Zion E-News (8-19-2021)

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This week has been filled with difficult images to process. Earthquakes and torrential rain in Haiti. The fall of Afghanistan and crowds fleeing to safety. Including images too troubling to reference. I am particularly concerned for both the women and children in Afghanistan and the soldiers and their families who sacrificed so much for both our country and Afghanistan. And you can add to those the ongoing tensions of school starting and mask requirements and rising Covid cases. And more close to home for many of us, the unexpected loss of people we knew and loved.

Studies show we take in the equivalent of 174 newspapers of information everyday. This is more information than we can process consciously, so most of what we experience gets processed by our brain without us even knowing it. it is often too much for our brains to handle, especially the emotionally charged images of this past week, and so we go numb. Our compassion runs out. We tune out. We simply need to stop caring because it is too heavy for us brains to handle.

I was feeling this sense of the weight of the brokenness and needs in our world when I came across a word of wisdom from Chuck DeGroat. He said recently that when it feels like too much.
“That’s right. It is. So take it slow. Choose one thing. And hold it before God.”

As you think about the things that can weight you down, what’s the one thing you can focus on and bring it before God. Rather than being overwhelmed by all the needs, what is the one need you can step into with the grace and love of Jesus?

– Greg

Connect to God
This Sunday we will gather in person at 9:30 am and online at 9:30 and 11 am. If you are joining us outside, you will want to bring chairs. The online service will be pre-recorded and abbreviated as we will not be live-streaming our outdoor services over the summer. You can find the services either on our Facebook page or at zionreformed.online.church. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday.

We live in an increasingly isolated world. People spend their days commuting to work, staring at screens, and can go days and weeks without talking with those nearest us. And yet, many of us have isolated ourselves from unbelieving neighbors. This is true not only locally. This Sunday, Pastor Jeremy continues our series on the Art of Neighboring as we consider one of the biggest excuses we can all make: busyness.

We will also welcome Dr. Rachael Pastel-Brown from Bursley Elementary to share with us the impact of Kids Hope and investing just 30 minutes to an hour in the life of a child.

Grow in Community
We express our deep sympathy to Dianne Zandbergen in the sudden passing of her husband Steve Zandbergen early this morning. And also to Steve’s aunts and uncles Don and Marcia Osterink & Tom and Arlene Zandbergen and numerous cousins from Zion. Please pray for peace and comfort for the entire Zandbergen family during this difficult time.  Funeral arrangements are pending and will be shared when they become available.

We will be kicking off our education year on September 12 with a bit of a party after church. Lunch will be catered by Brann’s. There will be a bounce house and other games for kids. Threads will hold an open house for everyone to see their space and learn more about this new ministry at Zion. Because the food will be catered, we are asking people to sign up ahead o fit if they plan to attend. (Obviously, we would never turn anyone away from a meal! But signing up will help us plan for the day.) You can sign up here.

Our regular Kids Ministry begins on Sunday morning, Sept. 12! I’m excited about the caliber of our teachers and helpers. We do, however, still need one more teacher, and one more helper for our 4th & 5th grade Preteen group. They are a great, small group of kids. Who else do we want investing in them? Kids Ministry training for adult & teen volunteers will be at the following times:
Preschool & K-3rd class after worship on Sunday, Aug. 29;
Preteen (4th & 5th grades) at 4:00pm on Sunday, Aug. 29
Nursery training after worship on Sunday, Sept. 19.

All training will include a “Keeping Kids Safe” portion, which is required for all adults 18 yrs. old and above, prior to serving with children. Please let Rachel Brower know if you are unable to be there.

We are reading through the New Testament over the next year as a congregation. The reading schedule for this coming week is below:
8/23    Monday        1 Timothy 1
8/24    Tuesday       1 Timothy 2
8/25    Wednesday  1 Timothy 3
8/26    Thursday      1 Timothy 4
8/27    Friday           1 Timothy 5

You can also find the reading schedule on our website under the Ministries tab.

Serve the World
Threads Announcement: Thank you for all of your donations thus far! The first shopping day for Threads families will be on Tuesday, September 14. At this time we are in need of:
new and gently used clothing / shoes for girls and boys sizes infant through teen.
New underwear for boys (all sizes)
New underwear for men (all sizes)
Monetary donations are always welcome to purchase these needs.

