Zion E-News 9-12-24
ZION E-NEWS (9-12-24)
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.
FOR THE next couple of months, there will be road construction on 36th Street between Kenowa and Canal. While you can drive on 36th currently, the driveways into Zion are affected. Please plan to enter the parking lot from the north side, off Fair Meadow.
YOU MAY have noticed over the summer a few different configurations of chairs in the sanctuary. We recognize people have different needs and preferences, and we are working towards a more hospitable space for all. Thanks for helping us make Zion a welcoming place!
PRAYER REQUEST: Please join us in lifting up the family of Bob Retsema, who went home to be with his Lord late this morning. Pray for comfort, peace and strength as the family grieves, remembers and celebrates a beloved father and grandfather.
CHURCH-WIDE BIBLE MEMORY: Led by our children, who regularly memorize Scripture for “Say It” days, we will be working together on a church-wide Bible memory challenge this fall. Our text is Philippians 2:1-4 from the New International Version: “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: We are looking for more people willing to serve on the First Impressions Team – particularly in the area of Ushers and Welcome Table. Contact Angie at awalker@zionreformed.org if you would like to know more or are interested in serving.
THIS FALL, Zion will kick off a church-wide learning opportunity for all ages. We will be hosting a Serving with Dignity class on Sunday afternoons from 4-5:30 PM, with dinner available to follow. The class will be taught by facilitators from Love Your Neighbor. It is a chance to not only learn how we might serve others with dignity in our ministries at Zion, but also how we might be a better neighbor, friend or coworker in our everyday lives. Pastor Marcia, Pastor Jeremy and Angie have been attending the classes this summer in preparation for the fall, and the material is excellent. This course will challenge every one of us to grow in our own personal discipleship. We truly want everyone to be involved – from the youngest to the oldest. There will be age-appropriate learning and activities for kids. Classes will be held Oct 6, 13, 20 and Nov 3, 10 and 17. You can register for the Serve with Dignity Class here.
MORNING OF SERVICE: As part of our intergenerational learning opportunity on Serving with Dignity this fall, we will be hosting a church-wide Morning of Service on Sunday, October 27th. We will begin in the sanctuary at our normal service time of 9:30 AM, and will open our time together with a song, meditation, and prayer. We will then spend the rest of the morning serving together! EVERYONE is welcome to join us for the Morning of Service, even if you are not signed up for the Serving with Dignity class. We will have options available for all ages and abilities. You can register here for the Morning Of Service. And for those who sign up, you will receive a new Zion t-shirt to wear that day!
You can RSVP for this event by clicking here 
ZION’S YOUTH GROUP meets weekly at the following times:
4:00-5:30 pm – High School (9th-12th grade)
5:45-7:15 pm – Middle School (6th-12th grade)
For youth group meetings on Sundays, please enter through door “D” in the back of church, next to the youth room/chapel.
We need everyone to fill out new Release/Registration Forms. You can do that online here or visit the Youth Group page on Zion’s Website for a link.
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).
IF YOU need help, either with food, personal care items, or financial needs, please contact Austin DeHaan, our chair of deacons, and he can help connect you with the appropriate resources at Zion. His e-mail is austin331@gmail.com and his phone number is (269) 762-9748
WE CONTINUE to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and resources.
2024/25 YTD Budget: $172,771.35
2024/25 YTD Contributions: $131,471.95
Giving Last Week: $7,598.73
Zion E-News 9-5-24
ZION E-NEWS (9-5-24)
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.
NEW SERMON SERIES beginning September 8! 
YOU MAY have noticed over the summer a few different configurations of chairs in the sanctuary. We recognize people have different needs and preferences, and we are working towards a more hospitable space for all. Thanks for helping us make Zion a welcoming place!
