The Focus

Special Points

of Interest

Expedition

Day Camp

Kings County

Jail Ministry

Governing Council 2-3

Kings County Jail

Ministry

4

Senior Salute 5

Kid’s Korner 6

Teen Talk/Fresh

Faces

7

Safe Families 8

Worship Matters 11

Inside this issue:

March 31, 2019

Join the Adventure!

First CRC is on an expedition to fulfill our mission of making more and better disciples. We follow Christ daily wher-ever he may lead, we worship him weekly as a faith family, and connect in

the community of believers. But God didn’t just lead us to this building and these people, and since he leads us into our neighborhoods to make an im-pact in the lives of those he has placed closest to us, we invite others to share our joy and then to join us on the expedition as well.

God is leading us on another adventure that will impact the little lives in Kings County. Expedition Day Camp is an interactive experience for children in grades 2-6. In these one-day camps children will discover the fascinating things in the world around them and the role that God plays in it! Each Day Camp will conclude with a family friendly barbeque to allow time for relation-ship building within our community.

Our first Expedition launches Saturday, April 13 at 1 pm right here at First CRC. Appropriately named for the season, “Spring to Life” Day Camp will fea-ture four different educational stations on weather, astronomy, insects, and gardening. Students will hear a brief presentation at each station before ex-ploring at least two additional hands-on activities on a related topic.

Future expeditions will include: “Extraordinary Construction” on June 29, “Make a Splash” on July 20, and the “Inventors Workshop” on August 10.

Expedition Day Camp gives an opportunity to use the unique gifts that God has given us. For years we have excelled in educating our children to know and love the Lord, and now we can take those passions and talents to chil-dren who have never had such an experience. Imagine farmers teaching about plants, bugs, and irrigation, all the while pointing back to the beauty of our great God!

We need you to join the adventure. We need volunteers to teach, facilitate activities, guide the students, set up, clean up, and serve food. Please prayer-fully consider how God is calling you to fulfill our mission through your spe-cific role in Expedition Day Camp. No adventurer should ever go alone, so join us on the Expedition! To volunteer contact Lael Dunn (559-904-5149).

PAGE 2 THE FOCUS

Governing Council Meeting Minutes

Hanford First Christian Reformed Church

Members Present –Pastor Lambert Sikkema, Adam Mackey, Rimmert de Jong, Scott

Schmidt, Bruce Pickering, David teVelde, Bill Tos, Robert Butts, Heather Thomas – Secretary

to Clerk

Excused Absences – Josh Zonneveld

Dinner followed by Devotions and Prayer – Pastor Lambert opened in Prayer.

Call to Order – Adam Mackey, Chairman

Strategic Planning – Adam Mackey Visioneering – Discussions regarding moving forward to a formal design phase were heard.

In order to more accurately determine the projects viability and cost, it was determined by

unanimous vote, that two complete Design & Construction bids would be obtained highlighting

two potential courses of action:

Design 1:

Phase 1: Emphasis on code compliance, deferred maintenance projects, and

updates on the main building.

Phase 2: Multi-Purpose Room/Space.

Design 2:

Single Phase: Complete code compliance needs, deferred maintenance and

construction of multi-purpose space.

Motion – “To authorize the solicitation of a design/bid with 4Creeks in pursuit of a

phased design with complete budget proposal.”

- CARRIED

Transition Report – Heather Thomas and Pastor Lambert shared an update on Staff

Structures, Role Assignments and information of upcoming events. Continued emphasis to

communicate frequently and openly keeping alignment to Mission, Vision and Plumb-lines

was requested.

Pastor Justin’s VISA Status – Adam provided an update regarding the status of

Pastor Justin’s VISA and Letters of Call.

ChapterNext – Adam provided an update regarding the Lead Pastor search and

affirming the contract with ChapterNext. Sam Hamstra (owner of ChapterNext) is due to

return for a visit in April.

March 5, 2019

PAGE 3 THE FOCUS

Governance Report – Heather Thomas & Pastor Lambert

Heather Thomas and Pastor Lambert reported on the following items:

Financial Report:

The 2018/19 Budget is currently in good standing.

A clarifying discussion was held regarding areas of deferred maintenance and

landscaping.

Financial Planning:

The presentation of the 2019/20 budget plan was discussed. Pastor Lambert high-

lighted items encompassed in the Strategic Ministry Imitative category. A session for

questions and discussions was then held for points of clarification.

