Freedom Worth Guarding

Because many Americans have never known life without freedom, it can be easy to take our liberties for granted. The Israelites, however, knew the harsh reality of slavery. Yet even after God led them out of Egypt, they struggled to embrace their newfound freedom. Faced with uncertainty, they grew fearful and complained against Moses and Aaron, longing for the familiarity of their former bondage rather than trusting God’s provision.

Their story feels surprisingly familiar. As Christians, we have been set free through a far greater deliverance. Our freedom was secured at a great cost through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And yet, we sometimes drift back toward old habits, attitudes and patterns that once held us captive.

Scripture reminds us to stand firm in the freedom we have been given. As Paul writes in Galatians 5:1 (NKJV), “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

True freedom is not simply the absence of restraint. It is the opportunity to live fully in God’s grace, walking in obedience, joy and purpose. This kind of freedom is worth celebrating, protecting and living out every day.

Pastor Mark

We hope everyone is enjoying our well-deserved summer weather!  Summertime means we are about midway through our calendar year, which is a great time to review our personal church contributions.  This year we decided to return to our weekly offering and expense reporting in the service bulletins as we did years ago.  The bulletin reports might be made even clearer with some further explanation and context.  You may have noticed some weeks with more robust offering totals than others.  This is typically due to members paying their annual contribution in one lump sum and is not necessarily reflective of a typical offering week.  We welcome contributions in whatever format works best for members and certainly do not want to discourage annual giving.  It’s just important to note that the weekly offering may at times seem a bit healthier than it is, especially during the first few months of the year.

Likewise, you may have noticed some weeks with larger expense totals.  We were faced with some extra-large expenses this year, partially due to the harsh winter and extreme snowfall.  We also incurred some extra kitchen repair expenses recently.

In other contribution news - Nancy brought to our attention that the 2026 charitable giving non-itemized deductions have been increased to $1000 for an individual and $2000 for couples filing jointly.  To qualify, the gift must be a direct cash/check contribution to a qualified public charity or non-profit organization, such as our church. 

We are indeed facing a budget shortfall for 2026.  If you are able to give a little extra this year, your consideration would be greatly appreciated.  The loss of several wonderful church families who have left our area is felt in more ways than one.  We would love to see our congregation grow and flourish! We encourage everyone to welcome friends, neighbors, and community members to attend a service and see what FUPC has to offer!

The Women’s Bible Study’s Monthly Mission Project for the month of July will be to collect gift cards to assist the Presbytery Point Camp this summer.  These money cards will be used to purchase various supplies for camp and for activities for the campers. Monetary donations are also greatly appreciated.  Cash and gift cards may be left in the designated, labeled box, in the Narthex on Sundays or in the church office during office hours M-F 9AM-1PM. 

Bible Study will resume September 16th. Have a blessed summer!

Presbytery Point needs your help!  It takes a village to make it a successful season; our church is part of that village.  We do have a wish list on Amazon, but if you would like to help in a more local way, gift cards are the best way! Cards from GFS, Walmart, Meijer, or Visa / Mastercard are the best way to go.  These gift cards will then help to purchase what we really need and reduce the stress on our volunteers to get items to camp.  Some of the things that these cards would help us purchase are items for our camp store, arts and crafts, bait for fishing, and many other items and activities. Gift cards may be dropped off at the church office, addressed to Brenda Ransom, or sent directly to the camp.  Thank you so much for supporting the camp in so many ways! It is never too early to get your campers registered and volunteers are always welcome! Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God!”

Our annual rummage sale will be held on August 1st and plans are underway. Start cleaning your attics, basements, garages and cupboards of your overflow and unused items. If you are willing to help in any way, please contact Doris Boogerd at 616-901-4299.

Jiffy Corn Casserole.

What you will need:

• 1 (15 oz) can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 (15 oz) can creamed corn
• 1 (8.5 oz) box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix
• 1 cup (8oz) sour cream
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) melted butter (unsalted)
• 2 large eggs
• Cooking spray

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking dish. (8x8, 9x9 or a pie pan). In a large bowl, whisk eggs and sour cream until smooth. Stir in melted butter, both cans of corn and then the Jiffy mix. Stir until just combined. Pour into prepared dish. Bake 45 - 55 minutes until center is set and tip is golden. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Serves: 8 / Prep: 10 min / Bake: 45 - 55 min