December 2021 Newsletter

DECEMBER

KEEPING YOU INFORMED AND CONNECTED

THIS ISSUE NOTE FROM JOHN Page 02

CHRISTMAS AT NMC Page 04

NMCU Page 06

UPCOMING FOR YOU Page 08

2021

LETTER FROM JOHN Hello North Metro Church!

Welcome to the most wonderful time of the year! I'm praying this finds you filled with excitement for this joyous season. If you are like me the Christmas music has been playing since November 1.

And real talk, I might have watched a few movies where a smalltown girl moves to the big city and falls in love with a ridiculously good looking average joe who just happens to live in a castle and be a prince and in a crazy plot twist also owns a Christmas Tree farm. Thank you, Hallmark, for your ability to take three storylines and make 3,742 Christmas movies, I will watch them all.

In a very Hallmark kind of way, I am super excited about what we are calling the "Neighboring Kit" this year. You may already have one by the time you read this. But if not, look to pick one up from Mobi, our NMC Truck parked near our lobby entrance on a Sunday morning, or they are available during the week in our cafe lobby if you are watching NMC+. This kit has some super easy and tangible ways to reach out to your neighbors and friends to share a little Christmas cheer and hopefully invite them to come to church with you during this season. There are also a couple of cool things for you in there as well.

So be sure to pick one up because when they're gone, they're gone.

Looking back at this year one of our highlights as a church has been NMCU. We had over 600 people sign up this fall for NMCU 101 our 10-week class to start a journey through the Bible. Many of those are continuing their journey with NMCU 102 this spring. However, if you are new here or were not able to jump in this fall, we will be offering another round of NMCU 101 this spring kicking off on January 23.

Be sure to sign up at northmetro.org/nmcu. The feedback has been amazing (read about some personal experiences in the pages of this newsletter), I promise it will grow your love and understanding of the Bible and you may even end up with a Hebrew tattoo (just sayin).

Enjoy the season. I am grateful for you all and humbled and honored to serve this church!

Grateful for you!

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John Maggard NMC Executive Pastor

CONNECT & GROW WELCOME HOME

TABLESETTERS

Sunday, December 19 | 11:30am-12:30pm

When we serve others, we set the table for them to experience the grace of God. That’s why around here, we call our volunteers Tablesetters.

Our goal is for everyone to experience the joy of serving others as a Tablesetter and serve somewhere within our church. Regardless of your schedule, experience, or gifting, there’s a fulfilling place for you to serve here! Visit the Get Involved page at northmetro.org to browse opportunities and take the next step to serve.

Welcome Home is designed to help you learn about everything that makes up North Metro Church and give you the next steps on how you can belong to our family. Visit the Events page at northmetro.org to learn more and sign up.

CARE PRAYER Prayer is powerful. It's one of the most important things we can do as a church. Our staff and prayer team would love to come alongside you and fight for you in whatever difficulty you may be experiencing and also celebrate any answered prayers! To share your prayer requests, visit the Contact Us page at northmetro.org.

PREMARITAL MENTORING Strong, healthy marriages start long before the wedding. To build a marriage that lasts and gets off to a great start, we encourage all engaged couples to participate in our premarital discipleship class, Merge. Classes meet Sunday afternoons for three hours on three consecutive Sundays. The Merge class is available to those who regularly attend North Metro Church and who are already engaged.

Our next Merge class is on January 16, 23, and 30, 2022. Learn more and sign up by visiting the Care page at northmetro.org/care.

STEPHEN MINISTRY Stephen Ministry is a one-on-one care ministry that provides support for those experiencing difficult times. Stephen Ministers are members of our faith community who are well trained in encouraging others enduring painful times such as the loss of a loved one, a marriage, a job, or one's health. If you find yourself in a valley of tough times, please consider using our Stephen Ministry to help you bear your burdens. For more information or to speak with a Stephen Minister, visit the Care page at northmetro.org.

