Hi friends,
Enjoy these excerpts from our weekly Connections newsletter for May 15, online in our blog during this pandemic. Subscribe now to receive them in your inbox every week. 
Jen  

The Coronavirus has come as a huge shock to us. Within a very short time it has radically challenged our attitudes and behaviors. Everyday tasks have suddenly become challenging. Social distancing brings new routines and sometimes spaces of loneliness. In the midst of this, our connection to God and our life of prayer, one that might have seemed centered and on track, can begin to feel troubled. What words might we offer as we seek to faithfully respond to where we find ourselves?

Find an invitation and resources from Pastor Kristen and Jen Boes to help us in finding words on our blog this week.  

WORSHIP WITH US: Ascension Day Service

Ascension Day Service: On Thursday, May 21 at 10:00am we will be live streaming an Ascension Day service on the “Ann Arbor CRC” YouTube channel. We’d love for you to join us!  (This is in place of the weekly Bible study)

GROW WITH US

Video Series: The Sabbath: A Biblical Perspective
Have you had a chance to check our our sabbath series videos yet? Click HERE to access the first two videos in this excellent and engaging series.

SERVE WITH US

Hope Clinic: Hope Clinic continues to collect donations for a number of items. The greatest read right now is for groceries, toilet paper and personal care items, and masks. Click HERE for their complete list of needs.

Sheltering at AACRC: We continue to offer housing to about 20 men. The greatest need right now is for people to sign up to bring a main dish for an evening meal. You can sign up HERE. For a more complete update, check the AACRC blog post on our website. Questions? Contact: Rachel Bush (rachelbush360@gmail.com)

Kid Connection Partnership

This past programming year our High School Reach students partnered with the adult volunteers in an intergenerational ministry for Kid Connection.  Twice a month the High School students joined in classrooms helping to lead the younger students in learning Bible stories, play games, and perform skits.  The younger students in Kid Connection began to form and strengthen valuable relationships with our older students.  Our older students benefitted from connecting with the adult volunteers and leading in a unique way during the Faith Formation Hour.  This multi-generational opportunity was an intentional component of programming based on one of the building blocks of faith, the knowledge that we all belong to God’s church.

If you’d like to hear more about Reach or how you can partner with our youth ministries, please contact Andrea Bennink, teen ministry coordinator at AACRC, via email at andrea@aacrc.org.

Cohort Detroit Update from Resonate:

“When Cohort Detroit met together for the first time in February 2020, they had no idea how COVID-19 would affect their city and the neighborhoods they serve. Within a few short weeks, Detroit reported more cases of the coronavirus than any other Michigan city (or entire county).

“We did not anticipate that what lay ahead would involve keeping social distance from our neighbors and each other,” said Nathan Groenewold, director of Cohort Detroit.”

Click HERE to read the entire article.