The Resource Center has several new items that are available for your use.  To see what is new, just click here. 

The 2010 Vacation Bible School preview kits are now available.  You are invited to look at the various kits in the Resource Center.  As a reminder, these kits can not be checked out like our other resources.  They must be viewed here in the presbytery office.

Here is a summary of this year's VBS kits:

Praise Party: Worshiping God with Head, Heart, Hands, Feet, and Soul!   (Abingdon)
Learn about and experience worship through Bible stories, crafts, music, movement, and games. Both traditional and contemporary music are included. Includes worship DVD. Materials are for ages three through teen.
 
Baobab Blast: God's Great Get-Together   (Augsburg Fortress)
Set under the baobab tree, kids will have the opportunity to hear the Word, be amazed at God's wildlife creations, and be a part of a supportive community. Daily themes are trust, love, follow, care and share.
 
Holyland Adventure: Egypt   (Group)
Joseph's Journey from prison to palace gives kids the opportunity to experience the culture of Joseph's world as well as traditional Biblical customs, occupations, food and games.
 
Galactic Blast: A Cosmic Adventure Praising God   (Cokesbury)
Daily missions on the starship Galactic Praise include a space connection, Bible Booster memory verse, and Praise Phrase, as well as music and crafts.

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To search our catalog from the comfort of your home or office, just click here.  When you find items that you would like to borrow, call the presbytery office at 800-621-6905 or 989-799-7481 to make arrangements for picking them up.  If you have any questions about the Resource Center, please contact Valerie Fargo.

It's that time of year again.  Health Kits are needed to distribute at the Health Fairs this summer.  A note from the committee:

Dear Pastors:

Would you please print the two Minutes for Mission in your bulletin on two Sundays in spring found on the Documents page of the presbytery's website?  A personal word of encouragement from you in the pulpit will also make a big difference in how many respond!  Many Presbyterians know little about this significant work of our Presbytery.  Drop off points are listed on the bulletin insert found on the presbytery's website.  For further information please contact Bob Lakey at (989) 793-7869 or the Presbytery Office at (800) 621-6905.  Thank you.

 

Presbyterian youth groups across the country are invited to participate in an on-line Youth Video Challenge as part of ymiLIVE (Youth Mission Initiate LIVE, pronounced why-em-eye LIVE).  Youth groups will compete to win one of two $25,000 endowment funds established by the Presbyterian Foundation to benefit their church youth ministry programs.

The inaugural ymiLIVE Youth Video Challenge in 2008 provided members of PC (U.S.A.) across the country the opportunity to be amazed, entertained, and inspired after viewing the video submissions from over 100 youth groups.  "When we originally planned this initiative, I would never have dreamed of the far-reaching impact it would have on so many different groups.  The youth group leaders told of how this project brought their group together and focused around their interpretation of scripture. Even if they were not chosen as finalists, it was still a great experience," said Colleen Hahn, Vice President of Marketing for the Presbyterian Foundation. "People were talking about the videos, which ones made them laugh or cry, the ones that were their favorites - these videos connect people on whole new levels of spiritual life that words alone cannot."

"This YouTube-Generation has such unbelievable creativity when it comes to saying what they believe through videos," said President of the Presbyterian Foundation, Tom Taylor. "Some of these kids' video-statements of faith are funny, others are heart-wrenching. All of them are profoundly meaningful, when one reflects that they are being created by our teens who our culture is pulling in so many other directions, many of which are destructive. I thank God for the ymiLive Challenge as a ministry to our youth and for their ministry to us in return."

Youth Groups create a 2-4 minute video with their interpretation of John 7:38, "Out of the believer's heart shall flow rivers of living waters," which is the theme of the 219th General Assembly, then post their video to ymiLIVE.org.  Video submissions will be accepted March 15 - June 1.  On-line voting by youth group members, leaders, parents, friends and families will continue through June 7.  During that time, on-line voters will narrow the field of video entries to a group of 10 finalists.  Final selection of the two winning videos will made by a vote of the General Assembly Youth Task Force and announced during the 2010 General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Minneapolis, Minnesota in July. 

Interested Presbyterian youth groups can register now at ymiLIVE.org to participate in the Youth Video Challenge. 

