Celebration Midweek - April 29

There is so much talk today but little conversation.  It is more important to have someone agree with you than to actually let someone have their own opinion.  Many arguments never end until one person is "convinced".  I cringe when church members do this in public.  There are so many great moral causes to get behind and everyone has their specific "hot button" that they want you to have too. But is that the role of the church?  Is our job to push a certain agenda or cause or argue until someone submits to our moral stance?

Carlos A. Rodriguez puts it this way: “Our task is not to protest the world into a certain moral conformity, but to attract the world to the saving beauty of Christ.”   We do want to help reform our culture to inhabit godly morals but this starts with guiding people to know Jesus first.  Can we keep this in mind when we talk with our friends, co-workers, and even those we haven't met before?

1. Noteworthy Events

- SUNDAY, "Caring For Aging Parents" - Join us on Sunday at 9:00AM for this special Adult Sunday School class.

- SUNDAY - The Mosaic Small Group meets in the Oasis Room after worship.

- May 7, National Day of Prayer - There will be a morning prayer breakfast, noon rally at the County building, and an evening rally at Orchard View HS.  

- May 9 - Saturday in the Park, Noon-5:00PM - This event in McGraft Park links together area churches and non-profit organizations with the goal of meeting the many needs of our community.  Our Praise Band will play and we will hand out ice cream and cookies!  Doesn't that sound awesome?
- August 5-8, Unity Fest - You can get discounted tickets ($20 - 1 day, $35 - 3 day) if you order by May 31.  Contact Robin Harper for more info.

2.  Youth Ministries
- TONIGHT, Youth Ministries at Calvin Church, 6:30-8:00PM - (ages 4 years to 8th grade)  Little Peeps =  Lesson "God Sends Help"and ice cream sundaes; GEMS = Last Night Celebration!  We will be bowling at Sherman Bowling Center and returning for our Badge Ceremony.  Cost is $5.00 per student. Cadets = Craigs Cruisers Night – please be on time, we are leaving at 6:30pm SHARP; Middle School = Year End Party – Wear clothes that can get wet please!!!

- SUNDAY, High School Youth Group at Calvin Church, 6:00-8:00PM.  Starts with dinner!

- May 15, Paintball at Grace Adventures.  Contact Brian Kingshot for more info.

3. Sunday - How seriously must we deal with sin in our lives?  If we ignore it, maybe it will go away?  JTLYK, Jesus doesn't play when it comes to sin!  With that in mind, we continue our next series on Sunday, "Things I Wish Jesus Never Said."  (Matthew 5:29-30)

4. Glenside Community News

- Dumpster Day - Saturday, May 16, 8am - 12 noon.  Dump your junk for free in the city dumpsters lined up near the entrance to McGraft Park. No yard waste or hazardous waste, please! Be prepared to show your driver's license as proof of residency.

- Glenside Yard Sale - Saturday, June 6.  Every year for the last 20 years, over 60 homes participate in this event that draws hundreds of shoppers to Glenside.  Contact Pastor Matt to see how you can help!  

5. YOU ARE NEEDED - You use Powerpoint at work or school.  Please consider being using it at church as part of the Data Team.  Contact Pastor Matt or Eric Fifolt for more info.

6. Prayers  

- YAY!  Jim Espinoza’s surgery on his wrists went well.  However, he will be sore for several weeks.
- Pray for a recent attendee who has begun treatments due to her Hodgkins Lymphoma.  They are hopeful since she has been battling this for the last few years but there may be financial difficulties to come.
- Please pray for Zach, teenage son of a co-worker of Sheri Doctor.  he is paralyzed from a dirt bike accident last week.  This week he will be moved to Mary Free Bed.
- Pray for co-workers.  Some are very unhappy and unkind to others; some have recently been let go from their jobs unexpectedly.
- Linda Bergman requests prayer for the family of Jessica Heerenga, as it has been 2 years since her disappearance.
- Reyes wants us to pray for several unruly and rude passengers on his bus, including some who are Christians behaving in an un-Christianlike manner.
- Pray for the Nepal earthquake victims and their families
- Please pray for Duane's continued healing as he starts physical therapy this week.
- Terry Lacy injured his knee at work and feared it was going to be a serious injury; however, he was healed by the very next day!
- Patti Lacy praises God for giving her His peace about her upcoming surgery.  Pray that the surgery will be an amazing success.
- Pray for the "Saturday in the Park" event on May 9 at McGraft Park.

