Pastoral Reflections 

"Overwhelmed, Overloaded, or Both?"

     There is a primary question in Lent: "How will I live my life with God as I journey toward Easter?"

     During our Wednesday evening Lenten services, we will ponder that question. We will use the Luke 24 Road to Emmaus story as our template. The text tells of two disciples who felt overwhelmed; and every step they took weighed a ton. Can you relate? I can.

     A friend of mine is writing a book on Overwhelmed and Overloaded. My sermon this past Sunday pointed to the topic. To be engulfed by the woes and throws of life these days is almost a job requirement, if not a badge of honor. It may be an addiction.

     Lent is a good time to deal with addiction. It is a 40 day detox program.

     Ponder this: overwhelmed and overloaded are not the same thing. Overwhelmed is a feeling, a perception. You feel submerged under tasks, options, choices, and responsibilities. This perception becomes reality. We create it and our lives are shaped by it.

     Overloaded is different. Life not only feels a certain way, it is a certain way. If your wheel barrow can carry only 50 lbs. of rocks, and you have 100 lbs. of rocks in it...it is overloaded! If the day only has 24 hours and you've booked 26, then you are overloaded.

     Overwhelmed is a perception; and perceptions can be changed, but not easily. This may be the hardest part. The Serenity Prayer names it: "...to accept the things I cannot change."

     Overloaded is a reality, not just a perception. It is too much in a wheelbarrow that is too little. Again, the Serenity Prayer: "...to change the things I can."

     Most of life is a blend of both overwhelmed and overloaded. Each can be a way of hiding from God and from yourself. "The wisdom to know the difference," is a life-long task and spiritual path.

     Near the end of the Emmaus Road story, the two disciples recognize Jesus. But the punchline is that he had been walking with them all along. Theirs was not a reality problem, it was a perception problem. The reality was that it already was Easter; but their perceptions had blocked their vision of that reality.

     Suddenly, Jesus appears. Ironically, he had been with them every step of the way. Fascinating, huh? Something changed; and they were "the something." Grace opened their eyes; and in that moment, they were Eastered!

     The Road to Easter starts soon. Walk with me.

Baptist Women in Ministry Celebrates the Gifts of Preaching Women

Sunday Morning Worship @ 11 AM

 w/Paula Clayton Dempsey 

February 15, 2015

    Beginning in 2007, Baptist Women in Ministry invited Baptist churches to participate in Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching by having a woman preach during the month of February. This annual event has been a deeply significant source of joy and discovery for many churches as they have celebrated the giftedness of women. This annual preaching month is named for Martha Stearns Marshall, an eighteenth-century Separate Baptist woman.

   Our guest BWIM preacher this year is Paula Clayton Dempsey, Director of Partnership Relations for the Alliance of Baptists during the 11 AM service on Sunday, February 15, 2015.

     Dempsey has degrees from Meredith College and Southeaster Baptist Theological Seminary. She has served as a local church pastor, a director of Christian social ministries, a college chaplain, a hospice chaplain, coordinator of a spirituality center and is a wife and mother. She has also deepened her sense of calling to the contemplative dimension of the Gospel by studying with Contemplative Outreach and The Shalem Institute. 

     The search for an organist at Northside Drive Baptist is now "officially" open. If you have a potential candidate you would like for us to consider, please let us know. The Notice of Vacancy for the position is available for viewing on our church's website, www.northsidedrive.org. There you may find three points of access for this information. Additionally you may view the full job description as set by our Committee on Staff. As the Notice indicates, all requested application materials should be sent electronically to: organistsearch@northsidedrive.org. Please no recordings now. Of course, all members of the Organist Search Committee, appointed by the Committee on Staff, welcome your input and suggestions.

The Organist Search Committee:

  Mr. Jim Hermance, Ms. Jackie Poole, Ms. Jo Meeks,  

  Mr. Paul Fletcher, & Dr. Irwin Ray, Chair 

     Dr. Steve Sheeley will be writing devotionals through the Lenten season. If you would like to be on his email list and receive his musings, you may email him at ssheeley4@comcast.net. May the longings of this Lenten season lead us to the resurrected Christ.

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

Church Council*

       *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.

Imposition of Ashes

February 18, 2015

In the Chapel, 7:30 AM-7:30 PM

"Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

The NDBC Chapel

February 18-April 5

     The Stations of the Cross represents certain scenes in the Passion of Christ, each corresponding to a particular incident, of the special form of devotion connected with fifteen key events on the day of Christ's crucifixion. A majority of the images represent Jesus's walk through the streets of Jerusalem, carrying the cross.

