Light For Life New Church

Merry Christmas! The December Newsletter Is Here -

2011-12-06T16:33:00.000-08:00

Christmas Readings

2011-12-01T16:37:00.000-08:00

Friends:

Attached you'll find daily readings from the Word to share this Christmas season. We wish to thank our friends at Glenview New Church for sharing this inspiring collection. (It was originally printed to be distributed as a booklet, so you may wish to print them to read them in their intended series).

Blessings,
Ethan

LFL November Newsletter - Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-04T12:47:00.000-07:00

The October Newsletter is Here - Boo!

2011-10-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

LFL September Newsletter

2011-09-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Friends:

Attached is the LFL Newsletter for September 2011! Back to school everyone!

Blessings,
Ethan

LFL's August Newsletter is Here!

2011-08-01T14:42:00.000-07:00

Stained Glass Windows

2011-06-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

Friends:

Here's a recent image of Jan O'Connor and Dana Gruber working on the windows for LFL's new church building.

Blessings,
Ethan

Sketch of our New Altar Design

2011-05-27T11:09:00.001-07:00

Friends:

Congregation member Lauren Anderson has drawn up a preliminary sketch for the altar in our new building.

Take a look, and get excited for our future!

Yours,
Ethan

LFL Newsletter - May 2011

2011-05-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

LFL Newsletter - April 2011

2011-04-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

LFL Newsletter - March 2011

2011-03-01T11:10:00.000-08:00

LFL Newsletter - February 2011

2011-02-01T12:16:00.000-08:00

LFL Newsletter - January 2011

2011-01-01T12:02:00.000-08:00

LFL Newsletter - December 2010

2010-12-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

2010-11-01T17:21:00.000-07:00

LFL October Newsletter

2010-10-01T17:07:00.000-07:00

Read Up On Our Fall Activities In September's Newsletter!

2010-09-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

The August Newsletter is Here! (Check out our new building!)

2010-08-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

This being the first month in a new (temporary) worship space, and time to focus on planning for our new permanent building - please pay special attention to the "Events" section! Yours, Ethan

"Believe The Good News!"

2010-06-25T16:01:00.000-07:00

This week (6/20/10) we'll explore how unlocking the deeper meaning of the Bible helps us to understand God's promise of continual spiritual progress - now possible for all of us!

The June Newsletter Is Here!

2010-06-10T16:55:00.000-07:00

This being the last month before our "hiatus", please read our special events section carefully, and have a great summer!

Yours,
Ethan

The Lord's Love: "No Strings Attached!"

2010-05-13T15:27:00.000-07:00

We'll learn what Jesus meant when He said: "There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends. ...This is My commandment: love one another." (John 15: 13, 17)

LFLNC May Newsletter

2010-05-01T15:59:00.000-07:00

The Disciple Jesus Loved - In All Of Us! (An Easter Sermon)

2010-04-13T16:25:00.001-07:00

For Easter Sunday (April 4th, 2010). A Description of Jesus having breakfast by the Sea with the disciples, and the role of John (the Disciple Jesus Loved) as charity in action.

LFLNC April Newsletter

2010-04-01T15:58:00.000-07:00

Its About Bloomin' Time!

2010-03-29T17:54:00.000-07:00

This Sunday (the first day of spring) we learn how the blossoming in the world around us pictures an important reality in our spiritual growth and development.

Everybody's Got A Hungry Heart

2010-03-16T13:12:00.000-07:00

Click the above title to hear this Sunday's Sermon (3-14-10).

The March Newsletter Is Here!

2010-03-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

The February Newsletter is Here!

2010-02-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T17:14:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas - The December Newsletter is Back!

2009-12-01T13:27:00.000-08:00

Here Comes November!

2009-11-30T13:21:00.000-08:00

Our October Newsletter Is Up!

2009-10-02T16:22:00.000-07:00

Updated: Volunteer List - September

2009-09-09T20:34:00.001-07:00

Light for Life's CROP Team Page is Here!

2009-09-08T11:32:00.000-07:00

Click here to view the team page for Light for Life New Church

LFL Does the CROP Walk!