FRESH START If you've been hurt or wounded by someone close to you or have tried to forgive someone, but feelings of resentment, bitterness, and hurt still crop up in your life, maybe you need a Fresh Start. Fresh Start

is an interactive process with a small group of women or men and facilitators utilizing biblical principles to help you become Forgiven, Forgiving, and Free. For more information, visit the Care page at northmetro.org.

INFERTILITY & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP When God calls our hearts to grow our families, He never promises that it will be easy. He does promise to lead when we are lost. Take refuge in knowing you’re not alone. If you struggle with infertility or have experienced miscarriage or infant loss, there’s a place for you.

Meetings are on the second Monday of each month at 7:00pm. To connect with the leader, visit the Care page at northmetro.org.

WOMEN'S CANCER SUPPORT We understand hearing the diagnosis of cancer is scary and lifechanging. The Women's Cancer Support group was created to help both patients and caregivers through this challenging journey with a focus on God first. If you've recently been diagnosed, are a survivor, or are a caregiver, this group is for you. Group meetings are in-person, with digital options, and meet on the second Sunday of the month at 1:00pm. To learn more, contact the group leaders by visiting the Care page at northmetro.org.

BEAUTY FOR ASHES Beauty for Ashes is a confidential group designed to provide encouragement and hope to women whose husbands struggle with sexual addiction. We understand the devastation of a loved one's betrayal. However, our goal is to not stay in this place of wounding but to seek the Lord for healing and hope. This group meets twice a month, on the second and fourth Thursdays, at 7:00pm. Learn more and sign up by visiting the Care page at northmetro.org.

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Christmas at North Metro

This Christmas we plan to have some really fun things on campus all throughout December.

Fun music and holiday treats will be available in our lobbies.

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Christmas Eve Service times: Thursday, December 23 6:00pm Friday, December 24 12:00pm + 2:00pm + 4:00pm + 6:00pm

Children's Programming will be available for preschool ages and younger on Friday, December 24 at 12:00pm, 2:00pm, 4:00pm services.

All children are welcome to join their families in the service.

All of these services will be online as well.

Tune in from wherever you'll be at live.northmetro.org

Neighboring Kit (Available beginning November 28)

This year we are excited to share that we will be giving out a Neighboring Kit. What is a Neighboring Kit you ask? It is a tool kit to help you connect with your NEIGHBORS! This can include family members and co-workers too. In it, you will find a variety of easy and fun activities, like sharing a cookie recipe, as a way to connect with your neighbors around the holidays. Christmas is an easy time to invite those we love and those we meet to church. Our hope is that this tool kit will help bridge the gap and ease the nerves when it comes to inviting someone to church.

Bake cookies and bring the m to a frie and include an nd or neighbo r invitation to join you at Chr chu istm rch this as sea son. To help, we have include recipe for Chr da istmas Cookies and a cookiecutter.

We have include d two copies of The Gospel of Devotional. Thi Advent s is a book pub lished by Christia Today and is a nity Gospelcen tere d dev otional for the season of Adv ent. One copy is for you family and the and your other is to sha re with a friend neighbor and or include an invi tation to join church this Chr you at istmas season .

Bake Cookies

Activity #2

Advent Devo tional

Activity #3

We will have them available every Sunday following the 28th while supplies last.

Use the orname nt as a gift to a friend or neig and include an hbor invitation to join you at church Christmas sea this son.

DIRECTIONS

If you view our services online or are not present on November 28 you may come to pick up a Neighboring Kit starting Monday, November 29 in the cafe lobby while supplies last. Hours of operation are Monday-Thursday 8:30am-5:00pm.

Activity #1

23⁄4 cups all-p urpose flour 1 teas poo n bak ing soda

1⁄2 teas poo n baking powder 1 cup butter, softened 11⁄2 cups whi te sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract INGREDIENTS (yields

2 dozen)

Shareable Ch ristmas

Sugar Cookies

North Metro !

