just as the wise men came to reveal jesus to the world as

As we begin the second score of the millennium, we again celebrate the epiphany of Jesus as the Son of God. Just as the wise men came to reveal Jesus to the world as Gods’ son, we too have this same obligation! As Christians (followers of the Christ), we are the wise men and women of our time! We have come to know the “light of the world” and now our mission is very clear. In Matthew 28: 19-20 Jesus instructs his disciples with this charge: “Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” NLT

God is “with us” always through the Holy Spirit, so we should have nothing to fear as we share the “Good News” of Gods’ salvation in Jesus with others! Our world today is in desperate need of more disciples willing to follow Jesus. The ultimate prize for us and other disciples is the gift of an unending life with God, an “eternal life.” If we do not share with others the gift of Jesus’ saving grace, who else will?

Let us pray that others’ lives may be touched by us, and that God may enter their lives and be a source of strength for them and future generations! May God continue to bless us in this new year as he has in the past!

Kevin Haines

250 W. Huron, Vassar, MI 48768 VassarFPC.org January 2020

http://vassarfpc.org

http://vassarfpc.org

NEWSLETTER INFORMATION DEADLINE

Jan.- 28

Financial Notes

If you are in need of Pastoral care, please contact the church office , and/

or Clerk of Session Dan Johnson.

Do you or someone you know need visitation?

In the hospital? Home bound? In a nursing facility? Please let the church office know so that a visit can be arranged. You are also encouraged

to call your care team Deacon.

Wishing you all the

Joy and Blessings

in 2020!

COMMUMION SERVERS 01/05 Assist Kevin Haines #1 Alex Campbell #2 JoLinda Manus #3 Lynn Franko #4 Dan Johnson

USHERS 5th- 12th- 19th- 26th-

WORSHIP LEADERS 5th- Kevin Haines 12th- Dianne Hackett 19th- Lori Hubbard 26th- Russ Hubbard

VIDEO/TECH 5th- Tanya Steele 12th- Linda Shoop 19th- Dianne Hackett 26th-

PULPIT SUPPLY 5th- Rev. Dr. Dan Saperstein 12th- Kirk Atkins 19th- JoLinda Manus 26th- Kim Wegrzyn Please call the church office with any updates to

the Birthday or Anniversary List!

989-823-7671

1 Jill O' Connor 1 Kristen Faith Walker 3 Don Mc Crumb 12 Steve Franko 21 Shirley Smith 24 Kristen Jacot 25 Don Wixson 25 Louanne Campbell 30 Missy Mansueto

8 Don & Joann McCrumb

WHAT’S GOING ON???

Please note: this calendar is always on the website at

vassarfpc.org/know/view-church-calendar/

and is subject to change.

January 2020Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

2910:00 AM Worship

30 31New Year’s EveNew Year's Eve - Office Closed8:30 AM WIC

1New Year's Day - Office ClosedNew Year’s Day

26:30 PM Discipleship & Growth Team7:00 PM Cancer Sup-port Group

3 4

5COMMUNION10:00 AM Worship

6Epiphany

7 87:00 PM Joint Choir Practice8:00 PM Handbell Choir

9 10 11

1210:00 AM Worship

13 14 1512:30 PM Book Study Group6:30 PM Mission & Outreach Team7:00 PM Joint Choir Practice8:00 PM Handbell Choir

