NLC News March 9 2023

A few weeks ago Eugene & Phyllis Enns and Laurie & I visited Fresno Pacific University's open house at their new retreat center, Casa Pacifica, on Millerton Lake. It's beautiful!
While we were there, Phyllis noticed all the bunk beds in every room on every level of the 3-story home. Phyllis and Carolyn Ehoff run NLC's Home Resource Center and are on the constant lookout for bunk beds. That's the one item families transitioning into new housing in our area need most. We often have to purchase the bunk beds we give away.
Mandie Wall, FPU Director of Residence Life and Housing, was giving Phyllis & Eugene a tour when Phyllis asked, "Where do you get all of your bunk beds?" Mandie's reply is why we're praising the Lord!
Coming out of COVID, Mandie explained, FPU had to reduce the number of students per room in its dormitories. Bunk beds are no longer needed in the dorms, and the university has "a lot" to get rid of. Phyllis could hardly believe the news and described our Home Resource Center to Mandie. In the end, Fresno Pacific University is giving New Life Community all of its extra bunk beds! This week we're picking up 15 sets of bunk beds with more to come!
Praise the Lord! And keep praying for our Home Resource Center and the people we serve. Pray especially that this ministry opens lasting relationships for people with the Lord and with NLC.

THIS WEEK/WEEKEND:
THURSDAY, MARCH 9
5:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Dinner - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Worship / TESTIMONY NIGHT featuring Lorraine/ Small Groups

SATURDAY, MARCH 11
8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Verenika-making for MCC Sale - Reedley MB Church, 1362 L St, Reedley

SET YOUR CLOCKS AHEAD 1 HOUR FOR DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME

THIS SUNDAY, MARCH 12
8:30 a.m. ADULT GROWTH CLASSES - NLC KIDS ministry for parents in growth classes ONLY

• NEW Video Class: Romans - Room 111
• Faith & Finances - 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

• Maty Mendez will share a testimony of God's work in her life these last two weeks
• Pastor Mark speaking: "Time for a New Life: Armor Up!" - Ephesians 6:10-17 
• Six "armor instructors" will equip and train us at six stations around the gym

11:00 a.m. AFTER CHURCH

• The Bible Out Loud - Room 111, with kids ministry for participants' children in Room 101

THIS COMING WEEK:
MONDAY, MARCH 13
Immanuel Schools Golf Tournament at Sherwood Forest G.C.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14
6:00 a.m. NEW Men's Bible Study - Gospel of John, part 2 - Dining Room
9:00 a.m. LIFT Women's Bible Study - Encountering God - Rooms 114/115
6:00 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Women's Step Study - Room 114/115 (the group is full)
6:30 p.m. Healing Rooms of Dinuba offers healing prayers - Church patio/library

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15
3:00-4:00 p.m. Dinuba Unified is on the church campus
6:00 p.m. Worship Rehearsal - Gym
6:30 p.m. Prayer Gathering - Room 113

THURSDAY, MARCH 16
5:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Dinner - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. CELEBRATE RECOVERY Worship / Brian Willem's speaking / Small Groups

SATURDAY, MARCH 18
10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. - Healing Rooms Information and Training Workshop - Dining Room

COMING SOON!
FRIDAY, MARCH 24 
6:00 p.m. - NLC Women's Ministries "Taco 'bout Ladies' Game Night" - Dining Room

SATURDAY, MARCH 25 
9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Celebrate Recovery "Identify and Manage Anger"  Seminar - Dining Room

LESS THAN TWO MONTHS AWAY!
WEDNESDAY- SUNDAY, MAY 3-7 (or any of those days) - ALL-CHURCH CAMPOUT  
Morro Bay State Park - Click below to register

Received Last Week (3/5)   …......   $8,404
Received this year: …...……......  $195,775
Benevolence Fund  .........................  $198
Budget to Date: ……....…….....   $218,883
Budget Goal: ……….................   $421,553
Needed Weekly: ……….................  $9,031

We will be wrapping up "Time for a New Life" this month, with two more messages from Pastor Mark from the Letter to the Ephesians on March 12th (Armor of God) and March 26th (Praying in the Spirit).

I will be in Indiana on March 19th to celebrate a nephew's wedding, so Pastor Steve is stepping up to preach. Then on Palm Sunday, April 2nd, while Laurie and I are in Kansas with our grandkids, Mark Romero from Dinuba YFC/Campus Life, will be preaching. He had been scheduled during our mission month last November, but plans changed. He'll give us an inside look at the transformation Jesus is making in the lives of our local high school students.

In case you're interested, I have a commitment with the Elders to be absent no more than 7 Sundays a year. It's part of our commitment to model the responsibility we all accept as members of the church to be present regularly in our gatherings.

You may also have noticed that I often have others share the preaching ministry even while I'm here. The reason is that we also have a commitment as Elders to hear from missionaries and from a diversity of people whom God may want to speak to us. So far this year we've heard from my pastor, Jordan Ringhofer, from Nori Naylor, Brian Willems, Steve & Ana Sandoval and Bruce & Laurel Smith, and Chinoh Aquino. We've all been blessed and challenged by God's Word through them and through their unique, God-given gifts.

This Sunday I'm so grateful you'll get to hear from six others as part of the message on the Armor of God. I've preached that passage here already, as has Bruce Smith. This time I want you not only to hear the message, but to gain some skills in using the armor of God. So I've asked six "armor instructors" in our church to host six "armor stations" around the gym. They'll each provide training and an activity on one piece of the armor. Ken Sawatzky will handle the BELT OF TRUTH, Brian Willems the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, Stan Isaac will take the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, John & Geri Warkentin the SHOES OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE, Chinoh Aquino will handle the SHIELD OF FAITH, and Bruce Smith the HELMET OF SALVATION.

Next Sunday, March 19th, Bruce will give you an opportunity to share about your experience using the piece of armor you trained on this week. As James 1:22 says, "Don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves." Thank you for being faithful in coming to worship each week, but thank you most of all for living the faith all week!