NLC News

THIS WEEKEND:
SUNDAY, JANUARY 15, 2023
8:30 a.m. VIDEO CLASS: 1 PETER - Room 111
9:30 a.m. CONNECTING POINT (Dining Room) and Connecting Point for Kids (Rm 101)
10:00 a.m.  WORSHIP - NURSERY - NLC KIDS CHURCH - NLC CREW

• "Time for a New Life" Series from Ephesians 4:8-16. 
• Pastor Mark will introduce the topic of SPIRITUAL GIFTS with a helpful activity and teaching led by Nori Naylor. Come with paper/pencil, laptop, or tablet to take notes!
• Presenting Josh "Chinoh" Aquino for period of discerning prayer as a new NLC Elder.

11:15 a.m. "The Bible Out Loud" Class for parents and children - Room 111 (Kids in Room 101)
6:30 p.m. Celebration of John & Geri's 44 years of mission work around the world

• Worship and a dessert reception.
  

THE COMING WEEK:
TUESDAY, JANUARY 17
6:00 a.m. Men's Bible Study - Soul Care - Dining Room
9:00 a.m. NEW L.I.F.T. Women's Bible Study beginning - Room 114/115

• Kelly Minter's "Encountering God" 

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 18
6:00 p.m. WORSHIP REHEARSAL - Gym
6:30 p.m. Prayer Gathering - Room 113

THURSDAY, JANUARY 19
5:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Dinner - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Worship / Testimony Night / Small Groups

• Testimony night features Misty, an associate member of Broken Chains JC and currently the chairperson for the West Coast Rally planning committee. Misty has served for many years at the Worship Centre in Fowler CA.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 21
10 a.m.-noon CELEBRATE RECOVERY Codependency Workshop - Dining Room

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22
8:30 a.m. ADULT GROWTH CLASSES - NLC KIDS ministry for parents in growth classes ONLY

• Video Class: 1 PETER - Room 111
• NEW! Faith & Finances 8-week course beginning - Room 114/115

9:30 a.m. CONNECTING POINT (Dining Room) and Connecting Point for Kids (Rm 101)
10:00 a.m.  WORSHIP - NURSERY - NLC KIDS CHURCH - NLC CREW

• Pastor Mark preaching: "Time for a New Life" - Ephesians Part II - 4:17-24

12:00 noon YFC REPORT BANQUET - NLC GYM following worship

• Stay after church to hear what God has been doing in the lives of local teenagers!
• Free lunch is provided

Received Last Week (1/8)…..$7,015
Received this year: ..……..$153,261
Budget to Date: ………….. $154,029
Budget Goal: ………...........$421,553
Needed Weekly: …....…..……$8,130

Notes: Dinuba Carl's Jr sent NLC a check for $467.00! It was split 4 ways between our
Home Resource Center, Celebrate Recovery, Grab & Go, and the church budget.
After our Christmas with the Grinch event with Dinuba Chamber of Commerce,
they are sending us double our facility fee in a generous act of partnership with us!
The pozole fundraiser for NLC Kids going to winter camp raised $1,060 last Sunday.

Are you looking for a part-time position in Dinuba?
Are you interested in serving people in a position where your faith in Jesus matters?
Then consider one of three local positions just opened in Dinuba, all within the same few blocks around the church!
1. Sterling and Smith Funeral Home

Mario Zendejas is the on-site director at Sterling & Smith, which was recently purchased by a new company. He is looking to hire a part-time office manager who is bilingual. The address is right off Alta Road at 139 W Mariposa Street.
2. Open Gate Ministries

Open Gate Ministries is just beginning to look for a part-time person to work alongside Cheryl Jackson, the executive director, in the area of donor relations, fundraising, and social media. The office is inside the shelter, right across El Monte from New Life Community.
3. New Life Community

Yes! Our church is also looking for a part-time person to serve as a Connections Specialist, helping to connect us with each other, with newcomers, and the community. This person will also help bridge people with ministry opportunities in the church and drive our social media presence. We're also looking for someone who is bilingual. Interested? Talk to Pastor Mark.
Link to job description.

God has blessed our church with Elders, men who are called by God as spiritual leaders for our church. We have been praying that God would increase the number of Elders at NLC, especially in light of John Regier's recent shift to inactive status. And God has provided! We are pleased to present to NLC for your prayerful affirmation Josh "Chinoh" Aquino.

Josh, who prefers the nickname, Chinoh, has served as a church pastor, having been discipled and ordained through the Independent Baptist denomination in which he and Jessica grew up. Chinoh's first assignment was in prison ministry, which grew the love God has given him for ministering to those others often overlook.
He and Jessica planted a church, which he served as pastor, before Chinoh joined the staff at Orange Cove Presbyterian Church. It was during that church's closure during the pandemic that Chinoh visited New Life Community, eventually bringing his family. There are already some at NLC who know Chinoh as "Pastor". Jessica has served as our Children's Ministry Leader since April, 2021. Chinoh serves alongside her and recently began serving alongside Pastor Steve in NLC Crew, our church's ministry to teenagers.

The process for selecting Elders is defined in our bylaws. Current Elders discern and appoint new Elders, first consulting with the church Treasurer as part of the vetting process. Last year the three Elders (John, Bruce, and I) contacted Chinoh and asked him to pray about and consider this calling. He has. And at the end of 2022 submitted his application.
With only two Elders on active status now, Bruce and I were joined in our discernment process by our church president, Ron Brown, chairman of our Trustees. Together we have met with Chinoh & Jessica, reviewed Chinoh's application, interviewed Chinoh, spoken with the men he gave as references, and prayed together for God's leading. We are confident that God has brought Chinoh, his wife, and family, to NLC. He has sensed this calling from God, recognizing that God's call has been persistent and remains on him to be a shepherd of the church.

Bruce, Ron, and I are inviting you as members of NLC to join us in praying for Chinoh for the next two weeks. Learn to know him better if you don't already know him well. Feel free to ask him about his calling and the gifts and insights God has given him for leadership at NLC. You will hear of his intense commitment to discipleship, especially for children and youth, and for opening ourselves to minister the Gospel to our community and those often overlooked. You will also find a wealth of experience and wisdom gained from his own life of discipleship, from Bible School, and from the people God has granted him to shepherd over his life. We will have an opportunity as a congregation to stand in affirmation of his calling on Sunday, January 29th.