Jim McElroy and Darrel McLaughlin had a fast-paced trip to the Philippines. As the Executive Director of the Philippine Mission Churches of Christ (PMCC) Jim was thankful to have Darrel use his videographer abilities to record the mission’s outreach and Filipino partners. This will be used to update the Mission’s web page. They traveled from Metro-Manila with its 20+ million residents to smaller cities in the provinces as well as remote areas. Darrel recorded Jim’s interviews with church plant teams, the 3 PMCC academies, hospital and its outreach with a tribal group.  When asked about the trip, Darrel’s reply was: “I was blessed to experience the PMCC mission.”

Finding a safe, indoor (dry & warm) alternative to Trick-or-Treating can be difficult. That's why the NWChurch hosts "Candy Crush" every fall for parents to safely satisfy their kids-candy-cravings while also enjoying the best parts of the season. Please avoid ghoulish costumes and come to enjoy candy, balloons, treats, hot-chocolate, and more!

THE NW YOUTH MINISTRY will be helping host this great event...much like they do Kids Camp!

5:30 - 7:00 PM, Sunday Evening, October 29th (come one, come all!)

Hi NWC Youth!

The weekend approaches! This Sunday we are continuing in our series, "The Father Heart of God" in the morning and resuming our study on Ephesians in the evening. Remember that our evening services are now from 5:30-7:30pm. See you there!

We have some fun events coming up this month! First, we are going to be enjoying a progressive dinner on Friday, September 29th hosted by the Midkiff family, McMurray family, and McCormick family [3M]! We will start with an appetizer and go to the other houses for an entree and then dessert! All three houses are in the same neighborhood, so we will be walking from house to house. Drop off will be at 5:00pm at 3109 Russet Rd, Brier. Pickup after dessert should be around 8:00 pm at 22371 32nd Ave West, Brier. Keep in mind we might end up taking a little longer, so please keep in touch with your student when to come get them! Looking forward to see you all and enjoy a 3 course meal together!

We're starting a fun new tradition here at NWC Youth! I'm calling it, "Board Games and Bibles," and it will be the first Friday of every month at 6:30pm. We will be at Sue Calhoun's house, where she has a fantastic entertainment room for us with a huge theatre setup that will blow your mind! For these nights, we will enjoy snacks, a devotional time, and either a movie or playing board games with each other. Our first one will be two weeks from now on Friday, October 6. The address is 7107 193rd place SW Lynnwood WA 98036. Don't miss out!

Grace and Peace from our God be with you,

-Wesley

The Women's Ministry, Health Ministry, and Celebrate Recovery have all joined hands to offer Rejuvenate, A Women's Health Fair on September 30th. Below is more detailed information to help you decide the value of this event for you and your friends.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday, September 30th

• Schedule of Events for Rejuvenate
  • 9:00- 9:15 Welcome and introduction
  • 9:15-9:50 Keynote: Secrets of Healthy Living
    Julie Thomas, MD
  • 9:55- 10:30 Physical health focus sessions
    • Motivated Hearts; Nourishing Healthy Bodies  - Rm 108
      Becky Williamson
      Being healthy is more than just a number on a scale. It starts with whole-hearted motivation and making healthful food choices that help us live well. Come join me in a mindful and fun way to explore how to nourish our bodies to be at our best. 
    • Moving with Grace and Truth   Student Center (2nd floor)
      Laurie Hugdahl
      We will explore fun ways to improve flexibility, strength, and balance in our minds and bodies (no matter what shape they are in) with a grace-centered approach.
    • Caring for Uniquely You  Auditorium
      Julie Thomas, MD
      Each of us has individual health advantages and risks. Julie will help participants explore what they personally might need to do to look after the body God has given them.
  • 10:30-10:40 Break
  • 10:45-11:20 Keynote: Mental Health
    Ann McMurray
    An overview of anxiety, depression and trauma
  • 11:25-12:00 Mental Health focus sessions
    • Trauma + Mindfulness = Healing   Auditorium
      Kathleen Stewardson
    • Healthy Support Systems  Rm 108
      Lisa Koontz
      An antidote for loneliness
  • 12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
  • 1:05 - 1:40 Keynote: God is always up to something
    Donna Oiland
    But God; two of the most powerful words there are.
  • 1:45 - 2:20 Spiritual Health focus sessions
    • Your Story Matters   Auditorium
      Donna Oiland
      The power of remembering God’s faithfulness. 
    • Lifelines - what do you do when your world goes sideways?  Rm 108
      Donna Stroop
      James tells us to consider it pure joy when we encounter trials but how do we do that? Donna will discuss some practical ways she has found to process and work through those tough times in life along with group discussion and sharing.
    • Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude   Student Center (2nd floor)
      Leona Starks                                                          
      We will explore together how scripturally based gratitude is a powerful mindset in good times and bad. 
  • 2:25-3:00 Capstone  Auditorium
    MC Michelle Owens
    Q and A with all presenters
  • 3:00 Dismissal

