Orchard HarvesterOrchard Harvester Monthly Newsletter of Orchard United Methodist Church

May 2015May 2015

MAY YOU GO WITH GOD by Rev. Suzanne Goodwin

T he tulips are up, and the trees are blooming—signs of new life. High school and college graduates are making plans for the next phases of their lives—signs of living

forward. Families are making plans for camps and summer vacations—preparing to go.

Even our own Rev. Carol is preparing to move forward in her journey of ministry, just as Pastor Amy is readying herself to come here.

Each week the church breathes in and breathes out. It draws us in to reconnect with God and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. And then it exhales us back out into the world to live

the lives we were created for. Each of us has a journey and a purpose. We were not meant to live inside the walls of the church. We were meant to go and do—to live and to love.

Each week we are sent forth to go. The question is—as we move through the glass doors to head back out into the world, do we take God with us? Or do we leave God right here so we’ll know where to find Him when we need Him? New life, new beginnings, new challenges, going, living, loving, and doing are what we are about—by design: God’s design. God is our strength, our purpose, our roadmap, and our fuel. When we go with God, we are uniquely and powerfully abled to go and live.

As you look ahead and make plans to go; may you be fully reminded of who and whose you are. And may you always Go with God!

IN THIS ISSUE

Auction ...................... 4

Celebrations for

Rev. Carol .................. 2

Children’s Ministry ...... 6

CROP Walk ................. 4

Flower Sale ................ 4

Funtastiks .................. 5

Graduates .................. 6

In the Life of Orchard .. 7

LAF Activities .............. 5

Mark Your Calendar .... 8

New Member Class ..... 3

Orchard in Mission ...... 4

Prayer Concerns ......... 7

Promotion Sunday ...... 6

Pull Tabs .................... 3

Social Media ............... 8

Spotlight Orchard ....... 2

Summer Choir ............ 1

Summer Worship ....... 1

VBS ........................... 6

SUMMER WORSHIP HOURS BEGIN 5/24 (office closed 5/25 for Memorial Day)

A s regular programs start to wind down and we head

into Orchard’s summer season, it’s time to switch to

our summer worship schedule. Beginning May 24,

Memorial Day Sunday, we will have a casual worship

service at 9 am and a more traditional service at 10:30 am.

SUMMER CHOIR BEGINS 5/24 Sundays at 9:45 for the 10:30 service

H ave you always wanted to sing with the

choir but don’t have time for a weekly commitment to rehearse? Now is your chance!

Summer choir begins on May 24 at 9:45 to

warm up and run through the music. Sit with

your family until the time of singing. Contact

Jamie Reed at (248) 998-3600 for more

information.

SSPOTLIGHTPOTLIGHT OORCHARDRCHARD

Each month we highlight a group, a friend, or member of Orchard to see how they are finding ways to shine God’s light out in the world. Contact Deanna Kohl if you have a suggestion for a future Spotlight candidate!

REV. CAROL J. JOHNS

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I n early December, Rev. Carol announced to her

Orchard family that she felt it was time to retire.

But God laughs, and Rev. Carol has a

good sense of humor. After nineteen

years of serving here at Orchard, Rev.

Carol will now be providing part-time

leadership for the United Methodist

Union—the organization that provides

special funding for new ministry projects

in the Detroit Renaissance District. No

golf clubs needed.

Over the nearly two decades of service

here, Rev. Carol has seen Orchard and

its people through growth and change,

thick and thin, baptisms, weddings,

funerals, a new building addition, and

even (gasp!) the addition of a screen in

the sanctuary! She has preached passels

of sermons, created multitudes

of memories, and impacted lives

in ways too numerous to count.

And through years and

challenges, she has proven to be a visionary and

multifaceted leader as adept in the pulpit as she is

chairing the Council on Finance Administration. But

perhaps the most outstanding hallmark of Rev. Carol’s

ministry, is her faithful response to God’s leading. In all

things, prayer, grace, and faith-centered discernment

are the foundations of her leadership.

In nearly forty-three years of ministry, Rev. Carol has

served just four churches. (In Methodist speak, that

means wherever she’s been, she’s been the right

person for the job!) Mentored by her Aunt Elsie —the

second woman to be ordained as an elder in the Detroit

Annual Conference—Carol learned what it was possible

for a woman to do, and when she felt God’s call at Lake

Louise one summer, she knew that

ordained ministry was her path as well.

And when she was ordained in 1973, she

was just the seventh woman to achieve

such an accomplishment! Carol has

worked hard and she is well known and

respected in the Detroit Annual

Conference.

