Life Together: April 21st, 2025

 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." 

 — 1 Peter 1:3 (NIV) 

What a powerful Easter weekend we just experienced together! I want to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make our Journey to Easter event such a success. From the creative setup to the warm hospitality to the endless bags of candy — it all came together beautifully. We had a great turnout of families and kids, many of whom had never stepped through our doors before. Your joyful presence and willing hearts made a lasting impression, and I couldn’t be more grateful. 

And to all of you who invited someone to our Easter Sunday service — thank you. We saw a nearly 35% increase in attendance, and more importantly, we saw people leaning in to hear the good news that Jesus is alive. Let’s not stop here. The same Jesus who rose from the grave is still in the business of changing lives — and He chooses to work through us.

This week, we also take time to remember Sharon Vyskocil, a dear part of our church family and a faithful regular attender at New Promise. Sharon passed away early last week. We’ll be holding a Celebration of Life Service in her honor this Saturday, April 26, from 2–4 PM at the church. Please join us as we remember her life and offer comfort and support to her family.

Looking ahead to this Sunday, we’ll continue walking in resurrection hope with a message titled "Restored by the Risen King" from John 21:1–19. We’ll look at Jesus’ tender and personal reinstatement of Peter — not just forgiving him, but restoring him to purpose. If you’ve ever felt like your failures disqualified you, this is a message for you. 

Let’s keep walking forward — alive in Christ, grounded in grace, and committed to doing life together.