Zion E-News (7-21-22)
Zion E-News (7-21-2022)
On Tuesday I left Camp Zion for an hour to work on this Sunday’s sermon. I returned to the sanctuary to see everyone at work on a craft making tree houses. I walked around to each table to see their work and encourage a few kids in their creativity. One girl showed me how her favorite pair of scissors broke, so I went up to the supply table to get a few more sets of scissors as options. When I turned around to head back, another little girl was in tears wanting my attention. I crouched down, pulled her in with a side hug, looked her in the eyes and asked what happened. She told me that other kids at the table were shaking the table, which was making it hard to work on her tree house craft. She also said they were teasing her. I brought her back to the table, talked to the other kids at the table (who were mostly friend-cousins) and asked them if they would like it if someone was doing what they were doing to this little girl. They said no, with embarrassed and regretful faces. Before I could get any further with talking to them about the incident, the little girl was already asking me for help with her craft by cutting some tape. She was already moving on because she received what she needed: someone who cared, someone to listen, someone to hug her, someone to help her, and someone to be by her side.
For some reason this incident continues to stick in my mind. It was a fragile, vulnerable, and holy moment. In this little girl I saw how I sometimes approach God and in my crouched-down-side-hugging-self I saw our Heavenly Father (I know it’s really bizarre and sounds like bragging to use myself as an illustration as the God figure in this story, but hear me out).
Sometimes I’m the crying little girl. I can all too often feel all alone in a crowd of people, especially as I regularly struggle with anxiety and depression. I can become frustrated and discouraged when what I’m trying to accomplish just doesn’t not seem to be working out (like trying to edit the church website to add the Children’s Ministry Director Position or when I can’t find the right words to express my thoughts as I write a sermon). My own inner dialogue can feel like friend-cousins teasing me – that inner dialogue knows me so well and knows exactly how to push my buttons. And when I’ve suppressed other feelings and needs that I’m not totally aware of, it can lead to a little bit of a breaking point, much like this little girl.
In that moment of frustration this little girl was wise. She walked away and went to someone she knew would be there for her. Someone who would have her back. Someone who could empathize. Someone who could use a hug to take some of the pain away. Someone who could protect. Someone who could help. Someone who could help her dreams (of a craft) become a reality.
And that little girl’s wisdom is what I and so many of us need. Sometimes we just need to walk away from the situation and go to our Father. He will be there for us. He will have our back. He understands and can empathize. He can hold us in our moment of need and take some of the pain away. He can protect. He can help. He can help our dreams become a reality.
What’s your current struggle?
I invite you to come before God like a crushed little girl. Don’t keep scrolling. Stop. Close your eyes. Start telling Him about your current struggle. He wants to wrap his loving arms around you. Find comfort and rest.
-Jeremy
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.
WE NEED more volunteers to help at the Child Check-In on Sunday mornings. Training will be provided. If you’d be willing to help on a Sunday this summer, please contact Kelly Osterink at 616-446-6704. Thanks!
We will not be having a sermon series for the summer. Instead we look forward to stand alone messages from a variety of voices:
July 24: Pastor Jeremy Zoet
July 31: Andrew Moore (Zion Member who is an ordained pastor in the RCA)
August 7: Eddy Aleman (General Secretary of the RCA)
August 14: Randy Weener (RCA Director of Church Multiplication)
August 21: Transition Pastor: Steve Petroelje
August 28: Transition Pastor: Steve Petroelje
Grow in Community
MOTT FAMILY: Ellie (19 y/o) was admitted to Saint Mary’s on Friday for continuous headaches and blurry vision. There is a mass on her brain that they think is likely a benign slow growing tumor on her brain, but they don’t know for sure. She met with neuro-oncology on Wednesday and didn’t learn much more. She is scheduled for surgery on Tuesday, July 26. Sydney (16 y/o) had her 4th treatment of chemotherapy on Wednesday to fight the Hodgkin’s Lymphoma she found out she has back in May. Please pray for the entire family during this difficult time! A meal train was recently started. If you’d like to contribute, follow this link.
CONGRATULATIONS to Bronson and Ashley Swan on the birth of their daughter Madison Jo. Madison was born on July 20 at 12:43PM. She weighed 6lb 14oz and was 19 1/4” long. She was welcomed home by her big brother Sawyer. We praise God for this precious gift.
