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Weekend Worship & Classes—Saturday 5:00pm and Sunday 9:00 & 10:30 a.m. at 12522 Main Street, Rogers, MN 55374
Office Hours 9:30 a.m.—5:00 p.m. Tuesday—Friday, (763) 428-5115, www.northridgefellowship.org
May—June 2015
12522 Main Street
Rogers, MN 55374
Sermon Series by Pastor Ben McEachern
Love God—Worship & Prayer Ministry
May: Rock Your World—John 15-17 There seems to be universal agreement that this world could use a change for the
better. But what will it take? I believe Jesus calls us, his followers, to rock our world.
As I read the Bible I see an expectation that his people are agents of change. He
seems to expect that the world will be different because we are here. But what will it
take? That precisely is the question as we wrap up the study of the Gospel of John
we started last December. Before Jesus was crucified, risen and ascended into heaven, He gathered those who would carry
on here on earth around Him and gave them His final instructions. They must have been pretty powerful because a few
short years later these same men were accused of "turning the world upside down." In short, they rocked their world. Join
us as we study John 15-17 and learn from Jesus how to rock our world.
June: Simple Church—Philippians 1:27 Simplicity is a beautiful thing, but it’s a lot of work. For some reason it seems that
complexity is the norm. This is so true for the church. There are a lot of different
“ministries” and for every ministry there are several good ways to do it. And if that
wasn’t complicated enough, we are not always on the same page. At NorthRidge,
we have done and continue to do the hard work of being a simple church with a
simple process for fulfilling the mandate Jesus gave us to “make disciples.” This
series is about that process. We will explore these four basic ideas that frame our
approach to ministry: Clarity, Movement, Alignment and Focus.
Believer’s Baptism
On the Saturday evening April 4 before Easter, thirteen
people declared that they wanted to be "all in" with Christ
by committing their lives through believer's baptism.
Romans 6:4—"We were therefore buried with him through
baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised
from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may
live a new life"
Baptism is a symbol of salvation in that it depicts Christ's
death, burial and resurrection and our identification with
Him in this experience.
The act of baptism is a
statement of faith in
Christ and a testimony
of our commitment and
desire to follow Him.
The following people took that step of faith on Saturday,
April 4: Maria Ericson, Andrew Johnson, Diane Kondratuk,
John Kondratuk, Jackie Lembcke, Grace Manz, Tim Pung,
Laurie Pung, Thomas Stevenson, Nathan Engman, Gail
Tiedeken, LuAnn Tyson, and Tom Tyson.
Child Dedication
One key step in marking your desire to nurture your child in
the ways of God, is to dedicate him or her to God publicly,
through a child dedication ceremony. This is a ceremony in
which parents formally call upon God’s blessing for their
child and publicly commit to raise him or her in accordance
with scripture. NorthRidge encourages Christian parents to
dedicate their children.
Recent Dedications (November 2014 – April 2015):
Sadie Sorensen, Griffin Schultz, Ryan Pomeroy,
Harper Gould, Silas Fredman, and Kellan Barney
Pastors Page, by Ben McEachern, Lead Pastor [email protected], 763-428-5115 x12
“I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the spirit,
to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me.” (Romans 15:30)
It’s hard to believe, but one ministry season is wrapping up and another is about to begin. It has been a privilege to serve
Jesus together. Thank you for the joy of working together for the sake of Christ. The prayer and hard work of everyone at
NorthRidge has been blessed and God has used us for his glory. We should be very encouraged.
As we head into our Minnesota summer, I have a couple thoughts I want to share with you all. The first has to do with the
verse above. The Apostle Paul knew the battle is not against flesh and blood, and any effectiveness he might have would
come as the followers of Jesus Christ united in prayer. To that end, I want to call us to prayer. Now, I can almost hear
someone say, “Um, Ben, I thought you said it was the end of the season. This is Minnesota! Ministry is over until after
Labor Day.” I am sure it is said tongue in cheek of course! Because ministry in Jesus name is never over. It ebbs and flows
and it changes and adapts but it is never over.
