IN THIS ISSUE: 1 Pastor’s Message 2 Session Notes 3 Calendar Insert 4 Christian Education 5 Photo Gallery 6 Parish Nurse 7 Announcements FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH SCHOOLCRAFT, MICHIGAN 224 East Cass Street PO Box 635 Schoolcraft, MI 49087 (269) 679-4062 office@fpcos.org PA S T O R Rev. Dr. Bruce A. Brooks ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Tina Nap ORGANIST/ PIANIST Cherie Ericks CHOIR DIRECTOR Harriett Swartz CHRISTIAN EDUCATION Alyson Cameron PARISH NURSES Sherrie Anderson, Nikki Hulinek TREASURER Peg Crissman WEB DESIGNER Michelle Romstadt CUSTODIAN Marion Compton A PUBLICATION OF FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SCHOOLCRAFT, MI Vol. 20 Issue 12 DECEMBER 2016 www.schoolcraftfirst.wordpress.com The Prairie Pres PASTOR’S MESSAGE “Waiting For Christmas…It’s Here!” Shepherds on the hills outside Beth- lehem, the City of the Shepherd King, David, were for years and centuries expectantly waiting for his Messiah Successor. Lo, and Behold, he was here! Gazers at the stars from lands far away, were waiting for One whom the star patterns foretold would come as a New Ruler on the earth from a humble place. Lo, and Behold, he was here! This Advent and Christmas tide, I share with you a joy in gift-giving ex- pectation. I also share with you, quiet moments of seeing….hearing… smelling… and feeling That THE CHRISTMAS GIFT OF GOD, …. is already here! Blessed CHRISTmas Presence, to all of you With love and prayers Bruce Recently, one of our church family emailed me a smiling note how one day we were at 71 degrees and the very next day we were at 31 degrees. And unbelievably, this was well past the middle of November! Waiting for winter? It’s here. Again, recently, one of our church family was with his green John Deere tractor vacuuming up the leaves when the grass was still green and autumn- leaf-covered, and before he was com- pleted, the snow was coming down and the wind was dropping another light cover of …. more leaves. Waiting for winter? It’s here. We just had our Community Thanks- giving Worship service, and a warm gathering it was at our Schoolcraft As- sembly of God. And in the same week we gather in our sanctuary for the Hanging of the Greens for the First Sun- day of Advent. Advent means Ex- pectant-waiting-for-the-Coming-of- Christ. Christ is already here. Christmas is one of the most GOD- FILLED-MOMENTS of the year, and yet, … every moment of the year is al- ready GOD-FILLED.
A P U B L I C A T I O N O F F I R S T P R E S B Y T E R I A N C H U R C H , S C H O O L C R A F T , M I
Vol . 20 I ssue 12 DECEMBER 2016 www.schoolcraftfirst.wordpress.com
The Prairie Pres
PASTOR’S MESSAGE “Waiting For Christmas…It’s Here!”
Shepherds on the hills outside Beth-
lehem, the City of the Shepherd King,
David, were for years and centuries
expectantly waiting for his Messiah
Successor. Lo, and Behold, he was
here!
Gazers at the stars from lands far
away, were waiting for One whom the
star patterns foretold would come as a
New Ruler on the earth from a humble
place. Lo, and Behold, he was here!
This Advent and Christmas tide, I
share with you a joy in gift-giving ex-
pectation.
I also share with you, quiet moments
of seeing….hearing… smelling… and
feeling
That THE CHRISTMAS GIFT OF
GOD, …. is already here!
Blessed CHRISTmas Presence,
to all of you
With love and prayers
Bruce
Recently, one of our church family
emailed me a smiling note how one day
we were at 71 degrees and the very next
day we were at 31 degrees.
And unbelievably, this was well past
the middle of November!
Waiting for winter? It’s here.
Again, recently, one of our church
family was with his green John Deere
tractor vacuuming up the leaves when
the grass was still green and autumn-
leaf-covered, and before he was com-
pleted, the snow was coming down and
the wind was dropping another light
cover of …. more leaves.
Waiting for winter? It’s here.
We just had our Community Thanks-
giving Worship service, and a warm
gathering it was at our Schoolcraft As-
sembly of God. And in the same week
we gather in our sanctuary for the
Hanging of the Greens for the First Sun-
day of Advent. Advent means Ex-
pectant-waiting-for-the-Coming-of-
Christ. Christ is already here.
Christmas is one of the most GOD-
FILLED-MOMENTS of the year, and
yet, … every moment of the year is al-
ready GOD-FILLED.
NOV E MB ER S ES SI O N NO TE S
The November session meeting was
held on November 16, 2016 and
opened with prayer by Rev. Brooks at
7:05 PM. Elders present were: Sue
Brooks, John Bambacht, Kim Maxam
and Jackie Skinner. Excused were:
Barbara Barnett and Theo deBoer.
