Blog – Page 6 – Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church

Reach out this fall!

October 13, 2020 / Jen Boes / 0 Comments

Ann Arbor CROP Hunger Walk

The Ann Arbor CROP Hunger Walk happened on Sunday, October 11! Our AACRC team was very small, but we reached our goal! We had a virtual send-off, and walking was independently done, but we raised over $2000 to help those in need in our community and around the world. Still like to donate? Every bit helps fight hunger. Click HERE to donate. Checks payable to CWS/CROP may be mailed to the church office by October 29.

Thank you so much!

Habitat for Humanity

There is one more upcoming volunteer opportunity with Habitat for Humanity. Please consider supporting our current “House of Faith” project by serving on:

Saturday, October 17 (9am – 4pm)

For more information contact Andrew Wiersma or sign up here.

Post-High School Packages

We would love to send love and encouragement to our post-high young people. Some of them are taking courses online, classes in person, a gap season so they can take courses in person, or some sort of hybrid situation. Regardless of their current path, we know that it is challenging and perhaps not as they had hoped it would be. Living in community, we invite you to join us in sending a note to all or some of the following young people. In the past we have sent care packages, but in light of our current situation, we will be sending cards and notes with a gift card.

Our post-high youth: Helen Brush, Eva Doorlag, Gannon Henke, Will Henke, Dane Hubers, Darian Karr, Christopher Lloyd, Kate Van Ee

Please read the following options for ways you can participate:

You can write your messages/cards and bring them to the church office or drop them off in the box on Hubers’ front porch. 2340 Nixon Road, Ann Arbor 48105
You can email your messages to Kimberly9198@gmail.com, and your message will be printed off and included in the envelopes sent.
If you would like to contribute a small monetary donation, please contact Kim Hubers at 734-657-3397 or Rachel in the church office. Checks can be written out to AACRC with “Care Packages” in the memo line.

Please drop off your items by Friday, October 16. (That is this week!)

Thanks for sharing your life. Know that a card, a picture drawn by a little one, a funny story, small joke, or a word of encouragement may just be what brightens the day for one of our young people.

Service Opportunity – Hesed Community Church

Saturday, October 31, 3-6pm

We have a service opportunity for 10-12 people interested in heading out to Hesed Community Church in Detroit for a few hours on Saturday, October 31. From 3-6pm that afternoon, we will be serving hot dogs, chips, and candy to the neighbors in that area. There may also be some tasks around the Brightmoor ministry house that they could use some help with, such as gardening, painting, etc. Masks will be required.

Not able to attend in person? We are also looking for donations of food items and candy. To sign up as a volunteer or to check out the list of items needed, click HERE.

Any donated items should be brought to church by Wednesday, October 28. Please label for “Hesed” and put in the kitchen or outside the church office door.

Questions? Contact Matt Admiraal

Rotating Shelter

month of November 2020

We will be hosting the rotating shelter of Washtenaw County for the entire month of November 2020, in partnership with other faith communities. Our site will also include a day-time warming shelter. Stay tuned to find out the different ways you can help make this happen.

Worship re-opening logistics

Hey Friends,

The Shepherding elders are happy to report that, beginning October 4th, we will begin to welcome a limited number of people back to 1717 Broadway for in-person worship. This will be our practice as long as we can continue it. The AACRC Council and pastors are continuing to put the safety of our people first and gain wisdom from our medical professionals. Whether streaming or a return to 1717 Broadway remains your best option, we are committed to living as one body. There is no expectation that you return to in-person worship until your situation allows it. Wherever you find yourself, we are bound together by the Triune God. We know that God covers us all with grace as we work to figure this out, and we appreciate your prayers and patience as we walk this road together.

