August 30, 2020

NAZ NEWS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Marriage Night - Drive In Theater on Page 2.

Confirmation and Student Ministry Fall Updates on Page 3.

Join us for in-person worship services at Nazareth every

Sunday at 9 a.m. and 10:45 a.m.

The Nazareth Offices are open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday

through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to noon on Friday. Donations

for the Naz Food Essentials Pantry may be delivered to Door

#1 during above hours.

Grace and peace be with you!

For the remainder of the summer, we will be taking a journey together through the book of Romans. In essence, this book is a

Love Letter. The theme running through Paul’s letter to the Romans is the revelation of God’s righteousness - His love-filled plan

for salvation through Jesus Christ.

Be well! Be loving! Be courageous! Be The Church!

In Christ,

Pastor Brian King

PRAYER AT THE CROSSROADS Please join the Pastors and others every Monday at 12:00 noon for “Prayer at the CROSSroads” this summer—10-15 minutes focused on sharing God’s Word and praying for the healing, strength, and peace of our community, nation, and world. This is a great opportunity to begin your week in

prayer, and anyone is welcome to join us!

CONNECT WITH US Address: 7401 University Avenue, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613

Phone: 319-266-7589 Email: info@naz.org

Website: www.naz.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/MyNazareth

Instagram: www.instagram.com/mynazchurch

YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT IS APPRECIATED! As we deeply desire to continue to do the ministry God has called us to do here at Nazareth, your continued generous support of prayers, service, and financial gifts is so im-portant. Even while we are apart physically, giving is still pos-sible online at www.naz.org/give. You can also mail your do-nation to the church office or use the free GIVE+ Mobile App (by searching “GIVE PLUS CHURCH” in the app store). We truly cannot do this without you and are deeply grateful for

your continued partnership!

SEPTEMBER DEVOTIONALS HAVE ARRIVED!

Devotional books (Christ in our Home/Our Daily Bread/Portals of Prayer) for September are HERE! Please stop by the Receptionist Desk or the Welcome Desk this week to pick up a

copy!

WORSHIP: “Testimonial Living”

TEXT: Romans 12:1-8

FLOWERS

Altar: The flowers at the Altar are to lift our spirits as we are re-

minded of the beauty of God’s creation.

Baptized in the Larsen Chapel: Nolan Robert Moore, son of

Robert Moore and Taylor Miller.

Sympathy: Our deepest sympathy to the family and friends griev-

ing the death of Verla Schloman.

GO BEYOND…

Use the “Read It”, “Watch It” and “Live It” recommendations to apply this

Sunday’s sermon to your everyday happenings. And/or, gather with a

small group to discuss the sermon and do life together! Not connected

with a Naz small group yet? Email Pastor Bob Ericson at

bob.ericson@naz.org to learn more or join a group.

DIGEST THE WORD...

Read the scripture passages from the week’s Sunday’s Worship Ser-

vice and reflect on the sermon and on these questions to help you live

out God’s Word in your everyday life. Or, use these questions in your

Naz Small Group to discuss and apply each week’s scripture and ser-

mon!

Digest the Word Cont...

How did this passage/sermon challenge or encourage you?

What questions do you have about this topic?

What does this passage teach you about who God is?

What are the personal implications (for you)?

What does this mean for the Church as a whole?

Read It! The Apostle Paul appeals to us "by the mercies of God present your body (life) as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual worship." I strongly encourage you to purchase the book 'The Good and Beautiful Life', which is cen-tered on Jesus' teachings in Matthew 5-7, and sign up for a small group this fall. Ponder what 'testimonial living' means for you and for Nazareth as we each day live into Jesus call to, 'let your light so shine before others, that they may see your good works in Christ, and give glory to the Father in heaven'.

Watch It! Go to the Love INC of the Cedar Valley web-site. Click on "What is Love INC?" at the lower left hand corner of the page. Watch the video to see how partner churches in the Cedar Valley work together to transform lives. Nazareth houses the Love INC Food Pantry. Love INC has ample need for volunteers.

Live It! Romans 12:7-8 lists gifts that God lavishly bestows on those who are connected in faith to Jesus. We are reminded that these gifts are to be employed (used) in our daily lives. Those gifts include: Prophesy/teaching - telling/instructing others about the good news of Jesus Service - getting your hands and feet dirty for the sake of Christ to serve our neighbors Contribute - with generosity, knowing that God will multiply our gifts Lead - with zeal, knowing that Jesus transforms lives Do acts of mercy - with cheerfulness. Our world needs smiles!

Discern which gift God has entrusted to you and in boldness this week use (employ) this gift to someone you by chance or by choice encounter.

Please join us in the Naz Parking Lot on Friday, September 25 for a DRIVE-IN Marriage Night! We will start at approximately 7:30 p.m. (when dark enough) and you will use a transmitter for audio from your car (much like Movies Under the Moon this year). There will be goodie bags and treats, but feel free to bring your own refreshments as well. To register for this fun event, please go to marriagenight.org. Cost is $15/person For

more information, please contact Meg Husted at meg.husted@naz.org.

CHAOS - JUNIOR HIGH MINISTRY

Register your student TODAY! Volunteers and small group leaders NEEDED. -- all ages welcome! For info at www.cedarvalleystudents.org/chaos

CHILDREN’S MINISTRY

In-Person 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., Sunday KidzRock

PreK 3 year olds - 6th grade

Or Online option, at your own pace (including Bible dra-ma lesson, a wrap up with discussion questions, and most weeks additional activities that you can do at home) REGISTER at https://naz.org/children/ for either option. WOW/JUMP56 are not meeting this fall due to space constraints and inability to safely social distance. POW - A Parent Small Group led by Meg Husted Triggers “Exchanging Parents’ Angry Reactions for Gentle Biblical Responses” 6 p.m. to 7:15pm, Wednesdays

There is programming for the kids, led by Nolan & Kim, whose parents attend POW, and Nursery is available. Contact meg.husted@naz.org to sign up.