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
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:  $123,312.97
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $78,168.55
Giving Last Week: $7,528.00
Bathroom Building Fund (total given): $127,519.00

Zion E-News (8-12-2021)

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Normally, I begin the E-News with some sort of personal reflection or thought from my week. But this week, I want to give you an update eon our latest Consistory meeting.

Your Consistory met Tuesday night for our regular August meeting and made some decisions of which I want you to be aware.

First, late last month, Zion received an anonymous donation of $125,000 to go toward remodeling the two bathrooms near the church office. This is obviously a huge gift and completely unexpected. As a staff, Consistory, and congregation we want to extend our thanks to this donor.

Second, in conversations between our architect, Pastor Rick, and the donor, we determined we could gut and remodel the bathrooms without knocking down any walls and still be able to use our master building plan we had previously developed. Therefore, Consistory approved a plan last night to remodel the bathrooms without changing their existing footprint and using the remaining funds to update the women’s bathroom in the basement to become a family bathroom, which will be very helpful for Threads and any other events in our basement.

Third, we also approved funds to re-carpet and paint the education wing hallways, lobby, and youth room as well as updating the furniture in our youth room, cry room, and the lobby. These funds will come from our cash reserves and any remaining funds from those given to the building fund after the updates mentions in options one and two.

While this is not the extensive remodel we had discussed as a congregation throughout 2019, we believe these changes focused on 40 year old bathrooms and 15 year old carpet will provide the “biggest bang” for our dollars and represent faithful care of the property God has entrusted to us.

Fourth, we will be holding an open house on September 12 for our new Threads ministry. Everyone from church is invited on this day following worship to tour and check out this new ministry to love our neighbors. As this is also the first week of our regular education ministry year, we are also planning some food and other actives following worship. It is a day you will not want to miss.

Fifth, on Sundays September 19 and 26, at 6 pm, I will be holding informational sessions for those interested in learning more about General Synod (our national governing body meeting). General Synod this year may be making some significant decisions related to tensions in our denomination around issues like LGBTQ+, the role of women in the church, and baptism. The first week, we will talk about how decisions get made in our denomination. The second week, we will discuss the recommendations being brought to General Synod. You are welcome to attend just one event or both. I know for many the temptation might be to only come the second week, but, personally, I think the first week is more helpful in understanding how to move forward as a church no matter what may happen at General Synod.

If you see a Consistory member, make a point to thank them for their thoughtfulness and leadership of our church. They work really hard and we are blessed to have each of them serving.

– Greg

Connect to God
This Sunday we will gather in person at 9:30 am and online at 9:30 and 11 am. If you are joining us outside, you will want to bring chairs. The online service will be pre-recorded and abbreviated as we will not be live-streaming our outdoor services over the summer. You can find the services either on our Facebook page or at zionreformed.online.church. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday.

We live in an increasingly isolated world. People spend their days commuting to work, staring at screens, and can go days and weeks without talking with those nearest us. And yet, many of us have isolated ourselves from unbelieving neighbors. This is true not only locally. This Sunday Chris and Christie Winkler from Wycliffe Bible translators join us to talk about how neighbor love is instrumental in the work of mission across the globe.

We will also celebrate with Andrew and Ellen Moore the baptism of their son Elliot.  As they celebrate his life, we give thanks to God for the gift of new life he has made available to all who believe. We thank God as well for the covenant he has established all the way back with Abraham to include children in his family. We honor this faithful God as we welcome  these children into the covenant community at Zion.

Grow in Community
Congratulations to Danny and Ashley Copron on the birth of their daughter Aria Louise. Aria was born on Monday, August 9 at 11:57PM weighing 7lbs 3oz. Both mom and baby are doing well. She will be welcomed home by her big brother Odin. We give thanks and praise to God for this precious gift.

Our regular Kids Ministry begins on Sunday morning, Sept. 12! I’m excited about the caliber of our teachers and helpers. We do, however, still need one more teacher, and one more helper for our 4th & 5th grade Preteen group. They are a great, small group of kids. Who else do we want investing in them? Kids Ministry training for adult & teen volunteers will be at the following times:
Preschool & K-3rd class after worship on Sunday, Aug. 29;
Preteen (4th & 5th grades) at 4:00pm on Sunday, Aug. 29
Nursery training after worship on Sunday, Sept. 19.

