This Sunday at COS:
On this Pentecost season Sunday, Rev. Andrew Mead will preach from Jeremiah 7:1-11 in the Tree of Life service in the large sanctuary. Lucy Gitau, one of our seminary interns, will preach in the All Nations Worship Service in Room 4.
During worship, we will celebrate God’s faithfulness as Ethan Sarwar publicly professes his faith in Jesus Christ; we rejoice with him in this important decision and milestone in his life; and we welcome him as a professing member of the Church.
Following worship, we will hold a Q&A in the large sanctuary to discuss the proposed 2024-2025 budget. More details below.
The 10 am Tree of Life service will also be broadcast via Zoom. Sign up for our Newsletter to receive the Zoom links.
Outreach and Congregational Life
We’re excited to welcome the Sarwar family on Sunday, June 23, to share about God’s mission in California with Indian-Pakistani immigrants in the youth room after the church services. They would love to have you come to greet them, pray for them, and hear about their work! They will be providing food, so we need a head count of who is planning to come. Please sign up by emailing office@coscrc.org.
Our next Blood Drive is five weeks away! Summertime is a slow time for blood donations – high schools and colleges are on break and vacations take many people out of town, but the need for blood is constant. If you’re not signed up for our drive, please consider if you would be available to help save lives. Find our drive online here and be someone’s hero! If you’re already signed up, THANK YOU!
Save the date: The annual Summer Block Party to give away backpacks and meet our neighbors in Camelot Park is Saturday, July 27 from 11:30a-1:30p. More details next month.
Camping – Mark your calendars! After a nearly 30-year hiatus, COS will again be inviting all church members to join us for a COS Camping Trip. We have reserved a block of camp sites and cabins at Wabasis Lake Campground for this coming fall, Sept. 27-29. Details are still being worked out, but if you want to reserve a campsite now, contact Annette (Annette.ediger@coscrc.org) or Ben (Ben.videtich@coscrc.org).
CORE Workshops: 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 they affect black and indigenous people. Much of the content is heavy and painful, but amidst the difficulty you’ll learn how to engage in meaningful ways, how to build relationships, and how to challenge the systems that oppress and marginalize so many of God’s children. If you’re a member at COS, the Congregational Life budget covers your fee. The next two CORE workshops are planned for August 1-2 and October 24-26. Find more detail in this link.
Stewardship:
We will hold a Budget Q&A meeting on Sunday, June 23 following the worship services. In anticipation of this meeting, you are invited to read the Draft Summary for the 2024-2025 Budget here as well as the full budget and a list of FAQs regarding the budget and process. The following week, on June 30, we will hold a congregational meeting to vote on the upcoming budget.
Capital Campaign Update – The Building Fund Capital Campaign for campus upgrades has received gifts and pledges of $468,000, of which $208,000 has already been received and the rest have been pledged over the next three years. Thank you for your faithfulness in making those future payments! The BFCC Team is most grateful for your responses. We fell short of our target, but with generous gifts you did give, the Facilities Team will be able to complete about 90% of the projects targeted. Projects already completed include the handrail on the TOL platform, the new camera system for online worshippers, upgraded controls for our heating and cooling systems, and a wi-fi systems upgrades. We have ordered replacements for our old wooden doors, with a new card access system. If you had planned to pledge or give, but let it slip by, there is still an opportunity. Go to the giving tab on our website here or find a pledge form in the café area. Adding another $50,000 to our pledges will cover all but a few projects. A heartfelt thanks to all who joined or will yet join in this effort.
Office and Facilities:
COS has a Security Team and a Medical Team scheduled for each Sunday service. The Security Team walks through the campus observing activities and is available to assist with any security issues which may arise. The ST wears an orange nametag. The Medical Team is the point person for any medical emergencies. The MT wears a white nametag with a red cross. If you would like more information about these Teams or would like to join their important work, contact Dave Stransky and Isaac Young.
Updating the Directory: As you take photos this summer, submit your pictures for the next directory printing to office@coscrc.org. Have you updated your address, phone, and/or email since the last directory printing? If so, send that updated information to the church office as well.
Faith Formation:
Summer Club Ministries Started on June 19! Summer club ministries for 2nd through 12th graders will meet on 5 Wednesdays this year: June 19 & 26, and July 10, 17, and 24. Children entering 2nd grade in the fall are welcome to begin attending Wednesday Night Hype or Next Generation—our clubs for 2nd – 6th graders this summer! 6th grade graduates may move up to Wednesday Night Live (WNL) or remain in the Hype or Next Gen for the summer and move up in the fall. The Middle and High school ministries are combined in the summer. 7th – 12th graders will meet in the youth room. Please arrive at 6:30pm for club ministries (ending at 8:00pm) or come early for Little Caesar’s pizza at 6:00pm! No childcare is available for younger children during summer programming.
Worship:
Preaching Schedule
June 30 ANWS – Makema Lwenge, TOL – Naji Umran
July 7 Prism service – Rev. Andrew Mead
July 14 ANWS – Rev. Andrew Mead, TOL – Rev. Len Vander Zee
July 21 ANWS – Rev. Andrew Mead, TOL – Lucy Gitau
Sunday, July 7 in the Prism service, we will celebrate the sacrament of baptism of Pilar Meyer-Dunning, Levi Dunning, Ruby Dunning, Rosezitta Tennie, Favor Tennie, and Rosmanie Tennie as they are 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 families, and together, promise to pray for and encourage Pilar, Rosezitta, Favor, and Rosmanie as they grow in their faith and life.
Sunday, July 7 in the Prism service, we will welcome into membership at COS the Dunning family, Chris, Pilar, Levi, and Ruby.
Summer Jam Sessions – Wednesday evening programming is finished for this school year, but the demand for jam sessions continues! If you like to strum, pick, sing, hit, shake, or play folksy/Americana melodies by ear, you are welcome to join these summer jam sessions. Observers and learners are welcome, too! Chords and lyrics will be provided. The jam sessions will be held in the sanctuary from 6:30pm-8:00pm on Wednesdays, June 26, July 10, and August 7. (Summer Wednesday evening programming will also take place on June 26 and July 10. So come at 5:30 for dinner before jamming.)