New Life Church
Weekly Update
December 29, 2021
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Please join us on January 2, 2022 as guest preacher Rev. Walter Baires will teach from the Book of John about "The Word Made Flesh." |
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Thank you to all who have been participating in our weekly worship!
This Sunday, January 2nd, we will have a guest preacher,
Rev. Walter Baires. It's the 2nd anniversary of Pastor Heather leading New Life Church, and she'll introduce us to our new Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator, Jessica Korrison.
We'll also have a "1st Sunday" of the month breakfast, hosted by Debby Deutsch & Dennis Barnum. Please join us on Sunday!
If you missed last week's services, here are links to all of them (click on the CENTER of each image to open the videos).
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(December 24, 2021 - 5 p.m. "Family Friendly" Christmas Eve Worship Service) |
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(Christmas Eve Worship Service - 7 p.m. Candlelight Service) |
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(December 26 - 9:30 a.m. "Lessons & Carols" Service) |
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How to Access Worship
Our 9:30 am service will always be live streamed and available via our Facebook page so if you’re out of town and can’t attend in-person, you can always worship with us! Please also share this as a resource with others – it’s available anytime, not just when we’re live – as well as on our YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4F48R7NG-hzy-2EOk0EG-g) and website beginning on Monday mornings.
Certainly, we’d love to have you come and worship with us in-person anytime it’s possible:
Traditional Worship Service at 8:15 a.m.
Praise Worship Service at 9:30 a.m.
Masks required inside for worship
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YEAR-END GIVING
First of all, we are so thankful for all the ways you already financially support the ministry of St. Matthew New Life! We pray that you will continue to give in any way that you can, and potentially consider an additional end of the year gift. We all know that 2020 and 2021 have been unprecedented years for all industries – and the church hasn’t been exempt from that! As we look toward a bright future in 2022 and beyond, we hope that you’ll help New Life end the year on a very strong note! There are also other ways to give: from your IRA (if you're over age 70 ½ ), stock appreciation transfer, or living will or trust giving. If you have questions about any of this, please let the office know and we can give you more information. Please remember that all year-end giving needs to be postmarked by Dec. 31! As always, this ministry only happens in and through you! Thank you!
Don’t forget our online option and automated giving! Just go to our Vanco page where you can log in to your account. Once you’ve logged in, it should take you to your giving detail. If you click “Edit” you can edit amount, frequency, and account. Once you've signed up to give electronically, please let the office know if you no longer need offering envelopes and we can have those discontinued for you.
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New CHILDREN & YOUTH MINISTRY COORDINATOR to Begin Duties at New Life Church in January
Jessica Korrison is excited to start her ministry with us! She comes with lots of experience leading the youth group of her home church, Grace Lutheran in Grafton, WI. She has a degree and work experience in the hotel management and hospitality industry, but has always felt God’s tug to be in ministry as an occupation instead of volunteer. She has led middle school and high school classes, events, retreats, and youth trips plus helped in children’s ministry as well. She has led a youth trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern MN for several years. Growing up, youth group was such an important part of her faith and life, and she looks forward to making that experience a reality for our kids as well.
She recently moved to Sun Prairie with her college friend, Sam, and cat, Phoebe, after the unexpected loss of her beloved fiancé, John, this past August. She is looking forward to this opportunity as a chance to share the reality of God's love with the youth of New Life.
She looks forward to meeting you all as she begins her work among us on January 2, 2022. Come meet her that morning!
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EPIPHANY PARTY JANUARY 5th
The day of Epiphany is a celebration to recognize the Magi who brought their gifts to Jesus. It’s typically celebrated on the twelfth day of Christmas, Jan. 6, but we will do it a day early! Come for dinner on Wednesday, January 5 at 5:30pm and then stay for a party! We’ll help take down the Christmas decorations, listen one last time to those favorite songs, eat some cookies, and exchange some white elephant gifts with others who gather! Also, this will be the perfect opportunity to meet our new Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator, Jessica Korrison! It will be a fun night of celebration!
