February 3 Newsletter
Feb 3rd, 2010 |
The February 3 Newsletter is online now!
New Date for Leadership Training
Jan 23rd, 2010 |
The Leadership Training scheduled for January 30th has been rescheduled. Please mark your calendar for Saturday, Feb. 13th from 9:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Help for Haiti
Jan 16th, 2010 |
Sunday, January 24th at New Life
Next Sunday, I would like to invite all ages to join us during the Sunday School hour for a time of fellowship, prayer and service.
I am asking each family to bring a simple breakfast item (donuts, juice, fruit) as well as items for health kits for Haiti (see below for the items we need). We will eat together, pray for the people of Haiti, and we will assemble as many health kits as we can.
I will need a few helpers to set up and take down tables. And a few to set up the table for the food and clean up afterwards. If you can help, please let me know.
I hope you will join us next week!
Pastor Sherill
Health Kit
Value: $12 per kit
KIT CONTENTS
1 gallon ziploc plastic bags
1 hand towel (15” x 25” up to 17” x 27”, no kitchen towels)
1 washcloth
1 comb (large and sturdy, not pocket-sized)
1 nail file or fingernail clippers (no emery boards or toenail clippers)
1 bath-size bar of soap (3 oz. and up)
1 toothbrush (single brushes only in original wrapper, no child-size brushes)
6 adhesive plastic strip sterile bandages
(NOTE: UMCOR Sager Brown is now purchasing toothpaste in bulk to be added to health kits before shipping to ensure that the product does not expire before it is sent. Please include $1 for each kit you send toward the purchase of toothpaste.)
Preparing for Sunday, January 17th
Jan 13th, 2010 |
Greetings from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia!
I’m in the midst of the third class (The Testimony of Preaching Women) of my Doctorate of Ministry program. This is a four year program and I am at the beginning of the second year of study. In the year to come I will take another class in the summer plus begin work on my practicum. The practicum will be a practical application of my studies to my ministry at New Life. I am grateful for your support of my studies! I will be home this weekend and then the class concludes on Friday, January 22nd. In the meantime, you can reach me on my cell phone or by e-mail or by contacting Shawna, our secretary, or Rocky Harnen, our lay leader. They both know how to reach me.
We have several important meetings together over the next few weeks. Please mark your calendars for the following dates:
Tuesday, Jan. 26 7 p.m. Church Council
Saturday, Jan.30 9:30-12 Church Leader Training
We will vote on our budget for 2010 at the Church Council meeting so if you are a member of the Council, please make every effort to be there. However, everyone is invited to attend and to ask questions. Also, if you are one of our elected church leaders, you will receive a letter (and e-mail) late this week or early next week with more details about the training. But please plan to be there.
Also, please keep our youth in your prayers. Our youth director, Milanda Taylor, and three other adults as well as 22 of our youth will be at Sumatanga this weekend for the Behold retreat. They will leave on Saturday and return on Monday. Pray for travel safety, for fun and fellowship, but please pray especially for God to touch each life in a special way this weekend!
This week, we hear the beautiful words of the prophet, Isaiah:
For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until her vindication shines out like the dawn, and her salvation like a burning torch. 2The nations shall see your vindication, and all the kings your glory; and you shall be called by a new name that the mouth of the Lord will give. 3You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God. 4You shall no more be termed Forsaken, and your land shall no more be termed Desolate; but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married; for the Lord delights in you, and your land shall be married. 5For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your builder marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:1-5
Old Testament scholar, Walter Brueggemann, points out in many of his writings that we learn about God in the Old Testament (and New for that matter) by what God does rather than by descriptions of the characteristics of God. If that is true, then we learn about God by looking at the verbs used to describe God’s actions on behalf of Israel, the nations, and even all creation. One of the things you discover is that we worship an active God. A God who breaks into our histories and situations and acts on our behalf. What I especially like about this passage is that there is no if, ands, or maybes in the passage! God SHALL do these things.
· What is Isaiah compelled to do? And why?
· What does Isaiah fully expect God to do?
· Women usually take a new name when they marry. But others are given nicknames and other endearing names by people who respect and/or love them.
o Why is it important that Jerusalem and the land be renamed?
o Have you ever been given a new name?
§ What is the value of a new name?
§ What difference does it make to the one being renamed?
· Think about those things that bring you joy and delight.
o How does it feel to be delighted?
o How does it feel to know that God is delighted with us?
o What difference does that or can that make in your relationship with God?
Just a few of the questions floating around in my mind this week.
I know it has been cold, but we’ve missed many of you in worship! We hope to see you on Sunday!
Preparing for Sunday, January 10th
Jan 5th, 2010 |
Hope your holidays were blessed for everyone and I hope 2010 will be a great new year! I am very excited about what I believe God has in store for New Life in the coming year as we begin to live out the vision God has given us!
Beginning January 11th through the 22nd, I will be in Atlanta during the week as I continue my doctorate studies. I will be home that weekend and will be present in worship with you. If you need me, you can reach me at my cell or by e-mail while I am away. Our secretary, Shawna, and our lay leader, Rocky Harnen, also know how to reach me as well as the pastor on call for me in case of any emergencies.
This Sunday is the 2nd Sunday of Epiphany also known as the Baptism of the Lord Sunday, so we will focus on the meaning of baptism in the life of a Christian. Our scripture this week comes from the book of Acts. As a result of persecution, Philip fled to Samaria where he continued to preach the gospel to very responsive Samaritans.
14Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16(for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 17Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:14-17
· This is one of many descriptions of baptism within the book of Acts—each of which is unique. Some receive the Holy Spirit prior to baptism (Acts 10:44-48), some at baptism (Acts 2:37-38) and in this case after baptism. Given all these passages, what can we learn about the connection between baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit?
· What do you think was the problem with being baptized only in the name of Jesus?
o What did Peter and John do to fix the problem?
· Why do you think baptism is such an important event in the life of a Christian?
o If you are baptized, what does your baptism mean to you?
o If you are not baptized, have you ever considered baptism? Is so, why have you chosen to remain unbaptized? If not, why not?