Highland Herald INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING GATHERING

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1 F i r s t P r e s b y t e r i a n C h u r c h Highland Herald V o l u m e 1 2, I s s u e 1 1 N o v e m b e r 1 5, I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e : From the Pastor 2 Music 3 Faith Development 4 Finance 5 Property Mission News 7 INTERFAITH THANKSGIVING GATHERING Odds & Ends 10 Advent Events Assistant Schedule December Calendar An Interfaith Thanksgiving Gathering is Tuesday, November 20 th. The service is from 6 7 p.m. with a social hour to follow at First Congregational UCC, 1201 Jefferson in downtown Muskegon. Contact Kryssis Diane Bjork at for more details.

2 P a g e 2 FYI: PDA, SDOP, & OGHS - Way to go PC(USA)! When I became aware of our denomination s Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA) program and how effective it is at bringing relief and resources to people affected by disasters globally and locally, it was a great feeling to know I had been connected with PDA even before I was aware of it or offered any direct support. You are part of it too! Some of our financial support as Presbyterians over many years has put in place a program that is swift on the scene with immediate help and cooperates well with other relief organizations to meet the needs of the people in long-term disaster recovery. A portion of the OGHS, One Great Hour of Sharing, offering we receive each year helps keep this vital program going. Because our support keeps the PDA structure in place, people who wish to make a financial contribution to relief efforts for particular disasters can do so easily and with assurance that 100 percent of their donation goes directly to relief at that site. PDA has opportunities for local congregations to participate in work trips, and I have known many people who have done just that. With the recent devastation of Hurricane Sandy, you can quickly become aware of what is being done by visiting pda/. You can even sign up for alerts if you like to follow what is happening with relief efforts around the world. SDOP, Self-Development of People, is an amazing program also supported by OGHS, and has been doing remarkable work for decades. We are a part of it, but have really not been aware! That is about to change. We will be proud to learn of the efforts to date, and I m sure many will be motivated to become actively supportive. Sarah Rinsema-Sybenga of Muskegon s Community EnCompass became aware of SDOP because Sacred Suds is a local recipient of grant funding. She was so impressed she has joined the regional SDOP board and came to us to help us become aware of our own Presbyterian program and how it has immense potential to help people right here in our own community. SDOP provides assistance and funding for people in circumstances such as poverty or underemployment to develop and sustain their own programs that benefit themselves! They know their needs, develop their own ideas to meet them, and write their own grants to get them off the ground. Complete ownership by the people assisting themselves is what makes this program unique. From the SDOP web site: "A ministry of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Self Development of People is a partnership of love, justice and empowerment reflecting the image of God who stands with all people." We are getting involved locally! Look and listen for more, and take some time to learn about this program at sdop/who-sdop/. Blessings, Pastor Jim H i g h l a n d H e r a l d

3 V o l u m e 1 2, I s s u e 1 1 Christmas is coming. The goose is getting fat! Please to put a penny in the old man s hat! the Traditions of Christmas program presented by our children and youth! (signups on the music bulletin board) and worship service on Christmas Eve. P a g e 3 If you don t know what that means or where it came from or why it s in the newsletter, you can check elsewhere to learn about the Children s Christmas Musical --or better yet, be here on Sunday, December 16 at 10:00 am to see and hear But you won t want to miss any of the Sunday services in December as we celebrate the season of Advent and look forward to our annual celebration on Christmas Eve. We will decorate our hearts and homes with Hope, Peace, Joy and Love starting with the Hanging of the Greens on December 2 at 6:30 pm, finishing with the Christmas Prelude And don t forget your present of your presence - singing in the choir or ringing handbells or playing an instrument or helping with the children s musical - we need YOU to make this Christmas Celebration the best yet! Hoping to spend Advent waiting with all of you, waiting for the most important Birthday ever Jackie Glory to God Sing His Praises with New Hymnals Consider honoring or remembering loved ones with the purchase and donation of a new hymnal $15.00 per hymnal - Donate as many as you wish Orders will be taken for the Glory to God hymnal starting November 25th. Please write checks payable to FPC and note for hymnals on the memo line. Please place your donation in the offering plate on Sunday morning or mail your donation directly to the church office. Donation forms/envelopes will be available starting in December. The hymnals will arrive in September 2013.

