Happening This Sunday
In our BES service in room 4, we welcome Won Jae Choi to the pulpit. Won Jae is working as a seminary intern here at Church of the Servant, and attends Calvin Theological Seminary as a second year student.
Are you interested in becoming a member of Church of the Servant? Please join us Sunday, April 28, for a luncheon from 11:45-1:00. Contact Chris Klein at chris.klein@coscrc.org with questions. This will be an introduction to COS and a time of getting acquainted and then, if you are interested in joining, there will be 3 additional meetings on May 5, 12 and 19.
Join us this week at 9 am for a GPS panel discussion on: “Living Together in Difference”. Our events and discussions surrounding gender and sexuality and the church raise some big questions. Why is sexual orientation so difficult to discuss for churches? How can COS live successfully with a diversity of views on sexual orientation? What does “success” even mean in this discussion? How can COS approach these conversations with a sense of hope? This GPS panel will include Barb Doorlag, Mary Loeks, and Dale Cooper as they share thoughts on these questions and insights into what has been formative for them as they approach conversations around sexual orientation.
Next Sunday
Intergenerational Sunday School meets next Sunday, May 5 at 9am in the café area. All ages are invited! After the worship service, everyone is invited to stay for the all-church meal in the café area.
Youth News
Today, Sunday, April 28 – Big Group meets after our 10am worship for lunch followed by our monthly “4 for 4” activities.
Church News
The Thursday Bible study meets this week Thurs. May 2 to discuss Esther 9-10 and our summary and conclusion. We will hold our Spring Potluck Salad Luncheon to finish our season.
Got blood? Give some. Blood Drive here in two weeks, Monday, 5/13, 2-7pm. Give in memory of, or in honor of, someone dear to you. If you are healthy, over age 17, and weigh at least 112 pounds, we encourage you to become a blood donor. Make an appointment online at versiti.org/michigan [search for Michael Karanicola Memorial Drive], or call 1-866-MIBLOOD, or sign up on the poster in the café. Appointments preferred. Many, many thanks!
Seniors, join us in a small group (meeting for 9 weeks), to explore Aging Matters, involved in “flourishing and bearing fruit” (Ps. 92:14) in the retired years, Sign-up for your preferred meeting time in the cafe.
In the late summer of 1975, nearly 44 years ago, COS sponsored its first refugee family. It was a family of seven people in three generations. After relocating to warmer climates, we lost track of them. Members of that family, Ms. Kim Pham and Mr. Luckinh Nguyen recently wrote COS to thank us for resettling them and helping them launch successful lives and careers in the US and included a generous contribution. Praise God for his blessing and protection upon this family.
May ARTery Gallery Opening Event | Featured Artist Janis Carpenter- Mark your calendars for Monday, May 13, 7pm for our next gallery opening event, featuring COS artist Janis Carpenter. All proceeds of Janis’ artwork go to support Schools for Sierra Leone. The event is free with a suggested donation of $5/person. The evening will feature a conversation with the artist, live music, and a chance to peruse the gallery over appetizers and wine (available by purchase of drink ticket). Please join us for this wonderful opportunity to experience art in community! RSVPs on our COS facebook event page are appreciated.
The Anti-Racism & Reconciliation Team has released their Spring newsletter. It will be made available online on the COS website, and there are also a few hard copies on the counter in the café.
Early bulletin deadline this week- Please have announcements for the May 5 bulletin turned in to the office by this week Wednesday at 9am. Thanks!
Our giving for Sunday, 4/21 including (the weekly online giving) totaled $23,009. Our giving for the month of April is currently at $77,240. Thank you for your faithful giving for the COS ministries!
Great News! The Meijer Simply Give program has been so successful that Meijer has distributed $2 million among each of their Food pantry partners. The COS Food Pantry was given an additional $5000 in Simply Give gift cards to use to purchase food. As you may recall we received $22,000 from the campaign this past January. COS serves about 100 families a month in our church and our community through our pantry.
Planning for Peace of Mind – Mon. May 6, 7pm at COS. It’s a women’s night out! Join special guests Amy Bakker Baty, J.D. (estate planning attorney, Barnabas Foundation) and Andrea Prince Karsten (financial advisor) for a candid and informative conversation for women of all walks of life, whether single, married, widowed or divorced. Gain practical, confidence-building insight on money and planning — from Scripture and the experience of other women. Learn more/register at www.BarnabasFoundation.com/PeaceofMindThere is no cost for this event, but please help us prepare by preregistering.
General Fund Giving Report
March 2019 Actual
Receipts $ 139,333
Expenditures 115,439
Income (Loss) $ 23,894
The general fund balance on March 31 was reported at $67,249.
2018-19 Monthly budgeted receipts were expected to be $119,028. This requires general fund giving to be $29,757 each week. Our February receipts were $139,333. This was a weekly average of $27,866.