Discovering the Gift
Exodus 16:29,30 (NLT)
They must realize that the Sabbath is the Lord’s Gift to you. That is why he gives you a two-day supply on the sixth day, so there will be enough for two days. On the Sabbath day you must each stay in your place. Do not go out to pick up food on the seventh day. So the people did not gather any food on the seventh day.
Why is it we so often view God’s gifts as restrictions? The commandments are often viewed as a list of don’ts instead of the gift of righteousness and peace. These verses illustrate the intention of God. For decades Israel had been living under forced labor with death being their only respite. Even the request to venture into the wilderness to worship the God of Israel was met with anger and added work. There was no rest. God was offering a different path.
God was giving these burden-bearing people a break. “Take a day off,” he instructs. God made a seven-day week so he could give us a rest, and we could give him worship. This beautiful attitude of God is often discarded, and we assume that God desires to make our lives more difficult.
This is just one of the commandments. As I spend more time learning from Scripture, I discover that every one of the Commandments is meant to make my life better.
Prayer for today:
Father, today I lay aside the notion that you are out to hurt me or make my life more difficult, and I determine to find the gift and the joy in your decree. You are a Father who takes good care of your children. As your child, I thank you. Amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Wes
Newsletter – February 2026
SFNAZ UPCOMING EVENTS
ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES
February 18th – 7a & 6:30p
Join us as we take time for reflection and repentance. Imposition of ashes will be offered at both services.
A CONSUMING FIRE (LENT DEVOTIONAL)
A Consuming Fire will accompany our series for the Lenten season. Pre-order your copy on Church Center or in the Holy Grounds. Cost: $9
2025 GIVING REPORTS
The 2025 Giving Reports for tax reporting purposes have been sent to the giver’s email address on file. If you would like us to provide you with a printed copy of your 2025 Giving Report, please contact the church office.
LADIES PRAYER & TEA
Tuesday, February 17th – 6p
This is a special time for us to come together and pray for our families and one another. We’ll gather in Holy Grounds, share prayer, and enjoy tea and cookies, a sweet time to connect, encourage each other, and seek the Lord together.
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS A NAZARENE?
Sunday, February 22nd – 12:30p
If you are interested in learning more about becoming a member of SFNAZ sign up on church center or at the information counter. Lunch will be provided.
SFNAZ CORNHOLE COMPETITION & CHILI COOK-OFF
Saturday, February 28 || Cornhole & Chili Night
3 PM – Cornhole Tournament (Sign up now on Church Center!)
5:30 PM – Chili Cook-Off – Bring your best chili and compete for prizes — including our famous Golden Spoon traveling trophy! We’ll have cornbread and salad to round out the meal. Make plans to stay, connect, and enjoy a fun night with your church family.
EXPERIENCE JESUS. REALLY.
Begins March 3rd – 10a
Janice Leaf and Jeanne Kalbfleisch will be leading a ladies Bible Study on Tuesday mornings at 10am starting March 3rd. The cost of the workbook is $15. Sign up on Church Center or at the Information Counter. Childcare provided.
HIRE A TEEN!
Help them earn their way to NYC 2026. Call the church office to get their help today! 509-467-8986.
YOU ARE INVITED to a bridal shower honoring Sadie Stevenson, Saturday, March 21st at 10am, Spokane First Naz. Dress Code is SOMETHING BLUE!
Registry: Amazon Wedding Registry Target Wedding Registry
MONTHLY EVENTS
SENIOR LUNCHEON | Wednesday, March 11th – 12p
Join us at Old European. Call Roberta to RSVP 509-325-0711.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT DINNERS | 5:30 – 6:20p
Join us in the Holy Grounds to enjoy a meal before midweek activities. Dinner will be prepared by NYC teens and their parents. The cost is $5 per person or $25 for families of 6 or more.
SFNAZ FUTSAL | Thursdays 7:30p
Inviting teens and anyone older that wants to come play indoor soccer (futsal) in the gym. For more information, contact Mark Snyder.
THE INTRODUCTION TO EVERYTHING
This class will resume March 18th
Weekly Schedule:
SUNDAYS
- 9:30a
- Nursery for children 3 and under
- Learning and Growth – Nursery – 6th grade
- 10:45a
- Nursery for children 3 and under
- Children’s Church for Pre-K and K
- Grades 1st-6th will join parents in church for worship, then be dismissed before the sermon for Children’s Church
WEDNESDAYS
- 6:30p
- Nursery | 3 and under
- Pre-K – 6th grade | Small group lessons, games, and music
Needs in Children’s Department:
- Kids’ check in desk help needed Sundays at 9:30 and 10:45 service, one time a month. (1 hour commitment per time)
- Small group leaders for Wednesday nights 1st-3rd grade
- Nursery Volunteers
SAVE THE DATE:
February 28th – Cornhole tournament for the entire family 3pm. Register your family on Church Center.
March 27th – All church movie night; concessions and movie on big screen
July 20th – 23rd – Kids Camp 3rd – 5th grade
July 23rd – 26th – Middle School camp 6th – 8th grade
*Parents, we will need counselors for both
We look forward to having you join us. If you have any questions, please email me jordanr@sfnaz.org
NEEDS IN YOUTH DEPARTMENT:
- EXTRA-LARGE picture frames. The youth group is looking for picture frames that measure up to 24 inches on one side and up to 48 inches on the other side to use for framed corkboards for displaying pictures. The teens will be happy to take the old frames collecting dust in your basement, new frames, or thrifted frames. Frames can be brought any Sunday or Wednesday or talk to Pastor Justine to set up a time to drop them off.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
Sunday – 9:30a
- Sunday School | Deeper, more intentional conversations.
Sunday – 10:45a
- Worship Service.
Wednesday – 6:30p
- Youth Group 7th-12th grade | Games, Snacks, and Fun!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Bake Sale – Sunday, 2/15 – Teens will be selling Valentines themed goodies before and after worship service. All proceeds will go to helping teens get to NYC26 and Summer Camp 2026.
- Meet Up Monday – Monday, 2/16 4:00pm – We will meet at Chick-fil-a (9304 N Newport Hwy) to hangout and Justine will buy everyone a treat.
- Ash Wednesday – Wednesday, 2/18 6:30pm – Come for a special service that will kick off the season of Lent.
- Progressive Dinner – Saturday, 2/21 5:00pm – Dress up fancy to move about town, enjoying one course at each location we stop. A mystery element will be revealed 2/19. Sign up on Church Center by Monday 2/16.
- NYC Payment – Monday, 2/23 – NYC payment of $275 is due.
- Cornhole Competition – Saturday, 2/28 3:00pm – Pretty self-explanatory. Meet in the gym to play cornhole.
- Chili Cookoff – Saturday, 2/28 5:30pm. Stay after cornhole or come just for chili. You can enter your own chili in the competition or come to eat everyone else’s and vote on the best!
NOT THIS MONTH BUT SOON:
- Breakthrough – March 13-15, details coming soon
- Dinner Auction Fundraiser – Saturday, 3/21
NYC UPDATES:
Please be praying for the 19 teens and adults that will be heading to Salt Lake City in June for Nazarene Youth Conference. Ask God to be at work preparing each of our hearts for what God has to say to each of us at this incredible event.
Questions, comments, concerns? Email justinew@sfnaz.org
YOUNG ADULT HANGOUT | Tuesdays – 6p
Calling all young adults (18-30) to come meet with Pastor Lake in the library for a weekly time to hang out and connect with other young adults.
ADULT BIBLE STUDY | Sundays – 9:30a
- A Study of Romans – Rev. Doug Jones
- Hope for Creation – Don & Lorraine Chambers
REFUGE MEN’S GROUP | Tuesdays 6:15p – 8:00p
ADULT BIBLE STUDY | Wednesdays – 6:30p
- The Book of Daniel – Ed Richardson
- Celebrate Recovery Step Study
- A step study is a smaller, gender-specific group, focused on a particular step of the Celebrate Recovery 12-Step program. Participants work through the Celebrate Recovery curriculum, meeting weekly. The group offers a place to openly share experiences, strengths, and hopes without fear of judgment, and to find a sponsor or accountability partner. This group will have open enrollment only through weeks 1-6.
