S U N S H I N E C O R N E R

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1 S U CADCADETS N S H I N E C O R N E R 2017 May 14 Happy Mother s Day May 15 Bloodmobile Noon 6 pm May 21 Last Day of Sunday School Year End Sunday School Meeting Following AM worship May 29 Memorial Day May 7 Pastor Jeff VanderHooft Member Update: If you have not turned in your Member Update form, please do as soon as possible to Lora in the office. The Deacons/Building Committee is seeking additional funds for renovating one of the parsonage bathrooms and to replace some rain gutters. Your help is appreciated! Welcome Pastor Jim and Winnie Petersen Pastor Jim was raised by Presbyterian and Reformed parents in San Diego, California, studied philosophy and theology at Dordt College, Westminster, Calvin, and Fuller seminaries. Winnie, a South Dakota farm girl and Jim met in concert choir at Dordt in They fell in love and were married in Heidi, Tracy, and Derek were added to their union and later found Christian mates. They have brought 7 precious grandchildren to the greater Petersen family. Since 1976 Pastor Jim has pastored churches large and small in Minnesota, Michigan, Washington, Iowa, and Illinois. He also did interim pastoral work in Nova Scotia, CA. He is excited about the opportunity God has given him now to serve God's family in Raymond, MN. Beyond work Winnie enjoys music, baking pies, grand parenting as well as knitting, needlepoint and reading. Jim enjoys traveling, music, film, reading, cycling, and daily strength training. Pastor Petersen s first worship service is May 14 th. Raymond Christian Reformed Church, rd Avenue South, PO BOX 155, Raymond MN website: rcrc@frontiernet.net

2 College Student of the Month Erica Bonnema is a senior as an online student at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. She will graduate in May with a major in early childhood education and a minor in special education. She will be graduating with a 4.0 and Summa Cum Laude Honors. This fall semester she will be doing her student teaching and then be applying for a job as a teacher. Erica keeps busy doing school work, working as a Substitute Paraprofessional at MACCRAY, cleaning at MN West Technical Campus and helping her parents around the house and at church. She babysits and spends time with friends during her spare time. She also teaches the preschool - kindergarten class for Sunday school. If you d like to send Erica encouragement, drop her a note in her church mailbox or by at: Erica.Bonnema@my.smsu.edu Introducing Hayden LeRoy Boonstra Welcome Emma Jo Olson Emma was born on March 13, 2017 to Adam and Amanda Olson. She weighed 7 lbs. and was 20 in. long. Grandparents are: Mike & Jolene Bonnema Great-Grandparents: Marge Groen and Geneva & Gordon Grussing Congratulations to Wilma Boonstra on the birth of her 9th Great-Grandson, Hayden LeRoy Boonstra. Hayden was born on April 21 st. He weighed 7 lbs., 13.7 oz. and was 20 ½ in. long. Hayden s Mom is Heather Boonstra and Grandparents are of Don and Julie Boonstra. Doug Erickson Rollie Ammermann Rose Epema Kendra Ahrenholz Ryan Wubben Emily Setrum Todd Post Tammy Slagter The Bloodmobile will be at Raymond CRC on Mon., May 15 th from 11 am to 5 pm. Contact Wilma Boonstra for an appointment.

3 Class of 2017 Commit your actions to the LORD, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:30 NLT You are all welcome to an Open House celebration honoring Ashley Roelofs as she graduates from Central MN Christian School on Friday, May 26th. The open house will follow the 7 pm graduation ceremony at the home of Lanne and Lori Roelofs. Ashley s plans are to attend Ridgewater College this fall to pursue a degree in Early Childhood Education. Ten Marks of an Effective Church 1. An effective church shares the gospel. 2. An effective church gives attention to worship. 3. An effective provides quality Bible study. 4. An effective church has quality fellowship. 5. An effective church grows disciples. 6. An effective church is a praying church. 7. An effective church grows faithful stewards. 8. An effective church ministers to people in need. 9. An effective church involves its members in missions. 10. An effective church is filled with love. Submitted by Wilma Boonstra 4 th Annual Community National Day of Prayer Raymond United Methodist Church Thurs., May 4 th Prayer Services to be held at 12:30 pm and 7:30 pm. All are Welcome! Memorial Day Monday, May 29 th REMEMBER OUR FALLEN SOLDIERS REMEMBR OUR MISSING IN ACTION REMEMBER OUR PRISONERS OF WAR REMEMBER OUR WOUNDED WARRIORS Words can't begin to describe how blessed and loved we felt at the overwhelming support we received in helping with expenses for Drew's adoption. We praise God for each of you and so appreciate your friendship and encouragement! Thank you so much for caring for our family! Garrett, Hollie, Kade, and Drew Hovland Quinn Mychael Burgstahler, infant daughter of Lucas and Laura (Bonnema), was born on Saturday, April 22 nd and entered the gates of heaven. Our prayers for the Burgstahler and Bonnema families.

