our members who are celebrating an over 80” birthday this month · 2019. 9. 8. · our members...
TRANSCRIPT
Our members who are celebrating an "Over 80” birthday this month:
Hospitalizations or Health Concerns…
We pray for our church family who have been hospitalized or have health concerns: Chris Budden,
Brent De Kok, Don De Kok, Isaac Schmidt, Val Dykstra, Rachel Leusink, Ruth Heidebrink, Teagyn Roorda,
Lorna Bylsma, Al Vander Lugt, Linda Zevenbergen, Linda Vander Laan, Dave Vander Zwaag, Cody
Van Engen, Janene Van Gorp, Dan Zevenbergen, Joan Punt, Dylan Feenstra
Congratulations...
To Pastor Ross & Stacy on the birth of a baby boy, Avett Jude, born on August 8! God’s blessings to you!
To Dan Moyer and Katie Leusink as they were united in marriage on August 10! God’s blessings to you!
New address…
Alan & Jill Muilenburg
2974 500th St.
Maurice, IA 51036
Congregation Thank You Notes
Mike, Laura, Henry, Cordelia, & Moraine Vander Stelt - Thank you to everyone who brought meals,
cards, and paid us visits when Moraine was born. We really appreciate it!
Roorda Family - “Thank you” is not enough for all of the love and support shown to us by our MRC
family during and after Teagyn’s illness. The visits, cards, meals, donations, and care packages have
been such a blessing. Thank you also to Pastor Wick and Pastor Ross for the visits and phone calls.
Above all, thank you for your continued prayers as she continues to heal and as we navigate through
the next few months. You are all a blessing to our family!
Paul Dekker - Thank you to my church family friends for the birthday greetings. It was good to be
remembered by so many of you.
Jerry Vermeer & the Mission Committee, The Banquet - Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone
who donated of their time and monetary support. It is greatly appreciated! I especially want to thank
those who stepped up and helped at the last minute. We served 462 guests on Monday night, August
5th! It was a great night and we enjoyed the fellowship and the meal. We had 77 children under 12
and we served 29 gallons of milk. Thank you for allowing God’s love to be shared with those in need!
Bill Mulder
907 5th St. SE
Orange City, IA 51036
*Bill will celebrate his 93rd birthday on
September 1
THANK YOU SHELLIE!
A sincere and heartfelt thank you to Shellie Vander Schaaf for her 16 years of service as the worship music
coordinator. The gifts of organization, your love for people, and your attention to detail were crucial gifts to make
this job work so well. Thank you for the many hours spent preparing schedules and coordinating with the church
staff, planning rehearsal times, and planning special services like the Easter Sunrise service or the Christmas
Candlelight service. Thank you for your flexibility when there were sudden schedule changes and for your patience
in communicating with so many different people. The amount of time and love put into planning each service
greatly enhanced and impacted worship time. We wish you well in your new endeavors at The Travel Advantage!
**Everybody, please join us on September 15 following the service as we celebrate Shellie!**
ADULT SUNDAY MORNING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
Starting this September, there will be various educational opportunities for adults.
Check them out below and don’t miss out!
“Striving” led by AJ & Lisa Smit - Meets in Fireside Room
All are invited as we strive together to live out our faith in Jesus.
“Man in the Mirror” led by Stacy Jasper - Meets in Room 2 in the SW corner of church
Even in churches today, too many men are absent and uninvolved. Man in the Mirror believes
that Christ has called His church to reach men and help them lead powerful, transformed
lives. Man in the Mirror helps churches disciple men through small group curriculum, bible
study, and more. We will watch a short video, followed by conversation. The videos are
geared toward “men stuff” which we are all dealing with these days. There are no age limits.
Just men looking to grow in their faith alongside other men! Instead of standing in the
fellowship hall talking about the weather, come join us...I dare you!
“Breathe” Priscilla Shirer Study led by Denise Vander Stelt - Meets in Conference Room
One of the greatest challenges among women in our culture is taking time to cease from all
activities and just breathe. A study by Priscilla Shirer called Breathe will be offered this fall. If
you are interested to see how the concept of Sabbath will change your life, sign up at the
information table by September 6, and we will learn together. *Starts September 15
“Learning Change” led by Pastor Ross - Meets in Room 23 - Starting September 8
Personal change proceeds corporate change. With that core belief, I will be leading a 4
week class on Learning Change. I will hit on 4 core values during those weeks: Integrity,
Authenticity, Courage, and Love. Join me in this class where we take a deep dive into our
story and learn from Trisha Taylor and Jim Herrington’s book “Learning Change”.
Why Life Group?
It is easy for us to carry personal and family loads because we tend to think, “I don’t
need anybody. I can handle this!”. That’s true in a lot of cases. But carrying loads gets
heavy after a while. Sometimes we wonder why we are short or cranky with our family.
Sometimes we wonder why the littlest things set us off. Sometimes it is because we
have been carrying loads we weren’t meant to carry by ourselves.
God invented His church a long time ago to be a place where we have others who can walk
alongside us through the times of life. “If one man suffers, we all suffer. If one member rejoices,
we all rejoice” - is the wisdom of Scripture.
Life Groups at MRC are meant to be a place where we can have other people walk along with
us through the ups and downs of life. Life Groups are a place where people pray for each other.
Life Groups are a place where we can talk about the Bible and about life.