“Guiding Principles Objectives Report”:

Report given on six “Guiding Principle Ministry Outcomes” including:

Profession of Faith – 2018/19 Objective Exceeded

Outreach Outcomes – 2018/19 Objective Exceeded

Assimilation – 2018/19 Objective Exceeded

Ministry Involvement – N/A

Leader Development – 2018/19 Objective Not Met

Life Group Participation – 2018/19 Objective Exceeded

Spiritual Formation – N/A

G.C. Committed to setting a Ministry Objective Benchmark

Governing Council Objectives and Milestones – Adam Mackey, Chairman

Board Selections – Adam Mackey presented the status of the Office Bearer Nominations.

Four members were nominated based on the Council Search Matrix with two affirmed decli-

nations, one acceptance, and one undetermined.

2019 Retiring G.C Member: Rimmert de Jong

9:05 PM: Open Discussion / Mutual Censure

Respectfully Submitted

Secretary to Clerk, Heather Thomas

Some Christians are like wheelbarrows – not good unless pushed; Some are like canoes – need to be paddled;

A few are like kites – if you don’t keep a string on them, they fly away; Some are like kittens – contented only when petted;

Some are like trailers – no good unless pulled. Some are filled with the Holy Spirit. Thank the Lord for these.

In which category do you fit?

PAGE 4 THE FOCUS

KINGS COUNTY JAIL MINISTRY By Stella Yarbrough

I’ve spent these last several weeks praying for God to put into words this subject which is dear to my heart.

I’ve been Chaplain Assistant for Kings County Jail for over nine years.

Not many give thought about those incarcerated in jail. The number of those in jail and prison continues to grow. It produces suffering, pain, despair and shattered beings in the depth of human misery, with NO Hope!

All lose: both those who commit offenses and the victims. How can this vicious pattern of life change? What can change these men and women who have come from all walks of life? From prominent families to the most modest of families, struggling to make ends meet; some are from godly families, families that are not thrust into this spiritual, emotional and financial nightmare. They come from all religions, including the occult.

I am retired from California Department of Corrections. While working in the prisons, I met men who are “lifers”, who are believers. Men, who broke this curse that dominated their lives. It was through Jesus Christ, their Messiah, through the Word of God that they found truth with Hope. Their walk in faith on the prison yards was so obvious.

Their spiritual walk in prison is different than the inmates that are caught up in gangs, or what we call “prison politics”. I’ve witnessed men studying the Word of God struggling to learn the deep truths of God. Real desire, not just lip service. I have to admit they taught me volumes about what it takes “to walk what we believe”.

I retired early to be part of the solution. I wanted to be part of a Bible study to prepare those who were about to be released or do time in prison. I wanted to teach them foundational truth, grounded with the tools in the Word of God, to walk this walk.

At that time, there were no Bible studies for the women. This Bible study quickly grew to “two” in depth Bible studies. On Thursday and Friday I have weekly one-on-one conferences with the women and on Sun-day morning we have church services with access directly in the cell areas where they live.

Behind the jail or prison walls, I’ve seen the Holy Spirit at work more than any other place I’ve been, in-cluding churches.

In the studies I teach, I focus on the Reformed teaching. I’ve witnessed burdens lifted off as these women grasp the truth in the Word of God; which in turn, brings hope, love and forgiveness.

Before most women had no hope—only half truths, from the many religions they were raised in (which I call watered down generic gospel.)

The light you see in their faces and eyes with tears of joy, with the hunger to learn and questions that come only from the Holy Spirit enlightening them ….is exciting!!

Bible studies have grown beyond what I ever imagined. The Reformed teachings that we take for granted are liberating to these women.

Sunday sermons are in the men’s and women’s cell blocks. They have requested our return. Jail staff ex-press thanks for our work. Officers see the difference in cooperation of inmates and the change of the in-mate’s behavior.

This life changing ministry effects everyone in our community. What a privilege to be a part of God’s work.

Please continue to pray for this ministry.

PAGE 5 THE FOCUS

SENIOR SALUTE

Carrie Vaalburg Vandersteen was born in Nieuw Vennep, The Nether-

lands on June 7, 1927. The oldest of ten children, she learned about

housework and child care at a very young age. Everyone in Holland

learned to skate, and she was no exception. One day in the 40’s when

she was skating on a huge canal, she met her future husband, George

Vandersteen.