For Sunday, October 4 (and following Sundays) we will have a limited SIGN UP for those who wish to be present for in-person worship. That number will be capped at 30. The sign up will close at 8pm on Saturday, October 3. If there is a waiting list, those who are on the list will have first priority for the next available Sunday morning worship opportunity. As we begin to welcome people back into the building on Sunday mornings for in-person worship, here are a few policies and procedures you should know:

Before You Arrive:

We encourage those who are in vulnerable populations (elderly, immuno-compromised, those that have traveled in the last two weeks) to stay home. We will see you on the live stream!
Check your temperature. If you are running a fever (Temperature 100.4 or greater) or are feeling ill in any way, please stay home and help protect one another. THESE are the symptoms of COVID-19 provided by the CDC. Please also stay home if you have had close or household contact in the last 14 days with someone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 (Close contact is being within 6 feet for >15 minutes, excluding those in a healthcare setting wearing proper PPE.)
Bring your mask. Masks are required in the building. If you do not have one, we have disposable masks at the site entrance for you. Per CDC guidelines, children under 2 years of age are not required to wear a mask.

When You Arrive:

Please enter the building through the Narthex entrance only, right off the upper parking lot. We will have the doors open for you. Please leave the upper parking lot available for those who may need to navigate our building without the use of stairs.
There will be no printed bulletin for the time being. The order of worship will be projected and you are welcome to download the liturgy from the website or print it at home and bring your own copy.
We will be color coding the pews in order to make sure that we can maintain social distancing. We will be filling our sanctuary from the center aisle by using the pews marked with green paper. We will have people on hand to make sure you can find a seat.
We will removing everything from the pews, including bibles and hymnals. So, if you desire to follow along the sermon with a bible, plan to bring yours from home.

During the Service:

Wear your mask.
Offering will be taken during our coming forward for communion. There will be a plate at the front of the sanctuary by the communion table.
Communion-We will celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion by coming forward as a family or individuals. We will make sure we keep distance from one another as we come forward with the help of an usher. Each person or family will receive a piece of bread from a pastor or elder and take that bread and individual cup and eat, and drink. They will place their cup in a receptacle. Hand sanitizer will be made available by the receptacle.

Other helpful reminders:

In order to help our custodian with sanitation processes, we ask that you please limit your movements to the sanctuary and, if necessary, the upstairs restrooms.
There will be no nursery or Children & Worship ministry during this time.
There will be no coffee hour during this time.
We will have multiple hand sanitizing stations throughout the building.

When you Leave:

We will dismiss you from the back of the sanctuary to the front of the sanctuary by row. Please exit the building through the doors in the narthex only.

Please don’t linger for fellowship in the building. If you desire to connect with others, please do so outside, while practicing social distance.

Cleanup Day 2 Sep 26!

September 22, 2020 / Jen Boes / 0 Comments

We had a great turnout on Labor Day for a workday to spruce up the church grounds. There is still a lot to do so how about getting together again this Saturday, September 26th at 8:30 am?

Bring any garden/pruning tools you have as well as chain saws for the big jobs.

Impromptu cleanup!

September 9, 2020 / Jen Boes / 0 Comments

Many thanks to Barb, who organized an impromptu cleanup at church on the holiday Monday. Many hands and great tools—including the “Corona” lopper—made for light work! (not pictured, but also hard at work were Bill, Jim, and Constantine)

Before: the jungle

getting our hands dirty, making good use of the “Corona” lopper, and having a little fun

After: lovely trees, beds, clean gravel, and blank slate near the sign

What’s happening fall 2020

September 3, 2020 / Rachel Redder / 0 Comments

I shared this update about what is happening at AACRC fall 2020 during worship on August 23. Wanted to share it again here, in case you missed it. – Pastor Ryan

I am a servant of this church as one of your three pastors and I’d like to give an update to you about what we’ve been working really hard on. Council members, elders, deacons, staff, pastors, we’ve continued to work very hard, as many of you have. We continue to think about what this church looks like heading into the fall and I wanted to give you that update. Continue reading

The simple gift of friendship

September 2, 2020 / Jen Boes / 0 Comments

Guest post by
Rhonda Workman, member of the Re-envisioning International Ministry Team

Dear Church family, loved ones of Ann Arbor CRC,

Below you will find a letter of invitation that will be published to international communities on U of M’s campus. As you can see, what we are offering to the international community is rather ambitious. But, as Grandma always said, “Many hands make light work.”