There are those who say, “I will never join a Life Group.” It’s sort of like people who say, “I will never
eat sushi!” until one day they try it and find out they like it and realize what they have been missing.
For those of you looking for a place to study the Bible and share life with friends, Life Group sign-ups
are going on now in the MRC Fellowship Hall. You don’t have to wait for somebody to invite you to a
group. You can go ahead and sign up with one of the Life Groups. Take the plunge. You will find
that Life Groups can be a tremendous support in our spiritual and personal lives. Blessings to you all!
Emily Deinken - South Korea Band Trip
As many of you will remember, I had the opportunity to go on a mission trip with my band to South
Korea in May. And, even though that was several months ago, I realized I never got the chance to
thank everyone for their prayers and support for this mission. Meeting and worshipping with the
Korean people and really being immersed in their culture was a once in a lifetime experience that I
will never forget. The people there are so kind and so genuine, and we were always welcomed with
open arms wherever we went. They wholeheartedly worshipped to every song we played, despite
the language barrier! God truly had his hand in this mission and even though I went there to interact
with the Korean people, I also feel like I grew closer to the other students in Symphonic Band. We got
the chance to bond through our common experience and united passion for spreading the gospel
through music. I got to see a professional Korean baseball game, tour an ancient palace in
traditional clothing, and master the art of eating with chopsticks (...or at least try). So, I just wanted to
take this opportunity to thank you, MRC, for supporting me in this mission and giving me the chance
to watch God at work from halfway around the world. It was truly inspiring.
SAVE THE DATE
Ladies, save the date! The Revive Our Hearts
conference is happening September 27-28 in
Indianapolis. Ladies of MRC are invited to join
Calvary Christian in Orange City for a live cast
throughout the weekend! Stay tuned for more
information from MWM in the coming bulletins.
You can also check out the website for more
info: https://revive19.com/
Winter Work Project
The Winter Work Project dates are set! It will be
taking place February 8-15 in Tarboro, NC.
We will be working on homes damaged by
flood waters from past year’s storms. So be
sure to mark you calendar and let me know if
you have any questions!
- Jerry Vermeer
The Mission Committee
Wednesday Night Meal Schedule
September 11: BBQ - hamburgers, hotdogs
and brats, lettuce, tomatoes, onions,
potato salad, fresh fruit salad, chips,
and ice cream
September 18: Hard/soft shell tacos,
nachos & cheese, pears, scotcharoo bars
September 25: Ritzy chicken, mashed
potatoes & gravy, corn, roll, sherbet
FAIR FUN!
Back in July, some members of our church were busy showing off the projects they
worked hard getting ready for the Sioux County Youth Fair. Below is a list of our young
members, what projects they showed, and the ribbon they received. If you see one
of these 4Hers around, be sure to ask them about their projects!
Karter Hooyer: Poultry—7 purples, 2 lavenders, 2 blues; Rabbits—5 purples, 4 lavenders, 2 blues; Swine—
lavender and purple
Haley Holverson: Beef—purple and 2 lavenders
Taylor Holverson: Beef—2 purples; Photography—purple and blue
Conner Oolman: Beef—purple and lavender, 2nd place Intermediate Beef Showmanship
Kelsey Oolman: Beef—lavender
Ashlyn Aberson: Dairy—purple
Tyler Aberson: Advanced Feeder Cattle—blue
Kaylee Dykstra: $15 Clothing Challenge—blue; Photography—blue; Food & Nutrition—Jr. Merit; Share the
Fun—blue
Logan Feenstra: Pet Show—lavender; Animal Science—blue; Woodworking—blue
Morgan Feenstra: Food & Nutrition—2 blues; Home Improvement—blue
Alyson Leusink: Beef—purple & lavender; Poultry—purple & blue; Visual Arts—blue; Share the Fun—blue
Trevor Leusink: Swine—purple and 2 blues
Seth Maassen: Dairy—lavender & blue; Visual Arts—2 champions & blue; Home Improvement—champion
Eric Plendl: Advanced Feeder Cattle—purple
Katelyn Plendl: Dog—2 blues, lavender, purple; Home Improvement—reserve champion; Family and
Consumer—blue; Vet Science—blue; Working Exhibit—champion
Colton Roorda: Dairy—purple and lavender
Gage Roorda: Dairy—purple
Micah Schmidt: Beef—lavender and blue; Horticulture—champion
Emilee Schrock: Dog—2 lavender and red; Photography—blue; Visual Arts—lavender; Share the Fun—blue
and lavender; $15 Clothing Challenge—blue; Clothing Selection—blue
Kira Schrock: $15 Clothing Challenge—blue; Clothing Selection—blue; Sewing and Needle Arts—blue
Miya Schrock: $15 Clothing Challenge—blue; Fashion Revue—blue; Dog—2 blues; Sewing and Needle
Arts—Jr. Merit
Maci Schwarck: Horse—blue
Tegegn Smit: Beef—lavender and blue; Poultry—2 blues and purple
Adam Van Beek: Photography—2 lavender; Clothing & Fashion—red; Food & Nutrition—2 blues
Elsie Van Beek: Pet—blue; Poultry—purple and blue; Educational Presentation—blue; Working Exhibits—
champion; Clothing & Fashion—2 blues; Food & Nutrition—Jr. Merit and blue; Clothing Selection—Jr. Merit;
$15 Clothing Challenge—Jr. Merit; Home Improvement—blue; Citizenship—Jr. Merit
Caylee Van Donkelaar: Photography—2 blues and lavender; Home Improvement—blue; Working Exhibit—
champion
Christa Van Donkelaar: Photography—2 blues
Ciana Van Donkelaar: Photography—2 blues; Working Exhibit—champion
Brett Van Gelder: Beef—lavender and blue
Jacie Van Wyk: Clothing Selection—2 blues and champion; Dog—2 purples and blue; Photography—3
lavenders and 2 blues; Digital Photography—purple; Food & Nutrition—2 blues; Home Improvement—red;
Sewing & Needle Arts—lavender; Leadership—blue; Self Determined—2 blues; Educational Presentation—
blue and champion
Caleb Holtrop, Carter Van Gelder, and Ayden Maassen are also 4H members. My apologies if I missed one of
your projects or a 4Her.
