NORTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 36520 W. Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48331 Phone: (248) 848-1750 Fax: (248) 848-1752 E-mail: ncc.churchoffice@gmail.com Website: northcongregationalchurch.org Address correction requested Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage P.A.I.D. Farmington Hills, MI Permit No. 107 North Congregational Church ORTH EWS July, 2014 Vol. 35 No. 7 36520 W. Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331 (248) 848-1750 Fax: (248) 848-1752 Church Website: northcongregationalchurch.org Gifted for Ministry! Red Cross Blood Drives The American Red Cross is in constant need of blood donations. If you have not given in the last eight weeks, or would like to give for the first time, there are several sites in and around Farmington Hills where you can make a donation including: Wednesday, July 9 th 1:00 7:00 Novi Public Library Address Service Sunday, July 27 th 8:00 1:45 St. Alexander Catholic Church Tuesday, July 29 th 1:00 7:00 Novi Ice Arena Monday, August 4 th 2:00 7:45 Kirk in the Hills Presbyterian Thursday, August 7 th 1:30 7:30 Gardner-White, West Oaks Sunday, August 10 th 9:00 3:00 St. Thomas Chaldean Church Tuesday, August 12 th 11:00 4:45 Suburban Honda Friday, September 5 th 9:00 2:45 Botsford Hospital The Donor center on Haggerty south of Fourteen Mile Road has hours every week on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. There are also Donor Centers in Bloomfield and Livonia. You may go to www.givelife.org for a full schedule of donation sites. We are gathered for worship of God and service to humanity.
From the Minister... This summer, many of my clergy friends and colleagues are introducing Flat Jesus to their congregations. Developed by a sharp-thinking Christian Educator who saw the popular Flat Stanley images that children took on vacation and photographed wherever they went, Flat Jesus was created to go along in the same way, as a reminder that Jesus is with us wherever we are, and whatever we do. I m including Flat Jesus in this letter in the hopes that people of all ages might clip him out (and color him in?) to take along on summer activities. He ll go with me to the NACCC meeting in Omaha, on vacation, and to and from church; where will you take him? As we travel to places far and wide, Flat Jesus is a reminder that Jesus and the Body of Christ that is North Congregational Church, are always part of our lives. Your photos of Flat Jesus on your travels can be shared on the North Congregational Church Facebook page or by emailing them to the church office! Of course, we ll be delighted to see each and every one of you when you re in town and able to come to Sunday worship! My summer sermon series is Origin Stories, taking a look at the Genesis accounts of Abraham and Sarah, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers, and what those stories can show us about living as God s people. Whether you re at home or on the road with Flat Jesus, remember that God is with us wherever we go, and wherever we go, we are followers of Jesus, seeking to make a difference in our world. Happy summer! Rev. Mimi Biedron Notes from the Moderator... On July 1 my employer s CEO will retire and we will transition to new leadership. CEOs frequently leave one of two ways either peacefully, on good terms with things in good shape and a smooth transition plan in place. Or. they re shoved out the door kicking and screaming with things in shambles and chaos reigning. Fortunately, the former is true for my company s case. And, fortunately for NCC, our change to a new moderator falls into the good terms and good shape transition thanks to a very strong legacy of prior moderators. Now don t get me wrong I don t consider myself North s CEO! But there is a level of anxiety anyone would experience when asked to take on a role like that. What kind of shape will things be in? What issues will I have to face? How do I continue the great work of the prior moderators? In my first Executive Council meeting June 9th I opened by thanking all the council members for the work they were about to do in the coming year, and I encouraged them to do the same to their committees. Mimi has said it many times this is a wonderful church made up of wonderful people. And without that sense of teamwork and drive to get things done, any church (or company) will flounder and likely fail. So I ll be relying on my Executive Council peers and the entire congregation quite a bit in the coming years! So thanks in advance to all of you, too! Thank you for entrusting me with this role. I promise to do what I can to serve you well! Oh -- and I ve already made my first really big decision. I spent a lot of time thinking about this, did quite a bit of research and developed several prototypes.. I have changed the Executive Council meeting agenda font from Arial to Calibri. I hope you approve! Bob Plummer
