Partners

If you call the Branch home, we invite you to be a partner.  There are booklets available to work through, for new and returning partners, and Chris or any steward are more than happy to speak with you.  More info can be found here as well.

We will be hosting our first Partner Gathering of the year on May 31 from 2:30 – 5:30 at Seymour Christian Reformed Church.  (840 Alger SE)

PLEASE RSVP to Stewards@thebranchonline.org so we know how many to expect. Thanks!

Mark your calendars – We hope to see you there!

Celebrate the Heights

Mark your calendars, it’s the annual Alger Heights celebration!

May 16 from 10a to 2p along the Alger Heights Business District (corner of Alger and Eastern)

Come check out info tables with local businesses, churches, and schools, plus giveaways.  Whether your a resident of Alger Heights or a visitor, there will be plenty of great opportunities to get to know local businesses.  The Branch will have a table, but we need you to staff it!  Let us know if you are able to help for a 1 hour block, passing out flyers and being a friendly face. 

RCA Volunteering and Mission Trips

Are you interested in serving in a big way?  Maybe you’ve always wanted to do a week long mission trip overseas.  Or help with disaster relief stateside.  But you weren’t sure how to get involved.   The RCA offers opportunities for groups or individuals of all ages.  Check out their website (rca.org/volunteers) to see what opportunities fit you best.  Or call them at 616.541.0868

Small Groups – Brave Series

Join us for this six week journey as we explore taking brave steps and walking in the confidence and power of who God made us to be. Jesus calls us to step out of the boat and into an adventure. We’re constantly facing the choice to stay in comfort and security or rely on God’s power to face our fears and step into something new.

Small group material will build off Sunday’s messages, and yes, your kids can participate too.  By enhancing churches’ weekend messages with individual study and small group gatherings, the journey becomes a multi-layered, multi-sensory, multi-community experience.  We hope you’ll join us.

YOU WERE MADE FOR BRAVERY.

The Winkleman Family will be hosting a group on Tuesdays @ 6:30 in their Grandville home, beginning with a potluck dinner. This begins on April 14.  Email Nate at nate@thebranchonline.org to sign up or for details.

The Madison Ave MC will also be hosting small groups.  They meet Thursdays @ 5:30, beginning with a potluck dinner.  Their first meeting will be April 16.  Email chris@thebranchonline.org to sign up or for more details.

 

 

Palm Sunday – Worship with Alas

Palm Sunday, March 29, we will be holding a joint worship service with Alas.   Service will be at 11 am, with light refreshments to follow.

Upcoming Series: Brave

You’re riding out the prefect storm.  Wind and waves have their way with your pitiful boat.  You’re preoccupied with not drowning.  Yet in the midst of this mighty surge, you see a figure on the water, beckoning you.  Into the Storm.  Into the Unknown.  Into the New.

Who do you trust more?

The prefect storm, or the one calling you onto the water?

Take a New Step.  You were made to be Brave.

 

The Branch will be exploring what it means to be Brave. Gathered together on Sundays and scattered in smaller groups throughout the week.   We hope you will join us.

April 12 – Adventure – Luke 5

April 19 – Storm – Matthew 14

April 26 – Power – Matthew 14, John 14

May 3 – Leap – Matthew 14 revisited

May 10 -Brave – Matthew 16

May 17 – Recap and Celebrate!

Good Friday Service

The Branch invites you to join us to worship on Good Friday.  Service begins at 7p, childcare is available for children 0-3.

Steward Nominations

Every spring, we nominate new stewards to serve the Branch community.  There are 6 stewards total – 3 Stewards of Care and 3 Stewards of Resource.  Stewards serve a 3 year term, so annually one new Steward of Care and one new Steward of Resource are selected.

Stewards are disciples who reflect Jesus in how they live (character) and in what they do (competency).  As leaders of the Branch they commit to living out the Branch’s values.

Stewards of Resource manage the financial decisions of the church.  Stewards of Care discern the well being of the people of the Branch, as well as the Branch’s vision.

The documents below outline the roles in greater detail.

StewardsofCare

StewardsofResource

Please prayerfully consider who among us might be a good candidate to represent the Branch in this way. Then send your nominations to stewards@thebranchonline.org by March 22.

Beneath the Tree 2015

Beneath the Tree will be back in 2015!

This amazing collection of local art and home decor helps support local ministries, not to mention the hundreds of artists involved.

While several details are still being worked out, we have dates…Nov 13 & 14 so SAVE THEM.  🙂  Secondly, we are currently determining host homes and the areas that we will cover this year.  The plan is to make the event a little smaller and to focus on closer geographic areas by doing “west side” and “east side” of GR every other year.  Which side of town we end up on this year will depend on how many homes we have available.

If you’re curious and want to learn more about what a host home is, please contact Mindi Freng at mindidesigns@gmail.com ASAP.  We’d love to talk about partnering with you for this super-fun fundraiser!

Fifth Annual Easter Tailgate Celebration!

