Wednesday Activity Information – January 24 Fellowship Meal: 5:30-6:30. This week: Roast Beef, Mashed Potato w/Gravy, Green Beans, Rolls, Salad, Dessert GKC: 6:30-7:45 4JC’s: 6:15-7:30 Fire: 7:45-9:00

RightNow Media!!!!! We're excited to share that our church has access to an extensive video library called RightNow Media! It’s like the "Netflix of Video Bible Studies" and has a HUGE library of faith-based videos that you can access whenever and wherever you want—on your phone, iPad, computer, or at home on your TV. Our church is always looking for ways to help you develop and strengthen your faith. We believe that RightNow Media will be a tool to serve you as you live out your faith at home, at work and in your neighborhood. RightNow Media has videos for everyone—kids, youth, parents, married couples, college students, single adults, working professionals—all aimed at helping you grow.If you would like access to this resource (for the first time or you forgot your old password), let Beth or P. Mark know what email to send an invitation to. Once you find the email, simply click the link, sign up for an account, and you’re all set to explore more than 12,000 videos. We pray that RightNow Media will be a blessing for you and your family!

New Cook Book: One last chance to bring in your favorite family recipes to share with everyone. We are working on a new cookbook as a part of the 100th year Celebration for the church. Please get your recipes to Ann Weber or Peg Reutzel by January28.

GKC City Mission Project: The 5th grade class will be going to the City Mission on Wednesday, February 28 as their service project. We have placed a box in the Fellowship Hall to collect new towels and wash cloths for them to deliver. This is great opportunity to help someone in need. Let’s see how many towels & wash cloths we can get.

Bring in a can, a box, or a case!

This is a friendly challenge between Pella & Living Life Reformed Churches with the Norris Food Pantry

and those they help as the winners!

Our Goal: More than 1.5 TONS!!

Cash donations accepted ($1=1 lb) Please designate “Food Drive” on your check

No bulk or expired items please

See Ian for more information!!

Collection dates: January 8-February 1

Winner announced February 5!

(There IS a trophy involved!!)

A Cen ury of God’s Leading

January 21, 2018

"I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord—

plans to give you hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11

Living Life Reformed Church

Reformed Church of Firth, 1918

(Totals Food Drive Update: through January 15)

Absolute last day for donations is Sunday, February 4.

LLRC: 198 lbs! That puts us at 1.2 lbs per member. (165 members)

Pella: 144 lbs!

(1.2 ppm – 116 members)

Let’s go, Team!! It’s a cool trophy that needs to find a new home – here with us!!

LIVING LIFE REFORMED CHURCH

January 21, 2018

Opening Songs Hymn #370 - O God, Our Help in Ages Past

Hymn #323 - Holy! Holy! Holy! Lord God Almighty Hymm #363 - To God Be the Glory

Welcome Announcements & Congregational Prayer Offering Hymn #628 - He Touched Me Scripture Romans 12: 1-2 Message “Transformed By a Renewed Mind” Closing Songs Hymn #543 - The Family of God

Hymn #384 - Doxology Benediction Postlude

This Morning Next Sunday, Jan 28 Jan Elders: Cary Prange, Rod TeKolste, Mike Brown Jan Deacons: Alex Olson, Brian Auman, Keith TenHulzen, Brad Riensche Coffee: Edna & Lloyd Prange Brenda & Dan Rice Nursery: The Hesterman’s The Auman’s Power Point: Lauren Dunn Tammy Goering Sound Tech: Jacob Hickey Keith TenHulzen Church Lock-Up: Randy Sieck Keith TenHulzen

Offering Jan 14 YTD Budget Needs (3 Weeks) Offering $3,917 $9,642 $19,659 (6553 x 3) SS Offering $15 $41 (Norris Back Pack Program)

LLRC Mission Statement: To grow a loving community of active followers of Jesus equipped to take His love and message to the world. Ask God to show us how to make this a more loving community, especially to those who are new to this community!

