This Sunday:

This Sunday, September 4, Rev. Karen Campbell will preach from Job 39:1-8 and Luke 12:22-31 in the large service. Rev. Andrew Mead will preach in the All Nations Worship Service in Room 4.

The 10 am large service will be streamed via Zoom.

Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.

Church News:

Current Giving for the month of August: $97,932

2021 Giving for the month of July: $78,223

Giving for August 2021: $85,229

Monthly budgeted General Fund Giving is:  $118,873

COS Duty Rosters: Sharing in Hospitality and Care! At COS we have a long tradition of sharing in weekly duties related to worship and welcome. Our duty rosters include Coffee Duty, Nursery Duty, and Communion Elements Duty. Please look for an email next week with the new three-month duty roaster schedule—you might be on it! If you find you’re scheduled at a time you’re unavailable, please swap assignments with someone else on the schedule. You’ll receive an email reminder a week before you’re scheduled to serve.

Volunteer Training and Lunch – Sept. 11, 11:45-1pm Are you volunteering in children or youth ministry? Would you like to consider volunteering in these ministries? Every year insurance requires that ALL VOLUNTEER WHO WORK WITH CHILDREN & TEENS attend an annual training. The material covered is SUPER HELPFUL for keeping all of us safe at COS—and we include a meal! If you are planning to volunteer but can’t attend this meeting, reach out to Annette or Jo to schedule a later training time.

It is time to begin thinking about 2023 giving envelopes. We ask that you fill out a form which you can find in your COS mailbox (or this online form) if you would like to continue/begin receiving giving envelopes in 2023. Please plan to mail the form to COS or drop off to COS office by September 20th. If you have any questions, please contact Angelica Zahrt, Treasurer by email aj.zahrt@coscrc.org or by phone 616-956-7611 ext 29.

2022 marks the thirteenth year of the New Psalm Contest at Church of the Servant, but the history of encouraging new songwriters is as old as the church, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. We look forward to continuing the tradition of encouraging new songs for the church through this contest. We have enjoyed the quality and diversity of entries over the past twelve years, and we would be delighted if you would take part or spread the news to those who might have a new Psalm to share for this year’s contest. Submissions must be emailed or postmarked by October 1, 2022. The winning songs will be premiered in worship on February 12, 2023. Learn more on the COS website.

Position Opening – All Nations Worship Coordinator

Compensation:​ 20 hours/week starting at $18/hour

Reports to:​ Co-Pastor Andrew Mead

Summary of Position: To cultivate, empower, and sustain a multicultural, multilingual worshipping community. The All Nations Worship Coordinator will work as part of a team consisting of Co-Pastor Andrew, Co-Pastor Karen, All Nations music teams, the All Nations Music Assistant, and the SES Worship Coordinator. A key component for cultivating multicultural worship will be building relationships across a variety of cultures. In collaboration with the team listed above, the All Nations Worship Coordinator will find creative ways to gather songs and enable them to be sung as part of the worship services that ensures a colorful expression of kingdom worship across cultures. This requires creating space for the spiritual gifts of many congregants to be offered in the service. Overseeing the weekly administration of the service – from volunteer involvement to service planning – is also key to the success of this position. Find the complete job description here

There is still time to enter a piece of artwork in the 50th Anniversary Celebration show at COS. The theme is Tree of Life. It can be any medium. If you have questions or have an unusual piece in mind like 3D or some such, please be in touch with Betsy Ratzsch. The deadline for delivery of the work is the week ending on Sept 9. All are welcome to enter a piece. Please plan to have it ready to hang. Call with questions: Betsy Ratzsch 616-682-9930. Thanks!

50th anniversary Celebration. This year, Church of the Servant is blessed to celebrate its 50-year anniversary. In anticipation of this milestone, we encourage you to save Sept. 17-18 for our anniversary celebration. We will hold a celebration on Saturday, Sept. 17 from 4:30-8 pm at COS. The evening will include dinner and programming that looks back at our 50 years as a congregation and looks forward to God’s future of the church. Sign up to let us know you’re coming to the Sept. 17 program.

On Sunday, Sept. 18, we will gather for worship at 10 am followed by an all-church meal outside. More details and formal invitations will follow. For now, we encourage you to save the dates as we look forward to celebrating with our COS friends. Learn more at coscrc.org/fiftyyears

The Classis Grand Rapids East workday with Habitat for Humanity has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 8. The building permit has been granted and the hole dug on Diamond Street. The house will be a three-plex built with insulated concrete forms – i.e., styrofoam Lego blocks. We are looking for a small number of volunteers to represent COS.  If you would like to help, contact Jim Bradley (jimbradley1033@gmail.com).

Friendship ESL at COS opens for the fall term on September 13. Do you know neighbors who need language learning? Bring them. Nursery care at all sessions. Two morning sessions, Tu-Wd 930-1130a.  Two evenings, Tu-Th 6-8 pm. Evening staff worker needed, nursery. Paid position. Contact Mark Fackler, pmfackler@gmail.com.

Are you curious about Together West Michigan broad-based organizing? You are invited to a free training on Friday, Sept. 9, 6-8:30 pm. (supper included) and Saturday, Sept. 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. (lunch included) at Park Congregational Church, 10 East Park Place, Grand Rapids, MI 49503. The training will have two tracks: Broad-based Organizing Basics and Deepening Your Organizing Skills. Industrial Areas Foundation (IAF) trainers from Texas, Mississippi, and Colorado will lead the training. For more information, contact Carol Rienstra, Marc Beversluis, or Lori Wiersma, or go directly to this link to sign up.

Name tags help us know one another, whether you’re new to COS or not. Traditionally, one nametag kiosk has been at the Main Entrance outside the Worship Space and one by the ESL/Nursery Entrance inside the Worship Center. On Sunday, September 4, both nametag kiosks will be at the Main Entrance, each arranged alphabetically. For those who recently signed up to receive a nametag, we have added your nametag. If you don’t find your name tag and would like one, email office@coscrc.org. When services are complete, return your nametag to the kiosks. Sunday, September 11, the ESL/Nursery kiosk will return to its place inside the Worship Space. 

Also! If you wear your name tag for any of the next two Sundays, you will be eligible to win a tasty treat.

COS is resuming the First Sunday Meals in October. Everyone is invited to remain after worship to eat and fellowship in the Café. However, we are looking for volunteers who will stay after the meal and assist the kitchen staff with clean up. This may include wiping down tables, breaking down of tables and chairs, bussing tables, etc. If this is a ministry in which you would be willing to assist, contact the church office at 616.956.7611 or office@coscrc.org.