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New Life Church Weekly Update | |
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This Sunday: January 5, 2025
10:30 Installation Service for Pastor Casey, Life Center
Reception immediately following
Message: "Only Servants"
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 3:1-11
Pastor Casey Taylor
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Happy New Year, New Life in Christ Church!
Pastor Casey
We’re turning the page from 2024 to 2025. We’re also passing the baton of pastoral leadership here at New Life.
I first want to say to all of you, “THANK YOU!” Thank you for the prayers, encouragement, and tangible efforts to make my arrival in Florida easier. You have incredible church staff and volunteers. I’m especially grateful to be following such a phenomenal pastor. I’ve only known Pastor Mike for about eight months, but we’ve spent a lot of time together talking. I’m impressed by his heart, his leadership, and his passion for Jesus Christ. He cares deeply for all of you and it honors me to have his blessing as I succeed him as Lead Pastor.
I’m excited to finally start our ministry together! It all begins Sunday, January 5, with the installation worship service (just one service this week in the Life Center). I’ll be preaching and sharing from 1 Corinthians 3:1-11.
This is the first message in our new sermon series. It’s called First Things First. I typically preach a series of messages that are tied together by a topic or book of the Bible. You can usually expect me to lead us through a passage of Scripture and then apply one idea (what I call “the bottom line”) to our lives.
Consider this as we start First Things First: When we start something new, we take stock of what’s most important. Sometimes that means asking, “Who am I? What’s important to me? Where am I going?” It’s true of individuals, groups, organizations - even churches. We’re going to spend seven Sundays talking about the most important things we can focus on together as a church. We’ll start with this question: how can we, as pastor and church, effectively work together? I can’t think of anything more important for us to talk about our first Sunday together. I hope to see you then!
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New this Week:
- A Note from Leadership
- Keep in touch with Pastor Jorge
- Christmas in Cuba
- Wednesday Morning Bible Study, Begins January 8
- Today Matters, January 18
- Operation Christmas Child
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A Note from Leadership
Just a quick update on rooms and moves since the hurricane:
The Church Office is now located in Room 7 in the Life Center which is formally known as the game room.
Pastor Casey will be located in Room 1 in the Life Center.
Rooms 9, 13 and Lenox Hall are ready for us to begin using for meetings. The rooms have all new tables and chairs in them. We are asking everyone to please be considerate of everything being new. There are wipes in each room so we ask that the leaders of the groups using the rooms please wipe down the tables after each meeting.
Thank you for your patience during the construction phase. We know there are still some things that need to be done but we wanted to get the space usable for meetings as soon as possible.
Wishing everyone a joyous New Year!
The New Life in Christ Leadership Committee
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Pastor Jorge Acevedo
A note from Pastor Jorge:
I had such a delightful month with my new friends at New Life! Several folks have asked me about my past and present ministry. One way for us to stay in touch is through my blog. I write once or twice a month.
Here is a link to read, or sign up: jorgeacevedo.com
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Christmas in Cuba
Cuba Supporters,
The picture below is of the choir taken after the Christmas Service at our sister Church in Taguasco. The two boys sang a duet at the service. Notice the large speakers on both sides of the church and also the large screen TV for messaging during the service. All new since our last visit and paid for by the increasing church membership.
We will be sending visitors to Taguasco in January for a long weekend to support and encourage our fellow Christians there. If you would like to go, let me know.
Tom Little
21unity25@gmail.com
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Sunday Morning Opportunity
Are you looking for a place to serve in 2025? We are looking for volunteers to run ProPresenter on Sunday Mornings in the Tech Booth (slides, worship lyrics, scripture etc. on the screens). If you are interested in learning more, please contact Kathy in the church office, kathy@newlifeforall.church.
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Cancer Support Group, January 8
Our January meeting will be on the 8th at 6:30 pm in Room 9.
The Cancer Support Group is open to all patients, survivors, and care givers. We are open to the community, if you have friends on a Cancer Journey, please invite them to come. Our goal is to bring “Hope for Your Journey: Coping with Cancer Through Faith.”
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Men's Breakfast, January 11
Please Join us for our next Men's Breakfast, Saturday January 11th at 8AM in Lenox Hall for
fellowship and a presentation by Arnie Eastburn, entrepreneur and CEO of Water4Life Mozambique. Arnie is extremely passionate about delivering fresh clean water for the impoverished peoples of Mozambique. Through Water4Life Mozambique, more than 400,000 peoples' lives have been vastly improved because they now have clean drinking water. All men are welcome.
