New Life Church Weekly Update

February 28, 2025

This Sunday: March 2, 2025

9:15 Traditional Worship, Sanctuary

10:45 Contemporary Worship, Life Center

Message: "The Meaning of Mountaintop Moments"

Scripture: Luke 9:28-37

Dr. Brian Russell

New this Week:

Ministry Update
Feed the Harbor, Thank you!
Mental Health First Aid Participants
The Bargain Boutique reopens TODAY! February 28
Join us for Donuts after worship!
Youth Yard Sale - Help Needed!

The Bargain Boutique is OPEN!

Come see us in Rooms 11 & 12 (formerly the Nursery Rooms) Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am – 2 pm.

Ministry Update

Pastor Casey

Maybe you’ve noticed but I’ve talked a lot in these opening weeks about welcoming people. Think about your own experience. When were you anxious to make a good first impression? When did someone make a good first impression on you? And, of course, we have to ask: when did someone make a bad impression on you?

I’ve had some people make a bad first impression on me over the years. To my surprise, some of those folks grew on me as time went on. We don’t always get that opportunity as a church, especially when someone visits on a Sunday morning.

In January, your incredible team of church staff agreed that we should do a “first impressions assessment.” We needed to evaluate how people - especially new people - experience our church when they first meet us. Do they find our website helpful? Is parking easy to find? Can they easily find their way around the campus? Do we notice and greet new people? What is our follow-up procedure when people fill out a Connect Card?

We’re still working on some longer term solutions to make sure guests have an incredible welcome at New Life Church, but we’ve identified some easy steps. These include:

Creating a First Impressions Ministry team
Creating a “swag bag” gift for first-time guests
Improving signage around the church campus
Making sure all physical spaces clearly communicate, “You’re welcome here!”

You can personally make a huge difference if you do two things. First, pray that God sends us new people! Second, commit to personally welcoming new people on Sunday mornings. I’m convinced our church can grow if we simply do a great job of welcoming new people who already check us out!

Exodus and the Mission of God's Holy People - Tomorrow!

Saturday, March 1, 2025

1:30 – 4 PM in the Life Center

Join Dr. Brian Russell for an exciting journey through the Bible! With Dr. Russell as your guide, you’ll explore the major themes of the Bible and then apply them to the book of Exodus. The workshop will feature two one-hour workshops with a short break in-between for refreshments, as well as an optional Q&A session. Tickets are required but are FREE. A love offering is encouraged.

RESERVE YOUR TICKET HERE!

Learn more about Dr. Brian Russell HERE.

Donuts

Stop by Lenox Hall after worship this Sunday for fellowship with a donut and coffee!

Our Charlotte Behavioral Healthcare Prayer Team recently completed a

Mental Health First Aid Training to enable us to better serve our community.

Pictured: Dick & Ruth Brewer, Briyin Butgereit (with Cosmo), Tim Buck, Dina Enzor and Melanie Watkins.

Feed the Harbor, Thank You!

Sherri O'Connell

New Life - Feed the Harbor - Event Coordinator

THANK YOU so much to ALL who shopped and/or donated food or money, worked so very hard as a volunteer who passed out flyers, collected sorted and packed food and/or prayed for this event. This is our 15th year of Feed the Harbor, where we help collect food to stock Charlotte County food pantries with food for the less fortunate. What a wonderful, successful, blessed day we had. Thank you so much for being the hands and feet of Jesus. New Life was successful in servicing (4) food pantries in Charlotte County yesterday and collected and sorted over a TON of food. This event doesn't happen without all of YOU!

Lent Life Groups

Take a look at the listing of available groups, and sign up for one using the button below. When you choose "Request to Join" the group leader will be contacted and they will add you to the group. There is a "Contact" button on each group page which will email the group facilitator, if you have any questions.

Available Groups:

Thursday mornings at 10 in Room 9

Facilitator: Pastor Earl Smith

Sunday mornings at 9:15 in Lenox Hall

Facilitator: Debbie Harrington

If you need technical help joining a group, please call the church office!

Men's Breakfast, March 8

Please Join us for our next Men's Breakfast, Saturday March 8th at 8am in Lenox Hall for fellowship and a presentation by Mel Chancey. Mel was a former President of The Hell's Angels in Chicago. Come hear his story of how God got his attention and changed his life. He currently owns Second Chance Gym on Kings Highway. All men are welcome and encouraged to invite a guest. A Continental Breakfast will be provided. There is no charge for this event, but please make reservations by noon Friday, March 7th by contacting Wayne Sharp at sharpww@me.com.

