MI ORTH E EWS - northcongregationalchurch.org...Permit No. 107 Address Service Requested 36520 (248) 848 North Congregational Church ORTH EWS January, 2014 Vol. 35 No. 1 W. Twelve

North Congregational

Church

ORTH

EWS

January, 2014 Vol. 35 No. 1

36520 W. Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48331

(248) 848-1750 Fax: (248) 848-1752

Church Website: northcongregationalchurch.org

NORTH CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 36520 W. Twelve Mile Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48331

Phone: (248) 848-1750 Fax: (248) 848-1752

E-mail: [email protected] Website: northcongregationalchurch.org

Address Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

P.A.I.D.

Farmington Hills, MI

Permit No. 107

Non-Profit Org.

U.S. Postage

P.A.I.D.

Farmington Hills, MI

Permit No. 107

“Gifted for Ministry!”

We are gathered for worship of God and service to humanity.

Call to the Annual Business Meeting January 26, 2014

The Annual Business Meeting of North Congregational Church will be held

immediately following worship on Sunday, January 26, 2014, as ordered by the

Executive Council, to transact business as specified in this Call or authorized by the

By-Laws. At this meeting, the Treasurer will provide the annual financial report for

the past year. The Trustees will present the proposed annual operating budget for the

current year to the membership for their consideration and approval.

We will have lunch in Fellowship Hall following the meeting, prepared and

served by the Trustees. Reservations are needed. Please sign up so we have enough

for everyone.

Judy Campbell, Clerk

Minister’s Notes…

“When the song of the angels is stilled,

When the star in the sky is gone,

When the kings and princes are home,

When the shepherds are back with their flock,

The work of Christmas begins:

To find the lost,

To heal the broken,

To feed the hungry,

To release the prisoner,

To rebuild the nations,

To bring peace among people,

To make music in the heart.”

This poem by the Rev. Dr. Howard Thurman reminds us that even after

the Christmas decorations have been put away, the truth of the Incarnation is living

with us. The time from January 6th to Ash Wednesday (March 5th, 2014) is the

Christian season of Epiphany, when we remember how the wise men were drawn

to their discovery of Jesus in an unexpected place. This is our story as well, and in

our lengthy Epiphany season this year there will be many opportunities at North

Church to do this work of Christmas. Some activities are already in planning stag-

es: participation in community Martin Luther King observances and in the World

Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation, the annual work ministry in New Orleans, and

ongoing assistance to St. Alexander’s Food Cupboard. You’ll find more about them

in this newsletter.

But there is much more that can be done! If you find

you are drawn to a particular kind of hands-on ministry,

I invite you to share the idea by contacting me. We are

particularly interested in ways we can be of help in Detroit, as

our nearby neighboring city struggles to recover. Together,

we can find ways to do the work of Christmas in Epipha-

ny and beyond, for the sake of the one we call Emmanuel,

God with us.

Rev. Mimi Biedron

Notes from the Moderator Happy New Year!

There’s been a lot happening at North Church

since Rally Day!

We’ve learned more about some of the

charities we support (Moments for

Missions).

We’ve learned how our church home is

used to support our worship, program

activities, and benevolences/outreach

(Moments for Stewardship).

We’ve celebrated our Congregational

heritage (Heritage Sunday).

We’ve experienced the anticipation of

Advent, the joy of Christmas, and the

trees, decorations, poinsettias, music,

pageantry, and candles of the season.

Our first congregational meeting of 2014 will

be held on Sunday, January 26, immediately

following the worship service. The agenda for

this Annual Business Meeting will include the

Treasurer’s Report, presentation of the 2014

Operating Budget, and updates on other finan-

cial subjects. Participation in annual meetings

is a privilege and a responsibility for members

of a Congregational church. I encourage you

to attend this important meeting.

With my best wishes to everyone at North

Church as we start a new year of worship,

service, and fellowship!

Nancy Scott

Stewardship

“Commitment to Ministry” Thank you to all of our

Members and Friends who have

completed an Estimate of Giving

card for 2014. As of December

11th we have received 102 Esti-

mates totaling $207,075. Last year

at this time we had 99 Estimates,

totaling $203,497.00.

Estimates can still be turned in

either by completing an Estimate

of Giving card from the sign-up

table outside Fellowship Hall or

e-mailing an estimate to Danny

Hawkins at ncc.businessmanager

@gmail.com.

