Dear Rose Park,

Last week, my family and I drove to Zeeland East High School to watch Ava Lemire play volleyball. On the way, my daughter Winnie asked me: Dad, how do you know the way to this place? My initial response was simply to say because I just know the way. As I’ve had some to think about that question, I’ve also thought of Jesus and you.

Dear Rose Park,

In Jesus’ most famous sermon, The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), He says these words: blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. It can be very tempting in our current cultural moment to either see that peace is a posture of weakness or that peace is such a lofty goal that it will never be achieved anyways. As people who love Jesus, we cannot call either of these postures home.

Dear Rose Park,

As I mentioned in last week’s letter, a small group from Rose Park was able to attend a Generation Spark conference last Friday in Grand Rapids (for a more detailed look at Generation Spark, click here). I can safely speak on behalf of the entire group, it was a wonderful time of worship, play, discernment, discussion, and imagination. God’s Holy Spirit is clearly alive and well in the life of the Church as faith is being sparked and fanned from one generation to another.

Dear Rose Park,

This coming Friday, a small group of us from Rose Park will be attending a Generation Spark conference in Grand Rapids (for more information on Generation Spark, click here). I anticipate this time to be filled with prayer, discernment, worship and Word. It will be a time of intergenerational listening and vision-casting as we hope for the guidance of the Holy Spirit and anticipate international ministry finding a home here at Rose Park.

Dear Rose Park,

According to a 2021 Pew Research Report, roughly a quarter of the American population hadn’t read a book (printed, audio, or electronic) in the past year. I imagine many of us recognize the importance of reading. We know it helps our minds, vocabularies, and worldviews to grow. We know how reading to children helps benefit the development of their brains and social skills. We also know, as Christians, that we should be reading our bibles more.

Dear Rose Park,

One of my favorite responsibilities of being a pastor is having the opportunity to preside at the communion table. I love speaking the words of institution and inviting you all to come to the table of remembrance, communion, and hope. I love seeing families walk down the center aisle of our sanctuary together preparing for the bread and cup. I love hearing voices say, Thanks be to God after receiving the gifts of God. And this past Sunday, I found yet another thing I love about communion.

Dear Rose Park,

Typically, when we hear or read the word vow, we think of a wedding. Images of a bride and groom standing at the altar making promises to love and care for one another in sickness and in health appear in our mind. However, vows are not limited to a wedding. As a Minister of Word and Sacrament, I made vows when I was ordained. Together, we made vows when I was installed as the pastor here at Rose Park. As we approach worldwide communion Sunday, I’ve been contemplating the vows we make when receiving new members into the family of God here at Rose Park.

Dear Rose Park,

This past Saturday, my family and I attended my cousin Luke’s wedding. After coming home from vacation in South Carolina on Thursday evening and attending Winnie’s soccer practice on Saturday morning, we loaded back into the car and drove to Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Church in Bloomfield, MI. It was a beautiful ceremony. As Sam, the kids, and I sat in the pew and witnessed Luke and his bride Corinne make vows to one another, I started to think of you all.

Dear Rose Park,

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. This well-known quote is attributed to the Irish poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde. It essentially means when we imitate someone (speak like them, dress like them, conduct ourselves like them) we are showing a great deal of respect and honor because we desire to be like them. We typically hear this phrase when a parent explains to a child why their sibling is copying them, but I wonder if you’ve ever thought of it in light of your relationship with Christ?

Dear Rose Park,

Have you noticed the past few Sundays we have been blessed with some new faces in worship?  It is such a blessing to see new faces; whether they are families from other towns, siblings who have come home, or even new residents who have moved to Holland we are certainly blessed as a Church family to welcome new families and individuals to worship.