WILLIS KUIPER will be celebrating his 90th birthday on August 5. If you would like to send birthday wishes his way, his mailing address is: 2589 44th St SE Room 113, Grand Rapids, MI 49512
A PARK PLAYDATE at Zion’s playground is being planned for Tuesday, August 2 from 10 to 11:30am. There will also be a bounce house and popsicles! This is a great opportunity to invite a friend!
Summer is a great time to try out new ways to serve in at Zion. If you are interested in serving on one of our welcome teams, now is the time to try it out a few times over the summer! If you are already on a team or want to try it out, you can sign up to serve as an usher, greeter, or to help at the child check in station here.
We have switched to our summer mode in Zion Kids! We’ll be running a nursery, and a simplified program for kids 3 yrs.-going into 3rd grade (all together). We read Bible stories to kids in small groups, pray, do crafts & play with them. It’s really fun, and a great way to get to know the kids! To make this happen, we need your help! Would you be willing to serve In kids ministry two times over the summer months? We’re looking for young grandparents, teenagers, parents, and people who enjoy being around kids. We’ll make sure to pair summer volunteers alongside our regular kids ministry people. All adults over 18 years old must go through Keeping Kids Safe training and a background check prior to serving with kids. If needed, Pastor Jeremy will contact you to set up a time to go over our policies. These really are fun Summer Sundays with extra time to get to know the kids a bit more! You can sign up through the links below, or via a sign up sheet outside of Room 205, or by texting Katie Wagner at 616-994-2880 or Jacki Deiter at 616-437-4791. Thanks for considering supporting our kids & young families!
Summer Kids Ministry
Nursery
Serve the World
THREADS: We will be having an end of the season sale at Threads on Saturday, August 13 from 9am-1pm. All summer clothing items and accessories will be $1 each (Cash or checks only). All the profit from this sale will be used to purchase new needed items for the ministry.
CAMP ZION: The theme verse for the year is Luke 10:27 which says: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” In addition, the campers will be studying the 10 commandments over the 6 weeks of camp. If you are interested in helping out with Camp Zion, you can sign up to volunteer using the link below.
Camp Zion Volunteer Sign Ups
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
CHILDREN’S MINISTRY DIRECTOR SEARCH: The search for a new Children’s Ministry Director is underway. With the help of consistory, a search committee of Rick Vanderwall (as a non-voting advisory role) Shanda VandePol, Emily Morehouse, Matt Eling, Heidi Ondersma, and Jerrod Holzgen was formed. The job description was updated and is now posted in several locations include the RCA and CRC websites and on the banner of Zion’s home page. This is a part time (approx. 20 hours per week), salaried position. If you or someone you know is interested, or if you have questions, please contact Jerrod at jholzgen@yahoo.com or 616-520-1771. Thank you for your support during this period of transition and will keep you posted as the search proceeds.
ROOM/OFFICE CHANGES: The season of having a church library is coming to a close. Why? Besides it rarely being used by less than a handful of members, and because of a more complex reason why: Threads is exploding with donations on a regular basis and needs more storage, which led to a multi-room switch. Camp Zion’s storage is moving from the basement, to the “Library” (double doors on the front east side of the sanctuary). Camp Zion’s office is also moving into the old library for one big Camp Zion office/storage space. The Children’s Director’s office is moving to the Camp Zion office (Northwest corner of the building our the front right side of the sanctuary). The old Children’s Director office is becoming the new music supply closet (formerly getting extra music stands, mic stands, and cables, etc. required climbing up in the open space where the organ’s pipes used to be – which is behind the right screen in the sanctuary – I almost ripped my pants too many times on a Sunday morning climbing on a stool to get up there). Now that Camp Zion has overtaken the library, the Camp Zion staff helped Pastor Rick move all the books to room 202 (last classroom on the south side of the hall). The books are free for the taking until the beginning of October, when the remaining books will move to the Paper Gator. A big thanks to Pastor Rick for moving so many things this week to start this transition!
We look forward to our Transition Pastor, Steve Petroelje, starting at Zion on Monday, August 15. Pastor Steve stopped into Zion to sign some paperwork with Connie on Wednesday and was able to meet a few people. Our staff and consistory are excited to start working with him soon!
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: $71,828.19
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $62,571.47
Giving Last Week: $9,923.50
Zion E-News (11-18-2021)
Christ the King Sunday is this Sunday! I know no one else is ever as excited about this holiday as I am. I love spending a week simply reflecting on how Jesus reigns in our world even when we cannot always see it.
Our world has co-opted Christmas and is getting its teeth into Easter and even Halloween, originally rooted in Christian tradition, has less and less to do with All Saints Day or anything remotely Christian. But no one has yet found a way to turn a day centered on the reign of Christ into anything else.
