This Sunday at COS:
On this Eastertide Sunday, Rev. Andrew Mead will preach from Genesis 1:26-31 and 1 John 3:1-7 in the Tree of Life worship service in the large sanctuary. Lucy Gitau, one of our seminary interns, will preach in the All Nations Worship service in room 4.
This Sunday, April 14 in the Tree of Life service, we will celebrate the sacrament of baptism of Nolan Remelts as he is welcomed into the family of God at Church of The Servant. We will receive the promises God makes to his children and heirs, hear the commitments of the family, and together, promise to pray for and encourage Nolan as he grows in his faith and life. We will also welcome into membership at COS the Remelts family, Nick, Stephanie, Olivia, and Nolan.
Following worship, stick around for Sunday School for all ages. Adult-ed GPS will meet in the sanctuary for an update from council. New Members’ classes begin this week in the living room.
The 10 am Tree of Life service will also be broadcast via Zoom. Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.
Faith Formation:
GPS April 14: Decisions to Be Made. The COS Council will update us about COS’s quest to discern our place in God’s kingdom—we are not without a home, but we are in a time of transitions.
GPS April 21: The Pain and the Blessings of the Ukrainian Wartime Refugees – led by COS member John Bernbaum, who co-authored with Phillip Yancey, What Went Wrong? Russian’s Lost Opportunity and the Path to Ukraine. Ukrainian refugees began one of the largest migrations since World War II when the Russian armed forces invaded their country in February 2022. What happened to these refugees, mostly women and children, and what impact have they had where they settled? How has God used the evil of this vicious war to build God’s Kingdom?
Pinewood Derby Race, Wednesday, April 17! Come cheer on the kids this Wednesday night for the Pinewood Derby Race—the grand finale of the 2023-2024 club ministry season! Cars will be on display during dinner from 5:30-6:30pm and ballots available for all to vote on categories like, “fan favorite,” “best craftsmanship,” and “most creative.” The race begins at 6:30pm with several heats of competition paired with car puns from our MC, Karen Saupe! We’ll end the night with medals and trophies for some—and great memories for all!
Bibles for 2nd Grade Graduates on June 2 – On June 2 our 2nd graders will each receive a New International Readers Version (NIrV) Adventure Bible to mark the milestone of graduating from our Children’s Worship program. This will be the last day they’ll be dismissed to continue worship in the children’s wing, where they’ll explore their new Bibles and prepare to join in congregational worship the following week. If your child is in 2nd grade but doesn’t attend Children’s Worship, please send Jo a note at Jo.Howe@coscrc.org, so she can be sure they’re on the list to receive a Bible.
Children at the Lord’s Supper Class on June 2, 11:45pm-12:45pm &
Welcoming Children to the Table on June 9– Through our baptism we are welcomed to the table for the Lord’s Supper, but most COS children spend part of the worship service in Little Lambs and Children’s Worship through the 2nd grade. So, we offer this class for graduating 2nd graders and baptized children of any age who would like to participate in the Lord’s Supper. Together we explore the meaning of the sacraments and how God meets us in the sacraments. We practice how we participate in communion at COS, and we invite the children to join in the feast!
We’ve scheduled this class to allow a smooth transition into full participation in worship for our 2nd grade graduates, but older or younger children are certainly welcome. On June 9th we’ll welcome the children to the table, whichever service they attend. If you’d like to participate in this class with your child(ren), please send Jo a note at jo.howe@coscrc.org to confirm you’ll be available to attend on June 2 and June 9. She will respond with further details about the class. If these dates don’t work for you, but your child is eager to participate in the Lord’s Supper, please also reach out so we can make a plan for welcoming your child(ren).
Council:
Council Nominations: At this time of the year each of our members is asked to prayerfully consider leading and caring for our congregation by serving as an elder or deacon. The council needs to nominate four elders and two deacons for a new term. If you feel so called and/or have questions about this opportunity please contact a member of the council or the nomination committee which consists of Kurt Schaffer, Jolene Vos-Camy and Suzanne Van Engen.
