Continuing One Service Schedule

New Life will be continuing with our one service schedule moving forward unless compelling reasons develop for going back to two. Guidelines issued by the Indiana State Department of Health and the CDC, along with counsel from our own health professionals, will be weighed as we continue to assess the situation.

Our worship service will start at 10:30 am and will be mask-optional. We will continue to have a mask-required area in the fellowship hall at least through the end of July where the service will be livestreamed. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact any of the members of the New Life session.

-The New Life Session

Mask Policy Update + One Service Schedule on July 4 and July 11

In light of changing recommendations related to Covid restrictions, beginning next Sunday, June 27, first service will be mask optional for those who are fully vaccinated. The second service will remain mask optional for everyone. For anyone wishing to worship in a mask required area, first service will be livestreamed in the fellowship hall where masks will be required. As a reminder, if you or a loved one you care for is in a high-risk category for severe Covid complications, please take proper steps of precaution, and if you are feeling ill, please stay home and rest.

In addition to this change, we will be offering just one Sunday morning worship service at 10:30am on both July 4 and July 11. This briefly lessens the workload for our Sunday morning volunteers who have served so faithfully over the past year. For those worshipping in the sanctuary, the service will be mask-optional (our current second service policy). Again, for anyone wishing to worship in a mask required area, the services for both Sundays will be livestreamed in the fellowship hall where masks will be required.

–New Life Session

New Life's Mask Policy Update

Greetings to all of you in the name Jesus, our crucified and risen Savior!

As was mentioned this past Sunday, the elders have decided to slightly adjust our mask policy starting this Sunday. On Easter, we will continue to require masks to be worn during the first service at 8:30 am, but we will resume our mask-optional policy for the second service starting at 11 am. This policy will continue going forward in the coming Sundays, assuming covid conditions continue to improve in our community and do not surge like they did this past fall.

As usual, we are still asking that you take common sense measures: wash your hands regularly, maintain social distancing, and please do not attend worship if you are experiencing any flu-like symptoms, especially if you have recently returned from traveling over spring break. Our worship services will continue to be shown by live stream at 11 am.

Masks will be required for the discipleship hour classes, between 10 and 10:45 am each Sunday. Those classes will be offered on Easter, with the exception of the Exploring New Life class, which will resume next Sunday, April 11.

Masks will also be required for the Good Friday service; however, we will plan to open the multipurpose room for those who would like to watch the service by live stream and without masks. We ask that those taking advantage of this option would still wear their masks while in other parts of the building, both before and after the service.

As we prepare to give special attention this week to the heart of our faith — the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ — we hope these measures will allow all of us to safely and freely enjoy the fellowship of Christ’s church and the blessings of His Gospel.

With love to you all in Christ,
The New Life Session

A Brief Update on New Life's Mask Policy

Greetings New Life!

As you have likely been noticing, the national and local situation regarding the COVID-19 pandemic has been improving substantially in the last several weeks. At New Life, we have been requiring masks at both of our Sunday morning services since December because of the significant spike in cases this past fall.

The elders want you to know that we are monitoring the current developments closely, are encouraged by the improving reports we are seeing, and look forward to easing Sunday morning restrictions soon. Assuming we don’t notice another surge in COVID-19 cases, we hope to offer a mask-optional service soon, and to continue the trend toward normal ministry activity on Sunday mornings.

Thank you for your patience, prayers and continued service to the church during this time. This has been a trying season for all of us, but it is all happening under the sovereign direction of our Lord, who is working all things “according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him” (Ephesians 1:9-10).

With love to you all in Christ,
The New Life Session

New Life's Mask Policy Moving Forward

Greetings New Life!

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This Sunday will mark the second week that we will be worshiping together with a mask-required policy for both the 8:30 and 11 am services. We want to thank you for your cooperation with this decision and give you an update on how we expect to move forward in the weeks ahead.

First of all, we want you to know that the decision to require masks at second service was not an easy one to make, and was adopted only after much prayer, reflection, and discussion. We fully acknowledge that worshiping with masks on our faces is less than ideal, and it is our hope and desire that we would not only be able to return soon to a mask-optional service at 11 am, but that we eventually would return to a situation where masks are not required at any of our worship and fellowship activities at New Life.

Secondly, the session of the church does meet twice a month to discuss matters that are pertinent to the spiritual life of our congregation. There are a number of factors that we are considering with respect to Covid restrictions, and we will inform you as soon as we are convinced that it is safe and prudent for our congregation and our community to lift the mask-required policy.

If you choose not to attend worship in person at New Life, let us remind you that you can watch the service online at 11 am by going to newlifepca.org.

The session covets your prayers, so please intercede on our behalf as we seek the Lord’s leading for the benefit of all of you, the saints at New Life, and for the glory of Immanuel, God with us, who is Jesus, the Word made flesh.

Merry Christmas,
Pastor Bob
On behalf of the Session of New Life

Continuing Our Current Covid-19 Policy

We are aware that many of you might be concerned about the increase in Covid cases throughout the state of Indiana and in our community, and perhaps are wondering about our plans for Sunday morning worship. The state of Indiana issued new guidelines last week, but it was noted that churches are exempt from the new restrictions.

With this in mind, we do plan to continue with our current worship policy — a mask-required service at 8:30 am, and a mask-optional service at 11:00 am. We would, however, strongly reiterate how important it is to follow basic safety guidelines when you are in the church building:

• Be careful to maintain social distancing

• Wash your hands frequently

• Stay home if you are experiencing any symptoms or have been in contact with anyone testing positive

And be reminded that we will continue to livestream our service at 11:00 am each Sunday.

Thank you for your attention and sensitivity to these details, and please pray that God‘s protective grace be extended to all of us during this time.

My love to you all in Christ,
Pastor Bob

Communion Procedure for This Sunday

Greeting New Life!

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been a few months since we have been able to celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. But this Sunday, finally, we will be able to partake of the bread and cup together again, as Jesus commanded us to do (1 Cor. 11:23-26). However, because of continuing concerns about the spread of COVID, we will however prepare for communion differently than normal.

When you enter the sanctuary this Sunday, you will notice two tables near the back on either side of the room on which will be placed individual pre-packaged cups, each containing a wafer and juice. As you enter, please pick up one package for each person in your family who will be partaking of communion, doing your best to avoid contact with the other cups.

This means that when Pastor Brian leads us in eating and drinking, we will not form a line to get the bread and cup, as we normally would do, but will remain seated and will partake from the pre-packaged elements.

If you will be watching the service from home, we would like to remind you that there are reasons why it is best not to observe communion apart from the gathered community of God’s people. A letter about this was sent to the congregation back in April, which you can review here.

As a reminder, this Sunday will also mark the beginning of our new sermon series, The Gospel According to Genesis.

As always, I’m looking forward to being with you all this Sunday, as we look by faith to Jesus to feed and nourish us by both word and sacrament!

Pastor Bob

Multipurpose Room Designated for Families with Children

Greetings New Life!

As we get ready to move to two services this Sunday morning, some parents might be wondering about child care. We have not had nursery services available for a while, and unfortunately the nursery will not be reopening for the two-service schedule. 

However, starting this Sunday, the multi-purpose room will be set aside during both services not specifically for overflow but for parents with young children who would prefer not to be in the sanctuary and would still like to view the service by livestream. We would be delighted if as many people as possible were able to return to worship this Sunday and in the weeks ahead.

As a reminder, the first service will begin at 8:30 am, masks required (with some exceptions for children), and the second service will begin at 11:00 am (not 10:30), masks optional.

We hope to see you this Sunday!
Pastor Bob