Summer 2022 Newsletter by wearenorthmetro

r e m n o m i t u i S Ed JUNE/JULY

KEEPING YOU INFORMED AND CONNECTED

2022

THIS ISSUE NOTE FROM ROB Page 02

SUMMER PODCASTS Page 04

KMHS MENTOR HIGHLIGHT Page 06

JUNE/JULY AT A GLANCE Page 12

Rob McDowell Lead Pastor

Rob o R b

Letter from Hey North Metro Church!

I can't believe that the summer is already here!!!!! As you know, that means families will be planning and taking much-needed vacations. And as you do, I truly hope that you find true rest... not just from work...but rest for your souls. I hope you take some time this summer to truly slow down the pace of life, enjoy one another's company, and together find rest in the Lord.

As you are probably all making plans this summer, I want you to put this date on your calendars, July 28-31. Let me tell you why. There has been something stirring in my spirit for some time now. And as we are coming out of these past two years, I believe that the Lord is calling North Metro Church to participate in something that has never found itself on our church calendar before. And given that I didn't grow up in church, I've never participated in the very kind of event that I am suggesting that you and I run headfirst into. Are you ready for it? Here we go...the thing that I can't get off of my mind and heart...the thing I believe that the Lord is calling us to...is a REVIVAL! Yes, I said it...I want us to have a revival! And if you're thinking..."Well, I didn't see that coming from Pastor Rob!" Well, if you're shocked...how do you think I feel?!?!? I've never been to a revival in my life! :). Before you start having visions of an outdoor tent where everyone has paper fans outside in the hot Georgia sun, that is not what I had in mind. I want to have a revival North Metro Church style. If you want to envision what I'm talking about...imagine what you experience on Sunday mornings...but we do it Thursday night, Friday night, and Saturday night, and bring it to a close on Sunday morning... all in the comfort of our air-conditioned auditorium :). Imagine a four-part teaching series that, instead of lasting four weeks... only lasts four days. Imagine three extra nights in a row of the same great music we hear every Sunday. Imagine three different pastors from the area bringing a fresh perspective of God's word to our church family. Each message will build upon the previous message. Imagine getting our minds, hearts, spirits, and families ready for the upcoming fall semester. Some time ago, I read an article by one of my favorite authors and pastors. Tim Keller writes about three things that usually happen when God calls churches to have "revivals." First, nominal church members get converted. These are people who profess Christian

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beliefs, subscribe to Christian ethics, and are baptized members of the church. But during revivals, many of these people come to realize that they have never experienced the new birth or truly understood the Gospel. Second, sleepy Christians wake up to an immediate sense of God's love and presence. Another mark of revival is that, especially during corporate worship, everyone experiences the reality of God's presence in a way hitherto unknown to them. They begin to have direct experience of God's love that fills them with assurance and confidence. Because of this new love for God, Christians spend time in deep repentance for idols (Judges 10) which only enhances their joy. Third, non-believers outside the church are attracted to the Christian community in remarkable numbers. Because of the conversion of nominal members and the assurance of believers, the church community itself becomes beautified. Christians begin to reach out in love to their community in striking ways. The cold, tribal attitudes ordinarily present in non-revived churches melt away. Non-believers are drawn in, and the church grows at an amazing speed." In light of the pain, confusion, separation, disruption, and apathy that the last two years have brought upon us, the elders and the staff of our wonderful church have been praying that our church family would hunger for God's word, hunger for God's worship, and hunger for God's ways. And so with that...the event and the date that I desperately want you to put on your calendar is... HUNGER 2022: July 28-31. If NMC is your church home, please make this event a priority. I can't wait to spend this time with all of you as we seek God's face and celebrate God's grace. I truly believe it is going to be one of our favorite things we do this year! And, for those of you who grew up in church and are feeling nostalgic, if you really want to...you can bring a paper fan :). So deeply grateful for all of you,

Connect Connect & Grow WELCOME HOME

TABLESETTERS

Sunday, June 26 and July 24 | 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 Care PRAYER

INFERTILITY & LOSS SUPPORT GROUP

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 husband'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. PAGE 3

Summer Summer Podcasts Podcasts WALK WORTHY It's a wrap on Season Two! We have learned so much from our special guests as we discussed walking out our faith in every season of life. If you haven't listened yet, this summer is a great chance to catch up! We guarantee you'll walk away having laughed a little, maybe shed a tear or two, but most importantly, been encouraged in practical ways to follow the Lord faithfully no matter your age.

ON THE CLOCK

Scan this QR Code to go to the On The Clock podcast page.

