ST PAUL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST

Transcription

1 ST PAUL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST July 2015 The Pastor s Study I was asked by several folks a few weeks ago to address concerns about where you are in the New Beginnings process and where you will be heading in the coming months, as best as I am able, fully aware that many decisions have yet to be made. I did that during my sermon mediation on June 14 th and was further asked to make that sermon available to the congregation at large. I have decided to share excerpts from it in this month s Pastor s Study. Whether or not you were in service that Sunday or not, may I suggest you hold onto this column, in the event your anxiety begins to build once again as it may. That is the nature of change, and once we accept that, and expect it, it is much easier not to let it overcome us. My immediate goal was and is to bring some clarity for those who are confused or anxious or who have heard rumors that decisions have already been made or that you will be left alone to make them yourselves without pastoral leadership when I leave. My larger goal is to remind you that God will be present in whatever you do bringing in a harvest of healing and wholeness. Those are not just pretty words, my friends. Because if we don t believe and trust in that what then is the purpose of our being at all? I assume that everyone has either participated in most of the new beginnings conversations or read the recaps in the newsletters every month or spoke with others who did. For those who didn t, you may rest assured that the wonderful ministry and mission of this congregation, past, present and future was discussed thoroughly. I received all the summary notes after each session so I know that to be true. This included conversation about who God is calling this congregation to be and what God is calling you to do with the resources and energy you have going forward that will enable you to share the gospel message not just with one another, but with those folks out there whom you are called to serve in Christ s name. And by resources, I am not talking solely about your financial resources, although those are important, but also about your building and grounds, and perhaps most important, your human resources who among you actively participates in the worship, study, prayer, ministry, mission and outreach, and maintenance of all that sustain the life of this congregation to enable it to share the gospel message with others. A couple of decisions have been made. A consensus was reached to do something. Not to just wait it out doing what you can keep doing increasingly less and less until you no longer have the people and money to do it. Several options were voted down, and two were chosen to begin to explore further. One was a restart and a revisioning of the ministry of this church to reflect the needs of the surrounding community. There was a more detailed description of that in the June newsletter for those who would like to read it. The other was the possibility of merging with another congregation. Two working committees were formed to explore each with the goal of bringing back detailed information to enable the congregation to either choose one of these two options or to create a different option, if upon reflection, neither of those seem viable. I think some folks got anxious because the group that was to gather information on a merge just happened to be able to meet with Hope UCC in Fraser right away and then their pastor and his wife showed up here in church the very next Sunday. That was a coincidence! Ralph and Cheryl are friends of mine (and of this congregation) and they were on vacation and wanted to hear me preach before I left. He wasn t scouting out the goods, I promise you! The other working group is also gathering some basic information, some of which I assisted with by asking questions in a meeting with our Area Minister, Rev. Dr. Renee Jackson. Rev. Jackson plans to attend the July Consistory meeting to answer any additional questions about either of these options or about how the Conference and she is equipped to help you in this process moving forward, and as is always the case, anyone who wishes to attend, may do so. (continued on page 2)