Summer is just different, so I am calling you all to pray and serve as ministry shifts gear into some pretty important
activities for the gospel. Many of these activities are listed in this newsletter and they are among the most spiritually
impactful things we do all year. Two of the biggest things that happen this summer are VBS (Vacation Bible School) and
mission trips.
Think about VBS. This year hundreds of kids will descend on the NorthRidge campus and fill this place with songs and
Bible stories and noise and activity and then on the following Sunday the kids will help us sing and worship God. Many of
those kids will have been invited by their NorthRidge friend. By God’s grace, some of them will find a relationship with
Jesus. That means we must pray!
Think about the mission trips. This year dozens of NorthRidgers will be scattered all over the globe serving in Jesus name.
We will be in Alaska, Staten Island, NY, Honduras, Nett Lake, and Russia. We will be preaching and teaching the gospel,
playing games, giving medical attention, teaching life skills, doing construction work, eating dangerously and building
relationships all for one purpose only, to share the love of Christ so that people will be saved and the church will be
encouraged and strengthened! That means we must pray!
Finally, think about the ministry that will be happening right here. This year’s budget will be voted on at the annual
meeting on June 14. Our budget reflects the ministry plan for the coming year. It is exciting to see the growth we have
experienced and this budget reflects that. When it comes out you will notice a new position. We will be looking for an
Adult Minister to provide leadership in the Love Each Other focus of our vision. I am convinced this hire is critical for the
long-term effectiveness of NorthRidge. As we look at the growth of the ministry of NorthRidge, it has become increas-
ingly clear that we need focused leadership in Adult Ministry if we are going to continue to be effective at helping people
grow spiritually. This full-time position will oversee all aspects of small groups, men’s and women’s ministry and our
Connections Ministry. Pending congregational approval of the budget, we hope to have this person on the job by Sep-
tember, but we will be more concerned about finding the right person than keeping a timetable. This means we must
pray!
The Church is not a human enterprise. Nothing of spiritual value happens apart from prayer. Please join in the struggle
by praying for the gospel effectiveness of NorthRidge Fellowship this summer!
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Overseer Letter, by Tom Steinle—[email protected]
Love Each Other—Family Ministry (Adult, Youth & Children)
Base Camp (noun): a main encampment providing supplies, shelter, and communications for persons en-
gaged in wide-ranging activities, as exploring, reconnaissance, hunting, or mountain climbing. (Dictionary.com)
It’s only been two years, but it seems like such a long time ago that the Base Camp Build Out vision was
communicated and the giving campaign started. It even seems like a long time ago that we broke ground
for the building expansion, and that was just last spring!
Base Camp Build Out has been an amazing process where God has provided so many times and in so many ways. It’s
been wonderful using the new facilities, the great room, classrooms, kitchen, expanded youth room, nursery and more.
However, the point of our Base Camp Build Out has never been simply to create comfortable, accommodating facilities
for NorthRidge to use. The point of a base camp is never the camp itself! It’s always about creating a launching pad for
venturing out to fulfill a greater purpose. We strongly believe God is calling NorthRidge to be an effective base camp for
his Kingdom.
The definition of the NorthRidge base camp could be something more like this:
Kingdom of God Base Camp (noun): a main encampment providing
worship, training, and community support for persons engaged in wide-
ranging Kingdom Impact activities, as loving others, especially the hard-
to-love, praying for the furthering of God’s kingdom, and telling others
about God’s forgiveness and love.
Of course, a base camp cannot be effective unless its inhabitants (that’s you
and me) actually venture out! Venturing out and engaging in Kingdom Impact
activities can be done in so many ways. NorthRidge is sponsoring a lot of
opportunities this spring and summer for just this purpose. Locally, you could
partner with CROSS in a farmers market, attend the National Day of Prayer
event, and fulfill needs as the holy spirit opens your eyes to those around you.
