News & Views December 9

December 9th, 2021
by Mark Isaac

DECEMBER MEMORY VERSE
"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6

DECEMBER 5th WORSHIP
Life Lesson Classes
Adult "Welcome" Class (The Christmas Story from Luke) - 8:45 A.M. - Rooms 114-115

Connecting Point
9:30 A.M. - Dining Room

Worship
10:00 A.M. - Family Center Gym/Online
Pastor Mark: ADVENT 3--Part of God's Family
Read ahead - John 1:9-13; 1 John 3:1-3

NLC Kids
10:00 A.M. - Rooms 101,103

Link to Church Calendar

Pick a school and bless a child this Christmas...BY DECEMBER 15th.
Jefferson School
(1) Pick a gift tag from the tree in the gym and purchase gifts for our adopted school.
(2) Put the gift tag on the unwrapped present and bring it to the church's Family Center or Office. Fifty children have been selected by the school staff. Their parents will be coming to Jefferson School between 3-5 PM on December 17th to select presents and pick up food boxes.
(3) Please let Cece know you can be at Jefferson on Dec. 17 to assist.
Monson/Sultana School
(1) Bring unwrapped toys to the gift barrel at church.
(2) Talk to Cece about helping deliver the gifts.
Grandview School
(1) Bring unwrapped toys to the gift barrel at church.
(2) Talk to Laurel Smith about helping deliver the gifts and food boxes on December 17th.

Welcome Henry & Ruth Serrato

I am so pleased that Henry Serrato has joined the staff at New Life Community as our Worship Ministries Leader. Henry and Ruth have been part of NLC since the summer of 2020, when he joined Chinoh Aquino and Bruce Smith in the rotation of worship leaders for our outdoor services. Henry brings a true heart for worship, tremendous musical skills, deep trust and joy in his relationship with Jesus, and a hunger to serve the Lord well. When you meet them you'll find their love for Jesus obvious. They live it out every day.

Henry and Ruth are both staffers with Tulare/Kings Youth for Christ. Henry directs the Visalia team as Campus Life Volunteer Team Leader, and Ruth is onsite at Cherry Ave Middle School in Tulare as a Campus Life Coach. They live in Visalia. The Serratos raised three sons, now grown.

Please take the opportunity on Sundays to invite Henry and Ruth out to lunch or to your home. Listen for the ways they've seen God work in their lives, and how they've learned to trust Him. Henry's involvement with music predates his relationship with Jesus. That's one of the things that's made me so appreciative of him as a worship leader, especially for NLC. His music and the way he leads worship is not born of tradition but of transformation. That's what New Life Community needs as we touch the lives of people in Dinuba. We want them to experience transformation through Jesus.

Henry is planning and leading our Christmas Eve service this year, Friday, December 24th, from 5-6 p.m. Please come and invite friends and neighbors to come with you. He's planning some traditional carols and readings, and has a few surprises, too. If you'd like to sing, please join the choir that's forming. We're practicing on Wednesday evenings in the gym. This year's theme is: "Let me tell you about my Jesus". He's the one that will transform lives.

Recent Women's Events

Wreath-making and Soup Supper

L.I.F.T. Women's Bible Study

PRAYER

From Lori Saubert: "Dear Church, Thank you for the beautiful plant and for your prayers and thoughts over the past month for my mom. Though we mourn her passing we know she is in God's hands now with a perfect and pain-free body. In Christ, Lori & John Saubert & the Freeman families"
Pray for the local children and families who will be receiving gifts and food boxes this Christmas.
Thank the Lord for community partners in our toy and food drive: the Chamber of Commerce, Holiday Inn Express, Dinuba Tire, Circle K, Dinuba High School (N.A.M.E. and H.O.S.A. students) and the Family Resource Center/Parenting Network!
Pray for the children who accepted Jesus at the Good News Club at Jefferson this year. Prayer cards with their first names will be handed out on Sunday or can be picked up at the church office or mailed by request.
Pray for those with recent health changes: Barbara Friesen, Lois Brittel, Chris Holmen, Marilyn Chappell, Lyubov Heinrich's mother, Kelly Friesen's sister-in-law, Galen Wiest, Brian Smith.
JR Southard is home healing from spine surgery but with considerable pain
Glen Zimmerman continues receiving treatment for multiple myeloma, and Peggy is healing from recent surgery.
Ron Brown's sister Bonnie is receiving treatment for bone cancer recently discovered.
Praise the Lord for Henry & Ruth Serrato! Henry has accepted the staff position as NLC's Worship Ministries Leader.
Kelly Friesen reports that more men are coming to the Bible Study Fellowship meetings in the prison where he volunteers. As many as 47 came last time!
Pray for Otto & Marjorie Ekk, who will be leaving Portugal to return to Dinuba on December 15th. These days are spent packing and shipping their belongings, making final transitions in ministry, and doing the hard work of saying goodbye to dear friends of over 30 years.
Pray that the message of salvation will come through clearly in our worship services and classes, and that people will put their trust in Jesus this Christmas season.

Our Giving

Received Last Week (12/05):..........$8,951
Received this year to date:........$130,674
Missions Giving to date:.........$28,730
Budget to Date: …...………............$119,271
Budget Goal: ………......…..…........$443,008
Needed Weekly: ……......….…...........$8,219