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Reconciling In Christ Welcome Statement
WE NEED YOUR INPUT!
Our Welcome Statement – an intentional welcome to LGBTQIA+ and Transgendered people as well as a commitment to racial equity and justice – has been approved by the Church Council and now comes to you for conversation! Please take this 30-second survey about the statement. Thanks to our team (Terri Beck-Engel, Jillene Fisch, Sandy Kowal, Margo McBain, Wayne and Barb Meyer, Noah Peck, and Barb Zimmerman).

We will vote as a community on this statement at our Annual Meeting on January 30th. "SAVE THE DATE" FOR THE ANNUAL CONGREGATION MEETING ON JANUARY 30TH, WHEN WE WILL VOTE ON THE WELCOME STATEMENT!
To read the Welcome Statement and vote in the survey, please click here.
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ADULT FAITH FORMATION IN NEW YEAR
Pastor Heather is planning a three-week series to extend our conversation from the fall about sexuality. There were a lot of questions about “what all the letters mean” in LGBTQIA+ as well as the spectrums of gender identity, expression, and orientation. If you’re wondering some of the same things, please come and join us as we get ready to vote on our Welcome Statement! We’ll gather on Wednesday nights from 6:15-7:30pm. A free community dinner will be served at 5:30pm – come for that and stay to learn! In February, Pastor Heather will do a four-week study on a book of the Bible – have a favorite? Please let her know!
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WEDNESDAY DINNERS
Wednesday dinners will restart on January 5th, hosted by Debi Shepherd-Wundrow and Jen Erb. If you'd like to help host a dinner in 2022, please see the sign-up sheet on the right kitchen serving window to choose a week. There's a new sheet up for 2022!
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DO YOU LIKE BREAKFAST?
Enjoy delicious breakfasts on the first Sunday of the month! The next breakfast will be SUNDAY, January 2, 2022 from 9-11 a.m. hosted by Debby Deutsch and Dennis Barnum.
Thanks to those who signed up to prepare meals for 2021.
WE NEED PEOPLE TO SIGN UP FOR NEXT YEAR ALREADY! See sign-up sheets for 2022 on the left kitchen serving window.
If you can help Debby & Dennis on January 2nd, let the office know - they are looking for helpers, please!
If you'd like to consider signing up beginning in January 2022, we'd love to have your help! It could be a couple of families/friends, a small group you meet with, even a whole ministry team! It's fun and easy to do, and we can help you with the details.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Bring your strengths & skills to help at New Life!
~ Sound Board (Operate sound & video equipment)
~ Altar Care (Worship set-up & supplies)
~ Coffee Server (Make pots & serve coffee)
~ Teller/Counter (2-person team to count offerings)
~ Welcome Team (Greet & guide people as they enter worship)
For info on these opportunities, call the church office—223-9337.
We especially NEED new people to help with A/V & Sound Board—no experience needed, we’ll train you and it’s FUN! Just let us know if you're interested and we'll connect you with that team.
Look for the Google doc form to sign up each month for Welcome Team!
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Your Offering
Thanks for your support to meet our financial obligations. Consider giving online, if you don't already. You can select a one-time or recurring donation. It's very easy to do - please click the box below to get started.
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If you would prefer to mail in your donations, they can be sent to the address at New Life: 7564 Cottage Grove Road, Madison, WI, 53718. |
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Social Purpose Team is here just 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 memo or give online to that fund. Again, thank you New Life for your caring and sharing!
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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.
This month, we’re asking for donations of any size diapers in small packages. You can bring these to the church entryway and we will deliver them to Nehemiah directly. 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.
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BLACK HISTORY FOR A NEW DAY COURSE
We will again be encouraging you to sign up for this life-changing educational opportunity. This 9-week course begins again on Monday, February 7, 2022 – registration closes on January 21 so please go to https://nehemiah.org/blackhistorycourse to register. If you need financial assistance, we have scholarships available!
