"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."                     Hebrews 10:24-25

Dear New Life in Christ Church Family,

 As I write this letter, I'm thinking how delightful spring is and what I'm looking forward to this summer.

For the church, we are just a short time away from our church musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, coming June 7-8. Our cast and crew are working diligently towards the presentation of this show. Think ahead and invite some people you know. We will have two shows to attend: Friday evening and Saturday evening. We will also have an ‘open dress rehearsal’ on Thursday if the performance times do not work for you.

The Biblical story of Joseph is one of the most captivating stories in the Bible. It’s a tale of privilege, jealousy, betrayal, providence, vision, opportunity, and success through trials. It's the story of an imperfect man who sought the Lord, excelled in many things, and was blessed by God with redemption, rescue, and a high position. It's one of the Biblical passages I have been most excited about since my ordination and look forward to preaching through these passages sometime in late 2024 or early 2025.

The musical is a rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." It’s a fun and humorous musical that does a fine job of relating the facts of the story. I am privileged to be able to share a short devotion afterward and call our visitors to faith in Jesus Christ as part of the program. Again, it's a wonderful opportunity to invite your unbelieving friends and family for an evening or afternoon out.

I love that we have this opportunity. Every visitor to the show gets to see how our church comes together to share something special with the community. While we have a responsibility to go out and tell others about Jesus, we also have the duty to invite others to come and see what Christian fellowship looks like. This event is a perfect occasion for that.

Please be prayerful for this outreach. Pray for the actors, directors, musicians. Pray for Esther Servais as she directs the musical, for Hannah Reed as Music Director, and for Jonathan Allison who will manage so many details as the Producer. Pray for the message that people will hear and that we will forge strong connections with our visitors.

In other news, we have an elder candidate to present to the church. The session has met with Caleb Reed and has voted to introduce him to the church on June 9 for the congregation to vote on his potential role as an elder. You will have the opportunity to hear from him on May 19 at 6 PM when he will share his testimony and his eagerness to serve as an elder. If you have questions for Caleb, we encourage you to speak to him directly.

We will also have a congregational meeting on 5/26 after the morning service to share the budget with you. We will get a copy of it to you in time for the meeting for you to consider.

What else is on the horizon in May? Baseball games begin on May 5. Christopher Dale is at the helm of a robust ministry that connects with approximately 170 players, translating to over 500 people on our church property every Saturday. Pray for the coaches and leaders as they impart the gospel to the children in the ministry. You may notice some construction work on the pavilion this month, which will support this ministry and other aspects of our church's outdoor ministries.

We are also gearing up for VBS in July, several mission trips, and open houses in June.

I pray that our time working through the Sermon on the Mount has inspired and challenged you. Personally, I am particularly challenged in applying these passages to my life. The words and call of Jesus are profoundly impactful. I recognize my need for the gospel to forgive my sins and empower my life. If any of us live under the sovereignty of King Jesus, we require the justifying grace that ushers us into His family. Above all, I pray that we recognize the sufficiency of Jesus Christ to sustain us and please God.

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48)

Faithfully Yours,

Pastor Sean