Week 26

We welcome you to our worship service! This morning Pastor William will lead us in worship as he continues the study of Nehemiah.

This evening our worship service is at 5pm for the Combined Worship Service and it will be led by First CRC and located at First CRC. Please see the announcement in the Common Insert.

GRACE CHURCH VISION STATEMENT: As disciples of Christ our purpose is to encourage spiritual growth in ourselves, our family, and our church family so that we will be the presence of Christ to all the world around us in all we say and do.

June 26 – Missionary Support: This offering will assist missionaries to spread God’s word throughout the world. Currently Grace Church supports Dan and Teresa Heath in Makaa, Dorothy Meyer in Belize, Istifanus Gimba with CRWRC, and Rev Sayler CRC Church planter in London, Ontario.

July 3 – Diaconate: The money collected by the diaconate is used to reach out to church family members and community members. These funds are also used to assist other activities such as the bike rodeo, senior’s dinner and mission/service projects.

· Please come Sunday mornings at 9am and join in prayer for our church and community. We meet in Room #2 (in the lower level)

· Join us for prayer following the worship services in the room at the back of the sanctuary. All requests remain confidential.

1. There is a worship service today at MapleCity Residence (97 McFarlane) at 2pm.

2. There is a worship service today at Chatham Retirement Resort at 3pm.

Please inform the office or your district elder if there are any announcements or concerns that you would like to go in the bulletin. Please have all bulletin items in by Wednesday 7pm. Office Hrs: Tues –Fri 9am–noon

Who We Are

We are called Christian because we confess, belong to, and follow Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

We are called Reformed because our history is rooted in the 16^th century Protestant Reformation. We continue to affirm the Reformation teachings of salvation by faith in Christ alone, and the Bible as the only rule of faith and conduct.

We are called Church because we are part of the universal family of God, through which our relationships to God, to each other, and the world are nurtured.

Facility Enhancement: At its last council meeting of June the 8^th, Bill Visser, chair of the FEC reported that the committee received 22 completed surveys from the congregation. On these surveys it showed that Option B received more support than Option A. After a lengthy discussion, council asked the Facility Enhancement Committee to study and prepare plans with a budget guideline not to exceed 1.5 million dollars. The FEC also reported that an architect will be put in place when plans will be submitted to the congregation for discussion. Any plans will be subject to congregational approval. The committee meets often; please pray for them that their work may be blessed. Submitted by Jake J – clerk of council

REMINDER: Next Sunday is the 1^st Sunday of the month – do you know what this means? You’re right – CADET POP CAN FUNDRAISER SUNDAY. Please bring your pop cans to the church Sunday morning and we will have Cadets on hand to help you.

FOOD DONATIONS NEEDED: It is important to give food to the poor in our community not only on special holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas, but throughout the year. We would like to encourage each of you to bring non-perishable food items to the church each month. There is a bin underneath the mail slots that we would like to fill up each month and bring to one of the local food banks: Salvation Army, Outreach for Hunger, and Praise Fellowship. Please help us by bringing non-perishable food items to the church this upcoming Sunday. Let’s make a difference in the lives of those around us!

LIBRARY NEWS: “Another Dawn” by Kathryn Cushman . Grace returns home from California, but is she returning for the right reasons? When costly decisions from the past suddenly put her son’s life and the lives of other children in town at risk, will she have the strength to stand strong and await Another Dawn? Check out her other books.

JOB OPENING: The CRC is looking to fill the position of Director of the Network: Connecting Churches for Ministry. Please see the details on the bulletin board downstairs.

SUNDAY SCHOOL: Well, another Sunday school season has ended and today we celebrate with the Grade 5 students as they graduate. I would like to take this time to thank all of the teachers, helpers, and hall monitors for their dedication and love for the children and their Lord. It has been another wonderful season of Walking with Jesus, and I pray that everyone has a safe and blessed summer. May Christ be praised! - Liz V, Sunday School Coordinator

OPEN HOUSE: Dorothy Meyer of the Presbyterian Day School in Belize will be visiting Chatham at the end of June. An open house in her honour will be held on June 29 at 7:30pm at the home of Mike & Kathy V. For further details please see the flyer in your mailbox.

NURSERY CALL SYSTEM: The new nursery call system, which will alert parents and caregivers if they are needed in the nursery, is now in effect at Grace CRC. If you see the last four digits of your phone number flashing on the screen at the front of church, please go to the Nursery.

Synod 2011 report: With an agenda totalling 695 pages, Synod 2011 had a heavy schedule. Here is a hint of what took place. The appointment of Rev. Joel Boot as interim executive director was approved. Synod received and approved a report from the BOT regarding the recent staff resignations. In other news, following some years of study, Synod approved the participation of children in the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. New translations of the Heidelberg Catechism, Belgic Confession and Canons of Dordt were accepted, but they will not appear in the back of the psalter hymnal published jointly with the RCA. Synod considered wording for the new form of subscription, called for a balanced discussion of the Belhar Confession, and rejected a request for a new study committee on the issue of homosexuality. For these and many additional news items you can read full reports on-line at http://www.crcna.org/synod, or look for the Banner coverage to come. Report submitted by Pastor William

· 1 OR 2 SHOPKEEPERS IN THE CARPENTRY SHOP: there is a kit to make the wooden sheep pull toy, you just need to help the kids make them

· 1 OR 2 PEOPLE TO SEW AHEAD OF TIME: sew sashes to tie around kids waists or heads to mark their tribes- so 11 each of 10 colours for a total of 110 sashes- it can be either cotton fabric or jersey knit, no fancy sewing

This year you are responsible for your own costume. We still have some robes left in the Friendship Room at Grace. Just return them washed when you are done.