LOAVES & FISHES - Faith Community Presbyterian Novifaithcommunity-novi.org/2019-09 newsletter.pdf · Detroit at a special party that included lunch, free haircut for back-to-school

Volume 42 Issue 08 September 2019

FAITH COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

LOAVES &

FISHES

SEPTEMBER CALENDAR

Sunday, September 1

10:00 am Worship / Communion

11:30 am Waltonwoods

Sunday, September 8

Rally Day 10:00 am Worship

11:00 am Congregational Meeting

11:30 am Picnic & Ride Rodeo

Sunday, September 15

10:00 am Worship

Sunday, September 22

10:00 am Worship

4th Sunday Brunch

Sunday, September 29

10:00 am Worship

Hearing…..Trusting…..Acting…..Sharing

PAGE 2 VOLUME 42 ISSUE 08

Dear Faith Family:

We are very fond of saying that we are a FAMILY here at Faith - and we are. We love and sup-

port each other even if we do not always agree. As we know in our individual families, there are

times of joy and sorrow, and there are times of stress. Not everyone agrees all the time. Our fami-

lies are not perfect and neither is our church family. But we DO have a perfect God to turn to eve-

ry minute of every day.

On Sunday, August 25th, the following announcement was made in Worship:

“The Session has called a special meeting of the congregation for Sunday, September 8, 2019

immediately following the worship service. The purpose of this meeting will be to act upon the

request of the Session and The Rev. Ruthanne Herrington, to the Presbytery of Detroit, that the

pastoral relationship between Rev. Herrington and Faith Community Presbyterian Church be

dissolved effective September 1, 2019.”

Rev. Herrington’s last day in the pulpit was August 25th. She will be available for emergency

pastoral call through August 31st. Our relationship will end on September 1st.

We know that many people have many questions, and we ask that you please be patient as the

Session navigates the next steps. We continue to work with the Presbytery’s Committee on Minis-

try and will also be working with Presbytery’s Transition Team. We will have pastors providing

Pulpit Supply and they are already scheduled through the month of September.

As we learn more, we will be sharing that information with you. Please plan to attend the Congre-

gational Meeting on September 8th.

This is a difficult time for Faith and we all need to work together to continue our mission in God’s

world. So, I am asking you - our Faith family - to remain a family IN faith. Session now asks for

your prayers and your support in the weeks and months ahead.

Thank you,

Jill Bednarek, Clerk of Session

Faith Community Presbyterian Church

Faith Community

Presbyterian Church

44400 W. Ten Mile Rd.

Novi, MI 48375-0001

Tel: (248) 349-2345

Fax: (248) 349-5716

www.faithcommunity-novi.org

Staff

Rebekah Ratza, Director of Music

John Bogdan, Pianist

Jackie Richards, Business Manager

Chrystal Vaughn,

Office Administrator

Church Officers

Elders

Jill Bednarek, Clerk

2019

Jim Ernst

Tammy Johnson

Tom Sumiec

Mark Turner

2020

Len Berman

George Kortlandt

Kim Richmond

Roger Wilfong

2021

Brenda Benn

Susan Farooq

Linda Schoener

Darrel Underwood

Deacons

2019

Tom Anan, Moderator

Ruth Anan

Dave Bednarek

Bob Grove

Marianne Simancek

2020

Adam Bednarek

Barb Crawford

Connie Isbell

Cathy Ross

Chuck Ross

2021

Connie Carter

Nancy Rajala

Sue Randell

Brian Smith

Newsletter

Nancy Rajala, Design & Layout

Brenda Benn, Editor

RALLY SUNDAY

Sunday, September 8

Join us for a “Ride Rodeo” on Rally Sunday, September 8. Kids -

Bring your “ride” (bike, scooter, skate board, skates, etc.) to the

church and enjoy some fun activities after the worship service!

FAITH COMMUNITY TRUNK OR TREAT

Sunday, October 27 4-6 pm

TRUNK or treat is an event where costumed children with parental supervision

are invited to walk through the parking lot, stopping at decorated parked cars and

receiving candy from “Trunkers” (costumes optional) at each car.

