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When You Thought I Wasn't Looking
By Mary Rita Schilke Korzan
When you thought I wasn't looking
You hung my first painting on the refrigerator
And I wanted to paint another.
When you thought I wasn't looking
You fed a stray cat
And I thought it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking
You baked a birthday cake just for me
And I knew that little things were special things.
When you thought I wasn't looking
You said a prayer
And I believed there was a God that I could always talk to.
When you thought I wasn't looking
You kissed me good-night
And I felt loved.
When you thought I wasn't looking
I saw tears come from your eyes
And I learned that sometimes things hurt-
But that it's alright to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking
You smiled
And it made me want to look that pretty too.
When you thought I wasn't looking
You cared
And I wanted to be everything I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking-
I looked . . .
And wanted to say thanks
For all those things you did
When you thought I wasn't looking.
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 We Lift Up In Prayer...
Mothers - Not only those who have children but also for all who are are spiritual mothers to so many others we give thanks for your gifts, your love and your dedication.
The Rev. Cathy Chang and husband, Juan Lopez (Midland-Memorial) on the birth of their first child; a daughter, Aurélie Jasmine Chang Lopez born on May 1st.
The members and staff of Flint-First who celebrated the church's 175th anniversary earlier this week.
The Rev. Dr. Steve Shugert and the congregation of Mt. Pleasant-First on honoring Steve with the title of Pastor Emeritus on May 27th.
Rebecca Francek, Inquirer Under Care of the Presbytery continues to experience significant health issues.
Karen Banaszak, Certified Christian Educator, who is experiencing significant health issues.
Cynthia Bolbach, Moderator of the 219th General Assembly who is undergoing treatment for cancer.
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 May and June: The Rev. Dr. Daniel Ahn (5/18) - Honorably Retired Elder Stephen Baillie (6/4) - Commissioned Ruling Elder, Flint-First The Rev. Dr. George Baird (6/21) 55 years - Honorably Retired The Rev. Alec Brooks (5/1) - Honorably Retired The Rev. Roger Browne (6/1) - Honorably Retired The Rev. Bert Clark (6/5) - Honorably Retired The Rev. Dr. Robert Emrich (6/7) - Pastor, Saginaw-First The Rev. Robert Evans (6/17) - Saginaw VA Medical Center Chaplain The Rev. Fred Gates (6/3) - Honorably Retired The Rev. Dr. Sharlyn Gates (6/15) - Pastor, Holly The Rev. Ronald Grimes (6/13) - Honorably Retired The Rev. Robert Lakey (6/8) 60 years - Honorably Retired The Rev. Michael Loenshal (6/18) - Member-At-Large The Rev. Donald Neuville (6/19) - Honorably Retired The Rev. Seth Normington (6/27) - Pastor, Linden The Rev. Kenneth Parker (6/24) - Pastor, Saginaw-Countryside Trinity The Rev. Teresa Peterson (6/3) 15 years - Pastor, Flushing The Rev. Peter Russell (6/29) 50 years - Honorably Retired The Rev. Dr. Jonah Salim (6/19) - Member-At-Large The Rev. Dale Swihart (5/16) - Pastor, Fenton-First The Rev. Robert Taylor (6/29) - Honorably Retired The Rev. Dr. Richard Vogeley (6/20) - Member-At-Large The Rev. Dr. Joseph Walser (5/22) - Honorably Retired The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Weenink (5/18) - Pastor, Bay City-First For our congregations and their leaders: Alma-Eastminster, As they continue their search for leadership
Alma-First, The Rev. Tom Brackbill, Pastor
Bay City-First, The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Weenink, Pastor
Bay City-Memorial, Elder Jon Essex, Commissioned Ruling Elder
Bay City-Westminster, The Rev. Matthew Schramm, Pastor; The Rev. Isaac Chung, Associate Pastor
Beaverton-First, The Rev. Karen Blatt, Pastor
Birch Run-Taymouth, The Rev. Ted McCulloch, Pastor
Breckenridge-Emerson, Elder Peggy Ronk, Commissioned Ruling Elder
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 Flint-First Celebrates
175 Years
Congratulations and blessings to the members and staff of Flint-First who celebrated their church's 175th anniversary this week.
