Plan to attend these important upcoming meetings:

Sunday, February 1st - Town Meetings at 9:45 and 11:05am
Plan to attend one of these meetings. These will help prepare us for the upcoming Annual Meeting.

Sunday, February 8th - Annual Meeting at 12:30 pm
All members should plan to attend this important gathering of our church. All non-members and friends are also welcome and encouraged to come.

The 2008 Annual Report will be ready for you to pick up at the Welcome Center by Sunday, January 25th.

For more click on "read more" below.

The Senior Pastor Search Committee is working diligently on the search for our new Senior Pastor. The goal is to hire the new Senior Pastor by the Spring/Summer 2009.

While much of the work of the search committee will be confidential, the progress of the work being accomplished will be regularly communicated to the congregation both here on our website and in the church bulletin.

Please be in continual prayer throughout this time of transition. Pray for God to lead us to the person who he wants in this position, for unity on the team and for wisdom throughout the whole process.

If you would like to communicate with the committee you can e-mail them at pastorsearch@thornapple.org.

To read an update on the progress of the search committee, the job description, the church profile, the names of committee members, and the current prayer requests, click on "read more."

The Community Group (adult education) meets Sundays at 9:45 am in the community room.

Upcoming Topics for 2009:

January 11, 18, and 25:
Jack Kuhatschek will be teaching: Part 2 of What's So Amazing About Grace? A study of Romans.

February 1:
There will be Town Meetings on February 1 at 9:45 and 11:05.

February 8, 15 and 22:
Derek Kaufman will be teaching: NUMB3RS: Christianity in a Changing World.

Click on "read more" for more information on class topics and schedule. For the Discovery Class topics go to the separate article about the Discovery Class.

The Discovery Class offers teaching for adults on Sunday mornings at 9:45 from September-June. This class offers learning on a wide variety of topics through lecture format with less group discussion. The class meets in the library Sundays at 9:45 am.
Upcoming Topics for 2009:

January 11, 18, and 25:
Jonathan Petersen will be teaching: Sin: Our Parasite, Vandal, & Spoiler
Society trivializes sin—if it thinks about it at all. How much do you allow that perspective to shape your Christian life? This class will explore what sin is, its persistent reality, its relationship to creation and grace, and why our lives are dependent on us taking it seriously.

February 1:
There will be Town Meetings on February 1 at 9:45 and 11:05. Plan to attend one of the meetings to hear important news from the elders.

February 8, 15 and 22:
Derek Kaufman will be teaching: NUMB3RS: Christianity in a Changing World.

Click on "read more" for more information on current and future topics for this class.

The Third Option is an on-going group program for anyone who would like to strengthen their marriage.

The sessions are the 1st and 3rd Thursdays evenings of every month from 6:30 to 8:30. The next meeting date is January 15 and the topic is Speaking the Truth in Love. Please note that there will be no sessions on Dec. 18 or Jan. 1.

Couples can begin this class on any of the Third Option Thursday meetings. The location is: Thornapple Covenant Church Middle School room (lower level).

All couples of any age are invited to come.

For a listing of future meeting dates and topics and for more information on this ministry, click on "read more."

We are:
a community sharing a journey of faith,
a church family that encourages and cares, and
a place of belonging in a world of change.

VISITORS - If you would like to learn more about Thornapple Covenant Church, click here.

We are located at 6595 Cascade Road SE in Grand Rapids, MI 49546, at the intersection of Cascade Road and Burton Street. Our phone number is: 616-957-0580. Click here for a map.

Our current Sunday Worship Schedule which is:
* 8:25am Contemporary
* 9:45am Contemporary
* 11:05am Traditional

Full nursery care is offered during each worship hour.

Our regular schedule includes Christian education programs offered at the 9:45 hour for all ages - children, students and adults. For more information consult the children, student and adult pages of our website.

There is no "dress code" at Thornapple - on any given Sunday morning, you will see everything from jeans and sweatshirts to jackets and ties.

If you would like to contact our Elders you may do so by: e-mail (elders@thornapple.org); note (church mail box) or phone.

Click on "read more" for more details on our Sunday programming. If you have questions, please call the church office at (616) 957-0580.

The High School Winter Retreat is just around the corner on January 23-25. There will be awesome bands, fantastic speakers, a broomball tournament, snow tubing and sledding, hanging with friends, amazing games, skiing and much more.

For the HS 2009 Winter Retreat Registration Form, click here.

For more details, click on "read more" below.

Here is a list of upcoming events for 2009 to put on your calendars:

February 1 - Potluck: Scandinavian theme (Note: All potlucks are after the traditional service.)
March 29 - Potluck
April 28 - Day trip to Shippshewana
May 24 - Potluck
June 19 - Hymn sing: 5:00 - 9:00 pm
August 9 - Potluck luau
September 12 - Fall Trip to Frankenmuth
October 25 - Potluck
December 12 - Christmas Banquet
January 31, 2010 - Potluck: Southern theme

As always, remember Soup and Study for seniors the 1st and 3rd Fridays of each month September through May. See the separate article about Soup and Study for the exact dates.

To view the latest Senior Scene Newsletter, click here.

For more, click on "read more."

CHIC (Covenant High In Christ) is the triennial youth conference of The Evangelical Covenant Church.
The next conference is July 12-17, 2009. Thornapple's trip dates are July 11-19.

CHIC exists to:

- be a catalyst that inspires Christ-like change
- challenge students to see themselves as part of something bigger
- inspire students towards the journey of following Christ.

A CHIC deposit of $250 is due by January 18, 2009.

For more information on CHIC 2009 "Undone" go to:
CHIC 2009 Undone.

And for additional information, click on "read more" below.

Men - There is a weekly fellowship breakfast for men at Thornapple every Monday morning at 6:30 AM.

This is a time for food, study, prayer and fellowship. It is open to all men from the church or community. No advance preparation needed. Just come!

The first Monday of every month, the group meets at the Gathering Place on Cascade Road. Other Mondays the group meets at church.

Click on "read more" for more details.