This Week:

On this Eastertide Sunday, Rev. Karen Campbell will preach from Acts 2:14, 36-41 and 1 Peter 2:1-10 in the larger worship service. Rev. Andrew Mead will preach from 1 Peter 2:1-10 in the All Nations Worship Service in Room 4.

Sunday, April 30, we will celebrate the sacrament of baptism of Iris Van Drunen, Juni Van Drunen, and Reuben Van Drunen as they are welcomed into the family of God at Church of The Servant. We will receive the promises God makes to His children and heirs, hear the commitments of the family, and together, promise to pray for and encourage Iris, Juni, and Reuben as they grow in their faith and life.

Following the services, we invite you to stay for Sunday school. Our Adult-ed Sunday School (GPS) welcomes Dr. Gary Burge of Calvin Theological Seminary as he presents part two of his 4-part series on “How to Read a Parable.” New Members Class continues this Sunday in the Living Room following the worship services.

The 10 am large sanctuary service will also be broadcast via Zoom. Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.   

Church News:

Current Giving for April: $63,929

April 2022 Giving: $101,750

March 2023 Giving: $ 111,603

Monthly budgeted General Fund Giving is:  $120,551

For our final GPS sessions of the program year, Dr. Gary Burge will be presenting four sessions of his course, How to Read a Parable. Throughout his ministry, Jesus used parables to explain how many of his primary teachings should be understood. This reflex to employ story (rather than abstraction) is characteristically Jewish and is known in the Middle East even today. However, this story-telling technique also used cultural codes that only Jesus’ ancient audience understood. And many of them are lost to us today. By reclaiming them, we will discover how to interpret Jesus’ parables and discover new meanings in them. Join us on April 30, May 14 and 21 at 11:45am.

It’s time to celebrate our seniors!Every year, COS has the tradition of giving gifts to our graduating high school seniors to prepare them for the next step of their journey. This year we will be celebrating 11 graduates! Armed with a Bible, a laundry basket, and gift cards from COS, we are hopeful that our seniors will take their next steps knowing that their church family loves them and that God will be with them. This Sunday, Annette will be collecting money for these graduates. The money will be used to purchase Visa gift cards, Bibles, and laundry baskets for each of the students. Donations can be made by the graduation celebration table in the Café, through Venmo (@churchoftheservant), or by writing “Grad Basket” in the memo line of a check made payable to Church of the Servant. Thanks in advance for caring so well for these children of the church!

Friendship ESL at COS brings the school year 2022-2023 to a close on May 23 (7p) and May 24 (1030a) with two grand Achievement and Awards celebrations, to which all the church is invited. No RSVP, just come! Special treats and precious words from students — once strangers, now friends.

COS Island Weeding Pop-up: Saturday, May 6 from 9:00a-11:00a, we will meet to weed the parking lot islands which didn’t get completed at the Spring Work Day. Prizes given to the best Hawaiian “island” weeding outfits!

560…That’s how many pints of blood per day that Versiti must collect to supply the hospitals in our state. It takes many donors to reach that goal each and every day! Please consider donating at our blood drive here on Monday, May 8, 2-7pm. Most likely someone in your family or circle of friends has needed a blood transfusion in the past, and wouldn’t be alive today without it. That’s how important these drives are! If you’ve donated before, please make time in your schedule to participate. Make an appointment online at https://donate.michigan.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/145197.  If you’re new to blood donation and have questions, talk to Beth Karanicola or Ruth Huisman. Many thanks!

Job Openings:

Position: Sunday Facilities Coordinator

Hours: 5-6 hours a week

Position Objective: The Sunday Facilities Coordinator has primary responsibility for opening/closing the facilities and preparing the facility for Sunday worship.

Schedule: Work schedule is normally 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each Sunday. On the Sundays when a meal is served, the schedule may go until 2:00 p.m. Opportunities for occasional Sundays off will be provided.

Pay rate: $17 per hour based on experience.

Inquiries and Resumes to Church Administrator: monica.smith@coscrc.org

Read the full job description here

Position: Facilities Coordinator

Hours: 15 hours a week

Position Objective: The Facility Coordinator is responsible for preparation of the COS facility so that it is a ready and reliable resource for the programs, ministries, staff, and members of the church thereby helping to ensure the fulfillment the church’s vision and mission.

Schedule: Work schedule is negotiable with hours normally completed on weekdays. The candidate should be on-site for weekday congregation activities including Wednesday evening activities and meals.

Pay rate: $17 per hour based on experience.

Inquiries and Resumes to Church Administrator: monica.smith@coscrc.org

Read the full job description here

Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA) is invited to participate in 40 Days Of Prayer leading up to Synod 2023. This 40-day prayer initiative begins Sunday, April 30 and continues through Thursday, June 8. These dates were chosen to lead us up to the start of Synod 2023—the annual gathering of the Christian Reformed Church (CRC). You can sign up for this prayer initiative using this form. Enter your email address, check either the box for the “Longing to be like Christ – 40 days of prayer: daily” or “Longing to be like Christ – 40 days of prayer: weekly” and then click “Subscribe.” You should receive a confirmation email once you’ve subscribed.