2 Briefly, this is the process that will unfold in the coming months.with possible tweaks along the way as you deem appropriate. First, these decisions do not need to be made (nor should they be) before I leave. That is the whole point of having an Interim or transitional pastor with the gifts, skills, resources and energy to walk with you and guide you as you continue to discern God s will for the future of this congregation. You will not be assigned someone; you will get to choose who that person is. You will be able to say exactly what you need them to be able to do for you during their time here and you will be able to decide upon the number of hours they will give and the compensation (within conference guidelines) that you are able to offer. You can also decide the length of time of their contract 6 months, a year, or more. Rev Jackson can help you decide that, but the decision is yours or the Consistory s on your behalf. The parsonage will likely be sold after I leave to help sustain the congregation financially for the short term. Whatever you discern about your future, it will take time to live out. Even if that decision is to eventually close or merge. You will not be doing it in months; it will more likely be at least a year, possibly longer. And in the meantime, you will continue to do the exceptional ministry you have always done and are still doing, as you are able. And if you don t have the energy to keep doing all you are doing, you will do less, as you have begun to do already, and that will become increasingly evident to you and to your transitional pastor who with the Conference and Association will be there to support you, however they can with whatever you need. Another concern surfaced during your meetings and that was what would happen to your congregational assets should there be any left when and if you choose to end the ministry here. Our constitution states that upon dissolution, all remaining assets shall be transferred to the Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ. That said, upon consultation with the Conference, you will have a great deal of say where and how those assets may be used you could request that they fund another ministry such as The Warming Center or an Association or Conference Mission Area Team or be given to a new church start or revitalization project or to establish a scholarship fund, to name just a few options. And of course, should you decide to merge, you could take them with you, even with a designation to fund a particular ministry about which you may be passionate in the new congregation. You could also vote to amend the constitution to change that designation if that is the consensus of the congregation. I hope that this allays some of your anxiety. I know that while some of you may be close to ready to make a decision, or will be once your information is gathered, others are not, and may never be. I encourage you, as long as you are able to allow folks the time they need, within reason, as we did in our ONA discussion. And for you all to have the faith that all things will work together in Christ. Don t allow a spirit of fear and negativity to overwhelm you or others with whom you may be speaking. How many people do you know that would have never received their blessing if they weren t willing to risk the fear of the unknown path? I wouldn t be standing here, for one thing. And I wouldn t have received the immeasurable blessing of pastoring you these seven years. Too many Christians come to a fork in the road and see the path of uncertainty and choose the safe road that is well traveled. I admit, that it is natural for us to be afraid, especially when change is afoot. I think an understandable and an important spiritual insight is that risk and courage are two essential elements of the life of faith. Remember! We are a resurrection people! Not just at Eastertime, but all year long! Death does not have the final word in our story, because even in death, we experience new life A New Beginning a RESURRECTION. And new life always takes a new form just as Jesus did. Just as the mustard seed does. And in today s lesson, with all that talk of seeds, all Jesus wanted people to know is that the Kingdom of God is where God is, where God rules and reigns and where God s will is done, where love is the way, and where grace always abounds. And that kingdom is here and everywhere. In the church, outside the Church and in the places we live. The Kingdom s already among us! And it s growing, slowly, invisibly and perhaps not in quantifiable numbers here at St Paul, but growing in other ways just the same. For those who have eyes to see, and ears to hear, love and grace are among us. So, let s continue to be a part of the Kingdom s growing, in whatever ways we can, and in the midst of our discerning God s call upon this beloved community let us remember to have faith in the promises of God. And to believe in A New Beginning. Page 2 With love in Christ, Pastor Terri The Pastor s Study

3 Notes From The Consistory President The June 2015 Consistory meeting was held. We had a lot to discuss and review, so we jumped right in. The Fall Rummage Sale is looking real slim so far. We are in need of rummage, so if you have any or you know someone that is looking to clean up their house, let them know we are looking for some goodies to sell. The Church Sanctuary has, unfortunately, developed a leak in the roof. We knew it would happen sometime as the shingles on the roof are fairly old. We called Mr. Roof back for an estimate. They did a complete review of the roof inside and out. Hopefully, when this newsletter comes out, the Congregation will already have had its meeting to vote on releasing funds. The quote came in extremely less than what was originally thought. One big factor in the price was the wood part of the roof was constructed to handle the shingles used. One issue we have and will need to review is the gutters used on the church. They are copper and constructed in a way where they would be extremely difficult to take off and put back on so the new construction codes on putting a roof on can be met. Worst case is we would need to have new gutters put on which isn t a very big cost. The Consistory would also like to roll some other additional funding to fix the plumbing in the bathrooms downstairs along with our unfortunately normal borrowing for the general funds. The borrowing for the general funds have been happening for several years with the declining of the monthly giving's. Again, if there are any other issues or things that you see need attention, please put a note in Gary Coleman s or my mail box. Our new Non-Traditional Worship service was held June 23 rd. After a short postponement, the service was held with again wonderful music, song, and word. This was a great time to come and enjoy a different kind of service. We finished our New Beginnings workshops and now are looking into two different directions for St. Paul. While these two directions seem extreme, there could be many different avenues within the two that could take place. We have created two teams to look into what St. Paul would need to do, along with many questions that also come up with both ideas. The two directions the teams are looking at is merging with another church, and the idea of shutting down and coming back up as a new church whether it be UCC or non-denominational. Either direction will take time. This isn t something that will happen in a few months. It could take a year of two. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to any of the Consistory members. We may not know the answer right away, but we will work to getting the answer. We all want to make sure whatever we decide it right for St. Paul. Lastly, it was with great regret that the Consistory accepts Pastor Terri s retirement. While we all understand her reasons, we can t help but thank her for the years of teaching, leading us and giving us a little nudge when we need it. She will be our pastor until September, but our friend forever. Thank you Pastor Terri. Peace, Hope & Love, Erich Regier Page 3

