Westwood ChristianReformed Church
July 10, 2016
620 Northampton Rd., Kalamazoo, MI 49006
Phone 269-381-8691
Fax 269-381-8699Email:
Phone prayer line: 350-4116
Our Website:
Sunday services – 10:00 a.m.
Senior Pastor Mike Koetje
Family Life Coordinator Cheri Dykstra
Youth Director Alex DeWaal
Secretary Ginny Hoekstra
Worship Coordinator Kristina Riewaldt
Custodians: Karen Kros and Kevin Berghuis
WiFi Login ID WestwoodCRC - WiFi connection – W620connect
Website Member password – W620member
Items for the Sunday Newsletter
are due in the church office by 3:00 p.m. Wednesday.
Hearing aid units which are wirelessly connected into our sound system are available for those who might find them helpful. They can be found near the office window at the entrance of the building. If you need help with them speak to one of the connect greeters.
Severe Weather Policy: If a Tornado Watch or Warningextends into two hours before an event at church that event must be canceled. If a tornado warning is issued during an event happeningat church, watchers must be posted and participants will be directed to the basement. In all cases, individual members should use their own judgment in deciding whether conditions are such that they can safely travel to church and back.
Welcome to worship at Westwood CRC! It’s a joy to have you worshiping with us today. If you are a visitor and would like more information about us, we invite you to fill out a Connect card in the pew racks and return it to the box on the Connect Center or place it in the offering bag. We also invite you to join us in our gymnasium after worship for coffee and a time of fellowship together.
The cookies served today with coffee are to celebrate Doris Drenth’s 85th birthday and Carol Visser’s 90th birthday. Enjoy!
Today Pastor Mike is beginning a new sermon series on “The Art of Neighboring”. Today’s sermon, “Taking the Great Commandment Seriously,” is from Luke 10:25-37. We are privileged to witness the public profession of faith of Savannah Crooks and celebrate with her God’s faithfulness and work in her life. Savannah recently graduated from Portage Central as well as the Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center. She plans to attend the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to study computer science and electrical engineering. She spends her days as an alto in the Kalamazoo Children's Choir and a defensive mid player on the soccer field. She is a certified scuba diver and hopes one day to scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef.
We also join together for the Lord’s Supper, a time of remembrance and celebration of Christ’s death and resurrection for the complete forgiveness of all our sins. We invite all visitors who are baptized members and regular participants of the Lord’s Supper in your home church to join with us.
Children ages 3-5 are invited to Children’s Worship this morning. At a designated time they will be dismissed for a time of worship and learning in meaningful, fun ways for their age-group. Their Teacher will meet you in the back of the sanctuary, and guide you to their classroom. Children’s Worship will take a “summer vacation” from July 31-Labor Day. Instead, be sure to have them watch for special Kids’ Worship Bags which will be available for something new! Children’s Worship classes will resume on Sun., Sept. 11.
TODAY is our Building Hope Tour of the Gospel Mission. Enjoy cookies and coffee after Worship today, then meet near the front entryway to leave at 11:45. You’d rather not drive? That’s fine—we will take the church van!
Lunch & Games: Another option for 18-30somethings after the service today is lunch and board/card games from Noon-2 PM. See Kristina Riewaldt or Lori Dykstra with any questions!
Weekly Giving – 2016 weekly budget - $11,956.92
Envelope giving 7-03-16...... $8,458.00Online Giving (July 1–July 7)$3,024.00
7-03-16 – envelope giving
Faith Promise...... $122.00
Tuition Assistance...... $140.00
Special Offerings 7-03-16
Benevolence Fund...... $469.00
Next week Sunday morning the offering will be forthe Open Door Ministry.
We would like to say thank you toBettie Vlietstra for her faithful service in ordering and taking care of the supplies for our kitchen for the last 12 years (and for making coffee when some forgot). Please be sure to tell her thank you when you see her.
