May 12, 2024 Bulletin Announcements
Edge Youth: Help us send Edge Youth off on their RYM trip to Colorado with care packages! There are bags with names and a little info about who they are and the snacks or drinks they like. Please grab a bag, fill it with what you please, and return it to church before June 7. There is also a list of everyone going on the trip, grab a bag and please be a prayer warrior for the trip.
Vacation Bible School: Join us for a fun-filled week of being immersed in the Word and discovering what Living Water is all about! Mark your calendars for Vacation Bible School for June 10-14. Please get signed up by May 26! (No walk-ins this year.) Helpers: We also need more adult helpers for the week. If you can help, please sign up on the sheet at the registration table or talk to one of your church’s VBS Directors!
May 5, 2024 Bulletin Announcement
THANK YOU for your generous donations to the RCW Funding Focus: Fellowship Room Electronic Piano! A total of $1,775 was raised! The worship committee will choose a piano to purchase. Thanks again for your support!
Food Shelf: The Food Shelf is in need of the following items: Cereal, toilet paper, spaghetti, spaghetti sauce, canned vegetables & fruits, soups, crackers, ketchup, peanut butter, hamburger helper, pancake mix & syrup.
April 26-27, 2024 Presbytery Summary
Summary of the 41st Stated Meeting of Rivers & Lakes Presbytery April 26-27, 2024 Aplington, IA
Moderator TE Ted Tromble opened our meeting with singing and prayer.
TE Doug Hull welcomed us to Aplington EPC.
Clerk’s Report: On behalf of the Coordinating Council, TE Annie Rose presented three proposed amendments to the RLP Bylaws, which will come to a vote in September. She also reminded all that General Assembly is June 18- 20 in Memphis. Session Clerks need to submit the online endorsement form for Ruling Elder Commissioners.
April 28, 2024 Bulletin Announcement
RCW Funding Focus: Fellowship Room Electronic Piano
Today is the LAST DAY to donate to the spring FRCW Funding Focus: Fellowship Room Electronic Piano. Please take an envelope from the display near the welcome desk, insert the dollar amount on the envelope (or any amount you’d like to give), and put it into the marked box. Thank you!
Morning Coffee Volunteers: There is a signup sheet looking for volunteers to help with morning coffee before church. If you want to be added to the schedule, please talk to Tricia Jouwstra or Caty Arp.
April 21, 2024 Bulletin Announcement
RCW Funding Focus: Fellowship Room Electronic Piano
There’s just one week left to donate to the spring FRCW Funding Focus: Fellowship Room Electronic Piano. Please take an envelope from the display near the welcome desk, insert the dollar amount on the envelope (or any amount you’d like to give), and put it into the marked box by Sunday, April 28. Thanks for your generosity!
Morning Coffee Volunteers: There is a signup sheet looking for volunteers to help with morning coffee before church. If you would like to be added to the schedule, please talk to Tricia Jouwstra or Caty Arp.
Niger Mission Trip: Final Update
The last four days have been a blur; so much to do with not enough time.
On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, we performed a few surgeries and procedures. There were a lot of things to think about and go over before we left on Friday.
April 14, 2024 Bulletin Announcement
FRCW Funding Focus: Fellowship Room Electronic PianoThe First Reformed Church Women (FRCW) are having a fundraiser to purchase an electronic piano for the fellowship hall. An electronic piano is lighter and more portable than an actual piano and does not need to be tuned. An electronic piano could be connected to the sound system, if needed, and could also be used in the sanctuary if three pianos are played together. Please choose a donation amount envelope from the display near the welcome desk. Insert the dollar amount shown on the envelope (or any amount you choose to give) and put it into the marked box by Sunday, April 28. That’s all – no cooking, baking, working, or time needed! Thank you for your help and generosity!
Niger Mission Trip Update #3
More updates and blessings from Africa!
Yesterday, we attended a local church for Sunday worship. The service started at 9:00 and ended at 11:50. All the members were excited to enter and praise! The first hour was praise and worship, with the kids' choir, junior choir, and women's choir.
Niger Mission Trip Update #2
Hello again from Africa!
Most things have stayed the same. We have everything unpacked and set up for surgery next week. Unfortunately, the power supply has not been cooperating with us. The whole building needed to be rewired to meet American electrical standards. This was mostly completed by the time we arrived, but by the time we had everything ready to plug in, the power grid was too unstable to power up 14 plus machines that the clinic has.
April 7, 2024 Bulletin Announcements
Jr. High Fusion Taco Supper: On Wednesday, April 10, we will be having our Annual Jr. High Taco Supper from 5:30-7:00 pm. All are invited to join us for tacos and root beer floats. The money raised will go towards their RYM trip in August. Thank you for supporting our youth!
