Family and friends of Elder Charles Richter (Saginaw-First and COM Member) as they mourn his passing earlier this week.  (See announcement below).

The Rev. Dr. Rhashell Hunter (GA Staff Member and former Pastor of Flint-Community) whose father passed away on June 12; her sister also passed away on April 7. (See announcement below).

The Rev. Clint Cozier (Vassar-First) whose father passed away last week.

Rebecca Cole Francek (Candidate Under Care of the Presbytery) who continues to experience serious health issues.  Her husband has returned from his deployment to Afghanistan.

The Rev Tom Brackbill and his wife Pam (Alma-First) on Pam's recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease.

 

We lift up the following congregations and their pastoral leadership: 

 

Ubly-First The Rev. Ron Grimes, Moderator of Session
Vassar-First The Rev. Clint Cozier, Interim Pastor
Yale-First Elder Dave Schreiber, Commissioned Lay Pastor

 

 

We encourage everyone to send a card or e-mail or make a phone call to those listed.  Sometimes a small gesture creates a big smile.

 

Contact information for anyone on this list may be obtained by calling the presbytery office at 800-621-6905 or 989-799-7482

 

 

This edition is not exactly "brief".  But not only has been almost a month since the last edition, but there is an overwhelming amount of information from the 2011 Big Tent event held in Indianapolis earlier this month to share.

So, kick back with a cool glass of lemonade and savor all the good (but not-so-brief) information in this newsletter.

 

We are sad to report that we have lost another beloved elder and friend.  Charles (Chuck) Richter, elder at Saginaw-First and member of the Committee on Ministry, passed to the larger life earlier this week.

 

 

From the Rev. Dr. Robert Emrich, Pastor of Saginaw-First:

It is with great regret and deep sorrow that I inform you of the death of Elder Charles Richter this past Sunday. Chuck was diagnosed with leukemia nearly two years ago and had been undergoing transfusions and some chemotherapy to keep his illness at bay. He was a courageous fighter and yet a gentle soul. Elder Richter served many terms as Clerk of Session and did a perfect job in that capacity. He served Presbytery as a member of the Committee on Ministry and as a commissioner to the 2008 General Assembly in San Jose, California. Chuck was a stalwart member of our congregation and we had the honor of being regarded by him as family.

Funeral services will take place in the sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, 121 South Harrison Street, Saginaw, 48602, at 3:30 pm Sunday July 24, 2011. Family will receive visitors beginning at 2:00 pm until the time of the service. There are also visiting hours scheduled at Case Funeral Home, 4480 Mackinaw Rd, Saginaw, 48603, on Saturday evening from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Chuck's obituary may be viewed online by clicking here.

 

The Rev. Dr. Rhashell Hunter, former Pastor of the now closed Community Presbyterian Church in Flint and current GA Staff member, lost two loved ones recently,  Her sister Angela passed away unexpectedly on April 7th.  On June 12th, her father, the Rev. Dr. Charles A. Hunter, passed away. 

 

From Dr. Hunter's obituary in the Dallas Morning News: 

 

The Rev. Charles A. Hunter - a Dallas Presbyterian minister, college professor and civic leader - was committed to advancing race relations and promoting peace.

 

He was the first black elected presiding officer of the Northeast Texas Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church and, in 1966, was one of the first blacks to run for the Dallas school board.

 

Click here to continue reading his obituary. 

 

These two FREE* events are both sponsored by the Pastoral Care Team of Maumee Valley Presbytery and are being held at the Weber Center in Adrian, MI 

 

"Growing into Tomorrow Today" - Pre-Retirement Planning. Suggested for all clergy regardless of age.

August 23-24, 2011; Register online.

"Post Retirement Seminar" This holistic retirement planning seminar is designed for clergy and lay Benefits Plan retirees, their spouses, and surviving spouses. August 25, 2011; Register online.