All training will include a “Keeping Kids Safe” portion, which is required for all adults 18 yrs. old and above, prior to serving with children. Please let Rachel Brower know if you are unable to be there.

We are reading through the New Testament over the next year as a congregation. The reading schedule for this coming week is below:
8/9    Monday         1 Thessalonians 4
8/10    Tuesday      1 Thessalonians 5
8/11    Wednesday  2 Thessalonians 1
8/12    Thursday      2 Thessalonians 2
8/13    Friday           2 Thessalonians 3

You can also find the reading schedule on our website under the Ministries tab.

Serve the World
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
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:  $112,102.70
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $70,640.55
Giving Last Week: $6,634.07
Bathroom Building Fund (total given): $127,499.00

This Week’s Announcements

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8-15-21 Announcements

Zion E-News (8-5-2021)

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I have been reading through the New Testament with several of our kids, though do to vacations and my general laziness on summer nights, we have fallen a little behind. Several days ago now, we were reading Ephesians 2. Following is a section that has stuck with me.

Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit. 

There are two key themes in this passage that get all tangled up together. First, we were separated from God, but now in Christ we have been reconciled to God. This is huge and the reason for our eternal hope in Christ! Secondly, we were separated Jews and Gentiles because of the law, but now we have become fellow citizens, joined together into one temple with Christ as the cornerstone or foundation of it all.

It is hard as 21st century believers to understand the radical and shocking nature of this idea Jews and Gentiles despised each other. Both saw the other as a heathen, as unfaithful to the gods or the true God. Both saw the other as a threat to the nation (either Rome or a free Israel). And yet, now, because of Christ and their allegiance to him, they have become a new single people. But, living that way as a new united people was hard.

That is why Paul talks about how they need to overcome these outside division like race, gender, economic status and so on in his letters to the churches in Galatia, Corinth, Rome, and obviously in Ephesus as well. In part, though, he has to write this encouragement because these churches were filled with people from different ethnic backgrounds, ages, status as free and slave and so on. They were incredibly diverse communities.

Living in the suburbs of the United States where we live in very economically homogenous neighborhoods and often ethnical homogeneous communities, we do not experience the same kind of wide ranging diversity in many of our daily lives. And then you add to it the consumerist nature of American Christianity where we choose our local congregation rather than simply going to the nearest church. It is very easy to go to a church where everyone is of the same income as you, the same race and ethnicity, similar age, similar kids ages, similar politics, and so on. Honestly, life feels easier when we become the proverbial birds of a feather flocking together, but we also miss out on the beauty and witness of the gospel’s ability to overcome those things in our world that divide us.

One of the things I appreciate about Zion is that even given the limits of ethnic diversity in the suburbs, we are not all alike. Just this week, I spent Sunday afternoon celebrating Marv Huyser’s 90th birthday and Wednesday morning seeing Rhett Kleinjans who is only 2 months old. Some of us work hard in an executive suite and others work hard behind a cash register. Some are married and other single. Some are politically liberal and other conservative. Some are more theologically liberal and others more  conservative.

Which means, when we all get together, if you are intentional to build relationships across some of those dividing lines, you will likely be offended sometimes. And that is awesome! In fact, I would argue that if you are never troubled or offended by someone in your church, you are not in a church so much as a social club. Church community takes work. Work to understand people who are different from you. Work to figure out how to apply God’s word today, even when God’s word can offend. Work to learn how to love people you may never choose as friends, but to whom you have been joined by the Holy Spirit, being made into the holy temple, the very dwelling place of God.

– Greg

Connect to God
This Sunday we will gather in person at 9:30 am and online at 9:30 and 11 am. Because of the expected heat and humidity and risk of rain, we will be meeting indoors at 9:30. However, the online service will be pre-recorded and abbreviated as we will not be live-streaming services over the summer. You can find the services either on our Facebook page or at zionreformed.online.church. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday.

