A Bible-Centered Church on Beaver Bog Road
New Life United Methodist sits on Beaver Bog Road in New Fairfield, Connecticut. The congregation describes itself as "a body of believers made up of people from different backgrounds and stories joined together because of the gospel of Christ," and its mission is straightforward: "to lead people to honor and glorify Jesus Christ." The church is not about a building or a religious system, members say, but about helping people from all backgrounds discover the joy that comes from knowing and serving Jesus Christ.
That mission shows up in everything the church does. Teaching is built around expository preaching, the music ranges from traditional hymns to contemporary praise, and a dedicated prayer team prays over every request that comes through the door. Families with young children find a well-staffed nursery and a full slate of children's programs. People who cannot attend in person can join the Sunday service through a livestream that runs every week at 10:00 AM.
Sunday Mornings at New Life
Two Sunday services anchor the week at New Life. An 8:30 AM Communion service opens the morning for those who want a quieter gathering and a chance to receive the Lord's Supper. The main 10:00 AM worship service fills the sanctuary with music, prayer, preaching, and giving. Both services are held in the main building at 1 Beaver Bog Road.
The 10:00 AM service is livestreamed on YouTube, so anyone in the area or away from home can follow along. The order of worship centers on the Word: a time of prayer, expository preaching from Pastor Robb Hewitt, congregational singing led by the Praise Team, and teaching that aims at "transforming our lives to be more like Jesus Christ." A children's program for elementary-age kids meets during the 10:00 AM service, and the nursery is open throughout the morning for infants and toddlers.
First-time visitors will find a parking lot just outside the building, with designated guest spots reserved near the front door. Greeters wait at the doors to help newcomers find their way in and to point them toward the sanctuary, the nursery, or Kid's Church. Dress ranges from business formal to business casual, and the church's only request is that guests come as they are. The atmosphere is described as warm, with practical teaching and a steady stream of friendly faces, and visitors are invited to participate in whatever way feels comfortable, from singing along to simply sitting and observing. A What to Expect page gives a fuller picture for those planning a first visit.
Wednesday Evenings: Quiet Prayer, Kids4Christ, and Worship
The middle of the week has its own rhythm at New Life. The day begins with Wednesday Morning Quiet Prayer at 8:00 AM, a two-hour window in the sanctuary set aside for silent reflection and intercession.
At 6:00 PM the fellowship hall fills with the smell of a shared dinner. Kids4Christ, the Wednesday evening children's program, kicks off around the table, then moves into classrooms downstairs from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. Children in kindergarten through fifth grade work through a Bible-based curriculum called GROW, covering Old and New Testament stories, memorizing verses, singing, playing games, and creating crafts. Each registered child receives a student Bible and a carrying bag. Dinner and the program are free, and donations are appreciated. The program follows the New Fairfield public school calendar, pausing for holidays and weather closings.
Upstairs at the same time, the Wednesday Night Worship and Prayer gathering begins at 7:00 PM. The hour opens with extended praise and worship led by musicians, followed by a short message and a structured time of corporate prayer. Parents are welcome to sign their children in downstairs and head up for the service, or stay with their kids for the full evening.
Prayer as a Way of Life
Prayer is one of the most distinctive things about New Life. The church operates a Prayer Team Ministry made up of members who have completed Healing Ministry Training and/or Soaking Prayer School, been recommended by the Prayer Ministry Leader, and approved by the senior pastor. Prayer team members are easy to spot - they wear name tags - and they are available after Sunday services and Wednesday evenings for anyone who would like someone to pray with them at the altar. The team has seen backs and ligaments restored and unexplained lumps and nodules disappear on follow-up scans, and they give God the credit for what they describe as miraculous answers.
Beyond the team, four distinct prayer ministries run through the week. The prayer chain mobilizes members to intercede for any request submitted through the church. Individual Prayer Ministry offers one-on-one healing prayer by appointment, coordinated through prayer ministry leader Diane Stafford. Altar Prayer is available after every regular service, simply by coming to the front of the sanctuary. And Soaking Prayer, held in the church's quiet prayer room every Tuesday from 7:00 to 9:00 PM, sets aside a longer time of stillness - "the listening part of our conversation with Him" - framed around Psalm 23 and Psalm 46:10. "He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul." In a culture that rarely stops moving, the church offers a place to simply be still.
Music That Draws People Together
Music sits at the center of worship at New Life. The Praise Team leads the 10:00 AM service each week with a blend of traditional and contemporary songs, drawing on singers, piano, drums, flute, guitars, and bass. The team's style is "upbeat, meaningful, and brings us into the presence of God."
The New Life Choir represents traditional, gospel, and contemporary music and meets regularly for rehearsal. Reading music is not required to join, and new voices are always welcome. Minister of Music M.J. Vaiciunas - a working musician and piano instructor who performs around the greater New York area and co-owns the writing company The MusicCrafters - leads both ensembles. "Those who sing, pray twice," the church notes, and the music ministry takes that seriously. "We believe that music draws us closer to God and is an integral part of our worship service."
