The Soo Chimes

Hopefully our Christmas season was

filled with good food, friends, family and

lots of presents from Santa. Along with those

blessings, hopefully our spirits were touched

by the love of One who was born into the

world to save us. As the new year starts our

thoughts turn from the baby Jesus born into a

manger and the adult Jesus who came to

teach us how to live. Celebrating the one is

very easy, warm and makes us feel good.

Celebrating the other can at times be hard.

John chapter 6 gives us a perfect

example of how the adult teaching Jesus is

much harder to celebrate than the baby Jesus.

John 6:54-59; 66: “54 Whoever eats my

flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life,

and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For

my flesh is real food and my blood is real

drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks

my blood remains in me, and I in them. 57

Just as the living Father sent me and I live

because of the Father, so the one who feeds

on me will live because of me. 58 This is the

bread that came down from heaven. Your

ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever

feeds on this bread will live forever.” 59 He

said this while teaching in the synagogue in

Capernaum 66 From this time many of his

disciples turned back and no longer followed

him.”

Suddenly Jesus is not quite so

cuddly when he is asking his followers to eat

his flesh and drink his blood. Of course his

followers were horrified at this request and

as Scripture tells us, most of his followers

left him. The 12 who remained were

suddenly alone with Jesus suddenly as the

crowd was gone. We know today Jesus was

not literally asking them to eat his flesh and

drink his blood. The point is, the people did

not stick around long enough to understand

what Jesus was really asking of them. The

adult Jesus asks difficult things of us; loving

our enemies, praying for those who persecute

us and giving up our lives for him; to name

just to a few.

With the baby Jesus we are in

control. We decide how, when and where we

will choose to celebrate him. The adult Jesus

is far more pesky, demanding not just

everything we have now but our very souls.

In a very real way, as we move from

December to January, our faith transforms

from a juvenile understanding of venerating

a baby in a manger to trying to understand an

adult Jesus who asks difficult things and,

indeed, often leaves us wondering why.

No wonder so few of his followers stuck

around once their juvenile understanding of (Continued on page 6)

The Soo Chimes

First United Presbyterian Church

Prayer Requests 2

Anniversaries 4

Birthdays 4

Bible Study 7

Kid’s Page 8

Calendar 9

Regular Features:

Inside this Issue:

Coat Drive

Mitten Tree

Endowment Fund

Removing the “Greens”

Annual Meeting

Trustee Note

Christmas Eve Service

"Time Passing”

by Don Myers

Circle 3

Volume 51 Issue 1

Newsletters are

sent by email

unless you have

made other

arrangements.

January 2020

The Purpose of the First United Presbyterian Church is to:

Invite people to know and glorify God

Grow together as followers of Christ

Serve others through the power of the Holy Spirit

The Soo Chimes Page 2

Family of Lorne Eagle, William Boyne, Leslie Henderson,

Shelby Myers, Della Porter, Jennifer Veum,

John Jobes, Grace Gravelle, Jon Burgess, Gina Gough,

Alex McCready, Andrea Klier, Tom Woodgate,

Jim Schmidt, Donna LaPLaunt, Joyce Cross, William Kellan, Sandy Shaw,

Lillian Donelson, Geraldine Carnahan, Patricia Farnhill, Aaron Corbiere,

Carol Carpenter, Tara Jean Brody, Wendy (Menard) James,

Margaret Vonderwerth & her family, and all members of missionaries and

the U.S. Armed Forces.

Please keep us up to date on your prayer requests.

