September 9, 2019

Family,

Homecoming Sunday awaits. Over the years, with the earlier start to the school year and a summer church schedule that is very full of programs and ministries, Homecoming has lost a little bit of its significance but it remains a traditional celebration of the arrival of fall, a promise of good things to come and a reminder that our church in many ways is a home. I look forward to seeing you.

In worship our central Scripture will be Luke 15:1-10, the parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin. My sermon will be “On Being That Coin in the Corner.”

Of this parable Pastor Melissa Early writes – When we’re lost we want to know that someone is looking. In Jesus’ parables of the lost sheep and the lost coin, the shepherd and woman search until they find what was lost. They don’t search until it grows too dark, too dangerous to continue, or too hard to see. They don’t search until, they are bone tired and bleary eyed, they figure the sheep has fallen off a cliff or the coin was pinched by a visiting neighbor. They search until the sheep is safely back with the flock and the coin is pressed in the hand of the woman. The story presumes that what was lost can be found.

Let me be plain. There are times when we are the wandering sheep, the lost coin in the dusty corner. We can be found.

Prayers of the Congregation

Thanksgiving that Dr. Samson, the leader of the Kachin Baptist Convention, is no longer being charged with slandering the government of Myanmar for calling for an end of the persecution of his people; Prayers continue for the Kachin Baptists for they face many hardships; The people of the Bahamas; Gloria and Phil Meads; Alean Saunders-Coffey for her family; Thanksgiving with Peggy Rogers-Tamayo the Nakia is doing well; Katrina Lau; James and Jewelle Gibbs; The returning citizens of our community and those that minister to them; Mary Karne for Maryla; Zondra and Marty Martin; Carolyn Matthews for her family; Jesus Portillo for his friend Doug; The children, parents and staff of our Lakeshore Children’s Center; All who are fatigued as the week begins; Aaron Voorhees; Paige Bence for John and Cordia, Thanksgiving with the Chin family on Tuck’s 97th birthday; Thanksgiving with the Japanese Baptist Church of Seattle on its 120th Anniversary  (Sandra Lee will represent us at the celebration); For families and relationships under duress; Al Johnson and Roy Browner

Announcements

Your Help is Requested

At the Church Work Day this Saturday morning, September 14, 9:00-12:00. There will be donut holes.

Thank You

For your gifts ($685 received  on September 8) to the work of recovering, restoring and rebuilding  in the Bahamas. At the end of the month we will send all gifts directly to the devastated islands through  One Great Hour of Sharing.