I look forward to writing the Friday log, but at the same time I feel like an imposter. I feel as though I'm supposed to share something I've figured out that maybe others haven't. But the truth of the matter is, I have very, very little figured out.

I'm a mom of young children, and in this season of life, I often feel overwhelmed — almost to the point of not feeling joy. I find comfort, though, in knowing it seems to be a shared experience among other moms in my circles, whether it's my church, friendship, or work circle. And I think we all wear our overwhelm differently and experience it differently.

I don't know what's led me to write this, but I want to say to those overwhelmed moms: I see you. We live in a world now where there's a lot of pressure on us from social media and our sheer access to other people — pressure to do it all, be it all, wear every hat, achieve every accolade, attend every event. It's all... overwhelming. And I think I'm ready to let that part of it go.

In fact, I once woke from a really jarring dream in which God told me to put my phone down and look around. In the dream, He said I was missing the beautiful earth He created for me, and it really impacted me. Sometimes, in that state of overwhelm, I try to remember that. It's really difficult, though; when you're in that state, it's hard to pray your way out of it. But I think that might be the answer in some cases. Other ways I temper the overwhelm are by making plans with people I love deeply, keeping a good book on hand, and building small rituals into my day that bring me joy (like my delicious morning coffee, delightful afternoon green tea, and a calming chamomile to close out the day. Yes, my comfort is provided in warm beverages, even in 100-degree weather).

I also think it helps to remember that seasons are just that — seasons. They pass, and they're meant to be temporary. I thought about something several months ago: I don't want to be the person who has to look forward to the weekend to find a reprieve from the rest of my life. I want to be as excited for each and every day as I am for a Saturday or Sunday. Because if all we ever look forward to are our Saturdays and Sundays, that's just 30% of our week.

But when it comes to faith, my go-to phrase with people is that I'm a good Christian, not a great one. Oftentimes I have to look up the scripture that relates to what I'm babbling about, or draw on my memory of lyrics from choir music. Matthew 11:28-30 is one such verse: "Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" — it came to me from a song the choir performed several months ago. But what's provided me comfort so far in this journey is being around moms in the same place at the same time — and also finding refuge in friendships with people beyond the stage I'm in on my parenting journey, because I feel like they can offer insight into what's coming.

I also find quiet solace in having a schedule — thank God for back-to-school and regular church programming! Children's Ministry Kickoff is on August 12, and Joyful Noise Children's Choir kicks off our 2026-2027 season on August 19th. I look forward to the predictability and sweet, musical sounds that come with it. We are so excited to have everyone back! There's a beautiful Christmas musical coming this year, a spring concert, and lots of children's performances in between — having that focus is what matters to my family at this time in life. 
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As a family, we value our Wednesday nights and our Sunday mornings at Northbrook and look forward to seeing you around campus — overwhelm and all.

Joyfully,

​Chelsea Spits
Director of Children's Choir

​As the summer winds down and we anticipate a new “Season of Belonging” with the start of the school year, I wanted to remind you that just two Sundays remain of our summer worship schedule with one combined service at 10 a.m.
 
This Sunday, July 26, at 10 a.m., we will have a “hymn sing” during worship. We enjoyed singing some of our favorites last Sunday at Camp Meeting, but if you have a favorite we haven’t sung in a while, this is your chance! Contact Chad to submit your request ([email protected]).
 
Also, this Sunday, we look forward to Kamisha Washington, a Northbrook member and a certified candidate for ministry, bringing Sunday’s message “U-Turn” as we continue our summer series “On the Road with God.” You won’t want to miss Kamisha’s preaching!
 
Then on August 2 at 10 a.m. we will celebrate Homecoming at Northbrook!
 
This special morning will feature:

• Sermon by former Northbrook pastor the Rev. Dr. Tom Elliott
• Special Music by Auryian Tillman
• Joyful Noise Children's Choir performance
• Blessing of the Backpacks (Kids bring your backpacks!)
• Ministry Fair in the Fellowship Hall
• Churchwide Luncheon

 
After worship, everyone is invited to stay for the fried chicken lunch and Ministry Fair during which you’ll have the opportunity to meet ministry leaders and explore areas of ministry that will help you grow in your faith.
 
Homecoming Sunday is also an opportunity for you to invite a friend or reach out to a church member who may not have been to church in a while. Invite them to come and sit with you at worship. Your invitation may be the Spirit nudging someone, leading them to find a place of belonging in the family of God at Northbrook.
 
See you Sunday where YOU belong!
 
​Rev. Jennifer Andone, Senior Pastor

Understanding the origins of a tradition always deepens our appreciation for the events we celebrate. This Sunday, July 19, Northbrook United Methodist Church will host “Camp Meeting Sunday.” This worship service will feature heartfelt music designed to warm the hearts and souls of everyone in attendance. You don’t want to miss this! For some, the service will evoke precious memories of days gone by; for others, it will spark a desire to learn more about the early days of Methodism.
 
