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“This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s Celebrate and be glad today….The Lord is our God, and he has given us light! Start the Celebration!…Sound the trumpets and horns and Celebrate with joyful songs for our Lord and King!“(Psalm 118:24, 27; Psalm 98:6 CEV)
Northstar will celebrate the church’s 25th anniversary on Sunday, September 24. That day will be a day of celebration of what God has done, a celebration of what God is doing, and a celebration of what God will yet do as we look back at the defining moments over the past 25 years. Northstar has 25 years of defining moments that demonstrate God’s love and faithfulness.
We are so grateful to God for blessing us down through the years. While 25 years is certainly a reason to rejoice, it means much more to us than just reaching a milestone in ministry.
The story of this church is not the story of a man; it’s not the result of the work of a man. It isn’t the work of many men and many women. It really is the story of God’s love and faithfulness.
The world is very good about celebrating its achievements – but we believe that God’s people are the ones who really have a reason to celebrate. So often, though, we do a poor job of stopping and thanking God for the work He’s done. As we turn a page in the history of our church, we can clearly see that God has done more in 25 years through Northstar than we ever thought possible. It almost feels surreal when you take a step back and look at the lives being transformed and how the Kingdom of God is being added to every single week. This a testimony of how great our God is.
We all know today that life is more than a moment. Life is made up of many experiences. Your life is a myriad of ups and downs, victories and defeats, good times and bad. But there are those snapshots that forever capture and imprint upon our hearts those particular moments in time, particular occurrences, or defining moments. Jesus had a defining moment that affected everyone who ever lived. This choice was not an easy one to make, but He submitted to follow God’s plan even to the Cross. Before Jesus was betrayed and crucified, He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. “… He went on a little farther and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by. “Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”
As we look toward the next 25 years, we believe that our faith in the future is really a by-product of God’s faithfulness in the past. It is as we look back at God’s faithfulness, it is as we remember all the defining moments that build our faith to believe in God for bigger and better things.
Discussion Questions:
- What are some defining moments in your life?
- How can those defining moments help you navigate the future?