Bi-Weekly Brief

Bi-Weekly Brief news & updates

June 1, 2022

We Lift Up In Prayer

The Rev. Peter Russell, Honorably Retired, who is residing at Abbey Park in Grand Blanc.

Our churches currently in pastoral transition.

Our Mission Co-Workers:

Lucy Der-Garabedian serving in Lebanon.

Cathy Chang and family serving in the Philippines.

Upcoming Ordination and Commissioning Anniversaries:

Rev. Roger Browne (6/1) - Honorably Retired

Rev. Dr. Philomena Ofori-Nipaah (6/2) - 10 Years - Interim Pastor of Saginaw-Second

Rev. Scott Sherrill (6/2) - Temporary Supply of Vassar-First

Rev. Dr. Robert Emrich (6/7) - Honorably Retired

Rev. Paul Ytterock (6/8) - Associate Pastor of Flint-First

Rev. Ron Grimes (6/13) - Honorably Retired

Rev. Brooke Pickrell (6/14) - Pastor of Holly

Rev. Michael Loenshal (6/18) - Honorably Retired

Rev. Donald Neuville (6/19) - Honorably Retired

Rev. Cassie Todd (6/19) - Member-At-Large

Rev. Dr. Joseph Novak (6/24) - 10 Years - Pastor of Flint-First

Rev. Ken Parker (6/24) - Honorably Retired

Rev. Dr. Andrew Pomerville (6/24) - 15 Years - Senior Chaplain of Alma College

Rev. Peter Russell (6/29) - 60 Years - Honorably Retired

Rev. Robert Taylor (6/29) - Honorably Retired

The Rev. David Blackburn (7/1) - 50 Years - Honorably Retired

The Rev. Jim Neumann (7/1) - 40 Years - Honorably Retired

The Rev. Linda Williams (7/1) - Parish Associate of Bay City-First

The Rev. Dr. Tom Schacher (7/17) - Member-At-Large

The Rev. Jim Offrink (7/25) - Honorably Retired

The Rev. Lindsey Carnes (7/29) - 15 Years - Co-Pastor of Fenton-First

The Rev. Robbie Carnes (7/29) - 15 Years - Co-Pastor of Fenton-First

The Rev. Dr. Noel Snyder (7/31) - Member-At-Large

We ask that you consider including these requests each week in your bulletin and/or newsletter.

We also 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 989-799-7481 or replying to this email.

Thoughts From Ted

All of us have been stricken by the recent events in Buffalo and Laguna Woods and, with such heartbreak, in Uvelde, Texas. Like most of us, I don’t exactly know what to say. Yes, traditionally, we send our “love and prayers.” And that’s critical. But it also somehow feels inadequate or incomplete. No matter what our position is politically or culturally, we want these kinds of tragedies to stop. We need them to stop. So what is there beyond love and prayers?

I’ve seen a call posted that we should move to “do and act.” That is needed. After all, if we look at Christ’s life, he was always moving to do something, to find the action that was needed. Make mud to put on a blind man’s eye? Do it. Heal the daughter of Jairus? Act on it. And the list could go on and on. The key point is that when faced with evil or horror or sickness or anything, Jesus found a way to do what was needed and then act on it.

In these times, I may not know exactly what to do or what act I’m supposed to take. And I would not presume to tell anyone what they should do. I just know that each of us, in our own faith, has to find that thing we’re supposed to do. And once we know what we are to do, then we have to act on it. We cannot and must not remain on the sidelines. There is so much evil and pain in this world that there is something each of us can do; there is an action each of us can take.

And so I encourage each of us to find that evil you want to fight more than any other. Then we find what each of us can do, we find the action that we will take. Jesus did this to bring the kingdom another day closer. We can do the same.

I am not very good at “prophetic” preaching or calls to action. I don’t do it often and I rarely do it well. But it is necessary now. Simply, may each of us find what it is we are called to do and then act upon it so that our love and our prayers become real to those who need it most.

