YOUTH AND CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS AT BROOKSIDE:

JR. GEMS is an introduction to the GEMS program for the 2nd and 3rd graders. We meet the 3rd Wednesday from 4-5:30 PM. Our kickoff will be this Wednesday, September 21, from 4:00-5:30pm at Brookside.

CADETS will begin this Wednesday, September 21, 7:00pm. Cadets is a boys club for grades 4 - 8 designed to help boys grow closer to Christ, make good friends, and learn new skills such as woodworking and camping. The boys meet on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday evenings of each month September - April.

Children in Worship, Kingdom Kids, & 7th- 8th Grade Catechism will begin next Sunday, September 25 at 10:30am.

• Children in Worship allows children in Pre-K - 2nd grade to experience the wonder of God's love through visual presentation of Bible stories along with expressive response times.
• Kingdom Kids challenges children in grades 3 - 6 to know more about our loving God and how that makes a difference in our daily lives .
• The 7th and 8th Grade Education Classes are a two-year study of the Heidelberg Catechism with an emphasis on application through games and other activities.

GEMS is an acronym which stands for Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior . Brookside's GEMS club is for grades 4 - 8 designed to help young girls grow in their relationship to Christ and each other. We meet the 2nd & 4th Wednesday evenings of each month September - April. Our Kick-off will be on Wednesday, September 28, 6:00pm-8:00 pm at Ken-o-sha School/Park (1353 VanAuken, SE).

FALL BIBLE STUDY OPPORTUNITIES AT BROOKSIDE:

COFFEE BREAK is a small group Bible study inviting women of all ages into exciting first-hand discoveries of Bible truths. Click here to find out more!

• Thursday Evening Coffee Break began Thursday, September 8th at 7:30 pm.
• Wednesday Morning Coffee Break and Story Hour begins on Wednesday, September 21 at 9:30 am.

WOMEN'S TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY will began a new season on Tuesday, September 13. Pastor Paul will be our leader as we study the Gospel of Mark. Come at 9:30am for refreshments and fellowship. Our hour long Bible study will begin at 10:00am.

MEN'S TUESDAY MORNING BIBLE STUDY will continue their study of the Gospel of Luke, beginning on September 20 at 9:30am with a study of Luke 16.

THURSDAY MORNING WOMENS BIBLE STUDY - A new year began onThursday, September 15 with the study, "Acts - Seeing God's Power in Action." We have women of all ages in our groups!  Call the church office at 452-3191 for more information on meeting time and location.

HURRICANE KATRINA
The Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC) is deploying rapid response teams to aid following the destruction of the hurricane.  You are encouraged to support this work through our prayers, gifts, and volunteering. For more information, please call 1-800-55CRWRC or you may go to their web site  www.crwrc.org .

INVITING ALL WOMEN!
Coffee Break is a small group Bible study inviting women of all ages into exciting first-hand discoveries of Bible truths. Click here to find out more!

• Thursday Evening Coffee Break begins this Thursday, September 8th at 7:30 pm.
• Wednesday Morning Coffee Break and Story Hour begins on Wednesday, September 21 at 9:30 am.

APPLES OF GOLD
The primary purpose of Apples of Gold is for older women to nurture younger women in the Word of God, and to encourage them to obey that Word. The six weekly sessions seek to encourage the hearts of women - helping them draw closer to Christ in their relationships with family and friends, and to serve others with a joyful spirit.

• Check out more about Apples of Gold
• Register Using This Printable Form

CONSTRUCTION CONTINUES
Brookside is expanding its facilities and we'll try to give you some snapshots of our progress along the way.

Check out the list services that the Christian Reformed denomination has to offer - especially their TODAY daily devotional .

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• SEISMIC SHIFTS COMING TO BROOKSIDE
  God wants to bring powerful transformation in our lives and our church this fall. Are you ready to make a commitment to personal growth, worship services that focus on some of the deepest issues people face today, and small groups for encouragement and deeper learning? Seismic Shifts arrives at Zondervan on September 5 and Brookside is one of the churches participating in this six week faith journey. Pray about your participation and who you might invite--starts September 11.
  
  
• Apples of Gold
  The primary purpose of Apples of Gold is for older women to nurture younger women in the Word of God, and to encourage them to obey that Word. The six weekly sessions seek to encourage the hearts of women - helping them draw closer to Christ in their relationships with family and friends, and to serve others with a joyful spirit.
  • Check out more about Apples of Gold
  • Then register for this class using this form
    
    

• Construction continues
  Brookside is expanding its facilities and we'll try to give you some snapshots of our progress along the way.
  
  
• Youth group mission trip
  11 students and 3 leaders from our Deep6 program have returned from doing service work in North-Central Kansas last week.  They enjoyed temps in the low 100's as they built porches and did other home repairs for people in need.  Thank you for your prayers. Here are some pictures from this Kansas Serve project. Additional pics are posted each day at www.heartlandserve.org.
  

• Mission trip to Cary Christian Center

  Thank you for praying for 39 Brooksiders and friends who traveled to Cary, Mississippi to work at the Cary Christian Center July 30 through August 6.  They did a variety of things: preparing a local christian school for opening, working in a thrift store warehouse, home repair and construction.  We praise God for safety in travel and work. Here are some photos of the trip.

