New Life Church Weekly Update

January 12, 2024

This Sunday: January 14, 2024

8:00 am Praise in the Park, Gilchrist Park

9:15 am Traditional Worship, Sanctuary

10:45 am Contemporary Worship, Life Center

Message: "Like You Were Dying"

Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:4-50

Pastor Mike Loomis

Please Note: the Church Offices will be closed on Monday in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.

New This Week

Apostles Build 2024
Rosalie Wilford - 102nd Birthday Open House, January 20
Today Matters - January 20 program canceled
Update your Contact Information for the church office
Lead Pastor Job Posting
Tuesday Night Small Groups resume February 6
Jesus Loves You Ministry Fundraising Walk, February 10

Apostles Build 2024

New Life Church is one of 12 churches working with Habitat for Humanity to build a home in Port Charlotte for Melissa Kinney and her two children. They are very excited to be starting construction on their new home after many years of renting. Our commitment is to provide volunteers and to raise $5,000 to help with costs. On January 14th please stop between services at our table by Lenox Hall and write a blessing on 2x4s which will be used for the interior walls. New Life Church volunteers will be working on the home Saturday, February 3rd. Donations are welcome. Please indicate ‘Apostles Build’ on your offering. For more information, call Wayne Sharp at 612-867-3017or sharpww@me.com.

Schedule Your Appointment Here

Learn more about Bobby & Doreen HERE.

Jail & Prison Ministry, Volunteer Informational Session

January 17, 6pm in Room 9

Charlotte Re-Entry Initiative

“I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:36

Please join us for a 1 hour informational session to learn about the serving opportunities in the Corrections Ministry in our community.

Service Opportunities - We are seeking volunteers to work in our programs with:

Male inmates at state prison – Punta Gorda
Female and Male inmates at county jail – Punta Gorda
Community follow up and mentoring with released inmates

Requirements:

No experience necessary, just a caring heart
You may but need not work inside the corrections facilities
Volunteers with previous convictions are not excluded

Contact: David Ostrow, Director 847-651-8200, W. Craig Esterly, Director (412) 628-0836

Men's Breakfast

The Men will be meeting on Saturday, January 20th at 8:00 am in Lenox Hall. Our guest speaker is Leo Modica, author of Mainstream Apologetics, a website that trains leaders to defend the truth claims of the Christian faith. He will be presenting “How to Engage with People on Matters of God’s Truth.” Leo will present the case for Modern Evangelism and our need to identify with people in this age of Relativism.

A Continental Breakfast will be provided. There is no charge for this event, but please make

reservations by Thursday, January 18th by contacting Wayne Sharp at sharpww@me.com.

RSVP - Men's Breakfast

Happy Birthday, Rosalie!

Rosalie Wilford is turning 102 years old! Her family would like to invite everyone to an open house to honor her on Saturday, January 20, 2024 from 2-4 pm in Lenox Hall.

Please stop by to wish her a "Happy Birthday" and enjoy a piece of cake and some coffee. No gifts please!

Today Matters, January 20 - Canceled

The program for January 20th at 4 pm has been canceled. Please mark your calendars and plan to join us February 17!

Update Your Contact Information

The church office strives to maintain the most up-to-date and accurate contact information for all of our members and regular attenders. Thank you in advance for taking a few minutes to fill out our 2024 Contact Update form for each member of your household by clicking the link below:

Update Your Contact Information

First Steps Class

Are you considering becoming a member of New Life Church? Or, do you just want to know more about who we are and what God is calling us to be and do?

Then, join us for our First Steps Class, on Sunday, February 4 at 2:00 pm in Room 9.

This 2-hour session will be led by Pastor Mike as he takes you through what it is to be a Christian, and specifically, a Christian who worships, grows, and serves at New Life in Christ Church.

Sign-ups are extremely helpful to ensure we have enough materials and goodies for all. Please use the link below to sign up. Please contact Gail 941-639-3842 or gail@newlifeforall.church with any questions.

Lead Pastor Job Posting

We have posted the Lead Pastor position. If you know someone who may have interest, please refer them to the link below to apply:

Job Posting

Jesus Loves You Ministry

Fundraiser 2024 Walk for THEM - February 10, 2024

Our Shower Ministry will be participating in a fundraiser walk benefiting the Jesus Loves You Ministry on February 10th at 9am. Consider donating to this ministry which our church supports. Please note "Jesus Loves You Ministry" on your check and you can leave in the offering boxes on Sunday morning. Thank you!

A Word from Worship

Greetings New Life Church family and friends -

I wonder if any of you are like me and having trouble getting into a new year of planning? Having a few days of laying around and reading, doing crossword puzzles etc. over the holidays made me feel sluggish and not necessarily rested. It makes me realize how quickly time passes - especially when Pastor Mike says "We should sit down this week to start planning for Easter." He's right- it will be here before we know it! I am very aware that time goes fast, and I'm probably moving slower, so I want to make the best use of each day.

I am so thankful for your loving comments and words of encouragement after my orthopedic evaluation. I am not discouraged- as I tell my physicians, I have the power of prayer on my side, so we'll see what happens. As many of us do at the beginning of a year, I've been thinking about making new goals and challenges so my prayer life doesn't become routine. In thinking of the doctor saying that I need surgery on my hip but I'm too high risk to do it, could have been really discouraging. However, God led us to begin a new plan on reading the Bible in 2024 and my hope has increased. It's remarkable how God can bring good results out of bad circumstances and our bleakest days are often His way of preparing us for the best ones. Sometimes the Lord also uses problems to bring us to Christ. I've seen situations when someone experiences adversity which then causes them to realize that they need saving. It's always amazing to me to question a situation, or pray about circumstances and then you open your Bible or a devotional and God has led you to information relating to that exact topic. I was investigating info on stretching exercises for my muscle strength and then casually opened a devotional with an article by David Jeremiah Daily Stretches to challenge our faith! So - we don't need to only move our arms and legs to stay healthy but: we should stretch our mind for good brain function to stay engaged.. He also suggests stretching our time letting us stay available. Our new reading plan for the Bible is a way to stretch growing in the Word. I'm sure we haven't been alone in spending time watching television or on other social media rather than reading and meditating on His word to see what God has to say about life. Of course, we should increase our time in prayer. At some time we all need Jesus to stretch out His hand to touch our pain, our burdens and our needs.

Psalm 77:2 says - "In the day of my trouble I sought the Lord; my hand was stretched out in the night without ceasing." Sometimes we need to sit quietly with our Bible open in front of us. It's a beautiful thing when He leads us to a special scripture or verse or thought. I am grateful for your comments and feedback. Many weeks I sit quietly, praying, asking God to help me know what to write about, so the Praise and glory go to Him who leads us.

Please check the Bridge for upcoming events - especially ways that you can serve. I believe that God gives each of us a personal ministry and also ways to share the love of Jesus with others.

Thank you for your prayers! Keep reminding others to share The Lord's Prayer daily at noon. There is power in prayer! I am praying for you!

Rosie Young

Worship Coordinator

rosie@newlifeforall.church

Dates to Remember - Mark your Calendars!

Blood Drive, January 14

Bobby & Doreen's Jukebox Dreams, January 14

Church Offices closed in Honor of Martin Luther King Jr., January 15

Men's Breakfast, January 20

Rosalie Wilford - Birthday Open House, January 20

First Steps New Member Class, February 4

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.