Boxing Night Clothing Drive

Boxing Night Clothing Drive for the Homeless – The Geneva Youth will be collecting blankets, coats and clothing for Fort Street's Open Door Ministry through January 7. You may bring donations to the church during office hours or drop them off in the boxes will be outside the front door.

Winter Dinner Series

Dealing with Difficult People

We all have them – people in our lives who are hard to get along with, let alone love. And yet Jesus tells us that we are to love them and bless them. Join us on Wednesday nights beginning January 12 as Bryan Smith leads us through an exploration of the different types of difficult people, what blessing them might look like, and specific strategies for dealing with them. Dinner is at 5:45 with class time at 6:30. Children and youth will continue their regular LifeStream programs. Donation for dinner: $3.50 for adults, $1.50 for children 10 and under.

Dec. 26 Boxing Day at Geneva

Check out this link:

Plymouth-Canton Youth to Get a Taste of Homelessness While Raising Awareness

This Week at Geneva

Holiday Worship Schedule

Christmas Eve

4:00 – Celebration of the Christmas Story

A joyful retelling of the Christmas story in which
children are invited to play a part

7:00 & 9:00 – Service of Lessons and Carols
with candlelight and communion

Sunday, December 26

10:00 am – Worship

Sunday, January 2

10:00 am -- Worship

Pray for our missions and missionaries:

Geneva’s Annual Boxing Night Clothing Drive for the Homeless

On Sunday, December 26^th beginning at 8pm the Geneva Senior Highs will be spending the night in the church parking lot to kick off our 16^th annual Boxing Night Clothing Drive for the Homeless. We will be collecting warm winter clothing, blankets, winter outer wear and toiletries from December 26^th through January 7. Bring your donations to the church. All donations will be taken to Fort Street Presbyterian Church Open Door Ministry to the homeless. Tell your neighbors!

Sock Drive – There is a chronic shortage of socks at The Open Door Clothing Bank at Fort St. Presbyterian Church. From now through Christmas, we will collect warm clean, new or gently used men's socks for distribution through the Open Door Ministry. Look for the brightly decorated collection box in the entryway.

Worship Preview for Sunday, December 12

I recently heard a story on NPR about how Google is going to launch a book-selling web site to compete with Amazon.com. It seems the internet giant is looking to the future and foreseeing a rapidly changing picture. Their old ways of doing things, ways that have brought them enormous success, power and wealth, will only work for a short while longer. If they don’t change in some innovative ways, and change soon, experts predict that they will fade into the background while newer companies step up to the plate. Google, the envy of the internet world, will become a dinosaur.

Google’s experience could be a metaphor for our contemporary lives. No sooner do we chalk up one success that we have to start looking for ways either to protect it, or to top it with an even greater success. If you snooze, the saying goes, you lose. Life is one big competition and only those who win will be able to live life to the fullest.

That may be the way of contemporary life, but it’s not the way of the Gospel. Jesus came to give us a gift He called joy, and the place we find it isn’t on the top of the heap, but somewhere else entirely. This Sunday we will be looking at someone who found the surprising secret of where true joy is to be found.

As you prepare for worship on Sunday, please read Luke 1:39-45 and John 3:22-30, 35 and ponder the following questions.

How would you define “joy”?

Where have you experienced joy in your life? On what does it depend?

How might Jesus be asking you to become less so He can become greater?

Worship Preview for Sunday, December 5, 2010

Last Sunday we began Advent by concluding a sermon series on the six Great Ends of the Church, focusing on “the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.” What an appropriate way to begin Advent, the season in which we prepare to celebrate God’s bodily exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven in the person of Jesus Christ. This Sunday, and throughout Advent, we will continue to examine what it means for the people of God to proclaim, through its very presence, the Kingdom of Heaven to the world, to show experientially what that Kingdom is like, and to invite others to join us in the Kingdom.

This week our Advent focus is on the gift of Peace. It is difficult to look around us and find any reason for peace. Many of the things we have depended upon to help us feel safe and secure have been crumbling before our very eyes: jobs in jeopardy, the threat of terrorism, our country embroiled in two seemingly endless wars, political turmoil. It seems as though everywhere we turn there is reason for worry. It is easy to feel as though we are living one step from disaster. And yet, the church is called to experience and to exhibit to the world a peace that is beyond our ability to comprehend, a peace that is ours regardless of the turmoil around us.