Sunday,

January 19th

2:00 pm

The next Deacon’s

Meeting will be held on

January 12th

Deacons

If you, or someone you

know, are in the hospital

and would like a visit

from the Deacon’s,

please contact the

church office or the

Deacons

McKinley Manor 2023 West 4th Avenue

Jane Kellan

Vera Steffens

Peg Zenda

Freighter View Assisted Living 605 West Portage Avenue

Audrey Bush

Elva Hutzler

Medi-Lodge– Sault Ste Marie

1011 Meridian Jim Schmidt

In Town

Mary Jane Bernier

Bev Ward

Out of Town Della Porter

Cross Roads Village

6600 Constitution Blvd Room 605

Portage, MI 49024

Pat

Russell

Food Pantry Shopping: Doris Boogerd

Bagging: Doris Boogerd, Pat Russell,

& Carolyn Trumble

Food Distribution:

1/14 - Cathy Akre & Mary Frances Morden

1/28 - Jeanne Shibley & Wanda Eby

Mary Frances Morden

Session

01/05/20

Lorne Eagle

11/24/19

Volume 51, Issue 1 Page 3

Cathy Akre

&

Jeanne Shibley

Our Sunday

Worship Service

starts at 10:00 a.m.

We hope to see you

on Sundays!

DEACONS’ WINTER

CLOTHING DRIVE

The Deacons will be

collecting winter clothing

throughout the months of

December and January to

distribute to those in need.

If you have new or gently-used winter

coats, hats, gloves/mittens, boots, or

sweaters that you are willing to donate,

please bring them to the church office.

Clothing collected will be offered to those

attending Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry.

Unfortunately,

the Christmas

s e a s o n i s

drawing to a

close and that

means the s anc tua ry

decorations will need to come

down soon and we will be

removing them after the

January 5th service. If you

can help with this, please plan

to stay after service. Thanks.

DEACONS SPONSOR MITTEN TREE

The Deacons again sponsored the Mitten Tree and collected a number of items . These colorful hats, mittens, and gloves will be dis-

tributed to local school children to help keep them warm during our chilly winter weather.

Thanks to all who purchased or took the time to knit these donations.

Your help is greatly appreciated!

The Endowment Fund Committee would like to thank the congregation for participating in our annual turkey dinner on Sunday, December 15th. The $303 that was raised will go to

support Boy Scout Troop #105, which meets at our church, as they travel to Philmont Scout

Ranch in New Mexico.

The Endowment Fund exists to provide funding for church expenses and projects that are not typically in the church’s annual budget. The Endowment Fund has contributed over

$400,000 to the FUPC since its inception.

Please visit the church office if you would like more information about the FUPC Endowment Fund or would like to make a

contribution.

Closing at Noon

Tuesday, December 31st

Closed New Year’s Day

January 1st.

Page 4 The Soo Chimes

Samantha Reid-Goldberg 01/01

Connie Wanzer 01/02

Lee Myers 01/03

Paul Sabourin 01/03

Julie Walsh 01/03

James Larke 01/04

Aubrey Agar 01/05

Ronald Kerzner 01/14

Danna Sanderson 01/14

Carla Nicholls 01/16

Cheryl Thoresen 01/17

Carol Brawley 01/20

Jacklyn Johnson 01/21

Benjamin Reattoir 01/21

Treyce Sanderson 01/25

Mary Lee Schmidt 01/27

Scott Aldrich 01/30

Deacons

January 19th

Thomas and Cheryl Thoresen 01/07

Charles and Audrey Zane 01/13

No Choir Practice

Wednesday, December 25th

or

Wednesday, Janauary 1st

January

17th!!!

Our Winter Textile Social Group starts on

January 16, 2020 from 10 am - 2:00 pm

in the Social Hall.

Bring a sack lunch, a pair of scissors (to work

on our annual Mission Project), or bring your

own project to do. Textilers meet

every 1st, 3rd, & 4th ( & 5th) Thursday of each

month, wrapping up in the Spring

From the Textile Social

Group

Each and every New Year’s we make all kinds of promises. The easy ones deal with weight control, or relinquish smoking or drinking hab-its. These promises are often failures in the short

term but eventually they fall into line.

We all have glimpses of our past and think about the war years we went through. We were busy smashing tin cans and collecting newspapers. Once a week they would be collected.

