​“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” — Psalm 23:1

​There is something deeply comforting about these words. In just one sentence, we are reminded that we are not alone, not forgotten, and not without care. Psalm 23 has long been one of my favorite passages because it speaks directly to the human condition—our need for guidance, protection, and provision.
Interestingly, scripture often compares us to sheep. At first thought, that may not feel flattering. But when we take a closer look, the comparison reveals something profoundly honest—and hopeful.

Understanding the Nature of Sheep
Sheep are uniquely dependent creatures. They are not designed to survive on their own, and their characteristics mirror many of our own human tendencies:

• Defenseless: Sheep have no natural means of protecting themselves. Without a shepherd, they are vulnerable to danger.
• Prone to Wander: They easily lose their way, often drifting into unsafe places without realizing it.
• Dependent and Docile: Sheep rely entirely on their shepherd for food, water, and safety.
• Easily Anxious: They can become stressed quickly and depend on the presence of the shepherd for calm.
• Voice-Aware and Loyal: Sheep recognize and respond to the voice of their shepherd, following the one they trust.
• Not Meant for Heavy Burdens: They are not built to carry weight and can suffer when overloaded.

If we’re honest, many of these traits reflect our own lives. We can feel defenseless in difficult seasons, anxious about the unknown, or lost when trying to navigate life on our own. We may carry burdens we were never meant to bear.

Why Sheep Need a Shepherd
Because of these traits, sheep cannot thrive without a shepherd. They need someone to:

• Protect them from predators and unseen dangers
• Guide them to nourishing pastures and clean water
• Rescue them when they are stuck, lost, or in distress
• Lead them back when they wander too far

​Without a shepherd, sheep are at risk. With a shepherd, they flourish. In the same way, we need a Shepherd.
Psalm 23 reveals the heart of God as our loving and faithful guide. He does not expect us to figure everything out on our own. Instead, He invites us to trust Him—through the guidance of His word, which leads us to follow His voice and rest in His care.

Today, whatever you may be facing, take comfort in this truth: You are not meant to carry life alone. You have a Shepherd.

And in Him, you truly have all that you need. In your quiet time read Psalm 23.

Peace and blessings,  
 Phyllis Baskin, Office Manager

As some of you may know, before I came to Northbrook, I spent over 20 years serving
in Youth Ministry for several different churches in North Georgia. I always like to say, “In
my previous life, I was a Youth Director.”

In addition, as some of you may know as well, I served for over 8 years at Lawrenceville
First UMC, where Davis Chappell (one of Northbrook’s former pastors) was the Senior
Minister and Andrew Chappell (his son and another Northbrook former pastor) was in
my Youth Program. See above for a nice throwback photo of me and Andrew from
around 19 years ago give or take at a beach retreat with the youth group…

A few weekends ago, I had the opportunity to participate in a former student’s wedding.
This student was also from Lawrenceville First UMC and one that I had known since
she was about 4 years old. And now she’s 27 and married! It was a true joy and honor
to be a small part of her wedding day. People ask me all the time, if helping participate
in former students’ wedding celebrations makes me feel “old.” And honestly, I know it
probably should, it really doesn’t. I think it’s more just feeling like a proud older
brother/fun uncle. And really for me, it’s about thanking God for allowing me to be a
small part of their life journeys. My prayer for them has always been that they would
stay strong in their faith, make great decisions with their lives and find happiness with
whomever they end up with.

I think about Paul’s letter to the Phillippians in Chapter 1, Verse 3, where he says, “I
thank my God every time I remember you.” That’s how I think about these former
students and how grateful I am for the time I had with each one of them.

And my Northbrook friends, I am thankful for each one of you! God has blessed us all
with such a wonderful community of faith. As we journey through this life, my prayer for
each one of you (as it is for my former students): that you would stay strong in your
faith, make great decisions with your lives and find happiness with whoever you end up
with. Until we meet again…

​Allen Whittaker
Executive Director

We are nearing the end of our third year of teaching Godly Play, a unique and innovative way to foster the innate spirituality of our children by storytelling the Bible and wondering with them about the meaning of the stories. The 14 children who were in pre-kindergarten during that inaugural year will soon be transitioning from 1st grade to the older classroom for 2nd-5th graders. And we will then welcome our newest four-year-old pre-kindergarten students into our magical classroom of Godly Play.
 
