Two youth from the Presbytery of Lake Huron attended the Pathways Youth Conference at the Big Tent 2011 in Indianapolis in late June. They are 12-year-old twins, Anna and Jackson Percy, members of Birch Run-Taymouth and also the children of presbytery staff member, Staci Percy and her husband Don.

Approximately 70 children and youth attended the conference ranging in age from infant to older teens.

The older youth (middle and high school) participated in making videos together which was a major highlight for all. They were divided into three groups with one making a documentary style video, another making a music video and the third group making a video based on the popular television show "The Amazing Race." All of the videos focused on exploring different aspects of the Big Tent and Indianapolis as seen through the eyes of the youth. Anna and Jackson participated in the video based on "The Amazing Race". The group divided into two subgroups that had to race against each other to find different people and places at the Big Tent and around town and return back to "base" first. They were given clues along the way to help them figure out where to go next. Their adventure even took them to the Capital Building and to the Governor's Office.

Both Anna and Jackson enjoyed the worship services. Each participated in the opening worship, Jackson read a short verse and Anna brought in the Bible. Anna also helped serve communion at the closing worship. They both loved the music and for each it was the best part. Anna said the music was "very peppy, happy and makes you want to dance." Jackson said it didn't sound "like normal, boring church songs" and agreed with his sister's description of how it made him feel. They both thought the stage and lighting colors used were very pretty. Anna indicated that she really enjoyed communion because people "lined up" and it was "not like normal church where you just pass it down the rows." She felt it was a more personal and engaging way of receiving communion.

Both youth were very impressed and inspired by the Rev. J. Herbert Nelson II who gave the sermon at the closing worship. Anna and Jackson said they loved the power in his voice and his fearlessness. They loved that he wasn't afraid to say what he felt and believed in and said afterwards that listening to Rev. Nelson felt like what they imagined it must have been like to listen to the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Powerful, inspiring...and fearless.

Would you believe it?  On August 28th, the Tawas Area Presbyterian Church will celebrate their 20th year of ministry.  A special worship service will be held at 10:00am and any Presbyterians in the area would be warmly welcomed to join the celebration.  The stewardship of many Lake Huron churches helped make this new church development a reality, and we're still giving thanks for all the support.

Women of color in leadership from across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), diverse in age, culture, geography, and theology, are welcome to join together in a consultation in Charlotte, North Carolina, October 20-23, 2011. The consultation is an opportunity for the voices of women of color of the PC(USA) to be heard. Middle governing body executives, staff from the Office of the General Assembly and the General Assembly Mission Council, and leaders in seminaries and colleges are invited to come as listening partners.  Women of color from all over the church are invited to come as participants.  

Contact the Rev. Cathy Chang, Associate Pastor at Midland-Memorial who also serves on the planning team for this consultation.  Her phone number is 989-631-0760. 

 Visit their website for more information.

"The church bulletin? You must be kidding!"

That statement may sound outrageous, but think about it. The church bulletin (or worship guide or whatever you choose to call it) is, for some people, the very first piece of Christian literature they see. It is certainly the very first information a visitor reads about your church. For many it is their first serious introduction to Jesus.

In our secularized society today many people grow up without reading the Bible or any kind of Christian material. At the same time:

• everyone has a spiritual vacuum inside
• the Holy Spirit is active in our world convicting people of their need for God
• tragedies happen personally and globally.

In response to all these promptings, people will come to your church looking for answers.  When they come to your church, they will read anything you put into their hands. 

You give them the bulletin. What does it say to them?  Sometimes a bulletin has:

• A warm welcome on the front
• An Order of Service that clearly explains what is going on
• An announcement section that is inclusive of visitors and has all the information needed to make a connection
• A clear explanation of how a person can become a Christian, what that means, what steps to take.
• Connections at the church, specific contact people (who will immediately respond), phone numbers and email, where a person can contact someone about the church and the Christian life.
• Website resources that answer questions about the Christian faith.
• A connection card that allows the visitor to reach back to the church with contact information, prayer requests and questions.
• Additional information, tiny stories, challenges, mission opportunities that show what the church is like in its involvement with the community and the world.
• An overall tone that is loving, welcoming, accepting and inviting.
• If these ingredients are part of your church bulletin, the bulletin can literally redirect a life for time and eternity.