We live in an increasingly isolated world. People spend their days commuting to work, staring at screens, and can go days and weeks without talking with those nearest us. The power and genius of The Great Commandment is that it’s so simple and yet extremely powerful when acted on. The smartest thing that we can do collectively to impact our community is to actually live out Jesus’ command to love our neighbors. What might God do if we embraced the lost art of neighboring and loved those nearest us as followers of Jesus?

The sermon will reference a neighborhood map. If you are not with us in person on Sunday you can find the map here.

Grow in Community
Weather permitting, our kids ministry will be outside all summer long. This is for kids ages 3 through going into 3rd grade. We’ll be meeting by the picnic tables to read Bible stories, pray together, do other outdoor crafts/games, and play on our church playground!

However, we need more volunteers for our summer kids ministry during church! We know that Zion church loves kids, and wants to support young families. If you’d be willing to help on a Sunday this summer, please contact Rachel Brower at 616-669-3412. Thanks!

The nursery is open again this summer. Nursery is for children ages 0-3. The nursery check-in will be inside at the nursery. Young children are also welcome in the main worship service. Thank you to all those serving in the nursery!

We are reading through the New Testament over the next year as a congregation. The reading schedule for this coming week is below:
8/9    Monday         Colossians 3
8/10    Tuesday      Colossians 4
8/11    Wednesday  1 Thessalonians 1
8/12    Thursday      1 Thessalonians 2
8/13    Friday           1 Thessalonians 3

You can also find the reading schedule on our website under the Ministries tab.

Serve the World
Threads had a great night sorting clothes on Monday. A huge thank you to all the people who came out to go through all the donations. Threads is continuing to accept donations of new and gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories for infants through adults. Also, donations of new socks and new underwear (for kids and adults) would be greatly appreciated.  Please place donations either in the Threads sheds located on Zion’s front steps or in the Threads wooden box in the narthex.  Thank you!

This Sunday, we will be celebrating another great summer at Camp Zion. We will be sharing a video of some of the highlights of the summer, but if you would like to get a little behind the scenes look at Camp Zion, you can check out the video below of interviews with some of our key staff and volunteers.
Camp Zion Recap: https://youtu.be/B34hAeW6j9E

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
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:  $100,892.43
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $64,006.48
Giving Last Week: $5,788.00
Bathroom Building Fund (total given): $2,474.00

Zion E-News (7-29-2021)

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Late last week, there was a fascinating interaction on Twitter that has stuck with me. So often on social media, the interactions are filled with anger, bitterness, or just plain unkindness. But this one was different. It occurred predominantly between Beth Moore (the famous conservative Bible teacher) and Anne Lamott, the best selling Christian author. One is known for being theologically conservative and the other for being a theological liberal. It follows below, slightly edited to make it easier to read:

Random Guy: Anne and Beth know each other!?!? That feels like 2 very different worlds colliding!

Anne Lamott: Here’s the thing about Christ: Beth and I are both Jesus freaks who try to live as servants. My friends are mostly progressives, which bothers Beth exactly zero. We would fly out to help each other today, sight unseen. So it is actually ONE world, with room for all.

Beth Moore: Sight unseen. 100%.

I love this interaction for two reasons. First, like the random guy, I love that Beth and Anne know one another. I have been a fan of Anne since reading Traveling Mercies 20 years ago and a fan of Beth since Rachel was in a women’s Bible study more than 15 years ago and even more since getting to know her on social media.

Secondly, and more importantly, Anne;’s reminder that it is about Christ. When you are both Jesus freaks, all the things the world thinks should divide you don’t matter very much. You can have different political views. Different views of vaccines. Different views on how best to respond to poverty, refugees, growing income and wealth gaps, terrorism, and more. And none of those things matter in comparison to the common bond you have because of your love for Jesus.

As Paul says in Ephesians 4:
There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.

In Christ, we are one. There is amazing diversity in Christ’s body: from Spirit filled speaking tongues Pentecostals to very reserved United Reformed, from theologically conservative Southern Baptists to theologically liberal United Methodists, from economically conservative Evangelicals to social gospel Catholics, from black churches to immigrant churches to white suburban churches. God is at work among them all.

