Early on Tuesday, I ran into Mary Veldink from Jenison Public Schools and we got to talking about Threads, its history and the impact it is having in our community. Apparently, Threads almost closed a few years ago due to a lack of demand, until the school systems stepped in to partner with the ministry. After the partnership began, Threads experienced a new problem: lots of need, but not enough clothes. Today, we have a multiplication of loaves and fishes as we have both great quantity and quality of clothes for those who can use a little help.

After our conversation, Mary sent me a few stories of how Threads has impacted people in our community.
1) A mom had a job interview, but she didn’t have any clothes that were appropriate. She was able to come to Threads and pick out a skirt, sweater, and appropriate shoes. She looked great, and you could see her confidence increase when she looked in the mirror. She felt good about herself, and that was important as she looked for a new job.

2) Another mom had an out of state funeral to attend. She hasn’t seen her family in two years. Even though things have been really rough for this family, this mom went to the funeral in a brand new black dress.  Knowing she looked good helped ease her anxiety about seeing her family.

3) It was Valentine’s Day at school. A second grader normally doesn’t participate in Spirit Week because she doesn’t have the clothing to do so. Her family had shopped the week before at Threads, and she had the cutest red outfit. I saw her peers complimenting her clothing. She said, ” You need to shop at Threads. They have all the best stuff!”

Your generous donations, time spent sorting clothes, and help on shopping days is blessing more people than we may ever know. Thank you for your faithfulness in this ministry and in our other benevolent ministries like Hand2Hand and the Personal Care Pantry.

If you are looking for another way to support this ministry, come shop with Threads this Saturday! All monies paid for clothing on this day will go directly to support the work of Threads.

– 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.

During Lent we will be looking at the life and ministry of Jesus to see both how he was tested and found true and how we have been given a faith that can both endure and help carry us through every test of life. This Sunday, we consider the story of Jesus’ transfiguration when the glory of Jesus was revealed to three of his disciples. In this story, we hear a call to be a people awake to the glory and work of God among us and to become a people of worship.

On Sunday, March 20, we will be holding a special offering to support relief efforts for the people of Ukraine, All donations will be given to support RCA Global Missions relief efforts in the region. You can choose to give during our regular offering on the 20th or at this link.

Grow in Community
We extend our sympathy to Jim and Barb Peterson in the passing of Barb’s sister Jean on Sunday. We pray with them for God in his infinite mercy to welcome her into his presence and to comfort all who mourn her passing.

Dianne Kooiker’s daughter-in-law Denice remains hospitalized battling an infection after a recent blockage in her bowels. They do not know how long she will remain hospitalized but are thankful for the many prayers and support from family and friends.

Do you want some good food, friends and fellowship? Then this is the opportunity for you! 729 groups bring 7 to 9 willing people together to meet for a meal 3x in 3 months. The goal is simply to get to know some people in church better. Once groups are formed, the host will contact members to arrange the details for the first gathering. Dinner groups are encouraged to be creative; consider picking a dinner “theme night” (i.e. Italian, dessert or soup night), and everyone can bring a dish that goes along with that theme or meet at a restaurant or church. You can sign-up through the Connection cards found in the bulletin or call the church office at 616-534-7533. Sign-up deadline is Sunday, March 13.

Mark your calendars, the Middle and High School Youth Groups will be hosting a fundraiser at Culver’s on March 21 from 5-8 pm. This is a great night to support our youth, connect with friends new and old from Zion, and enjoy some great Culver’s burgers and frozen custard.

Serve the World
Threads will be having a semi-annual sale, which will be open to the public, this Saturday, March 12 from 9am – 1pm. Each and every item in the boutique will be priced at $1. The money raised from this sale is used to self-fund our ministry and purchase needed items. All are invited to come in and shop!

On March 22 Threads will be having a pop-up Prom shop.  If you have any prom or homecoming dresses or fancy purses, shoes, and jewelry you would like to donate, please put them in the Threads wooden cart located inside the narthex.  If any of you are in need for a dress, please see Jill Austin.

We recently received an update from Albino and Sandy Rodriguez, missionaries whom we support in Peru, who wrote: The first week of February, recent high school graduates arrived for the Casa del Maestro Academy.   This program was piloted in 2021, and we were pleased with the results.  In the next 10 months, students will immerse themselves in the Word through Bible studies and personal devotions using The Bible Recap.  They receive instruction in general education classes, including Spanish, English, and computer skills.  Another main focus is vocational orientation.  Once we have a better idea of their interests, we will arrange short-term internships or observation time in their chosen fields.  Through ice-breakers and team-building activities, it is shaping up to be a good class. Together they will learn life and leadership skills.

