Monthly Newsletter

EEC’s MAY 2022 HARBINGER

Volume 9, Issue 5

NEWS FROM OUR RECTOR

Dear Beloved in Christ,

The approach of spring brings new opportunities for us to gather outdoors and to renew our connection in small group settings. You will find more information throughout the May Harbinger, but I want to highlight a few of our events:

• Two of our beloveds are celebrating a big milestone in ministry. Jim Hempstead and Bill Nicholson are coming up on 60 years of ordination, and we are delighted to celebrate alongside their families who have supported and shared in ministry with Bill and Jim over the last six decades. Save the date for Choral Evensong on Sunday, June 12 at 4:00 PM.

• The first Spirit of the North Hike of the year is scheduled for Saturday, May 28 at 11:00 AM. We’ll meet at the trailhead for Goodhart Farms Nature Preserve on Robinson Rd. This is time for us to be together and strengthen our relationships as we enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. The hike is kid friendly.

• We are starting up a writer’s group to create space for those who express their creativity with pen and paper (or keyboard and screen). Participants will share the joys and struggles of writing, explore the spirituality of this creative outlet, and find support and encouragement in each other. Please send me an email at revkay@eccpetoskey.org to let me know if you’re interested.

• If you want to share in conversation about what it means to support spiritual formation in our community, please also reach out to me.

We have much going on in the months ahead, and I’m eager to welcome many of you back from warmer climates. Let’s all remember to wear our name tags so we may extend Christ’s hospitality to one another.

Faithfully Yours,

Kay+

MAY 2022 NEWS FROM

OUR SENIOR WARDEN

I am excited to report on the excellent progress being made by the four Vestry Workgroups.

Increase Member Involvement

Support Youth and Young Family Ministries

Expand Service to Others (Outreach)

Develop a Plan for the Stewardship of Our Building and Finances

All four have met at least once and will begin reporting to the Vestry in May. One a month. We have already enjoyed some of the “Soups” of their Labor, remember Soup-er Sunday! Each group led by two Vestry members has developed a list of opportunities and are clarifying and selecting which to propose for adoption. So much to look forward too.

Am pleased to report that Mark Thompson, our excellent Treasurer, reported to the Vestry last evening. Our finances are tracking in line with our adopted budget, good news!

The capping of the two parapet walls should be happening soon. One wall along with the Bell Tower was capped several years ago. This process will help prevent leaks in our sanctuary.

We are all looking forward to the 60th Anniversary of Ordination for Bill Nicholson and Jim Hempstead. This Evensong will occur on Sunday, June 12th at 4 pm.

Respectfully Submitted,

Hal Lawrence, Senior Warden

MUSIC MINISTRIES NEWS FOR MAY 2022

BOOKS AND BEYOND

MAY 2022

Emmanuel’s Books and Beyond group will be meeting Monday May 16 at 2pm at church, either in the Lottie Peterson Room or the Woods Fellowship Hall. Our book for the month is “My Dear Hamilton” by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. Told through the eyes of Hamilton’s wife Eliza, “My Dear Hamilton” is, at its best, a love story while also being filled with betrayal, sacrifice, loyalty and forgiveness. Eliza Hamilton was a devoted wife and mother, but she also was characterized as a woman possessing admirable inner strength. Living to the age of 97, Eliza outlived her husband by 50 years. This work of historical fiction deals not only with her marriage, but her familial bonds with her father and sisters Angelica and Peggy. Our discussion will be led by Sue Droste. We will also spend some time talking about “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmer. For a myriad of reasons, we ended up cancelling our April meeting, so we’ll delve into those chapters we read. For more information, feel free to contact Nancy Turner at taketurns1106@gmail.com

EEC GARDENS MAY 2022

Spring is finally arriving! Applause please. So garden activities have begun. On Saturday, April 23, a hearty core of folks braved the questionable weather to clean up last year’s debris only to find that a good job of work last fall meant less work this spring. This ad hoc committee then toured the area and came up with a number of projects we might pursue. Stay tuned. A big! Thank you to Terry, Connie and Bruce, Bruce Turner, Karel Howse.

Then on Sunday, April 24 the church school crew – kids and helpers tackled those areas less accessible to the more senior gardeners. Andre’s view is now free of dead leaves and old weeds. The kitchen garden has been cleared of old Lenten lilies and is now showing off the new arrivals. The entryway extra grass has been expelled and is awaiting an upgrade.

We are almost ready for the annual Mulchfest. We will try a different twist this year. The date is now set for Friday, May 20 at 4 PM. Afternoon is a bit warmer that early Saturday. And we can add another enticement: a cookout. More to follow. Weather remains the question, but the Friday date will give us the option of Saturday morning. No sermon on the mulch for Rev. Kay.

Geraniums will be added later to avoid the possibility of freezing. At least the mulch not only dresses up the gardens but suppresses the weeds.

Lots more to come for everyone. In June we will be signing up Lay Weeders and Garden Angels to keep our church home inviting.

PASTORAL CARE MINISTRY

MAY 2022

Let God’s love for us warm our hearts and shine brightly for all those around us.

May is upon us! It is the season of Eastertide that is our celebration of Jesus’ earthly presence post-resurrection. We have just emerged from the wilderness and fasting of Lent and we can now enjoy a time of God’s plentiful bounty. It is the time when the earth begins to green and the flowers bloom.

Our Ministry continues to reflect on the wonder of the resurrection, and we ask God to bless our parish family, our community, our nation and our world with health, love, and compassion for each other. We continue to pray for the people of Ukraine and the hope of the end of the conflict there.

Our Pastoral Care ministry is ready to bring hope and love to anyone who is isolated and in need of support. We reach out to connect with everyone through phone calls and cards. We are always ready to lend a listening ear and to share conversations that bring us closer together in fellowship. With the Dioceses new directives, we are now allowed to share in home communion with those that are still uncomfortable worshiping in person in the chapel. Please contact the church office if this is something that would bring comfort to you.

We have received so many wonderful letters of thanks from those who have received the prayer shawls. If you know of someone, even outside our Emmanuel family that could benefit from the comfort of a prayer shawl, please let us know. As always, we thank those who knit in prayer and create these beautiful shawls to share for healing.

Pastoral Care is the shared responsibility of both Reverend Kay and the church laity. We continue to support each other and especially those in need. Please remember that we offer support by giving rides to appointments, delivering meals, reaching out to our parish members through cards and phone cards, and ongoing prayers for peace, JOY, and healing.

If you are in need or know of someone in need, please reach out to Sharyn at 248.909.5862, Nina at 231.881.2630, Rev. Kay at 231.487.2199 or Leah 231.347.2350 ext. 110 in the church office.