September 21, 2020

Dear Kirk Family,

The Big10 news on Saturday had my household excitedly watching interviews and team updates for most of the weekend. As I started dreaming about the sense of normalcy that comes with football season, I also felt my spirits lift considerably at the thought of watch parties (even if they happen over Zoom) and intensified rivalry fun now that I live in “The State Up North” as Ohioans like to call it. 
As I mentally picked out the team gear I would wear around the office the week of December 12th ,I couldn’t help but ask myself why fandom in general exists. The conclusion that I came to was that fandom creates community and a sense of belonging, two things that almost every person in the world craves in one way or another. 
In Angela’s sermon this week, she talked about each of our callings to be a part of God’s community. In her words, “Make no mistake about it. You are here because you have been called. You are here because you belong—belong to God and to one another.” The beautiful thing about this is that we only belong to the community because God has made it so and that calling is “for a purpose—for the purpose of making God known and blessing all those around us.” We are called to something that lasts more than a season and something that seeks to unite all of humanity in love without rivalry. 
Community during Covid-times is hard, but it leaves room for creativity and openness to the guidance of the Spirit. Here are some of the ways that our purpose has been helped by ours and our neighbor’s belonging to Christ’s community.

In their efforts to keep socially distanced, residence of Fox Run have meals delivered to their apartments daily. They banded together to collect fresh fruit and vegetables as well as non-perishables from those deliveries to donate to Lighthouse for those experiencing food insecurity in neighboring cities. They were able to collect so much food that there was hardly room left in the van!
One of our siblings in Christ has been hit hard through the pandemic. Raquel, a single mother with eight children has struggled financially and as a result has not been able to furnish their home. With the help of First Pres of Troy, Northminster, Lighthouse, Building Beds for Kids and Gardner White, Raquel’s children now have beds to sleep on at night! Kirk members Marlene and Joline were thrilled to make blankets to give Raquel. We let her know each stitch and every tie was made with love and a prayer.
The middle and high school students got to experience community this week in one of its most natural forms this pandemic. We finally got to meet face-to-face while enjoying lots of laughter, worship, and s’mores around a campfire and getting to know one another better before we dive into deep conversations of faith in the coming weeks.
Speaking of gathering, this week was also the kick-off of many small groups, including Sunday school for K-8th grade, a New Member’s Class, and many more. The “Be Well” bible study taught by Dr. Brennan Breed had its second meeting this week, with wonderful discussions. If you are interested in joining a small group you can sign up here or contact Pastor Angela at revang@kirkinthehills.org. There is still time! Sunday school packets for grades K-5 are located in the Welcome Center at the Kirk. 
We continue to gather for worship each week, even as it gets cooler. Your pastors are willing to worship in coats and hats if you are, if it means we can get a glimpse of God’s community in our own back yard. It is clear how well the community is strengthened by each individual person! God has made us well, and is making us well together. You belong here. 

Stay warm,

Pastor Kelsey
Relational Mission Opportunities

All Saints Episcopal Church Breakfast

If you would like to offer help in this way, the Kirk is partnering with All Saints Episcopal church every 4th and 5th Saturday of the month to serve breakfast and offer essentials from 8 a.m. - 10 a.m. to the our homeless neighbors in Pontiac and those with food insecurities. We are forming a core group of people to take turns leading the four different areas of the breakfast and will eventually have our small groups join them. If you would like to serve on the core team please contact Julie Walker at jwalker@kirkinthehills.org. 
Life Remodeled

The Kirk is rounding up 3 teams to go down to the Durfee Innovative Society neighborhood of Detroit to share God's love with their community thru yard beautification projects in collaboration with Life Remodeled! 

But they need our teams signed up by Sept 6th (tomorrow)

So please check your calendar for Oct 8, 9 and 10th from 12:45- 5:00 p.m. and see if you can join us for one of the 3 days!! (Or all 3 if you can swing it?!)

Registration and all event details can be found here:

Looking forward to watching God work thru us to help our neighbors in Detroit!
Adopt-A-Road

Meet here at the Kirk at 9:00 a.m. on October 10th and get a section of Long Lake Road to clean up between Telegraph and Middlebelt to take part in our Kirk Community clean-up!
We envision a world where every heart experiences
God's transforming love.