4 P a g e 4 Faith Development I don t know about anyone else, but my adrenaline is still pumping from the U of M game on Saturday, November 10! What a day! It s impossible to convey in words the energy and excitement that buzzed through the stadium, but it is most certainly a day I will never forget. As we soaked in the fervor, I couldn t help but think of this verse: How good and pleasant it is when God s people live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down Aaron s beard, onto the collar of his robe. (Ps ). Now, I m pretty sure the psalmist didn t have a U of M football game in mind when he penned these words, but I have to believe that because we are made in God s image, it must please God too when we experience pleasure as long as that pleasure falls within God s will. And I m pretty sure a win for the University of Michigan does. All kidding aside, I also thought of those words because I was so abundantly, joyfully blessed to be with everyone who attended just as my joy overflows whenever the youth of this church meet together for fun, food, study, or even normal conversation. There will be many opportunities for the youth to join together in the coming months. High school youth group on Sundays at 2:00. Middle school youth group on Wednesdays at 6:30. NO youth group on Wednesday November 21 because of Thanksgiving COMBINED youth group on Sunday, November 25 at 2:00. On Sunday, December 9, at 2:00, we will have our annual Christmas party! Bring a gender neutral white elephant gift and your appetite! Further details about this can be found in the Christmas happenings section of the newsletter. And I promise a sledding party as soon as it snows. You always need an excuse to drink too much hot chocolate, right? Because of Grace, Jill H i g h l a n d H e r a l d

5 V o l u m e 1 2, I s s u e 1 1 P a g e 5 Finance September October Month Year to Date Month Year to Date General Fund Income $24,598 $232,412 $23,246 $255,659 General Fund Expense $22,345 $220,949 $18,690 $239,639 Increase (Decrease) in General Fund $ 2,253 $ 12,029 $ 4,857 $ 16,020 Restricted Income/Adjustments $ 39,897 $ 43,420 Expenses $ 45,595 $ 47,165 Net ($ 5,698) ($ 3,745) Financial Forecast: October general fund income and expenses were positive. Pledged income is $9,564 behind so far for this year. Restricted income expenses were high due to complete payment of our air conditioners and their installation. FPC is truly blessed with your financial support. A WORD FROM PROPERTY Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to Him, bless His name. Psalm 100:4 Wow! I can t wait to see the new front entrance completed; it looks grand half way finished! Glass installation should be completed by the end of this week. We looked high and low all over the church for some matching bricks and never found any for a small repair at the sidewalk level. I called around to a few folks that may have known the brick pattern, but no one knew. So I called VanderWall Concrete and the salesman brought over a few bricks he had in back and they matched perfectly. We had two other issues that came up at the last minute; one being the glass size. The glass installer had a concern about the wind coming from the west and suggested he install a horizontal bar in the middle to give the frame more strength. This will eliminate some angle cuts on the glass and save a few dollars, too. The other was a last minute decision to install lights on either side of the entrance. Newkirk Electric drilled small holes in the brick front and ran a new wiring cable for future use. A donor has already stepped up to purchase new lights for the project. All we have to do is find suitable fixtures and, let there be light! A big thank you to Mike Foster, Russ Reckell and Lori Kowitz for helping with this project when I was not able to oversee the work. Thanks to Pastor Jim for taking pictures every day of the work in progress. I hope Jim will show all of the photos at a later date. Peace be with you, Robert Hartman, Moderator Property Council

6 P a g e 6 Muskegon County Habitat for Humanity Changing 100 Families Lives! The time was 1996, the address was 2416 Baker Street, FPC Muskegon sponsored the build of our first Habitat home. It was $25,000. I fondly remember Tic Adams, in the yellow hard hat, along with others sharing the vision with the congregation. I really do need to make contact to say hi to Tic. Our congregation finished that first house and went on to assist building two more in 1998 and 1999 on Glendale. I believe that some of us participated in an interfaith build in We have a history with Habitat and I m sure these times are fondly remembered by most in our congregation. In 2013, Habitat will be building its 100 th home in Muskegon County. It will be in White Lake and they have already secured the volunteers and the funding to complete this. So many at FPC were involved in the early builds that I wanted to share this. The community, FPC, all the volunteers and the homeowners themselves have helped to change the lives of 100 local families! In 2014 Habitat is planning to do a unity build in Roosevelt Park. They hope to have 25 different churches involved. I have asked for Habitat to send us information on this once they are ready to initiate the planning process. Habitat has opportunities all the time at the Restore for volunteers and even youth needing to do service projects. The contact is Andrea Jonaitis at x 209. A sample of the opportunities include: Restore Display Creations Data Entry Photography Scrapbooking Sewing Mailings Of course they also have construction opportunities. A complete list of all of the opportunities has been posted on the Property bulletin board in case anyone is interested. I have asked that we be advised of current events and will communicate anything noteworthy. Bob Bengston for Session H i g h l a n d H e r a l d