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For more than two centuries, the Presbyterian Foundation has been serving the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and individual Presbyterians to bring people and mission together.  Its mission is to cultivate and manage gifts to further Christ's mission, and through its subsidiary, New Covenant Trust Company, N.A., to provide investment management services that offer competitive performance while following the Presbyterian Church's principles of social responsibility.

 
Girl in Vietnam War photo uses her experiences to help children affected by war

By Sue Boardman
Special to Presbyterian News Service
The people of North Avenue Presbyterian Church here have a passion for mission. That passion was nearly palpable when about 300 of them gathered Feb. 21st or the second week of the church's 53rd annual mission conference. Worship began with a compelling visual affirmation of the conference theme as the faces and voices of North Avenue, in all their diversity, claimed:

Every day I will worship ... grow ... go.

This night was about growing. And the speaker was an expert.

The world first met Kim Phuc in June of 1972 when a picture taken by Associated Press photographer Nick Ut changed both her life and the way the world sees war.

The picture, of course, was the iconic shot of a little girl running, naked and
screaming, from the napalm bombs rocking her village.

Ironically, it was Ut, after capturing the image on film, who scooped up the screaming 9 year old and rushed her to a South Vietnamese hospital. She was not expected to live. Two of her cousins died of their injuries. Her village, and the "happy, laughing" life she knew, were gone.

When her parents found her three days after the bombing, Kim was "in the death room - left to die - no more hope."

"A kind doctor transferred me to a clinic in Saigon where I got treatment and survived to be with you today," she said, beaming.

"I don't want to talk a lot about suffering," said the woman who endured 14 months in the hospital and a total of 17 surgeries and still experiences pain and health challenges. "Inside me there was a strong little girl determined to live!"

Instead she spoke of her journey and what she had learned.

Supervised constantly by the Vietnamese government, forced to appear in propaganda films, and made to leave school, Kim was a "national symbol of war." In 1986 she had the opportunity to study in Cuba, where she met and married Bui Huy Toan. Kim had to abandon her studies once again, this time for ongoing health issues, and the couple defected to Canada while returning from their honeymoon in Moscow.

Her account of the journey sounds much like a thriller novel. With minutes to spare, during a one-hour stop to refuel in Newfoundland, Kim quickly told her new husband of the plan she had been making and then handed their passports to immigration officials who responded, "Welcome to Canada!"

Canadian citizens now, Kim and Toan, a local pastor, live in Toronto with their sons, Thomas and Stephen.

Quoting frequently from scripture, Kim told of the many things she has learned since the day the picture was taken. They have not been easy lessons.

She used to imagine her heart, which she describes as being filled with bitterness, sorrow and pain, as a picture of a black coffee cup. Knowing that she could not heal herself, Kim prayed, asking God to do something with that cup.

"Little by little," she says, "bit of that cup was poured out every day until it was empty and God refilled it with love, light, joy, compassion, peace and forgiveness."

And then she began to speak of the "last lesson" she learned.

"When we moved to Toronto," she said, "I wanted to hide from that picture. It had controlled me for so long."

One day a photographer from London recognized Kim on the street and, using a long lens, took her picture.

"Suddenly I was in the paper again. The picture did not want to let me go," she said.

"I realized," she continued, "that I couldn't erase that picture, but I could work with it for peace. I could accept it as a powerful gift - as God's plan for my life. Working with it for good is my choice. The picture was a symbol of war, but my life can be a symbol of peace and hope."

Today Kim is living out that choice through the Kim Phuc Foundation, which she began to help child victims of war wherever they are found. The foundation is providing health care, schooling and clean water in Africa and other war-torn regions.

Kim speaks of her mission around the world, helping others to see that, "If we want to heal the world we have to start with the children. We can heal the future."

As the picture flashed once again on the screen, Kim said, "I'm so grateful for that picture ... the little girl is not running anymore. She's flying."

The mission conference, which began Feb. 14 with Columbia Theological Seminary President Steve Hayner speaking about worship, concludes on Feb. 28 as North Avenue pastor the Rev. Scott Weimer recalls how Jesus was sent into the world and the ways in which Christians are sent today.