PRAYER REQUEST: Continue to pray for peace and comfort for Tom and Megan MacGraw and their family in the passing of their mom, Darlene Childs, who went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, August 29. A celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 1-3pm at Palmer Park (1275 52nd St SW Wyoming, MI 49509) in pavilion C.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: We are looking for more people willing to serve on the First Impressions Team – particularly in the area of Ushers and Welcome Table. Contact Angie at awalker@zionreformed.org if you would like to know more or are interested in serving.
OUR FALL Kick-Off Party is this Sunday, September 8 after worship! Please bring a dish to pass, (hamburgers and hot dogs will be provided) and a lawnchair.
THIS FALL, Zion will kick off a church-wide learning opportunity for all ages. We will be hosting a Serving with Dignity class on Sunday afternoons from 4-5:30 PM, with dinner available to follow. The class will be taught by facilitators from Love Your Neighbor. It is a chance to not only learn how we might serve others with dignity in our ministries at Zion, but also how we might be a better neighbor, friend or coworker in our everyday lives. Pastor Marcia, Pastor Jeremy and Angie have been attending the classes this summer in preparation for the fall, and the material is excellent. This course will challenge every one of us to grow in our own personal discipleship. We truly want everyone to be involved – from the youngest to the oldest. There will be age-appropriate learning and activities for kids. Classes will be held Oct 6, 13, 20 and Nov 3, 10 and 17. Watch for sign ups to begin the week of September 8th!
MORNING OF SERVICE: As part of our intergenerational learning opportunity on Serving with Dignity this fall, we will be hosting a church-wide Morning of Service on Sunday, October 27th. We will begin in the sanctuary at our normal service time of 9:30 AM, and will open our time together with a song, meditation, and prayer. We will then spend the rest of the morning serving together! EVERYONE is welcome to join us for the Morning of Service, even if you are not signed up for the Serving with Dignity class. We will have options available for all ages and abilities. Stay tuned for more details and look for sign ups to begin the week of September 8th. And for those who sign up, you will receive a new Zion t-shirt to wear that day!
You can RSVP for this event by clicking here
OUR CHURCH has been accepted to receive the RCA Renovations Grant which is for $5,000 on up. Part of the process for this grant was having 7 congregants from different age groups ,as well as a couple of staff, answer survey questions. Based on those results, a proposal can begin to be written. The survey results highlighted how great we are in the area of local missions and outreach! This is something we should be proud of! A couple area’s that the survey indicated needed some improvement was in relationship building and discipleship. Our proposal will include ways in which we can provide space and atmosphere for facilitating hospitality, relationships and discipleship. This could include asking for funds to supplement the upcoming Serving with Dignity Class and meals, it could include renovating our lobby/narthex to incorporate an area where all ages could feel comfortable having conversations together, it could include updating how we serve coffee and cookies on Sunday’s, better signs outside for the entrances, etc. Here is a link for more information on this grant: https://www.rca.org/equipping-congregations/the-renovations-project/ If you have questions or just want to chat about this some more, reach out to Angie Walker in the next week or two.
THREADS UPDATE: September 2024 marks 3 years since Threads has been located at Zion! My oh my, how we have grown!! We originally started with approximately 60 families and have currently grown to 139 families that regularly shop at Threads. On September 14, 2021, our first shopping day, we had 21 families shop and 582 articles of clothing were given away. This past Tuesday we had 57 families shop and 1,157 items were given away.
Here is the breakdown of the numbers from our busy day on Tuesday:
57 Families Shopped
200 People Received Clothing
1,066 Pieces of Clothes Given
91 Accessories (Shoes, Purses, etc) Given
48 Families used PCP Store
6 Haircuts Given (salon open 4:30-7:00)
Continual praise and glory given to Christ our Lord and Savior, who faithfully provides for this ministry! It is an honor to show HIS love and compassion to the families that we serve at Threads.
ZION’S YOUTH GROUP is kicking off on September 8! We are meeting at Zion and staying at Zion for some Olympic competitions (with a youth group twist – volleyball with a giant beach ball, fencing with pool noodles, funny break dancing, creating a team flag, etc).