A Continental Breakfast will be provided. There is no charge for this event, but please make
reservations by Thursday, January 9th by emailing Wayne Sharp, sharpww@me.com.
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Apostles Build 2025
New Life Church is one of 9 churches working with Habitat for Humanity to build a home in Port Charlotte. Our commitment is to provide volunteers and to raise $5,000 to help with costs. On January 12th, 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 1st.
Donations are welcome. Please indicate ‘Apostles Build’ in the memo line of your check. For more information, call Wayne Sharp at 612-867-3017 or email sharpww@me.com.
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Today Matters, January 18
Pastor Casey Taylor will be our guest on Saturday, January 18 at 4pm in the Life Center. Come out to support Today Matters and get to know our new pastor a little better.
See you there!
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Operation Christmas Child
Debbie Harrington
Ho! Ho! Ho! You thought Christmas was over on the 25th of December, but not so fast! The elves for Samaritan’s Purse Operation Christmas Child are still working hard building shoeboxes online. Please help us Share the Good News of Jesus Christ by participating in our New Life Church’s Goal Page "Build a Shoebox Online" from the comfort of your home! Enjoy the amazing experience by hand selecting special shoebox gifts for Girls and Boys. Spread the word, pray, and watch the goal tracker! Our New Life Church Goal page currently has 39 shoeboxes ‘built’ out of our goal of 75. Our Goal Page ends January 31, 2025. Simply Click on the link below to connect with New Life Church’s Goal Page. Let’s make sure 75 MORE children have access to The Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to start 2025 off right! Click Here: Build A Shoebox Online (samaritanspurse.org). This is the ONLY direct link to the New Life Church Goal Page. This is the ONLY link that will count toward our Goal of 75 shoeboxes online. Thank you & Happy New Year!
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Join a Bible Study in 2025! | |
Wednesday Mornings with Pastor Earl
Begins Wednesday, January 8
10:30 am - 12:00 pm in Lenox Hall
Sign up link:
JOIN THE WEDNESDAY MORNING STUDY
Pastor Earl Smith will be offering several different Bible studies on Wednesdays during the winter and spring of 2025. His first study is titled "A Way Through the Wilderness - Growing in Faith When Life is Hard." His class meets at 10:30 in Lenox Hall each week.
At one time or another, everyone has a wilderness experience, a time when life is barren and difficult and we feel alone and desperate, not knowing where to turn. Whether it's the loss of a loved one, a financial or health crisis, divorce, or some other painful experience, we see no end in sight and wonder how we can make it through another day. In the Scriptures we see that often God's people went through a wilderness experience, and these experiences changed them in profound ways. The truth is that it's impossible to go through the wilderness without being changed. There's a way through the wilderness that can leave us broken and bitter and far away from God. But there's another way through--God's way--that leaves us with a deeper faith and draws us closer to God than we ever imagined. With sensitivity and warmth, Rob Renfroe explores the wilderness experience--what it is, how we get there, why God allows it, and how we can get through it God's way so that we learn the lessons that can be learned only in the desolate seasons of life when we are totally dependent on God.
If you have any questions, contact Pastor Earl Smith, revearl@hotmail.com.
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Larry's Bible Study, "The Chosen"
Begins Wednesday, January 15
6:30 - 8:15 pm in Room 13
Sign up link:
JOIN THE CHOSEN STUDY
We will be starting a new 8-week study showing "The Chosen." The video series will start with Season One, Episode One. Each week we will show a different episode with time for discussion afterwards. Season One has Eight Episodes (about 45 minutes per episode). The study will end close to 8:15pm.
If you have not seen this production, you really should and here is your opportunity. It brings the Gospel alive. No study guides to buy. Be prepared for an experience you will never forget. Not planning to Zoom. Let me know you are planning to attend.
If you have any questions, contact Larry Keller 941-391-3940, or email keller657b@gmail.com.
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Beth Moore Bible Study
January 16 - February 20, 2025
Thursdays, 9:30 - 11:30 am in the Life Center
Sign up link:
JOIN THE BETH MOORE STUDY
Join us for a six-week deep dive into Paul’s letter to the Galatians. Discover or perhaps rediscover what makes the gospel of Jesus Christ revolutionary to those who choose to believe. There is a workbook which costs $17. Please sign up by January 13th. Invite a neighbor or friend!
