Announcements for 4-7-24 

~This morning our 1^st Grade Class will recite the Psalm 23 and John 3:16. Next week, our 3^rd Grade Class will be reciting The Ten Commandments. Parents: please have your 3^rd graders to their classroom by 9:15 AM. When they are finished, the children will join their families for the remainder of worship. Thank you!

~Bible Reading Plan: You can grab a bible reading bookmark from the Welcome Center or sign up at the Welcome Center for a daily text with the scripture reading for the day! 

Sourdough bread making class- Saturday, May 11^th at 10AM in the Elijah room. Sarah Wilson will be teaching. The class will be $15 and will include a Danish dough whisk, a banneton bread proofing basket, and sourdough starter. Please bring a glass jar of any size to take the sourdough starter home in. Participants will ‘make and take’ a loaf of bread to take home to bake. A sign-up sheet will be located in the Welcome Center or you can sign-up by texting Brenda Van Hofwegen at 712-470-5139. 

Join us on April 27^th at 9am for our Spring Women’s Ministry Event.  Shelly Meester will share a message on “Remembering the Character of God’s Heart in a Broken World”.  There will be light refreshments and a time of fellowship. 

The 2024 church directory is now available in the church office. If you would like a copy, contact the church office and we will get one to you! 712-472-3729 or frchurch@premieronline.net. 

Please check the lost and found area on the south side of the coat rack behind the welcome center. There have been a lot of items left from church and there are still a few pans left from the RCYF soup supper. If not claimed by May 1^st we will donate. Thanks

Club 512 Volunteers for 4-10-24

Games:                1^st & 2^nd                                               3^rd&4^th                                                5^th&6^th 

                    Maddie VanDerWeerd                      Ephraim Hoefert                                Reece Vander Zee

                               Ella Jager                                        Leo Groen                                         Cooper Altman

                            Alexis Austin                                   Jacob Nagel                                    Taylor VandeWeerd

Club 512 Snack helpers:  Rachel Eckenrod & Bonnie Nail

Midweek Meal Helpers:   Tracy Arnold, Glenda Hellenga, Audra Klinkenborg, ReNae Leuthold, 

                                                                              Geneva Grooters & Randy Bosch                                

                            The April Bridge is now available in the clear boxes next to the mailboxes.

Church office hours: ~ Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 9-1 & Friday 9-12.

*Bulletin announcements need to be to the office by Thursday at 9am for the Sunday bulletin

“The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want.”- Psalm 23:1

Our condolences to Larry Haspels & his children Johnathan & Ellyanna on the loss of their wife & Mother, Sheila! Her funeral was Friday, April 5^th.

Our prayer concerns….

Scott Hunt  (knee replacement surgery)                                                                                          

Twilla Hoekstra                                                                                      Judy Netten                                                         

Barb Hoogendorn                                                                                 Merlin Groen

Karen Flier                                                                                              Kari Jurrens 

Makayla Klarenbeek                                                                            Betty Vanden Heuvel                         

Eldora Krull                                                                                              Janice Den Besten                                                                                                               JoAnn Douglas                                                                                      Nina Koedam (Terry Koedam’s mom)

Todd Altman (Jack & Esther Altman’s son)                                      Cindy Witt                                                            

Melissa Moser (Kathy Moser’s daughter-in-law)                             Mandie Sprock (Marilyn Mammenga’s daughter)

Ellen Schram (Jeff Schram’s mom)                                                    Nancy Bosma (Mary Klinkenborg’s sister)                    

Greyson Austin (Marlene Mellema’s grandson)                              Michelle Koele Vore (Jessica Harman’s cousin)

Roger Van Maanen (Heather Van Wyhe’s dad)                              Sandra Smith (Laurie David’s mom) cancer     

Carlton Woodruff (Rachelle Johnsen’s uncle)                                 Nancy Aaker (Shari Kastein’s mom)

Doris Iwen (Lance Iwen’s mom)                                                         Steve Ellsworth (Peggy Metzger’s dad)          

Grief Share: Monday nights through June 24 6:30-8:30pm

Extra prayers needed for Melissa Moser. Her latest scan showed some advancement of cancer growth in the liver. She is experiencing lack of appetite and weight loss. Prayers for direction as they go forward!

