Discipleship and Formation

New Bible Study Starts Tonight

Join Pastor Darren for an in-depth exploration of some of the most interesting — and challenging — books in the Old Testament on Wednesday nights from tonight, April 8, through May 13 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the conference room. "Confederacy of the Covenant: A Study of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth" will tell the story of the new nation of Israelites after their founder, Moses, is gone. Learn about their struggles to maintain their faith and fidelity to God, who had liberated them from Egypt to become a new and different kind of people. A Zoom option will be available when you RSVP.

"Bible Basics" Begins Next Wednesday, April 15

The Bible is a holy scripture of the church, but many Christians are unfamiliar with it, and some find it too complicated or confusing. In this four-week course on Wednesday nights starting April 15 we will explore what the Bible is and what it contains; the original languages and modern translations of the Bible; the "big picture" of biblical history and the world in biblical times, and ways that the Bible has been read and interpreted over time. The sessions will be held at 6:30 p.m. in the club room on April 15, April 22, April 29, and May 6. Email our instructor, Dr. Perry Kea, if you have any questions, and please RSVP here.

Sophia Class Launches Flower Fundraiser

Back by popular demand, the Sophia Sunday school class will hold a Mother's Day flower fundraiser this month to benefit the beautification of North's courtyard.

Orders will be taken this Sunday morning, April 12, and next Sunday morning, April 19, in the west entry, and customers can pick up their flowers on Sunday morning, May 3, which is the week before Mother’s Day.

The courtyard is a lovely space in which to spend time. It is a safe place for children to run and play. There are spots to take a selfie or family photo, and at least one marriage proposal has taken place in it. The Sophia Sunday school class would like to show the courtyard some love and raise funds for its wish list, which includes outdoor tables and chairs, bell house repairs, refinishing the cedar bench, and a trellis for climbing plants.

The class will obtain the flowers it will sell from a local greenhouse. Last year it had many favorable comments about the quality. A wide selection will again be offered: ferns, begonias, impatiens, petunias, calibrachoa, geraniums, sunpatiens, and combo baskets for sun or shade. Consider purchasing begonias and donating them for the containers at the Lucille Raines Residence. These flowers will brighten our gardens and are sure to put a smile on many mothers' faces on Mother's Day.

Next LGBTQ+ Dinner Is April 21 at the AMP

LGBTQ+ individuals are invited to our group's monthly dinner gatherings, the next of which will be held Tuesday, April 21, at 6 p.m. at the AMP at 16 Tech. Parking on the street is free there. Please email Brandon Wallace or T.A. Inskeep if you have any questions.

Mission and Outreach

Tour the MLK Center Next Thursday, April 16

A tour of the MLK Center for interested parties from North UMC is scheduled for next Thursday, April 16, at 4:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity for church members who haven’t yet engaged with the center to learn more about their neighbors, the history, and the work the center is doing across the surrounding communities — much of it made possible with the support of North Church members! 

If you plan to volunteer with the MLK Center at any point soon, you are strongly encouraged to attend. Please email Pastor Jill and let her know if you plan to join the tour by Tuesday, April 14. We will meet at the MLK Center.

MLK Center Needs Bulk, Individually Packaged Snacks

The MLK Center needs individually packaged snacks (quantities of 75 or more) for its after-school program. Items like fruit snacks, granola bars, breakfast bars, fruit bars, crackers, or cracker sandwiches are all great options. The center asks that donors are mindful of peanut allergies and dairy sensitivities, as those are increasingly common among its students. If you are able to help with this need, please bring items to the west entry and place them in the gray bin provided. Thank you for your support!

Hamilton Series

Focus on Neurodiversity; Please RSVP by This Friday

The Richard E. and Anna Lee Hamilton Series on Theology and Contemporary Issues brings speakers, seminars, and special musical events to North UMC on various issues.

Please join us on Sunday, April 19, when the Hamilton Series will focus on neurodiversity and faith.

The guest preacher for the worship services (8:30 and 11 a.m.) will be Rev. Dr. Sara Griffith Lund, minister for disabilities and mental health justice for the United Church of Christ and senior pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ, Indianapolis. She will also have a question-and-answer session between the services at 9:45 a.m. in Fellowship Hall. Her latest book, “Blessed Minds: Breaking the Silence About Neurodiversity,” has received consistent praise from churches looking to expand their ministries and hospitality.

