Pentecost Season, June 20, 2021
This Sunday:
This Sunday, June 20, we will worship outdoors in the COS patio area. Rev. Karen Campbell will bring us a message in the 10 am service based on 1 Samuel 17:32-50. Rev. Andrew Mead will preach in the 11:30 bilingual/ BES service. Sign up to attend our outdoor services. The 10 am Service will also be broadcast via Zoom: Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.
June Council Report:
At this month’s outdoor in person council meeting much was accomplished. Council reflected on ways they are currently seeing God moving as well as practices of prayer and discernment they would like to see implemented as part of the liturgy of council meetings going forward.
Reports (and discussions) were made about:
- outdoor worship and the complexities of moving inside
- the need for tutors for school aged New Americans
- Rev. Campbell participating in a 6 month Pastors on Patrol program with the GRPD
- development of a worship theme for the coming year
- a new Creation Season liturgy in our church calendar
- a deficit month in the church budget
- Elder and Deacon nominations for the coming year
Votes were made (and passed) about:
- New Chair of Council: Stacy Steen, Chair of Elders: Rhonda Mejeur, Chair of Deacons: Marc Beversluis
- Establishing a task force to help the congregation engage as a church body with the CRC Human Sexuality Report
- Establishing a steering committee to plan a 50th anniversary celebration
- Joining the Grand Rapids Climate Resolution Coalition which is promoting a commitment to carbon neutrality
Council has the month of July off and will meet with new council members joining in August. Praise be God for his faithfulness to our congregation!
If you missed last week’s announcement about the return to indoor worship beginning July 4, read it in last week’s bulletin.
Church News:
The Anti-Racism & Reconciliation and the Prisoners in Christ Restorative Justice teams remind COS members and friends that slavery is still being practiced within these United States because the 13th Amendment allows for it as punishment for a crime. Do Juneteenth Celebrations acknowledge that at least 2.5 million people are enslaved, and often tortured, in U.S. prisons and jails, and twice that number are on parole or probation – in the supervised society described in the book Halfway Home?
Join families and children of people in prison, as well as formerly incarcerated people, at Tall Turf Family Camp July 30-Aug. 1, 2021. (July 9-11 dates are full.) The mission of Tall Turf is to equip youth and families for lives of reconciliation in God’s world. Let’s learn together with those who are directly impacted by the experience of slavery. Scholarships are available for families who have a loved one in jail or prison, or are dealing with other hardships. See (brochure) or contact Carol Rienstra (616-724-6772) for more information.
Celebrate Juneteenth – June 19th, 2021 The Emancipation Proclamation declared more than three million slaves living in the Confederate states to be free. More than two years would pass, however, before the news reached African Americans living in Texas. Union soldiers arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, informing them that slavery had been abolished –the former slaves immediately began to celebrate with prayer, feasting, song, and dance.
The first official Juneteenth celebrations took place in Texas on June 19, 1866. Within a few years, African Americans in other states were celebrating the day as well, making it an annual tradition. Celebrations have continued across the United States into the 21st century and typically include prayer and religious services, speeches, educational events, family gatherings and picnics, and festivals with music, food, and dancing (Britannica.com)
See additional resources about Juneteenth and a listing of local celebrations on the Church of the Servant website.
Link to Cindy Vander Kodde’s article on Juneteenth:
Link to Juneteenth resources:
Financial Update: Last week’s offering and online giving: $23,748.97
Current Giving for the month of June: $61,086.08
Monthly budgeted General Fund Giving is: $112,926
Cherry Health will be providing COVID-19 Vaccines to those 12 and older at Church of the Servant this Sunday from 1-3 pm. Please call 616 965 8347 to pre-register for vaccination. Walk-ins are welcome, but pre-registering will help the process go more smoothly and quickly. Gift cards will be given to those that get vaccinated while supplies last!
COS is now a member of the Grand Rapids Climate Resolution Coalition, a kaleidoscope of local groups who have come together for the purpose of ensuring a carbon neutral Grand Rapids by 2030 through the passage and successful implementation of a Climate Resolution by the Grand Rapids City Commission. As of Thursday, June 10, the Church of the Servant Council passed a motion to approve the COS Creation Care Team’s recommendation:
That Church of the Servant join the Grand Rapids Climate Resolution Coalition which is petitioning the GR City Commission to adopt a Resolution that commits the City to be carbon neutral by 2030.
See more information about the Grand Rapids Climate Resolution Coalition – and the Resolution itself at the following link: www.GRClimate.org
This coalition’s resolution, “Declaring a Climate Emergency: A Better Future Starts Now” declares that we are facing a climate emergency, and it commits the city government of Grand Rapids to take bold actions to ensure carbon neutrality and climate justice in Grand Rapids. Individuals and organizations can now sign on in support of this resolution at grclimate.org.
Even if you don’t live in Grand Rapids city limits, because this affects all of us, please consider individually signing on in support of this resolution and sharing it with your own friends and networks.
Social Seniors meet every Tuesday morning from 10:00 to 11:00. Designed to provide opportunity for church family camaraderie, Social Seniors is open to anyone who would like to attend, regardless of age. 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.
Nature lovers are needed to help water the new trees at COS this summer. 4-6 people are needed each week to help haul hoses to the trees and then return them to storage. For more information and to sign up, contact Hope Bradley at Hope1033@gmail.com.
Fabric and Fellowship: Join a group that likes to sew and enjoy a time of fellowship. Our next meeting is June 28th from 10am to 2pm in room 5 of COS. We have a stash of fabric that we are using up in quilts for ministry organizations. You can bring your machine or come to design, cut pieces or iron for others. Also bring your lunch. Contact Claire Elgersma or Hope Bradley for more information.
Downsizing? Cleaning your Garage? COS maintenance could use a few items:
1. Broken hose to be cut up for tree staking
2. Stakes and rope for tree staking
3. Belt sander to work on the playhouse
You can drop any item by the garage and let Hope Bradley know they are there.
Sunday Nursery Volunteers Needed – Jana Brasser, our beloved Nursery Supervisor, is opening up the nursery for the summer and is looking for volunteers who can help her keep our youngest members safe and cared for during the 10am service. Our strong preference is that nursery volunteers be fully vaccinated and at least 14 years old. If you are interested in being on our nursery volunteer rotation this summer, please contact Lori Wiersma: lori.wiersma@coscrc.org