8701 E. Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85715
www.newspiritlutherantucson.org
520-296-2461
New Spirit serves the east side of Tucson in a neighborhood surrounded by transient apartments and condominiums. Caring for the needy is at the heart and DNA of this congregation, which operated for years as the Eastside Tucson Community Food Bank, serving well over 100 families per week.
New Spirit's Medical Loan Chest loans medical equipment from walkers to shower benches to wheel-chairs to Hoyer-lifts. If they got back everything loaned out, it would fill their 6,000 square foot building.
The congregation is partnered with and houses the Eastside Office for Interfaith Community Services, an agency with 112 faith communities, supporting their work of emergency rent and utility payments, food bank, and as their Resource Center for those at-risk of unemployment or underemployment.
New Spirit has a Community Garden with 36 beds, growing vegetables in all three growing seasons in the Sonoran Desert. They also feed 250 elementary school students every weekend of the school year through "Blessings in a Backpack."
New Spirit has embraced a group of homeless people who camp on the east-side. "They join us for worship on Sundays, eat supper with us on our Wednesday evening suppers," notes Pastor Alan Field. "Once a month, we hold "Homeless Blessings," hosting resource people from Tucson city government to arrange long-term housing, and public relations officers with Tucson PD. We offer hygiene products, haircuts, a hot meal, non-perishable food, seasonal clothing, batteries, tarps, blankets, and more."
Worship at New Spirit is spirited and uplifting. Arise to Praise is a thematic 9 a.m.contemporary service, written new each week by Pastor Field. The Praise Team has developed over the years to become a great team. Traditional service at 11 a.m.is rightly celebrated each Sunday.
"For a congregation of fewer than 150 worshipers on Sundays, the power of their "new spirit" is amazing!" says Pastor Field.