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September 2011

Webbs make connection on Wurzbach Rd.

SAN ANTONIO -- There are many refugees from Burma throughout the USA. About 400 of them reside in the Wurzbach Road area.

For the last four years, Elicia Webb and her husband David of the Northside church here have been ministering to them. 

Elicia first learned of the need through the Women's Bible Study Fellowship. Offers Elicia: "If any members of the church in South Texas would like to accompany me on a visit, just give me a call."

The refugees are in need of the most basic of necessities, such as refrigeration, indoor plumbing, employment, school, green cards, driving and language skills. Employment is normally with maid and janitorial services. 

The people come from several different areas and ethnic groups with different languages, so they cannot communicate with each other easily. Therefore, they are all learning English as a way to talk and write to each other.

Those in the Wurzbach area come mainly from the Karen group. The U.S. state department describes it as a sub-culture that makes up 7% of the population and lives in the southern part of Myanmar. 

Elicia is helping them learn English as a second language. And they all profess Christianity as their religion instead of Buddhism. 

In 1989 the name of the country was changed to Myanmar, but the refugees still refer to it as "Burma". Before immigrating to the USA, refugees have to enter camps in Thailand, sometimes for several years. The people decided to leave after an uprising that occurred in 2007 due to poor human rights practices.

Northside's number is (210) 494-1907.




July 2011

Northside families reach $3.5 million goal

 SAN ANTONIO -- On June 12, the 500-family Northside congregation here announced that its three year Capital Commitments drive has raised over $3,500,000 in donations and pledges.  This highly successful campaign will permit construction to begin on its new facilities as soon as its present property is sold.  The new location will be built on the 25 acres near the southeast corner of Highway 281 North and Encino Rio, about five miles north of its present location at Highway 281 and Thousand Oaks. David Allen is the preaching minister.

 

March 2011

Real world parenting comes to Northside

SAN ANTONIO – "What story are we living in?" With that question, Casey McCollum brought the participants in the Real World Parents workshop into a discussion of the narrative stream into which the Lord has placed His families.

Of the Feb. 13 session, McCollum said, "Northside's is one of the best workshops I've had in terms of the questions and audience participation." He took Deut. 6:4-9, which begins, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one," as the basis for real world parenting.

Seated comfortably in the gym behind Northside's building, over 100 people entered into the discussion of reality, the home, life's story line, and the context into which all fit. Rom. 12:2, which begins, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind," framed part of this lesson.

The study also placed academic research on these topics into a biblical framework, contrasting what happens on the planet as it aligns with God's view of it. The lessons also included the role of wisdom, a tool for assessing balance, strategies, exercises, resources and a view of the Christian home as an ambassador 's embassy, as Paul paints it in 2 Cor. 5:20a.

McCollum directs Abilene Christian University's leadership camps and is an adjunct instructor in the Bible department. He can be reached by email at cpm98f@acu.edu or by phone at these numbers: (325) 674-2802 or 1-888-266-CAMP. The web site is at realworldparents.com.

 

 

February 2011

Men Rampage while ladies retreat

SAN ANTONIO -- Area women who want to make or already have friends in the Northside fellowship here will be joining the ladies for their annual retreat on Feb. 25-27. Karen Alexander of Austin will conduct the lessons at the T Bar M Resort in New Braunfels. Cindi McNabb is coordinating the event.

Meanwhile, Glen Markham asks, "Would You Like to Rampage?" To make it easier on the men left behind, a night out at the Rampage hockey game has been set for Saturday, Feb. 26.  

Readers of the Christian News are invited to join them. Face-off is at 7 p.m. at the AT&T Center. Tickets are $12 and include game admission, a hot dog, a bag of chips and a soft drink.

For more information contact Markham by calling (210) 550-0245 or e-mail him at gmarkhamsatx@hotmail.com.

 

 

Financial Peace seminar billed

SAN ANTONIO -- A Financial Peace class will be offered at Northside here beginning on Sunday, Feb. 20. According to their website, Financial Peace University classes meet for two hours each week for 13 weeks.

Often during this time the average family pays off $5300 in debt and saves $2700. For more information on the class, please call the church office at (210) 494-1907.

 

 

 

Jan 2011

 

Luncheon provides intergenerational opportunities

SAN ANTONIO -- On Nov. 5, the Northside Senior Adults held an intergenerational Lunch and Learn program featuring Nancy Clayton, a Civil War historian and lecturer from Utopia. Twenty-five fourth and fifth graders from Christian Heritage School joined the seniors' group.

 

Following the presentation, Lula Belle Judkins served a deli-style sandwich lunch and chocolate cake dessert for the group.

Mina Mullins and Lula Belle Judkins coordinated the program. The many thank-you notes they received from the children expressed their appreciation for the wonderful Civil War history program, lunch and especially the cake.

