First Reformed Church  • 630 State Street • Holland, Michigan 49423 • 616.392.8085 • WORSHIP SERVICE: Sunday: 9:30 AM

© 2014 First Reformed Church of Holland, MI.

Dear First Family,

 

Here is the update for March 31, 2020.

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I’m afraid we may have a tough week ahead of us, but our God will see us through, and he’s called us to be family TOGETHER.  Here are some ways to stay connected as the living body of Christ.

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  • One of the ladies from the prayer shawl ministry is knitting pocket prayer shawls to our shut-in members to remind them they are not alone. These will be mailed as they are produced over the next weeks, along with ‘tune in’ instructions for the services. 

  • Taylor has sent daily devotionals to our High School and Junior High students and their parents for them to do together.

  • Mark Kolean has offered to connect in remotely to members’ computers to help them be able to live stream the service if they have problems. 

  • Nancy Helder has received permission from the school to distribute contact information to tutors so they can keep connected with their Kids Hope students. 

  • Thank you for bringing, mailing, texting, debit from accounts, your offerings.  The deacons appreciate the response. 

  • Pastor Louis has posted an animated version of Psalm 130 on Facebook. 

  • Wednesdays ‘dinners together/apart’ continue at 6:00.  JP Sundararajan will be guesting with Pastor Louis this week. 

  • Sunday School lessons have been mailed by Pastor Meghan to our children.

  • Youth Sunday School via Zoom is on Sundays.

  • Current events is on Zoom on Sundays.

 

Two things in preparation for Palm Sunday and Easter.

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  • For Easter, please consider having bread and juice available for your family, as we will share communion together.  The Elders have approved this in-home celebration which will be led by Pastor Dan and Pastor Louis.

  • For Palm Sunday please consider taking a walk and clipping something green to use during our Palm Sunday Celebration.  Afterwards, it can become decoration to show Palm Sunday joy.                                                 

 

 

 Pastor Dan

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First Family,

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Here is the update for March 27, 2020.

 

I am grateful for a staff that is extremely nimble and can flex with a constantly changing situation. I am thankful for a congregation that prays and cares for each other. It is good that we have technologies that help us stay connected during this isolation. And some days of sunshine haven’t hurt either. 

 

Since the governor’s order this week, staff has been working from home. Their contact information is listed on the Facebook private group and also included in a letter to those who do not have email/digital connection. Please know that while Libby is not physically in the office, the office phone number is forwarded to her home. She will be available during regular office hours to answer 392-8085. 

 

Neighborhood Care groups have been doing wonderful work watching out for each other. The Youth have had an online bible study, Pastor Meghan is mailing home Sunday School lessons for the kids, and the current events Sunday School class is meeting by Zoom. We are the busiest site for the HPS lunch distribution, and worship will continue to be broadcast with a skeletal crew and recordings from various homes. And don’t forget the Wednesday livestreamed ‘dinner’ at 6:00. 

 

Please call if we can help. Please keep each other in your prayers. Pray for our country and our leaders, and that God will still this virus and keep our eyes on Him. 

  

Pastor Dan 

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First Family, 

 

Here is the update for March 23, 2020. 

 

We just received news that the Governor has ordered a ‘shelter in place’ with only necessary service personnel being able to go out.  The church building has been closed for meetings, but now the staff will be working from home.   

 

We will try to do some form of worship streaming, but we are not sure about the ‘suppers.’  We are exploring if there is a technology answer to recording from our homes.  Here is the information to connect.   

 

**Sunday morning worship at 9:30 a.m.  

  • Livestream:  go to website frcholland.org and click on ‘LIVE streaming First’  (This is live at 9:30 a.m.) 

  • Worship anytime: go to frcholland.org and click ‘SERMONS and SERVICES online’ and click on the appropriate date.   

  • Cable Access:  Our MORNING WORSHIP SERVICES are broadcast on Holland TV Public Channel on Comcast 24/916 - AT&T U-Verse 99 on Monday at 7:00 a.m., Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. and Thursday at 6:00 p.m. 

 

Wednesday Together Suppers Apart 

If possible - starts at 6:00 p.m. 

 

Lent Video Devotionals Continue 

These are available anytime:  here is the more recent one.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=muW1EsEmluY 

 

If you have an email address that you would like to give us, please call the church, 392-8085, and leave a message.   

 

If you need help getting connected to Facebook or the Livestream, the following people have volunteered to talk with you by phone and help you connect.   

 

Ben Ashby

Sara Olsen

Gary Morris

Tom Hardy

Mark Kolean

JP Sundararajan

 

It is an upsetting time.  Let’s pray for each other and remember the words of Psalm 46… 

 

God is our refuge and strength, 
    an ever-present help in trouble. 
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way 
    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 

 though its waters roar and foam 
    and the mountains quake with their surging. 

 

Pastor Dan