• Summer Psalm Study -- every Wednesday at 7 p.m. The guides for this study will be listed on the Summer Psalm Study Guides page.
  
  
• CRC communications: Check out the list services that the Christian Reformed Church has to offer - especially their Today daily devotional.

• Severe weather policy: If a tornado watch or warning is in effect continuing one hour before any church function, that function will be cancelled

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Mobile Food Pantry at Brookside On June 30th, Brookside hosted a second Mobile Food Pantry.  What is a Mobile Food Pantry?  Free perishable food for those in need. The Second Harvest Gleaners Food Bank of West Michigan has more surplus perishable food available than it is able to distribute through the Food Pantry System.  The solution? Let's put a pantry on wheels! Used beverage trucks are donated, refurbished and filled with pallets of food--5,000 to 10,000 pounds per load.  The food is then delivered to Brookside on a specified day. Volunteers unload it and within minutes the food is in the hands of the people who need it. During VBS, the children collected coins--a total of $146.60-- to fund the cost to bring another truckload of perishable food to Brookside for distribution on July 25.  Way to go kids!




• Youth Group Mission Trip
  11 students and 3 leaders from our Deep6 program have returned from doing service work in North-Central Kansas last week.  They enjoyed temps in the low 100's as they built porches and did other home repairs for people in need.  Thank you for your prayers. Here are some pictures from this Kansas Serve project. Additional pics are posted each day at www.heartlandserve.org.

• Mission Trip to Cary Christian Center

  Please pray for 39 Brooksiders and friends who will be traveling to Cary, Mississippi to work at the Cary Christian Center July 30 through August 6.  They will be doing a variety of things: leading Bible Studies, working in a thrift store warehouse, home repair and construction.  Pray for safety in travel and work and that they may reflect Christ's love through their service.

• Construction continues
  Brookside is expanding its facilities and we'll try to give you some snapshots of our progress along the way.
  
• Construction Zone VBS
  At VBS this year our Construction Zone worked together "Building Character Like Jesus." We focused on character building each day: being humble, obedient, faithful, caring and forgiving. Want to see what we did? Take a look! Wow! What a week!A HUGE Thank You to over 200 volunteers who made VBS a success! Did you miss VBS? Plan to join us next year -- watch our web site for more details in 2006.

• Summer Psalm Study -- every Wednesday at 7 p.m. The guides for this study will be listed on the Summer Psalm Study Guides page.

• CRC communications: Check out the list services that the Christian Reformed Church has to offer - especially their Today daily devotional.

• Severe weather policy: If a tornado watch or warning is in effect continuing one hour before any church function, that function will be cancelled.

• Archived sermons now available online

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Brookside's expanding!

• Plan to attend Brookside VBS! Register today. We invite all kids who have just completed 4 year-old pre-school through 4th grade to join Darryl the Barrel in the Construction Zone! Mark your calendar to attend Vacation Bible School at Brookside June 20-24. VBS will meet daily from 9:00 to 11:30am. Please register online using our Online VBS Registration form.
  
  
  
• Summer Psalm Study -- every Wednesday at 7 p.m.  Psalm 98 is one of the Psalms of the Kingship of God.  Psalms 93--100 are all Hymns of Praise that celebrate God as King. The guides for this study will be listed on the Summer Psalm Study Guides page.
  
  
  
• CRC communications: Check out the list services that the Christian Reformed Church has to offer - especially their Today daily devotional.
  
  
• Severe weather policy: If a tornado watch or warning is in effect continuing one hour before any church function, that function will be cancelled.

Top Back

• Brookside's expanding! Constructions begins!
  Brookside is expanding its facilities and we'll try to give you some snapshots of our progress along the way.
  
  
• Summer Psalm Study -- every Wednesday at 7 p.m.  Psalm 98 is one of the Psalms of the Kingship of God.  Psalms 93--100 are all Hymns of Praise that celebrate God as King. The guides for this study will be listed on the Summer Psalm Study Guides page.
  
  
• CRC communications: Check out the list services that the Christian Reformed Church has to offer - especially their Today daily devotional.
  
  
• Severe weather policy: If a tornado watch or warning is in effect continuing one hour before any church function, that function will be cancelled.
  
  
• Plan to attend Brookside VBS! Register today. We invite all kids who have just completed 4 year-old pre-school through 4th grade to join Darryl the Barrel in the Construction Zone! Mark your calendar to attend Vacation Bible School at Brookside June 20-24. VBS will meet daily from 9:00 to 11:30am. Please register online using our Online VBS Registration form.

• Coming Soon: VBS is Back!
  Mark your calendar to attend Vacation Bible School at Brookside June 20-24.  We invite all kids currently enrolled in grades Pre-K through 4th grade to join Darryl the Barrel Under the Construction Zone!  Watch here for more details and how to register coming soon!
  
  
• CRC Communications: Check out the list services that the Christian Reformed Church has to offer - especially their Today daily devotional.
  
