The Vine - April 13, 2025

Please note that our newsletter is now in text only format - without images.

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The Wrecking Before the Resurrection

 

Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. - Philippians 1:6
 

Lately my office at church has been considerably noisier than normal! Between the pipes from the boiler banging and clanging and the road construction outside, there is a near constant mix of strange noises that all point to one thing: work needs to be done! I'd be lying if I said both of these things weren’t irritating, both the inconveniences caused by our fussy boiler and the dust and detours of the construction outside, but they have provided an interesting illustration for the Christian life that I would like to share with you as we enter Holy Week.

 

You see, God is at work bringing change and renewal to our lives. Just like road crews work tirelessly to fix, expand, or improve a road, or crews come in to dismantle, repair and replace pieces of a broken boiler system, God is at work in us, transforming us into the people he created us to be. Most often, change in our lives begins with some need for dismantling, a process of “wrecking” the area of our life that needs change.

As a result, life often feels like a construction zone, with destruction and noise that aren’t exactly comfortable. It can be messy and painful, which is one of the reasons that we can be so resistant to it. Like road construction that disrupts our daily commute, God’s work in our lives is often disruptive and involves changing course from our usual path. Like replacing an old worn out heating system, there is often a considerable cost and great deal of difficulty pulling out the old worn out system to pave the way for something new.

 
But we believe, rightly so, that God is faithful; and that the destruction of the old, with all its clamor and inconvenience, is not for nothing. We are assured that the final outcome will be worth the wait, as God's work is always intentional and purposeful. God is making all things new, and for that to happen, the old needs to be demolished. On the other side of that process, though, there is a promise of something new and better.

While scripture is filled with evidence that God works in this way, there is no place so profound as the cross of Jesus. At the cross Jesus’ life was broken, his flesh wounded and destroyed. More importantly, Jesus endured the reality of God's judgment, the final demolition that all human beings deserve. Jesus himself was without sin and did not deserve this, but still took our sin upon him. The brokenness of the cross was not the end but a part of the divine process of restoration, wasn’t it? A resurrection - a complete renewal - was coming just 3 days later, and with it all that God promised to those who put their trust in him.

As we begin Holy Week, we celebrate a God who wrecks our old broken down lives in order to make room for a better one rooted in and shaped by Him. May we grow in our trust of his work in our lives, even when it’s uncomfortable and messy, trusting that something new is on the way. When his work in that area of our life is complete, we will be ever the better for it.

                                                                                                                                                                                                               Blessings, Pastor Matthew

 

A Great Year for Sunday School

Sunday School has had a great year! Our younger class (grades K-5) studied the book of Exodus from the birth of Moses through the time of the plagues until the Israelites left Egypt. Next they followed God’s people through the 40 years of wandering in the desert. The Israelites went through a lot in the book of Exodus. They had to learn to trust God and to come to know that God always keeps his promises. The kids learned that while they had the fun that is teacher Ann’s class. Every so often, the older class would pause to listen to laughter that was followed up by the question, “What is God showing us here?”

 

The older group (6th – 12th graders) studies The Heidelberg Catechism. This year we finished the Deliverance section with lessons on the sacraments and then went through the Gratitude section, which teaches us about the Law and the Lord’s Prayer.

 

The study of The Ten Commandments is always compelling. In it we learn that the commandments are much more than just, “You shall not kill.” We always think that that is the one we’ll never break. But we always find out that that is the one we likely break the most. In the study of the 6th commandment, the writers warn us to be careful of the roots that lead to murder: anger, envy, hatred and vindictiveness. At this writing we are finishing up the study of The Lord’s Prayer. The group of boys that make up this class are great! They give the catechism their full attention but also are fun and funny. This year we started each class by everyone reading a “question of the day.” You never know what question you’ll get!

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                - Julie Vander Slik

 

What Do Kids Love about Children’s Worship?

The Children’s Worship season never really comes to an end! We are thankful to have a great group of kids that attend every Sunday and a great group of teachers and helpers that work together to make a special time for our kids to learn more about Jesus! We are continuing to go through our video series, The Jesus Storybook Bible, which the kids, by now, have come to know and love. What else do these kids love about Children’s Worship? Let them tell you themselves:

 

Anastasia: “My favorite thing is doing the crafts… and also the snack time!”

