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Palm Sunday, March 29, 2026

This Week's Message is:

“Inspired to Act”

Matthew 21:1-11

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 livestreamed on our Facebook and available on YouTube any time after. Our most recent worship services are also posted to our website. To view the last Sunday's Service click below.

HOLY WEEK WORSHIP

Next week brings us to the final steps of walking with Jesus to the cross, grave, and empty tomb! Please join us!

MAUNDY THURSDAY WORSHIP

April 2nd at 6pm

This night we will gather around tables as Jesus did with his friends. We will share a potluck dinner to begin this time together, and worship will include a hand-washing ritual and Communion. All are welcome!

GOOD FRIDAY WORSHIP

April 3rd at 6:30pm

Walk the final steps with Jesus to the cross. We share this as Good News even though it doesn't feel good. This will be a service of meditative awe as we contemplate all Jesus has done for us.

EASTER SUNDAY WORSHIP

April 5th at 8:00, 9:30, and 10:45 am

Come hear the best Good News ever - He is Risen! The early service is more traditional, while the second two are led by our band. Come celebrate!! There will also be an awesome breakfast in between services!

UPDATE TO PRAYER ROOM

Did you know that we have a Prayer Room? We do! Down the hallway just before you go into the ReCreation Center. It exists for your personal prayer, for spiritual directors in the community, but also will be a new space for our Prayer Team to meet. Please come and check out the new spaces our Prayer Team is creating! Thank you!

PRAYER ROOM OPEN HOUSE DURING HOLY WEEK

Along with this re-do of these spaces, we'd like to invite you during Holy Week to make a special effort to pray in this new space. Jean Hoover, the lead of our Prayer Team, will be available during the times listed below to share this new space with you, but also to pray with and for you. Come make this Holy Week centered in prayer! Come pray anytime within these hours:

Monday March 30^th  8:30 to 1 pm

Tuesday March 31^st   9:30 to 2 pm

Thursday April 2^nd  8:30 am to 6 pm

Friday April 3^rd      Noon to 6 pm

SPRING CLEAN UP DAY

Come help beautify our space at our Spring Clean Up Day on Saturday, April 11th from 9am-noon. Please contact Micah Zielke or sign up at the Sign Up table if you are able to participate in the work day. Many hands make light work, and these events help build relationships while honoring our property with good stewardship. Thanks for all the ways you help us care for what God has given!

NEW GALLERY INSTALLATION

Come check out Iris Christenson's fabric art! Here's what she has to say about this show:

I’ve been a quilter and a photographer most of my life. In 2018, I discovered I could combine my love of photography and my love of fabric art to create hand-stitched art quilt paintings. Highlighting the beauty I see in the natural world is how I heal myself and communicate with others. A close-up photo of an orchid or a distant wide-angle image of a sunset provides me with all the inspiration I need to “paint” with thread, yarn, and beads. -- Iris Christenson

Contact Iris if you wish to purchase one of her art quilts with the matching photo: 608-239-6060

BRAT FEST Volunteer-Sign Up

The Volunteer sign up goes live April 4th at 10am. Sign up by going to: www.Bratfest.com.  This year we will receive $12 for every hour we volunteer. Shifts are available from May 18th to May 25th. Be sure to select St Matthew’s New Life as your charity. This year absolutely everyone has to sign up online with their own email address. If you want to volunteer but do not have an email contact Judy at 608.348.9057 or Sarah in the church office and we can help you. There are information sheets on the Sign Up table describing rules, shifts, parking, etc. This year the money we raise will go towards the Smiley Face Project!

NEXT WOMEN'S EVENT - HOLY HILARITY

April 9th at 6 pm

Let's spend the evening laughing!

You have some homework for this one:

1)  Please bring your favorite “clean” joke to share as an icebreaker.

2) Please bring the most unique, unusual, and/or funny item from your home in a bag or box so no one can see it until it’s time to reveal it.

3) Wear something “wacky.” Think goofy socks, bunny ears, mismatched clothes, silly hats, or whatever else you come up with.

We already have a number of people signed up for this event and offers to bring a snack, drink, or dessert. If you’d like to sign up for this event, please either use the signup sheet at church or email Janice Newell.

Save the date for our May Event - making resin sun catchers containing dried flowers with Hearts on Fire Design on May 14th at 6 pm. The cost will be $35 dollars and you can sign up with this link: Private Party New Life Church - Hearts on Fire Designs.

We hope all women and their friends will join us for times together to grow in faith and fellowship! If you’d like to be added to the email list to hear details about these events, please email Janice.

