News & Views February 10 2022

February 10, 2022
 
FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him,
rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as  you were taught,
and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7
 
 
FEBRUARY 13th WORSHIP
Life Lesson Classes for Adults
8:30 - PSALM 119 video series with Matt Chandler - Ron & Judy Brown leading - Room 111
8:30 - Clase de Estudio Bíblico en Español - Docente: Ruth Serrato - Room 113
8:45 - WELCOME Class: James - Leroy Bumbaca & Laurie Isaac teaching - Rooms 114-115
 
Connecting Point
9:30 A.M. - Dining Room
 
Worship
10:00 A.M. -  Family Center Gym/Online - Pastor Mark preaching
Step it Up! 4 - Caleb - Read ahead: Numbers 13-14, Joshua 14

Our Souperbowl offering will be gathered during the service for Open Gate Ministries.
Look for the soup pot!
 
NLC Kids
10:00 A.M. - Rooms 101,103

I've been looking forward to Sunday, February 20th for a long time! I hope you feel the same as you prepare to participate on this special Sunday of prayerwalking the neighborhoods of Dinuba. I'll give you a rundown of what you can prepare for, but first let me share again the story of New Life Community's Pray & Go ministry.

During the pandemic, with many people isolating in their homes and not experiencing the joy and peace of gathering with others for worship, NLC went to them. Because our vision calls us to transform lives through Jesus Christ, we began to pray, neighborhood by neighborhood, street by street, house by house for the people of our community. Our goal was to encourage
and support the people in our neighborhood. To let them know someone cares. To pray they might know the love and life transformation Jesus Christ has for them.

Pray & Go is a ministry that Thom Rainer of Church Answers organized to assist churches like NLC to pray for their cities effectively. We organized a team last year with Nori Naylor as leader, received training, ordered door hangers, prepared a map to mark our progress, and began to go and pray. You can see the map being filled in with green marker in the Family Center where we worship.

On Sunday morning, February 20th, we are all going to have the opportunity to pray & go, reaching more people in one Sunday than we have been able to do in months! Our desire is to pray over the entire city. So far, since we started in March 2021, we've covered 900 of the 6,174 households in Dinuba. If you join us on Sunday morning we may be able add another 300 households to that number, expanding the reach of our prayers further into the city.

One of the benefits of Pray & Go is how it grows our own hearts for others in our community. You see homes and people differently when you walk their street instead of driving by. You may have an opportunity to greet someone you wouldn't otherwise meet, and possibly even share with them your desire for them to know the love of Jesus.

Here's how we'll do that on Sunday, February 20th. Life Lesson classes and Connecting Point will run as usual. At 10:00 a.m we'll gather to sing and receive instructions for prayerwalking. I'll share the vision and goal and Nori will give instructions and even have a demonstration. We'll dismiss in groups of 2-5 to our assigned neighborhoods before returning for pizza. For those unable to prayerwalk or guests who may feel unprepared and uncomfortable, Nori and Bruce Smith will remain in the Family Center to lead a time of prayer over Dinuba. NLC Kids will join in by walking around the block with their leaders, praying for the houses right around the church.

Please come prepared. Bring walking shoes and a fully-charged  smartphone (for GPS). You'll be given a card with a street to walk (about 10-15 homes) and instructions. Simply walk the neighborhood and pray for the homes and people along your route. At each home you'll place a doorhanger that lets people know you prayed for them. That's it. When you're done, return to church and give your completed card to Nori and enjoy a pizza lunch with the others as they return from their neighborhoods. I think we may have some great stories to share with each other! Whether we're planting seeds or bringing in a harvest it will be for God's glory.

Last Sunday (Feb. 6th) we held a new member lunch with these wonderful newcomers to NLC: Left to right: Veronica Stalis, Orilia "Lily" Alvarado, Jackie Elkins, Brian Willems, Ana Tovar, Thannia Chavana, (Cece), Mary Fenske, Beth Applegate, (Mark), Grace Castillo, Eric Parra, Monica Garcia, James Velandria, Anatalia and Steve Sandoval.
It was an amazing time of hearing God's grace poured out person by person! The BBQ'd ribs were pretty amazing, too! These people will be sharing their testimonies and some will be baptized as we receive them into membership over the coming weeks.
Another lunch is being planned soon for others who were unable to attend this time.

The Home Resource Center gives thanks for the many gifts received recently, including a brand new toilet from Dinuba Lumber! Your donations are going right back out the door to bless individuals and families with furniture and other essential needs, all in the name of Jesus.
Our hearts are growing for the people of our community. Praise the Lord!

Received Last Week (2/6): …....... $7,711
Received this year to date: .….$198,283
Benevolence Fund:…………….....….  $290
Budget to Date: …………...….....$195,946
Budget Goal: …………..…...........$443,008
Needed Weekly: ……….…..….....…$8,519

Per CA Department of Health mandate, "masks are to be worn in all indoor public settings, irrespective of vaccination status" through February 15, 2022.  
If you are sick, please join the livestream service until you are well and able to return.
Thank you.