An estimate of giving confir-

mation will be mailed with your

2013 tax statements in January to

all members and friends who have

indicated an estimate for 2014.

THANK YOU,

NCC Stewardship Committee

January Activities...

Boxing Up Day

Saturday, January 4th, 10:00 a.m.

We’ll pack up all of our Christmas

and Advent decorations and carefully

store them for next year! Come help us!

A Little CHAOS For

The New Year!

After a fun Holiday party and a successful

Adopt-a-Family program in November and

December, the ladies of CHAOS will be back to

business in January. We will meet on Wednesday,

January 8, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. in the Middle

School room. Please bring your own dinner and

beverage.

At our January meeting, we will be discussing

and planning a Valentine party for the residents of

Halsted Place to take place in February.

We will also talk about how we can help with

other activities of the church that will be coming

up this spring and later in the year.

All women of the church are welcome to at-

tend. Come and see what's missing from our

group...YOU ARE!

Bible Studies continue...

The Women’s Bible Study resumes

January 7th. You are welcome to join

us at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday mornings.

The Tuesday Evening Bible

Study session will resume January 7th,

at 6:30 p.m. The theme will be “Jesus

Speaks of God’s True Children and

States He is Eternal,” John 8:31-58.

Study guides are handed out each week

for the next week’s meeting. You are

welcome to join us!

Communion…will be celebrated in worship on January 5th.

Tuesday Lunch Circle

Join us each Tuesday for lunch at

11:30 a.m. Reservations are needed, all

women of the church are welcome!

January 7 - Applebee’s

January 14 - Scrambler Marie’s

January 21 - Olive Garden

January 28 - Breakfast Club

Happy New Year

from the Flick Chicks!

Start 2014 off right -- join

the church’s chicks as they

enjoy dinner and a flick. There

are plenty of movies to choose

form, so help us decide. We’ll

meet during coffee hour on

Sunday, December 29, and go

to the show and dinner on

Thursday, January 2nd.

Chancel Flowers

The following dates are

available for anyone wishing to

donate flowers for the sanctu-

ary. Please contact the church

office with any questions.

February 2, 16; March 2, 9, 16, 23, 30;

April 6, 13; May 11; June 1, 15, 29;

July 6, 13, 20, 27; August 3, 24

Flower arrangements are $45; and

checks should be made payable to North

Congregational Church.

Red Cross Blood Drives

The American Red Cross is in constant need of blood donors. If you have not giv-

en in the last eight weeks, or would like to give for the first time, there are several sites

in and around Farmington Hills where you can make a donation this month including:

Thursday, January 2nd 1:00 - 6:45 Novi Public Library

Sunday, January 12th 8:30 – 2:15 St. Fabian Catholic Church

Thursday, January 16th 8:00 – 7:45 Costick Center

Tuesday, January 28th 2:00 – 7:45 Sports Club of Novi

The Donor center on Haggerty south of Fourteen Mile Road has hours every week

on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. There are also Donor Centers in Bloomfield and

Livonia. You may go to www.givelife.org for a full schedule of donation sites.

http://www.givelife.org

Pilgrim Fellowship

High School Class

We will be in worship on January 6; no class.

Classes will meet January 12, 19 and 26.

HONORING MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. The Farmington Area Celebration - Monday, January 20

The Multicultural Multiracial Community Council will host its annual celebration of

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on January 20th at the Farmington

Community Library, 32737 W. 12 Mile Road, Farmington Hills.

____________________________________

9:00 a.m. Participants gather at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

9:30 a.m. Walk from Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 28000 N.

Market Road, (west of Dunckel Middle School) to the

Farmington Library.

Parking is available at the Church, Dunckel M.S. and at the Library.

EVENTS IN THE MAIN LIBRARY AUDITORIUM

10:15 a.m. Concert by the O.E. Dunckel Middle School Choir.

10:45 a.m. Noted children’s author/illustrator Bryan Collier discusses I, Too, Am

America, based on a poem by Langston Hughes that celebrates the Afri-

can American Pullman porters who spread culture and literacy in a most

unusual way. Books are available for purchase and signing.

11:30 a.m. Poet Ber-Henda Williams, founder of Poetry, Pages and Scribes, a

monthly poetry series.

