Don’t Let Christmas Pass You By

The hardest transition I’ve had these past six months with baby number 2 has been the scheduling. I feel I count all time in terms of how it relates to my children’s sleep habits. How long has Denali been down for a nap? How long do we have until Bryce wakes up again to eat? Why are they waking up SO EARLY this morning?! Literally, our whole week seems punctuated by the sleep patterns of two little ones. I find myself scheduling things based on whether or not they are sleeping, about to sleep, or about to wake up…and my wife and I walk around in a haze.

That’s the best comparison I can offer about Advent and the Christmas season. I find myself planning my life around how many days we are from Christmas, what we will do on Christmas, and what happens immediately following Christmas. The season feels extremely rushed and moving at such a rapid pace toward something that we just don’t have time to slow down and live in the moment. I inwardly laugh each time I hear someone make the same cliché statement: “Can you believe it’s (insert date) already? Why, the time is just flying! Christmas is only (insert number) days away!”

I think it is a cultural and societal tragedy that we do not seem to live in the moment. We are always moving to the next date, the next activity, the next game, the next holiday, the next job, the next everything. Rarely do we sit in the moment and really appreciate what is happening around us at that very time. We spend so much time each year gearing up for Christmas without really stopping to appreciate what the season means while it is happening. It’s like the couple who plan their wedding for months and months, only to see the day go by so quickly as they forget to really experience what is going on around them during the blessed day.

Please take the time this Christmas or Christmas Eve to stop and join with a community to remember what we are building up toward this time of year. Worship with your friends and family together and in the moment. Church in the Hills is again offering a late night service at 11:00 pm on Christmas Eve that we’d love for you to attend. In any event, we hope you go somewhere this time of year to stop, give thanks, and be united with the community around you in faith, hope, and love. Live in the moment and experience Christmas anew.

Snow, snow, and more snow

We're buried up here on the hill and I absolutely love it.

It's such a wonderful feeling to experience the change in the seasons and the newness a fresh coat (or fresh two feet) of powdery snow brings to a place.

This morning in the sermon preview bible study group, we discussed the significance of names in scripture and how we seem to have lost this concept in our society. Don't get me wrong, we certainly take time in selecting names for our children and pets, but we don't seem to name them with the meaning of the name in mind as much as how the name sounds, who else has/had the name, and if the child will get made fun of in school for having it.

I love the name of our congregation: Church in the Hills. It's not the same as First Church of this or that and it doesn't just remember St. Andrew or any other Christian hero. The name says something about this place and who we are.

We are God's people, worshipping and fellowshipping together, in the hills of Antrim County. We are a community located in a particular place for a particular reason. There is an excitement in recognizing who we are and claiming it through our name.

What does your name mean? Why are you named what you are named?

Sermons now available!

Great news! You can check out video versions of the sermons from Church in the Hills at http://cith.neptune.com

The link is also on the right hand side of the page. Check them out, share them, comment on them, love 'em, hate 'em, be challenged by them, or challenge the pastor who delivered them.

Enjoy!

Pastor Andrew Pomerville

Organize my organization

I'll fully admit that structural organization is not my strongpoint. It's not that I can't organize things or keep my self on task. No, my problem has to do with organizing an existing, established, yet ineffiecient system.

I still love being Presbyterian...and I truly appreciate our elder-style of rule as found in the local level within the session...but I'm not so sure how to most effectively order the session.

My problem stems from a lack of experience and institutional memory. The current committee structure at Church in the Hills exists to meet the directives of the session. Our committees and their respective members are dedicated, loving individuals from the congregation who do some incredible work. However, I know the system is not working as smoothly or effectively as it could. The problem is that I don't have an alternative.

If you have worked in a committee structure that worked well (particularly within a church), what were the characteristics? Does anyone have any helpful hints or suggestions for maintaining or reforming our current committee structure? Our major issues are related to letting things slip through the cracks that are not specifically spelled out in the committee's job description, redundancy and inefficiency in our decision making abilities, and a general feeling of uncertainty about what each committee is charged to do.

I'd love to hear your thoughts!

