NEW LIFE !
JULY/AUGUST 2014
GOT LIFE Making the Most Out of Your Last Bit of Summer There is just something about the word “summer” that spark excitement in most Americans, young or old.
start. The library has several reading programs that are very rewarding, sometimes literally. You can check out the Houston library, the Children’s Museum Since every living adult has been a child at some point in their and the Houston Museum of Natural Science for their listing of life, most of us reflect on the fun we had as a child, being away from events for children and youth. school and just being a kid. We When was the last time you carry those thoughts and feelings explored various areas of Houston, with us into adulthood, and as like Downtown? Thanks to the soon as the weather starts to turn new Bcycle’s you can get around warmer we get that feeling of the museum district, midtown, “summertime joy”. downtown, Six Ward, and The But how do we make the most Heights on bike for as little as $5 per person for 24 hours. Creating of our summers with our busy your own little tour of Houston schedule, or make sure the kids you can see newly revised are not being couch potatoes, spending all day watching trash on neighborhoods, hidden historical tv, or doing unproductive activities gems, beautiful parks and trails along the bayou and much more. on the computer? Don’t forget those treasured It’s really not as hard as it may favorites such as Miller Outdoor seem. Even if you are getting a late Theatre, Japanese Garden, the start in your planning. Audio Walking Tour of If you are thinking about Downtown, a picnic in one of family friendly activities, the first Houston’s many beautiful parks, thing you want to consider is what all of which are free. educators have been reporting. With just a few minutes, you Children usually return to school can look up these and many more in the “fall”, we know it’s still ideas on Google, and plan out a officially summer for most, really nice outing for yourself or somewhat brain dead. So you want the family. Whatever you do, make to do activities that keep your sure you make the most of your child using their thinking cap. last bit of summer. Both the local Houston library and museum are great places to
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Summer Harvest I was looking, forward to hitting the farmers market this summer. While I love winter veggies like greens and brussels sprouts, there is nothing like those summer fruits called tomatoes. When I returned from Canada in June, I couldn’t wait to make the drive to the market. Summer yields a yummy harvest. The rumor is, that is not the case when it comes to church. Summer is said to be the time when members skip out on church commitments. But I believe that Summer yields a certain kind of harvest. It’s the best time to fellowship with other members, get more involved in church since the kids are out of school, invite unsaved friends to church activities such as small groups. Let’s make sumertime, harvest time and not a season of drought. -Pastor Mel
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A HEARTY THANKS TO THOSE THAT DO THE SIMPLE Bishop Brenda K. Perry, Sr. Pastor of NLTC
Matthew 25:34-40 (NKJV): “Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see you a stranger and take you in, or naked and clothe you? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assurely, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.” Many times the simple things of God get over looked because so many desire for their works to be on display or !
JULY/AUGUST 2014
something gargantuan. When we began to look at the Word of God and see what is required of us, many times we do the opposite. Jesus said to the Pharisee that you “Blind guides, who strain out a gnat and swallow a camel.” How they looked to be in the spot light with their tradition of doing things that brought self glorification to them. Jesus told us to “take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” It was His grace that brought us to Himself and not our power or might. His love that was demonstrated on Calvary is to be imitated. Yes, our flesh sometime strongly opposes the simple task God requires us to do. It takes away our enjoyment of pleasure, inconvenient us, messing up our schedules, and the list can go on and on. There so many distractions in today’s world that if you do not have a compassion for the loss, or those that are in need, you find yourself making excuses for not fulfilling what pleases God. A week or so ago, I saw what was pleasing to God from the congregation that I pastor. It is sad to say, but in rejoicing, God saw fit to take one of His children home. Our beloved Mother Davis is at peace and
rest from the toil of pain and battling cancer for three and a half years. Mother’s desire was to pass away in her home, yet there were very little funds to pay for round the clock service. Her rapped deterioration came when I was on vacation. Many of the ladies of the church formed a time schedule to be with her. Their willingness to step up and help out, seeing their love in action, really blessed my soul. They pleaded with me not to come back, but to stay.....they had it under control. I came back the time I had scheduled, leaving the airport to rush to see her. Yes, the ladies were there praying, singing and worshipping the God of our salvation. As a Pastor, I have joy and a heart full of “thank you”......because they had to sacrifice their time from a job and family. This is what Jesus desires from us, to show love and forgiveness and give a helping hand. Those simple things that deserve a hearty “thank you.
