Your Church October 2018 Volume 36 Issue 9

Contact

Information:

108 Washington St.

Monroe, MI 48161

Phone: 734.242.1545

Fax: 734-243-6120

www.monroefirst.org

Office Hours:

Monday-Thursday

9:00am - 3:00pm

Friday

9:00am - 1:00pm

Dear Friends, Thank you so very much for these past three years in your midst.

I have no words but gratitude to you.

So many of you have been committed and dedicated in the various

areas of our church's ministry. You have been active in prayer, in

the Bible studies and the small group studies; you have led in

worship as liturgist and choir member, operated the sound board,

decorated the chancel area and the communion table, prepared

communion, helped with concerts and fellowship events, seen to

the care and repair of our facilities, overseen the financial giving

and the details of the budget, helped evaluate and hire staff,

visited faithfully our sick and homebound, mentored our

confirmands, lifted up our local mission in the delivering of beds

and by serving the community during Thursday night meals and

public luncheons and at various local venues, and contributed

mightily with your dedication and discernment on committees and

boards toward leading and growing and strengthening this body of

Christ in word and deed.

So much good is being done through you in the city of Monroe,

and I was privileged to be part of it. For that I am immensely

grateful. I have learned much from you and I pray for you as you

move forward as a community of faith. Please pray for me also.

This week your Session will meet with the Committee on Ministry

who will advise you of the next steps. Be assured that you are in

good hands as you move forward.

My last Sunday with you will be October 14. I look forward to

greeting and embracing you then. Please know that you hold a

special place in my heart and that I will always love you.

With grace and joy in our Lord,

Annemarie S. Kidder

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Part-Time Music Director Position

We are currently looking to fill the part-time position of Director of Music Ministries.

Responsibilities include playing the organ or piano for worship services, rehearsing and

directing the Chancel Choir and the Bell Choir, and overseeing all areas of music ministry

at the church in collaboration with the Worship Committee and the Pastor. For more

information, please see the church website at www.monroefirst.org. Salary is negotiable.

Please direct inquiries or submit resume to the Church Office at info@monroefirst.org.

Need a Study Bible with Concordance?

Are you in need of a Bible? Have you misplaced yours? There is a

sign-up sheet in the CE Lobby and in the Narthex for those who

would like to purchase a Bible (Harper Collins Study Bible with

Concordance, $35.00). There is nothing more important than

owning your own copy of God’s word and pouring over the

scriptures. Take a few moments to sign up and let His word

transform your life!

The Bed Race Board would like to thank this Congregation for their

continued support and volunteering done at the Bed Race held on

September 23, 2018. Race Day was fun and festive!! The Board will be

meeting in mid-October and will have the amount we are able to give to

the Now I Lay Me Down this year. Funds are still coming in and will for

the next few weeks. Again, thank you FPC Congregation for your unwavering love and

support of this program.

Job Opportunity

Adult Education Classes on Sundays at 9:30 a.m.

Throughout the month of October Dallas Dieckmann will continue a

Bible study on 1 Corinthians with an introduction to the Apostle Paul’s

life in the Cairl Room at 9:30 a.m. Please join us and bring a friend!

A Special Thank you

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Congregational Life

Toledo Zoo trip for Senior Discovery Day on

Tuesday, October 9!

The Martha Mary Circle would like to invite everyone in the Church

to attend a trip to the Toledo Zoo for Senior Discovery Day on

Tuesday, October 9. On that day the zoo will be having a Big Band

Concert of Jeff McDonald’s Swingmania Orchestra at the Malawi

Event Center from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please join us as we

discover new animals and enjoy the featured music! Please carpool

here at the church at 10:00 a.m.

Senior Discovery Day includes

for Seniors 60 and over:

1. Free admission on Tuesday.

2. Free parking in Anthony

Wayne Trail parking lot.

3. Free small coffee and mini-

muffin at Timberline Bakery

(10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.).

4. 20% percent discount on

merchandise in gift shop.

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Staff

Rev. Dr. Annemarie Kidder, Pastor akidder@monroefirst.org

Sara Jones, Administrative Assistant info@monroefirst.org

Suzanne Bondie, Financial Secretary

sbondie@monroefirst.org

Gary Bogedain, Sexton

Sean Farris, Custodian

Suzanne Bondie, Childcare

Amy Morgan, Childcare

The next Men’s Prayer Breakfast will be Saturday, October 13 at 8:30

a.m. at the Fifth Wheel Restaurant located at 8500 N. Telegraph Road,

Monroe, MI. Please sign up on the sheet in the CE Lobby.

Men’s Prayer Breakfast

The Martha Mary Circle would like to invite all of the ladies to their meeting

on October 8 at 1:00 p.m. in the Cairl Room. We plan to discuss our

upcoming Christmas projects at this meeting.

