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Sunday, March 8th, 2026

This Week's Message is:

“The Impossible is Possible”

Mark 6:32-44

*Remember Daylight Savings Time starts this Sunday!*

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.

NEW GALLERY INSTALLATION

We've enjoyed Gregg Schieve's photography for the first installation in our new gallery down the center hallway for several months - it's time for a new show! 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 me if you wish to purchase one of my art quilts with the matching photo: 608-239-6060

EASTER FLOWERS

We are offering the opportunity for you to order flowers for Easter to help decorate the stage! For $15 you can choose a bulb plant such as Tulips, Daffodils or Hyacinth or for $25 you can choose an Easter Lily (Single). You can either sign up on the Sign Up Table, or contact the church office. The deadline for you to submit your order and for payment to be processed will be THIS SUNDAY (3/8).

CARE TEAM RENEWAL

We are a very caring congregation, but Pastor Heather would like to be more intentional about how we do that! There was a very active Care Team before Covid, and we'd like to renew that Team to help Pastor Heather connect with those who are hospitalized and homebound, to provide meals, cards, and visits when requested. There are many who are already doing these tasks, but we'd like to ask others to join in. If you'd be interested in serving on the Care Team, please join Pastor Heather on Sunday March 15 at 11am.

OFFICE MANAGER ROLE

Our Office Manager Sarah has been with the church for almost six months! We will be adding onto her role in order to assist the renewed Care and Prayer Teams. With these additional duties, our office hours will also expand to 8:30 am to 3:30 pm Monday - Thursday. Thanks Sarah!

A NEW EARTH BOOK STUDY

Continuing this Sunday 3/8 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 February 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 Thursday will be the last meeting at 11:30 am, but other days/time are being figured out, so stay tuned!

WOMEN'S EVENT - CHEVRON BRACELET CLASS

Thursday, March 12th from 6 to 8 pm

The March Women's Event will be a Chevron Bracelet Class! We are partnering with Diakonos Designs in Stoughton to make beautiful bracelets! Please use this link to sign up with Diakonos to insure they have the correct amount of supplies: Chevron Bracelet Class Sign Up. There are only six spots left and the deadline is this Sunday, so sign up today!

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.

UPDATE TO PRAYER ROOM SPACE

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. We will be expanding into the other room, which means our bookkeeper's office will move into the front office to make room. By the end of March, please come and check out the new spaces our Prayer Team (especially Jean Hoover!) is creating! Thank you!

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

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

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.

CarePortal UPDATE

We are still in a bit of a holding pattern on our whole community's involvement with CarePortal. They have some new local leadership and are trying to forge new partnerships with local social service agencies as well as the Madison school district. Please stay tuned - as soon as some of these changes get settled, we will be gathering the New Life CarePortal team for an update and additional training. If you would like more inofmration about this ministry, please email Nicole Hines.

ST MARK'S FOOD PANTRY

Thank you to all who have brought in donations for St Mark’s food pantry. Food insecurity continues in the Madison area. In a recent conversation with Mark Taylor, the pantry coordinator, he shared the number of individuals/families they helped from 2024 to 2025 doubled. Unfortunately, he sees this trend continuing in 2026. Although any donations of shelf stable food and personal items are welcome, these are the pantry's biggest needs: canned soups (especially chicken noodle),  diced tomatoes, canned fruits, canned vegetables (especially peas and peas/carrots), and pasta. Reusable, paper and plastic bags are also a continuing need. All donations can be placed on the table in the Community Room. 

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

Joan Lampert

Rosalynn Horsley

Pam St. John

Cindy Cary

Every Day Prayers

Shane Peters

Ken Wundrow

Barb Zimmerman

Dawn & Jim Melka

Condolences

The Family of Evelyn Jones (Kathy Statz's Sister-in-Law)

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