Tim Keller @ UC Berkeley - Belief in an Age of Skepticism?

For those of you unacquainted with Tim Keller (planter and pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian, PCA, in Manhattan), this is a phenomenal introduction.



If you'd like to learn more you can check out his new book, Reason for God, or take a look at all the the free Keller resources at Monergism.com.

Utah Mission '08 for High School Students

High school students from New Life Church have an exciting opportunity this summer. It is called the Utah Mission '08 and it is scheduled for July 6-15, 2008.

Two friends of New Life Church (Scott Creps and Steve Bennetsen) are a part of a church in Ogden, Utah called Alpine Church. Like New Life Church, they have a vision to plant churches in an area of the country that is largely unreached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we will be supporting them as reach out to their community.

Why should you consider being a part of this trip? Well...
-It will be an unforgettable experience
-It will change your life
-You will build lasting relationships
-You will bless the ministry of Alpine Church
-You will be equipped to serve others and share Christ with them
Interested? For more information, please click here to download the packet containing more information and an application due March 30th.

What can a class of middle school students do to impact the world for Christ?

This was the question our NLC students asked themselves 3 years ago and it did not take long to find a way right here in our own church body. The Buhlers minister to children the same age as those in our class and it really struck a cord. The Dalit children in India belong to a caste of society that are below the bottom rung of the ladder. They are called "the untouchables" because any person of standing would not even go near them...

Our students have adopted and supported two Dalit students with monthly contributions that provide for their Christian schooling, clothing and food. Every week students empty their pockets of change and the occasional dollar bill to sacrificially meet the needs of these students their own age on the other side of the world.

In an effort to do more to help the Buhlers and the students with one-time expenses and other needs we came up with the idea of a charity auction.

Each of the students contribute from their own property items that they know will appeal to other students. They also help their parents and other friends understand the need and donate items to sell.

Then on a special night once each year we have a pizza party and auction.

The 3rd Annual Middle School Auction to support the Dalit children was held on 3/12 and we were humbled by the generosity of the contributors of items, bidders and other benefactors.

We broke our previous record by raising over $1100 for this important work!

The Lord has also used this to teach our students other lessons like:

- how to give selflessly from the abundance that God has given you
- how to release something you cherish into the Lord's hands and watch him do amazing things that you did not expect
- how to share your burden with others in such a way that they come on board and help out
- how to show gratitude to others when they sacrificially give to make your vision become a reality

Some amazing testimonies of God's provision and His people's selfless obedience were shared and are happening every day in the lives of our students.

Please celebrate with us and be in prayer for our students that they might develop a burden for souls that would cause them to give their lives away in service to Christ.

Special thanks to all those adults who have helped, encouraged, contributed and sacrificially given to this event to help us teach these lessons and provide for the needs of the Dalit Children and the Buhler's ministry!!

Benefit Concert for the Curtemans

I hope you are keeping up with Nick and Meredith on their blog. She has received some good news recently. They also have a friend who is putting on a benefit concert and silent auction for them. You may want to read about it here. Please continue to keep them in your prayers.

A One-Day Conference for Parents and Teens

Attention New Life Church parents and teens. There is a conference coming to Portland, May 3, 2008 from 9am-5pm at Rolling Hills Community Church entitled "Do Hard Things." It is a call to adolescent youth to rebel against the low expectations of our society. In fact, the creators of the conference have coined a phrase that encapsulates this idea--rebelution.

The creators and presenters are 19-year-old twin brothers Alex and Brett Harris, the younger brothers of Joshua Harris, who has written several popular books like I Kissed Dating Good-Bye. Don't miss this opportunity that may change yours or your teens life. If you are interested in carpooling, talk to Matt Vorhees, and if you would like more information, click here.

Chairs For Free

We have about 80 folding chairs to give away for free. You may come to the church during business hours or church on Sunday and take as many folding chairs as you would like for free.

We only ask a couple things of you:

• Promise to create at least one ministry event to use the chairs. That could be:
• A life-group party.
• A neighborhood get-together.
• A fellowship dinner.
• A prayer meeting.
  
• Anything else that connects God and people.

• Please check with Julia or Pastor Scott about which pile of chairs to pick from.
• Please get them by St. Patricks day! The Leprechauns will take all of them that are still around on the 18th.
  

Did I mention the chairs are free?