God bless,

Ted McCulloch, Stated Clerk

[email protected]

Presbytery Office

Ted McCulloch, Stated Clerk, will be out of town starting Wednesday, June 8. He will return to the Presbytery office on June 20. He will check email and messages starting June 16. Thank you for your understanding and patience with his schedule.

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Through Labor Day, the Presbytery Office is operating on summer hours. They are as follows:

Monday - Thursday

8:00am to 3:30pm

Friday

Closed

Presbytery Meeting

The Presbytery of Lake Huron will hold its stated meeting on Tuesday, June 7 2022, starting at 9:30 AM. This will be an in-person meeting with the ability to also participate by Zoom. Alma College and its chaplaincy staff are our hosts and we will be meeting in the newly renovated Alma College Chapel. Regardless, registration by all commissioners and/or guests ahead of the meeting is required.

The registration link and all documents relating to the meeting may be found on the Presbytery Meetings page of our website.

Please note: There is a lot of important information in the cover letter, please read it carefully prior to the meeting.

Free Bibles and Other Items

We are looking for the right home for several assets of Midland - Chapel Lane Presbyterian Church (CLPC). We are sharing this opportunity first to our brothers and sisters of Lake Huron Presbytery. We are available the week of June 6 -10, 2022 to meet at CLPC by appointment.

Call Tracy at 989-859-7974 or email [email protected].

There are 84 Bibles, 5 student Bibles, 3 Whirl Children’s stories, 11 Voice Reader, 6 Study Bibles other Christian Education Materials.

Click here for more details on specific items.

General Assembly Pastoral Care

Pastoral Care at GA225—A volunteer opportunity to consider and to share

The Office of the General Assembly is working to provide chaplain and pastoral care providers for the duration of the 225th General Assembly. As you may be aware, this year’s assembly includes in-person and online components, beginning June 18 and ending July 9.

We are looking for volunteers to provide pastoral care for participants as issues may arise for them. Some of the issues that providers might encounter include:

Crises that arise in personal lives while serving as a participant at GA
An experience during the assembly that triggers trauma of past harm
An experience of new trauma
Dealing with difficult subject matter in items of business
A difficult relationship or interaction within their committee or during plenary

Participants will access pastoral care providers through the GA Help Desk, where they will be referred to the providers on call. Pastoral support will be provided through electronic means—Zoom, Facetime, or phone call—as all chaplains will serve remotely. This is consistent with other covid protocols in place. As this is a volunteer role, we are unable to provide reimbursement for any expenses.

We are planning to have two providers on call at all times, and most “shifts” will be about 4 hours.

Though the opportunity is not limited to Ministers of Word and Sacrament only, we are looking for volunteers who have training and experience in providing pastoral care to a variety of people from a variety of cultures and backgrounds. We are particularly interested in people of color who can provide care and be available to participants of color.

Background checks for all volunteers providing pastoral care will be conducted. In addition, training will be provided for pastoral care providers. Details regarding online training will be made available once your participation is confirmed, and all trainings will be made available to review at your convenience. We will also provide resources related to Standards of Ethical Conduct and the Sexual Misconduct Policy.

Please sign up online. All sign-ups are subject to confirmation and a successful background check.

Should you have any questions, please reach out to Katrina Pekich-Bundy Katrina will also be at the June presbytery meeting answering any questions you may have.

Presbyterian Women

“HOPE RENEWED” – That is the theme for the PW/Synod of the Covenant Gathering, July 29-30 in Dearborn, MI.

It will be great to be “in-person” – to hear about the new Horizon’s Bible Study “Celebrating Sabbath” – to worship together – to visit with other women striving to live out their faith. Check out the flier to find out more. (be sure you pay attention to housing!!)

Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery of Lake Huron are offering 4 - $50.00 scholarships to first time attenders. Contact Terry Wood ([email protected] or 989-551-1554) by June 15th.

Pre-Order Your 2022-2023 Planning Calendars

Presbyterian Planning Calendar 2022-2023

It's that time of year again when the presbytery will be placing an order for planning calendars in order to take advantage of the bulk pricing.

