2/17/2022

Dear Friends,

At last, our Health Authority has lifted the mask mandate for indoor gatherings and so it is with great joy we can anticipate being in church this Sunday and seeing one another’s faces!!

As we rejoice I just want to ask us to bear in mind that lifting the mandate has come with some conditions. Masks are still required for those who have chosen not to be vaccinated (defined as having had two shots, or one J&J shot). They have specifically not included provisions for those who have had COVID 19 as it seems there are still considerable differences in opinion as to how “immune“ this leaves people.

I am very well aware of how frustrating these guidelines are for some. However, I am also conscious that some will continue to wear masks out of concern for the safety of those around them. Let’s remember that, first and foremost, we are brothers and sisters in Christ and so the scripture calls us to “put one another before ourselves” (1Cor 10:24 Phil 2:3). So let’s be sure to treat one another with love, kindness, and respect, and in doing so we reflect the character of Jesus to one another and all who are watching!

With you all in His service,
– Jonathan

9/7/2021

Dear Church Family,

A Future and a Hope
The leadership of the church is excited about the sense that God is taking our church family to a new place. A metamorphosis is taking place even though the exact nature of the emerging butterfly is not yet clear! As we seek God’s face for His future plan we want to be sure that we hear from as many members of our church family as possible. Sunday, September 19th is our church’s birthday so we thought that would be a great opportunity to spend some time sharing (and eating of course!) together.

Before Sept 19th, please take a moment to complete the Taking the Pulse questionnaire.

Our plan is to focus our conversation on the following three questions. We will record the conversation and take as many notes as possible. The elders and staff will then spend time praying and preparing what we see as the way forward. We will then come back to the family as a whole and share those plans and how we r eached them. Of course, there are other questions and more discussions may be necessary, but this is a start!

One more thing, we do not want this time together to be a time when we list all sorts of things we would like to see happen and then expect others to do them! So with your new ideas, we will be asking what part can you play in making them happen. So make sure you plan to be with us, pray about the questions below and ask the Father how you should be part of making His plans a reality!

With you, in His service,
– Jonathan

Other things you might do in preparation:

Remind yourself of our church mission statement and ask how the answers to these questions contribute to that. https://www.newlifepacifica.com/about/our-mission/

Review our church value statement and ask how our answers reflect the things we say we value. https://www.newlifepacifica.com/about/core-values/

As a church, God intends for us to be a blessing to our community and beyond.

• Where are you seeing needs and opportunities in Pacifica?
• What resources and skills has God given us to respond to these needs and opportunities
• Which of these ideas excites you most and where do you see yourself getting involved?
• We believe that prayer is a central part of New Life. How can we continue to provide opportunities for us to seek God in prayer individually and corporately?

During the lockdown, we were forced to lean on other aspects of church life outside of Sunday morning service like zoom growth groups, organized and spontaneous outdoor gatherings. While some things were really hard, what are positive things we learned to do that we want to keep building on moving forward?

In  addition, to make sure we are all informed Gary, as treasurer, will speak to our financial position and its implication

– Pastor Jonathan