- Pray for "disagreeable" pastors who are having trouble being a shepherd for God's flock.

- Pray for churches without pastors and their search.  May God bring the right shepherd.

- Pray for our classis meeting on Thursday, April 30.

- Pray for Pastor Matt's friends Joe and Rachel and their unborn child, Jack.  Complications before birth can be quite unnerving.

-- 

Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.                            
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

6 Things to Know This Week

The theologian Karl Barth was once asked by a student to summarize the most important points of all of his writings.  He said, "Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so."  Of all the things that he could think of Barth points out the fact that knowing that Jesus loves him is the most important point that a person can glean from all of his theology books.  

It sounds so simple that we might dismiss it too quickly.  How unnatural is it that Jesus loves us despite knowing exactly who we really are?  Doesn't he have any taste?  Where are his standards?  In all of our brokenness, dysfunction, betrayal, and selfishness, Jesus says, "I still love you! Do you know that?  I-Love-You!"

May you grab hold of God's unimaginable grace that has grabbed hold of us. Remember that Jesus loves you.

1. Noteworthy Events

- FRIDAY - Pray for Muskegon - Take time on this Friday to lift up in prayer to our God the needs in our community, church, county, state, nation, and world.  Remember that your prayers matter!

- SUNDAY - The Next Steps Class meets at church after worship.  Get a clearer look at Celebration and what your next steps may be here.  We will have lunch first in the Oasis room.  Contact Pastor Matt if you would like to attend.

- SUNDAY, Adult Sunday School, 9:00AM in the Nursery.  Join us as we journey through Corinth.

- SUNDAY - The Seekers Small Group meets in the Oasis Room after worship.

- May 3 - "Caring For Aging Parents" - Join us on Sunday at 9:00AM for this special Adult Sunday School class.
- May 9 - Saturday in the Park, Noon-5:00PM - This event in McGraft Park links together area churches and non-profit organizations with the goal of meeting the many needs of our community.  Our Praise Band will play and we will hand out ice cream and cookies!  Doesn't that sound awesome?

2.  Youth Ministries

- TONIGHT, Youth Ministries at Calvin Church, 6:30-8:00PM - (ages 4 years to 8th grade)  Little Peeps =  Lesson "Going Home"; GEMS = Lesson: "Change of Heart", Craft: Earth Day Craft!; Cadets = Oriole Bird Feeder; Middle School = Lesson "Is the Old Testament More Important than the New Testament?"; 

- SUNDAY, High School Youth Group at Calvin Church, 6:00-8:00PM.  Starts with dinner!

- May 15, Paintball at Grace Adventures.  Contact Brian Kingshot for more info.

3. Sunday - How many times have you read something that Jesus said only to respond with, "Wow, that is hard to do!  How am I ever going to follow that command?"  With that in mind, we start our next series on Sunday, "Things I Wish Jesus Never Said."  (Matthew 7:1-5)

4. Glenside Community News

- Dumpster Day - Saturday, May 16, 8am - 12 noon.  Dump your junk for free in the city dumpsters lined up near the entrance to McGraft Park. No yard waste or hazardous waste, please! Be prepared to show your driver's license as proof of residency.

- Glenside Yard Sale - Saturday, June 6.  Every year for the last 20 years, over 60 homes participate in this event that draws hundreds of shoppers to Glenside.  Contact Pastor Matt to see how you can help!  

5. BOOKS! - Sunday is the last day to pick up the extra library books off the table in the entryway.  Check out other books in our library too!