2009-09-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

Friends:

Below appears a video from Church World Service on the CROP - Communities respond to overcoming poverty - walk for world hunger. This is to entice you to participate in our effort on October 4th on Alki Beach in Seattle. (Stay tuned for a link to our local CROP website for contributions). See below for the video, and join us on October 4th!

The September Newsletter is Up!

2009-09-03T15:52:00.001-07:00

"Called out of Darkess": The Story of Our Creation - Part I

2009-08-19T16:56:00.001-07:00

In this seven part series, we'll look at each of the days in the Creation story from Genesis as symbolic of the stages we go through in our spiritual growth and development. On this day, we'll learn what it means for when we begin to be aware that the Lord is "calling us out of the darkness" of selfish and worldly thinking into true spiritual awareness when He says: "Let there be light!"

Updated Volunteer List for August / September

2009-08-18T17:11:00.000-07:00

Our August Newsletter is Now Here!

2009-08-01T17:59:00.000-07:00

Our New Podcast (Continued)

2009-07-30T18:48:00.000-07:00

Part 2 of 2 in the series: "Living With Spiritual Integrity"

Visit us on the web at: www.lightforlifenewchurch.org

Our New Podcast

2009-07-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

Part 1 of 2 in the series: "Living in Spiritual Integrity"

Details on A New Edition of "Be of Good Cheer"....

2009-07-09T12:32:00.000-07:00

Friends:

For awhile now you've been hearing news of our new church plant (www.lightforlifenewchurch.org). I'm writing now to tell you of a new development on the book/class development side of things. I will be purchasing the rights to materials used for the "Be of Good Cheer" books / lectures from Restyn, LLC (including a new ISBN #). This will allow me to release a revised edition of the book, as well as other materials that can be used in new volumes or classes over time.

My church is taking the month off of Sunday worship. During that time, we will also be researching Rev. Mark Pendleton's approach (on the steps of repentance) to prepare for him to come and give a series in the new year.

A small group will be starting on my book before "Living Courageously" (in the fall), and we'll marry this with service projects developed by our service coordinator. All in all, its shaping up to be an exciting year for me as an author and us as a church! Keep in touch with this blog and the church's site (www.lightforlifenewchurch.org).

Blessings for a happy and healthy summer!

In His Love,

Ethan

Updated: Volunteer Lists

2009-05-28T10:17:00.001-07:00

The May Newsletter's Here!

2009-05-06T16:56:00.000-07:00

Newest Volunteer List!

2009-04-30T10:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! - Here's the April Newsletter

2009-04-10T13:35:00.001-07:00

Check out our new Ads!

2009-03-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

The following ads will be posted next month in the Seattle Weekly, Redmond Reporter, and Seattle PI (online version only). See below, and enjoy!

Blessings this Easter Season,

Ethan

A Time for Reflection

2009-03-04T16:35:00.002-08:00

New Developments for February!

2009-01-31T20:27:00.000-08:00

Our January Newsletter is Online!

2008-12-31T12:35:00.001-08:00

Christmas Eve Worship

2008-12-23T10:30:00.000-08:00

Friends:

Just a reminder that our Christmas Eve service this year will be at the Shoreline / Lake Forest Park Senior Center. Get Directions at: http://www.seniorservices.org/sc/shoreline.asp.

The service will begin at 5 pm on December 24th.

For more information, contact the pastor: ethan.mccardell@gmail.com.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! May you feel the blessing of the Lord's love during this special time of year.

Yours,

Ethan

Merry Christmas - The December Newsletter is Here!

2008-11-26T11:28:00.000-08:00

A New Blog Design!

2008-11-17T15:38:00.000-08:00

Friends:

My new personal/author's blog has been updated to reflect the move to Seattle. Check it out at: www.ethanmccardell.com.

Yours,
Ethan

Find the November Newsletter Here!

2008-10-30T17:41:00.001-07:00

Last Service At Carco Theatre

2008-10-23T10:38:00.000-07:00

Friends:

As you remember from the October newsletter (found below), right now we're trying different worship spaces each month.

