This picture is sure to cause you to giggle :)
Not only does our library have cool jokes, we have puzzles to lend out too! Puzzles are a great pastime to our cold Michigan winters, so if you like to puzzle, grab one soon.
Our library is open during church office hours as well as on Sundays before and after our worship services.
Through the years of supporting Rehoboth Christian School by way of our Faith Promise offerings, we have connected with different people at the school. For 2020 we hope to connect most closely with DeLyssa Begay, who teaches English in the High School. Below is a newsletter to help us get to know DeLyssa better.
by DeLyssa Begay
Yaa’teeh! Hello, the above heading is “Happy New Year” in the Navajo language.
My name is DeLyssa Begay, I am from Rough Rock, Arizona. My Navajo clans are the root of who I am in the Navajo culture. My mother’s clan, which is now mine, is Dibe Lizhini which translates into Black Sheep. It means that I am born into the Black Sheep People and they are my relatives. The Black Sheep clan is an adopted clan in the Navajo Clan system. My ancestors on my mother’s side are from the Pueblo people of New Mexico.
My father’s clan is Honagaanii/One-Who-Walks-Around People, and I am born for his clan. My maternal grandfathers are Todicheenii/ Bitter-Water People, and my paternal grandfathers are Tachiinii/Red-Streak-into-Running-Water People. All of these people are my relatives. I grew up in a very rural part of Arizona. Rough Rock is located in the foothills of Black Mesa. My extended family has a mix of religions: Quaker Friends, Non-practicing Catholics, Navajo Traditionalists, and the Native American Church. I grew up in the mix of these different traditions and cultures. I identify as a member of the Quaker Friends, but attend many of the Christian Reformed services.
In the picture above, I am in the woman in blue standing next to my dear friend and Rehoboth’s admission’s director, Mrs. Verlena Livingston. My Navajo name is “Going-to-War.” Traditional Navajo female names often referenced to “war” and “battle.” I grew up immersed in the Navajo culture - many of my mannerisms and behaviors are the result of my Navajo upbringing. For example, I am used to the doorway facing the east direction, I call all elders my grandmothers and grandfathers, I do not step over people who are sleeping or lying on the floor, and I will often roll or run in the first snow so that I am accustomed to the cold. These are just a few things that have cultural significance and are habits that I have formed since childhood. Many of these are also signs of respect to older Navajo people. I was not aware of how these behaviors were ingrained in me until my nieces and nephews were born. When they arrived and we as a family raised them, I noted what we taught them. We taught them to know their clans, to work and help others, and to know the importance of prayer. I took this picture last week; it is my Black Sheep family’s homestead. This is part of Rough Rock, Arizona.
I accepted Christ as my savior in March 2011. Even though I grew up in a mix of traditions, it was not until the end of an unhealthy relationship that I gave my heart and life to Christ. My Aunt Helen was a pastor of the Quaker Friends Church in Rough Rock. I went to church to see her, and I felt pulled into the church and sat through the service. I called on God and He answered. Later, I encountered several life changing and challenging events and He stayed with me through it all. Actually, through a series of events, He led me to Rehoboth Christian High School. Rehoboth has been a place of refuge as I started to heal from past situations. I was surrounded with colleagues, friends, and community who are God-centered. As I continue my journey, I hope to share God’s love and compassion with my students and community.
I feel selfish in focusing on my healing, but I hope to share with students what God can do in our lives. I previously taught in Arizona’s public and federal schools for fifteen years before Rehoboth. In my six years at Rehoboth, I’ve taught English Communications 1 & 2, New Mexico History, Drama, Media, and Academic Support. I have taken on subjects I had not previously taught, but with God placing me in a supportive environment I have expanded my teaching experience.
Prayer Requests:
Last semester, I read several journal entries from students who experienced moments of hopelessness and challenges in their faith. Several Native students shared that they may feel like outcasts in their family because they believe in Christ. I often pray for my students who have lost a parent or guardian or cannot be with their biological parents because of divorce or substance abuse issues. It is common and challenges students’ concentration in class and self-esteem.