This is a new age that we are in. We are being stretched in so may ways, and thus, we must be creative. The need of the international students is still there. They are still “aliens in a strange land.” How can we, with the current restrictions, still serve them with Jesus’ heart and hands?

As you read through the invitation below (website coming soon), you will note many different ways to connect. Some might well be a long-term commitment while for others it may be appropriate to assign term limits, such as the seminars and discussion groups which will have identified topics.

I wonder if there are those of you who would be willing to share your expertise through a discussion group or seminar, if you would be willing to read stories to young ones, if you have great family recipes that you would like to share, or would like to help young students adapt to American schools and curriculum, or perhaps you just want to make a new friend through conversation?

Be creative, think of all the ways in which you might be able to share your knowledge, your heart, yourself and gain new friends from different countries along the way – a chance to travel during these historic times without leaving the comfort and safety of your own home.

Katharina von Kennel is our volunteer coordinator. Please reach out to her if you have any questions and especially if you would like to donate some of your time: email Katharina

“Friendship is the golden thread that ties the heart of all the world.” – John Evelyn
“A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.” Proverbs 27:9

Dear Friends, who we haven’t met yet,

Settling into a new country distant from your own, and especially at this time in history, can be daunting; therefore, we at Ann Arbor Christian Reformed Church would like to reach out to you in friendship to help ease whatever anxiety you may be facing.

Typically, at this time of year we would be sending you an invitation to participate in a one-on-one, face-to-face, cross-cultural relationship giving you an opportunity to experience American culture with an American. We Americans, then, would be learning more about you and your culture. Times being as they are with the Covid virus, this year we are offering you a different way to connect with us – through a website. Although this is not ideal, we would like to offer you a variety of ways to learn more about our country, our citizens and our culture but in the comfort and safety of your and our own homes.

On this website you will have the opportunity to request a Conversation Partner, someone with whom you can connect via a chat space such as Zoom or Facetime. A Conversation Partner is someone with whom you can practice your English, ask questions about our culture, ask for instructions or best places to get items you need. In short, a Conversation Partner is someone you can consider your friend and guide as you live in a “strange place.”

There will be additional opportunities on the website to learn about America, as well. You will find seminars, discussion groups (one topic being about our politics especially as we are in an election year), book clubs, a cooking club, story hour for your younger children (to keep them occupied and give you time for a cup of tea), help for your children with their homework as they transition to American schools, and perhaps if you are curious, you might sign up for a Bible study to learn more about what Christianity is about, but that will be your choice and will not be pushed. We are aware that many see the United States and Christianity as walking hand in hand. So, this will be yet another area for you to learn about, if you wish.

Hopefully, eventually it will become safe to come together and meet face-to-face and then we can all celebrate and be glad together.

Worship fall 2020: Acts of the apostles in a culture of change

September 1, 2020 / Rachel Redder / 0 Comments

the static and dynamic nature of the called people of Jesus

For fall of 2020 we invite you to join us for a worship series on the book of Acts in the Bible. Acts is a book about the disciples of Jesus following the call of their Lord into the world to be his witnesses. They are led by the promised Holy Spirit into the future of the kingdom. This future was unknown and sometimes difficult. The Church was built through the acts of the faithful, empowered by the Spirit in a brave new world. Today, the Church continues to move forward toward God’s good future. We are guided by the Church who went before, and yet we continue to move into an unknown future. This fall we will look at how the Church lived in this tension of being rooted in Christ and led by the Spirit so that we too may stay faithful to the call of Christ on our lives and participate in God’s coming kingdom.