This Sunday (10/19) was our last service at Carco Theatre in Renton, WA. We had a guest musician, some first time attenders, and an oppotunity to share some of the challenges we're facing in life - to bring them before the Lord in prayer. It was a great end to what has been an uplifting experience worshipping in an uncommon setting (at least for many of us). Carco Theatre is a "movie theatre" style auditorium, and for the most part, seemed to generate positive feedback from many of us. We had 38 in attendance, which we're very happy with!

Some of the facilites we're looking at for two weeks from now include:

http://www.ci.bellevue.wa.us/highland_center.htm

http://www.northshoreseniorcenter.org/

http://www.ci.redmond.wa.us/insidecityhall/parksrec/facilities.asp

www.redmondwa.us (Redmond Senior Center and Community Center).

Check 'em out!

See you on Sunday, November 2nd.

Yours,
Pastor Ethan McCardell

The October Newsletter Is Here!

2008-09-29T14:23:00.001-07:00

Our New Logo?

2008-09-24T16:48:00.000-07:00

We have new logos for the church available from defrost design! (www.defrostdesign.com). See below for an example.

Please be prepared to discuss these logos at our October 5th meeting after church.

They will be made part of a powerpoint presentation for discussion.

Yours,
Ethan

Worship Your Way!

2008-09-06T20:58:00.000-07:00

Friends:

The following notes are from the August 24th meeting of the Seattle New Church Project. This was one of our "benchmarking" meetings where we continued to analyze our experience of worshiping at other churches.

Cheers -
Ethan

Analysis of “Worship Your Way” Exercise

Seattle New Church Project

Sunday Meeting - August 24th, 2008

Greeter Program:

- Meet you at the entrance
- Welcome not peppered with too much information about church, just helps you feel comfortable
- Different Greeter each time
- Given and brochure and shown a chair
- Heavier paper bulletin with “static” information about the church, and an insert that changes weekly
- Insert includes order of service, as well as location of different church programs
- No newcomer asked for donation

Message:

- Pulpit announcements – assume newcomers
- Orientation
- Batting Order – Signal Start of Service (i.e. “ring a bell”)
- Different intro each week
- Needs to be a balance of congregational interaction with doctrinal substance
- First touch is with people, second or third with message
- Not everyone’s an extrovert – make sure those that are there for “message first” are fed
- Different speakers for different sections of the service
- A “tag team” approach, sometimes integrating music and message
- Informal, conversational, friendly
- Even denominational churches moving from “high church”, ritualistic approach
- Want to preserve a sphere of worship while helping people feel like its approachable/applicable
- Thematic, series oriented approach – 1) the Lord notices me, 2) loves me, 3) wants me in heaven (i.e. you could do a different talk on each subject, invite feedback, and advertise the series)

Music:

- Themed music that tracks with message – (i.e. “Let there be peace on earth”)
- Choral participation (should we focus on developing a choir?)
- More and better selection of children’s music, which is better introduced and integrated into the service to that they learn and feel comfortable singing
- Need for a professional musician
- More unison singing, especially while we’re still a small group
- Comparison of well trained musicians (i.e. world class organist) with poorly planned musical selections and professionals
- Church music is really important to what people get out of the worship experience.
- A mixture of standard as well as modern hymns
- A mixture of live and recorded music is OK
- Be willing to “stretch” beyond a more liturgical approach
- Upbeat is okay, but shouldn’t be a distraction from sphere
- Soft reflection music during a process is powerful
- Less congregational singing and more special music (don’t have to be tied to the “5 hymn” approach)
- Good sound system should compliment, not overpower musicians and singers
- The multiple CD approach (or a varied iTunes playlist) ensures that when we use recorded special music, it doesn’t become repetitive or boring for people

Participation:

- Integration of worship and fellowship opportunities (i.e. passing of the peace, but not the same)
- Some form of “roundtable”, opportunity for people to talk about what’s going on in their lives
- Appreciation of other people (than the minister) reading lessons
- Different roles for people to play in congregational meetings
- Redefine church week around “message and mission” opportunities rather than committee meetings, helps with sense of connection and usefulness and leads to community
- Opportunity either at beginning or end of service for people to offer challenges they face in their lives to the Lord in prayer
- Opportunity for people to meet regularly to discuss what’s going on in their lives – Marriage workshops, classes, thematic studies, etc.
- Small groups
- Importance of free will offering
- Maybe not define the “marquee event” as Sunday, what are we doing in-between?
- Try to be better aware of states and needs of those around us (incl. group) – if we haven’t seen someone for a while, or sense someone’s going through something, adopt small group mentality and “check in”