They ask for prayers for students to live out their Christian principles and values in all areas of their lives.  And, for them to settle well into this next stage of life. And, for food donations for several students who struggle to pay for the weekly contribution.

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
The remodel of our bathrooms began in January and is right on schedule! There are lights in the bathrooms and the spaces are looking more and more like real rooms. You can check out the progress in some pictures below. The first shows the new women’s restroom and the second shows the men’s restroom.

 

The plan is to begin epoxying the bathroom floors this weekend, so please do not go into the remodeled bathrooms on Sunday. This is a two step process and the floors cannot be disturbed between the steps. The second step will not be applied until early next week. It is important no one step on the floors until after both steps of applying the epoxy are completed.

As a reminder, during the remodel, the only restrooms available on the main floor of church can be accessed through the doors at the front of the sanctuary. They are single stall uni-sex restrooms.

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:  $448,410.80
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $390,066.46
Giving Last Week: $9,012.52

Yesterday morning I was reading Psalm 32 as part of the reading for my Discipleship Group. It is a prayer of David focused on the healing and forgiveness he found when he finally confessed his sin to God. When he was finally honest with himself about who he was.

Near the beginning of the Psalm he says, “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.” It is exhausting to try to hide something of ourselves from others. To keep secrets. To deny the truth. To live in constant worry we might be found out. David feels the angst of trying to maintain the image of an upright king when he knows he has sinned.

But then in verse 5, he says, “Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity… and you forgive the guilt of my sin.” In being honest with God. In being honest with himself. David experiences the forgiveness and grace of God. And then he responds by telling everyone else to pray to God, confess you sins, and experience the unfailing love of God.

This seems to me to be the natural course of faith. All us of grow up learning to hide part of who we are from others. We sense, intuitively, there is some things wrong in us. We are mean, easily angered, sneaking, coveting what others have. We know these are not the right way to live and we fear if people knew we were like this they would reject us. And so we hide and live in fear that our carefully crafted masks of righteousness will fall down and we will be undone.

But when we experience the God who sees all of our messed-upness, all of our mistakes, all of the parts of us we long to hide from others, and rather than reject us, this God loves us. It changes everything. There is a new freedom to admit our flaws and failures. To try and fail. To have compassion on others for their imperfections. To live confident of our worth simply because God loves us and not dependent on what anyone else might think. And once you have experienced that life, you long for others to have that same freedom.

On this second day of Lent, may you have the courage to confess or present your full and true self to God and experience his unfailing love. And, knowing of God’s love for messed up people like you and me, may we join David in inviting others to experience this same freeing, empowering, and amazing never giving up love of God, too.

If you haven’t experienced that freedom, please reach out and I would love to tell you more.

– 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.

During Lent we will be looking at the life and ministry of Jesus to see both how he was tested and found true and how we have been given a faith that can both endure and help carry us through every test of life. This Sunday, we consider the story of Jesus’ temptation in Luke 4 and see the genuine humanity of Jesus as he struggles with the same temptations we all experience. As he passes these tests, he gives us clues to how we too can live with a tested and true faith.

Grow in Community
Do you want some good food, friends and fellowship? Then this is the opportunity for you! 729 groups bring 7 to 9 willing people together to meet for a meal 3x in 3 months. The goal is simply to get to know some people in church better. Once groups are formed, the host will contact members to arrange the details for the first gathering. Dinner groups are encouraged to be creative; consider picking a dinner “theme night” (i.e. Italian, dessert or soup night), and everyone can bring a dish that goes along with that theme or meet at a restaurant or church. You can sign-up through the Connection cards found in the bulletin or call the church office at 616-534-7533. Sign-up deadline is Sunday, March 13.

Mark your calendars, the Middle and High School Youth Groups will be hosting a fundraiser at Culver’s on March 21 from 5-8 pm. This is a great night to support our youth, connect with friends new and old from Zion, and enjoy some great Culver’s burgers and frozen custard.

Serve the World
The Pregnancy Resource Center Support Services Staff would like to thank the members of Zion for the generous donation (this was part of our 2021 Thanksgiving offering).  This will impact the lives of the mothers and families who come to the PRC offices for support.  Thank you Zion for your partnership in this ministry!

Threads held their monthly shopping day on Tuesday this week. Twenty-eight families came to shop, choosing 706 items of clothing for 132 people.  Twenty-two of the families also received items from our Personal Care Pantry.