Eleanor: “Crafts!!! And also play time!”

 

Zeke: “I like to color with my friends, and I learn that Jesus is going to come back someday!”

 

Wyatt: “I want to go downstairs and color! And the stories!”

 

Gigi: “I love, love, love, love the craft! They always have a different, cool craft, and that is one of my favorite hobbies… especially the Jesus crafts!”

 

Koa: “I love the fruit snacks they have… and the toys!”

 

As you can see, we have some very enthusiastic kids who love to be a part of this ministry. And to the parents: thank you for letting us take care of your kids for a little while each Sunday!

 

                                            - Tracy Pearce and the other Children’s Worship teachers: Melody Flanders, Diane Hamstra, Lisa VanderMeer

 

 

EVERY TUESDAY MORNING

This may be one of the smaller groups that meets at West Leonard Church, but it has exceptional fellowship, fun, Bible study, Koa-empowered energy and Isla-sweetened friendship We have had a couple guests over this past year and are always eager for a couple more when we return in the fall.

 

Our group features playtime, Bible story, snack, fun crafts and more energy-burning play. On occasion we bake together and sometimes our own cookies find their way to Sunday coffee time. The kids are very proud of being able to serve you!

 

Earlier this year, we studied the story of Joshua and the fall of Jericho. The people followed God’s instructions and marched around the city and blew their horns and the walls came down. We made our own horns. After Koa made his horn, he immediately started using it with a very mighty shout. He said he wanted the whole church to hear!

 

Your Story Hour Team:

Maria Polonowski

Linda Rienstra

Staci Van Kampen

 

 

BOYS’ CLUB!!

The West Leonard Christian Reformed Church Boys' Club has had an incredible season. From outdoor events under the open sky, to tiring calisthenics (led by the boys), to crafting intricate custom wood projects in the wood-shop, our boys have shown their creativity, dedication, and faith in action. Join us as we celebrate their journey through hands-on projects, spirited competitions, and meaningful devotions.

 

We kicked off the season with an outdoor activity. We launched rockets using water pressure-- a thrilling blend of science and fun that sent spirits soaring. Next came a creative challenge: crafting wooden pumpkins, which showcased the boys' artistic talents. The mantle clock project tested their patience and precision over several sessions, resulting in stunning timepieces that reflected their hard work.   We closed out the season with our Pinewood Car Derby. This year’s cars proved to be more creative and also of higher quality. Colton led the pack by winning our annual derby race in front of a larger than usual crowd!

 

Beyond the hands-on projects, our gatherings were anchored in faith. Each meeting, we delved into devotionals, sparking thoughtful discussions that engaged everyone. These moments of reflection allowed the boys to connect deeply with each other and their faith, grounding our activities in the shared values of our faith.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                        - Paul DeKorte and Andy Pastars

 

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GEMS GIRLS CLUB - A YEAR IN REVIEW

Well, that’s a wrap for GEMS 2024 - 2025!

Our theme this year was Transformed!  How are we Transformed? We are changed by God’s Word from the inside out. Our theme verse came from Romans 12:2: Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will.

 

The girls connected with the concept of being Transformed by thinking about how a caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. 

 

We focused on learning from Jesus’ life and memorizing scripture to help us be transformed and make choices that please God.  Some of the stories we read together were the Ten Lepers, Jesus in the Temple, Satan tempting Jesus in the wilderness and Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. 

Our time together also included singing our theme song, “Totally Transformed,” along with some favorites such as “My Jesus” and “Listen to the Word of the Lord.”

 

Craft Time is always a favorite time for GEMS. The girls are so creative and enjoy making things that connect with our lesson or something that goes with the season and they can share with friends and family. This year we made paper butterflies, butterfly necklaces, God’s eyes, scripture wall hangers, winter gnomes and votive candles.

 

We celebrated our year with our annual trip to Altitude Trampoline Park for lots of pizza and jumping fun!

 

Thank you for your prayers and continued support of the GEMS ministry where Girls Everywhere are Meeting the Savior!

 

Lisa Wisneski, Barb DeKorte, Lisa Kuiper

West Leonard GEMS Counselors

 

 

 

BOILER BRIEF – EXPANDED VERSION

First. We are so thankful for all the work Gary Hinken and the Building Committee (Diane Hamstra as chair especially) have put in to keep the heat on these last few years. You are very appreciated. Thank you for keeping us warm!! But now it is time to retire our faithful old boiler.

The Ad-hoc Boiler Replacement Team has met with the engineer at Right Way Plumbing and Heating. The engineer has given us a proposal to furnish engineering, labor, materials, and mechanical services required to replace the existing steam boiler with a hot water boiler and heating system. This system will include all new insulated piping and new fin-tube radiators in the basement and connect piping into the existing radiators in the main level. This system should be a good replacement for our church for years to come.

 

This proposal will be presented to Council on April 21, 2025, for their review and approval and to bring to the congregation for their approval of the cost soon after. Please be in prayer for this process. This work is hoped to be completed this summer so the system will be ready for next fall and winter.

 

The Ad-Hoc Boiler Finance Team is looking at many possible ways to pay for the work and materials for this huge project. Grants, loans, fund drives, fundraisers, and Endowment Funds are all being investigated. These will also be presented to council April 21.   Stay tuned!

 

The Ad-hoc Boiler Prayer Team has been faithfully seeking God’s guidance, wisdom, and eventual warmth of our church as we move forward in the boiler replacement process and in faithful service in Gods Kingdom.   Thank you for praying as we meet! 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                        - Linda Rienstra

 

 

 

PRAY:

Lead – Heal – Protect – Save

by Jan Orcutt

 

A few years ago I came across a meme on Facebook with the words above, and have used them dozens of times to pray over family and friends who are struggling and/or don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus.  They give me comfort in knowing that my God hears my prayer cries, and that he will work in them through the Holy Spirit in his own time.

 

LEAD:  Lead, guide, and direct this person in their daily life, helping them to make good decisions, to have clarity of mind, and clear thought processes to have positive outcomes day by day.

 

Psalm 61:1-2  Hear my cry O God; listen to my prayer.  From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

 

Proverbs 4:11  I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths.

 

I John 3:7  Dear children, do not let anyone lead you astray.  He who does what is right is righteous, just as [God] is righteous.

 

HEAL:  Pray for healing in all ways – physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual.  So many people live daily with pain, addiction, mental illness, etc. and may not have the support they need or decline to get help.  By the grace of God, he can provide restoration if they will accept it.  Pray God’s will to be done through the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Psalm 30:1-2  I will exalt you O lord, for you lifted me out of the depths and did not let my enemies gloat over me.  O Lord my God, I called to you for help and you healed me.

 

Psalm 107:19-20  Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.  He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.

 

James 5:16  Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

 

PROTECT:  Pray for protection over this person in all ways – protect from harm and danger and from the evil one.  Surround them with love and mercy and comfort, and let them experience the calming presence of the Holy Spirit.

 

Psalm 32:7  You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

 

Psalm 40:11  Do not withhold your mercy from me O Lord; may your love and truth always protect me.

 

II Thessalonians 3:3  But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

 

SAVE:  Pray on behalf of this person for their salvation, and that our great God will save their soul through the sacrifice of his son Jesus.  Pray for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life with humble thanks.

 

Psalm 17:6-7  I call on you, O God for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.  Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.

 

Zephaniah 3:17  The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.

 

I Timothy 2:1-6  I urge then, first of all, that requests, prayers , intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – for kings and all those in authority that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men – the testimony given in its proper time.

 

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COFFEE BREAK REPORTS:

Tuesday morning Women’s Coffee Break Bible Study welcomed 43 women on our initial "roster.” We lost one woman when she moved away and had 2 or 3 others that were only occasional attendees. As usual we had some "snowbirds" that left for the winter. Our average weekly attendance this season was 25 to 30. There were 36 women at our end-of-year soup and salad brunch, held on April Fool's Day. There were huge disappointed moans when Jan Wierenga made an opening announcement that due to all the road construction, we had made the decision to cancel CB for the upcoming fall season.  LOL!

 

Most women were returnees, but as every year we had 2 or 3 brand new people, and the split was almost exactly 50/50 between West Leonard members and those from other churches, and maybe a couple women who have no church affiliation. The group is generally aging but we still have a few in their 30s and a small sprinkling of tots in Story Hour, headed up by Linda Rienstra with the help of Staci Van Kampen and Maria Polonowski and others who are willing to fill in.

 

The three groups and their leaders remain the same: Betty Bouwman/Lisa Kuiper, Jan Wierenga/Barb Dekorte, and Cynde Bunton/Mary Polonowski. Towards the end of the year, Jan Orcutt happily volunteered to be the piano accompanist for our opening singing.

 

As usual we met as a large group for songs and announcements before dividing into our 3 small groups. In those groups, prayer has become a very important precedent to our Bible Study. This year we studied the first chapters of Acts, then the book of Micah (not a favorite!), and finished with three selected Psalms. Also included in this year’s schedule was a welcome brunch in September, a Christmas Party and – unfortunately – a snow day.

 

At our end-of-season brunch, there were several testimonies and words of thanks for the learning and fellowship experienced this year.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                           - Mary Polonowski

 

UPDATE ON THE ENDOWMENT FUND

As many of you know, our West Leonard Endowment Fund was established initially with the profit from the sale of our parsonage in 2004, and the monies were placed in a mutual fund through the Olsson Investment Group of Wedbush. The initial goal of the endowment fund was to offset the cost of our pastor’s housing allowance in our church’s annual budget. The long-term goal is that through the growth of the fund and additional donations, the Endowment Fund will cover a greater portion of our budget.

 

The initial deposit to the Endowment fund in 2004 was $123,000; and in June, 2005, $6,200 was used toward our 2004/2005 fiscal year budget. In the time since then, our church has received a number of estate gifts and other contributions from our members. The fund balance as of December 31, 2024, was $497,291.62 and the available contribution amount for the end of our 2023/2024 fiscal year was $22,881.65. Due to strong giving by our congregation, we did not need to use anything from the Endowment Fund to balance our budget on June 30, 2024. Years like that allow our balance to grow for future years when we may need it more. What a blessing this has been for our church!

 

The larger the Endowment Fund grows, the more money will be available for our church ministries. This fund provides a means for members of our congregation to invest in the long-term stability of our church. Please consider the Endowment Fund in estate planning and/or an individual gift. 

 

If you have any questions, please talk to Mike Vander Wall, the chairperson of the Finance Committee.

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SPRING/SUMMER CELEBRATIONS!

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80+ Birthdays

April 27          Carol Tyler (92)

May 26           John Vis (95)

June 6             Merle Veenstra (84)

July 8              Marilyn Pardee (89)

July 17            Mary Polonowski (80)

July 21            Evelyn Veenstra (90)

July 30            Karen Kass (87)

August 8         Wayne Warners (88)

August 17       Ed Pardee (85)

 

Anniversaries

April 14          George & Jane Deremiah (18)

April 28          Gary & Teresa Allen (32)

April 30          Bill & Bonnie Wiersma (54)

 

May 2              Alex & Melody Flanders (5)

May 5              Ed & Jan Wierenga (58)

May 7              Bob & Marian Orange (59)

May 8              Gary & Laurie Hinken (45)

May 10            Andy & Victoria Pastars (23)

May 16            Ryan & Jenny Bylsma (10)

May 23            Glenn & Marlene Hudson (44)

 

June 2             Robb & Ann Wiersma (24)

June 13           Paul & Mary Cornish (22)

June 20           Mike & Rachel Vander Wall (27)

June 22           Gary & Jan Breen (58)

June 24           Bob & Karen Hengeveld (47)

June 24           Jeff & Ila Cole (31)

 

July 7              Michael & Mayme Becker (9)

July 8              Steve & Lisa Kuiper (37)

July 25            Aaron & Jennifer Pennington (10)

July 25            Matthew & Tracy Pearce (16)

 

August 2         David & Jane Heetderks (47)

August 6         Ken & Joanne Vander Slik (60)

August 9         Ken & Sherry Thomasma (52)

August 11       Justin & Liz Nguyen (13)

August 11       Dan & Lisa Wisneski (35)

August 15       Dusty & Lisa VanderMeer (22)

August 20       Dave & Laurie Tacoma (42)

August 21       John & Betty Bouwman (50)

 

Missionary Birthdays

April 19          Ken Van Weerdhuizen

June 11          Ruth Hoekwater

July 18            Robert Garcia

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TALES FROM THE ‘HOOD: WE ROCK!

Hi, again, everyone! And happy dappy spring! The spring has sprung and I am happier than a dog with two tails! Winter surely had it challenges on neighborhood patrol, and I needed to wear my stylish hot pink canine coat a lot! But spring—ahh. . . The warm air, the clear sidewalks, more people and more canine friends out and about! Yet, it is also what my grandma calls “orange barrel season,” and some of those orange barrels are very near to our beloved church. (Since we dogs don’t see much color, I view them as just barrels, but need to be certain to sniff each one.) As a “city dog,” I’ve been told that I need to get used to walking on busy streets, so I’m often required to spend a little time on Richmond if I want to get to the park but also on Leonard. Most Saturdays we walk around the library and greet people and kiddos and then up to church to get the day’s mail. I’m always thankful when there is mail in the box because that means grandma and I go inside church and that usually means a brief detour to this bright place downstairs where I can get a couple bites of a “people cookie.” Ah, the perks of good behavior! 😊 I’ve always been a bit apprehensive of those metal strip things on the stairs though, and so I’ve learned about a moving large box called an elevator. It was scary at first but now I prefer it.

 

Anyway, we’ve been watching the project requiring those barrels on Leonard Street (and also plumbers with noisy equipment who have been digging deep holes in neighborhood yards for something I was told is replacing water supply pipes), and I’ve noticed that there are plenty of rocks around. Familiar with rocks –

I am! Last summer grandma chatted with a nice young couple who had just purchased a home in the neighborhood. Because their front yard was on a hill, they were hauling a lot of large rocks to put around the edges to keep the dirt and grass and shrubs in place. The kids who live in the house right near the church parking lot have substantial rocks in their yard that they move around for fun, and their dad gave grandma some last year for her new little garden area. But over and above any rock project on my walking route is a guy who is quite intensely covering his entire front yard in an assortment of all sizes of rocks and cement chunks! It’s quite something to see, and, I might add, is taking forever! And, of course, my own dear grandma has used numerous buckets of rocks around our home. Her son and grandson even brought her some from their place. She told them that she has loved rocks ever since she was a girl and used her allowance money to buy “pretty stones,” and now as an old lady when she goes to a place called a museum, she’ll come back with a small bag of more “pretty stones.” In the present day, we’ve been known while on our neighborhood excursions to bring home a small rock or stone that grandma for some reason finds attractive. And did you know that some rocks are pets?! Grandma’s exceptionally sweet great nephew was over one day and showed grandma a painted box his grandpa had made for him and he wanted to open it and show us what was inside. Yours truly was so hoping for something to eat and grandma was so hoping that the contents weren’t alive, but alas - neither. It was a pet rock and it even had a face and a name!!

 

Turns out, though, that rocks are important! Who knew? Long before my time, grandma had a basket of rocks on the kitchen counter so that her kids and anyone else could ask, “What do these stones mean?” It’s a question and answer from the Bible, although grandma’s rocks were taken from Little Whitefish Lake, not the river Jordan. We still have one quite lovely rock on the kitchen windowsill and it has a name: Ebenezer. (It sits next to her small wooden prayer cross – the one she bought to replace the one I chewed on to make it look like the old rugged cross.) Ebenezer too is from the Bible, she said, and it means “stone of help,” or from the song my grandpa used to sing, “Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I’ve come.” And so every large rock we stop to admire is named Ebenezer! Does this help us relate to folks we meet in our neighborhood? Sometimes! My grandma can subtly turn a conversation about landscape rocks to talking about the ultimate Rock – her Jesus!

 

Hope all of you have a glorious and safe spring and summer. And if you see me and an old woman walking the streets around church – our little niche on this third rock from the sun - honk and wave! 😊

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ♥ Nova

 

P.S. Did you know that there is an enormous rock at Calvin U’s Fine Arts Center lobby? I heard grandma telling the story about seeing it when she went to an event for her grandson’s jazz band. (Said rock was not there when grandma attended Calvin in the ancient past.). Her grandson asked why on earth anyone would haul that monster rock into such a lovely facility. Grandma knew the answer: It’s an Ebenezer! And she explained to him the meaning. He thought that was pretty cool!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Missionary Anniversaries

May 21            John & Ruth Hoekwater

August 22       Ken & Chris Van Weerdhuizen

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