4 honoring Bride-elect Jacob Ackerman Living Hope Church (formerly the Evangelical Free Church) 9:30 11 am on Sat. May 13 th Lisa is the Granddaughter of Arie and Kathy Tensen. Late Breaking News Latest news reports are that five terrorist cell groups gave been operating in many of our churches. They have been identified as: Bin Sleepin, Bin Fightin, Bin Complainin, and Bin Missin. Their leader, Osama Bin Lucifer, trained these groups to destroy the Body of Christ. The plan is to come into the church disguised as Christians and to work within the church to discourage, disrupt and destroy. However, there have been reports of a sixth group. A tiny cell known by the name, Bin Prayin, is actually the only effective counter terrorism force in the church. Unlike other terrorist cells, the Bin Prayin team does not blend in with whoever and whatever comes along. Bin Prayin does whatever is needed to uplift and encourage the Body of Christ. We have noticed that the Bin Prayin cell group has different characteristics than the others. They have Bin Watchin, Bin Waitin, Bin Fastin and Bin Longin for their Master, Jesus Christ to return. Which cell group do you belong to? And guess what, no church is exempt. However, you can spot them if you bin lookin. Submitted by Wilma Boonstra Raymond Community Vacation Bible School June 12 th 16 th Light Supper 5:15 to 5:45 pm VBS 6:00 8:45 pm Please consider being a part of this great week! We will learn how we were Created by God and built for a purpose! Each day a New Bible Buddy will teach us a New Bible Point. Volunteers needed for: Greeters, Kitchen Help, Nursery, and Crew Leaders. Watch for sign-up sheets in May! Contact Lora if you have any questions.

5 Youth Ministry Minute By: Garrett Hovland Lately, in JAM, we have been looking at God's heart for people of all nations throughout Scripture and what our role is in bringing the gospel to the nations. A beautiful picture of that culmination of worship is found in Revelation, "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb...And they cried out in a loud voice: 'Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.'" Missions exists because worship doesn t by John Piper Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever. Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions. It s the goal of missions because in missions we simply aim to bring the nations into the white hot enjoyment of God s glory. The goal of missions is the gladness of the peoples in the greatness of God. The Lord reigns; let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! (Ps 97:1). Let the peoples praise thee, O God; let all the peoples praise thee! Let the nations be glad and sing for joy! (Ps 67:3-4). But worship is also the fuel of missions. Passion for God in worship precedes the offer of God in preaching. You can t commend what you don t cherish. Missionaries will never call out, Let the nations be glad! who cannot say from the heart, I rejoice in the Lord I will be glad and exult in thee, I will sing praise to thy name, O Most High (Ps 104:34, 9:2) Missions begins and ends in worship. John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad! The Supremacy of God in Missions (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993/2003), 17. To learn a little bit more about the nations whom God has placed right next to us, we ate at the Somali Star in Willmar.

6 Jacob s heart beat faster as he climbed into the blue SUV. He dreaded the thought of facing his saxophone teacher, Mr. Burk. Are you okay? asked Mom. You seem upset. I don t want to go to my lesson, Mom. I know I ll do a rotten job of playing today. Jacob, you ll do fine if you practiced. Don t worry. Just do your best. That was the problem. He hadn t practiced this week Mom just hadn t noticed. Mom turned the car into Mr. Burk s driveway. Scooping his books into his arms, Jacob pushed the door open and shuffled out. Mr. Burk greeted him, leaning his six-foot frame against the wooden gate. Hi, Jacob, he said. I ve got a surprise for you! Jacob s eyes brightened as he followed his teacher into his backyard. A low hum echoed from the almond tree and grew into a buzzing roar as Jacob got closer. Thousands of honeybees swarmed around the trunk near a hive cradled in the tree s branches. Guess what bees are doing when they land on flowers? asked Mr. Burk. They suck the flower s juice called nectar and carry it to the hive to make it into honey. They make about sixty trips to a flower just to make one tablespoon of honey! Do all bees have jobs? asked Jacob. Read: Proverbs 10:4-5, A Lesson from the Bees They sure do, replied Mr. Burk. Every bee works hard. Worker bees build the honeycombs, and sentries watch for enemies and sting them. Other bees flap their wings to keep the temperature in the hive close to 95 degrees so the honey won t spoil. Isn t that amazing? Jacob nodded. Well, we d better go start our saxophone lesson, said Mr. Burk. Yeah, Jacob whispered. As he followed his teacher inside, he thought of the bees and how hard they worked. They did their best and he hadn t. His parents often talked about how the Bible encouraged hard work and doing your best for the Lord. Did that include the saxophone? I m sorry, Mr. Burk, said Jacob as he got out his saxophone. I didn t practice. But I promise, this week I ll work hard. I ll be as busy as a bee! DO YOUR BEST FOR GOD KEY VERSE And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. Colossians 3:23 Keys for Kids Devotional DO YOU WORK HARD AT THE THINGS GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO DO? It can be tempting to do only as much as you can get away with, but hard work helps you develop your talents and skills and one day God may want you to use them in a bigger way than you are now. Bring glory to God by doing your best in your schoolwork and whatever else you do.