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Reflections on Winter
"Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey,
and enjoy every idle hour." -- John Boswell
"Every gardener knows that under the cloak of winter
lies a miracle ... a seed waiting to sprout,
a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl.
And the anticipation nurtures our dream." -- Barbara Winkler
Both quotes were found on www.gardendigest.com
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 In Our Prayers
Karen Banaszak, Certified Christian Educator, who is experiencing significant health issues.
The Rev. Dr. David Pierce and wife Jenny, former pastor at Midland-Memorial and past Vice Moderator of the Presbytery on the death of their son last week. (See article below for more information..)
The congregation of Caro-First who are grieving the loss of Lucille Schriber, a member of the congregation for over 70 years. (Click here to view Lucille's obituary.)
The congregation of Sandusky whose organist/pianist, Don Gilbert passed away yesterday.
The Rev. Dr. Rick Vogeley, wife Patricia and the congregation of Tawas as they celebrate more than 11 years of ministry together. Patricia serves as the Organist and Choir Director for Tawas. Rick has accepted of a call in Pennsylvania which will begin in March. It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to much-loved leaders.
The Rev. Andrew Miller and the congregation of Mt. Pleasant-First as they celebrate the Installation of Andrew as Pastor on February 26th. (See article below for details.)
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 989-799-7481 For those Teaching Elders (Ministers of Word and Sacrament) and Commissioned Ruling Elders (CREs) who are celebrating Ordination or Commissioning Anniversaries in January and February: The Rev. Cathy Chang (2/17) Associate Pastor, Midland-Memorial The Rev. Mary Anne Evans-Justin (2/25) Honorably Retired The Rev. Robert Fox (1/26) Honorably Retired The Rev. Dr. Rhashell Hunter (1/8) Member-At-Large, General Assembly Staff The Rev. Rich Lawther (1/4) Pastor, Fairgrove Elder Linda Living-Hawley (2/3) Commissioned Ruling Elder, Fenton-Tryone Elder Sam McKim (1/1) Commissioned Ruling Elder, Lapeer-First The Rev. Larry McMellen (2/12) Honorably Retired The Rev. Chris Moody (2/25) Moderator of Session at Breckenridge-Emerson The Rev. Dr. John Musgrave (1/1), Pastor, Flint-First and Presbytery Moderator Elder Gloria Watson (1/9) Commissioned Ruling Elder, Swartz Creek-Mundy
For our congregations and their leaders: Elkton-Chandler Elder Kathy Grimes, Commissioned Ruling Elder Fairgrove The Rev. Rich Lawther, Pastor Fenton-First The Rev. Dale Swihart, Pastor; The Rev. Larry McMellen, Parish Associate Fenton-Tyrone Elder Linda Living-Hawley, Commissioned Ruling Elder |
 Installation of Andrew Miller
You are invited and encouraged to come celebrate the Installation of the Rev. Andrew Miller as Pastor of Mt. Pleasant-First on Sunday, February 26th at 3:00pm. A reception will follow.
The church is located at: 1250 Watson Road, Mt. Pleasant 48858. For more information, please contact the church at 989-773-3609.
The Rev. Gradye Parsons, Stated Clerk of the General Assembly will be participating in the Installation service.
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 Ashes To Fire: The Transformation of Our Souls led by Tom Long
February 18
8:30am to 3:30pm
Lent/Easter/Pentecost: Ashes to Fire is an opportunity for the transformation of our souls. As Jesus' life, death, and resurrection are retold, Jesus' story becomes our story. May our hearts be open to the touch of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. How can this season be different from previous Easter cycles? This day retreat on Transfiguration Weekend is designed to open new avenues of transformation.
Session One: "The Churches at the Four Corners" We will spend some time sitting in the pews of the Church of St. Mark, the
Church of St. Matthew, the Church of St. Luke,and the Church of St. John. How do each of these congregations understand the gospel and the nature of the Christian life? What resources for the Lenten journey can each of the churches provide?
Session Two: "Out of the Depths: Praying with the Psalms in Lent"
We will explore the psalms as sources of strength and faith in the "winter seasons" of our life.