Ornament

Go be the church

Step 1: Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bow l, stir togethe r flour, bak and ing bak sod ing a, pow der. Set aside.

Step 2: In a large bowl, crea m toge the and sugar unt r the but ter il smooth .

Bea t in egg Gradually blen and vanilla. d in the dry ingr edients. Roll rou teaspoo nfu ls of dough into nded balls, and plac ungreased coo e onto kie sheets.

Step 3: Bak e 8 to 10 minutes in the oven, or until pre heated golden. Let stan d on cookie she two min utes et befo re removing to coo l on wire rack Step 4: Sha s. re with someon e that needs to Jesus loves the know m this Christm as.

You can pick up your Neighboring Kit starting November 28 !

Neighboring Kit

Sunday, December 26 Join us this Sunday for online services only, visit live.northmetro.org to view it at 9:30 am or 11:30 am.

Christmas 2021 PAGE 5

101 & 102 CLASSES LAUNCHING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 23

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NMCU is the new discipleship process at North Metro Church. NMCU is an intentional environment built to create a firm foundation of faith by studying God's Word and forming a biblical worldview to more faithfully follow Jesus in every area and aspect of life. This process also equips us to both understand and communicate our faith to others so that we can become disciples who make disciples.

In this program, you'll move through a set sequence of semesters and learn about the big picture of Scripture, how it all leads to Jesus, and how we live in light of that. And all of it is done around tables in a community.

Learn more about varied group meeting times and sign up to join us by visiting northmetro.org/nmcu.

Here is some feedback we have received from our first semester:

"This is a long-term commitment but well worth it! I love the Sunday afternoon time slot as it simplifies my weekly schedule.

Also, being a fairly new member here, I have made new friends at my table!"

"THANK YOU!! The information covered and learned is invaluable to even a "seasoned" Christian, and for those who are brand new to learning about Christianity (and there is one at my table), the teaching fills in the gap of their questions, as well as our table discussions."

"My husband and I have been so very impressed with NMCU. My husband grew up in church and has a tremendous amount of Biblical knowledge. Even with such deep knowledge, he felt like he learned so much throughout this class. I appreciated the chapter by chapter learning and knowing more about the context of the Biblical stories I am familiar with. The material was so organized and the presenters both did a great job. It is clear that many hours went into this class, and I think North Metro has hit a home run with this.

You are Biblically educating your flock!"

"Yes. I think the content has been awesome and even though I have taken Bible Studies before showing how the Bible fits together as a whole, I have learned so much."

"Even after years and years of attending Bible studies, I find something new in every week's presentation."

"Absolutely YES, because it helps equip me to witness to others in giving an answer to why I believe Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. Because of His sacrificial love for mankind, there's hope for sinners like me and them. Also to bring clarity as I study the Bible which has given me a deeper and new thirst for more time in the Word as a result of studying this semester. Hallelujah and Glory to God!!!"

"Yes! This has been so helpful in my understanding of the Bible & I can’t wait to take more. My faith is growing deeper just by learning!"

"I can feel comfortable because it's developed and taught at my church and I don't know of any other interactive study that walks me through & explains highlights of the entire Bible."

"I love that NMC created this. Apologetic-level understanding of Biblical truths are important, but given the current dynamics, I feel like they're far more important than ever before. Being able to defend your faith in love and understanding helps others come to Jesus. Thank you NMC."

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UPCOMING FOR YOU CHURCHWIDE BAPTISM CLASS

be active listeners. Take the next step by emailing our Adults Pastor, Bud Darr, at bdarr@northmetro.org.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 23 | 11:30AM

One of our favorite things to do here at NMC is celebrate life change through water baptism. If you’re ready to take this step in your faith journey, we invite you to attend the next adult baptism class. For more information about our beliefs on baptism and to sign up for the class, visit northmetro.org/baptism.