If you are going into 4th grade or older and think it would be fun to learn new things and bring projects to the
fair, the Sioux Stockmen will be starting a new year on September 9. We meet on the 2nd Monday of the
month at 7 pm in the Maurice Community Center. Our meetings typically last 1 hour. If you have any
questions, please contact Amber Leusink at 712-39-3495 or Cheryl Van Wyk at 712-305-0037
CAMP EXPERIENCES
Isaac Schmidt - I went to Inspiration Hills on July 24-26. My counselor was Uncle Christian. My favorite
activity was the CANTEEN! My favorite food was the pizza party. The fun things I did were the pool,
the zipline, and the hamster wheels. I learned how to have a good prayer and I know to read the
Bible. I want to let my light shine for Jesus by letting him hear my prayers.
Elizabeth Muilenburg - I went to Discovery Camp at Inspiration Hills. My counselor was Addyson and I
got to bunk with my cousin from Sioux Falls. My favorite activity was Frogger and I got to go zip lining
for the first time! I learned that to God, we are priceless. I liked learning the song “Pharaoh,
Pharaoh”. I had a great time at camp and want to go back again.
Ben Bartlett - I went to Inspiration Hills Lodge Camp for 4 nights for the first time at the end of July.
My bunk mate was Cody Vis and my counselor was Uncle Austin. During O.A.T time, my favorite
activity was playing carpet ball with my friends. I am thinking about doing Wilderness Camp next
year. Thank you to Maurice Church for helping me to have this camp experience!
Cooper Bartlett - I was at Inspiration Hills in July. I have done the camp before but this was my first
time staying overnight! Isaac Schmidt and I were bunk makes and my counselor was Uncle
Christian. My favorite activity at camp was the zip line. I will definitely go back to camp again
and am thankful to the church for helping me get to go. Thank you also for the nice notes!
Alyson Leusink - I went to camp this summer at Inspiration Hills from July 29th-August 2nd. My
counselor was Aunt Maggie. My favorite food I liked was the chocolate chip pancakes and the
mac’ n’ cheese. My fun/favorite activity was playing Bonkers: Usually there are two counselors who
have pool noodles; the rest of the counselors hide and we, as campers, have to go get their
signatures and make sure the “bonkers” (the counselors) don’t tag us with their noodles. One
counselor is the “bonker” and one is the medic. If you get tagged/bonked by the bonker, you need
to stay in that spot until the medic comes around and saves you by tapping you on the head with
their pool noodle. Once the medic saves you, you can continue searching for other counselors and
collecting signatures (you have to do what they ask you to do, as in some type of task, to get their
signature). However, during the game, the bonker and the medic may switch roles, but you don’t
know that until you get bonked, so you want to stay away from both of them. You win once you get
all the counselors’ signatures. The theme this summer was from Isaiah 43:1, “I have called you by
name. You are mine”. With this theme, I learned that God had a plan for each one of us from the
very beginning. We don’t need to fear that God doesn’t want us; in fact, He wants us so much He
sent Jesus to redeem each of us! He wants us to come to Him and He values each one of us!
Regarding “I have called you by name,” we talked about a person we admire but whom may not
necessarily know our name. We discussed how God not only knows our name, but knows the details,
including the number of hairs on our head! He knows our name, and also calls us by name into a
relationship with him. He wants us and doesn’t want us to let go of Him!
Cody Vis - I went to Lodge Camp at Inspiration Hills this summer. My counselor was Uncle Austin.
My favorite activity was O.A.T. (Open Activity Time), and my favorite food was the chicken. We did
a lot of fun things at camp like chapel, swimming, and buying snacks at the canteen. I learned that
God works in mysterious ways.
Joslyn Vis - I went to Lodge camp at Inspiration Hills this summer. My counselor was Aunt Amber.
My favorite activity was having chapel in the swimming pool, and my favorite food was the mac ‘n
cheese. We did a lot of fun things at camp like playing surge and bonkers. I learned that we are
never rejected by God. I also want to help others learn about God.
Cambrie Vis - I went to Discovery Camp at Inspiration Hills this summer. My counselor was Aunt
Amber. My favorite activity was the zip line, and my favorite food was the unicorn cupcakes. We did
a lot of fun things at camp like playing in the pool and slip ‘n slide and eating snacks from the
canteen. I want to let my light shine for Jesus by helping others.
Kaelyn Schmidt - I went to Discovery Camp at Inspiration Hills July 22-24. My counselor was Aunt
Spencer. My favorite activity was the zip line. My favorite food was the raspberry applesauce. Some
other fun activities were when we went on the slip ‘n slide, chapel time, swimming and canteen.
I learned that God never gives up on you.
