Articles

Message from Matt

Many people ask Missy and me how we like being in Florida and at Northwest. Our response is, it feels a lot like home. The reason it feels that way is because many of you are a lot like family to us. One of the things we love most about the church is that no matter where you go you can always find family. Northwest is a tremendously friendly place. Many of you have built relationships with each other over a long period of time. Others are just starting to get to know each other. Either way through our connections with each other and our common bond of Jesus Christ we really are a family at Northwest. One of the challenges of the coming year will be to get our visitors and new members to feel more and more like part of that family. This happens through our programs but also through individual members as you have people in your homes, share a meal with a visitor or just talk to them after church.

The second big challenge of 2008 is going to be making a larger impact on our community. There are many services that we can be involved with in our community: Feeding the homeless, Hope Pinellas, Habitat for Humanity, and the Ronald McDonald House just to name a few. Through regular service opportunities we hope that 2008 will be a year Northwest becomes better connected with our community. In doing so we hope that doors will open up with even more people to know about Christ and become Christians. We have so much to offer our county: so much love, so many talents, and the grace that Jesus has shown to us. Let's make 2008 a year we focus on both parts of the "greatest commandment" - to love God and to love our neighbor.

I wish you the Lord's blessings in 2008. Let us be ever mindful of how we can be a blessing to those around us whether at home, work, church, or wherever else you find yourself. I am looking

forward to seeing what God has in store for Northwest in 2008.