What's Happening
Winter
A New Permanent Pastor has been selected for Northwood Presbyterian Church!
Members of Northwood's Presbyterian Church have voted to receive a new permanent pastor for our church, the Rev. Laurel Underwood.
Laurel Underwood grew up in Western New York, a preacher's kid and the niece, granddaughter and great-granddaughter of missionaries to Korea. She studied music and music education in New Hampshire, spending a junior year abroad in Korea. Marriage took her to Ohio, where she fit miscellaneous musical work around raising the three children that came along. Then came a move to North Carolina, where she was an organist/choir director until the call to ministry took the whole family to New Jersey and Princeton Theological Seminary.
Over more than 15 years of ministry, the Rev. Laurel A. Underwood has pastored churches in New Jersey, Ohio, eastern and western Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, serving as an interim, temporary supply, co-pastor and solo pastor. In ministry, she is passionate about multicultural worship and treasures the diversity of the Body of Christ. She is convinced that church growth is dependent upon church people becoming as concerned about connecting with their surrounding communities as they are about maintaining their own church community.
We hope that you will join us at an Open House on Saturday February 4, 2012 from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in Makemie Hall to meet and greet Rev. Underwood. The congregational meeting will be held immediately following the 10:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday February 5, 2012. The members of the congregation will vote by secret ballot at the meeting, and results will be tabulated at that time. Please join us for these events that mark another milestone in the life of Northwood Church, and help us move forward to an exciting new beginning.
Interim Pastor at Northwood Presbyterian Church
Our Interim Pastor is the Rev. Margaret E. Hayward. She has brought energy and caring in her ministry with us.
Her regular office hours as Interim Pastor are Tuesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Wednesday afternoons from 1 to 3 p.m. Pastor Hayward will spend Saturdays and some evenings working at home and will preach on Sunday mornings. Early Sunday afternoon appointments and pastoral visits may also be scheduled.
During working hours, the Interim Pastor may be contacted by email at pastor@northwoodchurch.com or by telephone at the church office, 301-593-1180.
Pastoral Nominating Committee (PNC)
Congratulations are due the PNC for a job well done, in nominating Rev. Laurel Underwood as Northwood's new pastor! Northwood members elected to the PNC are Grace Aaron, Dave Ellis, Doris Goodlett, Jim Kennedy, Dottie Slavcoff and Sharon Snodgrass. The liason from National Capital Presbytery is Rev. Nancy Clarke.
Be sure to check out the new photo albums on our "News\Picture This" page
Give Your Annual Gift to Northwood: If you have not already done so, please complete your 2012 Pledge card. This will help us to know where we stand in our financial commitments for 2012. Your regular and committed giving in the coming year will ensure that Northwood remains a vibrant congregation with a bright future. Our habit of stewardship, regardless of the amount, is a spiritual discipline as important as the faithful practices of prayer and participation in worship. Pledge cards are available in the church office and on the Information Table in Makemie Hall on Sundays.
Sunday SchoolAdult Sunday School is held at 9:00 a.m. in Classroom 8, located past the kitchen and left at the end of the hallway. Therese Taylor-Stinson will lead the class on Living the Questions "Saving Jesus".
Sunday School for children normally features a special Enrichment Program during worship. Immediately after the Children's Sermon, children leave the sanctuary with the Enrichment leader and head for their classroom for Enrichment activities. Check the current NewsNotes for more details.
Weekly Prayer Group
The Prayer Group meets on Fridays at 10:00 a.m.at the church, to pray for those who are on our prayer list and other requested prayers. On Sundays you have the opportunity to give a written prayer by filling in a prayer request forms in the black Fellowship Pads in each pew, and placing it in the offering plate. You may indicate if your prayer is confidential. This is a meaningful time to pray together, so please come and join us.
Chancel Choir rehearsalThe chancel choir rehearses every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in the Sanctuary and sings during Sunday worship. If you enjoy singing and would like to sing with the choir, please be in touch with Greg Catrett, Music Director.
Northwood's New Beginnings program
It’s time for a new beginning at Northwood and the New Beginnings program is underway to provide this opportunity. On Sunday, March 11, Northwood Church will convene at the fourth of six monthly gatherings, to take an honest look at the challenges to be faced in the context of demographic, neighborhood and cultural changes. The program will begin with a light luncheon including soup, salad, sandwiches and desserts. To fully benefit Northwood’s future EVERY able member and visitor to Northwood is invited and strongly encouraged to attend. Visitors are also very welcome to participate.
Book Discussion GroupNorthwood's Book Discussion Group will meet on Tuesday, February 14th at 10:00 a.m. in the Connie Gordon Lounge to discuss "The Tiger's Wife" by Tea Obreht. In a Balkan country mending from war, Natalia, a young doctor, is compelled to unravel the mysterious circum-stances surrounding her beloved grandfather's recent death. Please come and join us, men and women, for an interesting discussion
Bible Study Group
Horizons Day Bible Study will meet the second and fourth Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Media Room. The next gathering will be February 8, 2012. Gloria Pendleton is leading a study on the Beatitudes found in Matthew and Luke and also "Confession of Faith in the Face of Economic Injustice and Ecological Destruction" by Margaret Aymer. Please come and join us.
Prayer Shawl Ministry
The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet again on Sunday, February 26, 2012 following the worship service, in Knox Hall. Please come and see what others are knitting and enjoy some fellowship.
Annual Chinese Dinner
Northwood's annual Chinese Dinner will take place on Sunday, February 26th. The social hour will begin at 5:30 pm, with dinner at 6:00 p.m. Again we are returning to Far East Restaurant at 5055 Nicholson Lane, Rockville, MD. There will be appetizers, a five course dinner and dessert-$25.00 per person including tax and tip. Cocktails and soda are extra. PAYMENT MUST BE PAID AT THE TIME OF RESERVATION, cut-off date February 22nd. Make checks payable to Northwood Church, earmarked Chinese dinner.
Scrabble Players will get together at 1:00 p.m. in Makemie Hall on February 28th. Come and join us.
Children's Health International, a mission partnership of Northwood Church, is located in Anum, Ghana, West Africa. See below.
