Bi-Weekly Brief news & updates
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Our churches currently in pastoral transition.
Our Mission Co-Workers:
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Upcoming Ordination and Commissioning Anniversaries:
Elder Jon Essex (9/1) - Commissioned Ruling Elder of Twining-Maple Ridge Rev. Christina Jensen (10/28) - 5 Years - Pastor of Elkton-Chandler, Cass City-Fraser and Kinde
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.
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September Stated Meeting of Presbytery |
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Information for this edition of the Bi-Weekly Brief was finalized before the presbytery meeting yesterday. Links and articles mentioned will be posted as soon they are available.
An email to those who participated in the meeting (both in person and online) was sent earlier today with a link to the Feedback Survey. We encourage all who attended to take a few minutes to complete the form.
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In Matthew 9, Jesus once said to not “pour new wine into old wineskins.” It’s one of Jesus’ lesson that you can’t pour anything new, even faith in him as God’s Son, into something old. It won’t work. If it will do anything, putting new in the old will cause the old to fall apart.
I thought of that passage this week when my wife and I decided to get rid of the landline phone in our home.. When we lived out in the country, this wasn’t always an option because cell reception was so poor. But living here in the city of Saginaw? Other than one friend, no one calls on our landline except spam calls or political calls. So there goes the landline.
Honestly, it was still kind of a hard thing to do. The landline phone was always sort of a security blanket, seemingly connecting us to the outside world no matter what. Yet it was not doing that anymore. And keeping it just because “I remember when” – well, that’s not a good enough reason.
As you might guess, we can see a connection between the landline experience and many of us in churches – whether CREs, Ministers, Ruling Elders or members. It’s so easy to say to look at our churches and say, “I remember when…” the Sunday School was full or we needed three services on Easter or we had an Associate Pastor or we weren’t sweating on how to pay the church’s bills.
But that’s not the case anymore. Churches of all sizes are struggling with finances, getting enough people to serve on Session, finding a new pastor or having people younger than 70 involved. We want to say, “I remember when…” and find a way to bring that back to life. But we can’t try to put anything new, even in church life, into the same old church bags we had before. It doesn’t work.
That’s why it’s more important than ever that we listen to each other and try to learn from each other. Small churches, for example, having been doing more with less for a long time. That’s something they can teach to churches of any size. Larger churches have learned how to overcome mistakes and try again. Trying again is something all churches can learn. And those are just a couple of examples.
So we have to find the courage to not be just a landline church. Instead, we have to listen to each other and trust where God is leading us. We will be doing that as the Presbytery in the months to come. What newness will fill our lives as churches in the Presbytery of Lake Huron? Help us pour something new!
Yours in Christ,
Ted McCulloch, Stated Clerk
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The service will be held at.
Dunning Memorial Chapel at Alma College
614 W. Superior Street
Alma, MI 48801
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The Presbytery of Lake Huron and the congregation of
The service will be held at:
Trinity United Presbyterian Church
5151 Lennon Road
Flint, MI 48507
A light reception will follow the service.
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Minutes Review and Clerk of Session Training |
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Minutes Review: There will be three chances for Clerks of Sessions to have their minutes and registers reviewed. The review can include minutes and records through August of 2022.
The dates for the reviews have been set as follows:
As in recent years, the Clerk can also review emailed minutes. Just email the relevant minutes to Ted and he’ll review them. Checklists for the minutes and registers along with final information on reviews will be mailed out shortly after Labor Day.