6. Prayers  

- Brian and Sue Vredevoogd asked for prayers for their friend Frank whose cancer has returned.  They ask for God's wisdom for Frank and his family as they deal the road ahead.

- Pray for friends who battle mental illness.

- Duane Gray continues to have tests done on his eye and thyroid gland.

- Congratulations to Cody and Morgan Evans at the birth of Michael Grady Evans on Saturday.  He is 6lbs,15 oz, 19.5 inches. 

- Pray for healing within family relationships, for some a little at a time.  We celebrate the baby steps towards renewal.

- Pray for those who are worn out and broken.  May God be their strength and also give them strength.

- Pray for wounded hearts that God would bring healing.

- Pray for the many people who have lost loved ones this year.  May the grief and pain not linger long and become less intense as the days go by.

- Pray for Jim Espinoza as he has hand surgery planned for April 27.

- Pray for Patti Lacy who has been cleared for knee surgery on May 5.

- Praise God for all of the blessings he gives you every day.  

- Pray for our guests the past few weeks.  May God help them along their journey to grow closer to him and to his people.

- Pray for Harold West's friend who has stage 2 pancreatic cancer
- Pray for the unspoken issues in our lives that we need God's guidance and direction to resolve.
- Pray for Celebration's construction project.

- Bob Jackson gives thanks to God for all of the ex-offenders who have been placed in jobs to start a new lease on life.

-- 

Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.                            
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

Celebration Midweek - April 15

Tax Day!  The rule is that everyone wants the benefits from the taxes but no one wants to pay them.  Government is not cheap or free.  Neither is ministry.  May we remember that when we support both with our money.  Also, today we think of all of the CPAs we know and love.  May they get some needed time off after today!  Hang in there Steve and Ranae!

1. Noteworthy Events

- SUNDAY, Adult Sunday School, 9:00AM in the Nursery.  Join us as we journey through Corinth.

- SUNDAY - The Mosaic Small Group meets in the Oasis Room after worship.

- April 24 - Pray for Muskegon - Take time on this Friday to lift up to God in prayer the needs in our community, county, state, nation, and world.  Your prayers matter!

- April 26 - The Next Steps Class meets at church after worship.  Get a clearer look at Celebration and what your next steps may be here.  We will have lunch first in the Oasis room.

- May 9 - Saturday in the Park - We will be part of a great event in McGraft Park to link together area churches and non-profit organizations with the goal of meeting the needs of our community.  Our Praise Band will play and we will hand out ice cream and cookies!  Doesn't that sound awesome?  

2.  Youth Ministries
- TONIGHT, Youth Ministries at Calvin Church, 6:30-8:00PM - (ages 4 years to 8th grade)  Little Peeps =  Lesson "God's Wonderful Surprise"; GEMS = Lesson: "Forgiven and Free!"  Craft: Mod Podge Tile Coasters.  Practice for GEMS Sunday!; Cadets = Pinewood Derby!  Finally we race!; Middle School = Lesson "Who Wrote the Bible, God or Humans?"
- SUNDAY, GEMS Sunday - Contact Courtney Kingshott for more details.

- SUNDAY, High School Youth Group at Calvin Church, 6:00-8:00PM.  Starts with dinner!

3. Sunday - Lewis Smedes wrote, "When you forgive someone for hurting you, you perform spiritual surgery inside your soul."  Aren't you ready for the "Forgiveness App"?  (Matthew 6:12, 14-15; Matthew 18:21-35)

4. Glenside Community News

- TONIGHT - Glenside Neighborhood meeting, 7:00 pm in the McGraft Park Community Building. All neighbors are invited. Commissioner Byron Turnquist and Officer Josh DeHoag regularly attend these meetings, too, in case you have something to discuss with them. 

- Dumpster Day - Saturday, May 16, 8am - 12 noon.  Dump your junk for free in the city dumpsters lined up near the entrance to McGraft Park. No yard waste or hazardous waste, please! Be prepared to show your driver's license as proof of residency.

