Serving Opportunities

Holiday Plans and Group Serving Opportunities

Planning Ahead For The Holidays

We have 1 more week until our Fall Community Group Trimester ends (November 23).

Start thinking now what it will look like to connect before groups begin again in the new year (January 12).

Will your group do a Friendsgiving Dinner, Christmas Party, Serving Project, Men's or Women's night? Something else?

Put a date on the calendar before the Fall Trimester ends, otherwise connecting during break will get lost in the holiday shuffle.

All-Play Group Discussion (February 16 - March 15)

Starting February 16th, we'll be doing a 4-week sermon series teaching our church Biblical principles on money management.

88% of American's have significant struggles with money.

Because this is such a huge issue in our culture, we would like all Community Groups to address this topic during the 4-week series.

We wanted to let you know now as you plan ahead for discussions in the Winter Trimester.

More details to come.

Serve Together This Christmas!

1. Christmas Toy Celebration for Caring Choices!

Come volunteer for a special Christmas celebration for Caring Choices clients!

They will have the opportunity to shop for toys for their children, while enjoying a fun-filled day with their families. While clients shop for free, their children can enjoy pizza, cookies, craft activities, and family photos.

We are looking for volunteers to help set-up, clean-up, shop with parents, run small games, serve food, and do childcare!

We are also seeking donations of wrapping paper and food items for the day of the event! 

Please review the available volunteer slots and needed donations and click the button to sign up. 

  • Date: Saturday, December 7th

  • Time:12:30-2:30 (Please refer to the sign-up sheet for available time slots and donation opportunities)

  • Location: Northridge Church - Brighton Campus, 2090 South Clinton Ave, Rochester, NY 14618

2. MERRY & BRIGHT Baskets for Foster Families!

Build a basket of Christmas cheer to love on foster families in Monroe County! 

This Christmas season, Northridge is partnering with His Ministries to give biological and foster families in Monroe County CPS system “Merry and Bright Pajama Night” Baskets. They would like to offer each family a special snack basket full of holiday treats, snacks, and fun extras they can enjoy during a night out viewing Christmas lights. 

This is a great way to serve together as a family or group!

Email mgerringer@northridgerochester.com to sign up! 

BEYOND BOX FEEDBACK

This year our beyond boxes helped us to understand God's heart for people living in extreme poverty!

We serve a God of ABUNDANCE, who always provides for all of our needs. Savings groups help churches around the world to TAKE ACTION again crushing multidimensional poverty and bring hope to Christians around the world that God has not forgotten their prayers! 

Northridge Church supports savings groups in Malawi and Central America and this year alone 800 FAMILIES were able to join groups through your regular generosity to Northridge. 

We love hearing back from you about your experiences! Please reach out to your coach with questions or feedback!

How Can We Help You?

How is your group going? Are there any challenges or issues you or your group are struggling with? Reach out to your coach to setup a meeting. We'd love to help!

Additional Resources You May Find Helpful

1 Easy Way For Your Group To Serve and Connect

Hi Group Leaders,

One of the most frequent comments we get from our end-of-the-year Community Groups survey, is that people wish that they could have more connections together outside of their group meetings.

Well, here is one opportunity for your group to connect together and impact others; an opportunity to be missional with your group.

Our Brighton Campus Launch is just 1 month away, but there is a lot that needs to happen before then.

Would your group be willing to do a Brighton Campus serving project?

If so, reach out to our Brighton NYM Resident Josh Myles to coordinate: jmyles@NorthridgeRochester.com

Below is a list of some of the things we are working on and groups may be able to help with, including a meal train for the workers who are doing the finishing touches on the building.

  • Hanging all the TV's and connecting them to Chromecast and Network

  • Vacuuming every room

  • Vacuum brown furniture for the green room

  • Cleaning the gym floor

  • Setup and lint roll all of the auditorium chairs

  • Clean the bathrooms

  • Assemble furniture

  • Assemble cubby units for kids ministry areas

  • Set up tables and chairs in classrooms

  • Go room by room and clean/dust/set things up appropriately

  • Wipe down the kids playland with clorox wipes

  • Move toy bins from closet into appropriate rooms (wipe down bins)

  • Setup cubicles and desks in the office spaces

  • Build the shelves for the cafe prep area and set them in place

  • Check on the gas attached to the stove in the kitchen and make it work

  • Find high top tables for the kids min check ins, connect and gathering room

  • Setup the connect space, t-shirt racks or something for drip to sit on

  • Fully clean kitchen, wipe down everything

  • Wash windows inside and out

  • Stretch fabric on 6 acoustic panels for the auditorium

  • Dust or wipe down the ceiling in the auditorium

  • Inventory cleaning closet 

How Can We Help You?

How are your first few weeks of group going? Are there any challenges or issues you or your group are struggling with?

Reach out to your coach to setup a meeting. We'd love to help!

2 Opportunities For Your Group To Serve Our Community

This past Sunday we preached on being a church that cares beyond its walls.