The 11 a.m. worship service will also feature special music by the Jubilate Choir of the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. It is for singers with special needs in grades three through nine (or equivalent). Conductor Lauren Southard designed the Jubilate program for the ICC to fill a gap in performing arts opportunities for Indianapolis-area children with disabilities.

A free luncheon and a keynote speech will follow the 11 a.m. worship service. The keynote speech will be delivered by Daniel Bowman, Jr., autistic author of the acclaimed memoir “On the Spectrum: Autism, Faith, and the Gifts of Neurodiversity.” A New York native, he lives in Hartford City, Ind., where he is associate professor of English at Taylor University.

Please RSVP for the free lunch by this Friday, April 10, by email.

Care and Nurture

Sound Bath Meditation Is Set for Sunday, April 26

Back by popular demand! Come for an evening of healing and relaxation through calming sounds and spiritual renewal using crystal and metal bowls, gentle tones, and candles. The session will be held at 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 26 in the chapel. It will be led once again by Irena Warriner. All are welcome.

Youth Group

Egg-stra Late Egg-stravaganza Is This Sunday

The ultimate and quirky egg hunt challenge called the Egg-stra Late Egg-stravaganza will be held for students in sixth through 12th grade this Sunday, April 12, from 12:30 p.m. until 3 p.m. in the Gathering Center, courtyard, parking lot, and youth room. Join us for an afternoon of games, quirky activities, music, fun, food, and of course lots of eggs! This is an Easter egg challenge like you've never seen before. Please email Brandon Wallace for more information.

United Women in Faith

Sunday Supper Is Slated for Noon This Sunday

Enjoy a delicious meal in Fellowship Hall immediately after the 11 a.m. service this Sunday, April 12, while supporting our circles' mission projects. Examples of the latter include the Lucille Raines Residence and scholarships to help North's children and youth attend Methodist summer camps.

Italian shells, garlic bread, Caesar salad, desserts, and ice tea, lemonade, and coffee are on the menu. Admission is $12 per person and $8 per child under 10, with a $40 cap per household. No reservations are required.

Green Team

Earth Day Sunday Is Coming Up April 26

We will observe Earth Day on Sunday, April 26 with special prayers and readings as part of our Sunday services. Our own Will Kattmann will give us an update on our butterfly waystation, which he organized, planned, and built as his Eagle Scout project along with help from the Green Team, some NUMC master gardeners, and some other NUMC Eagle Scouts.

During the Sunday school hour Bradley Baughn will give a talk in Fellowship Hall at 9:45 a.m. He is the policy and government affairs director for the Indiana Conservation Law Center.

Install a Rain Barrel

April showers bring May flowers, and also the opportunity to save water by harvesting rainwater. Installing a rain barrel on a downspout is a simple yet effective way to collect rainwater. All that is needed is a roof of a structure, gutters, and a piping network and a barrel. You can purchase a rain barrel from a local gardening or hardware store or even create one yourself. Captured rainwater is ideal for landscaping and gardening because it’s typically free of salts, disinfectant by-products, harmful minerals, has no hardness, and needs no treatment before use. And with proper treatment, such as ultraviolet light or ozone, rainwater can even be made safe for people to drink.

Shepherd's Center

The War in Ukraine Is the Topic on April 15

The Mid-North Shepherd's Center's meeting on Wednesday, April 15 will start at 10 a.m. when Janet Humphrey leads therapeutic chair yoga in room 005; Stephanie York leads devotions and jewelry crafts in room 004, and Bob Kirk moderates a discussion of the news in the youth room. At 11 a.m. Dr. Connor Sutton will speak on "Ukraine and the Future of European Security" in Fellowship Hall. Lunch will follow there at noon. At 1 p.m. the Shepherd's Singers will rehearse in the choir room with Sean Baker.

Nealite Travel Group is organizing a bus trip via Miller Transportation motor coach to the Shrine of Christ's Passion in St. John, Ind., on Tuesday, May 19. The bus will leave from Lawrence United Methodist Church (5200 Shadeland Ave., Indianapolis) at 8:30 a.m. A minimum of 20 people are required for the trip to occur. For information on how to sign up, contact Sara Case. To learn more about the shrine, which features 40 life-size bronze figures in landscaped gardens that look like the Holy Land, go to its website.

Please like and follow the Mid-North Shepherd's Center's Facebook page to stay up to date on its news.