New Life Christian Church 1705 SE Marshall Albert Lea, MN 56007

New Life Christian is a family of believers who love the Lord, one another, and do our best to live and reveal the love of Christ to the world around us. We are devoted to the Word of God and claim its joy, power and authority. We know that through Jesus Christ we have forgiveness, fellowship, friendship and peace. We know that we are far from perfect, but we also know that God is at work in our lives and forgives our failures. We know that there are few things that bring greater joy in life than sharing God’s Good News of Salvation and making new friends as we come to know Christ better. We know that “church” is not about the things we say or ceremonies or traditions. Instead, we un-derstand that church is all about growing, loving, learning and caring. We know that worship is not supposed to be stuffy and boring but is at its best when it is vital, rele-vant and even fun. We know that we would love to meet you and share the joy that we have found at New Life Christian Church.

October 2018 NEWSLETTER

Finding Love by Vern Harris

MISSION STATEMENT:

To embrace all people, sharing the love, joy, faith, and

truths that we have come to know in Christ Jesus.

LEAD PASTOR: Vern Harris

Office 507-373-0814 Vern@NewLifeChristianAL.org

ELDERS: Dave Anderson 402-6000

Richard Foss 369-5127 Kendall Langseth 373-2343

Ryan Shea 402-8468 Bob Snow 684-2010

Bob Hamberg 383-0271

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR:

Kelli Fiscus Office 507-373-1533

Kelli@NewLifeChristianAL.org

OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR:

Sue Foss Office 507-373-1533

office@NewLifeChristianAL.org

WEBSITE:

www.NewLifeChristianAL.org FACEBOOK PAGE:

New Life Christian Church

VISION STATEMENT:

Our vision is to provide encouragement, connection,

and discipleship within Christ’s church as we reach out in love to witness to the world around us.

For years Glenn had taken his lunch with him to the office. Typically, there would be a sandwich, a piece of fruit, some carrots and celery, and a pudding cup. The menu rarely changed but he didn’t mind. After all, it was only a lunch to get him through the day. Then one day his 6 year old daughter gave him another brown bag as he was heading out the door. It looked like a second lunch so he smiled and thanked her, wondering what his daughter might have thought he needed.

Lunch time arrived and he ate his normal sandwich, etc. and realized he had forgotten his daughter’s “second lunch.” He opened it to find 11 marbles, a plastic horse, 3 stones, 1 little sea shell, 2 animal crackers, 2 hair ribbons, an 8” tall Wonder Woman doll, and 13 pennies. Glenn shook his head, smiled, and wondered if Cindy had been told to clean her play area and decided to stick him with the junk. He hadn’t even finished lunch when he was called to go to a meeting so he quickly swept his desk with his arm disposing of lunch leftovers and 6 year old girl stuff. When Glenn got home at the end of the day he was greeted by his daughter’s usual big hug. She asked him if he had enjoyed a fun day? Well, he explained, he was at work and fun wasn’t really the point. She nodded but excitedly said that she had given him a bag with her favorite treasures to make sure his day was especially good, and by the way, she wanted it all back…now. Uh oh. Glenn didn’t realize that the junk he swept into the trash was a bag full of his daughter’s treasures, more than that, an expression of her love. He told his wife he had forgotten something really important at the office, so please hold supper for a while. He beat the cleaning crew, reclaimed and refilled the bag with the treasures, and hurried back home. Glenn had opened that paper bag and saw miscellaneous junk, certainly nothing important. But he had missed the truth of it. What he had tossed was a brown paper bag of treasure and love, his little girl’s heart.

How has God wrapped His love for you today? Was it big and impressive, glorious and expensive, something grand to show off to your friends? Probably not. I think God shares His love with us throughout every day, often in ways that we take for granted or discount as unimportant. Have you been forgiven lately? Forgiven by God but also by a friend or loved one? Thanks God. Have you been protected lately? Saved from an accident that you never knew was coming? Hard to say, but I am sure that it happens uponoccasion. Thanks God. Have you been joyful lately? I don’t mean happy over temporary circumstances but joyful for friends, family, faith, and life? Thanks God. Have you been useful lately? I am talking about finding yourself being helpful, wise, accepted, friendly, talented, capable, appreciated? Thanks God. Have you been loving lately? Finding your heart moved in genuine love for your spouse, your kids, your family, your friends, your church? Thanks God. Have you been strong lately? I don’t mean able to life weights, I mean able to resist the temptations that have so often been your downfall and the cause of so much pain. Thanks God. Have you been prayerful lately? Able to bring your thoughts, needs, joys, pains, laughs, desires, aspirations, hopes, and even your failures before the throne of the Almighty? Thanks God. Continued on next page...

