What’s Current Find out more information at NorthlandChurch.net or ask a connections team member wearing an orange lanyard for assistance.

While You’re Waiting for the Service to Begin, Download this Special App! Join in as part of the Christmas Eve service by downloading the CUE LIVE app. Go to NorthlandChurch.net/ChristmasApp on your mobile device and follow the prompts to CHRISTMAS EVE AT NORTHLAND allow all permissions. During the service, you’ll be invited to take out your phone and open the app to join in the celebration!

Start Here! Whether you are just starting your journey of faith or you need a refresher The in the basics, you can start here! WEDNESDAYS, JANUARY 29 TO MARCH 11 | 6:30-8 P.M. | ROOM 4218 Messiness For more info and to register, visit NorthlandChurch.net/StartHere

Belong & Grow of the Discover how you can connect to what God is doing here at Northland. SUNDAYS, JANUARY 12 TO FEBRUARY 2 | 11 A.M.-12:15 P.M. | THE HUB Manger For more info and to register, visit NorthlandChurch.net/Belong&Grow

Welcome!Whether you call Northland your church home or if you are here for the very first time, we are honored that you would choose to join us as we celebrate the birth of the One who came for the Life of the world. Would you like to learn more about Northland, about what it means to be Fully Alive, or do you have questions about anything you’ve seen or heard here? Find one of our friendly connect team members wearing an orange lanyard. We would love to talk with you! On a daily basis, we are living out our vision of Engaging People to be Fully Alive in Jesus. If you would like to support Northland Church in our Kingdom work, a few simple ways to give are listed in the icons below. Or, you can visit the Welcome Desk in the foyer during regular business hours, including any time on New Year’s Eve before 7 p.m.

Thank you for your generosity. Merry Christmas!

Ways to Give to Northland

Give via mobile text. Download and use Give online at Give by cash or Give at the iPad Text “northland” to the PushPay App. NorthlandChurch. check and drop it stations located 77977. net/Give or use the in any of our tithe throughout the Northland App. boxes. foyer. DECEMBER 23-24, 2019 “Merry” goes with Christmas, but how about “messy?” The Messiness Bright lights. Evergreen wreaths. Soothing carols. Delicate ornaments. of the Manger Scented candles. Delicious food. Warm fires. Creative decorations. Fresh- baked cookies. Elaborate wrapping paper. Holiday attire. Houses sparkling A Christmas Eve message from Matt Heard, Lead Pastor clean for parties and guests… Read about Pastor Matt at northlandchurch.net/pastormatt.

That might be how we envision a picture-perfect setting for our holiday festivities, but when we try to view the birth of Jesus through the same lens, LUKE 2:10-12 (NIV) we risk diluting the true beauty of His birth. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will

cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been Most modern-day nativity scenes depict a well-manicured stable. Soft born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” blankets draped over a clean manger for the sweetly sleeping baby Jesus. Mary and Joseph with spotless clothes and shampooed hair. Even the PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 (NIV) animals are neatly arranged around the display. …Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; Beautiful decorations can certainly enhance our holiday, but a sanitized 7 rather, he made himself nothing manger scene can strip the significance of the celebration. When we clean by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. up the nativity story, we’re actually changing the story and, as a result, we 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself risk missing it altogether. by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place The nativity scene was indeed beautiful, but not because it was clean. and gave him the name that is above every name, Its beauty revolves around the reality that the manger was a mess and 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, that God chose to humble Himself and occupy our fallen world—and our in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, messiness. A dingy shepherd’s cave, carpeted with mounds of manure and to the glory of God the Father. wallpapered with centuries-old layers of soot from Bedouin fires, was the venue God chose for His grand entrance into this world. In doing so, He was announcing hope to people like us...with very messy lives. NOTES

Instead of a church, the best place to truly celebrate Christmas just might be a barn...with its dirt and its smells and its unpredictable animals. There we could grasp, perhaps a bit more accurately, the point of the Story. And the grace in the Story—the grace of a God who is willing to enter each one of our messy stories. Then we might begin to acknowledge that our lives may not be too much of a mess for Him to deal with after all. Or that we don’t need to pretend that our hearts are tidy and our life stories are clean. Then we can embrace that “messy” is as much a part of Christmas as “merry.”

