Second Sunday in Lent March 1, 2015

Fifth Sunday in Lent

407 Albany Avenue SE Orange City, IA 51041

712.737.4430 americanchurchoc@gmail.com

americanchurchoc.com

TRANSFORMED BY JESUS TO TRANSFORM THE WORLD

ACCEPTANCE + GRACE + WISDOM + LOVE

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost August 11, 2019

PARTICIPATING IN WORSHIP TODAY

The Congregation Serving the Lord in Worship

Teresa Sampson Worship Accompanist

Pastor Mike & Pastor Elizabeth Worship Leaders

Benjamin Langton Children’s Message

Sharon Foughty, Rebecca Koerselman, Angela Kroeze Visser, Teresa Sampson, Pete Van Kley

Praise Team

PARTICIPATING IN MINISTRY TODAY

Keith & Marabel Allen Greeters

Mark Beltman, Jo Van Es Sound & Video

Paul Karssen, Jill Bahrenfuss, Mari Langton Nursery

PARTICIPATING IN MINISTRY NEXT WEEK (AUGUST 18)

Tony & Amber Altena, Paul & Victoria Karssen Greeters

Tony Altena, Paul Lambert Sound & Video

Rebecca & Beau Koerselman, Katie Kensak Nursery

Everyone is welcome here. Everyone belongs. Whether you walked in the doors for the first time or the 321st time this morning . . . you belong. There are no special requirements to be a part of church. Our denominational tradition does invite people to become members of a local church like American. But this isn’t a club; it’s a community. Becoming a member is simply a sign of mutual commitment between a person and the entire ARC community. If you are interested in learning more about what it means to become a member, please contact the pastors (elizabetharcoc@gmail.com and mikearcoc@gmail.com).

But remember...you belong beyond membership.

Who belongs at American Reformed Church?

MINISTRIES

STUFF TO KNOW...

At American Reformed Church (ARC), children are always invited to fully participate in worship, and all ages and stages are welcome in the service.

These ministries are also available to families during worship:

Worship Bags All Children

Year Round pick up & drop off by elevator

Nursery Birth—3YO Upper Level: #203

Year Round 9:15—10:35 AM

ARC Kid’s Care Coloring Pages All Children are invited to color a page and drop it in the offering plate. These pages are given to members of the ARC community unable to wor-ship with us regularly.

Year Round during worship

Worship Reflection Pages All Children are welcome to grab a reflection page to work on in worship

Summer during worship

NEXT SUNDAY, August 18 During Worship Backpack Blessing

-All students, teachers, educational staff, etc. are invited to bring backpacks & school bags to worship as we pray for the new school year

10:45AM Children & Worship Greeter Meeting

-10:45AM Rm.106

Aug. 25 Children & Worship Leader Meeting—10:45AM Rm.106 Aug. 28 F3 Leader Meeting—6:00PM Rm.103

TK-5th Sunday School Teacher Meeting—6:45PM Rm.106 Sept. 8 Children & Worship & Sunday School RESUME

COMIN G U P . . .

THE APPROACH TO GOD

The congregation is invited to read the bold font. *Indicates the congregation may stand.

PRELUDE CALL TO WORSHIP “All Creatures of Our God and King” Praise Team Only *SONG OF WORSHIP “All Creatures of Our God and King” *GOD’S GREETING & SHARING CHRIST’S PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you. And also with you.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Creating, redeeming, sustaining God- In the beginning … you imagined. In the midst of darkness and chaos… you imagined a world filled with blue skies and green growing things. Yet, what you imagined, we’ve polluted and squandered. Forgive us, God. In the midst of skies and greenery… you imagined creatures that slithered, crawled, ambled, and soared. Yet, what you imagined, we’ve mistreated and exploited. Forgive us, God. In the midst of creation and creature… you imagined humanity – full of diversity and dignity and stamped with your imagination. Yet, what you imagined, we despised and demeaned. We refused your imagination and rejected your imprint within us. Forgive us, God. In the midst of creation, creature, and image-bearing people… you imagined a world – a world you called “very good,” a world you “so loved,” a world you called “your kingdom.” Yet, what you create, love, and rule, we destroy, deny, and denounce. Forgive us, God. By your Spirit, help us imagine the world as you intended, and empower us to imagine ourselves as you created us to be. With our imaginations sparked, help us walk in right relationship with your creation, your creatures, and those created in your image so that our acceptance, grace, wisdom, and love makes room for the radical transformation your world needs. This we pray in Jesus’ name...amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

THE WORD OF GOD CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

Worship activity bags, ARC Kids Care coloring pages, and worship reflection sheets for children to use during worship

may be picked up across from the elevator. Nursery is available for children 3YO and under.

Children & Worship (3YO—1st grade) resumes in September.

*SONG OF PREPARATION “Show Us Christ” SCRIPTURE SERMON Things Christians Say:

“This world is not my home.”

