On Sunday, October 6, 2013, Northstar Church came together. Literally. It was a gathering of generations. Former members (many of them founding members) joined current members and regular attenders and guests in a joint service of praise and worship. It was a humbling, joyful and celebratory experience.
From the beginning of our planning, we wanted to communicate that our tenth anniversary was not about Northstar. We wanted to point past and through our church to our Savior. Our simple goal was to uplift and exalt Jesus Christ. From the grateful words and comments of those in attendance, I believe that the service magnified Him over us.
I am grateful for pastors and campus ministers who joined us for prayer – a few of whom had to leave to return to their own churches to lead and preach. I’m thankful for those who were baptized and in so doing, publicly demonstrated their faith and obedience to Jesus. The worship team portrayed the joy and magnificence of Christ in their song selection and countenances as they led us in worship. Those who shared their faith stories and part of their experiences in ministry with Northstar were clear and authentic. Overall, I believe the consensus was a simple… wow. God is good.
I wanted to thank our homecoming team who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, emailing and phoning former members (and even researching files to discover where people are today). They assembled a loving team of volunteers to set up, decorate and put subtle but significant touches on every corner of Blacksburg Middle School to make it a center of celebration and memory. The men who arrived to the school at 3:00 a.m. to begin grilling the meat for lunch made possible a feast that also enhanced our fellowship. Those who served us our food did so with smiles and joy. It was a tremendous effort by a multitude of people.
I like people watching, and I loved what I saw on this occasion. Former members catching up with one another and connecting with current members, college students visiting with families, children everywhere, smiles, tears, hugs and laughter. It was a surreal day that is a tribute to the God who brought us all together in common mission and vision.
Thank you, Northstar Church, for your love for Jesus Christ. Your voices – past and present – resound together in a powerful chorus that needs to be sung again and again. Thank you for your joyful service these past months and weeks that led to today. Your cooperation and unity are so deeply appreciated.
Happy anniversary, Northstar. May our existence continue to declare His eminence.
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We’d love to hear your reflections on how God has glorified Himself through His people called Northstar. Feel free to leave a comment on the forums page.