10:00 A.M. MORNING WORSHIP CELEBRATION
Lead Worshipers: Bethel College Praise TeamTestimony: Gideons
Giving of our Firstfruits: CMCS (Next Week: Long-Term Missions)
Scripture Reading: Esther 7: 1–8: 2(Reader: Dan Ohden)
Message Series: Ordinary People, Extraordinary God
Today’s Message: Esther – For Such a Time as This (Pastor Steve)
Blessing and Sending
6:00 P.M. EVENING WORSHIP CELEBRATION
Offering: CrossroadsScripture Reading: Mark 1: 21-28, Psalm 111
Message: The Power of His Works (Pastor Wendy)
WORSHIP NOTES
Welcome to Unity! May the Lord be with you today and bring blessing to your home! May you discover the joy of our Risen and Ascended Lord, Jesus Christ!This morning we continue our series of messages on some of the ordinary people of Scripture whom God revealed His extraordinary power through. Today we consider Esther, a women with very little reputation, an outsider in a foreign land, one who possessed great beauty. God needed someone to secure deliverance for His people from those who plotted to destroy them. It was God’s extraordinary power in the life of Esther, by way of His favor and timing, that allowed ordinary Esther to be extraordinary. She humbled herself to be used by God for such a time as this.
This morning we extend a special welcome to the Bethel College Praise Team from the St. Paul area! Thank you so much for taking the time today to minister in music and lead us in worship!
Recently, at the beginning of a phone call with someone I had not talked to in a while, I was confronted with a rather unusual greeting: “Wendy! What has God been doing in your life?” If someone asked you this question, would you have an answer ready? Or, like me, would it take you a moment to respond? Our texts this evening challenge us to praise God for the power of his works. This praise involves three moves on our part: remembering, teaching and testifying. Come tonight and we’ll reflect together on the importance of telling God’s story as it plays out in our lives—both for our sakes and for His glory.
NIGHT VISION will be tonight at 8:30pm! Come young, young-at-heart, and well-seasoned to worship and pray together for God’s power and grace to be revealed and revival to come to the church and this land! We would love to see you there tonight!
CONGRATULATIONS to Pastor Jeff as he put the final touches on his thesis this weekend and has completed the written work associated with his thesis! The 160+ page document has been submitted to Calvin Seminary and he, along with Wendy, will be traveling to Grand Rapids, MI., in May to defend his thesis before the faculty review board. Lord willing, with an affirmative defense, he will graduate (again) from Calvin Seminary on Saturday, May 21, 2005. Celebrate with them this week in accomplishing this work!
THIS WEEK AT UNITY
- Tuesday: 4:00pm Worship Planning Team Meeting
Wednesday: 4:30pm—7:00pm Mexican Fiesta
Friday: 7:00pm Unity Game night
MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES AT UNITY
Congratulations to the 11 households that graduated from the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University class this past week! Again, this has been a successful time of learning financial principles for daily life. This now brings our total to 66 households completing this course! Over $250,000 has been paid off in debt and over $150,000 has been saved by the 66 participants in the class during the 13 weeks of the course. Many have become or are close to being even debt free!! Lord willing, we will be offering the course again this fall! Tell your friends about it today!The Council enjoyed a great retreat last weekend! Many thanks to Norm and Val Duininck for the use of their home at Green Lake! We are excited that God has led us to this point as we spent time reflecting on the defining moments in the life of this ministry! We expect many more in the near future! Thank you for your prayers and support! The Unity CRC Leadership
Graduate Information
Parents or students, we would like you submit a short article about the graduating students for the Unity Update and for the churches records. Please include information such as, student’s name, graduation date, activities involved in, plans for after graduation, degree earned, and open house information. If there is anything else you would like to include please do so. Please have them to the office by Sunday April 24.Please Pray with us
Next week Sunday, May 1, the missions team will meet in Pastor Jeff’s office at 9:00am to pray for our missionaries. Many new and important prayer items have come to our attention lately—our missionaries need our prayers! Anyone is welcome to join us as we pray for those we support financially, for our church community, for our country, and its leaders.St. Cloud Prison Chapel Opportunities
Are you looking for a chance to worship God with other believers in a very unique setting? A team of people from Unity worships at the St. Cloud Correctional Facility four times each year. Training sessions in St. Cloud are available for people who would like to join this team. Upcoming spring training sessions are Monday, May 9, 6pm - 9pm, Saturday, May 21, 9am - 12noon and Tuesday, June 7, 6pm - 9pm. Call Sarah Brouwer for more information.St. Cloud Prison
If you are part of the St. Cloud Prison Chapel team, and you would like to go to St. Cloud on May 15, please call Sarah Brouwer. (Note: This is NOT Mothers Day!)Care Group Monthly Potlucks
Want to get to know others in our church? Here's a great opportunity! Each month, a specific Unity Care Group (there are six) will have a potluck at church after the morning service. This potluck will be open to guests at Unity that morning to join with them. It's a great way to renew relationships of those in our church plus open the door for new connections. The POTLUCK is on May 1 for Care Group # 3. A listing of the groups is in your Unity Handbook, available from the church office, or posted on the bulletin board as you come into church. You will also receive a postcard in the mail with specific instructions for your potluck. RSVP to Linda Brouwer.Profession of Faith
If you are interested in making Profession of Faith within the next couple of months please contact one of the pastors soon. We hope to meet with those interested and the Council on Wednesday evening, May 11th.Margin Video Series
Crunched for time? Join us for an adult education class that will help restore some margin to your life! The class meets at 9:00am Sunday mornings and will continue for the next week. You can join at anytime. Each session is very beneficial.Mexican Fiesta
Unity Youth Group is inviting everyone to their Mexican Fiesta on April 27th. Serving will be from 4:30 - 7:00 pm. Take out is available. Free-will offering will go towards our mission trip.GEMS and Moms
Reminder to mark your calendar to attend the end-of-the year mother daughter banquet on Wednesday, April 27 at 6:30pm at the First CRC basement.Unity Game Night
Laughter, food, & good company! Who can resist? Come to Unity on Friday, April 29, at 7:00p.m. There will be board games for all ages, and a Bonko tournament, but you're welcome to take along your games. Bring a snack & 2 liter bottle of pop to share. It'll be a great night!Advanced Notice
The 2005 Women of Faith Conference in St. Paul will be held October 21-22. Take some time to get away with friends or invite family to join you for this incredible time of refreshment. Twenty-five (25) tickets are available through Angela Zwart on a first-come basis.Unity Childcare Bake Sale
Unity Childcare will be having a bake sale on Saturday, May 14, at Lisa Jarveis’ home. If you would like to donate any baked goods please drop them off at Unity Childcare on Friday, May 13. Proceeds from the bake sale will go towards purchasing new toys, games, and craft supplies.Help
The Junior/Senior Prom committee at CMCS is looking for "no-longer-in-use" LP records (remember, those large black things that had recorded music on them!). If you have some they can use for decorations, please contact Tenae Zondervan or the school.
COMMUNITY & SURROUNDING AREA ANNOUNCEMENTS
CMCS Parent’s Club Meeting
The CMCS Parent's Club will hold its final meeting for the school year 2004-2005 on Monday, April 25. We will meet at 7:30 in the High School Music Room. We will hear a few musical numbers from our students. We will then proceed to the business meeting. We will be electing new officers, and voting on a couple of items to purchase. We will also take a few moments to recognize a couple of the CMCS staff that are not returning next fall. There will be discussion on fund raising activities for the next school year. We encourage ALL parents to attend this important meeting.
