UPDATE
Christ Community United Methodist Church
March 4, 2026
Hi everyone:
March is the beginning of what my dad called the “unlocking” season. We are beginning to come out of winter and the world around us is slowly unlocking; the snow is melting, my crocuses are beginning to rise, maple sap is running, and the world around us is getting ready for the explosion of life we call spring!
As winter is unlocking around us, what things need to be unlocked in your life? Does God need to release compassion in you? Do you need to release generosity? Is it time to unfreeze friendships? What do you need to unlock in this season of Lent 2026?
Here is what is happening at Christ Community:
1. This Sunday we are in John 4, the story of a woman hiding in broad daylight by using the well outside of town instead of gathering with the other women of the community at the village well. Jesus meets her where she is, and he helps her to discover a spring of blessing rising within her. Worship is at 10:00 a.m. and we can be joined online through ChristCommunityUMC.com
2. Bible Study this week is Luke 11 – Jesus teaches about prayer and confronts the religious leaders. THIS WEEK: classes are at 1:00 Wednesday and 5:00 Wednesday (no Thursday group). (BJ has to be in Rochester Thursday evening)
Next week the Wednesday group will meet on Thursday at 1:00 and the Thursday at 6:00 will meet at its regular time. (BJ returning from Ottawa Wednesday).
3. In our Prayers: First let us pray for peace, let us pray for all who are in harm’s way, let us pray for the soldiers and sailors and airmen/women whose lives are on the line: Let us pray for Sally and Steve’s 12-year-old Great Granddaughter, Aliyah, is receiving daily radiation treatments. Please continue to pray for her. Chris Rowland and family; Maureen Wood and family; Pray for Leslie Klein, recently diagnosed with cancer; Dick Bush has moved to rehab; Georgia Nemecek (recovering); Diane DeJohn (Nursing home in Auburn); Jim Hockey; Minneapolis; and all places where people are in harm’s way. As people of faith, we cannot allow violence to become the norm in our thinking, being and doing – pray for all of us as we are bombarded through all forms of media with images that disturb, inflame, and anger. Lord, help us, in the words of St. Paul, to be angry but not fall to sin. Please pray for the Norrix family, my Aunt Wilma, wife of my Father’s youngest brother and the last of her generation is now in hospice care.
4. THIS SUNDAY NIGHT at 6:00 p.m. at Christ Community is our monthly healing service. Need prayer? Called to pray for others? Come and join us in this time of healing prayer.
5. MISSION DAY 2026 is MAY 2.
We have 15 projects here is our list with the Team leaders
1. Restart: David Bingham, Nancy Brotherton
2. Building Hygiene Kits: Shari Mudge
3. Onon Nation UMC: Jennifer Martin Tse
4. Brown Memorial UMC: Joanne Hagner
5. Gluten Free - Judy Craigmile
6. Sandwich Making - Betty Kline
7. We Rise Above the Streets - Karen Fuller
8. Ronald McDonald House - Christine Haskins
9. Sleep in Heavenly Peace - Bill Lowther
10. Village of Liverpool Cemetery - Ray Daggett
11. New Rescue Mission Thrift Stores (Bville+ Lpool) - ???
12. New Baldwinsville Community Food Drive Thru at BFUMC - ????
13. New VA Hospital
-Music Team: Neal Hare
-Sewing Team: Tish Evans
14. New CNY Diaper Drive with BNS at BFUMC - Bethany
15. Lunch Team - Janice Dudden
Watch for information on signup sheets over the next few weeks.
6. UPCOMING EVENTS
March 4 (note change) Bible Study at 1:00 and 5:00
March 4 (note change) Church Council
March 8 – healing service at Christ Community 6:00
March 10 – Open Mike night
March 17 – Area Mission meeting at 6:00 at Liverpool
March 20 – Authors and Artists event at Christ Community
March 29 – PALM SUNDAY
April 2 – Holy Thursday
April 3 – Good Friday
April 5 – EASTER
April 12 – Healing Service in Liverpool
April 13-May 2—BJ in Uganda
April 14 – Open Mike
May 2 – MISSION DAY – lots of projects being set up watch for more
May 28-30 – Upper New York Annual Conference
7. FREE BAKED GOODS – available on Thursdays from 11 to 1 at the Church. If you need something come and get it, if you know someone who needs something – come and get it for them.
8. The Authors and Artists event will be on Friday March 20. Informational fliers are now available!
9. I will be heading back to Uganda on April 13 – May 2 to help celebrate the 20th anniversary of the beginning of Nexus training. We are planning several “Teaching/Celebration” events in 5 different locations during our time there. I am traveling with Dr. Douglas Johnston, a Retired Environmentalist and former Professor at SUNY-ESF in Syracuse. I appreciate your prayers as we prepare for travel.
We are working on two projects: one, in the north, to finish our training center (and we need about $2000 to finish it off). The second is laboratory equipment for our friend Dr. Ibanda Moses. If you are interested in helping, please let me know.
10. Missionaries wanted
a. Friends of Nexus Seminary, a 501c3 corporation created to provide support to our work in Uganda, needs a treasurer. Is God calling you to come alongside to help with this vital support piece for a ministry? See BJ
b. Hospitality coordinator for Christ Community. (See BJ)
c. Care Team members and coordinator: Care Team will be a chronic needs support team. Visitation in nursing homes and shut-ins. Encouragement, prayer, etc. (again, see BJ)
Parting Thought
Sunday marks the 53rd anniversary of my becoming a Christ follower. I was 16 ½ and heard my call to follow Jesus at a prayer meeting being held in my High School (Good old Flat Rock High) cafeteria on March 8, 1973. An invitation was given to follow Jesus and, for what was probably the first great awakening of my life, I saw clearly what I needed to do and where I needed to be. I’ve tried to follow Jesus ever since – sometimes successfully, sometimes, well, not so successfully, but I’ve never doubted that I belong to him, that I am loved by him, that I am his to use as he chooses.
I’ve had many “AHA!” insights and moments since then. The great St. Augustine in the 5th century wrote that he believed that the “AHA!” moment might well be the ultimate proof of the existence of God. We plod along, we dilly and we dally, and suddenly like a bolt from left field, we become aware of something new, something different, something life changing. AHA!
Sometimes these “AHA!”’s are subtle, when I shook hands with a man with aids in 1984, when I met a transgendered person for the first time, when I was driven through the Sakubva slums outside Mutare, Zimbabwe, when I realized God had called me to preach the gospel. Each of these altered my world view, my view of self, and gave me fresh insight into the broader picture of the Gospel.
What are your “AHA!” moments? Where are the times and places that God revealed new insight to you?
Let’s see what God is planning next, shall we?
Blessings,
BJ Norrix, lead servant, AHA experiencer, missionary