Sunday December 8, 2024

This Week's Message is:

"We Can't Go Alone"



Ruth 1 & Luke 1:39-45

ACCESS WORSHIP

Join us for our Traditional worship Sundays at 8:00 a.m. and at 9:45 a.m. for Praise worship which is always livestreamed on our Facebook and available on our YouTube any time after. Our most recent worship services are also posted to our website.

To view the service from December 1 click here.

NEW YOUTH PERSON HIRED!

Well, she’s new in this position, but if this picture looks familiar it’s because Ashley Reinke has been a community partner here since March 2023. Ashley has has 17 years of teaching experience and five kids – Annika, Wynnie, Lars, Fayth, and Elvin. She will start this coming Sunday December 8 and is excited to get started. She comes with not only education experience, but also her own church experience growing up and longs to make New Life into the place families know their kids will learn the love of Jesus! Welcome Ashley!

TEEN GIFT DRIVE

Thank you for the gifts you've already brought in for the New Life Teen gift drive! We are once again working with the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) who will distribute the gifts we provide at their annual holiday event.

The collection box is in the entry way - the deadline for collecting items is this Sunday December 8th. We have the BBBS Amazon Wishlist link available here. Please talk with your favorite teen for ideas and start thinking about what you are able to contribute!

QUESTIONS? Contact Kathy Michaelis - ksmichaelis@gmail.com

DECORATION HELP TONIGHT!

Come tonight Wednesday December 4 at 6pm, as we finish with all the last minute touches and do some set up for Breakfast with Santa! The more hands, the quicker it goes! Come for these festive times! Pizza (regular and GF) will be provided!

COME HELP THIS SATURDAY!

Breakfast with Santa is a community favorite - and we're planning on a large crowd so more help is needed than ever before! We still need help with crafts, bussing tables and serving breakfast - where can you sign up? Please click the Sign Up Genius link here, call the church office, or sign up on the Welcome Table! Please also share the flyers or the Facebook event! Thank you!

ADVENT WORSHIP

As we prepare our hearts for Christ's coming, come for a midweek worship service on Wednesdays December 11 and 18 at 6:30pm. We will read lovely poems, sing songs, and pray together. Join Pastor Heather for these uplifting times together. There will not be dinner served on these nights.

COUPLES EVENT

Please join us on Saturday, December 14 at 4:15pm for an evening of Christmas lights and fellowship in Janesville. Tickets are $15 and must be purchased ahead of time online. If you’d like to join us, please email Janice Newell for more details. 

2024 Rotary Botanical Gardens Holiday Light Show | Janesville, Wisconsin

ADULT FAITH FORMATION IN JANUARY

Join us on Wednesday evenings beginning January 15th for Practicing The Way, a pathway for apprenticeship to Jesus by John Mark Comer. This will be a six-session course – three sessions in January (15, 22, 29) and then three sessions in February (12, 19, 26) – gathering via Zoom. We will start at 6:30 and end by 7:45pm. Each session will include a 20–30-minute video, followed by 15-20 minutes of discussion, and then another brief video explaining “practices” for the week (homework!), concluding in prayer. Please register for this class through the office in order to receive the Zoom link. Kathy Michaelis will be leading this class.

If you wish to purchase the Companion Guide or view sessions you might miss, Please check their website : ttps://launch.practicingtheway.org/. There is no cost for online access, and this is not a requirement to join the Zoom sessions. 

Click the link for a taste of the course: Practicing the Way Course

SABBATICAL UPDATE

It's been a while since we've had any information about Pastor Heather's upcoming Sabbatical in this newsletter so we thought it was time for an update. Please read this brief update for more information. The Sabbatical Team (Ann Krebs Byrne, Deb Kohlwey, Kathy Michaelis, Dave Mullen, and Gregg Schieve) as well as Council members are available for any questions.

PRAYER TEAM

This team gathers for prayer on Saturdays from 7-8 am. If you are planning on coming please text or call Jean at 608-957-2781 as we will occasionally meet off site or not at all due to weather conditions!

NEW LIFE ORNAMENTS

Last year, we had these lovely wooden ornaments (made by Jessica Korrison's dad Brian) available for purchase to benefit the Children & Youth Ministries of our community. They will once again be available if you were unable to get one last year. $20/ornament will once again benefit our youngest community partners. They make wonderful gifts too!

NEW LIFE KIDS - Sundays at 8:50am.

Kids in Kindergarten through 5th grade are invited to join us each Sunday morning in the ReCreation Center! This week we will be learning about Jesus is Born through Art!

