Reflections of Grace JUNE 2020

G r a c e C o m m u n i t y C h r i s t i a n R e f o r m e d C h u r c h

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To Our Members and Friends of Grace Community CRC:

From the outset of our suspending meetings and in-person worship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our aim as a church has been to ensure the safety of our congregation and to abide by local, state, and federal guidelines. In the interest of these, Grace Community CRC will continue to suspend in-person worship and meetings until such time as we are assured by all three levels of governance that it is safe for us to resume in-person wor-ship. We pray that day will come soon, and rest assured we are taking every precaution and preventative measure in preparation for that day, but for now we will remain physical-ly apart.

Thank you for your continued prayers and support in these difficult times.

--The Executive Team of Grace Community Church

During this time we are providing Sunday worship service recordings that you can view at home. Video and audio recordings are available through the links below or links on our Facebook page.

For videos of services, devotions from Pastor Matt, and messages from the Pastor,

type or copy & paste the following link in your browser:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDu3R5ecljrFQk43D9irDvg

The YouTube link is to our church’s YouTube channel.

In This Issue:

1 To Our Members and Friends

3 Our New Theme Song

4 Online Prayer Room Faith Formation Tip A Christian’s Guide to a Covid-Shaped World 5 Congratulations Graduates!

7 Psalm of the Month

8 Birthdays & Anniversaries

From The Editor

How Can We Pray for You?

Online Giving

9 A Self-Guided Meditation

11 Missionary Prayer Calendar

12 Stewardship Spotlight

14 Operation Blessing News

15 Home Cooking

16 Symptoms of Coronavirus (Covid19)

17 DIY No-Sew Cloth Face Mask

18 Don’t Forget to Wash Your Hands!

19 Activity Pages

18 Grace Church—Our Values

Newsletter Takes a vacation in July

Next Newsletter Deadline

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Continued from previous page

The Worship Service videos will be available on Sundays and future messages from the Pastor will be posted as they are available. A detailed copy of the service with all the readings, sermon outlines (when available), and words to songs will be posted on our 'Weekly Services' page on our website. Self-Guided Meditations from Pastor Kooy are posted on our website as they become available. Please feel free to share these links/pages with others. You may also request an audio CD of the service that can be mailed to you. To get an audio CD contact the Grace Church office by calling 708-636-2848 and leave a voicemail message.

Even though we aren’t meeting for activities and worship services, church expenses continue, so we ask you to prayerfully consider giving as best you

can for our shared ministries, either through the online giving tab on our website (www.gccrc.org)

or by mailing your gifts to the church.

These are unprecedented times. We trust that God is with us and that, by his Spirit, Jesus never leaves us nor forsakes us. But our normal life has been deeply disrupted and we are taking unprecedented precautions. If you have a need at this time, feel free to contact your District Elder or Deacon, or the Church Office. It may be difficult for you to go to the store or you might want someone to check in on you over the phone; as a church we want to lean on each other to help.

God's peace to you in our victorious Lord Jesus.

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Pastor

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Our Theme Song for our next Sermon Series for the season of Pentecost is “For Your Gift of God the Spirit”.

The words are printed here that you may familiarize yourself with them

and also to let them speak to your heart.

For your Gift of God the Spirit words by Margaret Clarkson ©1987 Hope Publishing Co.

CCLI #658798 / Song #2856498

For your gift of God the Spirit Power to make our lives anew Pledge of life and hope of glory Savior we would worship You Crowning gift of resurrection

Sent from Your ascended throne Fullness of the very Godhead

Come to make Your life our own

He who in creation’s dawning Brooded on the lifeless deep

Still across our nature’s darkness Moves to wake our souls from sleep

Moves to stir to draw to quicken Thrusts us through with sense of sin

Brings to birth and seals And fills us saving advocate within

He Himself the living Author

Wakes to life the sacred Word Reads with us its holy pages And reveals our risen Lord

He it is who works within us Teaching rebel hearts to pray He whose holy intercessions