Songs of the day were “This is the Army Mr. Jones” no private rooms or telephones still ring in my ears. Kate Smith singing, “God Bless America”, Fibber McGee and Molly,” and Inner Sanctum,” were radio favorites along with the “Lone Ranger”, “Lets Pre-

tend”, “Hop Harrigan”, and “Edgar Bergan and Charlie McCarthy.”

Gasoline sold for .28 cents a gallon as gas wars were not uncommon., Often you could purchase gas for as low as .18 to .19 cents per gallon., A movie for a youngster was .25 cents and that in-cluded popcorn and a coke.

Life is passing by so rapidly we want to be a part of the seasons of our life living every day to the fullest as each day is a gift that God has given to each of us.

“Happy New Year.”

Don Myers

(posthumously)


ANNUAL COMMITTEE

REPORTS’

It’s Annual Report time again.

Your reports are important.

Deadline for submission of your FUPC

Annual Reports is January 6, 2020. Submit

to the church office or email

([email protected]) your reports to

the attention of Audrey Zane.

Reminder – FUPC Annual Congregational

Meeting will be February 2, 2020

When you are considering

your giving for next year, consider E-giving.

E-giving is an easy way to have your pledge

amount automatically deducted from your bank

account on the day of your choice. You can

choose weekly or monthly deductions. You will

receive your quarterly statement of giving just

as you do presently.

Please join us for our

Christmas Eve service

on Tuesday, December 24th

at 7:00 pm

This will be our candlelight

communion service.

All are welcome to join us!

Communion

Candlelight Service

mailto:[email protected]


Thursday

January 9th

P.W. MEETING &

COFFEE HOUR

Tuesday, January 21st

at 9:30 AM

Please join us for fellowship,

short meeting & treats.

All Ladies Welcome!

Circle 3 Meeting

Circle 3 Meeting

Christmas Party

The Circle 3 ladies enjoyed a delicious meal and fellowship at Applebee’s for their Annual Christmas Party.

Left: Sandy, Mary, Diane Margaret and Dee

Top Right: Ruth, Marilyn, Carol, Ardith, Sharon, Dee and Jan Lower Right: Donna, Cris, Mary Frances and Jennie

Jesus gave way to being confronted by who he really is. As we move into the new year, let us resolve to put away

childish things and wrestle with an adult faith which is necessary if we truly want to follow the Prince of Peace.

Peace in Christ,

Mark


Ginger Stratton

and

Wanda Eby

The study group meets

every Friday morning

at 9:00 am.

All men are welcome

to attend

The study group meets

every Wednesday

morning at 9:30 am.

All women are welcome

to attend

Carolyn

Trumble

1 Luke 5:27-39 Genesis 1-2 Psalm 1




5 Luke 7:18-50 Genesis 11 Psalm 5















20 Luke 15 Genesis 27:1-45 Psalm 20

21 Luke 16 Genesis 27:46-28:22 Psalm 21

22 Luke 17 Genesis 29:1-30 Psalm 22

23 Luke 18:1-17 Genesis 29:31-30:43 Psalm 23






29 Luke 21 Genesis 38 Psalm 29





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First United Presbyterian

Church

Deadline for February issue:

January 17th

Sunday Worship Schedule

Worship Service 10:00 a.m.

Sunday School (all grades) 10:00 a.m.

Church Staff

Rev. Mark Gabbard, Minister

Brenda Ransom, CRE

Kay Boyne, Music Director

Denise Goldade, Financial/Administrative Assistant

Jeremy Witte, Sexton

906-632-7771

Fax: 906-632-4666

[email protected]

soopresbyterian.org

Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Monday through Friday

555 Bingham Avenue

Sault Ste. Marie, MI 49783

Sunday, February 2, 2020 (after service)

Find out what’s happened during the past year

and what we expect in the coming year.

Annual Reports will be available for pick up and review

beginning on Sunday, January 26.

Committee reports are due in the church office by January 6th, for in-

clusion in the Annual Report.

Documents

The Soo Chimes