Reading plan

You are invited to read the chapters in the week approaching each Sunday as you prepare your heart to hear God’s word

September 13 Acts 1-2
September 20 Acts 3-5
September 27 Acts 6-7
October 4 Acts 8-9
October 11 Acts 10-11
October 18 Acts 12-14
October 25 Acts 15-17
November 1 Acts 18-20
November 8 Acts 21-22
November 15 Acts 23-26
November 22 Acts 27-28

Sundays in Acts, fall 2020

Sep 6, 2020: Acts 1, Our Call and our Center (Pastor Ryan)
Sep 13, 2020: Acts 2, Our Guide and our Path (Pastor Noah)
Sep 20, 2020: Acts 4, Peter and John before the Sanhedrin (Pastor Ryan)
Sep 27, 2020: Acts 6, The choosing of the seven (Pastor Kristen)
Oct 4, 2020: Acts 8:26-40, Phillip and the Ethiopian (Pastor Ryan)
Oct 11, 2020: Acts 10, Peter’s Vision (Pastor Noah)
Oct 18, 2020: Acts 13, Rooting the way of Jesus in the Hebrew bible (Pastor Ryan)
Oct 25, 2020: Acts 15, The council of Jerusalem (Pastor Ryan)
Nov 1, 2020: Acts 16:16-34, Paul and Silas speak the gospel to power (Pastor Kristen)
Nov 8, 2020: Acts 17, Paul in Athens (Pastor Ryan)
Nov 15, 2020: Acts 27:27-44, The shipwreck (Pastor Ryan)
Nov 22, 2020: Acts 28: 17-31, Paul preaches in Rome (Pastor Noah)

Worship streams live every Sunday on YouTube at 10:30 am
Find a weekly worship link on our homepage aacrc.org, archives at aacrc.org/sermons, or find us at YouTube.com/AnnArborCRC/videos.

You are invited to join a house group and dive a little deeper into Acts this fall. Email Rachel at the church office to find a group.

Book Study: God and the Pandemic, September 2

August 30, 2020 / Jen Boes / 0 Comments

New Book Study Opportunity

Hey Friends,
I wanted to invite you to a Zoom book study the first week of September! It’s on a short book written by pastor, bishop and theologian N.T. Wright. It’s called “God and the pandemic” and it’s a great read that helps us begin to think about the question of “what should the Church be doing right now in times like these?” You can watch a short intro video and order the book at this website for “God and the Pandemic”.

I will lead the Zoom discussion on this book on Wednesday, September 2 @ 7:00PM.

Pastor Ryan

Women’s Ministry – Journey Together in 2020-21

August 3, 2020 / Jen Boes / 0 Comments

Women are invited to participate in our second year of journeying together with small group and large group gatherings this fall! The pandemic is making us reevaluate how we do things, but also makes it all the more important that we gather and journey together.

Small groups for 2020-21

Fall 2020 we will be studying Everything Happens for a Reason: and Other Lies I’ve Loved by Kate Bowler. Small groups will be offered:

1^st& 3^rdWednesday mornings
1^st& 3^rd Wednesday evenings
weekly Wednesday mornings
2^nd& 4^th Monday evenings

Please email our Women’s Ministry Leadership Team to join in – we’d love to have you! (If you participated last year, please reply to the email from your group’s facilitator.) You can join a group any time. However, replying by August 15 would be helpful for a group book order & to allow us to organize the groups.

Large group gatherings

Plans are for 2-3 fall/winter large group gatherings. (Since these activities may be affected by the pandemic, please watch for details closer to the events.)

Kick off brunch in early September (this depends on how we are able to gather at 1717 Broadway)
Bonfire in late September or early October
Advent by Candlelight on December 7

2019-20 was the first year of our re-formed Women’s Ministry. Over 70 women participated in small groups, delving into the liturgies of everyday life and walking through two books in the Bible, Jonah and Ruth, considering what it means to follow Jesus boldly. When the “Stay Home Stay Safe” order was enacted, some groups were able to transition to online gathering. In the midst of this unusual time, we are trusting that God will bless us as we journey together in the year ahead.

Members of the Women’s Ministry Leadership Team for 2020-21 are Kellie Steen, Kaitlyn Lubbers, Deb Weener, and Rita Aagenas.

In-person worship reopening logistics for July 19

July 16, 2020 / Jen Boes / 0 Comments