Perhaps one of the most gratifying,

rewarding, and heartrending storylines of

Rev. Carol’s ministry at Orchard was her

friendship and mentorship of Rev. Margo

Dexter. Rev. Carol came to Orchard as

Margo was preparing to go to seminary

and pursue ordination as a deacon. Over

time they became close friends—hiking,

climbing, leading tours to the

Holy Land, and ministering

together— sisters by choice, if

not by blood. Their journey

together through Margo’s fight with, and ultimate loss

to breast cancer led both women to a deeper

understanding of what it means to live as people of

faith, certain of the promise of the resurrection.

Disclaimer: This Spotlight article does not serve as a

eulogy to a career, but as an invitation to celebrate a

commitment to ministry that is too large to be

contained in a short article. We hope that you will

consider attending one or both of the celebrations

listed below, where we will celebrate Rev. Carol’s

service with Orchard and her life-long commitment to

ministry in the United Methodist Church.

A Legacy of Faithfulness

Friday, May 29 @ 7:00 pm Glen Oaks Country Club

$40/person + cash bar RSVP and payment due no later than Sunday, May 24

This event is for adults only.

Rev. Carol’s Last Sunday Sunday, June 14

Join us in sharing some of Rev. Carol’s favorite

worship traditions at the 9 & 10:30 worship services.

Your invitation and further details about these events will be arriving in your mailbox soon!

TTENDINGENDING THETHE OORCHARDRCHARD

A pproximately 27.6 pounds of aluminum pull tabs

have been collected from Orchard members over

the past 18 months. These tabs are now packaged and

ready to deliver to the Ronald McDonald House next to

Children’s Hospital, part of the DMC Detroit Medical

Center. The funds generated from recycling these

aluminum pull tabs help offset Ronald McDonald House

expenses which helps benefit the families who stay

there while their children are hospitalized.

Since 2003, Orchard has donated quantities of pull tabs

to the McDonald House at the DMC about every 18 -24

months. We thank all the OUMC members who have

contributed in the past and will continue to contribute

in the future. So… every time you open a soup can,

pop can or aluminum can with a tab, save it in a family

designated spot and drop them off at Orchard in the

Children’s Ed Office. There are containers just inside

the door on the left side marked “for Ronald McDonald

House.”

2014 VBS drama used 5000 pull tabs when David

Albery retold the “Feeding of the 5000” in order to

illustrate to our children the amount of 5000 of

“something”. Those 5000 tabs weighed about 3 lbs.

and 3 oz. Consequently, we are guesstimating that this

27.6 pounds being donated is approximately 41,000-

42,000 pull tabs. What FUN! Keep helping us collect

those tabs!

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Sunday, May 3 at 6:30 pm

Considering membership at Orchard UMC? Join Rev. Carol

and Rev. Suzanne on Sunday, May 3 for an informal

discussion about faith and connection at Orchard. We’ll

gather in the parlor for some refreshments and discussion,

and be done by 8:00 pm Childcare is available upon request.

Thank You

Dear Church Family,

Just wanted to say “Thank You!” for your generosity and support. Because of you, our Kitchen Shower was a great success!

I am happy that so many of you came down to see the MAC Kitchen. Your support for the changes that been made in the MAC Kitchen policies is greatly appreciated.

I want to thank Barbara Van Haren, Peggy Conrad, Sue Darold, Sue Scott, and Joyce Frazee for helping me detail and wash everything before putting them back in the kitchen. A special thanks goes to Randy Hall for giving

200+ hours of his time to help me get the kitchen cleaned and organized.

It is my privilege to serve as your Kitchen Facilitator

and help your event run smooth from the kitchen

side. There is an Information/Training class scheduled

for Sunday, May 17 at 10:10,

between services. If you have any questions about the MAC

Kitchen, please don't hesitate to

call me at (502) 648-9607.

Love in Christ,

Frances Childress

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE PULL TAB COLLECTION by Carole Parker

Orchard in MissionOrchard in Mission

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CROP HUNGER WALK Sunday, May 3 at 1:30 pm

It is NOT too late to sign up to walk in the May 3rd CROP Hunger Walk

or to sponsor someone who is walking in this 2 or 6 mile trek! This walk,

now in its 30th year in Farmington/West Bloomfield, is part of the nearly

seven decades of effort by Church World Service to "build a world where

there is enough for all." Please help us to support their goal of meeting

people where they are and helping them create solutions they can

maintain --- and build on. Visit their website at www.cwsglobal.org. You

can donate by scanning the code, or going online to www.cropwalk.org

and locating our Orchard team! 25% of the money raised goes to support

hunger programs in our own community.

Donate online by scanning above code, or go to www.cropwalkonline.org. Click on Michigan, then Farmington/West Bloomfield Walk, then Donate by Team (look for Orchard UMC and click on a team member). You can even add yourself to Team Orchard!

Strolling Under the Stars

O ur community outreach auction is

Saturday, May 2, 2015. The doors open at 6:30 pm to begin strolling under the star-lit decorations in the MAC. You’ll enjoy delicious hors d’oeuvres and dessert, beverages, live entertainment, and the company of friends

and family!