Five years ago, two guys from the Branch starting thinking about Easter — talking about how we could celebrate.  One thing led to another until one of them said, “Wouldn’t it be cool to have a tailgate party on Easter?”   And here we are.

Easter is a celebration, plain and simple — and what says celebration better than a good ol’ tailgate party with friends.  All the details are below.  Join us for what will undoubtedly be a time of laughter and joy!

Start time: 9:00 am (but come anytime before worship)

Location: Branch parking lot

Food provided: Main dishes, coffee and juice.  You are welcome to bring something to pass, but it is definitely not required.

Activities: Yard games like Baggo/corn hole.  Feel free to bring your favorite yard game.

 

Lent – Reading Guides

Lent begins Feb 18 and lasts until Easter on April 5.

We hope you’ll join us in preparing our hearts in this season. Here you’ll find a weekly devotional that may help you.

Week 1 – Reading Guide

Week 2 – Reading Guide

Lent Reading Guide – Week 3

Week 4 – Reading Guide

Week 5 – Reading Guide

Week 6 – Reading Guide

Final Reading Guide

Free Tax Help

The Alger Heights Collaborative and the Garfield Park Neighborhood Association are bringing the VITA tax preparation site back to the neighborhood for a second year. Seymour Church has offered to serve as the location and Tax prep begins this week.

 

The United Way Kent County Tax Credit Coalition (KCTCC) helps working individuals and families achieve economic success through free tax services and financial literacy courses. They can help you complete your income tax return and apply for the Federal Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), a refundable federal income tax credit. U.S. citizenship is not required but you must file a tax return to claim your credit.

 

Garfield Park Neighborhood Association along with the Alger Heights Collaborative will be offering this FREE service on Thursdays from 6-9pm throughout the tax season (February – April). This tax preparation site will be located at Seymour Christian Reformed Church at 840 Alger SE and will be available during the following dates (all dates are Thursdays unless otherwise noted).

February 5, 19 and 26

March 5, 12, 19 and 26

April 2 and 9

April 14 (Tuesday)

For more information, qualifications, and directions to one of KCTCC’s free tax sites, check out their website  http://www.hwmuw.org/kctcc  or call 2-1-1.

Community Game Nights

Another Community Game Night this week!

Here’s a perfect way to shake off those winter blues!  Join neighbors and friends again this winter for a Community Game Night.

The game nights will be held on the 4th Friday of the month at Seymour Church at 6:30pm from January to April (see dates below). Bring the family, your favorite board games (some games will be provided) and feel free to bring a snack for yourself or to share. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Mark your calendar with these dates:
January 23
February 27
March 27
April 24

Hope to see you there!

Contact Jenn Reidsma with questions and/or comments at jenn@tabernaclecommunity.org or 988-9268 ext 205

Will You Be My Neighbor?

Will You Be My Neighbor?: Sustaining the Practices of Good Neighboring
We often have good intentions about knowing our neighbors and working with them to make our community a better place.  It is easier to start things than to sustain them, and with the busy activity of our lives, our good intentions can sometimes remain unfulfilled.  Join your neighbors for this interactive, conversational training as we remind ourselves of core “good neighbor” habits and brainstorm how to take next steps in creating a vibrant, caring neighborhood environment.  All welcome.
Join the conversation on:
Saturday, January 31 from 9:00am-11:30am
at Alger Middle School in the Media Center

RVSP to Jenn Reidsma, Community Coordinator or send questions to Jenn@tabernaclecommunity.org or 988-9268 ext 205.

Clothing Swap – Date change!

Women of the Branch are hosting a clothing swap on Sunday, February 15 @ 7 pm. (Not Feb 1)  Bring your gently used clothing to share with others.  Accessories also welcome.  Left over clothing will be donated. We will be gathering at Amy and Lynell’s studio at 401 Hall St SW, 4th floor (signs/directions will be on the wall).  All Branch women welcome!

Please RSVP to Lynell at lshooks@gmail.com

Women’s Bible Study

Are you looking for a way to grow in your faith and spend time with some wonderful women?  A new women’s bible study begins in the 2nd of Feburary.  They will be studying “Red Hot Faith” by Cindy Bultema.   They meet at 9:30-11 every Monday  morning Sandy’s home, 729 Otillia SE.  Children are welcome.

Contact Sandy if you’d like to participate or need a book –  sknavis88@yahoo.com

Kids and Missional Communities

Branch MCsbranch-circle

What about children in Missional Communities? Yes!


What does the MC do for my kids?

1. Changing children’s view of who the church is. It’s not just adults!
2. Teaching kids that we don’t go to church, we are the Church together, in community living.
3. Removing the separation between “church” and life at home or in school, etc.
4. Empowering kids to live their version of  good news in the world, on their own.

Missional living that the gospel prompts us to embrace, touches all the places of our life. This includes our kids, but it true for our kids too! A child’s life is not limited to the life a parent sees, approves of or participates in. Kids go to school, sporting events, parties, day care and are often in the care of friends or family. So, having your whole family participate in an MC, or allowing and encouraging your young adults to participate in an MC without you, means that they are learning how to let the gospel influence their whole world, not just for an hour or two on Sunday. In a Mission Circle, kids learn the value of relationships and the call of the People of God to be in the world, helping God’s renewal. Our kids make choices without us. Together, the church and MC’s can help them make good choices and choose good ways to live and participate.