If you have any questions, contact Debbie Spahn at 772-708-6355 or email debraaspahn@yahoo.com.
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2025 Daily Bible Reading Plan
Read the entire Bible or just the
New Testament in 2025!
This special Bible reading system allows you to read the entire Bible (or just the New Testament) in one year while only reading five times a week. Five readings a week gives room to catch up or take a day off to focus on other Bible reading or spiritual disciplines, and makes daily Bible reading practical and do-able.
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A Word from Worship
Greetings New Life Family and Friends,
As I sit here to write this update for you, it is New Year's Eve and time to reflect on the past months and think about the days and weeks ahead. The past few weeks have been quite hectic getting Church ready for Advent and Christmas Eve. Let me say a huge thanks to everyone who volunteered to help decorate, donate trees or ornaments, prepare candles for the Candlelight service, usher, greet guests and give hugs to all. I can't do anything by myself so I am always looking for anyone who is willing to help . Even the smallest amount of time is a big help. Let me know if helping with worship interests you and we'll talk. I pray each of you had a blessed Christmas season. I don't think I've ever had so many hugs! Thank you! We have a great Church family! Now as I look ahead to the new year, I am filled with gratitude for the blessings of the past year. To say it was a great year sounds false because it was filled with disappointment and failures. As you know, Don was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in May and told there was nothing " that would even give him much time. After get the the shock, we immediately began to pray and soon we were hearing from all of you that you were praying too. The journey wasn't easy for awhile but I knew we must thank God for each and every smallest thing. Then I was diagnosed with a cancerous lesion in my lung which was treated with radiation. During these difficult times God filled us with beautiful blessings- things like visits from a granddaughter and great grand babies which always gave us hope that the struggle and fight was worth it - and prayers and praise continued.
On Christmas day we found out we will be blessed with a new baby great granddaughter in May! What a gift!! Slowly and steadily Don has gotten better and we know each day is a gift from God. I've been grateful that I've been strong enough to help him through his down times and now - he's back driving again and helping at church. We start every day by thanking God for another day to serve Him and we are blessed. As a follow-up to my radiation treatments I had a repeat PET scan. I was happy to hear that the lesion in my lung was shrinking. However, I was told that a growth in my abdominal area had doubled in size since September. I'm now waiting to be scheduled for a biopsy . My prayer as always is "Jesus help me". We were so blessed to be at both Christmas Eve services serving our mighty Lord. We receive a precious gift every day: this is a day that You have made. So I have good reason to rejoice and be glad in this day! I encourage everyone to search each day for even the tiniest of blessings - sometimes where you least expect them - and thank Him for each one. It will bring joy to whatever journey you might be on. Thank you again for your prayers, gifts of food (it's still helping me) gift cards and other gifts of love. Let's make this a year of grateful prayer. Find a prayer partner to encourage each other and maybe join a prayer team to pray for others in need. The blessings are amazing. Ask me about it! Please pray for Pastor Casey as he and family settle here. Have a blessed and Happy, Healthy, Loving New Year!
I'm praying for you!
Rosie Young
Worship Coordinator
rosie@newlifeforall.church
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Dates to Remember - Mark your Calendars! | |
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JANUARY
Pastor Casey's Installation Service and Reception, January 5
(one service at 10:30 this Sunday, January 5)
GriefShare Begins, January 7
Cancer Support Group, January 8
Men's Breakfast, January 11
Pastor Mike's Retirement Party, January 17
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Meal Train for Don & Rosie Young
Click HERE to sign up.
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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.
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Church Name Tags
When you come to the church campus, please wear your New Life Church name tag. If you do not have a church name tag, you can order one HERE or by calling the church office.
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Offering New Life in Jesus Christ, by Seeking, Shaping, and Sending Disciples
Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 4 pm
(941) 639-3842 | www.newlifeforall.church
Download our app HERE
Sign up to receive text messages & daily devotions by calling the church office.
All past issues of The Bridge are available on our website HERE.
Submissions for the Bridge can be emailed to katherine@newlifeforall.church.
Deadline for the Bridge is the prior Wednesday, by noon.
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