One-on-One with Pastor Jerry is a weekly report on family news and church and community activities, events, ministries and missions. Visit this page each week or sign up to receive it weekly in your inbox. Archive issues can be viewed at NoblesvilleFirst.com/one-on-one-archive.
January 27, 2022
Book 7, Volume 41
Nancy and I completed our 20th anniversary celebration by going to Hollywood, Florida on the Atlantic coast. We have experienced the Gulf Coast each year with our annual Snowbird trips for the church so I thought it would be fun to experience something different. We had very humble lodging in Hollywood, but it was right on the "Broadwalk" which was teeming with activity. The Broadwalk has a very diverse population with great food and is a great place for people watching. We also went kayaking in West Park among mangroves and much wildlife. We rented bikes to ride the full 2.5-mile length of the Broadwalk, experienced the light show at the Hard Rock Guitar Hotel and caught the sunrise one morning. Nancy says I did alright in planning this year’s anniversary.
On Tuesday, we had eleven people make it to our luncheon at Pier 22 in Bradenton. I shared lots of good news with them which included the tremendous generosity of our congregation which resulted in $14,000 more income for ongoing ministry in 2021 than in 2020 even while we raised/pledged $477,000 for our organ renovation. Noblesville First and the Teter Organic Farm finished in the black and the Teter Farm donated 21,113 servings of fresh produce for Hamilton County food pantries. Wednesday was spent holding individual conversations in Sanibel and today we have 25 persons who will gather in Marco Island.
One new item I was able to share is that Anita Hagan who directs the Hamilton County Harvest Food Bank has reached out to us because they are having to move their operations out of the Ivy Tech building as Ivy Tech is preparing to launch a new medical training program. The result of that conversation is that we may join forces to build a Produce Barn at Teter, capable of meeting the needs of the farm and the food bank. We believe this could speed up what we considered a long-term dream for the Teter Organic Farm. A Produce Barn would enable us to provide fresh vegetables year-round to feed the hungry in Hamilton County.
Megan Borgmann with the Versiti Blood Center sent an email yesterday thanking us for hosting Monday’s blood drive. She said we had one of the best turnouts Versiti has had since January 2021. 34 donors came out which resulted in 27 units of blood donated which will impact 81 lives. She thanked us for being such a dedicated partner throughout the pandemic. Our next blood drive will be on Monday, June 20. I invite you to put it on your calendar now.
All 3rd-5th graders are invited for Sunday's S.O.A.P Event, as we learn how to use our Bibles through the study of Scripture, personal Observation, Application discussion, and Prayer (S.O.A.P.). The students will learn how to incorporate the Bible into their daily lives and have a whole lot of fun in the process. Simply drop 3rd-5th graders off like usual at 9:45 this Sunday, January 30 and they will work through the S.O.A.P. stations in Stephenson Hall. They will be presented with their own Bibles at the end of the event. Kids are welcome to invite friends to this wonderful event. Please let Ally Hall ahall@NoblesvilleFirst.com know if your 3rd-5th grader plan on attending.
It is time for the next Noblesville First Kids team meeting. The team will use this time to evaluate the children’s programming and plot out the next season of fun at Noblesville First Kids. It’s also a great opportunity for people who are interested in serving with our kids. You can get a feel for the team, ask questions, and see if this is a ministry that you might like to participate in. Or if you haven't served in awhile, this is a great chance to dip your toes in the water and find new ways to connect with kids and serve our church. We will meet in the Bi-Rooms at 11:00 on Sunday, February 20, right after kids are dismissed from their classes. Snacks will be provided and we can connect with each other while we discuss our wonderful Children’s Ministry. Please let Ally Hall ahall@NoblesvilleFirst.com know if you plan to attend or if you have any questions about the kids programming.
The youth have a special outing planned on Friday, February 11 as the Indiana Pacers host "Faith & Fellowship Night." This event is for students and their families and everyone in the congregation! Included with admission is a 45-minute concert following the game, featuring Christian music artist Jonathan McReynolds. In addition, get a Pacers hat, a voucher for a hot dog, chips, & Pepsi product with admission. For more detail and to order tickets, visit NoblesvilleFirst.com/pacers.