It was to people living on the margins of society that Jesus spoke these words: “Do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear” (Luke 12:22). But how is that possible? Did Jesus have his head in the clouds? Was he not in touch with reality? Did he really mean what he said, or was he merely waxing poetic? How can we not worry when we live in such a worrisome world?

As you prepare for worship on Sunday, please read John 10:7-10 and Luke 12:22-34 and ponder these questions:

How would you describe an abundant life?

Do you feel like you are living an abundant life?


What are you worried about?


What would it take for you to be able to stop worrying?

Advent at Geneva

Intergenerational Christmas Celebration – Please join us on Wednesday December 15^th for a special Christmas celebration. We’ll have dinner served family style at 5:45. 

At 6:30 we will enjoy a brief family friendly reflection by our youth. The evening will end 7:45. The sounds of Christmas music, the smell of good food and the beauty of the season will delight your senses. 

There will an opportunity for all ages to make ornaments to decorate a tree in the gathering area. This night will be a great way for you and your family to focus not on the stress but on the spirit of Christmas. Entrance fee is a donation of canned goods.

Advent Dinner Series, Reclaiming Christmas – On Wednesday, December 8, we will continue our Advent Dinner Series, Reclaiming Christmas. This week our focus will be on Spending Less, Giving More.

Our culture tells us that a successful Christmas is one in which retailers make lots of money, we spend lots of money, and our Christmas trees are piled high with plentiful and preferably expensive gifts.

• But what if we decided not to let Madison Avenue tell us how to celebrate the birth of Christ? 
• What would our family and friends think if we really did follow through on our decisions to spend less on gifts this year? 
• And how is it possible that spending less could translate into giving more? 

Join us on Wednesday and find out how you can have a subversive Christmas, one that blesses you, your loved ones and the heart of God more than ever before. 

Dinner is at 5:45, followed by classes for all ages at 6:30. Suggested donation for dinner is $3.50 for adults and $1.50 for children 10 and under. Check sign-up #5.

Happy New Year!   No, I'm not five weeks early. According to the Christian calendar, the first Sunday in Advent is New Year's Day.  As we begin this new church year we will be finishing a sermon series on the six great ends of the church. This week's topic, appropriately, is "the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world."   During Advent we prepare to celebrate the Incarnation, or "becoming flesh" of God in the person of Jesus. But Jesus only walked on this earth for a little over 30 years. During those brief years, he showed us, through word, deed and manner of life, what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. And then he left. He ascended into heaven and promised to return at some later date.   For 2000 years the church has been waiting, watching and longing for that day to come, and Advent is a time when we focus on that waiting, watching and longing. But before Jesus was taken to heaven, He made it clear that the incarnation did not end with that event. Indeed, Jesus Himself would be present on earth, not in one particular body occupying one place in space and time, but in another kind of body, His new body, one that would cover the earth and continue on from one generation to the next. That body is the Church.  It is through us – through Christ's Spirit in us – that God is "incarnate," or bodily present in the world today. It is Jesus' intent that through the Church the world will be able to see what the Kingdom of Heaven is like.   Advent is indeed a time of watching and waiting and preparing – both for the day we celebrate the coming of Jesus, and for the day when He will return. And it is also a time to examine what it means for us to be part of the Body of Christ in the mean time. What does it mean to be people charged with the "exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world", and what exactly are the characteristics of this kingdom? As you prepare to worship God on Sunday, please read Luke 22:24-27 and Matthew 5:14-16 and ponder these questions.   What qualities does Jesus point to as being characteristic of the Kingdom of Heaven in these passages?   How did Jesus model servanthood in his life and ministry?   How does the world tend to treat servants?   How do you respond to the idea that Jesus says we are called to serve?

Reaching Out

Alternative Holiday Market, Sunday, December 12 after each service. Purchase gifts and alternative gifts that will make a difference in the lives of many in our world who struggle each day to survive.

·         The proceeds from Palcraftaid's olivewood sculptures and counted cross stitch needlework go directly to Palestinian Christian organizations which minister to deaf children, the aged, and those in need of medicine and clothing.

