Worship Together

This Sunday's service was a special worship-and-commissioning gathering that set up the **Making a Way** series, which launches next week. The opening leader explained that the extended singing, scripture, testimonies, and communion were all meant to build toward one goal: equipping people to invite someone to the series in the coming weeks. Communion was served at four stations around the room, with bread dipped in the cup, and was introduced with a reading from 1 Corinthians 11.

Geoff, the elder chair, then announced that after a five-month search the elders had called **Pastor Jay Gjurgevich** of Mesa, Arizona, as Northshore's new lead pastor, and that he had accepted. Jay will be on-site December 1 for a couple of weeks, then return after the new year, while his wife Katie and their kids finish the school year in Arizona. Geoff also thanked the search team, Roger for serving as interim operations manager, and Nick for stepping up in teaching.

Two testimonies followed. Micah, a high school senior and wrestling team captain, described inviting a teammate to youth group, which led to many more teammates attending; his advice was to "just ask" and trust God with the outcome. Omar, whose story was read aloud for him, shared how an invitation from Henry to a men's conference during one of the hardest seasons of his life led him into a men's group and a church family that restored his hope.

The service closed with readings from Matthew 9 and Romans 10 and a guided prayer focused on three things: opportunities to invite, open hearts to receive, and boldness to expect changed lives. People were invited to write the name of the person they're praying for on the "Who's Your One?" board or to come forward to pray.