Newsletter – September 2026
In God’s Name
You Shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. (Exodus 20:7 NIV)
As we have been reading through the Bible, we find ourselves learning from the book of Ezekiel. What a book! It’s full of fantastic visions and apocalyptic language. This type of writing should be read through the lens that was intended by the people who were offering up such amazing descriptions. They were offering hope to people who were caught in the middle of an epic struggle for power and dominance. God, through the prophet was telling the people crying out under the stiff hand of oppression, “It’s going to be okay, I’ve got you.” The promised disaster was on the horizon and would catch those who were opposed to God not those who were receiving the blunt end of the stick of the oppressor. As I was reading in chapter 13 some of the people bound for trouble were those who were using God’s name but not speaking with God’s voice. They were offering a message that they selfishly wanted to offer without consulting with God at all about what he wanted to say.
My heart has been saddened in recent days listening to the stories of the trouble that people have caused when they speak for Jesus but don’t live for him very well. Pastors nearby and far appear to be living for themselves while they use his name as a tool to amass followers to themselves. In each of these situations people fall away from faith in Jesus because they have confused Jesus with some of these unfaithful people who are using his name but have forgotten they represent him.
Beware! Those of us who live with Jesus’ name affixed to our lives that we can do incredible damage to his kingdom if we live selfishly while we proclaim to follow him. None of these people set out to damage other people but selfish desires snuck in, and before long, wrong motives won out.
God’s name is precious. Representing him is a high honor and a grand responsibility. Guard his name with your life and live in such a way that when people see you they actually see the beauty of the Savior you represent.
Prayer for today:
Father, you have entrusted me with your name. Walk with me and counsel me as I determine to live up to the name that you have offered me. You are holy; help me to live a life that is set apart. You are faithful; enable me to walk with fierce trust. You are love; enable me to see people with the same eyes you view me. Amen.
I love you,
Pastor Wes
SFNAZ ANNOUNCEMENTS/EVENTS
SENIOR LUNCHEON
Wednesday, September 9th | 12pm
Join us at Old European. Call Roberta to RSVP 509-325-0711.
SERVICE TIME CHANGE
Sunday, September 13th
Learning & Growth Classes | 9:00-9:45am
You’ll still have time to grab a coffee or a treat before worship!
Morning Worship Service | 10:00am
We’re excited about this new schedule and look forward to growing, connecting, and worshipping together each Sunday. We can’t wait to see what this Fall season brings for our SFNaz family!
BACKPACK BLESSINGS
Sunday, September 13th | 10am
Students, bring your backpacks! There will be a special time of prayer for all those starting a new school year.
SPORTING CLAY SHOOT
Saturday, September 19th – 8:30am
Open to men, women, & teens. Cost: $35. Register on Church Center or at the Information Counter.
ALABASTER SUNDAY
Sunday, September 20th | 10am
Bring your loose change for the wheelbarrows on September 20th. Alabaster Offerings build buildings for the Church of the Nazarene all around the world. Dollar bills and checks work too. A special Alabaster Box for your gift can be found at the Missions Kiosk.
ALL COMMUNITY HYMN SING
Sunday, September 20th | 6pm
Come sing some of your favorite hymns. We would love to have you worship with us!
ADULT BIBLE STUDY | Sundays | 9:00 – 9:45am
REFUGE MEN’S GROUP | Tuesdays | 6:15 – 8:00pm
ADULT BIBLE STUDY | Wednesdays | 6:30pm
Weekly Schedule:
SUNDAYS
- 9:30am
- Nursery for children 3 and under
- Learning and Growth – Nursery – 6th grade
- 10:00am
- Nursery for children under 2
- Children’s Church for 2’s and 3’s
- 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
- 6:30pm
- Nursery | 3 and under
- Pre-school/Kindergarten Brite Nite
- 1st – 6th grade with Pastor Jordan | Small group lessons, games, and music
Needs in Children’s Department:
- Kids’ check in desk help needed 1-2 times a month on Sundays from 8:45 –9:55.
- Nursery help- hold babies, read to toddlers during 10:00 am service.
- Contact Pastor Jordan for more info or signup on Church Center.
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Sept 2nd Back to School Night – Fun for the entire church starts at 5:30 (see attached flyer below)
- Sept 16th – Mom’s Meet-up at Little Garden Café at 9:30am. There is a place for the kids to play too! 99218 N Waikiki. See you there!
- Oct 7th – We will start practicing for the Christmas musical.
SAVE THE DATE!
- Oct 31st Trunk or Treat – 4pm – 7pm, we need lots of volunteers for this awesome event!
We look forward to having you join us. If you have any questions, please email me jordanr@sfnaz.org
SFNAZ YOUTH MINISTRIES
YOUTH MINISTRY NEEDS:
- “Waldos” – Youth group is having a Where’s Waldo? event on Saturday, Sept.19th. We still need 3 adults who will dress in disguise and wander around Northtown Mall for teens to find. This can be as high or low effort as you’d like. If you are interested in being a Waldo talk to Pastor Justine or sign up on Church Center.
