As I am writing, it is Maundy Thursday morning. My morning has been filled with practicing sermons for Easter and our service tonight. I have read lots of scripture focused on the death and resurrection of Jesus. Sometimes, as I reflect on this weekend, I am simply overwhelmed by the love of God for us.

Reflecting on the traditional communion prayer, one line struck me powerfully this morning. At one point in the prayer, we proclaim the great mystery of the faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

The last line, Christ will come again reminds us that this world will not always be the way it is. There will not always be famines caused by war. There will not always be bombs dropping in Ukraine. There will not always be fear between police and the citizens they swear to protect. There will not always be divisions and fear mongering and truth spinning, but one day all will bow before the throne, from every tribe and nation, and the one who is the Truth will make all things new and whole and clean again.

As the prayer ends, we say, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.” After watching the news last night and seeing the protests downtown and the violence in Ukraine and then reading about a severe famine in Mauritania due to violence in Mali, I long for the day when Christ will return and bring peace and justice to our world. May we live as glimpses of that coming peace and justice wherever God has placed us today.

– Greg

Connect to God
This week we will gather for worship at 9:30 am. This weeks service will be at zionreformed.online.church and streaming on our YouTube channel. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday. The service will continue to be available on YouTube to watch at your convenience.

The deepest love poured out of the greatest sacrifice in history. A love that heals. A love that forgives. A love that welcomes. This Easter we celebrate the reality of Christ’s resurrection! Join us for worship as we reflect on the resurrection story in Luke 24:1-12.

This Resurrection Sunday we look forward to Abby Hart making Profession of Faith! Abby is the daughter of Jen and Jeff Hart and is an 8th grader at Holland Middle School. She has been attending youth group and morning worship since 2019 and is involved as a lead vocalist in the worship team and serves with preschoolers in Zion Kids. Join us in congratulating Abby this Sunday as she professes her faith in our risen savior, Jesus Christ!

Grow in Community
Larry Westra is expecting to have neck surgery on this afternoon, April 14 to fuse vertebra 2-6 (entering from the back of the neck this time, the front is already fused) using rods and screws. Please pray that it will not be necessary to include the first vertebra as that would leave him with very limited range of motion, and that the surgery and recovery will go well.

We want to offer a special thanks to Rick VanderWall, Connie Stegeman, and Steve Stegeman who painted almost the entire sanctuary the week before Palm Sunday. We wanted to both put on a fresh coat of paint and match the lobby paint color prior to the new carpet being laid in the next month or so. There are a few spots yet to go, but they (especially Steve) put in a lot of time and we are very grateful.

Thanks to everyone who helped our youth group reach the $15,000 goal for the Alaska Mission Trip! Because of your generosity, we will be hosting a Youth-Led Worship Night, April 24 at 5:30 pm. Mark your calendars and come support our youth while enjoying an extended time of worshipping our faithful God together!

Our youth are looking for Shareholders for our 2022 Alaska Mission Trip. Becoming a shareholder means that you will donate $40 or more to help offset the costs of the trip. As a shareholder, you will be matched up with one student and commit to praying for them before the trip, during the trip, and after the trip. There are all sorts of benefits for shareholders like: a meal with your student after the trip, an update from the student during the trip, a copy of their pre-trip devotionals, the knowledge you played a role in a student’s spiritual growth and so much more.

Serve the World
We held another Threads shopping day this week. Twenty-seven families were able to shop for clothes for 106 people and found 777 pieces of clothing for their families. In addition, 21 of those families also received personal care items from our Personal Care Pantry. In addition to those who came on the official shopping day, in partnership with Deaf Teen Quest, we were able to help two teen girls find promo dresses. And, with JPS, we also helped a young mom find dresses for her four daughters so they could all attend a Daddy/Daughter Dance at their school with their uncle. These are all tangible ways you are showing the love of God to people in our community.

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
On Tuesday, the Consistory met for our regular monthly meeting, In addition to our regular business of reviewing progress toward the goals set for our staff, receiving updates on our church plant, and an update on the latest Classis meeting, we also approved a proposed budget for our next fiscal year and the slate of Elders and Deacons to be affirmed by our congregation at our congregational meeting following worship on May 1. Copies of the budget will be made available in the lobby for those who are interested in reviewing it prior to the congregational meeting.

As you may recall, after using a single slate of nominees last spring, the Consistory decided to do so again this year following one of the two methods for choosing Consistory members described in our denomination’s Book of Church Order. As prescribed in the Book of Church Order, the congregation will nominate people for the offices of Elder and Deacon. Using these nominations as a significant guide, the Consistory will choose the 2 Elders and 2 Deacons to stand on this single slate. The two Elders nominees this year are Tim Mekkes and Eric Zondervan. The two deacon nominees are Ashley Gross and Ashley VanderWall. These nominees will be affirmed at the Congregational meeting by vote of the congregation.

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:  $504,462.15
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $476,140.50
Giving Last Week: $12,395.82

4-10-22 Bulletin