Volume 5 Issue 58 For December 2015

For the Lord i s the Spiri t , and where the Spiri t of the Lord i s , there i s l iberty .

2 Corinthians 3:17 Spirit of LibertySpirit of Liberty

NORTH LIBERTY CHURCH OF CHRIST

Join for us for the safe, family friendly event!!!

Celebrating with you the birth of Christ, our Lord, and wishing you

the blessing of His Love.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year,

~ Tim, Terri, Jennifer & Jonathan Stewart

~ Jody, Meghan, & Autumn Healey

~ Ben, Christina, Cali, Benton & Baylor Webb

~ Chris, Katy, Micah & Macee Fleck

~ Eric, Lisa & Austin Fair

Richard Lemler, Jill Neyhart’s father, aneurysm, congestive heart failure and continued heart problems-

Hugh Smith, friend of Denise Burger, fell and broke neck, in ICU at Memorial

UPDATE-: tracheotomy, paralyzed from neck

Tracy Newcomber, friend of Lidgards, past away from injuries suffered in motorcycle accident

Denny Wyant, Amy Carpenter’s dad, diagnosed with esophagus cancer-going thru chemo & radiation & tumor is shrinking!!!

Carol Cook diagnosed with stage 4 cancer

Melissa Jonas, Christina Webb’s sister, have high blood pressure issues during her pregnancy-she is 34 weeks along

Jere Wendt-going thru chemo for cancer-in the Paul Divine in rehab

Michelle Wren, niece of Belinda Griffith (past NLCS family), motorcycle accident & head injury-in therapy

Bud Newcomb, Chris’s dad, Alzheimer's

Donella Newcomb, Chris’s mom, fell & broke hip

Vera, Chris Newcomb’s SIL, St Joe Med-Crone’s Disease

Chanda Cordell-on heart meds if no improvement will have echo and heart scope in February

Thank you to everyone who donated Shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. Our goal was 225 and we collected 265!!

Volume 5 Issue 56

Page 2

Spirit of WorshipSpirit of Worship

Spirit of Praise & PrayerSpirit of Praise & Prayer

For week of... 10/25 11/1 11/8 11/15 11/22

Sunday AM

Worship 397 428 450 490 422

Total

Offering $14,717.00 $15,101.50 $12,793.16 $12,389.17 $24,592.00

Building Fund $530.00 $1,060.00 $425.00 $185.00 $175.00

Military Personnel:

Eric Rodman, son of Jerry & Sherry Roberts; Andrew Ross, Mary Bunch’s son, Joshua Cole (Omaha, NE), Jason Rodman (CA.), Jeff Roberts (TX), Shannon Vickers, Dave Bickel (CO), Josh Grayckowski (TX) Kyle Singleton, Mike McGann, Mary Patton’s son (San Diego, CA), Jason Fair (CA), Lionel Williams, Bob & Sherry Lichtenberger’s son-in-law, Christopher Brandenburg (NC), Erin & Trevor Wiegers, ) - Bryant Miller (Afghanistan); Danny Francis (Okinawa); Trevor Duff; Josh Anderson; Neal Dillon, Ray & Geri’s grandson (left for 5th deployment to Middle East, 5th child due in February)

Those with cancer:

Susan (Snyder) Baughman; Brittney Hummer; Caleb Hoppe, friend of Elin Fair; Donnetta Robinson; Roy Becker; Chris Cloud; Kim Perkins; Heather Horvath, Dawn’s daughter; ; Scott Hickman, Makenzie’s dad (pancreatic) Marianne Demaegd, Matt Flournoy’s mom; Melvin Johnson; Dan Crosley: Joe Bellman, Sharon’s step-dad; Jim Bradley, Jackie Noland & Jeni Yergeau’s dad;

MyNLCC:

Having an account at NLCC makes connecting with those around you and the church much easier.

Once you have an account established you can:

~Update you or your family's information

~View an online church directory

~Manage the events or ministries in which you serve

~Connect with a small group

~Manage your giving

~And much more

In addition, you can download the myNLCC app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

Have questions? Email info@nlccnet.org.

Margaret Lynch was baptized on October 26th. She has been a regular attender for awhile.

Eli Leodanski was also immersed on October 26th. He is the son of Vince & Dena and has an older brother, Vince Jr.

Jeremiah Ritter was immersed on October 28th. He is the son of Mike & Andrea Ritter and has 3 older brothers, Isaiah, Noah, & Josiah.

Wednesday Night Happenings:

Meal 5:45-6:30 pm

Classes 7:00 pm

Middle School (6th-8th) 6:45-8:00 pm

Adult Class: Soul Detox-led by Tim

There is a sign up sheet on “The Board” for

snow removal.