THE RESPONSE TO GOD PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE “How Long, O Lord, How Long?” GIVING OF OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS

Please pass the fellowship pad found at the end of the row. OFFERTORY *DOXOLOGY p. 809

Congregation, please stand with pastors and sing a cappella. *SONG OF RESPONSE #51 “God You Spin the Whirling Planets” vs. 1-2 *BENEDICTION *SENDING SONG #51 “God You Spin the Whirling Planets” v. 3 *POSTLUDE

All music & lyrics used by permission - CCLI #374890

EVENTS FOR TODAY

10:30 AM Coffee Fellowship (gathering area outside the fellowship hall) 2ND SUNDAY SUMMER SOCIAL is at the Windmill Park Shelter. Time for folks to come and go is 6:00 - 7:30 PM. The Schuur and De Koster families are hosting this month. There are lots of picnic tables and play area for the kids. Lawn chairs optional. There is open space for frisbee, catch, bocci ball or bag toss. Feel free to bring your favorite lawn activity. See you at the park!

PRAYING FOR GOD’S PEOPLE

We offer prayers of God’s presence and comfort for: *Mary Schram, who is on bedrest after doctors discovered a severely herniated disc in her lower back on Wednesday, August 7. Pray for wisdom for doctors and for peace and comfort for Mary & Dan. *John Rensink, who was dismissed from the Orange City Area Health System Hospital this week and continues his recover at the Landsmeer Ridge Retirement Community. *Xander Mahr, who continues to recover from surgery in Sioux Falls two weeks ago. Pray for Xander’s healing and pray for his parents—Emily & Steve—as they care for him. *Grete Carlson, who has been struggling with pancreatic cancer and has recently been placed in hospice care. Pray for Grete & Doug and their family. *Sandie Kinsinger and Stefan Kinsinger, undergoing a bone marrow transplant to treat Sandie’s myelodysplastic syndrome in Iowa City, *Mitch Kinsinger, who continues to recover from his recent stem cell transplant and is with Sandie and Stefan in Iowa City. *Robert Langton, father of Benjamin Langton, who is having surgery to remove a popliteal aneurysm behind his knee on Monday, August 12. *Patricia Vande Zandschulp, mother of Amber Altena, who is under-going treatments for breast cancer. We offer prayers of strength for: *Connor Tullar, who is in basic training with the Army National Guard in South Carolina. Connor’s address:

PVT Tullar, Connor 1st Platoon “Outlaws” Echo 1-61, BLDG 11901 Golden Arrow Rd Ft. Jackson, SC 29207

EVENTS FOR THE WEEK

Monday, August 12 10:00 AM Women’s Prayer at Prairie Ridge Care Center (Grandview Cottage Dining Room)

Wednesday, August 14 2:00 PM Ruth Circle Meeting Location: Landsmeer Ridge Private Dining Room Lesson 3: Romans 10 “A Disobedient, Stubborn People”

WORSHIP RETURNS TO THE SANCTUARY This past Sunday, it was announced that worship will be returning to the sanctuary on Sunday, August 18. We are so grateful for the incredi-ble patience and grace you—the people of ARC—have demonstrated while temporarily worshiping in the lower level fellowship hall the past five months! Thank you for persevering through a season of worshiping in a less-than-ideal environment! As we transition to worshiping in the sanctuary, there are two extreme-ly important volunteer opportunities:

Cleaning Volunteers - We need many people to deep clean the entire upper level of the facility on Saturday, August 17. We will begin at 9:00 a.m., and we hope to be finished by 11:00 a.m.—depending on the number of volunteers. If you can help deep clean (and perhaps do some moving/rearranging of things) at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 17, please call Mary in the church office (712.737.4430) before 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, Au-gust 15.

Sound & Video Recording Volunteers Mid States Audio & Video will be training sound technicians and video recording technicians on Thursday, August 15. Our new sound system is a digital system, and requires a lengthy (and extremely beneficial) training. Our new video recording system (now controlled remotely from the new AV desk) will also require training. We are always looking for new volunteers to serve in this extremely important ministry! If you are inter-ested in serving as an audio-visual or video recording techni-cian, please sign up before 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 15 to attend one or both of the trainings below:

Audio Training – Aug. 15 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. – Pizza provided by the church –

Video Recording Training – Aug. 15 from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Thank you for your investment in the ministry and mission of American Reformed Church—we are so grateful for your service to Christ’s church in this place

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR IMPORTANT CHILDREN MINISTRY DATES: August 18 – Children and Worship Greeter Meeting

10:45AM in Room 106 Receive schedules and review responsibilities for all new and returning greeters.

August 25 – Children and Worship Leader Meeting 10:45 AM in Room 106

Review preparing and leading a lesson and receive schedule for coming year.

August 28 – F3 Leader Meeting 6:00 PM in Room 103 Overview of F3 for the year

August 28 – TK-5th Grade Sunday school Teacher Meeting

6:45 PM in Room 101 Review responsibilities, preparing and giving lessons, and schedule for the year.

Questions? Please contact Lizzy Rice Director of Children’s and Family Ministries P: 712-737-4430 x201 E: lizzyarcoc@gmail.com

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HELP THE HUBERS John & Lynne Hubers are filling a U Haul truck with boxes and some of their household goods to take to a condo they have purchased in Holland, Michigan which will serve as their home base during the time they are in Ethiopia. If you are free and can help on Tuesday, August 13 at 10:00 a.m. They would love to have you join them (hoping that it’s a cool August day!). They live at 312 Boston Ave NE in Orange City.