NEW LIFE CHURCH ELCA

WEEKLY E-MAIL NEWSLETTER

Sunday Worship Times:

Traditional Worship 8:15 a.m.

Praise Band Worship 9:30 a.m., also livestreamed on Facebook Live

7564 Cottage Grove Rd. Madison WI 53718

Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday

Join us on Facebook or YouTube / Join our email list here

Website: www.newlifelc.com

WORSHIP/LENT

This Sunday's Sermon on the parables of

"The Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin" - Luke 15:1-10

We continue offering worship via Facebook Live at 9:30 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!

If you missed last week's service from March 13th, here is a link to view it.

ACCESS WORSHIP

Join us for worship Sundays at 8:15 a.m. (Traditional) and at 9:30 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 will be featured in the weekly newsletters on Wednesdays. Masks are required for indoors worship.

LABYRINTH DURING LENT

Do you long for a better devotional life? Do you wish there was a time and place that could inspire such a thing? Well, you’re in luck! During this holy season, we have a perfect opportunity to spend some more contemplative time. To help you develop that, we will have our building open so you can come and pray in the Prayer Room or in the Worship Center, and walk the indoor labyrinth, which will be set up in the Recreation Center. There will be different invitations for prayer available each week. Come renew or grow your prayer habit.

LENTEN SUNDAYS

This is a season to grow closer to God and God’s love for us and the world. But sometimes we think that has to happen in grand or majestic ways – what if it didn’t? What if God speaks to us and inspires our faith through simple, ordinary objects we see every day? This Lenten journey invites us to open ourselves to the kingdom of God in our midst. Each Sunday, we will look at common objects like coins, oil and shoes to guide us on our path to the cross and empty tomb.

LENTEN WEDNESDAYS

Want to go deeper? Want to be with others who long for more on this journey? Come on Wednesday nights for food, fellowship, and a deeper dive into God’s love for us and the world. We are again offering safe dinners (5:30-6:15pm), a time of devotion and worship (6:15-6:45), and then times of Faith Formation for both youth and adults (6:45-8:00 pm). Please sign up to provide dinners either by calling the office or signing up outside the kitchen window.

All are welcome for worship at 6:15 whether you’ve come to dinner or not. This time will be centered around the times Biblical characters have responded to God’s call with the simple words: ‘Here I Am.’ Each time these words were prayed, history was changed and extraordinary things happened. The adult Faith Formation time after worship will go deeper into these stories as well. During the youth time of Faith Formation we are bringing back Alpha. We will explore different practices we do as Christians that bring us closer to God. Like, why and how do we pray? How do you walk the Labyrinth? Why and how should we read the Bible? Join Jessica for this series in Classroom A after Wednesday night's worship.

Do You Like Breakfast?

(How about Wednesday Dinner?)

We're again serving "First Sunday" breakfasts, as well as Wednesday dinners before Faith Formation, which are from 5:30-6:15 p.m. Tonight's dinner will be hosted by Carmen Esterrich & Janice Newell. Thanks to folks who have signed up to serve meals. If you can help, it's easy, and you can get family, friends, or a group to help you! See the sign-up sheets by the kitchen serving window.

Enjoy food and fellowship together!

WORSHIP UPDATES

COVID POLICY UPDATES

With Dane County’s mask mandate lifted, we want to let you know that we will still encourage masks, especially as we sing and come forward for Communion in worship. We want to encourage young families and the immunocompromised to feel safe in our building, so please consider that as you make your choice on mask-wearing.

As always, please be aware of your own symptoms – if you’re experiencing ones that are COVID related, we ask that you do not come into the building. And when you come worship, please fill out the white visitor card in order to contact trace as well as for attendance. Thanks!

WELCOME TEAM VOLUNTEERS

MARCH

We always encourage and appreciate volunteers for the Welcome Team to help out with parts of the worship service, like Soundboard/AudioVisual, greeter, welcome table, usher, tellers and coffee server. Please click here or on the graphic above to open signup sheet for MARCH. Click here for the APRIL sheet. Anyone is invited to join the Welcome Team anytime!