Spirit of Liberty Page 3

CURRENT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES:1

~Standard for Seniors– Room 4

~Understanding the End Times-taught by Lyndal Smith- Room 1

Building Usage:

You must contact the church office either by phone or e-mail to reserve the building. Church functions have priority.

Please Do NOT write your function on the calendar!! You have to follow the proper procedure.

There is a charge and will be discussed when scheduling.

Sign-ups for the 2015/16 Secret Sweetheart Ministry are happening now. If you are not involved

in this ministry and would like to be, call Andrea Ritter at 586-7458.

The Senior Citizens go out to lunch on the first Sunday of each month following the morning church service-mark your calendars for Nov 1st!

December Happenings at NLCC….

Tuesday, Dec 1st~Senior Ladies’ Lunch at Tippecanoe

Place-meet at NLCC at 11:00 am

Sunday, Dec 13th~Prime Timer’s Christmas Gathering-School

Cafeteria @ 5:00 pm-Bring items or $ for Ronald

McDonald House at Memorial Hospital

Sunday, Dec 13th~NLCS Christmas Program @ 6:00 pm

Wednesday, Dec 16th @ 6:00 pm-Caroling

Thursday, Dec 17th @ 7:00 pm-Pre school Christmas

Program

Thursday, Dec 24th @ 6:00 pm~Christmas Eve service

WELCOME TO OUR CHURCH FAMILY

Tithing envelopes will be available for pick up each Sunday in December.

If you already have a number just pick up your designated number.

If you would like to start using the envelope sys-tem, please take an available box and sign the sheet with the # you are taking.

You can also log into your account for MyNLCC and set up giving thru the portal. We will soon be phasing out our current e-giving process.

Spirit of Liberty Page 4

Spirit of ServiceSpirit of Service

For Week of... 12/6 12/13 12/20 12/27

Nursery

Katie Poorman

Abby Neyhart

Donna Napier

Campbell Burns

Ashley Hawkes

Katie Poorman

Abby Neyhart

Donna Napier

Campbell Burns

Ashley Hawkes

Jake Baker

Addie Baker

Dawn Combes

Jess Baker

Jake Baker

Addie Baker

Dawn Combes

Jess Baker

Wed night nursery 12/2 Sandy Kronk

Andrea Ritter

12/9 Janet Rhodes

Tish McCormick

12/16 caroling-no nursery available

12/23 & 12/30 no services

Communion & Offering Prayer

Steve Beam Tom McCormick Jan Baker Erik Ebersole

Communion Servers

Lucas Stegemiller

Patrick Kronk

Vince Leodanski

Tim Baker

Nate Reinhold

Bill Cauffman

Bob Shipley

Joe Combes

Keith Beringer

Larry Bunch

Jerry Leininger

Ryan Fair

Justin Hornig

Chuck Daly

Levi Klopfenstein

Dave Ross

Tim Knowlton

Donavan Hawkes

Jason Cauffman

Chris Deutscher

Darin Klopfenstein

Chuck Bowen

Henry Davis

Tony Kronk

Eli Leodanski

Nick Lung

Don Napier

Mike Cox

Communion to Sick

North Liberty

South Bend

LaPorte

Nick Lung

Tom Fair

Scott Reinhold

Z Clingenpeel

Jan Baker

Scott Reinhold

D Klopfenstein

Tom Fair

Ron Peterson

Randy Lemert

Jan Baker

Erik Ebersole

Snow Removal

6th-Patrick & Tony Kronk

13th-Patrick & Tony Kronk

20th-Doug Burns

27th-Tom Fair

Ushers

Tedd Kronk

Evan Henry

Larry Browne

Vince Leodanski

Tom Patton

Security

Brian Kaser

Tom McCormick

Immersion Tish McCormick

Carol Beam

Communion

Preparation

Terry & Joanne Knowlton

Jennifer Bowen

We have been studying through the book of Galatians the past three weeks. The primary subject matter is how grace works in our lives. What it is. Where it comes from and how it benefits us. We first talked about how those of us who have this grace thing can move from guilt to grace. These new Believers were being attacked by some Judaizers that were trying to convince them that they had to be a good Jew before they could be a good Jesus follower. Trying to guilt them into thinking that their salvation had to be earned

through works.