Session Three: "Something Old, Something New: Faithful and Vital Worship in a Windstorm of Change"
In a time when worship styles and changes are swirling around in the church, we will examine some ancient traditions that are worth holding onto and some places where the Spirit is doing a new thing among us.Cost: $12.00
Please contact the church office at 810.234.8673 to sign-up by February 13, 2012.
First Presbyterian Church
746 S. Saginaw St.
Flint, MI 48502
www.fpcf.org810.234.8673
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 Our Deepest Condolences to the Rev. Dr. David Pierce and wife Jenny
We are deeply saddened to report the death of the son of the Rev. Dr. David Pierce and wife Jenny. Their son Andrew passed to the larger life on January 23rd. Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this extremely difficult time.
A website has been set up for those who wish to leave expressions of sympathy. Please click here to visit the website.
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 2012 Remittance and Basic Mission Commitment Forms
The 2012 Remittance and Basic Mission Commitment Forms are now available on our website. The 2012 Basic Mission Commitment forms were sent to all Clerks of Session last week via e-mail. If you would rather have one mailed to you please contact Andrea Drapp, Treasurer.
To learn more about the Presbytery's three major streams of income and where your shared mission dollars go to work please visit our website.
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 Annual Statistics
Just three weeks left! Thank you to all the Clerks of Sessions and others who are working so hard at completely the Annual Statistical Reporting for 2011. We have several congregations that have already completed everything. That is wonderful!
If you have any questions or get stuck, please do not hesitate to contact either Staci Percy or Ted McCulloch. Both may also be reached at the Presbytery Office at 989-799-7481.
All of the links and forms that are needed to complete the reports may be found on the Annual Statistics page of our website. All reports are due by February 22nd.
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 Pulpit Supply List Available Online
The list of people available for Pulpit Supply is available on our website on the Pulpit Supply page under the Miscellaneous tab. In the past this has not been able to be published online so we are pleased to finally be able to offer this to you 24/7!
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 Free Copyright Compliance Class
The Presbytery of Lake Huron is sponsoring a FREE all-day Copyright Compliance training course on Monday, April 16th at Flint-First. Training will be led by Susan Fontaine Godwin, President and Founder of Christian Copyright Solutions in Alabama. She has been working with and training church personnel in copyright compliance for over 16 years. She is also a professor of Copyright Law and the Church and Intellectual Property at the University of Mobile and author of Solving the Puzzle of Copyright Compliance: Why & How We Honor Copyrights.
Susan conducted an hour long class at the Big Tent in Indianapolis last summer for the Presbyterian Communicators Conference. The general consensus of those who attended was that this really could and should be an all day class. The presbytery's Coordinating Team agreed and approved funding to enable our congregations to be trained free of charge.
All church personnel - clergy, staff and volunteers - are invited and strongly encouraged to attend this unique opportunity.
Not sure if you need to attend? Click here to read just one reason why congregations of any size need to be trained.
More information will be available in future Bi-Weekly Briefs and on our Facebook page.
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 Training For Church Nominating Committee Members
Did you have your arm twisted to serve on your congregation's Nominating Committee? Did you hear the whistle blow as you were railroaded into serving? Or did you feel God calling you to this important function? However you got there, we are offering an opportunity for you to be trained to do this very important job of discerning who in your congregation would best serve as church officers. On March 6th, during the meeting of Presbytery at Flint-First, those serving on Nominating Committees will have an opportunity to gather separately for training in this important function. Rev. Mary Anne Evans-Justin and Elder David Justin will lead this training. Commissioners to the March 6 Presbytery meeting: Bring with you two members of your congregation's Nominating Committee! Training will be held separately for Nominating committees during major portions of the Presbytery meeting.
Click here for more details.
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 VBS Kits Are Here
We now have 3 Vacation Bible School (VBS) preview kits for 2012 available in the Resource Center.