 

Registration open through July 29, 2011

For additional info: Contact Jim Splitt (co-pastor First Presbyterian Church, Adrian) 517-265-2168 jsfirstpres@tc3net.com

* Lodging and meals are additional  

"Deep and wide, deep and wide, there's a fountain flowing deep and wide!"  This beloved Sunday school song - and the accompanying hand motions - was sung by the more than 1700 Presbyterians gathered at the opening dinner of the 2011 Big Tent in Indianapolis earlier this month.  Presbyterians of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicity singing and laughing together as they began three very long but inspiring days together.  Nearly 30 people from Lake Huron Presbytery attended the event this year including elders, clergy, presbytery and church staff and youth.  Only 3 attended the inaugural event in Atlanta in 2009.  Many factors accounted for that, not the least of which was the availability of scholarships from the presbytery to elders attending the National Elders Conference and a location that was within driving distance.

Over the next few editions of the Bi-Weekly Brief we will be sharing stories from those members of Lake Huron Presbytery who attended the event and what they learned and took away from the event.

This week we start with the Rev. Cathy Chang, Associate Pastor at Midland-Memorial.  Cathy attended seminars in the Clergy Women's Leadership Institute/Young Women's Leadership Development conference as well as seminars in other conferences.

Click here to read Cathy's summary.

 

The Presbytery of Lake Huron is seeking a person to serve as a part-time (up to 20 hours per week) Administrative Assistant with major responsibility for data entry.

A position description and job application are available by clicking on the links.  They may also be found on our website on the Forms and Brochures page under the Resources tab.

Applicants are requested to e-mail a resume and application to adrapp@presbylh.org or mail to:  P.O. Box 6129; Saginaw, MI  48608-6129 no later than July 29.  Interviews will be held August 9 and 10.

 

The Board of Pensions announces increases to healthcare coverage dues in the Traditional Plan, also premium increases in the Affiliated Benefits Plan, and increases to deductibles and specialized physician fees.  These increases will begin in 2012.  To learn the details please click here.

 

Chandler Presbyterian Church, 3882 Filion Road, Elkton, 48731 is having a reunion this Sunday, July 24 at 10 a.m. There will be a dinner, dedication of the Memorial Garden, and time of sharing. Please join them if you are able.

 

Recently a letter was mailed to all clergy and clerks of session to clarify the current stance of the Presbytery of Lake Huron concerning the financial support of programs and individuals. The stance has changed in recent years because of decreasing financial resources and a shift in emphasis at both the national and presbytery levels.

Click here to read the letter.

 

Are you a church secretary or administrative assistant? If so, there is a wonderful group on Facebook just for you.  It is called Church Secretaries Rock! and has hundreds of others who are doing many of the same things you do.  They are an active group with posts regarding all aspects of working in a church setting.  Check them out today.

A new study is available from from the Presbyterian Leader titled "Forming an Effective Nominating Committee." The health of a church is greatly affected by the strength of its leaders who are nominated by the nominating committee. This study reflects on the process and offers a multitude of ideas for nominating committees in the recruitment and training of new leaders.

It is recommended for individual and group study, especially suited for sessions.

Available now for just $5.

 

The Girlfriends' Clergy Companion: Surviving and Thriving in Ministry co-authored by the Revs. Melissa DeRosia and Amanda Riley along with two of their female clergy friends is set to be released by Alban Institute next month.

The Girlfriends' Clergy Companion: Surviving and Thriving in Ministry
Melissa Lynn DeRosia, Marianne J. Grano, Amy Morgan, Amanda Adams Riley

As increasing numbers of young women are discerning a call to ministry, entering seminary, graduating, and searching for the call to a parish or other ministry setting, they need to be aware of the realities that face them. The Girlfriends' Clergy Companion is about the nitty gritty of ministry for young female clergy-how to maintain a sense of personal style, what it's really like to be a solo pastor, how to date, what to do when they're ready to quit.

The authors met in 2008 at a gathering of young women who serve as pastors. Since then, they have been meeting monthly to develop a 'young girlfriends network' and to support one another in their ministries. In their conversations, they heard one another talking about what they wished they had known before beginning ministry. Those yearnings gave rise to this book.

The authors discuss the call process and the ministry situations in which young women most commonly find themselves-serving as a solo pastor and as an associate. Additional chapters explore personal style, the single life, relationships, children, and self-care, as well as challenges pastors, particularly new pastors, often face. Each chapter ends with 'The Girlfriends' Checklist,' a summary of strategies to help young women be happier and more effective ministers.

Books are now available for pre-order.

Click here to read an article by Amanda Riley regarding how the book came about.

Click here for the table of contents and who authored each chapter.

