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Beechwood Church A Ministry of the Reformed Church in America |
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Opportunities Journey Photos and Publications Updated Weekly |
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As a church body, we extend our support to many people and organizations who spread the message of God's love in many ways. In following the teaching of Acts 1:8, we reach out to our community, our state, our nation and the world. Below are listed the people and missions we've supported in the past year, many through our Opportunities Journey. Our Community return to top
 Founded in 2006, Church Multiplication Service (CMS) helps shepherd healthy churches to plant new Christian churches for God. Their stated mission is to provide assistance to churches that wish to reach people for Jesus Christ. In addition to partnering with parent churches, CMS works with and helps equip prospective church planters, including matching them with a parent church. CMS exists to accelerate the progress in achieving church multiplication to the glory of God! Many local food pantries depend on the annual CROP Walk to keep stocked through the summer. The Holland CROP Walk takes place each year during a weekend in April, with the second day (Sunday) starting from Beechwood. Throughout the nation, thousands of walkers gather pledges from sponsors to march in the CROP Walk, an event which has become the second largest in the nation. Last year’s CROP Walk resulted in 6,600 pounds of food being distributed locally, along with a sizable monetary donation to Church World Service, which sends resources to famished parts of the world. After more than 20 years of providing support to people and their families who struggle with addiction, Harry and Norine Pothoff formed a faith-based nonprofit corporation called “Families Victorious.” Their mission is to focus on the spiritual needs of people and their families who struggle with addiction for the purpose of reconciliation with God, each other, and the community at large, and to find freedom from the bondage of addiction in their lives. Families Victorious accomplished their vision by developing small groups within local churches and community-based program, creating a “safe” environment for honest sharing, and encouraging people to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Beechwood hosts a Families Victorious group meeting each Sunday evening starting at 7:00 p.m. Good Samaritan provides vital ministry services to people and churches in our community. Their Clearinghouse serves as a hub of information and referral services, responding to immediate and short-term needs by linking individuals to area churches and agencies that can help. Good Samaritan partners with and equips churches by offering them ministry opportunities, training, and congregational coaching, along with pursuing grants that increase church capacity and programming.  Habitat for Humanity International is a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing ministry. HFHI seeks to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness from the world, and to make decent shelter a matter of conscience and action. Habitat invites people of all backgrounds, races and religions to build houses together in partnership with families in need, and has built more than 250,000 houses around the world, providing more than 1 million people in more than 3,000 communities with safe, decent, affordable shelter. Beechwood joins annually with several other area churches to provide funding and volunteers so that a family in need can experience the dream of owning an affordable home. A church plant started by Beechwood, Iglesia Alas de Aguila ministers to Spanish speaking people throughout Holland and beyond. Under Pastor Hugo Vasquez’s leadership, Iglesia Alas de Aguila has been instrumental in bringing new people to, and growing people in, Christ.  One child, one hour is the heart of KIDS HOPE USA. One caring adult mentoring an at-risk child one hour every week. KIDS HOPE USA is a church-based model because churches are better positioned to recruit volunteer mentors who will be faithful over the long haul. Beechwood partners with Woodside Elementary to provide mentors and prayer partners to children in need.  Lakeshore Pregnancy Center is committed to providing accurate, up-to-date information and practical support to women and men regarding sexuality and pregnancy-related issues. They are dedicated to the highest standards of integrity as they work with clients and community. The mission of Water’s Edge Ministries is to offer support, fellowship and refreshment for pastors' wives. Water’s Edge was visioned and pioneered by our own Jen Peterson, and is a ministry of PastorCare, a national clergy support network which serves pastors and their families.  Beginning in 1999 with 23 students, Turning Pointe School of Dance has grown to be one of Holland’s largest dance schools with a satellite school in Hudsonville and in Southwest Chicago. Turning Pointe offers a variety of classes for students of all ages and dance interests. Their mission is preparing the dancer in body and spirit to glorify God through artistic excellence. With this mission in mind, Turning Pointe seeks to offer the highest quality of dance training in a nurturing Christian environment. Last year Beechwood provided scholarships for a few students in need. Western Theological Seminary prepares people who find their vocations in the ministries of the church of Jesus Christ - people who will preach, teach, counsel, pursue justice, help others in need, and evangelize in fellowship with the church. Beechwood helps support the seminary by being a teaching church for many students who come under our care, including several who serve paid internships at Beechwood, and through an annual gift to the seminary. Our State return to top  Beechpoint Christian Camp’s primary purpose is to reach urban youth with the gospel of Jesus Christ through a quality Christian camping experience. This is achieved through programs which provide campers with an environment to learn and practice Christ-like principles and to see Christ’s love demonstrated. It is Beechpoint Christian Camp’s desire that children and adults from all walks of life can experience and know Christ’s love for them, so that they will be encouraged through a discipling program. Leadership of the camp is provided by former Beechwood members Bob and Jan VanDyke. International Aid is a Christian relief and development agency that responds to biblical mandates by providing and supporting solutions in healthcare. Disasters such as the Cyclone in Burma, the earthquake in China and other monumental tragedies test International Aid’s ability to provide compassionate care in emergencies, but their experience and preparedness as a disaster aid provider allow their health ministry to offer compassionate care that extends well beyond the time and place of a particular disaster venue. International Aid is committed to improving global health care by making quality health services available to the world's poor.