This summer there will be mission trips to Nett Lake, Staten Island, Alaska, Honduras and Russia. And if the Holy Spirit is
whispering to you to consider joining the Lindeen's in starting Mosaic Church in Maple Grove, pay attention!
There are also so many ways that we can venture out from the NorthRidge Base Camp in our everyday lives. When we
go out of our way to help that neighbor that is tough to get along with; when we spend real time praying for those who
are hurting or those who need to meet Jesus; when we tell our coworker who is struggling with life about the way Jesus
has changed ours, we are engaging in Kingdom Impact activities!
Yes, NorthRidge is a wonderful church. It’s a place where we worship God, learn about Him and find community with
others who are also seeking to follow Him. But it doesn’t end there. God calls each of us to get involved in Kingdom
Impact activities. So don’t just think of NorthRidge Fellowship as your church, think of it as your Base Camp. Ask God
what Kingdom Impact adventure he has for you…then pursue it courageously!
“The point of a base camp is
never the camp itself! It’s
always about creating a
launching pad for venturing out
to fulfill a greater purpose.”
A community is always becoming – it is never static. We
want to intentionally grow in our relationships with each
other in a way that provides real Christ centered communi-
ty for each person who is a part of the NorthRidge family.
As we grow in size we need to become more intentional
and organized in order to meet this goal.
This is why the budget that will be presented to the con-
gregation in May and will be voted on by the membership
in June includes funding to hire an adult minister. The
main goal for our adult minister will be to provide oppor-
tunities for adults within NorthRidge Fellowship to build
healthy relationships that encourage spiritual growth.
He/she will do this through leading our small group minis-
try, recruiting, equipping, and supporting small group lead-
ers and working with small group leaders on curriculum
choices so that we offer a balanced menu of small groups
that will effectively disciple our growing congregation. Our
adult minister will also oversee and support our other adult
ministries including men’s and women’s ministries and will
lead our connections ministry.
Join us in asking God to send us the right person to fill this
role and to help us make NorthRidge a place where rela-
tionships matter (John 13:34-35).
Teri McEachern, Family Pastor
Our Mission - To become a Community of Christ-followers that love God and express His love to others (Mark 12:30-31)
Page 4 May/ J un e News l e t te r
Love Each Other—Family Ministry (Adult, Youth & Children) Teri McEachern, Family Pastor, 763-428-5115 x13, [email protected]
Children’s Ministry Teri McEachern, Family Pastor
As we move toward summer, I am so
thankful for the many people who have
served children throughout this year. These
servants have modeled Jesus’ love by cuddling and playing
with our youngest treasures in TreasureCove, by challeng-
ing our older children in TreasureLand and TreasureQuest
to hear God speak to them through the Bible, and by con-
sistently modeling a life of prayer.
Serving Opportunities:
We are looking for a team of people who are willing to
teach and care for our younger children occasionally over
the summer months. Please call the church office or email
Youth Ministry Matt Pfadenhauer, Youth Minister
763-428-5115 x15, 641-224-9988 (cell)
Acquire the Fire—March 13 & 14
(from the perspective of Lynnea Helman, 9th grade student)
Acquire the Fire was a great weekend for
the youth with lots of learning through
worship, speakers, concerts, and conver-
sations with our adult leaders. We grew
closer to God learning to be RESILIENT
through all the curveballs life can throw
our way. Speaker Joel Jones taught us
that all we have to do is have just a speck
of faith and God will do over and above
what we ask of Him. Even through our
struggles, our problems can’t outweigh
our God, because He is so much bigger
than our problems. Kemtal Glasgow
taught us, “the word of God will work for
you, wherever you are, because if God
says it, we know it’s true.”
Some other highlights of the weekend
were singing many cappella songs, hav-
ing a big dance party out in the parking
lot, lots of laughs, and many others.
