1. family and parenting
2. children

Growing in Discipleship …
…Transformed for Ministry
March 15, 2015
Sunday Worship 10:00 AM & 5:00 PM
Sunday Church School Classes 11:30 AM-12:15 PM
In Worship:
 Our worship proceeds unannounced and follows the printed liturgy.
 The black dominating our Lenten banner symbolizes the death of our Lord.
The red expresses Christ’s suffering; the branch is a symbol of His crown of
thorns. These symbols are not meant to be concerned only with death and
suffering; the thorny branch is white and flowering to indicate that from
suffering triumph will come, and the red orb symbolizes Christ’s victory.
Just as the sun illumines, quickens and comforts, so Christ as the “Son of
Righteousness” gives new life to His own.
 Large print resources are available at the information desk.
 Our facility is equipped with the Loop hearing system.
For Children:
 Ages 0-2: Infant and toddler nurseries are available.
 Preschool: The Little Children (TLC) gathers downstairs prior to the morning
worship.
 K-2nd: After the Children’s Message the Children’s Worship ministry meets
downstairs until the conclusion of worship. Parents meet their children there
following the service.
 Children’s Bulletins are in the holder in the narthex.
Fellowship and Information:
 Everyone is invited to the Fellowship Hall for refreshments following the
morning service.
 An introductory church DVD is available at the Information Desk.
 All of our ministries are described in the colorful folders at the Information
Desk near the nurseries.
Church office hours: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM, Monday—Thursday
Bulletin deadline: Wednesday Noon
616-451-8467 [email protected] www.CalvinCRC.org
“How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!”
Psalm 139:17 NIV
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Ten o’clock
March 15, 2015
Prelude: “Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven” [#571]
Raymond Haan; Gerhard Krapf; Timothy Flynn
Welcome and Announcements
Call to Worship: “Jesus, Lover of My Soul”
Jesus, lover of my soul, let me to thy bosom fly,
While the nearer waters roll, while the tempest still is high;
Hide me, O my Savior hide, till the storm of life is past;
Safe into the haven guide, O receive my soul at last.
* Opening Hymn: “Praise My Soul the King of Heaven”
* God’s Greeting
CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE
Call to Confession
Search us, O God, and know our hearts.
Test us and know our anxious thoughts.
Point out anything in us that offends you,
and guide us on the road to life. (Psalm 139:23-24)
Prayer of Confession
O Lord, you have examined our hearts
and know everything about us.
You know when we sit down or stand up.
You know our thoughts from afar.
You see when we walk or lie down,
You know every detail of our conduct.
You even know what we are going to say before we say it.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for us,
too great for us to understand. (Psalm 139:1-3, 6)
Cleanse us from hidden faults.
Keep us from deliberate sins.
Don’t let them control us.
Then we will be free of guilt,
and innocent of serious wrong-doing. (Psalm 19:12-14)
We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Joseph Parry
#571:1-3,5
Hymn of Confession: “Lord You Have Searched Me”
#337:1-5
Assurance of Pardon
Listen to the promise of God:
Those who love me, I will deliver.
I will protect those who know my name.
When they call to me, I will answer them;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them,
and show them my saving power. (Psalm 91:14-15)
Lord, we trust in your unfailing love!
We rejoice, because you have rescued us!
PRAISE AND PRAYER
* Song of Response: “How Great is the Love of the Father”
#683:1-2
(Kindergarten—4th grade children may come forward during the singing of this song.)
Message for Children
Anthem: “Hearken! Stay Close to Jesus Christ”
David Moritz Michael
Hearken! Stay close to Jesus Christ; let his spirit lead you;
Know that he is ever with you, that his loving care never faileth.
For this he came from heaven and took upon him our flesh and blood,
For our salvation became man and suffered death.
His saving power blesses all the world; no one is outside his mercy;
He redeems us from all our sins, he makes us one with God,
To share with him eternal life.
