Prayers:Your prayer support is appreciated for the following individuals and their special circumstances: Debbie Crane (recovering from knee replacement surgery on 4-17-18), Loren Dengler (recovering at home following heart surgery), Art W. Flier (recovering at home from hip replacement surgery), Eldora Krull (recovering at home following a heart procedure), Steve Crane (ongoing cancer treatment), Donna Hulshof (receiving infusion treatments for mouth and body sores), Dawn Vanden Top (health concerns with her liver), Pam Foster, Bob Dreke's sister (coping with Huntington's Disease), and Tracy Draayer, Jessica Harman's mother, as she cares for Jessica's grandparents (Alice Schoneveld has stage 4 cancer; Tony Schoneveld has stage 4 COPD) at their home in California.

Your prayers are also requested for the following individuals who are coping with cancer: Frances Weerheim, Gert Van Roekel (Laurine Gerritsen's mother), Ted Hoogendoorn (receiving Hospice care at the Rock Rapids Health Center), Steve & Dave Kwikkel (Arnie and Donna Kwikkel's sons), Marilyn Kuyper (Ethanie Pulscher's aunt), and Brittany Bouwman (Tom & Sheryl Bouwman's daughter-in-law).

Thank you to everyone who remembered me with prayers, calls, cards and food after my surgery and recovery. Much love to all at First Reformed. ~ Alice Feikema

Out of the Office: Pastor Dan and Sue will be out of the office from April 23 – May 7. If you have any concerns or needs please contact one of the Elders or your Care Elder.

REMINDER: The Mothers & Others Event is scheduled for May 2 at 6:00 pm and they are still looking for pictures of mothers and their daughters together from the congregation that they can use that night. Please mark them and place them in Katie Boender’s mailbox. Thank you in advance.

Today - Council of Churches: Sunday, April 29, the Council of Churches will meet at 1:30 pm at the Christian Church of Disciples.

Memory Work: This morning our 5^th grade class will recite the Beatitudes. Thank you to all the children, teachers and parents who worked hard on their memory work this year.

TONIGHT! 5^th Sunday Services: The Services for the 5^th Sunday evening services will be at Peace Lutheran Church on April 29^th starting at 6:30 pm. Music will be provided by the group with the Kroon brothers.

GriefShare: Our next GriefShare session will be on Monday, April 30, 6:45-8:45 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. Our topic this week will be on the question of "Complicating Factors". We will learn how traumatic experiences affect our grief. We will also address how to deal with nightmares and flashbacks as well as how our thinking affects our emotions. Please feel free to join us!

Art of Parenting: Next week Thursday, May 3, we will be going to the movie “Like Arrows”. If you would like to join us contact Cheryl Van Beek for more information.

Vacation Bible School! VBS Planning is underway! Our theme this year is “Shipwrecked: Rescued by Jesus” and will be held here at First Reformed Church on June 4-8 from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. We are looking for volunteers. From station leaders to kitchen help, nursery to crew leaders…there is a place for you! Please sign up at the table in the gathering space.

What’s in Your Purse? Join us at the 2018 May Breakfast at the RR Peace Lutheran Church. The ladies invite you to join them for a morning of fellowship and fun. Open to women of all ages. Saturday, May 5 at 9:00 am. Please bring your favorite unique purse!

Auditions for membership in the Northwest Iowa Symphony Youth Orchestra (NISYO) will be held on Saturday, May 5, at the Dordt College Music Building. Now completing its eleventh season, NISYO is seeking string players from middle school through high school to join all sections of the orchestra. For more information or to schedule an audition, contact NISYO conductor Dr. Christopher Stanichar at 605-929-3924 or via e-mail at cstanichar@yahoo.com.

ATTENTION the Bible League International Spring Salad Luncheon is scheduled for Monday May 7, 2018 at 11:30 at the 1st Christian Reformed Church of Orange City Iowa 408 Arizona Ave. S.W. Come learn about the work of Bible League in Latin America and enjoy the music of the Siouxland Women’s Chorus. You are asked to bring a salad for every two people to share. Drinks will be provided. Please gives this prayerful consideration. It would be so GREAT to have a large group come together to support the work of Bible League International

FINANCIALS

Offerings Sunday 4-22-18 Offerings to 4-22-18 Budget to 4-22-18

General Fund: $15,655.00 $98,257.54 $110,364.32

Benevolent Fund: $660.00 $53,369.28 $52,640.96

Building Fund: $0.00 $5,480.00 $38,222.24

Sunday School: 4-22-18

Last Year’s Attendance: 80 Last week's Attendance: 101

Last Year’s Offering: $82.00 Last week's Offering: $134.24

OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE WEEK

SUNDAY: “One Way Up” – Pulpit Supply

MONDAY: 5:00 pm – Moms in Prayer - College & Careers

6:45 pm – 8:45 pm GriefShare in the Fellowship Hall

TUESDAY:

WEDNESDAY: 6:30 pm & 8:00 pm Moms in Prayer

9 – 11 am MOPS

6:00 pm Mothers & Others Event in the Fellowship Hall

THURSDAY: 6:00 am & 6:30 am Moms in Prayer

12:15 pm Grandmothers in Prayer

FRIDAY:

8:00 am- Men’s Bible Study in the conference room

SATURDAY: TEC Prayer Conference in the FH from 9 am – 4 pm

SUNDAY: Roger Voskuil - Pulpit Supply