The money raised at this event will be used to help others through mission outreach programs, including Rebuilding Together and the Fusion Mission Team’s trip this summer.

You can purchase tickets by calling the church office at (248) 626-3620, or at the door!

Tickets available at the door!

Invite family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors so they can see how we’re making a difference in the world!

Pick up your flowers on Saturday, May 16

from 9 am to Noon

Children’s Ministry Fundraiser 2015

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Opportunities at Orchard!Opportunities at Orchard!

Saturday, June 6 @ 6 pm

Join LAF (Life After Fifty) for their second annual “Kick

Off the Summer” potluck! This event is hosted by

Donna and John You. Please bring $5/couple or

$3/single to cover the cost of meat and paper products.

More details for this event are on the LAF page of

Orchard website! RSVP to the Youngs by May 31 at

(248) 489-0881 or jdmskyoung@sbcglobal.net.

FUNTASTIKS PLANNING EVENTS FOR MAY & JUNE The Funtastiks, our Seniors’ social group, are planning more outings for May and June!

On Sunday, May 3 at 2 pm, "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying"

at the Farmington Players Barn. Only two tickets left! Contact Jo Ann Cline at (248)

553-3686 if you want to get in on this fun!

Wednesday, June 3 at 11:30 am will be lunch and a movie at Orchard.

Come and join your Funtastik friends as they watch “Elsa and Fred,” the

story of two people who, at the end of the road, discover that it’s never

too late to love and make dreams come true. Salad and dessert will be

provided—bring a sandwich if you’d like. Sign up in the church office;

contact JoAnn Cline for more details.

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Thursday, May 7 beginning at 10 am

T he National Day of Prayer is deeply rooted in our country’s

history, from the Second Continental Congress resolution in

1775 to observe a day of humiliation, fasting and prayer to 1952,

when a federal statute recognized a day of prayer to be observed

annually, to 1988, when that law was amended making the first

Thursday of May the Annual National Day of Prayer.

Orchard will observe this special prayer time on Thursday, May 7 at

10 am when our chapel (south end of south wing) will be available all

day for individuals’ use. You are encouraged to come in and pray for

our nation, our leaders, our people.

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A SEASON OF GRADUATION

In this season of graduation, Orchard is proud to acknowledge all of its high school and college graduates as

they move on to new and exciting challenges in their lives. Please hold them in your prayers, and join us at the

11:00 service on Sunday, May as we recognize thirteen local high school graduates from the class of 2015:

Garrett Center (North Farmington-NFHS), Cameron Derian (Bloomfield Hills HS), Brooke Dunning (NFHS),

Maura Erlich (NFHS), Kristen Gallett (NFHS), Julianna Jackson (West Bloomfield HS), Allison Mann (NFHS),

Lauren Mann (NFHS), Kara McGlashan (NFHS), Evan McMurray (NFHS), Miranda Roode (Clarenceville), Beth

Shrosbree (NFHS), and Spencer Wright (Catholic Central).

Promotion Sunday May 17 at both services

A ll children, Nursery through 6th grade, are asked

to come to church and enjoy a celebration of

their Power Progress as they are promoted into next

year’s program. Graduates will receive a gift from the

congregation to recognize their hard work and be

greeted by their next year’s teacher. Cake and lem-

onade will be provided for kids during Power Hour.

Summer Schedule Begins Sunday, May 24

Memorial Weekend begins our summer schedule with

a hiatus from Power Hour for the summer. However,

WOW will continue to Worship Our Way throughout

the summer as we review what we have learned, do

crafts and even get outside for some fun activities!

VBS Coming Your Way! July 13-17

I t’s coming fast and with great G-Force! Vacation Bible School—Early Registration begins May 1! Your

$40 registration fee includes a logo T-Shirt and a CD with all the exciting VBS music! Maximum family

price will be $75. Late Registration will be accepted after June 15, and will include a CD and a t-shirt

transfer for you to make your own t-shirt. VBS is for children preschool through 5th grade. (Minimum age is

3 years.) You can register by going to www.cokesburyvbs.com/OrchardUMC (you can get there by scanning

the code above) or by visiting our table in the Narthex beginning Sunday, May 17.

To find out how you can volunteer or help by donating to our decoration wish list, please stop by the table

in the Narthex or see Meghann Snyder. Copies of our wish list will also be available at the Connection Point

and at the table outside of the WOW room.

It’s time to fuel up and get ready for VBS!

