It's ... Back l8^0

One of the most unique, potentially harmful, will-testing, individual challenges is returning to NSC.

T H E   B U L L  will be present on Wednesday, March 11th at 6:00 pm at North Shore Church for our 2nd annual S P R I N G   F L I N G ! ! !

Those willing and able of any age will be given a chance to test their strength, balance, and pride in front of a packed gymnasium, some of whom may-kind-of-be-hoping for an epic F L I N G to occur.

As it was last year, this little fling will also feature a pie baking contest so start sifting through your favorite recipes and mark the date!

Are You Ready for October 31?

Trunk-or-Treat is coming up fast.  Have you thought about what your car will look like?  See some ideas below.  Click the link on the left to view past blogs about what is Trunk-or-Treat.

October? Already?

The days pass quickly, and October will soon be over before you know it.  But not without North Shore giving it a mighty send-off.  Once again, North Shore will be hosting its annual Trunk-or-Treat festivities on Friday, October 31st, beginning at 6:00 PM and we want everyone to be part of it.

During this evening, not only will we provide a safe place for families to bring their children to get candy and other goodies, but indoors there will be hot chili and other warm foods to fill your belly, along with a huge inflatable jumper/slide to keep the kids busy, yet warm, and maybe dry.

Get Connected with This Event By:

Trunking Out!

Bring your best, worst, only vehicle and dress it up in a unique way.  Next, fill it with treats to be warmly given to the children passing by.  

Although not finalized, or necessarily endorsed by North Shore, consideration is being given for a few different awards for Trunking Out.  

• Treats Most Likely to Get Real Smiles from Kids and Fake Smiles from Parents 
• Think Silly String, Flarp, Red Bull, etc...
• Vehicle Most Likely to Need a Jump Start
• Maximize Use of 12 Volt Adapters
• Best Use of Tape
• Hint, use of most tape will have an advantage
• Most Violations of Motor Vehicle Laws
• We won't tell!

Chili-ng Out!

Bring your best, worst, only chili recipe and share it with the rest of the world.  We want your chili regardless of whether you take the next step, but if you dare, submit it for consideration in the chili cook-off contest being held that evening.  

Stepping Out!

Kids aren't the only one who get to dress up tonight.  Consider getting into the act and being your favorite Superhero, Veggie Tale, Real Housewife of Beverly Hills character, etc...

Coming Out!

Even if you aren't able to do any of the other stuff, please stop by and say hello anyway.

Wednesdays at The Shore is Starting!

The 2014/15 Season of Wednesdays at The Shore starts up on Wednesday, September 17th @ 6:30pm.  A wide range of programs for all age groups are scheduled and we hope you come check it out.  A summary of what's happening is below.  For a full schedule, click on the title of the class/group you have an interest in:

Adult Classes

Spirit Hunger - A Women's Study - Begins 9/17

We all have a desperate need for God – not just for following him or being committed to him, but to be intimately connected to him. We long for purpose, for affirmation, for attention, for nurture.  But Gari Meacham writes that we fall short of being desperate for God, or we miss the longed-for romance with God we hear about in scripture.  We’re uncertain how to distinguish our longings from our fears.  When, says Meacham, did our longings turn to hauntings?  And when did we buy into the counterfeit yearnings for control, and the insecurity, perfectionism and other attitudes that quench Spirit Hunger?

Close Encounters - A Men's Study - Begins 9/17

This study features real-life wild game hunts and fly fishing ventures with nationally known outdoorsmen who connect divine spiritual truths with earthly experiences found only in the world of hunting and fishing. Jason Cruise takes you on a trek into creation that will show you how to live out your passion for the outdoors in ways that bring honor to God.

Love & Logic - Parenting Class - Begins 9/24

Get ready to laugh, learn and take the exhaustion and frustration out of parenting.  The techniques and videos presented will give parents techniques they can use in the heat of battle…without breaking a sweat.  Love and Logic is a philosophy of raising and teaching children that allows adults to be happier, empowered, and more skilled in their interactions with children.

Youth Groups

Junior High Youth Group - 6th thru 8th Grade - Begins 9/17

Jr youth is a place for our students who are not children anymore yet they are not yet teenagers. It is important that during this transition in life that we encourage them to pursue a relationship with Jesus while they learn the truth of His death and resurrection.

B L I T Z (Johnny Rogers) - 1st thru 5th Grade - Begins 9/17

Its time to get in shape for game day! BLITZ stands for Bold Living In The Zone! We’ll run down God’s Top Ten plays for life through the ten commandments. Score with Loving God, Loving your neighbor, Honoring your parents, and Loving God’s word. Bold living requires us to not only know God’s way but to live it out by the choices we make. Winning the game requires action and this team’s on the move!

B I G (Lil'K) - Preschool and Kindergarten - Begins 9/17

In BIG, kids learn that even though they are small, they can do big things with God’s help! In fact, they can do all things through Christ, because He gives them strength!"

Dude's Guide to Manhood Scheduled this Spring

Pastor Travis will be leading a 6 week men's study of the book, The Dude's Guide to Manhood: Finding True Manliness in a World of Counterfeits by Darrin Patrick. Each of the 6 weeks will cover 2 chapters of the 12 chapter book. Per the publisher:

Discover the path to true masculinity—to an adventurous life of strength, purpose, and clarity.

Didn’t we used to understand manhood? Wasn’t there a time once when it was clear and straightforward? Are we lost?

Dudes, look around you: The trail we once traveled from boyhood to maturity is now so overgrown, it’s almost impossible to trace. Our vision is blurred, rendering the map that previous generations followed unreadable. Our compass needles are spinning in circles, making navigation impossible. We are stuck in dense, dangerous woods, and our communities—the wives, children, friends, and colleagues we could be influencing—are suffering as a result.