Bible Studies:

Mondays @ 6:30pm Young Adult Bible Study 

Tuesdays @ 6:30pm Women’s Bible Study (Martha room/rm 345)

Wednesdays @ 6am Men’s Bible Study

Sundays @ 10:45am Doing life with adult children (Rm 355)

Moms in Prayer:

Sundays @ 7pm Traditional (Prayer Chapel)

Mondays @ 5:45am Traditional (Connections room)

Mondays @ 5pm College & Careers (Connections)

Tuesdays @ 8:30am College & Careers (War room/rm 355)

Tuesdays @ 8:30am Traditional (Nursery)

Sunday, April 28 - Building on Faith Fundraiser – proceeds for parking lot improvements

• Lunch will be served starting at 11:15 (hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, chips, cookies)
• Silent Auction will start after church service
• Bingo games will be played after lunch has been served
• Live auction on homemade pies – during Bingo

How can you help?

• Donate an item for the Silent Auction (contact Amy Hartter 712-470-3518 or Amy Sieperda 712-470-3619)
• Donate a homemade pie (contact Laureen Schram 472-3127)
• Donate a salad for the meal, help with serving the meal, help with grilling (contact Audra Klinkenborg 712-470-6169 or Erica Groen 712-470-4699)
• Attend the event
• Contribute to the fundraiser even if you are unable to attend

Some ideas for Silent Auction donations

• Gift basket (home movie night, grilling basket, board games gift basket, pamper mom basket, food basket, etc.)
• Gift card to a favorite store
• Service work (such as an evening of babysitting, walking dogs, yard work, mowing lawn, washing or detailing cars, etc.)
• Homemade blanket or other craft items
• Woodworking project

FIRST REFORMED CHURCH
 WORSHIP SERVICE 
 April 7, 2024 at 9:30am 

Prelude: “Goodness Of God”

WE APPROACH GOD

Welcome /Announcements/ Prayer

Ministry of Music: Cherub Choir

Memory Work: 1^st Grade “Psalm 23 & John 3:16 

Praise Service:

“Raise A Hallelujah”

“Promises”

Professions of Faith 

Baptism: Ezra Grooters

Congregational Prayer                                                           

*4-5 yr. olds dismissed for Children & Worship*

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

Scripture: Esther 1 & 2 

Sermon: Providence and Rebellion 

WE RESPOND TO GOD

Offertory and Closing Song: “Great is Thy Faithfulness”

(Offering plate will be passed) 

Benediction

Sending Chorus: “Great is Thy Faithfulness”

*6^th Grade and below may exit for Sunday School*

Mission statement: “TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS

Serving us today 4-7-24

DOOR GREETERS- (N) Tait & Emily Anderson (S) Tom & Kayla Vander Lee (SE) Mike & Ethanie Pulscher

NURSERY- Mariah Gerleman & Avery Harman

COMMON GROUND (before worship)- Audra Klinkenborg

COFFEE BREAK (following worship)- Randy & Cindy Bosch

MINISTRY OF MUSIC- Cherub Choir            

CHILDREN & WORSHIP:  Leader: Brenda VanHofwegen   Helper: Ashlyn Timmerman

SOUND SYSTEM: Matt Kock

VIDEO TAPING- Eric Arnold 

PROCLAIM PRESENTER- Caitlin Huisman

MEDICAL ASSISTANT- Nicole Larson

SUNDAY SCHOOL PRAYER LEADER: Sarah Wilson

SUNDAY SCHOOL COOKIES: Barb Folkens

SUNDAY SCHOOL HALL MONITOR: Josie Moser

VAN DRIVER: Lucas Bouwman

*THE LOOSE OFFERING- Benevolent Fund

DOOR GREETERS- (N) Cody & Jen Hoefert (S) Todd & Stacy Dieren (SE) Dwayne & Sharon Postma