 

Congregations, governing bodies invited to share new involvements

The Presbyterian News Service is inviting congregations and middle governing bodies to share stories of new mission involvements or relationships they have developed as a DIRECT result of last fall's Mission Challenge '09 and/or Mission Celebration '09.

During the month of October 2009, more than 50 Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) mission workers in service around the world traveled to more than 150 of the denomination's 173 presbyteries, telling their stories and seeking to establish more and stronger connections between Presbyterians and their international mission workers.

A dozen International Peacemakers from partner churches overseas were also part of the itineration, which culminated in a four-day celebration of Presbyterian mission in Cincinnati, Oct. 21-24.

PNS wants to hear stories about congregations, presbyteries and synods who took up the mission challenge and established new mission programs, activities and/or relationships with overseas PC(USA) missionaries as a DIRECT result of Mission Challenge '09 or Mission Celebration '09.

If you have a story you want told, contact Jerry Van Marter by email or by phone at (502) 569-5493; or Bethany Furkin by email or by phone at (502) 569-5138.

 

 

 

 

The following seminars have been set up by Lake Michigan Presbytery and you are invited to attend.  They will all be held at First Presbyterian Church in Lansing and they are all led by Board of Pensions Education Specialists.  The seating is limited to the first 30 participants who register online or by mail.  The cost is nominal.  Once you have registered you will be told how and whom to pay (meals and travel cost).
 
April 12-13    Growing into Tomorrow...Today (mid- to late career clergy and lay Benefits Plan members who are not retired and your spouses or fiancés)
April 14    Render unto Caesar (for clergy, church treasurers and personnel chairs - a seminar on understanding Terms of Call and clergy tax issues)
April 15    Getting in Shape Fiscally (designed for clergy and lay Benefits Plan members - designed to help you get on the path to financial wellness)
April 16    Post Retirement
 
Click here  to learn more and to register.

If these dates are not good for you but you are interested in attending one or more of these seminars please contract Andrea Drapp at the Presbytery Office at 989-799-7481.  We may be able to schedule at least two seminars to be held within our presbytery later in the year.

 

The Great Lakes Loons are excited to once again offer our Faith Days to your congregations. One of our top priorities is to build and maintain strong relationships within the community, which is why we want to invite you to join us for a group outing at Dow Diamond!  We expect to have church groups at the ballpark every night, but we have dedicated a few special nights as Faith Nights at Dow Diamond.  Faith Nights will be held on Tuesday, June 1; Tuesday, July 6; and Sunday August 8.  These games will feature faith-themed promotions such as post-game entertainment. Your church's name will be displayed on the scoreboard as well as be announced over the public address system. 
 
Group outings are a great way to bring your congregation together while having fun in a new and exciting atmosphere. These outing are perfect for members of all ages and a great way to raise awareness in the community.
 
We want to make this event as easy as possible for your church.  After you have decided on a date, the Loons will help you with every step of the process from promotion to securing ticket orders to distribution of the tickets.  We want this to be a fun experience for everyone involved and something your church looks forward to each season.
 
We hope to see you out at Dow Diamond this spring.  If you are interested in planning an outing for your church or would like more information, please contact Tiffany Seward at (989) 837-6167 or email to Tseward@loons.com; or Jessica Olpere at (989) 837.6136 or email Jolpere@loons.com
 

May 16-23, 2010
With Additional Paid Summer Internships*
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday, June 20 - Saturday, June 26
$225   (all inclusive except for transportation)

 

INCLUDED:    Complete program set-up by our staff

CAMP GREENWOOD
"Where Christ is Spoken"
13564 MacClain Road
Gowen, MI  49326

Greg Hoekman, Camp Director - Cell - 231-224-3059

 

Greenwood Web 
Greenwood Email

 

 

 

 

 

Responding to the earthquake in Chile

 

 

 

 

 
Volunteers Needed for Special Rebuilding Weeks in Iowa

Alma College Board of Trustees Chair Candace Dugan announced Feb. 5 the appointment of Dr. Jeff Abernathy, vice president and dean at Augustana College, as the 13th president of Alma College, effective July 1, 2010.

