Calvin Caller – Fall 2025
Calvin Church News
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God Did It…
We are starting something new in the Calvin Caller!
This section of each upcoming newsletter will be reserved for your God Sightings. Let’s celebrate God’s goodness by sharing areas in our lives where we see God changing us, healing us, moving us, etc.
These can be small things or extremely large things. They all matter. It can be one paragraph or ten. This is an excellent way to keep things positive. Who can’t use some positive motivation, am I right?
A song inspired this idea (link below) and a portion of the lyrics have really stuck with me… “When life was pushing down, prayers were going up”
So, let’s keep praying and sharing how great our God is! You can get your info to me at any time during the year by emailing info@calvin-crc.org or feel free to leave a note on my desk. I will make sure to include it in the next upcoming Calvin Caller.
Take a listen…
God Did It by TobyMac & Jamie MacDonald
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfCRW_Biexs
~ Vickie Curtis, Administrative Assistant
Faithful Family Verse of the Month…
We use a designated verse(s) in some way during worship on a monthly basis. Our hope is that this verse(s) will go home with you and be in your heart and mind during each month. You will find our monthly verse used in various ways during the month. You can find this focus verse in the bulletin, on Facebook, and on our website. Let’s keep digging into God’s Word together.
Hearts & Hands…
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms. 1 Peter: 10 NIV
The Hearts & Hands Ministry of Calvin Church began in 1993. We are now beginning our 32nd year. This ministry strives to care for one another with kindness, compassion, encouragement, and love. We are looking forward to another year of reaching out to our church family and community with God’s love.
We are blessed to be able to provide donations to various faith-based groups and organizations with money from the Pickleball Fund. Donations this month include:
♥ Household Pantry of Calvin Church
♥ Youth for Christ
♥ Muskegon Pregnancy Services
Hearts & Hands will no longer do a scheduled program for members needing meals. This need is now being met through the Fruits of the Freezer ministry. Our thanks and appreciation go out to Rosemary Datema for her many years of dedicated service to managing the meal program!
Thank you also to…
♥ Maryann Wolffis and Jeanne Maycroft, our wonderful coordinators, who invest countless hours in helping to ensure that the work of this committee is successful and a blessing to others.
♥ Marilyn Hartman for her years of being in charge of the Birthday Card ministry for those over 90 years of age. Fran Weaver has volunteered to assume this responsibility. Thanks, Fran!
♥ Finally, we want to thank you, our church family, for your prayers, financial support, and your many gifts and talents that are used to make this ministry a blessing.
If you are interested in joining us in our mission to reach out and care for members of our church family and community, please mark our next meeting on your calendar. We really enjoy our time of work and fellowship together, and we always welcome new members. We meet on the second Monday of the month. Our next meeting will be on October 13, 2025, at 1:00 P.M. in the Fireside Room. We look forward to seeing you!
~ Antje Waldo, Secretary
The Work of SERVE 2025…
One of the important aspects of SERVE is the daily worksites, with work beginning at 9:00 a.m. and ending 3:30–4:00 p.m. This year we served 24 different sites. Some were a half day’s visit with a shut-in or an elderly widow/widower, washing windows, weeding flower or landscape beds, cleaning up the yard, etc. Also, every day a team helped lead Calvin’s Kids Camp. The larger sites included:
Muskegon Christian Elementary School: 2 teams each day
West Michigan Christian High School: 1 team each day
Three Oaks Charter School Academy: 1 team each day
Pound Buddies Animal Shelter & Adoption Center: 1 team each day
McLaughlin Grows Urban Farm: 1 team each day
Painting Muskegon County Fairgrounds Horse Barns: 1 team each day
Painting an older house in Muskegon Heights: 1 team each day
The actual work varied tremendously…
There was a lot of painting, both indoors and outside. There are 5 very large horse barns on the County Fairgrounds, we were able to paint 3 of them; a hallway and classrooms were painted at West Michigan Christian High School; a classroom and bathrooms were painted at the elementary school; an older grey house in the Heights is now a beautiful dark blue.
There was also a lot of gardening. The entire (large) crop of garlic and onions at McLaughlin Grows was harvested along with a lot of weeding; the Seeds of Hope Garden at the Covenant Community Church in Muskegon Heights was weeded, beds were cleaned, the compost was turned; the community garden at the Martin Luther King Elementary School in Muskegon was cleaned up and weeded.
The parking lots at DIBS on Resale (thrift store that supports west Michigan’s Christian Schools) and Pound Buddies were cleaned and restriped; 4 large shade structures were erected in the dog runs at Pound Buddies; the pet cemetery at Noah Project (small no-kill animal shelter) was cleaned up; maintenance and clean-up work was done at the Love, INC Thrift Store.
