“Opening Doors, Living God’s Word”

 

 

E-CHIMES

A Weekly Update of Joys, Concerns and Ministry with

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Sunday Worship Hour

10:30 a.m.

Church Office Hours: Monday - Thursday: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Pastor's Office Hours: Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 2:00 pm

(Fridays: Pastor's day off, office closed)

OUR MISSION

As followers of Jesus,

we will open our doors

to glorify God and do God’s work

in our community and beyond.

September 8, 2011

Our email is churchoffice@fpcmp.org

Our website is www.fpcmp.org

Church Phone 989-773-9609

Pastor Miller’s phone 502-609-6171

Email address: andrewlmiller@bellsouth.net

In This Issue:

·      ·        Prayer concerns:

·      ·        We welcome our new Pastor and his family (NEW)

·      ·        Rally Sunday, September 11 (NEW)

·      ·        Dr. Steven Egler Recital (NEW)

·      ·        Meals on Wheels Fitness Event (NEW)

·      ·        Help Woodland Hospice (NEW)

·      ·        Choirs Practice starts back up

·      First Presbyterian Church Sponsors Mobile Food Pantry  (Updated)

·      Lectionary Readings

·      A Glimpse at The Week Ahead

·      Looking at Events in the Church, Around the Town and Beyond

·      Birthdays and Anniversaries

·      Web Links of Interest

PRAYER CONCERNS

Prayers of Concern  John Kingsnorth (Nancy Klunzinger’s brother), Sue Blodgett, Fran Sowles, , Lucille Wysong, Hilary Burns (Heidi Rocha’s sister), Miriam Kersey (Dan Staples cousin).

 

Loving Christ, you wept over Jerusalem, longing to gather your people in your arms.  We are now called to gather your people in our arms, caring for the friendless, sharing hope with the hopeless, and reaching out to those in need.  Guide us as we seek to offer compassion, justice, and peace in a circle as deep and as wide as your everlasting love for us.  Amen.

 

Prayer taken from the 2011 Mission Yearbook for Prayer and Study.

We Welcome our New Pastor and his family

Welcome Andrew, Martha, Lydia and Anna Clare!!  The moving van arrived on Labor Day as the Miller family (including Rusty, their dog) make First Presbyterian Church and Mt. Pleasant their new home. Their house is on South Drive (where Marydeana lived). Take time to welcome everyone to our community and church family.

Rally Sunday, September 11

Help us celebrate Rally Day this Sunday as we kick off fall programming and welcome the Miller family. The theme of our intergenerational worship service is "The Tree of Life ... Offering Healing and Forgiveness." There will be a special remembrance of the 10-year anniversary of the events of 9/11. The service will include music from the children's and chancel choirs, as well as a dramatic rendering of the gospel reading. Be sure to stay after the service for the Rally Day picnic, held in the courtyard!

Dr. Steven Egler Recital

Steven Egler, Professor of Organ and former Director of Music at First Presbyterian Church, will present his faculty recital on Sunday, September 18, at 4 pm, in the Staples Recital Hall in the School of Music Building on the CMU campus.

 

Featured will be the choral and organ music of Moonyeen Albrecht, Professor Emerita of Theory and Composition in the CMU School of Music, in celebration of her 75th birthday anniversary year.

 

The choral music will be performed by the Exultate Deo Choral Ensemble, conducted by Robert Sabourin.

 

Chelsea Hart, soprano and a member of the FPC Chancel Choir, will a featured soloist.

 

A faculty/student brass ensemble will also assist on several of the choral compositions.

 

Additional music for organ solo and flute and organ will be performed.

Isabella County Commission on Aging and Friends of Isabella Seniors

They are once again planning a Meals on Wheels Fitness Event.  The proceeds from this event will go to the Commission on Aging Home Delivered Meals Program, The Goodrow Fund, the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen and the Community Compassion Network.  It will take place on Sunday September 11.  The day will begin with a Triathlon that will include a 5k run, followed by a 25 mile bike ride and end with a kayak/canoe trip from Deerfield County Park to Chipp-A-Waters  Park in Mt. Pleasant.  We also have scheduled individual events for a k run/walk, bike rides and fun walks.  The day will end at Chipp-A-Waters Park with a picnic from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.  All registered participants will receive their picnic at no cost.  However if someone wants to come just to the picnic they are welcome and need to contact the Commission on Aging by September 1st and make a reservation (989) 772-0748.  Prizes will be awarded in all events to both the men and women and to those who wish to participate as a team.  All ages are invited and encouraged to participate.  Thanks for helping us and our community!                          

