OCTOBER EPIPHANY 2011.pub - First Presbyterian Church of

FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
VOLUME 176, ISSUE 10
THE EPIPHANY
OCTOBER 2011
120 N. Front Street
Marquette, MI 49855
226--6587
(906) 226
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF MARQUETTE
HONORED THE REVEREND DR. DAVID T. MAIR
AFRICA MISSION
TRIP
2-3
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF
CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
4
CS BIRTHDAYS/
PRESBYTERIAN
WOMEN/
HILTONS’ OPEN
CAMP
5
COMMITTEE
MEETINGS/
THANK YOU
6
SERVING PAGE
7
ORGAN RESTORATION/NOTES
FROM ESTHER/
DEATH
8
SOCIAL EDUCATION AND ACTION/
PEACEMAKING
OFFERING
9
TENDING GOD’S
GARDEN—CHIP
O’NEILL/
MISSION SUPPORT/BOARD OF
DEACONS
10-11
MEET ELDER C.
CHRISTOPHERSON
12
OCTOBER
CALENDAR
13
The Reverend Dr. David T. Mair was honored by the Session and this Congregation at
a service held on Sunday, September 18, 2011, led by the Rev. Nicholas Cammarata.
He received the title of “Honored Minister of the Word and Sacrament” for his work
within this church and community.
Guest speakers were:
Cindy Nyquist - UP Home Health
Kayla West - Medical Care Access Coalition
Darlene Driesbach - Citizens For Peace and Justice
George Carnahan - Room At The Inn
Pat Mair - Civil Rights
Pat Megregian - General Presbyter
The service was well attended and followed by a Luncheon in the Social Hall.
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES ~
JOHN SUTTON
ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASSES: Please join us for Adult Sunday School
each Sunday morning at 9:10 am in the church parlors. We are utilizing lesson plans
from the Feasting of the Word curriculum that follows the Biblical readings for
Sunday worship. So before Pastor Nick's powerful and insightful sermon, we have a
heads up on the readings, have discussed the readings, and can compare our thoughts
with the sermon! We are a non judgmental group that enjoy expressing our thoughts,
our beliefs, our doubts, our faith, and getting to know each other on a personal
level. Please join us!
THE EPIPHANY
Page 2
AFRICA MISSION TRIP 2011 ~ CRYSTAL SWANSON
We have arrived safely back from our Mission trip to our sister church St. Andrews. We were there for 2 weeks and visited the Tumaini Home, where they care for HIV positive children. We went to the Hawa House, a home for boys that
previously lived on the street. We even went into the Mission Field of Mashuru. Please join us to hear more about our
trip on October 16, 2011 at 7 p.m. in the Social Hall. It has been 7 years since our last visit and we would like to tell you
what changes have taken place. If you have any questions please call Crystal Swanson at 225-0595.
VOLUME 176, ISSUE 10
Page 3
THE EPIPHANY
Page 4
NOTES FROM THE CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION CORNER—JENNY CAMMARATA
Ephesians 6: 1-4
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Honor your father and
mother”- which is the first commandment with a promise- “that it might go well
with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” Parents, do not exasperate
your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
I have memorized, read and taught commandment number 5 over and over again.
It wasn’t until very recently I realized this is a commandment with a promise. If
our children are taught to obey and honor us as parents, the bible not only promises
life will go well for them, but says they will enjoy long life on the earth. This
scripture then offers a commandment of sorts for us as parents. We are told not to
frustrate or exasperate our children, but told to bring them up in the training and
instruction of the Lord. I’d like to share just a few opportunities we offer here at
the First Presbyterian Church to train and instruct our children as well as our
adults.
Sunday School is held every Sunday morning at 9:00. We offer a class for 3 year
olds on up to 103 year olds. Our adult class is held in the library. The class would
like to extend a warm welcome to anyone who may be considering “checking the
class out.” The environment is relaxed and the studies are easy to follow. We will
be taking up offerings in all of our classes which will go towards different mission
projects. For October, monies will support the junior high blanket ministry.