Are you looking for a way to connect with SFNaz? Life groups are the perfect way to build community that matters. We would love to have you be part of our life group family. Check out Church Center or contact the office. We’ll do our best to find a group that will work for you. Would you like to lead a Life Group? Please let us know by contacting the office. We’ll host a training session as soon as possible.
New Life Group – Monday evenings with Jeff and Jana Shea | If you are interested, please contact the church office.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY | Thursdays 6p – led by Richard Flatt Are you curious about Celebrate Recovery? We’d love to have you there. Whether you are interested in how we address hurts, habits and hangups for you or someone you know, or want to help support the program. We hope to see you there. If you have any questions, please contact Richard Flatt 509-499-6118.
TITHES & OFFERING
Thank you so much for your faithful support of our church! Here are a few options available to continue with giving of tithes & offerings.
- Online giving is available. Visit https://sfnaz.org/giving
- You may mail your check directly to the church
Spokane First Church of the Nazarene
9004 N Country Homes Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99218
Faithfulness in Giving
Income Expense +/-
- General $ 603,648.84 $ 593,753.68 +$ 10,194.16
- Missions $ 45,066.74 $ 42,419.57 +$ 2,647.17
(Giving March through December 2025)
Thank you for giving generously to your church general fund. Your faithfulness in giving help to meet our budgeted expenses.
OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRAYER
Prayer Chain by Email
- Contact the church office to receive prayer requests by email (office@sfnaz.org).
Prayer for District Churches
- February 1 Maries and Troy
- February 8 Walla Walla Amazing Grace & The Wesley Conference at NNU
- February 15 Walla Walla Valley Cowboy & Wapato
- February 22 Wenatchee First & Wenatchee Rios de Agua Viva
Missions Prayer Request
- February 1 Panama & Papua New Guinea
- February 8 Paraguay & Peru
- February 15 Ciskei & Columbia
- February 22 Congo & Costa Rica
PRAYER REQUESTS
| · Baby Jax Hansen
· Bill Flatt · Diana Hanna · Dick & Vicki Sainsbury · Doug Wold · Haxton Family |
· Janice Wilks
· Jim Engle · Josh Coffey · Lyn Miller · Rose March · Sheryl Valoff |
February Missions Focus: Alabaster Offering
Each February, we turn our focus to the Alabaster Offering, a special emphasis
dedicated to raising funds for the purchase of land and the construction of buildings
around the world. These projects include churches, schools, medical facilities, and
missionary homes—places where lives are changed and hope is shared in Jesus’ name.
What is Alabaster?
The Alabaster Box
Historically, individuals have used “Alabaster boxes” to collect small change
throughout the year—representing loose change, funds, and even small
indulgences given up as an act of sacrifice and worship.
The Alabaster “March”
Our church typically holds a special Alabaster March in February and again in
September, when the boxes are brought forward and poured out.
Here at SFNAZ, we use wheelbarrows to symbolize construction and building
for God’s kingdom. After the offering, the boxes are kept and refilled in
preparation for the next Alabaster offering.
100% Impact
Every cent donated to the Alabaster Offering goes directly to building projects
on the mission field. None of it is used for administrative fees or overhead costs.
Thank you, SFNAZ, for your continued faithful support of Alabaster and missions
around the world.
“Unless the Lord builds the house,
They labor in vain who build it…”
Psalm 127:1 (NKJV)
Missions Prayer Focus
Please lift up the following missionaries and ministries in prayer:
Tim & Michelle Eby — South Africa
Yoan & Astrid Camacaro — Italy
Bruce & Cinda McKellips — Portugal
Monica Boseff & The Open Door Foundation — Romania
Michelle & Kailyn Wheatley — Undisclosed Location
Stay updated on Nazarene missions:
news@nazarene.org
Blessings,
NMI Missions Team