WELCOME TO
Our Online Bulletin
Join us for worship on Sundays at 10:30am
HAPPENINGS is found any time on our website at www.s-heights.org/happenings.
Once per week HAPPENINGS will be emailed to everyone on our email list.
email us at shcrc1@gmail.com if you want to be on the email list.
Bible Humor
Why doesn’t Moses use a Laptop computer?
Look below for the answer.
PASTOR TODD’S WEEKLY WORD
Dear Friends,
“Try unplugging it and plugging it back in again.”
This is the first piece of advice in every troubleshooting manual, and the first bit of wisdom offered by every tech support person ever contacted, for anything, ever. And as irritating and obvious as that advice has become, the truth is that “restarting” or “rebooting” has a remarkable way of making a thing work better!
This is true of our electronics and gadgets (though it does not ALWAYS work on refrigerators…fyi, the Eckstein family fridge seems to be working again after slightly more than a defrost/restart cycle…go team!). Rebooting is also good for our bodies, our homes, the environment, our calendars, our priorities & habits, etc…
I woke up to another of our first really hard frosts of this fall this morning, and reveled again at the feeling of a “fresh restart” that comes from these first few hard frosts. The grass won’t grow anymore this year. The bugs are done for the year, except for those few fruit flies that want the last scraps of your apple cores. The leaves are taking their cue, flaring their colors, and letting go of their branches, while the autumn winds gather them all together in piles and then blow them apart every few hours. The little critters (and the big ones!) are making preparations for colder weather, finding warmer places to wait out the inevitable snow & cold before it gets here. And for families, fall sports have concluded…
The point is, this is a great time of year for a reset! A hard frost is a visual cue that it’s time to start a new thing. At our house, this has resulted in a flurry of cleaning of surfaces and places we haven’t had time to tend to in a little too long. As this season changes, I’m also trying to do a little less watching and a little more reading.
What needs rebooting or restarting in your life right now?
If you haven’t been to church in a while, come start a new thing with us in worship at Southern Heights this Sunday at 10:30am at 4141 East Hillandale, and we’ll treat you like family :). If you need someone to start reading & studying the Bible with, praying with, or just someone with whom you can talk about life and faith, you’ll find all of those things here too! See you Sunday! (or any Sunday after that…you’ll always be welcome here!)
His…Pastor todd <><
Upcoming Events at Southern Heights
These are highlights only. CLICK HERE to see the calendar for a full listing.
November 5 – 1st & 3rd Wednesday Ministries
– 10am – Women’s Ministry
– 5:15pm – Pizza dinner
– 6pm – Gems/Cadets, Men’s Women’s Ministry
November 9
– Education Hour for Middle School, High School & Adults
– Special Presentation 9-10am – RISE Ministries
– 10:30am – Worship Gathering
– 6pm – Middle School Ministry
November 14 – 9am – SeniorBreakfast at LaRue’s
November 16
– 9am – Education Hour – Middle School, High School & Adults
– 10:30am – Worship Gathering – Pastor Swap with Mark Immink from City on a Hill
– 6pm – High School Ministry
November 19 – 1st & 3rd Wednesday Ministries
– 10am – Women’s Ministry
– 5:15pm – Pizza dinner
– 6pm – Gems/Cadets, Men’s Women’s Ministry
November 23
– 9am – Ed Hour
– 10:30am – Worship Gathering – Guest Pastor – Joey DeKoekkoek
– 6pm – Middle School Ministry
November 26
– 6:30 to 7:15pm – Thanksgiving Eve Worship
November 30
– 9am – Ed Hour
– 10:30am – Worship Gathering – Advent #1 – Communion
– 6pm – 5th Sunday – Both HS and MS ministries
December 1 – 3:30 – 8:30pm – Shipshewana Christmas Lights Caravan
November 9 – Special Presentation Education Hour
November 9 will be a special presentation during education hour
(9am to 10am in the Fellowship Hall)
Ben Ipema and Jeff Kimmel will lead a discussion about a new ministry in Kalamazoo called RISE. It is safe, affordable, faith-based housing for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Join us as we hear about and learn how we can partner with RISE.