But we don't just want to preach about it, we want to take action.

We want to move as a church toward those who are hurting, in need, struggling with poverty, addictions, and broken relationships with God and others.

Community Groups provide an incredible opportunity for us to learn about and move to meet those needs together.

In order to move our church toward caring beyond our walls, here are 2 things we are asking all groups to do.

1. Group Discussion about Hope International in Malawi The Week of November 6th.

In place of sermon discussion on the week of November 6th, our Beyond team put together a discussion guide and videos for your group to watch and discuss.

To make sure this discussion goes smoothly as a group, we suggest you test out playing these videos on a TV ahead of time.

We are working on additional options for video playback.

2. Find a Beyond Partner to Serve With As A Group

There are numerous ways for your group to get involved in serving our Community.

Here are 2 opportunities for your group to serve together shared with us from our partners:

Trunk Or Treat

  • Saturday, October 29th

  • 10:00-11:30am

  • Northridge Rochester Campus

Northridge Church is hosting our annual Trunk or Treat to help strengthen the families of our Beyond Partners David's Refuge & RISE Community School 106! The premise is simple... A bunch of us band together, deck out our trunks with creative themes, and are ready with candy and fun interactive activities for kids! Families will move from car to car, collecting candy and playing games at each stop. Costumes are encouraged!

Compass Care Monthly Mailing Teams

Here are the days and times are available for groups to come in or pick-up mailings:

  • In-person groups: A 3-4 hour block between the hours of 9AM-9PM

    • Monday, October 24th through Thursday, November 3rd (except Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays)

    • Thursday, November 17th through Thursday, December 8th (except Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays)

  • Pick-up: M-F from 9am-5pm

    • Friday, October 21st through Tuesday, November 1st

    • Thursday, November 17th through Thursday, December 8th

CompassCare is educating the community on the equal value of all human life, from the womb to the tomb, and what it means to be human under God. The Production Team is a critical component to delivering these resources through monthly mailings. Groups interested in participating in prepping mailings can contact Dan Prouty at (585) 559-0241 and dan.prouty@compasscare.info.

If you have further questions about opportunities to serve with our Beyond Partners, check out the link below or contact Michelle Gerringer mgerringer@NorthridgeRochester.com

Rochester Red Wings Game & Group Serving Opportunities

Red Wings Game - Group Leader Celebration

It's been a long year! Community Groups were never more vital than this past year, but also never more difficult.

One small way to say thanks for your investment is through our Group Leader Celebration.

We want to purchase tickets for you and your family to join us at a Rochester Red Wings Baseball Game!

Last year COVID cancelled our celebration plans. This year we want to bring back the Red Wings game. It won't look quite the same as previous years, but we are glad to be able to offer tickets to you and your family to join us at the game.

Here are the details:

When?

What do fans need to enter Frontier Field?

  • The Redwings are no longer requiring proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 tests.

  • Masks must be worn by fans 2 years and older at all times, except when eating or drinking in their seats.

  • 2021 Redwings Season FAQs

Who Can I Sit With?

  • All of our tickets for Northridge Group Leaders will located in the same area. Tickets will be provided in pods of 8.

  • If you have specific people you'd like to sit with, let us know when you RSVP. We'll try our best to accommodate those requests.

Ready to RSVP?

  • To lock in our seats, we'll need everyone to RSVP by May 21st.

Serving Opportunities for Your Group

Clean up the El Camino Trail

  • The El Camino trail is a multi-use pedestrian greenway that was adapted from an old railroad line. The 2.25-mile trail runs from Mill Street in High Falls all the way to the Seneca Park pedestrian bridge. The trail provides a safe, continuous pedestrian and bicycle route accessible to citizens from all walks of life. One of the northern portions of the trail runs along the east side of the Rochester campus' parking lot. This is a great project to do as a Community Group to spend time together, get to know more of our beautiful community, and serve our neighbors.

  • For more information and access to cleaning resources, email Eric Lintala, at elintala@northridgerochester.com.

Build a picnic bench for our partner school, Rise Community School 106!

  • Right down Ridge Road near Kodak, less than a mile from our Rochester Campus, Rise 106 serves pre-K through 6th grade as a part Rochester City School District. The students and faculty would love another 3-4 picnic benches to use during lunches and free time. This is a great opportunity for your community group to come together to serve students in our city with the use of their time, talent, and resources.

  • For more information, please email Eric Lintala at elintala@northridgerochester.com.

Sermon Access Update

Our team has updated when our sermon videos will be available on our website. They will now be posted on Monday afternoons.

The sermon audio will be available on our website by 12:30PM on Sundays.

You can always find our full services on facebook (including sermon) immediately after each service.

What thoughts or questions do you have?

Reply to this email, contact your coach, or share your ideas on the Northridge Leaders Facebook Group.