One of the first things they will learn is that we have a “feast” each week before our closing prayer and blessing. This feast is provided by our wonderful neighbors in the Fellowship classroom--a juicy halo tangerine, which they learn how to peal. They will also quickly notice the big round calendar that looks like a clock hanging in the room, with green, red, purple and white shapes around the perimeter and one hand like a clock in the middle. This is our liturgical year calendar and will move us through the year beginning with the creation.
 
Old Testament stories follow in our “desert (sand) box”, and the ways that people of God “got close to God” and learned about His will for us through prophets and without the benefit of the Holy Bible. Then we experience the mystery of Christmas with our Advent stories, and begin the new year learning about Jesus, his parables and life, followed by Lent and Jesus’ death. We now begin lessons about how “the twelve” were equipped to carry Jesus’ ministry to others, through Pentecost and the gift of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
 
It is such a natural cycle that explains why Jesus is born and dies every year, and why we continue to learn and understand anew, each time we experience these wonders. Once this foundation is laid there are extension and enrichment second-tier stories that bring us deeper into the Bible and acquaint us with all of the other people who encountered God and have lessons to teach us from their actions, both in following God’s direction for their lives, and in failing to listen to Him.
 
This is just the beginning for these little ones, to grow in both their love and relationship with the Trinity, and in experiencing regular Bible study with their church family. If you have a rising pre-kindergartener or would like to know more about our Godly Play program and how you could volunteer to walk alongside our precious children, please contact me at [email protected]. I’d love to meet with you.
 
Peace and blessings,  
Christy Merritt
Coordinator of Godly Play

A few weeks ago, Leslie led our children’s sermon on John 11 and the story of Lazarus. She talked with the children about something simple and deeply true--everyone cries. Even Jesus cried. Even people of faith cry. Tears are part of being human, and they are part of loving deeply.

My son Jonah was sitting right next to her and wanted to talk more. In that quiet and patient way Leslie always does, she gently walked him back to his seat and took time to listen to what he was trying to say. I didn’t know what he was talking about in that moment, but later I learned that he had been telling her about his great-grandfather’s funeral which we watched online back in January. It has been his first experience with loss that he will remember. Leslie made space for him to share his grief in the middle of a busy Sunday morning, simply by listening.

I then preached a sermon on John 11. At the end of the service, Jonah came up to me with a question.
“Why did you say it so many times? ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died?’” It was such an honest question.

I told him that everyone experiences hurt and loss, and when we hurt, we often ask God why. We repeat those questions because grief has a way of circling back again and again. Martha says it. Mary says it. The community feels it. The same words echo because the pain is real.

“Lord, if you had been here…”
Good Friday is filled with the same kind of questions.
Why did this have to happen?
Where was God in the suffering?
Why does death still touch the people we love?
Why does pain seem to come so close to home?

On Good Friday, we stand at the cross with those same questions. We see Jesus suffering. We see loss, grief, injustice, and death. We hear the cries of the world and the cries of our own hearts. And we are reminded that God does not stand far away from our pain. In Jesus, God enters fully into it.

Jesus weeps at Lazarus’ tomb.
Jesus cries out from the cross.
Jesus knows our grief from the inside.

That is why Good Friday matters. It reminds us that God hears every “Lord, if you had been here” that we whisper or shout. God is present in our sorrow, even when we cannot see it. It allows us to gather together and patiently listen to each other's confusion, hurt and pain.

And yet, Good Friday is not the end of the story.

 Easter is the time we celebrate Jesus’ triumph over the hurt. Easter is the promise that grief does not have the final word, that death does not win, that tears will one day be wiped away. The cross is real, but so is the resurrection.
Today, as we remember the cross, we hold both truths together: the pain is real, and so is the hope.

If you find yourself asking God why, you are not alone.
If you find yourself grieving, you are not alone.
If you find yourself waiting for Easter, you are not alone.
​
God is present in every tear, every question, and every quiet moment of grief—and God is already at work bringing new life.

Grace and peace this Good Friday,
Rev. Kena Newkirk
Associate Pastor, Discipleship and Family Ministries