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A Warm Welcome
to our Special Guest
Booklet

13146 Midlothian Turnpike • Box 187• Midlothian, VA 23113

Office: 804.794.4522 • newlifeumc@lycos.com • www.newlifeumc.org
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A special greeting to you in the name of

our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

It was a great blessing for New Life UMC to have you join us for
service. The people of New Life United Methodist Church sincerely
hopes you enjoyed your experience and that you felt welcome. Our
hearts, our minds and our doors are always open. We look forward
to seeing you again. May our Heavenly Father bless and keep you.
Amen.

If you have any questions or would just like to talk with a staff
person from New Life UMC, please feel free to call our main office
number at 804.794.4522.
You can also learn a little more about New Life UMC by visiting
our outpost for Christ on the web at www.newlifeumc.org.
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Christian Education

New Life UMC has many opportunities to learn about God and His
Son, Jesus Christ. Please feel free to take advantage of any of these
opportunities, as it is through the study of the Bible that we can
understand God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and ourselves. Reading,
discussing, and understanding the scripture is an integral part of
being a Christian.
Sunday School
New Life UMC has Sunday School classes each Sunday from
9:45 – 10:45 a.m. for preschool–aged children through adults. The
young children’s classes are separated into two or three grade levels
per class, and the older youth are separated into a junior high school
class and senior high school class.
Currently, there are three Sunday School classes from which
adults can choose to attend: the Adult Bible Study class, the Healing
class (which studies biblically–based books about healing), and the
Pathfinders (class which studies various books about scripture). At
any time, however, a group of people can decide to start a new adult
Sunday School class. Let us know if beginning a new adult class
may interest you!
Children’s Worship
After a special Children’s Message, which is delivered during
the worship service, children in kindergarten grades depart for
one of the classrooms. They will then enjoy a lesson based either
on understanding parts of the worship service or on special days
in the liturgical year (Christmas, Palm Sunday, Easter, etc.).
Children are not required to attend this class. However, those who
do certainly enjoy the lessons and the crafts.
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Christian Education (continued)

Disciple Bible Study

Beginning in September, Disciple Bible Study is an extensive
study of the Bible in which each phase lasts 32-34 sessions – one
session per week. There are four phases in this study: Disciple I is
an overview of the whole Bible; Disciple II is an in-depth study of
Genesis-Exodus and Luke-Acts; Disciple III is a study of the
Prophets and Paul’s letters; and Disciple IV is a study of the
Writings, the Gospel of John, and Revelation. In order to take
Disciple II, III, or IV, you must first have completed Disciple I.
This program requires home study each week.
Women’s Bible Study
New Life UMC has a Bible study program for women each Tuesday
morning from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. during the school year.
A variety of books and topics are discussed, and no prior Bible
knowledge is required. Announcements are made prior to starting a
new book or topic, so that new participants may enjoy this special
time of fellowship.
Vacation Bible School
Each summer, New Life UMC hosts a Vacation Bible School. This
is truly a family oriented program. Vacation Bible School takes place
over five evenings – usually Sunday through Thursday. A light sup-
per is provided followed by an adult study class. The children also
have special activities to participate in. Many from the New
Life youth group provide greatly appreciated help with the smaller
children, while learning the lessons themselves.
Confirmation
Confirmation is a class for 6th graders and up which teaches the
basics of Christianity and leads young people to make professions
of faith and join the church. The class begins during the Lenten
Season (late Winter or early Spring) with Confirmation Sunday
being Pentecost Sunday, usually in May or early June. The topics
taught include: The Lord’s Prayer, the Apostles’ Creed, the Ten
Commandments, Church History, Christian ethics and mission
and ministry of the church. The class is taught by Pastor Bonney
and other leaders in the church.
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Youth Ministry

At New Life UMC, there is a strong and active youth group in

which the individuals enjoy being with one another. The youth
group represents students grades 6 through 12. For Sunday School,
the group is separated into a junior high class (6-8 grades) and a
senior high class (9-12).
We balance social activities of the youth group with mission
oriented projects. We firmly believe that God calls us to look outside
our own needs and to assist others with their needs. Once a month
we participate in the Pennies for Heaven project in which we help
to feed the homeless in our community. We also visit nursing homes
to carve pumpkins at Halloween and to sing carols at Christmas
time. Doing yard work at United Methodist Family Services and for
individuals in need is part of our ministry to others. We look to
serve globally too – making school kits for children of Afghanistan
and baby kits for the needy around the world. Some of our youth
have even been to Costa Rica on mission trips!
Social activities have included trips to the beach for swimming,
mountains for skiing, Blackstone for the Richmond District Youth
Retreat, Williamsburg for the Awakening program featuring
Christian bands and inspirational speakers, and Kings Dominion for
just plain fun and listening to Christian bands. We also stay close by
with trips to Maymont Park, bowling, and putt-putt golf. Because we
see ourselves as part of a much larger group of Christians, we are
active in the Richmond District Youth group.
To round out our varied activities, we also have youth group
meetings on many Sunday afternoons. At these meetings, we
socialize, pray for people’s needs, celebrate with our praises, and
have a devotional on how God teaches us to live our lives according
to His will.

“Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young,
but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love,
in faith, and in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12)
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Children’s Ministry

New Life UMC is a very family-oriented and child-friendly

congregation. The Children’s Ministry of the church serves those
children who are in fifth grade and younger. The Children’s Ministry
not only serve the needs of the children, but we also have the
children serve the needs of others. Social activities are balanced
with mission activities, such as participating in the Heifer Project
and Operation Christmas Child, making Valentine bookmarks for the
residents in an assisted-living home, and making place mats for the
Ronald McDonald House. The children take fun trips, swimming in
the summer, have pizza and ice cream parties, and recognizes
children’s birthdays as well. There are also times during the year
that the children have choir practices and then sing a song or two
during the worship service.
New Life UMC feels that including children in the worship service
is important. After all, it was Jesus who said, “Let the little children
come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven
belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) Each worship service
includes a special “Children’s Message” – a time when the children
can come to the altar and receive a biblical message geared to them.
We also provide crayons and a children’s bulletin of activities for
those that are interested. For the third through fifth graders, we
offer the opportunity to serve God by performing the duties of
acolytes during the Sunday worship services.
Our annual Easter Egg Hunt is always a big hit with the children,
youth, and the adults! Not only do we have the traditional egg hunt,
but also we have clowns, face painting, games, and crafts. All are
welcome to attend, and all are welcome to volunteer and participate.
The educational opportunities for children at New Life UMC are
described in the section titled “Christian Education.” Please read
that section, as New Life UMC lives by Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a
child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not turn
from it.”
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Preschool Ministry

New Life UMC is excited to offer as one of it’s ministries for young
children and their families a preschool for ages 2, 3, and 4. In a
loving atmosphere, each child will be respected for his or her
individuality. We are dedicated to the physical, creative, social and
spiritual growth of God’s children. Learning comes to life with
stories, music, books, puppets, painting, crafts, chapel, outdoor play,
and much more.
New Life UMC offers 2-day classes for two-year olds, 3-day classes
for three and four-year olds, and a 5-day pre-kindergarten class.
Class times are 9:30-12:30 on each of the days. There will be,
however, one extended day per week where, for an extra fee, the
children of those parents who choose so may stay at preschool for
another hour and 15 minutes to play and eat lunch.
Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder
them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”
(Mark 10:14)
Nursery
At New Life UMC, we welcome people of all ages, including infants
and toddlers. We offer a safe, clean, inviting nursery for our
youngest people during the 11:00 worship service. Each Sunday, two
volunteers from the congregation lovingly look after the children in
the nursery. There is plenty for the children to do with an array of
age-appropriate toys, books, and puzzles. There are also cribs for the
infants who may want to take a snooze. The only thing your child
will be missing is a great message from the pastor!
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Sports Ministry
One of the best things about New Life United Methodist Church is
its wonderful, loving family. A great way to get to know that family
while getting some exercise and have fun at the same time, is to
participate in our sports ministry. New Life UMC operates its
ministry through the Southside Churches Recreation Association,
which sponsors leagues in co-ed volleyball, men’s basketball, and
co-ed, men’s, and women’s softball. The volleyball and basketball
leagues run from the late fall through the winter months, while
softball is played from early spring through mid July.
New Life UMC has teams in both co-ed volleyball and co-ed
softball and look to expand into the other sports as the interest
grows...and it is growing! When we began the sports ministry in
1998, at the end of New Life’s first year of existence, there was
enough interest to form two volleyball teams. There were five teams
in the 2001 season!
All of the sports include the youth. We take full advantage of that!
One of the teams in recent volleyball seasons has consisted of all
youth, and they also participate on the softball team. It won’t take
you long to discover that at New Life UMC – we are truly one big
family that enjoys fellowship in Christ’s name through the Sports
Ministry. Come and join in.
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Evangelism Ministry

“To go forth and make disciples for Jesus Christ.” This is at the
heart of what New Life UMC Evangelism Ministry strives for and
achieves while reaching out to the community.
Many tools are used to Reach Out and Reveal (ROAR) His love to
the general public – tools such as printed collateral or the world
wide web. However, little can reveal His love more easily or directly
than that of a warm greeting and a welcoming smile shared with our
special guest – such as you!
Another goal is to educate the congregation about the ongoing
importance of our collective responsibility as a church family for
evangelism – to empower the congregation with the courage and the
tools needed for everyone to Reach Out and Reveal (ROAR).
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Step by Step Clown Ministry

We are Clowns for Christ. We spread God’s love in a childlike

fashion through regular excursions to hospitals and nursing homes.
You can even find us strolling down the avenue during festivals and
parades – expressing the love of Christ to all in a way that only a
clown can.
The Christian skits that are performed help deliver His message
of eternal love. Wether it’s in a church or out and about in the
community, our goal is to spread the Gospel through our unique
clown performances for the children and adults of all ages to enjoy.
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Missions Team

The Missions Team has an exciting and active program at New

Life UMC. Here are just a few programs that Missions involves itself
in to spread the Love of our Father. Each year during the Christmas
season, we sponsor an Angel Tree in association with prison
ministries. CARITAS (Churches Around Richmond Involved To
Assure Shelter) is a week-long program during which time our
church becomes home for the homeless. We have also been very
involved with annual mission trips to Costa Rica. Our work teams
have participated in building churches, hospice, parsonages, and
have been involved with Habitat for Humanity. We have sent mission
teams to Franklin County to join in flood clean up efforts. Children
participate in the Heifer Project each Lenten season. During the fall,
we sponsor a pumpkin patch – with the proceeds going to benefit
other missions projects. The New Life UMC Missions Team continues
to contribute in many more ways and are always looking for new
and challenging ways to show God’s love.
No matter the age, skill or talent – many mission programs
provide an opportunity for everyone to demonstrate the limitless
bounty of God’s love for us all.
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New Life United Methodist Church:

Notes