Courteney Schmidt - I went to Inspiration Hills Lodge Camp from July 29-August 2. My counselor was
Aunt Maggie. She was so much FUN! My favorite activity was Bonkers. My favorite food was the
pizza. It was so good. More fun activities we played were capture the flags and Surge. What I
learned about God was that we are called to Him by name and we are His. I want to let my light
shine for Him by worshipping Him.
Erica Jansma - I went to Lodge Camp at Inspiration Hills July 29-August 2. I had Aunt Maggie and
Cousin Jocie as my counselors. They always had perfect ideas for things for us to do. I really liked
when we played My Chair with our Bunk Group. I also liked going swimming. The hamburgers were
really good and the chocolate chip pancakes were SO good too. Isaiah 43:1 says, “Do not fear for I
have redeemed you. I have called you by name, you are mine.” I really like knowing that God
knows everything about me. I also like being reminded about how creation happened and how
God made the earth. It shows His power. Thank you church for helping send me to camp.
Cole Jansma - I went to Wilderness Camp at Inspiration Hills July 29-August 2. My counselor was
Uncle Mason. He was crazy and funny, which made it fun. I really liked doing archery and the slip ‘n
slide. My favorite food was the Pizzadillas (quesadillas with pizza toppings) that we made over the
fire. I liked our theme verse Isaiah 43:1. It makes me feel comfortable knowing that God knows me
by name. I really liked the way that our chaplain talked a lot about the creation story and how cool
it is that God could speak the words and everything came to be the way he said.
Tricia Jansma - I went to Lodge Camp at Inspiration Hills July 29-August 2. My counselors were Aunt
Maggie and Cousin Jocie. They were funny and nice. I really liked playing My Chair and Bonkers.
I liked having chapel in the pool. Swimming was fun even though the water was chilly, since it was
warm outside. I also liked canoeing and the game room. Pizza was my favorite food at camp. I was
reminded that God loves me even if I sin, just like God loved Adam and Eve when they did.
The Children’s Christmas Program will be on December 15 at 5:00 pm. If you are interested
in directing this program and working with students ages 3 through 5th grade, please
contact Bonnie Wolf today!
Our programs run because of great volunteers! We are still in need of volunteers!
Sunday school teachers (3), Awana mentors, G2G grandparent prayer partners,
and Children & Worship leaders and helpers. Prayerfully consider volunteering!
Contact Bonnie today!
Sunday school kick off is September 8. Class lists will be posted by each
classroom. Students will be dismissed from church during the singing of the
last hymn and will go directly to their singing rooms. 3 year olds through
kindergarten will meet in Room 9, and 1st-5th grade will meet in the
multipurpose room. Sunday school will dismiss at 11:30. Please pick up your
child on time as a courtesy to our teachers. Thank you!
In Sunday school this year we will be working on memorizing our key
passage from the Bible. Please help your child memorize the scripture.
The passage will be the same for several weeks, and will also be the same
for all ages (3 year olds — 5th grade).
For September the verse is: Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your
heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways
acknowledge him and he will make your path straight.”
September 11 begins a new year for Wednesday night fall programming! We will
begin Awana and are excited for the new changes! Times have stayed the
same, so we will meet from 6:20-7:30. Here are a few “new” things you need to
know:
Check in:
- Check in will be at the tables between the FLC and the Sanctuary
- Secretaries will be at each table and will direct the kids what to do. It will be the same
every week, so kids will soon learn the routine! Things they will check will be:
* Attendance
* Bible
* Workbook/pencil
* Offering
* Shirt/vest
* Cinch sack
- Kids may check in between 6:00 and 6:20 but are required to be in the sanctuary at 6:20
- Students will check in at their “color” table:
* Cubbies (ages 3, 4, and 5) – Blue table
* Sparks (kindergarten through 2nd grade) – Red table
* T&T (3rd and 4th graders) – Green table
* EE students may go directly to Room 22 at 6:20
- After checking in, students may go into the sanctuary to watch a video until opening
begins. Students may not be running around the Sunday school room area before
Awana! Please help us enforce this rule. Pick Up:
- New policy this year for the ending of Awana – Kids will be picked up in the sanctuary by
a parent. When the prayer is finished, the back doors will be opened and this is a signal
for parents to come in and get their child. Mentors are asked to stay with their students
until they are picked up.
MRC AWANA VISION: Making connections with children as they come to Christ,
grow in Christ, and belong to His family.
**Awana bucks for Awana Mart will be
given to students who check in with
these items each week!**
Prayer Room - September
Date
Sept. 1 Marissa Maassen
Sept. 8 Lee Maassen
Sept. 15 Dave Van Klompenburg
Sept. 22 Jill Muilenburg
Sept. 29 Sue De Kok
September Welcome Schedule
Main door - Loren Vander Schaaf
Gym door - Don Van Horssen
NURSERY If anyone would like to be added to the Nursery
Volunteer list, please contact Lisa Smit for more
information. Thanks.