Season of Prayer Week 5

While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. Acts 13:2-3

In our 5th week of our 6 weeks of prayer and fasting, we are focusing on praying for our church's effort to plant new churches. The Lord has given us a vision to double the number of evangelical churches in West Linn and beyond that to touch our region with the gospel through church planting. Would you pray today that:

• God would prepare our church for the next church plant.
• God would empower us to reach out to our community in new and exciting ways.
• God would soften hearts and draw unbelievers to Himself.
• God would provide a church planting pastor to the lead the next church plant.

Fitting in at Church

Maybe you're considering coming to New Life Church for Easter. This training video can give you some helpful tips on fitting in when you come and hopefully save you some embarrassment. Enjoy!

Middle School Auction This Wednesday!

Please come and support this event to raise money for our Dalit Mission project. The auction will be held this Wednesday evening (the 12th), 7:00-8:30 PM in the middle school room.

Also, if you have a donation please call Gay Haugen: 503-742-0858.

Here is a listing of items available so far:

· One German Chocolate Cake (baked by our own Jeannette Kramer)
· Air Hockey Table
· Over 20 DVDs!!
· Game Cube and Games
· Coffee Maker with gourmet coffee basket
· Gorgeous Necklace and earring set made from vintage Czech glass beads by Alma Coston
· Lava Lamp
· 1 Hour Harp Lesson given by Andie Haugen
· Mighty Beanz (!!)
· Brand New BMX bike
· Batch of Warm Scones of your choice baked and delivered when requested by Kristy Madsen
· 2 Brighton Bracelets
· And so much more!!!!!!!!

Spring Ahead!

Tonight, turn your clocks ahead. Daylight Savings time officially begins at 2:00 am. on Sunday morning. This is on the church blog because someone always forgets and walks in an hour late to church. (Boy, is that ever embarrassing). Or, worse yet, someone forgets about daylight saving time and skips church altogether! So hopefully, this will prevent either of those problems.

And, don't forget to check the batteries in your smoke detector! That might prevent an even bigger problem.

So, see you tomorrow. Normal time. . . it'll just feel earlier.

An Unusual Reason to Bring Someone to Easter With You

Do you realize how early Easter is this year? As you may know, Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). This dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.

This year is the earliest Easter any of us will ever see the rest of our lives! And only the most elderly (95 years old or above) of our population have ever seen it this early.

Here are a couple facts:

1. The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). The last time it was this early was 1913.
2. The next time it will be a day earlier, March 22, will be in the year 2285 (277 years from now). The last time it was on March 22 was 1818.
   

So, no one alive today has or will ever see it any earlier than this year!

Update: Operation Christmas Child

Did you put the smile on this child's face? If you provided one of the 83 shoe boxes that New Life Church collected in November for Operation Christmas Child, then you brought joy and hope to one of the 7.6 million children in over 100 nations who received a gift- filled shoe box and the life-changing message of the Gospel since November 2007.

Here is a true story included in the current Operation Christmas Child Special Report: "While distributing Operation Christmas Child shoe box gifts in a village in Ghana, a member of our National Leadership Team noticed the thickly calloused feet of a young boy. 'Please God, Let this boy receive a pair of shoes in his box!' the woman prayed. The boy had never owned a pair of shoes and walked barefooted on a six- mile round trip to school and back to his home each day. When the child opened his box, he found, not just one pair of shoes, but two pair. And both sets of shoes were just his size! The volunteer rejoiced when she saw that God had placed the perfect gift into the hands -- and onto the feet -- of this needy child."

Season of Prayer and 1st Wednesday

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3

The emphasis for the season of prayer this week is unity. Jesus prayed for the unity of believers in John 17. We to ought to pray for unity as well. It seems to me that some of the "effort" involved in keeping the unity of the Spirit in the church is the work of prayer.

Would you join together with your brothers and sisters in Christ to pray this evening? From 7:00 to 8:00 PM at New Life Church Riverfalls (1984 McKillican St., West Linn) we are having our monthly "1st Wednesday" corporate time of prayer. See you there!

March Forth!

March Forth! (2 Timothy 2:4)

New Books Available In The Church Library, Riverfalls Campus

What a great day to curl up with a good book and a hot cup of tea! Perhaps you would enjoy one of these new selections available in our church library...

