CELEBRATING OUR YOUTH!
What a blessing our young people are. We know that God has a purpose for each one! Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Let’s celebrate and honor our wonderful children and youth on Sunday, June 27.
SERMON SERIES FROM MALACHI
In the third of our four-part sermon series, we see that God cares about every part of his people’s lives! Like fire that refines precious metals, God works in our hearts to cleanse and refine us from the tarnish of our sin. He desires to redeem and purify our thoughts, intentions, actions and motives to reflect his heart and glory! Oh the depths of God’s love for his people—He sent Jesus as his messenger to reveal his great salvation!
HEAT SURVIVAL SUGGESTIONS!
- Keep windows covered with blinds, curtains, or shutters
- Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water
- Limit drinks that dehydrate your body (coffee, tea, soda, alcohol)
- Drape a cool, wet towel over your head or neck
- Soak your feet in cool water
- Take a cool bath
- Try to avoid using the oven
- Consider a portable air conditioner (once shelves are restocked)
- Visit a cooling center in your community
DIGGING DEEPER
Fill in the blanks using the words in the box below.
Last Sunday, Pastor Shaun preached on Malachi chapter 2. The Israelites had just returned from exile and were beginning to worship God again, but ____ wholeheartedly. They were bringing unworthy sacrifices and offerings. And the priests in the temple were complicit. Not only were they allowing this, but also they were leaving God’s paths and causing many to stumble into sin. God reminded them of the covenant He had made with them, a covenant He would ______ because He is a God of his Word. He urged them to respond in kind and follow through on their requirements: to have great reverence for God and to stand in awe of His name. He urged them to turn from their idolatrous ways and return to wholehearted obedience so they would be in a ________ to receive His blessings of life and peace. Not only did they refuse to listen, but their rebellion grew greater. The men were breaking their marriage covenants by divorcing their wives and taking other wives who worshipped idols. It didn’t stop there. They further defiled the Lord’s name by bringing offerings to him after committing these sins and then crying out against God for not _________ their offerings! Malachi spells out God’s rebuke: “To divorce your wife is to overwhelm her with cruelty. May the Lord cut off from the nation of Israel every last man who has done this and yet brings an offering to the Lord!” When we’re not resolved to honor the Lord, and when we repeatedly ignore his commands to repent and return, he responds in kind. On the other hand, when we respond to his call to walk in wholehearted obedience, it honors his name and _______ Him! What can we do to honor Him? Obey His Word! He instructs us to go into all the world to bring to it the hope-filled message of salvation! Pastor Shaun said this commission—to go into all the world and take the gospel to everyone—needs to take first place in all of our ministries. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “You are a chosen people, a holy priesthood, called out of _________ and into the light of the Lord.” All of us are God’s priesthood, and as such are called to be mediators, sharing God’s message of salvation with the world around us. What we share has power because it’s the _______ Word of God! It transcends time! It transcends culture! We don’t need to bend it, twist it, water it down, or reinterpret it. When we proclaim it, just as it is, it is empowered by the Holy Spirit to convict and transform lives!
| living accepting honor darkness not pleases position |
HELPING HANDS BULLETIN BOARD!
Be sure to check out the “Helping Hands” bulletin board in the Narthex. On it, you will find several opportunities to serve one another in love. Thank you for your willingness to use your gifts to build up the Body of Christ! “As each part of the Body does its work, the whole Body grows stronger in love.” –Ephesians 4:16
WOMEN’S RETREAT AT CASCADES CAMP!
The 2021 women’s retreat will be held September 17-19 at Cascades Camp in Yelm. If you would like to participate in this healing and rejuvenating gathering with other women from all over the Pacific Northwest, the staff at Cascades Camp would love to have you there! [Click Here] to find out more and to register.
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE…
A woman had just returned home from an evening church service when she realized there was an intruder inside her house. Seeing that he was in the act of robbing her home of its valuables, the lady yelled “Stop! Acts 2:38!”Hearing her, the burglar stopped dead in his tracks and stood motionless. The woman calmly called the police and explained what was going on. As the officer cuffed the man to take him in, he asked the burglar, “Why did you just stand there? All the lady did was yell a Bible verse at you.” “Bible verse?” said the burglar, “She said she had an ax and two 38’s!”
PRAISES/PRAYER REQUESTS
1. Praise for all the children and youth in our lives!
2. Pray for safety and health for everyone during this intense heat spell.
3. Continue to pray for safety and wisdom for the first responders in our community.
4. Continue to pray for our nation’s leaders.
SERMON SCHEDULE
June 27: Rev. Shaun Higgins, Malachi 2:17-3:1-15
July 4: Rev. Shaun Higgins, Malachi 3:16-4:6
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 upstairs at 10:30 a.m.
- Women’s Discipleship Lunch Group: Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall
- Men’s Bible Study Breakfast Group: Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. at Tuscany’s in Des Moines