It’s been two weeks since the last Relaunch Progress Update. During that time, winter made its official debut with two significant snowfall events and much colder temperatures. As a reminder, weather-related announcements will be posted on our website, https://newfoundation.church, as well as Facebook and Instagram. When possible, we will also send an email to our newsletter subscribers. Generally speaking, we will follow any decisions made by our hosts at New Hope United Methodist Church. If in-person services are not possible, we will endeavor to stream at least the message portion of the service on our YouTube channel. In all cases, parishioners are encouraged to use their own best judgment to determine if it is safe for them to attend.
Despite the slippery roads, NFC’s Winter Gear Drive is barrelling toward its climax. Sunday, December 14, is the last day to bring gear to church so we can deliver it before Christmas. God is using us to meet this need in our community! Between services this Sunday, we will be sorting and tagging the gear so recipients will know that Jesus loves them, and we do, too. Please consider remaining after the English service, or coming early for Swahili service, in order to help.
If you were in English service on Sunday, you likely noticed a few tweaks to the appearance of our worship space. We recently received a backdrop frame, which allowed us to hang some curtains to improve the appearance of the stage area. You may have also noticed the addition of a standing sign outside the door with arrows pointing to our worship space and the restrooms. This week, we will add a flag outside our primary entrance to help regular attenders and guests know where to go. All these things are important as we prepare to welcome guests into our fellowship!
This week, we will begin talking about our annual New Years Resolutions, the One-Hour Challenge and the +1 Initiative. If these are new to you, the One-Hour Challenge is a commitment to spend an additional hour per week in personal Bible study and prayer. Spread across the week, that amounts to about 8.5 minutes per day. Most people spend more time in the bathroom! Let us spend at least that much time cultivating our souls to experience the intimacy and power of our God.
The +1 Initiative is a practical way to share the love of Jesus with our friends, family members, coworkers, and neighbors who do not yet know him. The idea is simple. Every day, we will pray for one or more people we know who have not yet decided to follow Jesus. Every week, we will engage these same people in some meaningful way. And as often as possible, we will invite them to place their faith in Jesus and join the fellowship of New Foundation Church. For more information about the +1 Initiative, click here. In the meantime, who will be your +1?