Rise for us both night and day

He the mighty God indwells us His to strengthen help empower

His to overcome the tempter Ours to call in danger’s hour

In His strength we dare to battle All the raging hosts of sin

And by Him alone we conquer Foes without and foes within

Father grant Your Holy Spirit In our hearts may rule today

Grieved not quenched not But unhindered work in us

His sovereign way Fill us with Your holy fullness

God the Father Spirit Son In us through us then

Forever shall Your perfect will be done

2 Corinthians 3:3

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AT-HOME FAITH FORMATION TIP

from Faith Formation Ministries of the Christian Reformed Church in NA

On Pentecost Sunday, May 31, we celebrated the gift of the

Holy Spirit. Go to: www.thebibleproject.com/

explore/holy-spirit/ for a wonderful five-minute video

that traces the movement of God’s Spirit from Genesis

to today. How might you or your family

become more aware of the Spirit’s work in your everyday

life?

FROM CALVIN UNIVERSITY—

A Christian’s Guide to a Covid-Shaped World

The world’s been radically shaped by Covid-19, and it’s difficult to know how to think—and what to do. Calvin University, the Calvin Institute for Christian Worship (CICW), and Calvin Theological Seminary, have put together a series of online courses that welcome learners from different cultures, generations, and career experiences. These 3-week courses are offered from June 1 to July 31 and will give you a vision for how to think and act.

Sign up for a course today! www.calvin.edu/go/covidshapedworld

Online Prayer Room

Mary Huizinga

Graduate of Rush University

Daughter of Tom & Darlene Huisenga

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Jessica(L) & Rini Heredia (R)

Jessica graduated with a Masters Degree

from Lewis University.

Rini graduated from Shepard High School

and will be attending

Northern University in DeKalb.

Granddaughters of

Carol Den Besten

To all those who are the Class of 2020 ~ Congratulations! You have shown great resilience in the unique challenge of completing your course of

study, no matter what level, during the Covid-19 pandemic. This strength and adaptability will serve you well as you move forward

to the next steps in your life journey.

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Hannah Soucek 8th Grade Graduate of

Southwest Chicago Christian School

Daughter of

Rob and Laura Soucek

On Friday, May 15, teachers from Southwest Chicago Christian School loaded into 3 different busses to visit each of the school’s 8th Grade graduates.

The teachers delivered a cap and gown, lawn signs and had a prayer

with the students and families.

Ryan photo-bombs his sister!

The graduates will soon be video taped separately crossing the stage at Chicago Christian High School as part of a virtual graduation ceremony.

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—PSALM OF THE MONTH—

The Worship Team has enjoyed bringing new songs to Grace Church by focusing on a series theme song. But recently, the team brainstormed new ways of bringing us together as a church, even when we are apart. The team decided to implement a “Psalm of the Month.” The Psalms include a variety of emotions and moods and help us to express what is on our hearts. In order to expand our corporate way of expressing these emotions, we will focus on one Psalm each month. Not every Psalm will express what you are feeling each month, but our hope is that when you come to times in your life when you need them, they will come back to you. We will incorporate the Psalm in some way in each worship service for the month by reading it or singing it. We invite you also to incorporate the Psalm of the month into your daily devotions or prayer time. You might read it in different versions of the Bible, or look on-line to find different settings of the Psalm set to music. You might want to try to memorize the Psalm. You might meditate on a verse each day. Make it a part of your daily life. For this month, the team decided to start with one that may not be as well known, with an emotion that might be hard-er to express: Psalm 13, a Psalm of lament. You may relate to this emotion right now, or it might be difficult for you. Note how this Psalm begins with lament, then moves to petition and ends with a vow to praise God. Yet, each of these sections acknowledges God. “God is the one to whom we cry in lament, who we rely upon to change lamentable circumstance, and whom we praise for deliverance.” Psalms for all Seasons p. 58

Psalm 13 (KJV)

How long wilt thou forget me, O Lord? for ever? how long wilt thou hide thy face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul, having sorrow in my heart daily? how long shall mine enemy be

exalted over me?

Consider and hear me, O Lord my God: lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death;

Lest mine enemy say, I have prevailed against him; and those that trouble me rejoice when I am moved.

But I have trusted in thy mercy;

my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

I will sing unto the Lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.

gccrc.org/online_giving FROM THE EDITOR: Do you have a story or memory

about how your ancestors came

to America or life growing up

in “the olden days”?

