Zion E-News (9-30-2021)
Our family is in the heart of a busy fall season and entering what Rachel calls Bandtober as our oldest child’s marching band commitment hits its peak over the next 6 weeks. But our nights are busy with cross country meets and robotics practices, football games and marching band competitions, in addition to all the normal hospital calls, church meetings, and other ordinary activities of life.
But on Friday, I had about an hour to myself. I probably should have cleaned a bathroom, mowed the lawn, or gotten something done on the ever growing to-do list, but instead I went for a walk in the gravel pits at the end of 12th ave in Jenison. These walks alone in the woods are some of my best times to talk with God. We talk about my kids and Rachel, all of you at Zion, and my wonderings about the future of our church and denomination.
Last Friday, we had all those normal conversations, but I also just stopped and sat and watched the grasshoppers in the grass, the sun kind of speckled coming through the leaves above. I want to tell you I feel the breeze in my hair, but mostly I felt it on the bald part of my head. Nothing significant happened, there were no words from on high or tingles on my back, it was just good to be still and know I was with God.
I often feel the same way on a Sunday morning. Sometimes the songs really move me, but other times they are not particularly emotionally evocative. The sermon rarely surprises me with some new insight. I imagine this is the drawback of being the one preaching. (On a side note, didn’t Jeremy do a great job last Sunday?) Because I am involved in so much of the worship, it is rarely the acts of worship that stand out for me. It is almost always simply the experience of being with you all and watching you talk with each other and care for one another and serve our community together. I see God at work in each of you as I have watched you over the years take courageous steps of faith, let go of those sins and idols that can trap us, and become more and more the people God has called you to be.
I look forward to joining with you in the presence of God this Sunday.
– Greg
Connect to God
This Sunday we will gather for worship at 9:30 am. The service will be live-streamed at 9:30 and replayed again at 11. You can find the services either on our Facebook page or at zionreformed.online.church. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday.
Has this past year been hard? Have you struggled emotionally or spiritually? Wondered where God was? Got out of some important spiritual habits like: worship, prayer, and scripture reading? Then join us for the once a month series to reboot your faith. This week we talk about rebooting our spiritual lives by hearing God through scripture.
Last Sunday, we heard some great stories of the people care for and supported by Threads. This Sunday, we welcome Chris VanderZee from Intervarsity who will be sharing about a new partnership between Zion and a few other churches and Intervarsity to provide ministry experiences and leadership training to college students.
This Sunday, we will also be celebrating Communion, also called The Lord’s Super or the Eucharist. It is the family meal of Christians. We invite all committed followers of Jesus Christ to partake of this sacrament: those who are baptized members of a congregation that proclaims the gospel, who are at peace with God and with their neighbor, and who seek strength to live more faithfully for Christ. If you are not a Christian, or if you are not prepared to share in this meal, we encourage you to spend this time in prayer. We hope that this time is helpful to you as you consider your relationship with Jesus Christ and with His people, the church.
Grow in Community
Rog Beute was moved to Blodgett Hospital yesterday due to some suspected internal bleeding. They are hoping the bleed can be stopped and it will help Rog regain his energy as he continues rehab therapy.
We are reading through the New Testament over the next year as a congregation. The reading schedule for this coming week is below:
10/4 Monday James 4
10/5 Tuesday James 5
10/6 Wednesday 1 Peter 1
10/7 Thursday 1 Peter 2
10/8 Friday 1 Peter 3
You can also find the reading schedule on our website under the Ministries tab.
Serve the World
We would truly appreciate your prayers this week as Tuesday, October 5 is our next shopping day for the Threads’ families. Every half hour, from 11am until 7pm, 3 different families will be shopping during for their specific shopping time slot. Please pray for the families that Threads is serving: that they feel God’s love and compassion, and that they feel welcome and comfortable in this new location. Please also pray for our volunteers that as they are used as Christ’s hands and feet they can demonstrate the love and compassion of God while serving these families.
If you need help, either with food, personal care items, help grocery shopping, or with financial needs, please contact Jerrod Holzgen, our chair of deacons, and he can help connect you with the appropriate resources at Zion. His e-mail is Jholzgen@yahoo.com and his phone number is 616-520-1771.
Administration
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.
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Budget: $190,574.59
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $142,446.81
Giving Last Week: $16,171.00
Afghan Evacuation: $2,459.00
