SERMON SERIES FROM JONAH!
In the third chapter of Jonah, we see the prophet’s change of heart as he obediently proclaims God’s message of impending judgment on the wicked Ninevites. What a reminder that we serve a God of second chances who pursues us with patient and persistent love. Our disobedience doesn’t change God; on the contrary, His relentless love changes us!
IMPORTANT DATES
- Sunday, September 5 – Communion Sunday! Celebrate September birthdays!
- Tuesday, September 7 – Leadership Team Meeting!
- Sunday, September 12 – Grandparents Day!
- Sunday, September 26 – Youth Sunday!
MASK-WEARING REMINDER
Don’t forget your masks on Sunday! For the health and safety of all, particularly those in our church family with fragile or compromised immune systems, we at Midway are following the mask-wearing mandate from the governor. Thank you all for your patience and consideration for one another!
BABY BOTTLE CAMPAIGN!
Start saving your spare change! During the month of October, we will hold a Baby Bottle Campaign to help raise funds for the local Care Net Center as they continue to meet the needs of young, pregnant mothers-to-be. Baby bottles will be distributed at church starting the first Sunday in October, and the goal is to hand them out to families, friends, and loved ones to see how many we can fill by the end of October!
ON THE LIGHTER SIDE…
Two retired baseball players, Abe and Jerry, were sitting on a park bench one morning. Abe turned to Jerry and asked, “Do you think there’ll be baseball in heaven?” Jerry didn’t have any idea. They made a pact that whoever passed first would come back down to let the other one know. Several months later, Abe passed. True to their pact, he made a visit to Jerry shortly thereafter. “I have good news and bad news, Jerry.” Jerry wanted the good news first. “Well, there is baseball in heaven!” “That’s great!” Jerry replied. “What’s the bad news?” Abe sighed and whispered, “You’re pitching next Thursday.”
DIGGING DEEPER
Fill in the blanks using the words in the box below.
Last Sunday, Pastor Shaun preached on Jonah chapter 2. As Pastor Shaun reminded us, It is harvest time! He said the book of Jonah is a book about ________. It reinforces to us that the greater the storm, the greater the harvest. It also gives us a picture of just how much our Almighty God loves us. As Jonah’s ________ at sea attests, God goes to extraordinary means to pull us up from the despair that our sin sinks us into. The most important focus of this chapter is Jonah’s change of heart. From the depths of the sea, Jonah realized he was (1) nearly dead, (2) completely without hope, and (3) destined for eternal separation from God. And what did he do? Jonah cried out to God! That is the _______ posture for the repentant sinner! No matter the extent of the storm someone is facing, God hears the cries of a repentant heart. All over the world, there are people in the midst of storms of _________. Pastor Shaun said the key is to persevere in prayer. When we _____ to Him in the midst of our storm, He hears and begins to act on our behalf. That’s why we can surrender our storms to Him and give Him the praise and the glory for the outcome that we don’t yet see. Verse 8 warns us: “Those who cling to worthless idols turn away from (or _______ ) God’s love for them.” An idol can be anything that is inconsequential, anything with no eternal significance. The danger of holding on to idols is those are the things the devil puts in our paths to draw us away from serving the Lord wholeheartedly. We need to be aware of the idols we are susceptible to so that we can ______ them and yield ourselves completely to God, who is all we need. It is harvest time! May the Lord embolden us to be liberators and reconcilers of those stuck in sin and hopelessness. May we, like Marilyn Gettis, be available and ready to _____ the good news of Jesus Christ with our lost neighbors.
| resist turn perfect forfeit salvation calamity suffering share |
WOMEN’S RETREAT AT CASCADES CAMP
The 2021 women’s retreat will be held September 17-19 at Cascades Camp in Yelm. If you are planning to attend, please note the following precautions due to the recent increase in COVID-19 cases and the Delta variant spread:
(1) There will be a health check-in at registration, including showing a record of vaccination.
(2) The Women’s Retreat Camp Staff recommend unvaccinated individuals protect themselves and reduce the risk to others by not attending this year’s retreat.
(3) Masks will be worn during indoor gatherings.
(4) If you have already registered and decide not to attend, Cascades Camp will refund your registration fees.
PRAISES/PRAYER REQUESTS
1. Pray for loved ones and community members who are sick with Covid.
2. Continue to pray for strength, health, and reprieve for our healthcare workers as they care for all the wounded and sick patients who enter their clinics and hospitals.
3. Continue to pray for our nations and leaders, for the situation in Afghanistan, and for those impacted by Hurricane Ida.
SERMON SCHEDULE
September 5: Rev. Shaun Higgins, Jonah 3:1-10
September 12: Rev. Shaun Higgins, Jonah 4:1-11
September 19: Rev. Shaun Higgins, 2 Peter 1:1-21
September 26: Rev. Shaun Higgins, 2 Peter 2:1-22
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.
- 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