Shared Meals at New Life Church

This Sunday the Riverfalls congregation will join the other two in having a shared meal on the first Sunday of the month. I thought it might be helpful to share a minute about why this is important enough to make a priority.

A Letter from Mike Polley

Mike Polley, who is serving in Afghanistan, sent us this update to share with the church:

Dear family and
friends,
We have reached the 10 month mark since we left Oregon. The weather
has cooled down to 60-70s for high and 40-50s for low. At 7,300 feet, we
could get snow before the end of the month. We are shipping some
nonessential items home. This has brightened everyone’s spirits knowing
the end is not too much further away. We should all be home before
Christmas (knock on wood).

One of our priorities has been to develop partnerships with the
Afghans. We are trying to come along side of them, work with and teach
them, so they can adequately take over for us when the US forces leave by
2014. Our interactions have been new, different, and at times, downright
uncomfortable. For example, most of our interactions are through
interpreters since none of us speak their language and only a very few of them
speak (broken) English. Sometimes you wonder if the intent of the message
is being translated correctly. Their customs and courtesies are different
from ours and they enjoy social events (you best not be in a hurry to accomplish
your agenda).
One common social event is eating. Yes, eating their food, prepared their way. There are no USDA regulatory agencies over here or food preparation inspections. While their food is filling and tastes good, you sometimes wonder how it was prepared. Some Soldiers have felt queasy after eating, some have thrown up, some have had diarrhea and some unlucky Soldiers have had all of the above. They don’t have dishwashers to sterilize the dishes. In most villages, there is no running
water to wash your hands prior to eating. So, it is uncomfortable to meet
and greet each other and then sit down to eat. Who knows where those hands
have been. Without furniture, you normally sit on the floor and eat with
your fingers because there are no eating utensils; plus you serve yourself from
community dipping bowls. The Afghans remove their shoes inside buildings
and sit cross-legged with their feet inches from the food. When they serve
their tea, you wonder where the water came from. Did I mention
flies? They are all over the place and on the food. I think you’re
getting the picture. Only the strong survive. The higher your rank,
the more likely you are to find yourself in this situation. That is where
the battalion commander (BC) and I come in. We often participate in these
events as it would be rude not to. I can say that the BC and I have pretty
good diets, exercise regularly, take vitamins and have decent immune
systems. So far, we have not gotten sick, but we are the exception (again,
knock on wood).
I’ve had 15 days off so far this year. That was my
required leave that I talked about in my last letter. Working 12 hours a
day is calling it an early day. Most days are 14-16 hours per day, while
some are longer. Yes, we do take breaks, eat, exercise and try to get in a
nap about once or twice a month. I must admit that I’m really tired on
some days, but persevere through. A 5-15 minute power nap can save the
day. Most Soldiers don’t put in these many hours, but it is tough and
demanding at the top of the pyramid. So you can believe me when I say I
looking forward to coming home.
Operationally we are amazing. We are involved with engineer missions (including horizontal, vertical and route clearance), Civil-Military operations, Afghanistan National Army (ANA) partnerships and much more. Unfortunately you’ll have to wait until I get back to hear and see some of the things we have accomplished, plus stories from behind the scenes. I have attached a couple of pictures of some projects
we done. The horizontal construction company had to level the area and the
vertical construction company built the structures. As you can see from
the pictures, we do quality work. And of course, any living conditions at
any location that we can improve are liked by all. The orders just keep
coming in.
We are already thinking and planning for winterization as winter
for us is just around the corner. The locals say we had a mild winter last
year and could get several feet of snow this year. Some years they say
have snowed as much as six feet. Well, if that happens, we hope to be on a
plane by then. Many, many other stories to tell, but will have to wait
until I get back.
I took my physical fitness test on 26 SEP 2011, and while my score of 353 was impressive (88 push-ups in 2 minutes, 80 sit-ups in 2 minutes and 13:53 in the 2 mile run – all in less than one hour – all at 7,300 feet elevation) a few young bucks did beat my score. The Bible says that “iron sharpens iron” and this competition has been fun. Some of these Soldiers are in the best shape of their lives. Numbers are still coming in so you’ll have to wait until next time to hear how I’ll be rewarding them.
I also ran the Lincoln (Nebraska) ½ marathon in 2:02 last month as well as the
Army 10-mile at 1:30. The Portland satellite marathon is next
weekend.
Alex had a good time in Italy. He met a girl named Maria
through one of the Soldiers here (her sister) and it was their first get
together. Even though they had talked on the phone, Skype and emailed, it
was the blind date of blind dates. Could have been bad for one or both of
them, but they both really enjoyed it. He said they have a lot in common
and enjoyed each other’s company. She is planning to move to Oregon…
I am happy to report that there are a few less bad guys here and that we have made
a positive difference with the missions and interactions we’ve been involved
with. Please keep us in your prayers. I am looking forward to seeing and
talking with all of you when I get back.
Proudly serving my country and missing you,
Mike

Senior Bible Study takes Summer Break

Tuesday mornings 10:00 AM September through June, fifteen to eighteen people meet for Bible study and prayer. George Nelson leads the sessions. Recently the Book of Revelation was completed; Isaiah will be continued in the Fall. Lively discussion and fellowship (including coffee and treats) complete the agenda.
Seniors, remember in September to drop in and check this out.