Thanks,

Pastor Andrew Pomerville

Revisioning our revisions

(Taken from the October Newsletter)
In conjunction with our fall presbytery meeting, a leadership conference was offered for the commissioners of the Mackinac Presbytery. The event included a keynote speaker who focused on the state of many churches and how to maintain a healthy mission and focus. In general, he indicated that churches are typically in one of three places: (1) on the way up with lots of hope and plans, (2) stable, status quo – after your vision has been mostly accomplished and you are enjoying the fruits of your labor, (3) on the decline – when the vision is no longer working and you are scrambling to identify why you are experiencing difficulty within the congregation.

As he presented, many churches nodded in agreement whenever he spoke about a particular time in a church’s life. Some are in the dreaming stage, while others are struggling through a period of decline. I found myself proudly thinking our congregation was in the second phase of stability…until he warned us against living in this period. He cautioned churches to fear this stagnation and make sure we are constantly examining our mission in the community, not just when things are in need of a change, but at all times. The church is a mission, not an institution. We are constantly being sent, not settling in one place with one vision.

As stated at our September congregational meeting, we have experienced a wonderful year and a half of major growth spiritually and physically, with a variety of new ministries, events, and enthusiasm in all areas of congregational life. It would be very easy for us to relax at this point and take pride in what has been accomplished through the Holy Spirit at Church in the Hills. However, the Church is never called to relax in our call to serve, love one another, and share the gospel. We can be proud of the work accomplished in this place, but we must always see that as further inspiration to continue our mission with even more fervor. We need to keep asking ourselves – what else can we do?

Seek opportunities for this congregation to be an expression of God’s love in our community. Dream big and let your visions be constantly adapting to the needs of God’s children everywhere.

Peace and grace to you and yours,

Pastor Andrew

Congregational Meeting after worship on September 21

While the political conventions of the past two weeks are interesting to observe, they are nothing compared to a Presbyterian Church's annual congregational meeting. I hope everyone can make it to the meeting after worship on the 21st. We will be discussing voting options for affiliate members, nominations for our four elder and two deacon positions, and presenting the budget for 2009. This is definitely a meeting to attend. I hope you can make it!

2008 Rubber Ducky 5k Results

Great Run!!

Way to go runners! It was a beautiful morning for a run and I'm thoroughly pleased with all the results. It seemed like everyone enjoyed themselves in this inaugural Rubber Ducky 5k, sponsored by Church in the Hills. Thank you to all our runners for their participation, but especially thank you to our amazing volunteers who helped with timing, set-up, registration, pictures, cheering, and supporting. It went smoothly and will become a great tradition for the Rubber Ducky festival and the Church in the Hills congregational life.

Here are the results. Pictures will be added throughout the week. If you would like to submit any pictures, please e-mail me at rubberducky5k@hotmail.com.

Thanks again and we'll see you next year!