Volunteers
Sept. 1 Jeff & Sara Wielenga,
Ciana Van Donkelaar
Sept. 8 Dan & Jen Leusink, Morgan Feenstra
Sept. 15 Greg & Jen Leusink and family
Sept. 22 Stephen & Miranda Maassen,
Maddie Schwarck
Sept. 29 Aaron & Amy Muth,
Angel & Hope Vander Zwaag
VOLUNTEERING
AT MRC
NEWSLETTER ITEMS ARE DUE SEPT. 20
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom
come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and lead
us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory forever, amen.” - Matthew 6
We are pumped to start another youth group season here at MRC! There has been much prayer, planning and dreaming
this summer. Our theme for the year is “Thy Kingdom Come”, with the scripture reference coming from the Lord’s Prayer in
Matthew 6 and the rest of the chapter. Over the course of the year we will journey through the Lord’s Prayer and other
foundational aspects of the Christian faith, while also tackling what it means that God’s Kingdom is here and present
amongst us today, but not fully present—here but not yet. With that in mind, we get to participate in doing God’s Kingdom
work here on earth, helping to further usher in His Kingdom. We live in the tension of a world that doesn’t acknowledge
God and His Kingdom, and we realize that this world is broken and far from perfect, and will not be perfect until Christ
returns to rule and reign and make all things new! As we live in the tension, there is great hope and that hope is Christ
reigning and ruling in our hearts and lives—the church being the church—and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, humbly
stewarding and exercising dominion on this earth and celebrating the diversity of the body. We look forward to this
journey and we know that God will be faithful along the way as we learn and grow in faith together!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Missional Focus - Throughout Jr. GAP this year, with our theme in mind of Thy Kingdom Come, we are going
to be emphasizing a local, regional, and global missional focus to collect items for, serve at and collect an
offering. We are excited to be thinking outward and supporting God’s mission near and far. The students will
get to decide from options on September 18, when we introduce our theme, whom we will be supporting.
We are excited to participate in God’s Kingdom work!
Lunch Change - This year, we will not be asking you to bring two liters for our “lunch” time at the end of Jr.
GAP. Instead, we are asking each student to be responsible for bringing two 12 packs of pop (cans) on the
first night of Jr. GAP on September 11. We will be redeeming pop cans and collecting tabs throughout the
year to support our missional focus. The funds raised from redeeming pop cans, though maybe small, will
contribute towards our missional focus and cut down on the waste of using so many Styrofoam cups.
We will be stacking the packs of pop next to the fridge in The Refuge.
Sub Sandwich Fundraiser - September 4-29 - Our annual Sub Sandwich Fundraiser is upon us! Parents, you will
receive order forms on Wednesday, September 4 at the Parents Meeting. This fundraiser has been an awesome
fundraiser for our group through the years, and the money raised will go towards reducing the cost of Jr. GAP’s
mission trip come next summer. As we have done the last few years, the student who sells the most will have
their mission trip covered. Looking forward to God’s faithfulness in this fundraiser again this year!
Youth Ministry Parents Meeting - September 4 @ 6:30 pm in The Refuge - Parents, join us for our annual parents
meeting to hear and learn about the upcoming youth ministry season at MRC! We will share information, theme
for the year, distribute waivers, amongst other things. Parents, we would love to have you all join us! We will also
spend time praying for the Spirit to move throughout the year, and that growth would occur in the lives of the
students, parents, and leaders! If you are unable to be there, please contact Jon E.
Sunday School - Begins Sunday, September 8 - Sunday school will be starting on Sunday, September 8.
6th grade will be with Dan & LaDonna DeVries in Room 25, 7th & 8th grade boys will be with Dana Van
Ostrand and Ben Henker in Room 3, and 7th & 8th grade girls will be with Heather Hofmeyer in Room 24.
LUNCH SCHEDULE: 2 dozen bars/cookies
Sept. 11 - Provided
Sept. 18 - Mitchell B, Jabrel B, Summer B, Lilly D
Sept. 25 - Anna M, Jocelyn M, Emilee S, Kaden S
Oct. 2 - Ciana VD, David VZ, Karlee H, Breanna J
SCHEDULE: Sept. 4 - Parents Meeting @ 6:30 PM in The Refuge
Sept. 11 - Jr. GAP Kick Off (will be outside so dress accordingly
Sept. 18 - Theme Introduction: Thy Kingdom Come
Sept. 25 - Small Group Night Outing
Jr. GAP September Birthdays
Tavia Bruning - Sept. 4 Breanna Jansma - Sept. 8 Kaden Steckelberg - Sept. 10
“Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom
come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread; and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors; and
lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, amen.” - Matthew 6
We are pumped to start another youth group season here at MRC! There has been much prayer, planning and dreaming
this summer. Our theme for the year is “Thy Kingdom Come”, with the scripture reference coming from the Lord’s Prayer in
Matthew 6 and the rest of the chapter. Over the course of the year we will journey through the Lord’s Prayer and other
foundational aspects of the Christian faith, while also tackling what it means that God’s Kingdom is here and present
amongst us today, but not fully present—here but not yet. With that in mind, we get to participate in doing God’s Kingdom
work here on earth, helping to further usher in His Kingdom. We live in the tension of a world that doesn’t acknowledge
God and His Kingdom, and we realize that this world is broken and far from perfect, and will not be perfect until Christ
returns to rule and reign and make all things new! As we live in the tension, there is great hope and that hope is Christ
reigning and ruling in our hearts and lives—the church being the church—and the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, humbly
stewarding and exercising dominion on this earth and celebrating the diversity of the body. We look forward to this
journey and we know that God will be faithful along the way as we learn and grow in faith together!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Missional Focus - Throughout Sr. High this year, with our theme in mind of Thy Kingdom Come, we are going to
be emphasizing a local, regional, and global missional focus to collect items for, serve at and collect an
offering. We are excited to be thinking outward and supporting God’s mission near and far. The students will
get to decide from options on September 18, when we introduce our theme, whom we will be supporting.