Prayer of Thanksgiving and Intercession
PREPARATION AND PROCLAMATION
* Hymn of Preparation: “Beneath the Cross of Jesus”
Presentation of Offerings and Passing of Friendship Pads
Offertory Prayer: Kathy Van Oss
Offering for Ministry Fund
Offertory: “I Will Be Your God” [#40]
#825:1-3
Rick Deasley
Prayer for Illumination
Scripture Reading: Psalm 139
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
People: Thanks be to God!
page 503
Sermon: God Knows Me
Prayer of Application
* Hymn of Response: “Father, Long Before Creation”
* Affirmation of Faith: The Apostles’ Creed
#687:1,3,4
front cover of Hymnal
* Benediction
* Doxology: “Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise him, all creatures here below;
Praise him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen, amen.
* Postlude: “Canzona in F”
#964
Domenico Zipoli
Liturgist: Rev. Rebecca Jordan Heys
Preaching Pastor: Rev. Howard Vanderwell
Organist and Choir Director: Kenneth Bos
Ministry of Music: Sanctuary Choir
Scripture Reader: Dan Baker
Calvin CRC Announcements for March 15, 2015
WORSHIP Today, 10 AM and 5 PM
Morning Worship: Our Sanctuary Choir leads us in ministry of music, and we
welcome Rev. Howard Vanderwell to our pulpit. He continues a series on the
Psalms with a sermon from Psalm 139, "God Knows Me." Our offering is for the
Ministry Fund.
Evening Worship: We worship in the sanctuary as we welcome The King's
Choraliers to lead us in ministry of music. Rev. Rebecca Jordan Heys preaches
from Ephesians 2:1-10, "Not Your Own Doing." Our offering is for Guiding
Light Mission.
WORSHIP Next Sunday, March 22
Morning Worship: The Allegro Ringers will lead us in ministry of music,
and we will welcome back Rev. Vanderwell to our pulpit. He continues a series
on the Psalms with a sermon from Psalms 13 and 22, "Honest with God." Our
offering will be for Criminal Justice Chaplaincy.
Evening Worship: Our CYG high school youth group hosts us as we enjoy a
pasta dinner followed by a time of worship. Rev. Paul Kortenhoven will bring a
message from God's Word, and the high school youth will also lead in worship.
Our offering will be for Volunteers in Service.
COUNCIL NEWS
Please reserve Sunday, March 29 for a brief Congregational meeting after the
morning service. We hope to elect six Elders and five Deacons for the next
council year beginning in May. Nominated and willing to serve for Elder: Mark
DeKoster, Bob DeVries, Donna Houskamp, Don Trap, and Jan Walhout.
Nominated and willing to serve for Deacon: Graham Rayburn, Mark Sytsma, and
Steve Triezenberg. Please pray that additional nominees may feel the Holy
Spirit’s leading so that a full council may be elected.
STAFF NOTE: Pastor Bob is scheduled to return Saturday, March 21 from his
pilgrimage to the holy land.
CHURCH FAMILY
Ruth DeKoster (District #9) passed peacefully into the arms of her heavenly
Father early Thursday morning, March 12, joining her husband Lester. We pray
for God's comfort for Steve, Ellen, Jonathan, Elizabeth, and Emily DeKoster
(District #1), Mark and Julie DeKoster (District #9), her other children and
grandchildren, and her friends as they mourn Ruth's death.
Marianne Bratt (District #1) gratefully reports that the cancer in her bone
marrow, though not curable, can be controlled by medication without appreciable
side effects. She and Wally are thankful for this very positive diagnosis and
thank the Calvin Church community for its prayers, thoughtfulness, and support.
