Vacation Bible Camp Next Week!

Vacation Bible Camp starts on Monday at Hope.Gate.Way (185 High St. Portland)

Join us Monday, August 3-Friday August 7
9:00-11:45am

We'll have lots of fun with crafts, snacks, games, music, new friends and more!

Vacation Bible Camp is FREE and all kids are welcome. The program is geared towards children age 4-5th grade.

Invite your neighbors and friends for this week of fun!!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

New Light will be headed to the Portland Sea Dogs game on August 4th at 7:00pm at Hadlock Field.

We have 10 tickets that were exchanged from the last game (that got rained out).

but it might be a sellout based on all the canceled games this season. Let Sara know:

1. if you are planning to come

2. if you have your own ticket

3. if you are bringing friends we should get tickets for

It is going to be a great time. So if you can join us, please do. And bring a friend. This is a great event to bring some of your circles together...New Light and whatever other circles you move in day to day.

Worship on the Beach-August 2

Picnic and Fun starting at 4pm
Worship at 6pm

Join us on August 2nd for some awesome beach fun at Pine Point in Scarborough. Bring some picnic food to share (bring your own drink) and we'll have a wonderful feast.


Beginning at about 6pm we will transition into a very special worship celebration, on the beach, including the baptism of New Light's own Daren and Katrina!! Come to enjoy worship, and support them on their special day.

Stay tuned for more information about the day, including carpooling to Scarborough!

Supper Bowl Sunday

Our first Supper Bowl Sunday potluck block party next weekend-Sunday, July 26th from 5:00-7:30pm. This supper will take place on Sherman Street between State Street and Mellen Street.

Some fun we have planned-

• Not one but 2 LIVE BANDS (the Lomax, and The Common Senses)
• Tons of food (including some excellent pizza from Leonardo's)
• Face Painting!
• Lemonade
• A community art project sponsored by Spiral Arts
• Meeting new neighbors
• Dancing in the street!
  

We still need lots of help to make this event a success. We are hoping that most people from NewLight will be able to volunteer the day of the event, and also, bring a dish to share with our neighbors. If you have not yet signed up please do so by contacting Erica or calling 899-2435. Many different jobs are available, from photography, set up, greeters, trash, lemonade making and more!

Hope to see you all there!

Free Andrew Peterson Concert- THIS Saturday

Andrew Peterson is a great Christian musician (many New Lighters agree), who is playing many FREE shows in New England this summer to promote his newest album-Resurrection Letters Volume 2. Lucky for us, he has planned several shows in Portland, one scheduled for THIS SATURDAY. We'll plan to meet at First Baptist Church (360 Canco Road) at 6:15 to get seats to this awesome show!

Check out his Myspace page to hear several songs from this album, and plan to join us on Saturday.

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.

Layette Kit Collection

For the month of June, we are going to be collecting items for newborns who don't have the basics.  These kits will be distributed through the United Methodist Committee on Relief.   What could be more fun than shopping for a newborn?!

Here are the things we need for one kit:

Layette Kit Items  Value: 

• 6 cloth diapers
• 2 shirts or 2 one-piece body suits
• 2 baby washcloths
• 2 gowns or sleepers
• 2 diaper pins
• 1 sweater open in the front
• 2 receiving blankets

Important Kit Assembly Information

• All items included in kits must be NEW items. 
• All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations.

We are hoping to put together 5 or 6 kits.  We'll also have cards with individual items to pick up at LIFE Groups this week and next.

When you are out shopping pick up something for a child in need around the world.  We need to recieve all items before June 17th so that we can take then to The New England Annual Conference.  They will make their way from their to the distribution center to be ready for travel around the world or wherever they might be needed.

Kick Off to Summer-Visioning Party!

Tuesday, May 26 at 6pm
at Hope.Gate.Way

All LIFE groups will meet on Tuesday this week for an evening of summer fun and visioning. We will meet at 6pm at Hope.Gate.Way. for a potluck dinner-bring your favorite summer food, lemonade and watermelon will be provided.

Following dinner we will play some fun summer games and spend some time visioning as a community. This is an important time in the life of New Light, as we think together about what our hopes and dreams for our community are. Every one's voice will be heard, and we hope to leave with some goals for the next 12 months. Do you have some cool idea's for New Light? Bring them along...if not, we'll have some prompts to help you think about what you want your community to look like!

Everyone is encouraged to attend, rather you're a new comer or an old timer or you haven't come in months.

Preschooler Play Group

Preschooler Play Group(1 - 5 years old)
Wednesdays 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Starting May 27
at Hope.Gate.Way. (185 High Street-Portland)

Large space for play with a large variety of toys geared to the needs, interests and safety of small children. Enjoy a room where your children can roam free. You and your child will have a relaxing morning socializing with other parents and children. Enjoy a cup of coffee while your child snacks and has juice. Younger siblings are welcome.

Parking is available in the Gateway Parking Garage (181 High Street), for $2/hour. Metered and Hourly street parking is available on High Street, Cumberland Avenue, or Forest Avenue.

Middle School Youth Event

May 31st-1:00-2:30pm
at Hope.Gate.Way (185 High Street-Portland)

This event is for all youth finishing 5th-8th grade, and is a collaboration with other area churches.

Make your own pizza
Play crazy games
Make new friends from other churches
Have loads of fun!!

Middle School youth are encouraged to bring friends along for this afternoon of fun!

Walking In Their Shoes Exhibit

Opening Reception
Friday, May 15 3:00 - 7:00 pm
at Hope.Gate.Way.
185 High Street Portland, ME

An art exhibit to honor May as Domestic Violence Awareness Month-Local High School students created art from shoes to raise awareness of domestic violence.

This project is collaboration among JMG, Family Crisis Services, and SPIRAL Arts

The exhibit will be at Hope.Gate.Way for a few weeks, and will be open during the first Friday Art Walk on June 5th. Swing by when you have a chance and check it out!

Neighbors Helping Neighbors- May

For the month of May we are collecting toilet paper for our neighbors at the Sacred Heart Food Pantry. Pick up a roll or two while you're out shopping, and we'll be sure it gets to the people who need it!!

Last Month the communities of Chestnut UMC and New Light collected 54 sticks of deodorant for our neighbors at the Preble Street Resource Center. Thank you to all who helped out, for making our first official "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" project a sucess.

Rethink Church

Open House at Hope.Gate.Way.

Thursday, May 7th from 3:00-7:00pm

Now that we have a great home base for ministry at 185 High Street, it's time to welcome our neighbors in to build relationships and think about ways to be in partnership with others in the neighborhood.

We are hosting a Neighborhood Open House at Hope.Gate.Way. and specifically inviting our neighbors in Parkside, and leaders of organizations in the neighborhood, but everyone is welcome!

We need your help! We are asking members of Chestnut and New Light to bring tasty treats to share with our guests, and to be present the day of the open house to welcome our neighbors!