4-20-23 E-News
ZION E-NEWS (4-20-23)
Zion’s Annual Congregational Meeting
Each spring, Zion holds an annual congregational meeting in order to update the congregation, elect Elders and Deacons, and vote on the proposed budget for the upcoming fiscal year (beginning June 1). This year’s meeting will be held after worship on Sunday, May 7. It will include an update from the search team and a short “state of the Church” update.
This year’s double slate of nominated and consenting Elders and Deacon are:
ELDER: Michelle Holzgen, Andrew Moore, Steve Northuis, Nancy Steenbergen
DEACON: Andy Boeskool, Austen DeHaan, Adam Morehouse, Justin Steere
From the four Elders and four Deacons, two of each will be chosen by the drawing of names at the meeting. We are grateful for these individuals who are willing to serve on the Consistory (governing team) in these offices.
A proposed budget, which has been developed by P&A and the Consistory, will be available starting this Sunday in the back of the sanctuary. There are a few changes for this year. Instead of having each line item of the budget presented by a variety of people and individually voted on; our treasurer Tom MacGraw will present the entire proposed budget and there will be one motion/vote on it. Because we are voting on the whole budget and not individual line items such as personnel expenses, we will not be dismissing staff and their families for this a portion of the meeting.
This year, we want to provide an opportunity outside of the meeting for you to ask questions or share input with the Consistory. Therefore, we will have two Deacons (Tom and Jerrod) and two Elders (Ken and Haley) present in the sanctuary following worship on April 23 and 30. Please address questions or share input with them ahead of the May 7 meeting.
The annual congregational meeting is open to anyone who attends Zion, but only active confessing members can vote. Childcare is not provided. There will be a brief time for refreshments and picking up children from Zion Kids between the service and the meeting. We hope you will attend this annual meeting.
Serving Together,
~ Pastor Steve
CONNECT TO GOD
AS WE GATHER in person for Worship each Sunday at 9:30am the service can also be viewed on our website 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 10:30AM on Sunday. The service will continue to be available on YouTube to watch at your convenience.
GROW IN COMMUNITY
WE ARE UPDATING our online church database to include photos and we need your help! Andrew Moore and Cece Johnson will be taking individual/family photos after our worship service on Sunday, April 23. Connie Stegeman will upload the photos to Breeze, our online database. This will eventually serve as a great reference tool for the new Lead Pastor to connect names with faces. All you need to do is step up and say CHEESE ! We will even e-mail you a copy of your photo upon request just for participating!
PRAYER REQUESTS: Continue to pray for those in our congregation who are dealing with ongoing health issues.
CONGRATULATIONS to Matt and Katie Wagner on the birth of their son Benjamin Chet Wagner. Benjamin was born on April 12 at 6:55PM weighing 8lbs 2oz and measuring 21” long. He was welcomed home by his big brothers Zachary and Josiah.
JEREMY ZOET will graduate from Western Theology Seminary with a Master of Divinity on Saturday, April 29. If you would like to attend the ceremony it will be held at 4:30pm in Dimnent Memorial Chapel on Hope College’s campus, just north of Western Theological Seminary.
DO YOU like to bake? We are looking for volunteers to make (or purchase) cookies to serve at coffee time after worship. If you would be willing to provide cookies occasionally please call or text Dianne Kooiker at 616-538-3179.
SHAREHOLDERS: Our high school youth are looking for Shareholders for their 2023 Mission Trip to Nashville. Detailed information can be found in your church mailbox or on the round table with the donation box on it in the narthex.
SERVE THE WORLD
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: The nursery is looking for a few more volunteers to serve in the nursery on Sunday mornings. Volunteers serve about one time every five weeks. If you are interested in helping, please contact Becky Harkes at (616) 889-3396, rebeccaharkes@gmail.com, or in person after church.
DONATIONS of the following items (full size – not travel size) are needed for the Personal Care Pantry and can be placed in the box in the narthex marked “pantry donations”. Laundry Soap, Bar Soap, Dish Soap, Disposable Razors, Shampoo, Conditioner, Toothpaste, Paper grocery bags, Deodorant, Tampons, Maxi Pads, Paper towels (1 or 2 pack) and Toilet paper (1-4 pack).
HAND2HAND could use donations of the following food: Snack Pack / Jello pudding cups, bags of cracker or snack cracker packs,rice krispie treats (prepackaged), granola bars, slim jim beef snack sticks, fruit snacks, and microwave popcorn.
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 jerrod.holzgen@gmail.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 2022/23 Budget: $472,013.82
Fiscal Year 2022/23 Contributions: $479,100.20
Giving Last Week: $5,752.45