We are excited to participate in God’s Kingdom work!
Lunch Change - This year, we will not be asking you to bring two liters for our “lunch” time at the end of Sr.
High. Instead, we are asking each student to be responsible for bringing two 12 packs of pop (cans) on the
first night of Sr. High on September 11. We will be redeeming pop cans and collecting tabs throughout the
year to support our missional focus. The funds raised from redeeming pop cans, though maybe small, will
contribute towards our missional focus and cut down on the waste of using so many Styrofoam cups.
We will be stacking the packs of pop under the counters in the Sr. High Youth Room kitchen.
Guys & Girls Retreat COMING - Nov. 15-16 - We are excited that we will be doing a Guys Retreat and a Girls
Retreat this fall for Sr. Highers! Both retreats will be the same weekend, at different locations. School
calendars were considered, and this weekend has very limited conflicts from either MOC-FV, Unity, LeMars,
West Sioux, or Sioux Center High Schools. If you would like to attend the Guys or Girls Retreat, please
contact Jon Eveland. More information to come!
Youth Ministry Parents Meeting - September 4 @ 6:30 pm in The Refuge - Parents, join us for our annual parents
meeting to hear and learn about the upcoming youth ministry season at MRC! We will share information, theme
for the year, distribute waivers, amongst other things. Parents, we would love to have you all join us! We will also
spend time praying for the Spirit to move throughout the year, and that growth would occur in the lives of the
students, parents, and leaders! If you are unable to be there, please contact Jon E.
Sunday School - Begins Sunday, September 8 - Sunday school will be starting on Sunday, September 8. High
school students will meet in the Sr. High room on September 8 to decide which class they would like to attend.
There will be 3 options available - one taught by Jill Haverdink, Dan Venema, & Jon Eveland.
LUNCH SCHEDULE: 2 dozen bars/cookies Sept. 11 - Provided
Sept. 18 - Trevor L, Cali M, Zach M, Eric P
Sept. 25 - Alex VD, Brodie VZ, Angel VZ, Brooke DJ
Oct. 2 - Edyn D, Dylan F, Tayce K, Jon M
SCHEDULE: Sept. 4 - Parents Meeting @ 6:30 PM in The Refuge
Sept. 11 - Sr. High Kick Off (will be outside so dress accordingly)
Sept. 18 - Theme Introduction: Thy Kingdom Come
Sept. 25 - Small Group Night Outing
Sr. High September Birthdays
Logan Feenstra - Sept. 22 Cody Van Engen - Sept. 22 AJ Schrock - Sept. 27
Moments in Missions The special offering for the month of September is: Local Christian Schools
(please mark your check or envelope with “Special” & place in the plate with your offering)
MRC Loves College Students!
Can you feel it?! The buzz around town, the energy, the noise...the full pews at church on
Sunday morning?! College is in session and it’s great to have students “come home” for
the year. We were fortunate to have 40 students join us recently for our second annual
“O Staff” evening! Students were bused from the Northwestern College Campus to MRC
for an evening of worship, food, and fun! The Orientation Staff, “O Staff”, is a special
group of student leaders who selfless give of their time to make the transition back to
school a FUN experience for their fellow students. It was a great night and fun to
reconnect with some familiar faces as well as meet a lot of new students!
Our congregation is also heavily involved in the Northwestern College Host Family program.
This program matches families and students, both international students as well as students that are living
a fair distance from home. This program provides a place of belonging for students and a “family away
from home”. If you’re interested in learning more, ask your friends who have participated in the program,
both past and present! Brent & Kelli Hooyer, Steve & Amber Leusink, Jerry & Sharon Vermeer, Shane &
Marci Jager, and Jon & Amy Schmidt are just a few families that have been blessed by host students!
As our congregation will likely look a tad different this school year, I encourage you to reach out to
students on Sunday morning! Ask them where they’re from, what their major is, what brought them to NW
Iowa and what their favorite food is! Students long for community just as we do and there is no better
church family than MRC to welcome them with open arms!
If you have a heart for college ministry and would like to help out with future events, please contact
Amber Leusink: 712.395.3495
Did you know… there are 44 students from our MRC family that attend a Christian school? Please consider
giving to our local Christian schools with your special offering this month to help support their tuition.
Another way you can easily support our local Christian schools year round is through the TRIP program.
TRIP stands for Tuition Reduction Incentive Program. This is a program that is used by many Christian
schools in our area. This program is a way to help families earn money for their tuition. TRIP users purchase
gift cards from the school office and can use them at the retailers for full amount. Each retailer that
participates in the program has a certain percentage that they give to the school. This money goes
towards student’s tuition accounts. These gift cards work great for grocery purchases, gas, clothing, gifts,
etc. It is money you would be spending anyway, but through this program a small portion can go toward
tuition expenses as well! Anybody can participate in this program by setting up an account at an area
Christian school. Even if your kids do not attend one of these schools, you can still set up an account to
purchase gift cards, and you can designate your percentage to be split between the families of Maurice
Reformed.
Please keep our students and teachers in your prayers this month as they begin a new school year.
Here is an update from Brad Schelling—First Priority:
The 2018-19 school year was our best year ever for First Priority around America!
