This Week:

On this Pentecost Season Sunday, Ron Rienstra will preach from Psalm 87 and Luke 14:15-24 in the standard English service in the large worship space. Rev. Andrew Mead will preach from Romans 8:1-11 in the All Nations Worship Service in Room 4.

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

Church News:

Current Giving for July(includes monthly ach): $35,608

July 2022 Giving: $80,723

The current General Fund deficit is ($19,516).

Giving statements were sent via email yesterday for the first half of the calendar year, if you do not have an email on file, you will find a paper copy in your cos mailbox next week. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact AJ Zahrt, Treasurer.

Forgiveness of debt stands at the center of the biblical concept of jubilee. As we wrap up the celebration of our 50th anniversary—our jubilee year—at Church of the Servant, we had a special offering to financially burdened are residents through medical debt forgiveness—for pennies on the dollar. We raised over $11,000 which will allow us to forgive approximately a million dollars in medical debt for our community. Thank you for joining us in this project!

Friendship ESL, from Mark Fackler: “High school and university scholars… international teaching opportunity… oh, right, they come to us, you welcome them here. Friendship ESL at COS invites you and your team (2-3 people) to teach English to newcomers, Tuesday or Thursday evenings beginning September 12. Besides friends and fun, here’s what happens to you. At the end of the fall term, you receive such a letter of commendation that your first-choice college or premier-choice grad school is gonna just love on you. You’re in. Better than straight As in math.  We have the lesson plans.  We have the white boards.  You be the rock-star. Text or call Mark (ESL coordinator) 616 228 3870.” 

Camelot Block Party – Saturday, July 29 from 11:00a-1:30pm, we will join with other churches in our community and Ridge Park Charter School to host an annual Camelot Park Block Party. At this event, we give away backpacks to the students, along with food, music, and activities. If you are available to help with this event, contact the church office.

Prisoners in Christ: Since 2004, COS has sponsored a partnership with men incarcerated in the Michigan Department of Corrections (MDOC) for the purpose of making and strengthening disciples of Christ on both sides of prison walls.  Woven throughout the almost 20-year history of Prisoners in Christ are accounts of God’s work through Troy Rienstra to generate the Life Change book group, Celebration Fellowship Prison congregation and the Calvin Prison Initiative.  Presently, dozens of COS members are engaged as volunteers or staff in these initiatives, as well as in Restorative Justice conversations, trainings and practices.  For more information about Prisoners in Christ, contact Arend Vander Pols, Carol Rienstra, or Lynette LaBine.

Your Chance to Save a Life!  Volunteer donors are absolutely essential to provide that for which there is no substitute: human blood. Share your gift of life. Become a blood donor. Sign up to give at our next blood drive in two weeks, Monday, July 31, 2-7pm. Follow this link to the schedule: https://donate.michigan.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/150132  Thank you for being someone who cares. And shares.  Questions? Contact Ruth Huisman or Beth Karanicola.

The COS Human Resources Team is looking for some additional members. The Team meets a few times a year to review policies, job descriptions, and review budgetary items which pertain to staff. If you are interested in participating on the HR Team, contact Corrie Vos, chair.

Congregational Meeting Schedule

  • Sunday, July 30 following the service in the SES worship space, the Finance Team will host a 2023-24 Budget Q&A.
  • Sunday, August 6 following the service in the SES worship space, we will have the annual Congregational Meeting for voting on the 2023-24 Budget and Council Officer Bearers.
  • Sunday, August 13 – Council Officer Bearers Installation

CORE: COS has embraced and led antiracism work for over 25 years. CORE (Communities Organizing for Racial Equity) is a non-profit that has emerged out of this continued effort. CORE is a group of Christ followers who work to empower and equip organizations, congregations, and communities to organize and disciple their members to become agents of institution and individual racial reconciliation.

CORE has two more workshops planned for 2023, both offered here at COS. The first one is a 2-day workshop on August 10 and 11 from 8:30am-5pm each day. The second one will be a traditional in-person 2.5-day workshop, November 2-4. (Thursday evening, all day Friday and Saturday). The longer one allows us to build a deeper working and listening relationship between the attendees.   

These Understanding Racism workshops welcome everyone in our congregation. Our Council has recently made a commitment to attend a workshop. It is the hope and prayer of our COS Antiracism team that all COS people continue in this work of understanding what God-led antiracism looks like. Our times are always fraught with racial tension. As Christ followers, joining in the ongoing task of dismantling racism, we can do good work together.

Registration costs are covered by our COS budget. Prayerfully consider attending or coming back for a refresher. Register at COREnow.org   

Mercy and Benevolence need-in Sierra Leone.  Kumba Sano Sesay is a long-time church servant working in Sierra Leone, where Paul and Mary Kortenhoven worked for several decades. Kumba will need surgery soon for a cerebral aneurysm, and the total cost will be $15,000.   She is a CRC member in a mission planted church that COS has supported for over 40 years, works tirelessly for the growth of the church, and is a living example of the good news of Christ. She is a leader of women in the CRC in Sierra Leone. She is a close friend of the Kortenhoven family, and the mother of Peter Kortenhoven. Peter and Aaron Kortenhoven visited her in Sierra Leone after her initial stroke many weeks ago. Any help from COS members is greatly appreciated. Label the check: Mercy and Benevolence – Kumba”   Contact Paul Kortenhoven for further information. Thank you for considering this need!

Job Openings:

Position: Sunday Facilities Coordinator

Hours: 5-6 hours a week

Position: Facilities Coordinator

Hours: 15 hours a week