·         Church World Service offers "alternative" gifts and are a great way to celebrate your loved ones with a gift of meaning instead of just buying more things. Catalogs will be available on the kiosk very soon. In addition, we will have some Rwandan note cards and Cambodian bells available for purchase. 

·          Just Coffee will available for your gift-giving.

Sock Drive – There is a chronic shortage of socks at The Open Door Clothing Bank at Fort St. Presbyterian Church. Many of the people served by this ministry live on the street, have serious medical conditions such as diabetes, or have to walk through the elements every day to get to jobs, etc. This is a serious health risk for them. From now through Christmas, we will collect warm clean, new or gently used men's socks for distribution through the Open Door Ministry. Look for the brightly decorated collection box in the entryway. Our goal is to fill this box up over its top. Questions can be directed to any Local Mission Ministry Team member, Dawn Christenson, Donna Gray, Mary Stuart, or Dave and Rosemary Leslie.

Worship Preview for Sunday, November 21, 2010

This Sunday we’ll be focusing on one of the six great ends of the church: “the shelter, nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the people of God.” Next weekend, countless Americans will be traveling, some of them great distances, to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families. A great number of those folks will be traveling to a place they call “home.” They’ll be visiting the city, and sometimes even the house they grew up in as well as the people they grew up with. For all of us, the idea of “home” comes loaded with connections, emotions and memories – some of them good, some of them not so good.

This particular great end of the church reminds me of what home is supposed to be – a place of shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship, a place of love, acceptance, provision and safety. That job description poses quite a challenge for any family, including the family of God. This Sunday we will be taking a look at some of those challenges, and what it means to be Home, not just for those of us who worship together, but also to those outside who God wants to bring into the shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship of His family.

In preparation for worship, please read Romans 12:9-21 and 1 John 5:18-21 and ponder these questions.

 In your life, who has been someone who has provided shelter, nurture and spiritual fellowship?

List some of the characteristics that person had that helped you to feel at home with him or her.

Is there someone in your life that God is asking you to be that kind of person for?

Reaching Out!

The angels are here and waiting to be adopted! Please check out the table in the gathering space to sign out your angel. These angel gifts are due back to the church by November 28^th.  The Salvation Army asks that the gifts be returned unwrapped.  They are suggesting guidelines of a target of $50 per angel.  That is just a suggestion.  The people that we are collecting for are facing a very bleak Christmas without our help! 

Just Coffee – Place your Just Coffee order today! Orders must be received by November 14. Coffee may be ordered ground or beans, dark or medium roast, regular or decaf. Order by contacting Norm or Barb Fichtenberg at 734-981-4205.

Salvation Army Bell Ringing – Sign up to ring bells for The Salvation Army.  See the bulletin board for times available on November 26 and 27 at Hobby Lobby. There are two opportunities to help bring a joyful Thanksgiving to those in need. The Salvation Army is distributing care boxes on November 20 and 22.

Westminster Thanksgiving meal needs servers – Westminster Presbyterian Church is serving a meal on Thanksgiving Day.  Please see the bulletin board for more information on volunteering for either program.

Quilt Dedication Sunday, Nov.21st at 8:30 and 11:00 services. Several women have been working for months creating beautiful quilts that will be donated to local homeless shelters. Join us on November 21 as we dedicate these quilts and recognize those who made them. We will celebrate their service to Christ with a cake following the service.