Threads will be having a semi-annual sale, which will be open to the public, on Saturday, March 12 from 9am – 1pm. Each and every item in the boutique will be priced at $1. The money raised from this sale is used to self-fund our ministry and purchase needed items. All are invited to come in and shop!

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
The remodel of our bathrooms began in January and is right on schedule! We even began the process of ordering the new carpet for the Youth Room, hallways, lobby and sanctuary this week. You can check out the progress in some pictures below. The first shows the bathroom from the former entrance to the women’s bathroom and the second shows the same space from the former entrance to the men’s restroom.

   

As a reminder, during the remodel, the only restrooms available on the main floor of church can be accessed through the doors at the front of the sanctuary. They are single stall uni-sex restrooms.

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:  $437,200.53
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $381,053.94
Giving Last Week: 5,595.23

 

Next week Wednesday, we will gather to worship on Ash Wednesday as the church enters the season of Lent. Traditionally, this has been a season for believers to refocus on their relationship with God. Many are more consistent in their study of scripture or prayer. In some communities, they have weekly Wednesday evening worship throughout the season of Lent. Most people associate Lent with fasting. Fasting from chocolate or social media seem to be particularly popular choices. The purpose of fasting isn’t actually to fast, but to help us recognize our true need is not for the thing we are fasting from, but for God and his presence in our lives. 

As I have been thinking about Lent the last few weeks, I keep coming back to the prophet Isaiah who begins his book with a strong rebuke of the religious people who do all the right religious activities, but fail to care for the oppressed or seek justice for the abused. And then, near the end of the book, God says this through the prophet:

Shout it aloud, do not hold back.
Raise your voice like a trumpet.
Declare to my people their rebellion
and to the descendants of Jacob their sins.
For day after day they seek me out;
they seem eager to know my ways,
as if they were a nation that does what is right
and has not forsaken the commands of its God.
They ask me for just decisions
and seem eager for God to come near them.
‘Why have we fasted,’ they say,
‘and you have not seen it?
Why have we humbled ourselves,
and you have not noticed?’
“Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please
and exploit all your workers.
Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife,
and in striking each other with wicked fists.
You cannot fast as you do today
and expect your voice to be heard on high.
Is this the kind of fast I have chosen,
only a day for people to humble themselves?
Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed
and for lying in sackcloth and ashes?
Is that what you call a fast,
a day acceptable to the Lord?
“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

– Isaiah 58:1-9

May we seek the kind of fast our God desires this Lenten season.

– 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.

This morning, we continue a sermon series entitled Upside Down Kingdom. This series draws from the gospel lectionary readings, predominantly in Luke, to help us see the counter-cultural values and ways of God’s kingdom. Our text today Jesus calls his disciples to look inward, at their own lives, to see who they are following, the sins they overlook in themselves, examine the fruit of their lives, and ensure they are building on the right foundation.

This Wednesday, March 2, at 6:30 pm you are invited to join us for our annual Ash Wednesday service. This is a great opportunity to reflect on the fragility of life and our dependence on God as we enter into the season of Lent. Communion and the imposition of ashes will both be observed.

Grow in Community
We extend our sympathy to Austin and Haley Stone in the passing of Austin’s grandmother earlier this week. We also extend our sympathy to Tom and Megan MacGraw in the passing of Megan’s uncle on Sunday.

Do you want some good food, friends and fellowship? Then this is the opportunity for you! 729 groups bring 7 to 9 willing people together to meet for a meal 3x in 3 months. The goal is simply to get to know some people in church better. Once groups are formed, the host will contact members to arrange the details for the first gathering. Dinner groups are encouraged to be creative; consider picking a dinner “theme night” (i.e. Italian, dessert or soup night), and everyone can bri

ng a dish that goes along with that theme or meet at a restaurant or church. You can sign-up through the Connection cards found in the bulletin or call the church office at 616-534-7533. Sign-up deadline is Sunday, March 13.

Mark your calendars, the Middle and High School Youth Groups will be hosting a fundraiser at Culver’s on March 21 from 5-8 pm. This is a great night to support our youth, connect with friends new and old from Zion, and enjoy some great Culver’s burgers and frozen custard.

Serve the World
This past Sunday, our youth groups filled out RBIs cards to encourage each other to be intentional to be relationship builders, blessing givers, and inviters in our world. You can read some of their stories on our RBI wall in the lobby. If you have a story to tell, you can fill out an RBI card in your bulletin this Sunday or share your story at our website here.

Threads will be having a semi-annual sale, which will be open to the public, on Saturday, March 12 from 9am – 1pm. Each and every item in the boutique will be priced at $1. The money raised from this sale is used to self-fund our ministry and purchase needed items. All are invited to come in and shop!