After their engagement, they decided they would be married in the

United States. George emigrated first, going to Minnesota in 1947 where

he worked for his Uncle Bill Vandersteen. Tired of the cold and all the

snow, he traveled to Bellflower, California, where many Dutch immi-

grants lived. Carrie’s arrival was delayed due to document problems. She finally arrived in

March 1949, staying with Bill & Ade Visser. They were married just one week later,

They moved to Hanford where Carrie’s Uncle Lawrence (Larry) Vaalburg lived. George went to

work for De Raad Feed and Seed. Their first home was on 9 ½ Avenue where they began raising

chickens. Their next home was on Porter Street in a house that George remodeled. In 1958, they

moved to 1499 West Grangeville Blvd., where she still lives.

They bought this property from Dick Versluys (Charlotte Frese’s grandfather) who had a boom-

ing chicken business. He had invented a vending machine (the first in this area) that dispensed

eggs in three sizes: small, medium, and large. It attracted quite a bit of attention. (It also required

a lot of maintenance; just ask son Richard, who soon became responsible for that maintenance).

While George continued to work at his new job at Central Lumber, Carrie was busy at home with

children and chickens. There were blessed with five children: Richard (a church member here),

Ellen (Fagundes), Cynthia (Scholtens), Verna (Wiseman), and Laura (Enriquez). Carrie also

sewed all of the children’s clothes, including a suit for Richard cut down from a suit of Bill Tos Sr.

(the father of our John Tos and Bill Tos Jr.). She was an active member of one of our church’s Bi-

ble study groups and Hanford Christian School’s Mothers Club.

Carrie, now 91, is confined to her home where she is blessed by full-time caretakers. We need to

remember Carrie and her family in our prayers as they deal with “The Silent Killer”, Alzheimer’s.

The family is thankful that she is doing well physically, shares a lot of her early memories, and

still recognizes them.

PAGE 6 THE FOCUS

1. Impatient as Sarah

was as she waited for a

child, she took matters

into her own hands by

giving Hagar to her hus-

band as a wife.

A. True

B. False

2. Hagar was:

A. handmaid

B. An Egyptian

C. The mother of Ishmael as a result of

Sarah’s decision

D. All of the above

3. God told Abraham “But my covenant I

will establish with _________, whom Sarah will

bear to you by this time next year.”

A. you

B. Isaac

C. Lot

D. Lot’s wife

4. Sarah was promised a son by:

A. one angel

B. Abraham

C. Hagar

D. three angels

5. When Sarah was promised a son she

A. Was excited

B. Laughed

C. Cried

D. All of the above

6. When Abraham told Abimelech that Sa-

rah was his sister, he spoke the truth.

A. True

B. False

7. The Lord told Abraham to let Sarah send

Hagar away because

A. Abraham had fallen in love with

her

B. She didn’t want Isaac to share his

inheritance with Hagar’s son Ish-

mael

C. Isaac was growing too fond of Ha-

gar

D. All of the above

8. Sarah died in:

A. Egypt

B. The wilderness

C. Israel

D. Canaan

9. How old was Sarah when she died?

A. 100

B. 127

C. 99

D. 135

10. How old was Abraham when he died?

A. 175

B. 222

C. 156

D. 127

If the answers you do not know,

just look here down below:

All the answers are in Genesis

1. 16:1-2 2. 16;1,11 3. 17:21

4. 18;2,10 5. 18:12 6. 20:12

7. 21:10 8. 23:2 9. 23:1

10. 25:7

PAGE 7 THE FOCUS

TEEN TALK: LET’S TALK TODAY

Before they call, I will answer;

while they are still speaking I will hear. Isaiah 65:24

Dear Child,

Prayer is not a process of trying to talk Me into doing something that I don’t want to do. Prayer is realizing how

willing I am to be involved in your life and how excited I am about involving you in Mine.

The moment you admit in prayer that you’ve been wrong, I forgive you. In prayer, I can encourage you when

you’re down and show you the way when you’re lost. I can give you courage to face your fears, and I can bend

down to dry your tears.

Can’t you tell by now how much I want to talk with you? In fact, I’m listening for your prayers day and night.

I’m already answering your call while it’s still just a thought in your head. Let’s talk today.

Your Friend Who listens,

God

FRESH FACES

Fred and Shoni Holt were married on January 12, 2013 in a private and special ceremony at Shell Beach. How did they meet? It happened when Fred walked into the Waukena Flying Service, the crop duster’s office where Shoni worked. She is still working there and next month she will be there for 20 years!