The kits are:
Operation Overboard: Dare To Go Deep With God by Cokesbury
Adventures On Promise Island: Where Kids Discover God's Lifesaving Love! by Standard Publishing
No Friend Like Jesus: Get Connected by Abingdon Press
As a reminder, these kits are available to preview at the Presbytery Office during normal business hours (Monday through Thursday 9:00am to 4:30pm). VBS kits may not be removed from the Resource Center.
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 New Resources
We have several new books and DVDs in the Resource Center that are FREE for our churches to use.
New books include:
Marvelous Myths: Marvel Superheroes and Everyday Faith by Russell W. Dalton The author looks at the superheroes of Marvel Comics with a focus on their roles as characters who struggle with adversity. The book invites us to take heroic action seriously and to imagine the ways God calls us into creative, collaborative, missional action in the world. Each chapter includes questions for reflection. Promotion of Social Righteousness by Cynthia L. Rigby An exploration of Christian responsibility in relation to the world, this book looks at one of the Great Ends of the Church. Each chapter includes study questions.
New DVDs include:
The Best of Dr. Seuss by Theodore Geisel This DVD contains three Dr. Seuss stories: Daisy-Head Mayzie, Horton Hatches the Egg and The Butter Battle Book. Each story lasts 15-18 minutes and each addresses issues of differences, perseverance, and peacemaking. The Journey: Walking the Road to Bethlehem by Adam Hamilton The author presents a five-session study that looks at the story of Jesus' birth by considering the characters in the story as well as the locations in the Holy Land and the culture of the Middle East. Includes DVD, book, and study guides for children, youth, and adults. The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Using the NIV translation, this book presents the story of God and humankind through excerpts of scripture. Portions of scripture are organized in chronological order to provide the overall flow of the narrative. Short transitions summarize the omitted sections. Includes discussion and study questions.
For a complete list click here or visit the Resource Center page of our website.
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 Order Your Eco-Palms For April 1st
You can order your Eco-Palms directly from the PC(USA) to use for Palm Sunday on April 1st.In 2007 the PC(USA) teamed up with and the University of Minnesota to offer congregations the option of purchasing responsibly harvested Eco-Palm branches for Palm Sunday. The palms come from communities in Mexico and Guatemala where workers are paid fairly and engage in sustainable harvesting in order to protect the local ecosystem.
Why order Eco-Palms? - Approximately 300 million palm fronds are consumed in the United States annually.
- A congregation of 1,250 members orders approximately 700 fronds for Palm Sunday services.
- Eco-palms are purchased directly from harvesters at 5 to 6 times the normal payment per frond.
- Your purchase of eco-palms helps improve standards of living and protect forests.
Click here for details and/or to place your order. |
 Keeping Super Bowl Events Compliant
CopyrightSolver; Wednesday, January 25, 2012; Articles & Resources One of America's most sacred holidays is fast approaching. The 46th National Football League (NFL) Super Bowl® is less than two weeks away and many churches are preparing for one of their biggest evangelistic opportunities of the year. The Super Bowl® has the largest economic impact of any regular human event with literally every demographic engaged in this annual national fervor. While churches won't be looking to make money on the big game, they will be promoting events to view the classic clash between the Giants and the Patriots in Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN February 5, 2012. This year is one of the first in history that churches are preparing for Super Bowl® parties without fear of penalties and interference from the NFL for copyright infringement. Even so, it's vital that church leaders follow important guidelines to stay inside the playing field and make sure they avoid legal risks of infringement. CopyrightSolver recently had a chance to speak with an NFL representative regarding the NFL's policies for churches that want to host viewing parties on Feb. 5th. CopyrightSolver:
Many Churches enjoy gathering together to watch the Super Bowl® each year, but they are unsure about necessary steps they must take in order to stay copyright compliant when doing so. What requirements must a church meet in order to host a "viewing party?"
NFL:
A church must hold their "viewing party" in its usual place of worship and must not charge a fee for attending such viewing party. If those requirements are met, the NFL will not object when a church has a party for its congregants to watch the Super Bowl® together.