Peace and grace,

Pastor Andrew Pomerville


Overall Rubber Ducky 5K Results

Name Time Sex Age Group Group Place

1.) Jordan Becker (male winner) 18:59 M 14-20 1
2.) Paul Gelderbloom 19:33 M 51-60 1
3.) Steve Zagacki 20:32 M 31-40 1
4.) Rodney Lofquist 20:48 M 51-60 2
5.) Chris Tredwy 21:52 M 21-30 1
6.) Emily Kwekel (female winner) 21:59 F 14-20 1
7.) Luke Hawley 22:39 M 14-20 2
8.) David Witt 22:50 M 0-13 1
9.) Jim Betcher 23:09 M 41-50 1
10.) MacKenzie Small 23:21 F 0-13 1
11.) Rita Betchel 23:36 F 41-50 1
12.) Hannah Keyser 23:40 F 0-13 2
13.) Scott Smith 24:03 M 41-50 2
14.) Matt Wilson 24:13 M 31-40 2
15.) Kurt Dingman 24:25 M 41-50 3
16.) Mike Wilson 25:22 M 61-70 1
17.) Kayla Cragg 25:51 F 0-13 3
18.) Kevin Cragg 25:51 M 41-50 4
19.) Don Hoyt 26:05 M 21-30 2
20.) Amy Chafer 26:40 F 31-40 1
21.) Sue Thomas 27:04 F 51-60 1
22.) Kathy Patton 27:34 F 41-50 2
23.) Katie Odon 28:07 F 14-20 2
24.) Michael Kaufmen 28:12 M 51-60 3
25.) Richard Lessard 28:17 M 61-70 2
26.) Carla Busch 29:20 F 31-40 2
27.) Marilyn Copland 29:52 F 51-60 2
28.) Becky Redmer 30:19 F 31-40 3
29.) Gabe Hawley 30:23 M 0-13 2
30.) Tammy Jackson 30:26 F 41-50 3
31.) Wilhelmina Witt 34:12 F 14-20 3
32.) Robyn Miller 34:53 F 21-30 1
33.) Stephanie Kerman-Small 38:29 F 41-50 4
34.) Nancy Philippart 38:29 F 51-60 3
35.) Jeff Braden 38:41 M 61-70 2
36.) Brenda Spires 38:42 F 31-40 4
37.) Zann Wilson 40:54 M 51-60 4
38.) Janelle Spires 42:39 F 14-20 4
39.) Amber Marshall 42:39 F 14-20 5
40.) Anne Wendling 43:30 F 41-50 5
41.) Louise Thompson 44:37 F 61-70 1
42.) Dan Kozan 44:51 M 31-40 3
43.) Liz Hull 46:54 F 31-40 5
44.) Kelly Bailey 46:55 F 31-40 6
45.) Beth Lacy 46:55 F 41-50 6
46.) Lisa Rames 46:55 F 41-50 7
47.) Emilia Arguello 53:03 F 21-30 2
48.) Mindy Ortquist 53:03 F 41-50 8
49.) Olga Cairns 1:28:26 F 61-70 2
50.) Eugene Selden 1:28:27 M 71-80 1
51.) Jerry Walsworth 1:28:27 M 61-70 3

Two days to rubber ducky 5k!!!

We're almost there! I'll be posting results from the race on Saturday.

If you're interested in walking or running, there are still plenty of spots available!

Almost, not yet - the baseball version

In not heeding the words of my own sermon from the day before, I was impatient on Monday night and couldn't hold out long enough to see the Traverse City Beach Bums win on a walk-off in the bottom of the 11th.

Church in the Hills sent a group of 35 to see the game at the beautiful stadium there in Traverse City. It was a great outing for the church and I think everyone really enjoyed themselves. However, when we went to bonus baseball in the 10th, you could tell it was tough for everyone to stick it out. My own family, with the two year old and 6 week old, had had enough. We tried to wait and we almost made it, but we just couldn't stick around for the whole thing. We left the B-bums on the field in the top of the 11th and missed the excitement of the finish.

As much as I love baseball, I find myself less patient these days than I think I should be. I give up on the Tigers too soon and too often, miss the potential come from behind victories. I get down on the team when they fall behind and assume they should always be up, every game, every inning.

I'm worried that my faith goes in the same direction at time. When things around me are good, I savor it. However, I often don't have the same patience and consistency during the struggles. I get down on myself and my lack of understanding. I fear about what is to come. I don't focus on the long-term picture and the ways good might come out of a situation.

I'm not wishing to be a Pollyanna who only sees the good in the world. What I do ask is for all of your support in facing spiritual, emotional, and physical difficulties in the same way God is faithful to us - with love and peace. We need to serve one another in this way by expressing the calming presence of the Holy Spirit. Show love and patience to each other. Encourage one another to stick it out in the trying extra innings, regardless of how tired, frustrated, and confused we might be. Have hope that there is always resolution.

Take care and have a great week,

Pastor Andrew Pomerville

Rubber Ducky 5K Update

The 5K (3.1 mi) run/walk on August 16, starting and ending here at the church, is coming along quite nicely. We're getting set-up to have a wonderful run that morning. Please check the link on the right to view the details on the race.

We just confirmed that the Bellaire Royalty will be presenting the awards that morning after the race! Please consider running or walking in this event through the beautiful hills surrounding Church in the Hills.

Take care and have a blessed week!

Pastor Andrew

2 Services!

Happy July!

