Unity Church Staff Pastor Steve Zwart - 320-444-6682 [email protected]
Solid Rock Youth Director Travis Berry - 763-210-8344 ([email protected])
Administrator Wilson Brouwer
Administrative Assistant Merri-Sue Verner ([email protected]
Office 320-978-4300
Treasurer Jennifer Breems
Custodians Scott & Taryn Buteyn
Lawn Care Roger Ulferts
Snow Removal Trapper Swierenga
CURRENT COUNCIL ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD
Harris Duininck, Administrative Elder
Marlin Breems, Administrative Elder
Mike Mulder, Administrative Elder
David Brouwer, Administrative Deacon
Kevin Covert, Administrative Deacon
Wilson Brouwer, Administrator—Non-voting
Steve Zwart, Pastor - Non-voting
Jennifer Breems, Administrative Deacon & Treasurer SHEPHERDING ELDERS Bryan De Groot, Trapper Swierenga, Daryl Marcus, Dan Ohden, Alnora Bruin, Chad Hoekstra and Pastor Steve SERVICE DEACONS Andy Rosen, Dan Brouwer, Tim Ahrenholz, Jennifer Breems, Jeremiah Slagter and Darrell Frikke
May 6—18 Birthday’s & Anniversary’s
May 6
Mr. & Mrs. Virgil Gerdes
May 9 Jaden Dannen Carol Frikke Ben Taatjes Oliver Vogel
May 11
Jessica Bloomquist Cheryl Watnaas
May 12
Lindy Groen
May 13 Roxanne Marcus Carlie Swart
May 14
Dan Brouwer Antonio Jean Louis Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Van Der Puy
May 15
Joyce Marcus Elva Post
May 16 Taylor Hentges
Mr. & Mrs. Jeremiah Slagter
May 17 Shirley Bonnema Neika Leininger Heather Negen Dawn Poppema
Brenda Van Der Puy
May 18 Londa Fischer Marshall Knight
Tanner Stoel
CELEBRATING YOU! If we missed your date or you know
of someone we missed, please contact the church office!
SUNDAY, MAY 6, 2018
THE WEEKLY CALENDAR
Sunday (Today)
9:30am: Worship Celebration
Children ages 3-preK will be invited by announcement to go to Children’s Church.
Monday
5:30pm: Open Rock (The Van will leave Unity at 5:00pm)
Wednesday
6:30pm: Ladies Bible Study
7:00pm: SRYG (9- 12 grade) at the
Rock (The van will leave from Unity at 6:30pm) 7:00pm: GEMS Year End Counselor
Meeting
Friday
6:45am: Men ’s Bible Study
Saturday
7:00pm: Benson Family Singers Concert
MORNING WORSHIP
Scripture Reading
Romans 13:8-10
Today’s Message
Love’s Undending Debt
Lead Worshipper
Krista Slagter
Offering
General Fund
Welcome to Unity Church!
Welcome to worship today at Unity! Wherever two or three people gather in Christ’s name, He is present (Matthew 18:20). We dedicate our time together to His glory. Welcome!
Pastor Steve will be out of the office
starting later today through Monday, May
21. Our Shepherding Elders continue to
be available for prayer and ministry as you
have need. Please contact them if the
need arises. Bryan DeGroot, Alnora Bruin,
Daryl Marcus, Dan Ohden, Trapper
Swierenga, and Chad Hoekstra.
Community Blessing Breakfast
Was a huge success because of your will-
ingness to show your love to our
community. The outpouring in providing
the food items, to helping out in all areas
of setup, takedown, serving, cleaning
in-between, to visiting with our guests; it
was all very much appreciated!!
Bless you all!!
UNITY FAMILY & COMMUNITY FAMILY
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Friendship Ministries concluded the year with a Banquet of good food and entertainment. We thank Gretjen for her faithful Mentoring. She was an example of what "Friendship" is all about. Her long time student went to meet her Lord and Gretjen shared with her in her final days her favorite Friendship songs and love for Jesus. We will miss Nancy at Friendship. Thank-you for your support of Friendship, The Friendship Board Community Prayer Service
In light of the National Day of Prayer, we
will gather as area churches
for a Combined Prayer
Service on May 6 at First
CRC at 6:00 p.m.,
asking for God’s blessing
upon the world, our
nations, crops and industry, and the
church worldwide Pastor Aaron Greydanus,
from Raymond CRC, will bring the
message. The offering will be for
Children of the Promise and a time
fellowship will follow the service. Let us
join together in prayer for God’s Blessing.
