New Life News
LIFE GROUPS AT NEW LIFE
You are invited and encouraged to be part of a Life Group. A Life Group is a place where you can belong and be valued. Love and concern are given and received. Prayer and a Biblical or topical study are engaged in, and your spiritual and practical gifts can be used to benefit the group.
Life Groups are one of the best ways to join in the community of New Life Church in a way that is meaningful and lasting.
There are two types of Life Groups at New Life. The first are long term groups, these are groups which have been meeting together for many years and are enjoying deep community. The other type of group is the fixed length group. We offer those 3 times a year – once in fall semester, once in the winter semester and once in the spring semester. We have signups for these groups before the beginning of each of these semesters. We have open sign ups now for this spring.
If you would like more information or would like to find out about how to connect to a Life Group let us know by filling in this contact form: Interested in being part of a Life Groups?
If you would like more information about Life Groups at New Life you can also visit our Life Group page on our website: https://newlifecrc.ca/lifegroups/
MEMBERSHIP CLASS – SPRING 2017
Twice a year we hold a membership seminar called New Life Connects to introduce you to New Life Church. You will learn about how we do ministry, the history and vision of New Life Church, our central beliefs, and our understanding of Christian living. You will also discover opportunities for connection with and involvement in our community. New Life Connects is usually offered in the fall and spring, as a set of three session from 7:00–9:00pm on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday evenings.
The three Spring 2017 sessions will take place on Wednesday’s May 3, 10 and 24th at 7pm at New Life Church.
If you are transferring from another church we request that you participate in New Life Connects. If you wish to be baptized or make a profession of faith to become a member arrangements will be made for that in the sessions.
There are three ways sign up:
1) CLICK HERE
2) contact the church office, or
3) at the information desk in the Lobby.
SWITCHLIFE SURVEY
Hi It’s Koen:
New Life Youth Ministry (AKA: Switchlife) Is undergoing some restructuring and re-visioning over the summer of 2017. To assist us we are asking any youth who attended and graduated youth ministries at New Life over the last twenty years 1997-2017 to complete this short 15-20 minute anonymous survey. Rather than going into this visioning process relying on general US or Canada Wide statistics of the waning church trends of young adults we wanted to see for ourselves what the local New Life data tells us. We have never done a research survey with so many past youth ministry participants, so the magnitude of this endeavor is both epic and daunting. We REALLY value your input and honesty into this survey as it will greatly inform how New Life youth ministry can best function moving into the epic exciting future of God’s unfolding kingdom.
Our hope and prayer is that the Jesus you encountered at New Life Youth is the Jesus that you still call your Lord and Saviour. Even if the rough waters of life have eroded your ability to hold fast to faith in Christ, it is our hope that you would also know that NO MATTER WHAT Jesus Christ is still holding on to you. If you sense that God is calling you back into a closer relationship with him, we are willing to walk that journey with you.
Peace, Blessings and some hopefully great memories as you complete this survey!!!
THANKS THANKS THANKS
Please complete this survey before May 31st 2017
Please click HERE to take the Survey
Koenraad Beugelink (Koen)
OUR JOURNEY 2020 – CRC SURVEY
Have you been heard?
As a Christian Reformed Church denomination, we are on a journey of God’s work together. As with any journey, it is essential that as we travel we listen to each other and map our progress. With this in mind, our congregation is participating in the 2017 CRC denominational survey. It is valuable that as many people as possible from our congregation participate. Please visit www.crcna.org/survey/1063 and answer the survey questions to the best of your ability by March 31. If you have any questions, or if you need assistance accessing the online survey, please let our church office know.
MEN’S RETREAT 2017
New Life Church is inviting men to a retreat on March 31 – April 2, 2017. You can register for the retreat here.
We are planning a retreat where we are all challenged and encouraged; where we strengthen relationships and where new relationships are made; where we connect on a meaningful level in small groups and having a blast together.
Our retreat theme is SELFLESS and there will be t-shirts for retreat participants.
Our speaker this year is Pastor Randy MacDonald.
Randy is a national speaker who has a heart to help men live godly lives and for marriages to be strong and thriving. He has spoken at retreats for men across Canada. He currently lives in Cranbrook, BC with his wife Sheila. They have two adult children and two grandchildren. His hobbies are hockey, fishing, demolition derbies and working on vehicles. Randy has been in ministry for 25 years.
The retreat costs $165 and covers food, lodging and a t-shirt for March 31-April 2, 2017. The retreat is at Camp Kawkawa which is near Hope, BC.
NEW CHURCH SIGN
In 2013 New Life Church received a generous donation of $100,000. The donor requested that the funds would be used to improve the ministry of New Life Church through physical improvements to our building, grounds or equipment. The donation was not to be used for regular church ministry expenses that are usually covered by our yearly budget.
We are very grateful for the generosity and for the opportunities which come with those designated funds. Our first project was to update our aging computer system in the church. We purchased a server and updated many of our computers in 2014. Then in 2015 we purchased much needed new chairs for the auditorium.
We have been hoping for some time to upgrade New Life’s roadside sign so we began to work towards using some of the donated funds to purchase a new sign.
The original sign dates back to when the building was first built in 1994. It matched the ministry well then and has served the church and community for over 20 years. This original sign has slowly needed more repairs over the years and has needed more maintenance and is now difficult to change the lettering. The internal lighting currently needs to be replaced. The look of the sign was perfect for the time it was created but now it is outdated.
We began working with sign companies two years ago contacting five companies to submit proposals for the design and build of a new sign. We narrowed it down to 2 companies and then chose to continue with one – Pattison Signs. Pattison Signs is an established and reputable sign company in this area that has made many great looking signs in Abbotsford. Their products are high quality, they provide great service and fair pricing. We have worked with them on a proposal and have made numerous design changes to try and produce a quality, contemporary, and affordable sign that would last for another 20 years.
The design we have now meets the above criteria. Our finance team, as well as the Board of Elders have reviewed the sign proposal and approved it. This new sign will cost roughly $44,000 which will be paid for by the donated funds (not from the budget) and we hope to have it in place before September. Some of the work towards the new sign will be done by our members and so we will save some funds there. We are very grateful for God’s provision through the donation for this project. We are excited to share with the congregation what the new sign will look like.
The sign will be a little shorter than our current sign but the same width. Since it will be mounted on the same concrete mounting pad as the old sign we will save the costs of removing the old concrete pad and building a new one. The sign was designed to be uncluttered and clear so that the primary message of the sign will be clearly seen by all who pass by.
It will have a digital message centre that will allow us to change the sign message more frequently. That way, we can communicate to the community what we are about and they will know they are always welcome. Our website address is also on the sign and we have recently updated our website – all the information a visitor or community member would want to know about the church is there.
The body of the sign is made of aluminum and it will have internal LED lighting to illuminate the sign at night. The same logo and colours we use on all communications, including our website, will be on the sign, as will the Christian Reformed Denominational logo, to identify us with our denomination. New Life Korean will also be well represented on the sign with their own illuminated church name.
We are currently finalizing some of the design details and will let the congregation know when the new sign will be installed.
OVER 18
RESCHEDULED TO FEBRUARY 15, 2017
BC Safe Church ministry will be airing the documentary “Over 18” on February 15, 2017 at 7pm at New Life Church in Abbotsford. This documentary is a clear-eyed examination of modern pornography and it’s effects on kids, teens, parents & porn stars.
The goal of the “Over 18” project is to educate youth on the realities of pornography, help their parents understand the growing epidemic of porn usage, and propose solutions for preventing exposure and addiction in the first place.
The documentary tackles an issue that many people would rather ignore; the effects of pornography on children and youth. The documentary follows the true story of a boy who became addicted to pornography at the age of nine while playing on his computer in his family’s living room. The film has several interviews with experts from around the world as well as people who are still active in the porn industry today.
The airing of the documentary will include a panel of various community professionals which will facilitate and provide opportunity for audience questions & response.
Visit www.over18doc.com to watch trailer and learn more.
New Life Christian Reformed Church Revised Constitution and By-Laws
A unique item of business on our New Life Live agenda for December 7, 2016 is to approve New Life’s revised Constitution and Bylaws. The Society Act of British Columbia was amended this past year, which requires all registered non-profit societies to revise their Constitution and Bylaws in order to comply with the new act. New Life’s Constitution and Bylaws have not been altered since our inception as a church, so it is high time for an update.
A small task force has been diligently working on revising our Constitution and Bylaws for the past six months. The task force completed their final draft and presented it to the Board of Elders who have reviewed the document on two separate occasions and who now present the final draft to the congregation for our approval. The work of the task force has been supported and guided by De Jager, Volkenant and company: Barristers and Solicitors, as these are legal documents to be filed in Victoria.
These documents are lengthy and detailed and we will have insufficient time to thoroughly review the document at our meeting on December 7th. However, given the importance and significance of our Constitution and Bylaws, the Board of Elders will host a special meeting on November 30th at 7:30 PM in room 303 for those who are willing and/or interested in reviewing our Constitution and Bylaws in detail. This special meeting will be facilitated by Bernie Huizing and Eric Van Egmond.
To view a draft of the recommended Bylaws please click below; If you wish to receive a paper copy to review please don’t hesitate to contact Noeline Borg at nborg@newlifecrc.ca or the church office at office@newlifecrc.ca or (604) 852-1585.
Giving Thanks, together.
Give thanks to the Lord – His love endures forever!
How good to be reminded. With so much on our plates, it’s possible to by-pass gratitude.
Take a moment and give thanks. For we owe God everything: every breath, every good and perfect gift, every moment, waking or sleeping, thriving or otherwise. For even when we struggle, God is our sustainer.
And, yes, his love endures forever. Experienced in so many ways, yet most powerfully through Jesus. For God so loved that he gave his one and only Son, for us.
This Thanksgiving, give thanks.
We’re joining with the churches of Abbotsford in sharing this short message, giving thanks together!
Praying 24-7
During the week of August 15-20 we are opening a prayer room at New Life for people to come each hour to pray. Then on Saturday August 20th at 7pm we will have a night of worship and testimony to thank and worship God.
24/7 Prayer is a Network of families, churches, and communities worldwide who are committed to praying intentionally for God’s mission, justice, and healing to come to the world. New Life is joining this network of people to pray 24/7 for one week.
We are excited to create a space at New Life that encourages and allows people to pray wholeheartedly for our families, our church, our community, country and world.
Please visit the sign up table in the lobby of New Life and pick the time slot you wish to pray during. You are welcome and encouraged to bring your friends and family to pray along with you. The prayer shifts are intended to be a minimum of one hour but there is no maximum if you want to pray longer. If you are unable to come to New Life to choose your slot, please email Shayna Bruinsma at sbruinsma@newlifecrc.ca and she will be able to help.
The prayer room will be located at New Life upstairs in room 301. This prayer room will be a place that promotes and encourages creative worship. There will be journals, paints, maps, instruments and more available to you. The prayer room will be a place where you can enter into God’s presence in whichever form you feel comfortable.
We want to celebrate and praise God for the prayer time and invite you to join us for a worship and testimony finale on Saturday, August 20 at 7:00pm at New Life. We are excited to join together in praise to God and to hear what He has done in and through us during this time of prayer.
For more information or to sign up contact Shayna at sbruinsma@newlifecrc.ca.
Update August 15, 2016 8:54am: During Sunday’s worship service (yesterday), we looked at Psalm 27 and learned from the writer about prayer – prayer during the confident times with God and prayer with the desperate times with God. Shayna, Jeff and Kenzie shared their experiences with prayer. Going into the service there was 40 slots of the 144 needing to be filled and after the service there was a crowd around the 24-7 sign up table. By the end of the day there was just two slots left to fill. This morning there is only one left. The first prayer slot began at 7am this morning. Psalm 27:8 “My heart says of you, “Seek his face!” Your face, Lord, I will seek.” (MVK)
Update August 16, 2016 7:19pm We are 36 hours into the 24/7 prayer week. We started 7am yesterday and each hour a new person is entering the prayer room to pray. We have seen individuals spend the hour in the room, sibling groups, or husband/wife teams. I had my first expereince 8-9am this morning. When I came there I connected with the person before me and he was surprised how fast the one hour time went for him. The room is wonderfully decorated and very peaceful. I found my prayer time to be a blend of inspiration and peace. I’ve noticed a couple people who have left the prayer room emotional, some amazed. The church building feels a bit different today. (MVK)
Update Wednesday August 17, 2016 1:45pm: We are 56 hours into our 144 hours of continuous 24-7 prayer. We started Monday 7am and today is Wednesday. Our staff at New Life met today and they reported the following. They noticed that the one hour time in the prayer room goes very fast and when the time is up, it is not unusual for a person to be surprised and a bit disappointed that it is over. People are looking forward to their time in the room, anticipating time with God. It has been a place of uninterrupted and peacefilled time with God – a welcome break from a hectic life. It has been inspiring for some to see the entries in the prayer journals, the verses on the wall, the prayers for our missionaries written next to their picture. The flow of people, of all ages and all stages of life is remarkable as people enter and exit the building on the hour. Staff also note they can feel the presence of God more in the building. (MVK)
Update Thursday August 18, 2016 10:05am: We are at 75 hours of continuous 24-7 prayer. It’s a beautiful day today. Prayer in the room occured all last night, reports are that it was “amazing.” Some of the experiences I have heard since yesterday of the prayer room are “This room is a place of inspiration … From the writings in the prayer journal and on the wall I can tell that people pray for different things, for themselves, for others, for confession/forgiveness … I don’t remember a time where I have sat and prayed for 1 hour like this, except in hard times … I am praying for family members that they would see the love of God … Hope we do this again.” Note: We now have an overflow room so that if you want to come and pray but haven’t signup for one of the time slots you can still come. (MVK)
Update Friday August 19, 2016 9:50am: We are currently on the 100th hour of continuous prayer. The scheduling continues until 6pm on Saturday and then at 7pm Saturday we will have worship / testimony night at New Life. All are welcome to come and share the goodness of God with others. I have had the opportunity to be in both the prayer room and the overflow room a few times this week and this has been one of the more profound times of prayer that I have experienced in 23 years of ministry. Thankful. (MVK)
