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.
August 19, 2021
Book 7, Volume 18
Yesterday was the first day of school for our Noblesville First Preschool. And once again Director Lyndsay Sheridan has led the program to record enrollment. We now have over 260 students and have added additional classrooms to accommodate that growth. Thanks to Pastor Jill and Family Ministry Director Ally Hall for representing the church during the Preschool Open House by offering push pops to the children as they checked out the playground.
At our Administrative Board meeting on Monday night, we discussed the new worship schedule. We feel Early Worship at Teter and the 9:45 Traditional Worship in the Sanctuary are in good shape. We also believe the 11:00 Contemporary Worship is in a good spot for growth with a solid core of worshippers and strong music. The Board did recommend that we look at some tweaks to the 9:45 Family Worship as we have not experienced the desired growth for this experience. Our Family Worship team is meeting this week and will come out with some recommendations we hope to implement after Labor Day.
Come and meet Alivia Dieterlen, our new Associate Director of Family Ministries, at a Youth Group Pizza Party this Sunday, August 22, 4:30-7PM in Celebration Hall (Door 2, 7). We will hang out at the church, eat some pizza, and play church tag! Students and parents are encouraged to attend so we can welcome Alivia and get to know everyone better. Donations are needed and can be dropped off at the church office, including two-liters of pop and individual chip bags. Let Ally Hall ahall@NoblesvilleFirst.com or Alivia Dieterlen adieterlen@NoblesvilleFirst.com know if you plan to attend so we can make sure we order enough pizza for everyone.
The GriefShare support group is off to a great start with 15 in attendance at their first gathering. Others are registered so we expect this number to grow. Carol Miller has assembled a strong team of six facilitators. The group is meeting on Thursdays from 6:30-8:30PM in Stephenson Hall. Email Carol Miller at cmiller@noblesvillefirst.com for more information.
The Ugly Quilts group meets this Friday (tomorrow) in their new location in Celebration Hall. Ugly Quilts uses donated bedding and comforters to construct sturdy sleeping bags for the homeless. The group meets from 12:30-3PM, although participants are welcome to come and go as needed. Door 2 will be open from 12-1PM. If you arrive after that, please use Door 1. No sewing skills are required. Training is provided. The sleeping bags, along with hats, gloves, socks and toiletries, are distributed through the Trustee’s office and a homeless outreach group in downtown Indianapolis. For more information contact Mary Burns at dburns7204@aol.com.
The Missions Team is selling fall mums to raise funds for the congregation's mission trips to Mission Guatemala. They are $10 each and a variety of colors are available. Click the link at NoblesvilleFirst.com/mums or stop by the office. Orders are due by Monday, August 30. Pick up is Thursday, September 9 from 9AM-1PM or 4:30-6:30PM at the church in parking lot outside Door 7.
I want to encourage you to support one of our youth, Lena Hamashuk who is working on her Girl Scout Gold Award project. She will be hosting a Compost Discussion at Teter Organic Farm this Sunday, August 22 at 7PM. They will discuss small to large applications of making and using compost, from worm buckets (vermicomposting) for kitchen waste and rotating bins, to backyard leaf composting and how Teter creates compost for their hoop houses. And everyone will be invited to share successes and learnings. If possible, email TMHPAB1@aol.com to let them know you’re coming and include "compost" in the subject line.
We are still seeking a person who will serve as our Sunday Morning Media Director. This is a 10-15 hour a week position. Experience with audio-visual equipment is helpful but we do believe this is a position we can train someone for. If you are interested or know of someone who might be qualified, email jrairdon@noblesvillefirst.com. We do believe this is a trainable position if someone has the interest.
Our numbers are climbing for the Teter Farm to Table Dinner at the Purgatory Golf Club on Friday, September 17, 6:30-8:30PM. This fun event features Chef Samantha Lamberth, who makes every meal an adventure. Tickets are $65 and include appetizers, a three-course meal and two drinks. Proceeds benefit the farm's mission to feed hungry people and bring an end to food insecurity in Hamilton County. We are now over 12,000 servings of donated produce with a goal of 20,000 for this growing season! Our next dream is to grow produce year round so your support at the Farm to Table Dinner is vital if we are to reach that goal.
