Sunday, October 8, 2023

This Week's Message is

"Why We Believe What We Believe"

Matthew 25: 31-40 

FALL SERMON SERIES

This Sunday we will conclude our sermon series on “What We Believe” especially in the words of the Apostle’s Creed. It’s important for us to know what we believe and why – it forms us and shapes our walk with Jesus. We've been talking about belief in general, each of the three articles of the Creed (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and finally some of our communities’ statements of deeply held beliefs. Come and jump into this conversation!

We continue offering worship via Facebook Live at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays - please join us on our Facebook page for this opportunity!

If you have trouble joining Facebook Live, the worship videos will be available by each Monday on New Life's YouTube Channel.

Thank you to all who have been participating in our weekly worship!

To view the service from October 1, 2023 click here.

ACCESS WORSHIP

Join us for worship Sundays at 8:00 a.m. (Traditional) and at 9:45 a.m. (Praise Band Worship) which is also always livestreamed on our Facebook page and available on our YouTube page any time after, not just when we're live. Our most recent worship services are also posted to our website on Monday mornings and are featured in the weekly newsletters on Wednesdays.

HEALTH AND SAFETY AT NEW LIFE

As a community that desires to keep everyone healthy and safe - and as it's cold and flu season - we just wanted to offer a brief reminder. If you are feeling ill, especially with any symptoms that could also be Covid-related, please consider participating in worship online. We do have masks available on the front table if you'd like an extra measure of safety while in the building as well. Thank you!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR WELCOME TEAM

We always encourage and appreciate volunteers for the Welcome Team to help out with parts of the worship service, such as greeter, welcome table, usher, tellers, coffee server and Communion helpers.

Here is the link to the October sign-up sheet! (Or click on image below) The sheet is on the welcome table to write your name in while you're here if you'd like. Or enter in your name from a computer or laptop or contact the office to sign up.

Here is a link to a sign-up genius form for Communion/Altar Care shifts too. Please sign up - we need helpers for this!

Anyone is invited to join the Welcome Team at any time!

LANDSCAPE PROJECT & FINANCES

We are excited to say that we have raised $90,000 for our Landscape project so far! God is good and you are faithful! Thank you! Now our goal is only $22,000 away – and we’d like to raise that before Thanksgiving in order to have a celebration of this project’s completion at our Thanksgiving service. There is a poster with details along with a vase we will fill with river rock as these final gifts come in. Please prayerfully consider your giving. As we said a number of months ago, monthly giving is also still lower than our need so please also consider an increase in that as well. Your gifts (much appreciated) can be accomplished through electronic giving - THERE IS A FIELD TO CLICK IN VANCO, by check, or transfers. If you have questions, please contact Pastor Heather or Ken Wundrow

WEDNESDAY FAITH FORMATION & DINNER

Come join us for a great conversation tonight Wednesday October 4 at 6:30pm. We are reading two chapters a week of Barbara Brown Taylor’s book “An Altar in the World.” Each chapter opens up a way to see God in your everyday life – through simple practices like walking, working, and praying. If you would like to order a copy, here’s a link to do so. Also dinner begins at 5:30pm. Thanks to Judy Goke for providing pizza - regular and gluten free. Can’t wait to see you!

MANY THANKS

A huge thank you to all who attended the wonderful presentation by Najib Azad this past Sunday. His insights were invaluable as we try to understand the difficulties in immigration and escaping countries as a refugee. If you missed it, please click HERE or go to our website. A huge thank you also to Iris Christianson for establishing a connection to the Azad family and to Iris (and Gregg Schieve) for providing hospitality for them while they were here. Come join us this Sunday at 11am for a follow up discussion.

To sign up for Trunk or Treat help, Please click here

To sign up for Field of Screams help, Please click here to email Janice

New Life Kids - 9am ReCreation Room

We had a great time learning about Joseph and his brothers the last 4 weeks! Starting this Sunday we are going to begin learning about Hannah and Samuel! See you in the ReCreation Room at 9am!

Explorers:9am Classroom A

We are walking through the Alpha Youth Series these next few weeks!

eMerge: 11am ReCreation Room

This Sunday we will continue our study that explores what mission means to us in our faith journey.

Education Time Volunteer Opportunity!

Each Sunday we will need two volunteers for New Life Kids (Grades Pre-K - 4th). Here is the volunteer sign up! Please let Jessica know if you have any questions.

This Sunday you will notice some changes to the KidZone! It will now be a split space with nursery on one side and Explorers on the other.

If you have any couches, bean bags, video game chairs or a rocking chair that you would like to donate, let Jessica know!

If you are interested or want more information on any of the activities, feel free to reach out to Jessica Korrison.

SOCIAL PURPOSE FUND

New Life continues to distribute much-needed gift cards to those in need - totally on average about $3,000 every month! Because of the increased need, if you would be able to give to this fund, please submit checks with "Social Purpose Fund" in the memo or give online to that fund. Thank you!

