NLC Connect - Oct. 28, 2026

Family Fun Night 2026 is officially in the books, and my heart is full!
For weeks, we had been planning, preparing, collecting candy, and recruiting volunteers. We had some pretty big goals this year, including finding 60 volunteers to help make the night possible.
Well, our church family showed up!
Not only did we reach our candy collection goal, but we exceeded our goal with 77 incredible volunteers that served in some capacity for Family Fun Night!
From preparing food and running games to welcoming families, praying with guests, and cleaning up at the end of the night, every single person played an important part.
And while I love a good event (and you all know how much I love planning one haha), what I love even more is hearing about the moments that happened in between all the activities.
After Family Fun Night, I sent our volunteers a feedback form asking them to share an "aha moment" or something that stood out to them.
I loved reading their responses!
One volunteer shared:
"It felt so good serving together with the NLC community. It gave me the feeling of truly belonging, that community was being deepened."
I love that our volunteers weren't just helping create a welcoming environment for others. They were experiencing that sense of belonging themselves!
Another volunteer shared about meeting a mother who was hesitant to attend church because she had an infant. After hearing about our nursery and children's ministry, she seemed excited about the possibility of visiting on a Sunday.
And another wrote:
"This was a great event to invite school friends and the soccer team to. Some showed up! They loved that they had dinner and treats taken care of!"
I think sometimes we forget how meaningful something as simple as a free meal, a fun evening, and an opportunity to spend time together can be for a family.
One of the responses that really stood out to me came from our prayer team:
"We prayed for 25 individuals including families. We invited two families who are looking for a church home to come to NLC."
In the middle of all the games, food, candy, and excitement, people were being prayed for, encouraged, and invited into community.
Another volunteer shared:
"God has been working so much in my life and changing my heart in such a big, and often overwhelming way that I don't fully understand."
They went on to share how meaningful it was to serve children who may never have attended church and have the opportunity to show them the love of Christ.
And then there was this simple response that made me smile:
"Not so much of an aha but I was smiling the whole time because I noticed everyone having fun."
Sometimes it's the simplest moments that remind us why we serve.
Thank You, New Life Community!
Romans 12:9 reminds us that "Love must be sincere."
And I think that's exactly what we saw at Family Fun Night.
Love looked like donated candy, volunteers giving up their Sunday evening, people working together to solve unexpected problems, and families being welcomed with genuine smiles.
To everyone who donated candy, helped prepare, served, prayed, invited friends, or stayed to clean up, THANK YOU!
Because of you, we reached our candy goals, exceeded our volunteer goal, and most importantly, created a safe and welcoming space where kids and families could have fun and feel genuinely loved.
As someone who loves planning and organizing, I spend a lot of time thinking through all the details that make an event possible. But reading these responses reminded me that some of the most meaningful moments are the ones we could never plan.
The conversations. The invitations. The prayers. The connections.
We planned a Family Fun Night, but God gave us opportunities to love people.
And at the end of the day, that's what it's all about.
With a grateful heart,
Jessica