Blog

When we talk about Covid, are we talking about the same thing?

What exactly do we mean by “Covid”?  How dangerous do we think it is?  Our perspectives might differ, and for good reason: it’s a much different thing for the old versus the young.  One might say it’s 1000 times worse for those who are old. It’s like me using the word “cat.”  Covid is a cat.  But what kind of cat?  In terms of risk, Covid can look like a housecat or a small mountain lion, depending on your age.  And as we

Crossing the Road

Crossing the Road (even when you can’t leave home) Nancy pointed out something interesting about the good Samaritan. While the religious Jews walked down the other side of the road, the Samaritan crossed the road. Jesus said “He went to him” (Luke 10:34). Loving your neighbor means that sometimes you have to exit your path and cross the road, go out of your way. We should consciously set our paths to connect with our neighbors. But sometimes we need to

Fiscal Year 2018-19 in Review

Greetings New Lifers!  I can’t tell you how encouraged I am by all God has done this last year! This includes the many generous contributions to our capital campaign, a demonstration of our eagerness to be faithful stewards not only of our facilities, but of the future of New Life.  Capital Campaign contributions began in December 2018, and to date we have received over $600,000. Beyond this, the total pledged amount over three years exceeds $2,100,000, a sure sign of your

Building Update #3

Hello New Lifers! Here’s another update on our plans for the building. I want to tell you about some of the exciting recent developments! First of all, we have hired an architect, Todd Philippi, who has been extremely helpful and engaging with our Building Options Team (BOT). You have a chance to meet Todd later this month, and more on that below. One thing that our interaction with Todd has produced is a new optimism for our original plans for

Building Update #2

Dear New Life, We’ve been working hard on our plans for the building! It’s time for an update. Starting a few months ago, we’ve focused on investigating three primary areas of work: the sanctuary, deferred maintenance, and the combination of elevator and entrance. Thank you to the willing and varied New Lifers participating in these discussions. Here’s a quick summary: The sanctuary. We’ve considered three primary options, including removing the drop ceiling, as according to our original plan. That idea,

Thoughts from Pastor Mark after the Recent Synagogue Shooting

Dear New Life, Something happened recently that I think is worthy of a few comments from your pastor.  I’m talking about the startling reality of terrorism in the name of Christ. On April 27th, John Earnest entered the Chabad of Poway synagogue in southern California.  Armed, this 19-year old man shot and killed one person and injured several others.  We are thankful his gun jammed before taking aim at the many others present. It right that we should condemn this shooting.  And

What are New Life’s Spending Priorities?

Have you ever have that moment when you realize you don’t have enough money to give to everyone and everything you want to? It’s frustrating, isn’t it? It demonstrates that we live in a world in which we have limited resources, and that means we have to make tough choices. This is especially true since we don’t typically have chapter and verse in Scripture that prescribe for us whom to give to, nor the exact dollar amount. This challenge proves

Remember visiting New Life for the first time?

I recently had the opportunity to visit a local church for a conference, and I noted my experience through the entire visiting process.  I don’t think I’m that shy or anxious of a person, but neither am I exactly fearless.  From the time I entered the parking lot I noticed that I felt somewhat comfortable (the lot was in good condition and I had an idea where the front door was), and everything started off well. I remember opening the

Recap of Continuing the Conversation II (Sunday July 29)

Hello New Lifers! Sunday night yielded another helpful conversation about the future of our church family, and especially the stewardship and future of our beloved building. Thank you, Lord, for this congregation!   I certainly have enjoyed this continued and delightful conversation with you all. Let’s keep praying and talking about the next 30 years. A quick recap: 1. Hospitality! In our current sermon series the concept of hospitality occurs at least twice. Marc Davis preached on a passage in which

Where Is My Neighbor

If you are hard-pressed to name a friend (a neighbor you see fairly often) who does not know Jesus then I would challenge you to ask the questions: Where is my neighbor? and then: Where can I alter my path?