Prayers:

•Pam Foster, Bob Dreke’s sister (coping with Huntington’s disease)

•Tanner Lincecum (pray that Tanner’s shunt will continue to work effectively)

•Bonita Schwan, Norma Jansma’s daughter (serious health conditions and side effects from previous cancer surgeries)

•Lambert Van Olst (receiving treatments for leukemia)

•Karen De Noble, David De Noble’s mother (has been diagnosed with cancer; please pray for comfort as Karen goes through chemotherapy treatments)

•Graham Johnson, great-grandson of Don & Doris Calkins (has gained weight and is 6lbs. 6oz.; family is grateful for ongoing prayers)

•Carol Groen (coping with lower back problems)

•Dalton Korthals (recovering from knee surgery on November 13)

•Thomas Bouwman, Tom & Sheryl Bouwman’s son (continues to make progress in physical therapy)

•Greyson Austin (doing well on Humira; pray for Greyson’s stamina to increase)

•Denise Roskam (pray for continued healing from cancer)

•Tony Schoneveld, Jessica Harman’s grandfather (has stage 4 COPD).

•Missy Perkins (currently at the Rock Rapids Health Center)

•Roberta Flier (recovering from shoulder surgery at home)

•Vicky Van Houten, Judy Netten’s sister (has started chemotherapy for ovarian cancer)

•Laura Stuerman (recovering from recent surgery on her Achilles tendon)

•Ray Schram, Jeff Schram’s father (recently diagnosed with cancer on his leg)

*Your prayers are also requested for the following individuals who are coping with cancer:Melissa Moser (Kathy Moser’s daughter-in-law), Marilyn Kuyper (Ethanie Pulscher’s aunt; continues to be treated for cancer and is experiencing a lot of fatigue), Arlene Sterler, Robbie Korthals’ mother (Arlene’s cancer has moved to her lungs; pray for Arlene’s doctors to have wisdom as they care for her), and Trish Lombard, Tara Bouwman’s mother (recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer).

Sympathy:We wish to extend our sympathy to Barb & Bob TIlstra, Brenda & Rodney Vanden Top, and their families on the death of Barb and Brenda’s brother-in-law, Michael Zschetzsche, on November 6, 2019.Michael’s funeral was held on November 11 at the American Reformed Church in Luverne, MN.

Thank You!We as the staff of First Reformed Church want to express our gratitude for the recognition, support, and appreciation shown to us last Sunday through the potluck, gifts and program. We are so blessed to minister to and with a caring congregation like ours. We look forward to the journey together in ministry that lies before us, Pastor Dan, Sue, Cheryl, Amy, Val, Dave, and Ashley.

Thank you to EVERYONE who participated in any way to our Operation Christmas Child Packing Party! What fun it was to gather together Wednesday evening to pack boxes together.Because of you, 100 children will hear the Good News and be invited to learn how to share it with others. There is no greater joy! Did you know that there is a greater demand for boxes by local churches than there are shoeboxes available? You can continue to help! There are empty boxes in the gathering space if you are interested in packing a box or two on your own. The deadline is Sunday, November 24 before our worship service. We will be praying over the boxes that morning. Thanks!

NOMINATIONS FOR 2020 CONSISTORY: The following have been nominated for Consistory starting in the year 2020. These names will be published for three Sundays concluding on December 8 when we will have our Congregational Meeting. If anyone has a spiritual or moral reason any of these persons should not be considered please speak with one our elders or Pastor Dan. ELDERS: Greg DeJong, JD Hommes, Jerry Pytleski, Scott Sieperda. DEACONS: Tait Anderson, Brad Baker, Bryce Hunt, Lance Iwen, Jeff Jager, Mike Klarenbeek, Jerry Pytleski, Daniel Moser, Rodney Vanden Top.

Council of Churches meets today at 1:30 pm at the Ransom Church.

Grace Circle:Grace Circle will meet on November 19 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 345 at the church.Sue Haggar is the hostess and Bible study leader.Hope to see YOU there!

Pictorial Update:Thank you to everyone who participated in the photo shoot for our pictorial directory.If you ordered pictures, you should have received them or will be receiving them very soon.For those who did not order any additional pictures, your free 8x10 photo is here at the church.The photo is too large to fit in your mailbox.Please stop by the church office and Val will get you your picture.