YOUR OFFERING

Thanks for your support to meet our financial obligations. Consider giving online, if you aren't already! You can select a one-time donor or recurring donation, and it's easy to do - just click the box below to begin. Or as always, you can mail in your donations to New Life.

VANCO(Give Online)

CONNECTIONS

Ministry

Information Sessions and Welcome Sunday

We will be welcoming new Community Partners on Sunday, April 3rd. If you or someone you know would like to know more about St. Matthew New Life Church, we will also have some Information Sessions on either Thursday, March 24 at 6:30 p.m. OR Saturday, March 30 at 10:30 a.m. Come to hear more about our ministries, events, and why we call you a partner and not a "member." On April 3, there will also be breakfast hosted by Rick & Trish Krueger and Lynn Wunderlin, so it would be a great day to invite a friend, neighbor, or co-worker to worship! Let's make it a fantastic celebratory day!

Spring Women's Retreat

SATURDAY, APRIL 30

9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

HOLY WISDOM MONASTERY

Pastor Heather is joining forces with a few other churches to offer this day away for women. As Mother’s Day approaches we want to acknowledge that that can be a complicated day – joy, yes…but also other emotions.

For more information and to register, please click here. Cost is $40 before April 1^st($50 after that).^.All are welcome!

Children & Youth Ministry

New Life Kids

Join us during the 9:30 a.m. service for a children’s message and activity.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL (VBS)

Save the date for Vacation Bible School! Monday, Aug. 15 – Thursday, Aug. 18.

Jessica is putting together a VBS planning committee. If you're interested in joining, please let her know!

Youth Service Project

Middle and High Schoolers, join us this Sunday, March 20^th from 10:30am – 2:30pm for time together at The Elizabeth House. This home is a safe space for pregnant women or those who have just given birth. Right after service we will prepare a lunch to bring over and dine together with the women and children. After lunch we will spend time organizing their care market and help with some light cleaning. Let Jessica know if you would like to come, or sign up here!

GROWING IN FAITH

Pastor Heather and I are planning communion instructions during the Maundy Thursday service. This will be a great opportunity for those younger and newer to communion to join us.

On May 22nd we will be celebrating Affirmation of Baptism. If there are any older high schoolers who are interested in becoming confirmed this year, let Jessica know. We will be gathering as a group three times before May 22nd. The first meeting will be at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 3rd.

Have a blessed week!

Jessica Korrison

COMMUNITY

LUTHERAN DISASTER RESPONSE TO EASTERN EUROPEAN CRISIS

Lutheran Disaster Response is accompanying our companions in Ukraine, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, as well as such ecumenical partners as Lutheran World Federation and Church World Service, in their humanitarian responses to the crisis. These partners provide refugees with support and supplies such as food, blankets, water and hygiene kits. See more information, including how to make a donation, at: community.elca.org/eastern-europe-crisis-response.

Social Purpose Team is here for you

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).

And of course, if you would like to give to this fund, please submit checks with "Social Purpose Fund" in the memor or give online to that fund. Again, thank you for caring and sharing!

WAYS TO PARTNER

We have established a partnership with the Nehemiah Center, which means that we will be looking for and offering ways for you to connect with their leadership in our area serving communities of color. As the months go along, we will highlight ways that you can personally and with your family grow this partnership alongside what we're doing as a congregation.

For the remainder of the month of February, we would like to help Nehemiah collect items for the Allied Wellness Center in support of the homeless population on the East Side of Madison. Please bring the following items in to church with you until Feb. 27th: small packages of paper towels, napkins or toilet paper. Thank you!

Other ways you and your family can partner: support black-owned businesses (click here for a list), visit www.lirs.org to support refugees, visit www.ldr.org to help with disaster response around the nation, or www.elca.org to find another way to give back to people in need.

ORDER EASTER FLOWERS

We are offering the opportunity for you to order a flower for Easter that will help decorate the altar stage for Easter services.

We'll be placing one master order with Felly's Flowers, to be delivered to the church at the same time a couple of days before Easter.

For $14 you can choose either a single Lily plant or a bulb plant (which will be selected at random). The deadline for you to submit your order and get payment to us will be Sunday, March 27th.

