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.
September 16, 2021
Book 7, Volume 22
Tomorrow night will be our Teter Farm to Table Dinner which has become one of our major fundraisers for the Teter food security mission. 175 people have purchased tickets and we are looking forward to a fun evening as we enjoy the entertaining presentations by Chef Samantha Lamberth and celebrate the achievements of the farm this year. Tyler Gough of Indy Urban Acres will be our featured speaker and Russ Bullis has agreed to serve as our emcee as we keep the evening rolling. This year we have some door prizes secured that will add more fun to the night. If you are attending, the doors open at 6 pm and we recommend you arrive by 6:20 pm to provide time to grab a drink and check in with the registration table so we can begin promptly at 6:30 pm.
There are so many people to thank for this year’s success at the farm. I will refrain from naming individuals as I know I would forget someone. A special thank you to the Teter Operations Team which puts in countless hours as volunteers and meet monthly to keep the farm focused on its mission and expansion. We have some volunteers who are at the farm several times each week who have chosen Teter as their happy place. This year we added 40 volunteers to manage the Teter Retreat rentals which have boomed this year and enabled us to have the funds to hire more field labor which is the hardest area of the farm to staff. And a landscaping team has made the grounds around the cabin and lodge so attractive!
We also would not be successful without our Teter Farm to Table sponsors and CSA (Consumer Supported Agriculture) members who provide the financial base to make the farm sustainable. One name I will mention is our farm manager Katy Rogers. She brings such a unique skill set to her position. She is great at building relationships in addition to her advanced farm knowledge. We are very blessed to have her.
At tomorrow’s fundraiser, we will invite people to contribute toward our next goal of installing a fifth hoop house. We are likely looking at a two-year project to raise the nearly $20,000 needed but it will take us a big step closer to being able to provide fresh produce year-round for Hamilton County food pantries. If you would like to donate toward this project, please contact me at jrairdon@noblesvillefirst.com or Katy Rogers at krogers@noblesvillefirst.com.
This Sunday we will try out our new format for the 9:45 Family Worship. We have received your suggestions and believe we have a plan that will accomplish the goals of Family Worship and ensures adults also find the spiritual enrichment they need. The first 20 minutes will involve high energy music from the Praise Band, an introduction by Ally Hall regarding the lesson your children will experience in their small groups, a Bible Story video which communicates the theme effectively to adults and children and a short devotional by one of the pastors. At that point, the youth and children will head to their small groups and the adults will remain in Celebration Hall for a time of prayer, a sermon from one of the pastors, and a closing song. We hope you give this new format a try as we assist you in establishing the spirituality your child will need to be faithfully successful in life.
Our Football Fridays ministry continues tomorrow night with Homecoming expecting to add more students in the Vine throughout the evening. Kevin Emmert plans to have the Vine staffed from 5:30 to 11:00 pm. If you would like to assist Kevin in any way you can reach out to him kevin.emmert@lenexsteel.com. Thanks to the generosity of one of our church families and the income we receive from parking donations, we are able to provide free pizza and games to the students after each home game.
The Student Ministries Bonfire for students 6th-12th grade is scheduled for Sunday, September 26, 7-8:30 at the Sexton’s house. There will be s'mores, drinks, and a big group game. Bring a lawn chair, bug spray, and a friend! Find all the details at … NoblesvilleFirst.com/bonfire.
Megan Thomas, the counselor at White River Elementary, has reached out to us and shared her interest in continuing our partnership this year. Their need for after-school and weekend snacks has more than doubled this year with an influx of new families. They have 50 students on their snack pack list, which means they have to distribute 250 individual snacks each week! With that in mind, we are starting a Noblesville First drive and here is the list of students favorite snacks:
- Granola Bars, but NOT cereal bars (Nutri-Grain, Nature Valley, etc.)
- Pretzels
- Cheez Its
- Goldfish
- Popcorn
- Veggie Straws
- Animal Crackers
- Mini Muffins
- Baked Chips
- Cheese and Crackers
- Graham Crackers
Megan Thomas and Noblesville First's Jean Morris are working on developing an after-school program for Kids Hope students since at this time, Kids Hope volunteers are not allowed in the building during school hours. Stay tuned for details.
Our thanks to Dale & Jean Morris and her team of volunteers who held a successful Mission Guatemala mum sale. $2,000 was raised of which $1,000 will be sent this year to Mission Guatemala and the other $1,000 held in our designated funds to start our fundraising for the 2022 fall trip.