167:00 PM Cancer Sup-port Group

17 18

1910:00 AM Worship

20Martin Luther King, Jr. DayMLK Jr. Day10:00 AM Book Club

218:30 AM WIC

227:00 PM Joint Choir Practice8:00 PM Handbell Choir

23 24 25Lunar New Year

2610:00 AM Worship

27 288:30 AM WIC


307:00 PM Session

31 1

2910:00 AM Worship




3 4


6Epiphany


9 10 11

1210:00 AM Worship



17 18

1910:00 AM Worship


218:30 AM WIC



2610:00 AM Worship

27 288:30 AM WIC


307:00 PM Session

31 1

2910:00 AM Worship




3 4


6Epiphany


9 10 11

1210:00 AM Worship



17 18

1910:00 AM Worship


218:30 AM WIC



2610:00 AM Worship

27 288:30 AM WIC


307:00 PM Session

31 1

2910:00 AM Worship




3 4


6Epiphany


9 10 11

1210:00 AM Worship



17 18

1910:00 AM Worship


218:30 AM WIC



2610:00 AM Worship

27 288:30 AM WIC


307:00 PM Session

31 1

Page 1/1

http://vassarfpc.org/know/view-church-calendar/

http://vassarfpc.org/know/view-church-calendar/

Vassar First Presbyterian Church Ministry Team Summaries

If you would like to be a part of any of these ministries, please contact the chairperson.Come find your place with us as we build God’s Kingdom together!Administration (Scott Wegrzyn)This team has two sub-teams: personnel and finance. It oversees these and other general administrative concerns of the church. It crafts a budget proposal each year for Session to approve, oversees staff, considers staffing structure, crafts job descriptions, and recommends building use policy. Buildings & Grounds (Alex Campbell)This team handles all things related to facility and property, such as routine maintenance, small repairs, facility or equipment upgrades, tech needs, or large projects as approved by Session. The church owns not only the church building and grounds, but also the upper parking lot and the pastor’s manse, as well as the equipment and appliances inside them.Communication and Publicity (Nicole Baker)This team’s focus is providing for and managing communications and publicity, with internally and externally, by prioritizing and appropriately timing these things and implying the most effective method for them. This is not only so that any given need gets the best exposure appropriate to it, but so that key events or initiatives don’t get “lost in the noise.” The team will work closely with the church secretary to execute communication and publicity, but will curate what, how, and when any communication publicity is done, and help establish processes and strategies for easy management of the same.Discipleship & Growth (open)This team’s stated mission is “Inviting you on a Journey with Jesus.” It oversees, enables, resources, and supports the person-inviting, disciple-making and disciple-growing aspects of the church’s ministry, from nursery to families to ecumenical Youth Group and VBS, to adult professionals, to retirees. It is concerned with education, but not merely as knowledge transfer, but heart changing: helping people of any age or stage meet Jesus, grow in faith, and become committed followers of Jesus. This team also oversees and resources any small groups that form, from study groups to affinity groups to service/mission groups. Mission & Outreach (Lynn Franko)This team concerns itself with supporting mission efforts that do not typically fall under our own congregation’s ministry. These may be local, regional, statewide, national, or global in nature. In many cases that support is financial, such as perhaps funding a missionary abroad. It may also sometimes be more personal, like forming a work trip to a devastated area of our nation.Worship & Music (Alex Campbell)The worship & music team concerns itself with providing for the worship and music aspects of our congregation, and considers not only present needs but future directions for forms of and tools for worship. There are practical matters like making sure ushers and greeters are covered, resourcing our choirs and accompanists, making sure candles are stocked, etc. It also, in collaboration with the pastor and music staff, considers weightier matters like the practice and philosophy of worship.

(Note: Nominating team is not listed because at-large members of this team are nominated by previous nominating team and elected at the congregational meeting. Dan Johnson is the chairperson this year)

CONTACT PERSONSAngie Ayotte, Church Office: (989) 823-7671

EldersDan Johnson (Clerk) (989) 823-2525 Lynn Franko………………….(989) 823-7590............

Nicole Baker (917) 776-9546 Scott Wegrzyn (989) 529-1147...................... ......................

Alex Campbell (989) 823-3848 Winona Williams (989) 823-7696.................... ...................

DeaconsKirk Atkins (989) 297-7731 Brenda Haines (989) 871-3293.......................... ......................

Louanne Campbell (989) 823-3624 Cheryl Sholty (989) 823-2438............ ........................

Carole Essenmacher (989) 823-7813 Carol Swaffer (989) 823-3756......... ........................

PRAYER CHAINSTelephone Chain: Louanne Campbell….(989) 823-3624

Email Chain: Angie Ayotte ([email protected])

Contact PersonsSession Ministry Teams: Administration (Finance & Personnel) Scott Wegrzyn (989) 529-1147 ..................... Buildings & Grounds Alex Campbell (989) 823-3848 ............................................... Discipleship & Growth [open, contact Session} ............................................. Communication & Publicity Nicole Baker (917) 776-9546 ..................................... Mission & Outreach Lynn Franko (989) 823-7590 ................................................. Nominating Dan Johnson (989) 823-2525 .............................................................. Worship & Music Alex Campbell (989) 823-3848 .....................................................

Deacons Carole Essenmacher (989) 823-7813 ....................................................................

Choir (Shared with First UMC) Pat Middlin (989) 545-0948..................................

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Session HighlightsSession met on Thursday, May 30th, 2019. Here are some of the highlights of the meeting. Pastor Doug

Abel was our Moderator.

• All Elders were present.

• Due to computer problems on Dan Johnson's behalf, there were no minutes to approve.

• Financial report shows we are operating on a -$ 5,967.87 for the year. December showed a loss of - $ 270.56

• 2019 apportionment is $28.77 per member. This is voluntary, but if we could each write a check for that amount (per member), it would really help.

• Next 5th Sunday is June 30th, 2019. Motion was made and supported that the Donations will go toward the Buildings and Grounds team for Landscaping.

• Communion was served on May 5th, 2019 by Pastor Doug Abel. Steve Franko assisted. Elders serving were Nicole Baker, Lynn Franko, Dan Johnson and Bob Strecker.

• Thumb Ministry Group (TMG) is trying to bring another Missionary to our area.

• We all must understand the financial situation of our church. We must support it (i.e. GIVE!) “I must care and take responsibility for our church!”

• More people need to step forward be be worship leaders, ushers, greeters, tech support, Sunday School volunteers and help in the nursery.

• Administration Team wants to plan a congregational meeting to approve the proposal for the new terms of call. Q & A June 9th and 16th, Meeting on June 23rd.

• Communication and Publicity is planning school supplies in July and August.

• Mission and Outreach team announced $ 568.75 was collected for One Great Hour of Sharing.

• Next Session meeting will be Thursday, June 27th, 2019. If you have concerns, please talk to a Session Member/Elder.

Respectfully submitted,

Dan Johnson, Clerk of Session

Session HighlightsSession met on Thursday, June 27th, 2019. Here are some of the highlights of the meeting. Pastor Doug Abel was our

Moderator.

• All Elders were present.

• Pastor Doug submitted his resignation at this meeting, effective August 4th, 2019.


• Lynn Franko was recommended as the Elder ti replace Diane Rice.

• Proposal to change the bylaws to show that a quorum will be 10% of our active membership at all Congregational Meetings. To be voted on at congregational meeting.

• Financial report shows we are operating on a -$ 7,091.23 for the year. May showed a loss of - $ 1,123.21

• 2019 apportionment is $28.77 per member. This is voluntary, but if we could each write a check for that amount (per member), it would really help. Dan will ask Mary who has paid their fee.

• Next 5th Sunday is June 30th, 2019. Donations will go toward the Buildings and Grounds team for Landscaping.

• Communion was served on, June 2nd, 2019 by Pastor Doug Abel. Steve Franko assisted. Elders serving were Shelley Abel, Alex Campbell, Dianne Hackett and Dan Johnson.

• Thumb Ministry Group (TMG) is trying to bring another Missionary to our area.


• More people need to step forward be be worship leaders, ushers, greeters, tech support, and help in the nursery.

• Session needs to pan a meeting with COM to begin the Dissolution process.

• Next Session meeting will be Thursday, July 24th, 2019. If you have concerns, please talk to a Session Member/Elder.

Respectfully submitted, Dan Johnson, Clerk of Session

Session HighlightsSession met on Thursday, July 25th, 2019. Here are some of the highlights of the meeting. Pastor Doug Abel was our

Moderator.

• Elder Alex Campbell was excused.

• Pastor Doug submitted his resignation at this meeting, effective August 4th, 2019.


• Shelley Abel submitted her letter of resignation from the Session.

• Motion was made and supported to move $10,000 from Money Market to the General Fund.

• Financial report shows we are operating on a -$ 9,173.17 for the year. June showed a loss of - $ 2,081.94

• 2019 apportionment is $28.77 per member. This is voluntary, but if we could each write a check for that amount (per member), it would really help. Dan will ask Mary who has paid their fee.

• Next 5th Sunday is September 29th, 2019.

• Memorial service for Debbie Reichert was done.

• Communion was served on July 7th, 2019 by Pastor Doug Abel. Kevin Haines assisted. Elders serving were Nicole Baker, Lynn Franko, Diane Hackett and Bob Strecker.

• Thumb Ministry Group (TMG) is bringing another Missionary to our area.


• September 1st communion is being moved to September 8th due to Labor Day.

• Next Session meeting will be Thursday, July 24th, 2019. If you have concerns, please talk to a Session Member/Elder.

• Respectfully submitted, Dan Johnson, Clerk of Session

First Presbyterian Church

P.O. Box 117

Vassar, MI 48768

just as the wise men came to reveal jesus to the world as

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