New Life Church Weekly Update

September 29, 2023

This Sunday: October 1, 2023

8:00 am Praise in the Park, Sanctuary (rain in forecast)

9:15 am Traditional Worship, Sanctuary

10:45 am Contemporary Worship, Life Center

Message: "Sanctuaries"

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:1-5, 9-10

Pastor Mike Loomis

New This Week

Tuesday Night Small Group Descriptions
Operation Christmas Child Packing Party, October 15
Lifetime Journey Class, October 16

Tuesday Night Small Groups

Our Tuesday night small groups will resume this Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. We will be offering several different classes: financial, marriage, parenting, teen leadership, and discipleship. To sign up for a class, follow the link below or sign up in Lenox Hall.

Class Descriptions

Marriage Class with the Gowan's

We want to welcome anyone in a committed relationship who wants to check in, refresh, or grow their relationship with each other and the Lord.

Financial Class with Dick Brewer

Freed-Up Financial Living is a six week course that focuses on the biblical truths of stewardship. It gives us the resources to become freed up from the bondage of debt. and how to serve God with what He has blessed us with.

Discipleship with Pastor Angela

Do you want to grow your faith, so that it moves mountains, learn to pray for others, or share your faith, use your gifts, or take up the authority you have to stand firm no matter the circumstances? If so, then you are invited to join us! Hope to see you there!

Parenting Group with Becca

Are you looking to connect with other parents? Come join us as we talk about parenting and build a helpful, encouraging community!

Class Meeting with Pastor Mike

Class and band meetings played a key role in the Methodist Revival that transformed England and the U.S. With Dr. Kevin Watson, "I believe that the Holy Spirit wants to use this...approach to small groups to bring renewal" once again. This class will learn how Transformation Questions can help us to grow into mature Christian disciples. While this is a class for beginners, it will also be helpful to those with experience in small groups.

Teen Leadership with Tim

Our meetings will consist of a hands-on service project each week. During our time together, we will have the chance talk about our week, what’s happening at school, and life in general. At the conclusion of our service project, we’ll have time to share prayer requests, pray

together, and have a short Bible devotional before we conclude about 7:30 pm.

Cancer Support Group

The Cancer Support Group will begin meeting again on Wednesday, October 4th at 6:30 PM in Room 9. The Cancer Support Group invites patients, survivors, and caregivers to join us. 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.”

Today Matters will not feature a speaker event this month, instead, we are participating in the Senior Expo! Come see us along with many other vendors in the Life Center on October 14. For more information and seminar schedule, visit: gulfcoasttimeradio.com.

Our next Today Matters program will be held November 18, featuring Dan O’Shea, 18th Counterterrorism Seal Commander.

Operation Christmas Child Packing Party!

Tim Buck

We are having an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox packing party on 10/15 at 5pm in the Life Center. Everyone is invited to come pack a shoebox, write a note to the child receiving the box, and pray over them.

The teens of the church are sponsoring this event. They will be serving Christmas cookies and punch after your box has been filled. With your help, our youth group hopes to fill over 100 shoeboxes that night! Please join them and help them reach this lofty goal.

Lifetime Journey

The Lifetime Journey class will begin its study of the New Testament on October 16th. If you are interested in studying the New Testament, contact Myrt Creigh at [email protected] by October 6th.

Healthy Start Diaper Drive

Charlotte County Healthy Start Coalition is accepting donations of diapers and wipes to assist young families this fall. A donation box is located in Lenox Hall for wipes and diapers (sizes 3 - 6 and pull-ups are in the most needed sizes). If you would like to help in this tangible way please make your donation by Nov. 1st. Thanks in advance for supporting the children of our community.

Children's Books Donations Needed!

We are collecting new or used children's books (ages 12 and under) to donate to the Literacy Bus which will be on campus for Halloween.

There is an orange bin in Lenox Hall where you can leave your book donations. Thank you!

Portrait of a Bride, November 4

Linda Gillen, United Christian Women

Portrait of a Bride is a program about antique, vintage, and contemporary wedding gowns with a discussion of the historical significance surrounding each era and dress. Leigh Ann Brown will focus on the evolution of the American woman through all her trials and triumphs as we discuss the social, economic, and educational aspects of the time. There will be a light reception at the event including beverages, tea sandwiches, and dessert.

Learn more HERE about Portrait of a Bride, An Evolving Silhouette.

Tickets are available between services at the Gazebo. For more information contact Linda Gillen, 941-661-9988 or Nancy Wolaver, 813-763-2297.

A Word from Worship

Greetings New Life Church family and friends,

Can you even believe September is over and a very busy time of the year is beginning? Pastor Angela's small group series is about to begin. Have you signed up yet?

Halloween is right around the corner and will be here before we know it. Events like this requires many volunteers to be successful as you can imagine. Please check in the lobbies of the Life Center and Sanctuary as well as in Lenox Hall for sign up sheets to help support this annual event in our community.

Before you know it, Thanksgiving and Christmas will be here and we'll be asking for your prayers and help there also. These are all reminders of how important fellowship is within our church family. We build our faith through prayer, reading our Bible, small groups and Bible studies. As in life situations, when we're worn out, or overwhelmed, it's a gift to call on a prayer partner or study friend to help encourage you. When we're too fatigued or surrounded by heartbreak or disappointment, it's a blessing to call on a prayer partner to help you through it. As you know, I have been going through 6 weeks of daily infusions. It would have been a much greater struggle without my church family stopping to say "I'm praying for you" or sending a card or text. It makes a difference! I know that God is with me always, but the love and sharing of you all fills my heart with energy. Instead of feeling weak, I feel stronger, and am able to give back by encouraging others, by prayer, a note, phone call or even a quick hug at church. Our passion is to love, praise and serve the Lord and our greatest efforts should go toward our relationship with Him. But we all have times when we feel worn out, and rather than struggle on your own , reach out to your partner in prayer to pray for you and pray with you. We can help each other with a simple encouraging word of hope.

Proverbs 12:25 "Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up". We don't need to be on this journey alone. We have wonderful pastors who lead us, and a church family of faithful followers. I encourage everyone to find prayer partners for times when things are tough.

Check the Bridge for info on happenings in the church. Keep on praying with each other. I'm praying for you!

Rosie Young

Worship Coordinator

[email protected]

Halloween Volunteer Sign-up Sheets are available in the Sanctuary, Life Center and Lenox Hall. Help is needed for set-up, clean-up and during the event. If you have any questions on how you can help on Halloween, contact Becca: [email protected].

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.

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.

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