FRCW Funding Focus: Fellowship Room Electronic Piano
The First Reformed Church Women (FRCW) are having a fundraiser to purchase an electronic piano for the fellowship room. An electronic piano is lighter and more portable than an actual piano and does not need to be tuned. An electronic piano could be connected to the sound system, if needed, and could also be used in the sanctuary if three pianos are played together.
Niger Mission Trip Update #1
Greetings from Africa!
We spent the majority of the first three days traveling to Africa. We left on Friday and finally arrived on Monday morning. We were blessed to attend Easter Sunday services in Niger, and they asked us to serve the sacraments to the congregation. We arrived at the church building at 9:30, and the service ended at 11:50. There was a lot of praise and worship, dancing, testimonies, and a Profession of Faith. Many rejoiced because it was Sunday, and they could attend church!
March 31, 2024 Bulletin Announcements
Jr. High Fusion Taco Supper: On Wednesday, April 10, we will be having our Annual Jr. High Taco Supper from 5:30-7:00 pm. All are invited to join us for tacos and root beer floats. The money raised will go towards their RYM trip in August. Thank you for supporting our youth!
March 24 Bulletin Announcements
Maundy Thursday Brunch at First Reformed Church on Thursday, March 28 at 9:30 a.m. Coffee and muffins at 9:00 a.m. Guest speakers this year include SWC students and other church members who will share about their trip to En-Gedi Children’s Home in Kenya. The free-will offering will go to the En-Gedi Children’s Home which Margaret Njuguna founded. All women of the community are invited.
March 17 Bulletin Announcements
Bloodmobile: There will be a Red Cross blood drive at the First Christian Reformed Church in Edgerton on Monday, March 25, 2024 from 12:30 until 6:30. Please call Betty at 507-227-8416 or fbhuisken@gmail.com to make or to confirm an appointment. Can we collect 75 units of blood for use by the Red Cross for someone/somewhere. There is a constant need for blood. Every 2 seconds someone/somewhere in the U.S. needs blood. Only 3% of eligible people donate. Anyone 16 years and older and in good health is able to donate. We encourage our younger people to step up and make a donation for someone/somewhere.
March 10 Bulletin Announcements
Coffee Break Bible Study will host a special meeting on March 20 at First CRC in Edgerton and invite all women to attend. Mr. Brian Busker, a teacher at SWC, will speak on the history and basic beliefs of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Brunch will be served at 9:30 a.m. in the Fellowship Room. Story Hour and a nursery will be provided. Brian will also speak at the Coffee Break Bible Study evening at 6:30 p.m.
March 3, 2024 Bulletin Announcements
Prayer Chain: Stay connected with our faith community through prayer requests and updates. Text EFRCPRAYER to 84576 to subscribe and be a part of this powerful network of prayer. If you have a prayer request to add to the Prayer Chain, you can text or call 507-369-6275. We suggest putting this number in your contacts, so you have it when you need it! Prayer items will only be added to the Prayer Chain by request.
En-Gedi Mission Trip Update #10 (Final)
Friday, February 16
We spent part of Friday morning and part of the afternoon with the En-Gedi children.
Our usual routine when spending time with them was to put our aprons on and greet the kids who could communicate. Then, each of us spent a few minutes with the immobile, non-communicative children, talking to and touching them, trying to coax some smiles, giggles, or other responses.
February 25, 2024 Bulletin Announcements
Note: On Tuesday, February 27 the EHS students will be in the fellowship hall doing a practice ACT session. Please refrain from entering 8:00 a.m.—12:00N.
Marked By Grace: Our Lenten devotional series will take us through the Gospel of Mark. With our final reading being the resurrection story in Mark 16 on Easter Sunday. Each day has a Bible reading, a short reading about the passage, and some questions for you to consider. You can find them every day on the blog on the church website. On the website, you have the devotional content and a link to the scripture reading. There is a quick link to the devotional content efrc.me/devo. We will also post the link to the daily devotionals on our Facebook Page. The printed out devotionals for February 21-March 2 are on the table in the Narthex.
En-Gedi Mission Trip Update #8
We spent much of the day with the En-Gedi kids. We played with large Lego blocks, sang songs (and made up some new, silly verses), and tickled some toes that peeked out of socks. Some of the older children seemed to be in a silly mood! One untied Karen's apron strings when she turned her back to him.
What a joy it was to hear their belly laughs and listen to them singing praises to our God, each in his or her own special way!
En-Gedi Mission Trip Update #7
We ate an early breakfast and were on our way back to Kitengela by 8 am. We arrived at En-Gedi around 1:30 pm, grateful to be back.
Following a good, hearty lunch, we carried our bags to our rooms, unpacked, and rested for a while.