The Circle is continuing to gather Dollar Store bingo gift items for the

residents of Wellspring Lutheran Services (Lutheran Home of Monroe). You

can bring the items into the church office during office hours. Also volunteers

are always needed to assist at the bingo games. Bingo is played on Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m. at

Wellspring Lutheran Services (1236 S. Monroe Street, Monroe, MI (734) 241-9533).

Martha Mary Circle

Copies of the “These Days” devotional books are available in the Narthex, CE

Lobby, and Main Office. These books have a brief devotion, prayer for each day,

and adult coloring pages. Please feel free to pick up a copy or take one to a shut-in

member.

“These Days”

Bible Study Youth Group

The Rev. Kevin Eccles has launched an ecumenical Bible

Study for Youth. Youth from any of our area churches are

invited to meet at the Monroe Free Methodist Church at

3928 E. Dunbar Road, Monroe. The group meets from 6:45

to 8:00 p.m. Youth may join at any time. The focus of the

study will be the Book of Job and the Gospel of Luke. To

make reservations, please call the church at (734) 863-4321.

Next Month’s Newsletter Deadline: October 25

PAGE 5

Finance Committee Update as of September 30, 2018

Income Year to Date is: $125,500.00

Expenses Year to Date is: $ 166,323.00

To Meet Budgeted Expenses We need: $ 16,007.00 per

month.

Average Income Per Month: $ 13,944.00

The Socialites will meet on October 20 at the Schroeder residence at 5:30 p.m. All

widows, widowers, and other singles are welcome. Please join us!

Finance News

Socialites

Nursery Please remember that Nursery is provided during Sunday morning

Adult Education and Worship. Suzanne Bondie will take care of the

small children, starting at 9:30 a.m., for those parents who wish to

attend Adult Sunday School. Amy Morgan will share a lesson to

those children who come to the Wee Believers room.

Our Thursday Morning Bible Study at 10:00 a.m. will continue with

Cindy Morgan and Alice Kostoff as our co-facilitators in the Cairl Room

for the next few weeks. We are studying the Gospel of Mark based on

N.T. Wright’s Bible study series. Please join us as we journey through

the life of Christ in Mark’s eyes.

Thursday Morning Bible Study

Church News PAGE 6

Flower Calendar If you would like to give flowers for any given Sunday in honor or

memory of a loved one, please mark your name on the flower

calendar in the Narthex and contact the church office for details by

calling 734-242-1545. You may take the flowers home after

worship or leave them to be taken to one of our shut-in members.

Prayer Team: The prayer team, consisting of eleven members, is being

headed up by Lois Barnes. Please contact Lois either by text, phone, or

e-mail for prayer requests. All prayer requests will be kept confidential.

Birthday List in October

If you have not already filled out a birthday slip yet please complete it and place it in the

birthday box in the narthex.

Barbara Pillarelli October 2

Scott Cornoyer October 3

Samantha Adams October 4

Karen Winchell October 12

Marjorie Vensel October 14

Eugene Haman October 15

Kenneth Hueston October 15

Cheryl Eder October 18

Gavin Vogt October 18

Jean Winchell October 25

Chair Yoga

Chair Yoga with Chantelle will be held every Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. The cost is $7.00 per

class and is open to women and men.

200th Celebration Anniversary Meeting. The next meeting is Monday,

October 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the Cairl Room. The History group plans to

meet on Monday, October 1, at 7:00 p.m. in the Cairl Room. Please

contact Alice Kostoff to join the group.

PAGE 7

Sparklers

The Sparklers will be dusting and polishing the Sanctuary on Wednesday, October 10 at

1:00 p.m. If you can come to help, it would be very much appreciated. Any questions, talk to

Carol Rabun or Alice Kostoff!

“It is hoped that by God’s assistance, some of the continents in the

ocean will be discovered...for the Glory of God”.

~Christopher Columbus, explorer

Columbus Day ~ October 8

Martin Luther

All Saint’s Day ~ November 4

What is All Saint’s Day?? It is a Christian festival to

celebrate all known and unknown saints and to

observe the bond between those living and those in

heaven.

How should we celebrate it?? The day is typically

observed by attending Worship and visiting

cemeteries to honor our loved ones who have joined

the Church Triumphant.

How will we celebrate it? Please submit the names of your loved ones who died this past year

to the church office by Tuesday, October 30 at 12:00 p.m. so that they will be included in the

bulletin and honored during the Commemoration of the Faithful portion of our Worship service

as we light a candle on Sunday, November 4! Please join us as we “toll” the passing bell for

our loved ones!