Also, please know that if you are experiencing any financial need (rent/mortgage, utilities, groceries, medical, unemployment/furlough, etc.) you only need to let Pastor Heather know. This information will be kept confidential to her and our financial officers (treasurer and bookkeeper).

Another way you and your family can help in the community is to support black-owned businesses (click here for a list and other ways you can help).

Again, thank you for caring and sharing!

WEEKEND FOOD PACKING

We are excited to yet again be able to help the Monona Grove school system by packing weekend food bags for kids in need. We have committed to helping out the MG Education Foundation with this project because it is of such great importance to our community – and we hope that you’ll agree and sign up to help out! We will be packing for six weeks in November and December, with some weeks covered by other groups. If you would like to know more about this program, please contact Vicki Schultz or Nicole Hines. Sign up here to help on Nov 1, 5, 19, 22, or Dec 3.

STAMPING GROUP

On the second Monday of the month, New Life Church hosts a rubber stamping group in the Community Room. We make beautifully designed and crafted greeting cards. The next gathering is Monday, October 9 at 9:00 a.m. in the Community Room. All are welcome to join in this fun evening of stamping and fellowship. Contact leader Cheryll Steinke to let her know you'll be participating, or with any questions you have about stamping.

COMMON THREADS

Ginny Olson and Gail Kriel invite you to learn how to knit or crochet by joining the Common Threads group! Sessions take place at Ginny's studio on October 10 from 6:30 -8:30 p.m. Please plan to join us!

UNITED IN PRAYER WEEK

October 8-15

Thanks to the Collaboration Project, we've been asked to be a host site for this great event as we join other churches and Christians around Dane County to pray together for our city. Our Labyrinth will be the east side location for prayer throughout the week. If you would like to learn more or sign up to pray - here or elsewhere - please click here.

LOST & FOUND

We have accumulated a number of items that may belong to you! Please check out the table in the Community Room in order to claim your belongings. They will be there through the month of October, but then donated elsewhere. Thank you for keeping our space clear of clutter!

Please Keep These People in Your Prayers

Maggie Andres' daughter Kelli (medical treatments), Donna Butler, Gil and Jodi Franco and their daughter-in-law (medical issues), continued prayers around Dave Kohlwey for healing light and his son Edmund, Patti Kolmodin, Vicki Landes, Stan and Alvina Phillips, the Splettstoesser family, Bobby Spridco, Cheryll & Bill Steinke, Bill Sterud, Russ & Shirley Theel, Kim Zielke and family, Jean and Vickie Hoover and Barb Zimmerman.

If you would like to be included on our prayer list, please contact the church office. Permission is required from the individual for us to print their name. Individuals will be on the list for one month unless requested. Please let us know if there is someone to be added, or if someone has improved or healed and can be taken off the list.

Updates for this Week

Wednesday, October 4

5:30-6:15 p.m. -- Dinner (Community Room)

6:30 p.m. -- Adult Faith Formation

Thursday, October 5

9:00-11:00a.m. -- Women's Bible Study (Classroom A)

7:00 p.m. -- Shawn's Band (ReCreation Center)

Saturday, October 7

7:00-8:00 a.m. -- Prayer Team (Worship Center)

9:00 a.m. -- Praise Band Rehearsal (Worship Center)

9:00 a.m. -- Fall Clean Up Day

Sunday, October 8, 2023

8:00 a.m. -- Traditional Worship Service

9:00- 9:40 a.m. -- New Life Kids & Explorers Education

9:45 a.m. -- Contemporary Praise Worship (also livestreamed on Facebook)

11:00 a.m. -- eMerge and Adult Education

Monday, October 9

9:00-11:00 a.m. -- Gardening Help

6:30 p.m. -- Stamping (Community Room)

7:00 p.m. -- Athletes of Faith (ReCreation Center)

Tuesday, October 10

6:00 p.m. -- Common Threads (Ginny's Studio)

6:30 p.m. -- Finance (Classroom A)

Wednesday, October 11

5:30-6:15 p.m. -- Dinner (Community Room)

6:30 p.m.-- Adult Faith Formation

Office hours are Monday through Thursday. Please feel free to contact staff members of New Life by email at newlifelc@newlifelc.com or by calling the office at 608-223-937. Contacts are listed here.

New Life Staff:

Rev. Heather Hayward, Pastor

pastor@newlifelc.com

Jessica Korrison, Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator

youtheducator@newlifelc.co

Liz Rusch, Office Manager/Newsletter

newlifelc@newlifelc.com

Mike Berchem, Bookkeeper

bookkeeper@newlifelc.com

Shakia “Queen” Turner, Property Manager

shakiamturner@yahoo.com

ELCA South-Central Wisconsin Synod website:

https://scsw-elca.org/

New Life Church Council:

Janice Newell, President

Brian Coel, Vice-President

Tom Olson, Secretary

Ken Wundrow, Treasurer

Iris Christenson

Shannon Erb

Jillene Fisch

Deb Kohlwey

Shawn Peters

Linda Sime

MacKenzie Swanson

Russell Theel