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New Life Church Weekly Update | |
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This Sunday: March 16, 2025
9:15 Traditional Worship, Sanctuary
10:45 Contemporary Worship, Life Center
Message: "The Meal"
Scripture: Matthew 26:17-30
Pastor Casey
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New this Week:
- Ministry Update from Pastor Casey
- Happy 95th Birthday, Peg Kellner!
- Youth Yard Sale, Thank you!
- Charlotte Behavioral, Clothing Needs
- Scholarship Committee Birthday Box
- Appalachian Strings
- Blood Drive, March 30
- Children's Ministry FAMILY NIGHT, April 1st
- Job Opening, Associate Pastor
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Ministry Update
Pastor Casey
Easter is coming!
We’re into our first week of Lent, the worship season that prepares us for Easter. We’re taking a very traditional, but proven, approach to Lent this year. In our message series, The Way to the Cross, we’re retracing Jesus’ steps during his last few days to the cross.
We’ve also offered extra opportunities to dig deeper into the Scripture stories behind the sermons. We have 85 people in 5, six-week small groups! We also have (at last count) 339 people signed up for our daily devo (devotional)! Holy moley! I thought 200 would be ambitious but apparently you New Lifers are hungry to dig deep into God’s Word!
Since you’re so good at rising to the occasion, I’d like to offer one more Easter challenge. Many people who don’t regularly participate in a local church are open to attending a worship service on Easter. All they need is your invitation!
Pray for one person by name all through Lent and invite them to worship with you on Easter.
If you’re in the area on Easter, bring them to New Life! If you’re up north, take them to a church there. Pray God will make them spiritually hungry. Pray for the opportunity to invite. Pray for boldness. Let’s see what God can do with a church eager to tell people about Jesus!
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You're Invited!
All are invited join in celebrating Peg Kellner's 95th Birthday this Sunday afternoon.
March 16, 1-3:30 pm
Blue Heron Pines
29200 Jones Loop Road
Clubhouse on Left
RSVP: wrkelner@gmail.com, 202-374-9128
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Youth Yard Sale THANK YOU!
Dear church family,
On behalf of the New Life Youth Group, we extend our sincere gratitude for your incredible support of our annual Yard Sale.
We also deeply appreciate everyone who donated items, sorted and priced them throughout the week, worked the sale days, and helped with the massive cleanup effort. Your dedication and hard work were vital to the success of this event and fundraiser, which raised over $4,300 for our youth ministry.
These funds will significantly contribute to our students' attendance at a week of Christian summer camp and participation in our Youth mission trip this June. Thank you again for your partnership in making a difference in the lives of our youth.
Sincerely,
New Life Youth Group
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Scholarship Committee Birthday Box
The Scholarship Committee would like to remind our Bridge readers about an opportunity to contribute to the higher education scholarship fund for our future recipients. The program is called the Birthday Box. During the month of your birthday, we are asking you to consider donating one dollar to the “Birthday Box” for every year old you are. For example, if you are 50 years old, you would donate $50. If you desire to financially support this program, you can drop off your donation to the Birthday Box located in the Life Center foyer or the vestibule in the Sanctuary. Donation envelopes are available on the side of the Birthday Box for your convenience to use for cash donations, or you can just drop in your check. May you have a happy birthday by donating a blessing to a future recipient!
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Charlotte Behavioral Clothing Needs
The Crisis Unit at CBCH is in need of the items below. Donations can be brought to the Church Office (M-Th, 9am - 4pm) and we will deliver them. Thank you!
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Appalachian Strings
The Appalachian Strings, under the direction Cathy Smith, casual fiddler, meets at New Life Church every Tuesday at 9:30 in Room 13. Come join us!
We welcome all acoustic instruments like the dulcimer, ukulele, guitar, violin and many more. We are a very casual, not professional, group of beginners, experienced, and once-in-awhile players that just love to play music! We have music to start, so dust off your instruments and join us! We have several that don't read music and play by ear. If that is you, don't hesitate to come. Many songs are very familiar.
Enjoy the video below of our group making music together! If you have any questions contact Cathy Smith, cmsmith8@msn.com.
| | The first Children's Ministry Family Night was held on Tuesday, March 4th. The kids and parents had a great time, and we are looking forward to our Family Night in April! | |
A Word from Worship
Greetings New Life Family and Friends,
I want to first thank you all for your prayers and patience with me these past several weeks. To say life has been a challenge is a huge understatement. We had several months of Don and my cancer journeys, leading up to Don's death the end of January.
With your support of prayer and help in so many ways I felt like I was doing fairly well, considering what an enormous loss and adjustment this all was. Then as many of you know i came down with an upper respiratory infection. With medication I felt better in a few days but then things got worse very quickly and things turned more severe. For the past week, more aggressive medications and and round the clock nebulizer therapy, I seem to be doing better. All glory goes to my Lord and Savior who walked this difficult road with me and helped keep me out of the hospital. I'll share that on the second night of feeling very ill and actually quite scared and lonely I sat in my dark room and gave all my pain and fear to God for His glory while asking for mercy and healing. It might sound crazy but by morning after a short few hours of sleep I felt a change in my severe breathing problems. I continue to be blessed in the midst of severe circumstances. It reminded me as I've been reading and praying about Lent and Easter that we can never turn back on God- He is always there for us. Jesus knew what He was facing when He rode into Jerusalem. He knew His death was coming but He didn't back down. His love for you and me carried Him straight to the cross despite knowing He would be despised and crucified. Sometimes I think Easter has turned into Easter parades, fancy dress-up clothes and all it's finery and we forget about the gift of the cross. Matthew 6:3 says we should never do anything in an attention seeking manner: in fact Jesus said "if you reach out to give an offering, you shouldn't even let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. We should be sincere rather than showy- because the Father who sees what is done in secret will reward us. I don't ever think I'll say that all my health issues are a gift but they have been a step in opening my heart to the love of Jesus and one of my favorite prayers in the dark of nights of pain is "Jesus help me. Jesus be with me". During Lent especially I'd like to encourage us to focus on prayer; instead of a favorite cup of tea in the morning reach for your Bible, or rather than your favorite TV show, listen to worship music or have time of prayer. The point is to let go of earthly comfort and cling closer to the Lord. This journey through Lent can help us grow in our faith and become closer to Him so we can share this good news with others. My prayer is that He keeps me strong enough physically in spite of my failing body so I can do just that. I continue to be blessed by you, my New Life Family and my family as well. You are all so important and precious to me. I encourage us all to find time to make this Lenten season a true journey to the cross. I hope to see you back in church very soon. Please contact me if you'd be willing to be part of our team of greeters- especially in for Easter Sunday. Service to our Lord is a beautiful way to give back and grow in faith. Keep praying for those in need. I'm praying for you!
Rosie Young
Worship Coordinator
rosie@newlifeforall.church
| | | | Dates to Remember - Mark your Calendars! | | |
MARCH
Blood Drive, March 30 - Appointment Link
Town Hall Meeting, March 30th at 3pm - Sanctuary
APRIL
Children's Ministry FAMILY NIGHT, April 1
Holy Thursday Service, 6pm
Good Friday Service, 12pm
EASTER SUNDAY - APRIL 20, 2025
6:15 AM Sunrise Service, Sanctuary
8:00 AM Traditional Service, Life Center
with Special Music by the Chancel Choir
11:00 AM Contemporary Service, Life Center
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Meal Train for 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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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.
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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
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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