New Life Church Weekly Update

November 3, 2023

This Sunday: November 5, 2023

8:00 am Praise in the Park, Gilchrist Park

9:15 am Traditional Worship, Sanctuary

10:45 am Contemporary Worship, Life Center

Message: "Be Not Afraid"

Scripture: John 14:23-27

Pastor Mike Loomis

Reminder: Daylight Savings Time ends on Sunday, November 5.

Turn your clocks back one hour before bed Saturday night!

New This Week

Welcome New Members
Congregation Survey for New Lead Pastor, November 7
Harmony Class, new study begins November 12
Men's Breakfast, November 18
Today Matters, November 18
Salvation Army Bell Ringers, November 25 - December 23
Foster Care Christmas Luncheon, December 2
Cuba Mission Trip, December 8

Welcome New Members!

We are so happy to welcome our newest New Life Church family members! The following members joined last Sunday, October 29:

8:00 AM Service

Tom and Carolyn Merrill

John LeFrancois, Jr.

9:15 AM Service

George and Joanne Davis

Ken and Gloria Etherington

Becky Van Pelt

Cathy Samson

Bob and Sharon Tubay

10:45 AM Service

Diane Opeil

Halloween Food Truck Festival

Becca Tomasello, Director of Children’s and Family Ministry

Our Halloween Food Truck Festival was a success!

Many thanks to Tim, Betzy and our Halloween Committee for brainstorming and assisting in organizing this event. Thank you to First Baptist Church of Punta Gorda for providing a safe place to park and additional activities. Thank you to all the food trucks that came out and participated.

Most of all, thank you to all those who volunteered their time setting up, cleaning up, and greeting our guests.

Community Thanksgiving Dinner, November 23

Food Donation Needs:

Fully Cooked Turkeys (50 needed)
Green Beans, Large Can
Yams, Large Can
Turkey Stuffing, Large Box
Mashed Potatoes, Large Box
Gravy, Large Jars
Pumpkin Pies

Please label all food donations "THANKSGIVING" and deliver them to Lenox Hall or the Life Center, beginning November 5.

ALL cooked turkeys should be delivered the MORNING of Thanksgiving, 8-10:30 am to Lenox Hall for carving.

Places to Serve:

Food preparers and Food servers (for the pick up meal line)
People to Deliver meals
Security persons (2)
Pie and bread preparers.
Turkey Carvers
Clean up crew (3 to 5)
Decorating Crew (Wednesday prior between 12-2)

Please contact Sherri O'Connell via email sherri.oconnell1003@gmail.com or telephone 941-916-4050 with any questions or to volunteer. Thank you!

Congregation Survey for New Lead Pastor

The Leadership Council

Greetings to Our Church Members!

With Pastor Mike’s announcement of his retirement in 13 months at the end of November 2024, we are beginning the process of finding our new Lead Pastor. As a non-denominational church, we have the ability to seek candidates on our own and decide who the final candidate will be to lead us in our growth in Jesus Christ.

On or about November 7th, you will receive an email survey from “SurveyMonkey.” We are asking for your response to get a feel of where our membership stands on the type of Lead Pastor we would want to bring to our congregation.

Our church has always adhered to the Conservative/Orthodox teachings founded on Wesleyan guiding principles. Our main beliefs of Christian theology and practice are:

All Scripture is inspired;
Jesus Christ is fully human and fully divine;
The understanding of the nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Trinity)
The physical or bodily resurrection of Jesus;
Salvation is given by grace through faith in Jesus;
The centuries-old biblical understanding of human sexuality and marriage as between a man and a woman.

With this in mind, we have developed a short survey for you to respond to the different attributes that you feel are most important in our Lead Pastor.

This Survey is not a vote. It helps us get a clearer picture of where our congregation stands in relation to this important decision to be made. We are using a simple online survey from “SurveyMonkey”. It consists of 10 questions and should take about 10-15 minutes for you to complete. The survey results need to be submitted no later than November 21, 2023.

We want to know what you think!

If you are unable to respond using technology and the internet, please ask for a printed form at one of our church services, where you will be able to answer the questions on-site, and we will be glad to input your answers into the survey database. If you attend worship via livestream, please call our church office at 941-639-3842 and Gail will be happy to send you a survey if you cannot access it online.

May God’s blessing be yours this day and always!

