It’s Your Serve!

Inside this issue...

Winter 2015

Your quarterly news encouraging body, family and life

Northside Church of Christ

2 New KYB BCC graders needed - Know Your Bible offers free Bible correspondence courses to viewers. More graders are needed for the students.

2 Wichita Workcamp: Love your neighbor - The 8th annual workcamp needs lots of adult volunteers.

3 Showing new members the ropes - You can help our new members plug in at Northside.

4 Servant’s Corner: Valet Parking Ministry - David Holt celebrates five years of this important ministry and would love to have more volunteers.

Serve Others

Here’s an example of a family photo that should probably be retaken. It’s a great picture� just a little outdated!

Call Laura Atwater at 833-6735 to volunteer

to help with the picture retakes.

Have you noticed that some of the photos on the picture board in the foyer are out of date? A few families have added kids since their picture was taken. Other family pictures on the board include “chicks” that have now left the nest.

Seems like it might be time to update those photos!

Member picture retakes will be offered beginning March 1 and will continue through March 29.

To have your picture taken again, or for the first time, just go to the back of the Multipurpose Room before or after any Sunday service in March. There’s no need to sign up; pictures will be taken on a first come, first served basis.

Laura Atwater is our “chief picture taker” and is organizing this project. She could use volunteers to help members verify and update their information in the church database.

Steve & Janis Hagler are responsible for maintaining the picture boards in the foyer and will update the big board in April.

Many of our member

photos need to be

updated. Picture

retakes will be

offered during the

month of March.

It’s Your Serve!

In 1986 Northside took a giant step of faith and started the Know Your Bible television ministry. And during every show since the first program we have offered viewers the opportunity to enroll in a free Bible correspondence course, or BCC.

Viewer response to this offer has been overwhelming. Over the past 28 years more than 7,000 viewers have called 1-800-28BIBLE to request the BCC from Northside. And keep in mind that our partners in Missouri, Iowa, and South Dakota send out and grade the BCCs in their areas, so the total number of courses that have been requested is much higher.

Cindy Abraham, who coordinates the BCC graders, likes to always have at least 50 volunteers to keep up with the 1,500+ students currently taking the courses. After two long-time graders retired recently, Cindy is on the lookout for a couple of volunteers to take over their students.

Not only do we have a large number of students at any given time, our current students are spread throughout 48 U.S. states and 29 foreign countries. One reason for our wide reach is Know Your Bible’s presence on the Internet. (Check out www.knowyourbible.com.)

Over the years the BCCs have made a big impact. A number of Northside members became Christians after watching KYB and taking the BCCs.

One student in Ohio wrote to let us know that the BCC lessons he took “inspired such a love for God’s Word that [he] started a master’s degree course in 2012. [He is] four classes away from a master’s in Christian studies.”

Cindy expressed a big thank you to the graders who have served faithfully over the years, some since the beginning.

Cindy Abraham coordinates volunteers who grade lessons from 1,500+ BCC students.

Toby Levering and Steve Tandy on the KYB set

Donna Harrold grades a BCC lesson.

If you would like to serve as a BCC grader, please call Cindy at 755-4987.

On June 1-5 hundreds of teens and sponsors will join forces to paint houses in the 8th annual Wichita Workcamp. With this many workers we’ll need lots of Northside adult volunteers to feed them, house them, and supervise their work.

We could especially use YOUR help with the following:

• Do you know someone who needs their house painted and is physically or financially unable to do it themselves?

• Would you like to be a crew leader?

• How about leading a Workcamp team such as Babysitting, Registration, or Ladders?

• We’ll need plenty of supplies, food, and money donations.

If you can help with any of these things, please contact Toby Levering or Kathy Middleton or send an email to info@WichitaWorkcamp.org. For more information, visit the website at www.wichitaworkcamp.org.

Pat Weber, supplies co-crew leader for the 2014 Wichita Workcamp, gives instructions to

his head “minion,” Emma Weber.

Volume 6, Issue 1

Upcoming Events

FEBRUARY • 18 New Step Study Begins

MARCH • 1 New Members’ Dinner

• 29 New Members’ Class

APRIL • 4 Easter Egg Hunt

• 17-18 Women Walking With God Conference

• 26 Missions Sunday

Do you remember how it felt to be the “new kid on the block” at Northside?