I love to see people so in love with Jesus, so mature in their faith, that the ways our world divides (and often the ways the church divides) cannot overcome their unity in Christ. Their love for each other gives witness to the reconciling power of the gospel and our ultimate hope in Jesus.

May God bless the Beths and Annes of our world and cause their numbers to increase.

– Greg

Connect to God
This Sunday we will gather in person at 9:30 am and online at 9:30 and 11 am. If you are joining us outside, you will want to bring chairs. The online service will be pre-recorded and abbreviated as we will not be live-streaming our outdoor services over the summer. You can find the services either on our Facebook page or at zionreformed.online.church. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday.

As we conclude the message series “The Grudge,” we face maybe the hardest person to forgive: ourselves. As we consider Paul’s counsel to seek the godly sorrow that leads to repentance rather than the worldly sorrow that leads to death, we find some pointers to the grace we need through the experiences of the disciples Peter.

Grow in Community
Teresa Beute was admitted to the hospital on Monday afternoon with very high blood pressure. Her blood pressure has been brought under control and now they are determining the best course of action moving forward.

Weather permitting, our kids ministry will be outside all summer long. This is for kids ages 3 through going into 3rd grade. We’ll be meeting by the picnic tables to read Bible stories, pray together, do other outdoor crafts/games, and play on our church playground!

However, we need more volunteers for our summer kids ministry during church! We know that Zion church loves kids, and wants to support young families. If you’d be willing to help on a Sunday this summer, please contact Rachel Brower at 616-669-3412. Thanks!

The nursery is open again this summer. Nursery is for children ages 0-3. The nursery check-in will be inside at the nursery. Young children are also welcome in the main worship service. Thank you to all those serving in the nursery!

We are reading through the New Testament over the next year as a congregation. The reading schedule for this coming week is below:
7/12    Monday    Philippians 2
7/13    Tuesday    Philippians 3
7/14    Wednesday    Philippians 4
7/15    Thursday    Colossians 1
7/16    Friday    Colossians 2

You can also find the reading schedule on our website under the Ministries tab.

Serve the World
Threads is accepting donations of new and gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories for infants through adults. Also, donations of new socks and new underwear (for kids and adults) would be greatly appreciated.  Please place donations either in the Threads sheds located on Zion’s front steps or in the Threads wooden box in the narthex.  Thank you!

We received update from a couple of missionaries whom we support recently:
Albertha Kuiper, working with Wycliffe, is doing well “mostly”. She is co-authoring a commentary on the book of Matthew and hopes to finish her part by August.

Keith Krebs, who works in Bahrain at the RCA Mission hospital, reports today that Bahrain is slowing opening again after several weeks of lockdown due to a COVID-19 resurgence. He and Denise have an app on their cell phones showing a “green shield” to prove they are vaccinated. But masks are still required. Construction is continuing on-schedule for the new mission hospital. Keith ask that we pray for them as they recruit 300+ new staff members including doctors, nurses, technicians and all other personnel.

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
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:  $89,682.169
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $48,331.48
Giving Last Week: $58,218.48
Bathroom Building Fund (total given): $2,474.00

This Week’s Announcements

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8-1-21 Announcements1

This Week’s Announcements

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7-25-21 Announcements

Camp Zion 2021 Week 6

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Hello Camp Zion Families,
Here is what’s coming up next week. (July 19-22)

Camp Zion Week 6:  Spirit Week.
Monday:  Hawaiian/Beach Day.
Wear your swimsuits and bring your towels – it’s slip-n-slide day.

Tuesday:  Michigan vs. Michigan State
Wear your favorite teams logo or colors.

Wednesday:  Wacky Hair or Silly Hat Day.

Thursday:  Tie Dye Day.
Wear something tie-dye.
Bring:  A blanket, pillow and/or your favorite stuffed animal.
It’s movie day – Tom & Jerry (rated PG)

 

Reminder:  If your child will be absent for any reason (illness, vacation, appointment, etc.) please let me know.  Knowing who will be at camp each days helps us to prep for our activities and lets our staff know who to wait for at arrival.

Have a great weekend. See you on Monday.
~Rachel

Zion E-News (7-15-2021)

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Earlier this week, some of the kids and I watched the movie Black Widow. It was a great Marvel movie! One of the themes of the movie is the main character’s search for a family. She had a fake family as a child, a new sort of family in the Avengers, but now all those relationships are broken. What does it mean to be family? What does it mean to live in community with other people?

