While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table… 

 This past Sunday Pastor Dennis shared from the passage above.  Then Dennis made the following observations.

She came to Jesus regardless of the circumstances.

She came to Jesus regardless of the cost.

She came to Jesus regardless of criticism.

God gives meaning to our acts of sacrifice and worship.

She did this NOT for herself, but for Jesus.

How about you?  Are you coming to Jesus regardless of…, are you sacrificing, are you doing things for Jesus above yourself? 

May your life follow the beautiful role model of the woman who poured that oil on Jesus centuries ago.

Other News:

District Regional Forum:  Saturday, May 19 at the Worship Center, 9 a.m. – Noon.  All are encouraged to attend. Our District leaders will lead a time of vision casting and equipping the Alliance churches of the Mansfield and Mount Vernon region. We will pray and plan together for how to advance the kingdom.

Wacky Wild Water Week All Staff Meeting and Luncheon:  All Wacky Wild Water Week Volunteers are invited to stay after the second service this Sunday for Staff Meeting. Lunch will be provided for workers and their families immediately following the meeting. We want to create a great team for Splash Olympics this summer, so please make every effort to come!  There will only be one other staff meeting. Questions? Contact Lori Turner 740.694.2130.

Prayer and Praise:

• Praise the Lord, Marla Dunn is tumor free! She had a CT scan done in Baltimore this week and the results were wonderful!!
• Pray for Marc and Sharla Hedrick and family on the loss of their son, Brandyn Van Dyke. Pray for the family as they grieve and for his siblings the understanding of what has happened. See link to view Brandyn’s obituary. http://www.snyderfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/obit_view.phtml?id=11948
• Please pray for Lou Baker as she has lost two family members this week and was also in a car accident.  Ask God to provide strength and peace for her and her extended family.

Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God.   So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.

1 John 3:9-10

The challenge of these words are…well…I’ll just say it… OVERWHELMING!  In fact from a human vantage point without God this standard is impossible to meet. 

 Praise God, that He not only saves us from the PENALTY of sin.  He also saves us from the POWER of sin.

Galatians 5:16-25; Romans 6:5-15 & 8:1-11; Hebrews 10:26-29 & 12:1-17

 If we are saved and His children, then we already have the power to overcome sin…ANY SIN in our lives.

If these words are convicting you, then God is calling you to seek after Him. Start by confessing your sin to GOD and ask for His POWER to wash away and overcome the sin.  Next, confess your sin to someone you trust that will pray for you and hold you accountable.  Finally change the sinful patterns of your life that lead you to stumble and fall into sin.

 God is faithful, he wants to rid your life of this sin.  This can ONLY be done through the POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT working in you.

Being the Church, Blessing the World

Other News:

District Regional Forum:  Saturday, May 19 at the Worship Center, 9 a.m. – Noon.  All are encouraged to attend. Our District leaders will lead a time of vision casting and equipping the Alliance churches of the Mansfield and Mount Vernon region. We will pray and plan together for how to advance the kingdom.

New Members:  Sunday, May 20 we will be accepting new members into the family of NewLife Community Church. If you have taken C.L.A.S.S. 101 and have not become a member and no one has contacted you, please call the church office at 740.694.5433.

Wacky Wild Water Week All Staff Meeting and Luncheon:  Sunday, May 20 right after the second service in the sanctuary. There will be a brief meeting regarding the week of W4 and lunch will follow.  If you are helping with W4 we request your attendance. Childcare will be provided. This week you can pre-register your children for W4 outside between services and after 2^nd service. You can also sign up to provide snacks for the week.

Prayer and Praise:

Praise the Lord, Marla Dunn is tumor free! She had a CT scan done in Baltimore this week and the results were wonderful!!

Pray for Marc and Sharla Hedrick and family on the loss of their son, Brandyn Van Dyke. Pray for the family as they grieve and for his siblings the understanding of what has happened.

BEING THE CHURCH

 Acts 2:42-47 is one of the greatest descriptions of the first century church looked like. Take a few moments to read that passage in your own Bible.

 I find three phrases from that passage of Scripture inspiring:

1)    They devoted themselves to teaching, fellowship, breaking bread and prayer.

2)    They had everything in common. They took care of each other’s need. And…

3)    Every day they continued to meet in large groups (temple) and small groups (homes).

 Ask yourself if you are engaged in the Body of Christ like that. Then ask the Lord to help you be engaged like that with others. The first church was a true “spiritual community.” They worked at it and God blessed it. The same is supposed to be true today!

