Family Ties - January 2009

January Birthdays

3	Phil Luben David Hekhuis
6	Dennis Rosel
7	Joseph Anderson
9	Susan Smith
10	Deb Smith
12	Bob Kary

15	Mark Lempke
17	John Prichard
18	Amy Richardson
19	Junior Tucker
20	Marlene Spoelman Logan Peters
23	Nancy Kloosterhouse

24	Tracy Snyder
25	Jennifer Ferwerda
26	Dean Heath
28	Rick Lillibridge Debbie Meindertsma
29	Alexis Miller
31	Arlene Bubnik

Pastor's Page
NOTEWORTHY
     I have been grateful for a good memory. It has helped me in the game Trivial Pursuit. Those not so important facts tucked away in some corner of my mind have been recalled and I have often been surprised by what useless things I know. There are also times that I recall very useful things. I don’t always remember where I first learned them—maybe from a textbook or article, or from a lecture in school—but they come in useful as I engage a Bible text or speak with an individual.
     After I graduated from college, I spent a year as an RCA volunteer. I worked with the St. Thomas Reformed Church. I ran a VBS program, started the youth ministry program and helped in worship, which included preaching and helping with a new church start on St. Croix. The experience was educational for me. In one of my conversations with the Pastor, he told me, “You’ll make a good pastor because you remember the small things.”
     That has stuck with me. What he meant is that people mention things that are happening in their life. Sometimes they are small, sometimes they are bigger. But it is in remembering the small things and remembering to ask about them that people feel a genuine care and concern.
     I would love to say that I can still remember all the small things that are happening in peoples’ lives. There are times I do. Yet I am also finding that my mind isn’t recalling things like it once did. I never used to need a calendar to keep my dates; my mind was more than capable of remembering it all. Not so much anymore. It may be that my life is busier than it once was. Or perhaps I’m not sleeping as well because children have needs in the middle of the night. Or it may plain be that I am just getting older. Whatever the reason, the synapses aren’t firing like they once did.
     Rev. Case Van Kempen once wrote an article for The Holland Sentinel entitled, “How to Help Your Church by Becoming a Person of Note.” I re-read the article in the online archives. It was published May 29, 1998. I invite you to read it as well. What I want to borrow from Pastor Van Kempen is his encouragement that if you have something coming up and you want me to know about it, please take a moment to write it down and hand it to me.
     I have to confess that I am having a harder time remembering things people tell me as they shake my hand either before or after worship. Could you help by being noteworthy?

~~ Elder's Corner ~~
by Roger Luben

New Year Resolutions

As we enter the New Year it is a popular time to evaluate what we can do different in the coming months. Improving on how we live our lives and making better decisions are good goals. It is also a great time not to make the same mistakes we made last year.

Take a fresh approach to helping those around you. Perhaps your neighbor needs a sidewalk shoveled. Those used clothes, especially coats you rarely wear could go to Coopersville Cares. Help someone plant a garden this spring. Sign up for a mission trip. Help those in financial need.

Our call is the same that Jesus gave to his apostles in Matthew 10. Cure the sick, ...cleanse the diseased, cast out demons, do whatever it takes to meet the needs of others.

The Scrapbooking/Craft Night for January will be on Friday the 16th at 6:00PM.

What a good night! Twenty-three voices made a joyful noise (caroling) on Wednesday, December 17! A good time was had by all and a good time was heard by all. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Sunday School teachers are still needed for the new year. Any time you can donate would be appreciated, whether it’s a month of Sundays or one Sunday one time. All materials are provided (though the kids know what to do and love to show us how!) and no previous experience is required. There could be homemade treats in the future of the first five volunteers to contact Debbie Meindertsma! Please consider giving of your time for this vital ministry to our congregation’s children.

From the Thursday morning Bible Study:
Into the headstone, on the grave of Staci Cheadle, are engraved these words: “Ours for a little while, with Jesus forever.” And “Dream Big and Dare to Fail!”

The first part I totally understood, but the dream big and dare to fail left me uncomfortable. I figured it must have important significance within the Cheadle family.

