MORNING WORSHIP
Message: “So What’s Micah About?” (Pastor Jeff Fisher
with Kirk Vander Pol & Mike Pluimer)
Lead Worshipers: Unity Youth Group
Offering: Unity Ministries
EVENING WORSHIP
Scripture Reading: Micah 5:1-15Discussion Topic: “Micah and the Messianic Prophecies”
Offering: Crossroads Bible Institute
Welcome to Unity!
This morning we are privileged to be led in worship by the members of our Youth Group. We trust that you will be blessed by their ministry as they lead in every aspect of our worship gathering this morning.
As part of the Youth Group leadership, Pastor Jeff will be “interviewed” by two of our Youth Leaders, Mike & Kirk, about the meaning and message of Micah. We express our thanks to these students for using their gifts in worship today.
THE WEEKLY CALENDAR
The monthly calendar can be viewed at www.unitycrc.org/calendar
Today (1st Sunday):
9:00am - Missions Prayer Time
10:00am - Morning Worship
5:00pm - Evening Worship
Monday:
5:30pm - Executive Team Meeting
6:15pm - Deacons Meeting
6:15pm - Elders Meeting
7:00pm - Full Council Meeting
Tuesday:
4:00pm - Worship Planning Team
7:00pm - Ladies’ Jail Ministry
Wednesday:
7:00pm - Men’s Jail Ministry
7:00pm - Youth Group
Next Sunday (2nd Sunday):
9:15am - Prayer in Jeff’s Office
10:00am - Morning Worship
5:00pm - Evening Worship
Old Testament Challenge (OTC): The fast-track readings for this week (Week 31) are Jeremiah 1-2, 18-20, 23, 31:31-34, 37-38; Lamentations 3:22-33; and Psalms 44, 126, 143. For the complete schedule on-line go to www.unitycrc.org/otcreading. For those using the Full Reading Version and hoping to finish by May 28, you should be reading Obadiah to Haggai and Psalms 133-137 this week.
Sunday, May 21 after Church
All-Church OTC Challenge Completed! Celebration and Potluck
UNITY FAMILY CARES AND CONCERNS
New Baby Congratulations!
We rejoice together with Steve & Andi Rime on the birth of their son, Braelin Jo. He was born Thursday, May 4 and weighed 5 lbs 15 ounces.
Thank You Note
Thank you very much for all of your expressions of sympathy, cards, food, and memorials. We thank God for special people like you who helped us celebrate my husband and our dad’s long life, and his passing on to eternal life in heaven. ~ Henrietta Breems and family
Worship Grant Awarded
We are excited to announce that Unity Church was one of the 57 churches and ministries that received a Worship Renewal Grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship! This program is made possible with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc. Pastor Jeff and Wendy will be attending the Grant Development Event in Grand Rapids, MI on June 20-22. As the program develops, you will be receiving more details.
Joining a Small Group
If you are interested in joining a small group, please fill out one of the small group registration forms on the tables in the fellowship hall and return it to the church office or place it in the offering plate or go to www.unitycrc.org/smallgroups. We will work to find a group for you to connect with, and have that group contact you.
UNITY CHURCH MINISTRY OPPORTUNITIES
Small Group Smorgasbord
The “wide variety of choices” of small group materials in the Fellowship Hall will continue to be available for the next several weeks. They are there for you to consider using for your small group this summer or fall. If your group would like some input from Pastor Jeff, you can meet with him Sunday, May 21 after church or contact him by email or phone.
Considering Membership
If you are thinking about taking the next step of being connected at Unity and would like to explore the possibility of becoming a member, we are in the initial stages of planning a time to hold our next session of membership classes. Our first option is to have two Wednesday night sessions on June 7 and 14. Please contact Pastor Jeff this week if you would like to be a part of these classes so we can schedule a time that works with everyone.
Worship at St. Cloud Prison
Unity Church is scheduled to lead the Sunday Morning Chapel Service at the St. Cloud Prison on May 21. If you would like to participate this time, please contact Sarah at 978-9191.
