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October 24, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
Parade of Tables
All adult women are invited to a soup and salad lunch hosted by the Northside Women's Ministry on Saturday, November 14, 11 a.m.–1 p.m. in the Youth Room. Come enjoy great food, fun, and fellowship as you experience an eclectic offering of tables decorated to reflect the personalities of each table hostess. Cost is $10. Registration opens on October 25. Sign up at the table in the Atrium or use the link below.Sign Up
October 23, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
Money Tree for Mercedes Rivera and Shem Miller
On Sunday, November 1, a Money Tree will be available to help celebrate the marriage of Mercedes Rivera and Shem Miller. Please help us bless this couple by signing the Bible on the Money Tree table in the Atrium, sharing some well wishes on the available cards, and leaving a monetary gift on the decorated tree.
October 22, 2026 • 1 Minute Read
YG Trek Informational Meeting
Calling all high school students to Trek: Colorado! Students and parents are invited to join us for an informational meeting on Sunday, November 1, before Sunday Chill. We will share cost and payment information, trip details, and a basic itinerary, as well as answer any questions you may have. Mark your calendars now for June 19-27, 2026! We will update this page with the registration link and more details after the meeting. This trip is open to all current 9th-12th grade students.
October 21, 2026 • 4 Minute Read
Family Matters
Game Day with Medicare Presentation Friday, October 30, 10:30 a.m. The next Seniors Game Day Lunch is coming up on Friday, October 30; note the date change from our usual schedule. This month, in addition to games, our senior adults will have a special program beginning at 10:30 a.m. Presented by Esse Moreno, we will learn about Medicare, Medicare Supplements, and other insurance often purchased to cover vision, hearing, and dental care. Hear about first-time enrollment, reviewing coverages annually during the open enrollment period, the benefit levels of the various Medicare Supplement Plans, and much, much more. And don’t let the word “seniors” keep you away! This event is open to anyone who is interested in learning or who might be involved in caring for a senior adult. We’d love to have you join us! After the presentation, stick around for a light lunch, games, and fellowship in Room 207 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. RSVP at nscoc.org/game-day. Email northstars@nscoc.org if you have any questions. 🗓️ For Your Calendar Trunk or Treat Sunday, October 25, 5 p.m. A safe, fun, fall event for our whole church family, neighbors, and friends! Come for the candy, stay for the community. Learn more. GriefShare: Surviving the Holidays Seminar Saturday, November 7, 1–3 p.m. When you’re grieving the loss of a loved one, navigating the holidays can be difficult. This 2-hour seminar includes practical advice from others who have been there. Learn more. JingleMart Volunteer Opportunities December 10–12 JingleMart provides a special Christmas shopping experience for kinship caregivers, and we need your help to make it happen! Learn more. Event Quick Links November 1 | Daylight Saving Ends November 1 | SA Hope Thanksgiving Baskets & Holiday Giving sign-ups begin November 1 | 345 & Sunday Chill November 8 | ENGAGE contemporary praise November 12 | Women’s Bunco Night November 13 | Seniors Monthly Meal Deal November 14 | Parade of Tables For additional events, visit nscoc.org/events. Gather | Midweek Tuesdays Women’s Bible Study | 10 a.m., Room 205 Men’s Bible Study | 10 a.m., Room 206 Wednesdays Wednesday Evening Meals | 6 p.m., Fellowship Room This week’s menu: Baked potato and fixings, salad, cakes Youth Gathering | 6:30 p.m., Youth Room Children’s Classes | 7 p.m., Children’s Department Wednesday Connect | 7 p.m., Fellowship Room Praise Team Rehearsal | 7 p.m., Upper Room Worship & Gather | Sundays Worship with us at 9 a.m. in the Worship Center or online at live.nscoc.org. Follow along with our order of service in the YouVersion Bible app and view this Sunday’s songs (available by Friday) at nscoc.org/youversion. Encountering Jesus with Greg Scherrer Sunday, October 18 Can love really cover a multitude of sins? Greg Scherrer’s story reminds us that God can be at work in both life’s miracles and it’s deepest heartaches. In this message, we explore what it means to love others with a commitment that doesn’t give up, even when the road is difficult. View Sunday’s message at nscoc.org. Pray Let us know how we can be praying for you this week. Visit the Prayer Hub today, or view a comprehensive list of those in our prayers this week.View Prayer HubView Prayer List Give Thank you for supporting the kingdom work being done through Northside! Click here to view a financial snapshot.Give online Submit Announcements and Share with Others Please submit announcements for events, births, deaths and others online. We will contact you back to let you know where your announcements will appear. Blessings! Submit request. Share with others! Subscribe to receive Northside emails at nscoc.org/emails. OUR MISSION
To reflect and serve God’s mission of love in our city and our world FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | WEBSITE
October 20, 2026 • 2 Minute Read
Trunk or Treat
Join us at Trunk or Treat 🍬 Trunk or Treat is THIS Sunday, October 25, 5–7 here in the Northside parking lot. It’s not too late to come with a trunk and candy and join us in this amazing outreach event. Trunks can begin setting up at 4:15 and are asked to enter from the south parking lot and the event will begin at 5 p.m. We hope to see you there! Important Trunk or Treat information for Sunday, October 25 Cars/trunks should arrive by 4:15 p.m. for setup.
