Dedication Program for The

Dedication Program for the Rehoboth Sports and Fitness Center November 10, 2007

Welcome and Opening Prayer: Ron Polinder, Executive Director Ted Charles, RCS Alumni Dedication Litany:

Keynote Address: Richard DeVos

Additional Greetings/Remarks Karen Schell, RCS Board Chair Loren Miller, Architect of Record Mike Van Gessel, Rockford Construction Shelly Chimoni, Zuni Pueblo Marie Jones, Rehoboth Senior Keith Kuipers, Retired Superintendent and Coach Sharlene Begay-Platero, RCS Alumni Myron Postma, RCS Athletic Director

Announcements and Closing Prayer: Harry L. Begay, Former RCS Board Member

Dedication Litany

CREATION:

Reader #1—Carol Bremer-Bennett—Assistant Superintendent Our world belongs to God—not to us or earthly powers, not to demons, fate, or chance. The earth is the Lord's!

Reader #2—Brian Alford—Rehoboth Sophomore In the beginning, God—Father, Word, and Spirit—called this world into being out of nothing, and gave it shape and order.

Reader #3—Ron Polinder—Executive Director God formed the land, the sky, and the seas, making the earth a fitting home for the plants, animals, and humans he created. The world was filled with color, beauty, and variety; it provided room for work and play, worship and service, love and laughter. God rested—and gave us rest. In the beginning everything was very good.

Reader #1 God wants us to play, to laugh, to rest? Reader #3 Yes, yes, the playfulness of children, the sporting of young people, the recreation of adults is woven into the design of Creation. God made us that way!

All: For the LORD is the Creator, a great God--a great King above all gods!

Song: This is My Father’s World Vs. 1 Hannah Chee, RCS Senior Vs. 2 Audience

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears All nature sings and round me rings, the music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world; I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas – His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, O let me not forget That though the wrong is great and strong, God is the ruler yet. He trusts us with his world, to keep it clean and fair – All earth and trees, all skies and seas, all creatures everywhere.

Reader #1 Early in human history our first parents listened to the intruder's voice. Rather than living by the Creator's word of life, they fell for Satan's lie and sinned! They forgot their place; they tried to be like God. But as sinners they feared the nearness of God and hid from him.

Reader #2 All spheres of life—marriage and family, work and worship, school and state, our play and art— bear the wounds of our rebellion. Sin is present everywhere—in pride of race, in arrogance of nations, in abuse of the weak and helpless, in disregard for water, air, and soil, in destruction of living creatures, in slavery, deceit, terror, and war, in worship of false gods, and frantic escape from reality. We have become victims of our own sin.

Reader #3 And our play went wrong, our sports became an idol, our recreation became a god—we began to cheat, and envy. We ruined our games with hatred and fighting. We disrespected our playmates, our schoolmates, the other team. We overplay, overeat, over exercise. We have forgotten that our living, moving and playing are gifts from God. We now live in a twisted world of sport—arrogant winning and sore losing is in us, and all around us.

All: God be merciful to me! On thy Grace I rest my plea!

REDEMPTION:

Song: Amazing Grace Vs. 1 Colby Touchin, RCS Sophomore Vs. 2 Travis Gonzales, RCS 8th grader Reader #1 While justly angry, God did not turn his back on a world bent on destruction; he turned his face to it in love. With patience and tender care he set out on the long road of redemption to reclaim us as his people and the world as his kingdom.

Reader #2 The Spirit thrusts God's people into worldwide mission. He impels young and old, men and women, to go next door and far away into math and music, media and marketplace, gym and the fitness center with the good news of God's grace. The Spirit goes before us and with us convincing us of a better way to serve Christ in all areas of life.

Reader #3 God has given the Rehoboth community a new Sports and Fitness Center. We give thanks for this remarkable facility where we can live out what You have called us to be. Help us in this place, to bring redemption to the world of sport!

Reader #1 We give thanks for architects and builders, for electricians and plumbers, for landscapers and painters whose labor and discipline created this structure. For steel and wood, concrete and carpet, for tools and machines, we are grateful. We are thankful for creativity and cooperation that produced an attractive, useful building. For jobs and safety for our workers, we express our gratitude. We give thanks for donors and volunteers who generously supported our dreams.

Song: Earth and All Stars—Vs. 4, Bob Ippel, RCS Choral Director

Engines and steel! Come, pounding hammers! Sing to the Lord a new song! Limestone and beams! Strong building workers! Sing to the Lord a new song! He has done marvelous things. I too will praise him with a new song!

All: Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures for ever.

Reader #2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Once again men and women of ripe old age will sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with cane in hand because of their age. The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there.” (Zechariah 8: 4,5)

Take our play and make it pure. Take our games and make them good. Take our excitement and make it sacred. Take our cheers and make them charitable. Song: Earth and All Stars –Vs. 5, Bob Ippel

Classrooms and labs! Come, boiling test tubes! Sing to the Lord a new song! Athlete and band! Loud cheering people! Sing to the Lord a new song! He has done marvelous things. I too will praise Him with a new song!

Reader #3 On this day, November 10, 2007, we celebrate this harvest from the Father’s hand. We want to make our play and our games “Holy unto the Lord.” We want our witness to be true, that students and parents, friends and visitors, may come to know the Triune God and all His goodness. Toward that end, we dedicate the Rehoboth Sports and Fitness Center to the honor and glory of God the Father, Christ his Son and our Savior, and the ever present Holy Spirit.

All: Our God is an awesome God! Amen and Amen!

Song: Our God is an Awesome God—Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow Audience

Our God is an awesome God He reigns from heaven above With wisdom, power, and love Our God is an awesome God.

Praise God, from whom all blessing flow; Praise him all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. Amen.

Acknowledgements: Accompanist—Gail DeYoung Portions of Litany—A Contemporary Testimony: Our World Belongs to God