Sunday Evening Change
At the April 24 meeting, the Council decided to affirm the transition from our Sunday evening worship service to the small groups ministry, with the final regular Sunday evening service to be held May 21, 2006.
Community Announcements
CMCS Pops Concert
You are invited to the CMCS Pops Concert that will be held in the high school gym on Tuesday, May 9 at 7:00pm. The concert choir will be performing songs from Surf’s Up! There will also be selections from the male chorus, girls chorus, and various solos and ensembles. We’re looking forward to presenting this concert for you. Pop and popcorn will once again be served so come and enjoy a night of entertainment. All groups are under the direction of Michelle Mulder.
American Red Cross Blood Mobile
The American Red Cross Blood mobile will be at the Roseland Reformed Church on May 10th. The hours are 1pm to 7pm. If you wish to make an appointment, please call Sylvia Hoffman or Marilyn Van Buren before May 9th.
Vacation Bible School June 5 - 9
We still need a couple of teachers and a few more crew leaders. Come join us for a fun week having a Fiesta. If your interested or have questions call Becky Hines or Nora Ziehl. Watch next week for sign up sheets for attending VBS and also for donating food.
Senior Citizens
Our May meeting is Thursday, May 18th at 11:30. We will have our usual potluck dinner at the Fire Hall. Later we will have games and cards. Please bring the following foods:
A - L: casseroles
M - S: salads
T - Z: desserts
Holland Township Cemetery
Please do not put potted plants or flowers on Holland Township Cemetery until after May 25th as the mowing needs to be done just prior to Memorial Day for neat appearance. Also inform relatives and friends outside the church community of this request. If there are any questions call 320-978-4922. Thank you, Holland Township Board
Wills and Estate Planning
Do you find the area of wills and estate planning confusing? Do you know there are other Christians ready to help simplify it all for you? Don Long from Barnabas Foundation is ready to help you. He will be in our area from May 23-25th. The purpose of Barnabas Foundation is to help Christian individuals and families implement thoughtful stewardship decisions in tax-wise estate planning. This service is available to you at no charge because of the foundation’s 200 member charitable organizations. If you don't have a will or it hasn't been recently updated, give Barnabas Foundation a call toll-free at 1-888-448-3040. We will be happy to help you with your estate planning needs.
Seniors & Friends
Due to popular demand, I have arranged to take another bus to attend the play “The Church Basement Ladies” at the Plymouth playhouse. They have added some matinees and I was able to obtain tickets for Tuesday, June 20. The cost would be $45.00 per person. This would include a noon luncheon at the Old Country Buffet, ticket and bus fare. Kindly call as soon as possible for reservations. ~ Ardi Zondervan
May is National Foster Parent Month
In May we celebrate National Foster Care Month and salute the thousands of families who are providing care to Minnesota foster children. More and more churches are encouraging families to become foster and adoptive parents to children from their communities. Minnesota needs more adults to become licensed foster parents for abused and neglected children. Foster children need families to:
-Provide love and stability in their lives
-Help them heal from past trauma
-Help them reunite with their birth families when possible
-Give them hope for the future
Foster parents can be single, married, or in a committed relationship; experienced parents, grandparents, or childless; renters or homeowners. To find out more about how to become a foster parent call the Minnesota Recruitment Project.
May is Mental Health Month
20% of the U.S. population have a mental disorder in a given year. This means that 57 million Americans, including about one million Minnesotans, experience a mental disorder during a year yet only about one-third will seek treatment. Estimates are that mental health care costs our nation more than $200 billion per year in both direct and indirect costs. The lives of both children and adults are becoming more psychologically complex, which is all the more reason to understand mental illness and mental health. Woodland Centers provides services for a six-county area: Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Meeker, Renville, and Swift Counties. Call Woodland Centers, your mental health center at 235-4613 or 1-800-992-1716.
