Monthly Newsletter of The Peoples Church, 200 W. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI l l ThePeoplesChurch.com

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1 Portal Rev. Andrew Pomerville, Senior Pastor Rev. Drew Filkins, Associate Pastor Cal Kerr, Chairperson, Council of Elders SEPTEMBER 2016 Monthly Newsletter of The Peoples Church, 200 W. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI l l ThePeoplesChurch.com WE ARE CHURCH FOR OUR CAMPUS, OUR COMMUNITY, OUR CONGREGATION Welcome to the beginning of another dynamic academic year in this wonderful community! For our children, students, colleagues and friends who are busy with the business of education, we offer our prayers for enthusiasm, joy, patience and wisdom. It s going to be a wonderful year here at The Peoples Church, we are delighted to be a part of your family! In preparation for the coming year, I ve been spending time looking at years gone by. The archives in The Peoples Church basement provide a wealth of information about our founding and mission as a community of faith, as well as hopes for our future. On those very first days of The Peoples Church founding, the church was given a three-fold charge from its leaders: to be the church to the campus, community and congregation. In essence, the church was founded to share the Good New of Jesus Christ and offer hope to these three unique and distinct groups. What better guideline is there for us today? What does it mean to be the church to Michigan State University, the Greater Lansing Area, as well as our own members and friends in the congregation? While the details and methodologies we use for fulfilling this mission may have changed over the past century, we still have an obligation to seek the best for each of these three communities while we strive to be the Body of Christ in this world. With that in mind, we will use this charge to guide us in mission, fellowship, worship and education this fall. Our speakers and classes will reflect our desire to be the church to the campus, community, and congregation. Won t you join us in reflecting on this call and challenging one another to be the hands and feet of Christ who work for peace, justice and reconciliation? It s going to be a wonderful year and I can t want to share our mission with you and your families. Peace be with you! Pastor Andrew Revealing Revelation Mysterious scrolls, fourhorned creatures and a beast rising out of the sea. These are a few of the peculiar images within the Book of Revelation contains. We will gather each week at 11 a.m. beginning Sept. 19 in the Robertson Room for Monday Morning Bible as we reveal Revelation. Pastor Drew will lead us as we study the time, place and people to whom Revelation was written. Join us as we read through this fascinating book and explore its meaning for today. All are welcome. THE CUP OF LIFE FALL RETREAT 2016 OCTOBER 13 (9 A.M. - 3:30 P.M.) Women of Peoples Church

2 NEW MEMBERS CLASS SEPT. 28 & OCT. 2 Are you interested in becoming a member of The Peoples Church? New Members Classes will be offered at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 during Wednesday Night Live! and following the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Oct. 2. Contact the Church Office to RSVP. Childcare is available upon request. All are welcome. SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAYS *80 & OVER 1 - Janet Ronk 4 - Lois Bauer 5 - Jeanne Cargill 5 - Patricia Finch 14 - Mary Lou Johnson 15 - Clare Mackey 20 - Arylie Campbell 23 - Anne Bailey 24 - Vera Gerhardt 24 - Marion Bird 28 - David Smith 28 - Pat Bunce 29 - Marilyn Grove 30 - Clyde Spencer ANNIVERSARIES *MILESTONE & Linda & Bill Dansby (60) 13 - Gina & Craig Spencer (30) If we missed you, please accept our apology. Contact the office to make sure we have your correct information on file. GIFT SUPPORTS GRIEF COUNSELING PARTNERSHIP Abigail Waller, LMSW is a clinical social worker who has lived in East Lansing with her family for more than 10 years. She trained in Boston and has worked in the United Kingdom, Australia and the United States, providing counseling services for children and adults. In 2011, she co-founded the Art for Charlie Foundation to support children with life-threatening illnesses and families who