This Week:

On this Pentecost Sunday, Rev. Andrew Mead will preach from Acts 2:1-13 and Numbers 11:24-30 in our Prism combined worship service. This Sunday, we also have the joy of welcoming new members into the life of the church.

Today is Faith Promise Sunday! Today 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. There is a Faith Promise Pledge form you can download online, or you will find one in your mailbox or at the back of church. Thank you for praying and giving!

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

Children’s Ministry News, from Jolanda Howe:

May 28: Faith Formation Volunteer Appreciation Celebration. This Sunday we will recognize with gratitude the jubilarians among us who have nurtured the faith of children and youth this ministry season. If you have served as a Sunday school teacher, Small Group Leader, Little Lambs Jam Band Member, Little Lambs or Children’s Worship Leader or Assistant, Girls or Boys Club leader, Van Driver, Wednesday Kitchen Crew Member, Faith Formation Team Member, Monday Night Tutor, Summer Trip Leader or if you serve behind the scenes, on-call, or for special faith formation events—you are invited to a cake reception to celebrate God’s work in and through you this ministry season!


June 4: 2nd Grade Graduates Receive Bibles. On Sunday, June 4, our graduating 2nd graders will receive Bibles during the service in both services. After receiving Bibles, they will join the processional to the children’s wing one final time to explore their new Bibles with Ms. Sherri Leahy! 


June 11: Programming for Children Ages 3 through Graduated 1st Graders. Beginning June 11th the newly graduated 2nd graders will remain in the sanctuary for corporate worship while children ages 3 through graduated 1st graders will be blessed and dismissed to continue worship in the children’s wing. If your child is 2.5 and they’ve already been attending Little Lambs they are welcome to continue through the summer. If your child is not yet 3, please wait until the beginning of the new ministry season. All children will remain in their current classrooms until late August, when we will advance children in our LL and CW rooms up to the next grade level. 

Church News:

Current Giving for May: $72,402

April 2023 Giving: $83,854

Monthly budgeted General Fund Giving is:  $120,551

COS Finance update from executive committee: The general fund continues to run in the red (to the tune of $20+K monthly vs expenditures). In the initial months of 2023 giving has lagged. Denominational ministry contributions from COS ($8,300 monthly) have been held for many months, and other expenses have been cut. The proposed new budget for next year involves additional decreases to align with receipts. Many good ministries at COS and excellent associated staff continue at this point, but there will be challenges ahead to prioritize. We challenge all to assess giving practices, and we commit to use the funds carefully at COS. Thank you. COS executive committee, for the Council.


Council is asking the congregation for Elder and Deacon nominees for a three-year term on Council to begin in September of 2023. 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 four Elder and four Deacon roles this term. Prayerfully consider whether you or someone you know might be called to serve our congregation in this meaningful way. Send nominations via online submission or contact Chair of Elders, Karen Koetje.


Medical Supplies: Did you know COS has some medical supplies (crutches, wheelchairs, scooters, lift chair, commodes) we loan out to members? Contact the church office if you would like to borrow one of these items. If in good condition and you are finished with an item similar to this list and would like to donate it to COS for others to use, contact the church office.


Meijer Simply Give: we’re participating in another campaign. Your support through greatly benefits our food pantry. Our double match day is June 17. This means every $10 Simply Give card purchased on at Cascade Meijer on June 17 results in $30 for the COS Food Pantry.

The Council of Church of the Servant invites all voting members to an important congregational meeting on Sunday, June 4, 2023 in the SES worship space, after the morning services. Council has adopted a recommendation for congregational approval to do two things:

  • Amend the Articles of Incorporation for Church of the Servant CRC.
  • Approve the assignment of all assets of Church of the Servant to a new corporate entity.

Council makes these recommendations to be good stewards of the resources of COS and to update our governing documents. Learn more here.

Those who cannot attend the congregational meeting are welcome to use this online absentee ballot to submit their vote.


Prayer for Synod – ‘Prayer is as necessary to the Christian as breathing is to the human body’. Jesus modeled a life of constant prayer: during his baptism, when choosing the disciples, he often retreated to the mountainside and spent whole nights in prayer.  He prayed before the feeding of the 5000 and for the protection of his disciples and the unity of all believers. When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, Jesus gave them the Lord’s prayer as a model which was a corporate rather than an individual prayer. If prayer is the oxygen of the church it should give us life and encourage a vibrant expression of our faith in Jesus as a corporate body. As Synod 2023 approaches, we want to encourage our church to join together in corporate prayer. There will be different opportunities to do this and we invite the congregation to participate as able.

  • Thursday, 1st June • 12 pm on zoom           

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85760506291?pwd=VW0zenpnd0JKYmhvZ3dBSVIxR2VEQT09

Meeting ID: 857 6050 6291

Passcode: 435210

  • Sunday, 4th June • 6 pm an informal prayer service in the sanctuary
  • Tuesday, 6th June •  7 pm in person in the living room of COS

2 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.”


Synod Worship: Over a year ago, the Council of Delegates asked and approved that Church of the Servant should be the host church for Synod 2023. This was to celebrate the 50th year anniversary of our congregation.

Some of you may wonder what this will entail and how you might be involved.

COS will lead the opening worship service in Calvin Chapel at 8:00am on Friday, June 9. This service is open for everyone to attend. Following this service, Synod will move into business and Pastor Karen will be the president pro-tem for this opening session.

On Sunday, June 11 at 5:00pm there will be a worship service and communion at COS. This is open to all to attend.

There are several specific needs in relation to these few days. If you are able to help in any way, please get in touch with Monica at: monica.smith@coscrc.org

  • We need at least 5 drivers to be able to pick up (and return home) members of our African girls’ choir to get them to Calvin chapel for a starting practice at 7:00am on Friday, June 9
  • We need 3 drivers willing to drive a World Renew van to do a pickup from Calvin’s campus and bring delegates to COS before and after the 5:00 pm worship service on Sunday, June 11.
  • We would also value some more greeters for the Sunday, June 11 5:00pm service.

As we prepare for these various roles, we invite you to pray that we keep our eyes on giving glory to God for all God’s goodness to COS over these past 50 years.


Pentecost season dance – we will begin the first Pentecost seasonal liturgy on Sunday, June 4. This season we will dance the closing song “Let the Fire”. Dancers 5 and up are welcome to join us (new members are always welcome!). Those that attend Children’s Worship will need to return to the worship space for the dance. Rehearsals will be held Wednesday, May 31, at 6:30 PM and Saturday, June 3, at 10 AM. Any questions – contact Julie Yonkers at julie.yonkers@sbcglobal.net or 616.901.4835.


Classis update: Classis Grand Rapids East met on Thursday, May 18, and approved a response to the overture from Classis Zeeland. Classis Zeeland asked synod to redistrict the member churches of our classis and disband the classis. The response explains that a request to redistrict a church should be made through overtures from both the home classis of the affected church and the receiving classis. Church Order and past decisions of synod do not support this kind of request being imposed by an outside classis without the involvement or consent of the affected churches and classes. Classis Grand Rapids East also approved a revision to its articles of incorporation that clarify that a motion to revise the member churches of Classis Grand Rapids East can only be made upon the request of a member church and would require the subsequent approval of both our classis and synod.

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