Heritage Potluck . THE PILGRIM VISITOR.

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1 FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ROYAL OAK 1314 Northwood Boulevard, Royal Oak, Michigan Return Service Requested. THE PILGRIM VISITOR. November 2018-Vol. 44, No. 11 Published Monthly Heritage Potluck November 18th, 2018 is Heritage Sunday at FCCRO. As part of the celebration of our Congregational traditions and our Pilgrim forefathers, the Congregational Heritage Committee is sponsoring a potluck dinner immediately following the worship service. Pilgrim dress is encouraged! Turkey, gravy and dressing, potatoes, rolls, and beverages will be provided. You are encouraged to bring foods that are traditional, either to your own family s Thanksgiving celebration or which would have been served at the original Thanksgiving feast. In order to provide for a variety of foods, please follow the schedule based on the first letter of your last name: SALADS VEGETABLES DESSERTS A-G H-M N-Z We will provide paper plates, cups, silverware and napkins. Families with pre-school children will be served first. Please come and join the celebration!

2 Rev. Carrie Orlando THE PILGRIM VISITOR THE MINISTER S MUSINGS November is often seen as a month in which to be grateful. We have soaked up the sunshine of summer and feasted on the harvest of fall. We find ourselves preparing for the American holiday of Thanksgiving and, if you are in church ministry, preparing for the coming of Advent and Christmas. We are surrounded by the joys of life even in hardship. There is always something or someone to be grateful for in our life. As Congregationalists, we remember and are grateful for the courage of our forefathers and mothers who crossed an ocean to escape religious persecution. For us, Thanksgiving is more than just a day off from work to be with family. We stand on the shoulders of their faith and perseverance as we remain in covenant with each other to the glory of God. We will celebrate Heritage Sunday on November 18 th and will, once again, recall those who have given us the faith we live today. For me, November also brings a time to reflect on and to again be grateful for God s call on my life as a minister. Although I have been in ministry most of my adult life, this month I will celebrate my anniversary of ordination. It is still a humble reminder of all God has been in my life, and the faith people place in me when they call me to fill their pulpit and walk with them as they follow the call of God on their life. know for certain that God will be present amidst us and within us all. Your gracious welcome has warmed my heart and made me grateful for this church community. For me, gratitude for my faith in God stands atop all the other things I am grateful for in my life. Faith has been the lens in which I have seen the world and my sisters and brothers. It has brought me the challenge to love my neighbor, my enemy, and myself. It has been what I have clung to in moments of deep pain and proclaimed in moments of great joy. The older I become, the more deeply do I understand that this is pure grace and gift. I would not be the same person without it and pray that I am a better person because of it. I hope you take the time this month, before the hustle, bustle and (sadly) chaos of Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas begin, and slow down a moment (or three). Just take in all that God has done and been to you in your life and say, thankyou. Christian mystic, Meister Eckhart, is quoted as writing; If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough. Be safe in these colder months and check in on those for whom the cold and snow are a hardship. And, as always, let us keep each other in prayer. The Spirit unites us and will give us all we truly need. God s Blessings and Peace Rev. Carrie Orlando fccro.senior.minister@gmail.com On November 4 th at 3:00 pm, we formally joined in covenant together at my Installation as Senior Minister. I am slowly being able to look out and see familiar faces and know in my heart some of the lifestories attached to those faces. It remains to be seen what we will share together through the years, but I