1:00 p.m. Traditional music and stories with a positive message, presented by

Reverend Robert B. Jones, Sr.

2:00 p.m. Performance by the Harrison High School Dance Company.

ALSO SCHEDULED DURING THE DAY:

Making valentines for seniors (Conference Room A)

Collecting non-perishables to donate to local organizations.

Artwork by artist/illustrator Gil Ashby will be on display at the Main Library from

January through February.

Upcoming activities for High School and Middle School students.

January 12th, 4:00 p.m. – Sledding

Grab your sled and join us at the Farmington sledding hill at Shiawassee and

Farmington Roads for some winter thrills. Depending on snow conditions for

sledding we may swap this with the ice skating on February 2nd.

January 17 – 19th– Senior High School Retreat

Arbor Grove Congregational in Jackson hosts the High School students for a

weekend of fun and fellowship.

January 26th, 3:15 p.m. – World Sabbath Sunday

Travel down to Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in Detroit. This special

service is a celebration of our religious diversity in the Detroit Metropolitan

area and an interfaith effort to work toward breaking down barriers and pur-

suing peace.

February 2nd, 3:30 p.m. – Ice Skating

The Rink at Campus Martius, in the heart of downtown, provides a stunning

urban setting for this outdoor ice rink. Depending on weather conditions this

may swap dates with sledding on January 12th.

Dinner for Eight

Dinner for eight, an

opportunity to share several meals with

a small group of North Church people,

will begin a new session in February.

The timing and style of the meals can be

tailored to suit the needs and desires of

each group (you may choose afternoons

or evenings, pot lucks hosted by mem-

bers of the group or meet at local restau-

rants.) Sign up to join us for food, fun

and a chance to learn more about your

fellow parishioners.

WORLD SABBATH OF

RELIGIOUS RECONCILIATION

Sunday, January 26, 2014

For the past 15 years, people from the diverse faith communities of Southeast Michigan have gathered for a time of interfaith worship and commitment to work for peace and understanding.

This year’s gathering will be at the Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, 18700 James Couzens Freeway, Detroit, MI at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 26th. The service will last about 90 minutes and will include peace prayers from youth of many different religious traditions, as well as shar-ing of sacred texts, music, and dance. A high-light of this event is the pledge made by cler-gy and leaders of faith communities to work to build a world where all may know that our faith calls us to be builders of peace. Refresh-ments and creation of an interfaith mosaic tile piece will follow the worship service. You can find much more information about the World Sabbath at the website, worldsab-bath.org. Rev. Mimi Biedron and members of the Pilgrim Fellowship youth group will be at-tending; we invite any and every adult, youth, and child who is interested to join us. We’ll be carpooling from the church parking lot at 3:15 p.m. or you may join us at the Tem-ple by 4:00 p.m. In a world where people have become focused on differences and divi-sions, let’s share a vision of unity and com-munity.

Book Group

Wednesday, January 15th, 1:00 p.m.

Our book for January is The Light

Between Oceans, by M.L. Stedman.

This current best-selling novel is set in

Australia, where a lighthouse keeper and

his wife choose to keep a baby who has

washed up on the lighthouse shore.

When she is two, they return to the

mainland and discover the devastating

consequences of their choice, and must

find their own moral way in a situation

where justice for one person is another’s

tragic loss.

This book is widely available where

books are sold, as an e-book, or through

your local public library. Come join the

conversation about the novel and the

ethical quandary it raises!

Library

The church library makes an excellent place to spend a few minutes if you are wait-

ing for someone at an event or meeting. Look for inspiration in section 248, labeled

Personal Religion, exploring the Christian experience in life and practice.

"Libraries have always been my favorite places for quiet time, for study, for writ-

ing and reflection. I can't imagine a world without libraries: that would be a sad and

dreary world, one without creativity or imagination."

Laura Valeri, author

Mascot³s

Mascot3s, is a social group open to all members, friends and friends of friends of the

church. Please join us once a month for fun, food (always food) and fellowship.

Bowling, January 11th, 7:00 p.m. Dinner at the Basement Burger Bar in downtown

Farmington and bowling at Drakeshire Lanes beginning at 9:00 p.m.

February, March and April – Please contact Danny with suggestions. Some ideas

under consideration (or in need of a host)

* Beach party – turn up the heat and put on the shorts in February

* Roller Derby at Masonic Temple

* Feather Bowling at the Cadieux Café

* Winter sports theme party during the Stochi Olympics

Danny can coordinate and implement most ideas once we have a theme and a venue.

