Dear New Life Family,

I want to call you to prayer as we prepare to enter into 50 Days of Prayer for New Life & the PCA.  I know that each of you is busy and may feel overwhelmed with all your day-to-day responsibilities, but the truth of the matter is there is nothing more important for us to do than to take time to seek God in prayer.  Recently, I was reminded of this as I was reading through the book of Judges.  Every time there were difficulties in the Old Testament nation of Israel because they had turned away from wholly following after the Lord, there was a turning to God afresh in repentance and prayer, which led to a covenant renewal and a restoration of God's blessing.  In a similar manner, we see in the New Testament that the church stands in continual need of fresh fillings by God's Spirit that come about in response to fervent, kingdom-centered corporate prayer.

We will kick off our 50 Days of Prayer on Wednesday night, May 5th, with a supper at the church at 6:00 p.m. and a special time of prayer together to follow.  I need you to do three things.  First, please submit prayer requests for you and your family to Heather Newberry ASAP and definitely by Sunday, May 2nd, for our prayer booklet that we will be passing out.  You and your family will be the focus of one of our days of prayer.  Second, RSVP for our supper by Sunday, May 2nd, as well.  Everything will be provided and all you need to do is come.  We will have fried chicken, baked beans, slaw, chips and dessert.  The cost will be $2.50 per person, with a maximum of $10.00 per family.  If for some reason you are unable to come, please be sure to pick up your prayer booklet and devotional before May 6th, the National Day of Prayer, when our booklets and devotionals begin.  This year's devotional will take us through Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, which is all about the Kingdom of God.  Finally, be sure to pray for the ministries and members of New Life, as well as for the ministries of our denomination, and look for the fresh ways that God will be at work through His Spirit.

In Christ, Pastor Sam

I'm excited to announce that the major focus of our time in God's Word this year is going to be in the book of Proverbs.  I would encourage you to join us beginning February 14th for a study I'm calling, "Wisdom for Godly Living."  As Bruce Waltke has written in the preface of his commentary on the book of Proverbs, "In a world bombarded by inane cliches, trivial catchwords, and godless sound bites, the expression of true wisdom is in short supply today....As the course and bulk of biblical wisdom, the book of Proverbs remains the model of curriculum for humanity to learn how to live under God and before humankind."  As we begin this study, I would challenge you to commit to memory what many people regard as the theme verse for the book, Proverbs 1:7.  "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

Can you believe that its been a year since I came to be your pastor?  I can't begin to tell you what all this year has meant to me and my family.  We are so thankful to be at New Life and for the tremendous fellowship and love that we enjoy.  Thank you for helping us move and get settled into our home; thank you for the many ways you've shown your support and encouragement; thank you for your willingness to serve and sacrifice for the sake of Christ; and thank you for the spirit in which you've done all of these things.  We cannot stop talking about the tremendous blessing we've received in coming to New Life and what this year has meant in our lives.

Well, as thankful as I am for all that God did in 2009, I'm also really looking forward to 2010.  We're going to kick off the year by spending most of the month of January focusing on a vision and ministry plans for the future of our church.  The elders have been working during this past year to begin to be much more intentional in the direction we are seeking to lead our church.  Beginning Sunday, January 10th, and continuing through January 31st, I will be preaching through II Corinthians 5-6 in order to share with you some of the details of where we believe the Lord is leading us.  I hope that you will make a special effort in January to be in worship or to listen to the sermon online, if you are not able to attend.  Its very crucial that we all come to understand and begin to take ownership of the direction in which we believe the Lord is leading us.  As you anticipate not only that series but the entirety of 2010, please be in prayer for our church.  Ask God to guide us in the way that He would have us to go and increasingly use us for His kingdom purposes.

In Christ,
Pastor Sam