News & Views November 3

NOVEMBER MEMORY VERSE
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever."
1 Chronicles 16:34

MISSION'S MONTH
NOVEMBER 7th WORSHIP and COMMUNION SERVICE
Adult Class - "What Makes You Happy?" - 8:30 A.M. - Room 110
Adult "Welcome" Class (Book of James) - 8:45 A.M. - Rooms 114-115
Connecting Point - 9:30 A.M. - Dining Room
Worship  - 10:00 A.M. -  Family Center Gym and Online
Pastor Mark: ROAD TO RECOVERY, Part 6 - REPAIRING RELATIONSHIPS
featuring the testimony of Nacho & Dahlia
Read ahead - Matthew 5:7, 9, Ephesians 2:8-10, 4:31-32
VIDEO and prayer focus for Otto & Marjorie Ekk (Portugal) & Pastor Marques Mente
NLC Kids  - 10:00 A.M. - Rooms 101,103

NOTE: Women's Ministries' SORTA Country Faire (Nov 4) is postponed. Stay tuned!

Tuesday, 9th
6-7 a.m.   Men's Bible Study group - Tony Evans' "Heroes of Faith" (Hebrews) - Dining Room
Wednesday, 10th
8:00 a.m. Good Morning Dinuba - Chamber community event
6:30 p.m. NLC Prayer Gathering - all are welcome - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. Griefshare - High School Room
Thursday,11th
7:00 p.m. Life Skills - Open Gate's shelter
Sunday, 14th
Pastor Mark continues the series: "Road to Recovery" as a launch to Celebrate Recovery at NLC
Missionary focus: Anchetas and Espositos

NOVEMBER 21, 2021
Worship 10:00 a.m. - Family Center
Meal 11:15 am. - Dining Room
During the meal we'll watch the Home Resource Center video in partnership with Open Gate and hear about the impact the ministry is having in the area.  
We'll also hear about John & Geri's video ministry with Multiply and the latest project he's developing with a new Multiply missionary family from Orange Cove heading to Peru.
Please be prepared to participate in the Mission Offering as the Lord leads you. The goal for this year is $46,300, covering our missionary support for the entire year.

The photo above was taken at the "selfie booth" at Family Fun Night. Lots of people took family photos that night, including these boys.  When I first saw the picture I thought the older brother had brought a stuffed puppy dog as part of his costume. But if you look closely you'll see that the little "puppy dog" has hands...it's actually their baby brother! Let me share the miracle of this little "puppy dog".

For 12 months now our church has been offering Grab & Go meals on the last Sunday of every month. Indoor dining was still a high risk activity for spreading COVID-19 last November 2020 , so we decided to serve our traditional Thanksgiving mission banquet meal as a drive-thru meal and to open it up to the community. We served over 200 turkey dinners to our church and community members that Sunday, and have continued to serve about 220-250 meals each month for Grab & Go.

People in Dinuba and the surrounding area have been hit hard by the pandemic. As the elders noted in the November newsletter, a national report recently showed that 60% of families with incomes under $50,000 have suffered serious financial problems over the last 12 months and have used up their entire savings. Since the average household income in Dinuba is $44,000 we can assume many of our neighbors are affected. With food prices up, serving meals has been an important way to meet people's needs.

One of the people from town who heard about Grab & Go and came through the drive-thru was a couple with two boys. The mother was pleased to find people who came out to her car to meet her, talk with her, and offer to pray for her and the family. She was pregnant, she said , and was having complications. She asked for prayer about that on two occasions, and both  times someone from our church prayed with her for the birth of a healthy baby. She came for the meals, but received something even more essential: the prayers of God's people.

Like the family did last year, they came again this year with their kids and costumes to our Family Fun Night. Our Grab & Go turned into a "Get & Sit" supper with free hot dogs, chili, Frito boats, popcorn, cotton candy, and soft serve ice cream provided by Gleanings for the Hungry. The boys got to do some crafts at the NLC KIds' craft tables, collect candy and smiles at the trunk or treat, hear the Gospel story, and take a photo at the selfie booth. They had a great time.

What about the little "puppy dog"? Sometime that evening the family found Cece Olea. They wanted to say "thanks" for the evening and to show off their baby. Yes, that baby! Dressed up as a stuffed puppy dog, their third son was born free of the complications they had been worried about! "Your church prayed for us twice," the mother said, "and I wanted you to see our healthy baby boy." Praise the Lord!

Martha Sawatzky said that 8 children raised their hands to pray to accept Jesus as their Savior and Lord that evening. As we turn ourselves outward to meet the needs of our community we will continually find that God has been at work there, drawing people to himself by grace through faith. Thank you for giving yourself to God as partners in such miracles!

Left to Right: Geri Warkentin, Martha Sawatzky, Marcia Sawatzky, Tom Regier, Norma Froese

Received Last Week (10/31):…..$4,574
Received this year to date…… $61,936
Budget to Date: ………..…...….. $76,674
Budget Goal: ………….....…......$443,008
Needed Weekly: ………....…..……$8,862

Please remember to ask God what He wants to give through you toward our Nov. 21st Mission offering. The $46,300 goal covers our year's commitment to our missionaries.