New Life Church Weekly Update

September 5, 2025

This Sunday: September 7, 2025

9:15 Traditional Worship, Sanctuary

10:45 Contemporary Worship, Life Center

Message: "I Love You"

Scripture: Psalm 8

Pastor Casey

New this Week:

9/11 Memorial at Advent Health, September 11
Candlelight Vigil, September 12
Today Matters, September 20
Bargain Boutique, opening October 1

The Disciple’s Path

Shape: Discover Character

Pastor Casey

Our mission at New Life Church is to offer new life in Christ as we seek, support, shape, and send disciples. This mission highlights both our ministry strategy and our discipleship pathway. Ministry strategy guides our ministries. The discipleship pathway is the road under our feet as we follow the Way of Jesus. Each week in The Bridge, we’re exploring one of the four parts. This week, we’re talking about “Shape.”

OUR STRATEGY

Jesus doesn’t call us to make a one-time decision - he calls us to be his disciples. This is a process of total transformation, a positive change that makes us more like Jesus. Our goal is freedom from sin, totally consumed by God’s love. Our strategy as a church is to equip people to grow in Christ-like character through spiritual disciplines.

Every ministry under the Shape umbrella should be evaluated based on how effectively it’s helping people to experience positive life change. Shape ministries include things like small groups, Bible studies, men’s ministry, women’s ministry, and discipleship bands. In short, any ministry that forms the life of Jesus Christ in us through the use of spiritual disciplines.

OUR PATHWAY: EXPLORERS

We all have different starting points when we start following Jesus. Our spiritual growth needs will look a little different from one another. Consider one or more of these ways to discover Christian character:

Commit to weekly worship.
Develop a daily habit of Bible reading and prayer.
Join a Bible study or short-term group.
Join a discipleship band for encouragement and accountability.

OUR PATHWAY: GUIDES

Disciples of Jesus help one another to be shaped in Christian character. Part of your own growth as a disciple of Jesus is helping others to grow. Spiritual maturity might include:

Leading a small group.
Starting a discipleship band for encouragement and accountability.
Identifying specific areas of your life that need to grow in spiritual maturity.
Slowing down to memorize and meditate on passages of Scripture.
Experimenting with other spiritual disciplines like centering prayer, silence, fasting, journaling, Sabbath-keeping, retreats, giving, or serving others.

NEXT STEPS

If you’re exploring how to grow, what is one thing you can try to jumpstart spiritual growth?
If you want to help others grow, what is one possible next step to help others grow?

Intentional Christian Grandparenting

The Intentional Christian Grandparenting small group is starting up again after a summer break! Our first once-a month meeting will be on Monday, September 8, starting at 1:30 pm in Room 9.

Please consider joining us to view a video and discuss the topic of "Setting Boundaries: Navigating Potential Landmines."

September’s session topic deals with how to have intentional conversations with the parents of our grandchildren to avoid pitfalls and points of contention before issues ever arise. Dr. Josh Mulvihill, the author of “Biblical Grandparenting,” suggests excellent questions and intentional conversations that could be communicated in advance to successfully navigate "potential landmines" and disagreements. Dr. Mulvihill discusses the three areas of discipline, food, and media/entertainment as potentially problematic "landmines" between parents and grandparents when dealing with grandchildren.

Come join us and learn to be intentional Christian grandparents who leave a lasting spiritual legacy for their children, grandchildren, and future generations. If you wish to join the group, let us know by sending an email to: grandparentingmatters@newlifeforall.church.

9/11 Memorial, September 11

All are invited to join Pastor Bob Carlson and others in the Advent Port Charlotte Hospital lobby on Thursday, September 11th at 8:30am for a time of remembrance.

Candlelight Vigil, September 12

Please join Today Matters at this very important community event.

National Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to educate Americans that substance use treatment and mental health services can enable those with a mental and/or substance use disorder to live a healthy and rewarding life. This vigil is to increase the awareness and understanding of mental & substance use disorders, to celebrate those people in recovery as well as their family members, and to highlight community resources available for a successful recovery.

Free CBHC t-shirt for the first 100 attendees (be there early for best choice of sizes). The event draws around 150 community members each year, and feature tables manned by community partners sharing information on addiction and recovery.

The night kicks off with the Serenity Prayer and a bubble release. The release signifies how recovery helps so many people fly off to new, brighter horizon. So, we release bubbles in hopes that we all release those shackles and troubles that hold us down – let the things holding us back from being our authentic selves float up into the night sky.