CHILDREN AND YOUTH MINISTRIES
TLC and CHILDREN’S WORSHIP:
2 & 3 year-olds “The Child Who Went Away” Mary Carol and Annika
4 & 5 year-olds “I Am Changing”
Sarah and Morgan
Kindergarten
“Jesus is King”
1st & 2nd grade “Jesus’ Trial”
Worship Center children are encouraged to continue their giving for missions and
to bring their offerings for Family Assistance each Sunday. Next Sunday:
2 & 3 year-olds “Zacchaeus”
Kim and Katie
4 & 5 year-olds “The Child Who Went Away”
Claire and Sam
Kindergarten
“Jesus’ Last Passover”
1st & 2nd grade “Jesus’ Death and Resurrection”
CHURCH SCHOOL CLASSES: The 7th through 12th grade classes will meet
in the Catacomb today. The 3rd through 6th grade classes meet as scheduled.
SERVE PARTICIPANTS: Please register online at Youth Unlimited for
SERVE by tomorrow. Thank you!
MEETINGS, ACTIVITIES, AND EVENTS
Today—PANCAKE BRUNCH: Following the worship service this morning,
all are invited to a pancake brunch fundraiser. We will accept donations to
support a Vacation Bible School program this summer. Our goal is $1,000, $200
of which has been pledged. Please join us for pancakes and sausage!
Today—ADULT EDUCATION: Building on last week’s presentation, Prof.
Cioffi moves beyond the research to the reality of our life at Calvin Church. How
are we doing with retention of young adults as participating members of the
church? What might we be able to do to keep our young people in the church?
Nursery care is available during the Adult Education time this week.
Next Sunday—ADULT EDUCATION: Bert and Sally DeVries share their
decades-long archaeological research and community outreach at Umm el-Jimal,
a spectacular Late Antique (Byzantine-Early Islamic) site in the middle of a
modern rural village sandwiched between the Syrian border and Zaatari Refugee
Camp, home of 100,000 displaced Syrians. On any given Friday noon,
Suleyman, the Imam at the nearby Mosque, a gentle man who worked for us as a
high school student, may broadcast an “Islam-means-peace” sermon over the
minaret’s loudspeakers, his anti-war words booming across the village and the
ruins. The recent gruesome murder of the Jordanian pilot captured by ISIS has
put this message of peace into sharp focus in a groundswell of anti-ISIS
sentiment among most Jordanians.
BUTTER BRAIDS: If you haven’t picked up your Butter Braids yet, please
see a youth in the Atrium. Thank you for your purchases.
LENTEN SCRIPTURE READING THIS WEEK: Monday, March 16: Luke
9-10; Tuesday, March 17: Luke 11-12;Wednesday, March 18: Luke 1314; Thursday, March 19: Luke 15-16; Friday, March 20: Luke 17-18;Saturday,
March 21: Luke 19-20.
WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY: Join us on Wednesday, March 18 at 9:30 AM
as we study Revelation 18 led by Pastor Rebecca. Study sheets are on the table in
the narthex.
COURIER ARTICLES: Articles for the April Courier are due to Clare
Walhout ([email protected]) by Friday, March 20.
YOUTH-LED SERVICE AND DINNER: Please join us next Sunday
evening for a youth-led worship service and pasta dinner. Rev. Paul Kortenhoven
will be sharing a meditation.
PRAY FOR CALVIN CHURCH: On Tuesday, March 24 at 12:00 noon, the
Classis Grand Rapids East prayer team will be coming to the Calvin Church
lounge to pray for our congregation and our ministry. All are welcome to join in
this special time of intercession and thanksgiving.
LENTEN BREAKFAST APRIL 1, 2015 9:30 AM: Come and remember our
Lord's suffering, death, and resurrection at the Lenten Breakfast. We'll worship
in music, be inspired by Joanne Rozema's meditation, and share stories of
blessings with one another. All are welcome and also invite friends and
neighbors. The sign-up sheet is on the table in the narthex, or call the church:
451-8467, or Gert Bokhout: 243-8049.
TLC PROGRAM COORDINATOR: We are seeking a volunteer coordinator
for TLC, our church school program for children 2 through 4 years old. This
class meets during the morning worship service. If you are interested in knowing
more about this position, please contact Char Bulthuis, Director of Youth and
Education. We are thankful to Mary Carol Brouwer who has coordinated this
program for the past four years.