Congratulations Melissa and Amanda, Lake Huron Presbytery is very proud of you!

 

IRS Standard Mileage Rate Increase.  The standard mileage rate increased to 55.5 cents per mile for all business miles driven from July 1, 2011, through December 31, 2011. This is an increase of 4.5 cents from the 51 cent rate in effect for the first six months of 2011. In recognition of recent gasoline price increases, the IRS made this special adjustment for the final months of 2011.

This information can be found on our website on the Forms and Brochures page under the Resources tab.

 

If you ordered the new Book of Order through the Presbytery Office they are now available for pick up during our normal business hours (Monday through Thursday 9:00am to 4:30pm).  We do have some extra copies available for purchase.  If you would like to purchase a copy, please contact the Presbytery Office at 989-799-7481 or 800-621-6905.

 

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear."  -- Psalm 6:1-2a

The PC(USA) has compiled a website of materials and information to use with your congregation to remember and honor the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001 and recommit to working for peace and justice in resistance to the violence in the world. Click here to visit their site.

They have also set up a Facebook page to share and read stories of remembrance. Click here to go to their page.

 

This article was originally printed in Flushing Presbyterian Church's July newsletter.  It is reprinted with permission of the author, Mike Keller and the church.

It was a very cold Tuesday morning in February 2011, when a group of ten volunteers from Flushing Presbyterian Church went to work at the North End Soup Kitchen. After making several hundred sandwiches for sack lunches at another location, we moved on to sorting out a shipment of frozen meat, just delivered by the Eastern Michigan Food Bank. Meanwhile, others from our team helped the cook prepare the hot meal being served that day for lunch.

 

At noon we began serving the meal to the people who come from all over the north end of Flint. Around 12:30, as the surge was dying down, a man came through the door, shivering. He wasn't adequately dressed for the weather and his walk to the Soup Kitchen had taken a toll. He shivered as he received his tray with "hots" and passed down the serving line for vegetables, salad, bread, and desert. He was still shivering 5 minutes later while he was eating.

 

The man next to me (another volunteer from Flushing Presbyterian Church) saw all this; handed his salad tongs to the vegetable guy and said, "I'll be back in a minute." He went to the coat rack to get his coat and gave it to the shivering man. The man asked him, "What about you?" He responded, "I've got a sweatshirt and a warm car when I leave here, and another coat at home. You need this more than I do."

 

Jesus charged us to "feed the hungry; clothe the poor." That's what this man did. This is just one example of how our members are making a difference. I was blessed to catch a glimpse of Jesus working through us.

 

Consider responding to Jesus' charge. There are many opportunities through Flushing Presbyterian Church. Get involved in "making a difference" and changing someone's life.

 

The Moderators July Column

 

When I welcomed everyone to the Big Tent in Indianapolis recently, I said that the Big Tent is like a General Assembly in that the halls are teeming with Presbyterians, either connecting for the first time or reconnecting with one another.

I also noted the differences between the Big Tent and an assembly - no voting machines, no time clocks counting down the seconds until a speaker is required to sit down, no gavel-wielding Moderator.

That doesn't mean, however, that the Big Tent is somehow better than GA. As a church, we need both.

We need the Big Tent to discover and celebrate the incredible ministries that are happening across the denomination - exemplified by the fact that listing all the workshops, discussion groups, and events required a 52-page program guide.

But it is only at the General Assembly where we discuss, debate, and discern the mind of Christ for the PC(USA). 

 

Continue reading online. 

 

First Presbyterian Church of Vassar is going to host an Elder Training Event October 21-22 titled: Futuring the Presbyterian Church: Why, Where and How Elder Matter. The presenter is Dr. Jack Stewart who taught Pastoral Theology at Princeton Seminary and served as the Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Grand Rapids for a number of years. Jack's understanding of both mainline denominational life and the cultural context in which we currently serve makes him uniquely able to speak to questions about congregational leadership.

Finding the balance

Churches are embracing the gift of technology. But Facebook and email can't always substitute for face-to-face communication.