What a delight to worship twice on Sunday here at Church in the Hills. After all the talking and planning for two services, we finally celebrated two services of worship this past Sunday at 8:30 and 10:00. While the structure was the same, I was pleased to see the different aspects of each time that helped provide a unique expereince for the congregations. The early service had a very intimate feel, especially during communion.

I want to encourage everyone to try each service in order to find the best way for you to worship God in this beautiful place.

Have a great week! Posts will be flowing more regularly now that I am back in the office. Take care,

Pastor Andrew

The Newest Member of our Congregation

I am so very pleased to welcome our son, Bryce David Pomerville, who entered the world on June 11 as a 10 lb 11 oz, happy, healthy baby boy.

Thank you to everyone in the church for your constant support throughout this process. I promise, the blog will return to "regular" articles now that I am back in the office and my family is complete.

Here are some pictures! Enjoy and again, thank you very much from Rachell, Denali, and our whole family.

Take care,

Pastor Andrew

Overdue and waiting

It's been far too long since I added anything to the blog...but it's also taking far too long for our son to arrive! Rachell and I are not so patiently waiting and I am home with her until our son decides he'd like to see life on the outside. In the meantime, I am away from the office and will be returning to the church on June 10. Thanks again for the incredible support and love this congregation always offers. Please pray for us and a safe delivery.

Peace and grace,

Pastor Andrew Pomerville

Worry

This weeks gospel lesson comes from Matthew 6:24-34 and focuses on worry. Jesus advises us to "not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today's trouble is enough for today."

Easier said than done.

I am becoming more of a worrier everyday. I worry about my own life, my family, my house, my community, my health, my friends' health, the state of the world, hunger, war, lonliness, children without families, families without children, and everything else there is to worry about in the world.

I know that worrying won't add a hour to my life, but I still find myself occupied with anxious thoughts about the world around me.

Worry is unavoidable. However, I do think that this passage still calls for a healthy kind of worry. Love necessarily requires that we worry for the other person - that we worry for the well being of others. Yet the power of the gospel within this worry motivates us to not just dwell on the worry, but to act out our nervousness. We need to seek ways to shout out our worry in prophetic tones and work to alleviate our worries throught the mission and power of Christ.

We need to harness our worry and turn it into actions.

I say all of this as I worry about the upcoming birth of my son and I worry what kind of father I will be. Instead of worrying, I need to put this anxiousness into my efforts to care for, love, and support my family.

Have a wonderful, worry-free week!

Pastor Andrew

What does the Lord's Supper mean to you?

The worship committee has been having a lively discussion about communion - when in the service, where in the church, how we partake, what we partake, and why we share in the Lord's Supper.

Discussing communion is nothing new to the Christian Church. Splits and denominations have happened throughout the centuries over these various interpretations. The latest discussion at Church in the Hills has revolved around when in the service to share in the Lord's Supper.

The Sacrament must be taken with the Word of God proclaimed. That said, when should the communion liturgy take place in the service and why? I know the answers from our Book of Order, but I'm curious why it is important to your worship experience for it to occur in the place it does. Any thoughts?

New website is completed!

After a long time without a permanent website, we are homeless no longer.

Please follow this address to see our website in its infancy, as we continue to add pictures and information over the next couple of weeks.

www.churchinthehills.org

The blog will continue to be updated regularly as we maintain the website for standard information and the blog for more up-to-date-changing info.

I hope spring is meeting everyone well, energized, and ready to serve as Christ calls you.

Peace and grace,

Pastor Andrew

Pastors Past and Present

Church in the Hills was blessed this last week with the opportunity to share in worship with former pastor of the church Rev. Don Gordon and his wife Beth Gordon, who were in town celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary. Congratulations to them both! This was an amazing time for the congregation to remember fond memories of the church while sharing the hope we have for the future.

Here we have a picture of Denali, Rachell and Andrew Pomerville with Don and Beth Gordon.

Changes

My wife is due in a little more than a month with our second child. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was nervous about all the changes our new son will bring into our lives. This transition from a family of three to a family of four has thrown me for a loop – How will we travel? Will they both sleep through the night? Will there be enough room in our house? Will there be enough food? Will our lives look anything like they do now?

