new springs news

View Online September 22, 2016 Newsletter I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable. ​Psalm 145:1-3 ​From Pastor Dave Dear Friends, The prayer of (or attributed to) St. Francis of Assisi is, for me, a prayer that keeps on deepening with the years. Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; Where there is hatred, let me sow love; Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith; Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light; Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. I love this prayer because it fully acknowledges all of the broken possibilities of life, and does so without judgment or condemnation. I love this prayer because it models the heart of God and the way in which God, through Jesus Christ, approaches us. I love this prayer because it names our natural, sinful, and selfish tendencies; while at the same time calling us to God's more noble mission. While I don't read this prayer every day, or even think about it every day, I need the truth this prayer speaks every day. I need the model of spiritual formation this prayer commends. I need the goal this prayer sets. I need the journey on which this prayer takes me. I need all of this today, especially today. I'm discouraged. I'm stunned by the tone and the polarization of our culture. I'm beyond perplexed at people who simply will not listen to one another. I could go on and on with my list of grievances, in particular directed at those who claim the name of Jesus Christ and demonstrate none of his qualities of character. I sometimes find myself wondering how it could possibly get any worse. You too? I wonder what a soul is to do in such circumstances. Well, pray. And live in the direction of the prayer. Ok. Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace... In Christ's Love, Pastor Dave Hygiene Kits for Meadow Lane Elementary Thank you to everyone who brought toiletries for the hygiene kits for the kids at Meadow Lane Elementary School. Our goal is 100 kits! Please bring any of these items to church by this Sunday, September 25. So far, we have received the following: shampoo - 17 conditioner -16 toothbrush, individually packaged - DONE toothpaste - DONE comb - 16 brush - 6 bar soap - 23 body wash - 20 deodorant - 11 2 gallon size zip lock bags for packing the kits - 20 ​THANK YOU FROM COLDWATER New Springs Community Church, Thank you so much for your donation of 37 lbs. of food items for the Coldwater food pantry. Your support was truly appreciated. You make a difference in our community! Sincerely, Teena Riegen, Coldwater Volunteer SAVE THE DATE: Winterfest 2017 Coldwater has their annual fundraising gala on February 25, 2017, from 6:00-9:30 p.m. at Hilton Garden Inn. Registration will open December 1, 2016. www.coldwater.me Visit us at newspringscommunity.org