First Sunday of Epiphany Season: Rev. Andrew Mead begins a series on The Lord’s Prayer and will preach from Daniel 6:6-13 and Matthew 6:1-13 in the Tree of Life service in the large sanctuary. Rev. Ruth Lemmen will preach from Isaiah 43:1-7 & Luke 3:20-21 in the All Nations Worship Service in Room 4. 

The 10 am Tree of Life service will also be broadcast via Zoom. Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.

Worship:

Preaching Schedule
January 19 ANWS – Rev. Andrew Mead, TOL – Rev. Ben Videtich
January 26 ANWS – Rev. Albert Strydhorst, TOL – Rev. Andrew Mead
February 2 Prism – Rev. Andrew Mead
February 9 ANWS – Sem. Lucy Gitau, TOL – Rev. Len Vander Zee

Scripture Readers are needed each week in the Tree of Life service, and you are invited to participate in leading our worship in this way. You can sign up for a date that works for you at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/9040849ada62babfd0-scripture1#/ 
You can also access the sign up link through the COS website. Go to the Worship Page and scroll down to the Scripture Reading section.
If you have never read scripture before, you can find more information in our “Scripture Readers Guide,” which can also be accessed via the Worship Page on the COS website or directly with this link: https://www.churchoftheservantcrc.org/scripture-readers-guide/.
If you have any questions, or have trouble with the signup process, please contact Maria Stapert Vander Berg (maria.stapert@coscrc.org).

Epiphany Dance: If you are interested in participating in the liturgical dance for the season of Epiphany, you are welcome to attend the rehearsal Saturday, January 11 at 10:00am. The dance for this season goes with the opening song, “Christ, Be Our Light.” If you have any questions, contact Maria Stapert (maria.stapert@coscrc.org) or Julie Yonkers (julie.yonkers@sbcglobal.net).

Council Update:

During the Sunday, January 26 GPS time, we will have a Q&A town hall in the large worship space on disaffiliation from the Christian Reformed Church in North America. Before then, you will receive a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document. If you have questions for the FAQ document, contact Eric Walstra, Council Chair, ejwalstra@gmail.com. Council scheduled the two votes on disaffiliation for Sundays, March 23 and April 26. These are important votes for COS, so please make every effort to attend and participate. The reason for this timing is that, along with other disaffiliating churches in Classis Grand Rapids East, Council agrees it is wise to have the votes on disaffiliation before Synod 2025 in June. Also, this timeline gives the All Nations Worship fellowship time to continue important discussions around this issue.

There have been some questions on the English As A Second Language (ESL) program at COS. ESL had a record number of people in the Fall 2024 semester. Council resolved to continue the ESL program in its present form and approved a few more hours to help with nursery assistance due to the number of children present. Council appreciates all the time and effort so many people put into this ministry.

At the Council & Staff Workshop in November, we spent time discussing aspects of racism and power sharing, and followed that up with additional discussions at our December and January Council meetings. One reason is to keep the subject in front of us. Another reason is to address specific things we can do to relinquish and share power so we become a healthier community.

Council tasked the Executive Team to form a Pastoral Search Team. When the previous search team started, we had no idea it would end up bringing us Karen Campbell and Andrew Mead as co-pastors. This time, we begin with lots of input from the Flourishing Forward Team, people in both the TOL and ANW services, as well as Council and Staff. But we remain open to God, who will surprise us again with something good. Please be in prayer for this process.

At COS, our mission says we will be a place of refuge, fellowship, and hope. May God bless us as we seek to live that out.

Faith Formation:

Sunday School Resumes This Week! Please encourage your kids to finish their cookie and lemonade by 11:45am so they can learn and grow in faith with their friends in Sunday school! Classes for children ages 4 though 6th grade are in the classrooms in the hallway behind the Tree of Life service. Middle, high school and adult classes are also offered from 11:45-12:30pm, and nursery is available for children age 3 and younger.