4 FREE Community Supper Wednesday, July 1 4:30-6:30 pm Canned Fruit, Cereal, Jelly, Spaghetti Sauce, Crackers, SpaghettiO s, Ramen Noodles, Mac & Cheese The Fall Rummage, Soup & Bake Sale has always been held in September, but with all the activities taking place during this month, it was decided to postpone the sale until October 10. Since our leftovers go to Trinity St. Mark s, we called Rev. George to ask him his opinion of the change. They were happy to change their sale dates. Diane and her crew always made soup on Wednesdays. Due to the Community Supper being held on the first Wednesday of the month, soup making will be changed to Thursday, October 8. We surely hope these changes do not interrupt your plans for the month, as we do rely upon all your help. Please mark these changes on your calendar. Oct 8 Soup Making Oct 10 Fall Rummage Sale More information in the September newsletter. Have a great summer! Betty Page 4

5 ONA COVENANT NEWS The ONA team, along with the rest of the St. Paul family, extends it condolences to the families and friends of the massacre of the Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina. Besides the horrific nature of the crime and the wrenching grief suffered by that community, three facts are worthy of note: The Bible study class in which the shooter opened fire welcomed him into their midst, and he remained in the study group for almost an hour before committing his crime (apparently learning nothing from the study group). Despite the increased vulnerability that this welcome caused, during the first service after the shooting, the church threw open its doors to all comers, radically welcoming all who would hear the message of Christ, without fear that there would be another such incident, with so many attending the service that attendees spilled into the street, everyone enthusiastically hearing the message of Christ s good news. Each and every family of the nine fatalities spoke without rancor about the shooter and expressed forgiveness for his family, giving us a living example of Christ s injunction to forgive our brother, no matter how difficult that may be. In one incident, we saw the power of hate to divide those who are considered different, and the power of Christ to unite us all. On a local note, the ONA Team completed staffing the wettest Ferndale Pride on record and survived the flood. We have decided that our Team has an affinity for water: first, Marge Murrell and Barbara McAdam are trapped by the great 2014 flood coming back from the Ruth Ellis Center, and now we practically have to swim through Ferndale Pride! Despite the rain, it was a successful event, with many good contacts made during the time between downpours. We hope to see some of these new friends at worship in the future. And our new PrideSource Directories with our worship listing were available at Pride. We have some copies available at church. Stop by the ONA table in the lobby to see a sample. We also successfully completed another Ruth Ellis run. Kudos to Marge and Barbara M. who went there, and Barbara S. who provided behind the scenes support, as well as a thank you to everyone who contributed desserts. We hope in the future that more congregation members will participate in this important outreach effort. We are scheduled to complete another Ruth Ellis dinner later this summer and will keep you posted as to when we need your support. The ONA Team will go on a brief hiatus this summer, as have other teams due to members summer vacations and New Beginnings activities. Watch this space for a resumption of great things as we get closer to autumn! Shirene Cece-Clements & Gail Popyk Our Deepest Condolences are Extended to Susan Schlemmer s Family Page 5

6 Dear Members of St. Paul UCC, I know I've somewhat mentioned it before, about how I see a miracle as someone's perspective. If there was ever an event that another had in their life that was inexplicable, that is sufficient enough for me to consider it a miracle. Have you ever tried to explain something miraculous to a friend, but it just didn't register or awe them the way you experienced it? I know I cannot be alone in this. I've had multiple blessings that just completely lifted me up, but maybe seemed small when I expressed them. Of course, I'll share a recent example with you. So far, through college, I've met some truly extraordinary professors. To my surprise, most of them said that they don't interact with them much, even during the semester. It's definitely a joy for me to be able to correspond with them regularly. I see it as an opportunity to gain even more from the class. Well even after some of my classes have ended, I remained in contact with a few. I wrote my Introduction to Business professor and just wanted to let her know that I was using the material I've received from her class to teach the youth. That next week she sent me 10 business related textbooks! If only I could describe how hard it is to get contemporary material for the youth. To try to capture what I'm saying from all of this, to some this may seem relatively small. But in my position, this was nothing short of a miracle. It's very uplifting to see how many opportunities education can bring. From my own perspective of miracles, I'm also learning to be conscious of someone else telling me how inspiring something was for them. No matter how small it may seem, it will always be evident how a blessing has moved another. Sincerely, Brandon If you would like to write to Brandon, or send him a card, his address is: Ebel, # Thumb Correctional Facility 3225 John Conley Drive, Lapeer, MI Erich Regier 12 Mackenzie Regier 18 Marilyn Dopp 20 Don Kolman 26 Stacey DeMarco July 5 Dick Schuster Gail Popyk 26 1ST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH Don t Forget Your Change!!! Page 6

