Eastertide, May 22, 2022

This Sunday:

This Sunday, May 22, Rev. Michelle Loyd-Paige will preach from Acts 16:9-15. Rev. Karen Campbell will preach from Acts 16:9-15 in the Basic English Service. During the services, we also have the joy of presenting Bibles to our graduating 2nd graders.

Following the services, at 11:45, you’re welcome to join us in the sanctuary for Adult-ED GPS discussion of Spiritual Practices with Tom Schwanda.

“Hungering for God” • GPS series (April 24-May 22, 2022)

Join us today for the final in this GPS series in exploring Growing in Enjoyment and Contemplation of God as we practice the spiritual discipline of heavenly mindedness.

Presenter: Tom Schwanda, ordained RCA minister, professor of Christian spirituality, and spiritual director.  

Small Group Discussion Connected with the Hungering for God GPS series. Harry Plantinga, Carol Burge, and Tom Schwanda will be meeting in the Prayer Chapel at 9:00 am this Sunday with anyone who wishes to discuss their interest in hungering for God. This will also provide an opportunity to pray for our church and denomination.

The 10 am service and GPS session will be streamed via Zoom.

Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.

Children’s Ministry News:

BIBLES FOR SECOND GRADERS This Sunday During Worship!

It’s time to celebrate our 2nd Graders! Children at COS attend Little Lambs and Children’s Worship through 2nd grade to give them an-age appropriate time of worship as they prepare for corporate worship when they’re ready. At the end of 2nd Grade we celebrate this milestone with the gift of a Bible. We give our 2nd graders the New International Reader’s Version (NIrV) Bible, which is written at a 5th grade reading level. This is the translation we use in our Basic English Service, and it’s the perfect texts for kids who are learning to read Scripture on their own! Following the Bible presentation, 2nd Graders will be dismissed with their Bibles to spend their final Children’s Worship session learning how to use their new Bible! Next Sunday we look forward to seeing all our graduating 2nd graders grabbing a liturgy of their own to fully participate in congregational worship!  

CHILDREN AT THE LORD’S SUPPER CLASS After Worship (During Sunday School, 11:45am-12:30pm) in the Living Room. Children of all ages (and especially our second graders who are about to graduate from Children’s Worship) are invited to join in this class with a parent to explore the meaning of the sacraments and prepare to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Parents who attend with a child are encouraged to bring mementos and/or memories of their child’s baptism as we consider God’s promises to us at baptism, and God’s invitation to join the family meal. Pastor Karen and Jolanda Howe will be leading this interactive class that explores the sacraments and help kids understand the meaning and practice of the Lord’s Supper. Children will have the chance to ask questions and practice passing and receiving the bread and cup. After attending, children and parents will decide if they’re ready to begin participating in the Lord’ Supper. If so, they will be welcomed to the table on June 5, Pentecost Sunday!

FINAL SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS OF THE SEASON This Sunday, 11:45am-12:30pm. This year’s Children’s Sunday School team was an answer to prayer! By God’s grace, they’ve served with such dedication and joy, week after week, reviving our children’s Sunday school ministry after two seasons years lost to Covid. Please express your gratitude to Maria Stapert Vander Berg and Linda Schafer (Kid’s Club, 4-years-1stGrade), Mugs Mast (2nd-4th Grade), and Allison Westrate (5th-6th Grade), for building caring relationships with our kids as they share God’s stories and engage them in conversation, reflection, and joyful response to God. These teachers, and their faithful substitutes, Beth Reinders and Jim Howe are treasures!

FAITH FORMATION VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION Next Sunday

If you serve in the classroom or behind the scenes in any of our faith formation ministry programs, you’ll be showered with gratitude next Sunday!  

Church News:

Current Giving for the month of May: $73,964

Giving for the month of April: $101,750

Monthly budgeted General Fund Giving is:  $118,873

Council requests elder and deacon nominees for a 3 year term on Council to begin in September of 2022. You may nominate yourself or another member of COS whom you feel has the gifts to serve our congregation on Council. We anticipate the need to fill 5 elder and 5 deacon roles this Fall. Please prayerfully consider whether you or someone you know might be called to serve our congregation in this meaningful way. Send nominations via online poll or by email to Chair of Council, Stacy Steen, Chair of Elders, Rhonda Mejeur, Chair of Deacons, Marc Beversluis, to your Parish elder or deacon or to the Pastors.

Social Seniors continues to meet on Tuesdays at 10:00 via Zoom. All are welcome. For more information, contact Corrie Vos.

Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 832 6366 9013

Passcode: COS

Anchoring our Life Together: To assist in our preparation for Synod, we are sending out weekly meditations. Our larger purpose is to remind us of what are some of the deepest anchors of our life together, the sturdiest pillars upon which our life together is founded. They provide our community stability and purpose, and are important, so we believe, in reminding ourselves of them again—and yet again.  Through our doing so the Spirit can assist us in warding off the spiritual drowsiness and amnesia which can so easily overtake a Christian community. These weekly meditations, leading up to Synod in June, will be posted on the COS website, printed on Sundays, and available in the weekly email newsletter. Additionally, we invite you to read this recent letter from the COS council.

A Welcome Home campaign story: This past week, a member of the local community came to the COS blood drive to donate blood. He struck up a conversation with a COS member and learned about the Welcome Home campaign. The project resonated with him, so he pulled out his checkbook and wrote a sizeable check for the campaign fund. This is just one example of the generosity and enthusiasm this effort to provide transitional housing for refugees has generated. Thanks be to God! If you’d like to make a gift in support of purchasing the house at 3825 Burton Street SE, look for a pledge form and brochure at coscrc.org/welcomehome. Questions? Please contact a council member or anyone on the Welcome Home campaign team: Marc Beversluis, Jonathan Bradford, Eve Clayton, Jay Ediger, Tom McWhertor, Sylvia Nyamuhungu.

Mission Accomplished! Thanks to our committed blood donors, we reached and surpassed our goal for donations at last Monday’s drive. With the Versiti blood supply at a very low level, each unit of blood was much needed and appreciated! Thank you! Our next drive is set for Monday, August 1, and the appointment schedule is already available online. New donors are so important to meet the ongoing needs of our community. If you have questions about the donation process or your eligibility, please talk with Beth Karanicola or Ruth Huisman. Again, our thanks!