By Kathy Wolf Reed

Most days of the week, the young pastor awakens to the sound of her bedside smartphone. Grabbing the device one morning, she learns via Facebook and Twitter that a father in the congregation has been up since 3 a.m. with a crying baby, that today is the birthday of a church elder and that thousands of miles away a colleague is dealing with heavy overnight storm damage to his congregation's sanctuary. Before her feet have even hit the floor, she says a prayer for all three.The rest of her day is not unlike these first few moments. Emails pour in with urgency and she receives texts from young people. She barely remembers to check the voice mailbox on her office line at the church. (After all, if it's urgent, members know to call her cell.) By lunchtime the pastor has made electronic contact with more than 35 members of her congregation; yet the only person she has made eye contact with is the church's administrative assistant. Though she wishes she had more time for home visits, the pastor feels compelled to clean out her inbox first.

The use of technology in today's world is increasing at an astonishing rate. While the average age at which young people acquire their first cell phone plummets, many grandparents and retirees now consider themselves avid Facebook users. More and more people use the Internet to communicate with friends and family, pay bills and read the news. In a growing number of Presbyterian congregations, pastors and members are connecting, sharing prayer requests and doing church business online. And they are discovering that the use of technology in a community of faith has both benefits and limitations.

Continue reading this cover story from the most recent issue of Presbyterians Today.

If you use the Presbyterian Planning Calendar, you can now receive a FREE copy of the 2011 electronic planning calendar. Simply register here and you can download the e-calendar.

Fast and easy to install, this free e-calendar-spanning June 1 through December 31, 2011-features Sunday lectionary readings; suggested dates for baptism and the Lord's Supper; and helpful links to valuable resources and information associated with special emphases days, liturgical colors, and more.

Explore 5 simple steps to help jumpstart. Learn who you should recruit for the web-team and complete the planning worksheet. Click here for a free guide.

From the Awesome Insight website by Lynette Hawkins.

Lynette Hawkins is an elder, coach, author, speaker with more than 25 years of professional marketing and communications experience. Her articles have appeared in Clergy Journal, Net Results Magazine and many other publications. She was recently interviewed on TCT (Total Christian Television Network). With a contagious spirit, interactive style and practical approach she shares insight to help lift barriers to communications. You may contact her at info@awesomeinsight.com or call at 336.854.4196. See her blog at awesomeinsight.com 

 

Biking 900 miles through Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois proved to be an adventure for Maurie Luetkemeier's "Sports Nutrition on Wheels" Spring Term class.

 

Starting in Alma, the group of about 30 Alma College students biked to Muskegon and then rode vans around Lake Michigan to Milwaukee, where they resumed their bicycle trek along the Lake Michigan shoreline, averaging 60 miles per day.

 

"The experience was a huge physical challenge," says the integrative physiology and health science professor. "I hope students can feel good about what they accomplished. I also hope they understand more about the connection between what they eat and how they perform."

 

Spending so much time on a bike required a strong mental commitment. As a result, the trip turned into a journey of self-reflection for Wayne sophomore Zakk Hardyniec.

 

"I had a lot of time to think and reflect on life," he says. "Dr. Luetkemeier and I spent time talking on some of our rides. It was amazing to be able to have one-on-one time with my college professor."

 

On the bike tour, students also had the opportunity to visit the Trek Bicycle Center and Gatorade Sports Science Institute, where Luetkemeier completed his most recent sabbatical and found inspiration for the class.

 

"While on sabbatical, I had time to ride in this area, and I thought it was some of the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen while biking," he says. "I knew it would be fun to share that experience with students."

 

The beauty of nature doesn't come without the wrath of weather, however. In addition to tornado watches, the group experienced six straight days of thunderstorms, throwing off their tight schedule.

 

While overcoming these challenges, the group learned some valuable lessons, which is why Hardyniec describes this Spring Term experience as "remarkable and irreplaceable."

 

"We not only learned what we are made of, we made friends," he says. "We shared a once in a lifetime opportunity that was nothing less than enriching."

 

Luetkemeier says his students were enthusiastic about taking turns driving and helping riders. In addition to buying groceries and cooking dinner for the group, they also supported each other on tough days.

 

"Everyone did a great job," he says. "Their attitudes are what made the trip successful. The group bonded together very nicely, and everyone was cooperative."

The Presbytery has a Facebook page and would like you to join us.  Get updates and information faster. Connect with others to share ideas and to post information about events happening in your congregation.  Join us today!