Christ the King Sunday ends the Christian liturgical year, which begins on the first Sunday of Advent. During Advent we remember how our world desperately needs God to act and deliver us from the pain and suffering of an unjust, broken world and even from the ways we have become trapped and become slaves to sin ourselves. Then we remember the life of Jesus between Christmas and Easter, celebrate Easter for 7 weeks, and then the beginning of the church on Pentecost and for the last 20 our so weeks, we have focused almost exclusively on discipleship, how to follow Jesus today. The whole year ends with this Sunday of hope where we proclaim to ourselves and the world that Jesus really is king.
Mind you, it does not often feel like Jesus is king. I have walked with too many people going through divorce and sat with too many spouses grieving the loss of the one they love to dare say all is well in our world. You only have to turn on the TV news to see how broken our world is today: refugees at the border of Poland with nowhere to go, tension with China, chaos in Haiti, maxed out hospitals in our community, a personal friend without a home, teens and young adults battling depression and thoughts of suicide. Our world is not as it should be. We are a deeply wounded and wounding people.
And yet, we gather on Christ the King Sunday and remind each other that Jesus does still reign and that one day all will be made whole and well. As my friend April Fiet wrote earlier this week,:
“The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” – 1 Corinthians 15:26
Famine, Covid, violence, destruction, abuse… all of it will be swallowed up. Jesus, let it be soon.
Truly, come Lord Jesus.
– Greg
Connect to God
This Sunday we will gather for worship at 9:30 am. The service will be live-streamed at 9:30 and replayed again at 11. You can find the services either on our Facebook page, at zionreformed.online.church, or streaming on our Youtube channel. We will also rebroadcast a version of the service on WCET at noon on Friday and 4pm next Sunday.
Christ the King Sunday concludes the liturgical church year. On this Sunday, we celebrate again the unchanging truth that Jesus has become the king of the world and has put all things under his feet. While it does not always feel this way, we know God is still in charge even in our broken and messed up world. As an old hymn puts it: though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This Sunday we meet the risen and reigning King in the vision of John from Revelation 1 and we look forward to the day when all things, even death itself, submit to his reign.
This Sunday, we will also be celebrating Communion, also called The Lord’s Super or the Eucharist. It is the family meal of Christians. We invite all committed followers of Jesus Christ to partake of this sacrament: those who are baptized members of a congregation that proclaims the gospel, who are at peace with God and with their neighbor, and who seek strength to live more faithfully for Christ. If you are not a Christian, or if you are not prepared to share in this meal, we encourage you to spend this time in prayer. We hope that this time is helpful to you as you consider your relationship with Jesus Christ and with His people, the church.
We also look forward to hearing from Dan Braker from Oasis of Hope Center in Grand Rapids, one of our three Thanksgiving Offering recipients.
On a related note, don’t forget to join us for our Thanksgiving service on Wednesday, November 24, at 6:30 pm in-person and on-line.
Grow in Community
Larry Westra was able to return home from Brookcrest earlier this week. He and Marge both appreciate your prayers for a smooth transition home, growing strength, and a full recovery.
The kids will be rehearsing the music for their Christmas program every week after church until Dec. 12. Preschoolers stay in Room 206 after church for a 10-15 minute practice. Elementary kids meet after church in Room 205 for 20-30 minutes.
We are reading through the New Testament over the next year as a congregation. The reading schedule for this coming week is below:
11/22 Monday Revelation 18
11/23 Tuesday Revelation 19
11/24 Wednesday Revelation 20
11/25 Thursday Revelation 21
11/26 Friday Revelation 22
You can also find the reading schedule on our website under the Ministries tab.
Serve the World
Every year, we designate three organizations to receive our Thanksgiving Offering. This year the Deacons have chosen:
1. The Pregnancy Resources Center which provides health care and support to women and families facing an unexpected pregnancy so they feel empowered to choose the life of their child.
2. Oasis of Hope Center that provides medical care to low income residents in the Grand Rapids community in the name of Jesus.
3. The Family Network of Wyoming’s Christmas Store. This seems self-explanatory. 🙂
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: $269,046.48
Fiscal Year 2021/22 Contributions: $203,812.59
Giving Last Week: $15,230.50
Mark 12:28-34 ~ The Greatest Commandment
Text: Mark 12:28-34
Preacher: Rev. Greg Brower
Christianity at its core is not about thinking the right things about God or knowing our Bibles inside and out, but about following Jesus. The earliest believers were called Christians because they looked and acted like little Christs, little Jesuses. This Sunday as we celebrate Palm Sunday, we come to Jesus summary of the law: loving God and loving others. As we think about what it means to follow Jesus it all comes down to theis elegant command to love. How might we love our neighbors today?