Then I read this paragraph in our Bible study book “Velvet Elvis” by Rob Bell. “And one thing to keep in mind is that we never arrive. Ever. One of the illusions of faith is that at some point we get it all mapped out and things get smooth and predictable. It is not true. The way of Jesus is a journey, not a destination. On a journey, the scenery changes. A lot. We can prepare for some things but not all. We make mistakes, figure it out as we go along, and try new things. Failures are really just opportunities to learn.”

When I read that last sentence I did a double take, read it again, and my mind shouted I get it Staci, sweet girl, I get it! All glory, praise, and gratitude be to our Lord who has blessed us with teachers for our faith journeys such as Rob Bell, author, Rodger and Theresa Cheadle, parents, and Staci Cheadle, friend. We will forever mourn her physical death but rejoice that her eternal life is a continuing lesson to us.

Do not choose to hide your light under a bushel, bury your talents in the ground or be afraid to dance with joy because “you might not be good” at something. Dare to fail – Dare to learn. Remember Psalm 73:23 and 24, “Yet I am always with you; You hold me by my right hand. You guide me with Your counsel and afterward You will take me into glory.”

L.I.F.T. Living In Faith Together
Join us January 18th for the first L.I.F.T. of the new year!
Watch the weekly bulletin for more information.

Just for Laughs...

A little girl was watching her parents dress for a New Year’s Eve party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, “Daddy, you shouldn’t wear that suit!”
“And why not, darling?” he asked her.
“You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning.”

While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins I used to take my four-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. She was unfailingly intrigued by the various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheel chairs. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, “The tooth fairy will never believe this!”

A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, “So your mother says your prayers for you each night? That’s very commendable. What does she say?” The little boy replied, “Thank God he’s in bed!”

If you need more giving envelopes, please let the office know. The new envelopes will be left in your mailbox in the narthex.

Team Jesus
This is a group from our community who gets together to serve in Jesus’ name and work on projects for local people or organizations. Different churches and individuals from different walks of life all join in. Please consider meeting with us on January 17 at 9AM in the main lobby at River Village to mix and form teams. After prayer the teams will divide up to help senior residents for a couple of hours.

January 4 ~ Second Sunday after Christmas
Jeremiah 31:7-14
Psalm 147:12-20
Ephesians 1:3-14
John 1(1-9), 10-18

January 11 ~ First Sunday after the Epiphany
Genesis 1:1-5
Psalm 29
Acts 19:1-7
Mark 1:4-11

January 18 ~ Second Sunday after the Epiphany
1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20)
Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18
1 Corinthians 6:12-20
John 1:43-51

January 25 ~ Third Sunday after the Epiphany
Jonah 3:1-5, 10
Psalm 62:5-12
1 Corinthians 7:29-31
Mark 1:14-20

Serving Community
East Greeters:	January 4 January 11 January 18 January 25 February 1 February 8 February 15 February 22	Bob & Barb Veeneman Scott & Shari Veldman Kevin & Denise Wiersma Bill & Lois Adema Dan & Lynda Anderson Sue Allen Joel & Dawn Barkel Steve & Lynne Bennink
Coffee:	January 4 January 11 January 18 January 25 February 1 February 8 February 15 February 22	Jim & Laura McClellan Kyle & Rachael McClellan Sue, Todd, & Deb Meindertsma Phil & Barb Metten Tom & Donna Muller Bruce & Amy Pitz John & Judy Prichard John & Marty Richardson
Nursery:	January 4 January 11 January 18 January 25 February 1 February 8 February 15 February 22	Muller/Maxwell families Pitz family & Kathy Veeneman Richardson family Roper family & Beka Wiersma Rosel family Sue Smith & Lori Bruins Smith family Snyder family
Sound System:	January 4 January 11 January 18 January 25 February 1 February 8 February 15 February 22	Will Rosel Kyle McClellan Ray Tibbe Bob Veeneman David Rosel Will Rosel Kyle McClellan Ray Tibbe
Sunday School:	January 4 January 11 January 18 January 25 February 1 February 8 February 15 February 22	Christmas Break Laura McClellan & Beka Wiersma Laura McClellan & Beka Wiersma Laura McClellan & Beka Wiersma TBA TBA TBA TBA
Communion Set Up:	January 4 February 1 March 1 April 5 April 9	Amy Pitz Mary Estrada Dave Rosel Denise Wiersma Molly Thiss (Maundy Thursday)

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