NLC Connect - August 20, 2025
connect with God's Word
Our interns gave their summer reflections during our Sunday service. We are thankful for the support of our church family for these four young people!
Pastor John Drotos from Garage Church spoke in our Sunday morning service. If you haven't had a chance to listen, check out the sermon on our church website.
I (Jessica) visited Templo de Oracion to talk to their kids ministry about peace and pack up school kits. We are thankful for Pastor Juan and our sister church in Traver!
NLC Youth enjoyed their first Youth night since school has started. We are thankful for our youth and the adults who faithfully serve them!
Pastor John Drotos from Garage Church spoke in our Sunday morning service. If you haven't had a chance to listen, check out the sermon on our church website.
I (Jessica) visited Templo de Oracion to talk to their kids ministry about peace and pack up school kits. We are thankful for Pastor Juan and our sister church in Traver!
NLC Youth enjoyed their first Youth night since school has started. We are thankful for our youth and the adults who faithfully serve them!
connect your calendar
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20
6:30 p.m. - Prayer Gathering - Room 113
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21
6:00 p.m. - CELEBRATE RECOVERY small groups - Education Center
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, AUGUST 22-24
Hartland Fall Festival (information available at https://www.hartlandcamp.com/programs/fall-festival/ )
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24
9:30 a.m. - CONNECTING POINT
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26
6:00 a.m. - Men's Bible Study - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. - GriefShare Support Group - Room 114/115
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27
6:30 p.m. - Prayer Gathering - Room 113
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28
6:00 p.m. - CELEBRATE RECOVERY small groups
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
9:30 a.m. - CONNECTING POINT
11:15 a.m. - Family Meal - Dining Room (bring a dessert large enough to serve 10 -- the rest of the meal will be provided)
5:00 p.m. - Youth Leaders' Meeting (no youth group)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
6:00 a.m. - Men's Bible Study - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. - GriefShare Support Group - Room 114/115
6:30 p.m. - Healing Room Ministry - Library
6:30 p.m. - Prayer Gathering - Room 113
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21
6:00 p.m. - CELEBRATE RECOVERY small groups - Education Center
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, AUGUST 22-24
Hartland Fall Festival (information available at https://www.hartlandcamp.com/programs/fall-festival/ )
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24
9:30 a.m. - CONNECTING POINT
- Come meet and encourage others over coffee and snacks - Patio
- Baptism
- MCC school kit assembly in kids' class & dedication
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26
6:00 a.m. - Men's Bible Study - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. - GriefShare Support Group - Room 114/115
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27
6:30 p.m. - Prayer Gathering - Room 113
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28
6:00 p.m. - CELEBRATE RECOVERY small groups
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
9:30 a.m. - CONNECTING POINT
- Come meet and encourage others over coffee and snacks - Patio
11:15 a.m. - Family Meal - Dining Room (bring a dessert large enough to serve 10 -- the rest of the meal will be provided)
5:00 p.m. - Youth Leaders' Meeting (no youth group)
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2
6:00 a.m. - Men's Bible Study - Dining Room
6:30 p.m. - GriefShare Support Group - Room 114/115
6:30 p.m. - Healing Room Ministry - Library
Do you have pictures from past church events to help tell our story? Please share them with the planning committee! Pictures or other memorabilia may be loaned to Judy Brown or the church office as soon as possible. Thank you!
connect through giving
Offerings Received last week (8/17): ............ $33,670
Offerings Received this year to date:...........$328,876
Additional Income received (Ministries, Facility
Rental & Interest) this year to date: …...….... $31,817
Total Income this year to date: ……....……… $360,693
Estimated Expenses to Fiscal Year End
(Aug. 31):……………...………...................………. $376,000
Needed to meet expenses (estimate): ….……..$15,307
Offerings Received this year to date:...........$328,876
Additional Income received (Ministries, Facility
Rental & Interest) this year to date: …...….... $31,817
Total Income this year to date: ……....……… $360,693
Estimated Expenses to Fiscal Year End
(Aug. 31):……………...………...................………. $376,000
Needed to meet expenses (estimate): ….……..$15,307
connect to God through prayer
- Pray for Anissa Almaguer as she recovers from a c-section. We are thankful for the arrival of a healthy, 8 lb. baby girl! Pray for Neida Roa, who is also expecting and was put on bed rest.
- Pray for Noemi Gonzalez as she recovers from surgery at home.
- Also remember: Marilyn Chappell and other residents in Palm Village Healthcare, Harold Kruger and others in Sierra View, and Mary Salazar.
- Pray for those who have lost loved ones, including the family of Carolina Coralles, who passed away on July 21. A new GriefShare support group will begin in August.
- Pray for those who are seeking employment.
- Pray for the undocumented in our community as they navigate life under this administration.
- Pray for our missionaries: Pablo & Maricela Chavez in Peru, Cecil & Tracy Ramos in Thailand, Jonathan & Joanna Gutierrez in Portugal, and Johnny & Denise Esposito who are home on furlough.
- Pray for peace as violence and war affect so many families and children in Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, in the Middle East, and in parts of Africa.
Connect to Wholistic Ministry
Slide 1: Secondhand Store
Slide 2: Second and third floor of the business hub
Slide 3: Ana Monteiro, PhD, leading a roundtable session with a Pastor
Slide 4: Seminar for local business students
Slide 5: Conversation with the owner of a Transportation company
Slide 6: Otto with two key leaders--Ana and Hendrik
PC: Marjorie Ekk
It is a special moment to be able to share with our New Life family. Marjorie and I have been in Dinuba now for 3 years. For some it may be new that we spent some 33 years in Portugal helping start churches and working on ministries that help the whole person. Some churches were started and if you are interested, please talk to us, but today’s blog is geared in the direction of why we continue to go back to Portugal. As some of you have noticed, we may go back as often as 4 times per year. What makes us take this long over 24-hour travel time trip to Portugal so often?
