1st Thursday Connect
1st Thursday Connect has wrapped up for the school year, but our desire for God’s Word continues. If you attended our gathering in June, you received a summer study entitled More Than Anything. Whether you use this or another study or just keep reading the Bible, may we enjoy a summer of delighting in God and His Word!
We covered a lot of ground in God’s Word this past year. Gay Haugen shared a recap of where we’ve been at our June gathering, and it is included here for your review and encouragement.
2023-2024: The Year in Review
Beginning in October, from the letter of 1 John in chapter 5, Marcia shared with us that the Apostle John’s goal in this letter is:
· to help us be spiritually healthy,
· to urge us to examine ourselves, to take our spiritual pulse so to speak,
· to check for the spiritual vital signs of true belief in Jesus, true love for our fellow believers, and true obedience to the commands of God.
These spiritual vital signs will help us know if we are truly alive in Christ.
In November, from Leviticus 20:26, Katie helped us understand that God calls us to be set apart, to be holy and consecrated to Him, because God Himself is Holy. Jesus came to enable us to be consecrated and aligned with His character.
In December, from Psalm 46, Gay shared the truth that taking refuge in God means actively reminding ourselves of God’s unchanging character:
· that He is always present,
· that He is all-powerful,
· and that He is completely sovereign.
By putting aside our striving and spending time knowing Him, we can be confident that no matter what circumstances arise in our lives, we can find a place of peace and rest in Him.
In January, from 1 Chronicles 17, Lori shared from David’s prayer about the theme of hope. This theme of hope runs throughout this book. We were reminded that because God keeps His promises, as He did with Israel, we can have confidence to come to Him in prayer, and we can find a rest that is full of hope.
In February, from the minor prophets of Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, Sierra also shared the message of hope and how God was calling to His people to return to Him so that they could be in communion with Him. God desires communion with His people. Jesus, too, calls us to “come to Him.” He came to open wide our communion with God.
In March, from the prophetic book of Ezekiel, Von shared how God’s grace was extended to His people as He promised to give them a new heart, a new spirit, a new life. We were reminded that we today have that same promise that is offered to us by faith in Christ’s payment on the cross.
In April, from Ezra, Alina helped us to see how God kept His promise of bringing His people back to their land after captivity and preserving a remnant of His people, a remnant through which the promised Messiah would come. That promised Messiah, Jesus, came and paid for our salvation, and through Him we need no longer be unsettled in life but can find a home, belonging, and contentment.
In May, from Nehemiah, Sharon shared that Nehemiah accomplished God’s work using prayer, God’s Word, and a life wholly devoted and dependent on His gracious and merciful God. We were challenged to also be diligent in prayer and in being in God’s Word so that we can draw strength from our gracious and merciful God.
In June, Katie brought us truth from the tiny book of Jude encouraging us to guard our hearts and minds with perseverance so that we can remain in the secure center of God’s love and the promise of His mercy.
Thank You
There are so many who served in Women’s Ministry in some capacity this year! Every time you attended, or brought food, or prayed, or encouraged another woman, or read the Bible Side by Side with someone, you were a vital part of ministry to women. Thank you!
Many served as table hosts or musicians or sound technicians or stayed late to clean up. Thank you!
Some went all in to make the Refresh Retreat, Share the Joy, and The Connection Cafe extra special with flowers and plants and beautiful food and drinks. Thank you!
We enjoyed and benefitted from the teaching of 17 different women over the course of the year! Thank you!
The New Life Women’s leadership team put in many hours to provide food, activities, prayer, sound, reminders, table questions, decor, teachers, Side by Side studies, special events, and fun throughout the year. A huge thank you to Emily Trosen, Lisa Hartung, Gay Haugen, Amy Crooks, Alina Gauthier, Sandi Saxe, Robin Duggan, Sharon McKay, Sierra Edmonds, and Kelly Zook!
Next Year
Put Saturday, September 14, on your calendar! That is when we will have our kickoff day-retreat at Everett Hall at Hopkins Demonstration Forest in Oregon City. Watch for more information and registration for the Refresh Retreat later in the summer.
1st Thursday begins again in October. We have a need for several women to help this upcoming year in the areas of food, activities, sound, table hosts, and clean up. If you would be willing to be part of a team in one of these areas, please contact Marcia Reavely. Thank you!
Links
Below are links to articles, books, podcasts, and music that might be of interest or help on various topics. Resources are curated but may not always reflect the views of New Life Church. Enjoy!
Read the Bible in Bigger Chunks—@ Knowable Word, a good summer activity.
Applying Bible Passages that Contain a Deluge of Commands—@ Knowable Word.
Hospitality: A Command for Our Joy—by Kyleigh Dunn.
Living From Approval, Not For Approval—by Dave Harvey.
Behold and Believe: Encountering Jesus as the Great I Am—a TGC conference for women, part of which will be livestreamed June 20-22.
Behold and Believe: TGCW24 Playlist—a playlist to accompany The Gospel Coalition’s June 2024 conference for women.