Upcoming Sermon Series

  • Mind Game (April 11 - May 23)

Trimester Dates

  • Spring: April 11 - May 29 (7 weeks)

Additional Resources

Why Giving Advice Is Hurting Your Group

Why Confronting Is Showing Love and How To Do It Well

What Your Group Members Aren't Telling You

How To Get The Most Out of Your Prayer Time In Groups

In-Person Group Recommendations During COVID-19

14 Outdoor Social Ideas For Your Group

Group Leader Podcast

10 Christmas Social and Serving Ideas

Does your group have anything planned for the holidays? If not, this may help.

10 GROUP CHRISTMAS IDEAS

  • Have a gingerbread house building contest with hot cocoa and Christmas music.

  • Watch a Christmas movie like "Elf," "It's A Wonderful Life," or "The Nativity."

  • Make and give away Christmas cookies.

  • Go caroling.

  • Get outdoors - skiingsleddinghiking, or have a snowball fight.

  • Go ice skating downtown.

  • Bring your kids to see Santa at the mall and grab a meal together.

  • Attend a Christmas concert.

  • Sit together at the Christmas Eve service

  • Serve together (See ideas below).

Connect with your co-leaders and set a date on your calendar this week; then you can start brainstorming with your group what your Christmas celebrations might look like.

Looking for a Service Opportunity for your group?

Christmas Contest + Christmas Social and Serving Ideas

As we move into our winter Community Group break, we would encourage your group to stay connected before our new group trimester begins on January 14th. 

The holiday season can be a challenging time as many of us interact with broken families, as we are reminded of friends and family that are no longer with us, as we face unique temptations, and as we deal with the anxiety that comes along with this season.

Group may be on break, but our relationships shouldn't. In fact, we may need each other during the holidays more than ever. 

As you celebrate the holidays, we'd love for your group to participate in our Community Group Christmas Contest by sharing your group experience with us and your friends.

Community Group Christmas Contest

Christmas Community Group Option 3.jpg

Post a Christmas picture on Facebook or Instagram with your Community Group between December 10th-23rd using hashtag #ChristmasWithMyGroup and tagging @NorthridgeRoc.

We will have 3 prizes. Your group can win one of the following categories by being the group with the: 

1. Most Creative Post

2. Most People Included in a Picture

3. Most Liked Post

So, start planning now for how your group can win.

What are some Christmas ideas for your group to connect together?

10 Group Christmas Ideas

  • Have a gingerbread house building contest with hot cocoa and Christmas music.

  • Watch a Christmas movie like "Elf," "It's A Wonderful Life," or "The Nativity."

  • Make and give away Christmas cookies.

  • Go caroling.

  • Get outdoors - skiingsleddinghiking, or have a snowball fight.

  • Go ice skating downtown.

  • Bring your kids to see Santa at the mall and grab a meal together.

  • Attend a Christmas concert.

  • Sit together at the Christmas Eve service (see times HERE).

  • Serve together (See ideas below).

Connect with your co-leaders and set a date on your calendar this weekthen you can start brainstorming with your group what your Christmas celebrations might look like.

Looking for a serving Idea?

7 Group Serving Opportunities

  • Open Door Mission

    Fill out a volunteer inquiry form for Open Door Mission to find out more about their seasonal serving opportunities. https://opendoormission.com/getinvolved/

  • Basketball Tournament

    Youth For Christ is hosting a Christmas basketball tournament and can use volunteers to help run the event and participate. www.northridgeserves.com/blog/trunk-or-treat-and-a-christmas-basketball-tournament

  • Christmas Basket Giveaway

    Mission Share has Christmas related service opportunities such as their Christmas basket giveaways and their Christmas Hope Gifts Program. Northridger Patrick can help you find out more details and connect: www.northridgeserves.com/our-team/patrick

  • Pack Hygiene Kits

    Pack hygiene bags for Supports on the Streets or hygiene/cleaning kits for Genesis House with a Christmas themed twist (such as including Christmas cards for those receiving the bags). Contact Allie for Supports on the Streets (http://www.northridgeserves.com/our-team/homelessness) and Leanne for Genesis House (http://www.northridgeserves.com/our-team/youth).

  • Christmas Carols and Cookies for neighbors

    You can put together some cookies or other goodies as a group and pass them out to your neighbors and optionally sing Christmas carols too.

  • Kids Care For Northridge Youth Ministry

    NYM provides childcare each week on Wednesday nights for our volunteer youth leaders. You and your group can take care of a group of children from infant to 6 years old. Contact Justin Laskowski for more info: jlaskowski@NorthridgeRochester.com 

  • Serve at Northridge

    Contact your Campus Pastor or the Ministry Leader in the area you already serve to find out what opportunities Northridge has for Christmas Eve or the holidays.

Enjoy the break. Get some rest. Have fun connecting. I look forward to seeing your Christmas posts! #ChristmasWithMyGroups

See you January 7th at 5PM for our Group Leader Mid-Year Kickoff and some Outlaw Baked Potatoes!

Jason DeGraaffCommunity Groups PastorLife Is Better Connected

Jason DeGraaff

Community Groups Pastor

Life Is Better Connected