We will be meeting during our regular weekly Sunday evening youth group times:
4:00-5:30 pm – High School (9th-12th grade)
5:45-7:15 pm – Middle School (6th-12th grade)
For youth group meetings on Sundays, please enter through door “D” in the back of church, next to the youth room/chapel.
With a new youth group year, we need everyone to fill out new Release/Registration Forms. You can do that online here or visit the Youth Group page on Zion’s Website for a link.
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).
IF YOU need help, either with food, personal care items, or financial needs, please contact Austin DeHaan, our chair of deacons, and he can help connect you with the appropriate resources at Zion. His e-mail is austin331@gmail.com and his phone number is (269) 762-9748
WE CONTINUE to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and resources.
2024/25 YTD Budget: $61,253.26
2024/25 YTD Contributions: $123,873.22
Giving Last Week: $7,582.73
Zion E-News 8-29-24
ZION E-NEWS (8-29-24)
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. As of August 31st, Zion’s morning service will no longer be broadcasted on WCET and WKTV, two local public television stations. However, our services will continue to be live-streamed through our website and YouTube. If you need any assistance in learning how to access the services through those sites, please call the church office and someone will be happy to show you.
NEW SERMON SERIES beginning September 8!
PRAYER REQUEST: Continue to pray for those in our congregation who deal with ongoing health issues.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS: We are looking for more people willing to serve on the First Impressions Team – particularly in the area of Ushers and Welcome Table. Contact Angie at awalker@zionreformed.org if you would like to know more or are interested in serving.
OUR FALL Kick-Off Party is just a week away! To help us plan please take a moment to RSVP by clicking here Kick-Off RSVP
THIS FALL, Zion will kick off a church-wide learning opportunity for all ages. We will be hosting a Serving with Dignity class on Sunday afternoons from 4-5:30 PM, with dinner available to follow. The class will be taught by facilitators from Love Your Neighbor. It is a chance to not only learn how we might serve others with dignity in our ministries at Zion, but also how we might be a better neighbor, friend or coworker in our everyday lives. Pastor Marcia, Pastor Jeremy and Angie have been attending the classes this summer in preparation for the fall, and the material is excellent. This course will challenge every one of us to grow in our own personal discipleship. We truly want everyone to be involved – from the youngest to the oldest. There will be age-appropriate learning and activities for kids. Classes will be held Oct 6, 13, 20 and Nov 3, 10 and 17. Watch for sign ups to begin the week of September 8th!
MORNING OF SERVICE: As part of our intergenerational learning opportunity on Serving with Dignity this fall, we will be hosting a church-wide Morning of Service on Sunday, October 27th. We will begin in the sanctuary at our normal service time of 9:30 AM, and will open our time together with a song, meditation, and prayer. We will then spend the rest of the morning serving together! EVERYONE is welcome to join us for the Morning of Service, even if you are not signed up for the Serving with Dignity class. We will have options available for all ages and abilities. Stay tuned for more details and look for sign ups to begin the week of September 8th. And for those who sign up, you will receive a new Zion t-shirt to wear that day!
You can RSVP for this event by clicking here
OUR CHURCH has been accepted to receive the RCA Renovations Grant which is for $5,000 on up. Part of the process for this grant was having 7 congregants from different age groups ,as well as a couple of staff, answer survey questions. Based on those results, a proposal can begin to be written. The survey results highlighted how great we are in the area of local missions and outreach! This is something we should be proud of! A couple area’s that the survey indicated needed some improvement was in relationship building and discipleship. Our proposal will include ways in which we can provide space and atmosphere for facilitating hospitality, relationships and discipleship. This could include asking for funds to supplement the upcoming Serving with Dignity Class and meals, it could include renovating our lobby/narthex to incorporate an area where all ages could feel comfortable having conversations together, it could include updating how we serve coffee and cookies on Sunday’s, better signs outside for the entrances, etc. Here is a link for more information on this grant: https://www.rca.org/equipping-congregations/the-renovations-project/ If you have questions or just want to chat about this some more, reach out to Angie Walker in the next week or two.
