News & Views January 27 2022

January 27th, 2022
by Mark Isaac

January 27, 2022

FEBRUARY MEMORY VERSE
So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in Him,
rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught,
and overflowing with thankfulness.
Colossians 2:6-7

JANUARY 30th WORSHIP
Life Lesson Classes for Adults
8:30 - PSALM 119 video series with Matt Chandler - Ron & Judy Brown leading - Room 111
8:30 - PARA COMENZAR EL 13 DE FEBRERO - Clase de Estudio Bíblico en Español
Docente: Ruth Serrato - Room 113
8:45 - WELCOME Class: James - Leroy Bumbaca & Laurie Isaac teaching - Rooms 114-115

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

Worship
10:00 A.M. - Family Center Gym/Online - Otto & Marjorie Ekk preaching
Returning missionaries from Portugal after 33 years!

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

CELEBRATION LUNCH
11:15 A.M. - Dining Room - Welcoming Otto & Marjorie Ekk home to Dinuba
(Pick up your meal from the window and eat in the Dining Room...or take it Grab & Go)

NEXT SUNDAY
Let us know you want to become part of NLC

Church calendar link

Thought you'd want to know...

A Valentine's Dinner is being planned for Sunday night, February 13, 6-8 p.m. in the NLC Family Center gym. The theme is "Have I told you lately that I love you?", featuring an evening of love songs performed by Henry Serrato. Look for tickets or call the church office.
On "Souperbowl" Sunday, Feb. 13, we will join with thousands of other organizations across the country for a special offering. In the past 19 years, we have given a total of $15,300 to the local Open Gate Ministries to help feed people who may not even have a can of soup to eat. Please place a dollar (or more!) in the soup pot that Sunday, or drop off a donation at the church office. Checks may be written to either NLC (marked "Souperbowl") or to Open Gate, with 100% of the money given to Open Gate.

Annual giving statements for 2021 have been mailed. If you have any questions, please contact the office. You may check your own giving record online all year on the Breeze church management program. If you are a regular attender and are not yet on Breeze, please contact Elaine in the church office at 591-1176 to set up your access.
The MCC Sale is happening in April on the campus of Fresno Pacific University. In the meantime, you can preview the quilts displayed in the Quilt Museum upstairs above the Mennonite Quilt Center, 1012 G St, Reedley CA 93654, from January 18 thru February 24, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 11 a.m. thru 3 p.m.

How to Connect

It's time to connect with others! The pandemic affected our relationships and mostly for the worse. Not only were we encouraged and even mandated to isolate from each other during stay at home orders and during times of positive COVID cases, we also chose to limit our connections with each other or found ourselves "unfriended" from people we've known for years. While many worked hard to stay connected with family and old friends, trying hard not to let political differences (for example) divide them, it appears few worked as hard to make new friends. At New Life Community we're bucking that trend!

New Life Community is a relational church. We care about each other and invest in each other's lives, often forming deep friendships that last a lifetime. As we shifted over the last 2 years to being a church for our community, we chose to extend this relational value with equal depth to new relationships. It takes some effort. But we recognize our relationships aren't only for our personal enjoyment. They also reflect the "sticky" love of God who draws us to himself and never lets us go. It's time to get sticky!

Whether NLC has been your church home for years or you've just arrived, let me share some ways to connect with each other and reflect God's "sticky" love.

Be a regular at Connecting Point. Coffee is served from 9:30-10:00 a.m. every Sunday.
Be approachable. It's hard to tell if you're smiling behind your mask, so you've got to show that you're approachable by initiating. Go up to them, tell them "Hi", and introduce yourself. Ask their name, meet their family members if they're with others, and tell them you're glad to meet them. It's okay to shake hands...there's plenty of hand sanitizer in case you're concerned about getting sick.
Start the conversation with what you share in common. If you see a team logo, then you know what to do. Remember that you're both at NLC, so tell them one thing you love a lot about NLC and ask them what drew them to the church. Then listen. If you're new to NLC, start with that: "I'm new here and came because I love the way this church give them your reason. What drew you here?" You might be meeting someone who's been here for years and will give them an opportunity to tell you more about what they love about the church. However people respond, listen and connect with what they're saying.
Introduce a new person to someone else. There's no better way to remember someone's name than to use it immediately. When they tell you their name, say it back when you tell them you're glad to meet them. Then pull in someone standing nearby and say, "I'd like to introduce you to Name of New Friend." If you got their name wrong, it's the perfect chance to get it right the second time!
It's okay to ask what they do or even better, what they enjoy doing. You might find a quick connection or an opportunity to learn about their work or hobbies.
It's okay to offer to pray with them if they bring up something they're concerned about. "Can I pray with you about that?" may be exactly what they were hoping someone would do for them. They'll most likely say "yes". They came to a church, after all, which is not a building but a gathering of people who put their trust in Jesus. Meeting people is our opportunity to be the body of Christ for them, exactly what Jesus called us to be.
Offer to take them to lunch after church where you can learn to know each other better. Laurie and I find this works even better when you invite others to join so there's a tableful of conversational possibilities. We've always made sure to invite someone along who's fluent in Spanish to eliminate language barriers to starting new friendships.

Relationships matter. Like you, others are feeling the loss of friendships. Don't wait for people to come to you. Step it up, reach out your hand, make a connection...and get sticky!

PRAYER

Pray for the New Members’ Lunch next Sunday. We'll also be praying over Ken & Martha Sawatzky as new deacons during the service.
There have been numerous people at NLC with COVID, all going through it fairly well though some have lingering symptoms and weakness. Pray for quick healing, for endurance and strength, and for limited spread in households.
Pray for those currently in skilled nursing: Olga Brandt, Barbara Friesen, Chris Holmen (on hospice), Marilyn Chappell, Annie Enns (had COVID), and Vicky Barkman.
Genevieve Janzen, wife of Vernon Janzen, passed away from a stroke last Sunday.
Pray also for those recuperating from surgery: Glen Zimmerman had a cyber knife procedure this week to remove a tumor on his spine, and Lois Brittel continues to recuperate at Sierra View.
Pray for those dealing with cancer treatment including Glen Zimmerman, Kelly Friesen's sister-in-law Dana Friesen, Galen Wiest (may be in remission!), Brian Smith, and Ron Brown's sister Bonnie who may face an amputation. Pray for wisdom, peace, and healing.
Remember Chinoh Aquino in USAF training in Texas, and wife Jessica and the family here. They came through a recent COVID experience with no spread among the children!
The Elders are processing an application for a youth ministries leader. Give thanks for God’s wisdom and provision in filling this role.
Our Home Resource Center has helped 5 families with needed furniture over the last two weeks. Praise the Lord for resources to share and opportunities to serve those in need!
Celebrate Recovery leaders need childcare consistently for their Thursday night meetings. Backup childcare has been found. Please let Jessica Aquino know if you can serve regularly.

From the Anchetas

“Thank you for the Christmas gift! And thank for your prayers and support! Please pray we can visit sometime in February and March.” They also desire to travel to the Philippines where Ruddy’s brother is sick. We thank God for their witness and service in San Francisco,
and join in praying they might be able to travel here and back home soon.

Our Giving

Received Last Week (1/23):......... $5,132
Received this year to date: .….$186,843
Budget to Date: …………....….....$178,907
Budget Goal: …………..…............$443,008
Needed Weekly: ……….…..…......…$8,519

COVID NOTICE
Per CA Department of Health mandate, "masks are to be worn in all indoor public settings, irrespective of vaccination status" through February 15, 2022. Thank you.