Trunkers wanted! Trunkers will decorate the trunks of their own cars (an internet

search can give you some ideas), and will purchase their own candy (store

bought, individually wrapped) to pass out to the children.

There is a signup sheet for Trunk or Treat in the Narthex. We would like to in-

vite the community as trunkers (and as participants), but we need to be sure we

have a good show of volunteers from the congregation, first. Please sign up and

have some Halloween fun!

PAGE 3 VOLUME 42 ISSUE 08 Faith Community Presbyterian Church

SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE A SUCCESS

Thanks for the school supplies! 164 backpacks were packed with school supplies and delivered to kids in

Detroit at a special party that included lunch, free haircut for back-to-school pictures, dental checkup and flu-

oride treatment.

FALL MEETING FOR THE

FAITH COMMUNITIES COALITION

ON FOSTER CARE

October 7, 2019, 6:15 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 701

Church St, Plymouth, MI 48170. Hear about the new part-

nerships of I Care4Kids and ways we can all work togeth-

er to help fill in the gaps when kids enter into foster care.

Presenters: Khadija Walker Fobbs and Will Fobbs, dy-

namic leaders of The New Foster Care.

All are encouraged to bring almost-new Halloween cos-

tumes (no masks or violence themes, please) to give to

children in foster care. Our goal is 100 costumes.

For more information, contact:

Peggy Fisher-Kmieciak or Sheila Henderson

SUNDAY SCHOOL

TEACHERS NEEDED

We are searching for regular Sunday School teachers

(to participate as team teachers), and occasional subs

during the school year.

Please contact Kim Richmond by email

if you are interested in volun-

teering in this way.

4TH SUNDAY BRUNCH

September 22 11:30 am

The September Brunch will be at the Red Olive Res-

taurant, 49605 Grand River, Wixom and hosted by

Shah and Susan Farooq. Look for the sign-up sheet

in the narthex.

BIBLE SUNDAY &

SACRAMENT

ORIENTATION

We are planning "Bible Sunday", on September

29, where 3rd grade students receive their own bi-

ble. A Communion Class will also be offered Sep-

tember 29 after the church service, for children inter-

ested in learning more about Communion. A parent

must attend Communion Class with their child.

Please make sure you contact the office at (248) 349-

2345 or Kim Richmond if

you have student who will participate in Bible Sunday

and/or Communion Class.

Attention parents of 9th graders: We are planning for

our next confirmation class. Please make sure to con-

tact the church office at (248) 349-2345, or by email

to Kim Richmond if you

have student entering 9th grade or older, who has not

yet participated in confirmation class.

PAGE 4 Faith Community Presbyterian Church VOLUME 42 ISSUE 08

Event: Men’s Quarterly Breakfast

Date: Saturday, September 7

Time: 8:30 am

Place: Ardiana’s Restaurant

41602 W. 10 Mile Rd.,

Novi, MI

B.Y.O.B. Buy Your Own Breakfast

Everyone is welcome.

DID YOU KNOW?

Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.

Every day, roughly 36,000 units of red blood cells

are needed in the U.S., the Red Cross reports. Pa-

tients with sickle cell diseases or cancer need blood

transfusions throughout their treatments, and a single

car accident or gun shot victim can require up to 100

pints of blood. Since blood can’t be made or manu-

factured, these patients depend on blood donors for

their very lives. We all know giving blood helps oth-

ers, but did you know that donating blood is a

healthy habit for yourself?

Six Surprising Benefits of Donating Blood:

1. Giving blood can reveal potential health prob-

lems.

2. Giving blood can reduce harmful iron stores.

3. Giving blood may lower your risk of suffering a

heart attack.

4. Giving blood may reduce your risk of developing

cancer.

5. Giving blood can help your liver stay healthy.

6. Giving blood can help your mental state.

A single unit of blood has the potential to save 3

lives! Be a part of the lifesaving cause!

Good words are worth much

and cost little. ~ George Herbert

LOOKING AHEAD

Women’s Group Book Discussion

The women’s group will be having a

book discussion on November 12,

2019. We will be discussing Little

Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng.

This is a best seller set in Shaker

Heights, a suburb of Cleveland,

where everything is not as perfect as it seems. Lunch

will be provided.