Worship Preview November 7, 2010

The fourth installment in our sermon series on the six great ends of the church is "The Maintenance of Divine Worship." In life, we have to maintain certain things. Our cars wear out faster if we don't change the oil and put air in the tires periodically. Without maintenance our homes will eventually get leaky roofs, cracked walls and plumbing problems. Relationships need to be maintained too. A marriage or a friendship will begin to fall apart if they don't get the attention they need and deserve. All of these things, without maintenance, get damaged by neglect or improper use. As I pondered this fourth great end of the church, it occurred to me that our call as a church isn't just to worship God. It isn't even just to worship God in spirit and in truth. Although we are called to do those things, we are also called to maintain divine worship. We have been entrusted to care for it, keep it pure, and see that it is doesn't devolve into something that God never intended. One of the very first lessons Jesus learned after his baptism was what it means to maintain divine worship. As you prepare for worship on Sunday please read Matthew 4:8-10 and Romans 12:1-2 and ponder the following questions. In your understanding, what is worship? What distortion was Satan trying to introduce into Jesus' worship? What distortion of worship is most tempting to you? Why is it such a temptation? A couple of things to remember: ·         We will begin our new round of adult classes this Sunday. Classes run from 9:45 – 10:45, and you may choose from:                -- Going Deeper : an in-depth exploration of the Bible                    passage for that Sunday's sermon                -- Discovering and Using Your Spiritual Gifts                 --The Presbyterian Story                 --The Letters of Paul ·         Fall back – Daylight saving time ends on Sunday morning. Don't forget to set your clocks BACK one hour before you go to bed on Saturday night.

Worship Preview, Sunday Oct. 31, 2010

This election year we see, perhaps more than ever, a great and often contentious divide between opinions about what "social righteousness" means.  Democrats, Republicans, Tea Partiers, and political pundits of every stripe all have their own version of what a "righteous" society looks like.  On Tuesday, we'll be asked vote for the version we like best. Our Presbyterian denomination has stated that one of the six Great Ends of the Church is "The Promotion of Social Righteousness." We believe God has given us a mandate to help advance His vision of what a righteous and just society should be.  But within the church, as it is in politics, there is often disagreement about what that means. On Sunday we'll take a look at another conflict of opinions regarding social righteousness. This one is not between politicians, but between God and his people. In preparation for worship, please read John 8:1-11 and Isaiah 58:1-11 and ponder the following questions. What comes to mind when you hear the term "social righteousness?" Is there a difference between "promoting social righteousness" and acting as "morality police"? Where do you see the need for the church today to promote social righteousness? How might God be asking you to be part of that call?

This Week at Geneva

Mission Opportunities

• Quilts for the Homeless – New Quilting Schedule! Starting Monday Sept 20th 6:30-8:30PM, we will be assembling and tying quilts! It's EASY. RELAXING, and great FELLOWSHIP! Please join us even if you only have a half hour to spare. Sewers are still needed at home or church. Sheets are needed for backing the quilts. See Charlene Jones (981-3053) or Cheryl Caldwell for questions.
• CROP Hunger Walk – The 2010 Plymouth/Canton CROP Hunger Walk will take place on Sunday, October 17 with registration starting at 1:30 pm and the walk at 2:00 pm. The walk will begin at St. John's Episcopal Church, 574 S. Sheldon Rd. in Plymouth. We will be recruiting walkers and donors in the Gathering Space on Sept. 19, 26, Oct. 3 and 10. This is a family event. Strollers and wagons are welcome for young children.
• Intergenerational Mission Day – Join us as we serve dinner and host a harvest celebration at The Wayne County Family Center on Oct. 23, 4:30-7:30.  This shelter serves families from Wayne County who need short-term housing and does not provide meals on weekends for residents.  Assistance is needed for cooking, serving, clean-up, pumpkin carving, games, crafts, and hospitality.  All ages are welcome to volunteer!  Please see the sign-up sheet on the bulletin board.
• Habitat for Humanity Fundraiser – Habitat for Humanity of Western Wayne County is holding its annual Gala dinner, dance and silent auction fundraiser, on Saturday, October 30, 2010, at Schoolcraft College, VisTaTech Culinary Arts Center. The event is black tie optional and begins at 6:00p.m.  Tickets are $100 per person or $150 per couple. Please contact Christine Bodie at (248) 760-0365 for more information. 
•  Habitat for Humanity still needs volunteer support to finish up minor tasks on October 12, 14 and 16 at the two houses in Westland. Build days last from 9:30am to 2:30pm. Volunteers are asked to be at the site no later than9:15am to complete all  waivers (if you are bringing someone that does not have one on file). Please call the Habitat office at (734) 459-7744 or email the volunteer coordinator at   habitatwwcvolunteer@yahoo.com as soon as possible for more information or to confirm the date that you can volunteer.

