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!

To watch last Sunday's 9:30 am service from Sunday, August 14th, 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 optional but encouraged if people would like to wear them.

SUNDAY FALL KICKOFF

As schools head back, we also feel the renewal of getting back to a worship habit – so let’s kick it off well! On Sunday,September 11, come for community breakfast served all morning, provided by our Church Council! And then after the 9:30am service, we’ll also have games and fun activities for all ages. Come and join us – invite friends and neighbors to join in too!

WEDNESDAY COMMUNITY GATHERINGS

Thank you to all who participated in our Wacky Wednesdays this summer – they were indeed wacky and fun! We’ll bring those back for sure next summer, but for now we wait until the fall kickoff…

Speaking of which, come join us on Wednesdays this fall! Starting on September 7, we will gather for Adult Faith Formation (see more about this in the article on Prayer), which will begin at 6:30pm. However, we’d like to have some fellowship beforehand, and what worked well this summer was bringing our own dinner. The building will be open starting at 5:30pm in order to accommodate this. If you'd like, you could bring either a sweet or savory treat to share. You can sign up to bring dinner for everyone on whatever week works for you, but please let the office know this at least a week in advance. Come spend time with your New Life family this fall!

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.

COME PRAY WITH NEW LIFE



Beginning this fall, join your fellow faithful companions in an exploration of the most basic aspect of our faith lives: PRAYER. Prayer is actually, surprisingly, pretty much the most important thing in life. When we’re stripped away from everything else, the deepest thing we have in life is prayer – our connection to God and each other. This is the most basic conversation we can have individually and as a community. We’re called to learn and practice this amazing gift and you can choose your course of study:

Prayer 101

On Sundays starting on September 18, Pastor Heather's  focus will be on an aspect of the Lord’s Prayer for us to contemplate together. The hope (and prayer 😊) is that this will be something that enhances or begins your prayer life.

Prayer 201

If you want to go deeper on these aspects of the Lord’s Prayer, come on Wednesday nights starting on September 7 for Adult Faith Formation to invest your time in The Prayer Course. This is a wonderful video-based small group discussion about prayer. This will be offered in-person only unless community health becomes a concern – but switching to online would be easily done. We will begin with an introduction to this nine-week study on Sept. 7 - please sign up by contacting the church office or Pastor Heather directly.

Prayer 301

If you really want to dive into the reading that Pastor Heather has been doing to prepare for this conversation, she invites you to read two books by Pete Greig: “how to pray: a simple guide for normal people” and “how to hear God: a simple guide for normal people.”  They can be ordered here: https://www.24-7prayer.com/resource/how-to-pray-book/.

The best gift Jesus gave his disciples was the gift of Prayer – let’s join in this vital conversation and go deeper with our prayer lives.

Vacation Bible School

Monday-Wednesday, Aug. 15-17 9am – 3pm Thursday, Aug. 18 is Family Night 5:30pm - 8pm 

• We have 40 kids and 19 volunteers taking part in VBS! Thank you all for helping us spread the word and for your time in planning! 
• The kids have been enjoying time learning new things like crafts and music, playing games and making new friends.
• Please keep the children and volunteers in your prayers this week as they take in God's word and leave knowing that Jesus is their friend! 
• Look for photos next week!

THANK YOU to our community partner Sandy Kowal for sharing your time and talents to create such a memorable video of the Boundary Waters Trip. Watch here to see all the fun! 

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

THIS SUNDAY - CONCERT ON THE HILL

We are planning for a great evening on Sunday, August 21st!  There will be music by Jeff Rohlwing & Ed Boswell and opening act Oxbow & Moor.  We're looking forward to this being a fun evening with music and food.  The weather "could" call for some rain, but watch our Facebook event post and our website for event status.

STAFF TRANSITIONS

After more than five years as our bookkeeper, Nancy Schmidt is stepping down to focus on her full-time job, her health, and her family. We are so grateful for her diligence, attention to detail, and ability to make accounting look so easy! She will be greatly missed – please thank her! The Finance Team is in the process of interviewing for this position to begin in September. For more details, please talk to Pastor Heather or Ken Wundrow. Also, Shane Peters has served as our Custodian for almost four years and as he begins his college career, he will be stepping down as well. Queen Turner, our Property Manager, will be assuming those hours and fulfill the needs of this amazing property and building that God has given to us. Thanks to Shane and blessings on his college years!

HWY BB CONSTRUCTION

As a heads up, for the month of August, Cottage Grove Road will be under some amount of construction. The road will not be closed (perhaps temporarily, but traffic will still be allowed through), but expect delays in getting to church. We will have a wonderful new road when it’s done by the end of  September! For more information, click on the link below.

https://highway-projects-countyofdane.hub.arcgis.com/pages/cth-bb

SOCIAL PURPOSE FUND

Throughout the pandemic, we have been able to help so many families in the community because of this fund. Most recently, due to inflation especially at the gas pump, we have distributed almost $2000 in much-needed gift cards. 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).