FUN FRIDAY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3 | 6:30-8:00PM

Join us for our second Fun Friday event on campus at NMC. This event is for all ages and will take place on the North Metro Church campus. We will play games, enjoy snacks, help create memories, and have a lot of FUN! You can invite your community group, family, friends, or anyone you would like to attend with you. Seating will be in the Auditorium with round tables for eight. There are a limited number of tables available, so sign up today by visiting the Events page at northmetro.org.

DADDY/DAUGHTER DATE NIGHT

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4 | 7:00-9:00PM

Hey Dads, this one is for you! Get all dressed up and invite your daughter to NMC's first-ever Daddy/Daughter Date Night on Friday, February 4. This is a night for you and your daughter to enjoy good food, games and dancing the night away! Early bird pricing is $20 per family through January 9, 2022. Prices will increase to $30 per family on January 10. Sign up today by visiting the Events page at northmetro.org.

MOBILIZATION

GROUPS PURE DESIRE

JANUARY 11 | 7:00-9:00PM

Many Christians believe that the church is immune to pornography, but statistics prove otherwise. Instead of ignoring it, we want to lead our church body and community through the battle. Pure Desire is a Men's Care ministry that North Metro Church hosts as a place to provide hope, freedom, and healing from sexual brokenness through Jesus Christ. The journey to healing begins with the Conquer series, a five-week introduction where you'll learn more about the Pure Desire program and what you can expect. For more information, see our Care page on northmetro.org. Additionally, you can email Tom Crews (tomcrews13@gmail.com) for more information.

RE|ENGAGE

JANUARY 19 | 7:00-9:00PM

Re|Engage is a marriage enrichment ministry designed for couples ready to invest time and energy into building a stronger marriage. Through a mix of large group teaching and small group discussion, you and your spouse are challenged and encouraged with practical ways to apply the gospel of Jesus to your marriage. By studying and applying biblical principles within a small group structure, couples are discipled and equipped to grow in their walk with Christ and in their marriages. Registration is now open and we will be launching our first gathering on Wednesday, January 19. Please go online to register on the Events page at northmetro.org

WOMEN'S CONFERENCE - SAVE THE DATE!

KMHS MENTORS

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 26 | 9:00AM-4:00PM

You can invest in the next generation by becoming a mentor to encourage students on a monthly basis at Kennesaw Mountain High School (KMHS). As a mentor, you'll help facilitate the social-emotional curriculum, Habitudes, by Dr. Elmore. This is an opportunity to engage students in the public-school environment, where they spend so much time - all while equipping them with tools for healthy leadership in their world and the world around them. Take the next step by emailing our Student Pastor, Derek McClardy at dmcclardy@northmetro.org.

Mark your calendars, ladies, for a one-day gathering! This will be a time where we, as women in the church, unite our hearts around Jesus' greatest commandments and leave armed with tools to help us have an eternal impact in the community where God has placed us. More details coming soon!

MARIETTA MENTORING FOR LEADERSHIP The community of Marietta has heard the voice of its young people who identified the need for school to not only be a place where students learn academically but also be a place where the issues of life meet real solutions. Marietta Student Life Center provides in-school services related to housing, job skill development, job placement for students and families, college admission support services, and more. This is an opportunity to engage with students in a one-to-one mentoring relationship or as a Group Mentor, which is ideal for people who thrive in a small group setting, who can build rapport with teens and can PAGE 8

WOMEN'S PODCAST | WALK WORTHY Walk Worthy is a podcast designed to both inspire and equip women in taking more deliberate steps towards more intimate, fulfilling Christ-centered lives. Catch up on Season 1 via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on the web at northmetro.org.

MAN CHURCH

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6 | 7:00-9:00PM

Need to be inspired? Need to be encouraged? Need to find a community of guys to walk through life with? That is what Man Church is all about. Join us as we lock arms and are encouraged to be the men that God has created us to be. Our guest speaker will be comedian Kenn Kington! Sign up by visiting the Events page at northmetro.org.

