Straits Talk

United Methodist and Presbyterian (USA)

The Church of the Straits

P.O. Box 430 * Mackinaw City, MI 49701

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Straits Talk

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDMackinaw CityMichigan 49701

Permit No. 1

August 2013Minister Pastor David WallisHead Ushers Cless Hurlburt and

Tom LimbergOrganists Wayne Clemens

and Loretta MartinekChoir Director Gerry Lou KaniaAccompanist Cidney RothHospitality Chair Jerry PriorChristian Education Anne VieauTreasurer Janet SchaeferFinancial Secretary Sheryl Childs

Secretary Judy Churchill Office Phone: 231 436-8682 * Pastor’s Home Phone: 231 436-5484

E-mail – Pastor – norev@juno.com Church office – office@churchofthestraits.com

Church website – www.thechurchofthestraits.com

OUR WORSHIP SCHEDULEJune 2-16 - Traditional Worship – 10:30 a.m.Adult and Youth Sunday School - 9:30 a.m.

OUR SUMMER WORSHIP SCHEDULEStarting June 23 - Traditional Worship 9 and 11 a.m.

Adult Sunday School 10:15 a.m.

The Mission of The Church of the StraitsTo worship God faithfully

To grow together spirituallyTo serve Jesus Christ and

our neighbor joyfully… in the power of God’s Spirit.

Bible Quiz Answer: D (It’s first used in Mark 1:12, NRSV.)

We extend our sympathy to the families of those who entered the Church Triumphant:Glenn Jones, who passed away July 3, 2013.Gary Keiser, who passed away July 22, 2013.

Here is a list of people who are in charge of making sure there are refreshments for coffee hour each month. They will find someone to help with coffee hour each week if there is not anyone signed up.

The sign- up sheet is in the Fellowship Hall. January – Nan & Jack Keck February – Dennis & Kim Flemming March – Laurel Birk April – Andrea Sarto May – Richard Phillips June – Janet Schaefer July – Darlene Krueger August – Ken McGuire September – Roger & Debbie Moore October – Deb Downing November – John & Sheryl Childs December – Nelson & Rose LaPointe

Vesper Cruises will not happen this year, as there is no available boat. It is our hope that there will be a boat next year. Please keep this important ministry in your prayers.

10 Reasons to Attend Church1. To have fellowship with the crucified and risen Christ. 2. To worship. 3. To be forgiven. 4. To hear the voice of God. 5. To grow in the knowledge of the Bible, God’s Word. 6. To feed your soul. 7. To be prayed for. 8. To be loved and encouraged. 9. To love and encourage your fellow Christians.

10. To promote the Gospel. —Dr. Richard P. Bucher

Come Join the Party! 19th Annual Fundraiser“Hard hats and Hope Banquet”, Thursday, August 22nd, at Eagles Banquet Hall, 626 N. Main, Cheboygan. Gather at 5 pm for the Silent Auction with Dinner at 6 pm. 50/50 Raffle Drawing at 7pm.Menu includes: Roast Pig, Roasted Redskin Potatoes, Baked Beans, Taco Salad, Pasta Salad, Cole Slaw, Rolls and Desserts. Tickets are available from: Cheboygan County Habitat Board Members The Habitat ReStore or at the door.Call the Habitat office at 231-597-4663.Tickets: Patron - $25 each, Guests - $15 each, Children (under 12) $6 each.

Ordinary Offerings, Extraordinary UseThe book of Numbers contains endless instructions about the offerings Israel should make — gold and silver vessels, flour-and-oil mixtures, incense and sacrificial animals. Hidden in there are “six covered wagons and twelve oxen” (7:3, KJV) that the leaders offer to God.

Although many of the commanded offerings were impractical for daily living and likely easy to comply with — what use were silver bowls and incense while wandering the desert? — giving up wagons and oxen surely required more thought. They may not seem as holy as gifts of money, fancy utensils and expensive fabric, but they were indeed precious: They would transport the Tent of Meeting from place to place.

Likewise today, some people offer money, altar linens, bread and wine; others donate art supplies for Sunday school, casseroles for funeral luncheons, a computer for the church office. All gifts are useful. All are holy.

“No life of faith can be lived privately.

There must be overflow into the lives of others.”

Eugene H. Peterson

Special Music Coming Up!