Fred was a member of the first class of Duncans Polytechnic High School in Clovis, the area’s now well known vocational school. After graduating from Reedley Col-lege, he started farming his family’s three generation land in Corcoran where his crops include cotton and grain.

Shoni attended Corcoran High School and attended both COS and San Joaquin Val-ley College where she obtained a bookkeeping degree. She has done bookkeeping for various businesses. Currently, she keeps the books for Circle T Farms, the family business that spreads manure at local dairies. In fact, several of our church members use their service.

Jacob, their 26 year old son who lives in Waukena works for their company. His wife Melanie is employed by a Crop Duster business. Sons Jason and Dawson still live at home. The two 18 year olds are seniors at Corcoran High School. They have started planning for their future, but it will definitely include some farm work! If the boys continue to work on the farm, they will be the fourth generation. Shoni noted that, “this is such a blessing to us.”

Their address is Corcoran but they are very close to Hanford. Shoni says “It just takes me 12 minutes to get to Costco.” The family’s favorite activity is camping. They enjoy camping at both the beach and desert – but definitely not the mountains! Riding their “bikes” is a big part of their camping time.

How did Shoni and Fred hear about our church? Member Peter deJong’s land adjoins theirs. Fred attend-ed here for quite some time and soon Shoni joined him. Their Life Group, with direct contact and support from other church members, helped them make their decision to become members of Hanford First CRC. They love our church and the great fellowship, especially their Life Group and the deep relationships that grow there. They stated, “This is a great church, so well-rounded.” We are blessed to have them as part of our congregation.

PAGE 8 THE FOCUS

Safe Families for Children

Dear Congregation,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the partnership with SFFC in 2018. We are very grateful for your support of our program and look forward to serving more families together in 2019. Our ministry is dependent upon volunteers and church support to serve families in crisis. I have come to appreciate the beautiful relationship that SFFC has with the local church. I recent-ly heard a pastor describe why he loved SFFC. He said that it is the churches heart to serve these families, but without the safety mechanisms of SFFC the church is left struggling to help in this meaningful way. Yes, the early church was recognized by their deeds in taking in strangers, but in our 21st century world, most people do not feel equipped or safe to do this on their own. Many pastors, church staff and leadership also feel the pressure of legal action and risk if they were to ask someone in their church to care for a stranger. It is for these reasons that SFFC is so success-ful in helping the church provide meaningful Biblical hospitality.

Your partnership allows us to help your church members participate in a meaningful ministry and serve struggling families in our community. I often hear our volunteers state that they like SFFC because we can reach families in the community that they would otherwise never come into con-tact with. As the coordinator of this program it is my great privilege to be able to make this con-nection. I love this part of my job. I love to see our volunteers pour out their love and resources to these families. This is a very difficult ministry, but to watch the heart of the gospel in action is so rewarding. This past year I have had the pleasure to see some of our families who started with us four years ago, step out into new places to serve in this ministry. Many host families are now acting as Family Coaches and using their experiences to help a new family who is hosting for the first time. I routinely hear from our host families the support they received from others to get through their hosting. It really is beautiful when many serve together.

In this past year we had the pleasure of working with Lee and Erin Kootstra as they hosted a 12 year old boy. They were an amazing example of grace to this family. Just recently we approved Aaron and Marissa Carpenter to be a host family. Most of our referrals come from the Fresno area, but this past year we saw an increase in referrals from the Visalia area.

Again, thank you for your support. We look forward to growing the ministry in your church this coming year. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Wishing you and your church many blessings in 2019!

Serving Together,

Kim Lehner Program Coordinator klehner@bethany.org

PAGE 9 THE FOCUS

Dear Friends at First CRC—

Thank you so much, once again, for your faithful financial support and your prayers.

What a blessing you are to us! We are in the middle of a busy trekking season right now.

Please pray for open doors and open hearts as we bring scripture to the Muslim villages

here. Thanks again!

Cal & Jamie Hofland

Dear Congregation,

Thank you for your continued support of Hannah’s House. Our goal for this year is to build on Hannah’s House so we can service ten more women and children!

