OLCC,P E-Blast
April 16, 2021
From the Desk of Pastor Judi
Dear Members,
The Interim Process in the PCUSA can feel like planning a 50th anniversary vacation during a Pandemic when things are not open. There are quite a few moving pieces, people to involve and accommodations to make. I will explain the process here.
My work is a three-way contract between the Session of OLCC,P, the Presbytery of Detroit and myself. Our Committee on Ministry Liaisons are Debbie Lennis and Ron Hughes and they will be present at the next Session meeting to share about Presbytery expectations and to be a support and help to us.
The Nominating Committee will be choosing a team which is often named the “Self-Study Team.” That team is composed of individuals who enjoy studying demographics, are willing to research the recent CAT Survey, track worship attendance and needs in the church, and are willing to do more surveys if necessary. This will help the team to get a broad picture of who OLCC,P is, where you all feel God is calling the congregation to serve and who God is calling you individually and as a congregation to become. That Self-Study Team may take 6 months to produce a 25-30 page document that is passed on to the Presbytery for approval. Then the PNC can be formed, and I will be a part that team.
The Pastor Nominating Committee will be selected and not include me. It is a group composed of members from a good cross-section of the congregation in terms of age, service, theology, diversity and involvement. This team will use the Self-Study report to write the Ministry Information Form. This form also needs Presbytery approval before being uploaded and shared on the PCUSA website through the CLC (Church Leadership Connection). The PNC will make their own reports to session and the congregation as they make progress. It is a select group and a confidential process.
Once the PNC is formed and they are receiving resumes, that process can take 6 months to 12 months. In total, you are looking at 18-24 months for a typical transitional time.
Looking back at the history of OLCC,P, this was not how your last transition went. This time, we are working on re-organizing and implementing some of the CAT Survey results. While I am here, I am making sure the policies are in place to support the next pastor’s leadership and style. We want this process to be a great match for the future of God’s work in this place.
If you have questions, we will be happy to host listening sessions along the way. This process takes time, prayer, energy for new discoveries and some experiments to get you more flexible with change and welcoming of future leadership.
I will continue to pray for OLCC,P and hope that you will pray for all of us working on this transition.
Peace in Christ,
Pastor Judi
Video Worship
You can access the video services via our website, www.olccp.com, and clicking on the Video worship box, or by going directly to YouTube and entering our church name in the search box. We will continue to assess conditions and various health and government guidelines as the weeks go by.
Sunday's Order of Worship, April 18 and Scriptures
In Our Prayers
Continued prayers for Rachelle Anderson, Fiona Bell, Robert Bigelow, Carol Brooks, Nancy Burton, Bud Conrad, Tom Conrad, Peter Cooper, Marlene Crowe, Irene Guymer, Herbert Jarvie, Jackie Johnson, Larry Lankford, Fred Laskos, Gordon Lyon, Bill Marvin, Jean Mattinen, Dick Mudge, Joyce Pitchford, Linda Rhoads-Schlafmann Sarah Robertson Nadeau, Geraldine Saunders, Kay Schimmel, Dara Sperstad, Brenda Starynchak, Mark Stone, Jeanne Thamer, Jerry and Ed Wassemiller, Doris Wiegert.
Sympathy to the Guymer family on the death of Irene Guymer.
Sympathy to the Dancu family on the death of Pam’s mother.
Elma Auchard, wife of Rev Edward Auchard, passed away on April 9. Services are pending in Bryon OH in late April.
Please send a cards to Fiona Bell
Fiona Bell, granddaughter of Margaret Bell, our organist, has been hospitalized and is going through a very trying medical ordeal. Please send cards of prayers and well wishes to fill up her room. The address is below.
Attn: Fiona Bell
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit
10 East
1540 East Hospital Drive
Ann Arbor MI 48109
Thank You!
Sincerely,
Dolores Mancogna
Forgiveness: An Easter Study
You are welcome to join others in this study we will do during the season of Easter. $11 paperback or $8 Kindle. You can purchase the books from the church. Contact Pastor Judi for pickup.
Forgiving others and humbly asking for forgiveness are central disciplines for all Christian believers. Lent, a time to reflect on our Christian journey, is an appropriate time to deepen our understanding and practice of forgiveness. Marjorie J. Thompson, author of the best-selling book Soul Feast, takes a close look at our understanding of forgiveness in this encouraging study. In six brief chapters, Thompson addresses such questions as the following:
- Is forgiveness a Christian duty under all circumstances? Or are there situations when Christians do not need to forgive?
- Is forgiveness a matter between individuals, or is it meaningful only in the context of communities?
- Is forgiving the best route to healing for the injured?
- How do we get past emotional barriers to real forgiveness?