GPS (God’s People Seeking) – Sundays in Room 5 from 11:45-12:30am
Sunday, January 12: James Bratt presents “A (Very) Short History of the CRC”
In this session, we will examine the key sources and lines of development in the history of the Christian Reformed Church and the (often competing) characteristics that have grown out of them. Much of this is the history of divisions—two major splits from the national church of the Netherlands, from which the denomination originated; two secessions from the Reformed Church in America, from which the denomination grew; and successive splits from the CRC itself over the years over cultural and theological issues. The disaffiliation process that COS now faces, in other words, is part of a longstanding pattern.
Yet all this wrangling speaks of some positive attributes as well: a strong commitment to truth and righteousness; a deep loyalty to community and tradition; a persistent drive to make that tradition alive and responsive to changing circumstances, whether among immigrants adjusting to a new country or long-seasoned citizens reassessing what the claims of the kingdom of God mean for the present-day witness of the church. These are virtues that COS can carry on into the future, in whatever nexus it may find itself.

Sunday, January 19: Dave Koetje presents “Eating Patterns For Personal & Planetary Health”
What if there was a way to eat healthier that is also better for the planet? Too good to be true? Think again. In this GPS presentation, Dave Koetje will offer some ecological and nutritional insights about eating patterns that are healthier for people and the planet. He will also offer some insights from Christian scholars that inspire people of faith to transition in this direction. And finally, he will share how his family began doing so years ago and the joy they discovered along the way.

Sunday, January 26: Council offers a Q&A session around CRC Disaffiliation – TOL worship space

Sign Up for “Soups On!” One Sunday a month, members of COS open up their homes to host a meal for a surprise guest list. We call these gatherings “Soups On!” and the hope is that these meals will be a space where friends and strangers can gather around a table and build fellowship while sharing a meal together. Sunday, January 19, Eric and Andrea Kort would like to invite people who consider themselves to be in the “College and Young Adult” category to join them for a meal. Ray & Ann Kapteyn are opening up their home for members of our “general population” to join them for a meal. Sign-up sheets (as well as host site addresses and planned menus) are located on a window in the café. Space is limited so sign up soon!

High School Students: Sign up for our Winter Retreat – Students in grades 9-12 are warmly invited to attend our “cool” retreat, held in the Beversluis’ cottage in Muskegon on beautiful Lake Michigan! The retreat will begin at 5:30pm Friday, January 17 in the café at COS. We will have dinner together at church then load up and head for the cottage at 6:15pm. We will return to COS on Sunday, January 19 by 12:30pm.
Our retreat theme is “Building Connections.” In addition to group games, lots of snacks, midnight hikes & more, students can look forward to spending time with Pastor Andrew and Pastor Len as they share some stories with us. (Pastor Len will also be hosting a special “Got Questions?” session for our group after dinner on Saturday evening—so bring your niggling faith questions!) Some of you may not be able to attend the whole retreat due to other commitments—but please come when you are able! Annette will be reaching out to students to coordinate carpooling.
Parents & HS Small Group Leaders: Our group will NOT have access to a COS van for this trip, so your willingness to help get students to/from this retreat will be VITAL! Contact Annette if you can help. Also, SEND SNACKS!

The COS Women’s Winter Non-Retreat is fast approaching! We have rented a large house near Traverse City from Friday, February 7 – Sunday, February 9, 2025. (Visit https://t.vrbo.io/nXNL1ktRZPb or VRBO ID 2720018 if you want more details.) We will gather around the fireplace, in the indoor hot tub, or in the outdoor hot tub for good conversations, renewing old friendships and making new ones. Participants are welcome to pack cross country skis, snowshoes, or winter outerwear as this area is loaded with a wealth of outdoor options! And carpooling is available. Optional winter rafting trip available on Saturday afternoon for those interested (check out Jordan Valley Outfitters https://www.jvoutfitters.com/). 