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JULY/AUGUST 2014
Looking Ahead Birthdays & Anniversaries
Please mark your calendars for the upcoming events for July & August
JULY 9 Leadership Prayer 10 Celebration Sunday 10 Evening Service 24 Evening Service 31 Outreach
AUGUST 1 Labor Day (Office Closed) 13 Leadership Prayer 14 Family Revival 14 Evening Service 27 Leadership Prayer & Meeting 28 Evening Service
July 2! !
Chancellor
July 4! !
Latreece Flagg
July 23! !
Esstine Padgit
July 24! !
Bishop Perry
July 27! !
Tyron Chambers
July 27! !
Samuel Bell
Anniversaries Paul & Denise Dalcoe July 10 Raymond & Pam Wright July 10
Aug. 1! !
Christiana Christian
Aug. 5! !
John Davis, Sr
Aug. 5! !
Valerie Padgitt
Aug. 8! !
Denise Bates
Aug. 16!!
Robin Green
Aug. 16!!
Jenika Jones
Aug. 17!!
Barbara Ademolu
Aug. 18!!
Angela Hardiman
Aug. 20!!
Elizabeth Gabriel
Aug. 25!!
Clayton Bates
Aug. 27!!
Capricious Wright
Aug. 31!!
Catherine Powell
Anniversaries Steve & Donna Stephens Aug. 6 Billy & Gwen Williams Aug. 12
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NEW LIFE !
JULY/AUGUST 2014
New Life Ministries Words from our ministries
ARE YOU FOR, OR AGAINST, OR WITH THE GAY COMMUNITY?
traditional church does. What you mean as loving just doesn’t convey love. And if you make “Adam and Steve” remarks (as did several people claiming to represent Christianity last week Elder Edna on What Would You Do? with Johnson, John Quinones), just stop. Stop Outreach Director and read this excellent piece from Canon & Culture on Communicating Truth and Love in the Public Square. With that out of the way, let me define these three approaches:
After reading an article by Brandon Cox entitled “Is your church For, Against, or With the Gay Community”, I thought it compelling enough to share it with you. However, my focus was “Am I For, Against, or With the Gay community.” What Would You Do? hosted by John Quinones is a television program that creates various situations, and then ask the person involved what would they do. Brandon Cox saw that show and based his article on it. The following is a portion of his article:
1. Your church is probably AGAINST the gay community if you take an approach to gay people that
1) dehumanizes them, such as through ridicule or condescension, 2) devalues them, such as by seeing them as a special class of sinners worse that any within the church, or 3) condemns and rejects them, as in making an assessment about the spiritual state of their hearts. When you convey all law and no grace, or focus entirely on imposing biblical moral standards without the good news of our Here’s the big question of the redemption from our universal hour for the church (and for you) failure to meet those standards, ….…. Are you AGAINST, WITH you likely fall into this category. or FOR the Gay (LGBTQ) 2. Your church is probably Community? WITH the gay community if you If your response is, “We just take an approach to gay people hate the sin and love the sinner,” that you’re already toast. I get your meaning, but no one outside the
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1) affirms the viewpoint that self-perspective should determine sexual identity rather than the revealed perspective of the Creator, 2) condones homosexual activity as acceptable, or 3) imposes a purely modern hermeneutic which forces a reinterpretation of Scripture that deviates from the viewpoint held by the church almost universally for two millennia. This approach, which seems like a friendly compromise, undermines the gospel of repentance and sells people a terrible lie—that you can become a Christian without repentance and remain the god of your own decisions. 3. Your church can be FOR the gay community if you will take an approach to gay people that 1) affirms them as infinitely valuable to you and to God, 2) warmly welcomes them, with all of their hard questions, into the community of God’s people in terms of church attendance, small group participation, and other outlets, and 3) is willing to be honest about the nature of truth, the revealed will of God concerning sexuality while communicating truth with love and respectfulness. In other words, the church can be here FOR gay people to serve with Continue on page 6
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NEW LIFE ! works and acts of love while also leading all people (including gay people) to the truth that in Jesus Christ there is redemption from sin’s penalty and power as well as healing from the brokenness deep inside all of our souls. This approach says, we don’t and can’t agree with all of the conclusions you’ve come to about sexuality because of what we believe to be the revealed will of our Creator. But we want friendship. We value you and refuse to assess your heart or label you. We see ourselves as mutually in need of a Savior, and we’re here to help! I don’t think Jesus lived in a spirit of “againstness,” and I don’t see Him ignoring or altering His truth either. What I do see is a Jesus who picks people up from the dirt where rocks have just been dropped, dusting them off, and lovingly helping them find a better way to live the life He intended for them. Maybe we should go and do likewise. I’ll just offer this summary statement: Our sexual identity is rooted in how God created us, so the parameters of our sexual desires and behaviors are established by what He has revealed in His Word, which from Genesis 2:18 onward teaches that marriage is to be defined as one man and one woman in a covenant, life-long relationship as the proper place for the expression of sexual intimacy.” On the off chance you’re reading this and you’re gay, please know that my heart is not to be against you. And because of
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JULY/AUGUST 2014 what I believe, I can’t agree with you. But I want to learn how to better be here for you.