REQUESTED ANNOUNCEMENTS
The Choral Scholars will be presenting a concert entitled "O Sacred
Head" today at 3:00 PM at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grand Rapids. This
Lenten reflection will feature Ralph Vaughan Williams' Mass in G Minor, Pablo
Casals' O Vos Omnes, along with other favorite hymns and anthems. This concert
is free of charge; a free-will offering will be received.
Calvin College and the American Guild of Organists will present an organand-orchestra concert based on the church cantatas of J. S. Bach. It features four
prominent local organists and members of the Grand Rapids Symphony
Orchestra under the direction of John Varineau. They will perform in the Calvin
College Chapel on Monday, March 16, at 8:00 PM, opening the week of Bach's
birthday celebrations. This concert is open to the public free of charge.
Cottage Needed: From campus minister and former Calvin Church pastor Ed
Laarman: I plan to bring five students to West Michigan for a vocational
discernment retreat. Does anyone have a cottage within an hour’s drive of
Holland that we could borrow or rent from the evening of May 19 through the
morning of May 23? If so, please contact me at 319-594-2621 or [email protected] Thank you!
Classis Grand Rapids East is hosting a workshop called The Building Blocks
of Faith, on March 26 at 6:00-8:30 PM at Seymour Church! This workshop will
focus on key building blocks that can help shape our faith formation efforts at
every age level. If you lead one of the faith formation ministries in your
congregation (youth ministry Sunday school, adult discipleship, small groups,
children’s ministry, GEMS, Cadets, children and worship, etc.), or are interested
discussing how faith is formed within a community, please join us. Presenters
Laura Keeley, Derek Atkins, and Rev. Shannon Jammal-Hollemans from the
CRCNA's Discipleship and Faith Formation Ministries team will lead the
discussion. There is no fee for the workshop and dinner is included. Childcare
will be made available if requested. Please RSVP to [email protected]
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Today, March 15, Fourth Sunday of Lent
Atrium Greeters: Elaine Bardolph and Lorraine Warlick
East Greeters: Bill & Caren Boer
Nursery Supervisors: Kim Wierenga and Yvonne Triezenberg
Nursery Helpers: John & Katie Kuiper
Kate Poortenga and Carolyn Prince
Parking Attendant: Ray Lanning
Library Volunteer: Lois Huisman
Coffee Servers: Schoone-Jongen and Sytsma
Pancake Brunch VBS Fundraiser in the fellowship hall
Church School
Adult Education: Young Adults and the Future of the Church: Cause for
Concern or Reason for Hope? Presenter: Todd V. Cioffi
Community Care / Social Justice committee meeting in the conference room
Parking Attendant: Gary Burghgraef
Monday, March 16
Co-ed Volleyball
Tuesday, March 17
Family Assistance
Council
Wednesday, March 18
Women’s Bible Study
Global Gifts Board meeting in the lounge
Junior Bells
Cherub Choir and Covenant Choir (Spoelma)
Allegro Ringers
Thursday, March 19
Take Charge meeting
Family Assistance
Eastown Basketball
Sanctuary Choir rehearsal
Calvin Basketball
Next Sunday, March 22, Fifth Sunday of Lent
Prayer Time (Prayer Room)
Atrium Greeters: Terry & Brenda Boer
East Greeters: Gord & Karen Bordewyk
Nursery Supervisors: Melisa Hubka and Lindsay Molenbeek
Nursery Helpers: Jeannine Lanning and Merri. Lucas, & Ian Ezinga
Parking Attendant: Tom Keegstra
Library Volunteers: Tammy Baker
Coffee Servers: Schoone-Jongen and Sytsma
Church School
Adult Education: Patches of Peace in Acres of Conflict by Bert & Sally deVries
Worship committee meeting
Parking Attendant: Dan Yff
Nursery: Lindsay Molenbeek, Aaron and Abby Gronsman