Junior High will be having our monthly activity on October 7th. We will spend the
night at Presbytery Point and return mid-morning on October 8th. Our junior high
Sunday School has been busy making blankets. These blankets will be given as
gifts to kids in crisis. We will keep you posted on this exciting ministry.
High School our high school youth have been collecting monies for the October
2nd CROP walk. The Crop walk is a walk which raises both awareness and money
towards hunger in our world. We will walk 6 miles in rain, snow or shine. The
CROP website reads, “We walk because they walk.” People all over our globe
walk miles to get water and food, so we walk in solidarity with the hungry. 25%
of all monies collected will stay in the Marquette community.
Our youth will be helping at our Second Sunday Lunch. The collection for the
lunch will go towards our summer 2012 mission trip. Please plan on attending this
wonderful fellowship time within the life of our church.
Wednesday Night Live began on Sept 21st. Adults, please sign up to bring a main
dish. The sign-up sheet is in the hallway on the Christian Education and Ministry
Opportunity bulletin board. Now is the time to get your child involved. Our children will be studying the book of Matthew. They will be participating in weekly
quizzing as well as scripture memorization. At 6:00 our children will meet for
Children’s choir in the sanctuary. Please encourage your child to attend to wonderful time of learning. In addition to learning a monthly anthem, they will be
practicing our Children’s Christmas Cantata.
Thank God for His Amazing Grace,
Jenny Cammarata
DIRECTOR OF
CHRISTIAN
EDUCATION
He sat down,
called the
twelve, and
said to them,
“Whoever
wants to be
the first must
be last of all
and servant
of all.”
Mark
9:35
VOLUME 176, ISSUE 10
Page 5
OCTOBER
Oct 4 - Nathan Beaudry
Oct 6 - Ethan Phillips
Oct 8 - Nicole Kerkela
Oct 13 - Senia Manson
Oct 14 - John Hughes
Oct 15 - Ryker Paulsen
Oct 15 - Cole James Becker
Lyric Karnack
Oct 19 - Michael Kopsi
Oct 23 - Tyler DeLongchamp
Oct 25 - Peter Amundsen
Oct 26 - Kiera Holm
Reegan Ketzenberger
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN ~ CRYSTAL SWANSON
PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN INVITE all women of the church to our final Fall
brunch on Saturday, October 8 at 10:00 a.m. If you have not come in the past,
now is the time to come and join in Christian fellowship. Brunch is served first,
followed by a short program. Rachel Circle is the hostess. If you have any questions, please call Crystal Swanson at 225-0595.
NEW PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN’S CIRCLE ~
BY SUSAN DEJONG
Because of a scheduling conflict, the Noon PW Circle will be meeting on the first
Thursday of October, October 6, instead of the 2nd Thursday of the month. The study
books have arrived and are available! See Susan DeJong to get one. You are welcome to join us from 12:00-1:30. Bring your lunch. Great discussion and friendly
HILTONS’ OPEN CAMP ~ MIRIAM HILTON
Please come for a walk in the woods to the Hilton camp (and it really is a camp) on
Old Kiln road on Sunday, October 9 from 2 to 6 p.m.
We can’t promise the 80 degree weather we had last year, but we can promise bright
fall colors, coffee, cider and hamburgers roasting over a wood fire.
Families, friends and pets all welcome. This year we have a new trail down the hill
to the perfect spot for putting in the water wheel.
Directions: At the intersection of M 28 and US 41 South of Marquette, turn right
onto Cherry Creek Road. Drive past the Fish Hatchery, cross County 480 and
where Cherry Creek turns left, take Old Kiln Road about half a mile till you cross a
small creek. Park on the road and follow the orange ribbons on the right of the
creek. Rest on Earl’s memorial bench if you’d like. Then follow the ribbons along
the meadow that used to be a dam. Turn right where a rope rail on your left will
guide you uphill to the cabin. We’ll be looking for you.
THE EPIPHANY
Page 6
COMMITTEE MEETINGS IN OCTOBER
Please consider volunteering for one of these important committees. This is how
the work of our church gets done. They would love to have you!
Building and Grounds - Wednesday, October 19 at 2:00 p.m.
