Come join us this Sunday as we attend “The Rock and Worship Road Show” featuring some of our all time favorite bands. We will meet at JNC at 3:00 and stop for a fast food dinner on our way down to the Excel Energy Center. The concert runs from 6-9 p.m. Bring $10.00 for concert admission and also money for a fast food meal. Get signed up Wednesday night at 7twelve.

Julie

This Friday, January 27, we will meet at Journey North Church for dinner and then will head over to the auditorium at Pine City Elementary to cheer on our friends in the One Act Play.

We are meeting at 5:30 and it will cost $2.00. Hope you can join us for a great time together!

Julie

Ladies… it’s time to start making plans to join us for a great time as we all attend this year’s ladies retreat March 9-11. This year’s theme is “The [Re] Purposed Life.” Together we will be challenged to let go of the past and start living the full, abundant life that God desires for us to live with meaning and purpose. Ephesians 2:10 NLT tells us, “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”

As always, the weekend will be filled with great friends and lots of laughs. There will be wonderful worship and inspiring speakers. You can be entertained or participate in the infamous Saturday Night Lip Sync as it makes a comeback. Some of you will retire early in the evening for some well needed R&R (rest and relaxation) while others will choose to stay up to the wee hours of the morning for some G&G (gabbing and giggling). The choice is yours. However you choose to spend your weekend, it’s our prayer that you will go away feeling refreshed and having had an intimate encounter with God as He reveals to you His great love and purpose for your life.

Invite your friends, co-workers, neighbors and family. It’s a great way to make new friends and reconnect with others. There’s something for all ladies from 9th grade on up.

Our retreat is held at the beautiful Big Sandy Camp in McGregor, MN. The facilities are warm and welcoming, equipped with elevators and require little walking. You can check out pictures of the retreat center at bigsandycamp.com on their home page under “About BSC.” There you can find info about Birch Lodge the retreat center we will be staying in.

The cost for the weekend is $90.00 which includes your housing and all food for the weekend. Registration starts Feb. 5 and runs through Feb. 26. A $25.00 non-refundable deposit is due at the time of registration with the balance being due by March 9.

Our list of ladies will not be complete until your name is on it. Please pray about joining us for a weekend that could possibly change your life.

Your Ladies Retreat Planning Team

Remember that Sunday, January 29, is our Annual Meeting. It will take place shortly after the 2nd service ends to give anyone who’s not staying time to head out and to give the returning 1st service people time to get in. My guess is between 11:45 and Noon start time.

We’re voting on another term for our fabulous Legal Trustees (although their first term only comprised the last couple months of last year). If you have questions or concerns regarding a Legal Trustee you need to get that cleared up before the meeting. We’re also voting on the budget for 2012. The budgets will be out this Sunday so you’ll have a week to look it over and ask any questions you may have before the meeting takes place. That’s about it on the voting front!

We’ll also bring you up to speed on a couple things and do a little vision casting. Remember that you can attend if you’re not a member, but that only members can vote. And on the subject of members, don’t forget that membership is an annual commitment and you need to renew that commitment before the meeting on the 29th. You can read a little more about that in this previous post.

January 29 is a big day… our annual meeting and the kick-off of 40 Days In The Word. You don’t want to miss it!! See you there.

(Click the picture above to see a bigger view of it)

We are celebrating the safe arrival of Adalyn Amber Shuey to proud parents Eric and Amber Shuey with a shower in Adalyn’s honor. The shower will be held Monday, Jan. 30 at 7:00 at Margaret Marty’s home located at 54300 Government Rd. We hope you all can join us. Beautiful little Adalyn was born Sunday, January 1st and weighed in at 7 lbs, 2 oz, 21 inches long. Congratulations to the whole family. Many fun and exciting times lie ahead for you all.

Julie

District Blitz is an annual student ministries conference hosted by the North Central District of the EFCA. The purpose of District Blitz is to provide a conference that challenges students to love God, love one another, and love the lost. We are in the process of getting a list together of our 7twelve students that would like to attend.

Here’s the plan. We will leave from Journey North Church Friday, April 27 at about 3:00 and will return Sunday, April 29 at about 3:00 in the afternoon.

Cost for the weekend is $100.00. Plus money for 3 fast food meals. A $25.00 non-refundable deposit is due Feb. 15.

Further details including hotel info, permission slip and a list of what to bring will be forthcoming. Any questions call Julie. Get signed up soon. The deadline is Feb. 15th. It’s going to be a blast and you don’t want to miss it!

Julie

This is what the book of Acts tells us about the beginning church, “And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: ‘Jesus is the Messiah.’” Acts 5:42 (NLT).

As we have said many times, we want JNC to be a church of small groups… not just a church with small groups. Just as the first church saw the value in meeting together house to house in small groups, we want you to see the value of being part of a small group. A place where you can belong, where you can learn, be encouraged and prayed for as you walk through your spiritual journey. During the worship services these next three Sundays, you will hear from different individuals. They will share with you how their small group experience has impacted their life.

It’s our prayer that as you hear their compelling stories, you will be persuaded of your need to participate in a small group. And now is the perfect time to get involved! Starting at the end of the month, we will be starting a 6 week campaign, “40 Days in the Word.” During this campaign we are encouraging everyone to get involved in a small group. What a great time to get started. You’ll be hearing more details about the campaign in the coming weeks, but for now we want you to be praying about your involvement in a small group.

Currently we are looking for people who would be willing to be a “host home.” Host homes are people who are willing to open their home up one night out of the week for 6 weeks to a group of 6-8 individuals. There will be a short DVD lesson and some discussion questions. The host home can provide snacks or have other group members bring a snack. Pretty simple really… and you would be amazed at how that time you spend together will develop meaningful relationships with others and with God.

If hosting a group is something you are willing to do, please drop us a note in the “Joy Box,” call the office, email or Facebook us. On Sunday, January 22 we will have a table in the foyer where you can get additional information and ask questions of our Small Group Team consisting of Margaret Marty, Paul Johnson and Julie Adams. We would be happy to talk with you about the possibilities of you hosting a small group.

As it says in our By-Laws, “Membership is a one-year commitment. Every year, members who are actively serving at Journey North may renew their membership.”

That means that this January is the time that all current members who want to renew their membership may do so. What this entails is agreeing to the Statement of Faith and the Membership Covenant and recommitting by signing the membership list. An Elder at each service will have a copy of the Statement of Faith and the Membership Covenant for you to look at again and a membership list with your name on it. If you are in agreement and commit to the responsibilities again, sign your name on the line next to your printed name.

We’re planning on having our annual meeting on Jan. 29. Anyone may attend but only current members may vote. At that meeting we’ll vote on the budget and the Legal Trustees. The three Legal Trustees who served the last few months of 2011 have agreed to serve for 2012 and will be on the ballot. The team consists of Cami Babolik, Dean Madison, and Beverly Sutherland.

By the way, if you’ve taken CLASS 101 and not completed the process to become a member, now would be a great time to do that!

This week a group of 7twelve students had the opportunity to spend sometime at Sophie’s Manor, an assisted living facility, playing games and visiting with a wonderful group of people. We so enjoyed ourselves and look forward to visiting with them again. Thanks Rosie and crew for your hospitality.

Julie

Congratulations to great grandma and great grandpa… and to the grandparents (who are also “great” I realize… but we’re talking official titles here)… and of course congratulations to Amber and Eric on the birth of Adalyn Amber Shuey at 3 in the morning New Year’s Day!