October 22, 2026

Pilgrimage to New Orleans

I spent the end of last week with the Alliance of Baptists on a pilgrimage to New Orleans, and I returned grateful for the experience, the conversations, and the beautiful worship we shared.

We visited the Whitney Plantation, which offered an important opportunity to learn about the brutal realities of slavery. But the most impactful part of our time was a tour of New Orleans led by a local guide whose knowledge of the city brought its history into vivid focus. He showed us places in the French Quarter where the legacy of slavery remains visible, and took us to the very spot where the levee broke during Hurricane Katrina. In the Lower Ninth Ward, the effects of that disaster remain painfully evident. Seeing these places through the eyes of someone who knows their stories was a powerful reminder that history is not simply behind us; its consequences continue to shape the lives and neighborhoods of the present.

Just as meaningful were the conversations we shared and the worship that held our time together. Pilgrimage is about more than visiting places. It invites us to listen closely, to reckon honestly with difficult histories, and to consider how those histories continue to shape our communities and our faith.

I’m grateful to the Alliance for creating space for this kind of learning, reflection, and connection—and for the reminder that following Jesus calls us to keep listening, keep asking difficult questions, and keep seeking where God is at work in the world.

-Jillian

SUNDAY WORSHIP

October 25, 2026 at 10:45 am

Rev. Jillian Hankamer preaching

Matthew 22:34-46

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MUSIC MINISTRY

The Opening Hymn: For the Beauty of the Earth a hymn text composed on a beautiful late spring day in Bath, England by Folliott S. Pierpont, this hymn speaks of all nature joining together in the praise of our Creator.



The Hymn: Help Us Accept Each Other Sung to the tune AURELIA which is commonly used with "The Church's One Foundation," this hymn penned by 20th c. Dutch theologian Fred Kaan, is a prayer for unity and in our diversity being one in spirit.

The Anthem: If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments by Thomas Tallis, court composer and cathedral musician in the time of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I. His ethereal music beautifully portrays, still today, the majesty of God's love and God's teaching. This scripture is from John 14

The Communion Anthem: The Call by Ralph Vaughan Williams is a choral setting by D. H. Clark of a part of a song cycle called Five Mystical Songs. They are settings of poetry by 17th c. English clergyman, George Herbert. These are allegorical descriptions of our relationship with God as those of lovers. Trinitarian allusions include "Way, Truth, Life," "Light, Feast, Strength," and "Joy, Love, Heart."

The Closing Hymn: Called as Partners in Christ's Service This text by Jane Parker Huber, a renowned Presbyterian hymn writer, who strongly advocated for women in her church, was written to speak in advocacy of all gifted for ministry in the church, working together a co-equal servants.

Dates for January Cuba Visit

Northminster’s annual visit to our partner church in Cuba is scheduled for January 13–21. The trip will include four days with our sisters and brothers at Enmanuel Baptist Church in Ciego de Avila and two days in Havana. Nine people have already committed, but there is still time to join this great group. If you are interested, please contact Craig Henry (wchenry@hpblaw.com) or D. H. Clark (dellieclark@bellsouth.net) for details, including the estimated cost. To apply for Cuban religious visas, we must submit passport information by mid-November, which is also the deadline to commit.

Update on The All Saints Organ of

Northminster Church

We recently hosted Michael Kirk, an associate of Meta Organ Works in Argyle, NY, who spent two days updating the software, making adjustments, checking voicing for individual stops, and adding a new sample set (more about that later) to our All Saints Organ. This brought to mind that we have had the instrument now for three years. We dedicated it on All Saints Sunday in 2023 to the glory of God and in memory of all of the saints of Northminster Church. I thought it would be a good time for a refresher on how this instrument, which so greatly enhances our worship, actually functions and just what updates were made my Michael.