This retreat is filling up fast but there is room for YOU. $25 deposit reserves your spot. Put cash or checks in Annette Ediger’s mailbox, or Venmo @churchoftheservant (located under “businesses” in Venmo). Suggested cost for lodging is $125 but pay what works for your budget – don’t let cost be a hindrance! Any amount you are able to contribute will be appreciated. Questions? Contact Deb Zondervan (616) 485-5728 or Annette Ediger (616) 308-0143.

All Church Mulick Park Sledding Meet Up, Saturday Feb 8, 1:00pm-3:00pm Mark your calendar for an afternoon of fun with your church family! Bundle up and bring your own sled to enjoy the hill with friends from church. COS will have a hot chocolate and snack station set up at the bottom of the hill to warm up and chat. Friends are welcome! Please note this is a meetup, so children must be accompanied by a parent or older sibling. 

Congregational Life:

Parents of Children in K-12 who attend Christian Schools: If you need financial assistance, it’s time to apply for the tuition assistance program for the 2025-2026 school year. Updated step-by-step instructions can be found here: coscrc.org/education. Application is completed online; you will find the direct link to the COS FACTS page on the website. Don’t wait for your taxes; apply now using 2023 taxes and meet the earlier deadlines!
• Please submit your name using the online form by Wednesday, January 29 – This will help the team prepare for applications and track the process.
• Submit FACTS app and documentation by Monday, February 10.
• Mandatory meeting via Zoom will take place Wednesday, March 26 between 6:00-8:30pm. After your application has been received you will get an email to sign up for a meeting time.

Start the New Year with a life-changing resolution – be a blood donor! You have the power to give more than just blood—you have the power to give hope, save lives and create lasting memories for local families. Join us in making this year unforgettable by stepping up for your community. You’re not just donating blood, you’re becoming part of something bigger—an unstoppable force of hope. Every moment you share as a donor counts, and your decision to give blood could be the difference between life and death for someone in need. Make a difference at our blood drive in four weeks: Monday, February 10, 2:00-7:00pm. Make your appointment online: https://donateblood.versiti.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/11599857 Questions? Contact Beth Karanicola or Ruth Huisman.

Creation Care:

Creation Care: Our next HARD Styrofoam collection is Sunday, January 12 through Sunday, January 19. Please do not bring cups, food containers or packaging. There will  be a collection bin in the cafe. Volunteers will take the hard Styrofoam, such as coolers, mailing coolers for medications, shipping foam that fits the product’s shape to Michigan Foam on Grandville Avenue. 

Deacons:

Stewardship Team: The Stewardship team is inviting each of us to make a pledge of our finances as we live out our commitment to “share gifts of refuge, fellowship, and hope.” Both in our year-end giving, and in the pledges for the 2025 General Fund that we make, we are showing ourselves to be people of fellowship. Pledge forms will be available next to the liturgies on Sunday morning, or you can use the fillable form on the COS website: https://www.churchoftheservantcrc.org/giving/
115 pledges totaling $701,248 (Avg pledge $6,097.81)

Finance Team: The Finance Committee has prepared an Annual Financial Report for our last fiscal year, September 2023 – August 2024. Printed copies available on the cafe counter, and an online version read here.

Missions:

Missionaries Of The Week –

Office & Facilities:

Inclement Weather Cancellations – In communication, the members of the Executive Team will monitor weather, other cancellations in the area, and conditions around the COS building. Final determination of cancellation will be made by 7:00am on Sundays and 12:00pm on Wednesdays. If it is determined that services and events will be cancelled, the following steps are taken to ensure prompt communication to the congregation: posts will be made on social media, email will be sent, and post will be made on WOODTV8.

Ministry Scheduler Pro (MSP): Monday, January 6, all COS volunteers received an email through MSP to request that you block out dates you are unable to serve by the end of the day on Sunday, January 12. Read more here. The auto-scheduler will be run and emailed with the volunteer schedule for Saturday, February 1 through Sunday, June 6 Friday, January 24.

