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August 25, 2023
Dear Rockford Reformed Church Family and Friends,
I began writing this with a generator running the refrigerator and a few lights and NO INTERNET! I am “in the dark” yet relating to the extent of the storm and tornado damage, but it appears that many will be cleaning up and making repairs and adjustments. Let us know if you could use some help.
Whatever your status today, please bear with me through a lot of information that comes up as we move into the fall. SeptemberFest (September 10) is our fall kickoff for ministry. Most of us are back home from camping and vacations and just like the kids get underway with school, we get underway with being students, or Jesus followers, which includes ministry, serving, and making disciples. More details will come later, but for now, SeptemberFest will include an introduction to various opportunities to serve, worship, a cookout and potluck, games, and bounce house for the kids, cornhole, and connecting. I bring this up now because it is also a great opportunity to invite neighbors, friends, and family to join in with us.
SeptemberFest will also mark the first of a sermon series called Gospel DNA. We will learn some essential elements for a gospel community and how we can replicate and multiply this “DNA.” Until that time, on this Sunday, we will consider why God would cause an axe head to float and be restored (2 Kings 6:1-7). It’s a short and unusual story with significant implications for us today. Note that we will also celebrate the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper together following the sermon.
On Labor Day weekend, James Karsten will be preaching (2 Thessalonians 2:13-17) on how we stand firm on our hope and the truth of the gospel. It’s encouraging to hear how many of you are tuning in through the live stream when your work or travel schedules keep you from being with us in person.
In June, we noted that Beth Jennings is making a transition into a new “dream” position with Cedar Springs Schools. Just as Beth starts training for her position this week, we praise God for his provision of Emily Cutter, who will take up the role as a Children’s Ministry Director. Emily gets underway in a way similar to how Beth got started when her kids were young years ago. David and Emily’s Lucy and Chloe will be participating and growing into the children’s ministries. Emily has a passion for children’s ministries and space in her life to provide leadership, volunteer recruiting, and equipping, love, and faith-nurturing for our kids. And so, Beth and Emily have begun to meet and work toward a hand-off as we start into the fall. Pray for Emily and our children’s ministries as she gets underway in this new role. We look forward to how God will use her gifts and passion to serve in this way.
As the renovation significantly limits access to our facilities—including having no place to eat together, we are going to shift our Wednesday evening meal, Focal Point, and KidLife ministries into one Family Night on Sunday evenings—beginning on 9/24. We will begin at 6 pm with a family worship time in the gym. And then, we will all break out into different directions at 6:30 for learning, fun, and fellowship in various ways. The middle school and high school students will continue with their gatherings in the youth room and breaking out with their leaders into small groups. Nursery will be provided as there will likely be 2 adult classes and the kids up to middle school will have their own KidLife classes.
We will not provide Sunday School classes for elementary/middle school students on Sunday mornings. But we will continue with the sermon discussion gatherings and Roger Hoogewind’s high school student class. More details will be provided later. We will give this a shot and then re-evaluate again when the renovation is complete.
We are grateful for God’s financial provision through this year. As of the end of July, through your faithful giving, we received $376K and our budgeted income was $408K. However, our expenses so far this year have also been less than budgeted ($376K). This income is $4k less than our income at the same time last year. Thank you to all who are sacrificially giving, and we praise God for his continued faithfulness to us.
Finally, some of you have wondered about some of the happenings with the Alliance of Reformed Churches. And so, I asked James Karsten to provide an update (see below).
As we saw from Ephesians 6 last week, while there is much to be thankful for, we are also called to go on the offensive for the great spiritual war and mission—through prayer and the power of the gospel. I look forward with great hope for what he will do in us and through us as we get engaged in new ways for this fall season!
Grace and peace,
Pastor Tim
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