Click here to continue reading her article.

The major famine in Somalia and other parts of the Horn of Africa has become a significant humanitarian crisis.  The Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) have declared famine in five areas in Somalia.

Although many organizations are working aggressively in the southern regions of Somalia, with access restrictions and difficulties in scaling-up emergency assistance programs, famine could spread across all regions of the south in the coming four to six weeks.

The number of people in need of assistance has risen to 12.4 million.  About 29,000 children have died from the famine, and thousands more are at risk.

An unprecedented number of Somalis are taking huge risks every day, walking hundreds of miles and crossing borders into neighboring countries hoping to reach the safety of refugee camps and feeding centers.  The Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya -the world's largest refugee camp-has exceeded its capacity.  The camp, originally built to hold 90,000 refugees, is now holding more than 420,000 refugees.

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is responding to this crisis in cooperation with members of ACT Alliance (Action by Churches Together).  ACT members with experience and partnerships in the area are working to help meet basic humanitarian needs of food, water and sanitation, and medical care for people in the camp and in host communities in both Kenya and Somalia.  Special therapeutic feeding and nutrition is being provided to children under the age of five.  PDA has provided $200,000 from One Great Hour of Sharing funds towards relief efforts in Somalia and the Horn of Africa.

You can help respond to this critical need by standing in the GAP for affected families.

GIVE.  Share your financial blessings.  Make a gift online, through your local Presbyterian congregation, or from your cell phone: text PDACARES to 20222.

ACT.  Stay informed and share information about the need with others. Use some of the prayers and worship resources found on the Horn of Africa response index to help lift up the need.

PRAY.  Our best response is prayer. Please pray for families struggling to survive the harsh conditions of this famine and for those who lost loved ones due to this crisis. Pray for those responding to the disaster, and for those whose lives are linked to both the disaster survivors and the workers who minister to them.

Visit the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance webpage for more information. 

Students in Britt Cartrite's Spring Term class studied the phenomenon of Scottish nationalism while traveling throughout the country.

In order to better understand how Scots see themselves, the Alma College class visited 11 different areas of Scotland, including the Borders region, the Western Isles and the Central belt.  

"We intentionally go to different regions we feel reflect the diversity of Scottish identity," says Cartrite. "We also went to the Shetland Islands, where people don't think of themselves as Scottish at all." 

Oscoda sophomore Megan Lamrock fulfilled a long-time wish when the class visited the Highlands region. Luckily, the area didn't disappoint. 

"If I live to be 100 years old, I'll never forget the sheer beauty of the Highlands," she says. "There's something almost magical about it."

Throughout their travels, students had the opportunity to discuss identity with locals, meet with politicians and hike. They also read influential novels in the places the plots were set, something Lamrock says she especially enjoyed.

"Reading the novels in this way really made everything come alive," she says. "It helped us picture life for the Scots in different times." 

In addition, the class visited a number of battle sites and museums. Along the way, Cartrite, an associate professor of political science, made sure to emphasize each stop's purpose.

"Modern museums are built as an experience, so I push students to be aware of the kinds of messages that they're taking in," he says. "You have to step back, unpack it and think about it."

Regardless of the day or activity, it was important to Cartrite, whose research background is in nationalism and ethnic politics, that students problematize identity.

"Even though we take American identity for granted, it's something we all were taught," he says. "It's something we have been convinced is real, so we start believe it's real. The same thing happens in Scotland, but it's much more contested."

Once students are back on American soil, Cartrite says students are able to appreciate not only how much they saw and did, but also how much diversity they experienced. For Lamrock, this certainly is true.

"The class opened my eyes to how different the people of one nation can be," says Lamrock. "The stereotypical 'Scotland' with bagpipes and kilts is hard to find. The Scottish identity is made of all different smaller identities from every corner of the country."

Because alumni love connecting with students, Cartrite plans to create a shorter version of the class for both alumni and students during Spring Term 2012.

Visit Alma College's website to learn more about them.