We are happy to welcome Dereck Kamwesa as our new Justice and Spirituality Ministries Director! Originally from Kenya, Dereck is receiving his Masters in Theology and Reconciliation Studies at Seattle Pacific University, and has served as an admissions officer and multicultural recruitment officer at various colleges, including SPU. He and his wife Rachel have been attending RAC for the past couple of years, and together, they have served as community coordinators in the Othello Village apartment complex. Dereck will start towards the end of this month and you'll hear more from him then. Please make sure to lift him up in prayer as he fills this important role at our church!
That's wassup. Congrats!
Congrats Dereck!
As you have likely heard, we have now had 13 reported positive covid tests from people who were in person for the worship service this past Sunday. Because of the impact on staff and volunteers and also to reduce risk for everyone, this Sunday's worship service will be online only at this Youtube link: youtu.be/LUrGACpmDSw. We are grateful for everyone who has notified us about possible exposure so that we can notify others and keep our church family from further spread. Please help make our church space safe by following current health guidelines, including: stay home if you feel sick or have tested positive for covid, and wear a well-fitting mask if you may have been exposed. Check with King County Public Health for updated guidelines or if you have questions (kingcounty.gov/.../covid-19/care/quarantine.aspx). Thanks for your understanding, flexibility, and for helping protect others!
Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate Pastor Mark Nsimbi last Sunday! Even if you missed it, you have one more chance to bless Pastor Mark as he transitions to a new church role in Redmond. This Sunday is Pastor Mark's last Sunday on staff and we'll take time to bless him and pray for him during the worship service (10am in person, and here's the link if you're joining online: youtu.be/SlgrW8Jk6gI).
You can also still send a photo, word of encouragement, or blessing for the book we'll print for Pastor Mark by clicking here: www.kudoboard.com/boards/tcqLug7K. Let's bless Pastor Mark and his family as they take this step in following God's calling.
After a long wait and a lot of new babies, we are so excited to announce that RAC will be having its first baby dedication since 2019! Child Dedication will be outdoors on Sunday Aug 28, 1pm at Seward Park. If your child has not yet been dedicated and you would like to participate, please sign up by Sunday, August 14: bit.ly/3zihgY4. Contact Pastor Rob Daniels with any questions. We are excited to celebrate God's presence in these children's lives!
We are looking forward to celebrate together today! Pastor Mark is preaching this morning and we'll take communion together, then immediately after service we'll head over to Brighton Park for an all-church picnic in Pastor Mark's honor before he transitions off staff in August.
If you're concerned about the heat in person, consider worshiping in the downstairs overflow space in the fellowship hall which is extra cool! If
If you're worshiping online, remember to have some kind of bread and juice ready for communion after the sermon. Here's the livestream link: youtu.be/7CbEGp8v_6Q
For lunch at Brighton Park, you can walk over from the church along S Juneau St (cross at the pedestrian lights on S Mead St or S Kenney St) and then walk one block to the park, we'll be by the volleyball court under the big shade trees along S Juneau. Come enjoy delicious food, games, and tell your favorite stories about Pastor Mark's time at RAC. Looking forward to be together as a church family today!
Stay cool out there with the heat advisory! For in-person church on Sunday, we highly recommend trying out the overflow space in the fellowship hall, coolest place in the church! We'll have communion this Sunday, and Pastor Rob will be in the fellowship hall to officiate with whoever is worshiping there. Hope to see you Sunday!
And, if you're worshiping along with the livestream from home, you'll want to have some bread and juice ready for communion at the end of the service. The youtube link for this Sunday's livestream is at the linktree in our bio.
Welcome to Oun Guay Sing, now serving as Custodian at RAC! Oun is a long-time church member and has years of custodial experience. We are so grateful for Oun's diligence and care making RAC a safe and clean place for everyone! When you see Oun around the church, please thank him for serving in this important way!
As we get ready for Pastor Mark's appreciation celebration this coming Sunday, we also want to put the word out for whoever God might be calling to serve as RAC's next Connections Pastor! We are looking for a community builder who loves the church, and loves bringing people together and helping them grow in community as part of the church. Please share with anyone you think of who might be a good fit or know someone who is -- the best way for us to find someone who fits well with RAC is by getting the word out within our community! You can find the full job description and link to apply here: bit.ly/3opnyjG. Please pray for God to lead the right person for this position!
Connections Pastor at Rainier Avenue Free Methodist Church
jobs.gusto.com
The Connections Pastor is a community builder who loves the church, and loves bringing people together and helping them grow in community as part of the church. The connections pastor plays a vital ro...Pray to God to lead someone to this position? If it is in God's plan, prayer would only insult him as now you want him to change that plan.
Sign up for Guess Who's Coming to Dinner -- your chance to be matched with others you may or may not know for a potluck meal! This is a great way to connect with others in the church, and the team that organizes it is meeting on Tuesday, so be sure to get your signup in before then! Click here to sign up: bit.ly/3IafPPb
Good morning, church! This Sunday we are glad to give our summer elementary children's volunteers a break as we welcome kids grade K-5 to be part of the worship service along with youth and adults! We'll have a kid-friendly service as we lean into the inter-generational nature of the body of Christ. Remember, the CDC does encourage wearing masks in King County as we work to keep each other safe -- masks are available at the door.
If you're joining online today, here's the link for the service: youtu.be/pQyAjHKquAM. And, kids can access the pages to follow along with the service at the linktree: linktr.ee/rainieravechurch.
Hope to see you this morning!