The clerk declared a quorum was
present. Motion to approve the docket
carried.
Next item on the agenda was “How
do we see God working in our congre-
gation?” Replies were:
1. Plans are coming together for the
Annual Christmas Walk
2. Our congregation is taking part in
the community Thanksgiving Dinner
at the Methodist Church.
3. Such a lovely service for Bob
Nass in the church after coffee hour.
Motion to approve the October ses-
sion minutes was approved.
Motion to approve the Congregation-
al meeting minutes was approved.
The Treasurer’s Report indicated
that we are over budget on our water
bill and the custodians salary. The
difference in the custodian amount is
due to not adding the approved in-
crease at the beginning of the year.
Otherwise we are doing well. The
Operating Fund figures look good.
Motion to receive the Treasurer’s Re-
port was approved.
The Cameroon Water Project
brought in a little over $1,500 from
our Congregation.
There was much discussion on ser-
vices from Frontier and Comcast. A
motion was made and passed to follow
up with Frontier to increase our inter-
net speed to 15 mb/seconds and at this
time use a 1 year contract to be evalu-
ated in one year.
Our budget chairman, Sue Brooks, is
working on the budget for 2017 and
when finished will email to all elders
for approval.
The Children’s Christmas Program
will take place on December 18th dur-
ing worship service. The Christmas
Joy Offering will also be collected on
December 18th. Kim Maxam volun-
teered to check on the status of North
Presbyterian Church.
The Worship Agenda is as follows:
-- Community Thanksgiving Wor-
ship, Nov. 20, 2016, 6:00 PM,
Schoolcraft Assembly of God
-- Hanging of the Greens, Saturday,
November 26th, 10:00 AM in the sanc-
tuary
-- Christmas Eve Candlelight ser-
vice on December 24th, 7:00 PM
-- Christmas Day worship service
on December 25th, 10:00 AM
The Deacons have been busy plan-
ning the November 20th Stewardship
Appreciation Meal in Westminster
Hall after worship service. The Elders
will also assist by providing help
where needed.
A realtor in the area at no cost to us,
provided an appraisal of Cedar House,
estimating its worth to be around
$68,000 to $72,000. The realtor also
offered his help with legal details if
needed at any time.
Thanks to the auditors, Carol Schuck
and Ron Gammill, the 2015 audit has
been completed. A motion that staff
time sheets be signed by both staff and
head of staff was approved.
Rev. Brooks extended an invitation
to Elders to attend the next Presbytery
meeting now that we are eligible to
send two commissioners. Sue Brooks
will attend with the second person yet
to be determined.
The meeting adjourned with prayer at
8:20 PM. The next meeting will be
December 21, 2016, at 7:00 PM at
The Co-op Preschool i s on Winter Break December 23rd - January 6th .
THURS DEC 1 Preschool / No School 6:00pm Preschool Board Meeting 6:00pm Cardio Drumming 7:00pm Choir Reheasal Chris Desmond, Sophia Musselman FRI DEC 2 Preschool / No School 11:00am Cedar Park Bible Study 6:00-9:00pm Christmas Walk / DeVries Law Offices Joe Erdos
SAT DEC 3 9:00am-3:00pm Christmas Walk / Westminster Hall (11:00am-2:00pm Lunch Serving) Brooke Crissman
SUN DEC 4 Liturgist: Jackie Skinner Usher/Greeter: Skip and Jackie Fox Coffee Hour: John and Barbara Barnett Counters: Barbara Barnett, Sue Brooks Communion Team C: Theo DeBoer (P), John Bambacht, Nancy Rafferty, John Barnett
Par ish Nurses B lood Pres sure Screen ing
Zachary Bosma
MON DEC 5 8:00am Men’s Breafast 7:00pm Boy Scouts
TUES DEC 6 9:30-2:00pm Presbytery / Grand Rapids Westminster
3-5 Girl Scouts 6:00pm Cardio Drumming
WEDNES DEC 7 3-5pm Girl Scouts Troop 80826 Harriet Burch
THURS DEC 8 6:30pm Cardio Drumming 7:00pm Choir Rehearsal
FRI DEC 9 Larry Radke
SAT DEC 10 9-12pm Annual FPC Cookie Walk Kalamazoo County State Bank
SUN DEC 11
Liturgist: Ron Gammill Usher/Greeter: Brian and Teresa Maxam Coffee Hour: Toni and James Rafferty Counters: Theo DeBoer, Jackie Skinner Deacon’s Meeting Sue Chapman, Brian Crissman
MON DEC 12 8:00am Men’s Breakfast 7:00pm Boy Scouts
WEDNES DEC 14
(Po insett ia Orders Due) 3-5pm Girl Scouts 80826 7:00pm Session Meeting Adam Hulinek
SUN DEC 18 SUNDAY SCHOOL CHRISTMAS PROGRAM
Liturgist: Roger Ericks Usher/Greeter: Linda Bosma, Mike McNally Coffee Hour: Jim and Rita Parker Counters: John Bambacht, Kim Maxam Guest organist: Miriam Duggins
MON DEC 19 8:00am Men’s Breakfast 7:00pm Boy Scouts
TUES DEC 20 3-5pm Girl Scouts
WEDNES DEC 21 3-5pm Girl Scouts 80826 Mina DeBoer
SUN DEC 25 CHRISTMAS DAY
Liturgist: Teresa Maxam Usher/Greeter: Lorraine and Zachary Barton Coffee Hour: N/A Counters: Sue Brooks, Theo DeBoer
MON DEC 26 8:00am Men’s Breakfast
THURS DEC 29 Harriett Swartz, Linda Bosma
FRI DEC 30 Emma Peterson
SUNDAYS THE REST OF THE WEEK
Celebrating a birthday!