Children’s Program:

- Haven’t really had one
- Many churches do a better job of making sure children and adults are fed by worship experience
- Children’s program often includes opportunity for children to worship and have activities separate from parents (challenges, benefits of this approach)
- Tie between children’s talk and Sunday School Lesson
- Tie between children’s talk and adult talk powerful for people, a better introduction to sermon
- Don’t want to lose connection with minister in children’s talk
- If we’re going to hold onto children’s talk/ adult talk form, we need a better curriculum and materials for teachers
- Need more teachers
- Those with young children shouldn’t be the only ones participating in children’s program
- Congregation needs to support parents of young children getting “adult time” in worship as well
- Merits of the “tracking” of age groups vs. grouping together (Montessori approach)
- Make sure children feel included in all aspects of worship experience

Mission Work:

- Hopelink food bank service opportunities (collection)
- Greater Seattle Council of Churches
- Interfaith Council
- Night Watch (are we reaching out to those in need, physically and spiritually)
- Delicate balance – want our service to uniquely represent who we are, have some way of conveying key elements of New Church message as well as serving “face and hands needs”
- If we were gone tomorrow, would we leave a hole in our community because of the needs being met? Need to ask ourselves this question
- Church and charity
- Whole church service projects - that we approach as a church
- Charity in Action (NC service wing) – still available?
- Part of name recognition, helping people understand who we are and what we’re about in the world
- Supporting other countries in developing their churches (i.e. copies of Writings and classroom materials to Ghana and Ivory Coast who still need them)
- Supporting other needs in developing countries
- Doctrine of Charity requires us thinking outside of our own comfort zone

Small Groups:

- In just about every church visited, they are many and varied in purpose
- Track with different themes – Word study, recovery, community service, marriage, men’s, women’s, family relationships, etc.
- Agenda was different in each setting, but commonly they were groups of 5-8, often met in homes
- Began with “get to know you”, prayer, how they did on task for the week, study of next theme, opportunity for discussion, task for following week, closing thoughts
- Value of retreats (and possibility of one for us in the near future was discussed)
- At the end, we spoke of 4 major issues for small groups: 1) Weekly Scripture tie in, 2) Topical, 3) Thematic Study of the Writings on each issue, 4) The importance of regular meetings, and a lot of them

Other items:

- We’ve been largely a self serving organization, we need to break that paradigm
- We want to be a living church
- “Books First” service project was discussed and affirmed
- Spartan Rec Center was discussed as our starting point next month
- Need for better music was discussed (and after this meeting, professional acoustic guitarist was hired for September 7th church service)

Our First Service in a Facility!

2008-09-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

This Sunday (September 7th) we will host our first worship service in a facility: The Spartan Recreation Center (www.cityofshoreline.com). We will start worship at 10 am in the "Cascade Room."

The "Olympic Room" will also be available for our first formal Sunday School lesson after the Children's talk.

We have also hired a professional guitarist: Julian Catford of Shoreline, to be our accompanist.

So, please come at 10 am to the Spartan Rec. Center for what promises to be an uplifting and fulfilling first public worship experience!

Yours,

Ethan McCardell

Our September Newsletter is Online!

2008-08-23T15:21:00.000-07:00

Thought for the Week...

2008-08-08T19:43:00.000-07:00

Friends:

I was looking for an inspiring quote that spoke of the "church" being built within through a life according to the truth. Here's what I found:

All people however many they may be, even myriads of myriads, if they are in charity or mutual love, have one end, namely, the common good, the Lord's kingdom, and the Lord Himself. Varieties in matters of doctrine and of worship are like the varieties of the senses and of the viscera in a person which contribute to the perfection of the whole. For then, through charity, the Lord inflows and works in diverse ways, in accordance with the genius of each one; and thus, both in general and in particular, disposes all into order, on earth as in heaven. And then the will of the Lord is done, as He Himself teaches, as in the heavens, so also upon the earth. (AC 1285)

May this church be a place where we are dedicated to one another's spiritual success - where we have one end - "in thought, affection, and in all things of life."

