NLC News December 1 2022

THIS WEEKEND:
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2
6:00-8:00 p.m.  - Women's Ministries is hosting "Ladies' Night Out" - Paint Night 2. 0 - RSVP today to reserve your spot, 591-1176. $5 cost for ornament. 
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 3
5:30-7:30 p.m. Dinuba Christmas Parade - Downtown

THE COMING WEEK:
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 4 
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)

• Traditional Filipino Christmas treats...COME HUNGRY!
• Special celebration of Helen Harvin's 100th birthday featuring her favorite chocolates

10:00 a.m.  WORSHIP/COMMUNION, NLC Kids, & The Crew (Jr/Sr High) 

• 2nd Sunday of Advent - Bring an ornament that reflects your cultural background for the NLC Family Christmas Tree in the Dining Room
• Pastor Mark will be preaching on Christmas in a New Light from Matthew 1:1-6
• Communion

11:15 a.m. GROWTH CLASS

• "The Bible Story Out Loud" - For adults and parents upstairs in the NLC Kids building, with Bible videos and snacks for the kids downstairs. 
• Pick up your BBQ lunch from Celebrate Recovery in the Dining Room (pre-orders only)

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6
6:00 a.m. MEN'S BIBLE STUDY - 10 Commandments - Dining Room
9:00 a.m. L.I.F.T. Women's Bible Study - Christmas Party - Rooms 114-115

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7
6:00 p.m. WORSHIP REHEARSAL - Gym
6:30 p.m. Prayer Gathering - Room 113

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8
5:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY "FOREVER FAMILY" THANKSGIVING DINNER - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY - Worship / Teaching / Small Groups

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9 
6:00 p.m. Private event: YFC Staff Dinner - Dining Room

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10
7:30-11:00 a.m. "Pancake Breakfast with the Grinch" presented by the Dinuba Chamber of Commerce; tickets are $5/person in advance at the Chamber - Dining Room

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 11
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)

• Traditional Mexican Christmas treats...COME HUNGRY!
• Appreciation for John Regier moving to inactive status as Elder
• Dedication prayer over new Deacons: Mike & Nori Naylor

10:00 a.m.  WORSHIP - NLC Kids & The Crew (Jr/Sr High)

• Pastor Mark will be preaching on Christmas in a New Light

11:15 a.m. "The Bible Story Out Loud" - For adults and parents upstairs in the NLC Kids building, with Bible videos and snacks for the kids downstairs. 

We'll be kicking off our Christmas theme: "Christmas in New Light",
celebrating the diversity of the family of faith God is growing at NLC.
Bring an ornament for the NLC Family Christmas Tree and...
...come early and come hungry for Filipino Christmas treats at Connecting Point!
We'll also be celebrating Helen Harvin's 100th birthday with chocolates at Connecting Point
and with a presentation in the worship service.

Pastor Steve Sandoval is heading up NLC's Christmas gift distribution to our adopted school, Jefferson Elementary on December 16th. Please bring unwrapped gifts for children ages 4-12 to the red barrel in the Dining Room, OR bring them to the Breakfast with the Grinch event presented by the Dinuba Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 10th held at NLC.

Please see Carolyn Ehoff if you'd like to contribute cash to NLC's bid on a decorated Christmas tree with gifts and a full Christmas meal for a family selected by Dinuba/Orosi/Cutler Schools. You may also contribute through NLC's Home Resource Center with the memo: Tree Auction

NLC Kids is excited to host a one night Christmas event for kids
to explore the nativity and celebrate Immanuel-God with us!

Carols, Christmas "toots" goodie bags, Children's program and pageant

Come as you are - even in your pajamas - for a casual family celebration of Jesus' birth.

Our mission offering goal was $20,000. By God's grace we have exceeded our goal!

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 20
Received including Missions (11/20).......$29,330
Received to Date  ..........................…….... $103,246
Budget to Date ………................................ $97,281
Needed Weekly …….............................…..…$8,107

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27
Received including Missions (11/27)…...$7,367
Received to Date...........................…….$110,613
Budget to Date …................…...…….... $105,388
Budget Goal ………................................$421,553
Needed Weekly ……......…..................……$8,107

The faith of our children at NLC is growing! Praise God for this ministry and all those who lead and serve children. Jessica Aquino, NLC's Children's Ministry Leader, is providing this update and list of "wins" in the children's ministry. May it also inspire and inform our prayers for her team and for all the children and family they serve.

From Jessica Aquino, NLC Children's Ministry Leader:
We started a new curriculum in all of our classes (ages 4-12) recently, called Wonder Ink.  (CLICK HERE or the LOGO ABOVE for a VIDEO OVERVIEW). The curriculum gives opportunities for the kids and families to engage in the Word of God. The goal is to inspire kids to discover their identity in God's big story. They don't just listen to the story, but have a chance to act it our and reflect on what this particular story might mean in their own lives.
One of the features of Wonder Ink is a parent portal that gives extension activity ideas for parents to do alongside their children at home. We want parents to disciple their kids with confidence.
The curriculum we're testing in the nursery (infants to age 3) is Frolic. The purpose is for the "littles" to see God in the world around them. The curriculum gives our teachers ideas to teach our "littles" through play. Joanna Espinoza-Brooks, our NLC Nursery Coordinator, and her workers are loving it so far.
Please pray that our teachers find their footing in this new curriculum since it's much more interactive than past materials. Some of our parents are very excited about the parent portal to continue learning the Bible at home!  

During Trunk or Treat I (Jessica) told one of the girls in our children's ministry that I was not feeling well. She said, "Oh no! Can I pray for you?" I told her of course I need all the prayers I can get. She grabbed my hands and began to pray for me. I am so excited to see our kids at NLC living out THEIR faith! God is so good.

In an effort to lessen the flow of traffic into room 101, we are now doing check-in in the hallway with parents walking through the glass door. We just started this and it is working really well. We now have three classes in the Kid's building on Sundays: Nursery 0-3, 4-6 year olds and 7-12 year olds.
Grace Castillo is working with the kids on some Christmas music. She and Martha Sawatzky will lead the kids in a special presentation during the Christmas Eve Service. We're also planning an NLC Kids Christmas Event - "Waiting for Jesus" with crafts and activities on Tuesday, Dec. 20th, 5:30-7:30 p.m. in Room 101.  

Terry Chappell has been leading a class for parents of children after the Worship service on Sunday mornings. While he teaches the adults upstairs in the Kids building, their children attend a video class and enjoy snacks downstairs. About a half-dozen parents have been attending, learning the story of the Bible "out loud" using word pictures to connect to the story.

One last note from Pastor Mark:
With a request from Jessica and the go-ahead from the Trustees, Joe Ehoff replaced the toilets in the Kids building that were extremely low to the ground with regular-sized toilets. This means our children will not have to exit the Kids building to use the restroom during ministry time. It's a great help to teachers since someone has always had to accompany the children to the exterior restroom building. Thank you!