 Take note of some upcoming corporate gatherings/events. Plan to participate, celebrate, and certainly pray.

National Day of Prayer- TOMORROW, noon and 7pm at the Fredericktown Gazebo.

NewLife’s All Daughter Banquet- THIS Friday (Around 200 ladies signed up!)

Child Dedication on Mother’s Day.

District Regional Forum at NewLife- May 19, 9am -12 noon. PLAN TO BE THERE!

Receiving New Members- May 20

NewLife Picnic and Hike at Mohican- May 27 after second service.

5^th-6^th grade ministry team (SALT) trip to New Orleans- June 2-9.

Some empty nesters going to Sierra Leone- June 7-23.

WACKY, WILD, WATER WEEK- June 18-22.

NewLife Night and Baptism at Apple Valley- July 29, 5pm

NewLife Night at the Mill Street Park in Fredericktown- August 19, 5pm

A TEAM FROM POLAND COMES at the end of August for 2 weeks!

 Being the Church, Blessing the World

Other News:

National Day of Prayer:  Thursday, May 3 at the Fredericktown Gazebo. NewLife will be praying at the Gazebo 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The community service will be at 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. All are invited to attend the hour NewLife is covering and the evening service.

Child Dedication: Sunday, May 13 during both services. If you are interested in dedicating your child, call the church office this week or attend the preparation meeting, Sunday, May 6, 8:30 a.m. at the Worship Center in the Coral Nursery.  Questions? Contact Bruce Sexton at 740.694.5433.

Wacky Wild Water Week:  June 18 – 22, 9:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. We have started to recruit help for the vacation Bible school week. There will be a sign up sheet in the foyer. Please consider signing up to help, provide snack or craft items needed to make the week a successful one. Questions? Contact Lori Turner at 740.694.2130.

 Prayer and Praise:

Pray for our Country and Leaders.

Keep praying for Mike Hathaway who is now home healing from the infection in his arm. 

Pray for Margie Clark who is still at Heartland of Centerburg Nursing Home recovering from strokes.

Jean Ann Dennis’ mother, Neola Heimberger, is experiencing shortness of breath, dizziness, and very tired. These symptoms could be a precursor to heart problems.

She is going to a cardiologist on Wednesday. 

Being the Church, Blessing the World

Other News:

National Day of Prayer:  Thursday, May 3 at the Fredericktown Gazebo. NewLife will be praying at the Gazebo 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. The community service will be at 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. All are invited to attend the hour NewLife is covering and the evening service.

Child Dedication: Sunday, May 13 during both services. If you are interested in dedicating your child, call the church office this week or attend the preparation meeting, Sunday, May 6, 8:30 a.m. at the Worship Center in the Coral Nursery.  Questions? Contact Bruce Sexton at 740.694.5433.

Wacky Wild Water Week:  June 18 – 22, 9:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m. We have started to recruit help for the vacation Bible school week. There will be a sign up sheet in the foyer. Please consider signing up to help, provide snack or craft items needed to make the week a successful one. Questions? Contact Lori Turner at 740.694.2130.

Prayer and Praise:

Pray for our Country and Leaders.

Keep praying for Mike Hathaway is now home healing from the infection in his arm. 

Pray for Margie Clark who is still in Heartland of Centerburg Nursing Home recovering from strokes.

I remember taking my youth group of 16 teens to the youth conference, LIFE '95. My group was from rural Ohio and thought they were doing well when our attendance spiked up into the 60s. But when they walked into that huge auditorium and saw EIGHT THOUSAND other teenagers worshiping the Lord and committing their lives to God, our 16 got energized! They realized they weren't alone!

 We aren't either. There are another TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND people in Eastern Ohio and all of West Virginia who are part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. We are not alone, and GOD is doing wonderful and amazing things around our District.

 Attached are some Easter 2012 stories from our sister churches. Please read those accounts and give God praise!

 ALSO... I personally invite you to our worship center on Saturday, May 19, 9 a.m.-12 noon as we host a regional forum for our District. Representatives from the other 9 Alliance churches in our region will join us, as our District leaders share vision and give us opportunity to pray and plan for how to complete the vision. Sign up on Sunday morning. (We could use a few people to set up, serve refreshments, and clean up that morning.)

 Hebrews 11 speaks of great clouds of witnesses from the Old Testament who are spurring us on.

Revelation 7:9 speaks of a great multitude of people from all nations worshiping Jesus in heaven.