Our theme as ‘Your Story Matters’ which helped students rise up and share what
God has done in their life. Here is a story from Madison who is a FP leader in 10th
grade:
“I heard about First Priority in youth group, and with the help of my sister and our friends, started one
at our school. That was my 8th grade year at my junior high, so I was only in it for a semester, but it
gave me a chance to be a leader and positively influence the younger kids at my school. Of course,
I joined First Priority in high school because I loved it so much. Since my school is so big, First Priority has
helped me reach more students and has given me a platform to easily tell them about Jesus.
My favorite day so far was when we all took turns telling our testimonies since it gave me a chance to
open up and share my story that, thanks to First Priority, I know matters.” ~Madison, 10th Grader
Madison is one of 3,488 students we trained to lead in 877 FP clubs this school year where we saw
10,108 students begin a walk with Jesus!! Praise God! As the school year approaches, would you pray
with us?
1. For this next group of student leaders. Our theme for this year is ’The Conversation’ where we will
focus on their conversations with God, best friends, peers, followers, family, outcasts, enemies,
teachers, and the world. They will be given a tool the first week of each month to use to build
conversation that leads to sharing the gospel with them the last week of the month.
2. For new chapters of First Priority launching:
We are working with the Georgia Baptists and have several churches wanting to start clubs in
their community.
We have a new director (Jonathan and Sara Pugsley) who are launching FP in Kansas City this
fall. He is working on 5 schools to start out of the 400 he has targeted.
Joel Rowland is working to start FP in Denver with the first club launching in August and his family
moving there January, 2020.
Thank you MRC! It means a lot to Erika and me to be supported by each and every one of you!
I could not wake up every day and think about reaching lost students in their school without your
partnership.
Remember Brad & First Priority Groups this month as they begin a new school year. Pray for student
leaders to speak out for you and for students to share about Jesus to their friends and classmates.
ONE GOAL - ADVANCING HOPE
Pastor Ross
One Goal One Year. This year it is my prayer and goal that we challenge ourselves to be “fully
invested.” What do I mean by fully invested? I mean being all in where God has planted us, in our
marriage, in our work, in our programs, and in the areas we volunteer. One way to visualize being
fully invested is with a large piggy bank that will be in the front of church. This will serve as a
reminder throughout the year to be fully invested. This piggy bank won’t just be a symbol, but it will
also serve an important function. It will be a way for us to raise money as well. It is also my hope
that this year we are fully invested in a new and exciting endeavor that we as a church are taking
on. We will be sending a team of 10 people to Costa Rica March 3-9, 2020. 194 is the number of
wheelchairs that we are committing to send to Costa Rica through Hope Haven. I am so excited
about the Missions team and the consistory’s approval of sending this cargo shipment. It is my
hope that this is an all-encompassing project that everyone in the church can take part in.
What are some ways that we can be fully invested in sending this cargo shipment to Costa Rica?
First, we need 10 people from our church to commit to going on the trip and be apart of the
distribution, unpacking, and making adjustments to adult and pediatric wheelchairs. Fun fact, did
you know that the pediatric wheelchairs are built from scratch, designed originally by Dordt
engineering student, and made in the Sioux Fall penitentiary by inmates? We have the opportunity
to visit the facility and see how they are assembled on a tour of the penitentiary workshop. Are you
mechanically gifted? Hope Haven is always refurbishing old wheelchairs and we are invited to be
a part of that process, whether it is your life group or individually, there are workshops to volunteer
at in our communities (for example in Orange City and Ireton). Did I mention how important
prayer is in all of this? Please pray for the team being sent in March. What also excites me is that
we have the opportunity to pray over the wheelchairs in January as they are sent from Sioux Falls
to Houston or Florida to a port in San Jose and then it is trucked to its final destination Moviendo
Esparanzas, which translates to Advancing Hope. When the shipment is sent in a cargo bin there is
extra space available to include extra items that can benefit those in Costa Rica. The youth group
and children’s ministry have the opportunity to assemble hygiene kits to be placed in the shipment.
Another item we can include is fleece tie blankets for those who use the wheelchairs, which
children and adults can help assemble.
Another way we can support the trip is through giving. The cost for sending this shipment is
$32,500. This is a big investment, but the deacons are encouraging the congregation to elect the
Thanksgiving and Christmas offering money donated at the Thanksgiving and Christmas offerings.
We also can raise this money by putting spare change and cash in the large piggy bank which will
be upfront every Sunday until the end of the year. Each refurbished wheelchair cost $100 to send
and a Pediatric wheelchair which is built from scratch is $275. Would you consider donating for the
cost of a wheelchair?
Lastly, as we have been talking about through the course of our study of 1 Corinthians Paul desires
the church to be unified. I believe wholeheartedly that this project will unify our church giving us
one mission, one goal, and a united purpose to get behind. May this project help advance the
kingdom of God and advance hope.
“BUT IN EVERYTHING, BY PRAYER AND PETITION, WITH THANKSGIVING, PRESENT YOUR REQUESTS TO GOD.” PHIL. 4:6
September 2019 MRC Prayer Guide
“But in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Phil. 4:6
Sunday 1
Pray for our college students, and Dordt and NWC faculty as they start their year. Pray for God’s work to be seen on each college campus.
Monday 2
Pray for those you work with and work for. Pray for God to open your eyes to be a witness through your work.
Tuesday 3
Pray with Brad Schelling for strength for new student leaders, new club leaders and new First Priority leaders as they begin the school year standing up for Jesus.
