Happening This Sunday

January 6 is the beginning of Epiphany. At 9 am, everyone is invited to attend Intergenerational Sunday School. There will not be a meal this Sunday.

Youth News

HS This Sunday:
9am See you at 9am for Intergenerational Sunday School!
10am Worship
11:45 There is no “all church dinner” after the worship service but… Join us for Chili and Skating! (This is our big group activity for January)
High School Students and small group leaders are invited to enjoy a bowl of chili after church and then go ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle. Cost is $1/person and includes skate rental. Invite a friend and plan to join us! We will officially end our skating time at 3pm. Students can be picked up from Rosa Parks at 3pm or from COS at 3:20pm. Remember to wear warm socks and mittens!

Next Sunday

GPS will meet next Sunday, January 13 at 9am with a new 3 week series: What does racism look like in Grand Rapids? For three weeks in January, we will take a closer look at health and housing in Grand Rapids to better understand the real-life impact of racism in our city.

The Justice Class will not meet January 13, 20 or 27, but will resume in February, so all can attend the GPS series on racial justice starting on January 13th. Watch for more information about re-starting the “Proximate Justice” conversation (likely on February 10).

Puerto Rico Info Meeting:
If you are planning to go to Puerto Rico, plan to meet NEXT SUNDAY, JAN. 13 in the Youth Room following the worship service. Paperwork MUST be filled out by the end of this month for all participants so we will go over all the paperwork details at this meeting. If you cannot attend, let Annette know ASAP.

Church News

Gender and Sexuality Acceptance Group Meeting and Event
Group meeting: This Wednesday, January 9, 6:30pm, The Glass Room (off the sanctuary). Please note that our meetings are open to everyone at COS but that meetings are safe spaces for support and planning, not spaces for debate.


Event: Wednesday, January 23, 6:30pm, Gender and Sexuality 101
This will be an evening of learning with Julia Smith, Coordinator for Student Support and Sexuality Programming at Calvin College, and Joshua Van Wyhe. We’ll look together at a framework for thinking about sex, gender, and sexual orientation that can help us sort out the sometimes confusing array of LGBT+ terms, concepts and identities. We’ll also share personal stories, data, and resources that can point us towards more nuanced conversations about gender and sexuality in the church.
Mission Statement: We are a sub-committee on gender and sexuality to the Congregational Life Team working to support Church of the Servant as a diverse community of Christ’s servants, a home for God’s children, whatever their gender identity or sexual orientation, where all are supported, comforted, and accepted.
We develop events, discussion groups, support groups and other ways that we can welcome and pursue grace-filled dialogue with all, including those who believe differently.

The Finance committee and Council are pleased and most grateful to report that giving in December totaled $230,073. Your faithful and generous commitment to the ministries of COS has enabled us to finish the first four months of the fiscal year with a net income of approximately $55,000. In your response to the needs of COS, we see again your gratitude for the leading of the Holy Spirit and your dedication to COS’s care for each other and our neighbors, both near and far. May the name of Jesus Christ be praised in all that we do in 2019.

Pledging: We have now committed $930,000 spread over 206 separate pledges for 2019. This is our highest pledge since 2013, and is $172,000 more than we pledged last year. The stewardship team and the council are deeply grateful for your faithful giving. If for some reason you have missed pledging, the opportunity is still available. Send a note to our treasurer or pledge online at the COS web site.

Friendship ESL at COS kicks off the winter-spring term this Tuesday, Jan 8 (until May 23). No better time to get involved than at the beginning. We need subs, longer-term subs, and snack prep specialists. Can you help? See Mark Fackler, today!