Christian Education - Sunday, October 16 at 11:15 a.m.
Deacons’ Meeting - Wednesday, October 5 at 6:30 p.m.
Gifting - Tuesday, October 4 at 6:30 and Thursday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m.
Membership - Wednesday, October 11 at 4:30 p.m.
Mission Support - Thursday, October 20 at 7:00 p.m.
Personnel - is not scheduled
Session Meeting - Tuesday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m.
Social Education and Action - Thursday, October 20 at 3:30 p.m.
Worship and Music - Wednesday, October 5 and 19 at 4:00 p.m.
Committee
meeting
minutes and
Session
meeting
minutes are
kept in gray
binders in the
library or in
Addie’s office
and are
available for
anyone to
read.
THANK YOU FROM DAVE MAIR
How humbled and exhilarated I was on October 18 when my years of service in the
Ministry were recognized and honored. I thank Pastor Nick for conceiving of this event
and for giving me the privilege of writing the order of worship, including the prayers.
How grateful I am to Rob Yuill for putting the music I wrote for the response to the
prayer of confession (The Kyrie Eleison) on his computer to make it readable. What a
beautiful job Esther and the choir did in leading the worshippers in the singing of that
response. And were not the speakers fantastic? Not only did I feel their appreciation for
my efforts in many vital public causes, they were bringing to us the Word of the Lord as
they, one by one, witnessed to the true mission of the Church: to penetrate society with
the peace and justice proclaimed by Jesus. How touched I was that my beloved wife,
Pat, was given the privilege to be one of the speakers – we have been partners in the
struggle for social justice all through these past years as well as the present. How
touched I was when Jenny called me, asking for items that illustrate meaningful times in
my life to put in the display case in the hallway. And thanks to Sue Manson for waiting
to provide the second Sunday lunch on the third Sunday in order to make the events of
that special day even more special. My heartfelt thanks goes to the Session and the
Presbytery for presenting me with the plaque which confers on me the title of “Honored
Minister of Word and Sacrament,” words I will try to live up to all the remaining days
and years of my life.
My thanks goes out to all of you. Thanks be to God for all of you.
And not only do I gave thanks for your graciousness to me on September 18th, Pat and I
want everyone to know how strongly we have felt your friendship and compassion during our times of sickness and recuperation several months ago. People have sent cards,
called on the telephone, brought food, run errands, offered prayers and dropped by to
visit us. We cannot thank you enough. In 1991 we came for a year. We are still here.
And why? Because of your friendship and love. We cannot thank you enough.
“We always
thank God for
all of you,
mentioning
you in our
prayers.
I
Thessalonians
1:2
VOLUME 176, ISSUE 10
Page 7
SERVING PAGE FOR OCTOBER 2011
Please
Lectionary Readings - October
2 - Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20; Psalm 19:1-14; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46
9 - Exodus 32:1-14; Psalm 106:1-6, 19-23; Philippians 4:1-9; Matthew 22:1-14
16 - Exodus 33:12-23; Psalm 99:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22
23 - Deuteronomy 34:1-12; Psalm 90:1-6, 13-17; 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46
30 - Joshua 3:7-17; Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37; 1 Thessalonians 2:9-13; Matthew 23:1-12
Remember
It is up to you
to arrange
coverage if
you are
Coffee Hour
Membership
29 - Second Sunday Dinner
16 23 - Mission Fair
30 -
Liturgists
2916 23 30 -
Chip O’Neill
(249-4573)
Frank Tramp
Chip O’Neill
Chip O’Neill
John Baldwin
John Baldwin
unable to
serve on your
scheduled
day. Please
find your own
replacement
and notify the
Acolytes
Laura Farnsworth
(249-5674)
2 - Antoinette and Alex Levra
9 - Luke and Lauren Lahtinen
16 - Zane Farnsworth and Erik Puskala
23 - Leandra Bruggink and Ahnika Puskala
30 - Reegan Ketzenberger
Psalmist:
Jenny Cammarata
(226-6587)
2 - Matthias McDermott
9 - Senia Manson
16 - George Manson
23 - Hobey Manson
30 - Matthias McDermott
church office.