Overall it was a great weekend of not
only growing closer to God, but growing
closer to each other.
TreasureCove
A positive safe place where
children will feel treasured by
God and the people of
NorthRidge Fellowship
TreasureQuest
A consistent place for
children to invite their
friends to meet Jesus
TreasureLand
Building a strong base of
knowledge and faith in Christ
in the context of healthy
relationships
Adult Ministry
Mosaic Church Luncheon
A total of 60 NorthRidgers at-
tended the Mosaic Church infor-
mational luncheon on March 15.
A second luncheon that was held
at Grace Fellowship attracted 20
people. Currently there are 30 NorthRidgers (adults and
children) that have officially signed on to join the Mosaic
launch team. 17 more people, outside of NorthRidge, have
also joined the team. In addition, there are approximately
40 people from NorthRidge, Grace and other churches that
are praying about joining the Mosaic team.
Pizza Night
The great room
was filled with
laughter and
conversation
during a casual
evening of fel-
lowship follow-
ing the Saturday
evening service
on April 25.
People were encouraged to meet someone new and to
catch up with old friends.
Page 5 May/ J un e News l e t te r
Men’s Ministry Jeff Ekstrand
March and April Men’s Breakfasts
On March 14, Paul Jonason shared his testi-
mony of God's faithfulness in his life with the guys after we
enjoyed a big breakfast. I'm para-
phrasing, but Paul said it this way:
"It's easy to live this life basing our
self-worth on the approval we re-
ceive from others. This type of
"approval" can feel good for a while
but it always falls way short of God's
approval and really is nothing more
than an idol. God created us and his
intent is for us to know him and re-
ceive our approval from him alone
and he is patient and faithful in
teaching us lessons like this." Thanks for the encourage-
ment Paul!
April 11 was Doug Whitleff’s turn and it was nice for a
bunch of us to get to know him better. Doug is a North-
Ridge old-timer turned new-comer when he returned to
NorthRidge a year ago to share some of the pastoral du-
ties. What stood out most to me from his testimony was
the fellow archer who befriended him at the archery range
and became, for Doug, an example of a true Christ follower
that God used to bring Doug to a saving faith. Doug called
himself "the biggest sinner" and implored the guys to trust
that God has made a way of forgiveness for all sins and
sinners through Jesus. Thank you Doug!
After the breakfast, Doug treated
the guys to an extensive turkey
seminar. Besides connecting out-
door lovers with each other, and
providing an example for a min-
istry opportunity for hunters to
invite others, several attenders
said that Doug really put on a
clinic that will help them bag a
turkey this spring. Thank you
Doug for offering training and
encouragement to us that will
help with both fellowship and
shooting a tom. Great stuff!
God received glory when these two guys talked about His
loving intervention in their lives. Paul and Doug both
pointed out in their testimonies the role the body has
played as well. This was a real encouragement to keep up
with "loving each other."
Women’s Ministry Ann Harms & Chris Peters
On Friday, March 6, the women's ministry team held a book
night to discuss Kristen Welch's book, Rhinestone Jesus.
The story is Kristen's journey of saying yes to God; the book
challenges all women to be open to what God might be
asking them to do and to rely on Him for the strength and
guidance to do it.
We enjoyed snacking
and discussing the
ways the Lord has
made us unique and
what ways He may be
calling us to use our
gifts and talents to
make a difference for
His kingdom.
Small Group Ministry Kevin Hyde
It has been another great year for small
groups throughout the 2014/2015 season.
As we find ourselves winding down for the summer, we en-
courage those in small groups to continue to get together
this summer. Have a BBQ, enjoy a day at the beach, or head
to a Twins game together. Summer schedules seem to get
us running in many directions but it is a great time for fel-
lowship within our church body as well.
Thank you to all of the leaders this year. We appreciate all
the work, preparation and time that you put into each of
your studies. We plan on having an appreciation lunch or
dinner in the near future and we hope to see you all there.
