Annual Meeting Scheduled
The Annual Meeting of the Congregation/Corporation of First Presbyterian Church of Farmington, The Church of the Open Hands, will be held via Zoom on Sunday, Feb. 6, at 11:00 a.m. following worship. The purpose of this meeting is to review the annual reports of the boards, committees, and staff of the church, review the 2021 financial reports and the 2022 budget, vote on the terms of the pastor’s call, and conduct any other business which might come before the congregation. The 2021 Annual Report will be emailed to members who have signed up through the church website to receive the FYI newsletter, the annual report and other important church information (to sign up for the newsletter and electronic communications, simply go to www.farmington-pres.org). A limited number of print copies of the 2021 Annual Report will be available on Sunday, Jan. 30 in the narthex or call the church office and we’ll arrange to get a copy to you. See Zoom instructions on page 3.
Congregation Assessment Tool (CAT)
You’ll remember during Stewardship season a couple months ago we talked about our “journey with God. Yes, we are all on our individual journeys, but this church also is collectively on a journey with God as a congregation. There has been tremendous change in the last 25 years and the covid pandemic has caused even more change. Some of you may be wondering what the next step is and where we are going as a church. The elders are asking those same questions, but that’s not a decision for Session alone. We want to hear what you have to say. And that’s where the CAT comes in. For this to be successful, we need your input. Your opinion matters. We want to hear from each of you. If you find it difficult to work on a computer, don’t worry. We’ll do a paper assessment.
The CAT is a customizable assessment instrument that can help our congregations’ leaders:
- Measure the level of satisfaction and energy in the congregation.
- Identify the critical success factors for improving organizational climate.
- Pinpoint the strengths of our congregation’s culture.
- Discover where members would like to go in the future.
- Gauge readiness for change.
- Uncover potential resources we may be missing.
What is the purpose of the CAT?
Using the Congregation Assessment Tool is like taking our church to a doctor, a travel agent and a tailor. It gives leaders a read-out on the health of the church, a sense of where members think the church should head in the future, and a description of the church as a unique body of people.
This Tool is used by Holy Cow Consulting to help churches make decisions. They have been in business for over 25 years and work with all Christian institutions.
March 2022 FYI Deadline: Friday, February 18
Future Church Planning Taskforce
Purpose: To develop a 3-year growth plan for our church
Who: Anyone who wants to volunteer for the taskforce should contact, Tom Neal, Chairperson
When: Started in September 2021 and currently meets monthly
Why: General consensus is there needs to be something done to reverse the direction of membership, finances and activities.
How: Started with a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) self-assessment.
In October 2021 the ad-hoc group became an official Taskforce, commissioned by Session tasked with casting a new vision and mission of the church. In December the Taskforce met with Rev. Beth Delaney, representative from Congregational Development & Transformation, Presbytery of Detroit to learn next step to apply for a grant. A grant request was submitted in late December to help pay for the Congregational Assessment Tool (CAT) to help pinpoint the strengths of our congregation’s culture and discover where the body would like to go in the future. CAT helps gauge readiness for change and uncovering potential resources needed. Once CAT is done and Holy Cow Consulting has given us a report the next step will be to build a plan that addresses the issues.
Communications should be directed to Tom Neal, Chairperson, with copy to Clerk of Session Dorothy Tait.
FPCF Session Meeting Highlights – January 2022
The FPCF Session met on January 19, 2022. The following two action items were addressed:
A Digital Sign Guideline was approved by Session that, “Message requests should come from, or in cooperation with, a ministry which has responsibility for the messaging requested. Messages need to have a start date, an expiration date and a frequency notation”. This puts some guidance and accountability around the messages and their length of time to be displayed.
Session approved the 2022 Per Capita amount of $34.00 per member, which can now be paid to the church.
Elders Colleen Tavor and Sally Kirsten volunteered to co-moderate the 2022-2023 Nominating Committee, so the search can begin to fill the four open Elder positions. Anyone interested may contact either of these two individuals for more information.
