Pastoral Reflections 

"The Gospel According to Chet Atkins"

     Chet Atkins was a guitarist extraordinaire. One day, an admirer, enchanted with the incredible sound of Atkins' guitar, approached him after a concert. The fan couldn't say enough about the guitar's amazing tone. The high notes were thin and pure. The low notes were rich and full. He went on and on about the guitar's unbelievable sound.

     The story goes that Chet Atkins took the guitar and placed it on the floor. He then turned to the fan and asked, "So...how does it sound now?"

     ---------------------

      I like that story.

     What makes a guitar, a guitar? Is it the shape of the wood and metal and plastic? Is it strings plus tension? How about the frets and the notes they distinguish?

     Add all of the above and you get a guitar; or do you? In a real way, a guitar only becomes a guitar when it is in the hands of a guitarist. Otherwise it sits on the floor with its strings and soundboard as silent as a cemetery. Let's say it this way: the instrument contains no music; but the musician does. This is The Gospel According to Atkins. Thanks be to Chet.

     We know the distinction between the music and the musician to be true. And the same is true for church. Church is not the building, though we spend a pile of money on it. God is not the sum total of our beliefs, though we take our God-words seriously. Exoskeletons, be they buildings or beliefs, can bless us. They hold us and help us focus our gifts, our love, our generosity, our faith, and "our sound." However, the Gospel According to Chet reminds us: what makes music is more than the sum of the parts. It is spirit. It is soul.

     In the doing of church, it is the music of the Holy Spirit which animates heart and art. Moved by the Spirit, we listen, we ponder, we pray, we relate, we serve, and we make music.

     Church doesn't just happen. The guitar on the floor doesn't make music. God and people make church; and our lives sing-out beautiful music and ministry.

     As this new year dawns, let us do as the gospel song invites: "Tune our hearts to sing thy praise." Then we put feet to our faith like the Bible verse memorized in Sunday School, "Be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only." All good reminders.

     Thanks be to God; and thanks be to Chet.

Sundays @ 9:30 AM

in the Art & Soul classroom #202  

January 4-February 8, 2015

     Do you want to know how we got our Bible? Dr. Larry McSwain and Dr. Steven Sheeley will co-lead a six-week Church School session January 4-February 8. Join us in the Art & Soul classroom #202, at 9:30 AM, on Sundays for this special class.

The course topics include: 

• How We Got the Hebrew Bible: Formation of the Masoretic Text and Septuagint 
• with Dr. Steven Sheeley
• How We Got the Greek New Testament: Formation of the Canon
• with Dr. Larry McSwain
• How We Got the Latin Bible: Formation of the Vulgate
• with Dr. Steven Sheeley
• How We Got the Early English Bibles
• with Dr. Larry McSwain
• Modern English Bibles
• with Dr. Larry McSwain
• How to Select a Modern Translation/Transliteration/ Paraphrase
• with Dr. Steven Sheeley

     The next Church Council meeting will be Monday, January 12, at 7 PM, in the Art & Soul Classroom, #202.

     *The Church Council consists of the Moderator, Senior Pastor, Treasurer, and Church Clerk, the chairs of the Diaconate, the Finance, Personnel, and Nominating Committees, the Adult Education, Children's, Communications/Technology, Facilities Management, Grounds, Landscaping, Hospitality, Marketing, Membership Development, Memorial Gifts, Missions, Preschool Liaison, Worship & Music, and Youth Ministry Teams, and the Auxiliary Triple E.

The Mysteries of Federal Monetary Policy and Its Impact on Our Lives

Jack Guynn, Federal Reserve (Retired)

January 13, @ 11 AM, Fellowship Hall

       Jack, an NDBC member, was part of the Fed's policy making group for many years under both Alan Greenspan and Ben Bernanke before he retired. He will share an insider's story about how policy really gets made and how it impacts the economy and our individual lives. 

     We meet weekly from 10:30-11:30 AM, in the church's Conference Room. We study the texts selected in the Revised Common Lectionary for the next Sunday. Large print editions are available each week and for the upcoming Sunday. Discussion is deep and wide and lively. All are invited.

January 21, from 1-2:30 PM

In the Fellowship Hall

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

@ 6:45 PM in the Fellowship Hall

     This is your opportunity to be updated on the works of the Ministry Teams and Committees of the church. Come see and hear what's going on with NDBC church ministry programs!

SAVE THE DATE...January 25

Our Annual "Souper Bowl Sunday"

     Volunteers are needed to either prepare a pot of soup or chili, or to bake cookies or brownies! If you are not fond of cooking we can always use help with set-up or clean-up. Whatever your talents are, join us that day for fellowship and fun. The donations we collect that day help support the Hunger Fund. To volunteer contact Mona Stines at mona.stines@att.net or 404-936-8812.

Submit YOUR pledge FOR

THE 2015 CHURCH BUDGET

through any of these ways:

   1- You can return your pledge card by "snail mail".

   2- You can pick up a pledge card at the door of the church office, fill it out on the spot, and leave it in the envelope on the Business Manager's (Rose Hidlay) door.

   3- You can pick up a pledge card in the Narthex, fill it out and drop it in the offering plate (or hand it to an Usher).

   4- You can call the church office (404-237-8621), ask for Rose, and tell her your pledge (or even leave her a voice mail).

   5- You can e-mail your pledge to Rose at rose@northsidedrive.org.

   6- You can pledge via our website (www.northsidedrive.org) by clicking on the "Giving" link on our home page.

     As a rule of thumb, we will not cancel worship services on Sunday morning except under the most extreme weather conditions. Members are urged to use their own good judgment as to whether they should attempt to make the trip. Should inclement winter weather cause the cancellation of a service, here is the plan:

1) The ministers and the moderator will make the decision.

2) The ministers and the moderator will notify the deacons.

3) The ministers will email all those on the church's email list, and place a notification on the church's voice mail (if electricity and phone service are available).

4) The deacons will call members who need to be notified, but do not have email.

April 24-26, 2015

Blue Boar Retreat

Robbinsville, North Carolina

SPACE & TIME ARE LIMITED

  Reservation deadline is Sunday, February 15. Make your reservation with a $100 deposit (made out to Joyce Wilson) & give it to Joyce Wilson or Virginia Gilbert.

For more information: Joyce Wilson (770)773-3333

Virginia Gilbert (770) 333-8933

SUNDAY, January 11

  9:30 AM - Church School

11:00 AM - Morning Worship

12:15 PM - Diaconate Meeting

12:15 PM - Organ Search Committee Meeting  

  5:00 PM - Northside Drive Ringers

MONDAY, January 12

  9:30 AM - Preschool Liaison Meeting

  7:00 PM - Church Council

TUESDAY, January 13

11:00 AM - Triple E

WEDNESDAY, January 14

10:30 AM - Pastor's Bible Study

  5:30 PM - Northside Yoga

  7:15 PM - Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal