Annual Meeting Scheduled for Sunday, February 6
The Annual Meeting of the Congregation/Corporation of First Presbyterian Church of Farmington, The Church of the Open Hands, will be held in Knox Fellowship Hall and via Zoom on Sunday, February 6, at 11:15 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, January 30 in the narthex or call the church office and we’ll arrange to get a copy to you.
Information for joining the meeting via Zoom will be forthcoming.
Lighthouse 2022 Update
Considering the ongoing pandemic, Lighthouse clients have been housed 
in an area motel and will continue to be through February 2022. If you’d like to help with this cornerstone mission event:
- You can sign up for one of the two nightly meal distribution slots Jan. 16-23, a link to which is on the church website homepage.
- You can also make a special contribution earmarked for Lighthouse 2022 either in the collection plates or by dropping it off at the church office.
In case you’re wondering, Lighthouse management hopes to return to traditional, rotational hosting in 2023. Any questions? Call Chris or Emily Davis.
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February 2022 FYI Deadline; Friday, January 21
Highlights of the December 15, 2021 Session Meeting
A regular meeting of the Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Farmington (FPCF) was held on 12/15/21. Session performed the following:
- Approved the purchase a Congregational Assessment Tool (CAT) from Holy Cow! Consulting as recommended by the Detroit Presbytery and the Future Planning Committee.
- Approved the 2022 Operating Budget as presented.
- Discussed the current COVID-19 statistics and changes to be made to the current COVID-19 Protocols. The following items were approved by Session and will be announced from the Pulpit during future Worship Services:
- Participation in the worship Ensemble for singers will require proof of COVID-19 vaccinations. This does not apply to guest musicians.
- Masks will continue to be recommended by everyone in the church building and required for those congregation members who choose to sing aloud during Worship Services (with the exception of medical exemptions).
- All other current COVID-19 Protocols will remain in place.
The materials for the FPCF 2021 Annual Report are due to the Clerk and Karen Spica no later than Thursday, January 6, 2022.
This will allow ample time to assemble the 2021 Annual Report before the annual congregational meeting, which is scheduled for Sunday, February 6, 2022.
The next Session Meeting is scheduled for 1/19/22.
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-January 2022. FPCF will be hosting and sponsoring the workshop, , which will be held in Room 208/210 for from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, on four consecutive Saturdays – February 5 – 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 (February 5 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 or the church office for more information.
Mission and Nurture Ministry Teams: We Need You!
The Mission and Nurture Ministry Teams are seeking new members to join us as we assess and plan to meet the needs of the communities around us and worldwide, as well as in our own congregation. The two committees are active throughout the year on a variety of projects big and small. Join others who are fired up to serve others and be the hands and feet of our Lord.
If you are looking for a rewarding and meaningful way to spend some time, even a couple hours, we invite you to join one of these committees. For more information, contact Colleen Tavor (Mission) and Karl Cressman (Nurture).
Stephen Ministry Looking for New Leaders
Stephen Ministry is looking for new leaders! What do Stephen Leaders do? They train new Stephen Ministers, talk to possible care receivers and provide ongoing supervision for Stephen Ministers. You don’t have to be a trained Stephen Minister to be a Stephen Leader. The two roles involve different tasks, gifts and skills, so people who have no experience as Stephen Ministers can make excellent Stephen Leaders.
Training for Stephen Leaders takes place through the organization’s headquarters in St. Louis. The training is delivered over Zoom and consists of 10 sessions of 2-½ hours each, held twice weekly over five weeks or once weekly over ten weeks. It is offered with the option of morning, afternoon or evening sessions. First Presbyterian will cover the cost of the training.
Think you might be interested? Please talk to Helen Thomas or Lois Caito and they will be happy to provide you with more information!
Social Justice Book Study – New Book in January
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.
Our Men’s Group and the Marion Medical Mission
could view the pictures from Marion Medical Mission of the three freshwater wells that the group was able to fund this year. The pictures and details are in the attachments above Two were in Tanzania and one in Malawi, providing fresh drinking water for at least 160 people who did not have it previously. Marion Medical Mission has been funding and organizing the building of freshwater wells for over 30 years. Their approach is wonderful, because the cost is only $450 to fund a well for an entire community. In prior years, numerous volunteers from the US traveled to the areas to help install these. With Covid that has been curtailed. But, because they have organized this within the countries involved, providing the training and direction for the local villagers to construct the wells; provide the simple pipe and pump, it has continued with the Grace of God. The collection by the First Pres Men’s Group was able to provide three wells, for which we are very proud.Tom Neal asked if we were going to do it again, and we all answered “in the affirmative – yes”. Let’s put together another collection here at Christmas for do more wells. Let’s dedicate it to “The Infant Jesus, at his birth”. I will be glad to coordinate, and we’ll make it the same formula as in prior years.Bless you all for your generous contribution to this. We are so darn fortunate to have the beautiful fresh water all around our “Water Wonderland” but think how joyous these folks must be to get the first safe water for their children and families. I can only imagine it.
Rob Kirsten
Mission Ministry – Adopt-A-Family
First Presbyterian of Farmington is just the best! Thank you for supporting families in the Farmington Public School system with Christmas gifts. The Adopt-A-Family gifts surrounded our chancel Christmas tree before being delivered to FPS. They added a festive touch to our decorations and through our gift giving we touched the lives of two families. Our congregation provided every gift on the wish list for 5 children and 2 sets of parents plus stocking stuffers for all the children in these 2 families. The Mission Committee is so very grateful for the constant and reliable generosity of our church. Thank you once again!
New Year, New Yoga Series
Renew your mind, body, and spirit with Jesus…
Did you know the Gospels provide 49 direct commands from Jesus to his followers? If we really want to follow him, it only makes sense to spend quality listening time to those words: taking him into our hearts and aligning with how to put them into practice. And that is exactly what we will be doing on our mats throughout 2022.
We hope you’ll carve out a season, or all year, to join in this practice. Yoga can help clear a clutter-free space in our minds and hearts and guide us into a space of undistracted listening. Come, listen to Jesus with us!
Mondays at 6:00 p.m. by candlelight in-person at First Presbyterian Church Farmington in Knox Fellowship Hall & simultaneously by Zoom.
Your first class is completely free, with no expectations. We would love to help you add Christ-centered yoga to your new year!
Registration opens January 1st: click here to register
Twelve weeks of winter unlimited classes $126 (1/3 – 3/24/22, includes all replay videos)
Zoom drop-ins or replays $10
Live Zoom drop-ins or replays $10
4-Class walk-in savings card $50
Every class in 2022 $500
The Wired Word – Applying the Bible to the Headlines – Join us!
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.
Consider joining our Adult Discussion Class as we apply the Bible to stories in the headlines. It makes for some lively, interesting, and insightful discussions among friends. The class is led by Tom Neal and Rev. Craig Aue. We meet on Sunday mornings from 9:00 – 10:00 am. You can attend in person in Room 208/210 or by Zoom. Contact Tom Neal at [email protected] for more details and the Zoom link. Many of us join early just to chat and catch up. Please join us! All are welcome!
Why I Came, Why I Stayed, Why I’m Still Here
Elder Colleen Tavor
I think it was August of 2017 when I walked through the doors of FPCF for the first time. I moved to Farmington in 2001 and throughout the years, went from church to church looking for a home. I would attend a church for a while but didn’t make the types of connections I was looking for. I would become discouraged, stop attending for a while, and my life became busy in other ways. Inevitably I would yearn for fellowship and try another church. Or go back to a previous one. Some churches were so large, no one noticed that I had been gone or returned. In the meantime, I’d drive by First Presbyterian every day on the way home from work. I’d look over and say to myself, “You should try this church.”And then one day, I walked through the doors of First Presbyterian, and you welcomed me with open arms and generous hearts. A special shout out to Karen Linnell who noticed me first, an introvert looking at the brochures at the entrance on my way out. “Are you interested in Missions?” she asked. “Yes,” I said. And she invited me to sit down for coffee in Knox Hall. Everyone was so friendly and inviting. This had never happened to me before in other churches I’d attended. It felt good to be welcomed and embraced by fellow believers. I came back the following week and then the following week. I started getting involved in little ways. You always greeted me with a warm smile, like you were glad to see me. I began to know your names and you knew mine. I developed friendships. I joined PW and the Mission Committee. I learned firsthand about all the good things First Presbyterian was doing. I learned about your generosity and love toward others and stayed. Then you honored me by asking me to serve as an elder. I felt humbled, honored, unworthy.
A few years have passed since I walked through your doors and Covid has ravaged through the land. I’ve shared your struggles through unparalleled times to keep worship going, to reach out to members, to encourage the discouraged. I’ve watched in sorrow as numbers dwindled, as beloved members departed for other places or just stayed home. I hear your confused hearts trying to understand what’s happening in the world and in our church and how much things have changed from how they used to be. It’s true. Many things have changed. But what remains is the most important that transcends all obstacles – a mutual love for Jesus, our neighbors, each other, and a generous spirit. This is what keeps me at First Presbyterian.
Now I invite you as you once invited me. Are you interested in Missions? Are you interested in a thriving church that serves the community? Are you interested in “journeying with God” to the next place that God leads FPCF? It will take all of us, as the body of Christ, to do this work, each sharing our gifts as God has provided. The next few years will be crucial and pivotal for FPCF. Let’s walk together as one body in Christ.
Each month we’d like to spotlight someone else in the church who would like to share their story of “Why I Came, Why I Stayed, Why I’m Still Here.” If you would like are willing to share your story in an FYI, please contact Karen Spica or Colleen Tavor.
Elder/Deacon Training is open to all;
Learn about Church Polity and Leadership
All Ruling Elders and Deacons are invited to Elder/Deacon virtual training sponsored by the Congregational Development and Transformation Team! All dates are 10am-12pm on Zoom. Registration required.
January 22- Elder/Deacon Basic Training
Introduction to the work of the Presbytery, an opportunity to attend breakout sessions to focus on the work of ruling elders or deacons (your choice), a chance to hear how other churches structure their work, a place to offer suggestions for future training foci. Rev. Angela Ryo will lead the deacon breakout session and Elder Stefanie Lewis and Rev. John Judson will lead the ruling elder breakout.Registration link *for January only*:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvcO2oqTkpHtKVK__kWP-UppuP6uSodAlj
Preparatory work: https://www.fpcbirmingham.org/what-is-a-presbyterian-video-series.html
Please take some time to watch as many of these videos as you are able to. Ruling elders might pay special attention to #2, 3, 6. All should review #9.
March 5- Deacon Focus
The topics will grow out of the January breakout discussion. Currently the plan is to offer training around congregational care and being a friend to those within the congregation.
March/April Date TBD- Congregational Leadership Skills for 2022
Primarily for ruling elders, but all are welcome. More information available soon.
Join us for Coffee and Treats after In-Person Worship
We’d love to see you back in church! We’d also love to have you join us for Hospitality Time after our worship service in Knox Hall!
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 through YouTube, you will 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.
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 at 248-859-4753 or by email
- 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. Thank you for your continued generosity and support of First Pres.
2022 Worship Flower sign-up available
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 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.The First Presbyterian Church of Farmington wishes you a safe and blessed New Year!
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