A camp meeting is a unique outdoor singing and preaching service that has, unfortunately, been overlooked by more modern historians. Historically, participants arrived on foot, on horseback, or by wagon to camp for days or even weeks, often living in tents. Methodists can trace these roots back to the rather controversial method of outdoor preaching started by John and Charles Wesley in England. Though the Church of England looked upon this with disfavor, it forever transformed the ministry and influence of the Wesleyan movement. While these services were never an official institution of the Methodist Episcopal Church, preachers widely adopted them to gain new converts and revitalize the spiritual life of their congregations. 
 
Bishop Francis Asbury championed the results of camp meetings, encouraging Quarterly Conferences to transition into camp meetings whenever feasible. He once wrote, “Methodists are all for camp meetings.” Asbury documented one of the earliest Methodist camp meetings, held in 1803 near Old Fort, close to Brownsville, Pennsylvania, which drew an estimated four thousand people in a single day.  Preparing the grounds required significant effort: underbrush and fallen trees were cleared, trees were felled and made into rough-hewn pews, and an altar rail was constructed “for the penitents and mourners.” Saw dust was frequently scattered down the center aisle and around the altar, giving rise to the classic expression of sinners “hitting the saw dust trail.” At night, fire stands or elevated posts illuminated the grounds. Interestingly, some camp meetings appointed “runners” - typically young boys tasked with guarding the campsite and chasing away any wild hogs or wolves that might interrupt the service. 
 
Each family chose their own spot and pitched a tent. Through the years, the more loyal attendees would replace these tents with cabins, yet these cabins are affectionately called “tents” today.
 
Having had the opportunity to sing and play at several camp meeting services in recent years, I can attest to how wonderful the experience is and how deeply it connects us to our Methodist legacy. I invite you and your family to take a summer afternoon drive to explore one of these historic sites, where you can still see the tents and the tabernacle.  Two nearby, active Methodist camp meetings are in our area: Marietta Campground (est. 1837) and Holbrook Campground in Alpharetta (est. 1838).
 
Come join us on Camp Meeting Sunday where we will praise the Lord in song and hear the message of the unconditional love of God to all. 
 
With Joy,
 
Dr. Chad M. Hunt
Director of Worship & Music

I've always thought small wins are much better to celebrate than big ones. To me, it's hard to set a big goal and then just try to accomplish that goal head-on. Instead, I think it is easier to reach that big goal when you have smaller goals along the way from your starting point to your endpoint. You can slowly see your progress, which gives you confidence to reach the final product. From June 6th-12th, our youth group embodied small wins through all the work that we accomplished throughout the week.

Our group was small, but we sure were mighty with everything that we got done. The first day we worshipped with our hosting church, where we stayed, Faith Harbour UMC. In the morning, we worshipped on the boardwalk near the beach, which was a great way to start the day. Following the first service, we returned to the church for their traditional service, where our youth, without hesitation, helped serve communion to the church community. It was such a blessing to watch our youth help with one of the most holy aspects of worship, in connection with a fellow United Methodist congregation.
 
The next day we ventured out to Wilmington to help with an organization called First Fruits Ministries. This is a pantry for food and clothing for community members in need. Our team received our duties, quickly split up, and got to work. Two of our girls helped check in about 290 people who needed help. The rest of our team helped sort clothes that went out during the food pantry so people could grab clothing for themselves or their children. Once we finished, we met back at the church and wrote cards to all the ministries we were going to help that week, thanking them for allowing us to work with them and for their hospitality.

Day 3, we worked the first part of the day at Lighthouse Ministries, which is a church outside of Wilmington. One of the largest ministries this church has is a food pantry as well. Our job was to help organize food and clean up areas of the property so that it looked nice for visitors and church members in the future. I was so proud of our team, specifically on this job because it was a lot of work. We were outside in the heat shoveling, raking, and carrying heavy pieces of wood. But what did we do? We split the job into small wins. The youth, after accomplishing each small win, wanted to keep going, and we finished more than what the church had thought we could get done. In the second part of the day, we helped at a homeless shelter called Good Shepherd Centre. There we cleaned both the inside and outside of four of the vans that they use on a day-to-day basis. They were so impressed by the work that they mentioned us in their newsletter to the community.

On our last day, we helped again lead a midweek service with Faith Harbour. Our youth helped lead in readings and prayers throughout the service. Then that afternoon we went to Lauren's Hope. This is a pregnancy center helping expecting mothers with the various challenges that they may face. Like the following day, it was a big job, but our team created a plan. We split up, helping clean the warehouse and paint multiple doors around the center.

During our last group meeting, we discussed what the week meant to us. What I shared was that this week was a celebration. We celebrated small wins throughout the week and had a lot of work to show for it. Northbrook, you should be proud of your youth and adult volunteers for that week. God calls us to share God's love with our brothers and sisters in Christ. They did so by serving Communion, sorting clothes, shoveling, raking, moving trash, washing vans, sweeping, and painting doors. I'm excited to see what the future of Northbrook's youth ministry will look like, and how God will continue to look on the youth and adult volunteers.
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Peace and Grace,
Erich Wills
Minister of Youth & Missions