October 2018 Serving Schedule

7 14 21 28

Communion Dave A Ryan Ken Kendall

Offering prayer Ryan Ken Kendall Al S

Inside Usher Bobby/Bob N Tyler J/Wayne Brian/Louis Dave W/Isaac

Smalls Jeremy/Savanah Melissa/Hannah Pam/Isaac Sheila/Cindy A

Prayer Room Sue & Richard Doug & Bob N Jerry & Cindy Ryan & Jolean

Communion prep

Veronica/Cindy C

Instruments Marsha

Video/Sound Peter & Marlena

Worship Team Kelli, Steve, Vern

Greeters Jeremy & Becky Barclay Secure building: Al & Mary

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall” Psalm 55:22

City Prayer Teams will be meeting again on October 28th at 6:30 pm at New Life Christian Church. Great fellowship and prayer time with fellow believers.

PRAYER CORNER

Church Bulletin Blooper

“The eighth graders will be presenting Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the church basement on Friday at 7 pm. The congregation is invited

to attend this tragedy.

Continued from page 1

Of course I could go on but I hope you get the point. Every day God gives us His treasures, his bundle of personal love. How often do we look at such things and see nothing important or needed, simply more trash to sweep away. The Word tells us to daily count our blessings. Amen. I would also suggest that we should daily stop for a moment to consider how God’s love was poured out into our lives that day. You know it was, is, and will be. Thanks God.

Community Prayer Gathering Sunday, November 4th

2:00 pm Details coming soon

Hospitality Team presents:

Special Speaker Jean Karau

“Eagles, A Spiritual Parallel”

Thursday, October 11th @ 6:00 pm NLCC Lounge

Everyone welcome to attend this inspirational presentation!

To everyone who volunteered at the

Tabernacle Experience. You were part of making

a difference in many lives.

Tabernacle Experience Volunteer Appreciation

Party

Sunday, October 21st 12:30 - 3:30 pm

Fairlane Building

Fairgrounds

Lunch * Stories Great Fellowship!

October Meetings Deacons: October 3rd- 7:30 pm Elders: October 6th - 8:30 am

Council: October 10th - 7:30 pm Aim Hi: October 16th - noon

Hospitality Team : October 11th- 6:00 pm

September Council Meeting Highlights

Minister's report: Heavy counseling schedule. Will be calling a Missions meeting next month.

Elders' report: Troy stepped down as a deacon. Orkin contract is ending. Looking into quarterly contract. Need to get Kelli screening volunteers. Ryan & Al went to an emergency situation meeting.

Youth Director’s report: Low summertime attendance

Financial report: Net gain of $2481. We are half way to our capital goal. Boiler is almost paid for. Church Development Fund is almost up.

Deacons'/Trustees’ report: Corn Feed went well with 94 in attendance. Mulch has been purchased. TE is borrowing the power wheelchair. Waiting to hear from Chad Stalloch about installing insulation. Planning Fall Work Day. Jerry will get estimates to replace broken shutters. Jerry will replace bad ballast in table room.

Office administrator: Having trouble with copier. Vern got service people to fix it. Works now.

Old business: None

New business: Worship area being painted. May be issue with projector brightness on wall. Talked about need for more volunteers, especially with the sound.

Wednesday Night Kickoff

New Life Christian Church Fellowship Hall

Saturday, October 20th

Snacks/Fellowship at 5:30 Movie begins at 6:00 pm

Invite your friends & neighbors!

MOViE NiGHT

Voice of the Martyrs Advance Conference

Hear testimonies from people who have been on the front lines & worked with the families:

Brother Benny Brother John Faisal John India Syria Pakistan

Cole Richards Amy Shreve VOM President Music & Worship

Saturday, October 27th 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Westwood Community Church 3121 Westwood Dr, Excelsior, MN 55331

Free Conference! Lunch will be on your own from 12:00 to 1:15.

If anybody is interested in carpooling to this event,

contact Sue Foss.

Missions Meeting Sunday, October 28th

Following Worship