P R A I R I E P R E S C A L E N D A R I N S E R T
DECEMBER 2016
THURS DEC 15 6:30pm Cardio Drumming 7:00pm Choir Rehearsal Dick Rafferty, Tim Hulinek
FRI DEC 16 Henry Hess Cameron
SAT DEC 17 Todd Knudsen Wyatt Bosma
THURS DEC 22 7:00pm Choir Rehearsal Carol Schuck
SAT DEC 24 7:00pm Candle Light Christmas Eve Worship
Quest ions about our chi ldr en’s Sunday School? Ideas? Want to get involved? Emai l [email protected]
CHILDREN’S SUNDAY SCHOOL
(grades PreK-4th)
Dec 4 Advent The Magi:
Matthew 2:1-12
Toni Rafferty Dec 11 Advent Jesus is Born: Luke 2:1-20 Kim Maxam Dec 18 Advent/Christmas Program & Scripture Memory Presentation Dec 25 Christmas Day
YOU T H
ADUL TS
YOUTH SUNDAY SCHOOL
Leader:
Jill Strake
(grades 5th-12th)
Dec 4 Communion Sunday
Our goal for Sunday School is the nurture and instruction of the children of this congrega-tion, shaping them by the patterns of the gospel and providing them with a foundation of
Biblical knowledge that will guide them to their own personal professions of faith in God’s time.
CED AR PARK B IBL E
ST UDY
Leader:
Barbara Barnett
1st and 3rd Friday of each month at
11:00 a.m. in the Cedar Park commu-
nity room at 474 N. Cedar Street in
Schoolcraft.
Materials provided. We continue to
study what the bible has to say about
forgiveness, including the stories of
Esau, Joseph, David, the woman at the
well, the Prodigal Son, the tax collec-
tor, Jesus at the cross, Stephen. The
Bible study is open - folks in our con-
gregation are welcome to attend!
“I am with you
and will watch over
you wherever you go.”
GENESIS 28:15
If you haven't received your flu vaccine this year, it is not too late!
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect
the nose, throat, and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead
to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccine each year.
The flu vaccine is the best tool available to protect against this potentially serious
disease.
Flu vaccination can reduce flu illnesses, doctors' visits, missed work due to flu, as
well as prevent flu-related hospitalizations.
Despite the unpredictable nature of the flu, you should know:
You need the 2016 flu vaccine for optimal protection against the flu this season.
Yearly vaccination is needed because:
Flu viruses are always changing, and the vaccine is updated each year to better
match circulating influenza viruses, and
Immune protection from vaccination declines over time so vaccination is recom-
mended every season for the best protection against the flu.
It takes about two weeks after vaccination for the immune system to build the anti-
bodies your body needs in order to provide protection against the flu.
In the United States, flu activity is usually highest between December and Febru-
ary and can last as late as May. As long as flu viruses are circulating, it’s not too late
to get vaccinated.
With flu activity starting to increase and family and friends gathering for the holi-
days, now is a great time to get a flu vaccine to protect yourself and your loved
ones.
Another goal of NIVW is to communicate the importance of flu vaccination for
people who are at high risk for developing flu-related complications.
People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children, pregnant
women, people with certain chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart
disease or lung disease, and people aged 65 years and older.