Harmony Class

The Harmony Class will begin a new study Sunday, November 12th at 9:15 a.m. in Lenox Hall. “The Angels of Christmas: Hearing God’s Voice in Advent”, by Susan Robb, explores the angelic visits surrounding the birth of Jesus with Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds. This four-week Advent experience will dive into the history of the angel Gabriel and other angels in the Bible. The messages of the angels hold meaning for listeners both then and now. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Men's Breakfast, November 18

All men are invited Saturday, November 18th at 8:00 am in Lenox Hall. Pastor Bob Carlson will be discussing Israel in light of recent events, and the importance of

Israel to Christians.

A Continental Breakfast will be provided. There is no charge for this event, but please make reservations by Thursday, November 16 by responding to an email invitation, or contact Wayne Sharp at sharpww@me.com.

Today Matters, November 18

On the heels of the attack on Israel, our guest for November and Today Matters Mental Health Ministries, will discuss firsthand accounts of the region and personal experience dealing with the various terrorist groups. Former US Navy SEAL Commander, Dan O’Shea, his experience and subject expert on counter-terrorism will share the truth about how these various groups work. Dan has appeared on CNN, Fox News, and other networks as the subject expert, giving insight into the inner workings and his history while on numerous tours rescuing innocent men, women, and children in the region. This is a “Do Not Miss” program on Saturday, November 18th starting at 4:00 pm sharp!

Foster Care Christmas Luncheon

The Foster Care Christmas Luncheon will be held on Saturday, December 2nd in the Life Center. We have 130 kids registered for this event! Please help us to make this a special Christmas for these children by providing them with gifts. If you are willing to purchase a gift for under $25, please stop by the table in the Life Center on Sunday before the 9:15 and 10:45 am services. Please attach the card to the unwrapped gift and return it to the Life Center outside room 6 by November 26.

Thank you so much for helping us bless these children.

Salvation Army Bell Ringers Needed

We will be returning to the Airport Road Publix this holiday season to ring the bells for the Salvation Army (November 25 - December 23). Please sign up for a time to ring the bell by using the link below, or you can call Gail in the church office 941-639-3842.

Bell Ringer Sign Up

A Word from Worship

Greetings New Life Church family and friends,

Happy November! During prayer this evening asking God for help and direction for this article, every devotional, book, and pages I opened in my Bible, contained some thing about gratitude and/or giving thanks. You wouldn't think I'd need help for a topic like that in the month of Thanksgiving! However, as I've mentioned before, one thing I'm especially grateful for is the gift of listening. Like a child who needs to be reminded while learning, I know it must be important. And it is! When I've been asked how I could be thankful for anything when I was in and out of hospitals, unable to work, or even walk, and in constant pain those many years ago, I began keeping a Gratitude Journal. At first, and for some time, the things I was grateful for were pretty basic. When you are suffering for any reason, or maybe just stuck in a situation that may or may not be temporary this can help. Here's how it worked for me: at the end of each day, I would write 3 or 5 items that I'd been thankful for that day. At first, there were things like air to breathe, green grass, sunshine. Really basic! But then I began giving thanks (praise) to God for these things and soon realized that He was showing me different things in my life that gave me hope and my prayers soon changed to joyful praise and glory to our Father who wants the best for us. Because of Jesus and His sacrifice, we can live and walk in grace. We may not deserve it yet, but by practicing gratitude by consciously writing it down in a journal it helps us to be grounded on days when things might not be going well. Then we have a better perspective on praise throughout each day. It's so easy to get down when it seems like life is full of everything negative. Praying with a positive attitude can change our attitude quickly; reading psalms of hope or thankfulness, listening to praise songs, or writing in a journal three things that you're grateful about the day. 1Thessalonians 5:18 tells us: "In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." God helps us see how gratitude overcomes negative thoughts and allows us to experience joy. Jesus gave thanks in every situation - when prayers were answered, when he performed miracles and in the middle of suffering. I believe it is God's will that we practice gratitude- not because God needs our praise, but so we don't miss out on living in His glory. Be sure and read the Bridge for upcoming events. The church calendar is very busy over the next several weeks. Remember to make gratitude a choice - every single day.

I am praying for you!

Rosie Young

Worship Coordinator

rosie@newlifeforall.church

Cuba Mission Trip

The December 8 Mission Trip to Cuba is getting ready to go with Geri Bodner, Shirley DeJean, Tom Little, Wayne Sharp, Shirley Stewart, and Becky Van Pelt participating. They will be visiting our sister churches and missions to encourage our fellow Christians and show our support for their bringing people to Jesus. Each will carry a 50 pound luggage to be filled with medicines and children's kindergarten Sunday school supplies. Now we need 6 large suitcases which can be dropped off at the Bargain Boutique. We can also carry iPhones, iPads, and laptop computers. These electrical devices must have chargers and be cleared of personal information. A list of the needed supplies can be found on the "CUBA" Box located in Lenox Hall where gifts can be left. For questions, call Tom Little, 941-769-0002, kalani@comcast.net.