It’s greenhouse time at Teter Organic Farm! This Tuesday, February 1, we will be opening the greenhouse to start our seeding for the 2022 season! Returning and new volunteers are invited to join us on:
- Tuesdays from 6-8 pm beginning next week on February 1 or
- Thursdays from 9-11 am beginning next week on February 3.
We'll review greenhouse procedures and plant seeds together. This is a great activity for those who miss the warm weather or are excited to get a jump on farm and garden activities. The greenhouse is where we get to enjoy the first new life of the season. We wear masks when we have more than 6 people in the greenhouse and any time we cannot distance while working indoors. Please call or text Katy Rogers with any questions 317-318-3169.
The DivorceCare support group launched this past Sunday with a new rotation of leaders. We are thankful for the many years of leadership provided by Bill & Sherry Evers. We have formed a four-person rotation which includes Lisa Kempa, Pam Stare, Debbie Pierson and Bonnie Zickgraf to continue this significant work. I’ve seen much spiritual and personal growth come out of this group during my seven years at Noblesville First. Participants can join at any time in the session. Learn more at NoblesvilleFirst.com/DivorceCare.
The GriefShare support group is a 14-week non-denominational program featuring Christ-centered, program that focuses on grief topics associated with the death of a loved one. The current session meets on Sunday afternoons, 3:30-5:30 pm and it is not too late to participate this session. Learn more at NoblesvilleFirst.com/GriefShare.
Noblesville First is excited to once again offer a Respite Night for parents and caregivers of children (ages 5-18) with special needs on March 19 from 6-9 pm. Caregivers can drop their child and siblings off at the church with educated and trained volunteers and enjoy an evening of relaxation. The goal of respite nights is to improve the overall health and psychological well-being of parents and caregivers, while simultaneously providing the children with disabilities an opportunity to have fun and improve their social skills through interaction with similar peers. We hope you are ready for some big top fun because our theme in March is Circus. Bring on the lion tamers, clowns, and flying trapeze artists for an evening of sensory, safe fun. Details and registration at NoblesvilleFirst.com/respite.
Looking ahead to February, we'll launch Won't You Be My Neighbor? A Theology of Mr. Rogers Sermon Series, based on Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, a childhood TV staple for many of us. From him, we learned words of wisdom, how to be kind, and to hear the vital message that we are all beloved children of God. Mr. Rogers' vision of a neighborhood where all are welcome to learn, grow, and be loved is itself a foretaste of the Kingdom of God. Throughout the month of February, join us as we learn from Mr. Rogers about how to be a neighbor in today's ever changing and chaotic world. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
This Sunday in our Noblesville First Kids program, which starts at 9:45 in Stephenson Hall, we close out the month with another one of Solomon’s vivid word pictures in Proverbs 25:16. We help kids find out what happens when we indulge and eat too much. This proverb isn’t just about how much we eat. Kids will learn that too much anything, even if it’s a good thing, can have serious consequences. Bottom Line: Know when to stop. Knowing when to stop isn’t always easy for kids. We hope that kids start to see that stopping something—even if it’s fun—can be the wisest choice they can make. We also want them to know they don’t need to do this on their own. God can help them know when to stop and give them the strength to do it.
In tonight's Thursday Worship at 6:30 on Zoom, Pastor Matt Hantelman will zero in on the problem of evil in his good question series. For more information about this interactive approach to worship contact Matt at mhantelman@noblesvillefirst.com. Find the Zoom link at NoblesvilleFirst.com/ThursdayWorship.
In Sunday worship this week, we conclude our series Trick Questions: And Jesus’ Enduring Answers with one more attempt by the Pharisees to trip Jesus up when they ask him what the greatest commandment is. This was something the Pharisees loved to debate and with 613 commandments there was plenty to talk about. Jesus reduces all this argument down to two simple statements that offer us a tremendous guide for our daily living. Prepare for this Sunday’s message by reading Matthew 22:34-40 and then come listen to Pastor Paul Ernst and Pastor Mary Eileen Spence share a dialogue message in all four worship experiences Sunday.
Share prayer requests and check out the week's opportunities to connect and serve at NoblesvilleFirst.com/NextSteps or on the Noblesville First mobile app. And share your pastoral needs by emailing care@NoblesvilleFirst.com or calling the 24/7 Care Line at 317-773-2590.
Pastor Jerry Rairdon