New Life Church Weekly Update

June 20, 2025

This Sunday: June 22, 2025

9:15 Traditional Worship, Sanctuary

10:45 Contemporary Worship, Life Center

Message: "How to Love Beyond Looks"

Scripture: James 2:1-13

Pastor Casey

We will be sharing highlights from Vacation Bible School this Sunday, with a special performance by our campers at the 10:45 service... you won't want to miss it!

New this Week:

Youth Mission Trip Report
Bargain Boutique, Closed for the Summer!
Fifth Sunday Offering, this Sunday
Hurricane Preparedness Update
New Life in Christ Church Birthday Celebration, July 6

Youth Mission Trip Report

Tim Buck, Director of Youth Ministries

Dear New Life Church Family,

We are thrilled to share some of the successes of our recent Teen Mission Trip to Imperial, Pennsylvania! Once in Pennsylvania, we joined up with 14 other church youth groups and partnered with Heroes Supporting Heroes of Western, PA. Together, we worked on 29 homes, predominantly owned by veterans and retired first responders.

Despite the rain, our students' hard work and dedication allowed them to take on and finish even more jobs than originally planned. We're proud to report that our teens completed 103% of their assigned tasks! YES,103%! Crews consisted of 5 teens and an adult leader or two who as a small team built wheelchair ramps, removed and totally rebuilt decks and porches complete with sturdy railings. In addition to construction

projects, almost every crew also painted. Some painted indoors while other crews painted extensively outside. Several crews even painted an entire house! In total, 186 youth and volunteers served during this seven-day mission.

Another wonderful outcome of our trip is that we were able to "pay forward" our mission trip supplies. The 50 lbs of tools we brought with us were given to Group Workcamps for use during the next 6 weeks of summer mission trips they will be hosting across the country. The air mattresses, pillows, and blankets you all generously gave money for us to purchase were also donated. We gave all of these items to The Table Church (table.org), which has several Pittsburgh area campuses. They plan to use these items for their homeless ministry, as they often have many homeless individuals sleeping either in or immediately around their parking lots. These items will be a blessing to this vulnerable segment of their city's population.

Photos above:

Deck project before, and after!
Our nightly youth group devotions was a time for each team member to share our Glory sightings from the day and get encouragement for the day to come.

Thanks again for your numerous prayers and all the support of our teens and chaperones while on their mission trip. This trip was a great opportunity for our students to Go Serve!

Harmony Class

The Harmony Class will begin a new six-week study THIS SUNDAY at 9:15 am in Lenox Hall. This study by Max Lucado, “What Happens Next: A Traveler’s Guide Through The End of This Age,” provides a reassuring overview of what God’s Word has to say as we move into the end of this age, and reminds us that we are headed to a far better place than where we started. Class materials are provided, and all are welcome to attend!

The Bargain Boutique is closed for the Summer!

The Bargain Boutique will closing on Friday the 27th of June and will re-open after Labor Day. We will not be accepting any donations until September when we reopen.

We thank you for generous donations, we couldn't do this by ourself. We consider our Donors part of our Volunteer Staff!

We recommend the following Thrift Shops that support our community with your donations thru the Summer: Jesus Loves You, Meals on Wheels, Salvation Army.

Thank you again and we will see you in September.

In Joy, All the Volunteers

Fifth Sunday, June 29

We will receive a special Fifth Sunday offering for our mission partner, Residing Hope (formerly known as the Florida Children's Home) this Sunday. Envelopes will be available in the Sanctuary and Life Center.

Take a moment to watch the video below to learn more about the important work Residing Hope is doing:

Hurricane Preparedness

Kathy Butgereit, Administrative Director

To many native Floridians this is just another season. But for many of us that have moved to this beautiful state hurricane season can be a little nerve wracking. As many of you know our church campus has taken a few major hits in the last three years from Ian, Helene and Milton. We have put together a hurricane task force team under the direction of our Facilities Manager, Joey DePetro, that has implemented a hurricane preparedness plan to get us prepared if we have a hurricane headed our way and to mitigate as much damage as possible. Most all of our rooms now have furniture that can be easily relocated to the Life Center by carts, dollies etc. to avoid loss. We are needing to gather a list of volunteers that would be willing to help in the event of a hurricane headed our way to prepare our campus as well as a list of volunteers that would be willing to help with clean up of the campus after a hurricane.

If you would be willing to join either volunteer group, please sign up using the links below, with your preference of pre or post hurricane volunteer work.