Due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19, Session decided to keep the current protocols in place and to revisit them at the next month’s meeting. The COVID-19 Protocols will continue to be announced from the Pulpit during Worship Services.
Pastor Eddie continued to reach out to congregation members through in-person visits, texts, emails, Facebook and phone calls. He also attended multiple meetings and performed work for the Presbytery and community. The Christmas Advent Book Study was very successful. Meetings with Pastor Eddie can be set up through email or by contacting the church office.
Session meetings are held monthly on the third Wednesday of the month. The Clerk of Session Dorothy Tait or the Office Manager Karen Spica can be contacted for more information. Materials for the February 16 meeting are due by February 9.
The next Session meeting will be on Wednesday, February 16, 2022 at 7:00 p.m.
Instructions for Accessing the Annual Church via Zoom
Instructions for attending Congregational Meeting virtually via Zoom have been emailed to all members for whom we have email addresses. Please call the church office with any questions. Likewise, the church office has also sent out a link to read the full annual report.
2022 Per Capita Apportionment
The Presbyterian Church is a “connectional” church where we interact through the Presbytery of Detroit, the Synod of the Covenant and the General Assembly. These councils are funded by the “Per Capita” on each of our active members. For 2022, the 2022 Per Capita amount is $34.00.
We ask that you contribute $34.00 for each member of your household confirmation age and above to help offset this amount. Checks may be made payable to the First Presbyterian Church of Farmington; please note “Per Capita on the memo line.” We will dedicate this special offering on Sunday, Feb. 6, which is “Per Capita Sunday” and also the date of our Annual Meeting. Special Per Capita offering envelopes are available in the pews.
Why I Came, Why I Stayed, Why I’m Still Here
Elder Karl Cressman
Our family arrived in Farmington Hills in 2002, and started looking for a Presbyterian church nearby to our home. Our boys were entering 1st and 4th grades, and children’s programming was high on our list of priorities. Eventually we found FPCF, and were warmly greeted and embraced by Mary Stevens (a legendary “welcomer of visitors”). The Logos program had us hooked, and the many other activities for mission and nurture made us feel right at home. The joy of FPCF is that it is both small enough for a new person to be known, yet big enough to engage in tackling big projects – making a difference today.
Stepping back a few more years before we were married, Sharon and I were struggling to find a church home where we could find a “middle place”. She grew up in the Catholic tradition, and I the Mennonite church, which were quite far apart in faith practice and emphasis. First Presbyterian Church, Columbus, IN, became our surprise home and where we married. When we met with the Session, we shared our backgrounds and the pastor said “good for us as a congregation” remarking how the Presbyterian church carved out a welcoming space for diverse faith backgrounds. God has more than blessed our discernment, and we have thrived together in a tradition that was new to both of us.
Today, I am experiencing being an elder for the first time. As our community and congregation go through so many changes brought with Covid, I felt the tug of the Spirit to step forward into leadership. I don’t feel especially gifted for this role, and am continually humbled by how different this experience is compared to my usual pursuits. I am continually amazed at the deep-set commitment by so many to this congregation and its mission in our community and world around us. I like to think that I can bring an open mind, willing heart and different life-experiences to Session, and see where Jesus wants to take us.
In some recent elder training presented by the Presbytery, I am discovering some amazing things about how the PCUSA functions. Elders from years ago settled on a representative governing style that is a model for our national government. The representative style balances the perils of power in the hands of a few, and moderates extremist elements in our midst. I embrace this kind of “bureaucracy” and the wisdom of our elders as a way to be more effective in discerning the will of Christ.
As we discern a path forward for the congregation, an idea that came into my mind is one about building a different youth curriculum we are calling “Life Hacks”. The broad idea is sharing life experiences of adults in a curriculum aimed at young people to prepare them for the future. I firmly believe that a church is at its best when it prepares people of all ages to be successful in life. A church is a place where we build hope on the foundation laid by Jesus. This is potentially a huge project, and we welcome many others to join us on this journey to reach younger people.