As part of starting churches, we noticed not just the spiritual needs but also the many personal needs, and particularly the financial needs of the people. At the time the Lord had brought together on our team, men and women gifted in the area of starting churches but also gifted in the areas of business administration and entrepreneurship. That pushed us and a group of people to form a US based non-profit with a Christian base, called Friends of Portugal (501c3) (https://www.friendsofportugal.org). Portugal was going through very hard economic times and young people were leaving Portugal by the thousands for countries around Europe and the World in order to find jobs. We feel the Lord opened up this door for us to look into how to help families stay in Portugal and to give our church people jobs. So, a Secondhand store was developed, a Business Hub with office spaces was rented and these office spaces made available for people from the community to rent to kick start their particular business. This business complex has grown to over 16,000 square feet of office space totally run by Christians from our Evangelical churches. The local church learned on how to be the hands and feet of Jesus in various ways. Marjorie and I were very thankful for our Christian upbringing; simply when we see a need, we were pushed to come up with ways on how to help.
Even before the Covid Pandemic, Christian Universities such as Point Loma from San Diego, or Tabor College from Kansas sent us study groups of 6 to 20 students and professors to come and observe and learn. Some have sent us Interns for a month or two. This has had a major impact in individuals on both sides, the student or professor or the individuals they meet in Portugal. With these groups that come from North America we have been invited to give business seminars at some of the top Universities in Portugal. The Lord has blessed this ministry, and Friends of Portugal is very willing to help facilitate these types of ministries. All donations to Friends of Portugal go directly into the projects in Portugal.
Our connections continue with Tabor College, with Fresno Pacific University as well as Point Loma Nazarene University. Currently Friends of Portugal is diversifying the approach a bit for the universities, besides business and entrepreneurship we are now adding History and Religion to the Study Trips. Currently a number of Friends of Portugal board members are busy getting ready for spring trips in 2026, all of which is done without remuneration. For us that means taking trips to Portugal to get the itinerary organized and checking in with colleges here in North America.
But besides all this, Marjorie and I also check in with the churches and its leadership. We spend time praying and encouraging each other. We continue to have many friends in Portugal, some are still searching to find their way to Jesus while others want to grow more. Pray with us for these searching people.
Oh . . . yes, there is a two-week trip already scheduled for October. This one has the focus on preparing for the Spring Study Trips for North American colleges.
--Otto Ekk
Slide 2: Second and third floor of the business hub
Slide 3: Ana Monteiro, PhD, leading a roundtable session with a Pastor
Slide 4: Seminar for local business students
Slide 5: Conversation with the owner of a Transportation company
Slide 6: Otto with two key leaders--Ana and Hendrik
PC: Marjorie Ekk
It is a special moment to be able to share with our New Life family. Marjorie and I have been in Dinuba now for 3 years. For some it may be new that we spent some 33 years in Portugal helping start churches and working on ministries that help the whole person. Some churches were started and if you are interested, please talk to us, but today’s blog is geared in the direction of why we continue to go back to Portugal. As some of you have noticed, we may go back as often as 4 times per year. What makes us take this long over 24-hour travel time trip to Portugal so often?
As part of starting churches, we noticed not just the spiritual needs but also the many personal needs, and particularly the financial needs of the people. At the time the Lord had brought together on our team, men and women gifted in the area of starting churches but also gifted in the areas of business administration and entrepreneurship. That pushed us and a group of people to form a US based non-profit with a Christian base, called Friends of Portugal (501c3) (https://www.friendsofportugal.org). Portugal was going through very hard economic times and young people were leaving Portugal by the thousands for countries around Europe and the World in order to find jobs. We feel the Lord opened up this door for us to look into how to help families stay in Portugal and to give our church people jobs. So, a Secondhand store was developed, a Business Hub with office spaces was rented and these office spaces made available for people from the community to rent to kick start their particular business. This business complex has grown to over 16,000 square feet of office space totally run by Christians from our Evangelical churches. The local church learned on how to be the hands and feet of Jesus in various ways. Marjorie and I were very thankful for our Christian upbringing; simply when we see a need, we were pushed to come up with ways on how to help.
Even before the Covid Pandemic, Christian Universities such as Point Loma from San Diego, or Tabor College from Kansas sent us study groups of 6 to 20 students and professors to come and observe and learn. Some have sent us Interns for a month or two. This has had a major impact in individuals on both sides, the student or professor or the individuals they meet in Portugal. With these groups that come from North America we have been invited to give business seminars at some of the top Universities in Portugal. The Lord has blessed this ministry, and Friends of Portugal is very willing to help facilitate these types of ministries. All donations to Friends of Portugal go directly into the projects in Portugal.
Our connections continue with Tabor College, with Fresno Pacific University as well as Point Loma Nazarene University. Currently Friends of Portugal is diversifying the approach a bit for the universities, besides business and entrepreneurship we are now adding History and Religion to the Study Trips. Currently a number of Friends of Portugal board members are busy getting ready for spring trips in 2026, all of which is done without remuneration. For us that means taking trips to Portugal to get the itinerary organized and checking in with colleges here in North America.
But besides all this, Marjorie and I also check in with the churches and its leadership. We spend time praying and encouraging each other. We continue to have many friends in Portugal, some are still searching to find their way to Jesus while others want to grow more. Pray with us for these searching people.
Oh . . . yes, there is a two-week trip already scheduled for October. This one has the focus on preparing for the Spring Study Trips for North American colleges.
--Otto Ekk
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