Here’s what previous participants have to say: "The Black History Course is an excellent course for everyone--even someone who has had a few history courses in high school and college. I was surprised to learn that my education in black history was very inadequate even though I attended school for about 20 plus years. The Course truly changed how I look at the history of slavery, Jim Crow and the new Jim Crow and how these systems of oppression were supported by white citizens through overt violent actions and apathy. We have so much work to do to undo the effects of the hundreds of years of oppression of persons of color." (Iris Christenson)
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"We highly recommend the Black History For A New Day Course. Excellent speakers! We learned so much of American history that we never knew that now helps inform us in all areas of life. It was wonderful to journey through this course as a church. So many valuable and thoughtful discussions ensued in a safe and welcoming environment facilitated by Kathy Michaelis. Amazing opportunity to learn and grow." (Dave and Terri Beck-Engel)
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BIBLE STUDY GROUP
The Bible Study Group that meets on Thursday mornings, led by Betty Sundbakken, will begin a new 8-week study on January 6th. The group meets at New Life Church for discussion from 9:00-11:00 a.m. Thursday mornings. This course will run until February 24th with the topic focusing on the book "Extraordinary Faith" by Sheila Walsh. If you have any questions, please contact Betty. All are welcome to participate.
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COMMON THREADS
Ginny Olson and Gail Kriel have started up a Common Threads group again, that anyone is welcome to participate in. You'll learn how to knit or crochet, or if you have experience 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 pm and the fourth Tuesday mornings of the month from 9:30-11:30 am.
To sign up and for more information, please email Ginny Olson by clicking here. Also, if you have any yarn you'd like to bring in to the church, the group would welcome that.
PLEASE NOTE: On the table near the entrance to the Community Room there are Prayer Shawls available for anyone who needs/wants one for comfort. These beautiful shawls were made by the Common Threads group, and they would like people to have them.
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January 2, 2022
Pastor Heather's 2nd year anniversary with New Life Church
8:15 a.m Traditional Worship Service
9:30 a.m. Praise Band Worship Service
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Upcoming Schedule of Events This Week
Thursday, December 30
6:00 p.m. Praise Band Rehearsal (Worship Center)
Friday, December 31
New Year's Eve - OFFICE CLOSED
Saturday, January 1, 2022
New Year's Day - OFFICE CLOSED
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Pastor Heather Hayward's 2nd Anniversary leading New Life Church
8:15 a.m. Traditional Worship service
9:30 a.m. Praise Band Worship service
9:30 a.m. New Life Kids
Rev. Walter Baires will preach at both services, and Pastor Heather will introduce the Children & Youth Ministry Coordinator Jessica Korrison.
1st Sunday BREAKFAST - hosted by Debby Deutsch & Dennis Barnum
Monday, January 3
10:00 - Noon Gift Cards Distributions (Social Purpose Team)
7:00 p.m. Silver Eagles Youth Group (led by the Erbs) (Re-Creation Center)
Wednesday, January 5 - Epiphany
5:30-6:00 p.m. Dinner (hosted by Debi Shepherd-Wundrow and Jen Erb)
6:15-8:00 p.m. FaithFul Formation and Epiphany Party to help take down Christmas decorations, exchange White Elephant gifts, and meet Jessica
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Please keep the following in your prayers this week:
Donna Butler's daughter Michelle along with her sister Beverly and the family of her late cousin Simon, Boyd Fleming, Felicia Jones & family, Johnnie Jones, Michele Kiefer, Gail Kriel, Trish Krueger, Hailey Lennberg, Laurie Neuendorf, Jade Peck, Stephanie Peck's friend Jessie, Kishia Peters, Alvina Phillips,
Vern Richmond, Jeremy Showers, Bobby Spridco, Bill Sterud, Darrick Thompson, and Carolee Zick.
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. 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.
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New Life Church Council:
Brian Coel
Jim DePass
Rick Krueger
Joe Milanese, Vice President
Kathy Nelson, President
Janice Newell, Secretary
Shawn Peters
Linda Sime
MacKenzie Swanson
Jan Wilson
Ken Wundrow, Treasurer
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