Start Telling Your Own and Family Stories
Laura Hedgecock will lead a two-hour FREE online workshop called called Start Telling Your Own and Family Stories on March 4 at 10 am at the RootsTech Connect virtual conference. This workshop will focus on brainstorming for memories to kick start the telling and sharing of personal and family stories.
RootsTech is the world’s largest family history conference. Due to Covid, it has gone virtual, with 100s of free classes from speakers all over the world. You can register at https://RootsTech.org for Laura’s as well as any other workshops or sessions.
Volunteers Needed for Resume Writing & Interviewing Workshop
The Mission Ministry Team is partnering with Danika Community Development, Inc (DCDI) to put on a Resume Writing & Interviewing Workshop beginning in mid-February 2022. FPCF will be hosting and sponsoring the workshop, which will be held in Room 208/210 for from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., on four consecutive Saturdays – February 19 – March 12.
Volunteers will be needed for:
• Welcoming participants and helping them find the room, the bathroom
• Set up water & snack table
• Assist with break-out sessions (e.g., help participants write a summary for resume, if needed, etc.)
• Conduct a mock interview with a participant (March 12 only – questions provided)
• General assistance
If you can help even for one Saturday, or a particular task, that would be great. Please contact Colleen Tavor for more information.
“When we engage mission with a desire of partnership, rather than a giver-receiver mentality, we allow God to be vast.” (Presbyterian Outlook, January 31, 2022, pg. 34).
Baldwin Center Volunteer Opportunity
The Baldwin Center is a Pontiac-based emergency assistance operation we at First Presbyterian have supported for several years, and they’re now in need of help. A volunteer is being sought to deliver food boxes to homebound seniors on the Saturday following the second Thursday of each month. The preplanned routes have clients close together to minimize driving, which runs from around 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. Volunteers need to undergo a background check and provide their own transportation. Interested? Get in touch with Baldwin Center volunteer coordinator Allison Nelson at (248) 332-6101 or [email protected].
Social Justice Book Study
We’re starting a new book study in January 2022, meeting on the last Monday of the month. The group selected Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson. The Pulitzer Prize–winning, bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns examines the unspoken caste system that has shaped America and shows how our lives today are still defined by a hierarchy of human divisions. “An instant American classic and almost certainly the keynote nonfiction book of the American century thus far.”—Dwight Garner, The New York Times #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD LONGLIST •
Please join our friendly group of church friends! Contact Deb Hemmye or Colleen Tavor for more information.
Presbyterian Women (PW) Answers the Call
During January, PW answered a call from Freedom House who recently welcomed the arrival of 2 newborns. They put out a request through PW for baby items – diapers, onesies, etc. The PW circles at FPCF answered the call and spent a few weeks gathering and purchasing baby items. The collection ended on January 31 and will be delivered to Freedom House. Many thanks to all the PW women who responded generously to this need.
If you are interested in joining a PW Circle for fellowship and fun with a group of active, kind-hearted women, contact Deb Draper to learn more about each of the various Circles.
Mission in Motion in 2022
Drive-Up Donations are back!
Over the weekend of Feb. 12-13 we will show our “love” by donating to local agencies such as CARES, Lighthouse or others, those critical, yet costly items: Feminine care products, Diapers for babies (especially sized 5, 6 and pull-ups) and adult incontinence products (Medium or larger). CARES clients are always very grateful when they can receive any of the above.
On Saturday, Feb. 12 between 9am -11am you may drive up under the portico and let us empty your trunk for you! If you are coming to church on Feb. 6 and 13 for worship and the Congregational meeting, there will be a bin in the Narthex for them. Call Nancy Prieskorn if you would like us to pick them up from your porch. Thank you for your donation!
Lighthouse Support always needed!