Families are often messy because we do not get to choose who is in our family. We choose our family, but not our siblings. They just are and often they can be very different from us. Loving family takes work.

I read recently in a book, article, or on social media somewhere that church should be the place where you learn to love people you would never be friends with outside of church. And, if we are honest, this is part of what has made church hard for many people this year. It is easier to go to a church where everyone agrees with us, where no one sees the world or Jesus differently, where all of our biases are confirmed as truth, than it is to live, worship, and serve with people who, honestly, drive us a little nuts sometimes. However, if we take the easier path of only worshipping with people just like us, we may end up worshipping a god made in our own image rather than God revealed in scripture. That emotionally easier path is the way to a consumer driven, me-centered faith and often away from a Jesus-centered faith.

One of the aspects of Zion I have always loved is that we do have diverse viewpoints on lots of different issues in our church. We do not all see current events, scripture, or even the mission of the church exactly the same. Even among our staff, we do not all agree on lots of different issues. When Rick or Jeremy preach I often am left with two thoughts: I would have emphasized this or that different or I would have made a different connection to our daily lives and I am so glad other voices than mine get heard in our church. We each catch different aspects of a text. We do not all see the world exactly the same, but we all long to follow Jesus and love one another. This is what it means to be the family of the church.

This has always been the way of church families. You only have to peruse the letters of Paul to see all the different opinions and tensions in the early church. They struggled to get along. A lot. And loudly. And yet, they struggled because they refused to abandon believers with whom they disagreed. The relationship and the common love for Christ mattered more than all that could have torn them apart.

May we have the courage to follow their example and live as the family of Jesus.

– Greg

Connect to God
This Sunday we will gather in person at 9:30 am and online at 9:30 and 11 am. If you are joining us outside, you will want to bring chairs. The online service will be pre-recorded and abbreviated as we will not be live-streaming our outdoor services over the summer. You can find the services either on our Facebook page or at zionreformed.online.church. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday.

Last week  we launched a new message series called “The Grudge”. We’re talking all about forgiveness for the next few weeks. This Sunday we will be talking about the hard work of forgiving people who have hurt or betrayed us. How do we learn to forgive not just once, but even 7 times in a day, as Jesus commands us in the gospel of Luke.

We will also celebrate with Justin and Amanda Vasquez the baptism of their son Quinton and their daughter Isabelle  Grace .  As they celebrate their lives, we give thanks to God for the gift of new life he has made available to all who believe. We thank God as well for the covenant he has established all the way back with Abraham to include children in his family. We honor this faithful God as we welcome  these children into the covenant community at Zion.

Grow in Community
Pastor Rick is recovering at home following an emergency appendectomy.  He plans to return on Monday, July 19 but will have some lifting restrictions. If you would be willing to help with some custodial work over the next couple of weeks, please contact Pastor Greg.

Weather permitting, our kids ministry will be outside all summer long. This is for kids ages 3 through going into 3rd grade. We’ll be meeting by the picnic tables to read Bible stories, pray together, do other outdoor crafts/games, and play on our church playground!

The nursery is open again this summer. Nursery is for children ages 0-3. The nursery check-in will be inside at the nursery. Young children are also welcome in the main worship service. Thank you to all those serving in the nursery!

We are reading through the New Testament over the next year as a congregation. The reading schedule for this coming week is below:
7/12    Monday    Galatians 4
7/13    Tuesday    Galatians 5
7/14    Wednesday    Galatians 6
7/15    Thursday    Ephesians 1
7/16    Friday    Ephesians 2

You can also find the reading schedule on our website under the Ministries tab.

Serve the World
Threads is accepting donations of new and gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories for infants through adults. Also, donations of new socks and new underwear (for kids and adults) would be greatly appreciated.  Please place donations either in the Threads sheds located on Zion’s front steps or in the Threads wooden box in the narthex.  Thank you!

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
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:  $67,261.62
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $40,533.48
Giving Last Week: $8,443.72
Bathroom Building Fund (total given): $2,434.00

This Week’s Announcements

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7-18-21 Announcements