Children, Youth, and Family
New Life makes a deliberate investment in its youngest members. The Sunday Nursery welcomes infants through pre-kindergartners in a spacious, well-staffed room supplied with toys and age-appropriate equipment, where caregivers share the love of Jesus through worship time, Bible stories, crafts, and games.
During the 10:00 AM service, elementary-age children are invited to Kid's Church, which meets at 10:15 AM for an age-appropriate lesson. The Wednesday evening Kids4Christ program extends that teaching through the school year, following the New Fairfield public school calendar. Each week the children learn a new Bible story, work on memorizing an age-appropriate verse (often Psalm 119:11: "I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You"), and rotate through singing, games, snacks, and crafts. Enrollment is free, and each child receives a student Bible and a carrying bag at the start of the year. "Let the little children come to me," the church reminds parents, quoting Jesus in Matthew 19:14, "and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."
Older students - middle and high schoolers - are part of New Life Youth, a ministry that "strives to provide a safe, fun, spiritual environment for our high school kids to come together and grow as Jesus followers," blending friendship, Bible study, snacks, and encouragement. Several youth also serve in the tech booth during the 10:00 AM service, learning to run sound and video for the church.
Men, Women, and Small Groups
The men's ministry is committed to encouraging spiritual growth "through a balanced program of worship, biblical teaching, fellowship, and evangelism." A Men's Lunch Group meets on Mondays at 12:00 PM in the New Life Conference Room, and a Men's Breakfast is held periodically. The women's ministry gathers on Thursdays at 10:30 AM in the conference room for in-depth Bible study and fellowship, with additional events posted throughout the year.
Small Groups are described as "the lifeblood of our church family." Separate groups for men and women run alongside a more general fellowship group, meeting in homes and online, including via Zoom. The groups are designed for deepening relationships, studying the Bible, and praying for one another.
What New Life Believes
New Life's beliefs are organized around a small set of core doctrines. The church holds that the Bible is "the inspired, inerrant, and authoritative Word of God," and that there is one true God, eternally existing in three persons - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus Christ, fully God and fully human without sin, was born of the Virgin Mary, died and rose again on the third day, and now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession. The Holy Spirit draws people to Jesus, re-creates their spirits so they can be born again, and distributes spiritual gifts "for all times" in accordance with 1 Corinthians 12:4-11.
Salvation, in the church's view, is not earned by good works but is a gift of God's grace. The acronym GRACE - "God's Riches At Christ's Expense" - captures the heart of the teaching. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the church teaches that salvation comes through repentance of sin and confessing belief in Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit's drawing. The local church is described as the best expression of the Body of Christ, and every believer is encouraged to be involved locally.
New Life practices two sacraments. Baptism, offered to people of all ages by sprinkling or immersion, is "a means of grace that reminds us to die to self and live for God" and marks the entrance into the universal church. Prior to being baptized, the person or their parents sit down and pray with the pastor. The Lord's Supper, or communion, is a remembrance of Jesus' last meal with His disciples, in which bread and juice are received as symbols of Christ's body and blood, broken and shed for the forgiveness of sin.
The Pastoral Team
Lead Pastor The Rev. Robert "Robb" Hewitt joined New Life on July 1, 2022, after serving First United Methodist Church in Stamford and The Mountain View UMC in Walker Valley, New York, where he shepherded a merger of three congregations in 2006. The son of a United Methodist minister, he grew up in parsonages in upstate New York, earned his Master of Divinity from Yale Divinity School, and was ordained a full elder in 1993. He and his wife are the parents of Bella and Ben. "I hope to continuously grow in effectiveness, influence, and impact in relationship with a community of people of Christian faith who are poised to adapt and grow," he says.
M.J. Vaiciunas serves as Minister of Music. A pianist, instructor, and professional performer who also co-owns the writing company The MusicCrafters, he is on a mission to build New Life's music ministry into a hub for worship in southwestern Connecticut.
Chaplain Walton Brown, who began at New Life as a pastoral intern, now serves as an Army chaplain and has been deployed. The congregation continues to cover him in prayer as he ministers to service members in the armed forces.
Western Frontier Parish and Mission Partners
New Life is one of five United Methodist churches in the Western Frontier Parish, a cooperative grouping that also includes Danbury United Methodist, Bethel United Methodist, New Milford United Methodist, and Newtown United Methodist. The parish vision is to "Share JESUS within the Western Frontier Parish area and with the surrounding communities." The parish also serves as a regional connection point for ministry and mission work across the Danbury area of western Connecticut.
Beyond the parish, New Life supports a number of mission partners. Brake Ministries International, led by Kelly and Lenora Brake, has been taking the gospel to more than ninety nations and 250 people groups since their childhood callings. Hopeline Pregnancy Resource Center has been serving women and families in Connecticut for over thirty years with free, confidential pregnancy services. Huntersfield Christian Training Center in the northern Catskill Mountains provides year-round retreat and training space with a focus on biblical instruction. The church also partners with UMCOR, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, for disaster response and humanitarian work around the world, and recommends The Upper Room daily devotional as a resource for personal devotion.