growth Groups is in full swing. AND there is still room for YOU! Let us know how we can best serve you so that you can participate in a Group this Fall. We now have 6 groups meeting each week. Here's the list:

Sundays:

Home of Ricky Wade - 5:30 PM - Childcare provided
Home of Walter Johnson - Student Group
NorthStar - 6 PM - Childcare available if needed

Wednesdays:

Home of Ted Talley - 7 PM
Home of Andrea Peters - 6:45 PM - Childcare provided
NorthStar - 6:30 PM - Childcare available if needed

Our Groups are designed to help you Grow spiritually, Connect with other people and Serve your church and community. That's a great purpose!

The material is in and cost $7. Pick up your book on Sunday. Our study starts this week!

CURRENT TEACHING SERIES

Christ began an mission on earth and then He turned it over to us to continue the work He started. That's the center of our new teaching series MISSION POSSIBLE! Our mission can be accomplished if each one does their part in telling the Good News about Jesus.

The goal of this Fall semester is to help equip you to fulfill that mission that Christ has given to us. Through the weekly teaching at NorthStar and the weekly meetings of our groups you will be able to give away your faith to those who need Christ.

Imagine with me those people we love so much finding Christ over the next few months!! It can happen and you can be a catalyst for their finding salvation. Keep praying for them and get yourself in a position to help them by not missing a single worship service or Growth Group meeting!

They'll be glad you made that commitment!

See you Sunday!

Mission Possible Part 1: Go Tell!

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 10:54:40 PDT

Mission Possible Part 1: Go Tell!

NorthStar News

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:51:52 PDT

CHURCH-WIDE COOKOUT

We're kicking off the Fall Semester of Growth Groups with an awesome Hamburger & Hot dog cookout right after the morning worship service! We'll move the chairs, set up the tables and sit down for a great time together. Everything will be provided so all you have to do is come!

BRING SOMEONE WHO IS UNCHURCHED

This day is not only for launching our new groups but also to give you the opportunity to bring someone who does not attend church. Since lunch is provided it is a great advantage to inviting them to come and share the NorthStar experience! You never know, this may be the day they come to know Christ and you would be instrumental in that happening!

So, make some phone calls and make your plans to not miss this great day planned. And while you are there go ahead and sign up yourself and your friend for the Fall Semester of Growth Groups!

See you Sunday,

Pastor Joel

Out of the Zone!

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 11:19:56 PDT

Out of the Zone!

NORTHSTAR NEWS

pastorjoelwalker@yahoo.com (Joel Walker) — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:51:26 PDT

WHAT’S IN OUR FUTURE?

This week I will be sharing with you about our future together as a Church and I hope you will do all you can to be here and to also bring someone with you! Now that summer is over and school is back in session, let’s make every effort to get back into the habit of faithfully attending Worship and Growth Groups.

I have some great things to share with you this week. We will look at our strengths as a Church and also our areas that need growth. These next 4 months are going to be very vital to the life of NorthStar!

MISSION COLUMBUS FOOD DRIVE

Don’t forget to bring with you a sack of canned food items and dry goods to help restock the shelves at Mission Columbus. Their need is always great. Every item you bring is an item that will be used to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the people in our area. People need food and they need to experience the love of Jesus! Mission Columbus supplies both with deep gratitude to you for helping them in their mission.

FALL GROWTH GROUPS

This Fall semester begins the week of September 14 and will bring a new and different opportunity for our Growth Groups. There will only be 4 Adult groups and one Student group! Ricky Wade will be leading a Sunday evening group in Phenix City and I will be leading one at NorthStar. Ted Talley will be leading a Wednesday evening group in Phenix City and I will be leading one again at NorthStar! The Students will meet on Sunday evenings at the home of Walter & Trudy Johnson.

Our study for the first 6 weeks will be SHARING YOUR LIFE MISSION EVERY DAY and all of our groups will be studying the same materials. Our focus will be on equipping you to know how to give away your faith! The cost for your book will be $7 and the investment will last throughout eternity!

Sign-up begins Sunday.

REFRESHMENTS LEADER NEEDED

We have a big need for some great folks to lead the Hospitality Ministry each week. The job is simple: bring doughnuts, make coffee, set up and clean up the refreshment tables each Sunday morning!

This is a great ministry for “serving” the NorthStar family. Contact me joelwalker@bellsouth.net to get started this week!

See You Sunday!

Pastor Joel