Budget Listening Meeting

Thanks to all who attended the budget listening meeting last night. We appreciate the input. In the next couple of weeks you will be able to find on the website (www.egm.org) the plans for each of our ministry areas for this coming year as requested.

One thing we did not know last night was that a grant that we applied for from Christian Reformed Home Mission for the new executive pastor/administrator position was approved. This grant is a 12,000/8,000 declining grant over two years. We are very pleased that this grant has come through.

If you were not at the meeting last night we are planning on hiring a part time exec pastor to work in creating better systems, in making sure we are pursuing our projects in the best manner, and taking over general administrative work and oversight that is now done by me. We also plan to hire another part time secretary. We've found that as we've grown in the past two years from about 550 at worship to 800-900 at worship that the administrative demands have grown quickly.

If you have any questions about the budget you can contact the elders or deacons or the appropriate staff member. The final budget will be available online (on the website), in your mailboxes, and via an e-mail by June 12. The congregational meeting is June 24.

Graduation

We had a great weekend in Canada celebrating our daughter Gayle's graduation from Redeemer University. Here are a few of the pics from the weekend.

Our son Chris will be graduating from Holland Christian this week Thursday. A few people have inquired about an open house for Chris. We've decided not to have one because of how overwhelmed he gets at such gatherings. We do want to thank all of you who have prayed and supported Chris through his high school years.

Those Connections

I was reading in Lamenations this morning and came across this verse, "The joy of our hearts has ceased; our dancing has been turned into mourning." 5.15 esv These words are spoken as the people of Israel have been crushed by Babylon and are going into captivity. What a cool thing it is to see the words of promise at the dedication of the Temple (that Babylon destroyed) that when we return to God, he turns our mourning into dancing,

Psalm 30

Joy Comes in the Morning

A Psalm of David. A song at the dedication of the temple.

1I will extol you, O LORD, for you have drawn me up
and have not let my foes rejoice over me.
2O LORD my God, I cried to you for help,
and you have healed me.
3O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol;
you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

4Sing praises to the LORD, O you his saints,
and give thanks to his holy name.
5For his anger is but for a moment,
and his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may tarry for the night,
but joy comes with the morning.

8To you, O LORD, I cry,
and to the Lord I plead for mercy:

10Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me!
O LORD, be my helper!"

11You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
you have loosed my sackcloth
and clothed me with gladness,
12that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Memorial Day Weekend

We're on our way to our daughter Gayle's graduation from Redeemer University College in Canada this weekend www.redeemer.ca Gayle is presently working for the Work Research Foundation in Hamilton, ON (scroll to the bottom of the page and find her at www.wrf.ca/staff.cfm She's doing a study on the church and its impact on Urban life. This fall she heads off from Sanctuary Church in Seattle, WA for a year's internship www.sanctuarycrc.org

Present Message Series at egm

The Unseries

Crisp, clear, clean-the “Uncola”. Those of us with a few years under our belts remember the “Uncola.” The promise of 7Up to deliver a better taste than all those artificially colored Colas in the world. The Unseries takes the promise of the Uncola and moves it into a realm that really matters. Come to the Unseries and discover the crisp and clear understanding of things-like what Jesus is doing for us today, how the early church’s life impacts us 2000 years later, what it means to build an uncommon marriage and so much more. As summer comes and we look for a drink that refreshes on hot days, make sure you get the word that refreshes your soul. Come to the Unseries.

For those too young to remember the days of the uncola check out this link
www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/1479/