First Presbyterian Church of Flint was organized on May 7, 1837, at the "River House," the home of Lewis Buckingham, the first sheriff of Genesee County. Seventeen pioneers signed as charter members. Before the year ended the first house of worship was constructed in Flint. With God as our rock and salvation, First Presbyterian Church of Flint has been a source of faith and hope for 175 years.
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 Mt. Pleasant-First To Name Pastor Emeritus
The Session of Mt. Pleasant-First wishes to honor the Rev. Dr. Steve Shugert with the title of Pastor Emeritus. This is an honorary title to recognize Steve's many years of service with First Presbyterian Church. Mark your calendars and join us for worship on Pentecost Sunday, May 27 as we recognize Steve for his years of ministry at First Presbyterian.
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 Party On The Lawn at Bay City-Westminster
"The Qualifier" marathon and festival of races is coming to mid-Michigan and the finish line is within yards of our own Bay City-Westminster.
At this point, organizers are projecting a minimum of 5000 runners participating in the
weekend's races, with a conservative estimate including fans, family, and volunteers
could make the number of people in front of the church on that Sunday morning upwards of 10,000.
"Obviously, we realized early on that our normal Sunday worship schedule was going to be affected. We reasoned that we could do one of two things: either we viewed the marathon and the associated chaos as a nuisance, or we could embrace it as an opportunity for evangelism. We have chosen the latter, particularly because this is an opportunity to engage a community that is often set at odds against the church. Because races often run past churches on Sunday mornings, many in the running community have experienced churches that are hostile to them, as they "get in the way" of a church's schedule, take up their parking or their normal routes, and are generally "unlike them." So it is no wonder that this antipathy, compounded with the fact that runners are often younger, is a large factor in why the running community skews statistically toward "no church affiliation." However, it is our belief that the church has much to learn from runners when it comes to being healthy stewards of the body and developing an understanding of and appreciation for what God has given to us through creation."
Because Bay City-Westminster has decided to embrace this event and its participants they have planned three days full of activities to show their hospitality. If you have ever attended a running event, you know what an exciting, uplifting and positive atmosphere it can be. Don't miss out on your chance to be a part of this wonderful event. Join the Party on the Lawn next weekend!Click here for a detailed list of activities. Click here for a printable one page flyer about the Party. |
 Order Your 2012-2013 Presbyterian Planning Calendars Now and Save
Just 2 days left to order and get the bulk rate of $9/calendar!
Order the 2012-2013 Presbyterian Planning Calendar today. The theme is "Presbyterian Mission".
This 19-month calendar that begins with June 2012 contains many planning aids for pastors and other church leaders. It includes lectionary for Sundays and special days, liturgical days, liturgical colors, resource information for PC(U.S.A.) programmatic emphases, updated synod, presbytery, and PC(U.S.A.) staff directories, color foldout synod/presbytery and world maps. Order Copies By Friday, May 11th! The Presbytery Office will place a bulk order for the 2012-2013 Presbyterian Planning Calendar for individuals and churches. If the calendars arrive in time, they will be available for pick-up at the June 6th Presbytery meeting at First Church, Fenton. Otherwise, they can be picked up at the Presbytery office. The cost will be determined after the number of orders is known. If at least 50 are ordered the price will be $9 per calendar. The next price break will be $13 per calendar if the total order does not exceed 49. Your church will be invoiced after the orders are placed. (As of today we have enough orders to receive the lower rate of $9 per calendar.)
Click here for a fillable form that may be saved and e-mailed to Rose Onan at the Presbytery Office no later than Friday, May 11th.
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 Show Your Appreciation
As most of you know, our beloved Treasurer/Office Manager, Andrea Drapp will be retiring at the end of this year. Andrea has been our presbytery's good and faithful servant for 35 years. She will be greatly missed by all of us.
We will be honoring Andrea and her service to the presbytery at the December meeting. At that time we will present her with a book containing letters of appreciation for her dedication, kindness, hospitality, friendship and hard work over the years. If you would like to write a letter to be included in the book, please either e-mail it to Rose Onan or send a hard copy to her attention to the presbytery office.