For people at high risk, getting the flu can mean developing serious flu-related
complications, like pneumonia, or a worsening of existing health conditions, which
can lead to hospitalization or death. (Www.cdc.gov/flu)
DECEMBER 4-10 IS NATIONAL INFLUENZA VACCINATION WEEK
NEWS FOR YOU
FROM Par ish Nurse Sherr ie Anderson
DECEMBER IS SAFE TOYS AND GIFTS MONTH Prevent Blindness Offers Tips on How to Purchase Safe Toys and Gifts for Kids
In the United States, emergency rooms treated 251,800 toy-related injuries, according to the report issued last year from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). And, 44 percent of the injuries were to the head and face area, the area of the body with the most injuries. An estimated 84,400 of all toy-related injuries, or 34 percent, happened to children younger than 5 years of age.
In addition, a new study published in JAMA Ophthalmology, “Epidemiology of Sports-Related Eye Injuries in the Unit-ed States,” found that basketball, base-ball, and air guns were the most common causes of injury, accounting for almost half of all primary sports-related eye injuries.
“When giving the gift of sports equip-ment, Prevent Blindness strongly urges also providing sports eye protection,” said Hugh R. Parry, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “An eyecare profes-sional can provide guidance for the best protection for each sport and athlete.”
Prevent Blindness has declared Decem-ber as Safe Toys and Gifts Awareness month and offers additional tips includ-ing:
Avoid toys that shoot or include parts that fly off.
Ask yourself or the parent if the toy is right for the child's ability and age. Con-sider whether other smaller children may be in the home that may have access to the toy.
Avoid purchasing toys with sharp or rigid points, spikes, rods, or dangerous edges.
Buy toys that will withstand impact and not break into dangerous shards.
Look for the letters "ASTM." This designa-tion means the product meets the nation-al safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Don’t give toys with small parts to young children. Young kids tend to put things in their mouths, increasing the risk of chok-ing. If any part of a toy can fit in a toi-let paper roll, the toy is not appropriate for children under the age of 3.
Do not purchase toys with long strings or cords, especially for infants and very young children as these can become wrapped around a child’s neck.
(Toy Safety continued…)
Always dispose of uninflated or broken balloons immediately.
Magnets, like those found in magnetic building sets and other toys, can be extremely harmful if swallowed. Seek immediate medical attention if you suspect a child may have swallowed a magnet.
KidsHealth.orgrecommends that bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and inline skates should never be used without helmets that meet current safety standards and other recommend-ed safety gear, like hand, wrist and shin guards.
Read all warnings and instructions on the box.
Always supervise children and demonstrate to them how to use their toys safely.
For more information on safe toys and gifts for children, please vis-it preventblindness.org/safe-toy-checklist.
PHOTO GALLERY INVITATION
We invite all from our congregation to
submit photos from our church functions
and ministries to appear in our monthly
Prairie Pres newsletters.
Photos may be submitted to Tina or
Pastor Bruce. Please remember that
photos of children will appear in the
Photo Gallery only if the parents have
submitted a Picture Release form.
All photos will only be sent out in the
Prairie Pres to our members and
friends. We will be posting the Prairie
Pres on our Website at
(www.schoolcraftfirst.wordpress.com)
without the Photo Gallery.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SUBMISS ION DEADLINE FOR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER IS THIRD WEDNESDAY
PARISH NURSES’ BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING
SUNDAY DECEMBER 4
COOKIE WALK
The annual First Presbyterian Church Cookie Walk will be held at the back of the Kalamazoo County State Bank on Saturday, December 10, 2016, for 9:00-12:00 (or when we run out of cookies.) Please let your relatives and friends know about this great opportunity to buy an assortment of homemade cookies.
We need cookies, lots of cookies, so please bake and freeze. Westmin-ster Hall will be open on Friday the 9th from 6-8 p.m. to receive your delicious cookies (or you can drop them off in the kitchen during the day.) On Friday evening we will ar-range the cookies on baking pans to be ready to begin selling as soon as the bank opens. Thank you in ad-vance for your support of this del i -c ious fundraiser.
CHRISTMAS WALK
The Christmas Walk is Friday, Decem-ber 2nd, from 6-9 p.m. at DeVries Law Office and Saturday, December 3rd, from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at West-minster Hall. A delicious lunch will be served from 11-2 on Saturday. Eve-ryone’s participation is needed to have a successful year. Whether you can provide items for the clothing boutique or white elephant sale, do-nate a raffle prize, bake something yummy, have a craft item you’ve made, or can volunteer as a worker, anything you can do is appreciated!
HISTORICAL HOMES FOR THE
HOLIDAYS
Join us on December 10th from 4-8 pm for a trip into Schoolcraft’s past. Owners of Schoolcraft’s Historic Homes and the Schoolcraft Ladies Library will open their doors for tick-eted guests aged 16 and up to tour the properties. Tickets are $25 per person and limited to 200. Reserve your tickets at the Schoolcraft Com-munity Library or on-line at www.folschoolcraft.org
Sponsored by the Friends of the Schoolcraft Library