7 HOME BOUND Anne Pyciak Edith Anthony Virginia Park Marilyn Dopp Mable Adamson Esther Hornyak Mae St. Clair Joan Pinegar Dorothy Zink Ruth MacRae Wally Paczkowski Residents of Evangelical Home & Other Residences CANCER Bonnie Fagon Barbara Delmoral Shirley (Anne) Jean Donna Eugene Hardy Lynn Tom (Lisa) Carol Anna (Bonnie M) Nancy (Barb M) Lillian (Barb M) Ruthie Howell (Pastor) Howard Dubois Karen (Barb M) Sherry Schact Irene Marian (Bendik) Yaeger Hannah Barbara Bart Aunt Debbie Mary PLEASE PRAY FOR UCC General Synod Gathering St. Paul UCC New Beginnings Process Pat Benson Jack Momeyer (Maria s father in law) Kelly & Barbara Jeremy Grawburg (surgery) Sonja Gray (Lorri) Ned (Marge) Linda Gerri Thatcher (Mary F) Rev. Gene McCornack Tommy Council (Mable s grandson) Brandon Ebel & Family Lilianna (kidney transplant-14 years old) Margaret (Barb M) Reva Brezin-Prosnitz (ongoing kidney problems/permanent dialysis) SPUCC Community Supper City of Detroit Water Shut Off s Those Serving our Country Washington Decision Makers Michigan s People & Economy People Who Seek/Need a Community of Faith Safety for People of the World Seminarians and Members in Discernment PFLAG Ruth Ellis Center The Warming Center Sacred Conversations on Race Libyan Refugees Nepal Earthquake Victims We continually strive to keep our prayer lists updated. We are familiar with most of the people on our lists, but not all. Many people on our cancer list are our members friends or family members. If you know someone on our lists, please take a moment and let Barbara Stephens or Cindy Weiler know how they are doing. Thank you for your help. New additions will be lifted up during our community prayer time in worship and at Monday morning prayer. Each Monday, updated copies will be available on the black countertop. Emergency requests will continue to be called down the prayer chain as they are received. The names on our HOME BOUND and CANCER lists will be ongoing. The names on our PLEASE PRAY FOR list will remain on for a month. If a name is removed and you would like it to continue on the list, please let Maria know. Page 7

8 Three boys are in the church yard bragging about their fathers. The first boy declares, My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper; he calls it a poem, and they give him fifty dollars. The second boy says, That s nothing, my Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper; he calls it a song, and they give him one hundred dollars. Little Johnny says, I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper; he calls it a sermon, and it takes eight people to carry all the money! At the Sunday school picnic, Miss Smith stacked a pile of apples on one end of a table with a sign saying, Take only one apple, please God is watching. On the other end of the table was a pile of cookies on which a second grader had placed a sign saying, Take all the cookies you want God is watching the apples. Summer is a wonderful time of year. It often brings people out more since the weather is often warmer, and the sun is shining. We can visit with our neighbors, catch up with what s happening. We all are blessed with the many seasons of the year, each season brings us many different things. Each of us has a favorite one. Life is wonderful! God is so good to us. Let us do good by one another, and reach out to someone, and do some random act of kindness. It can be the simplest thing: a smile, a hello, listening, understanding, forgiving and most of all, loving. Barbara Mable Adamson Esther Hornyak Virginia Park Mae St Clair Edith Anthony Ruth MacRae Joan Pinegar Dorothy Zink Marilyn Dopp Wally Paczkowski Anne Pyciak Page 8