Come, let us gather before our Lord in gratitude and love to worship our Creator and Sustainer. Lift up your hearts!

Message:

Guest Pastor—

Bernie Brouwer

Scripture:

Isaiah 57:1-13

Offering:

General Fund

March 7, 201

This morning join us in welcoming Pastor Bernie Brouwer to our pulpit. Pastor Brouwer will be sharing God’s Word with us today. Next Sunday we will partake of the Lord’s Supper and Pastor Aaron Walters will share God’s Word with us

Young Adults Night Out is coming up soon! We'll be getting together on Friday March 12 at 6:30pm in the church foyer. Childcare will be available starting at 6:15pm. Come join us for desserts, games and social time.

Childcare volunteers are needed for the Young Adults Night Out scheduled for Friday March 12 at approx. 6:00/6:15pm for a few hours. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Tanya Obbink at 738-4718 or email at tanyajuanita@yahoo.com.

Whatcom Chorale will be giving a concert of romantic choral works by Brahms, Shumann and Elgar at the First Congregational Church on Sunday March 21, at 3:00. Larry, Mary Jo & Ali all sing with the chorale. Tickets available at the door.

We are collecting funds to benefit Whatcom Pregnancy. Please take one of the baby bottles on the table in the foyer and place your change or donation in the bottle and return it to church.

Wind turbines, pioneer and modern day farming, Sioux Indians ... if these topics interest you, sign up today for Great Plains Experience, a motorcoach tour the week of June 6-11. This learning vacation begins and ends at Dordt College in Sioux Center. Interesting places you'll see and discuss involve wind energy, changes in farming practices, and the 1862 Sioux Indian Uprising.  From eastern South Dakota to western Minnesota, you'll see hidden gems where no tourist has gone before, with Jim Schaap and Robb DeHaan as your fun and fascinating tour guides. For more information, call 712-722-6029 or see www.dordt.edu/events/great_plains/ The registration deadline is March 10.

Prayers:

Please continue to keep Pastor Scott, Jen, Mark and Rockelle in prayers as they met their new daughters this past week and will begin their travel home with them this coming Friday.

Jodi Meir covets your prayers as she has been having some medical issues, which include severe pain in her back and neck. Jan Stockton is also in need of continued prayers, as well as Erik Eriksen.

Next Sunday, March 14: Greeters: Gary and Nina Buma, Jerry & Faye Hop; Nursery: Denise Doezema, Tanya Obbink, Jenn Boer, Ruth Stadt; Snacks: Tena Vanderpol, Terry Vander Woude, Arlene Veenstra; Ushers: Lou Kooistra, Jim and Linda Bean; Prayer Room: Herm Laninga; Children and Worship: Megan Speyer and Ellie Roberts.

Do you have a favorite recipe that is not in our church cookbook? Terry Vander Woude is putting together recipes that can be added to the church cookbook and is looking for recipes from our current membership. Email your recipes to her at hopecc@callatg.com. If you don’t have email, you can give her a printed copy of the recipe.

As many of you know, the Jesus Gathering is a church plant in the making under the care of Mitchell and Rochelle Senti and the Envision Ministry. They meet on Sunday evenings, and part of their outreach is to serve a simple meal at 5 pm. Many of you, with your study groups, have helped prepare these meals. I am in need of meals for Sunday March 21st, Sunday April 18th, Sunday May16th and Sunday June 20th. If any of the small groups would like to use this opportunity to serve our community, please call Ida Richards at 676-1993. It requires a simple supper of soup, rolls and cookies for about 25-30 people. Thank you for your care and support.

We would like to thank all of you who remembered us with your prayers, cards, calls and words of comfort and sympathy after the passing away of Rene’s brother Con. Rene and Anne Geleynse.

The Dordt College concert choir from Sioux Center, Iowa will be performing at Bethel CRC in Lynden on Tuesday, March 16 at 7:30 p.m. The 51-voice choir is directed by Lynden native Dr. Benjamin Kornelis. Please come and join us.

On Monday evening, March 22, from 7:30 - 9:00 p.m. at Immanuel CRC (21713 - 50 Avenue, Langley BC V3A 3T2) Calvin College Chaplain Mary Hulst, along with a small group of college Worship Apprentices, will present "Growing in Faith Together: Worship Words, Music, and Art" - an exploration with interested teenagers through senior citizens about how words, music, drama, dance, visual arts and technology can enable and support people to enter more fully into worship. To sign up - contact Peter Riezebos at 604-534-3635 or riezebos@telus.net or Elaine Smit at 604-271-0283 or elaine_smit@hotmail.com. Sponsored by the Southwest BC Calvin Alumni Chapter.

Terry is working in the office this week Monday-Thursday; so the office will be closed on Friday.