Groups discussing the book
Paul Jonason giving
his testimony
Doug Whitleff sharing
turkey hunting tips
2015 Spring Photo Shoot—Thank you!
Recently, 100 families/individuals took part in the 2015
Spring Photo shoot, allowing us to capture the great smiles
and happy faces of many of our NorthRidge Fellowship
families. We want to say a big "Thank You!" to Shawn Niel-
sen of Nielsen Studios for sharing his creative gifts in sup-
port of this project.
The photos will be used in vari-
ous internal church communi-
cations, as well as our online
community directory. If you
missed the opportunity this
spring, we will offer another
photo shoot later in the fall.
The Rokala Family
Page 6 May/ J un e News l e t te r
Make a Difference—Missions & Benevolent Ministry Dan Monson, Missions Pastor, 763-428-5115 x17, [email protected]
Amy White, Missions Ministry Leader
Seeing God at work through relationships in Honduras
Pastor Ben McEachern, with David Molina, YWAM missionary and Spanish translator, traveled to San Je-
ronimo, Honduras March 2-10 at the invitation of our mission partner, Pastor Olman Estrada of Fuente de
Vida Church, to support Pastor Olman in his efforts to encourage local church leaders and pastors. Pastor
Olman arranged for Pastor Ben and David to speak with 70 local Honduran pastors about growing strong and vibrant
churches. They also met with leaders from Pastor Olman’s church, which since 2013 has launched 32 community small
groups hosting more than 360 people weekly.
David said he was struck by the idea that they really didn’t bring anything to the mis-
sion, but a willingness to be a witness to what God was doing, and through that, God
showed His power. “I have been serving in missions and interpreting for years, but on
this trip I was amazed by the experience of God using me to move beyond mere interpre-
tation to sharing what He wanted to say through Pastor Ben.”
Pastor Ben said, those times of sharing benefitted him as much as the other pastors.
“But the highlight of the trip for me was the bond of love formed with the other pastors.
For a brief time I shared in their daily struggle to serve and make a life in this third-world
country,” said Pastor Ben.
That struggle was demonstrated dramatically on the very first day of their trip, during
the two-hour drive from the airport in the capital of Tegucigalpa to the church in San
Jeronimo north of Comayagua.
“Through the whole drive Olman was telling us about all they were doing – from their ambi-
tious plans to plant 1,000 churches in the next 10 years, to organizing local pastors to build
each other’s homes – he hardly stopped to take a breath,” said Pastor Ben, It started to rain
and the roads were slick. We came to a sharp curve, and we were going too fast. The truck hy-
droplaned, flipped and began to roll, skidding directly for a 20-foot ravine. Later, the pastor in
the following vehicle said the truck should have crashed into the ravine, but instead defied the
laws of physics and flipped back onto the road ‘as though by the hand of God.’
“There is no doubt in my mind God protected us. And that moment changed our trip,” said Pastor Ben. Thankfully, everyone
walked away with minor injuries. The truck was less fortunate. Losing his truck was a substantial hardship for Olman, an
active pastor living on a margin that sometimes requires him to decide between groceries or gas. In response to that
loss, God showed His provision. “I saw the community of pastors come around Olman in an amazing way, and I was invit-
ed into those real relationships,” said Pastor Ben.
Upon their return, Pastor Ben made an impromptu request for financial gifts to help
with repairs to Olman’s truck. In one week, the people of NorthRidge gave more
than $4,000 – fully covering the cost. “We are so rich to have the friendships we have
in Honduras,” said Pastor Ben, “I’m excited for the team going down this coming July.”
For more information about opportunities to serve in Honduras and with our other
mission partners, contact Pastor Dan Monson.