- Area rugs – Last summer the youth area was given a much-needed refresh with new chairs, a good coat of paint, lots of cleaning and more. One thing we could not do is replace the 30+ year old carpet. To help the floor match the new cozy vibe of the rest of the space, youth group is looking for gently used area rugs that can be placed over the existing carpet. If you have an area rug that you are no longer in love with, the youth group would love to have it! Talk to Pastor Justine if you have a rug you would like to get rid of (bonus points if it has green/cream/orange in the color scheme).
WEEKLY SCHEDULE:
Sunday –
- 9:00 am – Sunday School 7-12th grade in youth room
- 10:00 am – Worship Service in sanctuary
Wednesday –
- 6:30 pm – Youth Group 7-12th grade in gym
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Sunday School Start – Sunday, 9/13 – Our first Sunday School after the summer! Remember we are starting at 9:00 now, we will have coffee and Lotus drinks though!
- Info Meeting – Sunday, 9/13 – Stay after service for a short meeting to hear about all the fun stuff planned for this fall and learn about some big ideas Justine has for the youth group!
- Where’s Waldo? – Saturday, 9/19 – This was such a blast in the spring that we are bringing it back for another round! We will meet at Northtown Mall at 10am to search for “Waldos” from our church. Sign up on Church Center.
- Super 7 Silverwood – Saturday, 9/26 – This is an awesome day when we get to join friends from all around the district at Silverwood theme park and spend the whole day riding rides and having fun! Cost is $70 per person. Sign up on Church Center.
NOT YET BUT COMING SOON
- The Call Conference – Thursday-Sunday, 10/1-4 – This is a great opportunity for senior high students (10-12th grade) to explore a possible call to ministry. Talk to Justine for more information.
- Merch Design Contest – We need some youth group merch! We will be having a design contest this fall where you will be able to create a design and the youth group will vote on their favorites! Details coming soon.
Questions, comments, concerns? Email justinew@sfnaz.org
YOUNG ADULT HANGOUT | Tuesdays | 6pm
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.
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.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY | Thursdays 6pm – 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.
Alabaster Offering
The Nazarene Alabaster Offering is a special offering of the Church of the Nazarene that helps fund property and building projects around the world. These projects provide places for worship, ministry, education, and community outreach.
Since 1949, Alabaster has helped churches and ministries establish permanent places to serve their communities. Funds are used for projects such as church buildings, parsonages, Bible colleges, missionary housing, and other ministry-related facilities. Alabaster can also help provide buildings or meeting spaces following natural disasters.
How We Give
The traditional way to participate in Alabaster is through the Alabaster Box—setting aside money that might otherwise be spent on non-essential items and giving it to missions.
At Spokane First Church of the Nazarene, we participate in Alabaster through our Wheelbarrow Offering. While Alabaster offerings are traditionally emphasized in September and February, gifts can be made throughout the year.
The Impact of Alabaster
Your Alabaster gifts help:
- Establish new places of worship and community gathering.
- Provide housing for missionaries serving around the world.
- Fund buildings and facilities on Bible college and educational campuses.
- Provide meeting spaces and other facilities where new churches and ministries are beginning.
- Support rebuilding efforts following natural disasters.
Every gift helps create a place where people can hear the Gospel, grow in their faith, and experience the love of Christ.
Missionaries We Support in Prayer
Please continue to pray for the missionaries and ministries we support:
- Tim & Michelle Eby — South Africa
- Yoan & Astrid Camacaro — Italy
- Bruce & Cinda McKellips — Portugal
- Monica Boseff & The Open-Door Foundation — Romania
Stay Connected
Stay informed about the work of Nazarene missionaries around the world by subscribing to Nazarene Missions News at news@nazarene.org.
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
— 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NKJV)
THANK YOU FOR YOUR FAITHFUL PRAYERS, GENEROUS SUPPORT, AND HEART FOR MISSIONS!
Your NMI Team
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 $ 176,310 $ 182,354 -$ 6,043
- Missions $ 10,493 $ 7,137 +$ 3,355
(Giving March 1st, 2026, through May 31st, 2026)
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 & Events
- September 2 NW Connect & Directors Preston and Michelle Benson
- September 6 Okanogan Valley and Orofino
- September 9 District Youth Pastor Training Retreat
- September 13 Pastors’ Kids’ Retreat
- September 16 DS Dave, Shane Endicott and the NDI District Presidents’
Gathering in Kansas City
- September 20 Pastors’ & Spouses’ Retreat
- September 27 The Preaching Collaborative Immersive Summit and DS Dave
& NWD Pastors attending
- September 30 Pendleton and Pomeroy
Mission Prayer Requests
- September 6 Ghana & Grenada
- September 13 Guadeloupe & Guam
- September 20 Guatemala & Argentina
- September 27 Australia & Azores
PRAYER REQUESTS
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