Year 51!

I was so pleased with the response from people after Sunday’s Year 51 vision message. I encourage EVERYONE to go to the website http://www.newlifecc.us/ and listen to the message if you missed it or were serving in the back.

As we seek God for the next 40 days, to the end of 2010, to see what role we are all to play in Year 51; keep one thing in mind: This journey is much like my families’ personal journey that led us to Marion.

We started by saying “Perhaps, the Lord will” take us to Indiana to a moment when we took the word “perhaps” off and knew He was leading us here. We seized the divine moment that was in front of us and have never looked back!

This IS a divine moment that New Life must choose to seize!! The word “perhaps” can now be taken off. I know now, like I did when we came here, that this is the Lord’s will when it comes to the direction of New Life Community Church.
We know there is a harvest of children which brings a harvest of families waiting for us
We know we will become the best place at taking care of kids on the Westside of Marion and grow from there
We know this happens if we decide to start being the church instead of going to church and make necessary changes for the future like…
…Stopping Fall Block Party and Starting a Three Block Party
…Stop Mentoring Adults only and Start Mentoring Kids, Youth and Adults
…Stopping Sunday PM Service and Starting Sunday PM Home Groups, Family Nights and All-Church Equipping Nights

This means taking steps of risk and faith by us all.
Who will open their home on January 16th to be one of the first Home Groups?
Who will commit time getting to know the people of our 3 block radius on a consistent basis?
Who will be a part of our After School Program the next school year?
Who will release their talents, gifts, resources, treasures, abilities and yes money into the vision of mentoring kids and youth and creating a Community Center on our campus or giving new coats or socks or uniforms or blankets or…

Do you see the great need?

Do not choose to look at this as a gigantic task but look at this as a task that our gigantic God as asked us to take on!

I believe in you all!
In HIM,
Pastor David

4 Days...

Hey New Life!

The 50th Anniversary celebration is coming to a close this weekend and what a celebration it has been! Each former pastor has shared significant words of wisdom and insight that speak to all our lives today and to the future direction of New Life Community Church!

Just as Paul begged the believers in the Ephesian Church to live a life worthy of the calling they had from God (Eph. 4:1) because he knew the benefits that would come from living that way, I am urging all New Lifers to come and be a part of the events of the next 2 weeks because of the benefits it will bring to your life and mine.

Saturday, November 13th – Our Celebration Meal for the 50th Anniversary is from 12-4 pm on this day and will be filled with great memories of the past and memories made that day. This is a great opportunity for us to all celebrate our church’s history with those that have been a part or are still a part of New Life.

Sunday, November 14th – At 10 am, we have the founding pastor of New Life, AW Thomason with us and in the evening at 6 pm, we have a former staff pastor and current missionary Larry Stevens closing out the celebration with a look into the future.

Wednesday, November 17th – This is DAY 1 of YEAR 51 and at 6:30 pm we are ALL coming together to celebrate the future, share stories and pray for what God has next. I will also give a sneak peek to those there at what God holds for New Life’s future!

Sunday, November 21st – This is the 1st Sunday of YEAR 51 and on this day, I will be revealing the future focus and vision of New Life Community Church. What does it mean for you? Come and find out!

These 4 days are CRITICAL to all of us at New Life! These 4 days are VITAL that we make every effort to attend! These 4 days are the TURNING POINT for New Life Community Church!

Plan on being a part of these 4 days!

In Him,
Pastor David

PS – please pass this on to all those that you know are a part of the New Life family!!

50th Anniversary

We are nearing week 4 of our 5 week celebration of New Life Community Church's 50th Anniversary and what a ride it has been!

I was anticipating great things but what has occurred has exceeded my expectations!

Week 1 - watching those 12 men bring down 12 stones to build a memorial for the first 50 years was special. People suddenly started clapping all on their own as the men came down the middle of the sanctuary to the front to lay their stone on the memorial. Here is a picture of Shami and myself next to the memorial.

Week 2 - hearing Pastor Johnny Garrison play "Great is Thy Faithfulness" on the piano during worship and then going right into the next song singing "Hallelujah!" was like heaven just opened up and gave us a glimpse of what a piece of life after earth will feel like.

Week 3 - seeing the standing ovation of love spontaneously given to Pastor Larry Gallaway as he came to speak was truly remarkable, and seeing God our Healer heal 2 people that day filled me with great joy! Can't even forget the 900+ people that attended our Fall Block Party that night!

Anticipating God to do awe-inspiring things as we begin to bring the celebration to a close with week 4 & 5 ahead!!