- Glenside Yard Sale - Saturday, June 6.  Every year for the last 20 years, over 60 homes participate in this event that draws hundreds of shoppers to Glenside.  Contact Pastor Matt to see how you can help!  

5. BOOKS! - Did you know that our church library has too many books?  SO, we have placed many of these books on a table in the entryway for anyone to take home.  They will be available for the next 2 weeks.  Enjoy!

6. Prayers  

- Pray for wounded hearts that God would bring healing.

- Pray for Wayne Kittle at the death of his uncle yesterday.

- Pray for the many people who have lost loved ones this year.

- Pray for Jim Espinoza as he has hand surgery planned for April 27.

- Thank God for a safe trips and great memories vacations last week.

- Praise God for all of the blessings he gives you every day.  

- Pray for our guests the past few weeks.  May God help them along their journey to grow closer to him and to his people.

- Pray for the incarcerated men and women in our nation.
- Pray for Harold West's friend who has stage 2 pancreatic cancer
- Pray for the unspoken issues in our lives that we need God's guidance and direction to resolve.
- Pray for relational conflicts to be resolved and peace to be restored.
- Pray for those who are recovering from recent surgeries.
- Pray for Celebration's construction project.
- Pray for Patti Lacy as she awaits her knee surgery on May 5.

- Pray that God will use us all to serve others, and that He will put us where He wants us to be.
- Bob Jackson gives thanks to God for all of the ex-offenders who have been placed in jobs to start a new lease on life.

--

Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.                            
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

Celebration Midweek - April 8

This past week was amazing!  We celebrated Maundy Thursday at Forest Park Covenant church with a tenabrae service.  (Put it on the calendar for next year because it was awesome!)  Then we enjoyed a Good Friday service at Queen Esther Church.  Sunday, after the best breakfast in town, we celebrated Easter at Celebration.  What a wonderful day and great way to end the week!

As followers of Jesus, we get to live in the glow of Easter every day.  Jesus "has risen just as he said!"  It gives color to our world.  It gives purpose to our work.  It is our reason for living.  Our Easter celebration continues and is our reality for every day of the rest of our lives.  May this give you the focus you need today.

1. Noteworthy Events

- NO Adult Sunday School this Sunday.

- TODAY - Seekers Small Group meets in the Oasis Room after worship.

- April 19 - Mosaic Small Group meets at church after worship.

2.  Youth Ministries
- NO Youth Ministries at Calvin Church tonight.
- NO High School Youth Group at Calvin Church on Sunday.
- April 19, GEMS Sunday

3. Sunday - When is the last time you encouraged someone?  When was the last time you were encouraged by someone?  We need both.  Invite a friend to church as we consider the "Encouragement App".  (1 Thes. 5:11; Romans. 12:8)

4. BOOKS! - Did you know that our library has too many books?  Many of these books have never been opened.  SO, we have placed many of these books on a table in the entryway for anyone to take home.  They will be available for the next 2 weeks.  Enjoy!

5. Prayers  

- Pray for wounded hearts that God would bring healing.

- Pray for David Zimmerman as his Uncle Mike died today.

- Pray for Cassie Workman on the death of her grandfather last week.

- Pray for Rev. Stewart on the death of his granddaughter.

- Pray for Jim Espinoza as he has hand surgery planned for April 27.

- Pray for a safe trips to visit family over the Easter Break.

- Praise God for all of the blessings he gives you every day.  

- Many people gave thanks to God for the blessings received from the Praise Team.  

- Pray for our guests the past few weeks.  May God help them along their journey to grow closer to him and to his people.

- Pray for the incarcerated men and women in our nation. 
- Pray for Harold West's friend who has stage 2 pancreatic cancer
- Pray for the unspoken problems in our lives that we need God's guidance and direction to resolve.
- Pray for relational conflicts to be resolved and peace to be restored.
- Pray for Roger Doctor and Duane Blohm who are recovering from recent surgeries.
- Pray for Celebration's construction project, that it will go smoothly, that we might have enough volunteers to help keep costs down, and that it may be used well for God's Kingdom.
- Pray for Patti Lacy as she awaits her knee surgery on May 5.