The last question is the one that’s been weighing on me the most because I know the answer.

No, our lives will never look the same as they do now.

This realization can provide either a moment of dread, fear, and confusion or a sense of anticipation, joy, and hope. I’m leaning toward the latter. I know things will be different but I have to believe they will be different in an amazingly wonderful way. Change is not a negative thing. In this case, change is related to one of the most powerful life experiences for my family.

Within our spiritual walks, we are constantly assaulted by external factors – good and bad. These outside stimuli inevitably lead to changes in our lives that force us to react, adapt, and move forward. From a faith perspective, it is comforting to be assured that our spiritual journey is not a static one. We continue to grow in our faith, knowledge, and understanding of God’s grace and love. We are not the same now as we were last week, last month, last year, or even ten years ago. However, God is constant and unchanging while we continue to see bits and pieces of the whole picture during this growth of faith that comes through the Holy Spirit.

We cannot predict how our faith will be affected by tragedy, grief, loss, and confusion. However, we do know that our God will be a constant presence and support. I’m not sure how my faith will be affected by the birth of my son, a change in my family, new questions about parenting, and what I am called to be in this community; but I do trust that God who is faithful and just will work all my self-doubts, questions, and anxiety for good.

When the body just says no...

I returned from my continuing education event at Princeton on Saturday night. It was an amazing event and inspired me to take careful stock of my leadership strengths and weaknesses while thoughtfully considering how the leadership of our church could me more effective in following the mission Christ puts before us.

So there I was after worship on Sunday preparing for a fantastic week...and then I wasn't.

No one "plans" on getting sick. I understand that. I also know that there really is no "good time" to get the flu - but why now?

After two days of pain, chicken broth, and Gatorade, I'm back at the church and ready to again resume active ministry.

Besides illness, are there other physical limitations that hold us back from doing what we truly feel called to do? I ask this in response to our recent classes on the struggles in Israel and Palestine. During the classes, we were emotionally moved by the stories of pain, death, disease, displacement, and hate. However, we were at a loss as to what we could do being in Northern Michigan. It seems impossible to make a difference.

It is.

It is if we think it is all up to us and our abilities. However, it is possible for us to be used by the Holy Spirit to do the impossible. Our God works miracles in our midst and uses us, even sinners like us, to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world.

We must not lose hope or the assurance of God's grace to overcome darkness in the world. Rather, we must turn to God in prayer confident that the Lord can work all things for God - in spite of the impossibilities and limitations around us.

Pray - love - and show God's grace in the way we seek to serve one another.

Peace,

Pastor Andrew

Happy Week After Easter!

Greetings from New Jersey!

I hope all is well back in beautiful Northern Michigan. Currently, I am preparing to worship with some good friends in a seminary classmate's church. It is fantastic returning back to Princeton and getting the opportunity to worship and fellowship with dear friends from across the country. This week's trip also includes participation in the Institute for Pastoral Leadership, an event put on by the Princeton Theological Seminary continuing education department. This week is an excellent opportunity to make connections with other pastors and colleagues throughout the country as we share experiences in ministry.

As our snowbirds return to Bellaire, we should consider doing a similar thing. Share our winter experiences with our friends who have been away. Let them know what we've done in their absence. At the same time, we can learn so much from their experiences down south in their "migration" churches south of the snow. Even though we are a divided congregation for part of the year, we are all still part of the same body of Christ throughout the world.

Take care of one another, enjoy worship together, and celebrate again our common faith in the resurrected Christ, who lives and reigns. May the Holy Spirit unite us in our time apart and prepare us to worship together again.

Take care and have a great week in Bellaire!

Pastor Andrew

Have a blessed Maundy Thursday

As we approach the end of Holy Week, I would challenge everyone to again refocus themselves on the events of the Easter week. Take this time, this year, to establish a tradition within your household that can point your thoughts and prayers upon the sacrifice, miracle, and grace offered through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Take care of yourselves and have a wonderful Easter!

Pastor Andrew

Celebrations

Why do we celebrate with one another? Think about times in your life when you gather with others to have a party and be happy about something. For me, I think of birthdays, holidays, and sporting events. Each one of these celebrations is amplified because of the community gathered.