3 FROM THE DIRECTOR OF FAMILY MINISTRIES For many families, a highlight of Thanksgiving is the opportunity to enjoy meaningful conversations often around a good meal. Asking the right questions is key, and with a little brainstorming, you can move beyond What are you thankful for? Good questions can spark great discussions where family members learn more about each other. Use these tips to ask questions that help children dig deep and open up: Ask questions that don t have specific answers. When questions are surprising, children s answers will be unpredictable as well. Ditch the question mark. Ask kids to tell about a time they experienced something, like being left out or being helped by a friend. Open Up to Open-Ended Questions. If a question can be answered with a simple yes or no, it will stifle kids answers. Why do you think? and What could you do? Instead of having kids guess what people in the Bible thought, turn the tables and make it personal. What if? These wondering questions make kids really ponder the context of a situation. help kids make new discoveries, while who, what, when, and where questions are usually just for review. (excerpt from Parenting Christian Kids, Nov. 17 issue) I found this to be excellent advice as we head into the Thanksgiving season, so I am sharing again. I am always on the look-out for ways we can talk to our children that goes beyond the traditional questions/conversations! As we head into the Holiday season, we have quite a few things happening around FCCRO. I have begun planning for our annual Christmas Pageant on December 16, and our practices will start in November! If your child is interested in participating, please let me know as soon as possible! Our first meeting will take place on Nov. 11 after service, to identify roles and pass out scripts. This will be a rather short meeting. A schedule of meetings and rehearsals will also be passed out at this meeting. Most of the memorization of lines will be done at home, so parents: if you can help the children by reading lines with your kids, it will help so much! Also, right at the beginning of December, on the 2 nd, will be this year s Christmas workshop, so mark your calendars now! Why? and How? These questions often I am very much looking forward to a festive and fun season here at FCCRO! Blessings, Tina Sherban

4 THE PILGRIM VISITOR BOARD OF CHRISTIAN OUTREACH (BCO) MONTHLY UPDATE BEACON OF HOPE FOOD PANTRY On September 22nd, 44 families shopped at the food pantry, feeding 96 people for the month. The pantry is open the fourth Saturday of each month from 9:00am to 12:00pm. Volunteers are always needed to help people shop for food in their social hall. Come for an hour or stay for all three! If Saturdays don t work for you, come in the fourth Friday of the month at 7pm to help set up for the next day. The next pantry is Saturday 11/17/18! Help is needed that day 10am-noon or Friday 11/16 at 7pm for set up at Good Shepard Lutheran Church, 814 N. Campbell in Royal Oak. This is also a great way for kids 10+ to get involved in helping the community! Thank you to everyone who donates their time, butter and cheese every month. Butter and cheese are always needed and your contributions are appreciated! MISSION SUNDAY 11/11/18 TURKEYS FOR GLEANERS! GOBBLE! GOBBLE! Our annual turkey collection for Gleaners Food Bank will be on Heritage Sunday, November 18, in the parking lot before service. Any size frozen turkey or monetary donations are welcome and appreciated! MARK YOUR CALENDAR! JIMMY S KIDS Details will follow! SALVATION ARMY BELL RINGING Saturday, December 1 at Hollywood Market on Main Street in R.O. THE BOARD OF CHRISTIAN OUTREACH is sponsoring this event during coffee hour on Sunday, November 11. Join us to learn about different outreach opportunities available in our church. There will be bread for sale from On The Rise Bakery and everyone is welcomed to enjoy sweets from the bakery as you take part in our strolling coffee hour. Come and see what it s all about!

5 SAVE THE DATE: FCCRO ANNUAL Christmas Craft Workshop The Board of Christian Education invites people of all ages to enjoy this Holiday Craft event! Sunday, December 2 3-5pm Create and take home festive craft items! 5-5:45 Join us for a jolly Christmas sing-a-long in the Sanctuary! 5:45 Dinner!

6 HELP WANTED: Heritage Sunday November 18th, 2018 The Heritage Committee is once again looking forward to our annual celebration of our Heritage with a special church service followed by a potluck turkey dinner. As usual, the meat, potatoes, gravy, dressing, rolls, and beverages will be provided by the committee and cooked by our own resident chef, Ken Goodwin. We ask that each family bring a dish to serve 8 as requested on this month's PV cover, according to the initial of your last name. The members of the committee would like some help in putting on the festive event. Help is especially needed for the set-up process on Saturday, Nov. 17th at 9:00am and again on Sunday morning, the 18th, for the intake of the potluck food items and the clean-up after. If you feel that you could assist us at either of these times, please contact: Judy Marin at (586)

