This Week:

On this Eastertide Sunday, Rev. Andrew Mead will preach from Acts 7:55-60 and 1 Peter 4:12-19 in the larger worship service. Rev. Karen Campbell will preach from 1 Peter 4:12-19 in the All Nations Worship Service in Room 4.

Following the worship services, we invite you to stick around for Sunday School for all ages. Our Adult-ed Sunday School (GPS) continues its series with Dr. Gary Burge on “How to Read a Parable” in room 3.

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

Church News:

Current Giving for May: $40,300

April 2023 Giving: $83,854

Monthly budgeted General Fund Giving is:  $120,551

For our final GPS sessions of the program year, Dr. Gary Burge will be presenting four sessions of his course, How to Read a Parable. Throughout his ministry Jesus used parables to explain how many of his primary teachings should be understood. This reflex to employ story (rather than abstraction) is characteristically Jewish and is known in the Middle East even today. However, this story-telling technique also used cultural codes that only Jesus’ ancient audience understood. And many of them are lost to us today. By reclaiming them, we will discover how to interpret Jesus’ parables and discover new meanings in them. Join us May 14 and 21 at 11:45am.

Friendship ESL at COS brings the school year 2022-2023 to a close on May 23 (7p) and May 24 (1030a) with two grand Achievement and Awards celebrations, to which all the church is invited. No RSVP, just come! Special treats and precious words from students — once strangers, now friends.

Security Team Members Needed: The Security Team is entrusted with keeping the members, guests, and visitors physically safe and secure by endeavoring to make a safe facility, assistance in case of a medical emergency, and basic protection from fire, abuse, and intrusion. This Team is looking for volunteers to rotate Sundays and/Wednesdays. For questions, to volunteer, or a copy of the Security Team Mandate, contact monica.smith@coscrc.org or the church office.

Check out the Artery Sunday after church to see our own Matt Plescher’s art. He will be having a reception to meet and greet on May 25 from 7:00-9:00 pm in the Artery at Church of the Servant.

Sunday morning scripture readers wanted! If you would like to read scripture on Sunday morning, click here to sign up for any Sunday.

From Classis GR East: Classis GR East is a founding member of Together West Michigan, formerly The Micah Center. On May 20, from 10-11:30, we are presenting key policy proposals to our city and county leadership. We need 100 CRC members to show up and demonstrate that we care about the policy issues we have been working on together for a year now. We want our voice to be heard to fund the childcare millage, funding for low-income housing, resources for mental health, just to name a few.  Register here and invite others! For questions email Andy Ryskamp at andrewryskamp78@gmail.com

The mailboxes in the Worship Center have been updated. If you see an error or don’t see your mailbox and want one, contact the church office. For those who preordered directories, they have been placed in your mailbox. If you didn’t preorder a directory and would like a copy, contact the church office. If you would like access to the online directory through Servant Keeper, contact the church office.

Meijer Simply Give: We raised $15,040 for our food pantry in the last Meijer Simply Give campaign and are grateful to everyone who contributed. We’re currently participating in another campaign and will update you on double match days as soon as we can. Because this is our second campaign this year, it will likely be our last until 2024. Therefore, we hope that all can support our food pantry by purchasing $10 Simply Give Cards at the Cascade Meijer, particularly on the Double Match days, when those are announced.

Sunday May 28 is Faith Promise Sunday.  This is the day you can give or pledge your support for COS’s fourteen international missionaries.  We are hoping to raise $33,000 for Faith Promise support for 2023.  Last year we gave $57,000 in total for missionary support, with $24,000 from the COS General Fund and $33,000 from Faith Promise.  Look for the Faith Promise Pledge form online and in church starting May 21.  Thank you for praying and giving!

Job Openings:

Position: Sunday Facilities Coordinator

Hours: 5-6 hours a week

Position Objective: The Sunday Facilities Coordinator has primary responsibility for opening/closing the facilities and preparing the facility for Sunday worship.

Schedule: Work schedule is normally 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. each Sunday. On the Sundays when a meal is served, the schedule may go until 2:00 p.m. Opportunities for occasional Sundays off will be provided.

Pay rate: $17 per hour based on experience.

Inquiries and Resumes to Church Administrator: monica.smith@coscrc.org

Read the full job description here

Position: Facilities Coordinator

Hours: 15 hours a week

Position Objective: The Facility Coordinator is responsible for preparation of the COS facility so that it is a ready and reliable resource for the programs, ministries, staff, and members of the church thereby helping to ensure the fulfillment the church’s vision and mission.

Schedule: Work schedule is negotiable with hours normally completed on weekdays. The candidate should be on-site for weekday congregation activities including Wednesday evening activities and meals.

Pay rate: $17 per hour based on experience.

Inquiries and Resumes to Church Administrator: monica.smith@coscrc.org

Read the full job description here