Pretty clever, huh? Alright, it may be a bit cheesy, but you can really only use this series title once, so you better believe we’re using it! Here’s a bit of an overview of the sermon series that we started a week and a half ago. The series title plays off the idea of 20/20 vision in a couple of ways.
First, there’s the conviction that Scripture corrects our vision so that we see what we need to see, meaning it brings into focus what we see by faith. For this aspect, we’ll spend the first part of 2020 in the Gospel of John, paying particular attention to passages playing off the idea of seeing.
The series title has another dimension as well -- that of what we are actually seeing in the year 2020. What are the realities we notice? What is trending? Why? And how does what we “see” in Scripture help us make sense of what we are seeing in day-to-day life?
We’d love for you to think about these things with us on Sunday mornings at 9:30am!
The weather is turning, so head into the church library to grab yourself a few good reads. Shari has put together this newsletter to highlight the new books and DVDs in the library that you sure don't want to miss.
Prayers for December are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.
Sunday, December 29. “Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts” (Isaiah 26:8).
Lord, prepare our hearts to desire You. We wait for You, as we walk in Your ways. We will continually desire Your name as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.
Monday, December 30. “May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones” (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be strong. We want to be blameless and holy in Your presence when Jesus returns. Please encourage us in every good deed and word as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17; Psalm 27:14)
Tuesday, December 31. “And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be turned toward family. Will You draw us together as a family (in our homes and in our churches) so that we will become a people prepared for You? Help us to be clean and pure before You as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child and as we step into a new year of service in Your kingdom!
Here’s a quick picture update on the Habitat build that we’re co-sponsoring with other area churches. Isn’t it looking great!? I’m sure the Morales family is very eager to get into their new home. There’s still time to give your pledges in 2019. Go to https://www.lakeshorehabitat.org/faith-build for more information and to make a donation!
As we journey through the month of December, feel free to use the prayers below as your prayer guide. Prayers are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.
Sunday, December 22—Fourth Sunday in Advent. “All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast” (Proverbs 15:15).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be cheerful. May we always find joy in You, even in the midst of difficult times. Father, help our hearts to have a continual feast as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Proverbs 17:22)
Monday, December 23. “And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well” (Luke 12:29-31).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be free from worry. We know that worry will take our minds off of You, so help us to see Your kingdom for all that we need. You are our provider as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Ecclesiastes 11:10)
Tuesday, December 24. “He answered: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Luke 10:27).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be loving. There is no other like You. Your Word says that to love You with all of our heart and soul and strength and mind is the most important thing. We are also to love one another deeply, from our hearts. Father, help us to love our neighbors as ourselves as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Matthew 22:37-38; Mark 12:23-33; 1 Peter 1:22-23)
Wednesday, December 25—Christmas Day. “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
Lord, prepare our hearts to shine Your light just as You have come to shine among us! You have given us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God! May our hearts shine brightly in a dark world as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.
Thursday, December 26. “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father.’ So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir” (Galatians 4:6-7).
Lord, prepare our hearts to reflect the Spirit of Your Son. We can call You our Abba Father, because of Jesus. We belong to You as songs and daughters, not slaves. May we reflect the Spirit of Jesus to everyone we meet, as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.
Friday, December 27. “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be faithful. Strengthen us out of Your glorious riches with power through Your Spirit so that Jesus will dwell in our hearts through faith. May love and faithfulness never leave us as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Ephesians 3:14-19)
Saturday, December 28. “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15).
Lord, prepare our hearts to tell others about You! There are so many hungry people out there asking questions. Give us boldness to tell others what You have done in our lives. Help us to always be prepared to reach people for Jesus as we celebrate the coming of the Christ Child.
The Thrive High School Youth Group treated our church to a night of delicious food and beautiful music on December 11. Following a turkey dinner that they served us, they showcased their musical gifts by singing Christmas songs, playing instruments and performing Christmas readings. We are so grateful for our youth and the huge part that they play in our church!
All proceeds from this special night went towards their summer mission trip to Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Enjoy the pictures below! Their festive Christmas attire shows a bit of this group’s personality :)
As we journey through Advent, feel free to use the prayers below as your prayer guide. Prayers are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.