Our Nation return to top  AIM (Adventures in Missions) is an interdenominational missions organization that focuses on discipling, with an emphasis on prayer and relationships in their work among the poor. AIM has been in existence for more than 17 years and has taken over 65,000 people to the mission field, some for a year or longer. Through their 14 bases around the world, AIM provides year-round ministry to places where “the least of these” are found. They believe that by giving people the opportunity to hold orphans, bring hope to the hopeless, and pray for the sick, lives are transformed. AIM seeks to disciple as Jesus did – their vision is that God would use them to raise up a generation of radically committed disciples of Jesus Christ. Don and Connie Rock are former youth pastors at Beechwood, and we are blessed to help support them in their ministry through AIM!
Robert (Bob) and Linda Schut have served as RCA missionaries in Mescalero, New Mexico, since 1984. The Mescalero Apache tribe lives in the south central mountains of New Mexico on a reservation that covers more than 460,000 acres, most of which is forest land with ponderosa pine and douglas fir. The Reformed Church in America began its ministry with the Mescalero Apaches in 1907, and Mescalero Reformed Church was organized with nineteen members two years later. The ministry of the Mescalero church, say the Schuts, is to help people know Jesus as Savior and to help them claim Jesus as the Lord of their lives.  Carolyn Raar, a former pastor at Beechwood, recently accepted a call to serve as lead pastor for Community Reformed Church in Utica, NY. Carolyn is helping to lead the church through a restart, and Beechwood provided a special gift, matched by the RCA, that allowed the core leadership of the church to get off to a good start by attending the ‘THRIVE’ conference held in summer 2008 in Minneapolis.The World return to top  Bible League provides the Scriptures that people around the world need. But they don’t stop there — they make sure those Scriptures are used for evangelism, discipleship, and church growth. That’s what makes Bible League unique. Bible League works with local churches in more than 60 countries, training indigenous Christians to lead Bible studies. During 2007, more than 17.7 million Scriptures were placed by Bible League-trained Christians who formed 231,487 Bible study groups worldwide. Nearly 3.3 million people were gathered into those groups. Recently Beechwood provided a grant that placed hundreds of bibles in Indonesia.  Nathan and Nozomi Brownell are working in cooperation with the church in Japan to renew youth ministry. They are developing a relational youth ministry in Yokohama, Japan, through various mission schools. They also practice a ministry of hospitality and develop a network to spread the vision for a revived national youth outreach in Japan. The vision includes involving high school and college-age youth in ministry to younger children through drama and puppetry, which allows the students to learn and share the gospel at the same time. In 1994 Abraham and Sayuri Kist-Okazaki began their work as RCA missionaries in Tokyo, Japan. The couple, who are both ordained RCA ministers, work together in evangelistic training for congregations in the United Church of Christ in Japan. Abraham and Sayuri specialize in teaching churches how to incorporate contemporary music and "seeker-friendly" elements into their worship so churches can more effectively reach non-Christians, who make up 99 percent of Japan's population.  Started by former missionaries to Uganda Tim and Susan DeForest, Project Uganda has been changing lives for more than fifteen years. Project Uganda provides individuals with the opportunity to support the education of middle and high school-aged youths in Pakele, Uganda. For $100, sponsors provide an education for one student for one year, including uniforms and books! In addition, Beechwood provides funding to provide Bibles to students.  The Reformed Church in America provides crisis assistance in case of devastation due to fire, floods, hurricanes, famine, etc. through its World Relief — Global program.
 Operation Christmas Child brings joy and hope to children in desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God’s love. Since 1993, more than 61 million shoe boxes have been packed, shipped, and delivered across the globe. People of all ages can be involved in this simple, hands-on missions project while focusing on the true meaning of Christmas—Jesus Christ. Beechwood members actively participate each year in this life changing ministry. Bob Spoolstra served as Youth Pastor at Beechwood for several years. He and his wife, Julie, with their daughters Nikki and Amanda, joined the Youth World staff in May 2004. Bob serves as the El Refugio Director and construction coordinator, and assists in leading work teams. Julie serves as the financial coordinator for Youth World and oversees the finances of El Refugio, Short Term Teams, and Youth World.  Beechwood recently provided a gift to Talking Bibles International that will supply seven targeted homes in seven villages in rural Africa with a Talking Bible. These are villages where people cannot read but where oftentimes as many as 50 people or more will gather to hear God’s Word. It truly changes lives!  Beechwood members Mike and Bonnie Timmer, with daughters Tiffany, Ashley, Mallory, Sydney, Emily and Gracey, are missionaries in Bolivia dedicated to opening homes for the orphaned and abandoned children of Bolivia. The Timmer’s formed “International Orphanage Union” (I.O.U.) for this purpose, with “IOU” describing the way they feel toward God for providing them with a Christian family, church and community that quickly brought each of them into a personal relationship with their Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Each orphanage is set up such that the home is essentially a family setting for eight to twelve children. Each home has house parents who are Christian and raise the children with Christ-like values and love. The children attend public schools and a local church, and receive Bible studies from their house parents and Christian volunteers.  Marlin and Sally Vis are missionaries in East Jerusalem. Marlin served as Lead Pastor of Beechwood for several years, and our connection with Marlin, Sally and their family runs deep. Palestinian Christians have reached a point of crisis, caught between Islamic and Israeli militancy. Many have left the area. Marlin and Sally Vis are engaged in a compassionate ministry to Palestinian refugees. They work with the Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees to help Palestinian Christians however they can. In addition to working with refugees, the Vises host visitors from the United States and Canada who come to assist in their ministry.
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