Guest Preachers in July While Rev. Biedron is on vacation, we will welcome Rev. Dr. Paul Melrose to the pulpit on Sunday, July 20th, and Kim Marlinga will be our guest speaker on Sunday, July 27th. Hymn Sing Sunday Old hymns Standing on the Promises Familiar hymns Dear Lord and Father of Mankind Newer hymns God is Truly With Us Hymn Sing Sunday will be held on July 27, 2014. The service will feature many hymns chosen by the congregation from past hymn sings: some favorites, some newer favorites, some frequently sung, some not sung in a while. Join Kim Marlinga on July 27th to Take Time to Be Holy! To all who have completed their terms of office... Over the past year we were blessed with many of you serving on our boards, on committees and in a variety of other capacities. Upon completion of your terms, many of you moved on to other opportunities of service. At this time we would like to say thanks to each of you. I hope you know how much you are appreciated! THE PENTECOST PROJECT.CONTINUES! On Saturday, June 14 th, a group of North Church people gathered to take part in a Day of Discernment, the test drive of Rev. Mimi Biedron s doctoral project. This project seeks to research, develop, and employ a way for a church to use an intentional, prayerful process to discern, develop, and evaluate ministries and decisions in the life of the congregation. After a month of sermons, worksheets, and studies on the concept of prayerful decision making, this event gathered people in rotating groups of four to discussion the sample questions, How do you understand the mission statement of North Church: Gathered for worship of God and service to humanity, How has North Church been faithful to that mission statement in the past, and, Setting aside questions of getting more members and getting more money, how can North Church be true to our mission statement going forward? The wealth of responses and ideas generated from the Day of Discernment are being compiled, and will be given to Executive Council in August for discussion and action plans. This essential step, and the action plans that are generated, will be reported to the congregation in late September, and incorporated into our ministries and missions in the coming year. The development, execution, analysis, and results of this project will form the basis for Rev. Biedron s doctoral dissertation, which will be completed by March 1, 2015. After that point, the method will be offered to our sister Congregational Churches as a way to discuss and discern important and controversial topics in the life of the church. Thanks to all who took part, and thanks in advance to everyone who will offer their thoughts, inspiration, enthusiasm and effort in the months to come! When finished and bound, a copy of the dissertation on the Pentecost Project will be filed in our church library, and North Church will have a new resource for conversation and decision making. If you have questions about the project, please contact Rev. Mimi Biedron at church.
NEW MEMBERS Activities in July... On Sunday, June 1, we welcomed two new members into the covenant of North Congregational Church! CHARMAINE BEASON 18800 Valencia, Northville, MI 48168 248/719-1158 E-mail: rcbeason@comcast.net Charmaine lives in Northville with her husband, Ken. They have three sons, Joshua, a student at Northville High; Doug, a college student; and Ken, who works as a pilot. Charmaine works for Home Health Depot, and in her spare time enjoys crocheting, camping and fishing. Her North Church connection has been her mom, Susan Lemon. PAT HUME 7089 Clements, West Bloomfield, MI 48322 616/821-9265 E-mail: phume@kerrpump.com Pat is a West Bloomfield resident who works at Kerr Pump and enjoys music, art, dancing, reading and travel. Her three children are grown. As a teenager, Pat was involved with the Pilgrim Fellowship group at Boulevard Congregational Church, and is pleased to be back in the Congregational Way! Tuesday Lunch Circle Join us each Tuesday for lunch at 11:30 a.m. Reservations are needed, all women of the church are welcome! July 01: New Mandarin Garden July 08: Red Robin July 15: Ruby Tuesday July 22: Recipes July 29: Bayside CHAOS The women of CHAOS will meet on Wednesday, July 9th, at 6 p.m., in the Plymouth Room. Remember to bring your dinner and a beverage. We won t meet in August; but hope to see everyone in September! Have a wonderful summer! BRE, Diaconate,Trustees and Council will not meet in July. Men s Breakfast CLUB A group of North Congregational Church men have been meeting for breakfast every other Tuesday at Moe s on Ten at 9:00 a.m. If you are interested in a little lively conversation with your breakfast, contact Steve Lange. He will add you to their e-mail list so you receive updates on their schedule. Join the Flick Chicks at a flick for chicks! We would like to invite the women of the church who enjoy movies (chicks who like flicks) to join us for our next movie. Our next flick night will be Thursday, July 3rd. After the show we ll have dinner at Applebee s on Haggerty Road. Join us during coffee hour on Sunday, June 29th to help choose the movie and time.