Church Library Notes

Books recently donated to the library include:

"The Heart that Grew Three Sizes: Finding Faith in the

Story of the Grinch" by Matt Rawle

"Who Need Christmas?" By Andy Stanley

"Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table" by Louie Giglio

FOUND!!

A Bible Challenge game board was recently dropped off

with note attached. "Found in Room 13. Belong to anyone?"

It is currently on bottom shelf next to return box in the

library.

Here's a New Life Church Trivia History Fact straight from our history shelf:

"Isaac Trabue, founder of Punter Gorda, built a community hall in 1887. That structure was where school classes and church services for several religious groups were held. That location is where our church is currently located. "

Operation Christmas Child

Please return your Shoebox Gifts on Sunday, November 12th. Need more time? The last Sunday to turn in Shoebox Gifts is Sunday, November 19th. Can’t make it either Sunday? No problem! The Shoebox Gift Drop-Off Center at the New Life Gazebo will be open from 10 a.m. – Noon, November 13-20th. Thank you for participating in this important ministry to reach children around the world with The Good News!

Build a Shoebox Online

We welcome you to help us reach our goal of packing 50 'GO' Boxes (Gospel Opportunities) shoeboxes before December 31, 2023. You will find quality gifts to choose from and the cost of $25 includes shipping! If you like to let your 'fingers do the shopping' This is for YOU! Enjoy this 'shoebox shopping experience' without leaving home! Children in over 170 countries will receive shoebox gifts this year. Please be a part of blessing them with the Good News of Jesus Christ. Enhance their joy!

Build a Shoebox Online

Advent Study:

"An Unlikely Advent" by Rachel Billups

Led by Pastor Earl Smith

Wednesdays 9:30-11 AM, Lenox Hall

Begins November 15

Rachel Billups is a visionary, leader, speaker, and author. Currently, she serves as pastor at New Albany United Methodist Church. She previously served as Senior Pastor at Ginghamsburg Church's multi-campus ministry in Tipp City/Dayton Ohio. Rachel draws on her love of people and passion to explore new venues for ministry and mission.

This four-week Advent study focuses on the experiences of four sets of often overlooked characters in the Nativity story. During this Advent season, Rachel Billups guides readers through the themes of hope, love, joy, and peace by sharing the stories of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Herod, the Magi, and the shepherds. Each set of unexpected characters has something to teach about living faithfully on the journey to Christmas.

Nativity scenes function as the centerpiece of nearly every Christmas gathering in our homes and in our churches. It’s a holy spot where we attempt to re-create our interpretations of the Gospel stories. So, we gather wise men, Mary and Joseph, a shepherd, and a camel, just to name a few. And then it hit me, what about everyone else in the Christmas story? Why only include Mary, Joseph, and the baby Jesus? Some Nativities include the frequent extras: a side-angel and a few assorted barnyard animals; but what about Zechariah and Elizabeth there in that inner circle? Where is Herod in the grand scheme of things? How did the magi and the shepherds encounter the Christ child?

These B-players usually emerge as “extras” in God’s story, but I could not help but wonder if they might have more to teach us about the intersection of God’s story with ours. I realized over those years that I somehow relate more closely to shepherds and magi than to Mary and Joseph. And, I am definitely no angel. Could it be that we more readily see ourselves in these unlikely characters surrounding the Advent story?

Surviving the Holidays

Have you or someone you know experienced the death of a loved one? No matter how long it's been, grief can make the holidays a painful time, but there is hope. Our GriefShare program is once again offering an encouraging seminar to help those dealing with grief survive the holidays and discover new reasons to enjoy them again. We want to encourage you to sign up for this 2 hour seminar today, and join us Saturday, November 18 from 10am until Noon. Seating is limited, so reservations are required. For reservations or information, please call or text Melodie Austin at 941-661-0842 or you may email her at melharryaustin@yahoo.com.

Reservations must be made before Monday, November 13th.

Schedule your Blood Donation Appointment HERE

Dates to Remember - Mark your Calendars!

November 4, UCW "Portrait of a Bride"

November 18, Men's Breakfast

November 18, Surviving the Holidays

November 18, Today Matters

November 19, Blood Drive

November 23, Community Thanksgiving Dinner

December 2, Foster Care Christmas Luncheon

December 3, Town Hall Meeting

December 8, Harp Concert

December 17, Blue Christmas

December 24, Christmas Eve

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.