Bulletin Folders:
These people are responsible for putting together
bulletins.
October
Greeters
Gloria Truitt
(225-0253)
2 - Leisel Demeuse, Sarah Farnsworth
9 - John and Pat Robb
16 - Fred and Carol Margrif
23 - Carol Margrif, Marge Spawr
30 - Carol Margrif, Marge Spawr
Secure Building
Phyl Aurich (343-6635)
Jack Truitt (225-0253)
2 - Frank Tramp
9 - Pete Peterson
16 - Phyl Aurich
23 - Jack Truitt
30 - Dee Heard
Ushers
Gloria Truitt
(225-0253)
2 - Pat Dixon, Kathleen Tauch
9 - Bob Wellman, Chuck Swanson
16 - Bill and Joyce Smyth
23 - Pat Dixon, Kathleen Tauch
30 - Bill and Joyce Smyth
Counters
Kristen Matthews (226-6587)
2 - Crystal Swanson, Jack Truitt
9 - Phyllis Aurich, Jennifer Bruggink
16 - Bruce Closser, Pat Pellett
23 - Lesa Bozek, Bob Swanson
30 - Jennifer Bruggink, Margaret Schwalm
7 - Janet McKie and
Christine Johnston
14- Marion Sonderegger
21- Dee Heard
28 - Pat Dixon
Page 8
THE EPIPHANY
ORGAN RESTORATION FUND BENEFIT CONCERT
FROM ESTHER LAVOY BARRINGTON
MUSIC DIRECTOR
"Our first Organ Restoration Fund Benefit Concert on Sunday, September 25 was a
success, netting $2,102 towards the estimated $20,000 needed to replace the console
on our Austin organ. It was wonderful to hear the great music by "Strictly Gospel"
and Dave and Julie Williams, who donated their time and talents to our cause.
Many thanks go out to them and to all the many efforts of Susan DeJong on this
project, as well as the Chancel Choir who provided hospitality and refreshments.
Thanks to everyone who made a donation and attended the concert."
Esther Barrington 228-2661
NOTES FROM ESTHER
We are actively seeking a new organist. In the meantime, yours truly will be
serving as accompanist on the piano when a substitute organist is not available!
“Praise him
with
tambourine
and dance;
praise him
with strings
and pipe!”
Psalm
150:4
First Presbyterian Church of Marquette participates in a music
licensing agreement with CCLI license #2825067
DEATH
“In my Father's house there are many dwelling places; if it were
not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?”
John 14:2
Bertha M. Wiseman turned 94 on Tuesday, September 20. She passed away
on Saturday, September 24. Her funeral service was held on Wednesday,
September 28 at the First Presbyterian Church of Marquette and was led by
The Reverend Nicholas J. Cammarata. The Rev. Dr. David T. Mair participated in the service. A reception was served by the Presbyterian Women in
the church parlors, following the service.
VOLUME 176, ISSUE 9
Page 9
THE GREAT MICHIGAN READ~
FROM THE SOCIAL EDUCATION AND ACTION COMMITTEE
The Michigan Humanities Council sponsors, every so often, a particular book and its
author for Michiganians to read and discuss. This year’s book is The Arc of Justice, a
saga of race, civil rights and murder in the Jazz Age. The story is about race relations
in Detroit in the 1920s. Its author, Kevin Boyle, will be in Marquette on Sunday,
October 23, to speak about his book at 2:00 p.m. at the Peter White Public Library.
That will be followed, also at the library, on Thursday, October 27, at 7:00 p.m., with a
presentation by David and Pat Mair who will respond to the subject matter of Kevin
Boyle’s book by speaking about their experiences in the struggle for civil rights in
Tennessee, Mississippi and in Detroit in the 1960s and early 70s. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend these programs.
PEACEMAKING OFFERING
“Let love be
genuine; hate
what is evil,
hold fast to
what is good.”
Romans
12:9
“From North and South and East and West” God’s people gather at His table on October 2 to give
thanks for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and to pray for peace.
Yet wars continue, always involving small children as victims and often as soldiers.
What can we do?
One program for peace is The Red Hand Campaign.
The United Nations proposed a law, The 2002 Optional Protocol to the Convention
on the Rights of the Child, forbidding the use of children under 18 as soldiers.
Two thirds of the world’s countries have ratified it, but 60 have not.
The Red Hand Campaign is an international effort to convince the remaining countries to sign up.
Over a quarter of a million red hand prints have already been delivered to the UN offices of the countries which have not signed. Presbyterian of all ages are urged to create red paper handprints and write
messages of support for the protocol on them. The Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations will
deliver them.
Another program for peace is the Peace Camp.
At the Peace Camp, organized by the Littlefield Presbyterian Church in Dearborn, Michigan,
“Children of all ages and backgrounds share their visions of a peaceful world and learn respectful,
peaceful ways of resolving conflicts.”
Three quarters of the Peacemaking Offering goes to support national and international programs which
promote dialogue and mutual respect between people and nations.
One quarter of the offering helps relieve suffering in Marquette. The Social Education and Action
Committee voted to divide last year’s offering between AMCAB’s heating assistance program and the
Marquette Adult Day Services program which provides a safe place for the elderly suffering from dementia and relief for their caregivers.
We can be Peacemakers. We can support hundreds of peacemaking programs like these. Please give
generously.
Page 10
THE EPIPHANY
THIRD IN A SERIES BY CHIP O’NEILL
TENDING GOD’S GARDEN III ~ CHIP O’NEILL
Many of the Bible’s memorable passages invoke the importance of water in God’s creation; the gushing of lifesustaining water from the rock Moses struck in Genesis, the still waters beside which the psalmist drew comfort, the
River Jordan in which our Savior was baptized. Clearly water was an integral part of God’s plan for His garden.
And as his stewards of that garden, it surely falls to us to protect and preserve what is, after all, a fundamental necessity in sustaining all life.
Last month we explored the problems with bottled waters, problems which focused primarily on the bottles themselves. This month we consider what we can do to protect the quality of the water itself. In the Lake Superior watershed we enjoy some of the world’s most abundant and clean water. Lake Superior in fact provides the drinking
water for sixteen communities along its shores, including Marquette. But we cannot count on the purity of that resource. Pollution from the runoff of fields and farms along the Great Lakes, from industrial sites, from landfills,
and from our own careless disposal of such things as unused prescription drugs, batteries, and paints all threaten that
purity.
Although Superior is the least contaminated of the Great Lakes, its flushing time is 191 years! That is, it requires
almost 200 years to flush out current contaminants even if all contamination were to cease tomorrow! Among contaminants detected in Superior and identified as the Nine Zero Contamination targets are mercury, dioxin, PCBs,
hexacholobenzene, and five pesticides. Research conducted by the Lake Superior Binational Program indicates that
much of the reduction in these nine contaminants comes about through the collection activities of local communities.
So I was struck by a recent initiative to recycle household batteries, long a source of pollution in landfills but also a
source of many useable and rare elements if only they could be recycled. Five local groups came together to fund a
machine that can recycle and recover the useable material from household batteries. They are the Marquette Community Foundation, Northern Michigan University, the Marquette Food Co-op, the Lake Superior Partnership, and
Marquette Citizens for Peace and Justice. Wow! Look again at those words – community, co-op, partnership,
peace, justice. Neither peace nor justice will be achieved in the absence of a clean and sufficient source of water. So
there can be no better words than community, co-op, and partnership to describe our activities as God’s gardeners.
I would like to suggest three groups who work to ensure the purity of Lake Superior. The first is the Yellow Dog
Watershed Preserve whose motto is “Our water – our legacy – our responsibility”. They monitor the purity of
streams emptying into Lake Superior through their River Walker program. They also operate the machine that recycles batteries. Their office in Big Bay will accept batteries any time during normal office hours (as will the Marquette Food Co-op and Messiah Lutheran Church.) Check out their website for ideas on how you can become involved: www.yellowdogwatershedpreserve.org.