MAINTENANCE!
Sis. Sharon Clay CAYC, Singles Ministry, Director
Vehicles are one of our greatest modes of transportation. We depend on them to take us from place to place. As the owner of a vehicle, we realize the importance of vehicle maintenance. Regular oil changes, tire rotations, fluids checked, inspections, brakes, renewed car registrations, etc. all play a vital role. Imagine not performing any maintenance mentioned? How long do you think your vehicle will last or how well it’ll perform? Not properly maintaining your vehicle will not provide the performance it was designed to do, nor will you have reliable transportation. Notice how vehicles come equipped with gadgets indicating when it’s time to take your car in for service. This is to help you get the most out of your vehicle. This is called “preventative maintenance.” The same lies true
in our spiritual lives. Your wakeup call of the day should start with communicating with the one who woke you up. Praises, thanksgiving, and making your requests known (Philippians 4:6). On cold mornings you allow your vehicle to warm up so why not allow your soul to warm up to His presence early in the morning. Time spent with God is so precious as He wants to prepare us for the day. No, we don’t know what the day will be like. However, starting the day not in prayer alone, but also in His Word, equips us in so many ways. In Psalms 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.” Take heed to the words we speak and guard your heart. Your integrity and character says a lot about who you are and what you stand for. I can remember my mother would say, “you can be beautiful on the outside, but if you nasty on the inside, you ugly.” So, unlike the commercial “what’s in your wallet?” should be “what’s in your heart and what’s on your mind” is the question. The same way you maintain your vehicle, the same way you maintain your spiritual life. Please note, a well maintained life will perform best when serviced regularly. Daily prayer, daily reading & studying of God’s word, sharing the gospel with others, etc. is highly recommended. The Word of God is the gadgets that indicate it’s time for you to be serviced.
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JULY/AUGUST 2014
100th Celebration of Oneness Pentecost in USA
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SHARE YOUR MINISTRY.... Whether you are a ministry leader or a member, if you have something you would like to share with the readers of Got Life, we would love to hear from you. This is a great opportunity to minister and encourage other believers in their Christian walk. To submit your article or inquire about articles, please email
melanne@me.com !
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“Certainly, travel is more than the seeing of sights; it is a change that goes on, deep and permanent, in the ideas of living” - Mary Ritter Beard I like to think of myself as a pretty smart traveler. Before leaving for an adventure, or safari as they call it in East Africa, I pack my wit, knowledge, curiosity, passion and little black book along with all my other necessities. I never board the plane without doing my due research of the place I shall travel to. In my opinion, the adventure begins first in the mind, and then can be experienced in person. As a teenager, I enjoyed reading the Encyclopedia. There is no place like the world of imagination. When one reads about ideas, things or places it opens the mind in a way that is hard to explain, but a delight to experience. The same begins to happen when I read about cities and places of interest. My mind comes alive !
