​I remember my first day of kindergarten. Although it was many years ago, I can recall with great detail the mixture of excitement and anxiety I felt. I remember how proud I felt in my green and red striped watermelon dress with my denim Pocahontas backpack. My dad held my hand and walked me inside. We sat down next to a little girl with bright red hair, sitting with her mother. My dad started chatting with them, and we learned that her name was Abigail. She became my first friend in school. Over the years, Abigail and I did soccer, Girl Scouts, and even youth group together. We had sleepovers and birthday parties and became good friends. Now, almost 30 years later, my son is starting kindergarten.
 
On July 27, we will have a blessing of the backpacks in our combined worship service, and the following week, we will recognize our kindergarten children. It is a Northbrook tradition to gather and offer a blessing on the students, teachers, and administrators who will begin a new season of learning. We will also start a new season of Sunday school here at Northbrook.
 
Today, we often take public education for granted; however, Sunday schools were among the first free educational programs. In the late 1700s, Sunday schools emerged as a form of supplemental education, particularly for the poor, providing free basic literacy and religious instruction before the widespread adoption of public education. These schools empowered working-class communities by providing access to education and fostering a sense of community. Educating the children fostered meaningful relationships and contributed to the overall prosperity of the town.
 
Education and community go hand-in-hand. Adults and children who learn together also grow together. The same was true for Jesus’s earliest disciples. As they followed Jesus and learned at his feet, they also became closer friends. Learning together helped them bridge the social gaps that hung in the air between former fishermen and ex-tax collectors.
 
As we begin a new school year and a new Sunday school year, there is an opportunity for each of us to recommit to discipleship and spiritual formation. Northbrook offers numerous small groups and classes that foster a deep sense of community and learning.
 
In Kindergarten, I learned alongside my friends, but I also did life alongside my friends. If you feel called to a deeper experience of relation with Jesus and your fellow disciples, I hope you will attend our Ministry Fair after worship this week or reach out to me, and I can help you find a place to get more involved. And may we all renew our commitment to learn at the feet of Jesus.
 
In Christ,
 
Rev. Kena Newkirk
Associate Pastor

As we prepare for the start of a new school year, we invite you to gather with us on Sunday, July 27, for a joyful day of worship, fellowship, and fun at our Backpacks, Blessings & BBQ event!
 
Proverbs 16:3 tells us, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will succeed.” This verse reminds us that every new beginning is an opportunity to place our hopes and efforts in God’s hands. According to our cultural calendar, August represents a new beginning. Not just for those in school, but also for all believers who are seeking to go deeper and make a firmer commitment to our faith. As our students, teachers, and families gear up for a new year of learning and growth, we want to surround them with prayer and encouragement; and we want to give everyone the opportunity to explore all the ministry opportunities that Northbrook has to offer.
 
On July 27, worship begins at 10 AM, featuring our Joyful Noise Children’s Choir and a blessing of the backpacks for all students, educators, and school staff. Bring your backpack—or bring a friend who needs a blessing!
 
At 11 AM, we will host a Ministry Fair where you can explore ways to connect and serve at Northbrook. While you visit ministry tables, enjoy a BBQ fundraiser to support our wonderful choir and music ministry.
 
You can prepay for your BBQ Lunch to skip the line.
 
This is a great opportunity to come together as a church family, celebrate our children, and learn how each of us can use our gifts for God’s glory in the coming season.
 
We hope you’ll join us—and bring a friend!
 
In Christ’s love,
Your Northbrook UMC Team

​Most mornings, before the day unfolds in full, I try to quiet myself before God. Sometimes the Scripture gives me clarity. Other times, it raises more questions than it answers. What follows is a reflection that captures the tension I often feel—between my desire to love well and the complicated, messy reality of doing that in real life.
 