 

Dec 2010

Alexander keynotes women's retreat

SAN ANTONIO -- The ladies of the Northside Church of Christ here invite area women to take part in their annual retreat. The Ladies Retreat will be Feb. 25 - 27 at T Bar M Resort in New Braunfels. Karen Alexander from the Westover Hills Church of Christ in Austin will serve as resource person.

Alexander will be drawing lessons from the life of Jesus in order to 1.) Re-examine what it means to spend time with God, 2.) Explore what it looks like to spend time with God in his word and 3.) Re-claim our purpose--what it means to re-present God in this world.

The lessons commence on Friday evening and conclude on Saturday afternoon. Ladies wishing to stay for the second night will enjoy fellowship on Saturday evening and gather for worship on Sunday morning.

The registration deadline is Jan. 23. For more information contact Cindi McNabb by email: mccindi@att.net or phone: (210) 497-6598.

 

Nov 2010

Soul Food Feast to benefit SwCC

SAN ANTONIO -- During the cold days of winter, the body craves the solid comfort food that will be provided during the 2011 Soul Food Feast. It will be held at Northside Church of Christ on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011.

 

Said local Southwestern Christian College support organizer Lynette Kennedy, "This event is sure to fill both the physical and spiritual body."

 

The Soul Food Feast will be served from 4 - 5:30 p.m. in the Christian Heritages Schools gym just behind church's building. Following that, Joseph Walsh, Interim Minister of West Laurel Church of Christ , will open for the singing group with a comedy act.

 

The group UNITED from Houston will provide entertainment from 6 p.m.- 7 p.m. in the Northside Auditorium.  As it develops, more information will be forth coming. For now, save the date.

 

Nov 2010 

SAN ANTONIO -- In a special ceremony for 16 babies born in 2010, parents from the Northside church here dedicated them to the Lord on Oct. 10. Preacher David Allen called the families up as Children's Ministry Coordinator Tina Wharton handed them gifts from the church.

 

The family of each child took home a Bible and a letter from the elders. Addressed to the child, the letter is to be opened when each one becomes twelve years old.

The ceremony included a prayer and a forward-looking message. Allen challenged the congregation to fulfill a vision for the class of 2028. He asked each member to do whatever it takes that each child might "increase in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Church seeks avenues to help the homeless

 

SAN ANTONIO -- Fulfilling the Lord's mandate to feed the hungry and serve those needing help, church members here have often gotten together and taken food, clothing and other help to the sites where the city's  homeless people gather. Recent changes in local ordinances, though, have restricted such distributions.

 

In response, some congregations have begun exploring ways to aid others through a new city initiative. Northside's People Helping Ministry leaders recently invited representatives of the city's Haven for Hope organization to talk with them.

 

Sam Schiflett and Elder Ellis Henton of the church organized the session. Haven for Hope's Vice-President For Program Operations, Scott Ackerson, and Becky Hamann, manager of spiritual services, described the agency's charge, operating model, philosophy, and challenge.

 

Acknowledging the potential for mistakes, Schiflett said that Northside's outreach hopes to strike an effective balance between wisdom and compassion. The church leaders recommend readings and advocate acting thoughtfully in the ultimate best interests of those being served.

 

Those present explored the ways in which the church might serve through Haven. Ackerson and Hamann  invited the members to contact the agency once they decided on where to start.

 

Down the road from Northside, Rob Dennis of the San Pedro congregation says that, recently, "I took the leadership team down to Haven for Hope to see if they thought we might be able to do some volunteer work down there." The youth minister describes a part of the facility called the Prospects court that provides safety.

 

Other facilities in the program provide resources that can help the homeless get further down the road to self-sufficiency on a long-term basis. The web site states that Haven partners with "78 governmental, non-profit and faith-based agencies … to transform the lives of the homeless."

February 2011

Northside offers parenting seminar

SAN ANTONIO -- The Northside congregation here will host "Real World Parents" a seminar presented by Youth Specialties on Sunday, Feb. 13, in the gym. Registration is required, but there is no charge to attend.

Registration must be completed by Feb. 6. Babysitting will be provided for infants to 12 year old children.

Parents of all children will greatly benefit from this seminar. "Real World Parents" is designed to help couples come together to seek godly responses to the complex challenges of being parents in today’s world.

Through biblical teaching, interactive exercises and discussion, the groups will explore real issues parents are facing today, and offer practical steps to help families move forward in their faith journeys together. For more information, visit www.realworldparents.com. For online registration, visit www.nscoc.org. For other questions, call the church at (210) 494-1907.

 

 

 

Jan 2011

 

Northside to host soul food feast

San Antonio--How about some soul-warming, down-home cooking, some soul-stirring melodies, and some light-hearted merriment to get the new year going? The Northside Church of Christ will be providing just that on Saturday, Jan. 29.

Beginning at

Meal tickets are $10 for ages 11 years and up and $5 for children ages 10 years and younger.