NURSERY- Nathan & Ashley Kruse

COMMON GROUND (before worship)- Girls League

COFFEE BREAK (following worship)- Girls League 

MINISTRY OF MUSIC- 

CHILDREN & WORSHIP:     Leader: Jess Drewes    Helper: Brooklyn Timmerman

SOUND SYSTEM- Keith Van Beek 

VIDEO TAPING- Justin Groen

PROCLAIM PRESENTER- Lincoln Kock

MEDICAL ASSISTANT- April DeWit

SUNDAY SCHOOL PRAYER LEADER: Paul Van Wyhe

SUNDAY SCHOOL COOKIES: Karen Reemts

SUNDAY SCHOOL HALL MONITOR: Myranda Moser

VAN DRIVER: Shawn VanWyhe

*THE LOOSE OFFERING- General Fund

                                                         FINANCIALS as of 3-31-24

                                            Last Sunday                    YTD Offerings                  YTD Budget

General Fund:                    $23,367.52                        $119,243.17                      $222,521.00

Benevolent Fund               $320.00                             $44,537.75                         $50,793.60

Online Donations:             $1,742.20                          $12,763.14

Sunday School 3-31-23

                              Last Year’s Attendance: 91                                 Last Week’s Attendance: 80

                              Last Year’s Offering: $32.00                               Last Week’s Offering: $74.25

Upcoming Events  

SUNDAY 4-7-24:

10:45am Doing life with adult children SS class (Rm 377)

Sunday School Lesson: Session 1: The Apostles Were Arrested/ The Opposed Apostles

MONDAY 4-8-24: 

5:15pm Women’s Ministry Executive Committee Meeting (David Room)

6:30pm Grief Share (Elijah Room)

TUESDAY 4-9-24: 

WEDNESDAY 4-10-24:

9am Staff Meeting (Martha Room)

9:30am Joy Circle (Rm 105)

2:30-5pm Club 512

5-6:15 Midweek Meal *Hamburgers/Hotdogs*

6:30pm Jr. RCYF

8pm Sr. RCYF

Thursday 4-11-24

6:30pm Peace Circle (Martha Room)

FRIDAY 4-12-24:   

8am Men’s Bible Study

SATURDAY 4-13-24:

SUNDAY 4-14-24: 

10:45am Doing life with adult children SS class (Rm 377)

12-3pm New Member Retreat (Fellowship Hall)

Sunday School Lesson: Session 2: The Church Handled a Problem/ The Divided Believers

5pm Girls League

5pm Guys Night

4/7/24   Sermon Notes

Esther 1 & 2          Providence and Rebellion         

Intro: Why Study Esther? (No mention of God)

Rebellion: Israel has Drifted from God

God’s Providence is Divine Care or Guardianship of his people.

• What we think Providence is…Red Sea, Burning Bush, Prophet’s Message
• How we experience God’s Providence:   Timely Disruptions, Situations, Consequences, Relationships

History: Exile, Post-Exile, Comfort in Xerxes

1. Chapter 1: Royal Vacancy 
1. King’s Pride, Authority and Party

1. Vashti’s Refusal

1. Vashti is Banished

4 years later…

1. Chapter 2: New Queen Needed
1. Beauty Contest (No Application Necessary)

1. Esther(Hadassah)
1. Cousin Mordecai is Guardian
2. Taken from Home to Serve the King

1. Esther finds favor
1. Hegai (In charge of Women)
2. Everyone who saw her.
3. King Xerxes

1. Are you drifting? 
1. Compromised Morality: shows, music, media, politics
1. Trust in Money, Possessions, Political Power
2. What might God be doing in your life?
1. Disruptions, situations, consequences, relationships

Purpose of God’s providence is providing for his people and revival of his people.