Currently, Threads is in need of new underwear and new socks for all ages/sizes, and also in need of plastic white shirt hangers and pants hangers. Any donations of these items is greatly appreciated.

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
The remodel of our bathrooms began last month and is really beginning to take shape. You can check out the progress in some pictures below. The first shows the bathroom from the former entrance to the women’s bathroom and the second shows the same space from the former entrance to the men’s restroom.

       

As a reminder, during the remodel, the only restrooms available on the main floor of church can be accessed through the doors at the front of the sanctuary. They are single stall uni-sex restrooms.

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:  $425,990.26
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $375,458.71
Giving Last Week: $4,521.50

This week, many area schools are on Winter Break. I am officially old enough that I do not remember having such breaks when I was a kid. But, as an adult, I think it is great to have an opportunity for some people to chase the sun down south for a weekend and for many others to simply rest and slow down.

In a world where we are often defined by our accomplishments: grades, the latest game, last quarters sales, production quotas, and so many other ways we measure and quantify our productivity, it is healthy to occasionally stop.

Years ago, while traveling in Israel, I learned the Egyptians had a ten day week. The year was made of 36 weeks and a five day party. There were no weekends. No rhythm of work and rest. Just 360 days of work in a row and then a party. Unless you were a slave, then you did not get the party at the end, you worked those five days too. And then it started all over again.

Imagine for a moment the amazing gift of sabbath rest for these former slaves. Every 7 days, God told them to stop. A weekly reminder their worth and dignity did not come from their work, the abilities, their accomplishments. They were worthy simply because they were God’s people.

Whether you are enjoying a winter break in the next few days or not, may we all enjoy the gift of sabbath and rest in the confidence we are loved simply because God chooses to love us. We do not need to earn it. We cannot lose it. It simply is who we are: the beloved children of God.

– 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.

This morning, we continue a sermon series entitled Upside Down Kingdom. This series draws from the gospel lectionary readings, predominantly in Luke, to help us see the counter-cultural values and ways of God’s kingdom. Our text today Jesus calls his disciples to a life of ridiculous generosity to their enemies, those who can never repay them, and everyone else as well.

On Wednesday, March 2, at 6:30 pm you are invited to join us for our annual Ash Wednesday service. This is a great opportunity to reflect on the fragility of life and our dependence on God as we enter into the season of Lent. Communion and the imposition of ashes will both be observed.

Grow in Community
Willing To Serve response forms are due Sunday, Feb. 20. A cover letter and response form were placed in the mailbox of every eligible member. A copy of the letter and response form can be found here. Completed response forms can be placed in the box marked “CONSISTORY NOMINATIONS” on the table in the narthex or you can email your response to cstegeman@zionreformed.org.

Beginning Tuesday, we will be hosting a book discussion on Be the Bridge by Latasha Morrison. The book focuses our attention on how we can build bridges across racial divides to model the restoring and unifying work of Christ among all people. If you are still interested in attending, simply show up and join us in room 207 at 6:30 pm.

Mark your calendars, the Middle and High School Youth Groups will be hosting a fundraiser at Culver’s on March 21 from 5-8 pm. This is a great night to support our youth, connect with friends new and old from Zion, and enjoy some great Culver’s burgers and frozen custard.

Serve the World
Threads will be having a semi-annual sale, which will be open to the public, on Saturday, March 12 from 9am – 1pm. Each and every item in the boutique will be priced at $1. The money raised from this sale is used to self-fund our ministry and purchase needed items. All are invited to come in and shop!

Currently, Threads is in need of new underwear and new socks for all ages/sizes, and also in need of plastic white shirt hangers and pants hangers. Any donations of these items is greatly appreciated.

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
The remodel of our bathrooms began earlier this month. Fixtures are being removed. Walls knocked down. It is a little noisy at times in the offices! You can check out the progress in some pictures below. The first shows the bathroom from the former entrance to the women’s bathroom and the second shows the same space from the former entrance to the men’s restroom.

As a reminder, during the remodel, the only restrooms available on the main floor of church can be accessed through the doors at the front of the sanctuary. They are single stall uni-sex restrooms.

When you are working hard, it can become easy to keep your head down and focus on the task at hand. Sometimes, I find it helpful to look up and see all God is doing through his Church. Earlier this week, I received a Ministry Impact Report from our denomination highlighting some of the work God has been doing through the RCA tis past year. I was reminded how grateful I am to be a part of our 350+ year old denomination. You can read this same report here.

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:  $414,779.99
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $370,937.21
Giving Last Week: $23,861.46