The organ works on a Hauptwerk platform, a computer program which assembles digital recordings of individual pipes of notable organs around the globe into an amazing recreation of the actual sound of these instruments. The proprietary name Hauptwerk is taken from the German name of the main keyboard on an organ, that in English is called the Great. Each pipe is recorded with very high tech equipment in various ways, such as long notes, short notes, recorded both near the pipe and varying distances from it, etc. Bear in mind that many of these instruments have thousands of pipes. God bless the folks who have the patience and skill to do this work. If you record 8000 pipes in 5 or 6 different ways, do the math, there are a mind-boggling number of recordings which have to be catalogued and fed into the computer so the program can do the work of turning this into a facsimile of the original instrument. (One of the most complex computer programs I have ever worked with. However, tech support from Dan and Melissa Lemeaux, founders of Meta Organ Works, and their associates such as Michael, and the beautifully designed console that they created, it becomes very user friendly.)

This technology differs from standard Electronic instruments which either generate the tones electronically, or use the samples in a fixed arrangement. Hauptwerk allows us to have multiple instruments in our one console, dependent on the memory capability of the Windows computer contained within it. We now currently have about 17 different instruments, including the newest which I played last week for the first time. It is a “sample set,” as they are called, of an Aeolian-Skinner organ from First Covenant Church in Oakland, CA. A detailed description and recorded demonstrations can be found on the website of its creator, Sonus Paradisi located in the Czech Republic. https://www.sonusparadisi.cz/en/organs/u-s-a/aeolian-skinner-virtual-organ.html

Aeolian-Skinner Organs helped define the mid-century American church organ sound, with their richly textured warmth, beautiful solo stops, and breath-taking ensemble sounds. I am so happy to have this new addition. Michael also revoiced other instruments so as to make them more usable in service playing. Many were too live (to much reverberation, owing to the actual buildings in which they resided.) In our smaller sanctuary, this does not work well for accompanying the congregation and the choir. With the updated software, this was ble to be adjusted to our environment.

This may be more information than you wanted about this highly complex, but amazing instrument, and, if not, I am happy to talk to you individually, any time.

Incidently, I am sure you noticed that Dr. Thacher has been playing the wonderful chamber organ that we have had since we moved into the sanctuary, the 1975 15-rank Moeller Tracker Organ. Please thank her for making it sound so beautiful.

D H

If you are really praying, you can't help but have critical questions about the great problems the world is grappling with, and you can't get rid of the idea that conversion is not only necessary for yourself and your neighbor, but for the entire human community. This conversion of the world means a "turning-around," a revolution, which can lead to renewal. From With Open Hands by Henry J. M. Nouwen

OUR JOYS AND CONCERNS

Erich Hankamer 23rd

Drew Parks 29th

Pastoral Care Ministry Team

On-Call Team Member for October:

Patti Pate (318-791-3215)

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Please see the sign up sheet in the hall to indicate you will decorate your trunk and or bring candy. There will be a prize given for the best decorated trunk!

YOUTH FOOD PANTRY NEEDS

We are having a time keeping the Youth Food Pantry filled. Folks are utilizing it and we need your help with items for the youth to stock the pantry with. We are in need of items that will keep in the heat and are sealed:

Any/all Canned Goods, (including meat, sauces, vegetables, etc..., Baby Food, pastas, mac and cheese, instant potatoes, rice, spapgetti sauce peanut butter crackers, snacks, protein/breakfast bars...just about anything you can think of that are considered "staples."

CHURCH LIFE

We will be mainly working on the front flower beds and are in need of a great deal of pine straw and weed blocking fabric. Please sign up to indicate that you can be here to help us with this churchwide project. The sign up sheet is in the hall off the Narthex. Thanks!

Pastoral Care Ministry Team

On-Call Team Member for October: Patti Pate (318-791-3215)

ANNUAL AGAPE MEAL SET

Our Agape meal will be held on Sunday, November 15 at 6pm. There is a sign up sheet in the hall off the Narthex. Please list each person on one line that plans to attend so we may have an accurate head count for the amount of food needed. Again this year we will offer the traditional Thanksgiving Meal or you may indicate your preference for Gumbo.

The cost is $12 per person, with a cap of $50 / famil. Funds are due at signup!

(You may pay by paypal, check, (note" Agape Meal") or cash. If cash, please indicate on the envelope that it is for the Agape Meal.

PUB THEOLOGY

Pub Theology is held on the third Thursday of each month at 7pm at Melvyns, 1128 Oliver Rd., Monroe.



COMING UP

THE FLORAL OFFERING

Arrangement by

OF INTEREST IN THE COMMUNITY

GIVING TO NORTHMINSTER