Pastor Ben and David Molina speak
to a group of young soccer players at
a community program organized by
the worship pastor of Fuente de Vida
church
CROSS Collection Needs
May—Coffee or Tea & Cooking Oil
June—Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, etc. & Laundry Deter-
gent (16 oz. or smaller)
Volunteers Needed
All summer, CROSS needs volunteers to staff the
CROSS booth at the Rogers Farmers Market. Contact
[email protected] for more information.
Page 7 May/ J un e News l e t te r
May 7—National Day of Prayer
Let’s join together for the National Day of Prayer, the 64th
consecutive recognition of this special day. Unite with us
in this unique opportunity to ask God’s blessing on our
country and its leaders. The event will be held at 7 PM at
Rogers Elementary.
May 9—Senior Recognition
During the 10:30 AM service we will recognize our high
school graduates. If you or your teen is graduating this
year, e-mail Pastor Matt ([email protected])
a senior picture and open house information.
May 15-17—Nett Lake Trip
If you are interested in joining the team, please contact
Dale Dimitroff at [email protected].
May 16—Women’s Spring Brunch
Ladies, join us for a morning of great food, fellowship and
testimonies of His faithfulness from NorthRidge attendees
Melisa Jensen and Heidi Schneider. You won’t want to miss
this fun and encouraging morning 9:30—11:30 AM.
May 16—Child Dedication
If you are interested in dedicating your child, please
contact Tammy in the office to pick up a packet and to
schedule a time to meet with Pastor Ben.
May 31—Thailand Review and Recruit
Come and hear an update from Jan and Murray’s February
trip and Karen Indehar share about short-term opportuni-
ties in Bangkok at 11:45 AM.
June 3—Rogers High School Baccalaureate
All are welcome and encouraged to attend this Christian,
interdenominational ceremony for the Rogers High School
graduating class. The ceremony will include music, readings,
prayers, and guest speakers. The event will be held at Word
of Peace Church at 7 PM.
June 6—7—Celebration Weekend
We will spend the entire worship service saying thank you
and celebrating what God has done over this past year. We
will have great music and a time for people to share their
stories of how they have seen God at work. After the 10:30
AM Sunday service we will head over to Otsego Park for a
picnic and baptism. If you’re interested in being baptized in
the river and taking this step of faith, contact the office or
talk to any of the pastors.
June 14—Annual Meeting
Mark your calendar for our annual meeting immediately
following the 10:30 AM service. We’ll recognize new mem-
bers, seek congregational approval for the budget and vote
in overseers. Everyone is invited, however only members are
able to vote. Lunch will be served for attendees and their
family that attend the meeting.
June 20—Rockin’ Rogers Parade
We need plenty of NRF family to help host this event, to
ride on our float or walk alongside it inviting our communi-
ty to church. Free t-shirts will be available for everyone who
participates.
June 22-26—Vacation Bible School
We are so excited to see what
God will do through Everest Va-
cation Bible School (VBS) this
year. We will embark on an icy
expedition where kids overcome
obstacles with God’s awesome
power, anchored in rock-solid
Bible truths that will guide them
through life’s challenges. Our VBS will run Monday through
Friday mornings June 22-26 for children who are 5 years
old through completed 5th grade. The cost is $10 per child
or $20 per family. You may register for VBS online through
a link on our website beginning in May.
Our purpose in running VBS at NorthRidge is to provide an
event that our children and families may use to invite their
friends to meet Jesus. Please prayerfully consider who you
could invite to attend this exciting week.
Easter Services Attendance 2014 vs. 2015
2014 Total Attendance: 1,211
2015 Total Attendance: 1,342
An additional 131 people attended Easter services in 2015!
143
262
178 133 202
391
307
130
276 310
110
217
374 331
LAST SUPPER
GOOD FRIDAY
5:00 PM 6:30 AM 8:00 AM 9:15 AM 10:30 AM
2014 2015
Scott Maronick
18940 Orlando Ave.
Hastings, MN 55033
NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
PERMIT NO. 19
ROGERS, MN 12522 Main Street
Rogers, MN 55374
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Join us June 6 & 7 for