The sunflowers are blooming at Teter! You're invited to come to the farm to take pictures in the sunflower patch and cut up to six stems to take some sunshine with you. We request a $10 donation to help us with our mission to reduce food insecurity in our community. Sunflowers are available during daylight hours starting Wednesday, August 18th daily until the flowers are done. Park along the driveway near the flower patch and follow the yellow arrow to the blooming sunflowers. Place donations in the Mason Jar by the arrow. Note: there are two plantings, blooming one after the other. The first is closest to the tree line.
Bonnie Zickgraf, our Pastoral Care Coordinator is seeking someone who can oversee our Card Ministry. Jim Witta has set up a great system to track who needs and is receiving cards and the team has 27 people who faithfully send cards to persons in our congregation. Last month over 150 cards were sent out that keep our congregation connected. For questions, please contact bzickgraf@noblesvillefirst.com.
We have scheduled our first Family Promise week where homeless families in Hamilton County stay in churches overnight and then receive support and training during the day. It takes several volunteers to provide meals and overnight host. If you are able to help with a meal or a night, please contact Pastor Jill at jmoffett@noblesvillefirst.com. Our week is August 29 thru September 5. Nancy Ramsey is the director of Family Promise Hamilton County and is also a member of Noblesville First. Let’s support her and this vital ministry which will only grow in need in the months to come.
Choir Retreat has been simplified this year and will be held in the church Sanctuary from 12:30 to 2:30 this Sunday. If you are interested in the choir this is a great opportunity to experience the music which will be sung this fall and even get a taste of Christmas music. Contact Dr. Jeff Wright at jwright@noblesvillefirst.com for more information.
The Fourth Wednesday Luncheon next week will be a "Hymn Sing" with Tom Weessies on the organ. What fun to lift our voices and sing! Chef Mike will be preparing roasted pork loin with sherry mushroom sauce, cheesy potatoes, green beans and desserts ... all for just $13. Click here to sign up or stop by the church office before noon tomorrow, Friday, August 20. Plan to come and bring your friends!
Thursday Worship will be held tonight in person with Pastor Matt in the Vine or via Zoom at 6:30PM. Pastor Matt is following the same theme we are covering in Sunday worship but with an interactive discussion format. For more information contact Matt at mhantelman@noblesvillefirst.com.
In Family Worship this Sunday at 9:45AM in Celebration Hall we head to 2 Chronicles 10 and discover what happens with Solomon’s son, Rehoboam. When he took over as king over Israel, the people pleaded with him to make their lives easier. Rehoboam received counsel on both sides of this issue, but rather than acting on the advice of his father’s advisers; he acts on the foolish advice of his friends. This ends up causing a split in the nation of Israel, creating Israel and Judah. Bottom Line: Hang out with wise people. It’s been said we are the sum of our five closest friends. Who we choose to spend our time with influences not only choices but who we are. We pray that kids learn that when they surround themselves with wise friends, they will be more likely to make wise choices throughout every area of their life.
For the 8:15 Outdoor Worship at Teter and the 9:45 Traditional Worship Pastor Jill and I will share the importance of Christian Conferencing, something the Pandemic made impossible which has certainly contributed to the polarization we are experiencing in our world right now. We will take a close look at the Jerusalem Council described in Acts 15 to see what it teaches us about how to handle conflict.
Contemporary Worship at 11:00 has returned in Celebration Hall with Pastor Jill bringing the message. Contemporary Worship features the music of our Praise Band and offers a time of individual prayer and communion each week.
Share prayer requests and check out the week's opportunities to connect on the Connection Card at NoblesvilleFirst.com 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.
See you tonight or Sunday,
Pastor Jerry Rairdon