“Dear Congregation: Thanks for the prayers, cards, and visits during my recent illnesses.” – Roger DeVries
“Thankfully God has blessed me with successful open heart surgery, great healing and a wonderful church family who offered many prayers, paid visits, send cards, called me and brought meals. I appreciate your acts of love – May God bless you.”
– Sandy Haagsma
All members are invited to pray for the church service every Sunday morning in the Worship Coordinator’s office from 9:45-9:55 a.m. Please come and cover our pastor, worship team, and all the aspects of our service in prayer.
Verse of the week: Psalm 147:11:The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
Our Next Picnic in the Park is coming soon! Please sign up today near the entry doors to gift food, supplies, or your time...especially if you haven’t yet been able to do that yet! You will be blessed to be a part of this community-building endeavor.
Our Church Campout is almost here! We’ve had one cancellation, so if you’d like to join us, talk to Cheri Dykstra (, 375-1812). We have reserved sites at TriPonds Campground in Allegan, where we’ll enjoy the fun options of swimming, hiking trails, mini-golf, fishing for kids, hayrides, a jumping pillow, and our own group games, campfires and relaxation. Join us!
WESTWOOD CRC: Operation Christmas Child is inviting you to a Celebration Picnic at Fort Custer Recreation Area Saturday July 16th! What are we celebrating? We are celebrating surpassing our goal in 2015 and collecting 33,040 shoeboxes! We will have a special speaker, Roselyn Nsenga of Malawi, who will speak about receiving her shoebox as a child.
Date and Time: Saturday July 16th, noon to 4:00pm
Place: Fort Custer Recreation Area, Whitford Pavilion
What to Bring: Salad, side dish, or dessert (grilled or cold meat will be provided) + Cold Drinks and lawn chairs.
Activities: Bocci, Ladder Ball, Fishing (bring your own polls) or bring your favorite game. RSVP: To Pat Felton () or Greg DeGroot ( or 269-615-5918) number of people that will be attending and if you are bringing salad, side dish or dessert.
Please check out the coats hanging by the church mailboxes. If any of them belong to you please take them home. Those not claimed will be donated to the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission today.
Schedule of Events:
July 11th – Youth group night at Jesus Loves Kalamazoo (we will meet at Westwood and go to the south side of Kalamazoo do street ministry for the evening).
July 15-17 – High School Camping Trip to Manistee National Forest.
On Saturday, July 16 theChristian Reformed Conference Grounds in Grand Haven welcomes the Singing Hims in concert! Please join us for the concert at 7 pm but come early for a delicious dinner, served in the Sunshine Room from 5-6:30pm. No tickets are needed for the concert however a free-will offering will be taken to help defray the cost of our music ministry.
Did you know you can personally make an eternal difference in the life of someone in Africa? You’ll have an opportunity to do so at the retreat hosted by Bible League International Volunteers on September 8 at the Friendship Christian Reformed Church in Byron Center. Gracia Burnham, our featured speaker, will have you sitting on the edge of your seat one moment and wiping away a tear the next. Check out the brochure for more information or talk to Peggy Vlietstra (353-7487)
Intrepid Professional Womens Network invites you to a workshop on Why Eat and Live Healthy. The workshops are on fitness and eating healthy and will be held in July. July 11, 14, 18, & 28 are the fitness workshops at 5:30 & 6:00 and the Nutritionist Workshop s are July 12, 18 & 25 from 6-7p.m. at 420 E Alcott Street (Goodwill Industries Building). All workshops are free.
Park Village Pines, the Christian Assisted Living community in Kalamazoo, is now hiring caregivers, and laundry and housekeeping staff. If you have a loving, compassionate spirit for our elders and a heart for serving others, you have the primary qualities we seek. We provide flexible shifts, opportunities for growth, and competitive wages. To apply visit or call (269) 364-6058.
Next Sunday Pastor Mike will continue “The Art of Neighboring” series, looking at Luke 10:38-42 in his sermon, “The Time Barrier”.