Hey NWC Youth!

This Sunday marks our annual FALL KICKOFF! As the school year begins, this weekend marks the next chapter in our story as a youth group.

Sunday Evening we will launch our new Sunday evening program. There will be dinner and games provided, so come hungry and ready to have fun! For our morning service, come ready to eat and celebrate Jessie for her years of faithful service in our youth group.

For our big evening event, remember to come from 5:30-7:30pm (instead of our previous 6:00-8:00pm!) This will be our evening schedule from now on. This week launches our corresponding evening elective activities for parents and adults to attend during the youth service.

I'm excited for the next season that God has for us! May God's presence and joy be with you, see you on Sunday!

-Wesley Smith

Ladies’ Fall Bible Study ~

We are, by nature, skeptical of lavish or improbable claims. We adhere to the adage, “If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” So, what do we do with grace – God’s unmerited favor? We are told to believe it and desperately want to. We understand grace is for all but can doubt it applies to me.

Come join the fall Women’s Bible Class, using Keri Folmar’s study on the book of Ephesians – a book full of the concept of grace. This study includes daily challenges and insights, encouraging us to read carefully, understand clearly, and apply prayerfully God’s amazing grace.
For those unfamiliar with Keri, she has written several women’s bible studies. She now lives in Dubai, with her husband, John, who is senior pastor of the United Christian Church of Dubai. (For more information about Keri, you can go to her page on her publisher’s website (Cruciform Press) at https://www.cruciformpress.com/meet-keri-folmar-author-of-our-bible-studies-for-women/.

This study, entitled, “Grace: A Bible Study on Ephesians for Women” is a spiral-bound book, available through Amazon ($9.99) or Christianbook.com ($8.49).

Meeting ID:  814 1481 5516  |  Passcode:  keri

NWC YOUTH GROUP NEWS FOR SEPTEMBER 3RD

SEPTEMBER 3RD INFORMATION (PICNIC & HANGOUT)
This upcoming week (Sept 3rd), we will be joining the congregation in the morning for a special worship service instead of going upstairs. Come ready to praise our wonderful God for who He is and all He has done for us!

Also this week on the 3rd, we will be joining the church for a dessert picnic at Lynndale Park (18927 72nd Ave W, Lynnwood, WA 98036) at 5:30pm. After we have gotten to eat and enjoy the park for a while, we will walk right around the corner to the Heninger's house for snacks, movie, and hangouts! The address is 200th St. SW 64th Ave W Lynnwood for pickup.

This weekend will be a great time to be connected with our whole congregation and remember that we're not just our own group, but we're a vital part of our congregation as a whole! The rest of our church loves having us with them.

SEPTEMBER 10TH FALL KICK-OFF
The following week, on the 10th, we will be having our fall kickoff in the evening at 5:30 we will be meeting at the church. We will be having good food, games, and talk a bit about this next school season for us!

