Elder Don Wixson, Commissioned Ruling Elder of Vassar-First, who is being treated for cancer.

Lucy Der-Garabedian serving in Lebanon.

Cathy Chang and family serving in the Philippines.

Michael and Rachel Ludwig serving in Niger.

The Rev. Dr. Dan Saperstein (10/2) - Executive Presbyter

The Rev. Dr. Ewen Holmes (10/10) - Interim Pastor of Bay City-Westminster

The Rev. Dr. Wally Mayton (10/25) - 45 Years - Associate Pastor of Midland-Memorial

The Rev. Christina Jensen (10/28) - Pastor of Ithaca-First

Elder Chris Wolf (11/4) - Commissioned Ruling Elder of Marlette-First and Marlette-Second

The Rev. Dr. Leigh Holder (11/25) - 25 Years - Pastor of Croswell-First

The Rev. Tom Cundiff (11/27) - Honorably Retired

The 2020 Virtual Presbyterian Women Fall Event will be a panel discussion with the panelists sharing their story on the topic of “Justice for All.”  We are excited to welcome Dr. Elona Street-Stewart, Co-Moderator of the 224^th General Assembly; Dr. Rhashell Hunter, Director of Racial Equity & Women’s Intercultural Ministries for the Presbyterian Mission Agency; and Dr. Daniel M. Saperstein, Executive Presbyter for the Presbytery of Lake Huron. 

Click here to register.

This is my last column before Election Day; the next time I write we might have decided as a nation who will be our president for the next four years – but it is also quite likely that we might not know for days or weeks later. This has been one of the most polarized elections in my lifetime. Elections not only divide nations they can divide congregations too. In virtually every congregation you will find avid supporters on both the political right and the left. Political wounds in the body politic can also afflict the Body of Christ.

Presbyterians are familiar with political divides. In our long history we have often been divided over political issues. The earliest denominational split occurred in the 1720s over whether ministers may be appointed by the civil magistrate (i.e., the king or his deputies). Later splits occurred over important issues like the abolition of slavery, civil rights, and, most recently, gay marriage. I still hear members upset over a General Assembly action to receive donations for a legal defense fund for Angela Davis fifty years ago.

But Presbyterians also understand that our unity is not in our political beliefs, but in Christ, who alone is head of the church. The very first “Historic Principle of Church Order,” written as a preface for our first Book of Order in 1788 and included ever since, famously states, “God alone is Lord of the conscience, and hath left it free from [human] doctrines and commandments… which are in anything contrary to his Word, or beside it, in matters of faith or worship” (F-3.0101). Another founding principle states, “we… believe that there are truths and forms with respect to which [people] of good characters and principles may differ. And in all these we think it the duty both of private Christians and societies to exercise mutual forbearance toward each other” (F-3.0105).

In 2020, however, our tolerance for disagreement is low. We are already stressed and anxious over the COVID-19 epidemic, racial injustices, public protests, and depictions of urban violence, made more intense by cable news and social media. Even benign statements of biblical social values by pastors and congregational leaders can trigger rapid and disproportionate reactions. And the leaders themselves are stressed to the breaking point trying to adapt to ministry in a time of pandemic. If this is how we are feeling now, how will we feel when Election Day divides us into “winners” and “losers”?

Let me propose that congregations consider incorporating themes of mutual forbearance and reconciliation into our worship on November 1 and 8. The General Assembly has shared liturgical and educational resources for Election Day on its website. There is also a complete liturgy for a Service of Reconciliation. Preachers on November 1 may want to incorporate Jesus’ Beatitudes from the lections for All Saints Day as a summons to humble discipleship; on November 8, the Old Testament lesson from Joshua 24 in which Joshua summons the tribes of Judah from their separate ways to unite in service to God alone offers a call to unity among God’s people.

Among the resources in the new Book of Common Worship are these prayers for the nation and the church, which I invite you to make your own:

Dan Saperstein, Executive Presbyter

The Synod of the Covenant is doing a series of videos highlighting each presbytery within our Synod.

Please click here to view them including the one for the Presbytery of Lake Huron featuring our Executive Presbyter, the Rev. Dr. Dan Saperstein and our Moderator, the Rev. Philomena Ofori-Nipaah.

Great article on the Presbyterian Mission Agency (PMA) website about Special Offerings that features our own Birch Run-Taymouth, their Pastor, the Rev. Scott Kroener and Elder Kathy Maurer. Kathy currently serves on PMA.

"If we all give a little — a cup of coffee a couple of times a week — together we can make an impact. That is what it means to be the connectional church." - Kathy Maurer, elder at Taymouth Presbyterian Church in Birch Run, Michigan, and Presbyterian Mission Agency Board

Acknowledging the collective impact small gifts can make, small church designates October to support One Great Hour of Sharing. If there can be Christmas in July, why not Easter in October? Or Palm Sunday, for that matter?

Reconfiguring the traditional and liturgical calendar was precisely what the First Presbyterian Church of Taymouth in Birch Run, Michigan, did after Bonnie Pratt, who chairs the church’s Mission Committee, originally approached the session back in February 2020. Pratt’s proposal that the congregation receive One Great Hour of Sharing during Lent ended up being sidelined. That is, until now. Continue reading.

Rosemary Mitchell created a video on Shared Mission Support that she used for Stewardship Kaleidoscope a few weeks ago. Since stewardship season is upon us, you may want to share this with your members.

Click here for the link.

Records Review time is coming up and like everything else this year, it will be different. For all of you who are able, I am asking that you submit your minutes in electronic form by emailing them to me at tmcculloch@presbylh.org. These would be your minutes from the last time they were reviewed through August, 2020. 

For this year, you do not need to fill out the minutes checklist, I will review each set of minutes with the checklist, make any appropriate notes or exceptions and mail that sheet back to you with your “sticker.” Please note that I will not be checking the “financial review” question this year. COVID shutdowns made it difficult for many churches to complete this item.

We will not review the Church Registers this year. We will wait for a time when we can do that again.

If you are not able to send your minutes electronically, you can mail a physical copy of the relevant minutes to me at the Presbytery office and I will review them and return the comment sheet back to you. Please send a copy ONLY and not the original as the copy will not be returned.

Email: tmcculloch@presbylh.org

The 2021 Per Capita Apportionment approved at the September stated meeting is as follows.

General Assembly $8.98

Synod of the Covenant $3.25

Presbytery $16.53

(This is a decrease of $0.24 per member for 2021)

This may also be found on the Documents and Forms page of of website under Financial Information

The Mission Committee of Davison-St. Andrews recently distributed “Thanksgiving - Local Mission” envelopes as members and visitors arrived at church. In past years they would take “food/supplies slips” from a Mission Poster for the food items or monies to be donated. Since agencies prefer monetary donations during these COVID-19 days, they are adjusting their donation process to meet their needs.

They provided envelopes and these directions: 

Based on agencies’ needs, the Mission Committee will authorize donations to be sent to one or more of the following: Family Promise, Flint Eastside Shelter, Food Bank of Eastern Michigan, Outreach East, and/or to other local mission needs that arise. 

What are some ways your congregation is doing mission differently? Send your stories to Staci Percy at spercy@presbylh.org.

Trinity United Presbyterian Church, Flint is hiring for a Church Secretary/Financial Secretary position. We are looking to interview in the next 2 weeks. Part-time, 20 hr/wk, M-F, $15/hr. Strong written and verbal communication skills and knowledge of Microsoft Office software needed. Proficiency with social media posting desirable. Willing to train on the financial aspects. Interested candidates, please contact Pastor Lindsey Carnes 810-445-6780 pastorLcarnes@gmail.com.

Click here for the job description.

Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Grand Blanc is searching for a part-time (10-15 hours/week) to lead youth programming for Middle School and High School age youth. Principle responsibilities include providing leadership and teaching for Middle School and High School youth, working with the pastors, Youth and Christian Education Teams, and coordinating fund-raising activities that support special youth activities and trips. For a full position description, qualifications and compensation information, go to: www.holyspiritlc.net and click on the position posting.

Equipping the Church to Welcome All Gender

Identity/Fluidity/Pronouns, featuring the Rev. Shanea D. Leonard and the Rev. Jess Cook.

Great Lakes Association of Presbyterian Church Educators

Presents an Online Event

Session One - Wednesday, October 14th at 7:00 p.m.

Session Two - Thursday, October 15th at 10:00 a.m.

Times are Eastern Standard Time.

Zoom events will be recorded and available for viewing after the live session has ended.

This is a meaningful opportunity for all church ministries.

Christian Educators, Pastors, Christian Education Ministries and Member Care Ministries

Click here for more details and to register.

Presbyterian Older Adult Ministries (POAMN) mission is educating and equipping leadership and aging congregations to promote and engage in activity, wellness, care, and social involvement. Our purpose is to educate, advocate, develop and share resources, and train leaders by raising awareness around issues facing those who serve older adults, and are older adults, all in a covenant relationship with the Mission Agency Board of the PC (USA).

POAMN is pleased to announce that registration is open for our first National Zoom Conference, Shaping Faith in Crisis: Peace by Piece on October 27-28, 2020.

Click here for more information and to register.

A suggested donation of $25 includes both days. POAMN is a 501(c)(3) organization. Funds collected will be given as a donation to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance (PDA).

The last session of Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders for this year will be November 16-20, 2020. This outstanding 5-day event helps participants deal more effectively with interpersonal, congregational, and other forms of group conflict. The tentative dates for next year are March 1-5, May 3-7, June 21-25, August 2-6, October 4-8, and November 15-19, 2021. No decision has yet been made with regard to returning to an in-person format, so attendees will need access to a device with both a camera and a microphone. Questions? Contact the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center at Admin@LMPeaceCenter.org or 630-627-0507.  To receive a $200 tuition discount for the November 2020 session, register no later than October 16.

To register online for any of our events scheduled for this year, please visit: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/producer/720852.

We have set up a page with numerous resources to help you navigate through this challenging time.

Among other things, our COVID-19 page includes information regarding:

If there are other items/resources that you would to see added please contact Staci Percy at spercy@presbylh.org.