Lunch Bunch Luncheon

The Lunch Bunch will be meeting at noon on Wednesday, October 13 at Max & Erma’s restaurant, 2240 North Canton Center Road, Canton. Come, bring a friend, enjoy good food and lively conversation. Anyone needing transportation call Buddy or Linda Stover at 734-722-6086.

Trick or Trunk is a Halloween costume event for children and families. It will be held on Saturday, October 30th from 4-6. The children will have fun and games and then trick or treat in the church parking lot. Adults are invited to pass out candy from the trunk of their car! You can even decorate your car. If you know you’ll be attended please sign up, so we make sure we have plenty of goodies!

Women’s Bible Study

The Women’s Bible Study will begin its 2010-2011 year on Thursday, October 28 at 7:00pm. We will start the year using Don Postema’s Space for God. Books cost $15 each. If you have any questions, please contact facilitators Sandy Stoecklein at 734-595-9911 or Mary Stuart at 734-416-8964.

Worship Preview, Sunday Oct 10,2010

Dear Saints,

It’s important to know the purpose of a thing. Try to hammer a nail with an alarm clock and it won’t work very well. Try to paint a portrait with a hammer and you’ll soon discover that their purpose is very different. As human beings we learn from the Westminster Catechism that the primary purpose of humankind is to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.”

It’s important to know the purpose of clocks, hammers and especially our own lives. But what about the Church? What exactly is the Church here for? We know we are Christ’s body on earth, but how are we to live that out? Our denomination has identified six primary purposes that it calls “The Six Great Ends of the Church.”   Over the next six weeks we will be taking a closer look at each of these purposes one at a time. This Sunday’s “Great End” will be “The Proclamation of the Gospel for the Salvation of Humankind.”

In preparation for worship this Sunday, please read Matthew 8:26-39. Spend some time reflecting on the following questions.

·         How is your life different because Christ has intervened on your behalf?

·         How is that difference manifest in your life? How does it “show”?

·         Are there people in your life right now who need to see that difference and hear your story?

We will also be dedicating six beautiful new banners on Sunday, which were hand made by Grace Morgan and Bevis Richardson. Each of these banners depicts one of the Great Ends of the Church. Please be sure to join us for this special occasion.

The apostle Paul once said asked for the prayers of the Ephesian church saying, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador” (Ephesians 6:19). As we focus this Sunday on the Proclamation of the Gospel, let that be our our prayer for one another.


-- Bryan

Worship Preview, Sunday Oct.3

Dear Saints,

This Sunday is World Communion Sunday. Churches across the globe will celebrate the unity we have been given in Christ by sharing in the Lord’s Supper. It is also a special Sunday for us as we welcome The Rev. Ashraf Beshay, a Presbyterian pastor from Cairo, Egypt, who will be spending four weeks with us. I look forward this next month to being blessed and enriched as Ashraf shares with us  about the joys and challenges of our sisters and brothers who live in the Middle East.

 The unity Christ purchased for us at the cross is a poignant reality when we consider the world we live in. Not a day goes by without headline after headline reporting conflicts along national, ideological, religious, political, racial, economic, social and just about any other line you can fathom.  Jesus lived in a world very different from ours, but one that was no less divided and had much to say about how he intended for his followers to live in such a world.   

In preparation for worship, please read Luke 9:51-56 and Luke 10:25-37 and ponder the following questions.

What are some of the deepest divisions between you and other people in your life?

How do you respond to the idea that Jesus calls us to be a neighbor to these very people?

What would it look like for you to take one step toward neighborliness?

-- Bryan

This Week at Geneva

You may sign up for any of the following programs by contacting the person listed in the announcement or by phoning the church office at 734-459-0013. Access the updated Geneva activity calendar anytime by logging onto the Geneva web site at genevachurch.org and clicking on the “calendar” button.

Learning and Growing Together

On Wednesday, September 29, LifeStream, our mid-week Christian Education program, will resume. LifeStream begins with a meal at 5:45 followed by classes for all ages from 6:30 – 7:30. Suggested donation for meals is $3.50 for adults and $1.50 for children 10 and under with a family maximum of $15.00. You may sign up for adult classes in the Sunday bulletin, by calling the church office at 734-459-0013 or by email at cindysue32@sbcglobal.net.

