Announcements 5/8/24 : As always I need to alert you to the possibility that events may get disrupted by unforeseen happenings so be aware that things can get rearranged sometimes.
The book we are studying now is 2 Corinthians; the topic we are studying is water baptism. At the end of these announcements you will find the baptism study sheet.
ROLLWMS work deadline: . For the cycle that began on 4/14 and ends on 5/18, Water Baptism and 2 Corinthians, the work is due on 5/28.
The senior singles will meet in the fellowship hall right after the second service. Subsequent dates: 6/1/24, 7/6/24
5/14: 6:45 PM: Board Meeting: Potblessing, Finance reports, discussion of the ongoing sharing of Word minister tasks by the associate ministers among us.
5/18: ROLLWMS. The students will be teaching in the first service; we will have communion in the second service.
5/19: We begin to study Jeremiah, Lamentations, and Philemon
5/29: We will be celebrating Maddie Cook’s graduation from Grand Valley State University. Pastor Karen Vander Vliet will be delivering the message. A time of fellowship will occur after the service in the fellowship hall with some light refreshments. Feel free to bring cards and gifts for Maddie in honor of the hard work and perseverance this degree demonstrates!
6/1: The senior singles will meet in the fellowship hall right after the second service. 7/6/24
6/1: Light Force begins Every Saturday night at 7:30 PM we meet downtown by Kilwin’s Ice cream place , across from Rosa Parks Circle and pray together for an opportunity to bless people with prayer and the gospel. Whatever the Lord wants to do with us is fine: E.g., we are delighted to be used in the gifts of the Spirit, in encouraging fellows Christians , exhorting a backslidden believer, or leading an unbeliever to the Lord.
We pray for whomever the Lord leads us to. We are not “targeting” any particular socio-economic group.
We urge extreme caution in giving handouts to the people who ask for physical help or money. Be aware that there are many organizations downtown who meet the needs of “street people” and the “unhoused.”
After we pray together to be led by the Spirit, for around an hour we go around the area on foot and approach various people (as we feel led) to minister to them. Some of our team prefer to be with others as they walk about; some prefer to minister alone (e.g., Robert and I, Rosemary, prefer being alone).
If anyone wants to come and feels they need more information or “training” in what to do, ask me, Rosemary, after a service to talk with you about this.
After we are done with the ministry to the people, The Light Force participants meet again by Kilwin’s to share about what happened during the time of ministry. We usually end with prayer.
We meet every Saturday night unless it is raining or below 68 degrees outside. If Light Force is canceled for any other reason, we will text all regular participants (or announce it in the morning at church).
Each year we begin Light Force the first Saturday after Memorial Day and end Light Force after Labor Day.
6/8: Semi-annual sacrificial giving offering.
6/15: ROLLWMS. The students will be teaching in the first service; we will have communion in the second service. 6/16: We begin to study Ezekiel and Jude
6/24 Pastor Cliff Baker’s birthday. We will have a birthday offering for him on 6/22; 6/ 27 Deacon Dylan Schneider’s birthday: We will have a birthday offering for him on 6/29.
7/6: The senior singles will meet in the fellowship hall right after the second service. 7/6/24
Future events:
7/20: Deacon Ron Slawson’ birthday offering; 8/10: Deacon John Roark’s birthday offering;8/24: Pastor Karen Vander Vliet’s birthday offering; 8/31: Minister Sherry Slawson’s birthday offering ; 9/14: Pastor Karen Roark’s birthday offering; 9/21: Pastor Rosemary Barnes’ birthday offering; 10/5: Pastor Annie Baker’s birthday offering; 10/26: Minister Hannah Scheider’s birthday offering; 11/2: Pastor Karen Cook’s birthday offering; 11/9: Deaconess Tracy Menninga’s birthday offering
Robert and Rosemary Fall Florida trip: Robert and Rosemary to Florida to be with their son, E.G., in September. Robert is flying out on Thursday, 9/5 , and will be in church again on 9/18. Rosemary will be driving and will be absent on 9/4 and return again to the service on 9/21. I would appreciate it if our usual helpers ( Pastors Cliff Baker {he has now said , “Yes”}, Karen Cook, and Karen Vander Vliet) would let us know if that time works for them.
River Comfort practices for the Feast of Tabernacles: In office 9/25; on the platform 10/2 and 10/9
10/16 : The roll call of nations; 10/19: We celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. The suggested theme this year is “Praise be to our Father, our Provider, Now and Forever”. The Feast itself, in addition to celebrating the provisions from a natural harvest , is also a commemoration of the Lord’s care for Israel when He delivered them from Egypt and provided for their every need in the desert as they traveled to the promised land of Canaan.