New LIFE Groups Starting!

New LIFE groups are starting this week and next. Below is information about when and where each group is meeting. If you are not sure what group you are in, or would like to join us for one of these groups contact us at 899-2435 or by e-mail at erica@newlightportland.org

Sunday LIFE Group

• 5:30 pm at Hope.Gate.Way. (185 High Street)
• starts Sunday, June 21
• Focus: "Questions of Faith" - We will explore some of the big questions of faith, including the questions you're think about!
• led by Allen & Sara and Dean Richardson
• Childcare will be provided.

Tuesday LIFE Group

• 5:30 pm at Allen & Sara's house
  
• starts Tuesday, June 30 (note: this group starts a week later than the others)
• Focus: "Questions of Faith" - We will explore some of the big questions of faith, including the questions you're thinking about!
• led by Allen & Sara

Wednesday LIFE Group

• 6pm at Jaegil & Eunkyong's house
  
• starts Wednesday, June 24
• focus: spiritual practices, like contemplative prayer, lectio divina, and meditation, including some exploration of spiritual practices that originate with other religiouis traditions
• led by Jaegil Lee

Thursday LIFE Group

• 5:30pm at Erica Tobey's house
  
• starts Thursday, June 25
• focus: service - reflecting on what it means to be a servant, and especially practicing service in various ways throughout the city
• led by Erica Tobey

Neighbors Helping Neighbors-July

In the month of July New Light will be collecting blankets and bars of soap for our neighbors at Down East Maine Missions.

Recently, Chestnut UMC has agreed to be a mission partner to this wonderful organization, and this will be our first official act of support in this partnership. Down East Maine Missions serves many people each year in one of the poorest counties in all of New England. During the summer months they take particular care of the immigrant blueberry pickers who come to harvest the berries.

Blankets are distributed to keep the pickers warm at their camps at night, and bar soap is needed to help get pesticides off their skin at the end of the day.

Betty spoke at Chestnut UMC yesterday, and it was clear that she considered all people neighbors, and a part of her family. Let's join this global neighborhood, and help our family stay clean and warm during their stay in Maine.

Peace Through Music: Playing for Change

I hope by now you have all caught some of these videos, that are all over the internet. This project, playing for change started about 4 years ago, with the idea that we all need to inspire each other to come together as a human race, and that music is the best way to do it. The creator states "we can do more for this world together than we ever can apart." This video, and many others, were created by street performers from literally all over the world, who have never even met each other, but have created this beautiful music together. Watch this video "One Love" and some of the others posted on the website or YouTube.

New Light on Twitter

Are you on twitter? New Light is!! Just another way for you to get important updates, and reminders about events, LIFE groups, worship and more!!

Sign on and follow New Light our username is "newlightnews"

Cinco de Mayo Fun

Cinco de Mayo 2009

Hope.Gate.Way. Consecration

Sunday, June 14th-6pm
at Hope.Gate.Way

On this special night Chestnut UMC and New Light will meet together for a special worship celebration to officially consecrate-bless and dedicate- our new launching pad for ministry. Rev. Mike Davis, our District Superintendent will join us for this event, as well as other guests who would like to join us for this exciting occasion.

Refreshments will be served both before and after the worship celebration; we'll need everyone's help in preparing them.

The Thinking Heart

June 12 at 7pm
at Hope.Gate.Way. (185 High Street, Portland)

The Thinking Heart, an ensemble performance work in two voices, with cello, is based on the writings of a Dutchwoman, Etty Hillesum, who died in the Holocaust.

Poets Martin Steingesser and Judy Tierney will share poems based on the writings of Hillesum, while Robin Jellis (a member of the New Light community) improvises on the cello.

Join us for this powerful preformance at Hope.Gate.Way.