November 17: Albert Strydhorst

Albert, Carolyn, Kristin and Andrea Strydhorst have been members at COS since the middle of 2012.  Albert is the Lee Huizenga Missionary in Residence at Calvin Seminary.  For the previous 18 years they served as missionaries in Nigeria with Christian Reformed World Missions. On Nov. 17 they’ll share a brief history of their time in West Africa, followed by a presentation of how Christianity is doing around the world. They’ll focus on the growth of the church in the global south, places like Nigeria and Brazil, and lead us in thinking about our role in missions today.

November 24: Todd Cioffi

Recall the Nicene Creed’s familiar words about the church: “We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.” What does it mean to believe in the church? Why is this important? How is it that the church is holy, catholic, and apostolic? What difference might such claims make for the Christian life? These questions are particularly important today when it seems so many Christians, especially our young adults, “love Jesus but not the church.” This session will explore the biblical and theological significance of the church for the Christian life and consider some of the challenges that face the church in America today.