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 peruse past issues.
November 25, 2022
Dear Noblesville First Family,
I hope this message finds you FULL! Full after a thanksgiving meal with family and friends but much more importantly: FULL of gratitude for all of the blessings God has put on our tables. Here are a few reasons I am full of gratitude this day after thanksgiving:
1. I am full of gratitude for the gift of family.
Both sides of my family host gatherings but father always hosts a large dinner where my relatives from all over the country fly or drive in. Before Covid there would be 50 or more people gathered – laughing, telling stories and catching up on new babies born, weddings, graduations or new jobs. Each year I tell myself I’m going go to bed at a decent hour and not stay up all night talking and each year I get to bed around 2 or 3 a.m.! Despite living in different parts of the country or even world – isn’t it amazing how family just picks back up as if we’d been together all along?
2. I am full of gratitude for the gift of leadership.
Earlier this week, Bishop Trimble shared with our Staff Parish Relations Committee that Pastor Jill has been appointed to Ford Street UMC in Lapel, Indiana. We receive this bittersweet news with joy as Jill has faithfully served Noblesville First and is ready to take all that she’s learned here into her new role as lead pastor effective March 1, 2023. We will miss Jill but are excited that she will still join us on The Holy Land trip this April (perhaps with some new friends from Lapel!). We ask that you pray for Jill and her family as she makes this transition and for our church as we discern and prepare for the next associate pastor at Noblesville First.
3. I am full of gratitude for our songs of the season.
As we kick off the Christmas season we are reminded that Jesus is God with us – in answered promises, realized dreams, and refreshed hope. How could we help but sing? In this advent series, we will explore the songs born from our joy that Christ has entered the world. Make sure you check our Facebook posts as we send out weekly “Musical Messages” where artists and musicians will share special musical pieces from their Christmas playlist. Let’s make a joyful noise together as we sing the songs of the season!
Finally, I am FULL of gratitude for YOU. Sharing in ministry with you over these last months has been an incredible blessing and I look forward to all of the ways God will continue to use our congregation to bless others.
Keep the Faith@First,
Pastor Nicole