Faith@First is a weekly report on the pastor's family news, church and community activities, events, ministries and missions. Click here to sign up to receive it weekly in your email inbox or visit NoblesvilleFirst.com/FaithAtFirstArchive to read the latest issue each week or peruse the archive of issues below.
October 20, 2022
Dear Noblesville First Family,
My word for the week is CELEBRATE. First, I want to celebrate the HARD work of the United Women in Faith who raised over $10,000 through the annual rummage sale! We are so proud and grateful for this ministry that makes such a difference in our community. Like fairies of faith they flew around the church creating a giant showroom overnight and just as quickly sold or shipped the rest of those goods to those in need. Anita Beck, unit president shared a story with me that really blew my mind.
When the doors opened one shopper nearly bought the entire inventory of shoes. Our volunteers couldn’t help but wonder who all the shoes were for, only to learn that this man would send all of these shoes to people who need them in Africa. I share this story today because it is a reminder that our ministry empowers the ministry of others. And by the grace of God, what we offer has an impact far greater and further than we can even imagine!
It’s that theme of imagination that leads me to share two ways you can make an impact in our community of faith:
1. Send nominations to serve on our Administrative Board. We are serious about our mission to make disciples for the transformation of the world. We need imaginative, thoughtful and spirit filled leaders to reach new people in new ways. If you or someone you know is passionate about our church and want to join others in visioning and leading our congregation please submit name(s) to my email ncaldwell-gross@noblesvillefirst.com by October 30th which will be shared with our nominating committee. We are hoping to fill 2 upcoming vacancies with new leaders in 2023.
2. Dress the part. On Sunday, October 30th we’ll close out our series on Joseph and celebrate IMAGINATION Sunday. Our kiddos will wear their halloween costumes in a parade at our 9:45 service. You are invited and encouraged to imagine too! Come in costume - prizes will be given to best dressed! Invite a friend to join in the fun!
Keep the party going all week long and join in in one of these upcoming ministry events:
The Missions Team has organized a Food Drive that will continue through the end of the month, benefiting Dinner's On Us guests, the Come to Me Food Pantry, Noblesville Schools & Family Promise of Hamilton County. Donations will be collected on the shelves inside Door 1. Anything non-perishable is appreciated, but a list of items especially needed can be found at ... NoblesvilleFirst.com/FoodDrive.
Get your Christmas shopping done early and help raise money for our Student and Family Ministries! The Gift Card Fundraiser helps support many areas of these ministries, such as youth mission trips, youth outings, family and youth community outreach projects, and family and youth curriculum materials. Pick up an order form at the welcome desk or visit NoblesvilleFirst.com/GiftCardFundraiser for a printable copy.
Noblesville First Kids (birth-5th grade) offers programming from 9:45-10:45 every Sunday morning. In week four, we discover God’s plan for rescuing the Israelites. In Exodus 3-6; 7-12:42, we see how God’s plan started. Moses was watching sheep on the side of a mountain and saw a bush on fire—but it wasn’t burning up. Now, that alone might make someone a little nervous, but then Moses heard the voice of God! God asked Moses to go up against the most powerful ruler of his time, to tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites free from their enslavement. This incredible story shows how Moses trusted God and never gave up. God’s people saw God show up in amazing ways—all to rescue them! Bottom Line: Hold on because God knows what you’re going through.
The 6th-12th grade Sunday School class will meet in Wesley Hall (Door 7) again this week. They have been talking the past couple of weeks about how sin affects their lives and even when they aren’t great, God still finds them where they are. After he finds us, we need to take the next step by accepting his forgiveness and his gift of GRACE!! This week, they'll talk about and attempt to understand God’s Grace and how our Methodist founder, John Wesley, looked at it. He saw Grace as three parts: Prevenient, Justifying and Sanctifying. Understanding how God’s Grace works will help us tie how we go from sinner to sanctified to experience the Freedom God give us.
Join us this week for worship as we continue The Big Picture series. Pastor Jill will ask us to consider how God's timing works within our lives as we learn from Joseph's story. Please note that 11:00 Contemporary Worship will continue to take place in The Vine (Door 5). We hope to see you there!
Sign up for a one-time $40 Fall Harvest Share of produce from Teter Organic Farm to be picked up on Wednesday, November 16 (the week prior to Thanksgiving) between 3 and 7pm. These shares will go quickly. Order yours today! This purchase provides veggies for your table as well as a donation of produce to the Hamilton Harvest Food Bank. Do good. Eat well. Thank you for your support of Teter Organic Farm and our mission to provide nutrient dense produce to the food insecure in our community! Click here to learn more.
Are you new to the congregation and want to learn more? Are you interested in becoming a member? Or do you just want to get to know the pastors better? Come for Coffee with the Pastors on Sunday, October 23 at noon in the parlor. Questions? Contact Pastor Jill Moffett jmoffett@NoblesvilleFirst.com or call the church office at 317-773-2500.
Noblesville First Kids is bringing back the annual Trunk or Treat event on Sunday, October 30! We are looking for trunk hosts to decorate their cars, hand out candy, and host activity tables.
If you can't attend, you can still support the event by donating non-chocolate candies and small toys, which can be dropped off in the church office between now and October 23. Find more details at NoblesvilleFirst.com/trunk.
Keep the Faith@First,
Pastor Nicole