Adult LifeStream classes

·         Suburban Spirituality: The Challenges and Opportunities for Suburban Christians – facilitated by Bryan Smith. Starts September 29.

·         Disciple: an In-Depth Exploration of the Bible – facilitated by Dave McCreedy and Cindy Thomas. Manuals cost $35 each. Meets from 6:30 – 8:30.

 Our Visiting Pastor from Egypt will be here soon. Your help is needed!

The Rev. Ashraf Beshay will be visiting with us from Egypt September 29 – October 27, through the Synod of the Covenant’s Mission to the USA program.  A calendar is posted in the Gathering Space to allow everyone an opportunity to sign up to visit with him in their home for meals or other gatherings or to take him to visit area cultural or entertainment venues.  If you have any questions, please contact Ashraf’s calendar coordinator, Donna Gray at 734-844-279 or dgrayce@sbcglobal.net.

Mission Opportunities

• Quilts for the Homeless – New Quilting Schedule! Starting Monday Sept 20th 6:30-8:30PM, we will be assembling and tying quilts! It's EASY. RELAXING, and great FELLOWSHIP! Please join us even if you only have a half hour to spare. Sewers are still needed at home or church. Sheets are needed for backing the quilts. See Charlene Jones (981-3053) or Cheryl Caldwell for questions.
• ISI October English Class Tutoring -- ISI (International Students, Inc.) is sponsoring English Conversation Classes for international students and visiting scholars at the University of Michigan on the 4 Mondays in October (Oct. 4, 11, 18 and 25). The class is held in the Boulevard Room of Pierpont Commons, corner of Murfin Ave. and Bonisteel Blvd., U of M North Campus, from 7:30 pm until 8:45 pm. You are invited to participate in any one or more of the sessions. No experience is necessary and materials will be provided.  car pool will leave from Geneva at 6:45 pm each week. For more information, contact Barb or Norm Fichtenberg.
• An important request for the Iowa and Katrina mission trips. Volunteers are needed for mission trips.   Iowa in September and Katrina in October 2010. Call Mary Lloyd at 313-247-0792 with questions & visit hands-on-mission.org for applications.
• Annual Chili Cook Off  - Sunday, October 10th – Plymouth
  Sign up as a volunteer, have a great time, receive a t-shirt and lunch.
  There are many different opportunities for 3 or 4 hr. time slots.
  Sign up in the gathering space soon, to reserve your favorite time & activity.
  Bring your friends ! Proceeds go to Apostles Build and other charities.
• CROP Hunger Walk – The 2010 Plymouth/Canton CROP Hunger Walk will take place on Sunday, October 17with registration starting at 1:30 pm and the walk at 2:00 pm. The walk will begin at St. John's Episcopal Church, 574 S. Sheldon Rd. in Plymouth. We will be recruiting walkers and donors in the Gathering Space on Sept. 19, 26,Oct. 3 and 10. This is a family event. Strollers and wagons are welcome for young children.

Reaching out to our community

Habitat for Humanity Annual Chili Cook Off  - Sunday, October 10th -Plymouth

Sign up as a volunteer, have a great time, receive a t-shirt and lunch.

There are many different opportunities for 3 or 4 hr. time slots.

Sign up in the gathering space soon, to reserve your favorite time & activity

Bring your friends -
Proceeds go to Apostles Build and other charities.

Quilts for the Homeless – We will be quilting every Monday from 6:30 – 8:30pm starting September 13. Sheets and people willing to sew are needed. Call Charlene Jones at 734-981-3053 if you have any questions.

ISI October English Class Tutoring -- ISI (International Students, Inc.) is sponsoring English Conversation Classes for international students and visiting scholars at the University of Michigan on the 4 Mondays in October (Oct. 4, 11, 18 and 25). The class is held in the Boulevard Room of Pierpont Commons, corner of Murfin Ave. and Bonisteel Blvd., U of M North Campus, from 7:30 pm until 8:45 pm. You are invited to participate in any one or more of the sessions. No experience is necessary and materials will be provided.  car pool will leave from Geneva at 6:45 pm each week. For more information, contact Barb or Norm Fichtenberg.

This is an important request for the Iowa and Katrina mission trips.