It can be tempting to give up and, like so many men today, simply exist, but take heart: Now is not the time for men to abandon our quest. We can discover the path to true masculinity—to an adventurous life of strength, purpose, and clarity.

In The Dude’s Guide to Manhood, pastor, author and dude Darrin Patrick charts a course back toward real manliness, mapping out a vision to help men find significance and influence in today’s broken, mixed-message culture. Revealing his own frailties and missteps, Patrick doesn’t preach at you but walks with you on a journey toward healing and wholeness.

Classes will begin Wednesday, March 26th @ 6:30pm as part of The Shore.  Nursery is available and kids programs for ages 3 through 8th grade take place at the same time.

The book sells for $12.23 on Amazon, there is also a Kindle version for $9.99.  A companion guide can be found from this LINK.

Volunteers Accepted??

The final trimester of Wednesdays at the Shore starts up on March 19th and we are in the throws of scheduling our excellent volunteer staff for next term.  With the change to the new children's curriculum and the sense of excitement surrounding the program it seems people are just itching to become involved in the program.  Now for those of you who are feeling left out, there is still time to step forward.

Although we do only have a limited amount of these premier volunteer positions, we are willing to consider any and all replacements.  Just because people were slotted as volunteers in the past, doesn't guarantee them a spot.  When striving for excellence, roster spots are not guaranteed, just look at the Packers, or any NFL franchise for that matter.  Heck, I read that Harvard rejects 94% of their applicants.

So with the new format and likely high demand for volunteering, I'm trying to determine the best way to turn people away?  Let me know what you think, your choices are:

• "Forget" to Put You on the Schedule - This would be where I really don't tell you anything after you state you're willing to help, but just never place your name in any designated positions.  
• Thank You Note - Here you'd get a hand written thank you note acknowledging your offer.  I'd make sure to put a smiley face next to my signature.  It would likely be placed in your mailbox on a Sunday where I wasn't at church.
• Mailed Letter - Here you'd get the official treatment.  A letter in the mail on church letterhead signed  (or at least rubber stamped) by the 6 to 8 people from leadership who are aware that you are being rejected (although there'd probably be more aware than 8). 
• Via a Friend - I don't know everyone the same way, sometimes its easier to tell someone that is your friend and have that friend break the news to you and provide comfort.
• Shoulder Tap - Now we are doing it face to face, but probably picking a time after service where you're engaged in a conversation with someone else.  I tap you on the shoulder, whisper the news in your ear, and head out the door.

The Best Way to Reject Me is:

"Forget" to Schedule Me

Thank-You Note

Mailed Letter

Via a Friend

Shoulder Tap

Poll Maker

OK.  For those of you lucky ones who make the cut, what are you getting yourself into?  To start with, a rotation of teams is used to provide the leadership for the evening.  Through rotations, the program is run by requesting just 9 of your evenings each year.  Just 9 of 53 Wednesdays! (I'm using years where Jan 1 falls on a Wednesday to help my argument). Volunteers help from 6:15 pm to a little after 8:00 pm that evening in a number of different roles.  They currently are:

1. Nursery- 2 or 3 per evening.  No preparation needed.  Basically what you think it is.  During the evening you have the ability to look out windows into the gym to see other volunteers not changing diapers.
2. Helpers- 2 per evening.  No preparation needed.  You are assisting the "Lil'K Leader" with the night's activities for the PreK and Kindergarten group.  Assist with discipline and bathroom breaks, but will not need to lead any activities on your own.
3. Team Leaders- 2 or 3 per evening.  No preparation needed.  Assist the Johnny Rogers program (1st thru 5th) throughout the evening with team activities in the gym.  Last 30 minutes or so of night, you will lead a small group of about 5 kids in discussion time and Bible Activities.  Materials are scripted and require no advance prep.
4. Gopher - 1 per evening.  Setup and take-down stage / screen materials.  Gather enough copies of materials for group leaders.  Prepare snacks.  This position likely will require setup efforts to begin at 5:30 pm instead of 6:15 pm to get everything in place.
5. Lil'K Leader - 1 per evening.  Some advance prep is recommended.  A lesson plan with a number of activities and a craft is already developed for the evening.  Your responsibility is to determine what activities you will do and make sure materials are available (if needed) to fill the last 30 minutes of the evening when the video is finished.

The new curriculum is video driven and provides consistency in the manner the message is delivered each and every week.  It includes a time of worship which is a new component of the evening.  It has team competitions that assist in keeping children's attention.  Further, it provides a focused small group time, allowing the children to be more directly engaged, acknowledged and cared for by the adult leaders.

Please contact me, the church office, Allisen Shawver, or Pastor if you feel led to offer your time in this program. We would start you out by picking a few nights where you could shadow others and just see what happens. After that, maybe you'd truly be one of the "chosen few".

Kevin

Women's Bible Study Scheduled for Spring Trimester

Do you feel Restless? What if this feeling weren't a bad thing? This feeling could be a longing, a restlessness for more of God. It could push us to move forward, to live epic lives that were designed before the foundations of the earth were laid. In the Bible study, Restless by Jennie Allen, we will be looking at the life of Joseph and through this study, we will see how Joseph's passions, relationships and suffering fit into the greater story of God - and we will discover how our stories can do the same.

Study begins Wednesday, March 19th @ 6:30pm.  Study is part of The Shore programming for Spring. Activities for children age 3 to 8th grade runs at the same time.  Nursery is also available for the younger ones.  Contact the church office or Lisa Albrecht for more information.