New Life Church of the Nazarene, located on South Road in Smith’s, will be celebrating 50 years of ministry later this month.The church was founded in 1961 thanks to a chance meeting between Mrs Jeanette Newman and the wife of Technical Sergeant Cornelius Moe, who was serving at Kindley Air Force Base, who, with the permission of the General Superintendent, Dr V.H. Lewis, of the Church of the Nazarene Headquarters in Kansas City, Missouri, started a Sunday School for US base personnel.The Sunday School opened its doors on Sunday, August 13, 1961 at the Moes’ home, but it wasn’t long before T Sgt Moe’s home was found to be too small, and the church moved into the top floor of the Rollocks Building on Court Street, with seats purchased from the old Union Street theatre, that October.While searching for a pastor, local evangelist, Rev Dom Cimato, served as the church’s interim pastor until Rev James Collom became the church’s first official pastor in June 1962. A month later, on July 18, 1962, the church was officially organised as the First Church of the Nazarene in Bermuda.After several years of growth, the church moved into its existing sanctuary in 1969, which was purchased from St Patrick’s. It was dedicated on October 5, 1969.New Life is at present pastored by Rev Dr. Ernest Peets, Jr, who grew up in the congregation.“I was seven or eight at the time,” he reminisced. “My mom took me there for Sunday school. She got invited to attend church by a family friend, and we’ve been there ever since.”After graduating from Nazarene Theological Seminary in May, 1999, Pastor Peets returned to Bermuda, with his wife, Julie, to be installed as the church’s first Bermudian pastor on August 4, 1999. It was under Pastor Peets that the church officially changed its name from First Church of the Nazarene to New Life Church of the Nazarene in 2009.“The church had been through many schedules over the course of many decades ... We got into prayer about having the church find its own identity,” Rev Peets explained of the name change. “New Life was central to the message of what we believe.”In addition to his work with the church, Rev Peets also works with the Department of Court Services as a senior probation officer and as the co-ordinator of Bermuda’s Drug Treatment Court, and is the founder of The Counselling Centre.Rev Peets, and the entire congregation, are very excited about the celebration.“I would imagine if I could speak for all of them, I would consider this to be a high-water mark it really is a monumental occasion,” he shared. “It’s a real testimony to the congregation’s faith and God’s faithfulness to us.”To celebrate, New Life has several events planned, including several nights of revival services featuring Rev Dr Augustus Sealy from the Hartford First Church of Nazarene in Hartford, Connecticut, from October 26-28, beginning at 7pm each day.The church will also be holding a dinner at Coco Reef on October 29 with guest speaker the Rev Vince Crouse, Assistant Distract Superintendant of the Nazarene Churches of the New England District. Tickets cost $80, $100 for patrons; to purchase, call 297-3249.The closing service will be held on Sunday, October 30 at 10.30am, with guest speaker Brother Trace White, executive director of Impact Mentoring Academy.To learn more about New Life Church of the Nazarene, visit its website at www.newlifebda.org