CONFIRMATION ADVENTURE 2020-2021

Please mark your calendars for Confirmation Student/Parent Orientation Meetings!

(All meetings will take place in the Family Life Center Gymnasium; please use Door #6 at entrance of Family Life Center)

Wednesday, September 2 from 6 to 7 PM 8th Grade Confirmation Student and Parent Orientation Wednesday, September 9 from 6 to 7 PM 9th Grade Confirmation Student and Parent Orientation All students and parents are asked to wear masks. Families will be social distanced. If you have a schedule conflict or are uncomfortable meeting in-person, please contact Lori Haag or Pastor Denny at 266-7589.

Confirmation classes will begin on Wednesday evening, September 16 from 5:45-6:45 PM

BIG HOUSE - HIGH SCHOOL MINISTRY (10th - 12th Grade)

September 2nd—BIGhouse Resumes at 7 p.m. - Orchard Hill Church, in person & live stream (masks required) Contact Kristina McBurney at kristina.mcburney@naz.org

Thank you from Nazareth's Partners in Education representatives for your great generosity and for your overwhelming response to the requests for masks, school supplies and uniforms for Highland School in, perhaps, this most unusual of all school years! We so appreciated your prayers, your gifts of cash, of assistance and/or of needed materials for the children to use in their on-site learning this fall. Highland staff was in awe of your extreme generosity and were

most grateful.

This year we were blessed by a mission gift from the children who attended Nazareth's Vacation Bible School. They designated that $2000 be given to the Highland Partners account for unrestricted use at the school. After conferring with Highland's principal, Matt Willand, it was determined jointly there was a need for masks for the

children and staff, backpacks for those who could not afford them, earbuds, general school supplies and uniforms. Highland has

many needs.

Marty Mullnix spearheaded the mask-making project. We were able to fund elastic used for the masks. As the result of many willing, creative and talented women, 1000 masks – small, medium and large – were made and given to

Highland. A sincere thank you to each of you who contributed to that project.

Many families are often unable to purchase school materials, so 1000 earbuds were ordered and delivered to the school for the children to use with some of their learning technology. This congregation, with very short notice, also donated the supplies to completely fill 40 backpacks. 32 empty backpacks for use as the year progressed were included in the order. The 11 different supplies you donated, including uniforms, arrived in such abundant quantities that all items remaining after filling backpacks were packed and given to the school for needs that would arise later. Thank you to Deb Landau and Barb Witzel for assisting with the sorting and packing and to Nazareth staff who assisted in the

delivering process.

Money still remains from the VBS gift, and plans also exist for it. Highland is the recipient this fall of a new piece of technology in the Cedar Valley, a book vending machine. Books are given as earned rewards, but the machine is not stocked. It is the intent of Nazareth's Partners to apply

the remainder of the $2000 toward purchasing books for the vending machine.

Collection of school supplies at Nazareth will discontinue at the end of August. School uniforms and masks will still be accepted. Thank you VBS kids for your most generous gift of $2000. It was used wisely and gratefully. Thank you to all donors for getting

your hands dirty for the cause of Christ and bringing a great deal of joy to many children’s hearts.

FALL SIX-WEEK SERMON SERIES AND SMALL GROUP STUDY

The Good and Beautiful LIFE:

Putting on the Character of Christ

“I have never met a person whose goal was to ruin his or her life. We all want to be happy, and we want it all of the time.” So be-gins James Bryan Smith in The Good and Beautiful Life. The problem is we have bought into false notions of happiness and success. These self-centered decisions lead us further into the vices that cause ruin: anger, lust, lying, worry and judging. Eventu-

ally we find ourselves living a beautifully packaged life of self-destruction.

Beginning the week of September 13, congregation members will have the opportunity to study this book which is a sequel to the previous study we had in Lent, The Good and Beautiful God. Following the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), this study will compare false worldly narratives about where abundant life is found with Jesus’ narratives that deliver on his promise, “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). The sermons each Sunday will be based on the same words of Jesus

which each chapter examines.

Sunday, September 13 The Good and Beautiful Life

Sunday, September 20 The Gospel Many People Have Never Heard

Sunday, September 27 The Grand Invitation

Sunday, October 4 Learning to Live Without Anger

Sunday, October 11 Learning to Live Without Lust

Sunday, October 18 Learning to Live Without Lying

We will cover the first 6 chapters of this book this Fall and the remaining 6 chapters during Lent 2021. Books will be available as

the Welcome Desk (Sundays) and at the Receptionist Desk (Weekdays). Cost is $15.00.

“Less is More” – As we live through this unusual time, rather than offer a number of classes, we encourage as many of our con-gregation as possible, to study this book together. It will be a unifying factor when we are limited in being together in-person and

when together we are “socially distanced.”

It would be wonderful if, in addition to reading the book, many of our congregation members would participate in a small group dis-cussion, either in person or via Zoom. We currently have 20 leaders who are willing to lead on a variety of days and times of the week. You may sign up using the signup form on naz.org (select “Connect”; then select “Small Groups” to find the signup form for The Good and Beautiful Life) or you may call Terri Packard, Receptionist, at 319-266-7589 (Monday to Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4

p.m.). Please sign up by August 31.

To learn more about The Naz Next Steps Path...

Contact Pastor Bob Ericson, Director of Discipleship and Small Groups at bob.ericson@naz.org