Volunteers needed for mission trips.   Iowa in September and Katrina in October 2010. Call Mary Lloyd at 313-247-0792 with questions & visit hands-on-mission.org for applications.

While the world has looked on in fascination, disgust, and horror at the proposed burning of Korans by a pastor and his church in Florida, the faith community here at Geneva has been quietly but busily planning more edifying events this weekend.  First, we will be gathering at Geneva this Saturday at 5:00 pm for a church picnic.  We'll have lots of food, fun, and fellowship, rain or shine.  We hope that Genevans and friends of all ages will join us for the picnic as we begin our Coming Home weekend.    And then on Sunday morning, we begin our new worship and education format.  Worship services will be held at 8:30 and 11:00 am and an education hour will take place beginning at 9:45am.  We will have communion, liturgical dance, wonderful music, and a though-provoking message in worship.  For education, we again have classes planned for all ages.  Join us whether you've signed up or not!   We will begin this Sunday taking a look at the invitation we have as people of faith to be transformed into Christ-likeness.  We'll be thinking about what our role is in this process and what is God's role.  To prepare for worship, I encourage you to read Hebrews 5:11-6:12.  Take some time to ponder the passage, inviting the Holy Spirit to speak to you through them.  As you do so, I encourage you to think about what hinders Christians from moving into faith maturity.  What are some of the stumbling blocks we encounter in the transformative process?  What does the writer of Hebrews encourage us to do?  What specifically might God be asking you to do in regards to your faith at this point in your life? My hope is that we can kick-off a new year of church life with a commitment to accept all God has in mind for us. As we head into the fall season, we know God is ready and waiting to help us grow in faith, hope, and love.

Children’s Ministry New Opportunities for Fall Line-up!

We can’t wait to kick of the Christian Education Programs in Children’s Ministry!

On Sunday, September 12th we will welcome all children to explore their faith in a variety of way,

• Infants and toddlers will be able to play in a safe and welcoming environment all morning. We offer faith based play and stories for our little ones.
• At 9:45 children ages 4 years through 5th grade will attend the Lighthouse where they will experience “hands on” Bible stories.
• At 11am worship- 3 year olds thru 1st graders will be in Young Children’s Worship following the children’s time at the 11 worship service.
• At 11 am worship children in 2nd -5th grade will go following the children’s message and have their Kid’s Own Worship (K.O.W.) on the 2nd and 4th  Sundays of each month. The other Sundays they will stay and participate in worship in the sanctuary.

LifeStream- midweek program beginning Wednesday, September 29 – Dinner at 5:45, classes from 6:30 – 7:30. Suggested donation for dinner: $3.50 for adults, $1.50 for children 10 and under. This fall the program will include dinner, devotions, recreation, worship arts and mission projects. Through sharing and serving, creating and playing the children will be actively engaged in finding ways to put their faith into action. Together, they will discover practical ways to be people of faith in their daily lives. All children in K-5th grades are welcome.

First Fridays (an evening of fun and faith) Starting October 1st for children in 1st-5th grade from 6:30-8:30. More details will be coming soon.  Upcoming dates will be 11/5, 12/3,1/7, 2/4, 3/4, 4/1, 5/6

      

Please encourage the children in your life to attend these programs designed to help them grow in faith and discover God’s love.

Geneva Presbyterian has a child, youth and vulnerable adult protection policy. We are committed to providing a safe environment for worship and learning for people of all ages.

This Week at Geneva

Pray for our Missions and Missionaries

The Fort Street Presbyterian Church Open Door Ministry has had the privilege of serving the Poor and Homeless in Downtown Detroit for over 35 years! Every Thursday we open our doors to serve a hearty meal to over 400 people who are homeless or cannot afford food. Also, each person leaves with sandwiches for later in the day. During the last year, 21,000 meals were served to homeless and poor people. In addition, clothing, showers, medical services, and haircuts are available. A social worker provides counseling for assistance benefits. Job postings are made available in the local area. Read more about Open Door on their web site athttp://www.fortstreet.org/Open%20Door/overview.html.

Prayer Chain

If you have any requests for our Prayer Chain, please email them to prayerchain@genevachurch.org. If you do not have access to email, you may phone your requests to our Prayer Chain Coordinator, Kurt Cross, at 313-532-3984, or to the church office at 734-459-0013.