Unity Family:
We continue to intercede for David
Plowman as he enters this final
season of his life here on earth. Pray
for God’s peace to rest on him and his
family.
Shirley Bonnema continues to re-
ceive therapy and care following her
fall a couple of weeks ago. Pray for
God’s strength and peace during this
difficult season of life.
We rejoice with Jamie and Jenny
Groen and their family as the
were united with their daughter
Angelina in Haiti this week! Pray
for safe travels home and the transi-
tion back home.
Pastor Steve and Ang will be traveling
to the Netherlands to visit family and
enjoy some time away. Pray for God’s
renewing strength and rest as they
travel.
The Benson Family Singers On Saturday, May 12th at 7pm, we will be
hosting a concert featuring The Benson
Family Singers. The Benson Family Singers
are a family music group from Faribault,
Minnesota. Peter and Rachelle, along with
their four sons, David, Aaron, Luke, and
Paul have a unique ministry consisting of
barbershop, bluegrass, and gospel music.
They specialize in tight, a cappella harmo-
nies and also play a variety of instru-
ments, including guitar, banjo, bass, violin,
and mandolin. The Bensons use their
music, humor, and message to proclaim
the gospel of Jesus Christ. Admission is
free and freewill offering will be taken
during the concert. Don’t miss this
incredible family!!
Ministry Information
To be a body of Spirit-filled believers who are
rooted in God’s Word, growing in God’s grace, and committed to reaching others
for Jesus Christ.
CHILDREN’S CHURCH
3 - Pre-K THIS Sunday (May 6, 2018)
Aubrey Negen Allie Zwart
Next SUNDAY May 13, 2018
GREETERS Scott & Taryn Buteyn
SERVERS Jason & Melissa VerSteeg Greg & Merri-Sue Verner
USHERS Chad Hoekstra
Jordan Starkenburg
VALET PARKING
Kevin Covert
SOUND/ COMPUTER
Ryan Moorlag Tom Bruin
LOBBY MONITOR
Pete VanDerPuy
LIBRARY Heather Nett
INFANT NURSERY
Londa Fischer Floater:
Sara Ahrenholz
TODDLER NURSERY
Gina Diedrich Dunia Ali
Reagan Swart
CHILDREN’S CHURCH
3 - Pre-K NEXT Sunday (May 13, 2018)
Paulienc Jean Louis Stanley Jean Louis
This SUNDAY May 6, 2018
GREETERS Tom & Alnora Bruin
SERVERS Chuck & Sandy Leininger
John & Carole Negen
USHERS Pete VanDerPuy
Micah VanderBeek
VALET PARKING
Jennifer Breems
SOUND/ COMPUTER
Wilson Brouwer Isaac Swierenga
LOBBY MONITOR
Tim Fischer
LIBRARY Katrina Miedema
INFANT NURSERY
Heather Ruplinger Floater:
Carrie Moorlag
TODDLER NURSERY
Donna Elliot Addie Brouwer Ava Sietsema
UNITY FAMILY & COMMUNITY FAMILY
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Bloodmobile at Raymond CRC Save the date: The American Red Cross Bloodmobile will be at Raymond CRC on Monday, May 7th from 1-7pm. Appointments can be made with Wilma Boonstra at 320-967-4139.
CMCS 9-12 Pops Concert The 9-12 Pops Concert is coming up on Tuesday, May 15 at 7PM in the High School Gym. With a Broadway theme this year, the high school band and choir students will perform selections from famous Broadway musicals such as “Hairspray, “ “The Greatest Showman,” “Newsies,” “Annie,” and more! You won ’t want to miss this!
Harrison Community Presbyterian
Church 150th Anniversary
Celebration
Join us Sunday May 20th as we cele-
brate our 150th Anniversary. The pro-
gram/open house will run from 1:30-
3:00pm. See the poster on the bulletin
board for address.
Splash Canyon VBS will be held at First CRC of Prinburg June 4-8 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each evening. Registration is open for kids ages 4 yrs. (by Sept. 1) through 5th grade. To register, sign up online at [email protected] and click on “VBS Registration”, on the Facebook page “Prinsburg VBS”, or call Sarah Van Dyken at 320-2204600. Those who register by May 28 will receive a free CD/DVD of VBS music. Volunteers: We are in need of JH/HS volunteers to be station helpers and also assisting the adult leaders as they bring the kids to each station. If you can help, please call Kim at (320) 978-4323.