Help Woodland Hospice

The General Agency and Woodland Hospice are working hard to collect enough online votes to make Woodland Hospice eligible for $25,000 fro EMC Insurance Foundation. WE need your help to achieve this goal.  To vote log onto: www.woodlandhospice.com  Click on VOTR HERE!  PLEASE vote each day until October 8th.

Woodland Hospice focuses on the individual rather than the illness.  Hospice and palliative care honors the individual’s wishes in life’s final journey, with comfort and dignity while providing families the care and support they need so together they may live their remaining time to the fullest.  Woodland Hospice is the primary service provider of Hospice of Central Michigan serving families, friends, neighbors and our community since 1984.

Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir Practice

The Chancel Choir practice will resume September 8 at 7:30 pm with Richard Featheringham as Choir Director.  The Handbell Choir resumes also at 6:30 pm with Sue Carey as Director.

First Presbyterian Church Sponsors Mobile Food Pantry Truck (Updated)

First Presbyterian plans to sponsor the Mobile Pantry Food Truck on September 24, 2011.  At present we have made it ½ of the way to our goal with $1021.23 in the account used for this purpose.   Costs per truck have risen to approximately $3000. 

 

On  September 11, 2011, SJP will be taking up a special offering to help pay for the September truck.  Please help us raise the funds needed to help feed  people of our community who are in need.

 

Rally Day - sign up sheets for hosting volunteers and  refreshment food for the food truck will be available for people to fill in.

 

We will need people at the church on Friday afternoon to receive the food donations and plate the food.  On Saturday morning we will need people to direct traffic, prepare coffee, set up chairs outside if it is warm, set up and run the media  for the movies in the sanctuary, serve refreshments, help unload the truck and distribute groceries, and be available a prayer partners.  At the end of the day, we will also need people for clean up detail.

 

LECTIONARY READINGS for Sunday September 11, 2011

Romans 14: 1-12

Matthew 18: 21-35

A GLIMPSE AT THEWEEK AHEAD (Thursday - Thursday)

All events are at First Presbyterian Church unless otherwise noted

Sunday September 11

10:30 am Intergenerational Worship/Noisy Offering/Rally Day

“Forgiveness…It Is A Matter of the Heart”   Rev. Andrew Miller

11:30 am Rally Day Picnic on the Lawn 

Monday September 12

9:00 am Monday Morning Men

10:00 am Staff Meeting

Tuesday September 13

4:00 pm Worship Committee Meets

6:00 pm Finance Committee Meets

6:30 pm  Deacons Meet

Wednesday September 14

8:00 pm AA

Thursday September 15

6:30 pm Handbell Choir Rehearsal

7:30 pm Chancel Choir Rehearsal

 

LOOKING AHEAD AT EVENTS IN THE CHURCH, AROUND THE TOWN AND BEYOND

 

Mobile Food Pantry 2011 Schedule

 

September 10   TBD

September 24   First Presbyterian Church

October 8        TBD

October 22      Sacred Heart Parish Hall

November 5     Mt. Pleasant Community Church

BIRTHDAYS AND ANNIVERSARIES 

September Birthdays

1          Rich Domeyer

5          Jeff Domeyer

5          Elizabeth Staples

6          Kellan Florian

6          Sandra Lee Hanna

12        Sue Gamble

12        Jason Nichol

13        Henry Griffendorf

13        Tammy Holder

14        Sarah Morris

14        Marissa Andres

15        Heather DeWitt

September Wedding Anniversaries

1          Bob and Dee Kohrman (1962)

4          Walter and Judy Sauter (1950)

5          Richard and Audrey Featheringham

8          Henry and Joan Griffendorf (1951)

15        Jeff and Vicki Tuma (1979)

 

LINKS

Presbytery of Lake Huron www.presbylh.org

Presbyterian Church USA www.pcusa.org

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance http://pcusa.org/pda/response/usa/hurricanekatrina-index.htm