NLC News October 6 2022

THIS COMING WEEK:

FRIDAY-SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7-8
NLC Celebrate Recovery's German Sausage booth at Reedley Fiesta - Pioneer Park, Reedley

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9
8:30 a.m. GROWTH CLASSES

• NEW Video series on "ROMANS" in Room 111

9:30 a.m. CONNECTING POINT (Dining Room) and Connecting Point for Kids (Rm 101)
10 a.m.  WORSHIP - NLC Kids & The Crew (Jr/Sr High)

• Pastor Mark preaching - You Belong Here! series on Ephesians - (Ephesians 2:1-10)

11:30 a.m. FAMILY FUN NIGHT PLANNING LUNCH MTG - NLC Community Room
5:30 p.m.  LIFELINE Young Adult Growth Group

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11
6:00 a.m. MEN'S BIBLE STUDY - 10 Commandments - Dining Room

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12
2:10 p.m. GOOD NEWS CLUB - Jefferson Elementary
6:00 p.m. WORSHIP REHEARSAL - Gym
6:30 p.m. PRAYER GATHERING - Room 113

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
After school GOOD NEWS CLUB - Monson-Sultana School
5:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY - Join us for DINNER - Dining room
6:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY - Worship / Teaching / Small Groups

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16 - "SEAT-SWITCHING SUNDAY"
8:30 a.m. GROWTH CLASSES

• Video series on "ROMANS" in Room 111

9:30 a.m. CONNECTING POINT (Dining Room) and Connecting Point for Kids (Rm 101)
10 a.m.  WORSHIP - NLC Kids & The Crew (Jr/Sr High)

• Pastor Mark preaching - You Belong Here! series on Ephesians - (Ephesians 2:11-22)

5:30 p.m.  LIFELINE Young Adult Growth Group

Take the lead on a selfie booth, the welcome tent, or games.
Help out by hosting a trunk, serving food, or making cotton candy.
Come early to set up, or stay late to clean up.
There's lots to plan and lots to do!

Received Last Week (10/02).......$5,976
Benevolence Fund.............................$70
Received to Date........................$43,447
Budget to Date…....................... $40,534
Budget Goal .............................$421,553
Needed Weekly...…......................$8,107

Next Sunday, October 16th, I will be preaching from Ephesians 2:11-22. It's one of the clearest passages on God's heart for bringing all people together into one family in Christ. Historically the church in America has not followed God's heart in this way. Sunday morning worship services in our nation are still more segregated by ethnicity, politics, and social/economic differences than at any other time of the week.

Not so at New Life Community! We have envisioned ourselves as a diverse family of faith that is continuously transformed by Jesus Christ in order to authentically love God, each other, and our community. It's not easy, but like me, you're probably discovering just how wonderful it is!

Still, it goes against our human nature to connect with people who are different from us. The old saying, "Birds of a feather flock together" is so ingrained in us that a person might think that's the way God meant relationships to be. But we'd be so wrong to think so! Jesus left heaven to live with us, love us, die for us, and rise to give us the hope of eternal life. Jesus called together 12 disciples who, though they were all Jews, were very different from each other in their backgrounds, education, politics, and prejudices. Jesus brought men and women together as his followers, entrusting the Good News of his resurrection to women first to the rest. Jesus brought children into his adult circle of disciples, and he praised the faith of Gentiles like a Roman centurion and a Syrophoenician woman. He brought tax collectors and prostitutes together with religious leaders.

How have you grown in your own perception of and commitment to relationships with people of different backgrounds, ethnicity, education, and social/economic status? How has Jesus transformed the way you think and act toward people who are different than you? Is your love increasing and becoming more authentic? Are you recognizing word and actions that are hurtful and need to be reconciled? Are you reaching out, learning new names, and inviting others to share their life stories with you?

During worship on Sunday, October 16th, I am going to invite you (insist, really) to move from your regular seat in worship to sit with someone you don't know well or at all, particularly someone of a different ethnic background or age. It'll be a seat-switching Sunday! You'll want to pray that God will lead you to do more than sit with them on one Sunday. You'll want to pray that God will move your heart toward others in the same way his heart moved toward you.