39th Annual New Life Treatment Center Horse Ride-a-Thon 10:00 AM on Saturday, May 19, 2018 at the Pipestone County Fair-grounds to NLTC at Woodstock. Lunch will be served following the ride. We encourage everyone to join in part or all of the events. Lunch, awards and prizes at 1:30PM. In case of bad weather, an announce-ment will be on local radio stations. We invite supporters and riders to come to New Life Treatment Center at 11:00AM for lunch, prizes and awards, even if the weather is bad. Please support the Horse Ride-a-Thon by sponsoring a rider or you can mail your contribution to: New Life Treatment Center, P.O. Box 38, Woodstock, MN 56186. Pro-ceeds will go towards furnishings and equipment to benefit our clients. Call (507)777-4321 for information or to volunteer or register. Volunteers to set up, drive rigs, deliver snacks to the trail and serve food are needed.
UNITY FAMILY & COMMUNITY FAMILY
ANNOUNCEMENTS CONTINUED
Area Prayer Needs and Praises We continue to join together as area churches committing to pray for each other.
This month we will join in prayer for:
First Christian Reformed Church Items of Praise:
We give thanks for the blessings of young families with young children and new
babies born and soon to be born.
We are thankful for the recent professions of faith of young people within our
church family.
We praise God for answered prayer for the warmer weather and pray for safety as
the planting season begins.
We are excited for Splash Canyon VBS to be held in our church June 4 – 8. Pray for
God’s blessings on this as well as our area outreach radio broadcast.
Items of Petition:
Pastor Jon Bushnell has accepted the call to serve at the Sioux Center URC. Pray for
him and his family as they follow the Lord’s will and begin a new phase of their life.
Pray for our church and Council during this transitional time. Pray also for the man
God is preparing to be our next pastor.
Pray for our youth and the Lord’s leading in their lives, especially those who will
soon graduate from high school and college.
Pray for all those of our church family recovering from accidents, surgeries, those
with ongoing health concerns, confined to their home or care facility and those
grieving recent loss of loved ones.
Pray for our missionaries as they bring God’s Word and plant the seed in often diffi-
cult and challenging situations.
Pray that we as a church will grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ and seek to share the good news of salvation.
2017-2018 Budget Giving Update
Budgeted Giving Commitment
Actual Giving
+/- Need
April 1 $6,014.35 $3,151.00 -$2,863.35 April 8 $6,014.35 $5,015.66 -$998.69 April 15 $6,014.35 0 -6014.35
April 22 $6,014.35 5350.75 -663.60 April 29 $6,014.35 5310.00 -704.35 Monthly Total (as of 4/29/18)
$30,071.75
$18,827.41
-$11,244.34
YTD Total (as of 4/29/18)
$264,174.32
$265,290.63
$1,116.31
THE GENERAL FUND UPDATE
Stewardship Corner Seasons. As we eagerly anticipate the change of seasons from winter to spring, it once again reminds us of our yearning for newness and life. This is not an accidental yearning, but a God-given drive. He built us for life, to sustain life, and to live life to the full-est. Giving is an integral part of that life-giving, life-sustaining picture. Giving is a way of infusing life into others and experiencing fullness of life. An offering is not just a part of the worship service, it’s a life-giving act -- an expression of yearning for newness and vi-tality in God's people and God's world. May your giving always reflect the life-giving spirit of God in all of areas of life, including the morning offering.
Children’s Church We are in need of Children’s Church teachers and helpers for the remainder of the year. If this is something that appeals to you, please sign-up on the sheet in the fellowship area! Contact Natalie Vander Beek with any questions.
What will be your legacy? Many Christians want to make a lasting statement about the importance of God’s Kingdom in their lives. Because of our partnership with Barnabas Foundation, they provide charitable giving services to Christians like you seeking ways to honor God with the resources with which you have been blessed. James Prichard, a Christian attorney from Barnabas Foundation, will help you develop the best possible plan to meet your family’s financial and charitable goals. Jim will be meeting with Christian families in our area May 21-22. Call Barnabas Foundation toll-free at 888.448.3040 to schedule your complimentary conversation with Jim. To help you get started, you may also request a free special resource titled “7 Reasons to Review Your Will” by simply sending an e-mail request with “7 Reasons Request” in the subject line to [email protected]