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

The week ahead

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
Mission Meal and Offering
November 21st - Following the morning service
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 Miracle of the "Puppy Dog"

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!
Prayer
  • Give thanks to the Lord for Pastor Marques Mente and his wife Celma. He is being ordained to the ministry in Portugal on Sunday, November 7th. 
  • Otto and Marjorie Ekk, our missionaries to Portugal, request prayer for:
    • Healing after the very turbulent years at MB Mission / Multiply. Pray for the new Board, and for Vic Wiens, who is the intern General Director for this coming year.
    • Pray for healing in the churches in North America as well as Portugal. Much disunity has shown itself these last two years in particular.
    • Pray for us as we are transitioning into a new phase of the ministry. (Otto & Marjorie will return to the US in December and officially retire in May, 2022).
    • Pray for the leadership for the churches in Portugal.
  • Ask God what he wants to give through you toward our church's missionaries and their work. We will be gathering an offering on November 21 to cover their entire year's support.
  • Pray for the 8 children who accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior during the Gospel presentations at Family Fun Night last Sunday. Praise the Lord for hundreds of people who came, experienced the love of Christ, and enjoyed the peace and fellowship of our church.
  • The Good News Club at Jefferson Elementary begins Wednesday, Nov. 3rd after school. Pray for Norma, Martha, Geri, Tom, and Marcia as they serve. Pray that children and parents will complete the online sign-up, and that many will come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
  • Jesse & Elizabeth (Bob & Sandy Sorber's grandchildren) were present with their kids for Family Fun Night. Praise the Lord for their ongoing recovery back at home with Abe & Holly.
  • Lyubov Heinrichs is in the hospital with blood clots in her lungs and blood pressure issues. 
  • Pray for her and others like Bruce & Laurel Smith and Ron Froese recovering illnesses.
  • Lois Brittel is recovering from surgery at the Armenian Home in Fresno.
  • JR Southard is having spine surgery to infuse cement into his vertebrae, Thursday, Nov. 4th. Pray he comes through the surgery well and recovers with less back and leg pain.
  • Chris Reimche is having shoulder surgery on Thursday, Nov. 4th.
  • Glen Zimmerman's cancer proteins are going down and the fractures on his spine have healed! Continue to pray as the doctor increases his daily chemo dose that his body can handle it and continue to heal from the cancer. Pray for encouragement for him and Peggy.
  • Continue to lift people with ongoing health issues before the Lord: Marilyn Chappell, Mike Naylor, Brian Smith, and Galen Wiest and Travis Jost with Multiply.
  • Pray for Pastor Mark as he attends the Pacific District Conference of MB Churches' convention in Phoenix, November 3-6.

Jefferson School Good News Club Team

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

Our Giving

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.

Operation Christmas Child
Donations to the church office due by Nov. 18th
Or build your own shoebox online below:

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