Please join us in Worship on Sunday, October 28 as we

celebrate Reformation Sunday!

“We are not what we shall be, but we are growing toward it,

the process is not yet finished”.

~ Martin Luther

Reformation Sunday ~ October 28

October 2018 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

1 6-Chair Yoga 7-200th Anniv. History Meeting 7-AA

2 10-Chair Yoga 11-Staff Meeting

3 1-Deacon Visit 6-Ecum. Youth Group

4 10-Bible Study 6-Community Meal 6-TOPS

5 9-TOPS 8-HA

6

7 Communion 9:30-Adult Ed. (Dallas) 11-Worship 12:15-Fellowship

8 1-Martha Mary Circle 6-Chair Yoga 7-AA Mtg.

9 10-Toledo Zoo trip 10-Chair Yoga 11-Staff 5:30-Cong. Life 6-Finance 7-Misson/Outreach

10 1-Sparklers 1-Deacon Visit 5-Worship 6-Ecum. Youth Group 7-Property

11 10-Bible Study 6-Personnel 6-Community Meal 6-TOPS

12 9-TOPS 8-Heroin Anonymous

13 8:30-Men’s Prayer Breakfast 10-Dieckmann Bridal Shower Boyd Chapel

14 9:30-Adult Ed. (Dallas) 11-Worship 12:15-Fellowship 12:15 Deacons Meeting

15 6-Chair Yoga 7-200th Church Anniversary Meeting 7-AA

16 8-5-Eden Garden Club 10-Chair Yoga 11-No Staff 6-Endowment 7-Mission/Outreach

17 8-Eden Garden Club 1-Deacon Visit 6-Ecum. Youth Group

18 10-Bible Study 6-Community Meal 6-TOPS

19 9-TOPS 8-Heroin Anonymous

20 2-Fitzgerald Baby Shower Fellowship Hall 5:30-Socialites

21 9:30-Adult Ed. (Dallas) 11-Worship 12:15-Fellowship

22 6-Chair Yoga 7-AA Mtg.

23 10-Chair Yoga 11-Staff 7-Session

24 10-Luncheon Setup 1-Deacon Visit 6-Ecum. Youth Group

25 Newsletter Deadline 10-No Bible Study 11-Public Luncheon 6-Community Meal 6-TOPS

26 9-TOPS 8-Heroin Anonymous

27

DATE LITURGIST USHERS

10/7 Charlotte Frary Carol Rabun, Kim Hooper, Gary & Jo-Ann Follbaum

10/14 Alice Kostoff Cory & Kathy Fogle, Rusty & Cathy Shorter

10/21 Eugene Haman Bill Barnes, David Nielsen, Jim Crammond, Helyn Schroeder

10/28 Jeff Haman Jim & Sue Heisler, Randy Stiffler, George Kostoff

28 9:30-Adult Ed. (Dallas) 11-Worship 12:15-Fellowship

29 6-Chair Yoga 7-AA

30 10-Chair Yoga 11-Staff

31 1-Deacon Visit 6-Ecum. Visit Group

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PAGE 9

First Presbyterian

Church

Public Luncheon

Thursday, October 25, 2018

11:00am—1:00pm

Carry Out Available

Cost: $7.00

Hosted by the

Martha Mary Circle

108 Washington St.

Monroe, MI 48161

Leadership of First Presbyterian Church of Monroe

Session

Moderator: The Rev. Annemarie S. Kidder

Class of 2018 Class of 2019 Class of 2020

John Chesman

Cory Fogle

Alice Kostoff

Marilyn Marshall

Jim Heisler

Rusty Shorter

Kathy Lee

Cheryl Eder

Jennifer Hueston

Greg Hunter

Alan Schroeder

Building & Property Committee: Jim Heisler (Elder), Chair; Cory Fogle and Greg Hunter (Elders)

Congregational Life Committee: Judy Chesman, Chair; Kathy Lee and Cheryl Eder (Elders)

Finance Committee: Charlotte Frary (Chair), Chair; John Chesman and Alan Schroeder (Elders)

Mission & Outreach Committee: Ann Lux, Co-Chair; Rusty Shorter (Elder), Co-Chair

Personnel & Policy Committee: Dallas and Donna Dieckmann, Co-Chairs; Cheryl Eder and Jennifer

Hueston (Elders)

Worship Committee: Alice Kostoff (Elder), Chair; Marilyn Marshall (Elder)

Board of Deacons

Moderators: Ann Lux

Class of 2018

Elinor Upjohn

Lynn Geiman

Gwen Peters

Thomas Bajkiewicz

Class of 2019

Ann Lux

Shannon Costello

Karen Sobieralski

Mary DeSloover

Jeffrey Haman

Judy Chesman