April 2025 Impact Update
Hey Northwood Family,
As we prepare our hearts for Easter, we’re also preparing our church to reach beyond its walls. This season, we’re inviting everyone at Northwood to take part in something simple yet powerful—personally inviting others to experience the hope of Jesus. Whether it's sharing a digital invite or serving on an Easter Team, each of us has a role in making Easter Sunday a welcoming, life-changing moment for someone else. Let's join together in faith and action as we anticipate all God will do this Easter.
We’ve Updated Our Staff Page
Our Our Staff page has a fresh new look! Now, you can click on any team member’s photo to read their bio and learn more about who they are and what they do. It’s a great way to get to know the heart behind our team and see how each person helps make Northwood feel like home. You’ll also find quick links to reach out directly—we’d love to hear from you!
Pastor Rodney’s Sabbatical
A sabbatical, when done well, is a source of life, health, intimacy with God, and an investment for future ministry.
Over the course of his 6-week sabbatical, Pastor Rodney and his wife Tracy took intentional time away from pastoral duties to rest, reflect, and focus on growth both spiritually and within the ministry calling. This period of time allowed them to step back from the daily responsibilities of church leadership and engage in a season of renewal.
Rest and Recuperation: The sabbatical provided Rodney with the opportunity to rest physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Time away from the demands of church life allowed him to recharge and return with fresh energy and clarity.
Reflection and Renewal: During this time, Rodney dedicated significant time to personal reflection and spiritual renewal. He engaged in extended prayer, meditation, and study, which deepened his faith and strengthened his connection with God. This also allowed him to reflect on his ministry journey and the direction for his future work in the church.
Spiritual Development: Rodney participated in various educational and personal development opportunities, including reading, attending workshops, and engaging in conversations with mentors and peers. These experiences enriched his understanding of church leadership and his personal growth and helped him identify areas for improvement and development.
Ministry Recall and Reinvestment: While on sabbatical, Rodney kept in touch with the church community in a limited capacity, ensuring that leadership needs were still met. He was able to regain clarity of his calling and returned with a renewed sense of vision and passion for his role as lead pastor and shepherd at Northwood Church.
Summary: Overall, Rodney’s sabbatical was a fruitful time of rest, reflection, and growth. The time away from the daily allowed him to return refreshed, with new insights and energy to continue his ministry with greater purpose and clarity. His sabbatical has had a positive impact on his personal and spiritual life, as well as his leadership of the church moving forward.
Your Generosity
We’re pleased to share that Northwood’s financial health remains strong, thanks to the faithful generosity of our ministry partners. The first quarter of 2025 has been marked by incredible giving, and we are currently on track to meet our budgeted expenses for the year. This financial stability allows us to continue pursuing the many ministry opportunities God has placed before us as we seek to grow His Kingdom.
One area we’re prayerfully addressing is the aging state of our facilities. As we enter the 14th year in our current church buildings, we’re facing End of Life (EOL) issues with several key systems. Most notably, we are preparing for the replacement of 21 HVAC units, with anticipated costs exceeding $500,000 by the end of this year.
We ask for your continued prayers as we steward these challenges with wisdom and faith, trusting God to provide for what is needed.
Kevin Fletcher
While giving currently exceeds our minimum budget, we are 1% short of our target budget. We believe God is calling us to minister in new, creative ways inside and outside of our church, and meeting the target budget will allow us to do that!
Your Local Impact
Good News from Northwood Academy
At Northwood Academy, a ministry of Northwood Church, over 1,000 students from the Tri-county area are ENGAGED in a comprehensive, college-preparatory framework designed to foster academic success and spiritual growth. With Christ at the center of all we do, we build strong relationships among students, teachers, and families, creating an environment where high expectations for academic and behavioral excellence are paired with opportunities to create memories that last a lifetime. Our dynamic educational experience spans pre-school, elementary, middle, and high school, with a foundation rooted in Christian values that empower students to lead in the classroom, the church, in business, and in the community.
Our Charger Scholars are EMPOWERED to discover who they are in Christ. At Northwood Academy, Christ is the foundation of everything, and students experience this not only in the classroom, where biblical principles are woven into every lesson, but throughout our campus—in hallways, gyms, stages, sidewalks, and even out in the community. Our ultimate goal is for students to reason from a biblical perspective, make decisions based on biblical principles, and develop, model, and promote behaviors that reflect the character of Christ.
Founded in 1978, Northwood Academy has remained committed to EQUIPPING students with the tools for success, a mission reflected in the global accomplishments of our graduates and the legacy enrollment of their children. Whether our students choose college, trade school, the workforce, or a military career, we stand united in Christ, impacting the world for His glory.
Once a Charger, always a Charger! At Northwood, we ENGAGE, EMPOWER, and EQUIP our students to become all that God has created them to be. One of the most powerful examples of this mission in action is Missions Month at Northwood Academy. Each March, Missions Month provides an opportunity for our Charger Scholars to live out their faith as the hands and feet of Christ. From the Opening Ceremony and Missions Market to student-run lemonade stands and bake sales, weekly Missions Events, guest speakers from missions organizations, chapels, and the Closing Ceremony, our students actively participate in raising money to spread the Gospel. The dedication and generosity of our students, parents, grandparents, and community helped raise a remarkable $125,275.04 for missions this year, demonstrating the power of giving and serving in Christ’s name.
Through engaging, empowering, and equipping our students, Northwood Academy continues to build a strong foundation of faith, academic excellence, and service. We are proud of our student’s achievements, both in the classroom and in the community, and we are excited for the impact they will continue to make in the world.
Next Steps Taken at Church
Your Global Impact
Missions Update: Cody & Samantha Richard
Cody and Samantha Richard are in the final stretch of preparation as they get ready to launch to Scotland this June with Greater Europe Mission. Their ministry will use creativity and the arts to partner with local churches—forwarding the work God is already doing in Scotland and across Europe. With a heart for making disciples on what many consider the darkest continent for the gospel, they’re stepping out in faith to see lives transformed through beauty, story, and Spirit-led connection.
As part of our Northwood family, Cody and Samantha are inviting others to join their support team and be part of this Kingdom work. They’re currently 86% funded in monthly support and trusting God to bring in the final 14% before they go. To learn more or support their mission, visit richardsintheuk.com. Let’s keep praying and believing with them as they prepare to launch!
Closing Thoughts
How Should We Bring Our Tithe & Offerings?
At our church, we’ve made a small but meaningful shift in how we present our tithes and offerings. Rather than passing buckets during the service, we now take a moment to pause, reflect, and celebrate the heart behind generosity. This change isn’t just about logistics—it’s about posture. Scripture reminds us that God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7). Giving was never meant to be a passive ritual or something we do out of pressure. It’s an act of worship, gratitude, and trust. When we bring our tithe—the first 10% of our income—and our offerings, we’re declaring that God is our provider and that we trust Him with every part of our lives.
Instead of focusing on the method, we’re focusing on the moment and checking our motives. During service, we acknowledge the generosity of our church family and pray a blessing over the gifts given. Whether you give online, through the Church Center app, by text, or in the boxes, it all flows from the same heart of worship.
So how should we bring our tithe and offerings? With joy. With intentionality. With faith. Not out of habit, but out of a deep desire to honor God and be a part of what He’s doing through His church. Generosity is powerful. It fuels ministry, supports those in need, and advances the Kingdom. But most importantly, it transforms us. It reminds us that everything we have comes from God—and when we give back, we reflect His heart to the world. Let’s keep giving generously, joyfully, and with hearts fully surrendered to Him.