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 Health Fairs Host Site Needed
The Health Concerns Team is looking for a host site for a health fair to be held on Monday, July 9. A host site may be a church or other location that has a large room such as a fellowship hall, as well as several small rooms to accommodate all the educational displays and space for the various health screenings. A host site is also responsible for getting the word out about the health fair through whatever promotional methods are appropriate in the particular setting. If feasible, the host site may provide lunch for the health fair team: 20-25 people. A health fair may take place in the morning, afternoon, or evening or any combination that will work for the potential participants in the fair. If you have a possible site or would like more information, please contact the health fair coordinator, Valerie Fargo, at vfargo@presbylh.org or 989-839-9462.
Visit our Health Fairs 2012 page under the Around LHP tab on our website for details on how to make a health kit, the locations you may drop off kits at and the deadlines for dropping them off.
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 New Resources Available
There are several new resources in the presbytery's Resource Center. Click here to see what's new and to reserve your items online.
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 Flint-First Looking For Children's Ministry Director
Children's Ministry Director opening at Flint-First. If interested or know of anyone who may be interested please send resume' to Flint-First in care of Linda Smith or e-mail to grablellsmith@gmail.com.
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Student Loans Through The PC(USA)
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 Student Loans And Parent Loans For (Dependent) Undergraduates
Undergraduate and graduate students attending a college/university may receive a loan with no interest accruing while the student is enrolled full-time in a degree program. The program is now open for 2012-13. The interest rate for new student borrowers is 5.5 percent; the interest rate for new parent borrowers is 7 percent. A loan fee of up to four percent may be charged at disbursement of loan proceeds. For 2012-13, the loan fee is discounted to 2 percent.
Criteria
- Be members of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.);
- Be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the United States;
- Demonstrate financial need;
- Give satisfactory evidence of financial reliability;
- Be enrolled full time;
- Be in good academic standing;
- Be working toward a degree in a college or university that is fully accredited by its regional accrediting association.
Click here for more information. |
Connecting With College Students
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 Connecting With Students
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 Alma College's High School Leadership Academy
Do you know a high school junior who is creative? Artistic? Technically or scientifically savvy? Do you know a student who has a passion for educating the public on important issues or wants to create positive change in society?
Alma College's High School Leadership Academy is prepared to help students take action. Academy participants work with Alma College faculty and current students to explore issues and ideas that affect our local, state, national and international communities. The 2012 academy will be held July 8-14, 2012.
The 2012 Academy will focus on moving our communities to being healthy, economically vigorous and environmentally sustainable. Using the expertise of faculty and the rich array of multimedia tools on campus, participants will also create an original documentary video that explores where their communities are today and what they might be in the near future.
In addition to developing and applying leadership skills, students will gain experience in conducting field research, persuasive storytelling, digital video editing and movie making. You also have the opportunity to expand your leadership skills through interactive sessions in which values, integrity and commitment to action are explored.
The academy incorporates scholarship, stewardship and leadership to prepare the next generation of leaders for a changing world. It is made possible through a generous gift from The Dow Chemical Company.
The High School Leadership Academy is a residential program for students completing their junior year of high school.
Applications are requested by May 25, 2012 and the participant fee of $110 is due by June 15, 2012. The fee covered both room and board for the week-long experience. For more information and an application, see www.alma.edu/academics/leadership/institutes/academy
Questions or concerns? Please contact the Center for Responsible Leadership at 989-463-7043 or leadacademy@alma.edu. |
 Have A Website
If you don't have a website, we won't be coming to your church. Nothing personal, but that alone tells us enough to know you aren't ready for new people. You can get a basic website for free and your own URL for about $25 a year. There is simply no excuse not to have one. Read more... |
 Why Your Church Needs A Facebook Page The Presbytery of Lake Michigan produced a helpful video illustrating why it is important for churches to have a social media presence. Click here to view the video. Once you find out why you need a Facebook presence you will want participate in the the FREE webinar from the Insurance Board about how to safely run your Facebook page. Facebook for Your Church - The Right Way is being offered two times on May 16th at 11:00am and 3:00pm. Facebook for your church is not a casual decision. It takes planning and forethought about consequences - there's a right way and wrong way. What to post and not to post and what to respond to. A review of the "nuts and bolts" of setting up a "business" Facebook page and the controls required to manage the risks of using social media. Click here to register. |
 The Power Of A Pin: Why Pinterest Is A Game Changer Great article on why Pinterest is being a social media game changer and how you can make it work for you. This is not church-specific but you can still use the same principals for your congregation.Pinterest has proven to be anything but another social network. First, its growth has been extraordinary. According to several reports, including a blog post shared on Mashable, from September 2011 to December 2011, unique visitors on Pinterest increased by 429%. That kind of growth has never been seen in a social network and while it's still early for Pinterest, we're seeing a lot of staying power, especially with established brands like Macy's, Land's End and magazines such as Real Simple - which got more traffic from Pinterest in October 2011 than from Facebook. For those of you who haven't been on Pinterest, the concept is almost deceptively simple. You sign up for an account (there's a waiting period right now as Pinterest tries to manage traffic and new accounts, once you sign up it should take about a week before you can get in). The site is a collection of boards, sort of like virtual bulletin boards that you name and add to your page. You can have as many boards as you want and name them whatever you want (though make sure to read through the Pinterest terms of service so you know you're not violating any of their regulations). The boards can describe your brand, book, message, or business. We'll look at some board ideas in a minute but for now, think bulletin board. Keep reading.... |
 Heritage Sunday Is May 20th
Presbyterian Heritage Sunday has been set aside by the General Assembly of the PC(USA) as an annual day to celebrate, reflect upon, and learn more about the long and rich history of the Presbyterian movement in America. It falls on the Sunday closest to May 21, the date of the opening of the first General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America in 1789. The Presbyterian Historical Society supports Heritage Sunday by preparing bulletin inserts for use by congregations throughout the United States. The Heritage Sunday bulletin insert for 2012 celebrates the 160th anniversary of the Presbyterian Historical Society and its vital role in the church, and serves to remind all Presbyterians of the importance and value of their history. A full-size and half-size bulletin insert are now available at the links below or on their website. 2012 Heritage Sunday
Bulletin insert full page
Bulletin insert half page Tips for Celebrating Your Presbyterian Heritage |
Spiritual Retreats At The Weber Center
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 Spiritual Retreats Planned At The Weber Center For This Summer
The Weber Center in Adrian, MI has several retreats scheduled for this summer. They also offer the opportunity Private Retreats and Individual Direct Retreats.For information on what they offer please visit their website by clicking here. |
Host A Missionary In Residence
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 Host A Missionary In Residence At Your Church This Fall
Imagine every member of your congregation involved in a "stay at home" international mission trip for five weeks when you participate in the Synod of the Covenant Mission to the USA Program. Host congregations are still needed for our 2012 program. Missionaries are coming from Taiwan, China, Madagascar, and Mexico from September 26 to November 1, 2012. Cost to your congregation could be as little as $1,000. Everyone in your congregation would have the opportunity to learn about another part of the world and the challenges facing Christians there. Each person can gain a fresh perspective on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, acquire a deeper understanding of the global nature of Christ's church, and be challenged to greater faithfulness. Your "missionary" will be a church leader, prepared to preach, teach, and share fully in the life of your church as he or she shares his or her life and faith. If you would like to develop more interest in world mission in your congregation, this is an opportunity to develop a deep and personal relationship with a Christian from another part of the globe and learn what the Christian church is doing there. If your church already has an interest in world mission, this would be an opportunity to expand that interest. You can host a mission partner for five weeks for LESS than it would cost to send ONE person to another country. Want to learn more? Read the Frequently asked questions on our website or contact the Mission to the USA Coordinator, Karen Nottelmann at 231-652-1056 or knottelmann@aol.com. Deadline for application has been extended to June 1st. |
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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-Memorial
Bay City-Westminster
Caro-First
Deckerville-First
Flint-First
Grand Blanc-Kirkridge
Holly (Open page; they still have a private group page)
Lapeer-First
Linden
Midland-Memorial
Mt. Pleasant (New open page; they still have a private group page)
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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