The hand of God was obvious throughout the week, both to the participants and to the worksite coordinators. Just one example: the Muskegon Heights Johnny O Harris Park had been scheduled for three days of work, but the supervisor informed us Monday afternoon that they would be finished at noon on Tuesday leaving us with 1 ½ days unfilled with jobs. We had been notified at the last minute that a lady in our church needed help with her yard, so that filled Tuesday afternoon. Then, Tuesday afternoon we got an email from the director of Love INC, that an elderly man in Norton Shores needed help with his backyard. He had received a notice from the city that unless he cleaned it up, they were going to come in and do it and charge him for it and he had no money. That yard was choked with invasive bittersweet vines about 8 feet high, so thick you could not walk through it and had an abandoned swimming pool into which a large tree had fallen. So, the unscheduled team spent Wednesday cleaning it up. We hauled out 5 or 6 large dump trailer loads of vines and debris. Whenever there was a problem or a need, the solution became obvious within a few hours.
The community, many individuals, the participants, and the numerous Calvin members who volunteered to help or lead teams were all blessed by this week of Service and God was glorified!
~ Paul Wilson, Worksite Coordinator
Men’s Prayer Breakfast…
The Men’s Thursday Morning Prayer Breakfast has been in existence for over 50 years. During that time, the size of the group has varied from about eight men to the current three. Everyone has either been retired or were retiring in the near future. But we welcome any men that would like to join us! This group meets in the back dining room of Russ’s Restaurant on Henry Street at 8:00 AM on Thursday mornings. We have various discussions including current Calvin member’s needs, order breakfast (some just have coffee), pray (as each person chooses), and then eat breakfast. We are usually done by 9:30 AM. We encourage you to join us. We’d love to have a few new members.
~ Ric Scott
Friendship Ministries…
As I was thinking about writing this article for the Caller, I realized that Friendship is beginning its twenty-fifth year as a ministry of Calvin Church! What a blessing this ministry has been through the years, not only to our participants, but to mentors as well. We have had a stable membership over the years with several of our attendees being part of the inaugural meetings. Many of our current mentors are part of the initial program as well. Our thanks to John and Peggy DeHoog for their vision in bringing this ministry to Calvin.
This year we will be using a new curriculum from Together looking at Courage and what being courageous means. We will be looking at both Old and New Testament stories where God used ordinary people to display His power and teach lessons about courage.
We have several mentors not returning this fall and so there is a place for you! Please join us to bring the love of Jesus to those with unique needs and special abilities. All you need to bring is your smile and friendship!
~ Jan Weiden, Friendship Steering Committee Chair
Fellowship…
Thank you to all who help us with coffee fellowship each Sunday! We really appreciate your willingness to serve the congregation with the wonderful treats and making coffee. Also, a big thanks to Ken Sherburn and Anita Hasper for preparing coffee before church each week! These opportunities give us the chance to greet one another and visitors to our church.
Our upcoming events are as follows:
- Fall Fest: October 29
Join us at church on Wednesday evening for a time with the kids and families that
come regularly on Wednesday evenings for a time of fellowship and treats.
- Pie Sunday: November 23
Bake your favorite pie or dessert and bring it to the kitchen prior to the service. After
the service, join us in the family life center and sample a new kind of pie or eat your
favorite. There is always more than enough for everyone.
- Thanksgiving Service: November 26
Celebrate God’s goodness to you and your family and join us for a soup & salad
dinner prior to our Thanksgiving service on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
- Christmas Breakfast: December ?
The date has not yet been determined for this but we look forward to serving you a delicious breakfast before a Sunday worship service in December.
If you have an idea for a fellowship event or would like to help us, please reach out!
~ Kathy Jansen
Household Pantry…
Through August 31, 2025, the Household Pantry has served 41 families, including 53 adults and 56 children. We have not received as many donated items this year, probably because most of us have emptied our closets over the past twenty years for this ministry. We have been fortunate to have cash funds donated and with that have purchased towels, sheets, blankets, pots and pans, slow cookers, toasters, and many other household goods.
We shop for items at thrift shops, Ollie’s, Dollar Tree, and sometimes Kohl’s when they have sales on their towels. All those stores have increased their goods by 20-25% in the last two months, which has reduced our purchasing power just like it has for families.
Unfortunately, after we submit our most recent receipts the Household Pantry account will have only $766. We do not believe that this will cover purchases for September -December.