have lost a child. Abigail has helped to organize seminars for bereaved parents at The Peoples Church and annual conferences on pediatric palliative and hospice care. She also has presented to a range of audiences, including local churches, schools and Michigan State University, on the nature of grief and how we best care for those who are experiencing loss. Abigail is honored to partner with The Peoples Church ministry team to provide grief support for individuals and families. Her role will be to offer a safe and understanding place in which anyone in our church community can talk about loss and in which families can learn how to provide one another with the support they need. Our partnership with Abigail is made possible through generous gifts made to support this ministry. Grief counseling will be offered through pastor-based referrals. She will present more about this ministry at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 28 during WNL! at the Peoples Forum at 9:30 a.m. on Oct. 9, each in the Robertson Room. CONNECT GROW SERVE SHARE DINNERS FOR 8 It s once again time to sign up for our annual Dinners for 8 for the season. This is a fun opportunity to meet new members of the church and get to know long time members better. There will be four dinners scheduled starting in November, and different couples will host each meal. Groups will differ for each dinner so you will have an opportunity to share meals with a variety of groups. Please sign up quickly as a minimum of 16 couples are necessary to arrange groupings. The reservation deadline is Oct. 1. Singles and couples are all welcome. The more the merrier! Contact Cheryl Leece at or leece@msu.edu to reserve your place at the table. WEDNESDAY NOON MEN S GROUP: DIGGING INTO THE SCRIPTURES SEPT. 14 Men, do you want to know more about the Bible? Join us for a lively discussion with friends who are excited about learning more about the Bible. Our discussion are led by the Rev. Dr. Frank McAuley, a retired Baptist minister and member of The Peoples Church. We meet at Noon each Wednesday in the Fischbach Library, beginning Sept. 14. PORTAL DEADLINE Deadline for submissions to the October 2016 Portal is Sept. 19. Submit content to communications@thepeopleschurch. com or the Church Office. SUNDAY FLOWER MEMORIAL GIFTS Sunday Floral Dedications offer members weekly opportunities to celebrate and remember loved ones. Dedications may be reserved with a memorial gift of $85 to benefit the Sanctuary Fund. Reserve a Sunday using the notebook at the Welcome Center or contact the Church Office at

3 CONNECT GROW SERVE SHARE ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL Gather with other people looking to dive deeper into the scripture passages. Adult Sunday School meets each Sunday, beginning on Sept. 18, at 9:30 a.m. in the Fischbach Library. Led by Pastor Andrew and Dave Forsberg, we explore the passages for worship that day and what they mean to our lives. CHILDREN S SUNDAY SCHOOL Our wonderful Sunday School program begins Sept. 11 during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Children are encouraged to begin in worship with their families. After the Children s Moment, they will be escorted to their respective classrooms for a fun and engaging lesson on the same theme that is preached that day. We have classes for preschool through 5th grade with fantastic teachers. Parents can pick up their children after the service from the McCune Chapel, at the southwest side of the Friendship Hall. Contact Pastor Drew for more information or to sign up your child. CAROL CHOIR Our Carol Choir starts weekly rehearsals at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 11 in the Children s Choir Room on the third floor; K-5th students are highly encouraged to participate in this long-standing and wonderful program. You don t want to miss the first few practices because the first performance will be Oct. 2 during the 10:30 a.m. worship service. Contact Pastor Drew or Elizabeth Reed for more information or to sign up your child. HOLY MOLY Holy Moly is our Wednesday Night Live! program for children K-5th grade. It is a high energy program that includes creative videos, exciting games and engaging study to learn biblical stories. After our 5:30 p.m. WNL! community meal, we gather