The Lake Superior Watershed Conservancy has as its motto “Gifted by Nature, Protected by people.” It serves as a
clearinghouse to educate citizens on the many issues facing the watershed. Understanding those issues and their implications for clean water is the first step in taking action to ensure the purity of the lake. Their website is
www.lscwc.org.
Finally, I want to call your attention to the Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority, which accepts
hazardous household products that are highly polluting if left to enter the landfill. The MCSWMA holds collections
across the county once a month from May until October. The last collection for 2011 will be on October 15. This is
the time to dispose of oil-based paints, used oil, pesticides, cleaning products, and anti-freeze. Go to their website
www.mcswma.com to see a complete list of what can be accepted and to find the site nearest you.
For those of you who wish to pursue this subject more fully, you can read about the Lake Superior Lakewide Management Plan at www.epa.gov/glnpo/lakesuperior/2006/index.hyml. Working cooperatively as a community and
partnership of God’s gardeners, we can ensure the long-term sustainability of one of His greatest gifts, pure water.
VOLUME 176, ISSUE 9
Page 11
FROM THE MISSION SUPPORT COMMITTEE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS ON OUR CHURCH AND MONEY
Q: In the bulletin, why is Close the Gap at more than $16,000 when the difference between Year to Date Amount Received and Year to Date Amount
Needed is relatively small?
A: Close the Gap refers to a budget gap. Out budget was $35,000 in the red after
the Mission Support Committee and the Session made all the cuts they could
without doing serious damage to church programs. We divided this goal in two-$17,500 for each half of the year. This is the gap we are trying to close. We have a
little more than $16,000 to go.
The Amount Received and Amount Needed refer to the amount we have pledged
(and estimated unpledged giving). Pledged and unpledged giving (essentially, the
collection plate) is only a portion of our total income from all sources (about 65%
as I recall). Even if we give everything we have pledged and our estimated unpledged giving is on target, we would still have been $35,000 short at the end of
the year. That’s why the numbers are different. We can close the gap through
increased giving and by reductions in expenses.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH ELDERS ARE: Phyl Aurich, Gene Austin,
Lesa Bozek, George Carnahan, Caron Christopherson, Bruce Closser, Lynnea Hosey,
Carolyn McDonald, John Sutton, Crystal Swanson and Jack Truitt.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH DEACONS ARE: Jon Becker, Mary Clifford, Mary Collins, Leslie Cory, Pat Dixon, Tom Manson, Ginger Rutgers, Beth
Schloegel, and Chuck Swanson.
FROM THE BOARD OF DEACONS - TOM MANSON
WE HELP OTHERS ~ The food item for the Salvation Army's food bank during the
month of October is Spaghetti, pasta and sauces. In September, 27 cans of soup, 4 oatmeal, 10 rice mixes, 1 butterscotch chips, 4 jello mixes, 1 Gatorade, 3 candy items, 2 Jiffy
mixes, 1 peanut butter, 1 cookie mix, life savers, 1 creamer, 1 vegetable oil, 2 hamburger
helper, 2 cans potatoes, 1 cherry filling, 1 can green beans, 3 spaghetti, 5 pasta sauce, 5
toothbrushes, 1 dental floss, 1 can tuna, 1 box Triscuits, 1 box graham crackers, 1 box
Hershey milk chocolates, 1 bag marshmallows, 21 boxes of cereal, and 4 gluten-free bread
mixes were donated to the Salvation Army. The deacons thank you for your support of
this community project.
THE EPIPHANY
Page 12
MEET ELDER CARON CHRISTOPHERSON
Born in North Dakota on a snowy Sunday morning, Dad still went to church and led worship. Being a preacher’s kid means different things to everyone…like dad going to work a few hours after you
were born. Expectations of a preacher’s kid in the ‘60s were probably a bit different than today, but
still a factor in how you are seen and how you see things. As kids, what it meant to be a P.K. was that Sunday was
set aside for Sunday school, worship, church happenings, family time. We said “grace” before each meal, said
prayers before bed, went to church camp. We learned Bible stories, helped teach Sunday school as we got older,
participated in Communicant’s Class (with dad teaching) and joined the church, sang in the choir, ordained and installed as a deacon at 16. Pretty normal.