Stewardship:
Finances at COS: In March, we collectively gave just over $104,000 to our operations here at COS, with a total income including interest and rentals just over $105,000. March was one of the two months each year when we have three (bi-weekly) paydays instead of the usual two. This bumped our spending to almost $126,000. We cover the extra with our running balance, but on average we need about $5,000 extra in income each month to account for it. Our cash balance dropped a little, but we covered the difference. For the fiscal year so far, with two such extra payroll months already past, our income and expenses are just about even. The finance committee remains grateful for the generous spirit of giving.
Outreach and Congregational Life
Meijer Simply Give: COS is delighted to once again partner with Meijer Simply Give in support of our in-house Food Pantry. Simply Give runs until June 29, 2024. During this time, you may purchase $10 Simply Give cards at the Cascade Meijer, and that money goes to the COS food pantry. The Double Match Day will be June 15. This means that every $10 card purchased on June 15 will result in $30 for the COS food pantry. For those who want Ellen Westrate, Food Coordinator, to purchase the Simply Give cards at the Cascade Meijer only on those days, please give your money or a check to COS in an envelope to Ellen Westrate labeled “Simply Give.”
Toilet Paper: The COS Food Pantry Item of the Month for April – Please consider donating toilet paper during the month of April to help restock our food pantry with this essential item. Baskets for collecting toilet paper are at the children’s check in station between the main church entrance and the coat racks.
Did you know that 1 in 7 hospital patients need blood? Be a lifesaver to one of those patients – come donate at our drive on Monday, May 6, 2-7pm. We are hosting a blood drive in the cafe area of our building. Follow this link to make an appointment online. We still have about 15 openings. It only takes an hour of your time, and what better way to spend 60 minutes than in saving a life?! Any questions – contact Beth Karanicola. Thank you!
Help a kind-hearted woman run errands on first Fridays. VIS (Volunteers in Service) has asked COS for one or two volunteers—or a rotating group—willing to transport Susan, a COS neighbor in her 50s. This would be from 9 a.m. to noon, starting May 3 and every first Friday afterward. You’ll drive Susan on a set list of errands near Breton Village and Gaslight Village to a blood draw lab, bank, grocery store, and two pharmacies. You’ll also help by going in with her, pushing shopping carts, and carrying in her purchases to her apartment. VIS says, “Susan is very sweet and kind-hearted as you get to know her. She blooms when introduced as ‘your friend!’ Susan thrives on routine and consistency to manage her life. She is always thankful, even if she forgets to show appreciation in the moment as she works diligently to manage each situation.” If you have questions or would like to volunteer, please contact Joan Huyser-Honig, chair of deacons.
The Creation Care Team will again collect clean hard white Styrofoam at church on Sunday, 14th. Volunteers will take your Styrofoam to Michigan Foam for recycling. Contact Hope Bradley if you need any more information.
In the Artery: This quarter you will see artwork by Carol Roeda. Enjoy a stroll through the Artery after church! Anyone who is interested in working on bringing art into the Artery should contact Betsy Ratzsch. With our hanging system putting an exhibit up is straightforward. Please think about how you might participate in this ministry at COS. Thank you.
The March/April 2024 newsletter from the Classis East Racial Justice Team is available on the COS website. The newsletter includes a report on The Reparations Working Group, a subgroup of the Classis East Racial Justice Team.
Worship:
Preaching Schedule
April 21 ANWS – Rev. Andrew Mead, TOL – Rev. Jack Roeda
April 28 ANWS – Charles Rugiramarora, TOL – Rachel Park
May 5 ANWS – Nola Galluch, TOL – Rev. Andrew Mead
May 12 ANWS – Ruth Lemmen, TOL – Rev. Len Vander Zee
Office and Facilities:
April is Staff Appreciation Month at COS. Throughout the month of April, there will be a box in the café to place cards of thankfulness and encouragement.
Saturday, April 27 will be our annual COS spring workday. If you would like to help getting the facility ready for the change in seasons, work will begin at 9:00am. If you have volunteered as an adopt-a-garden “parent”, this would be a great time to get started on your gardening tasks. There will be tasks for all ages and skill levels, some indoors and some outdoors. We should finish around 11:30am.