IMPORTANT DATES
- Sunday, June 19 – Father’s Day! Juneteenth Day!
- Sunday, June 26 – Joint Service with Spirit & Truth Church!
- Sunday, July 17 – Midway’s Semi-annual Meeting!
TO ALL OF YOU DADS…
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge. –Proverbs 14:26
Thank you, Dads, for all the:
fishing trips … driving lessons … advice … hugs … accountability … patience … prayers …
words of encouragement … never giving up on us … helping us learn from our
mistakes … teaching us to depend on God … and loving us through it all!
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE…
Dad Jokes…
–What did Baby Corn say to Mama Corn? Where’s Papa Corn?
–I thought the dryer was shrinking my clothes. Turns out it was the refrigerator all along.
–Mountains aren’t just funny. They’re hill areas.
–Did you hear about the guy who invented the “knock-knock” joke? He won the “no-bell” prize.
JUNETEENTH – A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
By Jelani Greenidge, missional storyteller
for the Evangelical Covenant Church
A blend of the words “June” and “nineteenth,” Juneteenth is a federal holiday that commemorates the anniversary of June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, with an order to free all formerly enslaved people. Interestingly, President Lincoln had signed the Emancipation Proclamation two years earlier, but it took that long for the southern rebellion in Confederate states like Texas to collapse.
Juneteenth represents an actual declaration of freedom. Many celebrations throughout the United States involve parades to recall the memory of General Granger’s soldiers marching through Galveston to inform the populace that all slaves had been freed. For the African-American slaves in Galveston, Texas, Juneteenth was particularly significant—they were finally able to embrace the freedom to which they were already legally entitled but had not yet had the opportunity to experience! At long last, because of the authority of the U.S. government, they were no longer slaves, but now citizens.
Just as the Apostle Paul’s mission extended the gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles as well as the Jews, we as African-Americans and believers in Jesus offer up our cultural celebration of Juneteenth as a narrative of freedom for everyone to experience. For Christians of all ethnic and cultural backgrounds, Juneteenth represents an opportunity to follow the Apostle Paul’s instruction to rejoice with those who rejoice. After all, Juneteenth is, first and foremost, a celebration!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM JUNE 14 LEADERSHIP TEAM MEETING
1. While we are still doing well financially, we recognize that this will change as we adjust to less rent income.
2. The photocopier lease contract is now void and we own the photocopier.
3. We will be asking for a bylaw amendment that all lease agreements be approved by the Leadership Team.
4. We will be asking for a bylaw amendment to address groups who pursue rental agreements with MCCC.
5. We spent time discussing optimal pathways for housing Pastor Shaun on the church property and will be bringing those to the Semi-Annual Meeting for a broader discussion.
6. We will be offering a maintenance friend a role as our maintenance person for 5 hours/week beginning in August.
7. We agreed to explore options for improving custodial care in preparation for Sunday services.
8. The LT will have its first Leadership Team one-day Retreat in August.
9. We discussed ongoing maintenance of the northeast corner of our property.
10. We authorized Pastor Shaun to purchase a riding lawnmower to facilitate maintaining our property.
11. We hired a new landscaper who will begin this week.
Respectfully submitted,
Ruth Hill, Chair
NEEDS IN THE CHURCH FAMILY AND COMMUNITY
Feeding the hungry: Volunteers are welcome as we prepare and serve up meals for our community!
Outdoor Volunteers: We have several projects in the works here at Midway.J If you’re available to help Dennis out, come by during the week. You’ll get the added blessing of his company!
Rides to church: If you are interested in providing transportation, even once a month, for one or more of our homebound, please let Lori-Lee know. Harold, Skip, Millie, Jeffrey and Peggy are among those who would be grateful!
COVID PROTOCOLS
We rejoice that we can now worship and sing without masks! For those who want to continue wearing masks for added protection, we encourage you to do so. As our communities recover from the impact of the pandemic, may the Body of Christ at Midway be known for our love for one another!
DONATIONS FOR THE PEOPLE OF UKRAINE
If you would like a way to securely and effectively help the people of Ukraine, Covenant World Relief provides a way to give. Donors can be sure their money is going to bring relief and resources to the people. Here is a link to their giving website: https://giving.covchurch.org/priorities-detail/ukraine-response
PRAISES/PRAYER REQUESTS
1. Praise for all the Dads in our lives!
2. Praise for the joint service with Spirit & Truth Church next Sunday the 26th!
3. Continue to pray for the light and love of Jesus to shine to our Midway neighbors as we feed the hungry from our parking lot on Tuesdays.
4. Please continue to pray for our Midway family and friends who are facing ongoing health issues.
5. Keep praying for the situation in Ukraine.
6. Pray for strength, health, and protection for the first responders & front-line workers in our communities.
7. Keep praying for our nations and leaders around the world.
SERMON SCHEDULE
June 19: Rev. Shaun Higgins, Romans 8:1-14
June 26: Rev. Shaun Higgins, Joint Service
July 3: Rev. Shaun Higgins, Romans 8:18-37
______________________________________________________________________________________
CHURCH & OFFICE INFORMATION
- The Church Office is open Tuesday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Office phone number: 206-878-4861 // Office email: office@midwaycovenant.org
- Sunday Morning Worship Service: 10:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary (or online at live.midcov.org)
- Children’s Sunday School: 10:30 a.m. in upstairs classrooms
- Feeding the Hungry: Tuesdays from 2-4 p.m. in parking lot
- Men’s Bible Study Breakfast Group: Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. at Tuscany’s in Des Moines