IMPORTANT TIME CHANGE: Starting on the 10th, youth group will be from 5:30-7:30pm instead of 6-8, to match up with evening events for adults. Parents, these opportunities are for you to enjoy while your kids are in youth group and build relationships with other parents. On the 10th, there will be courses to choose from including learning/practicing Spanish, studying rabbinical teaching with BEMA, and growing your financial wisdom and ability!

Have a wonderful rest of your week, I'm looking forward to see where God takes us in this next season!

See you on Sunday,
-Wesley Smith

"Women! Here’s an opportunity for a mid-Summer event full of connection and inspiration. Tuesday, August 8th we will meet in the auditorium at NWC from 7:00-8:30 for an evening of “Faith Stories: A Look Back and a Step Forward.” Ruth Cox and Leona Starks will share about experiences with God that helped to develop and refine their faith. Come and bring a friend to experience this boost of faith, connection and fellowship."

On Sunday, July 30 at 6:30 PM

The Community Life Center will be hosting a non-profit classical ensemble known as The Imbroglio Sextet  on Sunday, July 30 at 6:30 pm, and you are especially invited. We are welcoming the Puget Sound art community to join us for this concert in support of Haitian musicians. This is our chance to have an evening where we “class it up a bit.”   Sponsors have fully funded their concert, so there is no cost to attend. However, any donations will help teach, train, and provide for classical musicians in Haiti.

The Story
The Imbroglio Sextet consists of professional classical musicians who met while volunteering as teachers in Haiti in 2013. Despite differences of language and nationality, they realized they enjoyed each other’s company and making music together. They decided to form a group to play, record, and tour together.

The Instrumentation
The Imbroglio Sextet combines a string quartet with trumpet and clarinet to produce a sound reflective of its members’ classical training and multi-national origins.

The Members
The Imbroglio Sextet’s membership has always come from multiple countries: Spain, Haiti, the United States, Germany, Bolivia, and Mexico. They assemble at most once or twice a year in Europe, the U.S., or Haiti. 2023’s Northwest Tour lineup will include:

• Sydney Guillaume: Conductor/Composer (Haiti/United States)
• Salva Contreras: Clarinet (Spain)
• Victoria Joseph: Violin (Haiti)
• Katherine Baloff: Violin (United States)
• Javier Navascués: Cello (Spain)
• Lucia Nuín: Viola (Spain)
• Cara Pollard: Trumpet (United States)

Northwest students will be attending Black Diamond Christian camp. Come kick off the summer with teens from our church and the surrounding area. Great activities, food and accommodations.  Camp this year will cost $175 per camper. For those who want to go to camp but feel unable to pay these prices, don't worry! Email me at wesley@nwchurch.com. Finances will never be the reason you or your kid(s) can't go. Payments are sent to our church, who sends the total to the camp directly. Do not pay for online registration on black diamond's website unless you want to add optional spending money for your kid to use. A follow up email will be sent out soon instructing you on where to send your payment.

Blaze new trails. Conquer old fears. Experience adventure.

Registration is now Open
The cost for NW Students is $175.

Register and pay at the Northwest Link:

Then sign-up at the Black Diamond Camp link:

Instructions to sign up on Black Diamond Camp's Site:

• Follow link provided by church leader.
• Click Sign Up in top right corner. Create a username/password.
• Please select your church group from the list provided
• Add an attendee.
• Camp Store Deposit – This is optional. You can upload spending money to your account to be redeemed on-site. Guests will have access to the retail bar which includes candy, soda, espresso, drinks, T-shirts, water bottles, etc.
• Special Diets – Please mark any special diet requests for your stay.
• Waivers – If you are registering a minor, please fill out the minor waiver and health form. If you are an adult and registering yourself, please fill out the adult waiver and the health form.
• Proceed to Checkout. No money will be required to register online. Please coordinate all payments to your church group leader.
• If you have any issues registering, please contact JJ Lara at (208) 391-5726 or jj.lara@blackdiamond.org

A poem by Jillian Pippin

Keeper of Living Water, let me drink and thirst no more, 
My well is dry and You are the one whom I've been searching for. 