We are asking the congregation to donate gently used items, purchase items or donate cash for us to purchase the following much needed items:
► Bath towels, hand towels, kitchen towels, dish cloths
► Twin sheets, blankets, comforters
► Queen sheets, blankets, comforters
► Pots (3-5 quart), frying pans
► Slow cookers, toasters, coffee makers, any other kitchen appliance
► Dishes, eating utensils, sharp knives, cooking utensils
► Baking dishes (like loaf pans) 8×8, 9×13
► Casserole dishes
Thank you for past assistance and your consideration for giving to this vital Calvin Church ministry in partnership with Love, INC.
~ Co-chairs, Ric & Dee Scott, Anita Hasper
Attention Walkers…
Please join us on the following dates:
Tuesday, September 23rd, at 6:00 PM.
We’ll meet at Ottawa Sands & Coast Guard Park (18280 N Shore Dr., Ferrysburg – meet in parking lot) for a 1 to 1.5 mile walk. FREE parking available.
Tuesday, September 30th, at 6:00 PM.
We’ll meet at Lakeshore Bike Trail for a scenic walk (1050 W. Western Ave., Muskegon-meet in Fricano’s lower-level parking lot) for a 1 to 1.5 mile walk. FREE parking available.
Come, enjoy exploring God’s creation as we get to know each other better. This Is a family friendly event. If you have questions, reach out to Natalie Katerberg 616-638-1955 or Maryann Wolffis 616-328-4678.
Calvin’s Fall Fest Invite…
Come, join us for Calvin’s Fall Fest
on Wednesday, October 29
from 6:00 – 7:30 PM.
☼ Pumpkins ☼ Hayrides ☼ Bonfire ☼ Cider & Donuts ☼ Classic Vehicle Trunk or Treat!
Family Promise of the Lakeshore…
Serving on the Family Promise Board, we continually see God at work in bringing hope and a fresh start to people in our community who have been going through very hard times. In addition to temporary housing, Family Promise provides training classes, counseling, and assistance in finding a new home. Recently, through a state grant we have been able to renovate the facility to make it safer as well as add an extra bathroom. We are so grateful that when the city required additional fire suppression beyond what was originally expected, Calvin Church generously gave $1000 to help cover the additional cost.
Here’s an amazing story of how Family Promise blessed the life of a young boy named Gavin. Gavin stayed at Family Promise three years ago. When Gavin entered our program, he had just dropped out of High School. He was struggling both socially and academically, due to the trauma he had experienced while homeless. During his stay at Family Promise, Gavin was connected with counseling and enrolled in school. After several months his family moved into an apartment, where for the first time in his life, he and his brother would each get to have their own bedroom. Last month, Gavin called our office to share some news. He had just graduated from high school. He wanted to thank Family Promise for helping him go back to school, and to become the first person in his extended family to graduate from high school in over 40 years. Gavin and his family credit the compassion of the Family Promise staff, volunteers and Board with his return to school. His father told us that it was only when Family Promise surrounded Gavin with a place to belong and people that he knew cared for him, that Gavin felt safe enough to return to school. Not only is his family incredibly proud of Gavin’s accomplishments, but his parents tell us that having successfully raised a child that graduated from high school is the biggest accomplishment they ever hoped to achieve.
The Fall months are when several grants that have been used to pay shelter aides run out of funding. Please consider supporting this vital, local ministry with your financial gifts. Providing meals throughout the year is another way to serve this ministry. You can give through our Offering of the Day as they occur or directly by sending a gift to Family Promise of the Lakeshore, 2160 Crozier Ave, Muskegon, MI 49441. Thank you!
~ Bonnie and Carl Bergman, Family Promise Board Members
~ Jan VanHouten and Lucile Hackett, Church Coordinators
Among Ourselves…
How to Find our Event Calendar: Go to the Home Page, scroll down to events, click on “Upcoming Events”, scroll down to the calendar.
Church Directory Info…
- If you have changes (address, phone, email, etc.) for the directory during the year, please let Vickie know and updates will be put in this section of the seasonal Calvin Caller (but will not be included in the Calvin Caller on the website).
- Have you updated your family photo recently? If your answer is yes, we would like to include it in our Online Directory! Please take a moment to email it to Vickie in the office at curtis@calvin-crc.org.
- The Online Church Directory is very user friendly! Call, text or send an email right from the app on your smartphone. All info is updated regularly. Download the app and get started today! Call/Email the office or stop in if you need instructions.
- I encourage you to see the directory as a living document, reflecting our congregation’s dynamic nature. Please help me keep it updated! ~ Thanks Vickie
RightNow Media…
This is a streaming library of the world’s largest biblical video resources for the entire family that inspire faith every day of the week. Click on the QR code or text CALVINCRC to 49775 for easy access to the video library anytime, anywhere, browse the content available to you and find series that are relevant to your life.