Happening This Sunday

At 9am on February 2, our education hour will be an Intergenerational Sunday School. At our Standard English Service Betsy DeVries will be our guest preacher. Betsy is a PhD candidate at Emmanuel College of the University of Toronto, Ontario, where she is studying homiletics. At our BES worship service, COS intern Nicole Romero will be delivering the message.  Nicole is a Master of Divinity student at Calvin Theological Seminary. After our worship services, we will gather for an all-church meal in the café. Everyone is welcome!

Psalm Contest Premiere: For the past ten years COS has held a New Psalm Contest in memory of Ben Fackler.  This contest exists to encourage Psalm singing and writing. February 2, we will premiere the first and second place winners of the 2019 New Psalm Contest in our morning SES worship.  One of the winning composers will be worshiping with us. Wendell Kimbrough, a prior contest winner, will help to lead the music for the service. 

Psalm Contest Celebration: Also happening today, Sunday, February 2, we will host a Psalmfest, featuring the winning Psalms from all ten years. We will sing together and hear about the contest’s origins and what it has meant to various composers. The Psalmfest begins at 2pm with a cake reception following. 

Next Sunday

Joyful Noise Orchestra will be leading the music for our SES worship on Sunday, February 9. Anyone who plays a band or orchestra instrument is welcome to join this ensemble. Music is ready to be picked up and practiced.  We will rehearse on Wednesday, February 5 at 6:30pm and again on Sunday, February 9 at 9:00am. We welcome new members to experience leading music alongside our veteran musicians. If you would like to join us, sign up in the music room when you pick up your music, or email Maria Stapert maria.stapert@coscrc.org

Youth

Movies with Meaning – for Middle and High School students. Double feature, Friday February 7, 6-9:30pm. The Wizard of Oz & Matilda

High School:

Sunday, February 2

9am IGSS: Members of BES are going to teach us some worship songs and dance from their countries.  What a great opportunity to show our appreciation for vibrancy and traditions they bring to our church family!

12 – 1:30pm Big Group Meets!  All students in grades 9-12 are invited to join us for lunch at the high school tables in the fellowship space (look for the BIG yellow flower) before moving to team-building games and a discussion (“What to do, what to do…”).  Want to stay but need help getting home?  Talk to Annette.

HS Small Groups should meet over the next few weeks. Small groups are available for all high school students.  Groups are form based on grade levels.  Talk to Annette if you would like to learn more.

Sat., Feb. 22-Sun., Feb. 23: Annual Winter Retreat!  Topic: “Got Stress?!? Faith in an Anxious World.” Cost: $10. Location: Beversluis Cottage near Muskegon.  Leave COS at 11am Saturday, return at 2pm Sunday.  RSVP required by Wed., Feb. 19.  Contact Annette with questions or to RSVP.

Mark your calendar: Summer Mission Trip: June 20-27.  Where?  Grand Rapids, MI!  To wrap up our theme of “Light in the City,” high school students are invited to participate in a week-long mission trip where we will be bringing light to our very own city.  We will be staying at a local church (not COS) with over a hundred other HS students, serving our neighbors during the day and eating and worshiping together every night. Estimated cost is $375 but cost can be reduced through participation in fundraising efforts. Contact Annette to reserve your spot or get more info.  Sign-up deadline: March 30, 2020

Middle School:

Wednesday Night Live (this week):  No Class

WNL next week: Lord’s Day 15-16 (“The Gospel Pandemic”)

Church News

The Thursday Bible study on Jonah meets this week on February 6, in the café area, 9:30-11am.  This week’s lesson; Jonah 1: 4 – 16; Luke 10: 25 – 37 – God’s Mercy to the Sailors. Questions? Contact Mary Loeks, mary@loeks.com.  

Financial Update: Last week’s offering and online giving was $15,468.92. Our total giving for the month of January is $123,585.81. Our monthly General Fund budget is $119,028.

The Wednesday night adult book study group will meet at 6:45 on February 5th in the Living Room. We will discuss part 4 (chapters 16-23) in Call for Justice. All are welcome.    

Registration is open for the February 28-29 Understanding Racism Workshops. We have developed new content and have shortened these Understanding Racism Workshops to two days: 9am-5pm each day. This workshop experience is still designed to explore the deep racial complexity of the United States and to begin to explore paths for restoration. Our goal is to gain insight in understanding systemic racism through the eyes of faith and scripture in order to become the Beloved Community. We encourage all leaders and members at Church of the Servant to attend one of these workshops. This effort helps us to become focused and work together to address one of our country’s greatest troubles. Register online at CORRnow.org.

Parents of Children in K-12 Christian Schools: If you are in need of financial assistance, it’s time to apply for the tuition assistance program for the 2020/2021 school year. Updated step-by-step instructions can be found here: coscrc.org/education. Application is completed online; you will find the direct link to the COS FACTS page on the website. Don’t wait for your taxes; apply now using 2018 taxes and meet the earlier deadlines!
Important deadlines:

• Please submit your name using the online form by Feb 1 – This will help the team prepare for applications and track the process.
• Submit FACTS app and documentation by March 1.
• Mandatory Face-to-face meeting will take place March 25 between 6-9 pm. After your application has been received you will get an email to sign up for a meeting time.

COS partners with other local churches to provide mentors for students at Ridge Park Charter Academy (on East Paris). The mentors meet weekly with their students for 30-60 minutes, offering encouragement as much as tutoring. Ridge Park is in need of additional mentors for both elementary students and ELL (English Language Learning) middle school students.