After-Christmas Combo Service - December 26, 2010

For the second year, New Life has invited all of the San Jose Covenant churches to join us for worship the first Sunday after Christmas. This year there are two new churches, for a total of 6 San Jose Covenant churches. This is an exciting time of sharing and worshipping together during the holiday season.

New Life will be joined by The Bridge Community Church, Renacer Covenant Church, Jesus the Recreator Covenant Church, Alum Rock Covenant Church and Church of Philadelphia.

We will meet at 10am in the Little Theater at Willow Glen Middle School - 2105 Cottle Ave. San Jose, 95125.

We'd love to have you join us!

Stop Human Trafficking - August 4, 2010

Last evening, New Life sponsored a community awareness and training event focused on Human Trafficking and its impact both globally and locally in our own county and city. Lt. John Vanek of the San Jose Police Department's Human Trafficking Task Force presented, giving those in attendance a detailed overview of the global trafficking picture and how he and his team, working very closely with social service providers involved in the South Bay Coalition to Stop Human Trafficking, approach incidents of trafficking here in the South Bay.

Audience participation was encouraged and many had questions about how victims are treated once found, as well as what happens to the traffickers. Others wanted to know what the community can do now to help. Lt. Vanek emphasized that community awareness is the biggest piece right now and that people who work as nurses, teachers, doctors, school administrators and social workers are especially encouraged to consider human trafficking when encountering individuals who display certain characteristics which he described. Others of the community were also encouraged to be aware of what is happening in their neighborhoods, because trafficking takes place everywhere and can be perpetrated by anyone.

This event was New Life's first community awareness event and the church was not sure how well attended it would be. The Vineland Branch Community Room was packed! Attendees came from churches, community service groups, and those who read about the event in the local paper. New Life's FROST Women's Group provided refreshments for all, and Lt. Vanek and his team sent everyone home with what they call their "human billboard" shirts. Everyone who received a shirt was encouraged to wear it often. In a few weeks, Lt. Vanek's team will survey everyone to see what kinds of reactions the shirts have gotten.

Learn more about the Human Trafficking Task Force at http://www.sjpd.org/StopHT

New Life will be planning its next community awareness event for the coming months.....

San Jose Covenant Churches Share Worship - December 27, 2009

Two days after Christmas, the four San Jose Covenant Churches; New Life Covenant Church, Alum Rock Covenant Church, Church of Philadelphia, and The Bridge Community Church, gathered together at Willow Glen Middle School to celebrate in worship and explore more deeply our partnership in the Gospel.

These four churches serve different communities and have very different histories, but together, they are unified in serving the Gospel and the community of San Jose. This is a partnership of celebration, of prayer, of connection, of encouragement, and of challenge.

The entire service was a shared experience. Each pastor prepared part of the service and the worship team was a blend from New Life and The Bridge, while our Children's ministries met together and prepared kits for the homeless of San Jose. Even our offerings partnered this Sunday as we collected food and gave a special offering for Second Harvest Food Bank.

Looking forward, each of the pastors expressed their desire to come together again, and all are looking forward to adding new church plants to San Jose in the coming year so that this partnership might continue to grow and to reach out with Christ's love for this valley.