Sunday, December 15—Third Sunday in Advent. “Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be wise. We want to learn from You. Help us to listen to Your instruction so that all of our days will be pleasing to You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Proverbs 16:23, 23:12, 15, 19, 26, 24:32)
Monday, December 16. “Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart” (Psalm 119:34).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be obedient. We ask for understanding so that we can obey You. Help us to learn Your Word so well that we will not sin against You. We want to obey You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.
Tuesday, December 17. “May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame” (Psalm 119:80).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be blameless in our Christian walk. Help others to see that we follow You in all of the circumstances of life as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.
Wednesday, December 18. “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Proverbs 139:23-24).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be searchable. Father, may we always be willing to have You look closely at our lives. We need Your help to get rid of anything offensive. We need Your help to replace our anxious thoughts with thoughts that are pleasing to You. Lead us in the way everlasting as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.
Thursday, December 19. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you are called to peace. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be peaceful. Your peace goes beyond anything we can understand because You do not give like the world gives. Thank You for allowing our hearts to be at peace because of the power of the One You sent to us—the Counselor, the Holy Spirit. May our anxious thoughts be replaced by peaceful ones as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Proverbs 14:30; John 14:25-27; Philippians 4:6-7)
Friday, December 20. “My shield is God Most High, who saves the upright in heart” (Psalm 7:10).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be upright. You have said that light is shed upon the righteous and joy on the upright in heart. May your light shine upon us as we rejoice in You! We take refuge in You because You are our shield. You are God Most High. May we be counted among those whose hearts are upright as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 125:4, 97:11, 32:11, 36:10, 64:10)
Saturday, December 21. “My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end” (Psalm 119:112).
Lord, prepare our hearts to keep Your decrees. We want to walk in all Your ways. Help us to keep Your commands by seeking after You only! Turn our hearts toward You, Father, as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 119:2, 36; Kings 8:58)
It sure feels like Christmas here at Maranatha! To share in our Christmas worship with us, see below for a schedule of Christmas worship services.
As we prepare for Advent, feel free to use the prayers below as your prayer guide through Advent. Prayers are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.
Sunday, December 8—Second Sunday in Advent. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be pure. Help us to run away from sinful desires. Give us the ability to call on You out of a pure heart that seeks after faith, love and peace. Keep us from foolishly arguing. Help us to desire pure hearts as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 51:10; Proverbs 22:11; 2 Timothy 2:22-23)
Monday, December 9. “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be humble. Help us to learn from You because Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light. May others see Your gentleness and humility in us as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.
Tuesday, December 10. “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 paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Lord, prepare our hearts to trust in You. We rejoice in You because we trust in Your holy name. May we always lean on your understanding instead of our own so that our hearts will not be troubled. Help us to acknowledge You in all our ways so that You will make our paths straight. You are our strength and shield as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 28:7a, 33:21; John 14:1)
Wednesday, December 11. “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed in pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be sincere. Thank you for cleansing us from sin so that we can draw near to You. Help us to truly desire to know You better, and deepen our faith as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.
Thursday, December 12. “He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD” (Psalm 112:7).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be steadfast. Even in hard times, help us to trust You without question. Because our hearts can stand firm, we will sing and make music to You as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 57:7, 108:1)
Friday, December 13. “Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge” (Psalm 62:8).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be prayerful. We call upon You, Father, because You are our refuge—our place of safety. Sometimes we don’t even know what to pray, but You have given us the Holy Spirit to help us. Teach us to listen to You, and to pray the things that are on Your heart. Give us a spirit of prayer as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Psalm 119:145; Romans 8:26-27)
Saturday, December 14. “Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be undivided so that we will fear Your name. Father, would You put a new spirit in us? Remove our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh. We will be Your people and You will be our God as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Ezekiel 11:18-20)
We have a very musical youth group this year, so they came up with this creative idea to raise money for their summer mission trip to Gatlinburg! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, December 11 for this event that you won’t want to miss! They have been putting lots of time and energy into planning and practicing :) Come for an evening of delicious food and wonderful music.
As we prepare for Advent, feel free to use the prayers below as your prayer guide through Advent. Prayers are written by Kim Butts ©2012 Harvest Prayer Ministries, www.harvestprayer.com.
Sunday, December 1—First Sunday in Advent. “Sing, O Daughter of Zion; shout aloud, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O Daughter of Jerusalem” (Zeph 3:14)!
Lord, prepare our hearts to rejoice! We want to be glad today, and to rejoice with all of our hearts. May we be filled with joy because we seek You and because You have saved us. Help us to sing and give You thanks as we wait for the coming of the Christ child. (See also: Psalm 13:5; 1 Chronicles 16:10; Psalm 28:7b)
Monday, December 2. “Since, then you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory” (Colossians 3:1).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be set on things above because we have been raised with Jesus! We have new life because He came here as a baby, lived a sinless life, died on the cross and rose again! Help us to set our hearts on things above as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.
Tuesday, December 3. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13).
Lord, prepare our hearts to seek You! You have promised that we will find You when we seek after You with all of our hearts. We seek after You today, Lord, as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Deuteronomy 4:29, Psalm 27:8; 119:10, 58)
Wednesday, December 4. “But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you” (1 Samuel 12:24).
Lord, prepare our hearts to serve You. Help us to consider the great things You have done for us. We want to do everything for You alone, and do it faithfully as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Colossians 3:23-24)
Thursday, December 5. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5-6).
Lord, prepare our hearts to have a spirit of unity with other believers. Help us to have a spirit of unity so that we might glorify You and share everything we have with others. We want to glorify You, Father, in our family and in the Body as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also: Acts 4:32)
Friday, December 6. “For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:91).
Lord, prepare our hearts to be fully committed to You! May we be completely focused upon You so that You can strengthen us as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child. (see also 1 Kings 8:61)
Saturday, December 7. “I will praise you, O LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonders” (Psalm 9:1). “I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever” (Psalm 86:12).
Lord, prepare our hearts to praise You! You are worthy of all of our praise. May we tell of Your wonders and glorify Your name as we wait for the coming of the Christ Child.
I know that there are oodles of Advent Calendar ideas out there, but here’s another one to add to your list. A few reasons why I like it:
You only need envelopes, twine or yarn, and clothespins - you might already have these in your house!
Kids can easily help creating this Advent Calendar.
You can save it from year to year!
So, head over to The Network’s article called DIY Advent Calendar featuring a blog post from “A Beautiful Mess”. Enjoy preparing for the coming of the Christ Child!
Photo courtesy of “A Beautiful Mess”
We’re a few months into our Bible Knowledge Project, so let’s see the progress we’ve made so far!
Two students have received two gift cards this semester (the maximum number you can receive in one semester!)
Our collective group effort totals 1,822 points - most of which have been BIble verses read. That’s a lot of verses :)
Just a reminder, this is for all kids age three through 12th grade. If you need more Bible reading logs, you can find them on the bottom of the welcome kiosk. If you have a memory verse that needs reciting, see your Children’s Worship/Sunday School teacher.
Here’s a sneak peek of the new books that have been added to our church library! They’re really “out of this world” :)
Wednesdays are coming and going so quickly! Since I last wrote, we have completed three chapters in our study of The Armor of God written by Priscilla Shirer. We have spent time considering three pieces of the armor named in Ephesians 6: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shoes of peace. These three pieces make up our uniform; they are not optional but need to be worn every day.
The first piece of armor we looked at is the belt of truth. Truth was defined as “God’s opinion on any matter.” This lesson started out by naming Satan for who he is: the father of lies... his attacks towards us are fueled by deception. He strategizes against us as we pursue abundant life in Christ. He comes against us in so many ways. He comes against our confidence, identity, contentment, calling, and relationships (just to name a few areas he targets). Strapping on the belt of truth allows us to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Knowing the Word, the truth, is essential to being able to combat the schemes of the devil. And contrary to thinking that the belt of truth might be restricting, it actually releases us to more freedom. We should take our every choice to the discretion of God’s word. Jesus says: “My truth will set you free!” (John 8:32) If we want to disarm the devil’s influence, we need to boldly follow after Jesus, not only believing in him but doing all he teaches.
