Announcements & Prayers for 8-9-26

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

 1 Thess 5:16-18

Our prayer concerns….                                                                                                            

Marilyn McCoy 

Rod Grooters (Hospice)                                       

Jerry Pytleski

Merlin & Jackie Groen                                        

Roger DeBey 

Scott Hunt                                                      

Bill Kastein

Jeff Hrdlicka                                                               

JoAnn Douglas

Betty Vanden Heuvel                                           

Linda Person (Kari Jurrens’ mom)                                       

Kathy Van Olst                                                 

 Bill Saeger (Jackie Groen’s brother)

Russ Carver (Rachelle Johnsen’s dad)                               

Greyson Austin (Marlene Mellema’s grandson)

Janice Den Besten                                              

Todd Altman (Jack & Esther Altman’s son) legs swelling

Ron & Cathy Birkeland                                                                            

Betsy Mans (Cal & Cheryl Mans’ daughter in law-radiation treatments)

Our sympathies to Randy, Cindy, Dustin, Taylor, Ellie & Emmett Bosch for the passing of Lucille Bosch.

~Oaks’ Club will be assembling sewing & fishing kits for Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes this Thursday, 1pm in the Fellowship Hall (all are welcome)

Needed- 12 pans of homemade bars for our Freedom’s Gate Meal. If you would like to donate a pan, please contact Cheryl Van Beek. We will need bars delivered to our church kitchen by noon on August 30. Thank you in advance! 

*Announcements are due by 9am Friday mornings*

Secretary’s office hours: ~ Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9-1                                                      

*Bulletin announcement deadline weekly is 9am on Fridays*

Church and area happenings:

FIRST REFORMED CHURCH
 WORSHIP SERVICE 
 August 9, 2026 at 9:30am 

Prelude: “I Speak Jesus”

WE APPROACH GOD

Welcome/Announcements/Prayer

Praise Service:

“Days OF Elijah”

“Gratitude”

Congregational Prayer

Offertory Hymn: “Give Thanks”

Doxology #625

WE HEAR GOD’S WORD

Scripture: Exodus 20: 1-11

Sermon: Ten Commandments: Part 1

WE RESPOND TO GOD

Closing Hymn: “God Is So Good”

Benediction

Sending Hymn: “God Is So Good”

Mission statement: “TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF JESUS!”

Serving us today 8-9-26

DOOR GREETERS - (N) Steve & Debbie Crane (S) Brad & Ashley Rypkema (SE) Heath & Wendy Huisman  

NURSERY- Jayda Pytleski & Mali Kellenberger

VAN DRIVER: Dale Klarenbeek

COMMON GROUND (before worship)- Women’s Ministry

COFFEE BREAK (following worship)- Women’s Ministry

SOUND SYSTEM- Brad Rypkema

VIDEO TAPING- Justin Groen

PROCLAIM PRESENTER- Laurine Gerritsen

MEDICAL ASSISTANT- Shannon Rodger

*THE LOOSE OFFERING- General Fund

Serving us next week 8-16-26

DOOR GREETERS- (N) JD & Lesa Hommes (S) Evan & Linda DeBoer (SE) Jerry & Kerry Mulder

NURSERY- Ashlyn & Brooklyn Timmerman

VAN DRIVER: Ruben Fick                               

COMMON GROUND (before worship)- Jeff & Laureen Schram

COFFEE BREAK (following worship)- Jerry & Jill Pytleski

SOUND SYSTEM- Sawyer Hrdlicka

VIDEO TAPING- Breyden Dieren 

PROCLAIM PRESENTER- Brett Dieren 

MEDICAL ASSISTANT- Brenda Van Hofwegen

*THE LOOSE OFFERING- Benevolent Fund

ELDERS

Nate Schulte -2024-26

Randy Bosch, VP-2024-26

Joel Vis, Clerk- 2025-27

Rodney Vanden Top- 2025-27

JD Hommes- 2026-28

Ken Leuthold-2026-28

DEACONS

Shawn Van Wyhe -2024-26

Jordan Menning -2024-26

Evan Metzger, Property Chair-2024-26

Kade Griesse, Chair of Deacons- 2025-27

Brad Rypkema, General Treas.-2025-27

Jerry Mulder, Benevolent Treas.- 2025-27

Braeden Schulte-2026-28

Mike Pulscher, Clerk-2026-28

Kyle Grooters-2026-28

                                                    FINANCIALS as of 8-2-26 

                                Last Sunday                      YTD Offerings                      YTD Budget

General Fund:         $4,678.57                             $265,774.66                          $420,799.19

Benevolent Fund:  $11,793.30                           $158,026.93                          $118,512.11

                                       *Online donations are now added to designated funds*    

Upcoming Events  

SUNDAY 8-9-26:

MONDAY 8-10-26:

TUESDAY 8-11-26:

7pm Faith Circle (Martha Room)

WEDNESDAY 8-12-26:

8:30am Staff Meeting (Martha Room)

9:30am Joy Circle (rm 105)

THURSDAY 8-13-26:    

1pm Oaks Club OCC packing party (Fellowship Hall)

6:30pm Peace Circle (Martha Room)

FRIDAY 8-14-26:   

8am Men’s Bible Study (Martha Room)

SATURDAY 8-15-26:    

SUNDAY 8-16-26: 

10:45am Mission meeting (Martha Room)

8/9/2026                            Law of God                           Exodus 20:1-11

Intro: Q & A #92 What is the Law of God?  10 Commandments

1. What are the 10 Commandments?
1. Purpose and Identity to God’s People
1. Context: 3 months post Exodus 
2. Vs 2: I am the LORD your God, who Saved you. 
1. Teaching God’s people: Who God is, Who we are, and How we are to live as your people.

1. Guardrails that give True Freedom
1. Objective, Eternal Moral Law: True throughout all eternity
1. Civil and Ceremonial Law rest upon the 10 commandments
2. Freedom through the Law to be fully God’s people (who we were created to be.) 

1. Mirror, not a ladder
1. Not a Ladder to become righteous. (Unable)
2. Mirror: Truth that we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. 
1. Points us to Jesus as LORD and Savior we needed. 
2. Greatest Commands? Love God (1-4) Love Others (5-10)

1. Commandments 1-4
1. No other gods before me.
1. Why Negative command? Distinguished from all other cultures and faiths.
2. Purpose and Identity: We belong to God, and him alone.

1. Do not make Idols and Images
1. Sinful by nature: Prone to worship idols and make images out to be gods.
1. Wood, Stone, Gold, Paper, etc.
2. Athletics, Musicians, Politicians, Podcasts host, Spouse, Children, Money, Me.
2. Why no images of God? 
1. All images of God cannot truly represent God and can become objects of worship themselves. (Symbols that remind vs images we use to worship.)
3. God is a Jealous God: Like a Husband who does not want to share his wife.
1. God’s punishment to the 3^rd and 4^th Gen. for Idolatry
2. God loves to 1000 gen. faithful love. 

1. Do not Misue the name of the LORD your God.
1. Name of the LORD is his character. (Like a Jersey)
1. Making “Promises”…Let your Yes, be yes, and your no, be no. 
2. Hypocrisy: Claiming to follow God, but living contrary to his word. 

1. Remember the Sabbath and Keep it Holy
1. Origin in Creation (Eternal Pattern and Rhythm of Connection with God.
1. Created for Relationship with God. (Pattern for True Life)
1. Purpose and Identity of God’s People
2.  Sabbath is a day set aside for sacred connection.