Well, okay, here I am at the beginning of another day. I want to do the best I can, and that means doing right by God. I want to walk in the light, not just with words, but in action. But what exactly is the Lord’s will for my life? That question has no easy answer, not in every moment. I read Leviticus 9:18: “…you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.” Jesus, when asked by the scribe in Mark 12:31, pointed to that same commandment, linking it tightly with one’s love for God. That has to mean something foundational. But there is so much ambiguity! Love your neighbor—how? Where does care become enabling? Where does a healthy boundary become self-protective apathy? Where do I draw the line? How do I show that love in a real, concrete way that honors God and doesn’t just serve my comfort or my image? How much do I give, and how do I know when enough is enough?

I have a friend who’s disabled and struggling financially, emotionally, and spiritually. He’s often excluded and misunderstood. He doesn’t fit the neat  mold of how we imagine gospel stories where Jesus walks into town, someone calls out in faith, and the healing is instant and joyful and clean. My friend is more complicated. He can be difficult. He can be selfish. He is also funny. He can be quick with a joke or a moment of unexpected warmth. He’s kind in ways that catch me off guard—sending me a thoughtful message, remembering something I said weeks ago. At times, he can also be frustrating. He asks for more than I want to give, and he doesn’t always say thank you. It’s not a miracle moment; it’s slow, tiring work. At times, helping him can feel more like a burden than a blessing. I confess that I have felt it would be easier to ignore him. I could offer a quick prayer, make a vague promise to check in, and then move on to something more productive, more fulfilling, something that feels like it “makes a difference.” But that would be dishonest. He is one of God’s children. Just like me. And loving my neighbor as myself doesn’t come with an exception clause for inconvenience or emotional drain.

Let me look at this book again. It’s easy to romanticize Jesus’ ministry, but things weren’t always simple in his time either. When Jesus passed through Jericho and saw Zacchaeus in the tree, he didn’t pause to judge whether Zacchaeus had earned his attention. He didn’t demand restitution first or ask for a statement of repentance. He just said, “Come down. I’m going to your house today.” It shocked everyone watching. Zacchaeus was a tax collector—compromised, disliked, and wealthy from the backs of others. And the truth is, I’m not just the person trying to help a struggling friend—I’m also Zacchaeus. I’ve chosen the easier path more times than I want to admit. I’ve looked out for my own comfort, avoided what’s messy, walked past need when it didn’t fit my schedule or expectations. I’ve climbed up into my own version of that tree—keeping a safe distance, observing from above.

Jesus sees me there, too. He doesn’t shame me for my reluctance or disqualify me for my failures, but calls me to come down. He wants to be with me, even when I’ve made a habit of sidestepping the harder parts of love. Jesus went to the cross not just for the grateful, not just for the healed, but for people like me, like my friend, like Zacchaeus—sinners, skeptics, complainers, and ingrates alike. He cleared the way not for a tidy moral performance, but for a life rooted in grace. That’s the life I want to live today. God help me.

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Josh McDaniel
Pastor of Students & Missions

God has given us another beautiful day so we can start with counting our blessings. He also promises to take care of our needs and provide us with peace even in challenging situations. He has rewarded us with spouses, children and families. We also have the gift of relatives, neighbors and friends for companionship. The most prized gift he has given us is Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Recently I read a devotion that I found to be an inspiration. I would like to share it with you.

We don't know our beginnings without the book of Genesis, and we can't understand the future without the book of Revelation. We learn how to worship through Psalms and how to live honestly in a dishonest world in Proverbs. Job shows us how God will bear us through suffering; and Ephesians helps us calculate our blessings. Ruth shows us how to fall in love, Song of Solomon tells us how to love our spouse, and 1 John teaches us that we shouldn't love the world or the things in it. Esther tells us God rules over the world even when He seems absent. In Matthew, Mark, Luke and John we meet the greatest person in history, and we learn He is living still and loving us despite our mistakes. Jonah reminds us we should not run away from Him, and James tells us to draw near to Him.

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 

What an amazing guide the Bible can be! The more we read it, the more we will find Jesus loving us on every page.

Blessings to all!
Jerome Young
Director of Facilities