This 19-month calendar contains many planning aids for pastors and other church leaders. Includes lectionary for Sundays and special days, liturgical days, liturgical colors, resource information for PC(USA) programmatic emphases, updated synod, presbytery and Presbyterian Mission Agency staff directories, color foldout synod/presbytery and world maps.

Cost per calendar is $10.50 and all orders must be pre-paid. Payment is needed by July 28, 2022. Unfortunately, there are no cancellations after this date.

You will be notified when the calendars have arrived (expected around mid-August) and arrangements for pick up or delivery can be made at that time.

Please click here to order on our website.

From The Commission On Ministry and Ministry Preparation

Is there a future pastor in your church? Maybe a future chaplain? Perhaps there's someone sitting in your congregation right now who is starting to feel that nudge towards becoming an ordained Minister of Word and Sacrament! Our Ministry Preparation Team encourages churches in Lake Huron Presbytery to lift up this possibility to our members.

We are also happy to announce that the Ministry Preparation Team of COMMP has newly released a Handbook for Ministry Preparation, to aid in the understanding of our process in our presbytery. You can find it here.

Mission Trip Opportunity

The Sandusky and Yale-First congregations invite you to join them on a mission trip to the Christian Appalachian Project in Paintsville, KY October 23-29 2022. Cost of the trip is $540.

Click here to view the Christian Appalachian Project's website.

Contact Pastor Mark Garavaglia, Commissioned Ruling Elder of Sandusky and Yale-First at 810-404-9565 or [email protected] for more information.

Help Wanted

At its Assembly on 5/3/22, the Synod of the Covenant approved a job description for a new contract position: Organizer of Synod Communities of Color.

This leader will draw on a community organizing approach to connect individuals and churches of color with each other, to discover joint interests as well as hopes for shared ministries and support from the Synod. It is a term position of approximately one year, at approximately half-time, and will be guided by a Steering Committee and report to the Synod Executive. The Asian, Black, Latino/Hispanic, Middle Eastern, and Native American communities have much to teach and much to gain as joint ministries bubble up and coalesce, facilitated by this Organizer position.

Please reach out to the Executive Chip Hardwick at 309-530-4578 or [email protected] to ask questions, recommend candidates, or to apply with a cover letter and resume.

Click here to view this announcement of their website.

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First Presbyterian Church of Bay City has 2 openings to join our wonderful staff. We are currently searching for a part time Director of Music Ministries and a part time Children's Ministry Director. You can find the job descriptions for both positions at https://www.firstpresbaycity.org/careers

If interested please submit a resume and cover letter to [email protected]

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Flushing Presbyterian Church is seeking a part-time pianist for our worship services and occasionally weddings and funerals (additional compensation provided for these services). If interested, please call the church office at 810-659-5831 or email at [email protected] to schedule an interview.

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First Presbyterian Church of Flint is seeking a joy-filled, passionate, and committed full-time director for our youth and young adult ministry to join our staff and church family.

Learn more about this exciting opportunity either through CLC or directly through our job minisite.

Click here for the listing on CLC.

Click here for the listing on the church's site.

Resource Center Re-Sizing

Recently, the Presbytery Council approved re-sizing our Presbytery Resource Center. In part, it is to provide space for the Michigan Nanum Church for their resources and materials as they make greater use of that room. The reality is that our Resource Center is almost never used and many of the materials are out of date.

To that end, the Resource Center will be relocated to the bookcases on the Presbytery office side of the building by the entrance. In order to reduce the number of resources that will be kept in that smaller space, we will do the following:

If there are any resources that you or your church wish to have, please stop by the Presbytery Office during normal business hours (currently Monday-Thursday 9:00am-4:30pm). This will be on a “first come, first serve” basis. Please bring boxes with you. We will do this from now to the end of September.

At the end of September, we will review the remaining resources and transfer some to the bookcases by the Presbytery entrance. Any resources left after that will not be kept.

We are pleased that the space of the original Resource Center is needed and can be used fully. If you have any questions, please contact the Presbytery Office.