the children for a time of supervised play at 6 p.m. and then start our lesson at 6:30 p.m. It is a wonderful night for the entire family. Drop the kids off at Holy Moly and you can enjoy an adult class or our free yoga. Contact Pastor Drew for more information or to sign up your child. WNL! FOR ADULTS We have two exciting programs to start off our year at Wednesday Night Live! for adults. Starting Sept. 14, will be Remembering the Three Areas of Ministry of The Peoples Church., engaging in conversations about how we minister to the campus, community and the congregation. On Oct. 5, we will begin Listening to Other Faith Communities. We have many different faith leaders coming to talk with us about their faith and their faith community. We will hear from our Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Baha i and Sikh neighbors. BURCHAM HILLS BIBLE STUDY SEPT. 15 Pastor Andrew will lead a weekly evening Bible study of Judges from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m. each Thursday, beginning this week, on the fourth floor at the Burcham Hills Retirement Community, 2700 Burcham Dr., East Lansing. WORSHIP SERVICE AT THE MARQUETTE Pastor Andrew leads 2 p.m. worship service on the first Sunday of each month at The Marquette retirement community at 5968 Park Lake Rd. in East Lansing. PEOPLES FORUM Join us each Sunday for interesting and informative Voices of the Community at 9:30 a.m. in the Robertson Room. SEPTEMBER 18 REV. ANDREW POMERVILLE Senior Pastor, The Peoples Church SEPTEMBER 25 UGANDA MISSIONARIES Nyaka AIDS Orphans Project OCTOBER 2 REFEREE BOB CANTRELL College Football Officiating OCTOBER 9 ABIGAIL WALLER, LMSW Grief Support OCTOBER 16 MOLLY WEST FLETCHER CEO, Speaker, Author: Be Fearless OCTOBER 23 DAVID HOLLISTER Second Shift, Film about GM NOVEMBER 6 COUNCIL OF ELDERS Discussion Panel NOVEMBER 13 SIGGY DOGS & PAUL NAGEL Rescue Dogs for Veterans NOVEMBER 30 REV. MARK INGLOT Interdenominational Cooperation NOVEMBER 27 NO FORUM Thanksgiving Recess DECEMBER 4 KENNETH BEACHLER Another Christmas Story

4 WNL! MENU COMMUNITY MEAL 5:30 P.M. SEPTEMBER 14 Cream of Potato Soup, Beef Stuffed Peppers & Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers Cornbread Mixed Greens Salad Seasonal Fruit Cookies SEPTEMBER 21 Minestrone Soup Italian Chicken Pasta Alfredo Caesar Salad Seasonal Fruit Tiramisu SEPTEMBER 28 Chicken Noodle Soup Rosemary Pork Loin Mashed Redskin Potatoes Steamed Green Beans Baked Apples Frozen Yogurt GREAT DECISIONS SPONSORED BY THE FOREIGN POLICY ASSOCIATION Sponsored by the Foreign Policy Association, Great Decisions is America s largest discussion program on world affairs. We meet from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. in the Robertson Room. The annual 2016 Great Decisions topic books are available in the church office for $20 each. Questions? Contact either Mary Anne Larzelere at malarz@aol.com or Sandy Bryson at sbryson@msu.edu. MIGRATION OCT. 20 Dr. Leslie Page Moch, an historian of European migration and a professor in MSU s History Department, will speak on the topic of Migration. As a record number of migrants cross the Mediterranean Sea to find refuge in Europe, the continent is struggling to come up with an adequate response. Although Europe s refugees are largely fleeing conflicts in Syria, Iraq and parts of Africa, their struggle is hardly unique. Today, with the number of displaced people at an all-time high, a number of world powers find themselves facing a difficult question: how can they balance border security with humanitarian concerns? More importantly, what can they do to resolve these crises so as to limit the number of displaced persons? CLIMATE CHANGE NOV. 17 Dr. John Kinch, executive director of Michigan Energy Options, will speak about climate change. In the past few years, the American public has become more aware of the damage wrought by climate change. From droughts in the west to extreme weather in the east, a rapidly changing climate has already made its footprint in the United States. Now, it s expected that the presidential election in 2016 will be one of the first ever to place an emphasis on these environmental changes. What can the next president do to stymie this environmental crisis? And is it too late for these efforts to be