7 PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR 2019 PLEDGE BY !! We hope everyone has received their pledge card by now. If not, please pick one up from the table by the nametags or Kathy Gavin at This upcoming year is full of new beginnings for us at FCC. Your stewardship pledge is vital to continue our mission and fellowship this year, and every year! Give God what s right, not what s left! Adrian Rogers BOY SCOUT TROOP 1610 will be taking wreath and garland orders during coffee hour November 11th (Or call Ken Friedman at to order by phone!) All orders will be available November 18th for pick up! CHRISTMAS POINSETTIAS The poinsettias decorating the sanctuary at Christmastime are donated by church members and friends. A minimum donation of $8 is suggested to cover the cost of each plant. There is a box and a donor list in the Narthex for donations. Your gift may be given as a memorial or in honor of someone. A list of donors will be printed in the bulletin on December 24th. Some of the poinsettias will be given by the Deacons to those on their care list. Others will remain in the Sanctuary until the end of the year FCC CHILDREN'S CHRISTMAS PAGEANT The performance is planned for Sunday, December 16th. We are looking for interested youth to help. We will meet briefly after service on November 11 to identify roles and pass out scripts. Join us, as we prepare for the Christmas season! We have big parts, little parts, silent parts, singing parts the perfect part for you to shine! In addition, we could use help with rehearsals, sets, and costumes. Please contact Tina or Alissa at or fccro@fccro.org for more information.

8 OFFICE HOURS Monday-Friday 10am-3pm The Main Office will be closed November 22 and 23 for Thanksgiving. PLEASE SUBMIT DIRECTORY UPDATES! 2019 is quickly approaching and we are preparing to update our directory for the next edition! Please any changes to or call them in during office hours. ATTENTION ALL VOLUNTEERS! The Deacons are forming a new Hospitality Team to oversee Coffee Hours, Greeters, Hosts, and other related matters. If you are interested in being part of this team, please contact Helen Grimm or Doug Stone. More volunteers make a lighter load! Thanks for your help! NEW ADDRESS Mrs. Elizabeth Phillips Sunrise Senior Living 9619 Burke Lake Rd Rm 105 Burke, VA CALLING ALL BLOOD DONORS! FCC will be hosting a blood drive Wednesday, December 12th, from 10am to 4pm. Volunteers are needed for check in and canteen area. Please contact Marian Kahn if you would like to help! or marian.b.kahn@gmail.com. Thank you for your support!

9 Delphine C. LISKE August 5, 1932-October 21, 2018 Delphine Catherine Liske, age 86, passed away in Sterling Heights on October 21, Delphine was born to Adolph and Veronica Schrader on August 5, 1932 in Detroit, Michigan. She is the oldest sister of LaVerne (the late Frank) Koczot, Ronald (Susan) Schrader, and Kathleen (Richard) Downs. Delphine is the cherished wife of the late Frank Liske Jr., where they were longtime residents of Warren. She is the loving mother of Debby (Walt) Parke and Reverend Carrie (Ken) Orlando; the beloved grandmother of Will (Kelsey Winiarski) Jenkins III, Jessica (Joe) Youanes, and Caitlin Orlando; and greatgrandmother to two great-grandchildren. Our thoughts and prayers are with Reverend Carrie and her family. Funeral Mass was at St. Andrew Catholic Church, Rochester, on Friday, October 26, Memorials are appreciated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, P.O. Box 5014 Hagerstown, MD, Rev. Carrie and her husband, Ken, live with their daughter Caitlin at: Potomac Dr. Sterling Heights, MI

10 Sunday, November 18th, 3:00pm THEATRE ORGAN CONCERT By Melissa Ambrose-Eidson Temple Theatre 201 N Washington Ave, Saginaw, MI (989) CALENDAR OF EVENTS Nov. 11 Nov. 18 Dec. 2 Dec. 9 Dec. 12 Dec. 16 Mission Sunday Heritage Sunday Christmas Workshop 3pm Jazzy Christmas Concert 3pm Blood Drive 10am-4pm Christmas Pageant, during service! FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF ROYAL OAK 1314 Northwood Boulevard, Royal Oak, Michigan (248) fccro@fccro.org Rev. Carrie M. Orlando, Senior Minister fccro.senior.minister@gmail.com Melissa Ambrose-Eidson, Minister of Music Tina Sherban, Director of Family Ministries Alissa Gorman, Admin. Asst. & Business Manager