See Angela Ryan or Linda Shoener if you have any

questions. A sign-up sheet will be posted in the nar-

thex.

PAGE 5 Faith Community Presbyterian Church VOLUME 42 ISSUE 08

FAITH WOMEN’S GROUP MEETING

Tuesday, September 10

After a restful summer break, the first Women’s

Group Meeting will start back on Tuesday, Septem-

ber 10 at 12:30 pm. We will be hosting a guest

speaker or two who will address issues such as fos-

ter care and human trafficking from Vista Maria, a

facility in Dearborn Heights that provides shelter,

healing and treatment for young women and youths

who are victims of abuse, trauma or violence. We

will then assemble in-take ‘Welcome Tote Bags’ to

send back with our speaker to Vista Maria, all items

donated by Missions. Many hands are needed.

Lunch will be provided. Please sign up in the nar-

thex and join us for an afternoon of fellowship, mis-

sion work, and learning.

Men are always welcome, too.

GROUNDS CLEAN UP

On Saturday August 24, 2019 Faith Community had a work day

to trim and weed the church grounds.

The following members were available to help:

Suzanne and Mike Everett

Barb and John Crawford

Carol and Darrell Underwood

Linda and Jim Ernst

Len Berman

Dick Slating

Susan Farooq

Jennifer Strub

We got a lot of trimming and weeding completed around the

church entrance and thank and appreciate the attendees for all of

their hard work.

Jim Ernst

FOSTER CARE

Faith Communities Coalition on Foster

Care meets Monday, October 7 at 6:15

pm at the First Presbyterian Church in Plymouth.

Please bring gently used Halloween costumes. For

more information contact Val Kushman.

LIFE HACKS

Make any cake mix taste like it was from a bakery.

1. Follow directions on the package.

2. Add one more egg (or 2 for an even richer taste).

3. Replace oil with melted butter and double the

amount.

4. Replace the water with an equal amount of milk.

5. Mix and bake according to the package.

PILLOW CASE

PARTIERS

Resumes September 24

1:00 pm

Hearing. . . . Trusting. . . . Acting. . . . Sharing. . . .

PAGE 6 Faith Community Presbyterian Church VOLUME 42 ISSUE 08

FAITH SUMMER SUNDAY LESSON

In the August 4th Sunday School class, our children

learned the very important lesson of ‘Love your

neighbor as yourself’ from the Good Samaritan sto-

ry in Luke 10:25-37.

They quickly put their lesson into practice by as-

sembling ‘Life Savers thank-you gift bags’ for our

blood donors at Faith’s upcoming blood drive on

October 10th. They also learned that even though

they are still too young to donate blood, they can

always do something to help! One second grader

said her grandma has had surgery before and when

she is old enough, she would donate blood to help

those in need like her grandma!

JULY 3rd SOUP KITCHEN

Faith’s Everyone Eats Soup Kitchen Team did not take

a holiday break the week of July 4th. The team led by

Head Chef Nancy Rajala this month served a festive

July 4th meal of hot dogs with all the fixings, pork and

beans, jello with fruit cocktail, banana pudding with

wafers, and home made cake slices. Over 80 guests

enjoyed the Independence Day celebration with us.

Faith Fixers Mike Everett and Bill Nick brought their

tool bags to spruce up the dining room with needed

repairs. Toothpaste and toothbrushes packaged by our

Sunday School children were given to all guests. A

Blessed Freedom Gratitude Day was enjoyed by all!

Kitchen/ Dining Room crew- Frank (Farmington),

Bill Nick, Susan Farooq, Nancy Rajala, Jim Wroe.

Note: Beautiful patriotic centerpieces made by our

Team Decorator Val Kushman.

PAGE 8 VOLUME 42 ISSUE 08 Faith Community Presbyterian Church

AUGUST 15th BASEBALL OUTING

Tigers 2 - Mariners 7

Front row: Suzanne Everett, Linda & Jim Ernst, Catherine & Mark Turner

Middle row: Jerry & Marlene Morgan, Jennifer Strub, John & Barb Craw-

ford, Jim Kushman, Rick Gundlach

Back row: The LoPiccolo Family and the Iwaki family.

Photo taken by Mike Everett