Thanks again,

Marisa Nardiello Program Manager

Dear friends at First Christian Reformed Church,

Thank you so much for your recent gifts. Your love for Christ is clearly evident in your re-peated generosity toward His people here in Papua New Guinea. You have become a part of the mighty work that God is doing among the Leipon people. We will be heading out to the Leipon Islands in February. While there, we hope to finish checking and print the first Scripture portion in Leipon!

Please pray for good health and productivity. Pray against illness, hardware failure, and spiritual attack. As we approach this exciting milestone, we are expecting strong opposi-tion from our enemy. Contend for us before our Heavenly Father, so that in all circum-stances we may honor Him.

We are so grateful for the part you have come to play in God’s work here. May He bless you for your obedience to His calling. In Christ, Zach and Laura O’Leary Wycliffe

There are only two things sure in life: 1. There is a God!

and 2. You’re not Him!

He who abandons himself to God Will never be abandoned by God.

PAGE 10 THE FOCUS

Keep connected with us!

Are you receiving our First CRC Newsletters via email? First CRC Weekly will keep you up to date on what is just ahead, while the CRC Monthly provides future insight as well as past highlights. If you would like to be added to our email list please contact the Office Administrator, Nancy Azevedo.

THE HEIDELBERG CATECHISM (continued) Frederick the Pious (continued) (We left Fredrick awaiting the Augsburg Diet* that he was ordered to attend by King Maximillian, where a decision was to be made about what to do with him. Emperor Maximillian had ordered the Diet to start on March 23, 1566. The emperor was anxious to meet Frederick because it was hard to believe that the devil visited him nightly, as his enemies said. The emperor noted that Frederick did not attack his enemies the way they attacked him.) Frederick did not go to the diet until April, but he sent a representative there in February. Fredrick’s brother and many of his friends did not want him to attend, reminding him that twenty years earlier the Elector of Saxony had been condemned to death because of his faith. Fredrick responded, “I believe that God, Who has brought me to a knowledge of the Gospel, still reigns, and if it cost my blood, I would regard martyrdom as an honor for which I could not sufficiently thank Him in this life or in eternity.” Arriving in Augsburg in April, he was there for a month before the diet took up the charges against him. During that month many men watched him. They listened to the eloquent sermons of his preacher Michael Diller. They watched him and heard him at the sessions of the diet. As Frederick moved among them, they saw the calmness and strength in him, the confidence that was not conceit, the kindness that would not stoop to malice and scheming. On May14 the diet was meeting in the council hall of the prince-bishop’s palace. The charges against him were read. The Elector Fredrick faced the emperor from the center of the hall. Next to him stood his son Casimir, holding in his hand the elector’s Bible – “my spiritual armour bearer”, Frederick called him. (to be continued) *the diet was the general assembly of the estates of the former Holy Roman Empire

DID YOU KNOW?

Life without God is like an unsharpened pencil? It has no point.

That President Calvin Coolidge was named for the 16th century reformer, John Calvin?

When you take God out of good, you have exactly zero left.

That the book of Jonah was a sign that the Israelites were beginning to see that God loved all people, not just Israelites? That Corrie ten Boom said, “Once we learn to love our enemies, we tap the ocean of God’s love like never before”?

PAGE 11 THE FOCUS

WORSHIP MATTERS By Amy Breslow

Over the course of the next few months, we are going to be delving extensively into the topic of worship. Beginning April 28th, Pastor Lambert will begin a seven part series on Singing and Worship: “Sing a New Song!” Our wonderful team of musicians and vocalists are working diligently to prepare seven new musical selections to celebrate the gift of song! There will be a hymn sing on May 5th in the evening, and a night of worship on May 10th. We will follow that with a Worship Seminar by Tom Kraueter, a respected authority on Biblical Worship, on June 22nd. I’d like to encourage all of you to make plans to attend this one-day seminar! It is a wonderful opportunity for us to learn together what Scripture says about the topic of wor-ship. Our Sunday gathering for corporate worship is a good opportunity for us to practice “worship,” but that is just WHAT we do. In the “Sing a New Song!” series, Pastor Lambert is going to look at the WHY of wor-ship, and Tom Kraueter will help us to examine the HOW. Worship is so much more than what we do to-gether corporately, and it is always good to be reminded that music is NOT worship. Amos 5:23 says “take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen.” And in Isaiah 29:13, “The Lord says, ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.’” It doesn’t matter how good the music sounds, or how excellently the musicians play, or how beautifully we all sing together, if our hearts are not worshipping. If our hearts are far from the Lord, then all we do on Sunday is make noise. John Wesley, in his “Rules for worship” said, “and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound you make, but offered to God continually.” The whole quote (Rule #7), is here: “Above all sing spiritually. Have an eye to God in every work you sing. Aim at pleasing Him more than yourself, or any other creature. In order to do this attend strictly to the sense of what you sing, and see that your heart is not carried away with the sound you make, but offered to God continually; so shall your singing be such as the Lord will approve here, and reward you when He cometh in the clouds of heaven.” Our aim is not to make the most beautiful sound with our voices, but the most beautiful sound with our hearts. Our bodies are living instruments - and when our heart sings, our bodies cannot help but resonate with joy! Martin Luther summed it up perfectly in his introduction to the Bapstsche Gesangbuch:

“Where one would sing, heart and mind must indeed by happy and full of joy…The Psalmist refers to this fact when he says, ‘Sing unto the Lord a new song, sing unto the Lord all the earth.' For God has made our hearts and spirits happy through His [only] Son, whom He has delivered up that we might be redeemed from sin, death, and the devil. He who believes this sincerely and earnestly can-not help but be happy; he must cheerfully sing and talk about this, that others might hear it and come to Christ. If any would not sing and talk of what Christ has wrought for us, he shows thereby that he does not really believe and that he belongs not into the New Testament, which is an era of joy, but into the Old, which produces not the spirit of joy, but of unhappiness and discontent.”

It is for HIS glory that we sing. It is not for our own pleasure, enjoyment, or fulfillment. It is true that in worship, we will find ourselves healed, restored, and refreshed (At your right hand are pleasures forever-more! Ps16:11), but they are not the aim of worship. The aim of worship is God’s Glory, and the advancing of the Kingdom.

2175 Leoni Drive ~ Hanford, California

FIRST CHRISTIAN REFORMED

Phone: 559-582-4423

Fax: 559-584-2235

We’re on the web

hanfordcrc.org

THE FOCUS PAGE 12

If there are any needs in the congre-

gation for the Deacons, please feel free

to give one of them a call and they will

be willing to address them. Thank

you. Your Diaconate

This-n-That—God certainly blessed us during the Winter with an abundance of rain and snow. Now

we are in Spring, the season of renewal. We are humbled by Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross which is stated so well in the poem “Why Should He Die For Such As I?” We rejoice in His resurrection (see the poem “Rejoice! Rejoice!) We are very disappointed that no one is willing to inform Anita of our members’ special occasions, activi-ties, etc. Several members have told us how much they miss the Congregation Chatter feature. We are still praying that sometime soon we will have a few volunteers. In the meantime, we are asking each member to call or email Anita with their own information...please!! Anita & Nancy

Answers to Kids Korner Questions:

1. True 2. d 3. b 4. d 5. b 6. True

7. b 8. d 9. b 10. a

SENIOR SCENE: INTERCESSOR

I was passing by your house last night

And looked in the window there,

And I saw you sitting all cheery and bright,

Caught in a moment’s prayer.....

I felt the pull of your longing need;

I felt the power drain out,

And I knew that a flower had sprung from

the seed

Of a faith that has conquered doubt.

A faith that has grown for fifty years

Of loving and living and loss,

That has come into bloom, watered with tears

Shed at the foot of My Cross.

And I knew right away that a healing took place

Through the Grace of My Father above,

For I looked in your soft and smiling face,

And I saw My kind of love.

L. Woodward & M. Hyatt

REJOICE! REJOICE!

“Let not your heart be troubled”- Let not your soul be sad-

Easter is a time of joy When all hearts should be glad. Glad to know that Jesus Christ

Made it possible for men To have their sins forgiven

And, like Him, to live again… So at this joyous season

May the wondrous Easter Story Renew our faith so we may be

Partakers of “His Glory!” Helen Steiner Rice

WHY SHOULD HE DIE FOR SUCH AS I?

In everything both great and small We see the Hand of God in all, And in the miracles of Spring

When everywhere and everything His handiwork is all around

And every lovely sight and sound Proclaims the GOD of earth and sky,

I ask myself, ‘”JUST WHO AM I” That God should send His only Son

That my salvation would be won Upon a CROSS by a sinless Man To bring fulfillment to God’s Plan.

For Jesus suffered , bled, and died That sinners might be sanctified,

And to grant God’s children SUCH AS I Eternal life in that HOME ON HIGH.

Helen Steiner Rice