But Paul does a pretty good job crushing this argument. He reminds them that he was advancing in Judaism far beyond his contemporaries. That he at one time believed in this law saving people but then was called out by God’s grace to move beyond law and move towards grace. He reminds them that it was Jesus who gave His life to rescue us from sin and this evil age. And it was Paul who asked a great question in Romans 7, “Who will rescue me from this body of sin?” His answer was God through Jesus Christ our Lord. He also told us in I Cor 15 that it is “By this gospel we you are saved.” Again referring to Jesus!

Paul calls all the Believers out who are quickly deserting the grace of Christ and returning to a perversion of the gospel of Jesus and warns them that those who are teaching such nonsense will be eternally condemned. He then goes on to share that those who try to live under the law are putting themselves under a curse. Why? Because we will never be able to keep the whole law and if we break just one, we’ve become a lawbreaker and according to this way of thinking, there is no hope, salvation can never be attained because no one is without sin. So stop trying to be saved by works and the law and start developing a real relationship with Jesus who saved us by His grace.

And when you start to develop and nurture that relationship with Christ you then begin to live by His spirit rather than living for self. As Paul says in Gal 5:16-18, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.”

The illustration that I used on the message of moving from self to Spirit, moving from law to grace was the images of the row boat, the cruise ship, and the sail boat. Paul encourages us to remove ourselves from living a life under law, living a life in the flesh and start living a life in the Spirit.

Saved to Serve,

Tim

My youngest child Baylor has recently revealed a potential problem that could cause pain and misfortune in his future. Baylor thinks he can’t read. I use the word “thinks” because it isn’t true; he can read. However, with his vision of the world around him, he has convinced himself he can’t. Cali and Benton read on a high level, and are older than him. He sees how well they read so he concludes that he can’t. When he sees the thickness of their books and the lack of pictures throughout the story, he decides that they are doing something he can’t.

He is partially right. He can’t read the more challenging chapter books yet. But he can read. Christina and I have had to start reading more with him. He needs to read out loud and hear himself. He needs the little victories of finishing each book he is works and struggles through. He needs to not compare his own current talents with the talents of those around him. If Baylor, at this young age, decided that he can’t read and chose to no longer push himself to learn; and if Christina and I didn’t choose to push and encourage him to grow in his ability, there would be certain disastrous results waiting in his future.

Benton has a different problem. Benton thinks that he has everything figured out. Benton is bigger, faster and stronger than Baylor. Therefore, Benton thinks he is the best athlete in the history of the world. Benton is smarter, too, if for no other reason than he is two years older than Baylor. All of these factors contribute to Benton’s conclusion that he knows everything and can do anything. And he has the right to hold that over each of Baylor’s failures.

In a lot of ways this is just typical sibling rivalry and life within a family. I’m not concerned that something awful is fostering within my home. However, Benton needs humility. While Baylor needs encouragement to see himself in a better way, Benton needs humbling to see himself in a lesser way. If Benton, at this young age, decided that he knew everything he needed to know and had perfected every ability; and if Christina and I chose not to hold him accountable to his knowledge and action, then I believe there could be catastrophic events lurking in the future for Benton. Just as Baylor’s view of himself could lead to terrible results within his future, Benton’s future is just as tenuous if his perspective is not righted.

Not having a proper view of yourself can lead to a very damaging future.

Romans 5:8 helps us see ourselves as we really are. “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

For the person seeing themselves too harshly, notice the verse calls you “loved” and “worthy.” You are loved by God, the creator of the universe, and you were counted worth the life of his son. Whatever failure you may have, whatever struggle you have not overcome, whatever pain continues to darken your door, God will continue to demonstrate his own love for you. That’s encouraging.

For the person seeing themselves too highly, notice the verse calls you “sinner.” You are not perfect. You are not above it all. And yet, you are also called “loved” and “worthy.” You didn’t earn your worth, but you are worth loving none the less.

It matters how you view yourself, and it would be worth your effort to ask God for his perspective.

Volume 5 Issue 56 Page 5

TimTim

BenBen

December

Volume 5 Issue 56 Page 6

1 6:30 am

11:00 am

Prayer Meeting

Senior Ladies out to lunch to Tippecanoe Place

2 5:45-6:30 pm

7:00 pm

Meal

John Glenn Concert at NLCC

3 9:00 am Prayer Group & MOMS group

6

9:30 am

10:30 am

12:00 pm

6-7:30

Sunday School

Morning Worship

Senior’s lunch

330 High School (9th-12th grades)

8 6:30 am Prayer Group

9

5:45-6:30 pm

6:45-8:00 pm

7:00 pm

Meal

330 Middle School (6-8th grades)

Adult Study, Nursery, classes for ages 3—5th grade

10 9:00 am Prayer Group

13

9:30 am

10:30 am

6:00 pm

Sunday School

Morning Worship

NLCS Christmas Program-no youth tonight

15 6:30 am Prayer Group

16

5:45-6:30 pm

6:45-8:00 pm

6:00 pm

Meal

330 Middle School (6-8th grades)-Christmas Party

Caroling

17 9:00 am

7:00 pm

Prayer Group & MOMS Group

Pre school Christmas Program

20

9:30 am

10:30 am

Sunday School

Morning Worship

No youth tonight

22 6:30 am Prayer Group

23 No evening activities

24 6:00 pm Christmas Eve Service (no morning prayer group)

25 MERRY CHRISTMAS

27

9:30 am

10:30 am

Sunday School

Morning Worship

No youth tonight

29 6:30 am Prayer Group

30 No evening activities

31 No Prayer group

Spirit of FellowshipSpirit of Fellowship

S p i r i t o f L i b e r t y Page 7

Camp News: Camp News: Camp News:

Jody Jody Page 8

W h a t d o y o u d o w h i l e y o u d r i v e ? L i s t e n t o t a l k r a d i o , p u t o n y o u r m a k e u p , o r p e r h a p s e v e n l i s t e n t o c l a s s i c r o c k a n d r o l l . W e w a n t t o e n c o u r a g e y o u t o u s e t h a t t i m e a s a n i n v e s t m e n t t o w a r d p e r s o n a l s p i r i t u a l g r o w t h . T h i s m o n t h w e w i l l b e p r o v i d i n g t w o C D s t h a t w i l l a d d r e s s c e r t a i n f a m i l y i s s u e s f r o m a C h r i s t - c e n t e r e d a p p r o a c h . T h e s e C D ’ s w i l l h e l p e n c o u r a g e , e q u i p , a n d s t r e n g t h e n y o u a s a C h r i s t i a n p a r e n t a n d s p o u s e . Y o u c a n f i n d t h e s e C D ’ s a v a i l a b l e a t t h e P a r e n t R e s o u r c e C e n t e r i n t h e K i d z K o n n e c t i o n Z o n e .

Topics Available for December : CD 1 – Building Moral Character in Your Children (Sen. Rick & Mrs. Karen Santorum)

The Keys to the Human Heart (Dr. Gary Smalley) CD 2 – Spiritual Mismatch in Marriage (Mr. Lee & Mrs. Leslie Stroebel)

CD 3 – Children of Divorce (Dr. Arch Hart) Kids and Bullying (Various)

CD 4 – No Substitute for Daddy’s Love (David Jeremiah) Caring For the World’s Children (Dr. Wess Stafford)

Dr. James Dobson's Parenting Devotion

The Journey Is Too Much

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

Elijah had just achieved a great triumph on Mount Carmel. Now he was thoroughly drained in body and soul. The

devil, who delights in attacking us when we are vulnerable, took full advantage of the situation through Jezebel’s

threat to kill Elijah. Exhausted and discouraged, Elijah sat down and prayed for it all to end. “I have had enough,

Lord,” he said. “Take my life” (1 Kings 19:4). God heard Elijah’s prayer and sent His tender answer through an an-

gel: “The journey is too much for you” (v. 7). After sleeping, Elijah found that a meal had been prepared for him.

He ate and drank and received new hope and strength to continue. When your energy is totally depleted because

of extra commitments, when you’ve been sick and have nothing left to give, when obstacles seem to thwart your

every move—these are the moments when Satan will gather his forces for a fresh assault on your spirit. But if you

respond by turning to the Lord in prayer, He will show you a way out of hopelessness and discouragement

(see Ephesians 6:10–11). When we send our burdens to heaven and rest in His Spirit, we can always count on Him

to lighten the load.

Before you say good night…

Are you discouraged with life because you’re simply too tired?

Do you, and your kids, turn to the Lord in all moments of distress?

When has God responded to you as He did to Elijah?

We praise Your powerful name, Lord! You are the One who makes a way where there is no way. Forgive us for limiting Your power and Your love—which have no limits at all. We offer you our lives afresh this night. Amen.

Spirit of Liberty Page 9

COMING IN DECEMBER IN KIDZ KONNECTION:

There’s just something about some of those movies that no matter how you’re feeling after you watch them you can’t help but get into the Christmas spirit. Maybe one of these lines from some Christmas movies resonates with you:

“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.” (Elf)

“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can't see.” (The Polar Express) Or even

the classic, “I Triple-Dog-Dare you!” (A Christmas Story)

Christmas movies have a way of changing the way you look not only about Christmas but also about life as we see characters on the screen transform from unbelief to belief, from stingy to generous, or from cold-hearted to compassionate.