7 V o l u m e 1 2, I s s u e 1 1 P a g e 7 Mission News... First Presbyterian Church Raises $ for 2012 CROP Walk Church World Service has responded immediately to Cuba and New Jersey in the wake of hurricane Sandy. 3,300 CWS blankets, 9,000 CWS hygiene kits, 1,125 CWS baby care kits and 1,500 CWS school kits were shipped to Cuba in response to Sandy s destruction there. (CWS November 2012) CWS shipped the following items to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey as part of its emergency response in New Jersey: 2,000 CWS blankets, 3,000 school kits, 3,000 CWS hygiene kits, 300 clean-up buckets and 100 CWS baby layette kits. (CWS November 2012) An expansion of the agency s response is anticipated, as CWS assesses immediate and projected long-term recovery needs, in tandem with partners. CWS is able to respond to assist persons with disaster relief because of the MONEY RAISED BY CROP WALKS THROUGHOUT OUR COUNTRY. (CWS Web site) Our 39 walkers included Jennica Rausch, Lisa Bayne, Sarah Bayne, Leanne and Don Swick, Larry Ayers, Mary Ellen Willcox, Hester Newton, Cyndy Witzke, Kristi Clark, Joan and Sam Hollar, Tim Carl, Sue Kacprzyk, Don Mathews, Mitzi Bixler, Holly and Dan Stewart, Marti Driscoll, Richard and Mary Eschman, Bob Priefer, Ruth Clark, Pat Ganson, Sue Kieft, Joan Barnes, Jim Rausch, Kay Ostrom, Evan Hodson, Amy Williams, Marty Waalkes, Don and Pam Correll, Vic and Ellen Prowant, Steve and Vonnie Vance and Hanna and Joan Scofield. Canine pets participating in the Walk were Codie Williams, Lilly and Daisy Eschman and Crosby Witzke. Twenty five percent of the money raised remains in our community and assists with food programs for Age Well Services, Mission for Area People, the Neighborhood Saturday Breakfast at First Congregational, a garden for Community encompass, and the Holton Community Center pantry. The Hunger Committee thanks all walkers, sponsors and every person who actually made the 2012 CROP Walk Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty.

8 P a g e 8 DECEMBER CENTS-ABILITY OFFERING Our Cents-Ability Offering was $ for the month of November. This offering collected each month in the bread pans supports local food programs. The Cents-Ability Offering is one component of the Presbyterian Hunger Program. The December Cents-Ability Offering will be received on Sunday, December 2 nd. Cents-Ability banks are available in the narthex as well as on the mission table. When writing a check for the offering, please place it in an envelope designating it Cents-Ability Offering. Rolled coins are also appreciated. BREAD FOR THE WORLD BREAD SALE Sunday, December 2 nd Many delicious autumn breads and baked goods were sold at our November Bread Sale thanks to our FPC bakers and buyers. The $ raised from that sale is contributed toward our BFW Covenant Church Pledge as we seek to be an advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves. Our next Bread Sale will be held Sunday, December 2 nd. Please plan to bake your favorite Christmas breads and other wonderful baked goods. This project of the Hunger Committee is made possible by our bakers and purchasers. We deeply appreciate all contributions and all persons are invited to contribute. SUPPER HOUSE CHRISTMAS GIFTS NEEDED Supper House is asking the area churches to donate items for the Christmas gift bags to be given to each member of a family at the annual Christmas party on December 17 th. The following items are needed for all ages of men, women and children: SOCKS, GLOVES, HATS, MITTENS, SCARVES and CHILDREN S BOOKS. Please leave the new, unwrapped gifts on the mission table by December 9 th. All churches are invited to help with the Supper House Christmas dinner and party on December 17 th. Santa will be there to talk with the children. Please contact Mitzi Bixler if you would like to help. Please consider Supper House when you are giving your donations to your favorite charities during this Christmas season of giving. Many thanks to those who can donate gifts to Supper House. H i g h l a n d H e r a l d