And right now, we are part of GOD'S PEOPLE serving his purposes in our generation. 

BE ENCOURAGED! BE ENERGIZED!

 Read the attachment, and plan to come on May 19! 

 Being the Church, Blessing the World

 Other News:

Newcomers’ Reception: Sunday, April 22 following the 2^nd service. Anyone new to NewLife is invited to join our elders and staff for a brief reception including light refreshments. Families are welcome.

All Daughters’ Banquet:  Friday, May 4; 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at the Worship Center.  Cost:  $3 per person. Tickets will be on sale Sunday, April 22 and April 29.  Be sure to purchase your tickets for the event.

 Prayer and Praise:

Pastor Turner and NewLife Church,

Thank you so much for the generous gift of money.  Thank you also to everyone who has made a meal for us. We cannot begin to tell you how much we appreciate both the money and the meals. They have made our lives just a little bit easier during this incredibly difficult and stressful time in our lives, and have been a great source of encouragement for us.

We also want to thank each and every person who has lifted Addyson’s mane up in prayer, and the church body as a whole for praying for her.

She is doing well and we are just continuing to wait for the call for her liver transplant.

In Christ, Mark, Kim & Addyson Delaney                       Jeremiah 29:11

Dear NewLife Family,

Thanks so much for the beautiful remembrance throw given to us after my dad died last month. Thanks, too, for all the prayers for us and the family during this sad (yet joyful) time of leaving us but joining Jesus in heaven.

Cathie & Greg Benson and family

Mike Hathaway, husband of Kathy Hathaway is in the hospital with an infection in his arm. Pray for him to be healed.

Being the Church, Blessing the World

 Other News:

Missions Conference - Fiesta Maldonaldo:  Come meet Peter and Laura Marshall as they share their stories of ministry in Uruguay, South America. Contact the NewLife Office to sign up for the Saturday and Sunday festivities 740.694.5433 or office@nlifecma.org.

Saturday, April 14, Ladies and Girls’ Brunch at 9:30 a.m. at the Worship Center

Saturday April 14, Men’s and Boys’ Fish Fry at Tom Tenney’s, 12599 Montgomery Road, 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 15, 5:00 p.m. at the Worship Center, All Church Event “Seaside Fiesta.”

 Seaside Fiesta Bazaar:  If you are making crafts for the Seaside Fiesta, please bring them to the Worship Center on Easter Sunday or contact Lori Turner at 740.694.2130.

 Beulah Beach Benefit Auction & Free Family Night! They are looking for items to be donated for the auction. All donations are tax deductible. If you have an item(s) that you would like to donate, contact Nicole Schmidt at 440-967-4861 or email her at nschmidt@bbeach.org and she will make arrangements to pick up your items before May 1. The Free Family Night is May 25, 7 p.m. You can enjoy free family fun, big toys, rock wall, free movie, free drawing for Auction Bucks, free lodging on Friday and breakfast on Saturday.

 Please remember that the best way to return dishes from a meal to another NewLifer is to deliver them directly.  Dishes left in the kitchen will be placed in the lazy susan to the left of the double sink.  Unclaimed items are periodically donated to the Fredericktown Interchurch.  Thank you for your help in keeping our kitchen clean and tidy for the many groups that use it from week to week.

 Prayer and Praise:

Pray for Peter and Laura Marshall as they share about their ministry in Uruguay, South America during Missions Conference.  

I had a sentence in my sermon this past Sunday that I forgot to say in BOTH services. BUT… it may be the most important thing I could have said (at least in terms of application). Before I tell you the line I forgot, let me remind you of what I DID say.

God is ABLE to save us (Hebrews 7:25). Salvation happens in two ways: 1) He saves us for all time! That is, we are saved ETERNALLY. We have eternal life now and will live forever someday in heaven. 2) He saves us in all ways! That is, we are saved COMPLETELY. Salvation penetrates deep into our souls, bodies, hearts, minds, relationships, emotions…

EVERY AREA IS TO BE SAVED!

God is ABLE to save us completely because Jesus is our priest forever who relates with us completely. Hebrews 2:17-18 says he helps us when we are tempted. Hebrews 4:15-16 says he sympathizes with our weaknesses. And Hebrews 7:25 says he always lives to pray for us.