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL Wilderness Escape July 8-10 (Tues-Thurs) 6:30-8:30 p.m. Join us at the Israelite Camp in the wilderness for three EVENINGS of Bible Times Adventures, Families may attend together! The cost of $15 per student applies only to children; parents and/or grandparents are encouraged to join in the adventure at no extra cost! Registration forms are on the information and sign up tables, and on the church website, northcongregationalchurch.org. TEEN AND ADULT VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED! Sign up outside Fellowship Hall or talk to Mimi Biedron. We need donations of some VBS supplies: Dried fruit Heavy paper plates Yarn of any type OLD spices, beans, seeds (for crafts) Buttons Toilet paper rolls Wet wipes/clorox wipes Paper cups Paper towels Gallon jugs of water Please bring donations to the Preschool room. Summer Sunday school Sundays...through August 31st We'll be having a One Room Sunday School again this summer, for children presently in Preschool through Grade 5. Lesson materials will include age appropriate activities for the youngest to the oldest students, as we explore the theme Grow Your Faith by Leaps and Bounds. Bring your children for these more relaxed summer Sundays! Baby and Toddler care will be available every week. Classes will not meet on Sunday, August 31st, due to the Labor Day Weekend. PILGRIM FELLOWSHIP Summer Mission Opportunities July 29 th or July 30 th Gleaners-Pontiac Kids helping Kids program. Students visiting Gleaners begin with an introduction to the history of the food bank, a tour of the warehouse, and an education session, followed by a hands-on experience. The educational focus is on the importance of good nutrition and hunger awareness. We will pick one or two dates this week. August 17 th 24 th South Oakland Shelter at The Servant Church of St. Alexander. Opportunities every day, especially both Sundays for set up and break down, to aid South Oakland Shelter (SOS) which works with partner congregations to provide temporary lodging and supportive services that help homeless individuals and families break the cycle of homelessness and live independently. Contact Danny or Mimi to sign up or if you have questions. Summer Beach Party Sunday, August 3 rd the Board of Religious Education is hosting a beach party for all Sunday school students and their families in West Bloomfield. Look for details in the August newsletter and on the church website.
INDIAN TRAILS GIFT BOXES (a September mission project) South Oakland Shelter St. Alexander August 17 th 24th DO NOT INCLUDE: Battery operated toys or toys with a lot of small pieces. Food, candy or liquid items. PLEASE INCLUDE: FULL SIZE toothbrush and toothpaste Barrettes Hand towel (NO bath towels...they are too large.) Comb and/or brush Bar soap Paper in notebook form (no loose leaf paper) Coloring books Markers Colored pencils Crayons Flat folding tote bag Toys, such as a Matchbox car, small stuffed animal something for the child to call his/her own. Indian Trails is an outreach mission based in Arizona. The Indian Trails gift boxes are one of their children s outreach programs. The native children that have been identified as having the greatest need each receive one of these boxes to call their very own. Your help is needed to pack these boxes. Please take a sticker for the age group and gender you want, and buy the necessary supplies. July and August have a lot of back-to-school sales you can take advantage of, which is the reason we ve moved this popular mission project to September. Boxes will be available on Rally Sunday, September 7 th. South Oakland Shelter (SOS) provides homeless prevention, sustainable housing and career development strategies and programs for homeless and at-risk people seeking stabilization and self-sufficiency. Sign up sheets asking for willingness and availability will be on the South Oakland Shelter table in Fellowship Hall beginning July 6th. Since we will use these sheets to fill open slots in coordination with the two other churches, there are more slots on the sheets than we may actually need. Once St. Alexander s and St. Gerald s congregations have put together their lists, Danny Hawkins will confirm your availability and make final assignments. You may also e-mail Danny with your availability. Opportunities to help will include: Unloading and set up on Sunday afternoon Dinner preparation Sunday through Saturday evenings served at 7:30 Transportation from SOS in Lathrup Village to St. Alexander Sunday through Saturday 6:00 7:30 p.m. Evening entertainment Overnight supervision and box lunch preparation Breakfast preparation, Monday through Sunday all guests are out of the church by 8:00 a.m. on weekdays Transportation from St. Alexander to SOS or places of work 7:00 8:30 a.m. (a few may be earlier) Laundering of bed linens some during the week, all on Sunday the 25th.