Fiction:
Karon, Jan - Home to Holly Springs (first of the Father Tim Novels)

Kingsbury,Karen - Between SUNDAYS

LaHaye, Tim & Jenkins, Jerry B. -The Jesus Chronicles (Mark's Story)

Miller, Dawn - Promiseland & The Other Side of Jordan (The Journals of Callie McGregor)

Non-fiction:
Barnes,Bob : 15 Minutes Alone with GOD (FOR MEN) -(242.642 B)

Bright, B & Damoose,J: Red Sky in the Morning (277.3 B)

Cantrell, Bridget C. Ph.D :DOWN RANGE to Iraq and Back (616.85)

Dobson, Dr. James :holding on to your faith even :When GOD Doesn't Make Sense (231.8 D)

Lindsey, Hal : FAITH for Earth's Final Hour (239L)

Lucado, Max : 3:16 : the number of hope (226.5 L)

Weber, Stu : Tender Warrior -God's Intention For a Man (248.84 W)

If you have any questions about our church library, please contact our Librarian Joeleen Montgomery, and don't forget to thank her for the marvelous job she does--what a blessing!

Thank You from Eleanora Larson

Dear New Life Church,
I want to say thank you to everyone who prayed; visited; called; offered help; sent cards, flowers, gifts, etc. I appreciated each and every one, and everything done during my recent illness. I felt very loved and cared for. Bless you all! -- Love, Eleanora

Season of Prayer Week 3

Today we are at the half way point of our season of prayer and fasting. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Gal. 6:9). Here is the prayer focus for today:

Col. 4:2-6, Rom. 1:16

The focus for this week is to pray for ourselves as we seek to reach out to the lost. Pray for open doors to share the gospel, clarity in communication, boldness, and wisdom. Suggestion: Make it a point to spend some special time praying about this with your Life Group this week. Pray for the other members of your group to be used by God in this way. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:25).

High School Parent Newsletter - February edition

If your a parent of a high school student at New Life Church, or are a parent interested in the high school ministry of New Life Church, or are simply interested in the high school ministry of New Life Church, please check out the February edition of the Ignite newsletter by clicking here. In it you will find an article on adolescence, meeting times, upcoming events, birthday announcements and prayer requests.

Ladies Event A Smash Hit!

8390634...my ticket's number was called and I ran to the jewelry table with a yip of excitement, my first opportunity to capture that dazzling bracelet calling my name! The Ladies Accessory Exchange was such a huge success Friday evening we just couldn't be bothered to stop and snap photos--maybe next time! Laughter, excitement, chocolate covered strawberries, door prizes and hilarious games: just a small "snapshot" of the fun of the evening. A special thanks to Kim Brandstetter and Lori Elliott, whose masterful planning transformed the lobby of the Riverfalls Campus into a Parisian froufrou cafe/boutique for one evening only. Thank you also to all the fabulous ladies who attended. Stay tuned for a follow-up event, coming SOON!

Season of Prayer Week 2

We are now into our second week of the "season of prayer" at New Life Church. We are taking every Wednesday from now until Easter to fast and pray for God to work in powerful ways in our church. Here is the prayer emphasis for this week:

Eph. 1:18-19, Rom. 10:17

Spend today in concerted prayer for your lost friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family members. Pray that God might open their spiritual eyes so that they would know Him. Pray that might read the word of God which is able to produce faith in them. Pray fervently all through this season for those God lays on your heart.

Suggestion: Take some time on this day to pray together with at least one other person. Get them praying for your lost friends, and you begin praying for theirs as well.

FIVE FROM NEW LIFE ON MISSION TO GUATEMALA

Dianne Froode, Jon Glynn, Larry Richardson, and Val Matijacic with Dr. Brad Titus left Saturday, February 16th on a mission trip to Pampacche, Guatemala. Their activities will include a health clinic, vacation Bible school, home visitations, and construction projects.

The New Life Team will be joined by five others from a Portland Bible study outreach group. They will be working with the local church and community leaders, school teachers, and families. Pampacche is in a very remote and primitive area. Previously, the only way into Pampacche was by hiking. The New Life team will be returning February 24th. They would appreciate your prayers and financial support.

What's the Opposite of a Children's Book?

This is a post about SAM and Clifford but not "Sam, I Am" from Green Eggs and Ham or Clifford, the Big Red Dog. It is about the Senior Adult Ministry (SAM) at New Life Church and Pat Clifford, (not big, not red and certainly not a dog).

One of my chief concerns over the past few months has revolved around what to do with the Senior Adult ministry without Bob Spidal. He had served so ably and lovingly for so long, I wasn't sure how we could replace him. I am thankful that, though, with man it is impossible, with God nothing is impossible.

From the time the Cliffords moved from California about 4 years ago, God had been building within Pat a desire to serve Seniors. He didn't know what that looked like or how it would take shape, but God did. Yesterday, he began as the new Senior Adult Director at New Life Church.

He is a wise man with a subtle and hysterical sense of humor. I have every confidence that God will use him to be a great encouragement to the seniors. . . and to me! And this chapter will not be a children's book, but another story of God's faithfulness to his church.