effective? PERSONAL NEEDS BANK Donations of personal care items, including diapers and wipes, to help local families in need may be placed in the baskets in the Sanctuary or at the Welcome Center. We also are in need of volunteers to help with distribution. Contact Mary Heiderson at or at maryheiderson@gmail.com. ThePeoplesChurch.com COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP ENTERS THIRD YEAR This summer, we marked the second anniversary of the special partnership between The Peoples Church and the Edgewood Village Community. We continue to grow and offer many opportunities for members to support our neighbors at Edgewood Village. Volunteer opportunities include, communications, van drivers, Network Center receptionists, tutors for elementary, middle and high school students, community gardening, holiday projects, food basket donors and shoppers, sewing and knitting clubs, Scholars Program lecturers, Panera Bread delivery and more. To learn more or offer your talents to this important ministry, contact Barbara Scott at Maxine Ferris

5 CONNECT GROW SERVE SHARE READING PEOPLE SEPT. 15 The Reading People will meet at 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 15 in the Robertson Room. Joanne Keith will lead a discussion of books selected for the 2016 One Book One Community program sponsored by the City of East Lansing and Michigan State University. Reading one of the two books offered this year - Enrique s Journey by Sonia Nazario or City of Thorns by Ben Rawlence - will be adequate. Joanne will include both books in the discussion, following this year s theme: Faces of Migration. CONFIRMATION CLASS OF 2017 SEPT. 18 Attention 8th & 9th Grade Families: Contact Pastor Drew at dfilkins@thepeopleschurch.com if your student plans on participating in our Confirmation Class this year or if you have questions about it. An orientation meeting will be hosted at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 18 in the Centennial Room. DORCAS CIRCLE SEPT. 20 The Dorcas Circle of the Women of Peoples Church will gather at 7 p.m. on Sept. 20 in the Robertson Room. We will discover more about Volunteer Services at Sparrow Hospital with our guest speaker, Melissa Sherry. Questions? Contact Phyllis Gaulden at PHOEBE CIRCLE SEPT. 28 The Phoebe Circle of the Women of Peoples Church will gather at 9:30 a.m. on Sept. 28 at the home of Sally McCoy, 926 Wildwood Dr. in East Lansing. Questions? Contact Renate Carey at renatecarey@yahoo.com. REBEKAH-HANNAH CIRCLE SEPT. 28 The Rebekah-Hannah Circle of the Women of Peoples Church will gather at 1 p.m. on Sept. 28 in the Robertson Room. Marcia Beer, director of Southside Community Kitchen, will be our special guest. WE RE HIRING: PEOPLES CHURCH PRESCHOOL Peoples Church Preschool is in need of teaching assistants for Fall Interested? Contact the Preschool Office at PCYG: YOUTH ADVISORS WANTED Are you interested in helping members of the Peoples Church Youth Group grow in their faith? Youth Director Jacob Gates will host an informational meeting for potential Youth Advisors after the 10:30 a.m. worship service on Sept. 18. We ll meet in Friendship Hall and go down to the Youth Den. Questions? Contact Jacob at jgates@thepeopleschurch.com KNITTING PEOPLE OCT. 27 The Knitting People will gather a 1 p.m. on Oct. 27 in the Robertson Room. New knitters are invited! We are continuing our work on prayer shawls and baby items, mittens and hats. Questions? Call Mary Anne at SAVE THE DATE: EVERYBODY MATTERS MEN S RETREAT OCT WPC FALL RETREAT: THE CUP OF LIFE OCT. 13 The Women of Peoples Church will host its annual Fall Retreat from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 in the Robertson Room. Our special guest presenter will be Jean Schaub, who will talk to us about The Cup of Life. Jean will lead us through scripture and discuss the sub-topics: The Open Cup, The Chipped Cup, The Broken Cup, The Cup of Compassion and The Blessing Cup. She has a Master s Degree in Theology from Loyola University. Jean has taught religious studies for the last 18 years at Sienna Heights University. A light breakfast and lunch provided. The cost for the day is $25. Tickets will be sold each Sunday in the Northwest Entrance and at Circle Meetings. Women of Peoples Church DEBORAH CIRCLE Meeting times vary. Contact Rachell Pomerville at DORCAS CIRCLE Meetings are the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. Contact Phyllis Gaulden at REBEKAH/HANNAH CIRCLE Meetings are the fourth Wednesday of each month at 12:30 or 1 p.m. Contact Cindy Carson at or Gretchen Rosenbrook at PHOEBE CIRCLE Meetings are the fourth Wednesday of September, November, January, and April at 9 a.m. Contact Renate Carey at or Lois Huldin at