9 V o l u m e 1 2, I s s u e 1 1 P a g e 9 MISSION BOX FOR DECEMBER LOVE MISSION IN THE BOX NAME FOR OF DECEMBER CHRIST LOVE IN THE NAME OF CHRIST The mission box emphasis for December is Love in the Name of Christ. Please consider these items when The mission shopping: box personal emphasis care for products December are especially is Love in needed the Name deodorant, of shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, Christ. Please hand consider lotion, these tissues, items feminine when hygiene shopping: products, personal soap care and shaving products. products are especially needed deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, Food toothbrushes, items requested hand lotion, are canned tissues, meats, feminine canned hygiene vegetables, products, cereals, soap syrup, peanut butter, creamed soups, and shaving biscuit products. mix and powdered milk. Consider Food items WIC requested needs: sippy are cups, canned toothbrushes meats, canned for small vegetables, children, cereals, small tubes of toothpaste, new layette items, newborn and medium-sized diapers. syrup, peanut butter, creamed soups, biscuit mix and powdered milk. Please note all items must be new and unopened. Canned goods that have expired or are dented cannot Consider WIC needs: sippy cups, toothbrushes for small children, be delivered. Many, many thanks to our generous contributors of food and personal care items. small tubes of toothpaste, new layette items, newborn and mediumsized diapers. Please note all items must be new and unopened. Canned goods that have expired or are dented cannot be delivered. Many, many thanks to our generous contributors of food and personal care items. HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Muskegon County Habitat for Humanity is seeking qualified families for new and refurbished homes which will be available in the Muskegon and White Lake areas n Through the Habitat program, low-income area families who don t qualify for conventional mortgages are able to purchase homes at cost with a year 0% mortgage. You may be a Habitat family if: You have a low but steady and dependable income; You are ready for the blessings and responsibilities of homeownership; You have a proven track record of paying your bills; You are willing to work 400 hours on the construction of your house and other Habitat projects. If this sounds like someone you know, please have them fill out a pre-qualification form today! Forms are available at the Habitat office located at 280 Ottawa in downtown Muskegon, on the web site at or by calling

10 P a g e 10 Rodger Kroes Lost Creek Lane Spring Lake, MI (616) Larry and I were blessed by the strong support of our church family as we slowly worked our way through surgical repairs and a series of complicated challenges to our health. The prayers, notes, cards, phone calls, visits, gifts of food and a beautiful prayer shawl were all deeply appreciated. Praise God for prayers answered with exquisite timing and in a surprising way. We are grateful. Larry and Julie Ayers DECEMBER BIRTHDAYS 12/02 Jean Seward 12/02 Charlotte Kacprzyk 12/03 Jeffery Guiles, Jr. 12/05 Philip Dickinson 12/06 Mary Lou Skinner 12/07 Chuck Hodson 12/07 Max Dibble 12/09 Yvonne Friel 12/13 Jodi Buzas 12/13 Chris Wahamaki 12/15 Margaret Mason 12/15 Lari Hines 12/16 Sue Kacprzyk 12/20 Helen Dodson 12/21 Nick Caruso 12/22 Dorcas Yost 12/24 Clarke Manning 12/28 Nathan Clark The deadline for the next issue of the Highland Herald is Sunday, December 9 th. Please articles to office@fpcmuskegon.org or leave them in the office mailbox marked Newsletter. Thank you. DECEMBER ANNIVERSARIES 12/06 William & Cheryl Smith 12/06 Martin & Lois Waalkes 12/27 Larry & Julie Ayers 12/27 John & Carolyn Mixer H i g h l a n d H e r a l d

11 V o l u m e 1 2, I s s u e 1 1 P a g e 11 We are approaching the Advent season, and as is our tradition at FPC, we have many activities and worship services planned for the season. We hope that you can and will take the opportunity to participate in as many of the activities as possible. Decorate Your Heart with Hope, Joy, Peace and Love As homes in our neighborhoods begin to twinkle with bright and colorful lights, cheerful displays and reminders of Christ s birth, our Advent season worship will inspire us to decorate our hearts in ways that show our neighbors the beauty of God s love. Hope, Peace, Joy and Love are the traditional Advent themes observed each Sunday, and this year we will consider how the image of decorating our hearts may strengthen our faith in ways that bring blessings for all. On Hope Sunday, our traditional decorations at the church will be sparse just a few items that will remind us that there is much more to come. This is a good reminder that the season is one of hope and anticipation. On Peace Sunday, with the decorations much more complete, we will connect with centuries-old customs of the season that remind and reassure us of God s unchanging goodness and grace. Joy Sunday will see the completion of our decorations at the church, and the further decoration of our hearts with the warmth of smiles and laughter as our children and youth share a Christmas program. Love Sunday will bring us to the doorstep of Christmas, and we will see that, indeed, every Sunday is Love Sunday. In fact, because God is Love, and we belong to God, every day is a day of Love. While pain and brokenness in the world remind us that the reality of love s fulfillment is not yet complete, our hope and anticipation is solid. Because of this, we ourselves can be the bright lights, cheerful displays and reminders of Christ that bring decoration to a world whose dreariness needs some adornment.