Abernathy has served as the chief academic officer at Augustana, a private liberal arts college in Rock Island, Illinois, since 2004. His appointment to succeed Saundra Tracy (wife of LHP Stated Clerk, Douglas Tracy), who is retiring in June, follows a national search by a 16-member search committee that included trustees, faculty, students, administrators and alumni.

"The Board congratulates and thanks the campus community, under Dr. Tracy's leadership, for the work and dedication that has built an institution with the strengths necessary to attract excellent presidential candidates," said Dugan. "The Board also thanks the search committee for not merely long hours but wonderful thoughtfulness and leadership.

"We are extremely pleased with the appointment of Dr. Jeff Abernathy, who will work enthusiastically and energetically with the entire College community to build on our strengths as well as identify and embrace new possibilities as the College greets its 124th year," she said.

At Augustana, Abernathy oversees an academic program that offers 43 majors serving a student enrollment of 2,455. Abernathy was instrumental in developing Augustana's relationship with the Teagle Foundation, which has funded the Midwest Alliance for Learning in the Liberal Arts, a consortium of six liberal arts colleges including Alma and Augustana to study student learning and growth.

Prior to Augustana, Abernathy was vice president for academic affairs at West Virginia Wesleyan College and an English faculty member at Illinois College, where he also served as associate dean.

"Alma's invitation is humbling and thrilling at once," said Abernathy. "I have known the dedication of Alma's faculty, staff and administration during all of my years in higher education, and I can't imagine a better match for my values. Given the College's many strengths, Alma is particularly well positioned to offer innovative answers to the questions before all colleges and universities today.

"Rebecca and I are so excited to be coming to Alma. We love the campus and the community, and we look forward to introducing our children to Alma," he said.

Alma College Trustee David Provost, a 1976 alumnus of the College, chaired the search committee, which began its work last fall following Tracy's retirement announcement.

"We conducted a national search that produced a strong pool of candidates with the necessary skills and attributes for Alma College," said Provost. "The committee did a tremendous job. The process was a positive one in which committee members shared a common vision for identifying candidates with the ability to lead the College with boldness, confidence, skill and personal integrity.

"Dr. Abernathy has demonstrated a commitment to the core institutional values of excellence in the liberal arts," said Provost. "His extensive experience and accomplishments as a chief academic officer and his ability to establish and enhance relationships, build community, manage resources, and inspire the pursuit of excellence are well suited to leading Alma College in the 21st century."

A native of Richmond, Virginia, Abernathy graduated with a bachelor's degree in English from Longwood College. He earned a master's degree in English from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Florida.

He is married to Rebecca Wee, a poet whose first book, Uncertain Grace, won the 2000 Hayden Carruth Award for New and Emerging Poets. They are the parents of a six-year-old son, Rohan, and 18-month-old daughter, Maren.

At this moment in history, the world God loves is groaning under the weight of injustice and slowly being robbed of its capacity to sustain life. All around you, the people God loves are increasingly burdened by lifestyles they can't keep up for very much longer. You and your congregation are called to help turn that around. 

Many members of your congregation yearn for simpler lives. They see themselves as just a little strange, moving against the mainstream of American consumerism, odd ducks in a world of too much, too fast, too many. In bringing simple lifestyles to the center of your faith-filled conversations, think of Jesus's own lifestyle, the things he said and did. The things he didn't do. Consider the fact that the human Jesus also woke up in the morning, yawned, scratched his beard, had a cup of fair-trade coffee, and tried to make sense out of his e-mails.

In concentrating only on Jesus-as-God, you may miss the fact that the very human Jesus chose a lifestyle that fit the mission he received at his baptism. The healer and preacher also had to think about his next meal, his friendships, his enemies. He faced danger, he laughed, he sat around and talked with folks. He walked everywhere he wanted to go. He criticized religious authorities and the government, and he listened to farmers. He went to big dinners with very important people. He observed spiritual practices but didn't spend lots of time at his local synagogue. The point here is not only that Jesus was human but also that in his lifestyle and career choices--yes, he made them just like you do--Jesus chose to live simply and joyfully in service to others.

Continue reading "Simplicity Itself"