Pray that as we celebrate 100 years of God's faithfulness in this church family, that we will be excited about the future plans that God has in the years to come! Continue to pray for the construction of the Family Life Center and pray for God's financial provision for that facility! Pray that God would use it for His glory in many ways! Pray for those who serve people in need: the Lincoln Crisis Pregnancy Center, People's City Mission, the Norris Food Pantry and Backpack and Teammates Program.

Continue to pray for Bill Boden and his brother Randy, Bouwen’s brothers, Bill Wieskamp (Back Surgery), Larry DeBoer, Ellen Essink, Les Buck (Jody Null’s father), Darlene Hietbrink, Ken Holm (Suzie Oltman’s father), Rebekah Silva (Dan & Valerie’s daughter), Alvin & Eileen Weber, Glenn & Phyllis Weber, Barb & Jerry Martin, Monte Morrison, Diane Murphy, Jody & Steve Null, Al & Aaron Comer (Ann’s brother & nephew), and Barbara Wissink (Ellen’s sister-in-law).

Good Morning!!

Today, Jan 21: 8:45am Family Brunch 9:00am Youth & High School Sunday School & Adult Choir practice 9:30am Morning Worship 10:45am Adult Sunday School-Stories 2:00pm Mentoring Class 6:00pm Forensic Faith (Starr’s House) Tues, Jan 23: 1:00pm Women’s Bible Study (Starr’s House) 6:30pm Prayer Gathering Wed, Jan 24: 5:30pm Fellowship Dinner 6:15pm 4JC’s 6:30pm GKC, Women’s Bible Study 7:45pm The Fire Fri, Jan 26: 6:00am Friday Men’s Group at Homestead Sun, Jan 28: 8:45am Sunday Brunch 9:00am Youth & High School Sunday School & Adult Choir practice 9:30am Morning Worship 10:45am Sunday School-Stories 2:00pm Mentoring Class 5:00pm The Fire 4th Sunday event 6:00pm Forensic Faith (Starr’s House)

2017 Mission Trip applications are also on the narthex table! Applications & $30 application fee are due March 18. Please be sure to grab a form and ask Ian Opfer any questions you might have! Several fundraising opportunities will be available to assist with the trip cost.

2017 Mission Trip Donation Request: Ian and the crew are planning our annual Mission Trip to White Earth reservation in Minnesota (June 2-9), and they have identified some special gifts that we would like to take to our friends in the area! If you have any books, blankets (kids or adult), gently loved or new stuffed animals, or gently worn or new tshirts, please bring them in and we will begin to assemble our trip goods. If you have any questions about joing us on the trip this year, please see Ian, or grab an information packet in the fellowship hall.

Load Up the Bus!! 2018 Branson Getaway information is ready and available on the narthex table. The dates are September 5-8, and November 7-10. Perhaps this is the year for you to register and go with us. Do it soon!!

Dave Ramsey Financial Peace? Would anybody be interested in taking a class on Sunday nights to take control of your financial situation. The class will start today Sunday, January 21 to March 18 from 6:00 to 7:30pm. For more information please call or text Bruce Docter at 402-580-0674 or to get signed up! The signup sheet is on a table in

More Valentine Fun for Kids! How about fun for the kids on February 17!! Camp Solaris is sponsoring a Valentine's Day event from 3:30-9:00pm for 4-year-olds thru 6th graders at Camp Solaris. An evening meal will also be provided! Cost is $15 per child if you register on or before February 5; $20 per child on or after February 6. Register at CampSonshineMemories.org or call 402-423-8746. Pre-registration IS required. The fun for kids will be held at Lincoln Berean Church. Great chance to go out to eat without kids for Valentine Day.

CONTINUED CHURCH MEMORIES………

• A highlight of the summer: Sunday School picnics in a park—good food and games

• VBS, especially those in unity with Firth Community Church, reaching out to all children

• Child Evangelism at Firth Community Church, where many children were led to Christ

• Lay Witness Weekends, witnesses visiting from other states and denominations to share their faith

• Our members then going to various churches to witness. Life changing experiences!

