This week, I have been in Las Vegas for a few days for some training on Leadership Development processes with some regional staff of our denomination. As I write this, I am sitting in an airport anticipating a week of learning, growth, and developing some relationships with colleagues. I am sure it will be great week.

But I am also recognizing a little something of a loss this week. Two of my kids have birthdays on Thursday. There is nothing quite like the excitement of a young child on their birthday. The joy of giving treats at school, singing happy birthday, and all the little rituals of the celebration diminish as kids grow. But when they are young, the delight is right on the surface. I will miss being with them on their birthdays. (I recognize, even as I write this, that many people travel all the time for their work or work off shifts and regularly miss important moments, so I am truly grateful for the many moments I get to enjoy.)

But, this longing has got me thinking about the ministry of presence. Simply being with people matters. On Friday last week, Sarah McAnally (Chair of Deacons) and I spent about an hour with Madonna Chappelle’s family as she neared the end of her life. This came after many hours with Madonna over the prior week and months. There were no special words that could take away the grief, but we stood by their said and mourned with them.

On Sunday afternoon, I had the privilege of preaching at Brookcrest Nursing Home. I preach at nursing homes every so often on a Sunday afternoon, as do most pastors. Gathering with these faithful followers of God, some whom have been following God for 90 years, there were no words I could speak that would suddenly change their delight in and awe of God. What I said probably did not matter at all, but we gathered together and talked before the service began and shared little stories and laughed a little together, and then we sang and prayed and read some scripture. It was good to simply be together.

Sometimes, I think we can hold back from reaching out to people because we don’t know what to say or feel inadequate. But, when people are going through hard times or are just a little lonely, they do not need great orators or deep wisdom, they need friends, fellow believers, to come and sit with them. There is great spiritual power and encouragement in someone just showing up. So, show up at the funeral home, show up with a meal one night, send a card, shoot them a text, or even be so bold as to call. Whoever it is you know who is going through a hard time, be present for them and see what God might do when you show up.

Connect to God

On Easter Sunday, God begins a re-creation of the world beginning with the resurrection of Jesus. While we are still waiting for this creation to be fully formed, we as Christians are called to live a Jesus shaped life so that our lives point people both to Jesus and this new world God is making. This week, we consider Jesus call to be a people defined and shaped by an ethic of peace. This Sunday, we are privileged to welcome the Revs. Ron and Anna Radcliffe from City Chapel who will be bringing us an update on City Chapel and also God’s word for us.

From the Sunday after Memorial Day through Labor Day, we take a break from our regular children’s programming. This gives our teachers a much needed break from prepping as people are in and out for vacations.

In its place, we will be showing the children ages 3 through 3rd grade a Christian video each week (during the worship service), such as Veggie Tales, or Hermie and Friends.

You can sign up here to work in our summer Children’s ministry.

Adults 18 years and older must go through Keeping Kids Safe training before volunteering with kids. If you didn’t go through training last fall, there will be one on May 20 after church.

If you would like a copy of the worship service, you can receive a complete copy by contacting Tom Verbrugge or you can find the weekly messages on our website.

Grow in Community

Jack Heuvelhorst went to be with his Lord and Savior on Monday, April 23. We extend our sympathy to Judie, Greg and Michelle Stuyvesant, and their family and ask that you would pray for peace and comfort for them during this difficult time.

Bob Baar continues receiving chemotherapy and asks for prayers for minimal side effects and healing.

Serve the World

God continues to bless the work of City Chapel, our downtown church plant as they prepare for upcoming preview services and the hoped for launch of weekly worship this fall. Following is the latest update from Ron and Anna.

What are we celebrating?
Last week Thursday, Ron and Anna and a few others brought lunch to Kendall students during their “random acts of lunch.” They got to connect with more students beyond the ones they pray with each week at Kendall College.

What’s coming up?
Sunday, April 29: Anna and Ron are both preaching at Zion Reformed in Grandville. That’s right. Both at the same time 🙂
Sunday, June 17: Mark your calendars for the first preview service for City Chapel set to take place at CityFlats in downtown Grand Rapids.
Sunday, July 22: Second preview service
Sunday, August 26: Third preview service

How can you be praying?
This week, we’d ask for continued prayers around the volunteers who will be helping in our preview services and launch. There’s a lot to get done in the next few weeks and months. Pray for hungry hearts for the city of Grand Rapids. And, if you’re interested in signing up to help, email us at: citychapelgr@gmail.com

Administrative Details

Our next Leaders Meeting will be on Sunday, May 20 from 5-7 pm. We will start the evening with a meal and then talk a little about the vision and direction of Zion, breakup into ministry teams, and end the evening with some training by Pastor Jeremy. We have a great night planned. If you volunteer in any capacity, you are both invited and strongly encouraged to attend this evening of community and ministry. If you do not yet serve anywhere in the ministries of Zion, but wold like to get involved, please join us as well and we will get you connected that night. Sign-ups for the leaders meeting will begin on April 29. Childcare will be provided for children 5th grade and under.

The Consistory of Zion met last Tuesday night to approve a budget recommendation for the fiscal year of 2018/19 and to nominate our slate of new Elders and Deacons. The budget will be available in the Narthex on Sunday morning for your review prior to our Congregational Meeting on May 6 following worship.

The following people were nominated for the office of Elder:
Kyle VanderWall, Josh Sanders, Brian Davis, and Mike Knott.

The following people were nominated for the office of Deacon: Jerrod Holzgen, Chip Harkes, Mark Radcliff, and Aaron Huizenga.

Our new Elders and Deacons will be chosen by lot at our congregational meeting on May 6 from these nominees. Pleas be in prayer for each of our nominees.