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Clerk of Session Training: Clerk of Session training will be provided on Saturday, October 29 from 11 AM until no later than 1 PM. This will be held at Flint-First Presbyterian Church. While beneficial to all Clerks, it will be especially helpful to any relatively new Clerk of Session. More details to come in the Bi-Weekly Brief. |
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Presbyterian Women Fall Gathering |
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PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN – 101
FALL FUN – FELLOWSHIP – FACTS
Saturday – October 22, 2022 (Registration begins at 9:30am)
5151 Lennon Rd – Flint
FACTS: Presbyterian Women
- Who are we
- Where are we going
FELLOWSHIP: Sharing (bring your joys & concerns)
- How are you / we doing
- What can Presbyterian Women do to help you
FUN: Lunch together
- Bring a book (or two) to share
- A picture book with a message
- A book you read that we all should read
FREE WILL OFFERING
“Motherly Intercession” (for children of incarcerated)
Registration begins at 9:30am
Worship at 10:00am
Presbyterian Women 101 = PW Purpose
Lunch
Closing Devotion at 1:30pm
COST: Individuals $15.00 or $12.00 for 5 or more from same church. Registration due October 8
Click here for more information and the registration form.
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Annual Niger Mission Network Meeting
Saturday, October 1, 2022, 10 am - 3 pm
Come join us for our hybrid annual network meeting with reports from our EERN partners, Mission Co-workers, and others involved in Niger. Includes a break-out group time to hear from individuals in Niger. Check out the latest NMN Newsletter for agenda and more information: https://mailchi.mp/4d5ea637ed04/march-7278015?e=a7ae029533
Lunch will be provided for in-person participants (thanks to Memorial Presbyterian). Email Michael Ludwig ([email protected]) if you have any questions.
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You're Invited! Happenings In Our Congregations |
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Car Show: Vintage Car, Truck, and Tractor Show at Birch Run-First Presbyterian Church of Taymouth, 12517 Morseville Road, Birch Run. Our 2nd Annual show will take place on Saturday, September 24th, from 10am to 2pm. Registration begins at 9am. Entry fee is a free will donation. Awards are given based on spectator voting. New this year- Food Trucks and Craft Vendor Marketplace. For more information, please call (989) 624-9473.
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Rummage Sale: HUGE Community Rummage Sale hosted by Birch Run-First Presbyterian Church of Taymouth at 12517 Morseville Road, Birch Run. The sale will take place on Wednesday, September 28th from 9am to 5pm, Thursday, September 29th, from 9am to 5pm, and on Friday, September 30th from 9am to 1pm. Donations are accepted from September 25th through the 27th. *No items before the 25th please. For more information, please call (989) 624-9473.
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Craft Show / Fair just in time for the holidays! Trinity United Presbyterian (5151 Lennon Rd, Flint) is excited to welcome back their annual Craft Show on October 14th-15th. The show will go from 9:00am - 4:00pm both Friday and Saturday and will feature a variety of local vendors and artists! There will also be plenty of tasty goodies available for purchase to help keep up your energy as you shop! Interested vendors can contact Sharon Auger at 810-653-8735.
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All are welcome to attend Caro-First's new monthly Music and the Spoken Word gatherings beginning in September 2022. These events include sacred music masterworks performed on the congregation's Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ, texts for reflection, an aesthetic environment for contemplation, and spoken prayers. Music and the Spoken Word begins at 6:30 p.m. and is scheduled for the following Wednesdays: September 7, October 5, November 2, and December 7.
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Matthew 25 Grants From The Synod |
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Would a $5000 grant strengthen your church in its ministries to build congregational vitality and/or to dismantle structural racism and/or eradicate systemic poverty? If so, apply by September 30 for the Matthew 25 Grants from the Synod of the Covenant.
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One of our requirements is for each clergy person and CRE to take part in boundary training at least once every three years. This year’s boundary training is scheduled for November 16 and 17. We will continue to use the Leaderwise program offered through the Synod of the Covenant. It is a virtual event, taking place from 6 to 8:30 PM each of those two days.
If you are not sure if you need to take boundaries training, the Stated Clerk will be mailing out specific invitations to those who need to complete it this year during September. Or you can contact Ted or Staci at the Presbytery office to check your completion.
Also, if you have taken another form of boundary training, either in another Presbytery or through a different organization, please share that information with Ted so that our records can be kept current.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
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