1️⃣ This Week’s Highlights
- GRPS Swim Lessons continue this week.
- Buchanan will be here from 12–1 p.m.
- Help will be needed in the locker rooms and in the pool.
2️⃣ Program Updates
- Spring Session Week 2
- Camp registration continues.
- Summer 1 registration opens May 4.
- AYSO will take place Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.
3️⃣ Facility Notices 🛠️
Facility Updates/Closures
- Check CA for class space adjustments.
Rentals
- Monday, Wednesday, Friday–Sunday: East FC Field Rental
- Check CA for times.
- Looking Ahead: Monday, May 4
- Kent County TSA
- Fireside A–E, Green Room, Kitchen, Music Room, and WPAC
- 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
4️⃣ Staff Announcements 🎉
Green Dot Moments & Staff Shoutouts
- Shoutout to Adrianna for helping a participant register for a program.
- Several shoutouts to everyone helping with the transition and absorbing different roles.
- Several shoutouts to Jess and Sammie for taking charge of Day Camp and AYSO.
- Shoutout to the instructors who led the glow party this weekend.
- Shoutout to the CL team for their help with decorating for the glow party.
- Shoutout to Brent for his help with the GRPS locker room process.
- Shoutout to Keely for making a difference in the lives of our older adult population.
- Shoutout to Albert for fixing an alarm that went off on Sunday night.
- Shoutout to Jewlz for her hard work in keeping operations running smoothly.
- Green Dot for anyone helping with GRPS swim lessons.
🎂 Birthdays This Week
- No birthdays submitted.
👋 Welcome New Staff
- No new staff submitted.
📌 Open Positions at the Kroc Center
- Lifeguard
- Aquatics Lead
- Fitness Attendant
- Welcome Desk Attendant
- Day Camp Lead
- Day Camp Counselor
- Day Camp Counselor Part Time
- Swim Instructor
- Director of Operations
- HR Generalist
Apply here: grkroccenter.org/learn-more/careers
5️⃣ Reminders & Resources 📌
- Please continue to check CA for room adjustments, rental details, and updated schedules.
- Thank you to everyone helping with GRPS Swim Lessons. Your support in the locker rooms, pool, and transition areas makes a meaningful difference for students and staff.
🙌 Missional Moment
Formed for the Front Lines
From its earliest days under William Booth, The Salvation Army recognized that effective mission required more than passion; it required preparation. This led to the development of Training Colleges, now known as the College for Officer Training, where men and women are shaped for a life of ministry. These colleges were not designed as places of comfort, but as places of formation, where calling is tested, character is refined, and mission is clarified. Cadets are immersed in Scripture, theology, practical ministry, and spiritual discipline, all with the goal of preparing them to serve on the front lines of God’s work.
Historically, cadets often came from ordinary backgrounds but were transformed through intentional discipleship and rigorous training. They learned not only how to preach the gospel, but how to live it by serving the poor, caring for the broken, and leading with humility. The training emphasized holiness, obedience, and a deep dependence on God, reflecting the Army’s conviction that effective ministry flows from a surrendered life. Many who passed through these halls went on to plant corps, lead communities, and bring hope into the darkest places.
This missional tradition continues today. The College is not just a place; it is a process of becoming. It reminds us that God does not simply call the equipped; He equips the called. As we reflect this week, consider how God may be shaping you right where you are. You may not be in a formal training college, but you are in His hands. Allow Him to form your heart, strengthen your faith, and prepare you for the mission field He has already placed before you.
✝️ Note from the Pastor
He Restores What Was Broken
In Joel 2:18–27, we see a powerful turning point for God’s people. After a season of devastation, with fields ruined, harvests lost, and hope diminished, the Lord responds with compassion. Scripture tells us that He becomes “jealous for His land” and takes pity on His people, promising to send grain, new wine, and oil once again. What was stripped away by hardship is not only returned, but restored in abundance, and the shame of the people is removed.
This passage reveals the heart of God as both just and merciful. While there are seasons when consequences must be faced, God’s ultimate desire is restoration, not destruction. He is not indifferent to our loss or brokenness. Instead, He moves toward His people with healing in His hands. The Lord declares that the years the locusts have eaten will be repaid, an incredible reminder that nothing surrendered to God is ever wasted. Even in our most barren seasons, He is already preparing renewal beneath the surface.
For us today, this is both a promise and an invitation. Whatever has been broken, whether relationships, faith, direction, or hope, God is able to restore it. He calls us to return to Him with open hearts, trusting that His plans are still good. As we walk forward in faith, may we embrace His restoring work, believing that He is not finished with our story. The same God who restored Israel stands ready to restore us, bringing beauty from ashes and fullness from what once felt empty.
🙏 Prayer Requests
- Courtney – Pray for her son and the hard times he is facing.
- Christy – General prayer for peace.
- Amelia – Pray for patience as she handles the challenges of raising four children, supporting her mom with leukemia, and balancing work and family.
- Alexis – Pray for improvement in her relationship with her children’s father and for success in her new job.