Facilities Job Openings:

  • The Facilities Coordinator (part-time, 15hr p/wk) is responsible for preparation of the COS facility so that it is a ready and reliable resource for the programs, ministries, staff, and members of the church thereby helping to ensure the fulfillment of the church’s vision and mission. Includes minor repairs and maintenance.
  • The Sunday Facilities Coordinator (part-time, 6hr p/wk) has primary responsibility for opening/closing the facilities and preparing the facility for Sunday worship. Ability to lift up to 40 lbs.

For a copy of the job descriptions, questions, or to apply, contact Monica Smith monica.smith@coscrc.org or call the church office.

Praise & Prayer Needs:

We received the happy news the Kiza family (who live in the Welcome Home) welcomed a baby boy, Fidele Emmaunel Nondo, Wednesday, January 8. Mom and son are well! Thank you, Lord and giver of life.

Community Announcements:

Please join us for our upcoming Preschool and Kindergarten Information Nights at Grand Rapids Christian Schools. Explore our Iroquois, Evergreen, and Rockford Christian campuses to learn more about the unique class options available at each location. Class offerings include: Preschool, Young Fives, Spanish Immersion, Progressive and 5 Full-day Kindergarten, along with nature-rich programming at Rockford Christian School. Hear how children learn and thrive in communities where faith flourishes, friendships blossom, and young minds soar. RSVP to attend at www.grcs.org/admissions/visit. Questions? 616-574-6015.
GRCES Iroquois Campus (1050 Iroquois SE): Tuesday, January 14, 2025 – 6:30pm
GRCES Evergreen Campus (1630 Griggs SE): Tuesday, January 21, 2025 – 6:30pm
Rockford Christian School (6060 Belding NE): Tuesday, January 28, 2025 – 6:30p

CORE Workshops: Are you actively working on becoming antiracist? We sure hope so! One way to seek justice and grow as a compassionate, caring disciple of Jesus is to participate in a CORE workshop. You’ll learn about unjust systems and how we blindly perpetuate injustices affecting black, indigenous, and all people of color. Much of the content is heavy and painful, but amidst the difficulty you’ll learn how to engage in meaningful ways and how to examine and challenge narratives, cultures, and systems oppressing and marginalizing so many of God’s children. The next CORE Workshop is January 30 and 31 here at Church of the Servant. And if you are a member at COS, the registration fee is covered by our Anti-Racism and Congregational Life Budget.  Find more detail in this link. Thank you for considering this great opportunity for discipleship. Please feel free to provide the link to your contacts and bring a friend.

Weekly Calendar: January 12 – January 19

Sunday, January 12

  • First Day for Styrofoam collection
  • 10:00am – All Nations Worship Service in Room 4
  • 10:00am – Tree Of Life Service in the Large Sanctuary
  • 11:45am – Sunday School and GPS
  • 12:00pm – All Nations Leadership Team
  • 2:00pm – Inclusion Team

Monday, January 13

  • 10:30am – 12:30pm – Food Pantry
  • 7:00pm – Refugee Support Team (in-person)

Tuesday, January 14

  • 9:30am – Friendship ESL
  • 10:00am – Tuesday Morning Prayer Group – at Beacon Hill
  • 6:00pm – Friendship ESL

Wednesday, January 15

  • 9:30am – Friendship ESL
  • 11:30am – 1:30pm – Food Pantry
  • 6:30pm – Jam Session

Thursday, January 16

  • 8:30am – Bulletin announcement deadline – office@coscrc.org
  • 9:30am – Thursday Bible Study
  • 10:00am – International Women’s Bible Study
  • 6:00pm – Friendship ESL
  • 7:00pm – Facilities Meeting

Friday, January 17

  • 3:30pm – Friday Newsletter and Bulletin sent Sign up here
  • High School Retreat

Saturday, January 18

  • High School Retreat
  • 10:00am – All Nations Prayer Group

Sunday, January 19

  • Last Day for Styrofoam collection
  • High School Retreat
  • 10:00am – All Nations Worship Service in Room 4
  • 10:00am – Tree Of Life Service in the Large Sanctuary
  • 11:45am – Sunday School and GPS
  • 1:00pm – Soups On