ZION E-NEWS (4-13-23)

Have you ever wondered why God gave you certain gifts? Or why he didn’t give you a gift that you wish you had?  I know I have. I call it gift-envy.

Take singing for example. When I hear someone with a beautiful voice belting out a song, holding out a note with perfect pitch, I find myself with gift-envy, wishing God would have given me a voice like that.

Or writing, for another example.  My daughter Haley has a blog where she shares some deep, personal emotions. And she does it really well. I have tried writing and I just can’t get the thoughts that rumble around in my brain down on paper.  It just doesn’t work for me. Why is it so hard for me to write a simple E-News opener when Haley can whip out heartfelt thoughts in a matter of minutes?

Gift-envy…the struggle is real, for me anyway.  Maybe you have struggled with it too.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” 1 Peter 4:10 says “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”

These verses remind us that each one of us are God’s masterpiece and the gifts that he has blessed us with were given to us for a specific purpose. Gift-envy is a dead end path that can hinder us from using our God given gifts. Let’s try focusing on the beauty of how God made us, give him thanks for the gifts he has blessed us with and ask him to help us use those gifts to serve others and bring honor and glory to our Creator.

~Connie Stegeman

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, 16, and 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.

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.

HAND2HAND will be packing food bags this Sunday following worship. If you would like to help pack (it’s easy and it’s fun) head downstairs  after worship and they will show you how!

THIS WEEK three women from Grandville Jenison Congregational Church,
a small church with only 30 members, all of whom are senior citizens, 
asked to meet with Jill Austin
and tour Threads.
They had heard about Threads through JPS and wanted to help so they asked their congregation for donations of socks and underwear and brought them to Jill! What a wonderful little church with a huge heart for
blessing others! 

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:  $461,752.65
Fiscal Year 2022/23 Contributions: $473,347.75
Giving Last Week: $25,560.45

ZION E-NEWS (4-5-23)

Celebrating the Death and Resurrection of Jesus

In the midst of spring break travel, stormy weather, or wrapping up tax returns; we can be easily distracted during this Holy Week. We must not lose sight of the importance of Christ’s death and resurrection. The core of our faith hinges on the fact that Jesus was victorious over sin and death.
The body of Jesus is not still buried somewhere outside of Jerusalem. He arose and is alive! Although we painfully suffer the grief of losing loved ones and although each of us will someday have our name in an online obituary (unless Christ returns first!), death does not have to get the final word. Our faith is not futile. Our efforts as individuals and as a congregation are not in vain. Christ will come and those who belong to him through faith will gloriously live with him forever. For believers, death is the start of new life with God in heaven; it’s a beginning, not the end.
In the midst of everything else in our life; let’s make sure to remember and ponder the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross, take advantage of each opportunity to worship, celebrate the life changing implication of his resurrection, and live for him.
How can you take time to read from the Bible what Christ has accomplished? Perhaps you want to use the suggested passages that were on the back of Sunday’s message outline (linked here). We hope if you are in town, you will attend Thursday’s 6:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday service and Sunday’s 9:30 a.m. Easter service at Zion. Is there someone you can invite to join you? We have so much to give thanks for and celebrate during this Holy Week.

Celebrating together that HE LIVES!
~ 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.

OUR Maundy Thursday Communion Service will be held at 6:30PM on Thursday, April 6.   Nursery will be available.                                    

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 9, 16, and 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 Zion’s March Madness Contest winners! Caleb Brower took 1st Place and Michael Kempema, Colton Ondersma, Pastor Steve and Pastor Rick tied for 2nd place.

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:  $451,491.48
Fiscal Year 2022/23 Contributions: $447,787.30
Giving Last Week: $9,684.45