The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines outreach as: “The act of reaching out,” and “The extending of services or assistance beyond current or usual limits.” At Northgate, we might refer to outreach as “The extending of assistance beyond current limits.” Simply put: outreach is simply reaching out beyond regular church attendance.
In October, Northgate is reaching out to our community even more so than we typically do. We have organized the homes in our community by street and assigned each street to a Sunday School class, from youth to senior adult. We simply want to be good neighbors and reach out to our community in love. If our neighbors are not home, we will leave information about the church, inviting them to visit and worship with us. We have named this endeavor, Dare2ShareNorthgate. At the end of the month, on October 25, we are inviting our community to a fall festival at Northgate, where they can enjoy food, fun and games with us while hearing about why we exist – to worship the Lord Jesus Christ.
I hope your Sunday School class is making preparations to be involved in this exciting month of outreach. Several Sunday School classes are combining Dare2ShareNorthgate with a Sunday School fellowship. I know my class will meet for lunch after a Saturday morning of visitation. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to reach out to our neighbors.
Consider the following illustration from Terry Dashner:
How valuable is salt? 40 million tons are required each year to fill our needs. Homer called it divine. Plato called it a “substance dear to the gods.” Shakespeare mentioned salt 17 times in his plays. Perhaps Leonard da Vinci wanted to send a subtle message about purity lost in The Last Supper by conspicuously placing an overturned saltcellar before Judas. In ancient Greece a far-flung trade involving the exchange of salt for slaves gave rise to the expression, “…not worth his salt.” Special salt rations were given to Roman soldiers and known as “Solarium Argentums” the forerunner of the English word “salary.” Thousands of Napoleon’s troops died during his retreat from Moscow because their wounds would not heal—their bodies lacked salt. The human body contains about 4oz. of salt. Without enough of it, muscles won’t contract, blood won’t circulate, food won’t digest and the heart won’t beat a beat. Without a doubt, salt is the essence of life.
Jesus said it even better:
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:13-16, NKJV).
Northgate is responding to the challenge of Christ to be salt and light to our community. I hope you are making plans to join us in Dare2ShareNorthgate as we engage in the act of reaching out.
Blessings,