New Life Church Weekly Update

August 22, 2025

This Sunday: August 24, 2025

9:15 Traditional Worship, Sanctuary

10:45 Contemporary Worship, Life Center

Message: "How to Be a Great Church"

Scripture: James 5:12-20

Pastor Casey

New this Week:

The Disciple's Path - Seek: Discover Christ
Looking for Small Group Leaders
Parking Lot Resurfacing this week (Aug 25 - 29)
Kiwanis Shoes for Kids, Thank You

The Disciple’s Path

Seek: Discover Christ

Pastor Casey

Our mission at New Life Church is to offer new life in Christ as we seek, support, shape, and send disciples. This mission highlights both our ministry strategy and our discipleship pathway. Ministry strategy guides our ministries. The discipleship pathway is the road under our feet as we follow the Way of Jesus. Each week in The Bridge, we’re exploring one of the four parts. This week, we’re talking about “Seek.”

OUR STRATEGY

Just as God in Christ seeks us, so we seek those who don’t yet know Jesus Christ. We want to share Christ one-on-one, invite others to New Life Church, and show radical hospitality to everyone who comes to New Life Church.

Every ministry under the Seek umbrella should be evaluated based on how effectively it’s helping us to do those three things. Seek ministries include things like First Impressions (greeters, parking lot attendants, Welcome Center), guest follow-up, New Life 101 class, and training our church how to effectively evangelize.

OUR PATHWAY: EXPLORERS

Each step of the disciple’s path actually has two kinds of people walking side by side: the Explorer and the Guide. Explorers are themselves seeking to discover Christ. Guides assist others to discover Christ. John 1:43-46 shows us an explorer and guide side by side. Philip is an explorer until he commits to following Jesus. He becomes a guide when he leads Andrew and Peter to Jesus.

The discipleship pathways starts by exploring the good news of Jesus and questions about Christianity. But that journey of discovery is incomplete until someone commits to being a disciple of Jesus Christ. First steps for explorers might include:

Attending worship for the first time
Reading the Bible for the first time
Addressing issues that made someone leave a church in the past
Participating in a class that explores basic questions about Christianity
Read 1 of the 4 Gospels through in a month
Get a Bible in modern English
Read books like The Reason for God (Tim Keller), Why I’m Still a Christian (Justin Brierly), Confronting Christianity (Rebecca McLaughlin)
Deciding how to publicly commit to Jesus Christ as a disciple

OUR PATHWAY: GUIDES

Disciples of Jesus guide others to Jesus. We want everyone to know Jesus! Seeking others like the Good Shepherd has sought us is about evangelism, invitation, and hospitality. Once you become a disciple, Jesus expects you to guide others to become his disciple, too. You don’t have to be a Bible expert or church staff. Every disciple can guide others to become disciples! We want to equip and encourage members at NLC to help others discover Christ.

You can help others to discover Christ by:

SHARING your faith one-on-one with others.
INVITING others to experience New Life Church.
SHOWING guests at NLC radical hospitality.

NEXT STEP

Many of you reading this are already disciples of Jesus. If you’re already following Jesus, think about these two questions:

How would you explain to a non-Christian friend why Jesus is good news?
Who can you invite to worship with you at NLC?

Looking for Small Group Leaders

We are beginning a new sermon series in September: "Psalms - Praying with Wisdom and Honesty" and would like to launch some 6-week small groups to meet weekly throughout the series. (similar to what we did this past Lent)

Sign-ups for these six week groups will start soon, but we’re now recruiting Small Group Leaders. Groups will begin meeting the week of September 7, 2025.

If you are interesting in leading a weekly group for 6 weeks - either in your home or at the church, please email Pastor Casey: casey@newlifeforall.church.

Parking Lot Resurfacing this Week

If you plan to visit our campus any day this week, parking will be limited to the grass lots next to the old Church Office and Bargain Boutique, or on side streets.

The resurfacing will be finished by Friday, August 29 and will be ready for services on Sunday, August 31!

A great time was had by all who attended

Today Matters "Music Bingo" last week!

Harmony Class, August 24

The Harmony Class will begin a new five-week study this Sunday at 9:15 am in Lenox Hall. This study by Jim Cymbala, “Spiritual Warfare is Real: How the Power of Jesus Defeats the Attacks of Our Enemy,” helps us to recognize we are in a spiritual war, understand the enemy’s plots against us, and develop practical strategies for fighting back, ultimately recognizing, that God “gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Class materials are provided, and all are welcome to attend!