Isaiah 9:6-7 ~ Seeking Christmas: Mighty God
Text: Isaiah 9:6-7
Title: Seeking Christmas: Mighty God
Preacher: Mr. Jeremy Zoet
The angels singing. The wise men. The little baby wrapped in cloths lying in the manner. But what if this birth is not just any birth, but the one event on which all of history turns and that can transform our lives. Join us this advent season as we meet Jesus who comes to us as the Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. This week, Pastor Jeremy leads us in a reflection on what it means for us that Jesus comes as the Mighty God.
Home Worship for March 15, 2020
Pastor Greg Comments: We are living in an anxious time for many people. The economy seems unsteady. A disease we do not fully understand and cannot see is making inroads in our nation. It feels like everything can change in a day or two. Life can feel a little out of control for many of us. We worry for our health. We worry for parents, friends and children. We wonder what tomorrow may bring. This worship service is designed for you to gather with your family or a few friends in order to worship God and also remember his care and provision.
The liturgy has some prayers and scripture for you to read, a time to watch a short video teaching based on our text for this week, and some guided prayer time for you, your family, or group of friends.
Welcome and Call to Worship
We gather to worship in a time of change and some anxiety because we know our help is in the name of the Lord who made the heavens and the earth. (Psalm 124:8)
The writer of Psalm 95 invites us to worship God this morning with these words:
O Come, let us worship and bow down, our kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. (Psalm 95:6-7)
Praise to God
(You may want to sing along with the sings at the links below, play your own music on instruments in your home, or ask people to share their praises and thanks to God from this past week.)
Prayer of Confession
(We all sin at times. We all fall short of the call of God to love not only our neighbors, but even our enemies. The following prayer can be used to give us all space to confess our sins to God.)
Almighty God, you love us, but we have not loved you. You call, but we have not listened. We walk away from neighbors in need, wrapped in our own concerns. We condone evil, prejudice, warfare, and greed. (SILENCE) God of grace, help us to admit our sin, so that as you come to us in mercy, we may repent, turn to you, and receive forgiveness, through Jesus Christ our Redeemer, Amen.
Assurance of Pardon
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Believe this good news and live in its peace.(John 3:16-17)
Sermon
Watch the Short Video Above
(After the video, you may want to read Matthew 6:25-34 again. It follows below:)
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?
“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Discussion
What are you worried about? How can we trust God with that worry?
Where do you see injustice in our world? What can you do to help?
Family Prayer
(You may want to ask for prayer requests to include in your prayer, or you can simply read the prayer below.)
God of ages, in your sight nations rise and fall, and pass through peril. Now when many in our nation are troubled and scared, be near us to save and deliver us. My our leaders be led by your wisdom; may they search your will and see it clearly.
We pray today for our city and our neighborhood. Protect our community from illness, and we pray especially from protection today from Covid-19. Be with those who are already ill, especially those who battling cancer or with weak immune systems or trouble breathing. Take away the fear and anxiety of our children that they might trust in the care of the adults in their lives. Guard the health of our older neighbors who are particularly prone to this illness. And, be with all the doctors and nurses and healthcare workers in our hospitals as they prepare to care for the who are sick.
In this time of fear, help us to love our neighbors as you love us. Help us to reach out and care for them, encouraging them, and offering support to those who are afraid or ill. Help us to live in the confidence of your care and trusting in you to be with us.
We pray this in the name of Jesus who taught us to pray, saying:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against.
Save us from the time of trial,
And deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and forever, amen.
Closing Song
Benediction
May God be gracious to you and bless you
and make his face shine on you—
so that His ways may be known on earth,
His salvation among all nations. Amen.
2019 Sunday School Christmas Program
In our Sunday School Christmas program this year, our students will present a play in which a teacher sends students to different rooms to look at stories of exile: Adam and Eve being sent out of the Garden of Eden, the Israelites enslaved in Egypt, and the Babylonian exile. As they discuss these stories they realize that the Christmas story is the beginning of the great restoration that Adam and Eve looked forward to. In Jesus, God is once again in close relationship to his people. With Christmas he really is “”God with us.”” Join us for a great morning of worship led by our Sunday school students.