Everyone is welcome to our fall study of Journeys with the Messiah by Michael Belk. Each week we will discuss one of Michael Belk’s photographs of Jesus in modern day places. You will be amazed at the message that each photograph relays to the viewer. We will discuss scripture related to the images and explore the message that Jesus taught many years ago which is still relevant today. You won’t want to miss this new and different, fun and inspirational look into Christ’s messages. The study begins next Monday, September 20 from 7:00-8:30 pm and is held on the first and third Monday evenings each month. Contact Anita Beck at anitajbeck@comcast.net or Carol Miller at cmiller@noblesvillefirst.com to learn more.
The Fourth Wednesday Luncheon will be extra fun this month as we gather next Wednesday, September 22 at noon to enjoy a meal catered by Mike Cowart and then remain for some of your favorite games. Cost is $13 and the deadline to make your meal reservation is noon this coming Monday, September 20. Contact the church office to make reservations or sign up online at Noblesvillefirst.com/FourthWednesday. For more information, email Phyllis Hunter at seacrestway@yahoo.com.
We continue to promote the renewed Hamilton County Hunger Walk which will be Sunday, October 3 at Dillon Park. We are taking a new approach to this annual event with a new emphasis on supporting our local food pantries in Hamilton County. Check out the new website at www.HamiltonCountyFood.com where you can register to walk in person, virtually or simply donate to the food mission in your local area. Donation envelopes will be available at the door as you enter worship each week if you wish to donate by check.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Versiti Blood Center of Indiana is experiencing a critical need for blood donors. Maintaining a safe blood supply is crucial to the well-being of patients in our community. Noblesville First will be hosting our next Blood Drive on Monday, October 5 from 2:00 to 6:45 pm. Go to NoblesvilleFirst.com/BloodDrive to find the links to register to donate.
Save the date for the United Methodist Women’s Rummage Sale! Lots of volunteers are needed to make this incredible fundraiser a success. If you can lend some time, contact Dee Galloway 317-374-1105 or Nancy Harrison 810-513-9962. Then be sure to mark your calendar for donation drop off October 10-12 and shopping October 13-15. For early donation drop-off, contact Marianne Jacobi 317-508-1354 or Janet Roberts 317-900-6607. For details and times, visit NoblesvilleFirst.com/RummageSale. In addition, the team is looking for volunteers to help move and arrange tables and chairs on Sunday, September 10 at 12:30pm. Contact Dee or Nancy if you’re able to help that day.
Our Family Promise Top Golf team now has three confirmed members. If you are a serious golfer and would like to have fun supporting the Family Promise Mission for homeless families in Hamilton County please email me at jrairdon@noblesvillefirst.com to learn more about the Corporate Cup competition at Top Golf on Sunday, October 24 from 1:00-5:00 pm.
Thursday Worship will be in the Vine (Door 5) tonight in person with Pastor Matt Hantelman and on Zoom at 6:30 pm. Pastor Matt will be discussing what it means to see Jesus as Teacher. For more information contact Matt at mhantelman@noblesvillefirst.com.
In Family Worship this Sunday at 9:45 am in Celebration Hall, we continue with week three of our series on INITIATIVE, as we see how Nehemiah deals with some distractions in Nehemiah 2:19-20, 4, and 6. Not everyone liked what Nehemiah was doing. He had enemies who tried to get the people distracted from finishing the wall. But he sees through their plan and focused on the job God gave him to finish. From cleaning their rooms to finishing their homework, kids have all sorts of things that need to be done. But it often doesn’t take long for cleaning a room to become playing with the toys you’re supposed to be picking up. We hope kids will see that focusing on the task at hand is important. God has all sorts of jobs for us to do. Pastor Jill will share her message on Jesus as Teacher with the adults during the student’s small group time.
This Sunday for Early Worship (8:30) and Traditional Worship (9:45), Paster Jill and I will continue the series Freeing Jesus by discussing Jesus as Teacher. Pastor Jill will offer a unique take as she shares what it mean to call Jesus her rabbi. In preparation, read John 13:13-17.
We hope you will give the Contemporary Worship experience at 11:00 a try which features our Praise Band led by Pastor Matt Hantelman. Pastor Jill will share her message on Jesus as Teacher and we celebrate a time of communion and prayer each Sunday. We hope you will give this renewed worship experience a try and invite a friend.
Share prayer requests and check out this 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