A NEW EARTH BOOK STUDY

Continuing Sunday 4/12 at 11am, Jeff Lennberg will lead us through Eckhart Tolle's book "A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose." Come discover what it means to deny yourself and follow Jesus in a deeper way. If you would like to be on the email list for updates about this class, please contact Jeff. Discover more about following Jesus! If you would like the video of March 22nd's conversation, please reach out to the church office.

There is also an opportunity to discuss this material outside of Sunday mornings at church. This group will be meeting at church on Tuesday evenings at 6 pm. Feel free to bring your dinner with you!

UPCOMING ADULT FAITH FORMATION

Pastor Heather will offer a couple of Adult Education opportunities as we finish out the program year, so put these on your calendars:

Wednesdays April 22, 29, May 6 and 13 at 6:30pm

HEALTHY HABITS

"Health" is our word for 2026, so we'd like to talk more about what that looks and feels like. Pastor Heather along with life coach Heather Strand will lead this open conversation about physical, emotional, and spiritual health and how to create come healthier habits in the future.

Sundays April 26 and May 3 at 11am

THE BIBLE SIMPLIFIED

Pastor Heather will offer a tw0-week class on Bible basics. If the Bible feels overwhelming to you and/or you feel like you just don't know enough about the Bible, come for this Bible 101 class!

NEW LIFE KIDS meets each Sunday at 8:50a in the ReCreation Center. This week, we will learn about Palm Sunday!

NEW LIFE KIDS - 2026 VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Please consider signing up to lead a Sunday school lesson in 2026! We have many different lesson options, from art to games to videos- it's up to you! Sign up here

SUMMER 2026 MISSION TRIP to Paducah, Kentucky

There is still space in the van to join us on our mission trip! We have 9 people already signed up to go! Come join us!

June 27-July 2

$300/person (transportation, lodging, and food included)

CarePortal UPDATE

New Life Church continues to support families in our community through the CarePortal ministry. Last week, we were able to fund gas and grocery gift cards in response to a request from Lighthouse Christian School. This support will make a meaningful difference for a single mother of four as she works hard to provide a stable home and care for her children.

If you’d like to learn more about CarePortal or are interested in joining the CarePortal team, please contact Nicole Hines at nicole.j.hines@gmail.com.

AZAD FAMILY FUNDRASING

Please consider helping Najib Azad reunite with his family members who are still trapped in Afghanistan and in danger because they worked with the US military for many years before the Taliban took over the country in 2021. His family members have approved Special Immigrant Visas but need help covering their costs to leave Afghanistan and travel to the US. The purpose of this fundraiser is to cover expenses for at least 6 family members.

Donations can be made by writing a check. The check should be made payable to: Focus Development Organization, Inc. (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization) and mailed or delivered to Iris Christenson at the following address: 5 Kiowa Ct., Madison, WI 53713. If you have any questions, call or text Iris: 1-608-239-6060. We know this family well since Najib and his wife, Sarwat, have given educational programs at New Life and Iris and her husband (Gregg) are their US sponsors.

ST MARK'S FOOD PANTRY

Thanks to all who bring in donations for St Mark’s food pantry. Your continued generosity means another delivery will be made March 26th. This small pantry is utilized by 20+ shoppers each week. Any shelf stable food is welcome, but Cheryll Steinke, who volunteers at the pantry, says canned fruit (favorites are peaches and pineapple), condiments (ketchup, mustard, hot sauce or salad dressing/mayonnaise) and boxed meals (Hamburger Helper or Tuna Helper) are in short supply. Currently meats (beef, chicken and tuna) are available from the pantry to prepare the boxed meals. Reusable, plastic and paper bags are also a continuing need. All donations can be placed on the table in the community room. If you have any questions, please contact Louise Miller. 

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 kept confidential to her and our financial officers (treasurer and bookkeeper).

Prayers needed for

Hospitalized, Injured, Ill or Medical Prayers

Pam St. John

Cindy Cary

Lindsey Weber

Russ Theel

Shawn Peters

Micah Zielke

Don Skaar

Rebeca (close friend of Ally Fisch)

Every Day Prayers

Shane Peters

Ken Wundrow

Barb Zimmerman

Dawn & Jim Melka

Condolences



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.

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

Ashley Reinke, Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator

youtheducator@newlifelc.com

Sarah Sheffer, Office Manager/Newsletter

newlifelc@newlifelc.com

Jim Manos, Bookkeeper

bookkeeper@newlifelc.com

Shakia “Queen” Turner, Property Manager

shakiamturner@yahoo.com

New Life Church Council:

Jillene Fisch, President

Linda Sime, Vice President

Uriah Reppert, Secretary

Ken Wundrow, Treasurer

Iris Christenson

Shannon Erb

Jackie Jensen

Jeff Meicher

Louise Miller

Tom Olson

Shawn Peters

Derek Schuette