Using biblical examples and real-life situations, Thompson illustrates each chapter's theme in an informative and engaging way. A study guide is also included at the back of the book that is appropriate for either individual reflection or group discussion. With clarity, insight, and sensitivity, this book is the perfect resource for examining both our ability to forgive and our own need for forgiveness.
Topic: Forgiveness - A 6 Week Study
Time: Apr 11, 2021 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Please download and import the following iCalendar (.ics) files to your calendar system.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86452989315?pwd=cGM0VVVJMjRyVGVKN1lXZEV3WHcwUT09
Meeting ID: 864 5298 9315
Passcode: 066800
Spring Devotionals
Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83018733586?pwd=OHZKMU1BMDVJbGVhcVd5M3ZnT0tLZz09
Meeting ID: 830 1873 3586 Passcode: 488110
To sign up to lead the devotionals, please go to Sign Up Genius,
Orchard Lake Community Church, Presbyterian: Spring Devotionals (signupgenius.com)
Thursday Bible Study Who Were the Disciples?
9:30 AM and 7:15 PM (your choice)
January 7 to April 29 (17 weeks)
Who were the disciples/apostles? How did they respond to Jesus’ commandments? And in what type of environment did they start the Churches of Christ?
What can we learn from them daily in our lives and can emulate? All classes will be held on Zoom unless otherwise indicated.
April 22 - James, Son of Alpheaus
April 29 - Simon, the Zealot
Chancel Flowers for 2021
You can sign up for flower dedications in honor or memory or loved ones. You can sign up online by clicking here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Waiting List
As an outreach to the community St. Joseph Mercy Health System is offering a Covid-19 vaccine waiting list through the Faith Community Nurse Network. As of April 5, 2021, the age eligibility to receive the vaccine has been lowered to 16 and above. If you would like to get on the waiting list at St. Joe’s, simply call Faith Community Nurse Emily Grakul 248-346-7062 and she will forward your name and contact information to St. Joe’s. You DO NOT have to be a St. Joseph patient to get on the list. When an appointment becomes available a representative from St. Joseph health System will call you and set up the appointment.
Open Door Pantry
.The church will be open to donations for Open Door Pantry on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Please put your donations in the benches outside the church office. The pantry is need of diced tomatoes, jelly, baked beans and boxed macaroni and cheese. Thank you.
Online Resources from The Upper Room
Resources for Spiritual Wellness in Anxious Times. For navigating the pandemic, this link makes available to you a robust list of timely practices—for individuals and families as well as your faith leaders. Included are digital devotionals, videos, eCourses, podcasts, etc., all of which can be accessed and distributed free of charge to everyone in your congregation.
Resources for the Spiritual Work of Overcoming Racism. For addressing the spiritual virus of racism that continues to tear our society apart, we’re compiling and adding more content each week to this list of helpful resources. Included is my blog which sets the context for the formational work of anti-racism—Reaching In, Reaching Up, Reaching Out: The Spiritual Work of Overcoming Racism.
OLCC, P Calendar
Our calendar is available to browse live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at OLCC,P Calendar. You can browse all events coming up. You can also subscribe to the calendar on the same page.
Contact Us
Our office will be closed on Monday and Friday's. However, the office will be open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with the following hours being held by each staff member:
Rev. Judi McMillan (Interim Head Pastor) revjudi98@gmail.com
In the office 10:00 a.m.– 4:00 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Pastor Judi is available on her cell on Tuesday or by email. Friday is typically her day off. She will take emergency calls then. 248-688-8736.
Margaret Bell (Organist): mtbellmusic@gmail.com
Stacey Cheff (Business Administrator): stacey@olccp.com Available for business or financial questions on Thursdays from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and always via email.
Emily Grakul (Faith Community Nurse): egrakul@yahoo.com Tuesday and Wednesday or by email.
Martha Piesko (Director of Children’s Ministries) marthaelizpie@yahoo.com · Temporary new office hours starting April 12 until June 12, 1:30-4:30 p.m. Monday thru Thursday or by email.
Bruce Snyder (Director of Music Ministries): bruce@olccp.com
Jennifer Taub (Office Administrator): jennifer@olccp.com
Working from home, is available on her cell phone number 248-854-2124, Tuesday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. and by email.
Nancy Ratajczak volunteers in the office on Thursday.
Please know your church staff is working outside the posted hours above from home. Do not hesitate to reach out if you have a need to hear our awesome voices! We all care deeply for the ministry we do and for each of you! As before, with continuing COVID-19 concerns, we ask that you only come to the office personally if absolutely necessary, follow the health screening protocols, and that you call first to make sure someone will be available to help you.
Email: info@olccp.com
Website: www.olccp.com
Location: 5171 Commerce Road, West Bloomfield Township, MI, USA
Phone: 248-682-0730
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OLCCP/