A key point in the NFL's response to churches is it's allowance of a viewing party it "its usual place of worship." This is an important qualification to understand. We understand that many churches do not have a typical church campus and many use rented public spaces to conduct worship services. Here is the NFL's position on these situations: CopyrightSolver:
Many churches hold regular services meet in rented spaces (i.e. convention centers, hotel conference centers, movie theaters, and school auditoriums). Does your previously mentioned statement regarding "usual place of worship" also apply to churches in these situations?
NFL:
No, the NFL's grant of permission is with respect to the church property (not rented spaces).
Over the past several years churches faced warnings and possible legal action if they hosted bowl parties. Thanks to concessions by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL will not block religious organizations from hosting Super Bowl® viewing parties. Keep reading... |
 Resonance: A Celebration of the Performing Arts
Alma College proudly presents "Resonance: A Celebration of the Performing Arts" at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 4, 2012 at the historic Detroit Opera House in downtown Detroit. The Alma College Choir, Percussion Ensemble, Pipe Band and Highland Dancers join guest high school performers from the Detroit area for an exhilarating performance in one of Detroit's most elegant venues. Join us for an exciting concert that will resonate with our alumni, friends and future students.
Tickets are now available online at www.alma.edu/resonance as well as the Detroit Opera House Box Office, and Ticketmaster outlets. Complimentary tickets are available to high school students and may be obtained at www.alma.edu/resonance. For questions or additional information, please contact the Alma College Alumni Office by calling 989-463-7245 or emailing alumnihouse@alma.edu.
Please share information about this concert with your congregation. A bulletin insert is attached; please consider distributing it in your worship bulletin.
Alma College, founded in 1886 by Presbyterians, is a selective, residential, private liberal arts college devoted to the teaching and education of undergraduate students. Located in central Michigan, Alma is the only Presbyterian-related college in the state. For more information about Alma College, see http://www.alma.edu/. Congregations: Please consider including this information in your newsletters, on your website and in your bulletins. Click here for a printable/downloadable bulletin insert. |
 Alma Youth Mix 2012: Take Up Your Shield
Alma College
March 9-11, 2012
Teens Grades 9-12 and Adult Leaders
$50 early bird special includes meals and a t-shirt The Alma Youth Mix is a Senior High youth event sponsored by Alma College, Lake Michigan Presbytery, and Lake Huron Presbytery. It is held on the Alma College campus in central Michigan. The Alma Youth Mix is held annually to provide a Spiritual event for youth and to provide a fun time to meet Senior High youth from other Churches in the Area. We provide a Keynoter, Small Group activities, Music, Freetime, Dance and plenty of excellent food. The event begins on Friday at 8:00 and ends Sunday at 12:30. We sleep on the floors of the gym and the weightrooms and eat at the Hamilton Commons Cafeteria. There is time for fellowship, spiritual growth, playing and relaxing. For more information click here to visit their website. |
Continuing Education Opportunity
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 Rural Ministry Conference
Wartburg Theological Seminary's 31st Annual Rural Ministry Conference is being held on March 4th - 6th, 2012. This year's focus is "Courage in a Caring Community." The Rural Ministry Conference outreach is continuing to grow and has become an ecumenical conference for those working in small town and rural parishes throughout the Midwest.
Click here to download a detailed brochure.
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Presbyterian News Service
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 Connect With Other Churches In The Lake Huron Presbytery
There are so many wonderful things going on in all of our congregations. Several of our churches have set up Facebook pages to help spread the good news not only to their members but to all who may be interested. Liking other church Facebook pages is a great way to connect with others in the presbytery and to share ideas with each other. Here are some of the churches that have Facebook pages:
Alma-First
Bay City-Westminster
Caro-First
Deckerville-First
Flint-First
Holly (New open page; they still have a private group page)
Lapeer-First
Linden
Midland-Memorial
Saginaw-Second
Saginaw-Warren Avenue
Sandusky
Vassar-First
Others have group pages that you have to request to join. Those include:
Holly
Mt. Pleasant-First
If your congregation has a page and it is not listed here, please contact Staci Percy at spercy@presbylh.org. |
 'Like' Us On Facebook
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! |
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Staci Percy
Communications Manager/Recording Clerk
spercy@presbylh.org
989-799-7481 x2
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