I spent three birthdays in a row in Alaska. The first two were with family and friends and they were incredible. The third was spent alone and wasn't really marked by any significant celebration.

My birthday didn't change but the surroundings were certainly different. The third one was spent driving and wasn't really different from any other day. I needed the other people to make that day special.

This week we celebrate Palm Sunday and prepare to move into Holy Week. Jesus begins the week surrounded by friends and ends the week alone in death. Yet, our faith moves past the emptiness and death to be full of joy and community.

As we seek to love one another and demonstrate Christ's love, do so in a way that not only comforts in times of hurt, but in a way that rejoices and celebrates with our community in times of joy. Seek to be with one another, share meals with one another, and be friends with all of God's children.

Vacation

Just a reminder to everyone that I will be on vacation all week, returning on March 10. Next week we will have a guest pastor in worship. I hope everyone has a blessed week and I look forward to seeing everyone when I return. Our Tuesday morning Bible study and our Wednesday evening classes are both canceled this week and will resume the following week.

Take care!

Pastor Andrew

Canceling Church

On Sunday, February 17, 2008, we did something at Church in the Hills that I never thought would ever happen – we called off our official Sunday morning worship. As a newly minted pastor, fresh out of seminary, the concept of postponing worship because of the weather astonished me. And of course, I didn’t look at it from a practical point of view or for reasons of safety. No, I looked at the canceling of worship as a direct result of my failure as a new pastor. Regardless of the weather conditions, the repeated warnings from the weather service, and the Michigan State Police driving reports, I saw the cessation of worship as indicative of my pastoral leadership at Church in the Hills.
Since then, I’ve had plenty of people talk me down and remind me of how dangerous it was to drive up into the “hills” in order to get to Church in the Hills. They’ve reminded me about the necessity for safety and care of their families and the need to be responsible when faced with adversity. Some even told about the worship they still were able to offer in their homes as a family.
I know that this was a fluke Sunday and this sort of thing is an anomaly. However, I was not upset about the weather, my self-doubt, or my failure to understand the danger of freezing rain. I was frustrated because of what “skipping” worship meant on a grander scale.
In the Presbyterian Church, we value communal worship very highly. We practice our faith in the context of a community of believers. While we are all individuals, equally loved by God, we are also members of a larger family of God’s children. We are called to be together in worship, fellowship, celebration, grief, and everything in between. We come to worship to stand beside the man, woman, or child next to us and join with them in our prayers, our songs, and our faith.
I was sad that week because that opportunity was missed for the community. However, our worship is not limited to a time or place. Our faith is not restricted by weather or driving conditions. And the love of God is not held back, restrained, or “canceled” because we miss one scheduled Sunday morning service.
So to everyone at Church in the Hills and any other house of worship in the area – make an effort to worship, work, and play together - but always do so in a way that takes care of yourselves and your families. Be a community that looks out for the well-being of all its members and seeks to share peace, justice, and love with the world.

Sign-up for the Passover Seder

I'm pretty excited about this prospect.

We're partnering up with the Bellaire Community United Methodist Church on March 20, Maunday Thursday, to celebrate the Passover Seder meal in an eccumenical worship service. We'll begin the meal that night at 6:00 pm.

The Seder is a symbolic meal that reflects upon the Passover of the Jews and their journey out of Egypt. It was a Passover meal that Christ shared with his apostles on the night he was betrayed. When we, as Christians, participate in the Lord's Supper, we are joining in this same Passover feast.

Sign up on the bulletin board or call the church to reserve your spot. We only have thirty or so spots left between the two churches. Sign up fast!

Lent and lenten preparations

Greetings everyone! We are rapidly approaching the beginning of Lent, traditionally marked by the celebration of Ash Wednesday. Lent is the forty days before Easter, excluding Sundays. It is a time of preparation for Easter. We take this time to prepare ourselves through prayer, fasting, study, and grace-filled works to be reminded of the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

What does this mean for our church? We're going to spend the next forty days preparing ourselves by being reminded of Jesus' Hebrew heritage and how we can learn from and expereince Judaism in order to get a better understanding of Christianity.