 

Following this spread, everyone is invited to attend the free entertainment feast in the Northside auditorium. Joseph Walsh of the West Laurel Street church will deliver a comedy routine titled "A Merry Heart Makes the Soul Smile" at 6 p.m.

The evening concludes with a musical performance. Houston's United, an a cappella gospel group, will bring spiritual edification through its soul-stirring songs.

No donations are requested, and no collection will be taken during the entertainment. Lynette Kennedy, coordinator of the Southwestern Christian College Committee, says "Just come out and have a good time. We promise to provide a soul food feast that will fill both the physical and the spiritual body."

The funds from the meal tickets will help kick off the new year in an effort to launch the $10,000 San Antonio/Austin SwCC Scholarship drive for 2011. This money will be added to the funds received during An Evening of Spiritual Harmony which will take place Sept. 24, 2011.

 

For more information on the Soul Food Feast menu, or to purchase meal tickets, please contact Lynette Kennedy at (210) 659-4233 or Laura McKnight at (210) 337-2044. All checks should be payable to SwCC Fund.

 

The Northside Church of Christ meets at

16318 San Pedro Ave.
near Thousand Oaks and Hwy. 281 in the 78232 Zip code area.

 

 

Nov 2010

Songfest still bears fruit

SAN ANTONIO -- About 400 songfest fans attended Northside's Evening of Spiritual Harmony here on Sept. 25. Since that night, the event has raised $7,350 to benefit students at Southwestern Christian College in Terrell.

 

Efforts continue to reach the $10,000 mark. Once there, the area committee will be authorized to award a scholarship to a South Texas student.

 

Said Kennedy, "We will continue to strive to reach our goal to have the opportunity to provide a $10,000 scholarship to a student from this region. The SwCC Fund will continue to accept donations through December 31, 2010."

 

In addition, CDs of the event are available for $10 and DVDs for $15. Please contact Kennedy at (210) 659-4233 to purchase a copy.

 

Audience members from a variety of congregations were still talking about the songfest long after the last note rang out. The general consensus was that it topped previous years in many ways.

 

One member informed Coordinator Lynette Kennedy, "An Evening of Spiritual Harmony has become sort of a tradition for us now. We've come to expect and look forward to the excitement each year! We must continue to have it."

 

The Summer Tour members were the featured singers. Under SwCC Chorus Director Amy Johnson, the group members are Jackie Dodson, student music director; Monica Williams, student assistant music director; Donald Aaron, student director; Brittany Cook, Tabitha Tillman, Lauren Mark, Briyanna Dogans, Jason Mills, Charles Quarles, Ryan Pierce, Yasim Butler, and Victoria Dar Dar.

 

Kennedy also expressed thanks to the helpers who served in the gym during the barbecue and in the auditorium during the singing. She gave special thanks for wonderful performances by Northside, Melodies of Praise, Sanctified, and Sterling. 

 

Next year's concert to be held on Saturday, September 24, 2011.

 

 

Sept 2010

Expect Soul-Stirring Singing for “An Evening”

 

SAN ANTONIO -- “An Evening of Spiritual Harmony” will take place at the Northside Church of Christ on Saturday, Sept. 25, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Lynette Kennedy, coordinator for this annual event states, "An Evening of Spiritual Harmony has been a pleasure to present to the South Texas area for the last six years.

 

"With the groups we have in the line-up this year, we look forward to bringing just as much enthusiasm and spiritual uplift to those in attendance through the soul-stirring a cappella singing the groups are guaranteed to provide."

 

The group, Sanctified, of A.R. Records out of Dallas, will be making its first appearance at the songfest, as will Melody of Praise, young singers from the Eastside church in Austin.

 

Anxious to return to the program is Sterling, a male quartet joined by Northside’s Randy Fly, and the Soldiers of Power. Other returning groups are One Voice from Austin, and the Northside Ensemble.

 

The Southwestern Christian College Summer Tour, students who attend the college in Terrell, will also harmonize throughout the evening.

 

Everyone is invited to attend. Although there is no admission charge for the concert, donations will be accepted and are tax deductible. They provide scholarship opportunities for Austin/San Antonio high school students, as well as financial assistance with improvements to student housing at the college.

 

A fellowship meal will be served immediately before the singing program. This year’s menu is a choice of smoked pork loin or grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, a roll, and iced tea.

It will be served from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Christian Heritage School Gym just behind the Northside church building.

 

The prepaid meal ticket price for people ages 11 and up is $9 and for children 10 years old and under, the ticket price is $5. Checks are payable to the SwCC Fund.

Light refreshments will be served in the Education Wing immediately following the concert. For more information, contact Lynette Kennedy at (210) 659-4233 or Laura McKnight at (210) 337-2044.

David Allen, Minister of Northside Church of Christ, can be reached at (210) 494-1907. The building is located at 16318 San Pedro Avenue off of Hwy. 281 at Thousand Oaks.