“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,

the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

 2 Corinthians 5:17

It’s all in the name. We are a church that believes in new beginnings, in second, third and tenth chances, in God turning lives around, in new life.  We’ve all experienced the brokenness of sin in our lives, we’ve all been touched by pain. That’s why New Life (New Life) is a community of people who have found in Jesus the love and power to hit the reset button on life and start fresh. We are a “come as you are” church. There’s no dress code, no judgment, just people who understand the challenges of life and invite others into the journey with Jesus to find healing and hope. We are serious about following Jesus, treating each other with love as Jesus commanded, and taking a fresh look at His word and living it out as His church 24/7.

New Life Church began with the simple mandate to take a fresh look at Jesus and His word rather than just “do church”. It started in 1992 with a call on the heart of Pastor Ladd Dunfield and his wife Ruth to serve the city of Oshawa. North Oshawa Seventh-day Adventist Church was born from a small group of eight individuals on their knees in prayer. The church grew in numbers and in grace and blessed many people. In 1997 God miraculously provided the church location at 33 Olive Avenuenue in downtown Oshawa, a new location for the many ministries of the church to happen. By 1999 the church’s name was changed to “New Life” to reflect the transforming power of God through Jesus.

The church’s passion to be a blessing to others could be seen in its various ministries. New Life has always had a love and appreciation for the power of worship through music. Every ministry in the church has always been strictly run on a volunteer basis. In 1992 the church had two acoustic guitars and a songbook! Today there is an electronic keyboard, several electric and acoustic guitars, a bass guitar and a full drum kit. Along with talented singers on multiple teams, New Life is able to worship in an atmosphere of genuine heartfelt praise each week.

The spiritual, emotional and physical well-being of the children is vitally important to the church. Providing a special blend of Bible study, discussion, videos, games and crafts, the classes help children know how loved and important they are to Jesus and how He has a plan for their lives now.  Each child is met with open, caring, non-judgmental acceptance. We have grown from one small class to being able to expand to all age groups from toddlers to teens. At New Life, we believe that children are the church of the present, not just the future.

Kingsview United Church

And there’s the Neighbourhood Centre, New Life’s food bank and ministry centre. In 1992 it was originally called the “Open Arms Food Bank”, started by Curtis and Linda Smith. It started with the food bank helping four single moms. No one could have guessed how the ministry would have grown. Today it is called the New Life Neighbourhood Centre and it has provided compassionate care to thousands in the surrounding community of downtown Oshawa. Through events like the Pancake and Continental Breakfasts, Meal Boxes, food and hygiene product distribution, and community events such as barbecues and Christmas dinners, the Neighbourhood Centre has become known as a place not only to receive food, but where each person is treated with dignity and respect as a child of God. Recently the Neighbourhood Centre has taken up the challenge to bring the ministry to a new phase: to help people not just with food and other basic necessities, but to teach life skills and break the cycles of poverty and homelessness. We wanted more than just alleviation, we wanted transformation. We’re excited to sponsor the SLIP program by Tru Potential, a 12-week course that works with 15 individuals to help them literally find new life.

We place a lot of stock on healthy relationships. We believe the church Jesus created is an “us” more than a “where”. The church is simply people following Jesus together. We are blessed with a location to worship, but God calls us to be His church at all times, whether in a building of worship or not. And so, at New Life we encourage one another to stay connected and live out the teachings of Jesus and His word day by day, together. The trust and relationships that grow in small groups are a critically important way the life of Jesus gets expressed in our life journeys. The teachings of the Bible only make sense when lived out in love to God and one another.

We have experienced the love and compassion of Jesus and it has made all the difference and want to tell others that positive transformation is possible. New life in Jesus is possible. Our mandate as a church is to be a safe place to rest, ask questions, grow at your pace, receive help, and find meaning and healthy relationships with God and each other, all in an atmosphere of compassion and acceptance. Wherever you are in life, whether you’re looking for a spiritual home, are a seeker exploring, or are just plain curious, we’re honoured you have stopped by and we invite you on the journey.

May God bless you!