MEN'S PODCAST | ON THE CLOCK

We've got a great lineup of guests this fall that will be a reminder to all men that life is short, and if we're to accomplish all that God has laid out for us, we need to live with intentionality. New episodes are released every other Thursday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and on the web at northmetro.org.

NMCMEN | STAY CONNECTED To stay in the loop with everything that is happening with the men of NMC, sign up to receive our periodic text message updates by texting NMCMEN to 888. 697.1467 (you can opt out of these text messages at any time).

SHIFT SMALL GROUP NIGHTS

SOME WEDNESDAY NIGHTS | 6:30-8:00PM

Take your Sunday small group experience and friendships to the next level by participating in our small group gatherings.

The night consists of dinner, games, and community. It is our hope that the relationships you build in your small group will take you all the way through high school. Check out the calendar at northmetro.org/shift to find out more. These are free events and dinner will be provided.

SHIFT WINTER WEEKEND

FRIDAY, MARCH 4 - SUNDAY, MARCH 6TH

KIDS FAMILY CHRISTMAS GUIDE

DECEMBER 1-25

The Family Christmas Guide 2021 is back for its third year!

While the content may not be as familiar as previous years, we can't wait to see how families come to know and love God through intentional time together! In a season of chaos, even the best kind of chaos, we hope that you can find time to intentionally grow your family's relationship with the one who gave it all for a relationship with us.You can pick up your guide outside NMC on Sunday, November 28 and December 5 in Mobi, our mobilization truck, or download it online.

ELEMENTARY BAPTISM CLASS

SUNDAY, JANUARY 9 | 9:30-10:15AM

This 45-minute class is designed for you and your child to attend together. If your elementary-aged child has already taken the step of salvation, this class is the perfect next step!

For more information about our beliefs on baptism and to sign up for the class, visit northmetro.org/baptism.

PRESENTING THE GOSPEL

SUNDAY, JANUARY 30 | 1:00-2:00PM

Do you want to hear about the different techniques for presenting the Gospel to your child? Do you feel comfortable presenting the Gospel to your children or grandchildren?

Attend our Presenting the Gospel event where we'll discuss the “hows” and “whys” behind presenting the Gospel clearly to the children of this generation. To find out more information and to sign up, visit the Events page at northmetro.org.

STUDENTS MIDDLE SCHOOL - SHIFT Shift is our environment for 5-7th grade students.Through teaching, worship, games, and connections in small groups, we help students find and follow Jesus.We meet during all Sunday morning worship services in the upstairs Shift Room.

SHIFT DISCIPLESHIP TRACK

SUNDAY, JANUARY 23, 30 | 4:00-6:00PM SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 20 | 4:00-6:00PM SUNDAY, MARCH 13, 20 | 4:00-6:00PM

Shift Discipleship Track is an opportunity for 5-7th grade students to explore and grow their faith by applying biblical truths to the spiritual disciplines of prayer, worship, evangelism, and Bible study. Join us this semester for a variety of topics.

The instruction will be delivered in multiple ways to reach a variety of learning styles. Learn more about this semester's offerings and sign up by going to northmetro.org/shift.

Join Shift for our Winter Weekend on Friday, March, 4th through Sunday, March 6th as we take over North Metro Church’s campus! We have incredible speakers and worship, service projects, off-campus surprises, and late-night games in store for us. Do not miss out as we explore what it means for God’s Kingdom to come now and to figure out how we fit into it all. For T-shirt information and to see what else is up our sleeve, be sure to check out NMC Students Instagram. The cost of this event is $55 and the deadline to sign up is Sunday, February 28th. Please note that this is not an overnight event.

HIGH SCHOOL - COMPASS Compass is our environment for 8-12th grade students. Through teaching, worship, events, and small groups, we help students find and follow Jesus. Follow us on Instagram @nmcstudents to stay in the know of upcoming services and events, or check out the schedule online at northmetro.org.