     The Stations originated in medieval Europe when wars prevented Christian pilgrims from visiting the Holy Land. Thus, European artists created works depicting scenes of Christ's journey to Calvary to help pilgrims make a spiritual journey to Jerusalem even if they could not go physically. The faithful installed these sculptures, paintings, or images at intervals along a procession path, inside the parish church, or outdoors in order to have a devotional route in which to stop and pray at each "station."

     The object of the Stations is to help the faithful make in spirit a pilgrimage to the chief scenes of Christ's sufferings and death by passing from station to station, with certain prayers and devout meditations upon the various incidents of Christ's final days. The Stations of the Cross will be in the NDBC Chapel throughout the Lenten Season. Simply follow the instructions attached to the walls and walk the Way of the Cross.

February 18, from 1-2:30 PM

In the Fellowship Hall

     A book review of The Invention of Wings by Sue Monk Kidd will be Wednesday, February 18, at 1 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Billie Davis will be the facilitator and Robbye Taylor the hostess. Bring your lunch; dessert and beverages will be furnished.

"On the Road to Easter"

February 18-March 25

6:45 PM in the Chapel

     The road to Emmaus (Luke 24) is our guide for the Lenten Wednesday night worship services in the Chapel. The road is a symbol of the "in between" time. The road is the journey between our homes and our destinations. During Lent, we are on the road to Easter, travelling the way of the cross to the resurrection. The walk to Emmaus by the two followers of Jesus will spur our theological conversations, our music, our holy silences, our prayers, and our worship. Join us on this journey to Easter every Wednesday night of Lent. The Lenten road will prepare our spirits, enliven our senses, and reveal to us new visions of Jesus.

On the Road to Easter --- Testifiers and Musicians:

February 25:  Parker Holloway, testifier and musician

      March 4:  Kurt Thomas, testifier and musician

     March 11:  TBD, testifier and Joel Stouffer, musician

     March 18:  Gene Ledbetter, testifier and Alyssa Aldape, musician

     March 25:  Liz Harris-Lamkin, testifier and Alan Johns, musician

February 22 @ Moe's

     Join with other NDBC families for after-church lunches. Everyone is invited for a time of fun and fellowship together! For more information contact Amanda Gregg at amanda_agd@yahoo.com.

     Next month the Youth will participate in March Mission Immersion at Park Avenue Baptist Church. This is a unique experience for youth to participate in a sustainable mission locally. We will stay at Park Avenue Baptist Church from March 27-29; the days leading up to Palm Sunday and Holy Week. It will be an exciting time to participate in the work of God and remember the call of Jesus to love others.

April 17-19, 2015

A Pastoral Invitation: Y'all Come!

by James Lamkin

    Northside Drive Baptist is one of the founding partner congregations of the Alliance of Baptists.

       As such, it is an honor to host this year's Annual Gathering. And as pastor, I'm inviting you to come to the party.

        When Stan Hastey was hired years ago, he said that Northside Drive was the first Alliance church to invite him to preach; and he did so with joy!

    Already, my colleagues at Oakhurst Baptist, Melanie Vaughn-West and Lanny Peters, have been helping and consulting.

        Since the theme is, We've a Story to Hear from the Nations, I'll close with a quote from Nancy Mairs' book, Voice Lessons:

      "This is what we can all do to nourish and strengthen one another: Listen to one another very hard, ask hard questions, too, send one another away to work again, and laugh in all the right places."

        Sounds like an Alliance gathering, doesn't it? Y'all come.

Learn more and register today!

SUNDAY, February 15

  9:30 AM - Church School

11:00 AM - Morning Worship

12:15 PM - Children's Ministry Team

  5:00 PM - Northside Drive Ringers

  7:00 PM - Young Adult Third Sunday Studies

MONDAY, February 16

  7:00 PM - Church Council

TUESDAY, February 17

10:00 AM - Staff Meeting

12:00 PM - ROMEOS

ASH WEDNESDAY, February 18

  7:30 AM - Imposition of Ashes

10:30 AM - Pastor's Bible Study

 1:00 PM - NDBC Book Club

 5:30 PM - Northside Yoga

 6:45 PM - Ash Wednesday Service

 7:00 PM - Prayer Shawl Ministry

 7:15 PM - Sanctuary Choir Rehearsal

SATURDAY, February 21

 6:30 PM - Youth Lock-in