Here’s What’s Happening at Geneva

You may sign up for any of the following programs by replying to this e-mail or contacting the person listed in the announcement or by phoning the church office at 734-459-0013. Access the updated Geneva activity calendar anytime by logging onto the Geneva web site at genevachurch.org and clicking on the “calendar” button.

Blood Drive

The next Geneva-St. Michael’s blood drive will be held at Geneva on Monday, July 26 from 2:30 – 8:00 pm. Please make your appointment by contacting Blood Drive Coordinator Kay Sousa at 734-772-2990.

Quilts for the Homeless

ATTENTION ALL PEOPLE WHO SEW!  Anyone interested in sewing a quilt (it's easy) please contact Charlene @ 734-981-3053. Sewing can be done at home or at church.

Tues July 20th, Quilt tying, 1pm to 4:30pm with Grace Morgan. Come as you can. No supplies needed.

Wed July 21st – Collating, 1pm-3:30pm and 6 pm - 8 pm. with Charlene, Grace, and Cheryl.

 Wed July 28th – Collating & tying, 6:30pm to 8:30 pm with Charlene and Grace.

Wed Aug 4th, Quilting continues, 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm with Charlene and Cheryl.

Intergenerational Outreach/Mission Day – ALL AGES INVITED

The Wayne County Family Center on Michigan Avenue in Wayne is the site of our next intergenerational outreach/mission day. Saturday, July 24^th, from 10am -- ??pm we will join with the residents of the WCFC for a few hours of work, sharing, a meal, and fun. The families may include children of all ages from infants through teenagers.

·         10am – Time to repair some old and build some new picnic tables, repair the basketball area, and do some general playground improvement/clean-up (you will be contacted about tools needed.

·         12pm -- ?? – Time for a picnic with burgers and dogs on the grill (provided by the Local Mission Team) and a potluck of whatever sides and desserts everyone wants to bring. Outdoor activities and games for all ages and abilities will follow the picnic. Please bring donations of new and/or gently used outdoor games/toys to use and leave. Come for any or all of the day! If you can’t come at all, donations of outdoor games/toys are needed and will be collected at Geneva from July 4 through July 22.

Contact Dawn Christenson, Local Mission Elder at 734-397-1484.

Mission to the USA – MUSA

Geneva has been selected to participate in this year’s Synod of the Covenant’s Mission to the USA Program, September 29 – October 27. You may remember our participation in this program previously when Nikolai Devyatkin was the missionary/visiting pastor from Russia.  This year’s missionaries are from the Middle East.  We will be welcoming the Reverend Afshar Beshay, senior pastor of Maadi Evangelical Church Cairo, Egypt.  Ashfar’s church is a Presbyterian church of the Synod of the Nile. We will be sharing more information in the next few weeks and asking for your assistance so that everyone will have an opportunity to learn from and share hospitality with Ashfar during his time with us. 

Toddler Care assistance needed for the summer worship schedule

Adult and youth assistants are needed to watch over our little ones in the toddler room during worship this summer.  Sign up for a week(s) on the bulletin board across from the sanctuary. A Ministry with Minors application is required for adults, contact Cindy Revezzo or Meg Wilson if you need an application. 

Just Coffee order

We will be ordering Just Coffee again this month to be delivered on Sunday, August 1. Orders must be received by July 20. There will be some extra coffee ordered, but if you want to make sure you get what you want, please place your order on the sign-up in the Sunday bulletin or contact Barb Fichtenberg at 734-981-4205. Due to an increase in shipping costs (50 cents per lb.), a pound of regular coffee is now $9 and a pound of decaf is $10.

An Amazing Opportunity

Michigan Roundtable is honored and truly excited to offer this opportunity for open and honest dialogue on stories of racial healing. On Friday, July 30 at 7pm, authors Plyllis A. and Eugene F. Unterschuetz will be offering a live reading of their book, Longing: Stories of Racial Healing followed by dialogue. Longing is a white couple's personal account of a journey that pulled them out of their comfortable notions about race and into the lives of people of African descent, where they faced their greatest challenge---their own racial conditioning. Please bring guests. The reading is open to the public.