We don’t advertise this a lot, but we do several things to help new members get to know us and become familiar with how things work around here. Here’s a sneak peek at what we do.

Meet with the elders – Anyone who wants to become a member is asked to meet with the elders first. This gives the elders and new members a chance to get to know each other. After all, the shepherds need to know their flock.

Picture & Introduction – After they meet with the elders, new members have their picture taken so it can be displayed at the end of worship that morning. An elder will have them stand while he introduces them.

Meet with the involvement minister – After meeting with the elders, new members meet with Northside’s involvement minister, Mark Yeakley, and his wife, Kimberlee. Mark introduces new members in the bulletin using information he gathers in these meetings.

New Members’ dinner – Every March and September a catered dinner, organized by Lori Kingsley, is held after evening worship for new members and anyone who was baptized during the past six months. The dinner is also attended by the elders, deacons, staff, and their families. Usually about 100 people enjoy Hog Wild BBQ and Lori’s amazing homemade desserts while getting to know each other. New members are asked to introduce themselves and Northside’s leaders take turns telling who they are and giving an overview of their ministry.

New Members’ class – Every three months Mark and Brian Middleton teach a two-hour class for new members after morning worship. Attendees eat Guest Lunch together in a classroom while they learn about Northside. (Childcare is provided.) As part of the class, new members fill out an involvement survey so ministry leaders will know where they want to serve.

How Can You Help?

Believe it or not, you can play the most important role in helping our new members get plugged in. It’s as easy as 1-2-3.

1. Find someone new and introduce yourself.

2. Invite them over for a meal or take them out to eat.

3. Look for them every Sunday and Wednesday, say “hi” and continue to help them feel welcome.

Northside’s elders (l to r) Clayton McCullough, Brian Middleton, Brent Groves, James Wilson,

Albert Brensing, Doug Wagner, Justin Abraham, and Ron Mauck

Mark Yeakley checks out some of the homemade desserts at a

New Members’ Dinner.

New Christians Tiffany, Dallas, and Brianna Temple visit with Tim and Stephanie Kucharo as everyone gathers for the New Members’

Dinner in September 2013.

Andrea Walters and her girls help make new member (at the time), Rich Bankey, feel welcome. Rich is now a greeter himself.

Our volunteers park cars for those who need it at the south (covered) entrance before every Sunday and Wednesday service. We also help anyone take in packages or food, and we’re happy to get wheelchairs or walkers out of the trunk. And by the way, we don’t just help those with physical limitations; we also help mothers with young children or anyone who needs a helping hand, especially in rain or snow.

By David Holt

Can you believe it? January was the five-year anniversary of Northside’s Valet Parking ministry. We started offering this service in January 2010 and haven’t missed a Sunday since!

Those who use the services this ministry offers often tell us how much they appreciate our help. In fact, some say they wouldn’t be able to attend without the assistance we provide.

If you need us to park your car, pull under the covered drive and leave your car running. We’ll give you a claim number and park the car in the area marked off by orange traffic cones at the west end of the building. During the service we’ll keep the keys in a secure, locked box. When you’re ready to go, bring us your number and we’ll pull your car around. If you need to leave early or stay for Guest Lunch, let our volunteers know and we’ll be happy to accommodate you.

This ministry is a great way to show God’s love to members and guests. Being at the front doors gives a volunteer the opportunity to greet a lot of people. I have enjoyed getting to know several older members that I would not otherwise have met. And serving with us is a good way to get involved without

4545 N. Meridian Ave.

Wichita, KS 67204

Phone: 316-838-5200

E-mail: office@northsidecoc.org Website: www.northsidecoc.org

N O R T H S I D E C H U R C H O F C H R I S T

NON PROFIT ORG

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PAID

WICHITA KS

PERMIT 741

Each quarter this article will focus

on your opportunities to serve in

different ministries led by our

deacons and ministry leaders.

having to get up in front of the congregation, in case that’s not your cup of tea.

We need volunteers!

Volunteers serve for a month at a time parking cars before and after one or two services per week depending on their availability. Don't worry; if something comes up during the month, we can find replacements.

To volunteer to work with the Valet Parking ministry, please call me at 351-8005.

Valet Parking Ministry

Ministry leader, David Holt

Jeff Gates assists Ione Oakley.