For the month of December, we’re taking a quote from one of those famous movie lines and “Triple-Dog-Daring” kids to show compassion to the people around them and even across the world.

We define compassion like this: caring enough to do something about someone else’s need. But when it comes to compassion, no movie even comes close to the greatest story of all time, yep, THE Christmas story. Think about it. The Creator of the universe, the one who made galaxies, solar systems, stars and planets, was attentive to His creation. He saw how sin had broken His people and His world. He saw and understood—more than we ever will—what the ultimate consequences of sin were for us. He saw our greatest need. But God didn’t stop there. He did something about it. Jesus became one of us. Humbling Himself to be born as a tiny baby in a remote town in the dwelling place of animals. His birth announcement was sent first to a lowly group of shepherds and later to kings from a distant land. He lived as one of us, so that eventually He could die as atonement for our sin and be raised again on the third day so that we could also one day live forever with God in Heaven.

The Christmas story can really be summed up in one verse of Scripture. And this is the verse that we want eve-ry parent, every leader, and every child to memorize and carry with them the rest of their lives. Because there’s no other verse that can compare with what this verse says. It’s the essence not only of the Christmas story, but the essence of the story of Jesus. It’s found in John 3:16: “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life” (NIrV).

CHECK OUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR SUNDAY MORNING PRESCHOOL CLASSES IN DECEMBER

Merry Christmas! Is there a more fun month than December with a preschooler? I say no. Their little faces light up with awe as they take in all the music and lights and new experiences. They sparkle just as much as the Christmas decorations around them.

We’re going to sparkle too this Christmas! As we share the story of Christmas through-out the month, we’ll make a “Story Sparkler” to go with that piece of the story. By the

time they’ve made it through December, each child will have a pail full of story sparklers so they can retell the story of Jesus’ birth at home.

We’ll start the month with the story of how the angel came and told Mary she was going to have a special baby named Jesus. Then, during week two, Mary and Joseph travel to Bethlehem to find no room in the inn, and Baby Jesus is born in a stable. The shepherds enter the story in week three and run to meet this special baby. Finally, the wise men arrive in week four completing the Christmas story.

Volume 5 issue 56 Page 10

99 THOUGHTS FOR PARENTS OF TEENAGERS

THE TRUTH ON RAISING TEENAGERS FROM PARENTS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE By Walt Mueller

GIVE YOUR TEENAGERS THE BEST LIFE, NOT THE GOOD LIFE If we relentlessly pursue the American Dream and the desire to pass the material benefits of the good life on to our children, bad things happen. Experts who work with children have been given too much their parents have developed diagnoses known as “Affluenza” and “Rich Kids Syndrome.” Its victims aren’t just from wealthy homes. The disease is common in middle-class and lower-class homes as it is in homes with lots of money. The danger rests in the fact that we are fostering and encouraging idoltry. What’s the alternative to giving our children that good life? It’s giving them the best life. Our lives and actions should communicate to our children that the best life is found by living in relationship with God, living out of His will, and by pursing His standards of success. The best life consists of directing all we have, all we do, and all we are toward loving and serving God in every nook, cranny, and minute of our lives. The “best life” includes an ability to tell the difference between “needs” and “wants”. And then, because of our love for God, we should love those around us rather than treating them as competition or means to material ends. The best life comes in the pursuit of Mark 12:29-31.

330 Middle School Wednesday Nights TEACHING SERIES CALLED

Starting: December 2, 2015

When it comes to Christmas, there is a lot to look forward to. Candy canes, tinsel, twinkling lights, and—oh, right. The gifts. If you’re like most people, you’ve probably spent some time think-ing about the gifts you’re hoping to receive this Christmas. May-be you've even made a list so your friends and family know ex-actly what to give you. But while it’s fun to unwrap a gift you’ve been waiting and hoping for, have you ever been given a gift that took you entirely by surprise? A gift you didn’t even know you wanted until you opened it? A gift that was completely unex-pected? Unexpected gifts have been at the heart of the Christ-mas story for more than two thousand years, beginning with the very first Christmas. And believe it or not, it was God who began

the tradition. For the next few weeks, we’ll talk about three times God surprised the world with a gift that was entirely unexpected. And, as we do, we might just discover how much those gifts continue to matter today.

MIDDLE SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PARTY Wednesday, December 16, 2015

6:30 – 8:00 pm

Food, GAMES, gifts and fantastic FUN

Bring: A white – elephant gift White Elephant gift is that 'something unusual' you purchased, or were given, that may have value to someone, somewhere. You've never used but can't throw it away. It is wrapped or rewrapped and given away.