Theater Ministry Auditions

Ready to step into the spotlight? Our Theater Ministry is holding open auditions for our very first show: "A Christmas Carol"!

We're looking for actors, singers, and anyone with a passion for bringing stories to life. No experience necessary – all are welcome! Come share your talents and be a part of something special.

"A Christmas Carol" Auditions:

Sunday, August 24th | 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM, Lenox Hall

Attention all Teens!

We have an important update regarding our Youth Group meeting schedule for this coming fall semester.

Our Youth Group meetings will be transitioning to Wednesday nights from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. You can still expect the same great programming you love to be a part of, just on a new night! Dinner and lively conversation around the table will continue to be a part of our time together, so please arrive hungry as the meal will be served promptly at 6:00 PM. We have been busy planning a semester full of fun events for you to enjoy. These activities are intentionally designed for students currently in grades 6th - 12th. Students are always encouraged to invite their friends to come too as our gym and game room will be open each Wednesday night as well.

We hope to see you at our first Wednesday Night Youth Group starting on September 3rd at 6:00 PM.

Please note that Youth Group will still take place on Sunday afternoons for the next two weeks (August 17th and 24th) from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

September Youth Calendar

To volunteer, contact AJ: aj@newlifeforall.church, 941-639-3842 ext. 110

Community Thanksgiving Dinner

November 27

We are prayerfully considering hosting a Community Thanksgiving Dinner this year. Before we can move forward, we need to know if we have enough helping hands to make it happen.

We are looking for at least 20 volunteers to help plan, prepare, (possibly deliver) and serve this special meal on Thanksgiving Day. If we cannot meet this number, we will not be able to hold the event.

If you are interested and available to serve on Thanksgiving, please let us know by September 5th using the link below.

Thank you for considering being part of this opportunity to share Christ’s love in a tangible way!

Join the Thanksgiving Team

Each week in The Bridge, we’ll be sharing a few Glory on the Go submissions. Keep them coming! It’s such a blessing to celebrate these stories and stay connected throughout the summer.

In addition to sending them to us, consider posting your story on your personal Facebook or Instagram. Be sure to tag the church and include #gloryonthego.

It’s one more way to show how God is moving through New Life Church—on the go!

Janice Graham

Exploring God's glorious beauty in creation! (On our trip west)

Karen Clark

My husband Terry and I have had a trip to Croatia and Greece planned with friends for over a year. Two months ago, I badly injured my left knee playing golf. I have been taking such good care of it since then with the hopes of being able to walk on this trip. Early in the trip in Kotor, Montenegro, I realized that I had overdone it when I could barely walk to get back to the ship to ice my knee and hope for the best. The next day, we visited Dubrovnik and went into the Dubrovnik Cathedral, also known as the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. I limped in and felt compelled to stop in front of a beautiful, moving statue of Christ on the cross and selfishly prayed that I would be able to keep walking in the days to come. As I prayed, “ Jesus, you have done more for me than I can ever imagine…”, I felt a peace come over me and was moved to tears. I left the cathedral and continued on my way with less pain in my knee for the rest of the trip!

Judy Cròsetti

Reflections - We live in God’s garden.

Family Night, September 3

All children and their families are invited for dinner and an activity! Please RSVP to AJ Rilat: aj@newlifeforall.church, 941-639-3842 ext. 110. Our theme for September is Sunflowers! Join us in Lenox Hall from 6-7pm on September 3rd.

Thank You

Port Charlotte Sunrise Kiwanis "Shoes for Kids"

Thank you for being a collection site for our shoe project. Two bins = lots of happy kids with brand new shoes. That's a direct positive impact and we appreciate your support. We are so blessed with compassionate hearts like your church family.

Dates to Remember - Mark your Calendars!

AUGUST

Theater Ministry, "A Christmas Carol" auditions, August 24

Parking Lot Closed for Resurfacing - August 25-29

SEPTEMBER

Labor Day - Church Offices Closed, September 1

Family Night, September 3

Cancer Support Group, September 3

Today Matters, September 20

Hospital Visitation, Prayer Available

We want to know when you are having surgery or are in the hospital! We are available to pray with you before surgery and visit you in the hospital, rehab, etc.

Contact us through email: prayerteam@newlifeforall.church or call/text Pastor Bob, Minister of Pastoral Care (941) 585-9576.

New Life Name Tags

If you would like a name tag (magnetic or pin style), you can request one HERE or by calling Katherine in the church office 941-639-3842 ext 106. Suggested donation, $6 per nametag.