“Surviving the Holidays” is coming!A GriefShare “Surviving the Holidays” seminar will be offered here at First Reformed Church on Monday, November 18, 2019, from 6:45-8:45 p.m.This seminar is helpful and encouraging for people facing the holidays after a loved one’s death.It features practical suggestions and gives reassurance through video interviews with counselors, grief experts, and other people who have experienced the holidays after their loved one’s death.Topics to be discussed include dealing with hard-hitting emotions, what to do about traditions, how to survive social events, and where to find comfort and strength.For more information and/or to register contact Sue Haggar at the church office (472-3729).There is no charge for this seminar, and participants will receive a helpful booklet about the information shared.

Thanksgiving Meal!Celebrate Thanksgiving with turkey and all the fixings at the Community Thanksgiving meal at First Reformed Church on Thursday, November 28.Meal starts at noon.If you plan to attend or would like a Thanksgiving meal delivered to your home sign-up by Sunday, Nov. 24 in the back of church, contact the Church office, or Chamber of Commerce.Volunteers and Food Donations are still needed.We need food donations of Pies and/or Salads dropped off at the church kitchen by 9:30 am.If you plan to attend you can come early and help with set-up or stay late to help with clean-up.Set-up crews are needed to come in from 9:30 am - 11:00 am.Delivery Drivers please arrive at 10:30 am.Clean-up crew can start at 2:00 pm.Thank you!!!

New Missionary:We are now helping to fund Jennifer Lucking and her family in southern Ontario, Canada through the RCA as the Lampens are no longer missionaries.Please stop by our Missionary Wall and check out the missionaries and where they are on the map.

The Northwest Iowa Symphony Orchestra will present a Fall Concert, “The American Dream,” on Tuesday, November 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the B.J. Haan Auditorium on the campus of Dordt University in Sioux Center, Iowa.

Tickets are available to purchase online at https://niso.dordt.edu and at the door the night of the concert.For more information, contact the NISO office at 712-722-6230 or niso@dordt.edu.

Attention:Cable TV Channel 12 Church Service Watchers:

This past month Premier Communications has been having technical difficulties.We now have the capability of sending our service to them electronically instead of delivering the DVD to another site.Since this change, church services from our area have been wrong.Premier Communications is working on the problem.Sorry about this, but hopefully they will have this corrected soon.If it is not fixed soon there are still other options to watch the service.

3 other options:

1. Go to church website – www.rockrapids frc.org/ - click on watch service live and it will come on.Also, can click on link that says sermons to get previous church services.
2. Go to www.youtube.com – type in First Reformed Church Rock Rapids on the search bar – all the church services are on display – pick which date you would like to see.
3. A DVD is still being made and put in the box by the church mailboxes.This DVD can be taken home, but please remember to return them in a timely manner.

Offerings Sunday 11-10-19 Offerings to 11-10-19 Budget to 11-10-19

General Fund: $13,823.99 $302,732.38 $340,330.50

Benevolent Fund: $425.00 $152,321.37 $155,118.75

Building Fund: $0.00 $34,376.79 $111,634.65

Sunday School Offering: November 10, 2019

Last Year’s Attendance: 124 Last Week's Attendance:122

Last Year’s Offering: $150.65 Last Week's Offering:$139.00

Sunday School Lessons:

Unit 11:November 17:Session 6 David’s Psalm/The Good Shepherd

Unit 12:November 24:Session 1 Solomon Asked for Wisdom/A Son Requests Wisdom

OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE WEEK

SUNDAY:1:30 pm Council of Churches meets at Ransom Church

MONDAY:7 pm Circle of Kindness

TUESDAY:9:15 am Staff Meeting – Amy

6:30 pm Grace Circle in 345

WEDNESDAY:9 – 11 am MOPS

6:30 pm Mid-Week Activities

Memory Work:Psalm 139:1-14

6:30 pm Hand Bells

6:30 pm JR RCYF

7:30 pm Praise Team

8:00 pm SR RCYF

THURSDAY:

7:00 pm Walk in Love - 345

FRIDAY:

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

SATURDAY:

SUNDAY:Deadline to sign-up for the Thanksgiving Meal

LOOKING AHEAD:

*Wednesday, November 27^th at 6:30 pm Thanksgiving Services!

*Thursday, November 28 - Thanksgiving Day – 16^th Annual Thanksgiving Meal at noon