Good afternoon, New Eden family and friends.

We plan to start sharing quarterly newsletters to recap and share various updates from our church family. Our desire is to encourage all those connected with the New Eden fellowship by sharing these stories of God’s work in and through us.

Our plan is to release a newsletter around the times seasons change (winter, spring, summer, fall). If you have anything you would like included in the next newsletter (testimony, announcement, etc.), please email us at info@newedenchurch.org.

Below is our first edition of this newsletter, covering the last few summer months. We hope this leaves you feeling encouraged and connected to the work God is doing in and through New Eden.

TESTIMONIES OF GOODNESS

SUNDAY GATHERING & SERVING COMMUNION

“When I was diagnosed with cancer around 19 months ago, I had to give up some things in my life and rearrange other priorities due to the toll of both my sickness and the treatments. One constant that sustained me through it all was Sunday mornings at New Eden (even if I could only join virtually) because I need to hear God’s word and gospel! Now, one of the biggest blessings is the opportunities I get to prepare the Communion Elements for the Sunday gathering. Preparing the elements is so significant for me because of Jesus’s charge to remember His broken body and shed blood when we are gathered. I am only worthy of doing this because He gave His life for me. I also love the opportunity to see many other brothers and sisters serving in the background at New Eden (making coffee, putting out signs, soundcheck, etc.). I get so excited knowing that we are all there together because of the One whom our soul loves. It doesn’t hurt that I get to spend a little extra time with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and my four grandchildren as well!”

- Anita McCarty

BAPTISMS AT FIRST MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH

“Chrissy and I loved that Selah and Bethany had the opportunity to publicly declare their willingness to follow Jesus in baptism at First Missionary Baptist Church because it is such a historic pillar of a church here in Decatur. The history of First Missionary is so rich, and I’m grateful that New Eden and my girls are a part of the history now! Chrissy and I love the Black Church. I love the heavenly glimpse of our bodies worshipping together. And our whole family loves the opportunity to gather with First Missionary (the girls especially love the singing and praying portions of the service… oh, and the ‘cool chairs!’). We are thankful First Missionary will be part of Selah and Bethany’s testimony as they remember their baptism.”

- Jason Jenkins

LIFE MOMENTS

*NOT PICTURED

LAUREL TADLOCK
Born on August 22, 2024, to Lawrence & Alayne Tadlock.

SUNDAY GATHERINGS

SERMONS

SUMMER IN THE PSALMS SERIES

This summer, we had the opportunity to spend time in the Psalms during our Sunday gatherings. Kevin Perry, Ben Coggin, and Joel McCarty preached through Psalm 13, 19, 61, 84, 91, & 96.

GENESIS SERIES

We have launched back into our series through the book of Genesis and have covered all the way through Genesis 28.

To listen to archived sermons, visit our website, YouTube channel, or download our app. Or you can search for “New Eden Sermons” on your preferred podcast platform.

SINGING

IN TENDERNESS (YouTube, Spotify)

“In tenderness He sought me
Weary and sick with sin 
And on His shoulders brought me 
Back to His fold again”

GOOD AND GRACIOUS KING (YouTube, Spotify)

“I approach the throne of glory 
Nothing in my hand I bring 
But the promise of acceptance 
From a good and gracious king”

CHRIST IS RISEN (YouTube, Spotify)

“Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the cross 
And run to him who showed great love”

“These three songs have reminded me of the nearness and gentleness of Christ in my life. He is “gentle and lowly in heart,” offering rest for the weary. (Matt 11:28-29)”

- Compton McMurry, Director for Music

Did you know we have a playlist where you can listen to the songs we’re singing on Sundays? Every Thursday, the upcoming five songs are added to the top of the playlist. See the playlist on Spotify ⬇️, or click here for YouTube.

LOCAL PARTNERSHIP UPDATES & OPPORTUNITIES

JOINT GATHERINGS WITH 1ST MISSIONARY

This summer, New Eden Church had the opportunity to join First Missionary Baptist Church at their Sunday gatherings on June 30 and July 21. These joint gatherings have become something that many in our body look forward to each year.

VBS & BIBLE STUDY PARTNERSHIP

In July, we also got to join First Missionary in hosting a VBS and were really encouraged by the time together with kids from New Eden, First Missionary, and the surrounding community.

Looking ahead, we’ll continue our partnership with First Missionary Baptist into the fall with a Kids Bible Study – hosted in conjunction with their adult Bible Study on Wednesday nights. It has been sweet to see our relationship with First Missionary be strengthened this summer, and we ask you to continue praying for our partnership in the gospel.

YOUNG LIFE

Young Life is a ministry for teens that’s been around internationally since 1941 and here in town since 2016. Read the following information from one of our members, Clay Long.