Pastor Swap
Sunday, November 16 will be our annual “Pastor Swap”. Pastor Todd will preach at “City on a Hill” (the church plant we are involved with), and Pastor Mark Immink will preach here at Southern Heights. Pastor Mark is a great friend and we look forward to seeing him again.
THANKSGIVING EVE SERVICE
We will give thanks to God for all He has done for us on Thanksgiving Eve – Wednesday, November 23 from 6:30 to 7:15pm.
Thanksgiving Food Drive
It’s that time of year when we can share with people who can use a little help. Grocery bags with shopping lists will be handed out on Sunday morning for our Thanksgiving Food Drive. There will be extra lists on the table in the lobby if you aren’t here to receive a bag.
Please return your items to the lobby no later than our Thanksgiving worship gathering on Wednesday, November 26. Thank you.
Senior Breakfast (60+)
Friday, November 14 at 9am at LaRue’s Restaurant (6375 Stadium Drive).
RSVP to Marilyn at marilyn@dmboersema.net or 269.220.9254.
LaRue’s doesn’t take credit cards.
Shipshewana Christmas Lights Caravan
The Shipshewana Christmas Lights Caravan is now set for Monday December 1.
We will meet at the Centre Street/131 Park&Ride lot at 3:30pm and get into a caravan of vehicles. We will ride to Shipshewana for dinner at the “Blue Gate” restaurant. Then we will tour the Christmas Lights at the fairgrounds. Cost is $15 per person.
The deadline to secure your seat in the caravan is Sunday, November 23.
Sign up on the information table.
(PS – because we have to arrange for vehicles and drivers, we cannot accept new people after November 23)
A Good Scripture to Memorize
Thanks
Dear Chruch Family,
Leilani and I want to say thanks to you all for the prayers, cards, flowers, visits, phone calls, food, and other assistance during Larry’s heart operation and the beginning of the recovery process. It was much appreciated and certainly lightened our journey. Larry still has about 5-6 weeks of certain limitations and rehab, but good progress has been made in the last 6 weeks, and we thank you all again for those prayers and how God has answered them. Blessings!!!
Leilani and Larry Napp
MORE THANKS!
The Outreach committee thanks you, Southern Heights , for your thoughtful and extremely generous donations to Ministry With Community the month of October! Your donations of tolietries, socks and underwear have been delivered and will bless many people over the coming months.
Education Hour – Sundays 9-10am
Ed Hour takes place on Sundays from 9-10am.
High school and Middle school begin Ed Hour in the Student Room and then have separate classes.
1st & 3rd Wednesday Ministries
10:00am – Women’s ministry meets in the conference room.
5:15pm – light supper of pizza and chips and cookies.
6pm we will have GEMS (1st -5th grade girls) and Cadets (1st to 5th grade boys), and Women’s Ministry (Same lesson as 10am) and Men’s Ministry. Bring your friends!
Student LIFE Ministries
Sundays from 6-8pm are for Students.
High School – 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays
Middle School – 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays.
Have a Praise or Prayer Request?
Click on this prayer prompter image or email deborahbos2@gmail.com and your prayer or praise will be included in our weekly Prayer Prompter, which is received and prayed over by many in our Southern Heights family. Tell us if your request is confidential and it will only be shared with elders and staff, who will confidentially pray for you.
Your Offerings to God
as of November 2, 2025
If you have questions about your giving, want a copy of your statement, or for a reminder of what your First Fruits estimate is, please email our Treasurer, Jeff Baas at jmbaas1@gmail.com. He is happy to help you.
Free & Confidential Counseling is Available
If you feel the need to talk to a professional counselor, we have a confidential Church Assistance Program (CAP) with Pine Rest Mental Health Services. To get started – or for more info – call 616.455.6210 or 800.442.0809 and mention our Southern Heights CAP membership when you do.
In Seach Of…
The Cadets are in search of an air-hockey table. Do you have one in your basement that you no longer use? Maybe consider loaning or donating it to the Cadets. Contact Jeff at jmbaas1@gmail.com.
Answer to Bible Humor
He prefers Tablets.