CLASSY CHRISTMAS TRIVIA PARTY

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 5 | 7:00PM

Who doesn't love a good Christmas party?! Show up at Compass in your finest classy Christmas attire for a little trivia competition and a lot of fun! Then we will take off a few weeks while you study for finals, and our last Compass of the calendar year will be December 19, 2021.

COMPASS WINTER RETREAT

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4 - SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 6

Join Compass for our Winter Retreat on Friday, February 4 through Sunday, February 6th as we head off-campus to Ocoee Retreat Center! We have incredible speakers and worship, paintball, ziplines, late-night games and so much more! Do not miss out as we explore what it means for God’s Kingdom to come now and to figure out how we fit into it all. For T-shirt information and to see what else is up our sleeve be sure to check out NMC Students Instagram. The cost of this retreat is $150 and the price will increase on January 2nd. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, January 23rd.

COLLEGE COLLEGE BIBLE STUDY GROUP

THURSDAY NIGHTS | 7:00-8:30PM

College students, join us for our new NMC College Bible Study Group, where we'll experience community and God's Word together. We'll also have dinner, games, and a time of worship.

For more details, visit the College page at northmetro.org.

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YEAR-END GIVING With the close of a calendar year, we know many of you may be looking to make a contribution before the end of 2021. Any yearend contributions can be made through our website northmetro.org/give and are posted in real-time. Mailed contributions will be credited in 2021 as long as they are postmarked on or before December 31, 2021. The church building will be open on Friday, December 31 from 9:00am-12:00pm should you want to drop off your year-end contribution in person. If you have any questions about giving, contact John Maggard at 678-290-7830 x1119 or jmaggard@northmetro.org.

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2025 GOALS As we head towards the year 2025 we are praying our guts out and being fully dependent on the Lord! He has entrusted us with our vision, to “Be

Missed “, and our mission, “We Help People Find and Follow Jesus.” To live that out, we’re setting three God-sized goals to aim for as a church.

GOAL #1: HELP 1,000 PEOPLE FIND JESUS We’re telling our friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers about our great God who loves us immeasurably more than we can imagine. We

PEOPLE FOUND

45

want to celebrate with you if you’ve played a part in helping someone move from death to life or if you came to faith in Christ! We invite you to share your story by visiting the Contact Us page at northmetro.org.

GOAL #2: HELP 1,000 PEOPLE ENROLL IN NMCU Before Jesus left the disciples, He said, “Go make disciples.” A tangible way to see that hope realized is through our discipleship program,

PEOPLE ENROLLED IN NMCU

619

NMCU. We’re looking to see 1,000 people faithfully following Jesus, equipped with knowledge of Scripture, to ultimately share their beliefs with others. NMCU creates disciples that make disciples.

GOAL #3: EXPAND THE KINGDOM OF GOD THROUGH FIVE NEW CHURCH PLANTS NATIONALLY AND/OR GLOBALLY Church plants are an expression of our multiplication strategy, multiplying the mission to help people find and follow Jesus.

YTD October 2021 Income: 2,050,758.43 Expense: 1,727,723.67 Over(under): 323,034.76

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

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DECEMBER

AT A GL ANCE

Sunday, December 5 Christmas Carols 9:30am & 11:30am

Sunday, December 12 Christmas Carols 9:30am & 11:30am

Sunday, December 19 Christmas Carols 9:30am & 11:30am Welcome Home 11:30am-12:30pm

Thursday, December 23 Christmas Eve Service 6:00pm *no children's programming at this service

Friday, December 24 Christmas Eve Service 12:00pm | 2:00pm | 4:00pm 6:00pm *no children's programming at this service

Sunday, December 26 Sunday Teaching 9:30am & 11:30am *online only at live.northmetro.org

Stay in the loop with all things NMC. Join our email mailing list!

SCAN THE CODE TO BE ADDED

Follow us on Social Media! @wearenorthmetro

North Metro Church • 2305 Ernest Barrett Pkwy • Marietta, GA 30064 • info@northmetro.org • 678.290.7830