Coming This Week

This Sunday is All Saints Day. Linda will be asking “Who Are These People?” in her sermon. The choir will sing “Alleluia.” We will celebrate communion.

In the Reformed tradition, All Saints’ Day is a time to give glory to God for the ordinary, holy lives of the believers in this and every age. This is an appropriate time to give thanks to members of the community of faith who have died in the past year. We also pray that we may be counted among the company of the faithful in God’s eternal realm. Please bring a photos of loved ones who have passed away to share with the congregation. There will also be index cards available to write names of those who should be remembered and honored.

In Sunday School, we will start a study of the book "How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith"  by Mariann Edgar Budde, the bishop and spiritual leader of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington, D.C., and the Washington National Cathedral. There are copies of the book available in the church office.

Emily Bender Service

The memorial service for long-time member Emily Bender will be on Saturday, October 31, at 11:00 a.m. at the church. Emily was an avid gardner who loved to raise and arrange flowers, providing many arrangements for a variety of church functions. To that end, members are invited to come to the church on Friday, October 30, at 1:00 p.m. to help arrange flowers for her memorial service.

Celebrating Martha

​Monday was a special day at LewisGale Montgomery Hospital when a surprise celebration was held to honor our own Martha McMahan for her 55 years of service as a volunteer at the hospital.

Martha is on the schedule every Monday, wearing her blue jacket to greet visitors at the front desk, directing them to where they need to go in the hospital, or wheeling patients to labs or out to their car when they are discharged.

WDBJ was there to capture the celebration to recognize her dedication.

Meal Packing Event

The Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry Meal Packing Event is almost here, and help is needed to make it a success!

On Thursday, October 29, at 5:45 PM our community will come together to pack 60,000 nutritious meals for families served by the Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry. We still need:

• 27 volunteers to serve as table captains and table runners

• 5 volunteers to help pack meals

Table captains and runners play an important role in keeping the packing lines moving and helping everyone work together. If you've already signed up to pack meals, please consider signing up for one of these additional roles. Table captains and table runners should arrive by 4:30 p.m. for instructions.

Please visit bburgfoodpantry.galaxydigital.com to sign up. If you can't join us, please share this appeal with someone who might be interested.

Thank you for helping us turn our community's compassion into action!

Rain, Rain, Please Stay

If you have a lawn or garden you regularly water, there is an alternative to running up your water bill -- free rain water from above, captured in a rain barrel attached to a downspout.

The New River Valley Master Gardeners will hold a Rain Barrel Workshop on Sunday, November 1st, at Northside from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for those interested in making a rain barrel for their own use. There is a cost of $80.00 and it is open to a limited number of participants. Register today using this link:  https://swipesimple.com/links/lnk_66941df55b8c86cfa0e51a4cfeac4d06

For more information, please contact Kay Hunnings. 

Stewardship Season

During this Stewardship season, think about the gifts that God has given you and how, despite our small membership, Northside's members and friends have continued to faithfully work to further God’s kingdom and serve His people. We are grateful for your past gifts and we ask that you please prayerfully consider your pledge for the upcoming year. 

Please complete and mail, or drop off your Pledge form at the church by November 1, or copy the form and send it as an email attachment to NPC Associate Treasurer, Emily Davis (emily@epdavis.net). Extra copies of the form are in the Narthex.

Monday Night Supper

The meal on Monday was lasagna, bread, salad, fruit cup, and cookies. We served 88 meals (including leftovers for helpers). Helpers included Susan; Alex C.; Mary Lough; Stella, Mateo and Stu Bear; and Heidi and Bruce.

Volunteers to help prepare and pack meals are always welcome and needed.

Homebound Members and Friends

For those wishing to keep in touch with our homebound members, here are some addresses:

Pastoral Care

"Offer prayers and petitions in the Spirit all the time." – Eph. 6.18

Please be in prayer for:

Please let the church office know if names should be added to or removed from the list. Names will be removed after a month unless the office is notified to leave the name on the list.