JULY/AUGUST 2014 with possibilities. I’m not sure if most people do this or not. But my father often encouraged me as a youth to “read up”, as he put it, on places we would go on our vacations and travels. If only I had internet when I was a teen. I hate going to a place and not knowing anything about. It makes me feel a bit common (ok, I’m a bit of a travel snob). No really, the truth is I like being a part of the place I visit and not just a tourist. Knowing about the place you are going gives you an edge up on other visitors. You appreciate the surroundings a bit more, because you are familiar with the story of this new and inviting place. It’s not just a holiday or the opportunity to see a new place, but more of an experience that becomes a part of who you are. The more I travel, the more I learn. In many ways, the travels effect the way I think, interact with people and even the way I speak. New layers of color are added to your canvas as you take in this place that already exist in your mind. You venture out, not as a tourist, but as visiting friend, exploring with delight the secrets seldom revealed to those who are just passing by as they check off the next item from their bucket list. Your little black book expands as your curiosity and wit causes you to enjoy the company and
conversation of people you have never encountered before. Yet as you engage, then you learn more about this wonderful place, because they too are apart of the fabric of this adventure you are on. As you take it all in, you don’t really feel like an outsider looking in. Instead you are more like a friend being invited over for tea and conversation. Even when my travels take me on a surprising turn that I know nothing or very little about, the passion for being a part of the story kicks in. And I soak it up not as a tourist but as an inquisitive student, refusing to allow one drop of knowledge go to waste. As Christians, we are on a journey like that told in the story of Pilgrim Progress. It is dangerous for us to think that we will get the most out of this journey going blindly along, relying on the knowledge of others (parents, friends or even the pastor). There are many things that can trip us up, tempt us or even discourage us on our journey. But if we make use of the research already done and spend time with that information (the Bible and prayer), forge relationships (faithfully connect with the local assembly), we won’t be ignorant to situations that can cause our travel to be an unpleasant, unsuccessful and lonely one. Be a smart traveler and enjoy the journey. PAGE 8
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The purpose of New Life is to instill the faith of Jesus Christ into the lives of all people, bringing them into spiritual perfection with a spirit of excellence.
Weekly Service Schedule
NL Ministry Leaders
Bishop Brenda K. Perry, Senior Pastor pastor@newlifetemplechurch.com
Mel A. Perry, Assistant Pastor & Global Relations Director
Statement of Faith
Sunday Sunday School! !
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9:00am
Sunday Worship !
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10:00am
global_relations@newlifetemplechurch.com
Wednesday Pastor Steve Stephens, Associate Pastor Bible Study!
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10:30am
Bible Study!
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7:30pm
Young People On Fire! !
7:30pm
Children With Purpose! !
7:30pm
Couples In Unity!
7:30pm
sstep72508@sbcglobal.net
Pastor Elmer Powell, Associate Pastor elmerpowell@sbcglobal.net
Donna Ross-Powell, Administrator donna.ross@newlifetemplechurch.com
Deacons Roy & Veronica Seivwright, Head Deacons rs5587@att.com
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(1st & 3rd Wednesday)
Pastor Elmer & Cathy Powell, Marriage Min. elmerpowell@sbcglobal.net
Music Ministry! !
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Donna Stephens, Ladies Minstry
Saturday!
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dmstep2003@yahoo.com
Intercessory Prayer!
Elder Roy & Min Pam Clark, Perfecting Light Ministry pamlarclark@yahoo.com Elder Edna Johnson, Outreach ednajohn1945@att.net Sis. Sharon Clay, Singles Ministry sgsclay@gmail.com
We believe this one true God, who revealed Himself as Father in Creation, as Son in redemption, and as Holy Ghost in regeneration. We believe that - in Him (Jesus) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. For it pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell. We believe in the death, burial and resurrection.
Thursday
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We believe in one eternal God; infinite in power, holy in nature, attributes and purpose, as well as omniscient and omnipresent.
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7:30pm
9:00am
*NLEC Senior Connection Monday - Friday 10:00am - 2:00pm for all seniors 60+
We believe in being born again of waterby immersion in the name of the Lord “Jesus� Christ for the remission of sins, and in Spirit baptism of the Holy Ghost speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. We believe in divine healing, communion and foot washing. We believe in presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. We believe in expressions of praise with lifted hands, hand clapping, playing of musical instruments, voice of praise and dancing.