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On The Clock has just finished up our second season and will be taking a break during the month of July. We will be returning to action with conversations with faithful men in and around NMC who can and will encourage us in our pursuit of being faithful followers of Jesus. We chose the name “On the Clock” for this podcast to 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. If you haven't listened yet, this summer is a great chance to catch up!

Scan this QR Code to go to the Walk Worthy podcast page.

TALK OF THE TOWN A new season of the NMC Kids Podcast, Talk of the Town, is here! This season it's all about Heroes of Faith! There will be 8 episodes this year, all focusing on a character from the Old Testament. The Bible is full of stories of men and women who had amazing faith. Join Mr. Nathan and Mrs. Ashley as we uncover what it takes to be a hero of faith. Along the way, we'll have a couple of wiggle breaks, play a few road games, and chat with our Kid Talk Kids. Pick up a Talk of the Town card in Town Square so you can complete the word scramble at the end of the season to discover how all of our stories are connected. We are so excited to bring you a season full of trials, faith, and growth, all while pointing to the only one who had perfect faith and our ultimate hero, Jesus Christ.

Scan this QR Code to go to the Talk of the Town podcast page.

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KMHS Mentorship When walking down the hallways of Kennesaw Mountain High School, you can see some different faces on character education days…

North Metro Church partners up with other local churches as we provide community mentors that teach character education lessons. The Growing Leaders Habitude curriculum combines images, relatable stories, and experiences that relate to today's teens helping them navigate life's challenges and opportunities while developing leadership skills. Teachers get a pause in their day while the mentor takes over the homeroom leading the lesson and, of course, providing awesome snacks, thanks to the generosity of the body at North Metro Church.

Mentors

Mentors are trained and equipped through a 90-minute online training. They receive a mentor partner and the support of NMC as they lead a monthly 45-minute lesson. The mentors are faithful to share their successes and ideas with fellow mentors to help inspire and encourage each other.

But what do the students think? We know they love the snacks, but are these monthly lessons really equipping them and encouraging them in their current and future lives? We'd like to share a note that one young man felt compelled to give to one of our mentors, a retired gentleman who serves with a smile on his face and a kind word on his lips. This young man did not always seem engaged in the lesson, which is a reminder to all of us to never give up talking to our kids and students.

To find out more about being a character education mentor once a month at KMHS, check out our serve page at northmetro.org. Still got questions? Send them to Rebecca at rross@northmetro.org for more information on how you can inspire and encourage these students and teachers!

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Upcoming Upcoming for you... CHURCHWIDE BAPTISM CLASS

SUNDAY, JUNE 26 AND JULY 24 | 11:30AM One of our favorite things to do here at NMC is to 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.

NMCU SUMMER SCHOOL

STARTING TUESDAY, JUNE 14 | 7:00-9:00PM NMCU is the learning part of our 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. If you have been interested in enrolling in NMCU and haven't had the availability, consider taking our Summer School offerings for NMCU 101 or NMCU 102. This is a great way to catch up on a semester over the summer to get you ready for the fall. Our next live teaching venue and offering in the fall will be NMCU 103. Learn more about varied group meeting times and sign up to join us by visiting northmetro.org/nmcu.

SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE

SUNDAY, JULY 10, 17 & 24

As a way to serve our community, we're hosting a school supply drive to benefit students from Hayes Elementary School and Marietta High School. The supplies collected will help provide hundreds of students with the items they need to be successful this upcoming school year. Find the entire shopping list and Amazon wishlist by visiting the Events page at northmetro.org.

MOBILIZATION KMHS MENTORS 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

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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.

MARIETTA MENTORING FOR LEADERSHIP The community of Marietta has heard the voice of its young people who identified the need for the school to not only be a place where students learn academically but also to be a place where the issues of life meet real solutions. Marietta Student Life Center provides inschool 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, ideal for people who thrive in a small group setting, build rapport with teens and be active listeners. Take the next step by emailing our Community Engagement Pastor, Bud Darr at bdarr@northmetro.org.

GROUPS CONNECTION GROUPS Connection groups are designed to help you form relationships within NMC around a specific area of interest. Whether you are an introvert or an extrovert, new to the area, or a long-time native, you're invited to explore our connection groups! Check out the options for men, women, and co-ed groups by visiting northmetro.org/groups.

WOMEN'S SUMMER GROUP Join us for our summer connection group, "Taste and See"! This will be a tangible and spiritual journey through the Scriptures as we learn to know God as described by David in Psalm 34. This group will meet on Saturday mornings in June at NMC. Visit northmetro.org/groups to sign up.