Now all that is absolutely true, but chances are, you already forgot some (most?) of the message. (AND it was a GOOD message because IT WAS FROM THE BIBLE! J) However, we need more than just good sermons on Sundays. Now, here’s the line I forgot to say:

We CONTINUALLY NEED God’s Word to teach us… God’s Spirit to empower us… and God’s people to encourage and lead us along the way. That’s your challenge church!

You will struggle in your faith…

If you are not regularly reading, studying and applying God’s Word…

If you are not filled with the Spirit moment by moment… and

If you are not teaching someone younger in the faith & being led by someone older in the faith.

 What will you do with this challenge?

Being the Church, Blessing the World

Other News:

Easter Path will be set up at the church office, 16 East College Street, Fredericktown.  If you would like to walk through and witness the last days of Jesus on earth, our office will be open April 5 & 6 from 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

 Good Friday Service: April 6, 7:00 p.m. at the Worship Center.  Come join in reflecting on the price that was paid for our transgressions.

 Youth Movie Night: 8:45 p.m. Friday, April 6.  The youth will stay at the Worship Center after the Good Friday Service to watch “The Passion of the Christ.” After viewing the movie there will be discussion and reflection time about the movie. There will not be an overnight sleepover for the youth.  You may pick up your son/daughter up at 11:30 p.m. If you have questions you may contact Michelle at mloswalt3524@aol.com or 419.571.2019.

 Missions Conference - Fiesta Maldonaldo:  Come meet Peter and Laura Marshall as they share their stories of ministry in Uruguay, South America. 

Wednesday, April 11, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. will be the Kids and Youth Events during F.U.E.L. and Youth Group

Saturday, April 14, Ladies and Girls’ Brunch at 9:30 a.m. at the Worship Center

Saturday April 14, Men’s and Boys’ Fish Fry at Tom Tenney’s, 12599 Montgomery Road, 5:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 15, 5:00 p.m. at the Worship Center, All Church Event “Seaside Fiesta.”

 Seaside Fiesta Bazaar:  If you are making crafts for the Seaside Fiesta, please bring them to the Worship Center on Easter Sunday or contact Lori Turner at 740.694.2130.

 Beulah Beach Benefit Auction & Free Family Night! They are looking for items to be donated for the auction. All donations are tax deductible. If you have an item(s) that you would like to donate, contact Nicole Schmidt at 440-967-4861 or email her at nschmidt@bbeach.org and she will make arrangements to pick up your items before May 1. The Free Family Night is May 25, 7 p.m. You can enjoy free family fun, big toys, rock wall, free movie, free drawing for Auction Bucks, free lodging on Friday and breakfast on Saturday.

 Prayer and Praise:

 Pray that the Holy Spirit will embolden each of us to invite someone who is not saved to attend a Worship Service with us.  Let us reach out and be a disciple in our local community.

 Congratulations to Paul and Kristin Kanagy on the birth of their daughter, Joy Vivian on Saturday, March 31. 

It’s all fun and games till someone loses an eye! Whether you actually heard that growing up or not, that sentiment has been conveyed a thousand times in various ways.  And, there is truth to it! In our care-free lives, things can sober us up quickly. Playing around behind the steering wheel of a care can have devastating effects. The possible scenarios are endless.

I would like to throw one in – not to be a downer of a voice or anything. But what we’re engaged in when it comes to faith in Christ, experiencing and expanding the Kingdom, Being the Church and Blessing the World… IS a matter of life and death.

Sometimes it’s literal death. Scripture is clear that once we die, we go to face the judgment (Hebrews 9:27). There are thousands of people right around us who are not prepared to face that judgment. Sometimes it’s figurative deaths, like the death of a dream, the death of a marriage, the death of hope, and on. Our lives are always intersecting with others’ lives who are in the midst of death… even if it’s just the eventual death of this world.

BUT PRAISE GOD HE IS A GOD OF THE LIVING! HE RAISES THE DEAD! HE MAKE THINGS COME TO LIFE. AND HE SENDS US AS AMBASSADORS OF THIS LIFE!!

I’m glad we get to experience so much life… and new life at that! But let’s not forget about those who are on the outside looking in. God has called us to be about BLESSING THE WORLD. Let’s get on with it!

(By the way… so that you know this is not a “downer voice,” remember to eat some popcorn and drink some lemonade with NewLifers you don’t normally get together with BEFORE Easter! Send in those pink cards and tell us what happened! We are also called to BE THE CHURCH! Enjoy.)

Being the Church, Blessing the World

Other News:

 Vocal Workshop/Choir Practice:  If you have joined the Easter Choir practice tonight at 6:30 p.m.  This is the last practice before Easter Sunday. 