Here is a letter from one of the participants to the leaders:

Dear George & Betty,

Thank you for your faithfulness in preparation and teaching our Tuesday Morning Senior Bible Study. Each week finds you giving yourselves away for Him and we are beneficiaries of your service.

George, you unselfishly share from the reservoir of God’s truth you’ve acquired through a lifetime of serving Him. It takes a certain skill, and inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to teach (impart knowledge) with humility and authority. You do this gently and effectively each week, breathing life into difficult passages of Scripture, adding information from your own research.

Betty, the heart of your husband trusts safely in you (Proverbs 31). Your quiet, careful attentive presence beside him contributes, perhaps more than you know, to his confidence. Your basket of snack materials and treats makes our fellowship time complete. God shaped you as a pastor’s daughter to be a pastor’s wife and we thank Him for you.

We praise God for the two of you and ask His continued blessing and joy on your life.

With love,
Your students

Garage Sale for the Guatamala Team

The New Life Church Guatamala Mission team will be holding a fundraising garage sale on August 20 and 21 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at 4254 Spring Rock Circle in West Linn.
Donations to the garage sale would be appreciated. (No clothing please.) Call Val Matijacic at 503-322-7639 or 503-657-9070. If you have large items to donate, Val can pick them up.
Please come support the mission trips to Guatamala.

Rafting Trip on the Clackamas River

Men's Ministry is hosting a rafting trip down the Clackamas River on August 8th at 2:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome (children with parents) but space IS limited. Meet at Barton Park at 2:00. Parking at the park is $5.00. Transportation will be available to the launch site at Carver. Life jackets and ice cream will be provided.
If interested contact Larry Richardson at 503-320-1171.

Christmas Eve Services

We will have two All Church Christmas Eve Services at 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. at our Robinwood location. We hope that these services will provide a good opportunity for you to invite friends and family to come with you to worship Jesus this Christmas.

Thanksgiving Basket Delivery

Thanks to all the generous giving from the church body, we were able to fill and deliver 35 boxes of food , including a turkey, milk and potatoes to families from our church and our neighborhood. This is the most we have ever done and it couldn't have happened without the labor of love of lots of volunteers. The high school youth group and their leaders helped to unload the storage room and sort all of the donated food onto tables, then Elenora Larson, Dawn Curry and Elaine O'Toole helped to fill the boxes and get them ready for delivery. Saturday morning we had lots of volunteer drivers to deliver those boxes: Don and Corrine Cyrus, Al Stapleton, Kathy Fuentes, Cindy Sollers, Cindy and Jeff Wright, Larry Richardson, Sandi and Jay Bettinisky , Cris Austen and Brenda Lauterbach. A special thanks to Holly Fullon who did lots of phone calling as well as special delivery. It was a wonderful, rewarding outreach and we were all blessed to be a part of it.

Luis Palau Season of Service at West Linn High School

Last Sunday afternoon, August 24th, fifteen volunteers from New Life Church joined dozens of other volunteers from Rolling Hills Community Church to beautify the grounds surrounding West Linn High School. The team from New Life Church focused on sprucing up the administrator's parking lot, located directly across from the high school on West "A" Street. Together they pulled weeks, swept, and blew debris from the parking lot, trimmed back ivy and blackberry bushes, painted speed bumps and swept the sidewalks. This project was part of a larger coordinated effort by Luis Palau Ministries, in conjunction with last weekend's Portland CityFest '08 event, to organize over 26,000 volunteers throughout the greater Portland area to put the love of Jesus Christ into action as the physical needs of a community are met.

New Life Church @ Luis Palau Festival

Several folks from New Life Church attended the Luis Palau Festival at Waterfront Park in Portland last Friday and Saturday. They heard some great music, saw the VeggieTales, played Guitar Hero, and heard a powerful gospel presentation by Luis Palau. Some of our church members served as volunteers and helped people who were making decisions to follow Jesus Christ.

In all, it was a great experience to see the body of Christ from around the Portland area come together for this exciting campaign. To find out more about what happened at the event go to http://www.palau.org/ and click on the link to the Portland Festival Blog.

3rd Annual National Night Out

New Life Church hosted the 3rd Annual National Night Out Party for the Robinwood neighborhood of West Linn this past Tuesday night.

About 100 people showed up to enjoy good food, good music, and lots of good conversation.

A crew came by from Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue.

They put on quite a show for the kids. The kids also enjoyed a bounce house and other fun games.

One of the highlights of the evening was the appearance of the Rick Sollers Memorial Chuck Wagon that was used to cook up all of the tasty burgers and hot dogs.

The night was mostly about New Life Church showing the love of Jesus to our neighbors. We had several good conversations with neighbors and invited many of them to come back for our Outdoor Service and Picnic on August 17th.

Don't Waste [What's Left of] Your Summer!

