Moving somewhere new is hard. It’s even harder when you add missing family, learning a new culture and sometimes a new language. North Central is a place for people from every nation. We have many countries and cultures represented in our church and we have specific programs for international students and families to help you feel at (second) home in Gainesville.
Conversational English Partners
Wednesday Evenings, 6 pm
Each Wednesday from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, English speakers spend one hour of conversation with internationals to help improve English conversation skills. The ratio is small with 1 to 3 internationals for each “English partner”. A topic sheet is provided each time with suggested questions to get conversations started. A full meal is available at the Church beginning at 5:00 pm each Wednesday. Various socials events are scheduled throughout the year.
Children and Youth Programs
Wednesday Evenings, 5:45 pm
While internationals are busy with Conversational English Partners, their children, pre-school (Pre-K3) through 8th grade, can participate in Awana. Awana is an international program and many international children can continue participating in their home countries. Younger children have a nursery provided and older youth can participate in the youth program on Wednesdays.
Life Groups Specifically for Internationals
All Life Groups at North Central are open to internationals. There are some specific classes that are conducted with a special emphasis on internationals. Adults can attend a Life Group at the Church on Sunday morning that is designed especially for internationals.