 Baby Shower for Buddy and Leslie Miller’s son Emory Saturday, March 31 at the Worship Center from 10:00 a.m. – Noon.  All are welcome to attend.  R.S.V.P. to Rayna Strong by emailing raynastrong@gmail.com or Brittany Eckert at beckert@nlifecma.org.

 Next Wednesday evening there will be no services for adults, children or nursery.  The Youth will meet at the Loft, located at the church office, 16 East College Street, Fredericktown.

 Good Friday Service, April 6, 7:00 p.m. at the Worship Center.  Come join in reflecting on the price that was paid for our transgressions.

 Youth Movie Night: 8:45 p.m. Friday, April 6 – Saturday, April 7.  The youth will meet at the Loft to watch “The Passion of the Christ.” After watching the movie they will discuss and reflect about the movie. The girls will go to Oswalt’s to spend the night and the guys will spend the night at the Loft.  Eric and Michelle will feed the teens breakfast at their home before parents pick them up at 10:30 a.m.  If you have questions you may contact Michelle at mloswalt3524@aol.com or 419.571.2019.

 Baptism Service:  Easter Sunday, April 8 we will be having a baptism service.  If you are interested in being baptized call the church office at 740.694.5433 or mark it on your Quick Response Form this Sunday. If you are interested in being baptized there will be a meeting this Sunday, April 1, at 10 a.m. in the prayer room. Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

 Prayer and Praise:

 During the next few weeks let’s each pray for someone who is not saved and ask them to attend a Worship Service with us. Let us reach out and be a disciple in our local community.

 Praise the Lord, Marla Dunn’s tumor which was close to her pancreas is gone. This has been a battle for the past year for Marla.  

The Church- not a building, but a people! 

Recently at NewLife, I have heard a barrage of stories that tell of BEING THE CHURCH. Stories of Small Groups caring for people in and out of their own group… of people bringing meals to others without being asked to do so… of people sharing their possessions… of people giving money to help others get the marriage retreat… ofNewLife teens who have texted teens who are newer to NewLife with encouraging words… AND MORE! God is pleased with such things!

AND… the world is longing to know such living is possible! People are indeed watching. 

God has been doing incredible things among us, and he wants to do more. But, we need to make the effort to KNOW and TRUST each other.

In order to know each other, take the popcorn challenge! On Sunday, you were given a packet of popcorn and lemonade for the purpose of inviting someone over to your home (if you weren’t there Sunday, more packets are available this Sunday). Before Easter, invite someone you don’t normally get together with, then send the card to the office and let us know what happened.

In order to trust each other, get involved in a smaller group to meet regularly, to build your lives around the Word of God together, and to pray for and support each other. “Official” Small Groups, Wednesday night prayer meetings and classes, and creating new groups on your own are all great ways to do that.

Listen to Ephesians 4:2-3: Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. If we are going to be used by God in greater ways, we’ve got to get on with the vision of BEING THE CHURCH. 

 Being the Church and Blessing the World

 Other News:

  Children’s Ministry Training:  

Baptism Service:  Easter Sunday, April 8 we will be having a baptism service.  If you are interested in being baptized call the church office at 740.694.5433 or mark it on your Quick Response Form this Sunday. If you are interested in being baptized there will be a meeting this Sunday, March 25 between services in the prayer room. Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

Impact “Youth” Community Service:  

 Prayer and Praise:

 Other News:

 Children’s Ministry Training:  All adults involved with the Children’s Ministry are required to attend one of the following training sessions at the Worship Center:  Saturday, March 17, 9:00 – 10:30 a.m.; Tuesday, March 20, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.; Thursday, March 22, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.  R.S.V.P. requested by contacting Brittany Eckert at 740.694.5433 or email beckert@nlifecma.org.

 Baptism Service:  Easter Sunday, April 8 we will be having a baptism service.  If you are interested in being baptized call the church office at 740.694.5433 or mark it on your Quick Response Form this Sunday. Romans 6:4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

 Impact Fredericktown Youth Community Service:  Wednesday, March 28, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Fredericktown Primary School Commons area.  This will be the only service NewLife Community Church will have for the youth that evening.  Come join in unity with community youth groups to Worship the Lord.

 Prayer and Praise:

 During the next few weeks let’s each pray for someone who is not saved and ask them to attend a Worship Service with us. Let us reach out and be a disciple in our local community