Event begins at 5 p.m. Those providing cars/trunks: We encourage everyone to provide a car/trunk if possible. THE MORE, THE BETTER! You can begin arriving at 4:15 p.m. to set up your vehicle. Our wonderful Traffic Team will direct you. Anyone providing a trunk should provide their own candy or treats and any decorations they choose to use. Be ready to greet treaters by 5 p.m. Extra treats and candy will be available for those in need. Don’t forget your lawn chairs! Clean-up will begin promptly at 7 p.m. Volunteers: Thanks so much to those who signed up to help with concessions, food preparation, the welcome table, popcorn, and directing traffic! Traffic/Safety team, please arrive by 4 p.m. All others, please arrive at 4:15 p.m. We still could use some help! Please let Ms. Coco know if you are available to lend a hand. Those with children: We will not open the Trunk or Treat Lot until 5 p.m. for children who are gathering treats. Families are welcome to enjoy the playground if they arrive early. All food and activities are FREE. All families will receive 1 ticket per person for a hotdog, bag of chips, cookie, and drink. Restrooms will be available. All activities, including an inflatable bouncer, will be held in the parking lot. We ask that all parents monitor their children closely at this public event! Email Ms. Coco at children@nscoc.org with questions.
October 20, 2026 • 7 Minute Read
Storing Up Peace: The Journey Begins
Storing Up Peace: The Journey Begins What if finding peace begins with remembering that God is with us, wherever we are on the journey? “When I experienced peace I knew God was with me.” Those words from Kellie White recently gave me a way to express what I hope we will discover together over the next several weeks. We often think of peace as the absence of conflict, the resolution of a problem, or the moment when life finally settles down. But what happens when the problem remains, the conflict continues, or life takes us somewhere we never expected to be? Can we experience peace even there? I believe we can. Storing up peace for our spiritual journey begins with realizing, or remembering, that God is with us. God Is With Us, Wherever We Go Read Psalm 139 Find a quiet place, or your favorite spot to spend time with God, and read all of Psalm 139 aloud. Read slowly. Pause whenever a line or phrase catches your attention, and spend a little time reflecting on it. When you finish reading, return to this post. In Psalm 139, the psalmist asks, “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” The answer is nowhere. Whether we find ourselves in the heights of heaven or the depths of despair, God is there. Jesus offers a similar promise in John 14. As he prepares his disciples for his departure, he tells them not to let their hearts be troubled. He reminds them of their connection to him and promises the presence of the Holy Spirit. Then he says: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.”