Here is a list of the Wednesday evening adult education classes through Lent, with a special Passover Seder dinner shared with the Bellaire Community United Methodist Church on Maunday Thursday to help celebrate Holy Week.

I hope many of you are able to attend. Remember, ask lots of questions and always seek to grow in your faith through the Holy Spirit. Take care! - Pastor Andrew

The Wednesday Evening Adult Education Classes for Lent – A Study of Judaism:

Wednesday Feb 13 – Festivals and Holidays of Judaism – From Rosh Shoshanna to Yom Kippur and everything in between. Learn about the major holidays in the Jewish faith and how Christians can incorporate them into our worship, fellowship, and discipleship

Feb 20 – The Hebrew Language – An introduction into the language, translations, and the Hebrew scriptures

Feb 27 – Israel: Place, Idea, and Theology

March 5 – Passover Meal Planning team – Pastor Andrew away

March 12 – Contemporary Judaism (modern interpretation of the faith, reformed Judaism, and the place of Judaism in our society

Thursday March 20 – Passover Seder Meal, shared with The Bellaire Community United Methodist Church – 6:00 pm - sign up soon, only 80 spots available for both churches!

Newsletter as a benchmark

Something hit me today as I was proofreading the monthly newsletter: this is an EXTREMELY full newsletter.

I say this is striking because when I arrived in July, the newsletter was often a late published, scrambled together affair that didn't really reflect everything that happens here at Church in the Hills.

Now, we have a document bursting at the seams with mission opportunities, classes, studies, and thoughts form the members and staff of our congregation. While this still doesn't encompass all that is church in the hills, it certainly does give a nice snapshot of it for any given month.

Keep up the good work, friends. Continue your disciplines, read your confessions, stay rooted in prayer, and always look for where you can help the ministry of Christ in your world.

Peace and grace to you,

Pastor Andrew

What is a church?

I heard an interesting comment yesterday about multiple congregations within one church. Specifically, the reference was to churches like Church in the Hills who have a distinctly different congregation in the summer as compared to the winter.

Don't misinterpret my words - many of the people from winter are here in the summer. However, the snowbirds who go south for the winter and return in the summer are added to the congregation every spring/summer. As I observed this past year, the congregation nearly doubles in size with summer friends, visitors, and people who only live in the area during the warmer months.

This creates, as my friend articulated, multiple congregations. There is a year-round congregation, a summer contingent, and the ever present visitors who flock to all Northern Michigan has to offer (people who are here skiing for a week, boating, fishing, whatever for the summer, etc.)

The concern about this revolves around our connections with one another in the church. How can we maximize our ministry potential in light of a dynamic, changing congregation? What activities, conversations, and ideas help us feel connected in spite of "seasonal difficulties?"

Rubber Ducks

I recently attended a meeting of the Bellaire Chamber of Commerce to discuss this year's Rubber Ducky Days (yes, DAYS). The hope this year is that we can expand the normal one day festival into a week's worth of ducky activities to put Bellaire on the map.

So, as Church in the Hills, an active member of our Bellaire community, what can we do to make this vision a reality? What could you read in the paper in Gaylord, TC, Detroit, etc., and think, "Yeah, I'd drive out to Bellaire to do/see/be part of that!"

I'm curious to hear any and all ideas. My first idea was a road race/walk from Church in the Hills, through the hills, ending in downtown.

Any thoughts?

Happy New Year and Happy Annual Meeting!

Christmas has come and gone. Now it's time for another "first" for me as a pastor: the annual congregational meeting. That's right, it's that time of year again. Time to decorate the church with polity and season the congregation with reports on the past year's business.

This really is an amazing time and I'm *gasp* actually looking forward to the meeting. With the new year, it's a chance for us to reflect on the Holy Spirit's work in our midst, a chance to give thanks for the blessings we receive daily, and an opportunity for our congregation to resolve anew to be more loving, compassionate, and grace-filled ministers of Christ's Church.

I hope everyone had a blessed New Year's and is looking forward to a wonderful year together.

Peace and grace,

Pastor Andrew Pomerville