Excerpts from the COS Bulletin. For the full bulletin, please visit the Members and Friends portal.
Happening This Sunday
Reflection #3 from the Stewardship Team – Living Water Stimulates Our Dreams: Many of us read the church’s financial report in the bulletin each week hoping our weekly offerings are enough to meet our budget. Our offerings support ministries that greatly impact our congregation and the lives of many others. This week’s theme is meant to stimulate us to think about the future beyond our current ministries and dream about more than simply meeting our 2019 budget.
In the third verse of the famous hymn “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty,” we sing a short, powerful phrase, “Ponder anew what the Almighty can do.” What if COS had even greater financial resources at our disposal? What if, like the Master’s servant in Matthew 25, five talents became ten? Let us “ponder anew” the ways in which God can use our thoughtful and generous giving to expand his kingdom.
Flu Shots today – Spectrum Health will be performing our annual COS flu immunization clinic today Oct. 21 from 11:30 to 12:30. Spectrum Health accepts Priority Health, Blue Cross/Health, Aetna and Medicare.
Next Sunday
NEW MEMBER Classes begin next Sunday, Oct. 28 and will meet Nov. 4, 11 and 18 at 9am in the living room (near the office at front entrance). Meet the staff and committee chairs and learn the history of COS and how you can get involved. There is a sign-up sheet on the welcome counter in the café. Contact Chris Klein, Minister of Congregational Life, chris.klein@coscrc.org 956-7611, with questions. There will be coffee and tea, fruit and pastries. Nursery is available.
Youth News
BIG GROUP meets this Sunday at a NEW TIME! Join us at NOON in the youth room for lunch, games, and some lively discussion. The meeting ends at 2 pm. Big Group is a great opportunity to get to know more of the high school students in our church that come from at least 7 different high schools in West MI! It’s never too late or too early to join us. Contact Annette with questions.
Next week Sunday, Oct. 28 – 9 am Simpsons Sunday school finale,
Noon-2ish – Interest Groups for HS students
Like playing sports? Or baking? Or sitting and talking about controversial stuff? On the 4th Sunday of every month, we are inviting HS students to share a meal together after church and then pick 1 of 3 or 4 different activities to participate in with other students. The plan is to always offer a very active option (i.e. volleyball, hiking, kayaking, etc.), a slightly active option (i.e. baking, gaming, etc.), and a discussion group option around a particular theme. Literally something for everyone… Be there!
High School Students: 25 spots have been reserved for our annual mission trip. This year’s destination: Puerto Rico over Spring Break! We will be partnering with local Puerto Rican churches to rebuild and repair damage done by Hurricane Maria. Trip dates: March 29 -April 5. $50 deposit required to hold your spot. Contact Annette for more details. Deadline to reserve your spot is November 18.
Church News
Fall Grounds Cleanup tomorrow – Monday, October 22, 4:30pm–until finished: COS Facilities Team is seeking volunteers to help tidy up COS landscaping and outdoor facilities in preparation for the winter season. Many hands make light work! Late arrivals and all ages welcome. Pizza dinner to follow.
Our new COS directory is finally here! Thank you to Jane Klein for many hours spent formatting the directory. If you find a mistake in your information, let the office know and we’ll change it for the future. You can always check the ONLINE DIRECTORY for the latest information.
Save the date! The youth of COS will be holding a Puerto Rican-themed fundraising dinner and auction on Wed., Dec. 5, 5-7pm. If you have items you would like to donate, contact Annette Ediger.
Adults: Need help around the house? High School Students: Want to earn money towards our mission trip to Puerto Rico? A new bulletin board has been hung outside the Youth Room. This is a place where members of COS will offer to make a donation to our PR trip, and our youth can thank them by doing some volunteer work for them. Additionally, high school students can advertise services they are willing to donate to members of COS on this bulletin board in exchange for donations being made to COS for our PR mission trip. Forms are available by the bulletin board. Fill one out today!
All Saints’ Testimony Service – On Sun. Nov. 4 at 6pm will have an All Saints’ service as in years past. In this service we hear the testimony of 3 members sharing about a saint in their lives who has been formative for their faith. We also light candles in remembrance of all the saints who have gone before us. If you are interested in giving a testimony of a saint in your life, please contact Lois Nordling or Maria Stapert (maria.stapert@coscrc.org).
Make a connection that could heal – Be the gift that will last a lifetime. Our next Blood Drive is in 3 weeks: Monday, November 12, 2-7pm. You can sign up online at miblood.org for an appointment to donate, or on the scheduling poster in the café. Show that you care! Questions? Contact Beth Karanicola or Ruth Huisman.
ESL update – The first five weeks of the fall term saw 109 (weekly average) attending. Enrollment grows with new people each week. If engagement with this outreach is your next step of faith, drone your interest to Mark Fackler, coordinator.
The Worship Team is looking for a few new members. A Ph.D. in liturgical studies is not required, just an interest in discussing matters related to the liturgy, music, dance, and art used for our worship services. If you would like to learn more, please contact Ron Rienstra, chair of the worship team or Maria Stapert, Worship Coordinator, maria.stapert@coscrc.org
Registration Update: WE’RE READY! Every fall we ask families and friends of COS who have children ages 0 -12th grade to register their child so that we can care for and invite them to participate in the life of COS in age-appropriate ways. We made a few tweaks to our registration form this year to make it SUPER SIMPLE to fill out. To register your child, either pick up a paper form off the counter in the café or go to our COS website where the form can be found either by typing in coscrc.org/register or by hovering over “education” at www.coscrc.org. Thank you for helping us to know and care for all the children and youth of COS!
Hospitality for Young Adults – Do you like to make people feel warm and welcome in your home? Do you enjoy cooking for a grateful group? We’re looking for host homes and cooks for the college-age ministry. If you can provide a place for approx. 5-25 young adults to meet and eat after church once or twice between now and May on a 2nd or 4th Sunday of the month, please contact Jolanda Howe. Our hope is that hosts will not have to cook. So if you love to cook, please reach out to Jolanda to schedule a meal to drop off for one of these meetings.
The Thursday Bible study meets this week on October 25, 9:30 – 11am, Col. 1:21-29 lesson 2B in the café area, childcare provided. EVERYONE is welcome!
COS Prisoners in Christ (PinC) News:
- This coming Wed. Oct. 24, 4:30-5:30 p.m., the Prisoners in Christ team will meet in the living room for prayers and discussion about restorative justice in our community. Based on two books – Blessed are the Organized by J. Stout and I Pledge Allegiance, by D. Crump – the gathering is free and open to all!
- Sat. Dec. 8, 4 -6:30pm in the COS Cafe, the PinC team, in partnership with Prison Fellowship Angel Tree, will host a Christmas party for about 20 children who have a parent in prison. The incarcerated parents have requested to be included so that through us, their children will receive a gift and a message from them. There are many ways you can be supportive (and remember the neediest at this Christmas time): by being present at the party, purchasing presents, giving financially and through your prayers. If interested in more information, contact Lucie Marsden.
We need volunteers to work with BES families as tutors. We have some middle/high school students who require assistance with homework, especially in areas of English and math. Are you able to spend a minimum of two hours a week tutoring a student? Prior experience working with young people in these subjects is important, as is patience, good humor and the ability to encourage and mentor.