Wednesday 4
Pray for our area Christian school ministry. Pray for teachers to communicate Christian values. Pray for students to share Christ’s love in their school.
Thursday 5
Pray for Jonathan & Erin Haverdink in their new campus ministry with Navigators in Nebraska. Pray for finances to come in for their support.
Friday 6
Pray over the new 3 year Bible Storying and translation plan of S & A in Bangladesh. Pray for health, wisdom, humility and passion as they work for God’s glory.
Saturday 7
Pray for Bob Abel and his family and Remember Nhu in meeting their 2019 budget. Pray for funds to come in and the ministry to remain solid.
8 Pray with Mark & Deb Wilson as they grieve Mark’s dad’s death. Pray for discernment in decisions that need to be made. Pray also for their family during this time of sharing with supporting churches.
9 Thank God with the S family in SE Asia, for visas for their business, and pray for their temporary stay permits to come through. Pray for healing for Corban, for marriage renewal of one of their local leaders.
10 Pray for our church leaders to seek God’s direction and leading for Maurice Reformed church. Pray for each team as they meet and discuss their responsibilities and planning for the new year.
11 Pray for our MRC volunteers in Sunday School, Awana, Kids EE, and the youth groups. Pray for our staff as they support these programs. Pray for our kids to see Jesus in a personal way this year.
12 Pray for Steve and Tara Dekkers as they lead and coach those going to new locations. Pray for wisdom for Steve & Tara to know when to say no and when to say yes to opportunities in their ministry.
13 Pray for Vasya and Maranda Heytsi as they minister to the New Life church in Ukraine, hungering for the gospel. Pray for God’s grace, wisdom and strength as they raise their family. Pray for wisdom with new family needs.
14 Pray for Brian Renes as he works with new translators, in Southeast Asia who come from countries were less than 1% have heard of Jesus. Pray for protection, and God’ grace on their work.
15 Pray for the discipleship ministry of Life Groups at MRC. Pray for groups to encourage and support each other, and grow spiritually through their studies.
16 Pray for Meggan and Pavlos as they return to Greece and go back to their roles at the Greek Bible School, their church and community. Pray for God’s light to shine in them.
17 Pray for the continued work of World Renew in helping those who have experienced disasters & have been displaced from their homes. Pray for volunteers and staff who minister to meet their needs.
18 Pray for the ministry of CANA to reach out to those in need in Fort Dodge. Pray for wisdom and leadership for Pastor Barb as she leads this ministry.
19 Pray that God may be seen and felt through the ministry of Amistad Cristiana among the Hispanic community.
20 Pray for Deb Rensink as she meets the spiritual needs of women and children in crisis. Pray for several of the women she mentors who are looking for new homes and safety.
21 Pray for John and Lynne Hubers as they raise support for their ministry to Ethiopia and work with the Mekane Yesus Seminary. Pray for new financial supporters.
22 Pray for the ministry of the Genesis House and Family Crisis Center as they meet needs of women and children in crisis.
23 Pray for Paradise Bound, and Luke’s family after his death, and the plan for next steps for ministry in Guatemala.
24 Pray for Tom Johnson in Haiti as he leads the spiritual development and leadership trainings for MH4H staff and pastors. Pray for his family when he travels.
25 Pray for healing and comfort for those in our congregation with medical needs and for their families and caregivers.
26 Pray for safety of our mission partners who serve in politically unrestful locations. Pray for the doors of the gospel to remain open.
27 Pray for wisdom and Christ’s love to show through ATLAS staff, as they meet with people who struggle with relationship and financial issues.
28 Pray for each of the food pantries and hunger programs as they meet the needs of the poor and hungry.
29 Pray for the Words of Hope ministry to be able to bring the gospel message to closed countries.
30 Pray for current and future staff at MRC and the unique roles they play in God’s kingdom.
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1
9:30 AM Worship Pastor Ross
2
3
9 AM Staff Meeting 7:00 PM Mission Team Meeting
4
7:00 PM Youth Ministries Parent’s Meeting - The Refuge
5
6
8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness
7
8—Sunday School
Begins
9:30 AM Worship Pastor Ross
10:45 Sunday School
9
8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness
6:30 PM Bells
7:30 PM Good News
10
9 AM Staff Meeting 6:30 PM Consistory Meeting
11
2 PM Golden Hour 5:30 PM Meal 6:20 PM Awana 6:20 PM Jr. GAP 7:50 PM Sr. High
12
13
8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness
14
15—Farewell for
Shellie
9:30 AM Worship Pastor Ross
10:45 Sunday School
16
8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness 6:30 PM Bells
17
9 AM Staff Meeting 1-5 PM Stitches of Love
18
5:30 PM Meal 6:20 PM Awana 6:20 PM Jr. GAP 7:50 PM Sr. High
19
20
8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness 5:30 PM Recycled Teens at the Dugout-Granville
21
22—Master’s Ringers
9:30 AM Worship Pastor Ross
10:45 Sunday School
23
8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness 1-4 PM Yarn Connection 7 PM Faith Bible Study
24
9 AM Staff Meeting
25
5:30 PM Meal 6:20 PM Awana 6:20 PM Jr. GAP 7:50 PM Sr. High
26 27
8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness
28
6:30 AM Elder’s Breakfast
29
9:30 AM Worship Pastor Ross
10:45 Sunday School
30
8:30-9:30 AM Fellowship Through Fitness