John 14:27 Jesus does not promise his disciples a life without uncertainty or difficulty. Instead, he reminds them of a relationship that will remain even when everything around them changes. This is the foundation of the peace we are exploring together. We are on a remarkable journey, one that will take us through seasons of joy, uncertainty, growth, and even despair. And God is with us every step of the way. We experience peace when we know God is with us. Why We Need a Map If God is with us wherever we go, why do we sometimes struggle to find peace? One reason is that we can lose our bearings. When we don't understand where we are or what is happening within us, we can feel confused, discouraged, or even hopeless. Much like a journey through Middle-earth in The Lord of the Rings, to follow Frodo and Sam, we need some sense of where they are, what lies ahead, and how their path relates to the journeys of the other characters. Without that understanding, it's easy to lose track of the story. Our spiritual journeys can feel much the same. We need ways to understand where we are, recognize what God may be doing in our lives, and appreciate how our journey relates to the journeys of others. For this series, we're using a framework from Janet O. Hagberg and Robert A. Guelich's book The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith. It offers a map for understanding different experiences of spiritual growth. But there is an important distinction: this is not a ladder we climb to become better Christians. It's a map that helps us understand where we are. Different Places, One Journey Rather than calling these experiences stages, we're going to call them lands or locations. The language matters because a numbered list can make it seem as though one location is better than another. But every location has its own gifts and challenges. We also don't all travel the same road. We may visit a place several times before settling there for a season. Circumstances may take us back to familiar territory, even after we've experienced something new. Two people can be the same age, share similar life circumstances, and attend the same church while experiencing very different things spiritually. Our perspective is limited, too. When we're standing in one place, we may not be able to understand what someone a few destinations away is experiencing. That can create tension. We may judge someone for not seeing what seems obvious to us, or wonder why a practice that once brought us peace no longer seems to help. We may even mistake someone else's spiritual season for a lack of faith. A map doesn't solve every disagreement. But it can help us approach one another with greater patience and curiosity. Storing up peace is a shared journey. We each have a part to play, and we can better appreciate one another when we recognize that we're not all standing in the same place. Our First Stop: The Land of Discipleship We began our exploration in what we're calling the Land of Discipleship, a place characterized by learning and belonging. Here, faith begins to take shape in everyday life. We learn what it means to follow Jesus, not simply believe in him. We establish rhythms of worship, prayer, Scripture, service, and community. We give our time and resources, find ways to serve, and discover what it means to belong to a people who are learning to follow Jesus together. Acts 2:42–47 offers a beautiful picture of this kind of life. The early Christians devote themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. They share what they have, care for one another, and gather regularly. In Romans 12:9–13, Paul describes the love that grows within such a community: genuine affection, service, generosity, patience, and hospitality. Together, these passages remind us that we aren't meant to figure out the life of faith on our own. We learn by participating in a community that is also learning to follow Jesus. There is real peace to be found here. A foundation: We begin to understand what following Jesus looks like in everyday life. A community: We discover that we aren't meant to make this journey alone. A rhythm: Practices like prayer, Scripture, worship, and service help us return to God again and again. A purpose: We find ways to participate in what God is doing in the world. If this were Middle-earth, the Land of Discipleship might feel a little like the Shire: familiar, welcoming, and full of the comforts of home. And there is nothing wrong with that. These practices and relationships give our faith roots. They help us learn to love God and our neighbors through the ordinary rhythms of life. But as we'll discover in the weeks ahead, even good things can become complicated when we lose sight of the relationship at the heart of them. Wherever You Are, God Is With You Over the coming weeks, we'll explore other locations on this map. Some may feel familiar and life-giving. Others may feel disorienting, lonely, or difficult to navigate. The goal isn't to decide which location is best or to force ourselves toward a particular destination. It's to recognize where we are, look for what God is doing, and learn to live faithfully along the journey. So, wherever you find yourself today, consider these questions: When have you experienced a deep sense of peace? What was happening in your life? When has peace seemed far away? What made it difficult to find? How might understanding your own spiritual journey help you extend greater grace to someone else's? You don't have to have the whole journey figured out. You don't have to be in the same place as the person sitting next to you. You simply need to remember that you are not traveling alone. Take It Into Your Week Go for a walk. Ask God to bring to mind a time when you experienced peace. What was happening in your life? What helped you recognize God's presence? Spend some time journaling. Recall a time when peace seemed far away. What made peace difficult to find? What were you experiencing, and where did you turn for help? Practice noticing. Over the next few days, pause when you feel peaceful, unsettled, or somewhere in between. What is happening within you? What might God be inviting you to notice? Wherever we are on the journey, God is with us.