By Your mercy I turn to You, away from my old life of sin, 
Absolve me so that in You my new life can begin. 

I profess my faith, there's one God, the Father of all creation, 
Whose only Son suffered, died, and rose for our salvation. 

Cascade over me, bury the old and make me new, 
Immerse me and purify me, draw me close to You. 

Cast away my sin, let me be renewed by your grace, 
I abide in Your love and the shelter of Your embrace. 

Drench me and wash away every last transgression, 
I intend to live a life with a spirit of wise discretion. 

Release me and cleanse me of my guilt and shame, 
Forgive me, transform me, and call me by name. 

Great Redeemer grant me freedom from this captivity's grip, 
May I walk together in the waters of this discipleship. 

Pour upon me your Spirit let it fill my heart and soul, 
That I may feel your blessings and in reverence be made whole. 

As I rise from the saving ripples, I think of all You sacrificed, 
And the joy, love, and hope that comes in this new life with Jesus Christ. 

Hike will take place on May 20
Please Sign up by May 12 and upload or return your waiver. 

Let us run the race that is set before us"
Davitra Lawrence will be one of the speakers at the event
May 19 & 20  at Sauk River Christian Camp

Type your new text here.

A guided experience for identifying the You God desires you to be.

Come join women of the Sisters of SOUL for the reprise of our popular Personal Manifesto workshop.  It will be a time of refreshment and inspiration.  We’ll be providing direction and support for creating a “manifesto” – developing personal statements of who I am and aspire to be. 

Saturday morning
at the Community Life Center
May 6th, 9 am-Noon
Breakfast included
Register for Childcare below

Childcare will be provided for 3 mo -10 years of age.
Registration closes on Monday, 5/1.

The Northwest Health Ministry is excited to announce the upcoming Mental Health 101 Workshop, which promotes mental health awareness and provides practical tools to support mental wellness.

The workshop will cover various topics, including the importance of self-care, stress management techniques, and strategies for maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Participants will be able to engage in interactive discussions, learn from experienced mental health professionals, and develop personalized action plans for improving their mental well-being.

Whether you want to enhance your mental health or support someone else, this workshop is for you. It is open to all church members, regardless of background or level of experience.
The Mental Health 101 Workshop will take place on Saturday, June 3rd, from 9 am to 3 pm at the Community Life Center Room 108. Space is limited, so please register in advance to secure your spot. Note that lunch will be provided.

Please register using the link below.  We look forward to seeing you there and working together to promote mental wellness in our community.

APRIL 28 - 30, 2023  
NORTHWEST CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S CONFERENCE
@ Black Lake Bible Camp
1900 Black Lake Boulevard Southwest
Olympia, Washington   98512

Register at nwchristianwomen.org

Friends and Family,

               Greetings! Some of you may be wondering if we were affected by the Cyclone Freddy that made international news last week.  The cyclone hit a ways south of us, so had no direct impact on us.  I did speak with a brother who had been in contact with a church in Quelimane, the main city that was hit.  He reported that there was a lot of damage done to houses, especially with roofs being blown off, and the city was without electricity for a while.  It is about a 12 hour drive from here, so it isn’t somewhere that I frequent.  I don’t know yet if it is necessary for me to go there or not.

        In other news, the insurgency continues but has been limited to rural areas a good ways north of us.  Life has returned mostly to normal here and people continue in their normal routines.  There was an area north of us where insurgents were seen, resulting in several villages emptying out and fleeing to areas around here.  On Sunday I met one such family in a village nearby.  They had fled to stay with their daughter, who is a Christian.  This is the time right before harvest and many people face food shortages, so having extra family members present places a great burden on families.  I was able to bring them food to help them through this difficult time.  Many of those fleeing have left behind fields that were producing the food they were planning to eat this year.  It is doubtful whether they will harvest any food from those fields.  It risks being lost to thieves or baboons.  Likewise, others who have farms that they usually operate in remote rural areas have decided it isn’t worth the risk and have left those farms uncultivated this year.  This might have serious repercussions in the coming months if less food has been produced in the region than normal.