12 P a g e 12 Youth and Parents! HANGING OF THE GREENS December 2, :30 pm Many happy, holiday hands make jolly, light work! PLEASE help us hang wreaths, decorate trees, and prepare the church for Advent. The more the merrier. Of course there will be Christmas cookies! Please join Jill and the Faith Development Council for a Christmas party on Sunday, December 9 at 2:00 PM at church. After some socializing and food, the youth will go play some Christmassy games while the parents meet w i t h t h e F a i t h Development Council to discuss the design of FPC s youth programming. Any questions? See Sheila W a h a m a k i, G r e g Boughton, Pastor Jim, or Jill. Sarah Circle will again sponsor the Mitten Tree from November 26 th December 16 th. We need mittens, gloves and hats to keep young children s fingers, hands and heads warm for winter. Items will be donated to Every Woman s Place. The Retirees and Friends Christmas Luncheon will be held on Saturday, December 8 th with punch being served in the library at 11:30 a.m. followed with lunch at noon. The cost is $7.50 per person. A sign-up sheet is posted on the bulletin board in the main hallway. The Reeths-Puffer Madrigals will provide entertainment. H i g h l a n d H e r a l d

13 V o l u m e 1 2, I s s u e 1 1 P a g e 13 ORDER YOUR POINSETTIAS It s that wonderful time of year when we are given the opportunity to order poinsettias to grace our sanctuary for the Christmas season. This year we are offering 61/2 pots of red, white or pink poinsettias. The cost is $8.50 per pot and may be ordered by completing an order form found on the church web site ( or in the Sunday bulletins. Orders with payment must be in the church office no later than December 9 th. If you have questions, please call the church office or Barb Reckell at Proceeds from the sale of the Christmas poinsettias supply the Deacons with support to help people in financial need. The three Christmas offering envelopes included in our offering boxes give us the opportunity to support a broad spectrum of church interests: The Stewardship Council sponsors the white Christmas Joy envelope. Gifts will be divided between the pensions for ministers who retired when salaries were low and without pensions and also for Presbyterian college support. The Mission Council sponsors the green Christmas envelope. Gifts will be divided between Family Promise and the Mission for Area People Medical fund. The Deacons green envelope will provide the main annual funding to meet the needs of people brought to the attention of the Deacons. These three offerings extend our interest in caring for others here and away. Please consider something for all three! Christmas is coming. The goose is getting fat! Please to put a penny in the old man s hat! If you don t know what that means or where it came from or why it s in the newsletter, ask one of our children or youth who are participating in the Christmas Musical on Sunday, December 16, 2012 during the 10:00 am Worship Service :) They are learning all about the Traditions of Christmas through songs and instruments, poetry and stories and they are excited to share their knowledge and their talents with you! Please plan to join them (and if you are a parent of a participant, don t forget our December rehearsals on Sundays, the 2nd and 9th from 11:15 to 12:15 and the dress rehearsal on Saturday, December 15 from 9:30 to noon-- THANKS!) You are invited to join us for the Christmas Prelude on December 24 th 6:15 p.m. This special time will offer a variety of Christmas music especially prepared for the anticipation of Jesus birth. If you would like to participate in the Christmas Prelude by singing, playing an instrument or reading a story, please contact Jackie Fisher at or music@fpcmuskegon.org and she will put you on the schedule! We will gather for a traditional candlelight/communion worship service at 7 p.m. on Monday, December 24 th. The service will include carol singing, scriptures, prayer and reflection. Let this evening inspire and fill your hearts with the meaning of Christmas.

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16 First Presbyterian Church 2577 Wickham Drive Muskegon, Michigan Phone: Fax: