New Life News

Ou r M i ss io n : T o in t r o du c e in div i du al s t o C h r i st , t o e qu i p t h em t o b e fo l lo w er s o f C h r ist ; an d t o im p act o u r co m m u n it y wit h Go d' s lo v e . Issue 1 March 1, 2012

Its all about New Life

Our first Sunday pastoring New Life was in July 2006. We had 5 in attendance, we sang accapella out of the songbooks, and the only children in attendance were our own. Attendance began to increase. Soon we were having children's church downstairs with a handful of kids . East Flint Church of the Nazarene made the decision to have their VBS at the mission in August of 2006, and our children's church attendance exploded and we began to run out of room downstairs. New Life Church of the Nazarene was officially organized on April 15th, 2008. Attendance continued to grow. Today we rent rooms in St. Marys Catholic School across the street for our Childrens Church. We average about 40 kids every week coming to New Life. Adults attending New Life average about 60. Through Gods provision we were able to get a screen and PowerPoint projector and worship is done with Power Points from my laptop. We periodically have a band who comes and does live worship for us. We were running short on chairs and space so we decided to expand the sanctuary and are in the process of doing that now. With permission from the Mission we knocked down some walls to add about 50% more space. Meals are provided following every service by West Flint COTN 2 weeks a month, and the Mission the other weeks. We have Discipleship classes on Wed. nights, prayer meetings Friday nights, and Operation Evangelism on Saturdays during warm weather. Womens ministries have included Eastside Angels meetings, and Lunch with the Ladies. Pastor Bob teaches a Discipleship class in the New Paths recovery house on Thursday nights. We also have a van ministry, through which we pick up the majority of those who attend New Life. God, has brought us a long way but He isnt done with us yet!

Inside this issue:

From The Pastor

2 2 2 3 4 5 4

Dreaming Dreams and Having Visions Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen..? Transitions

It all started in 1994 after God gave Rev. Bill Burdine a vision to start a Mission on Flints east side. They actually had some church services even before the Mission opened out of a bus from Richfield Church of the Nazarene. New Life Church of the Nazarene became a new start church under Rev. Eric Slade a couple years later, having services on Sundays at 2 p.m. upstairs in the mission. Rev. Bob Cattane first started working on the Mission floor doing pastoral care during lunch time in the fall of 2005. He was working midnights in the automotive industry and spending his days at the mission. In 2006 New Life Church was in need of a Pastor and Pastor Bob was asked to fill that position. Having just received a district license it was Pastor Bobs first pastorate.

Under Construction

Inspiration

Stories.We got em!

Whatsoever you do to the least of these, that you do unto me Matthew 25:40

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New Life News

From the Pastor

You cannot pick and choose how you will be Jesus in your day. As we embrace more and more an intimate relationship with Him, we will be taken in many directions. Over 5 years ago the Lord moved in me like He had done many times before. I was led to shepherd a flock of what some would say are the throwaways of society. This was not where I thought I was going to be. I thank God everyday that I responded to Him. In the last five years, God took a people with a man who had no idea how to be a shepherd, and changed them to the people that are seen today. Two years ago, on the street, we were referred to as the "crack" church. That upset me greatly. I felt that was a huge slap in the face. Today, after much growth on my part, I have a different mindset towards comments like that. Could God have been letting people know of a place where they could be loved and accepted? Jesus did not come for the healthy and alive. He came to save a lost and dying world. Our church is exploding with the mentally ill, drug addicted, alcoholic, prostitutes, and pimps. Thanks to God's changing power, many of these now can testify that they are former........ When a group of prostitutes come to church, then go down the street and grab their former pimp, bring him in and then begin to change; that is the real deal and this is what New Life is all about.... New Life. Pastor Bob

Jesus met the needs of the people in very tangible ways...We want to be Jesus to our neighbors.

Dreaming Dreams and Having Visions

Our vision here at New Life is to offer both spiritual hope as well as life skills to those in Flint. At the present time, we have a desperate need, a yearning and God inspired call to teach men, women, and children the Truth of our awesome Savior. However, we do not want to stop there but also to equip them with life skills, tutoring, parenting classes, finding employment, Teen Mops, help with health and dental care, and Celebrate Recovery. Jesus met the needs of the people in very tangible ways... We want to be Jesus to our neighbors. We want to embrace an adventure and watch the hand of God touch lives through us. We want to offer new hope and show people they can have new life.

Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen? (Isaiah 58:6a)

Tanya Cox teaches our Teen girls on Sunday afternoons two weeks a month. She is also going to churches throughout the Flint area, speaking about what is happening here at New Life, encouraging people to get involved in serving the Lord , and sharing ways that they can get involved here on Flints east side; if that is where they feel God leading them. We believe strongly in what Isaiah 58:6-7 talks about. We also believe we were saved to serve and in actively seeking Gods will for what capacity each of us should serve in. That is what our New Life Giver program is all about. If you would like to have Tanya come and speak at your church, ask your pastor to contact her and set up a date.

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Transitions
God has seen us through many changes over the last 6 years at New Life, and He still has more to bring us through. In addition to our building project, there are also some other important changes happening right now with our Childrens department. When our daughter Amber; who had a local ministers license and was acting as our Childrens pastor; felt called to attend Olivet Nazarene University, God brought us Amanda Groat to be our Childrens director. Amanda and her family have done a wonderful job and the ministry is thriving. However God has now called Amanda on to other things and once again we find ourselves in need of leadership. Specifically we need a teacher for our Club 10:27 class; which includes 2nd through 5th grade and our JForce class (6-8th grade); as well as a director. These children are so precious in Gods eyes, and He has provided us with the wonderful privilege of filling their Sunday afternoons with His love, acceptance, and hope. Please help us pray for God to provide this need once again and for those God may be calling to be obedient to His call.

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Under Construction
We needed more space in the sanctuary, and decided to expand. We knocked down the walls of what was 3 rooms and took down the drop ceiling. When the project is finished we will have 50% more space and have turned the sanctuary 90 degrees. A group of 35 students from Clarkston United Methodist Church are coming on March 17th as a mission trip. They will be building the stage, altars and cross. We have also received assistance and offers of assistance from Clio Church of the Nazarene and some members of Williams Lake. We will also be dry walling, painting and putting in new lighting. Whatever isnt done prior will be finished during the M&M Project on April 21st.

here.

Inspiration
"Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, In all the places you can, At all the times you can To all the people you can As long as ever you can!" John Wesley I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God who is sending a love letter to the world. ~Mother Teresa Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat. Mother Teresa

Church Staff Rev. Robert Cattane ~ Senior Pastor ~ 810-309-4710 Lynn Yantz ~ Lay Minister ~248-669-2428 Tanya Cox ~ Public Relation Coordinator ~ 810-656-9861 Tina Cattane ~ Womens Ministries ~ 810-701-4205

Contact us
www.flintnewlifenaz.com Flint New Life Church of the Nazarene 1829 Delaware Ave Flint Mi. 48506 Mailing address: 3934 Herrick st. Flint Mi. 48532 Phone: 810-309-4710 Fax: Available upon request

Childrens church staff

Amanda Groat ~ Childrens Director Jeff Groat ~ Club 10:27 Paul Anibal ~ Club 10:27 Esther Anibal ~ J-squad Cliff Yantz ~ J-squad Jerry McClane ~ Teen boys Were on the Web Tanya Cox ~ Teen Girls
www.flintnewlifenaz.com

Jo Anne Kroll ~ Teen Girls

Stories.We Got em!

She sold her body to feed her addiction. She was hardened by her life on the streets and wasnt interested in hearing about how Jesus loved her.
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would remain faithful even if she never saw any fruit. We prayed for the safety of all the girls on the corner. We prayed for their salvation. Then one day this woman; who had been selling herself to get high, and who hadnt wanted to hear about Jesus love, stood up in front of the congregation of New Life Church of the Nazarene. She proclaimed praises to the God who had saved her from her addiction and the streets. The God who had preserved her life when 3 of

the girls who worked near her had recently died . We havent seen her recently. We pray she remains strong and grows in the Lord. We comfort ourselves with the knowledge that not seeing her on the corner is a very good thing. We pray she has gotten far away from these streets and the life she led on them. Praise God that he takes the worst of us, picks us up, dusts us off, and gives us new life!

One faithful servant of the Lord kept trying anyway. Often she left crying, wondering if the seeds shed planted would ever grow. We prayed for this woman who was lost and hurting. We prayed for the seeds that had been planted. We prayed that Gods servant

the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners. Isaiah 61:1