    The major project I have been involved in for the past month has been in translating Psalms.  We had a weekend seminar where we translated Psalm 91 and we had a two week seminar where we translated 8 other Psalms.  The work was really fruitful and we translated and developed songs for each of the Psalms.  I worked a good bit with Psalm 113 and we first developed a song and then used the song as a base for our translation.  While song writing naturally takes poetic license, it was amazing to see how closely the song resembled the final translation.  Little had to be changed and a lot of the rhythm and sound that was still present in the song was in the end.  Also we had a song that is usable in churches that is based on scripture.  This process was repeated for each of the Psalms that we translated.  This brings our current total to 28 Psalms that have been translated so far.

   In translation one inevitably runs into styles, words, and concepts that are difficult to translate.  Some words in a language require multiple words in another language to convey the idea.  This is especially the case in the Hebrew Psalms.  We found that often what is one word in Hebrew is translated into three or four in English.  So it is a challenge to try to maintain the brevity of each Psalm.  Psalm 113 is a good case in point. Most of the verses have between 5 and 7 words in Hebrew whereas English often is double that.  Compare the Psalm 113:3 in English and Hebrew:

   From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets
      The name of the Lord is to be praised.
   Mimizrach shemesh od mvo’o
      Mehulal shem adonai

So, we try to aim for brevity of language whenever possible though it is difficult when trying to rightly balance this with effectively conveying the meaning.  Likewise we sometimes run into difficulties with words, such as “generation”.  For some reason, this concept doesn’t exist in Makua and the word that people usually use means something more like “a group of clans” though it could refer to “generations” as well.  The predominant usage is for the group of clans though.  Getting to the root of a problem like this usually requires multiple conversations with people and explaining what the idea is that we are trying to convey.  We often take for granted that we have access to dictionaries that we can check to find out what a word means and to find examples of how it is used.  These challenges make our work interesting and often stimulate us to better understand the local language and culture as well as the biblical language and culture.

     I mentioned in my previous update that I was dealing with renewing resident documents for the girls.  Thankfully we have completed both Maggie and Jane’s documents which are good for five years.  This is great because it means that they can come and go freely in and out of the country and that I don’t have to worry about dealing with their documents every year.  This will save both time and money, so we are really grateful for that.

    On another note, some of you may have heard about this case, but in November three missionaries were arrested and under suspicion of providing aid to the insurgents.  They were detained while an investigation was made into their situation.  The “aid” mentioned was vitamins and other supplies for an orphanage down the road from us.  They were imprisoned for almost four months as an investigation was made, but thankfully they have been released.  They are awaiting a court appearance before they will be able to leave the country.  I personally know two of the missionaries and it was a bit of a shock to hear what they have gone through.  We have been praying for them and are thankful that God has answered our prayers.

Praise God for:

• A fruitful Psalms Seminar
• Jane’s 5 year residence document being granted
• Peace in the region
• Good progress with the kids’ school
• The missionaries who been released from prison

Please Pray for:

• The editing process of the recently translated Psalms
• Those affected by cyclone Freddy
• Peace in our province and for the insurgency to end
• The three missionaries to be cleared of all charges in court
• Edmondo, a young man I am studying the Bible with

Ladies’ Game Night
Let’s have some fun spanning the ages and cultures of our community, playing games together.  Join us as two of our teen women, Phoebe and Tana guide us through the evening.   We welcome our Ethiopian sisters here at NW Church.  You are encouraged to bring a friend and a snack to share!

Date:  Saturday, March 11
Time:  6:30-8:30
Place: NW Church foyer

Need a ride?  
Don't let darkness or rain keep you from coming! If you'd like to OFFER or REQUEST a ride to the event, pls click on the link and one of us will contact you.

Register for childcare:
Childcare will be provided, but we must know your little one will be coming! The deadline to register your child(ren) is Monday, March 6th.