BOOK GROUP DROP EVERYTHING AND READ! SAVE THE DATE - SO YOU DON'T MISS OUT ON THE EXPERIENCE! The book group meetings will resume on Wednesday, August 20 at 1:00 p.m., when we'll gather and share our "What I read this summer" lists! Many members of the group will be making a point to read mysteries by Louise Penny and invite you to read and join in the conversation. The book for the September 17 meeting is a "big" book to spend time on over the summer: His Excellency George Washington by Joseph Ellis. A great narrative historian ("Founding Brothers") offers a biography of our first President, with so much to discuss that we know it'll be a great gathering! Copies are available at libraries, bookstores, and e-reader editions. Friday, November 7 and Saturday, November 8, 2014 Our annual Women's Retreat is in the planning stages and looks like it is a winner. All women are welcome. Look for more information in the next newsletter. If you have any questions, Carol Turner (248-714-9257) will be glad to help you. J U L Y LAY READERS July 06 - Mark Kennedy July 13 - John Bell July 20 - Mindy Fernandes July 27 - Art Voisin COFFEE HOUR HOSTS July 6 Mark Bowden, Sandy Greer July 13 Steve Ekizian, Jeremy Ruckhaber July 20 Lys Kennedy, Tom Modick July 27 Pat and Art Lanier SUMMER SOLOISTS July 06: Brandy Nicole Adams July 13: Gregory Stinson GREETERS Would you like to be a North Church greeter on Sunday morning for the worship service? If so, please call Audrey Poese at 248/960-4881. July 6 Marilyn Fritz, Bev Stief July 13 The Cooper Family July 20 The Maurer Family July 27 Dallas and Pamala White July 20: Paul Duling July 27: David Moan Music Department Picnic The Music Department Picnic will be held Sunday, August 17th, immediately after church, at the home of Mark and Lys Kennedy. Please check your Sunday bulletins and the August newsletter for further details. Save the date for now! Diaconate Benevolences for the month of July Farmington/Farmington Hills Meals on Wheels, Olivet College August Newsletter Articles are needed by the 10th of each month. Please e-mail Debbie at ncc.churchoffice@gmail.com. Additional copies of the newsletter may be found on the Information Table in the Link and outside Fellowship Hall.
(Current version of our calendar can be found on our web site: northcongregationalchurch.org) July 1, 2014 - Tuesday 11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at New Mandarin Garden July 2, 2014 - Wednesday July 3, 2014 - Thursday Flick Chicks - Movie/Dinner July 4, 2014 - Friday - Independence Day! Office Closed July 6, 2014 - Sunday 10:30 a.m. Worship, Summer Sunday School Lay Reader: Mark Kennedy; Soloist: Brandy Nicole Adams Coffee Hour in the Bradford Room July 7, 2014 - Monday Set up for Vacation Bible School - Fellowship Hall, Pilgrim Hall July 8, 2014 - Tuesday 11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at Red Robin 6:30 p.m. Vacation Bible School (6:30-8:30 p.m.) July 9, 2014 - Wednesday 6:00 p.m. CHAOS - Dinner/Meeting - Plymouth Room 6:30 p.m. Vacation Bible School (6:30-8:30 p.m.) July 10, 2014 - Thursday 6:30 p.m. Vacation Bible School (6:30-8:30 p.m.) Calendar July 11, 2014 - Friday All Day Clean Up Vacation Bible School July 13, 2014 - Sunday 10:30 a.m. Worship, Summer Sunday School Lay Reader: John Bell; Soloist: Gregory Stinson 12:00 p.m. Usher Picnic - Steve and Sara Lange s home July 13-18, 2014 - Sunday - Friday MI Congregational Summer Camp - Camp Copneconic, Fenton July 15, 2014 - Tuesday 11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at Ruby Tuesday July 16, 2014 - Wednesday July 20, 2014 - Sunday 10:30 a.m. Worship, Summer Sunday School Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Paul Melrose; Lay Reader: Mindy Fernandes Soloist: Paul Duling July 22, 2014 - Tuesday 11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at Recipes July 23, 2014 - Wednesday July 27, 2014 - Hymn Sing Sunday 10:30 a.m. Worship, Summer Sunday School Guest Speaker: Kim Marlinga; Lay Reader: Art Voisin; Soloist: David Moan July 29, 2014 - Tuesday 11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at Bayside July 30, 2014 - Wednesday