Cinco de Mayo, May 3rd, 7:00 p.m. Celebrate the unlikely Mexican defeat of the

French expeditionary force at the Battle of Puebla in 1862 (the last European invasion

of the Americas). The Hawkinses will be serving Mexican food and beverages.

June, date TBD, Detroit Princess Dinner Cruise – A three hour dinner cruise on the

Detroit river featuring Motown music.

Please sign up on the sheet outside Fellowship Hall. Contact Danny Hawkins,

[email protected], with any questions.

mailto:[email protected]

Thank You to our

Holiday Helpers!

Thanks to everyone who rang, who sang,

who decorated (and undecorated too), who

planned, who acted in the pageant, who read in a

worship service, who lit candles, who helped

children and teens with their parts, who worked

on the Advent Workshop, who served cookies

and Christmas Eve treats, who ushered and greet-

ed and otherwise served! Our Advent and Christ-

mas celebrations were made complete with your

wonderful work!

Women’s Bible Study Because of the generosity of the

members and friends of North

Church, the Women’s Bible Study

will be giving all donations to

Women’s Empowerment through

the Heifer Project! Thank you for

your donations!

Thank you ... also to the Pilgrim Fellowship

youth group, who sorted numerous

toys at Toys for Tots, and helped

deliver Christmas boxes of food

and gift donations for Goodfellows

again this year.

Women’s Association

Our annual second Christmas Confections

evening was a great success, and thanks to

everyone for the delicious desserts!

The musical entertainment provided by

Laurie Meeker, Jim Wilking and David

Bauer was the highlight of the evening. The

donations of packages of socks was over-

whelming! They were taken to The Lighthouse

in Pontiac. The Women's Association thanks

everyone for their generosity. Photos of the

evening are on the Women's Association

bulletin board across from the Library.

The Knitting Tree was filled with hats,

gloves, mittens and scarves. It was a beautiful

tree because of everyone's donations. Every-

thing on the tree will be donated to The Light-

house in Pontiac. Thank you for your

kindness in this winter season.

Carol Turner, President,

Women’s Association

Chaos The women of CHAOS would

like to thank all those who helped

with the Adopt-a-Family project.

All gifts were satisfied, and a

substantial gift card to Kroger

was provided, as well as a gift

card to a local restaurant. Thank

you for your generosity!

NOLA Mission Trip 2014

February 24 - 28, 2014 The Southeastern Michigan Congregational Churches’

seventh annual mission trip to New Orleans will find volun-

teers once again rebuilding houses with St. Bernard Project. Our five workdays are:

February 24-28, 2014. Our travel days are the weekends prior to and after the work

week. Some volunteers will drive in carpools, others will fly or drive on their own.

I am happy to announce that our website http://www.semaccmission.com has

been updated (thanks Justin Hornburg) and we are now accepting applications along

with a deposit of $35 which covers 1 night of room and board. Please check out the

links to learn more about Camp Restore and St Bernard Project as well. You can also

check out photos from previous years on a link. We have also picked our Informa-

tional Meeting Date. The date is Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. here at

North Church.

Our expenses for the trip will include our room and board ($35 per night---

which includes 3 meals a day) at Camp Restore. In addition, your costs would in-

clude: transportation---flying or car/gas expenses; meals and hotel while in transit;

and any meals, entertainment, and incidentals while there. This year we are going

just before Mardi Gras so we should be able to take in several parades. If you’ve al-

ways wanted to experience Mardi Gras season—this is a very cheap way of doing it!

You will find a link to the parade schedule and more Mardi Gras information on our

website.

If you’re interested, please sign up by our Flyer on the sign up table by Fel-

lowship Hall. Also, please come to our meeting on January 26 for final information.

We hope to have all applications in by then so we can make car and hotel room as-

signments.

If you have questions still, after going to the website, talk to the Jensens,

Mona Utterback, Mark Payne, John Bell, Mary Belden, Greg Fernandes, Lys

Kennedy, or a host of others who have gone over the years.