- Pray that God will use us all to serve others, and that He will put us where He wants us to be.
- Pray for self-control in all areas of our lives.  "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but of love and power and self-control." (2 Tim.1:7)
- Pray that the Holy week events have strengthened the faith of many.

- Bob Jackson gives thanks to God for all of the ex-offenders who have been placed in jobs to start a new lease on life.

-- 

Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.                            
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137

Holy Week Update

How are you preparing for the celebration of Jesus' death and Resurrection?  Post your thoughts at https://www.facebook.com/celebrationmuskegon.    

1. Noteworthy Events
- THURSDAY, Maundy Thursday service at Forest Park Covenant, at 7:00PM.

- FRIDAY, Good Friday Service at Queen Esther Church, 7:00PM.  We will be going through the 7 last sayings of Jesus.

- SATURDAY, Easter Egg Hunt & Pancake Breakfast

- NO Adult Sunday School this Sunday.

- Easter Breakfast, 9:30AM at church.

- Vision Team Meeting, 6:30PM at church.

2.  Youth Ministries
- NO Youth Ministries at Calvin Church tonight.
- NO High School Youth Group at Calvin Church on Sunday.
- April 19, GEMS Sunday

3. Sunday - How easy is it to miss the meaning of Easter in our lives?  The bunnies, eggs, and candy sometimes hide it.  Invite a friend to our service to look at "Pictures of Easter".  (Jeremiah 31:33-34)

4. Building Project Update - Occasionally we will post pictures on the church Facebook page of the progress in remodeling our building.  Remember to keep the project in your prayers.

5. Prayers  

- Pray for wounded hearts that God would bring healing.

- Pray for David Zimmerman as his Uncle Mike died today.

- Pray for Cassie Workman on the death of her grandfather last week.

- Pray for Rev. Stewart on the death of his granddaughter.

- Pray for Jim Espinoza as he has hand surgery planned for April 27.

- Pray for a safe trips to visit family over the Easter Break.

- Praise God for all of the blessings he gives you every day.  

- We thank God for the success of the Wild Game Dinner, and we pray that God touched the hearts of those who came to Celebration for the dinner.

- Dick and Sue DeBoer thank God for healing their granddaughter who was released from DeVos Children's Hospital recently.

- Pray for the families of the plane crash victims.

- Many people gave thanks to God for the blessings received from the Praise Team.  

- Pray for our guests the past few weeks.  May God help them along their journey to grow closer to him and to his people.

- Pray for Kim Rhodes' daughter who had surgery last week and is recovering.
- Pray for Sandi Walsh's mom that physical therapy would heal her knees so she won’t need surgery.
- Pray for the incarcerated men and women in our nation. 
- Pray for Harold West's friend who has stage 2 pancreatic cancer
- Pray for Bill Essenberg during his week of residential treatment.
- Pray for the unspoken problems in our lives that we need God's guidance and direction to resolve.
- Pray for relational conflicts to be resolved and peace to be restored.
- Pray for Roger Doctor and Duane Blohm who are recovering from recent surgeries.
- Pray for Celebration's construction project, that it will go smoothly, that we might have enough volunteers to help keep costs down, and that it may be used well for God's Kingdom.
- Pray for Patti Lacy as she awaits her knee surgery in April

- Pray that God will use us all to serve others, and that He will put us where He wants us to be.
- Pray for self-control in all areas of our lives.  "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity but of love and power and self-control." (2 Tim.1:7)
- Pray for the events of Holy week that people will have their faith strengthened

--

Pastor Matt Eenigenburg
Celebration Community Church
1260 W. Sherman Blvd.                            
Muskegon, MI 49441
www.celebrationmuskegon.org
Like us on Facebook!
(231) 571-4137