NRPC BBQ & Bake Sale:
Saturday, March 13 11:00-1:00

BBQ Sales: we have had numerous requests for the BBQ and Bake Sale. So we are going to do it! There will be a BBQ and Bake Sale primarily for the Congregation on Saturday, March 13.
For the BBQ, You must complete the pre-order form Click Here .  
The BBQ will be chicken or pork accompanied by slaw. Other sides will not be offered. Sauce will also be available for sale. You may invite friends and family to participate but they must pre-order for BBQ.  Questions please contact Keith Livengood . As always, the proceeds from the BBQ and Bake Sale will go to support outreach ministries.
 
Calling all bakers – If you’d like to make homemade goodies (sweet or savory) to sell at the bake sale for March Madness celebrations, please contact Krista Allen. Please plan to drop off items Saturday morning, March 13 starting at 9am.

Take some time to just sit with this painting. How does it make you feel?
Listen to Danny and Caroline as they read from Matthew 4:1-11. During and after the reading consider these questions: What were the temptations? Was there something the temptations had in common? What temptations do you experience in your life? How does Jesus respond and what might we learn from his response?
Click here to watch the video and share in this spiritual activity.
Now, offer a prayer to God.

Painting: Christ in the Wilderness by Ivan Kramskoi, 1872
Readers: Danny Dove and Caroline Pitts

​​LIVE STREAMING UPDATE
We will be transitioning platforms for our digital worship.  Dates to remember:

• February 21st: We will offer BOTH a pre-recorded service on Vimeo as usual and a Live Streaming service on YouTube at 10:30 am as a “transition” week.
• February 28th: We will be using YouTube Live Streaming ONLY from this point forward.

Important notes to remember:

1. Can I still watch a service early on Sunday morning if I wish?

With Live Streaming, you will not be able to participate in the current week’s digital worship prior to 10:30 am on Sunday morning.  However, after the service has been conducted, you can then access the video throughout the week or whenever you would like. You can worship with us at 10:30 am “Live” or you can worship after 10:30 am “Not Live”.

1. Why are we going to Live Streaming?

Three goals shape our decision to move to Live Streaming. First, Live Streaming lays the groundwork for our return to in-person worship in our sanctuary (see more at note 3). Even when we are back to in-person worship, some might want to continue to worship digitally until we are well past the risk of COVID-19. Second, in the longer term, we want to be able to continue Live Streaming as an option so that you can always stay connected and in touch with NRPC worship, even when you are unable to be with us in person. Finally, the videos that we create through Vimeo require 8-10 hours to build (Brandon pretty much does this all himself now) and require memory hungry software.  Going to Live Streaming, in the near term, allows our staff to focus on how we worship, grow and serve together and requires less video editing time and stress. 

1. Does Live Streaming mean in-person worship?

NO.  Live Streaming still means digital worship delivery.  The only people present together in the sanctuary during Live Streaming for this phase are the worship leaders.  However, Live Streaming is one step in the progression towards in person worship.  In person worship will also occur in phases.  Click <here> to access our phased or stepped approach regarding in person worship services.
 
WORSHIP SURVEY SUMMARY
NRPC Worship Committee conducted a survey November 2020 through January 2021 to assess participation in current activities offered by the church and to gauge interest for in person (and indoor) worship opportunities.  The purpose of this survey was to understand how well our activities had been communicated to the congregation and to plan, logistically, for how to manage numbers of people who might be interested in attending in person worship were we to offer that.  The purpose of the survey was not to guide or influence the decision to proceed with in person worship.  Below is a brief summary of results.  If you would like any more detailed information, please contact the office at NRPC.  We thank you for your participation and feedback through the survey!
Summary of Worship Survey

• There were a total of 77 respondents / households that took part in the survey.
• 66% of respondents were participating in ongoing opportunities for worship and fellowship with 95% of respondents aware of the opportunities.
• 35% of respondents were currently interested in attending in person worship indoors; this was a fairly consistent percentage regardless of whether the service was short, 20 minutes, or longer for 1 hour
  • Most of the open comments stated that meeting in person was too risky during this time.
• Of those respondents interested in attending in person, ~85% were 1-2 individuals planning to attend.

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SPIRITUAL PRACTICES WITH SACRED ARTS DURING LENT
After Jesus had fasted for forty days and forty nights… (Matthew 4:2) In The Bible, the number forty stands for a long time of hardship, waiting, and wandering.
AFTER the earth flooded, Noah spent 40 days in the ark BEFORE God made a covenant with his family. 
AFTER hearing God’s commandments, Moses fasted 40 days and 40 nights BEFORE leading the Israelites in the wilderness.
AFTER leaving Egypt, the Israelites wandered in the wilderness 40 years BEFORE reaching the Promised Land.
AFTER his baptism, Jesus was led into the wilderness for 40 days to be tempted BEFORE starting his ministry.


​Forty is an in-between space – between the AFTER and BEFORE – where transformation takes place. What do you need to take with you in the wilderness? Who do you need to take with you? What supplies do you need?   (Used with permission from Theresa Cho)
Join us in your own journey during Lent. You will be given a baggie which will contain air drying modeling clay and one candle. You will simply fashion a candle holder from the clay and move the candle each day during Lent. As you move the candle one space each day pray for a person or a place going through dark, difficult times. As your candle journeys in 20 steps and journeys out 20 steps, pray they will know light in their darkness as they journey through the wilderness.

​Join Brandon on Thursday, December 17th at 7:00pm for this month’s movie night discussion. The film is Children of Men by Alfonso Cuaron.

​Longest Night Vespers December 21st will mark the winter solstice, when the sun is at its maximum distance from the northern hemisphere. This longest night of the year is an appropriate time for us to acknowledge that the holiday season is not always glittery and bright, but that it is frequently 'darkened' by grief, sadness and despair. We will gather via Zoom (Meeting ID: 850 6973 5196 Passcode: 11905) at 6:30 pm for a brief service of quiet prayers and reflection as we bear witness to Christ's light even in the darkness.

NRPC is holding a coat drive for One Warm Coat and you can help! One Warm Coat is a national non profit that provides free coats to people in need. Our drive will take place from Sunday, Dec. 13 until Monday, January 18.
The coats we collect will be distributed here in our local community, to children and adults in need.
How you can help us share warmth--Simply go through your closets and pull out your gently worn coats, wash them and bring to the Faith Ministries Building where there will be a bin labeled One Warm Coat—IT’S THAT EASY!!
Don’t have a coat to donate? You are welcome to purchase a new coat OR you may make a monetary donation. Make your check out to NRPC with One Warm Coat in the memo.
The first opportunity to bring your coat to church will be on Sunday, December 13 during the Advent Pageant. You may also bring your coat to donate during the Christmas Eve Services.
Additional times to drop off coats will be listed in enews.