👋 New Life Weekly Update 12/22/2021

New Life Church

Weekly Update

December 22, 2021

Christ the Savior is Born

PLAN TO JOIN US TO CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

Christmas Eve Worship

5:00 p.m. – a family-friendly service with an impromptu pageant, favorite Christmas carols, candles, and glowsticks!

7:00 p.m. – a candlelight service filled with all your favorite Christmas songs

Holy Communion served at both services – all are welcome! The 7:00 p.m. service will be live-streamed on our Facebook page as well.

Sunday December 26

There will be ONE service at 9:30am this festive morning. Come join us for a service of Lessons and Carols as we hear the greatest story ever told!

Sunday, January 2, 2022

Pastor Heather is excited to welcome again Pastor Walter Baires, who will preach during both services, at 8:15 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. She also looks forward to introducing Jessica Korrison that morning.

"Receive"

We will continue to offer worship via Facebook Live at 9:30 am on Sundays - please join us on our Facebook page for this opportunity! If you have trouble joining the 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, here is a link to it:

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

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.

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!

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!

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 30^th. "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.

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!

WEDNESDAY DINNERS

There will NOT be a Wednesday dinner or Faith Formation class tonight or on Dec. 29; they'll restart on January 5th. 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 posted for 2022!

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'd like to help Debby & Dennis on January 2nd, sign up on the sheet!

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.

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!

Here is the JANUARY 2022 sign-up sheet (CLICK HERE )!

"Give"

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.

Give Online

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.

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.

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: “This is the most important and impactful course I've ever taken. It served to provide a completely new perspective on the things I learned in school.” (Noah Peck) and “The complexity of Black History goes further back and is more intricate than I ever comprehended. The resiliency and power of people of color, both back then and now, is something that is both beautiful and awful. This course is a must and not just once.” (Jocelyn White)

If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Heather or

Kathy Michaelis.

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.

This Sunday and This Week at New Life

December 26, 2021:

9:30 a.m. Lessons & Carols service

(one service only today, no New Life Kids)

Upcoming Schedule of Events This Week

Wednesday, December 22

5:00-6:00 p.m. Band Rehearsal for Christmas Eve 5 p.m. service

Thursday, December 23

6:00-7:00 p.m. Band Rehearsal for Christmas Eve 7 p.m. service

7:00-8:00 p.m. Band Practice for Sunday, Dec. 26 Lessons & Carols service

7:00-8:30 p.m. - Shawn Peters MCF Band Rehearsal (Re-Creation Center)

Friday, December 24 - CHRISTMAS EVE (Office will be CLOSED during the work day)

5:00-6:00 p.m. Family-friendly Christmas Eve service

7:00-8:00 p.m. Candlelight Christmas Eve service with Traditional Songs. This service will also be livestreamed on the New Life Church Facebook Page.

Saturday, December 25 - CHRISTMAS DAY (Office CLOSED)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Sunday, December 26

9:30 a.m. Lessons & Carols service (one service only today)

Tuesday, December 28

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

Thursday, December 30

6:00 p.m. Praise Band Rehearsal (Worship Center)

7:00 p.m. Shawn Peters MCF Band Practice (Re-Creation Center)

Friday, December 31 -- NEW YEAR'S EVE

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

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.