Happening This Sunday
This Sunday is the Second Sunday of Advent. Our worship today is a Prism service where we will join with BES and SES brothers and sisters in worshiping our Lord. It’s also our joy to welcome several new members during our worship service. Then we’ll move into our fellowship area where we’ll hold our annual Christmas Brunch. Please bring food to share—muffins, an egg dish, fruit, or something sweet.
Come join the Friends of New Americans today, Sunday the 8th as we enjoy the annual COS Christmas Brunch along with our refugee and immigrant members. Tables will be set aside during the brunch for those who would like to make some new friends and get to know folks from different cultures.
Sunday, December 8, from 12:30-2:45pm, there will be a gathering here at COS for folks who have attended a 2.5 day Understanding Racism Workshop. Come to Room 5, after the COS Christmas Brunch to hear guest speaker, Mark Mulder, a professor of Sociology at Calvin University and a member of Sherman Street Church. Using insights from social science, Mark will help us think about community engagement, civic engagement, and how congregations play a vital role. We think this will be a good opportunity for us to think more deeply about being a good neighbor.
Next Sunday
Join us next Sunday, December 15 at 6 pm for this year’s Lessons and Carols Service. Church of the Servant’s Lessons & Carols service is always a special evening. The format is simple: scripture and song. But somehow the combination is profound. We hear scriptures of waiting and fulfillment, sing cherished carols of the season, and experience the variety of voices that make up our congregation. It is truly a wonder-filled service. Following the Lessons and Carols service, all are invited to stay and take part in a dessert potluck. Please bring a dessert to share.
Youth
Middle School: Wednesday, December 18 in WNL, Christmas Party/Service Project. Note that class will start at 6:00 (1/2 hour earlier than usual).
High School: Dec. 8 – 11:45am – COS Christmas Brunch! See you there!
Dec. 15 – 9am Sunday School: We will conclude our reading of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and celebrate with some Turkish Delight.
COS High School Youth Group Christmas Party! Dec. 15, 11:45 -2pm – Bring a white elephant gift (value should be between $1-$5) and wear your ugly Christmas sweater. Lunch provided. Party ends at 2pm.
Note: Youth programming is officially on break from Dec. 22-Jan. 3. Activities will resume on Saturday, Jan. 4 with Serve First: playing games with BES children at COS to help them learn English.
Church News
New Location for the K-3rd Grade Sunday School Room. This week children in K-3rd grade will begin meeting for Sunday school in the children’s worship wing, in the second classroom on the left. Look for the banner above the door to mark the classroom location.
Knitters’ Night Out – Monday, 9 December at 7:30pm. Knitters (and other needle crafters) are welcome to join us at Deanna van Dijk’s home.
Christmas Eve 5 PM Service – Calling all storytellers and actors, young and old! The 5 PM Christmas Eve Service this year will continue the much-loved tradition: retelling stories of hope leading up to Jesus’ birth. We welcome anyone who would like to be angels, shepherds, narrators, musicians, backstage crew, stage/cleanup crew, and more! Our rehearsals will take place after church on Sun., Dec. 22 from 11:30-12:30 (a snack will be provided) and Tues., Dec. 24 at 3pm (before the service). There are no rehearsals for those participating in the musical prelude, which begins at 4:30pm before the service begins. If you and your family would like to be a part of this special service, please add your name/s to the sign-up sheets in the cafe area or email jo.howe@coscrc.org.
Lessons and Carols Choir – Singers of all ages are invited to join the choir for our Lessons and Carols service. We will have rehearsals on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 6:30pm, Saturday, Dec. 14 at 9:00am, and Sunday, Dec. 15 at 4:30pm. The service is at 6:00pm on Sunday, Dec. 15. If you would like to sing with us, please email Maria Stapert (maria.stapert@coscrc.org).
Kenny Westrate, our long- time, part-time Facility Assistant, is officially resigning from his position as of Dec 31, 2019. Heather Westrate has also stepped down from her Sunday roles since October, before the birth of Micah. We invite you to bring cards and tokens of appreciation to be placed a box on the café counter next week. We will be celebrating Kenny and Heather on Dec 29, 2019 with a cake after the AM service.
Update on Facility Manager – The Facility Search team has received no applicants to the position opening for a 25 hour Facility Manager. There seem to be many similar openings in other churches and non-profit institutions for part time and full time. Please pray that just the right person will apply. If you have any possible leads please refer them to Lori Wiersma, Church Administrator.
Financial Update: Last week’s offering and online giving was $11,505.37. Our total giving for the month of December is $11,505.37 (with four Sundays left). Our monthly General Fund budget is $119,028.
A BIG thank you from the Deacons for the generous Thanksgiving offering that the congregation gave to Coit Community church! It amounted to $9179.23. What a wonderful show of support to this vital ministry led by Pastor Jerome Burton!
COS was able to purchase $490 in Simply Give cards on the Dec 3 Double match which will generate $1470 in Meijer cards for our church pantry. Our Camelot Community Partner St Nicholas Orthodox collected $1500 from their congregation to support the Double Match Simply Give which will amount to $4500 in Meijer cards for the COS pantry.
COS has one more double match day on Friday, December 13 at the Cascade Meijer only. Please give your money to Lori Wiersma if you would like her to make the purchase on your behalf.
Thank you to all those who donated hats, scarves and mittens for children, teens and adults in the Camelot neighborhood. They will be given to patrons of the Mobile Food Pantry on Sat. Dec 7. We will continue to collect any knitted winter items, along with newly bought items-including gloves and socks, for our next distribution on January 4. There is a basket for these items in the basket on the Café counter.
In the summer of 2019, the Church of the Servant Legacy Foundation was created to provide a way for members and friends to invest in a long-term fund which will support the ongoing ministry of Church of the Servant for years to come. All are encouraged to consider including the COS Legacy Foundation in their annual giving plans, as well as their wills and estate planning. The Foundation trustees are eager to talk to any interested people about this opportunity and are also providing an informational session about charitable giving and estate planning at 9 am on Sunday, December 22, led by Mike Zahrt, a COS member and attorney.