CLASSIS CONNECTION
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ATTENTION!
Immediate Need!
The Southwest Michigan Classis is still in need of TWO elder delegates to attend the General Synod meeting this summer, from June 7-12 at Calvin College. Elder delegates can be currently serving elders or elders of the greater consistory. Delegates are required to attend all sessions of Synod. You can be lodged on site at Calvin for no cost. Your travel expenses will be reimbursed, but not for everyday commuting. Please contact Allison in the Classis office if you are interested!

Classis Church Pastors: Please consider sharing this information with your elders! Thank you!
INFORMATION STATION
News About People, Churches, and Ministries
  • Bethany Reformed Church has welcomed new pastor, Rev. David Zomer! Dave was installed on Sunday, March 18. Welcome Pastor Dave (and Villo!) to the Southwest Michigan Classis!
  • Twin Lakes Reformed Church will hold its final worship service this Sunday, April 1, 2018. Please join the Classis in prayer for this congregation as they conclude their distinguished history by handing Kingdom ministry over to a new church plant.
  • We rejoice with Pastor Ron Lugten as he has accepted a position as Lead Pastor at North Blendon Reformed Church in Hudsonville. May God bless your work in your new role, Ron!
  • The Rev. Don DeYoung will be honored as the CROP Walk's Grand Marshall on April 29! Don has served this community for many decades, helping the hungry and homeless. To celebrate, a "Friends of Don DeYoung" page has been created on the Kalamazoo CROP website. Those whose lives have been touched by Pastor Don can donate in his honor to the CROP Walk. Your gifts will honor Don, and bless this year's recipients, the Ecumenical Senior Center, Open Doors, Loaves and Fishes, and the YWCA's Women's Shelter.
  • Centerpoint Church is looking for a full-time Site Manager for their facilities. Click here to see the full job description.
Do you have news to share?!
If you would like information passed along to Classis in our next Classis Connection, please email the information to the Classis office by April 20 .
What's Coming Up and Things in the Works

  • Doster Community Reformed Church has called the Rev. Richard Christy to be their pastor and he has accepted that call! Pastor Rick will be installed on Sunday, April 15 at 9:30 a.m.
  • Haven Church has called the Rev. Craig Gilbert to be their pastor and he has accepted that call! Pastor Craig will be installed at Haven on Sunday, April 29 at 10 a.m.
  • There will be a Creation Care Gathering at The Bridge on April 24 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dinner will be provided and the event is free. Join RCA ministry leaders for an evening of idea-sharing and information-gathering around creation care advocacy. The goal for the evening is to generate congregational excitement around this important work of caring for God's creation. They'll discuss challenges as well as practical next steps for living a "creation aware lifestyle." To register, contact Earl at creationcare@rca.org.
  • The Great Lakes Regional Synod Assembly will take place on Monday, May 7th at Second Reformed Church. If you would like to attend the meeting as a guest, please contact Alison DeBoer at the RSGL Office, adeboer@rcagl.org.
Rest Stop
"Change Is..."
Reflections from your Classis Leader
“Man, things just aren’t what they used to be!”
“Everything is so different these days!”
“Remember when we used to…I sure miss those times.”

The thing about change is, change is. Change is a fact of life. Change happens, but few of us find it easy or relish it. We are often comfortable with the way things are or, even more accurately, with the way things used to be. Therefore we often see change as the enemy and fight it rather than
manage it or adapt to it. As Charles Kettering wrote, “The world hates change, yet it is
the only thing that has brought progress.”

Click here to read the rest of this article from our Classis Leader, Rev. Curry Pikkaart.
Classis Purpose:
“To encourage, empower, and equip our churches and ministries to be the presence of Christ within their bounds.”
Southwest Michigan Classis
910 Jenks Boulevard Kalamazoo, MI 49006
Contact 
Classis Leader, Rev. Curry Pikkaart - cpikk@pikkaart.com/269-767-2609 
Stated Clerk, Allison Dillon - allison@swmiclassis.org/269-349-6260
Treasurer, Paul Block - paul_block_cpa@yahoo.com/269-330-6260