Truth first and then righteousness... righteousness was defined as “upright living that aligns with the expectations of God.” This piece of armor is referred to as the breastplate of righteousness in Ephesians. The breastplate protects the heart. We do well to guard it... it is the source of life. (Prov.4 :23) Keeping with the analogy of the soldier, the weight of the breastplate is held up by the belt of truth. When we believe in Christ’s redeeming work on the cross we are credited with the righteousness of Christ: in God’s eyes it is just as if we’d never sinned! So, not only is our sin removed, righteousness is deposited into us. We are completely and perfectly righteous because of Christ’s great love for us and his obedience to the Father. This is referred to in our study as imputed righteousness. Imputed righteousness is a once in a lifetime action. Simply stated from our study: Righteousness is in you, now it needs to be on you. How do we put righteousness on? Practical righteousness becomes a part of our daily lives when we repeatedly put off our old self (sinful nature) and put on our new self, that is, aligning our lives with the light of Christ.
One more lesson of wisdom to share! :) The other pieces of our uniform are the shoes of peace. Again, it was brought to our attention that we already have the gift of peace in us...this lesson taught us that we can activate this peace by the action of being thankful. Satan wants us to be peace-less, because he knows that without peace there will be no victory. He preys on our worries and fears. Note to self!! Anywhere peace is lacking the enemy is at work! So, we need to condition ourselves to recognize at the first sign of anxiousness that we turn to God, acknowledge our trust in his sovereign control, and offer thanks because thanksgiving activates peace. Additionally, we noted that we have shoes because we are called to go! It’s about moving forward. When we share this good news with others and the community of faith grows, the enemy is intimidated. Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him. (Col. 2:6) Also, Isaiah states that, beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news…
Our action steps then...Pray, trust God, be in the word, GO!, and be thankful!
We are in the midst of supporting a Habitat for Humanity home being built in the Maplewood area. There are several churches partnering together to help make this home a reality for the Morales family (see pictures below). On October 22, 2019, we celebrated with the Morales family as they raised the first wall of their new home!
Now it’s time to show our support! You can do this in a few different ways:
Please pray that the build will go smoothly so that Edwin, Yeni, and their four children can move in as soon as possible. Let’s surround this family and their home with prayers!
Volunteer your time to help build the home! Maranatha has a time slot spoken for on Saturday, November 9 from 1-4pm. If this time works, please talk to Paula Wesseldyke. If you’d like to set up a different time, please contact Travis, Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity’s Volunteer Coordinator, at 616-393-8001 x103 or at volunteer@lakeshorehabitat.org. The following dates are set aside for volunteer help (AM time slots are from 8am-noon; PM time slots are from 1-4pm):
Saturday, October 26th
Thursday, October 31st
Friday, November 1st
Saturday, November 2nd - PM only
Thursday, November 7th
Friday, November 8th
Saturday, November 9th
Wednesday, November 13th
Thursday, November 14th
Tuesday, November 19th
Wednesday, November 20th
Thursday, November 21st
Friday, November 22nd
Saturday, November 23rd
Donate funds toward the building of this home. You can give at https://www.lakeshorehabitat.org/ or by mailing a check to Lakeshore Habitat for Humanity, noting that the funds given are for the Morales home.
If you have any questions, please leave a comment on this post or contact the church office or a deacon.
If you or your family would like to focus on giving gratitude to God this Thanksgiving season, you may want to consider using this devotional guide! I love how this blogger (The Purposeful Mom) points to a Bible verse, a question, and a prayer prompt. Because this devotional contains 24 days of Psalms of Thanks, begin on November 4 to end on Thanksgiving Day, November 28.
On a cool, rainy night, last Friday, October 11th, twenty-eight OPUS members gathered at church for an evening of fun and fellowship. The evening began with pizza and then ten teams played Corn Hole. Bob Schippers made it all very official by setting up the players (names picked from a basket) in a tournament bracket. Twenty people played several games to determine the 1st and 2nd place winners. First place winners were Norm and Norm; second place winners were Herm and Wil. The winners each received a small jar of Corn Candy mix. Several people cheered on the sidelines. Delicious apple pie a` la mode was served for dessert after the games.
