Ø    Thank you to everyone who helped make the Kids Hope Easter Egg hunt such a success. God’s message of salvation was presented, the children had lots of fun, and it was a great opportunity for us to get to know our neighbors better and see what great people they are. I know that God was smiling. 

Ø    Next Sunday morning the Adult Choir will present their Concert of Favorites. The Men of Grace will be here in the evening.  

Ø    Kids Hope USA is looking for a female mentor for a girl that just recently lost her mentor. A new mentor is needed for this child as soon as possible even thought she has a temporary substitute. If you are interested or want more information, please call Aileen VanderSchuur at 204-3540. 

Ø    All items for the next issue of Second Thoughts will be due on next Sunday, the 26^th. The newsletter will be available May 10.  

Ø    Attention Graduates! Share your good news in the next Second Thoughts. Forms are available at the Information Desk. 

Ø    Ladies:  would you like to help be a part of the prayer quilt ministry?  Come this Saturday morning, April 25 from 9:00am - 12:00 and help measure, sew, iron, cut, tie - whatever you're good at!  Check the sheet at the information desk for more details.   

Ø    Please share your favorite Breakfast, Soup, Salad, Bread, Rolls, Camping, Grilling, and/or Crockpot recipes in the GEMS cookbook that will be available this fall. Forms are available from the table under the mailboxes or by going to our church website at www.2ndcrc-allendale.org. Deadline for recipes: May 17.  

Ø    Thurs., April 23, at 8 p.m.  Dave’s Ramsey’s “Town Hall for Hope” will be shown live via satellite in our church. Connect with families across the nation for a truly radical and different message than what we hear from the media – HOPE. Discover what is happening with the economy, how we got where we are, and where we are going. Invite family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors to this FREE event, lasting about 1½ hours. Please call Brian Roon at 895-6536 or Curt Gulker at 892-8468 with any questions or go to www.townhallforhope.com or www.daveramsey.com. 

* Notes from March:
    - General Fund expenses exceeded offering by $4,626. $8,437 of the expenses was for the new sound board paid from the Tech Fund.
    - Building Fund expenses exceeded offerings by $874.
    - Our Building Fund balance is less than half of our monthly mortgage payment!
    - Gas & electric bills for March were $1,315 less than in 2008! Great!
 If you have any questions or concerns, please see me. Respectfully submitted, Jim Krikke

Prayer List

GOD’S FAMILY 

Church Prayer Line: 892-8700         CRC Prayer Line: 1-888-CRC-PRAY 

Ø    Shut-ins, Sick, Recovering: Sally Jaarsma, Bern Buhrer, Kay Klap, Ev Kleinjans, Janet Kleinjans, Marian Lynch, Bernice Piersma, Viola Van Farowe, Gladys Wassenaar, Harold & Julia Kraker, Pres Jeurink, Wanda Branderhorst, Wendy Sweezer, Barb Schulz.
 

Ø    Word was received from Zach & Sharon Segaar-King that their son, Isaiah, has recovered 100% from his illness. They are thankful for all the prayers on his behalf. 
 

Ø       Barb Schulz continues to recover from recent back surgery.  While surgery was successful, full recovery may still take several weeks.
 

Ø       Jason Weaver’s grandmother Shirley Weaver passed away on Thursday morning after a long battle with cancer.
 

Ø       Bob Beelen will be undergoing exploratory surgery tomorrow at Blodgett Hospital with the possibility of removing scar tissue from previous surgeries. 
 

Ø    Allendale Christian School’s Annual Loyalty Drive will begin this week.  This year’s goal: $50,000. Please prayerfully consider a financial gift to help keep Christian education affordable. For more information, call ACS at 895-5108.  

Ø    Ready for spring planting? Allendale Christian School will have their 3^rd annual Greenhouse Gift Card Sale April 22-May 13.  Simply purchase $25 Gift Cards from ACS to any of these area greenhouses:  Countryside Greenhouse, Feenstra Greenhouse, Garden Crossings, Kraker Greenhouses, Motman’s Greenhouses, & W.W. Greenhouses.  Countryside is donating 50%, Feenstra is donating 30% and the others are donating 20% back to the school for each card sold.  Gift cards can be purchased at ACS any Tues. from 8:15am-10am; 2:45-3:45pm, 6:30-7:30pm or any Wed. & Fri. between 12n-3:30pm.  Ralph Meyers Trucking has offered to sell the greenhouse gift cards on behalf of ACS at their store from 7am-7pm weekdays, and 7am-3pm on Saturdays.  For an order form of more information, go to www.allendalechristian.com.  Questions?  Call Jenny Walters at @ 875-6075. 

Ø   Allendale Christian School is wrapping up Christian Education Week with a community-wide Chicken BBQ on April 24 in the school gym between 5-7pm.; takeout starts at 4:45pm.  Stop in at 11050 – 64^th Ave. for a delicious Chicken BBQ meal. Each dinner includes two sides, roll, drink and dessert!  Cost: $6.50 for ½ dinner, $5.50 for ¼ dinner. A hotdog meal will be available for kids. ACS Spirit Wear, Greenhouse Gift Cards and Instant TRIP will be available in the school lobby for purchase.  Questions? Call the school office at 895-5108. 

Ø   The Spring Sale & Business Expo, a benefit for the Kim Trethewey Fmaily, will be held Sat., April 25, from 9 am – 3 pm at Allendale Middle School. Shop among more than 20 vendors for cosmetics, jewelry, purses, accessories, home décor, and much more and help a local family in their journey through cancer.  

Ø   Come for an evening of gospel music at 7 p.m. on Sat., April 25, at Bauer CRC. Musicians: Glorybound, Voices of Victory, and Strummin’ Around. A free will offering will be received.  

Ø   This year marks the 50th anniversary for the Parade of Homes!  Allendale Christian is staffing a home during the Spring Parade of Homes this year. Would you like to help? Volunteers may choose to sit with a friend, but no young children please. Do you have grandparents or grand friends who would like to be involved and help out?  Here are the times we could use your help:  Fri., May 22 (1-9pm), Sat., May 23 (1-9pm), Mon., May 25 (1-9pm) - Memorial Day, Wed., May 27 (1-9pm), Fri., May 29 (6-9pm), Sat., May 30 (1-9pm), Wed., June 3 (1-9pm), Fri., June 5 (6-9pm), Sat., June 6 (1-9pm), (1-9pm times may be split into shifts for whenever you are available.) The home is built by Wagner Builders, Inc., and is located at 8484 Pinecroft, just off Bauer Rd. between 48th & 56th Avenues.  Contact Kim Kruithoff at 895-7288 or Kruithoff@altelco.net if you are interested.   

Ø   The 13^th Annual GEMS Girls’ Clubs Golf Classic will be May 15. For details, go to www.gemsgc.org or call 241-5616 ext. 3034. 

For Your Information:

Ø    Nursery for infants and toddlers is available during both services. Partway into each morning service young children are invited to “Just Between” (for 2 ½ - 3 year olds) in room 122 or “Children’s Worship” (for 3-5 year olds) which meets in rooms 127 & 129.   

Ø    Sermons: Outlines, if used, are available on the carts in the back of the auditorium. Bibles are there also. Previous week’s sermons can be obtained at the Information Desk in CD format or can be accessed at the church website: www.2ndcrc-allendale.org.   Click Here to go to the Sermon page.

Ø    For those with special needs: The entire facility is barrier free. Large print bulletins are available at the Information Desk. The auditorium is equipped with a hearing loop. If you have a hearing aid, please set it to “T” for better hearing during the service. The best reception is at the center of the auditorium.