6 PCYG PEOPLES CHURCH YOUTH GROUP PEOPLES CHURCH CAMPUS MINISTRY REGULAR YOUTH GROUP MEETINGS Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. in the Youth Den Come early for our weekly Wednesday Night Live! Community Meal at 5:30 p.m. in Snider Social Hall. SUNDAY MORNING Bible Exploration at 9:30 a.m. in the Youth Den PCYG CALENDAR Sept. 14 WNL! Youth Group Begins Oct HS Lock-in (8 p.m. - 8 a.m.) Oct MS Lock-in (8 p.m. - 8 a.m.) Nov. 6 Youth Sunday/Cake Auction WELCOME COLLEGE STUDENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS! Peoples Church Campus Ministry is a welcoming place to explore your faith and grow alongside other students; many of us Christian, some of us wondering, all of us welcome. Whether you are looking for a group to belong to, a place to serve, a worship service to attend or a space to feel welcome and meet other students, Peoples Church Campus Ministry invites you to be part of us. SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP AND LUNCH & LOUNGE 10:30 a.m. - Worship Service in the Main Sanctuary. PCYG UPDATE This summer, the Peoples Church Youth Group was busy! We enjoyed fellowship at weekly lunches, volunteered at Vacation Bible School, went kayaking, and rode roller coasters at Cedar Point. The capstone of the summer was our mission trip, as we traveled to the Adirondack Mountains to serve in the community of Warrensburg, N.Y. BUBBLE SOCCER SEPT. 14 PCYG will kickoff our year with a Bubble Soccer during Wednesday Night Live! on Sept. 14. A community meal will be served at 5:30 p.m. in Snider Social Hall and PCYG meets at 6:30 p.m. We look forward to another year of fun, discipleship and service! 11:30 a.m. - Lunch & Lounge Lunch & Lounge takes place following worship throughout the school year. We gather for lunch (FREE!) and a variety of discussions and activities The Lounge, a comfy space dedicated to Campus Ministry at The Peoples Church. Look for the Peoples Church Campus Ministry sign after worship in the back of the sanctuary (in the space we call Friendship Hall). Just show up and we will welcome you and feed you. MONDAY EVENINGS: DINNER & BIBLE STUDY 6:30 p.m. - Beginning on September 12, Peoples Church Campus Ministry gathers in The Lounge in the church s lower level for conversational Bible Study that is open to people in every stage of their faith journey. We will study the passages that will be preached on the following Sunday as a way of enriching our worship experience and understanding. Our style of Bible Study invites questions and answers, conversation and wonderings.

7 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 9, : 00 PM TICKETS: $15 in advance, $18 at the door. Tickets available at LouAndPeter.com and ThePeoplesChurch.com No one else writes such consistently funny and clever songs. There are so many levels of humor in their work, so many original ideas and wordplay. I ve heard some of their songs a hundred times and I still laugh out loud. - Bob Blackman, former host of WKAR Radio s The Folk Tradition 200 W. Grand River Ave. East Lansing, MI ThePeoplesChurch.com

8 KICKOFF SUNDAY & CHICKEN DINNER SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 LOOKING FORWARD SERVING OUR CAMPUS OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR CONGREGATION 8:30 a.m. Worship Service, Chapel 9:30 a.m. Carol Choir Rehearsal, Third Floor (Come to rehearsal and get a free gift. Carol Choir will sing during the 10:30 a.m. worship on Oct. 2.) 10:30 a.m. Worship Service, Sanctuary & Sunday School, Third Floor (Children will be dismissed for Sunday School during the worship service.) 11:30 a.m. Chicken Dinner Celebration, Snider Social Hall (Sign-ups and information about church involvement and activities.) Join us! We re celebrating the start of our new programming year! 200 W. Grand River Ave. East Lansing MI ThePeoplesChurch.com SEPTEMBER 2016 PORTAL