Grace United Reformed Church

08/07/2024

Come find us at the Alto Fair 2024 🙂

12/08/2023

Here is the obituary for Shirley Sjoerdsma who passed away last Thursday.
She saw more sorrows than most, she saw more joys than most. Through it all, Shirley had a sure trust in God, and God used her to encourage many.

Shirley D. Sjoerdsma, age 91, died November 30, 2023, at the Remembrance Home in Beaver Dam, WI, after suffering a stroke in January. Shirley was born July 31, 1932, the daughter of Henry R. and Hazel Prange Vande Zande, and grew up on their farm in the Township of Trenton

08/09/2023

If you are at the Alto Fair today or tomorrow, stop by at our table and say "hi." 🙂

10/12/2022

Attached is a new video from one of the missionaries we support. Word of Life Ministry is the outreach to Muslims work in Ontario done by Rev. Brian Zegers and others.
This is part of a seven video series on the Trinity they put together. These videos can be useful for preparing to speak with a muslim about the Trinity or for personal edification as we consider our Triune God.

Since when does 1+1+1=1? By using simple math, it seems it might be easy to expose the doctrine of the Trinity as absurd, illogical, and impossible. But is t...

12/06/2021

Here is the obituary for Calvin Walvort, who had a deep trust in our Savior Jesus Christ, and now has been taken home to our Lord. Cal was our oldest member, and a great encourager.
We pray for his family and friends who are left here below, but rejoice that Cal has no more pain (Revelation 21:4).

Calvin J. Walvort

11/04/2021

We will open our evening service this coming Sunday with "O Lord of Hosts, How Lovely" which is in the Trinity Psalter Hymnal. Here is a recording of the same setting of this Psalm by the "Psalm Choir."

Performance by the Psalm Choir of Psalm 84, Psalter 227 titled "Delight in Church Ordinances" from their CD "Fitting Praises Volume 8"The tune is named "St. ...

11/30/2020

This is the obituary for Bernie Vossekuil who passed away last Saturday. He was our oldest member. Whenever Bernie heard someone read from the Bible he would say "that's very true." And surely it is true that there is hope for eternal life in Jesus Christ;
"But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep." (I Corinthains 15:20).
Bernie died in the Lord, one who knew this sure hope. Our sadness is for his family and friends left behind, for Bernie there will never be any more tears or pain.

Bernard Vossekuil

06/06/2020

Dear brothers and sisters,

Please note that there will be a presentation with QA after the morning service both this coming Sunday (the 7th) and the following Sunday (the 14th).

On the 7th: Jennie Tietjen will be giving a presentation about the work of ECFA with time for QA afterward.

On the 14th: Rev. Nathan Brummel will, in addition to being pulpit supply, be giving a short presentation with time for QA after the morning service regarding the work at Divine Hope Seminary.

Blessings in Christ, Pastor P.F.

03/22/2020

From the Heidelberg Catechism (each of these will be read in the service tonight, our primary Scripture reading will be from I Thessalonians 5).
1. Q.What is your only comfort in life and in death?
A.That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. He has fully paid for all my sins with his precious blood, and has delivered me from the tyranny of the devil. He also watches over me in such a way that not a hair can fall from my head without the will of my Father in heaven;7
in fact, all things must work together for my salvation. Because I belong to him, Christ, by his Holy Spirit, also assures me of eternal life and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.
Lord’s Day 16
40. Q. Why did Christ have to suffer death?
A. Because God’s justice and truth require it: nothing else could pay for our sins except the death of the Son of God.
41. Q. Why was he “buried”?
A. His burial testifies that he really died.
42. Q. Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die?
A. Our death is not a payment for our sins,1 but only a dying to sins and an entering into eternal life.
43. Q. What further benefit do we receive from Christ’s sacrifice and death on the cross?
A. By his power our old man is crucified, put to death, and buried with him, so that the evil desires of the flesh may no longer rule us, but that instead we may offer ourselves as a sacrifice of thanksgiving to him.
44. Q. Why does the creed add, “He descended into hell”?
A. To assure me during attacks of deepest dread and temptation that Christ my Lord, by suffering unspeakable anguish, pain, and terror of soul, on the cross but also earlier, has delivered me from hellish anguish and torment.

03/21/2020

As stated in our church letter/email, this will be posted on our church door this coming Sunday (and for as long as the “livestream services” are to continue). “Dear Neighbors, we have our pastor and a few office bearers present today but this is essentially a “livestream service” day. Our Sunday services are being livestreamed (at the regular times; 9:30 AM and 7:00 PM) and can be found with a couple clicks from the home page of our church website, waupungraceurc.org . If you do not have a computer and you desire to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ faithfully preached (we always need the Good News of Jesus but we are being especially reminded of that at this time) this door is open and you are welcome to join us, however, please maintain a healthy distance from the few persons in the sanctuary. With love, Grace United Reformed Church.” Feel free to share this post to be seen by friends and neighbors.

03/13/2020

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As many of you know, the national media continues to focus on Coronavirus COVID-19. As Christians, we find peace in God’s sovereignty and grace at all times despite apparent apocalyptic news reports. We also must note that COVID-19 does pose a possible significant health risk, especially among our elderly or otherwise health compromised brothers and sisters. COVID-19 has a mortality rate of nearly 4% in the US, although other countries such as South Korea have mortality rates approximately 1%. Given the current knowledge of COVID19, our council has recommended the following:

• Suspend all routine handshaking before and after services (greeters/elders)

• Persons with Coronavirus symptoms (cough, fever, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal/muscle pain, fatigue) should not attend church gatherings

• Elderly and health compromised parishioners should consider live streaming the services

• Judicious use of hand sanitizer and/or hand washing

• Please refrain from routine visits to the elderly at this time


-Grace URC Council
(Note: this announcement and these recommendations closely follow the pattern of some of our sister churches in the URCNA)

02/03/2020

Please note a correction for the prayer calendar, it is Melissa Pausma's birthday today. Happy birthday!