Pre-Hurricane

Post-Hurricane

We understand that everyone is busy during this season preparing your own homes and making

plans for evacuation if needed. I am including a link to the guide from Charlotte County that

has many helpful ideas to get prepared ahead of the storm:

Charlotte County Disaster Planning Guide

Thank you in advance for the wonderful volunteers that take such good care of our church

campus. We certainly could not do this without you!

New Life in Christ Church is turning 3!

It has been 3 years since we transitioned to an independent church, away from the Florida United Methodist Conference. We will have birthday cupcakes in Lenox Hall NEXT Sunday, July 6th to commemorate our "birthday" as New Life in Christ Church.

WANTED

One person with DIY talents and skills working with wood and staining to make a new prayer board for the soon to open Prayer Room. We have a picture to go by. If you need a small project and can help, contact Ellen at ewebb3436@gmail.com or call 941-626-9215 and leave a voice message. Thank you!

Blessing of the Backpacks

July 13, 10:45 Service

The beginning of the 2025-26 school year is right around the corner! All school-aged children and their parents are invited to a "Blessing of the Backpacks" on Sunday, July 13 during the 10:45 Service. Children are invited to bring their backpack along, and we will fill it with supplies for the upcoming year.

Church family, your help is needed to fill the backpacks!!

Below is a list of needed items. You can bring your supplies to the collection bin in Lenox Hall beginning this Sunday, June 15. Thank you!!

#2 Pencils
Glue Sticks
Crayons (16 count)
Colored Pencils
Erasers
Prong Folders
Pocket Folders

Contact AJ with any questions: aj@newlifeforall.church.

Kiwanis Shoes for Kids - Shoe Drive

June 15 - 20, 2025

We are partnering again this summer with the Kiwanis “Shoes for Kids” project. The purpose of “Shoes for Kids” is to provide new tennis shoes to any student in Charlotte County that needs them to begin the new school year, or throughout the academic year. Approximately 75% of the shoes are delivered to our local Elementary Schools.

Thank you to those who have already donated!!

You can drop off your donations of new shoes to the collection box located in Lenox Hall.

A Word from Worship

Greetings New Life Church family and friends,

The long hot summer is here, and while our church family is lower in numbers, we continue to have wonderful, uplifting worship services each week with messages that encourage us to grow in faith. If you've been a part of, or even stopped by campus this week, you'll have noticed it is filled with many children, here for Vacation Bible School. They had many activities, made new friends and most importantly learned about Jesus and how He loves each of them. What a wonderful blessing and opportunity for those young lives to learn about that love which will be with them in fun-filled memories during a week at New Life Church. We wouldn't be able to make things like this happen without devoted leaders and volunteers who give part of their week to make it special. Because of this gift of service, they are blessed and children and their parents or caregivers are also blessed. I remember when we moved to Punta Gorda and were looking for a church. I'll admit that we hadn't been faithful at any one church before we moved here, but it was one thing that was important to me. We tried one church tat I thought would be perfect- with good location, service times etc. We went to our first service and were sadly disappointed. The service seemed a little bland but more notably, not one person said hello or acknowledged us at all. It made a huge (bad) impression. A couple weeks later we were shopping and while waiting for Don to check out, I stood outside and a lovely lady came over to talk to me, asking how long we'd been here and for some reason it came up that we were looking for a church! She graciously encouraged me to try "her" church. Of course it was First United Methodist, now New Life! I never saw her again but am convinced she was an angel. It definitely showed me how important it is to welcome everyone who comes to our campus to attend worship. A simple greeting or welcome can make a person feel at home. God has instructed us to serve, and actually says it is a privilege. It's a way that we can show His love to others. I am a quiet person and actually used to be very shy, but through prayer i learned that in order to show your love to others I need to put my comfort aside and reach out to others. God wants us to show His love by a simple smile and warm welcome to everyone who enters His place of worship. It's a way of serving that I encourage you to try. I'm currently looking for more greeters. The instructions are quite easy and we can work out a schedule that works for you. Please let me know if you have a heart for serving by being part of our greeting team. John 12:26 tells us "If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor." This is a rewarding and wonderful way to answer His call.

I'm praying for you!

Rosie Young

Worship Coordinator

rosie@newlifeforall.church

New Life 101

July 13, 20 & 27, 2025

New Life 101 is for anyone new or new-ish who wants to know more about New Life Church. Classes are held over three consecutive Sundays from 12:30 - 2pm. The first session is an overview of New Life. All three sessions are required for anyone considering church membership. Lunch will be provided (as will nursery, upon request).

Dates to Remember - Mark your Calendars!

JULY

No Family Night in July

New Life Birthday Celebration - July 6, between services

Blessing of the Backpacks - July 13

New Life 101 - July 13, 20, 27

AUGUST

Family Night, July 6

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.