There are a few ways for you to order: 1) Click here or on the graphic above for the Google.doc sign-up form; 2) Contact the church office; or, 3) Sign up on the hard copy sheet on the Welcome Table. You can either write a check for $14 to New Life Church or go to the Vanco page and complete the form.

BIBLE STUDY GROUP and

NEW LIFE SATURDAY BOOK CLUB

The Bible Study Group that meets on Thursday mornings, led by Betty Sundbakken, will begin a five-week Lenten Study this Thursday, meeting for discussions of a study on the book “He Chose the Nails” by Max Lucado. This session of the group will run through April 21st (off on Maundy Thursday). All are welcome to participate.

Also, the New Life Book Club that is led by Melanie Stepherson, will meet next in April, on Saturday the 2nd from 9-11:30 a.m. in the Community Room. Watch for details about which book the group will be discussing.

Common Threads

Ginny Olson and Gail Kriel encourage anyone who'd like to learn how to knit or crochet to join in the Common Threads group. If you're experienced you could work on your own project as well as make prayer shawls and blankets for the prayer shawl ministry. Sessions take place at Ginny's studio on the second Tuesday evenings of the month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. and the fourth Tuesday mornings of the month from 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Please NOTE: the session on March 22nd has been rescheduled for the 29th instead, at the same time Tuesday evening (6:30-8:30 p.m.).

To sign up and for info, email Ginny. Prayer shawls are on the entrance table in the Community Room and are FREE for the taking by/for anyone who wants one.

Please Keep These People in Your Prayers

The family of Barb Olson, Donna Butler’s grandson Anthony, Boyd Fleming, Felicia Jones & family, Johnnie Jones, Michele Kiefer, Gail Kriel, Trish Krueger, Vicki Landes, Hailey Lennberg, Laurie Neuendorf, Ginny Olson, Kishia Peters, Alvina Phillips, Vern Richmond, Jeremy Showers, Bobby Spridco, Bill Sterud, Darrick Thompson, and Carolee Zick.

Wayne and Barb Meyer ask for prayers for the family of Robert D. Peterson, former Pastor of St. Matthew's Lutheran Church. He passed away March 14, 2022. He was our pastor in the late 1960s. Pastor Bob's funeral is Monday, March 21 at St. John's Lutheran Church, Joliet, IL; Visitation 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. and Service at 11:00 a.m.

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 printer their name. Individuals will 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.

This Sunday and Updates for the Week Ahead

March 20, 2022 - First Day of Spring

8:15 a.m. Traditional Worship Service

9:30 a.m. Praise Band Worship Service

9:30 a.m. New Life Kids

10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Youth service project at Elizabeth House

Upcoming Schedule of Events This Week

Wednesday, March 16

5:30-6:15 p.m. Dinner (Community Room), hosted by Carmen Esterrich & Janice Newell

6:15-6:45 p.m. Worship Service (Worship Center)

6:45-8:00 p.m. Youth Faith Formation (Classroom A)

and Adult Faith Formation (Community Room)

Thursday, March 17 - St. Patrick's Day

9:00-11:00 a.m. Women's Bible Study (5-week Lenten Study), led by Betty Sundbakken

6:00-7:00 p.m. Praise Band rehearsal (Worship Center)

7:00-8:30 p.m. Shawn Peters MCF Band (corner of ReCreation Center)

Monday, March 21

10:00 a.m.-Noon Gift Cards Distribution (Social Purpose Team)

6:00-7:30 p.m. Congregation Council meeting (in-person in Classroom A and via Zoom)

CONTACT

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 608-223-9337. Contacts are listed here.

New Life Staff:

Rev. Heather Hayward, Pastor

pastor@newlifelc.com

Jessica Korrison, Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator

youtheducator@newlifelc.com

Kathy Scholl, Office Assistant/Newsletter

newlifelc@newlifelc.com

Nancy Schmidt, Bookkeeper

bookkeeper@newlifelc.com

Shakia “Queen” Turner, Property Manager

shakiamturner@yahoo.com

Shane Peters, Custodian