Before COVID, our congregation came together in a huge way during one week in January to support the needs of 30+ individuals by housing, feeding, and giving other kinds of support. We haven’t been able to do that, yet the need is huge. Lighthouse houses more than 200 during a time when houses of worship are not able to provide their usual support. Cash donations are greatly needed. If you wish to offer a check for Lighthouse. you may mail it or drop it off to the church office by February 13. Please write “Lighthouse” on the memo line.
Mission Cove is open!
We always find places for things that are left for donation in the bins. If you leave food, we usually take it to CARES. Please remember that they can’t accept anything that has expired. Fort St. Presbyterian especially likes to get business attire clothing to assist those who are interviewing for jobs. Eyeglasses and used batteries also have a place. We see that they get recycled. If you have any questions about other things you may wish to donate, please call Nancy Prieskorn.
Mission CO-OP Makes Lunch!
We are a collaborative group made up of members of four Presbyterian churches: Faith Community of Novi, Crossroads of Commerce, 1st of Northville and us. (You may remember we collected items last summer to make up bags which local police officers could pass out to the homeless.)
On Friday, January 14, five of us met in the kitchen of 1st Presbyterian in Northville to make 700 cookies which were packaged 2 a-piece to serve at Crossroads 2 days later. Do you know that Crossroads (https://crossroadsofmichigan.org) is the only Sunday soup kitchen in Detroit? Twelve members of our collaborative met there at 8:15 a.m. on January 16 to prepare Chili, hotdogs, tater tots, cole slaw, a beverage, and those chocolate chip cookies! We ended up serving 336 people that day in a walk-up fashion as the COVID protocol does not permit clients in the building for lunch. It was a busy morning, but we had a 15-minute break to tour the facility.
Crossroads believes in “a hand up more than a handout”. Their services include food, clothing, hygiene products, help with I.D.s, birth certificates, Rx, transportation, employment, and more. Just how do you make chili for that many people? Join us next time (in May) to find out!
Baking 700 cookies at First Presbyterian Northville on Friday, January 14
Many thanks to Ron & Nancy Prieskorn, Leslie Black, and Rick Fuller for sharing their culinary talents and to Nancy Prieskorn, Karen Linnell, and Colleen Tavor for baking cookies. And a big thank-you to our sister churches – 1st Presbyterian Northville, Crossroads of Commerce, and Faith Community Novi – who joined us. We can do so much more when we do it together!
February is Black History Month
The theme for Black History Month 2022 is “Black Health and Wellness.” The American healthcare system has often underserved the Black community. This problem goes deep and back centuries. As we seek to understand the systemic issues that produce disparities for underserved populations, please take time to learn more about disparities in healthcare.
Race, Equality and Health Care for African Americans
Health and race disparities in America have deep roots: A brief timeline
A Tribute to John Richardson (March 5, 1933 – January 1, 2022)
Few people remain from when John Richardson was the Troop 179 Scoutmaster. Dr. John Richardson (known by his friends as “Doc”) was a renowned veterinarian, community leader and tireless volunteer. He was actively involved in many Farmington area service clubs, a member of the Farmington City Council, Mayor Pro-Tem of Farmington, and Mayor of the City of Farmington.
From 1978 to 1984 John served as Scoutmaster of Troop 179. John, an Eagle Scout himself, went on to mentor 10 Troop 179 Scouts to the rank of Eagle Scout. During his six-year tenure he spent most of our Summer Camps between Lost Lake and Camp Rotary, He led a crew to Philmont Scout Ranch, and served as a Council Contingent Scoutmaster at the 1986 National Jamboree. He worked with Dick Russell in developing the “New” Chief Pontiac Trail and led Troop 179 on the inaugural trek on the new CPT Trail in 1984. John received the Silver Beaver in 1983 for outstanding contributions to Scouting by the Clinton Valley Council and this past year was recognized by the Eagle Scout Alumni of Michigan with the Outstanding Eagle Scout Award.
John made a huge mark on Troop 179 and Scouting’s history. To learn more about this Outstanding Eagle Scout check out his obituary at https://www.heeney-sundquist.com/obituary/7798400.
Join us for Coffee and Treats after In-Person Worship
We’d love to have you join us for Hospitality Time after our worship service in Knox Hall!
We’d love to see you back in church!
But if you can’t join us in person, watch our livestream
1. Go to our Worship Services page at: https://Farmington-Pres.org/worship/sermons.
2. Click on the image that looks like this:
If the service has started, this will take you to the embedded livestream. Because our livestream will play though YouTube, you will be able to find it that way too. If you don’t watch the service live, there may be a delay of one to several hours before YouTube posts the video.
The Wired Word: An Adult Curriculum
Join our Bible study Sundays at 9:00 a.m.
We send an advance copy of the lesson to each of class members via email plus zoom links for those who can’t attend in-person. The class meets in Room 208/210. Every week there is a new topic selected by The Wired Word staff on current events and ideas.
All you need to do is sign up by submitting your name and email to Tom Neal, [email protected].
2022 Lent Study
Lent in Plain Sight: A Devotion Through Ten Objects
God is often at work through the ordinary: ordinary people, ordinary objects, ordinary grace. Through the ordinary, God communicates epiphanies, salvation, revelation, and reconciliation. It is through the mundane that we hear God’s quiet voice.
In this devotional for the season of Lent, Jill J. Duffield draws readers’ attention to ten ordinary objects that Jesus would have encountered on his way to Jerusalem: dust, bread, the cross, coins, shoes, oil, coats, towels, thorns, and stones. In each object, readers will find meaning in the biblical account of Jesus’ final days. Each week on Tuesdays at 10:00-11:15 a.m. from March 1 through April 5, readers encounter a new object to consider through Scripture, prayer and reflection. From Ash Wednesday to Easter, Lent in Plain Sight reminds Christians to open ourselves to the kingdom of God.
The book is $10 and available in the church office. If you’re interested add your name to the envelope, place $10 inside and take home your copy of this lent devotional.
2022 offering envelopes
Those who have used numbered envelopes in 2021 will automatically receive envelopes for 2022. If you have NOT used envelopes this year, but DO wish to have them for next year, please do one of the following:
Contact Jerry Scheel
Contact the church office at 248-474-6170 to make your request known.
Numbered envelopes facilitate the speed and accuracy of the data entry process for our offering counters, so we do encourage you to use envelopes if you contribute manually on a regular basis.
We also encourage the use of electronic debit. If you wish to submit your pledge electronically from your bank account monthly, please call Jerry Scheel, Financial Secretary, to have the forms mailed to you. If you have any questions, please contact Jerry Scheel or call the church office at (248) 474-6170.
2022 Worship Flower sign-up available
Please consider giving flowers in memory of a loved one or to recognize a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary or to the glory of God. An arrangement is $24.50 and enhances our in-person and videotaped worship services. More than one arrangement may be ordered for any Sunday and will be displayed on plant stands near the pulpit during the service. Your donation will also be acknowledged in the Sunday worship bulletin. Please sign up on the flower calendar on the kiosk in Mission Cove or order through the church office at least one week in advance. You may take home the flowers after the service, ask to have the flowers delivered to you or request to have them delivered to one of our homebound members.
Congregational Concerns
Your donation is very much appreciated and will be used to help fund the many operations of Tail Waggers and assist pet owners in need. On behalf of the animals we serve, we thank you! ~ Tail Waggers
Please allow me to express our appreciation to you, your pastor, session, and congregation for your gracious and faithful support of Presbyterian Mission. Your contribution changes peoples’ lives for the sake of the gospel all around the world. ~Presbyterian Mission
Thank you so much for supporting families at COTS experiencing and overcoming homelessness. We are so grateful for First Presbyterian Church of Farmington. ~COTS
Thank you for your generous support that gives survivors and their families access to safe-emergency shelter, transportation, workforce development training, teletherapy, and allows for hope, healing, and safety.” ~HAVEN
On behalf of the Goodfellows and the hundreds of residents who received assistance in this holiday season, thank you for your support. ~ Goodfellows