We also have a short presentation where community members share their inspiring stories of recovery, along with honor beads, rock painting, a basket raffle, and candles for the vigil. The night ends with bagpipes being played during the candlelight vigil.

Kid-friendly event. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

September 12, 2025

Time: 7 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Location: Laishley Park, 120 Laishley Court, PG

Cost: Free. Open to the public.

Today Matters, September 20

Our guest speaker for our Today Matters September program will be Christine LoConte, Executive Director of The Dubin Center. Christine holds a Master’s Degree in Social Impact and Organizational Leadership and has dedicated her career to enhancing the quality of life in Southwest Florida. With a background in prevention, advocacy, and dementia-related disorders, she is passionate about making every moment matter for those she serves.

Join us Saturday, September 20 at 4pm in the Life Center!

Bargain Boutique, Opening October 1

The Bargain Boutique will officially open on Wednesday, October 1st (weather permitting). We will also be collecting donations starting on October 1st. Due to the painting of our entire church campus we have determined it best to wait until October 1st. Thank you for your understanding and we look forward to seeing you soon!

Bargain Boutique Hours: Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10 am -2pm.

Volunteers Needed for Crossroads Meals

Shirley Stewart

We’re looking for helping hands to assist with preparing meals for the young men at Crossroads Hope Academy. Our church provides lunch on the 4th Saturday every other month, and our next date to serve is Saturday, October 25.

Typically, the meal includes a main lunch, dessert, and drinks (2 gallons of lemonade). The headcount is usually between 18–24 boys and staff. We’ll be serving at the new location on Bidwell Street off Taylor Road.

To get things started, we’d like to gather those interested for a meet-and-greet meeting, where we’ll share more details about what’s needed, go over the schedule, and answer any questions.

This is a wonderful opportunity to serve, bless, and encourage the boys at Crossroads. To learn more about their ministry, visit https://www.crossroadspg.org/.

If you are interested, or to learn more, email Shirley Stewart: redswiant@gmail.com.

Each week in The Bridge, we’ll be sharing a few Glory on the Go submissions. Keep them coming! It’s such a blessing to celebrate these stories and stay connected throughout the summer.

In addition to sending them to us, consider posting your story on your personal Facebook or Instagram. Be sure to tag the church and include #gloryonthego.

It’s one more way to show how God is moving through New Life Church—on the go!

AJ Rilat

Intentional Grandparenting in action! Linda Olson has her grand and great grand children this week!

A Word from Worship

Greetings New Life Church family and friends,

I have been thinking of all of you and please believe me when I say I miss you so much. After my fall, while I was sitting on the floor waiting for the ambulance, I kept telling myself that this couldn't be so bad! I could see that my wrist was broken but I was sure this would be a quick fix. Then realization hit as I learned about the surgery it required and the restrictions that would go along with recovery. The limitations I've had since surgery have been difficult since I'm already limited and need to ambulate using a crutch in my dominant right hand. Okay, I know I'm whining about all this but it served as a lesson in patience and the overwhelming need to turn these struggles and pain and frustrations at times over to God more than I had been doing. After many tears and lots of prayer, I opened one of my devotional books and the first sentence said "Let Me help you through this day." Reading through Psalms reminded me that we should walk by faith, not by sight. I thought of the words: this is the day that the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad in it. While I was still motivated to get through rehab and return home, I was able to make a deliberate effort to find joy in each day. It's easier to handle one day at a time, rather than worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past. So here's my latest update: I was blessed to return home last Thursday afternoon. My sister arrived the day and spent a week with me. That was truly a blessing and I am forever grateful. Since I was pretty much home bound, and this wasn't a vacation, we found ourselves having several lengthy and long overdue conversations about our lives. God led me to share with her on a deeper level how prayer has changed my life and how this most recent trauma was part of my journey. While praying with her she was able to see that being fragile is not a punishment or indicate a lack of faith. Imagine my joy when on her last night with me she led our prayer session. I saw my surgeon yesterday for my 4 week post-op visit. He was amazed and happy with how well it's healing. The stitches came out and I'm back in the soft cast/brace for 4 more weeks. I now am able to use that hand for very light things. It's going to take some work before I can pick up a pencil! I am hoping for calls or even visits if you have some spare minutes. The only thing I might ask you to help with might be opening things for me! Not hard but not able to do with one hand. I miss everyone terribly and I'm praying to get back to worship soon. I continue to feel blessed by your love and support. Hope to see you soon. Meanwhile, I'm praying for you!

Rosie Young

Worship Coordinator

rosie@newlifeforall.church

Dates to Remember - Mark your Calendars!

SEPTEMBER

Today Matters, September 20

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.