ZION’S YOUTH GROUP is kicking off on September 8! We are meeting at Zion and staying at Zion for some Olympic competitions (with a youth group twist – volleyball with a giant beach ball, fencing with pool noodles, funny break dancing, creating a team flag, etc).
We will be meeting during our regular weekly Sunday evening youth group times:
4:00-5:30 pm – High School (9th-12th grade)
5:45-7:15 pm – Middle School (6th-12th grade)
For youth group meetings on Sundays, please enter through door “D” in the back of church, next to the youth room/chapel.
With a new youth group year, we need everyone to fill out new Release/Registration Forms. You can do that online here or visit the Youth Group page on Zion’s Website for a link.
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).
IF YOU need help, either with food, personal care items, or financial needs, please contact Austin DeHaan, our chair of deacons, and he can help connect you with the appropriate resources at Zion. His e-mail is austin331@gmail.com and his phone number is (269) 762-9748
WE CONTINUE to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and resources.
2024/25 YTD Budget: $149,735.17
2024/25 YTD Contributions: $116,290.49
Giving Last Week: $5,980.73
Benevolent Fund Offering: $1,637.00
September 8 – Youth Group Kick-Off
Zion’s Youth Group is kicking off on September 8! We are meeting at Zion and staying at Zion for some Olympic competitions (with a youth group twist – volleyball with a giant beach ball, fencing with pool noodles, funny break dancing, creating a team flag, etc).
We will be meeting during our regular weekly Sunday evening youth group times:
4:00-5:30 pm – High School (9th-12th grade)
5:45-7:15 pm – Middle School (6th-12th grade)
For youth group meetings on Sundays, please enter through door “D” in the back of church, next to the youth room/chapel.
With a new youth group year, we need everyone to fill out new Release/Registration Forms. You can do that online here.
FYI – Students are always welcome to bring friends (who are in the same age group) to youth group meetings, especially if a friend is looking for a place to come to youth group regularly. If you have a friend you’d like to take, please send this information to them and let Pastor Jeremy know their email/their parent’s email so that he can add them to his email mailing list.
If you are new to Zion’s youth group and can’t make it to the kick-off, it’s no big deal. You can join us the following week as we begin regular youth group meetings. But please still fill out a Release/Registration Form online.
Zion E-News 8-22-25
ZION E-NEWS (8-22-24)
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. As of August 31st, Zion’s morning service will no longer be broadcasted on WCET and WKTV, two local public television stations. However, our services will continue to be live-streamed through our website and YouTube. If you need any assistance in learning how to access the services through those sites, please call the church office and someone will be happy to show you.
NEW SERMON SERIES beginning September 8!
PRAYER REQUEST: Continue to pray for those in our congregation who deal with ongoing health issues.
WE WILL be celebrating the sacrament of communion together this Sunday, August 25th. We invite you to take some time to reflect and prepare your hearts as we come to this beautiful table of grace. In response to God’s gift of grace to us, we will give an offering for Zion’s benevolence fund after communion. Benevolence funds are used in a variety of ways to come alongside people in our Zion family and in our local community. One of the ways we are able to meet local needs is through CarePortal. Local agencies can post specific needs to the CarePortal technology platform, and we are able to respond as we are able. Recently we were able to purchase cribs for a local mom in need. We are grateful for your continued generosity!
OUR FALL Kick-Off Party is just two weeks away! To help us plan please take a moment to RSVP by clicking here Kick-Off RSVP
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).
IF YOU need help, either with food, personal care items, or financial needs, please contact Austin DeHaan, our chair of deacons, and he can help connect you with the appropriate resources at Zion. His e-mail is austin331@gmail.com and his phone number is (269) 762-9748
WE CONTINUE to thank God for his provision of all of our needs and the generous support of our congregation with their time, talent, and resources.
2024/25 YTD Budget: $138,217.08
2024/25 YTD Contributions: $110,309.73
Giving Last Week: $9,420.73