Children’s and Youth MinistryChildren’s and Youth Ministry

WE LIFT IN PRAYER…

Kevin Ahern’s friends, the Rebandt family Cathy Albery’s friend, Cindy Grogan Early Beverly Brown’s friends, the family of Hannah Campbell Meg Budd's husband's grandmother, Lorraine Budd Kay Burns Bob Busser’s mother, Janet Busser Sandy Catherman and her cousin Jerry and Diana Chilson’s daughter, Candy, and Jerry’s dad The Coleman family Valerie Costello’s friends, the Ferriss family Jeanette Domol Morgan Drossos’ friend Russell Grimes Marcia Harmon’s great-niece, Jordan, and her aunt, Pat

Melissa Harrison’s niece, Marah Daniels Barbara Hayter’s son, Paul Fiona Head’s grandmother, Marlene Diane Holden’s daughter, Linda Lisa Jackson’s father, Larry Jackson Rev. Carol Johns’ cousin, Daniel Gualdoni Jean Joy Anthony Kosiba’s mother, Pat Jackie Lawrence’s aunt, Nellie Samson Jim Lowe Mary Manier’s father, Marvin McCallum Bob Mark Missie McSweeney’s sister, Millie Speed and family friend, Paul Hanosh Morells’ friends, Kate and Nick, and their unborn

twins Thom Parker’s brother, Jim Parker Ann Roeser’s mother, Mary Lynn Colwell

Michelle Rosenblum’s sister, Tova Louise Rudnick Bruce Sakach’s father, Ray Sakach Debbie Sakach’s cousins, the Harris family and her friend, Donna York Laurie and David Sarti John Scott’s friend, Tom Marion Seeber Mary Slucter Brad Snider and family Susan Snider Don Stacy Amy Stanis’ friend, Lauren and her parents Margie Tatem’s niece, Becky Charlene Thiede Mary Ann Trenkle’s friend, Connie Jarah, and sister, Pat May Mari Anne Wilks’ friend, Jim,

the Dawe family, and her grandmother, Sylvia Judd Karen Wagner’s mom Betsy Watson

IN THE LIFE OF ORCHARD Connecting people to God… to each other… and to the best parts of themselves!

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In the life of Orchard, we believe in the power of prayer.

Join us in intercession, thanksgiving, celebration, and remembrance. Let us pray...

WE CELEBRATE…

Dear Church Family, Thanks to all who contributed goodies to the wonderful Easter baskets we delivered to the Farmington Salvation Army to be distributed to children in need! They were beautiful and bountiful!

The Wednesday Ladies Bible Study

WE REMEMBER…

Randy Hall’s cousin, Barb Crocker (April 25) Nancy Hubbs (April 27)

Thom Parker’s sister, Amelia Parker Copen (April 27)

Meghann and Betsy hang the kids’ paintings for

Easter Sunday (check out the sanctuary walls on our

Facebook page!).

Several people stopped in for a tour of the bright and

shiny MAC Kitchen! Construction on the MAC stage is now complete (this

Helpers at the April 25 Rebuilding

Together day.

Lesley and Eli Bonsky at one of the fun activity stations in the MAC on

Easter Sunday. Tyler rejoiced during our April 26

Rockin’ the Resurrection worship

experience!

Orchard United Methodist Church

30450 Farmington Road

Farmington Hills MI 48334-1939

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

The Orchard Harvester is the newsletter of Orchard United Methodist Church. The June 2015 Harvester deadline is May 12, 2015.

E-mail articles may be directed to Deanna Kohl at: deannakohl@orchardumc.org

Pastors: Rev. Carol J. Johns and Rev. Suzanne K. Goodwin Worship Services at 9:00 & 11:00 am Christian Education at 10:00 am

Summer Worship Hours beginning May 24 at 9:00 & 10:30 am

Phone 248 626-3620 Fax 248 626-6836 Web Site: www.orchardumc.org

Non-Profit Org.

US Postage

PAID

Farmington, MI

PERMIT No. 216

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

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Find us, like us, share with us, and share us with others on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Saturday, May 2 Rebuilding Together (FH) Saturday, May 2 Community Outreach Auction (6:30) Sunday, May 3 Graduation Sunday Crop Walk (1:30)

New Members Class (6:30) May 14-17 Annual Conference Saturday, May 16 Flower Pick-Up Parenting with Grace (7, offsite) Sunday, May 17 Promotion Sunday MAC Kitchen Training

Sunday, May 24 Summer Worship Hours Begin (9 & 10:30)

Monday, May 25 Memorial Day—office closed Friday, May 29 Toast to Rev. Carol @ Glen Oaks (adults only reception) Sunday, May 31 Confirmation Sunday, June 14 Rev. Carol’s last Sunday Celebration of Ministry for Rev. Carol (All-Church in the Sanctuary and MAC) June 20-27 Youth Mission Trip Sunday, July 5 Rev. Amy’s first Sunday July 13-17 Vacation Bible School August 10-14 F.R.O.G. Week