  
• Archived sermons now available online

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• Do you ever wonder how true leadership and the Lordship of Christ go together in a church?
  Leadership trends, models and terms are always changing among God's people. Yet, throughout all this change, Godly leadership has not changed and certainly, our God has not changed. The books of 1 and 2 Samuel, provide a wonderful template for legitimate leadership among God's people. Against the backdrop of  the huge political and socio-historic charge in Samuel's day, God remained sovereign.  So today, in the midst of all our change, God remains sovereign and Christ remains head of the church.
  
  So for the next seven weeks, Pastor Paul DeVries will lead us in a revealing look at Legendary, Legitimate Leaders and Fatally Flawed Failures as found in the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. In preparation for these messages, we encourage you to read along with our congregation in 1 and 2 Samuel.

Week 1  March 27- April 2:      read 1 Samuel 1-7
Week 2  April 3-9:                   read 1 Samuel 8-12
Week 3  April 10-16:               read 1 Samuel 13-15
Week 4  April 17-23:               read 1 Samuel 16-31
Week 5  April 24-30:               read 2 Samuel 1-9
Week 6  May 1-7:                   read  2 Samuel 10-20
Week 7  May 8-14:                 read 2 Samuel 21-24

• Exercise for Hunger: The Annual GRACE Hunger Walk will take place on Saturday, May 7. This walk will support developmental projects and emergency needs of local and international hunger agencies. To learn more about how to participate at the GRACE Hunger Walk website or contact Dan Bos.
  
  
• Join us for Brookside's Gardening Series
  Brookside recognizes that gardening has become the number one hobby in America. All seminars are free of charge and will be held from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Worship Center.

  Monday, April 25--Horticulturist for J. Mollema & Son, Jon Szymczac will present photos of his trip to China and talk on building and maintaining water gardens

  Monday, May 9--Kent/MSU Extension Educator, Rebecca Finneran will speak on Season-long Color: Gardening Through the Seasons.

• CRC Communications: Check out the list services that the Christian Reformed Church has to offer - especially their Today daily devotional.
  
  
• Archived sermons now available online

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• Did you know...that 27 students and 7 leaders from the Brookside Youth Group are headed to New Orleans for Spring Break? They are leaving April 1 to spend a week working with Habitat for Humanity.  Please join us as we pray for their safety and that they will experience God's love as they learn to serve others. Click here for more information on Habitat for Humanity New Orleans.

• Hey kids! Can you draw, paint or color? Then enter the 2005 World Missions Poster Contest.  For official rules and more information visit CRC World Missions Website. All entries must be postmarked by April 15, so don't delay!

• Join us for Brookside's Gardening Series
  Brookside recognizes that gardening has become the number one hobby in America.  All seminars are free of charge and will be held from 6:30-8:30 pm in the Worship Center.
  
  
  • Monday, April 25--Horticulturist for J. Mollema & Son, Jon Szymczac will present photos of his trip to China and talk on building and maintaining water gardens
    
    
  • Monday, May 9--Kent/MSU Extension Educator, Rebecca Finneran will speak on Season-long Color: Gardening Through the Seasons.
    

• NEW: Archived sermons now available online.
  
  
• CRC Communications:
  Check out the list services that the Christian Reformed Church has to offer - especially their Today daily devotional.
  
  
• Adult Education Opportunity...Dr. Tracy Kroeger, Psychologist at Hope Network's Institute for Neurodevelopmental Differences,   will share her knowledge of neurological differences, such as autism and cerebral palsy.  Her talk, titled Showing Christ's Love to Those with Neurological Differences, will be given during Adult Education on Sunday, March 13 at 10:30 am in the Activity Center.

Holy Week At Brookside: Maundy Thursday, March 24 at 7:00 pm--We will remember the suffering and death of Christ in a Tenebrae service, which will include the Lord's Supper. We will leave in the sadness of Christ's death mingled   with the joyful anticipation of Christ's resurrection. Good Friday, March 25--Join us for a community-wide service at Brookside from noon-3:00 pm. Various area pastors will speak on the Seven Words of the Cross. You are invited to come and go as you need or stay the entire service. Childcare will be available. Easter Sunday, March 27--Services at 9:00 and 10:30 am.  We will celebrate Christ's Triumphant Resurrection as we look at 1 Corinthians 15:20-28

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NEW!!! Archived sermons now available online!

Looking Ahead to February..Our evening fellowship dinners and teaching series will return in February. Rev. Howard VanderWell of the Calvin Institute of Worship will lead our evening services. His series, entitled "The Church That's a Team," will examine how the church should function as a coordinated team. Join us at 5:00 pm beginning February 6th for a light supper followed by the evening service at 6:00 pm.

Discover Brookside... A six-session FAQ class for guests and new members will begin on Sunday, February 13 and continue through March 20. Contact Dan Bos for more information.

Plug into Brookside and find out the "Surprising Characteristics of a Connected Community."
Our culture teaches us to ignore or reject some of the very disciplines that will insure and strengthen our connection with the true God and His true community. Plug into Brookside each Sunday, beginning January 9th, to discover the surprising characteristics of a Connected Community. Pastor Paul DeVries will preach a series of sermons, which will uncover the following characteristics: