Fall Fest is Sunday, September 12
Join in the fun and games at Fall Festival on September 12 immediately following worship. This free annual event starts with a delicious barbecue provided and prepared by Scout Troop #179 as a thank you for hosting their group of over 100 scouts on Tuesday evenings. We hope you can stay after lunch to enjoy activities for all ages. Spend a Sunday afternoon in fellowship with your church family eating lunch, relaxing and having fun. We will be observing appropriate COVID19 protocols including having a zone for families with children age 12 and under.
There remain many ways you can help make the day better. Sign-up using Sign-up Genius (https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4cacad22a7f4c07-2021).
Everything is better when you are a part of it!
October FYI Deadline: Friday Sept 17
Session Meeting Highlights
The Session met on August 18, 2021. Highlights from the meeting include:
- Planning a congregational meeting on October 17 after the Worship Service to share the year-to-date financial status of the church.
- A discussion was held on returning to the previous level of COVID-19 protocols. It was decided that the current COVID1-9 protocols will remain in place at this time.
- Session approved asking the Reopen Team to reconvene to update COVID-19 guidelines that are not date specific.
- Session approved tabling the hiring of the Family Ministry position until the 2022 Budget is approved. Along with this action, the advertisement promoting the position will be discontinued.
- Session approved putting two pianos up for sale with the proceeds allocated to the Worship restricted fund.
The next Session Meeting is scheduled for September 15, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom.
Financial Update – As of July 31, 2021
Total Receipts YTD $251,498.03
Total Expenses YTD -182,021.72
$ 69,476.31
As a reminder we have received $10,663.00 from the Endowment Fund. We also received $51,790 from the government’s Payroll Protection Plan (with 1/3 designated for the Preschool staff and 2/3 designated for the church staff).
Removing those designated funds from the income will give a truer picture of finances:
YTD Receipts $251,498.03
Total YTD Expenses -$182,021.72
Less Endowment + Church PPP portion -$ 45,190.00**
Actual Receipts – Expenses $ 24,286.31 (positive balance)
**While the PPP will not likely be issued in 2022, the church hopes there will again be some assistance from Endowment.
Update on the Capital Campaign Fund:
Initially, as of June 2020, $123,537 was pledged. By March 2021, $165,575 had been pledged. Thank you for the increase in pledges!
To date we have received $97,481 of your pledge dollars, which is 59% of the total pledged. Again, thank you so much! Our Capital Campaign secured us a PILP loan for $125,000. The money was spent on the new roof, LED lights in the parking lot & Sanctuary (which will provide significant savings on electricity), two new HVAC units, and replacement of the kitchen exhaust fan. These projects totaled $122,904. (The remaining $2,000+ in loan dollars were used towards the loan’s closing costs.)
A huge thank you to the Property Committee for handling necessary improvements to our beloved building!
Our Annual Wellness Seminar is Back!
Flu Shot Clinic too!
This year we’re focusing on relieving pain in the back as well as in the upper and lower extremities and we’ve invited our very own Doug Creighton, Ph.D., to show us how. Doug will answer your questions and demonstrate simple movements designed to help alleviate pain and stiffness in your arms, legs and back.
You’ll learn about disc degeneration and how it affects the spine along with some self-management strategies for improving your back health. Doug is a hands-on teacher (for those who are comfortable) and will encourage attendees to practice these simple movements while at the seminar so you can be sure you’re using the proper form for the best results.
While you’re waiting for Sunday, September 26th to roll around, you can visit Doug’s YouTube channel, Orthopedic Therapeutic Exercise (Orthopedic Therapeutic Exercise – YouTube), and learn more about the work Doug does and the areas of the body he focuses on.
Doug is a professor at Oakland University’s School of Health Sciences and a member of both the Michigan and American Physical Therapy Associations. He and his wife Kristin are long-time members of First Pres, having raised their daughters Karleigh and Katie here.
Wellness Seminar: Date: Sunday, September 26, 2021 Time: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Cost: Free!
Flu Shot Clinic: Date: Sunday, September 26, 2021 11:00 a.m. – 12 noon Cost: Quadrivalent Flu Shot $35; Fluad Quadravalent Senior $60; (cash or checks accepted); Bring your insurance card to directly bill Medicare and Medicare Advantage, BCBS (except TEA prefix), BCN, HAP (except Cigna), Priority Health, Physician Health Plan. Drive-by service available.
Join the Chancel Choir, Bell Choir
Do you sing in the shower? Do you sing in your car while driving? Do you find yourself humming tunes at work? Then, we want you in the Chancel choir. We will meet on Thursdays from 7:30-9 p.m. beginning September 9. No worries about having to read music. Learning to read music will be part of the fun as we explore many different types of music throughout the year. Come join the party.
In honor of Mary Whittmore, a bell choir is being formed. It will also meet on Thursday evening from 6-7 p.m. beginning September 9. We will meet in room 209, which is now the dedicated bell choir room. Again, reading music is not a requirement. Come and ring our bells!
For your safety, we will follow all church protocols regarding COVID. Contact Shari Fiore ([email protected]) for details.
Youth United 2021
On August 3-5, more than 50 teens from diverse backgrounds had an exceptional experience learning about each other while serving the community. We were blessed with support from this congregation, our interfaith partners, and community organizations.
During the morning virtual programs, youth met via Zoom to discuss themes of friendship, community, and compassion and to interview individuals who have made a difference in their community.
Afternoon projects at CARES or completed individually at home included two plastic bottle cap upcycling art projects (thanks to all who donated caps), a story walk (thanks to the Farmington Community Library for their support), painting and sealing the little library donated by the Farmington -Farmington Hills Optimist Club, building wooden benches out of reclaimed (Prieskorn) decking, stenciling the CARES logo on outdoor trash cans, planting herbs in painted pots for CARES clients, painting and planting large pots to beautify the spot for CARES’s new lighted sign, painting “Kindness Rocks” with messages of affirmation, and landscaping.
Teens also made countless bags out of t-shirts donated by the F-FH Optimist Club, Crop Walk, and others in which they assembled 100+ snack packs, 100+ meal kits, 50+ birthday-party-in-a-bags, 50+ personal care kits. Youth may also work on many of these same projects individually at their home. The Travis Manion Foundation donated beautiful backpacks and supplies so the kids could pack a pallet full of back-to-school supplies for area students.
The 2021 program was primarily supported by the last year of funding (roughly $14k) of the “Faith in Action” grant from the Presbytery of Detroit. We also received a $250 grant from Thrivent Financial through a member of Hope Lutheran Church.
Besides supplies, we purchased six new trash cans and four 10’x 10’ pop-up tents for CARES to use in their programming, Youth United will also contribute toward new lighted signs and the future reflection garden which the youth helped plan in 2019.
But without faithful help from our interfaith partners (including staff members from Adat Shalom and Hope Lutheran!) and incredible teens, this program would have been impossible.
Please enjoy the photos below. You’ll note that the teens decided to require masks, because they didn’t want to single out 6th graders and other unvaccinated teens.
Youth United 2021 Participants
Bottle Cap Arts
Our Gardens on the Hill produce luscious produce
It is a great joy to work in our garden on the hill to provide fresh vegetables for our neighbors in need. With plentiful rain in July and August “farmer” Sharon Cressman has much to harvest each week.
Each week Tom & Cathy Neal deliver produce to First Presbyterian Church Pontiac from our garden and generous donations/discounts from the local Farmers’ Market in Farmington. Other drivers welcomed!
Thanks so much to all those who prepared the gardens’ enclosures and beds for planting, faithfully watered and weeded the gardens, harvested our produce each week and delivered it to the grateful recipients of the food pantry at First Presbyterian Church of Pontiac. Truly Matthew 25 in action!
Building a Play Structure for Second Mile Center in Detroit
Front: Larry Kneisel, Tom Lahiff, Tom Neal
Back: Ron Prieskorn, Paul Floreno
Testing out their new Larry-designed bench!
Tom Neal & Ken Barr with the finished structure! Job well done!
Thanks everyone for helping complete the play structure for Second Mile Center. Wish I had one of these when I was growing up. Tested the slide. It zips! Ken Barr, you were amazing in designing and guiding us on the build. Tom Neal
Mission Cooperative – Stronger Together
The First Pres Mission Ministry Team along with representatives of Faith Community, Northville, Crossroads and South Lyon Presbyterian churches met on August 15 to put together supplies we’ve been collecting for 81 hygiene kits. The kits will be distributed to homeless persons by area police departments when there is a delay in finding a shelter. Thank you to everyone who donated supplies! It is so appreciated!
Join us for Coffee after In-Person Worship Service
Join us for coffee after the service!
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.
Stephen Leaders sought to work with our Stephen Ministers
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.
Sound interesting? Please talk to Helen Thomas or Lois Caito and they will be happy to provide you with more information!
School Supplies Drive-Up benefits local students
First Pres members and friends as well as some community members dropped off school supplies last month. The Mission Ministry Team took the supplies from donor vehicles into theirs for delivery to Farmington Public Schools. Many thanks to the generous First Pres donors to the Mission Ministry Team’s 2021 School Supply Drive for Farmington Public Schools.
Well installation season begins in Africa
The 2021 Marion Medical Mission well installation season begins in September. American volunteers will not be going again so the entire job falls to the African team. They are very capable and can do the job just like they did in 2020, God willing! We want to support them in prayer and financially as we are able.
MMM created this video commissioning service. We heard brief comments from all four coordinators and Tom Logan. Rev. Marlin Otte conducts a brief commissioning service. The video is about 35 minutes long and well worth the time. Check out the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hC-tx8w7984. Please keep MMM’s team in your prayers as more villages have 3,000-plus wells that are ready to be built in Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.
Marion Medical Mission has built over 42,000 wells since 1990, bringing safe drinking water to more than 5 million people. Each well is a partnership with the village, so it creates a sustainable source of clean water for rural villages. Functionality surveys indicate wells are easily repaired by the village, without outside assistance, making this a lasting solution to the global water crisis. Learn more about Marion Medical Mission at http://www.mmmwater.org.
 
The Wired Word – Applying the Bible to the Headlines – Join us!
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 for more details and the Zoom link. Many of us join early just to chat and catch up. Join us! All are welcome!
Connect & Chat – Zoom Coffee Hour at 4 p.m. on 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month
JOY! Book Study resumes on new day – Tuesday evenings
The Joy! Study now meets on Tuesday evenings at 7 p.m. via Zoom. To start off the fall, please join us on Tuesday, September 7 when we will be studying Catherine of Siena. For details, contact Sharon Cressman.
Join us for Soul Stretch Yoga’s Fall Series:
Loving God With All Your Strength
September 13- December 2, 2021
Is 61:3“…So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
When you hear the word “strength” does your mind get hung up on the physical? We are equipped with physical strength for sure, but ponder and discover we have a deep well of strengths in Christ to offer in love to the Father. The strength of our mind, will, determination, forgiveness, spirit, gifts & talents to name a few.
Let’s go deeper into this topic together on our mats throughout fall. Let’s grow stronger in the Lord and then offer that strength right back to its Source for His good purposes. I’m SO excited to be with you on this yoga (union) journey! Whether you have been with us all of 2021, or are just jumping in for the first time – you are welcome here…
Other Upcoming Events
Save the Dates:
- Sunday, Sept. 19 – New Member Orientation
- Saturday, Oct. 2 – Blessing of the Animals & Pet Food Drive
- Sunday, Oct. 3 – World Communion Sunday
- Sunday, Oct. 3 – New Member Reception
- Sunday, Oct. 17 – Congregational Meeting after Worship
Congregational Concerns
We keep in our prayers
Submit an Online Prayer Request
Besides notifying the church office, you now can submit a prayer request on our website. There’s a prominent box on our home page with a form to easily share your concern or joy that would benefit from prayers from your church family.
Thank you notes
From the Youth Leadership Team of Youth United:
“Thank you so much for helping me break out of my shell! I definitely feel more confident thanks to Youth United, and I’ve made a bunch of new friends. I can’t wait to do it all again next year!”
“I wouldn’t have the opportunity to help without the leadership and work from both of you!”
“I’d also like to thank you for letting me join and help in this organization. And also thank you for all your help during the camp and when planning for it! I absolutely love working with all the members on the leaderboard and contributing to my community.”
“It was fun to again see the value in Youth United. And thanks to you, Laura, and Jody, you three were the obvious leaders at the in-person sessions but I am sure there were many more including the teens, for all the time, effort, planning, and creativity that went into another successful Youth United this summer. We were glad to be just little part of this very worthwhile program.”“I loved the experience and I plan to return (probably with more kids). Let me know how I can assist in the future.”“It is a true team effort, and I am blessed to be a part of it.”
“Thank you for creating something that we look forward to participating in.”
“When Everett and Sandi call us into a mission, we want in. And we know it’ll be fun as well.”
To Colleen Tavor, Pastor Eddie, and the FPC Farmington Family,
We wanted to take a moment to express our gratitude once again to your amazingly generous congregation! As we approach the one-year anniversary of those devastating fires in our area, many of the families who lost homes and businesses are just now getting to the place where their land is being cleared and the plans for rebuilding are taking shape. There is now a leadership core that is helping to coordinate regular volunteer work events and assist with financial needs as they arise. Many have been told it could take 4-5 years to rebuild because of the amount of work that needs to be done. Your donations will continue to help those in our extended community with additional expenses not covered through insurance as they journey through this very difficult time. May the Lord continue to richly bless your congregation!!!
Salem First Presbyterian Church, Salem, OR
Speaker Series: Dismantling Structural Racism
LISTEN, LEARN, LEAN IN” September 2021 – March 2022
JOIN as we LISTEN to speakers who are knowledgeable about the cogs of structural racism. LEARN more from online action-oriented resources. LEAN IN to the process of creating am ore fair and equitable society.
FREE TO ALL! For more information on this Zoom speakers series, check out this flyer for more information: https://farmington-pres.org/wp-content/uploads/Listen-Learn-Lean-In-Matthew-25-First-Birmingham-Flyer.jpg
2021 Gathering of the Presbyterian Women in the Synod of the Covenant
Based on the theme What My Grandmothers Taught Me, the Zoom meeting on September 18 also will include a bible study overview as well as a keynote by Kathy Reeves, Moderator-elect of the Churchwide PW 2021-2024 and the business meeting. Check out this flyer for more information: https://farmington-pres.org/wp-content/uploads/PW-Synod-Gathering-9-18-2021.jpg.
Labor Day Prayer
On this Labor Day weekend, when we rest from our usual labors, loving Father, we pray for all who shoulder the tasks of human labor — in the marketplace, in factories and offices, in the professions, and in family living. We thank you, Lord, for the gift and opportunity of work; may our efforts always be pure of heart, for the good of others and the glory of your name. We lift up to you all who long for just employment and those who work to defend the rights and needs of workers everywhere. May those of us who are now retired always remember that we still make a valuable contribution to our Church and our world by our prayers and deeds of charity. May our working and our resting all give praise to you until the day we share together in eternal rest with all our departed in your Kingdom as you live and reign Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. AMEN.
(adapted by Robert Bender)
