News & Views April 8

APRIL MEMORY VERSES
But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins.
He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own.
Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.
Isaiah 53:5-6

APRIL 11th WORSHIP and GRAND RE-OPENING
CONNECTING POINT - 9:30 A.M. - Dining Hall
NLC Welcome Gifts for Everyone!
WORSHIP  - 10:00 A.M. -  Family Center Gym
NLC KIDS - 10:00 A.M. - Room 101
Pastor Mark, preaching  -  Music by Erica Vasquez, Beth, Brian, and Bruce
"Give New Life a Chance to Grow!"
Read ahead: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 and Luke 8:1-15

ONLINE - watch live from anywhere at 10:00 a.m. or when you can

This Sunday I want you to feel new to New Life Community. That's right, no matter how long or short your participation at New Life Community, I want for you to experience what it's like to be "new". Remember, New Life Community is about having new life in Christ Jesus and being in community with each other in unity with him. That's something to celebrate fresh every day!

To help you the Welcome Team has prepared welcome gift bags, which they'll be handing to everyone that comes in the door. There are some goodies in the bag, some information, a water bottle, and travel mug with the NLC logo. Take it as a celebration of our church vision coming to reality, and a reminder to pray for the church as we shift ourselves outward to our community with a message of transformation through Jesus Christ.

Be observant, like people are when they're new. Notice how our logo shows new life in Christ as a leaf with a cross growing outward from the two halves of the square. What do you see? What might the colors and shapes symbolize? Notice how the corners and the leaf direct attention outward, with the cross pointing the way. How does it communicate "New Life Community"? Focus on the words of our vision and mission. Where are you seeing and how are you celebrating the diverse family God is gathering at New Life Community? Reflect on the work of transformation God is doing in your mind and heart. How might you love Him authentically today, and on Sunday? What might it look like to love others and our community more deeply?

Introduce yourself to others and take an interest in them. Rather than introducing yourself with something like, "I've been a member here for years," consider and say what inspires you to to worship God and serve Him here now. Share how you've seen the Lord work around you or within you, if you can be so open. And rather than comparing opinions with longtime friends, shift those conversations, too. Ask what God's been showing them lately, and be willing to speak words of faith and hope back to them. Spur one another one to love and good deeds.

You'll notice staff and volunteers wearing name badges. That's important for new people, and will help you recognize and welcome new staff. This Sunday will be the first opportunity to greet two new staff members and their families. Erica Vasquez and her husband Johnny are leading on-campus and online worship ministry and production teams as our Interim Worship Ministry Leader. They have two young sons, Drew (4) and Cole (2). Erica has been leading worship for the large children's ministry at Visalia First (Assembly of God) church, and home schools the boys. Johnny is a Youth For Christ campus leader in Tulare, has an audio production company, and has been volunteering with Erica at Visalia First.

Jessica Aquino and her husband Joshua have been participating at NLC starting this past summer, along with their 6 children: Hannah (11), Samuel (9), Lydia (8), Naomi (7), Emmy (5), and Eliza (3). Jessica is our new Children's Ministry Leader and will be directing our programs for kids from birth through 6th grade. She's a preschool teacher with Kings Canyon Unified, and the daughter of Johnny & Denise Esposito, who have also been part of NLC since this summer. Josh has been a church-planting pastor, ministered to people in jail and from gangs, and has led worship for Orange Cove Presbyterian before the pandemic.  He also works nights at a local packing/cold storage business. Josh has been one of our worship leaders since this summer.

NEW STAFF
Erica & Johnny Vasquez (Worship/Production)                       Jessica & Josh Aquino (NLC Kids)

Received Last Week (4/4): ....... $10,236.10
Received this year to date:.... $275,065.24
Budget Goal: …………….............$521,591.00
Budget to Date: ………….......... $305,081.53
Needed Weekly: ……….........……$11,205.72

If you received a special check from the 2021 Federal Stimulus Act and are considering
how you might use it, please encourage the outreach work of New Life Community.
One opportunity is to help us connect better with our community through using up to date media. More funds are needed to finish the digital streaming upgrades underway in the gym.
Please designate your gifts as REMODELING FUND. For more information see Chuck Boldwyn.

COVID-19 precautions: For your safety and others, please maintain 6' of distance
and wear a face covering on campus, unless otherwise posted. Thank you.
We are now at 50% capacity in all indoor spaces.
NLC has installed ionization generators for air sanitization in the gym.

Questions? Call 559-591-1176 or office@newlifedinuba.org