Youth Yard Sale Help Needed!

Tim Buck, tim@newlifeforall.church

We're in need of some one-time volunteers to reset the Life Center after the youth yard sale on March 8th at 2pm. Our teens could really benefit from extra hands (10-12 volunteers) to pack up all of the leftover sale items. The Jesus Loves You Ministry has graciously agreed to take many of these items, as long as we box them up and move them to the parking lot for pick up that afternoon.

Additionally, we're looking for 8-10 people to help our teens take down the tables and reset the chairs for Sunday services.

With enough volunteers, both of these tasks should only take about an hour. Thank you in advance for your willingness to help in this practical way.

A Word from Worship

Greetings New Life Family and Friends,

First let me tell you all how grateful I (and my entire family) are for your loving support and caring these past many months have meant to us. You have celebrated each positive times we had; the things that we called "wins" during Don's cancer journey, and you shared tears with us when there was bad news. Thanks to our loving God, we were blessed with more good times than down periods. We, as a family were amazed to see so many in attendance at Don's Celebration of Life service. My heart was touched when I read on social media that a couple of our nieces and granddaughters had written and described how they felt it was such an blessing to walk in and see the church filled with people there to honor him. One of the things I've learned through this journey is the need to share with our younger family members about our lives while we're still here and able to share life stories. Like most Vietnam veterans Don did not talk a lot about his three tours there. I'm now hearing things like "I didn't know that about Uncle Don" frequently. He had wanted to write his story about his life but didn't make it. I am so grateful for everyone who helped me with his memorial service and luncheon. I have received so many cards and lovely notes that I have reread a few times. In those times when I feel alone it's a comfort to be reminded that there is love and support all around. I am thankful to everyone who is willing to help me with rides and meals. And there are not enough words to express appreciation for your memorial gifts. I am still working on the thank-you notes. This is now a whole new way of life that will take some navigating so keep praying for me please and be patient for a little while. I now have some health issues of my own to address and deal with. When Don and I were praying together we'd pray for miracles. Our miracle was to have more time together and He gave us nine months after thinking he wouldn't come home last spring. Jesus showed us that what we think is impossible is not impossible with God. Sometimes healing doesn't come the way we think but God is still gracious and faithful and restore perfect health in eternity.

Meanwhile, let's keep praying for healing for those sick around us and thank Him for His enduring love.

I am praying for all of you and am looking to build more worship and hospitality team members. Please pray about this and contact me for more info. Our blessings are greatest when we are a serving church. I love you all and I'm praying for you!

Rosie Young

Worship Coordinator

rosie@newlifeforall.church

Cuba Mission Trip, March 15

Four church members, Shirley Stewart, Emma Buck, Phil Iorio, and Daniel Candia will go to Guaro Cuba to encourage our sister church there and visit other churches and missions that we have supported.

Each suitcase will be filled with medicines. If you want to help, bring medicines to Lenox Hall and put them in the CUBA MEDICINE box next to the library book stands. Take a copy of the needed medicines list if you want to know what is needed. The last day to bring medicines is Sunday, March 9. Thank you for your help in bringing Cubans to Jesus and supporting them in this time of crisis in their country. If questions contact Tom Little, 941-769-0002.

Dates to Remember - Mark your Calendars!

MARCH

Exodus Workshop with Dr. Brian Russell, March 1

Family Night, March 4

Youth Yard Sale, March 7/8

Men's Breakfast, March 8

Lent Life Groups Begin, March 9

Cancer Support's "A Morning of HOPE," March 15

Today Matters, March 22

Join the Tech Team!

Are you looking for a place to serve in 2025? We are looking for volunteers to run ProPresenter on Sunday Mornings in the Tech Booth (slides, worship lyrics, scripture etc. on the screens). If you are interested in learning more, please contact Kathy in the church office, kathy@newlifeforall.church.

Meal Train for Rosie Young

Click HERE to sign up.

Hospital Visitation, Prayer Available

We want to know when you are having surgery or are in the hospital! We are available to pray with you before surgery and visit you in the hospital, rehab, etc.

Contact us through email: prayerteam@newlifeforall.church or call/text Pastor Bob, Minister of Pastoral Care (941) 585-9576.

New Life Name Tags

If you would like a name tag (magnetic or pin style), you can request one HERE or by calling Katherine in the church office 941-639-3842 ext 106. Suggested donation, $6 per nametag.

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Office Hours: Monday - Thursday, 9 am - 4 pm

(941) 639-3842 | www.newlifeforall.church

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Deadline for the Bridge is the prior Wednesday, by noon.