Memories of another time with

different clothes, music,

food prices, etc.?

Or maybe you’ve had a “God” mo-

ment in your life that impacted you

and your spiritual journey? When

something happened that can only

be explained as having come from

God.

Why not submit a story to the

newsletter and

share your memories?

We’d love to be able to share

your story with others.

Submit your story for the newsletter

by placing it in the newsletter box

on the wall outside the office.

And please include your name! 8

JUNE

2 Dan Brucken 4 Karen Buikema Alyce DeBoer (Mrs.) 5 Stephanie Mulder 6 Larry Kooyenga David Van Kuiken 7 Pedro Kialanda 10 Jean Kok 12 Gary Schutt 15 Dorothy Brink-Schutt Laura Soucek 16 Pamela Johnson John Roos 19 Carol DenBesten 21 Catherine Solle 23 Tena VanderMuil Fred Veen 24 Alyce DeBoer (Ms.) 27 Lin Vander Meulen 29 Evelyn Van Dellen

JULY

9 Andy Schutt 11 Sean Sullivan 14 Rich Mulder Kaitlyn Livingston 19 Don Anderson Amanda Ismail 21 MaryAnn Law 25 Christine Beezhold (Mrs. CN) 26 Norm Blaha 29 Rich Knudsen Bill Weidenaar 31 Sarah Sullivan

B I R T H D A Y S a n d A N N I V E R S A R I E S

JULY

1 Andy & Mert Schutt

22 Steve & Candace Livingston

25 Hank & Carol DeVries

JUNE

1 Ken & Carol Schutt

2 Jim & Barb Wassenaar

3 Rich & Marilyn VandenBout

9 Warren & Ruth Kuipers

11 Bill & Phyllis Johnson

19 Ed & Diane Ritzema

20 Dan & Marilyn Brucken

25 John & Laverne Yff

How Can We Pray for YOU?

If you would like our Prayer Team to be

‘prayer warriors’ for you, for a need in your life,

or the life of a loved one or friend, visit our web-

site at: http://www.gccrc.org/

prayers_for_u

See page 5 for information

on how to visit our Online Prayer Room

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A Self-Guided Meditation:

Wavering Between Fear and Faith

What we had hoped would last a few weeks is now in its’ third

month. It is easy to get restless, upset, frustrated at the restrictions and

the COVID-19. It may also disrupt our prayers. Consider these things:

1) Praying between Fear and Faith

In days like this, I feel keenly that “we do not know what we ought

to pray for” (Romans 8:26). Things are not the way they should be and I am troubled by it. Sometimes

I don’t know what to pray about it. Yet God is with us. “The Spirit himself intercedes for us through

wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit

intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God” (Romans 8:26b-27). I am thankful that

the Holy Spirit prays with me, sanctifying my prayers and bringing to God what I really, deeply need.

My prayers may sound like this:

News reports, concern about my family, social isolation – these shout to my anxious heart and drown out your

blessed assurance. Yet, O God, I remember that even though I pass through the valley, you are with me. I want to

rest in your presence.

I have concern for my physical health. It is you who made me and you know me inside out. I thank you that I

am one of your people, a sheep in Your pasture. I want to rest in your care.

I worry about how long this situation will go on. I am weary and discouraged. I want to align my mind and

my heart with the promise that you are in control. Reach out your hand and hold me safe.

2) Praying in Times of Trouble

Consider using the following self-guided meditation over the next few days.

Take a few moments to let your inner thoughts settle. Be still.

Reflect on these passages (see next page):

Psalm 100 Sheep in His Care

Matthew 14:22-33 Walking on Water

As you begin, ask God to speak to you through the Scripture. Read Psalm 100 slowly and medi-

tate on what it means to be a sheep of the Lord’s pasture and how he cares for you. Read Matthew 14

and hear Jesus say, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Also, see how Peter could walk on water

when his eyes were on Jesus. Meditate on what it means to be held by the hand of Jesus who saves!

Sit quietly for a minute and pray your thoughts to God.

Read the passage once more, resting in God’s presence in Christ Jesus for you and with you.

