News from New Beginnings Fellowship

For more information contact: Dan Rushing, 518-608-5323

New Church to Launch with Preview Services at Madison Theater

ALBANY, NY (08/21/2007; 0600)(readMedia)-- New Beginnings Fellowship, a newstart church, will unveil preview services at Albany’s Madison Theater on August 26th at 10am. The rare format will allow the community to evaluate its service and style of integrating high impact media to relay the biblical message of Christ.

“We want people to have the opportunity to check out NBF before we launch. Preview Services are a great opportunity for people to see what NBF is like,” said Dan Rushing, Founding and Lead Pastor at New Beginnings Fellowship. “Our theme for our preview services is ‘Religion Bytes.’ You don’t have to be religious to be a Christian. Jesus didn’t come to make us religious. He came to set us free from the prison of religiosity.” NBF likes the non-traditional setting of a movie theater. “Madison Theater is a great place to launch our new church. I can’t think of a more welcoming place to experience God than in a setting where people don’t usually think about church. We see ourselves as a church without walls. It’s nothing new, we’re just following Jesus’ example.”

New Beginnings Fellowship is following an increasing shift in the way churches are using contemporary methods to get the message out. In a time when those categorized as “unchurched” are ever increasing, NBF is seeking to attract those who aren’t churchgoers. One group NBF is targeting is college students. “With over 60,000 college students in the Capital Region, relevance is important. We want to create a place where young adults feel comfortable attending a worship service,” says Dan Rushing. “We feel people need to be exposed to the gospel in a way that connects with their life. Discussions about sex, relationships, love, work, and social justice are important topics for today.”

NBF will also be partnering with Pine Hills Association to organize community-wide events at and around Madison Theater. Potential events may include a picnic at Washington Park, clean-up around the neighborhood, and other activities that benefit the community.

Driving Skyline, NBF’s worship band, recently performed at Gatumba Genocide Memorial at Camp Pinnacle. “We want our music to connect with people’s hearts no matter what their background. The only way to do that is to proclaim Christ in everything we do.”, said Greg Miller, band leader of Driving Skyline. “What an awesome opportunity to share Christ’s vision to help the poor and disenfranchised by joining with the refugees of the Gatumba Genocide Memorial event.”

Advertising, which includes 80,000 mailers, will be targeted to residents in Albany including college students at SUNY Albany and the College of Saint Rose. Free snacks and coffee will be provided during the services. NBF will also be promoting at the upcoming college concert series “EdgeFest ‘07” on September 22nd from 12-7pm at the Altamont Fairgrounds. Seven thousand students are expected to attend.

NBF is affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. Madison Theater is located at 1036 Madison Ave., Albany, NY 12208.

Event dates, location and times:

• Preview at Madison Theater - August 26th

• Preview at Madison Theater - September 16th

• Preview at Madison Theater - October 7th

• Launch at Madison Theater - October 28th

Website: www.nbfalbany.com

Contact person: Dan Rushing, Lead Pastor of New Beginnings Fellowship (518)608-5323 drushing@nbfalbany.com