Our goal is to introduce adolescents to Christ and help them grow in their faith. We start by showing up on their turf, building friendships, and earning the right to be heard. As we earn the right, we demonstrate and proclaim the gospel through our events, bible studies, and trips, but most importantly, through the lives and friendships of our staff and volunteers.  

Between our three ministries, Young Life (for High School), led by Clay Long, YoungLives (for young mothers), led by Jordan Herrarte, and Capernaum (for teens with intellectual and developmental disabilities), led by Erin Roberts, we are always in need of support!

We invite you to prayerfully consider learning more about volunteering as a mentor, serving in childcare for YoungLives clubs, or joining our committee. We are locally funded and would be grateful for you to consider supporting us financially. Finally, we covet your prayers! Please pray for our town’s teens. Pray that they would know the truth! And please pray for us as we enter into the world of teens and do whatever it takes to tell them about Jesus! 

You can reach us by phone or email, and visit our website here. Thanks!

- Clay Long

GLOBAL PARTNER UPDATES

SENDING OF K.W. 
Western Asia

In July, New Eden Church commissioned K.W.*, who will serve on staff at a training center for cross-cultural missionaries in Western Asia.  K.W. will be working as the Operations Coordinator at Radical’s Training Center in Western Asia. This center exists to prepare global workers to serve long-term among the unreached through full cultural immersion. K.W. will be managing the training facility, student housing, and visiting teachers and agencies, amongst other responsibilities that aim at maintaining a smooth and efficient program.

*Due to security reasons, we cannot publish her full name.

SENDING OF A.H. 
Western Asia

In August, we also commissioned A.H.* to move to western Asia and attend the same training school as a student. The Radical Training Center aims to equip Christians to develop the resiliency and practical skills necessary to live amongst the unreached and establish a healthy and reproducing church for God’s glory.

As part of the program, A.H. will have the opportunity to live among the unreached and experience full cultural immersion while gaining language and culture acquisition skills and instruction from seasoned, cross-cultural global workers with years of experience in the field.

A.H. has a long-term goal of living overseas as a cross-cultural missionary and prays that her time in Western Asia will give her invaluable skills to do so.

This training school is the same one that K.W. is serving on staff at, and we are grateful that they will be together during this next eight months.

*Due to security reasons, we cannot publish her full name.

LEARN MORE

New Eden is grateful to have the privilege of sending multiple teams to work among unreached people groups around the world. To learn more about all of our Global Partners, click here.

UPCOMING EVENTS

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY
begins September 9th

This fall, all women are invited to study the book of Hosea together on Monday nights at The Garden. This is an opportunity to dive deep into Scripture with a study guide, weekly teaching, and prayer time. To learn more and register, click here.

FAMILY MEETING
September 22 • 1:00p

We encourage all members of New Eden Church to join us for our upcoming Family Meeting. Family Meetings are held quarterly and are for current or prospective members of New Eden Church. We'll spend this time welcoming new members, giving updates on Regional and Global Partnerships, talking through future plans, sharing evidences of grace, and praying together. Members in-process or those interested in membership are also welcome to attend this meeting. To learn more, click here.

NOTE FROM JOEL MCCARTY
Pastor for Preaching & Oversight

Church family, I just want to express my gratitude for each of you. I often find myself in awe at the way God has worked and orchestrated each of us to be in each other’s lives. While there are always challenges to pastoral ministry, I can truly say that it is an overwhelming joy to be a part of this local expression of God’s global church.

I want to exhort you to continue pressing on in your pursuit of Jesus, because He is worth it. He is intimately and actively working through you, and I love getting to have a front row seat to His work in your lives. Following are some of the things I’ve witnessed that cheer my soul when I think of them.

I hear from our Global Partners often how grateful they are to have a congregation of believers behind them in their endeavors. Knowing that they have gospel partners in their corner is a constant source of encouragement.

I love watching and hearing you sing on Sunday mornings. Knowing that many of you walk in our gatherings with questions, doubt, pain, suffering, grief, and hardships, yet still limp in to find joy and peace in the good news of Jesus - that speaks to my soul week in and week out.

I am honored as I watch many of you serve, often in unnoticed ways. The prayers prayed, the hugs shared, the doors opened, the coffee served, and much more - these are all selfless acts done in a spirit of love that help to create a culture of safety, honor, and hope that others can tangibly feel.

As you press forward through the heartaches of life, please know that you are deeply loved, more than you could know. My prayer is that the God of all peace would continue to strengthen you, so that your faith and love may increase more and more. And that you would increasingly grow more aware of the overwhelming love of Jesus that surpasses all human understanding.

Thank you for loving and encouraging me, church. I’m grateful to be a part of God’s work in and through each of you.

Thank you for taking the time to read through our 2024 Summer Newsletter. If you have any questions or content to submit for our Fall Newsletter, please email us at info@newedenchurch.org.