Happening Today
This Sunday is the fourth Sunday of Advent. During our large sanctuary worship we’ll joyfully give thanks as we celebrate the baptism of Rocco Gabriel DaMore, infant son of Michael and Trystan DaMore. In our Basic English Service, we will also have cause to celebrate with Yazzie Bierma as he professes his faith in Christ. Yazzie is the son of Troy & Faith Bierma.
9 am this Sunday: Presentation on charitable giving and estate planning.
This Sunday at the 9 am Adult Education hour there will be an opportunity to hear from COS member and estate planning attorney Mike Zahrt about the importance of wills and estate planning for everyone.
All members and friends are encouraged to include the Church of the Servant Legacy Foundation in their annual giving plans, as well as their wills and estate planning. In the summer of 2019, the Church of the Servant Legacy Foundation was created to provide a way for members and friends to invest in support for the ministry of Church of the Servant for years to come. Foundation trustees are eager to talk to any interested people about this opportunity at the 9 am session this Sunday.
This is the last call for storytellers and actors for the 5 pm Christmas Eve service! The 5 PM Christmas Eve Service this year will continue the much-loved tradition: retelling stories of hope leading up to Jesus’ birth. We welcome anyone, young or old, who would like to be an angel, shepherd, narrator, musician, backstage/ cleanup crew member and more! Our rehearsals will take place today after church (Sun., Dec. 22) from 11:30-12:30 (a snack will be provided) and Tues., Dec. 24 at 3 pm (before the service). There are no rehearsals for those participating in the musical prelude, which begins at 4:30 pm before the service begins. If you and your family would like to be a part of this special service, please come to the rehearsal or talk to Jo Howe!
Christmas Eve/Day and next Sunday
Please join us on Christmas Eve at 5 pm (musical prelude begins at 4:30 pm) for our family-friendly worship service. At 11 pm, come for a candlelight and communion service. Celebrate Christmas Day by worshiping here at 10 am.
Christmas Day nursery helpers needed. Please email Diane or Annette if you’re willing to help out, or sign up in the café. diane.jonker@coscrc.org annette.ediger@coscrc.org
Next Sunday, December 29, we will express our thanks for the faithful years of service of Kenny & Heather Westrate in their work at COS. We’ll have a cake reception after the morning worship services, and you are invited to place cards and tokens of appreciation in the basket on the café counter.
Youth
Have a wonderful Christmas Break! See you at COS on Sat. Jan. 4 10 am-noon for our 1st Serve First of 2020! We will be playing games with BES kids as a fun way to help them learn English.
Church News
We are in need of some volunteers for Wednesday night set-up, serving, and clean-up. If you are willing/able to help on any one or more of the supper/club nights in January or February, please sign up in the café area or email Lori Wiersma lori.wiersma@coscrc.org or the church office diane.jonker@coscrc.org The dates are January 8, 15, & 22, and February 4, 11, & 18.
Giving in December. We are grateful for the generous giving we have seen in the past couple of weeks! Continuing this strong trend throughout December will help ensure we can move forward with confidence in our ministries and also be faithful to our denomination in terms of ministry share payments. In January, council will begin serious discussions about how to make a budget that accurately reflects our ability to pay, and what we do in December will be a factor in that discussion. We dearly want to continue all ministries and even expand in some areas, but we also need to be responsible and not promise what we cannot deliver. We ask for your continued support in making COS a place of deep generosity and gratitude
If you would have not yet submitted your 2020 pledge form and would like to do so, you may place it in the box in the café area.
During the month of January, GPS will explore issues of disability and the church. On January 12, Dr. Tom Hoeksema, a retired professor of education at Calvin University, will join us to share thoughts about the biblical issues related to disability. Prof. Hoeksema pioneered the field of special education at Calvin and has a deep passion for addressing the needs of those with both physical and intellectual disabilities. On January 19, Dr. Kevin Timpe, COS member and professor of philosophy at Calvin University, will present on theological issues related to disability and community. Finally on, January 26, Kevin will lead a panel of other COS members in a discussion of this topic, including any questions that have arisen during this series.
Friends of New Americans, let’s celebrate our fellowship and family in Christ through a New Years’ Eve party on Tuesday evening, Dec.31, from 6 to 9 pm in the Cafe at COS. We expect to enjoy international foods and a time of singing and sharing stories. All ages are invited, and there should be games and activities for kids! Our BES members and other international friends, as well as North American folks, are welcome to participate. You will need to bring a dish to pass (usually a sweet or savory holiday treat) and will be asked to help clean up afterward. Please contact Troy Bierma at troy.bierma@coscrc.org if you have questions.
Beginning Thursday morning, January 9, the ESL Women’s Bible study will host six weekly sessions on marriage. Our last meeting will be Feb. 13. All women of the church are invited, but especially Basic English Service women, as we will try to have a global view of this important subject. We will use the Timothy and Kathy Keller “The Meaning of Marriage” DVDs and study guide. We’ll meet from 10 am to 11:30 am. Child care is provided.
We are still collecting knitted winter items, along with newly bought items-including gloves and socks, for our next hat, scarf and mitten distribution on January 4. There is a basket for these items on the Café counter. Thank you!