Pentecost Season, June 6, 2021
This Sunday:
This Sunday, June 6, we will worship outdoors in the COS patio area. Rev. Karen Campbell will bring us a message in the 10 am service based on 1 Samuel 3:1-11. Makema Lwenge will preach in the 11:30 bilingual/ BES service. Sign up to attend our outdoor services. The 10 am Service will also be broadcast via Zoom: Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.
For outdoor worship: The Covid team recommends masking while entering and leaving the outdoor services. Feel free to remove your mask while stationary in your worship circle. Those who choose to stay masked throughout are most welcome to do so too.
This Sunday we’ll be welcoming children who are about to graduate from 2nd grade to the front at both the 10:00am and 11:30am service to receive their bibles. This is a milestone that encourages them to stay in the worship service and develop a lifelong habit of congregational worship!
Children’s Ministry News:
Summer Worship Programming for Children (ages 3-7, or graduating 1st grade) Little Lambs for ages 3-5 and The Jesus Storybook Bible Video Curriculum for ages 6-7 will be offered throughout the summer at both worship services! Please call or email Jo Howe at (616) 238-1324 or jo.howe@coscrc.org to join the summer volunteer team to help with these programs!
Children’s Welcome Station & Safety. Look for Jolanda or Jim Howe at the intersection of sidewalks leading to the church patio on Sunday morning. You’ll receive name badges for children ages 0-7 so they’ll be ready to participate in nursery or children’s worship programming. You’ll also find doodle boards with children’s bulletin and a simple craft—these are great for helping little ones settle in as they wait for the service to start, or older children to use as they remain in the service.
We are taking great care to implement safety measures to ensure your children will remain safe and healthy, including: limiting class size, spacing children in the classroom, eliminating indoor singing and eating (kids will sing outdoors during worship programming), requiring masking for leaders and children (children under 2 in the nursery do not have to wear a mask), and ensuring everyone is fever scanned and receives hand sanitizer when entering the building. Windows will be open for additional ventilation in all but one of our classrooms, and that classroom will have fewer children, an air-purified, and the door left open to the hallway for ventilation.
Here’s how to check children in:
- Each child will receive a name tag, and each parent or caregiver will receive a pickup ticket that matches the child’s name tag. Hold onto that ticket to use for pickup after the service.
- After checking in, head to the nursery window (you’ll see signs indicating where this is) to drop off nursery-aged children. Then find a place to sit for worship (you can bring a blanket or chairs, whatever is comfortable).
- Encourage your kids to participate fully in worship by singing, dancing, and reading with the liturgy to the best of their abilities. Doodle boards and simple craft are available for use during the sermon to help keep fingers busy so they can focus.
- When it is time for programming, I’ll come forward and ask the children ages 3-7 to stand to receive a blessing (for the sake of time, they will not come forward as they normally would during our worship services).
- After the blessing I will take the children’s banner to door I, which leads into the Artery, and the children will meet me at that door.
- You are welcome to accompany your child to the door to check them in, or simply send your child to meet me at the door.
- Once inside, your child’s nametag will be scanned to check them in, and they will receive a squirt of hand sanitizer before they go to their classrooms.
Here’s how to check children out:
- When the worship service and children’s programming is finished, you will find your child seated at one of the round tables on the patio, with their teacher standing nearby.
- Hand the pickup ticket to the teacher, who will verify it is the correct ticket and child, and you’ll be all set to go.
If you have any questions or concerns about checking in and out or covid safety, please don’t hesitate to call or email Jolanda Howe at 616-238-1324 or jo.howe@coscrc.org
Church News:
Financial Update: Last week’s offering and online giving: $9,255
Giving for the month of May: $90,089
Monthly budgeted General Fund Giving is: $112,926
The Anti-Racism & Reconciliation and the Prisoners in Christ Restorative Justice teams are encouraging COS members and friends to sign up for Family Camp at Tall Turf for one of two weekends – July 9-11, or July 30-Aug. 1, 2021. The mission of Tall Turf is to equip youth and families for lives of reconciliation in God’s world. Scholarships are available for families who have a loved one in jail or prison, or are dealing with other hardships. See brochure or contact Carol Rienstra (616-724-6772) for more information.
Social Seniors meet every Tuesday morning from 10:00 to 11:00. Designed to provide opportunity for church family camaraderie, Social Seniors is open to anyone who would like to attend, regardless of age. We seek to be spiritually encouraged and to provide opportunities for sharing, humor, expression of our sorrows and joys, and prayer for one another and our church. The Zoom link below will work for every Tuesday.
Topic: Social Seniors
Time: 10:00 – 11:00 AM
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83263669013?pwd=UzE4Z1czT2h2Q0lsck0zaXV4T1NMdz09
Meeting ID: 832 6366 9013
Passcode: COS
You can also join by telephone: 1 312 626 6799. When prompted, enter the meeting ID plus #, and then when asked for your participant ID, merely enter #, and you will be connected to the group.
Celebrate Juneteenth – June 19th, 2021 The Emancipation Proclamation declared more than three million slaves living in the Confederate states to be free. More than two years would pass, however, before the news reached African Americans living in Texas. Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, informing them that slavery had been abolished –the former slaves immediately began to celebrate with prayer, feasting, song, and dance.
The first official Juneteenth celebrations took place in Texas on June 19, 1866. Within a few years, African Americans in other states were celebrating the day as well, making it an annual tradition. Celebrations have continued across the United States into the 21st century and typically include prayer and religious services, speeches, educational events, family gatherings and picnics, and festivals with music, food, and dancing (Britannica.com)
See additional resources about Juneteenth and a listing of local celebrations on the Church of the Servant website.
Link to Cindy Vander Kodde’s article on Juneteenth:
Link to Juneteenth resources:
Nature lovers are needed to help water the new trees at COS this summer. 4-6 people are needed each week to help haul hoses to the trees and then return them to storage. For more information and to sign up, contact Hope Bradley at Hope1033@gmail.com.
Fabric and Fellowship: Join a group that likes to sew and enjoy a time of fellowship. Our next meeting is June 28th from 10am to 2pm in room 5 of COS. We have a stash of fabric that we are using up in quilts for ministry organizations. You can bring your machine or come to design, cut pieces or iron for others. Also bring your lunch. Contact Claire Elgersma or Hope Bradley for more information.
Sunday Nursery Volunteers Needed – Jana Brasser, our beloved Nursery Supervisor, is opening up the nursery for the summer and is looking for volunteers who can help her keep our youngest members safe and cared for during the 10am and 11:30 am services. Our strong preference is that nursery volunteers be fully vaccinated and at least 14 years old. If you are interested in being on our nursery volunteer rotation this summer, please contact Lori Wiersma: lori.wiersma@coscrc.org