BABY TO 4K FAMILIES - Sunday at 8:50am Families with babies - 4K are invited to meet in the Kidzone to spend time together. This is a time for children to play together and for families to connect.

NEW LIFE KIDS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Thank you to all who have signed up to help with New Life Kids! If you are interested in helping, please take a look at the sign up sheet.

AFZALI FAMILY HAS BEEN REUNITED!!

New Life is sponsoring two members of the Afzali family coming from Afghanistan and recently reunited with their son, Wisal, here in Madison. Wisal’s story was included in a newsletter about 3 years ago. We became sponsors early in 2022 so applications could be filed that would allow his entire family to come to the US. Three months ago, Wisal’s parents and his 4 younger siblings were finally able to enter the US as refugees. As sponsors of Wisal’s family members, we have joined other volunteers to help the family adjust to living here. This group of volunteers is providing financial and other forms of support to assure their successful adjustment. Right now the biggest need is a car and Agha, Wisal’s father, is actively searching for employment. Of course, having a car would improve his employment options significantly. If you have any access to a car you'd be able to donate or potential leads on a job, please contact Iris Christenson. Thank you! 

FUNDRAISER FOR SCHOOL IN ETHIOPIA

Pastor Heather and her family will be traveling to Ethiopia, Emma's birth country, during her sabbatical in January. And as a family, they'd like to give back to the community close to where Emma was born. Roots Ethiopia is a non-profit working in that part of the country and has recently opened a high school that is need of text books. They are only $7/book so let's see how many books we can provide before the Hayward's return in February! Click this link to be taken to a secure site through Roots Ethiopia's website. If you wish to give through New Life instead, please be sure to indicate "Ethiopia fundraiser" with your donation.

WINTER CLOTHING DRIVE FOR JAIL MINISTRY

Last winter, we helped the Madison Area Jail Ministry winter clothing and we'd like to do it again! If you have any gently used winter coats, hats, gloves, sweaters, winter footwear or winter pants to share the love of God with those less fortunate, they are in dire need of donations in women’s and men’s or unisex size L, XL, XXL, 3X, 4X. There will be a large box in the entry way for these donations and they will be accepted beginning in January. Thank you in advance!

ST. MARK'S FOOD PANTRY

Thank you so much for recent donations! St. Mark’s food pantry staff have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our congregation. Mark, the director, extends a huge thank you to all who have donated food, personal essentials, toilet paper and bags. Please continue to bring in food and personal items needs as they don't receive everything needed through the Second Harvest food bank. We will be letting you know of other needs and volunteer opportunities in the future!

Please continue to donate paper/plastic bags or 2025 calendars! Unfortunately they can not accept egg cartons.

SOCIAL PURPOSE FUND

We continue to need your help in order to be able to distribute gift cards to those in need - which totals on average about $1,000 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 keep confidential to her and our financial officers (treasurer and bookkeeper).

Prayers needed for

Hospitalized, Injured, Ill or Medical Prayers :



Jeff Meicher

Cheryll Steinke's neighbor, Yoshi

Mary Roberts

Dave Kolmodin son Paul

Don Skaar

Rick Krueger

Sully and Ezra as well as Autumn and Jeff, their parents

Jadon Pruitt

Every Day Prayers

Susan Flippin

Alliette Flippin

Donna Butler's daughter Michelle

Connie Losse

Terry Phillips

Dave Kolmodin

Barb Zimmerman

Russ and Shirley Theel

Condolences

Verne Scholl, in the death of his aunt



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 to office.

Please click on the calendar to take you to our Google calendar.

Office hours are Monday through Thursday. Please feel free to contact staff members of New Life by email at newlifelc@newlifelc.com or by caling the office at 608-223-9337. Contacts are listed here.

New Life Staff:

Rev. Heather Hayward, Pastor

pastor@newlifelc.com

Ashley Reinke, Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator

youtheducator@newlifelc.com

Liz Rusch, Office Manager/Newsletter

newlifelc@newlifelc.com

Jim Manos, Bookkeeper

bookkeeper@newlifelc.com

Shakia “Queen” Turner, Property Manager

shakiamturner@yahoo.com

New Life Church Council:

Janice Newell, President

Jillene Fisch, Vice-President

Tom Olson, Secretary

Ken Wundrow, Treasurer

Iris Christenson

Brian Coel

Shannon Erb

Deb Kohlwey

Louise Miller

Shawn Peters

Linda Sime

Russell Theel