 

What do my kids do for an MC?

Bringing Diversity. We firmly believe our children’s presents brings diversity to our lives and mission. MC’s are a family, and families rely on the diversity of generations to preserve tradition, bring creativity and reform our hidden perspective.  And so we see kids as being key participants and contributors to the MC experience,  adding their voice and perspective, shaping the way the MC carries out its mission, experiencing and living out the gospel right alongside the adults.

Of course, this will likely look different in each MC with child members.  A circle with infants and toddlers will likely live out the Rhythms in ways that are different than a circle with teenagers or elementary students.  And so each group will have to be wise and creative along the way — but we are confident that all energy, time and resources spent to ensure our kids play an active role in the MC is worth it!

Teaching the Adults. Our kids have a unique ability to teach us about re-creation! Left to their own time and invention, chances are our kids will be re-creating without us, a very valuable piece of forming relationships and a family connection within the MC. This is one of the glorious parts of being a child. We need to take note of our kids’ prompts to re-create and let these prompts help form the whole MC. This will be a valuable perspective shift if we are to spend quality time and play together, enjoying the richness of life. It’s one of our sacred Rhythms.


What do my kids do in the world, through an MC?

Again, the gospel should touch all the places of our lives. This includes our kids, but it is true for our kids too! The gospel can and should touch all the places in our kids’ lives too. A child’s life is not limited to the existence that parents see, approve of or participate in. Kids go to school, sporting events, parties, day care and are often in the care of friends or family. In all these places your kids have the opportunity for living a gospel life. And, often, the gift of youth unleashes a bravery that allows children to live out beliefs in a way the typical adult life can sometime discourage. Your kids are on God’s mission in their world too and they may surprise you with their keen sense of incarnational living!


What will my kids do when we all gather together?

1.  As an MC gathers, your children will participate in all Rhythms <<link>> of life the Circle shares; eating, celebrating, blessing, listening, storytelling/hearing and, especially, recreating! Often we will want to “occupy” our kids while we have “adult talk.” While this is more than welcome in some cases, this will not be the normative involvement of our kids in the MC gatherings. The group will need to decide how these Rhythms will include the kids in the MC. This may mean multi-generational prayer times or child appropriate community involvement activities, etc. And we will most certainly be asked to be brave parents, letting go in ways that stretch us, in order to help our kids grow into new awareness and behaviors to participate well in this missional/communal life.

2. Play! – Have no fear, even when we feel that adult talk is appropriate and our kids need to be “occupied” for a short time our kids’ time will be spent in this valuable Rhythm. Left to their own time and invention, chances are our kids will be re-creating without us, a very valuable piece of forming relationships and a family connection within the MC. This is one of the glorious parts of being a child. We need to take note of our kids’ prompts to re-create and let these prompts help form the whole MC. This will be a valuable perspective shift if we are to spend quality time and play together, enjoying the richness of life.

3. Kids will build relationships in an MC; playing and storytelling, getting involved in the community, hopefully together with other kids. But, not only will your kids have the chance to form consistent, lasting relationships with each other, they will also have the opportunity to form quality relationships with other adults who care for them and appreciate them in all aspects. This is often missing from a typical American childhood and can be a very formative piece of development in life, and in missional living.

Christmas Eve

Join us at 5pm as we gather to consider anew the story of Christ’s birth through music, reading, conversation and prayer.   We’ll end the evening with the lighting of candles as we reflect on the coming of the Light into our world.

Childcare for 0-4 year olds is provided.

Sabbatical

Did you know? Andy and Chris have been serving in ministry at the Branch since 2005. The RCA (our denomination) recommends a sabbatical after 5 years of service!

The Dragt family will be first experiencing sabbatical this coming January/February, with an intentional focus on discipleship and community.

Sabbaticals are about renewal…Individual and family renewal that can lead to corporate renewal within the community.

With that in mind, the Dragt family will be traveling to a place that has already lead to significant growth and renewal over the last couple of years. We will be living in a small cottage by the sea in Pawleys Island, South Carolina where we have been invited to enter into the rhythms of grace and family with the leaders of The Order Of Mission here in the United States.

Our main goal is to make space and allow God to prune away those parts of our lives that still connect our identity to the work that we accomplish for God’s Kingdom. We believe with all our hearts that our identity comes from our adoption into God’s family, but it’s hard to break a lifetime of habits and cultural influence that say: “you are your job” or “you are the things you accumulate”

We think an extended period of abiding along with weekly spiritual direction from trusted mentors will allow God to cut away those parts of us, allowing for even more fruitfulness in the future.

Questions? Contact a Steward, Chris, or Andy
“come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Matthew 11:28

Advent

Advent starts this week!  Join us as we prepare for Christ’s arrival by reading through devotionals together.  You can find the readings here – AdventReadingGuide