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A Self-Guided Meditation:

Wavering Between Fear and Faith

(continued from previous page)

Psalm 100

1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs. 3 Know that the Lord is God.

It is he who made us, and we are his;

we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Matthew 14:22-33

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he

dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to

pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land,

buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking

on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the

wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you

doubt?” 32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat wor-

shiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

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Copycat Costco® Muffins Recipe by Impera_Magna / submitted by Barb Wassenaar

Serves 24

Ingredients

1 box 18 oz. cake mix (Duncan Hines works best here)

2 Tbsp. flour

3 eggs 2/3 cup milk

1/3 cup vegetable oil 1 tsp. Baking powder

Directions

1) Mix all ingredients together.

2) Spoon into prepared muffin cups.

3) Bake @ 375˚ for approximately 20 minutes or until tops are lightly browned.

To make Almond Poppyseed Muffins: use a white cake mix and add 2 tsp. poppy seeds and 1 tsp. almond extract.

To make Chocolate Muffins: use a chocolate cake mix and stir in 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. Sprinkle additional chips on top of muffins (optional).

Use whatever cake mix you want and add your own goodies! The possibilities are endless! Here are some suggestions:

French Vanilla cake mix and fresh raspberries Lemon cake mix and poppyseed

Spice cake mix and cinnamon/sugar topping

If you have a favorite recipe you’d like to share, put a

copy in the newsletter mailbox next to the office.

Please put your name on it and where it came from, if

you know. Recipes without names will not be printed.

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The following page is a step-by-step instruction sheet on how to make a folded No-Sew Face Mask

—OR—

Go to the CDC website, using this link: https://youtu.be/tPx1yqvJgf4

for a YouTube tutorial on folding a face mask.

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DIY No-Sew Cloth Face Mask If you must venture out during a global pandemic, wearing a cotton face mask can provide some level of protection while leaving the scarce medical masks for those who need them most. Making your own no-sew cotton face mask is super simple using stuff you already have at home! Total Time: 1 minute Estimated Cost: free (if using materials already in your home) Materials Bandana, tea towel, or other cloth fabric cut to approx. 20" x 20" 2 elastic hair bands or rubber bands Instructions 1) Lay the fabric square flat and fold the top down to meet the middle. 2) Now fold the bottom edge up to the middle. 3) Fold in half so that you have a long rectangle with four layers of fabric. 4) Next fold the rectangle into thirds by bringing in the left and right sides toward the middle. 5) Using these folds as a guide, slip a rubber band or large hair elastic onto one end of the fabric and bring it to the fold. 6) Repeat on the other end, bringing the band to the other “third” fold. These will create the ear straps. 7) Adjust the placement of your rubber bands as needed to fit your face. The fabric mask should reach from the bridge of your nose down to under your chin. Notes Remember that when you take the mask off, it might be contaminated. So avoid touching the mask by using the hair or rubber bands to remove it. And when you remove it, drop it straight into the laundry. And wash your hands!

© The Crunchy Ginger Project Type: DIY / Category: frugal family

https://thecrunchyginger.com/diy-no-sew-cloth-face-mask/

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Put this page up by your sinks at home and say it, aloud or to yourself, as you wash your hands properly. By the time you’re finished you will have washed your hands

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START

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Copyrighted works included in this publication have been reproduced with

permission and may not be further reproduced. The distribution, selling,

reproduction in any form, or any use other than that intended by this

publication are prohibited and constitute an infringement of Copyright laws

and are subject to fines.

Grace

Community

Christian

Reformed

Church

10415 S. Kedvale Avenue

Oak Lawn, IL 60453

Church Office: 708.636.2848 Fax: 708.636.2847

gracechurch@gccrc.org www.gccrc.org

This newsletter is a publication of Grace Community Church. Contributions to the

newsletter are welcome and will be considered for

publication provided they are in keeping with the tone of

this newsletter and your name is included with the

submission.

If you have any questions concerning this newsletter,

please contact Barb Wassenaar

708.636.2848 gracechurch@gccrc.org

THE NEWSLETTER TAKES A VACATION IN JULY Contributions for the AUGUST 2020 issue are due no later than

July 19, 2020.

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