In His Love,
Ethan

Monday to Saturday....

2008-08-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

Friends:

Here's another worthy post of George's that I'm including on his behalf -

Yours,
Ethan

Hi folks, I'd like to add another brief comment based on visiting and talking to some other churches here in Bellingham. These churches span the spectrum from Conservative to Unitarian.

What happens at Sunday service, in terms of attendance and enthusiasm, seems to be a result of what happens during the week. The real work of the groups we (Diane and I) visited happens Monday-Saturday. The real work is community work in the form of smaller groups, reaching out to those in need, school, clubs, social gatherings, charity, small commercial ventures, and all the other good things that churches do.

This non-Sunday energy results in a robust and meaningful Sunday gathering that become a celebration and statement of who they are. An actual day of rest.

My point is, we can't focus on Sunday, we need to create our identity Mon-Sat......Sunday always takes care of it self.

Comments are welcomed.

George Geanuleas

A Tone of Inquiry....

2008-08-04T10:50:00.000-07:00

Friends:

I include here the following remarks from George Geanuleas. I moved them from the "comments" section to the front page because I think they so aptly sum up the kind of energy and enthusiasm for a new approach that we're hoping for from this church plant.

Yours,
Ethan

P.S. See Below
_________________________________________________________

A few wishes for the future from George Geanuleas:

I Would love this church plant to truly be a place where the big questions can be asked and where total honesty about our individual state be the rule not the exception. All questions should be welcomed, even questions that stress doubt or confusion.

Most church organizations always seem to have all the answers which in my experience generally intimidates most of the folks who have burning questions. I don't think churches have been a place where true honesty is encouraged or easy. This should not be the case here; churches should be the ONE place where honesty is encouraged and expected. It should be a safe-house for all!

One of the great strengths of the New Church is it's openness to all faiths and approaches (that's what I see in the writings). I would be absolutely delighted to see that fully manifested in our rituals, talk, building/space, songs, and any other tools we might use.

I've heard that Sunday is the most segregated day of the week in America, I'd love to see this little group do it's part to heal that divide and reach out to all.

I would welcome any comments on my humble opinions/wishes - dialog is always welcome and healthy!

George Geanuleas

A New Church - A New Beginning!

2008-07-31T16:45:00.001-07:00

Psalm 133 opens saying, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for [brothers and sisters] to dwell together in unity.”

Being An Instrument

In the internal sense, this means that we are in constant fellowship - partnership, in fact, with the angels. This partnership is responsible for our very life. Why?

Because these angels are instruments of the Lord’s love and wisdom which enable it to flow from Him through the heavens, touch on our thoughts and our affections, and make us all that we are here in this world.

When thinking about this message, I thought how we’re instruments too. About this new church we’re embarking on together in Seattle and what will make it successful in the Lord’s eyes - how God works through people. And I came up with three “keys” to our effectiveness:

1) It has to be fun. No one wants to be a part of a group that takes itself too seriously. It needs to be clear that we’re doing this because it makes us happy. Other people’s experience of that happiness - through their interactions with the us - will be the first “touch” of the church. People connect to people first, message second. Enthusiasm and enjoyment are contagious!

2) We have to believe we’re here because God wants us here. We have to believe we’re here to serve Him and each other.

3) We have to believe that the truths of the Second Coming are the “leaves of the tree for the healing of the nations” which will have a transforming effect not just on our lives - but on every life they touch.

So, Where Do We Start?

I’d like to propose a first meeting at our house for brainstorming and to lay the “first foundations” of our new plant on August 10th - and we will also have our first worship service. (For more information, including directions to the house and an agenda for our first meeting, e-mail the pastor: ethan.mccardell@gmail.com)

Our Newsletter Is Online!

2008-07-31T16:05:00.000-07:00