• Working in teams on yard, roofing, and kitchen projects. Helping neighbors in the same way

• New faces in the congregation, sharing God’s love with all Our loving congregation—a great place to raise children with whom God has blessed us

• As an “incomer” being accepted by a loving pastor and congregation

• Family camps at Rivercrest, becoming closer through laughter and study. Rain gutter sundaes!

• Dropping pennies according to your age in the bank on your birthday, and picking out a toy

• As children being amused by the tinkling sound of glass communion cups being dropped in holders

• Quarterly communion using wafers. In some churches everyone drank from one large cup

• Reading the Ten Commandments from the red hymnal frequently enough to memorize them

• Reciting The Lord’s Prayer and singing the Doxology each Sunday

• Listening to organ music for a half hour in quiet preparation for worship

• Wearing choir robes

• Annual choir concerts

• Dressing in costumes and singing in the choir for Christmas dramas

• Musical programs, dramas, pageants, praise teams, pianists. A BIG thank for these leaders!

• Being greeted at the doors before services and programs

• Faithful greeter, Russell Bouwens

• Catechism classes on Saturday and playing with friends afterwards

• Sunday School Guide and topical classes for adults

• Prayers of the saints standing as they petitioned their Lord at Wednesday evening prayer meetings

• Norris Alliance churches hosting afternoon three-hour services on Good Friday

• Annual Tri-county Sunday School conventions

• “Air conditioning” in the summer was hand fans supplied by mortuaries

• The offering bag passed down the rows on a long stick

• The furnace in the old church blowing up, during Rev. Kolenbrander’s sermon

• The Holland church burning down in the middle of worship one Sunday morning

• From the red hymnal--"Praise Him, Praise Him” and “I Know That My Redeemer Liveth”

• C.E. Benediction, Their signature closing was “God Be With You Till We Meet Again”

CELEBRATING CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS

Observing the Sabbath (Sunday) has had great meaning in The Reformed Church of America. On Saturday, clothing was readied, meals cooked, and tables set since there

was to be no work on Sunday. Also, sports on Sunday was discouraged. Morning

service and songs were in Dutch, afternoon in English, followed by Sunday School. Men

occupied one side of the church, women and children on the other. When afternoon

services were discontinued, AM services were in English, then Sunday School. The

sanctuary was used by multiple classes in the old and the present churches. Christian

Endeavor (C.E.) met in the evenings, lessons taught by members. In 1928 there were 82,

membership continuing until marriage. Bulletin were printed by the pastor and

financed by C.E. Boards hanging in front of the church announced offering, attendance,

and hymn numbers.

Worship on the Lord’s Day meant wearing “Sunday best.” (Sometimes best for men was

new bib overalls and tie!) For men it was suits, white shirts, ties, polished shoes, and hats. (One gentleman chose to stay “dressed up” all day!) Women’s attire was dresses

and hats—hemlines and shoes changing with styles of the times. Pastors/dominies

wore robes and elders wore suits, especially when serving communion. Boy’s polished shoes rarely wore out so were used by the next child (and the next) whether they fit or not. In the early 1980’s buying a pair of shoes just for Sunday seemed

impractical, so boys began wearing their loafers. One Sunday a boy came to church

wearing jeans and was sent home by his uncle to change! Girls enjoyed wearing their

best dresses, shoes, and hats. It is noted that in the 1930’s girls chose school clothes of

printed feed sacks, looking for matching sacks enough for a dress.

Church bells: When there was a funeral in Firth, the bell would ring, and all businesses

closed for two hours. This made it possible for workers to attend the funeral—

everybody knew everybody. The bell in the rural Lutheran church tolled out once for

each year of the life of the deceased, and could be heard and counted for miles around.

Reformed church members set out for church as soon as the bell rang at 9 AM. They

made sure to be seated in the sanctuary when the bell rang a second time for opening services.

Records (some written in Dutch) go back 100 years for all-day Mission Festival Sunday hosted at the three Reformed churches by turns. Offerings on these special days were

divided between the visiting world missionaries. Some festivals were held in Firth

park. In 1950 joint services were discontinued and missionaries delivered their

messages to each church separately.