COVID-19 Weekly Update #8
First Free Family,
Psalm 103 is a study in the forgiveness, patience, and boundless love of God. What a great reminder for us today. As you prepare for our time together this week in Psalm 103, read it and reflect on all God’s benefits (vs. 2). Get out a pen and paper and make an actual list! Let the psalm prompt you to recount his many works in your life. Then join us Sunday morning over on our livestream page at 10:45 to access the video.
As we mentioned last week, we have put together a team to plan for what we need to do to be able to begin safely meeting again in person. Please be praying for wisdom for that team and other churches across our city as we all navigate what’s next. In the meantime, may we all be faithful to proclaim the good news of our compassionate God.
We also hope you’ve taken the time to look at all the resources available on our COVID-19 Resource Page. We have weekly videos for kids, a Spotify playlist, learning opportunities, a place to let us know about needs, resources for prayer, and more. Our Children’s Ministries Director, Judy Hollander, also puts together a page each week to give parents ideas for talking with their elementary age kids about the sermon, but you don’t have to be a parent to use it!
Financial Update
We ended April with $2,875 in contributions over our giving goal of $213,048 for the month! Thank you so much for your continued generosity–we praise God for the evidence we see of his work in your lives. You play such an important role in our mission both here in Wichita and through our partners around the world.
May Giving Goal: $262,256
General Fund Giving Last Week: $39,245
Missions Partner Highlight
Each week, we’ll be highlighting one of our missions partners in our weekly emails so you can learn more about their ministries and be praying for the gospel to go wide through their work. If you would like to send one of our missions partners a note, please email Pastor Lucas and he’ll connect you.
Jim and Darlene serve with Nav20s in Chicago and are committed to discipling young people as they transition from the familiarity of college to demanding careers in a new, dynamic, congested city. Jim and Darlene’s twenty-one years ministering and assimilating to cosmopolitan Russian culture prepared them to walk with these twenty-somethings from across the Midwest who find themselves in Chicago. God is already at work in hospitals, businesses, academic institutions, and services where these young leaders work! The aim of Nav20s is to help them join his kingdom work. Jim and Darlene share the following requests:
- Pray for the young leaders Jim and Darlene disciple: Rachel, Markie, and Cory in healthcare and Michael and Kate in business. Ask God to open their eyes to see his faithfulness in their workplaces and spheres of influence and give them courage to follow him.
- Ask the Lord to prepare a new leader to engage the western part of the city. Pray for the leadership as a whole to reflect the unique gifts, abilities, and cultural diversity of our Creator.
- Join Jim and Darlene as they ask the Lord to provide for all of their needs including financial support, his energy as they guide and care for young leaders, and his grace to sustain their souls.
- Pray for their son Caleb as he navigates the chaos of completing his senior year of college online and the uncertainty of having a ceremony. Since Caleb grew up in Russia, his college graduation is the first major life event he has the chance to celebrate with extended family.
Bless the LORD,
Pastors Josh and Ron
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