Yes, Christmas is beautiful. Not only because of our decorations, but UPCOMING SERVICES because of the reality of His resurrection … » Dec 28-29 | AWAKEN | Discerning the Path of Life | John 7:1-24 | Pastor Sean Cooper … restoration that inhabits our messiness with Hope. » Jan 4-5 | AWAKEN | The Bigness of His Smallness | John 7:25-36 | Pastor Rob Hemphill “Merry” goes with Christmas, but how about “messy?” The Messiness Bright lights. Evergreen wreaths. Soothing carols. Delicate ornaments. of the Manger Scented candles. Delicious food. Warm fires. Creative decorations. Fresh- baked cookies. Elaborate wrapping paper. Holiday attire. Houses sparkling A Christmas Eve message from Matt Heard, Lead Pastor clean for parties and guests… Read about Pastor Matt at northlandchurch.net/pastormatt.

That might be how we envision a picture-perfect setting for our holiday festivities, but when we try to view the birth of Jesus through the same lens, LUKE 2:10-12 (NIV) we risk diluting the true beauty of His birth. 10 But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will

cause great joy for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been Most modern-day nativity scenes depict a well-manicured stable. Soft born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” blankets draped over a clean manger for the sweetly sleeping baby Jesus. Mary and Joseph with spotless clothes and shampooed hair. Even the PHILIPPIANS 2:5-11 (NIV) animals are neatly arranged around the display. …Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; Beautiful decorations can certainly enhance our holiday, but a sanitized 7 rather, he made himself nothing manger scene can strip the significance of the celebration. When we clean by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. up the nativity story, we’re actually changing the story and, as a result, we 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself risk missing it altogether. by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place The nativity scene was indeed beautiful, but not because it was clean. and gave him the name that is above every name, Its beauty revolves around the reality that the manger was a mess and 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, that God chose to humble Himself and occupy our fallen world—and our in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, messiness. A dingy shepherd’s cave, carpeted with mounds of manure and to the glory of God the Father. wallpapered with centuries-old layers of soot from Bedouin fires, was the venue God chose for His grand entrance into this world. In doing so, He was announcing hope to people like us...with very messy lives. NOTES

Instead of a church, the best place to truly celebrate Christmas just might be a barn...with its dirt and its smells and its unpredictable animals. There we could grasp, perhaps a bit more accurately, the point of the Story. And the grace in the Story—the grace of a God who is willing to enter each one of our messy stories. Then we might begin to acknowledge that our lives may not be too much of a mess for Him to deal with after all. Or that we don’t need to pretend that our hearts are tidy and our life stories are clean. Then we can embrace that “messy” is as much a part of Christmas as “merry.”

Yes, Christmas is beautiful. Not only because of our decorations, but UPCOMING SERVICES because of the reality of His resurrection … » Dec 28-29 | AWAKEN | Discerning the Path of Life | John 7:1-24 | Pastor Sean Cooper … restoration that inhabits our messiness with Hope. » Jan 4-5 | AWAKEN | The Bigness of His Smallness | John 7:25-36 | Pastor Rob Hemphill What’s Current Find out more information at NorthlandChurch.net or ask a connections team member wearing an orange lanyard for assistance.

While You’re Waiting for the Service to Begin, Download this Special App! Join in as part of the Christmas Eve service by downloading the CUE LIVE app. Go to NorthlandChurch.net/ChristmasApp on your mobile device and follow the prompts to CHRISTMAS EVE AT NORTHLAND allow all permissions. During the service, you’ll be invited to take out your phone and open the app to join in the celebration!

Start Here! Whether you are just starting your journey of faith or you need a refresher The in the basics, you can start here! WEDNESDAYS, JANUARY 29 TO MARCH 11 | 6:30-8 P.M. | ROOM 4218 Messiness For more info and to register, visit NorthlandChurch.net/StartHere

Belong & Grow of the Discover how you can connect to what God is doing here at Northland. SUNDAYS, JANUARY 12 TO FEBRUARY 2 | 11 A.M.-12:15 P.M. | THE HUB Manger For more info and to register, visit NorthlandChurch.net/Belong&Grow

Welcome!Whether you call Northland your church home or if you are here for the very first time, we are honored that you would choose to join us as we celebrate the birth of the One who came for the Life of the world. Would you like to learn more about Northland, about what it means to be Fully Alive, or do you have questions about anything you’ve seen or heard here? Find one of our friendly connect team members wearing an orange lanyard. We would love to talk with you! On a daily basis, we are living out our vision of Engaging People to be Fully Alive in Jesus. If you would like to support Northland Church in our Kingdom work, a few simple ways to give are listed in the icons below. Or, you can visit the Welcome Desk in the foyer during regular business hours, including any time on New Year’s Eve before 7 p.m.

Thank you for your generosity. Merry Christmas!

Ways to Give to Northland

Give via mobile text. Download and use Give online at Give by cash or Give at the iPad Text “northland” to the PushPay App. NorthlandChurch. check and drop it stations located 77977. net/Give or use the in any of our tithe throughout the Northland App. boxes. foyer. DECEMBER 23-24, 2019