Also, because of these increased needs, 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. Again, thank you for caring and sharing!

NEW SPEAKER SERIES THIS FALL

Our Social Purpose Team is putting together a speaker series on immigration and refugees to be held after the 9:30am service on September 18, 25, and October 2. Come learn more about these important topics. More details to come, but spread the word!

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. We will highlight ways that you can personally and with your family grow this partnership alongside what we're doing as a congregation. Kathy Mullen passed along that we are collecting the following school supplies items for the Nehemiah Center:

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.

NEW LIFE BOOK DISCUSSION – August 21 after the second service.

HOW THE WORD IS PASSED: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, Clint Smith

A deeply researched and very readable exploration of the legacy of slavery and its imprint on centuries of American history, How the Word Is Passed illustrates how some of our country's most essential stories are hidden in plain view—whether in places we might drive by on our way to work, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods like downtown Manhattan, where the brutal history of the trade in enslaved men, women, and children has been deeply imprinted.

If you are considering being part of the two discussion sessions (August 14th & 21st immediately following the 9:30 service), this one minute overview of the book presented by the author will give you a flavor of the conversation:

https://www.littlebrown.com/titles/clint-smith/how-the-word-is-passed/9780316492935/

This is the UW Madison BIG READ 2022-2023 SO there will be lots of copies available at local libraries. Current purchase price on Amazon is $14.11. 

https://gobigread.wisc.edu/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUc7sb4CZwE

2-minute review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3QLemqHlrA

20-minute review/summary hitting the highlights of each chapter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcMQMXFsuEE

Conversation with the author. 58-minutes May 2021 

Common Threads

Ginny Olson and Gail Kriel lead knitters and crocheters in the Common Threads group, to 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. To sign up and for info, email Ginny.

The group meets next on Tuesday, August 23rd from 9:30-11:30 a.m.

Free prayer shawls are available at the church for anyone who would like one.

MEN’S GROUP

Hey guys! Want to get together on a regular basis? We're offering a time for the men of our community to gather and be strengthened in their faith. We have started meeting on Saturday mornings at church. The next time we'll get together will be on Saturday, August 27th at 8:00-9:00 a.m. at the church. If this is of interest to you, please let the office know.

Please Keep These People in Your Prayers

Donna Butler’s grandson Anthony, Connie Coel, the family of Mark Corgiat (Wayne & Barb Meyer's nephew) who passed away suddenly, Ally Fisch (studying abroad), Boyd Fleming, Terry Hines (Dave Kolmodin's cousin), Felicia Jones, Johnnie Jones, Michele Kiefer, Dave Kohlwey's brother Neil, Gail Kriel, Patti Kolmodin, Vicki Landes, Hailey Lennberg, Jeff Lennberg, Laurie Neuendorf, Alvina Phillips, George & Deb Reed, Vern Richmond, Jeremy Showers, Trish Splettstoesser, Bobby Spridco, Bill Sterud, Russ & Shirley Theel's son-in-law Gil Franco, Darrick Thompson, Carolee Zick, 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 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 this Week

August 21, 2022

8:15 a.m. Traditional Worship Service

9:30 a.m. Praise Band Worship Service

(also livestreamed on Facebook Live)

9:30 a.m. New Life Kids//Backpack Blessing and School Supplies Drive

10:30 a.m. Book Discussion on "How the Word was Passed" (Community Room)

5:00-7:00 p.m. Concert on the Hill event

Upcoming Schedule of Events This Week

Tuesday, August 23

9:30-11:30 a.m. — Common Threads (led by Ginny & Gail at Ginny's studio)

Thursday, August 25

5:35 p.m. — Last night of the season for New Life Golf Group (Door Creek Course)

7:00-8:30 p.m. — Shawn’s MCF Band practice

Saturday, August 27

8:00-9:00 a.m. — New Life Men's Group (Community Room)

9:00-10:00 a.m. —  Praise Band rehearsal (Worship Center)

12:30 - 4:30 p.m. — Hope Lutheran Church Retreat at New Life Church (Classroom A)

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

ELCA South-Central Wisconsin Synod website:

https://scsw-elca.org/

New Life Church Council:

Iris Christenson, Secretary

Brian Coel, Vice-President

Jim DePass

Rick Krueger

Joe Milanese

Janice Newell, President

Tom Olson

Shawn Peters

Linda Sime

MacKenzie Swanson

Jan Wilson

Ken Wundrow, Treasurer