NMC WOMEN | STAY CONNECTED We have two new options for you to stay in the loop with everything that is happening with the women of NMC! Follow us on Instagram at WalkWorthyNMC, or sign up to receive our periodic text message updates by texting NMCWOMEN to 833.511.0834 (you can opt out of these text messages at any time).

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).

g KIDS

PINE COVE CITY

JUNE 6-10 | 9:00AM-4:00PM

This weeklong, wildly popular camp is for students who are currently enrolled in kindergarten through 5th grade. Campers will experience Jesus through Bible study, worship, and time with their counselor. Plus, they will participate in tons of great camp activities. Registration is now open but closes soon, so head on over to the Events page at northmetro.org to learn more.

NMC KIDS AT THE PARK

SATURDAY, JULY 16 | 1:00-3:30PM

Save the Date! We're taking Town Square out of the building for some games, ice cream, and a whole lot of fun! There is no cost or sign-up for this event, so invite your friends and family and stop in anytime. There will be more information on the Events page at northmetro.org as we get closer to the event regarding location.

SHIFT PREVIEW SUNDAY

SUNDAY, JULY 31 | 9:30AM & 11:30AM Attention, parents of rising 5th-graders. On Sunday, July 31, your kids will have the opportunity to experience our middle school ministry, Shift, during either service time. They will check in down in Town Square and will go to their assigned classrooms. Then, their small group leaders will go up to Shift with them for the whole service before returning to Town Square before each service is concluded. This is a great opportunity for your kids to get a feel for their next ministry journey here at NMC!

PROMOTION SUNDAY

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

With a new school year comes a new church year! On Promotion Sunday, all children two years old through elementary age will be promoted to their new Town Square classroom. Preschoolers are promoted by age; elementary students are promoted by grade level. If you have questions about your child’s new class, contact Erin at enason@northmetro.org.

STUDENTS MIDDLE SCHOOL - SHIFT

9:30AM & 11:30AM

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 NIGHTS

SECOND AND FOURTH WEDNESDAYS | 6:30-8:00PM Take your Sunday experience and friendships to the next level by participating in our Shift Nights. 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 for our June and July plans! These are free events, and dinner will be provided.

HIGH SCHOOL - COMPASS

7:00-8:30PM

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.

ONEDAY With a new school year comes a new vision, new community, and new memories for our students in Shift and Compass, and it all starts at ONEday! You do not want your students and friends to miss out on this all-day event where we will worship together, serve our neighbors, create new friendships and make lasting memories. ALL 5-12th grade students, join us on Saturday, August 20, on NMC's campus for ONEday 2022. Head to northmetro.org/events to sign up your student now!

PROMOTION SUNDAY

SUNDAY, AUGUST 7

On Promotion Sunday, all 5-7th grade students will join their new small groups in Shift, 8-12th grade students will join us on Sunday night at Compass, and our graduated seniors are invited to join us at our college gatherings on Thursday nights. If you have a 5th or 8thgrade student as of the 22/23 school year, you will receive an email from the student team welcoming you to Shift and Compass. If you have questions about your student's new ministry or small group, contact Derek at dmcclardy@northmetro.org.

COLLEGE COLLEGE BIBLE STUDY GROUP

THURSDAY | 7:00-8:30PM

College students, join us for our new NMC College Nights. We will experience community, dive deep into biblical study, and share a meal together! This is your place, whether you're far from God or near in your walk. For more details, visit the College page at northmetro.org.

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You Belong Here!

Belon& PAGE 10

2025 GOALS

As we head toward 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 have set 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

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

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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 April 2022 Income: 5,589,514.52 Expense: 4,328,664.32 Over(under): 1,260,850.20

FINANCIAL SUMMARY

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June aJuly glanc at a glance

Sunday June 5

Sunday June 26

Sunday July 17

According to Mark 9:30am & 11:30am

Pine Cove City Early Check-In 10:30-11:25am

Welcome Home 11:30am-12:30pm

School Supply Drive

Sunday June 12 According to Mark 9:30am & 11:30am

Sunday June 19 According to Mark 9:30am & 11:30am

Adult Baptism Class 11:30am-12:30pm

Sunday July 3 According to Mark 9:30am & 11:30am

Sunday July 10 According to Mark 9:30am & 11:30am School Supply Drive

Sunday July 24 According to Mark 9:30am & 11:30am Welcome Home 11:30am-12:30pm Adult Baptism Class 11:30am-12:30pm School Supply Drive

Sunday July 31 According to Mark 9:30am & 11:30am Shift Preview Sunday 9:30am & 11:30am

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