We continue to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and for the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and treasures.

Year to date budget: $498,900.77
Year to date contributions: $490,289.11

 

Zion E-News (4-19-2018)
When I served New Hope Community Church in Colorado, we had a youth intern named Amanda who had grown up in the church and was a college student. Over the years, I have stayed in touch with her as she started seminary, joined the Presbyterian Church, became ordained, and served a church for several years in the Atlanta area. I have been so proud to see the great pastor she has become.

But, on Tuesday, she posted a letter to the congregation informing them that she had accepted a new call to a church in Denver. She would be doing similar work, but she would be home again near her family. The sadness of her leaving was evident in the letter. She clearly loved her present congregation But, you could also sense her joy in going home. Transitions are like that. Often filled with both joy and sorrow, excitement for the new and grief as we say goodbye to the old.

I have been spending a lot of time these week with people who are also getting ready to make a transition. Madonna Chappelle continues to receive care under Hospice and the decline in her health is very obvious. And then, this morning, I visited with Jack Heuvelhorst who also entered Hospice this week. In both cases, I have no doubt where they are headed after this life ends and neither do they. They have both expressed a confident trust and hope in Christ and the resurrection to come. And, over the 20+ years I have known Jack, I have seen all sorts of evidence of a life shaped by the generous gospel of love we find in Jesus.

This morning, I accidentally woke Jack up while praying with him. Since he was awake, I asked if we could read scripture and he nodded his assent. I read John 14:1-6 about how Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us in his father’s house. As I read, Jack gave me the thumbs up sign and started clapping. His joy at the hope we have in Christ was evident to me and his sister and brother who were also in the room.

I am reminded today that we do not grieve as those without hope. We do not face death as some giant mystery. We grieve as those who know death does not get the final word. And, we face death knowing it is not the end, but simply a transition to a reunion with our heavenly father. Or, as Paul put it even better in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.

“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

This Easter season, may we all live in the promise of Jesus resurrection and in the hope of the resurrection to come!

 

Connect to God

On Easter Sunday, God begins a re-creation of the world beginning with the resurrection of Jesus. While we are still waiting for this creation to be fully formed, we as Christians are called to live a Jesus shaped life so that our lives point people both to Jesus and this new world God is making. This week, we consider Jesus call to be a people defined and shaped by an ethic of love.

From the Sunday after Memorial Day through Labor Day, we take a break from our regular children’s programming. This gives our teachers a much needed break from prepping as people are in and out for vacations.

In its place, we will be showing the children ages 3 through 3rd grade a Christian video each week (during the worship service), such as Veggie Tales, or Hermie and Friends.

You can sign up here to work in our summer Children’s ministry.

Adults 18 years and older must go through Keeping Kids Safe training before volunteering with kids. If you didn’t go through training last fall, there will be one on May 20 after church.

If you would like a copy of the worship service, you can receive a complete copy by contacting Tom Verbrugge or you can find the weekly messages on our website.

Grow in Community

Madonna Cappelle continues under hospice care and is regularly surrounded by family and friends. Short visits are still appreciated and she especially wants to thank our deacons (Sarah McAnally and Rachel Eriks) for their many visits and prayers.

Jack Heuvelhorst entered hospice care this week. The family asks for prayers of peace and comfort during a difficult time.

Bob Baar continues receiving chemotherapy and asks for prayers for minimal side effects and healing.

Serve the World

Jodie DeBoer, and her husband Marcus, are preparing to adopt their daughter from Korea, bring their family up to three wonderful children. As part of this transition Jodie will be stepping away from full-time ministry with Youth for Christ. She sent us the following note of thanks for our support over the years:
To all my friends at Zion,

By now you have received my letter informing you of my transition out of Youth for Christ. It is certainly bittersweet and I leave with so many blessings!  YFC has been such a wonderful part of my life – the mission to reach lost young people is still something I care deeply about. I am thankful to

God that He called me to YFC and I will be faithful to obey as He leads me now out of YFC for this new season of my life. As I reflect on the last 12 years of ministry, I think of all the wonderful people and partnerships I was able to encounter. Thank you for cheering me on, supporting the mission, and inviting me to share. You have encouraged and inspired me. I am blessed because of you!  Thank you! Jodie DeBoer

 

Administrative Details

Our next Leaders Meeting will be on Sunday, May 20 from 5-7 pm. We will start the evening with a meal and then talk a little about the vision and direction of Zion, breakup into ministry teams, and end the evening with some training by Pastor Jeremy. We have a great night planned. If you volunteer in any capacity, you are both invited and strongly encouraged to attend this evening of community and ministry. If you do not yet serve anywhere in the ministries of Zion, but wold like to get involved, please join us as well and we will get you connected that night. Sign-ups for the leaders meeting will begin on April 29. Childcare will be provided for children 5th grade and under.

The Consistory of Zion met last Tuesday night to approve a budget recommendation for the fiscal year of 2018/19 and to nominate our slate of new Elders and Deacons. The budget will be available in the Narthex on Sunday morning for your review prior to our Congregational Meeting on May 6 following worship.

The following people were nominated for the office of Elder:
Kyle VanderWall, Josh Sanders, Brian Davis, and Mike Knott.

The following people were nominated for the office of Deacon: Jerrod Holzgen, Chip Harkes, Mark Radcliff, and Aaron Huizenga.

Our new Elders and Deacons will be chosen by lot at our congregational meeting on May 6 from these nominees. Pleas be in prayer for each of our nominees.

We continue to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and for the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and treasures.

Year to date budget: $488,285.86
Year to date contributions: $476,991.08