Lys Kennedy

http://www.semaccmission.com/

J

A

N

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LAY READERS

January 5 - Cobian Gleason

January 12 - Jeremy Maurer

January 19 - Carolyn Payne

January 26 - Emily Dye

COFFEE HOUR HOSTS

January 5 Wendy Powell, Lee Poese

January 12

Steve and Sara Lange

January 19

Mark Bowden, Sandy Greer

January 26

Steve Ekizian, Jeremy Ruckhaber

GREETERS

Would you like to be a

North Church greeter on Sunday

morning for the worship service?

If so, please call Audrey Poese

at 248/960-4881.

January 5

Steve and Susan Loree

January 12

Dick and Sue Weinert

January 19

Al and Marilyn Smith

January 26

John and Sue Bell

ACOLYTES

January 5 - Communion January 19 - Nicholas Hornburg

January 12 - Kendall Murray January 26 - Brian Ekizian

Congratulations to:

Brian and Sarah Gold, on the birth of their daughter,

Charlotte Marie; granddaughter of Susan and Stephen Loree.

Diaconate Benevolences

Minister’s Discretionary Fund,

National Association of Congregational Christian

Churches’ Shared Ministries Fund

January Calendar

(Current version of our calendar can be found on

our web site: northcongregationalchurch.org)

January 1, 2014 - Wednesday - New Year’s Day

9:00 a.m. Wednesday Morning North Church “Open” Bowling

Office Closed

January 2, 2014 - Thursday

Flick Chicks - Movie at UA Theater, Dinner at Applebee’s

January 3, 2014 - Friday

6:30 p.m. Choir Christmas Party - Hawkins’ home

January 4, 2014 - Saturday

10:00 a.m. Boxing Up Day

January 5, 2014 - Epiphany Sunday

10:30 a.m. Worship with Communion, Sunday School

Lay Reader: Cobian Gleason

January 7, 2014 - Tuesday

10:00 a.m. Women’s Bible Study

11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at Applebee’s

6:30 p.m. Tuesday Evening Bible Study

7:30 p.m. Chancel Choir Rehearsal

January 8, 2014 - Wednesday


6:00 p.m. CHAOS - Dinner/Meeting at North Church

7:30 p.m. Trustee Meeting - Middle School Room

7:30 p.m. Diaconate Meeting - Plymouth Room


10:00 a.m. Library Committee Meeting

January 10, 2014 - Friday

Consent Agenda Minutes/Reports due today


7:00 p.m. MASCOT³S - Dinner at Basement Burger Bar; and,

Bowling at Drakeshire Lanes at 9:00 p.m.

January 12, 2014 - Sunday

10:30 a.m. Worship, Children’s Message, Sunday School, High School Class

Lay Reader: Jeremy Maurer; Acolyte: Kendall Murray

4:00 p.m. Pilgrim Fellowship - Sledding



11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at Scrambler Marie’s





1:00 p.m. Book Group - Library

7:30 p.m. Executive Council Meeting - Middle School Room

January 17-19, 2014 -Thursday-Sunday Senior High School Retreat at Arbor Grove Congregational Church


10:30 a.m. Worship, Sunday School, High School Class

Lay Reader: Carolyn Payne; Acolyte: Nicholas Hornburg

11:45 a.m. BRE Meeting - Library

January 20, 2014 - Monday - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

9:30 a.m. Martin Luther King, Jr., Walk - Prince of Peace Lutheran

Church, 28000 N. Market Rd., Farmington Hills (west of

Dunckel Middle School)



11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at Olive Garden






10:30 a.m. Worship, Children’s Message, Sunday School, High School Class

Lay Reader: Emily Dye; Acolyte: Brian Ekizian

11:45 a.m. Annual Business Meeting / Lunch by Trustees

4:00 p.m. World Sabbath of Religious Reconciliation - Hartford Memorial Baptist

Church, 18700 James Couzens Freeway, Detroit, MI

(We’ll carpool from church at 3:15 p.m.)

2:00 p.m. NOLA (New Orleans Mission Trip) Meeting - Bradford Room



11:30 a.m. Tuesday Lunch Circle - Lunch at Breakfast Club





February Newsletter... Newsletter articles are needed by the 10th of each month; please

e-mail your articles to Debbie at [email protected].

Documents

MI ORTH E EWS - northcongregationalchurch.org...Permit No. 107 Address Service Requested 36520 (248) 848 North Congregational Church ORTH EWS January, 2014 Vol. 35 No. 1 W. Twelve