Sunday, October 30, Kid's Halloween Celebration in Life Center from 4-6pm. Kids are invited and encouraged to wear their costumes!

Joey DePetro, our Church Facilities Manager, immediately opened a claim with our insurance company. He has submitted a mitigation assessment and a damage assessment. This includes 62 items that need attention. We received word on October 20^th that our first insurance claim check is in the mail.

Our New Life Cancer Support Ministry will restart its monthly meetings on Wednesday, November 2, 2022 in room 9 at 6:30 pm. This faith based cancer support group is open to all adult cancer survivors, patients and caregivers from New Life Church and our surrounding community. It is the goal of this ministry to discuss and discover the role and importance of our faith in meeting the challenges of cancer in our lives. At this upcoming meeting we will hold a celebration around our Fountain of Hope, fellowship with our group participants, and receive meaningful words of encouragement and support from our special guest, Pastor Angela Hinchman. We want to extend a very warm welcome to all and look forward to seeing you. For further information please contact Jane Sheppard at: janesheppard@rocketmail.com

In the midst of all that has happened God is asking us to come and spend time with him, to soak in his presence, and to pray for our families, friends, neighbors and community. With this in mind, we have decided to do a week of 24/7 prayer* in our prayer room at church. We want to invite you to sign up for an hour or two to come encounter God in this place!

*Note: we currently have 24/7 security on campus.

We will be returning to the Airport Road Publix to ring the bells for the Salvation Army from November 26th to December 23rd.

Sign-up sheets will be available this Sunday, October 30th between the worship services at the Gazebo.

When you come to the church campus, please wear your New Life Church name tag. This will help Samaritan's Purse security identify that you are with the church. Thank you!

If you do not have a church name tag, you can order one HERE.

Some of the name tags that have been ordered are in, and will be in the foyer of the Life Center this Sunday before and after worship.

We have baby diapers, adult diapers and wipes, baby formula and more. If you or someone you know is in need, stop by the Life Center from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.

This year, our Community Thanksgiving Dinner will be a bit different, as we are only preparing meals for shut-in deliveries. There will be no pickups.

If you are able to volunteer on Thanksgiving Day and/or are willing to cook a turkey, please contact the Dinner Coordinator, Sherri O'Connell:

sherri.oconnell1003@gmail.com or call 941-916-4050

Please drop off food donations by Thursday, November 17 to the Life Center kitchen.

The Chancel Ringers rehearses on Wednesdays at 6:00PM and plays at the 11:00AM service once a month. If you are interested in joining our handbell group and can read music I want to talk to you!

The Chancel Choir rehearses on Thursdays at 6:00PM in the Historic Sanctuary and sings Sundays at the 11:00AM Service. The Chancel Choir is open to anyone interested – no audition is necessary.

Please contact me for more information or questions.

Greetings New Life friends and family --

I hope everyone is doing well.  Hard to believe it's been a month since Hurricane Ian blew through. It seems impossible that November is next week. It's been a sometimes harsh reminder to appreciate and value each day for the gift that it is. So many people have been suffering for simple needs that most of us take for granted until we are forced to face that things can change at any time.  Because we have faith, we are blessed to realize that our Heavenly Father is always with us, and will never leave us. Before I made a commitment to begin and end each day by praising God, I sometimes had doubts if my prayer was really being heard. Then I was reminded of this verse: Deuteronomy 31:8 "The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.  Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." There it is. God is with me no matter how far I might feel from Him. Never will He leave me. Never will He leave you. I have been blessed to meet and talk with a few of the people who have come in needing help; basic supplies like toothbrushes, baby diapers or cleaning supplies. It was a gift to pray with them. While they say thank you, I feel like I'm the one who is blessed. It prompts me to realize that there are many folks needing prayer during this stressful time.

Please watch the announcements and The Bridge for updated information. We will continue to have worship in the Life Center at 9am and 11oclock, for the time being. This Sunday we will welcome several new members into our church family. If you meet someone new, take the opportunity to invite them to the gazebo for coffee and a doughnut for a time of fellowship.

And now all you prayer warriors, I have another important prayer request.  As you know, I have been battling this infection in my foot since my surgery on September 9th. Antibiotic treatment and your fervent prayer has kept it from spreading so we could keep the hardware in long enough for the surgical reconstruction could heal. Over the past couple weeks complications developed and it is now time. I will have surgery next Wednesday 11/2/22. Please pray that when the screw is removed the large toe is stable and adequately healed. I know that prayer is the perfect medicine and I am so thankful for your help. I am so grateful that I have a relationship with God, and I can turn to Him for any situation no matter how big or how small. I try to end each day with a prayer of Thanksgiving to the Lord that I am able to serve.

"Be joyful always, pray at all times, be thankful in all circumstances.  This is what God wants from you in your life in union with Christ Jesus."

1Thessalonians 5:16-18 (GNT)

Even when we don't like the circumstances we're in, God's intentions are best. Let's always choose joy and seek Him continuously through prayer.

I'm praying for you!

READY, SET…PACK! 

Have you picked up your Operation Christmas Child Shoebox yet? If not, shoeboxes will be available after each service in the lobby of the Life Center now through 11/6. Shoebox Labels have been placed on the outside of each shoebox for your convenience for you to ‘Follow Your Box’. The matching code (from the outside label) is inside the shoebox. Inside each shoebox is the “How to Pack a Shoebox” pamphlet with suggestions and helpful hints. This pamphlet also contains a pre-addressed, stamped envelope to MAIL the $10 donation for each shoebox gift to help with shipping and other expenses. You can also donate online, and instructions are in the pamphlet on using the nine-digit code online to activate ‘Follow Your Box’. If you pack more than 1 shoebox gift, donate once for the combined total (write one check) to cover all of them. Please remove tags and packaging from items and write a personal note to each child perhaps with a photo. Don’t forget to mark the ‘Boy or Girl’ and Age Category boxes on the Shoebox Label. PLEASE DO NOT PUT ANY CHECKS OR CASH INSIDE THE SHOEBOXES.  Please return Shoebox Gifts on Sunday, November 13^th .  If you need more time, the last Sunday to turn in Shoebox Gifts is Sunday, November 20^th. Can’t make it either Sunday? No problem!  The Shoebox Gift Drop Off Center at New Life will be open from 10 a.m. – Noon November 14-20^th.  Thank you for participating in this important ministry to reach children around the world with The Good News!

Not a shopper? No problem! 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!

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 for the morning or evening session on Tuesday, November 15th at 10 am or 6:30 pm in Room 9. 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.

Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief Base Camp has teams of volunteers ready to help with:

To volunteer call: 941-290-8650