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

Season of Prayer and Fasting

If you missed church this last Sunday, you may not know that the staff and elders of New Life have called our church to a Season of Prayer and Fasting between now and Easter. We put out a prayer guide for the whole congregation to use. You can pick one up at church this Sunday if you didn't get one. Until then, here is the basic plan for the season:

We are asking that you would set aside every Wednesday between now and Easter as a special day of Prayer and Fasting (if Wednesday doesn't work, pick another day).

How that looks is going to be different for every individual and family within our church.

• Some may choose to fast from food and others may not.
• Some may set aside all other activities on those days.
• Others may just pray at meal times or in the evenings

We are not so much concerned about how you pray as we are that you do indeed pray. There is no pass or fail to this season of prayer. If you pray a little bit more, that is win. If this season of prayer is the impetus to a whole new commitment to prayer in your life, even better.

Below you can find some Scripture verses and suggestions for prayer for the first day:

Daniel 9: 1-19, 2 Chr. 7:14

Take some time today to pray for yourself, your church, and your nation. In humility, pray prayers of repentance for our sins past and present. Ask God to bring healing to our land. Pray for the revival of our church and churches around the world. Pray that He would use us to grow His kingdom here in West Linn and around the world. Reaffirm our absolute dependence on Him in everything we do!

Suggestion: Make this first day a private day of prayer. Commit yourself to prayer once again. Ask for God’s help to persevere.

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!

Couple Conference Update

This past weekend 17 couples (13 from our church and 4 from the community) gathered together to talk about building stronger relationships. Our presenter, Noel Meador did a fantastic job giving us tools to use to help our marriages.

One of the more helpful tools he gave us was the "Speaker Listener Technique." If you have not used this technique before, I would encourage you to check out the basics of the process at the web site: www.positive-way.com/family.htm

If you are looking for some help with your marriage, Lasting Relationships is great organization with some practical tools that can help you. You can find other conferences in our area by going to www.lastingrelationships.org.

Also, be sure to come to church over the next five weeks. Pastor Scott and I will be preaching a series from God's word on Marriage and Family.

Unique Ministry Opportunity

My name is Joshua Anderson. I am a 25 year old third year medical student at Des Moines University in Iowa. I am going to be doing a month long rotation at Weston Pediatric and Women's Clinic from 6/16/08-7/11/08. My wife( Myra) and I are looking for a place to stay during this time period. It is not easy to find a place to stay for just a month and we are not sure who we would be staying with. My wife grew up in a Baptist church in Marshalltown, IA so we thought this would be the best place to start. We are looking to stay with anyone in the church who might be willing to lend a helping hand and who have similar Christian beliefs as our own. We would be willing to pay some rent and do odd jobs around the house/church to help out.

Just a few things to know about us... We enjoy the outdoors, animals, exercising, watching movies, growing spiritually, and adventure.
---------------------------

Please contact the church office if you are interested in helping this couple and Julia can give you their contact information. Or, you can email Joshua.

New Life Church Online Calendar!

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

A Prayer for Today

VOYAGE

O LORD OF THE OCEANS,
My little bark sails on a restless sea,
Grant that Jesus may sit at the helm and steer me safely;
Suffer no adverse currents to divert my heavenward course;
Let not my faith be wrecked amid storms and shoals;
Bring me to harbour with flying pennants,
Hull unbreached, cargo unspoiled.

I ask great things,
expect great things,
shall receive great things.
I venture on thee wholly, fully,
my wind, sunshine, anchor, defence.
The voyage is long, the waves high, the storms pitiless,
but my helm is held steady,
thy Word secures safe passage,
thy grace wafts me onward,
my haven is guaranteed.
This day will bring me nearer home,
Grant me holy consistency in every transaction,
my peace flowing as a running tide,
my righteousness as every chasing wave.
Help me to live circumspectly,
with skill to convert every care into prayer,
Halo my path with gentleness and love,
smooth every asperity of temper;
let me not forget how easy it is to occasion grief;
may I strive to bind up every wound,
and pour oil on all troubled waters.

May the world this day be happier and better because I live,
Let my mast before me be the saviour's cross,
and every oncoming wave the fountain in his side.
Help me, protect me in the moving sea
until I reach the shore of unceasing praise.

(From The Valley of Vision: A collection of Puritan prayers and devotions, edited by Arthur Bennett, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1975)

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday Video

This video should encourage you on a number of levels: the value of life, the importance of being involved. . . and the importance of memorizing the Bible! This video stars New Life Church's youngest film prodigy and was produced by Ronn Pricer. Thank you.