Prayers:Your prayer support is appreciated for the following individuals and their special circumstances: John Krull (was hospitalized last week; returned to Rock Rapids Health Center on March 7), Amy Caswell (recovering at home from surgery), Steve Crane (recovering from bladder surgery), Bob Reemts (recovering from a broken hip and subsequent hip surgery), Eldora Krull (recovering from a dislocated shoulder), Ted Hoogendoorn (recurrence of cancer), Donna Hulshof (anticipating surgery this week at Mayo to remove a chest mass), Verlyn Vermeer (recovering at home from knee replacement surgery), Pam Foster, Bob Dreke's sister (coping with Huntington's Disease), Dawn Vanden Top (health concerns with her liver), Lester Harman, Steve Harman's father (recovering from surgery due to an infection), James Garnmeister, Frances Weerheim's grandson (recovering from heart surgery), 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), Brittany Bouwman (Tom & Sheryl Bouwman's daughter-in-law), Steve & Dave Kwikkel (Arnie and Donna Kwikkel's sons), Lorelei Reynolds (Laureen Schram's sister), Marilyn Kuyper (Ethanie Pulscher's aunt), and Jeff Jankord (Deb Markus' brother).

Sympathy: We extend our sympathy to Darlene Aeilts and her family on the death of her husband, Elmer Aeilts, on March 4. Elmer's funeral was held this past Friday, March 9, here at First Reformed Church.

Thank You: We would like to thank everyone for all your thoughts and prayers during the loss of Steve’s dad (George Savage). Also thanks for all the calls and heartfelt cards. We thank the Lord for our church family.

~ Steve & Diane Savage

Thank you: We appreciate the cards, calls, prayers, and visits while Bob was recovering from his hip replacement. Also, thank you for the meals, the sweet treats, and gifts provided to us. To those who did snow removal, we are so grateful. Special thanks to Pastor Dan, Sue, Val, and Diane, our Care Elder. We feel so blessed to be surrounded by such love and compassion from our First Reformed family. ~ Bob & Karen Reemts

Thank you friends at First Reformed Church for your generous support that allowed us to supply coal and food for those in the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine! Your gifts have arrived and these people are receiving loads of coal and food. ~ Ashley (Van Wyhe) Pena and Arise Ukraine!

Hearing Devices Available: Are you having difficulty hearing the service? Our church has a hearing assistance system. If you are having difficulty hearing during the worship service and would like to try a transmitter, please check at the sound booth at the back of the sanctuary or with Dave Hulstein.

Memory Work: This morning our 3 & 4 year old and Pre-K classes will be presenting their memory work. Next week, our Kindergarten class will recite The Lord’s Prayer. Parents: please have your kindergarteners to their classroom by 9:15 am. When they are finished, the children will join their families for the remainder of the worship. Thank you!

Our next Midweek Meal is this Wednesday, March 14th. On the menu is Scalloped Potatoes and Ham, Green Beans and Jello. Meal starts at 5:45 PM and all are invited. Hope to see you there!

Meals on Wheels: Volunteers for this week are Monday – Friday Cheryl Van Beek & Diane Altman, the Rosewood Route; Norm Vander Lee, the Town Route. Any questions? Contact Cheryl Van Beek

GriefShare: Due to last week's snowy weather, we have re-scheduled our first session of GriefShare for Monday, March 12, 6:45-8:45 PM in the Fellowship Hall. Our topic for this first session will be "Is This Normal?" If you are looking for support, understanding, and tools to deal with your grief from the loss of a loved one, come and join us at GriefShare!

There is still time to register for our Easter event, Walk with Jesus. All are welcome to join us as we journey through the last week of Jesus’ life on earth. Come with us as we welcome Jesus into Jerusalem, fellowship with the Last Supper, pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, be present at Good Friday, and experience the freedom from our sin at the empty tomb on the first Easter Morning. Groups of about 20 will go through at a time. Please register using the following link, where you will select your starting time. The event takes about 1.5 hours to go through. At the conclusion, there will be a time of fellowship. There is no cost to attend, though a free will offering will be taken in the fellowship hall. www.tinyurl.com/WalkWithJesus2018

The Inspiration Hills Women's Auxiliary Annual meeting will be Thursday, March 22, 2018. Come enjoy a day of fellowship with us. Everyone is welcome. Registration and coffee time will start at 9:30 AM. The meeting will begin at 10:00.Cost for the meal is $10. There will be a silent auction and entertainment provided by Judi Scherwin, Parish Nurse at Gloria Dei Lutheran in Sioux Falls. Make your reservation by Mar 14 by calling Inspiration Hill at 1-712-986-5193 or toll free 1-800-858-3265.

Cornerstone Prison Church Council, Board and Congregation would like to invite you to the 12th Annual Benefit Banquet Monday, April 9, 2018 Trinity Christian Reformed Church, Rock Valley, IA 6:30 p.m. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m. RSVP by April 2 by calling Trinity CRC at 712-476-5292 or go to our website www.cornerstonepcsd.org. Join us for an evening of praise to God for his work through Cornerstone Prison Church inside the walls of the South Dakota State Penitentiary! A free will offering will be taken as an opportunity to financially support Cornerstone’s ministry. If you are unable to attend, checks can be mailed to Dave Vande Kamp, Treasurer, 801 S. Gordon Dr, Sioux Falls, SD 57110. We appreciate your prayers all year long. We look forward to seeing you!

Register Today: He takes care of repairs, cars and the trash. She takes care of cleaning, cooking and the kids. So if hoes his half and she does her half of everything will be great, right? If you answered “No” join us for the Art of Marriage video event. April 13 & 14. First Reformed Church. Cost is $40 per couple. Child care provided. Sign up Today. There is a sign up in the gathering space or register online at tinyurl.com/frcartofmarriage.

FINANCIALS

Offerings Sunday 3-4-18 Offerings to 3-4-18 Budget to 3-4-18

General Fund: $5,874.00 $47,525.53 $62,079.94

Benevolent Fund: $6,116.38 $34,779.63 $29,610.54

Building Fund: $1,255.00 $4,280.00 $21,500.01

Sunday School: 3-4-18

Last Year’s Attendance: 115 Last week's Attendance: 119

Last Year’s Offering: $624.46 Last week's Offering: $156.86

OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE WEEK

SUNDAY:

MONDAY: 5:00 pm - College & Careers

6:45 pm – 8:45 pm GriefShare

TUESDAY:

9:15 am – Staff Meeting with Val (postponed from last week)

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

9:30 am Joy Circle

5:45 Mid-Week Meal (Glenda Hellenga, Doris Schneidermann, Jen Hoefert)

6:30 pm Pioneer Club (4^th grade to Lyon Manor)

6:30 pm Hand Bells

6:30 pm JR RCYF

7:30 Praise Team

8:00 pm SR RCYF

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:

SUNDAY: Walk With Jesus Easter Event