When we got our first allowance, 35 cents a week (if we did all our chores), we learned that the first thing you do
with your earnings is take out 10 per cent (this is your “tithe”) to put in the offering plate on Sunday. So I took out a
nickel each week and put it in my little offering envelope. (It was a few years later when I learned more sophisticated math and found that my “tithe” was actually 3.5 cents. No wonder the church was doing so well financially!)
A benefit to being a P.K. was eligibility for certain scholarships. A lengthy application and essay on I can’t remember what, allowed me the choice of a few schools. I chose to go to the “big” cities, to Macalester College in St.
Paul, MN. My Nurse Aide class in high school changed my mind about going into the medical field…it took a year
to choose sociology as a major. My work study job in the food service led to a management job right out of college,
which took me to South Dakota, then North Dakota, before I decided it was time to come back to the U.P. Working
for a big corporation wasn’t what it was cracked up to be.
Looking for a job, I was blessed to be hired to a 30 hour/month kennel cleaning position at the Marquette County
Humane Society. The next year I was hired to be shelter manager, and as the society grew I was promoted to the
executive director position. That’s a really long story…22 years long…and most of it was very rewarding. I started
to see that many things in life had prepared me for this work. I loved the animal part, but a lot of the job was about
helping people, too. It was Larry Jones who called on me at the shelter one day who pointed out that this was a
calling…this was my mission. That put a new perspective on a lot of things. There were many animal and people
adventures, many long hours, on-call 24/7, abuse and neglect court cases, building projects (my dad and Bill Medick
from the Big Bay Presbyterian Church built a garage for the animal shelter as my Christmas present one year! ), protective services referrals (oftentimes if pets in a household are neglected, so are children or elders), working with
law enforcement officers, the DNR, and wildlife rehab, providing humane education programs in area schools and
daycares, fundraising and educational events.
Then it was time to have some time. To spend time with my folks, to get back to church, to have a life. I resigned from the humane society, but stayed with the animals working as a veterinary assistant at Northern Veterinary
Associates in Ishpeming. As I got back into my church life at First Presbyterian, many things were happening that
affected us all. I was glad to be there for my family during this difficult time, and what I learned was that when your
faith is challenged you can give up or you can keep the faith. My mom taught me what it is to keep the faith.
Having “spare time” I started volunteering at Presbytery Point Camp: at work camps, as a counselor, then elected
to the Board of Directors and treasurer, being recently hired as Camp Manager. I met another camp volunteer, Don
Peterson. We became a team and started a journey together at camp when we got married at the Point last summer.
The focus of our work at Presbytery Point is to help children and young adults find God, strengthen their faith and
connections to the church and His community, help each of them grow in a positive direction and have the support,
sense of security and love they need as they learn to reach out to help others.
--Caron
Caron’s dream for First Presbyterian:
That we make the time to strengthen our faith and connections with each other in the
church and in His Community and as we grow together in our understanding of God’s
word that we reach out in mission to help others.
VOLUME 176, ISSUE 10
OCTOBER CALENDAR 2011
CALENDAR FOR OCTOBER
To access your calendars on your computer simply go into our Website
and click on Calendar.
OTHER CHURCH NEWSLETTERS
If you are interested in reading newsletters from other churches in our presbytery, log onto the Presbytery of Mackinac website: presbymac.org and you will
find newsletters for your reading pleasure. Click on Resources/Church Newsletters. Our church office has been posting our EPIPHANY there for several
months.
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T H E
E P I P H A N Y
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
Permit No. 2
Marquette, MI 49855
120 North Front Street
Marquette MI 49855-4379
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
FUN AND FELLOWSHIP
OCTOBER
2011
Check out the website for more details: www.HayesCornMaze.com
For fall fun and fellowship - Check out their blog
www.funandfellowship.blogspot.com
Missed a sermon? Recordings are available online - the link is right on our homepage http://firstpresmqt.org/
We are on the web!
www.firstpresmqt.org