Excerpts from the COS Bulletin. For the full bulletin, please visit the Members and Friends portal.

Happening This Sunday

The new member class meets November 18 at 9 am in the living room (near the office at the front entrance). Contact Chris Klein, chris.klein@coscrc.org 956-7611, with questions.

Nov. 18 is Chaplaincy and Care Sunday. Chaplains share the grace of Christ even in the bleakest moments. COS calls Chaplain Barb Schultze to long-term care, clinical care and hospital chaplaincy. We also recognize the work of member Chaplain Josh Baron and new COS member Travis Jamieson. Ask them about their work, and please remember to pray for our chaplains who are a channel of Christ’s hope and healing—for the sick and those who love them. 

Thanksgiving Day

On Thursday, November 22, our Thanksgiving Day worship will be a combined 10 am service in the large sanctuary. We are still in need of nursery help for that day. Please contact Diane Jonker or Annette Ediger if you are willing to help. diane.jonker@coscrc.org     annette.ediger@coscrc.org

Thanksgiving Day offering – The deacons ask you to remember the blessings you’ve received this year from the Lord and in response, give with a lightness of heart toward the special offering at our Thanksgiving service. Once again, we will be dividing the offering between Coit Community Church and Celebration Fellowship. In some ways these congregations are similar; they face unusual challenges with a deep joy and longing for the Lord’s peace as they worship together.  Give generously to these, our brothers and sisters, as they wait with us for the time of salvation.

Joyful Noise Orchestra will be leading the music for our Thanksgiving Day service. We will rehearse one more time on Thursday, November 22 at 9:00am before our 10:00am service.  If you have any questions, please contact Maria Stapert (maria.stapert@coscrc.org). 

Youth News

Reminder: WNL and Sunday School will not meet this Wednesday or next Sunday due to Thanksgiving Break. Happy Thanksgiving! 

Puerto Rico Mission Trip Signup deadline is this Sunday! There are 5 spots left for our Spring Break Mission Trip. Contact Annette today if you want to claim one!

4 for 4 (4 activities on the 4th Sunday) meets next Sunday, Nov. 25, 12-2pm – ALL High School students are invited to join us for a free lunch followed by 4 different activities: sports, discussion, gaming, and baking/crafting.  Assistance with transportation home available, if needed.  Join us!

Serve 1st will actually be Serve 2nd in December!  Your help is needed at the Angel Tree Christmas Party on Dec. 8 from 4:30-6:30pm at COS! So instead of doing a service project on the first Saturday of the month, we will be doing it on the second Saturday.  Contact Annette or Lucie Marsden if you are available to help run games for the kids who attend the party.

Youth Auction Donations Needed! Our Youth Group Fundraising Auction is taking place on Wed., Dec. 5.  I am requesting that all youth in grades 7-12 consider donating 2 items/services.  This auction helps raise money for our international mission trips which occur once every 4 years.  Contact Annette about your donations. 

Youth Auction Help Needed! Students, parents, and leaders – Your help is needed to make our Youth Auction a success!  Let Annette know where you can help:

  • Set up tables on Sunday, Dec. 2, after COS Christmas Brunch
  • Set up auction items on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 3-5pm
  • Help with meal prep on Wednesday, Dec. 5, 3-5pm
  • Help “closing tables” and distributing items during the auction
  • Help cleaning up after the auction (7-8:30pm)

Church News

Bulletin announcements are due this Wednesday at 8:30am due to the holiday.

There will be no Wednesday night programming this Wednesday or Sunday school next Sunday due to Thanksgiving Break.

Thank you to those who have already turned in your pledge forms. Additional pledge forms are located on the café counter.

The Thursday Bible study will not this week on Nov. 22. We will meet again the following week on November 29.

Friendship ESL will not meet this Wed., Nov. 21 or Thurs. Nov. 22.  

THANK YOU for another successful Blood Drive!  The sign-up was great, with almost every appointment slot filled. We had 25 people register, and were able to collect 21 pints of blood – exceeding the projected goal of 16! We also had one first-time donor. We have blessed many, as each unit can be a lifesaver for three people! Thank you, thank you!! 

Time to reclaim your lost items! It’s been said that leaving an item behind indicates a hidden desire to return to the place you’ve left your belongings. If that’s true, we have a lot of people who love COS! Check out the coat rack area for your lost books, hats, coats, dishes and glass slippers. Whatever is left after a week or two will be donated to charity.

Meijer Simply Give Double Match – Please mark your calendars for Friday December 7, 2018 to purchase your 10.00 Simply Give cards at the Cascade Meijer. For every 10.00 card purchase, Meijer will match this with 20.00, so the COS food pantry will benefit with a 30.00 gift! If you buy 30.00 Meijer Simply Give card, it will turn into a 90.00 gift to the COS food pantry. This year Ellen Westrate will be taking  monies from those who cannot easily go to the Cascade Meijer and will be purchasing these cards on your behalf on Dec 7 Double Match day. Please give your name and money in an envelope to Ellen by Dec 5. It is our hope and goal this year to surpass the $25,000 COS received from Cascade Meijer for our food pantry which feeds over 100 families a month. Thank you for participating in this partnership with Meijer! The card stands will be in the back of the sanctuary and on the Café Table 

Check your COS mailbox! The high school students of COS need your help to make our Fundraising Auction a success.  If you have an item or service that you would like to donate, fill out the donation information form in your mailbox and return it to Annette by next Sunday, Nov. 25.  And then we’ll see you at the Puerto Rican Themed Dinner and Auction on Wednesday, Dec. 5!

COS Prisoners in Christ will host a Christmas party on Saturday afternoon, December 8, 4-6:30 p.m. for about 20 children whose incarcerated parents have requested connections at Christmastime through Prison Fellowship Angel Tree. There are many ways COS members can be involved – purchasing a gift on behalf of the parent who is in prison, helping out with the party, donating funds, and through your faithful prayers. If interested, contact Lucie Marsden via email  lucie.marsden@gmail.com or text 616-481-1425.

Ten years ago this past week, on November 13. 2008, a group of COS and other Classis GR East members, led by Rev. Rich Rienstra, developing pastor, launched the first Michigan CRC prison congregation at Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility in Ionia, One of the main goals of this unique partnership with inmates and staff in the Department  of Corrections  was to build a bridge between the “inside” and “outside” church, preparing the way for men to come out of prison and be welcomed into congregations that recognized them as brothers in Christ. Prisoners in Christ CONTACT reentry group provides a concrete opportunity for such fellowship.  http://prisonersinchrist.org/about-us/

We are continuing to collect donated hats, scarves, socks and gloves/mittens for our Camelot neighbors! We will distribute these items at our next Mobile Food Pantry Sat. Dec. 1 at Camelot Woods. The collection basket is in the café.

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  November 28 – Please join us for a pot-luck dinner and C.O.S. Hamilton Preview Party.  All adults and young adults welcome!  After a meal together we will watch the phenomenal PBS Documentary, “Hamilton’s America,” which gives a “unique window into the artistry and research involved” in making the Broadway musical Hamilton. We will spend the evening in the company of historian Ron Chernow; rappers Nas, Questlove and Black Thought; as well as others who were essential to the making of the musical and are passionate about its impact. Don’t miss the fun! RSVP’s to Mimi Bartleson would be helpful!