Caro-First The Rev. Richard Lawther, Moderator of Session

Cass City-First The Rev. David Blackburn, Stated Supply

Cass City-Fraser The Rev. David Blackburn, Stated Supply

Croswell-First The Rev. Ken Hetzel 

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

• Several small group DVD-based studies on subjects such as how we can be disciples of Christ in the digital age
• Phyllis Tickle on embracing emergence Christianity
• Stanley Hauerwas on being the church "in occupied territory"
• A new children's series from the creator of Veggie Tales called "What's in the Bible?"

The Presbytery offers the opportunity to order the 2012 Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study at the discount price of $12.50 per copy. If more than 249 copies are ordered the price will be reduced to $10.95 per copy. This special price (including shipping) is available to all individuals, groups and congregations who join in the prepaid bulk order coordinated through the Presbytery Office.

The Mission Yearbooks will be distributed at the December 2011 presbytery meeting.

Please complete and return the order form. Once the total order is determined an invoice will be sent to you. 

Photo by NASA/NOAA GOES Project

The strong winds and heavy rain of Hurricane Irene left a trail of devastation along the eastern seaboard from North Carolina to southern New England. Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) is in contact with mid-councils (presbyteries) along the East Coast as communities to help assess hurricane-related damage. Early stage assessments include identifying needs, the ability of communities to respond , and the availability of resources.

At this time, there is very little information about how to help through PDA as the needs are still be assessed.  Please check the presbytery's Facebook page for updates as we get them. 

Fenton-First is looking for a part-time Director of Youth Ministries (approximately 15-20/week). Director will work with youth in grades 6th-12th and their adult leaders and will coordinate all youth activities.  For complete job description or inquiries please contact Dale Swihart at 810-629-7801.

On Wednesday, September 28, 2011 he is offering two events at Alma College that are open to the public.

• An afternoon workshop, 2-4 pm in Jones Auditorium for community and religious leaders on "Working for Change"
• An evening lecture, 8 pm in the Heritage Center for the general public on "Journey to Leadership"

Please consider attending and invite your congregation to do the same.

• Dr. Jack Stewart, retired professor from Princeton Seminary, resourcing the conversation
• Elders from across the Presbytery sharing disciple-forming practices
• Uplifting worship, prayers & praise
• Practical training on creatives practices that inspire and shape congregations

For information, please contact:

Beth Carney, LEED AP, Consumers Energy

Phone: 877-607-0737

Email: bcarney@franklinenergy.com 

APA (Administrative Personnel Association) is a fabulous organization that is a well kept secret among administrative personnel in the Presbyterian Church.   For those of us who have been members for awhile and have experienced the joys that abound through APA, we are shouting it from the rooftops. This is an organization that we want all of our co-workers and colleagues to be a part of, and we would like to share our secret with you!

APA was established in 1976 as a professional organization created for the purpose of providing a supportive association that promotes continuing education, individual growth, communication, and fellowship for its members.  It is a group that strengthens lives both spiritually and professionally.  APA members have the opportunity to become certified in Church Administration at three levels.  Courses are offered at APA regional conferences in nine regions throughout the United States and at an annual conference.   Those eligible for membership include employees of PC (U.S.A.) churches and its governing bodies in positions such as administrative assistants/secretaries, church administrators, financial administrators office/business managers.

This year, the APA National Conference will be held in Las Vegas - November 3 - 6th.   You don't want to miss this great conference!   Some of the classes being offered are:   Polity I, Theology, Legal Matters, PC(USA) History Since Reunion, Office Administration, GA Entities, Safety in the Workplace, Conflict Management, Microsoft Publisher, Personnel Issues, Advanced QuickBooks, Risk Management, Stewardship Programs & Capital Fund Campaigns, and Living with Grief.  

For the past 15 years or so, churches have been debating if their website address should be added to the sign outside the building. For many churches this is a hot button issues. Some believe the addition of a website address might take away from the beauty of the sign, or compete with service times listed.  

Whatever the cause of debate, the majority of churches in the United States are missing a huge opportunity by omitting the website address. If your church is embroiled in a similar debate, here are 5 reasons why church signs should include a website address:  

1. People are church shopping. A 2008 survey by the Pew Forum on Religious and Public Life indicated that 44 percent of American adults have left their first religious affiliation for another. If you know that a significant number of people are seeking a new church home, provide them with every opportunity to learn about your church.
2. Outdoor advertising works. According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, Inc., advertisers spent $6.1 billion on outdoor advertising in 2010. That's up from $5.9 billion in 2009.
3. The Phone Book is dead. As you may have read in my recent post that "Nearly 70% of adults in the U.S. "rarely or never" use the phone book, according to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive. Instead, most of them (60%) use the Internet to find contact information, a number that's certain to continue to rise, especially as smart phone adoption and location-based services both grow." Churches can't rely solely on the Yellow Pages any longer, if seekers are relying on church websites to learn more, why wouldn't you promote the address on your church sign?
4. Don't choose aesthetics over disciple making. Some church leaders opt to leave off the church website address from signs because of aesthetics ... believing it may diminish the beauty of the church. Our charge is to make disciples for Jesus Christ, not win a beauty contest.
5. Leave them with a call to action, not assumptions. Yes, the primary role of your church sign is to mark or identify where you are located. If that's all you offer, seekers are left to make assumptions about your church. Who you are? What do you believe? And if you are part of a denomination, they will more than likely make assumptions based on their view of your denomination. The church website address is your call to action, directing those passing by your sign to learn how your congregation is making a difference in the world. 

As anyone who's ever been to a church potluck knows, food that looks good can taste terrible. The same can be said for our lives, said Kim Hammond, speaking Aug. 11 at the New Church Development Conference here.

Hammond, a Christian Reformed Church minister and pastor at Community Christian Church in Chicago, asked conference attendees if they could taste God in their lives.

"I want my life to count," he said. "In the end, when you bite into my life, I want it to ooze goodness."

Kairos Church, a ministry experiment of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, is located in downtown Atlanta. But it was born out of a small rural village in Japan.

Beth and Thomas Daniel, co-pastors of Kairos since it began in their living room in 2007, first met in that Japanese village when they were both part of a teaching program.

"I had not been inside a church for probably 10 to 12 years," Thomas said. "But one of the other teachers ... was getting baptized in a house church run by two Norwegian women and invited us both to come."

It was his first time seeing an adult get baptized. "It was a wonderful experience," he said, and started both he and now-wife Beth on the journey of marriage and ministry.

Staci Percy

Communications Manager/Recording Clerk

spercy@presbylh.org 

989-799-7481 x2