Join us in this verse-by-verse study of the Book of Hebrews.  Jen Wilkin explores how God “provided something better for us” in the person of Jesus Christ (Heb. 11:40). Through stories of Old Testament heroes and practices, the author of Hebrews demonstrates how the new covenant is superior to the old and how Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of every promise. Explore familiar verses in context of the entire Bible, learning how to place your hope and faith in Christ alone.    Available through Lifeway or Amazon

Starting dates:
In person: Monday, March 6th - May 15th Room 108, 9:30-11:30
Zoom:  Tuesday, March 7th- May 16th, online 6:30-8:30

Longing for more passion in your relationship with God? Join the Sisters of Soul on Monday, February 27 from 7:00-8:30 in Room 108. Beverly Droppelman and Diane Rafferty will inspire us with their stories of pursuing God through Prayer Poetry and Bible Study. Come join with old and new friends as we journey together!

1. Childcare will be provided, but we must know your little one will be coming! The deadline to register your child(ren) is Wednesday, Feb 22nd.

2. Don't let darkness or rain keep you from coming! If you'd like to OFFER or REQUEST a ride to the event, pls click on the link and one of us will contact you.

The Northwest Church  and the Ethiopian Church
will have an evening fellowship on Sunday, March 5.
Please make plans to join us for this time together.

New York City
Date: June 18-24 (1 week)

Goal: Learn/practice having natural spiritual conversations with people, especially immigrants from Unreached People Groups. This will help church planters from International Project expand their reach and discover new people who are spiritually open, for follow up.
Prerequisites: Willingness to talk with strangers; mobility to ride the subway and move around the city.

Team Leader: International Project trainers / Trish King trip coordination
# of people: Up to 20
Please register by March 15th. (Deadline was extended)
Background info:  https://internationalproject.org/opportunities/seed-week/

Zimbabwe
Date: June 8-22 (2 weeks)

Goal: Support revival meetings and children served by Hippo Valley Christian Mission. Potential to see many people saved through these events.
Prerequisites: Physical stamina and health to ride on very bumpy back roads and potentially walk into the bush beyond that. Cultural sensitivity.

Team Leader: Donna Stroop
# of people: 1-3
Background info: https://www.hippovalley.org/

Philippines
Date: October (10 days)

Goal: Video interviews with people who benefit from the ministry of Philippine Mission Churches of Christ. Your work will help PMCC present their work and gain new supporters.
Prerequisites: One person needs high skill in videography, the others can be trained as assistants.

Team Leader: Jim McElroy
# of People: 3
Background info: https://pmccluzon.org/

We will soon enter into the season of Lent, starting at dusk on Ash Wednesday (February 22) and ending at dusk on what is known as Maundy Thursday (April 6). Lent is a dedicated time of repentance and prayer. Care Pastor Bill Lawrence will host an Ash Wednesday service for us.

Ash Wednesday Services
February 22 at 12:00 noon
Upstairs in the Student Center

Friends and members of the Northwest Church have been blessed by God with the acquisition, construction, and completion of the Community Life Center (CLC). We recently announced the retirement of our mortgage almost two and a half years ahead of schedule. This was possible because of your faith-inspired generosity. We want to invite everyone to a special banquet on Sunday, February 19, at 6 pm. 

Here’s what to expect:

• All Supporters of the CLC Welcome & Wanted (member or not)
• Celebration of Debt Retirement and Prayer of Dedication
• Sustainable Financial Plan for the CLC 
• Financial Overview of the NWChurch
• Special Donations for the NW Youth Group

Your investment in the CLC makes a difference for the community of faith, our neighbors in Lynnwood, and the surrounding region. Our creative plan for sustainability will be revealed and explained at this banquet. We believe all who’ve invested in the CLC will be enthused to understand how this can be done without an ongoing capital campaign.  
We hope you’ll plan to attend this encouraging evening as we desire to say “Thanks!”
RSVP below.