From the “Church News” portion of the COS Bulletin. Visit House Church Resources for a PDF of the full bulletin.
This Sunday:
This Sunday, May 9, we will continue to worship using our Zoom format, individually, but still as one body, united in Christ. Rev. Karen Campbell will bring us a message based on the scriptures of 1 John 5:1-9 and Psalm 98. Our Bilingual English/Swahili service worships at 11:30 am with Makema Lwenge preaching. Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.
Re:New Wednesday Nights at COS:
You’re Invited to join us IN PERSON this spring for “Re:New – Wednesday Nights at COS” For 6 weeks during Eastertide (Apr. 14-May19), COS will be embracing themes of renewal and growth and new life and hope in our Wednesday night series “Re:New – Wednesday Nights at COS.” People of all ages are invited to spend time together outdoors and with masks on as we reflect and respond to God’s promise to make all things new.
Dates: Wednesday from April 14 – May 19, 6:30-7:30pm
Adults: Adults at COS will have the opportunity to hear from and interact with members of COS who are engaged in the work of renewal in unique ways. Come ready to spend time outdoors–and wear comfortable shoes as part of our time may be spent walking around the church property.
Worship 6-6:30 pm in the Sanctuary: Wednesday Evening Taize Prayer services will take place in the sanctuary at COS. These services will be limited to 25 people each. The services will include scripture, prayer and meditative music, but no corporate singing. Masks will be required for the entire service. And social distancing will be required in the sanctuary.
7th & 8th graders: WNZ is transitioning back to WNL! From 6:30-7:30pm meetings in May will all be held at COS.
Preschool-6th grade: Join us on Wednesday nights this spring for creation-themed outdoor programming for preschool-1st graders and 2nd-6thgraders! Kids should come dressed for games, outdoor exploration, and crafts. Food and drinks will not be served, but kids are welcome to bring a water bottle. Bathrooms will be available, and masks are required.
In-Person Outdoor Worship beginning May 23
COS friends, we look forward to seeing many of you on Pentecost Sunday and throughout the summer. We can testify that our Good Shepherd has been with us through the wilderness of this pandemic. And we look forward in faith and hope that God will continue to shepherd us every step of the way.
In this video we offer some insight into what has been driving some of the decisions around in-person worship, what to expect come Pentecost Sunday (May 23), and ways we sense God leading this community of faith.
To help with planning these services and keeping within the allowed capacity, sign-ups will be made available prior to the services. Additionally, each service will also be broadcast via zoom for those joining from home or elsewhere. Sign up for the COS Newsletter list to receive Signup links and Zoom links each week.
We invite your questions or comments as we move back to regular in-person worship. Please share your comments in the form on this page, or email office@coscrc.org.
Church News:
Financial Update: Last week’s offering and online giving: $11,786
Estimated giving for the month of April: $80,969
Monthly budgeted General Fund Giving is: $112,926
From the Missions Support Team: May is COS’s Faith Promise month! With your support, fourteen missionary families are serving in South America, North America, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Check out all their ministries on the COS website. Click on “COS Missionaries 2021” for a one-page photo directory. Maybe print and post it as a prayer reminder. Also prayerfully consider your Faith Promise pledge for 2021. The link to complete your pledge is “Faith Promise Pledge 2021” and is also on the same page on the website. Thanks for your generous support!
Be a Beacon of Hope! There is no substitute for blood…it is precious, perishable, and the need for it is vital. Any one of us might need a transfusion, at any time. We rely on one another to meet that need. Will you help meet the need? We are hosting a Blood Drive here Monday (May 10), 2-7pm, and it’s not too late to make an appointment to donate. The schedule is accessible through Sunday. Visit here and select a time from the available openings. We consider blood donors HEROES! Thank you for saving lives!
As we anticipate moving toward in-person outdoor services this summer, we invite more people to serve as Sunday morning scripture readers. If you would like to read scripture during a morning worship service, please sign up here.
It’s Grad Basket Season! COS has the tradition of celebrating our high school graduates by giving them a laundry basket containing some thoughtful and practical gifts to set them up for success on the next leg of their journey. And we need your help! We have 22 students graduating from high school this year! Could you give a financial gift towards these grad baskets? Any amount will help! In addition to giving each of these grads a study Bible, your donations will be split up among all these students and used to purchase gift cards to stores where they can purchase the items they need to begin “adulting.” Checks can be made out to COS with “grad basket” indicated in the memo line. Or you can Venmo gifts to @Annette-Ediger. (Please note that donations to Annette via Venmo cannot be claimed as tax deductions.) Gifts must be received by Sun., May 9.
Social Seniors meet every Tuesday morning from 10:00 to 11:00. Designed to provide opportunity for church family camaraderie, Social Seniors is led by Corrie Vos and Dale Cooper, and is open to anyone who would like to attend, regardless of age. We enjoy a social time together with a Biblical focus. 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.
Tree Processional Proposal:Together, the Creation Care, Refugium, and Liturgical Art teams propose replacing the processional banners and poles with rows of Eastern Red Cedar trees that will continue to grow with our church family and guide new generations to the Tree of Life. Eastern Red Cedars are native to West Michigan. They are hardy, salt-tolerant, and do well in all soils, so they are suitable for this particular location. They are very common in our area – we already have several growing on our property – so these new trees will be right at home. A processional route lined with everyday native trees reinforces and celebrates the underlying value of “dignifying the ordinary”. Read more in this attached flyer