New Life Church has an incredible number of exciting activities still happening throughout the rest of this summer, and we want YOU to be involved! Our online calendar has just been updated again, in an effort to keep you posted on what's happening. Please click here to be redirected to our online calendar, or from our website's homepage, you can select the "resources" menu, then select "calendar" from the drop-down list. If you have any questions about upcoming events, please call Julia at the church office: 503.656.8600.

Summer Schedule: River Baptism

New Life Church will have one opportunity for river baptism this Summer--

Date: Sunday, August 3rd
Time: 4:00-6:00 pm
Location: The home of the Haugen Famliy,
on the Clackamas River in Oregon City.

For further details, questions, or if you would like to sign up, please contact Julia at the church office by phone: 503-656-8600 or by e-mail: office@newlifenw.com.

Sports Camp Pictures

There are over 400 pictures from Mega Sports Camp 2008 on the Ignite Youth Ministries Gallery. Click here to check them out.

Thank You From Pregnancy Resource Center

Sanctity of Human Life Baby Bottle Giving Results:

39 Contributing Churches

$42,195.45 Raised!

Dear New Life Church,

Without your willingness to be involved in the Baby Bottle Campaign this much money wouldn't have been possible. We really appreciate all your hard work! Thank you so much for your time and love of this ministry.

Your church families have contributed $1,735.99 to PRC Through the 2008 Sancitity of Life Baby Bottle Campaign!

Please convey our very deep and heartfelt thanks to your families and let them know their gifts make eternal differences in lives right now...for the young women, girls, and babies of Greater Portland.

God Bless,

Becky Elkind
Pregnancy Resource Center

Don't Waste Your Summer: Church Calendar Updated!

There are LOTS of exciting events happening in and around New Life Church this summer! Our online church calendar has just been updated to help keep you up-to-date on the latest events! Click here to be re-directed straight to the calendar!

CB Northwest

When people find out I'm a pastor they frequently ask, "What kind of church is it?" I have spent 15 years trying to answer the question in a way that keeps the conversation open. Sometimes I try to say, "It's a church that preaches and lives by the Bible." But, what people usually mean when they ask that question is, "What denomination are you?" While denominations mean very little to most people, they provide a convenient category (often filled with misconceptions) in which to file me. So, just to make sure I communicate I usually say, "We're Conservative Baptist. Does that mean anything to you?" That will usually tell me, by body language alone sometimes, whether we can continue to talk.

Let me give you some online references for our affiliations. While we are on the same team, Jesus's team, with many churches, we formally affiliate with CB Northwest, the regional branch of the Conservative Baptists of America. In fact, I am a CB Northwest trustee for the Willamette South Association, a group of sixteen churches in our area. This includes:

• of course, New Life Church.
• Barton Community Baptist Church
• Sandy Baptist Church
• Canby First Baptist
• Emmanuel Community Church, Clackamas
• Estacada First Baptist Church
• Gladstone First Baptist Church
• Happy Valley Baptist Church
• Lake Bible Church
• Milwaukie First Baptist Church
• Oak Grove Baptist Church
• Grace Church of Molalla
• Logan Community Church, Oregon City
• Light on the Hill Fellowship, Oregon City
  
• Maranatha Baptist Church, Oregon City
• Canyon Creek Church, Wilsonville

If you are inclined to pray for these CB Northwest and these churches, I'm sure they'd appreciate it. Please pray for me as I attempt to serve these churches as a trustee. I'm still figuring out what that means.

Thank you!

Extra blessings on the following people who helped us move Saturday: George Milliken, Dale Austen, Matt Vorhees, Mark Hannifan, Mike Hartley, Alex Fuentes, Tim Smith, Hunter and Grayson Haugen, and Taylor Brandstetter who missed a ride and could not get there to help. Some of the ladies who also helped pack and put in place things were Cris Austen and Aaron Doyle. Lots of hard work was performed and a job well done. The Lord blessed also with a dry day.

—Bob and Barbara Montgomery

S.A.M. Luncheon Tomorrow, February 13th

The Senior Adult Ministries will be resuming their monthly potluck luncheons tomorrow, February 13th. Please bring a dish to share and join us for a great meal, old-time sing, and a brief program. This is such a fun event, and a great opportunity for fellowship and encouragement. Please remind your favorite seniors NOT to miss it!

New Life Church Online Calendar!

The online calendar has been updated to reflect many exciting upcoming events! Please click here to check it out!!

Hello New Life Church,

The Lasting Relationships Couple Conference is coming up on February 8-9. You can still register for this conference that will serve as an important investment in the future of your marriage. However, if you are planning on coming, we need to know soon so that we can plan for childcare and food. So, here are the details:

What: Lasting Relationships Couple Conference

Who: Any dating, engaged, or married couples (this is a great opportunity to invite friends from outside of church)

When: Friday Feb. 8^th 7:00- 9:00 PM

Saturday Feb. 9^th 9:00 AM- 3:00 PM

Where: New Life Church Riverfalls (1984 McKillican St. in West Linn, across from West Linn High School)

Cost: $10 per couple, Free child care provided

Please send an email to office@newlifenw.com if you are planning to attend and have not yet registered.

www.lastingrelationships.org