Sunday, August 11th, at both the 9am & 11am services - we are pleased to welcome Jonathan Richard Cring and Janet Clazzy for a SpiriTed visitation. Blending the better parts of concert and revival, Jonathan and Janet have traveled the United States for the past seventeen

years, bringing a contemporary message of SpiriTed common sense entwined with music, humor and stories to audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Good news CAN travel fast! Following the service, a free-will offering will be taken to offset the expenses of their ministry and their music CD’s, books and DVD will be available for purchase. They will return that evening for a full concert at 7:00 pm. For more information and Jonathan’s blog, visit: http://spirited2013.com

Labor Day Sunday, September 1st at 9:00am at Church of the Straits, 10:30 at Conkling Heritage Park , and then at the park for the 11:00 am service – we welcome back Mark and Andrea Forester. Mark & Andrea are in full- time Gospel Music Ministry. They travel all across the United States holding more than 180 meetings each year. Mark & Andrea sing southern and traditional Gospel Music, playing a large variety of instruments including: Piano, Dobro, Bass Guitar, Lead Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Fiddle, Mandolin, Harmonica, Drums, and Organ. They write much of the material they sing and also sing many great old hymns and gospel songs of the church. Mark is an

ordained minister and holds revival and preaching services in addition to their concert ministry. For more information visit: www.markandandreamusic.com

The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra will present the Northern Michigan Flute Choir as part of its Sunday Series of chamber music concerts on Sunday, August 4, at 4 p.m. at The Church of the Straits in Mackinaw City.  Admission is free. The program will include works of Bach, Beethoven, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, and others. The Northern Michigan Flute Choir is comprised of eight flutists with a wide range of experience playing in professional orchestras, teaching and conducting in colleges, public schools and private studios.  Ed Bahr of East Jordan, professor emeritus of music at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi, joins the ensemble as conductor.   All of the ensemble members have performed professionally and are currently members of regional organizations including the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Gaylord Chamber Orchestra, Straits Area Concert Band and Encore Wind Symphony.  The group includes Ann Bahr of East Jordan, Bonnietta Benn of Petoskey, Wendy Patton Leino of Traverse City, Debbie McKeon of Williamsburg, Grace Olson of Gaylord, Suzanne Parker of Traverse City, Cidney Roth of Mackinaw City and Gwen Sarya of Charlevoix. The Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra produces live orchestral performances that provide entertainment, education and inspiration for northern Michigan. Support for the orchestra is provided by the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Petoskey-Harbor Springs Area Community Foundation, the Bay Harbor Foundation, the Charlevoix County Community Foundation, Meijer, and more than 300 individual

patrons of the arts.  For more information about the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, go to www.glcorchestra.org. 

On Sunday, June 9, fifteen enthusiastic youth and adults left for Holland, MI for our yearly Mission Trip. The crew included Joey Orsini, P.J. Scott, Dave Wallis, Richard Phillips, Ken Laninga, Alex

Clemens, Kiara Zynewicz, Tori Zynewicz, Kayla Davis, Kelsi Davis, Samantha Bell, Olivia Flemming, Emma Groenwoud, Elizabeth Clemens and Kristi Laninga. We arrived at our destination, Maple Avenue Ministries around 7:30 p.m. We had orientation and found out our jobs and sleeping arrangements for the week. The service projects we did on Monday were filling in a huge ditch that covered an electrical cable and demolition work on the inside of a house so it could be turned into a single family home. Tuesday we went to Benton Harbor to tear down an old wheelchair ramp and sort through a sanctuary filled with leftover garage sale items at an old Greek Orthodox Church that is now going to be turned into a Ministry Center. We made 3 trips to the Goodwill enter and one to a huge dumpster! Wednesday we worked at the Holland Rescue Mission. A bunch of the group went to a Day Camp to help out. Others stayed at the Rescue Center and cleaned, stocked shelves in the food pantry, prepared food in the kitchen, moved tables, sorted plastic, steel, SHOES (Pastor Dave enjoyed trying some high heels on) and loaded newspaper on semi-trucks. Thursday half of the group painted the exterior of a house and the other half went back to demolition work. We showered at the Boys and Girls Club 2 blocks down the road from where we were staying. Two showers for boys and two for girls. One of the girls was ICE COLD! We ate dinner in a few gulps and then went outdoors so we could help with Mac Recreation from 5:30-8 p.m. These were kids from the neighborhood who came to the church parking lot to

play a variety of outdoor games and crafts. Our youth became very attached to them. So many kids with so many needs. Lots of them just needed someone to take time with them. Each night Pastor Dave led us in devotions from our booklets. The theme was DoLoveWalk. It was based on Micah 6:8. We followed these 3 things on the trip: do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God. Pastor Dave talked about grace and mercy. He explained to us that Grace is receiving what we do not deserve and Mercy is not receiving what we do deserve. We have an awesome God. As always, each night we talked about our God sightings that we saw that day. He is truly with us at ALL times. If you watch, you will see His hand in all you do. On Friday, we went to Country Dairy Farm near Muskegon. We had a tour of a working dairy farm. Pastor Dave knew our tour guide. He and his wife were the first couple he married. We then went to Michigan Adventure where we enjoyed the water slides, rides and food. We arrived home late Friday night. We want to thank you for your support, encouragement, giving, caring and prayers. It helped to make this mission trip possible and an experience that will be remembered by us and others we served. We are excited and looking forward to next year’s Mission Trip. Wonder where God will lead us this time???

October 12th – SARM Mission Trip FundraiserFall Food Fest and Garage Sale

At Church of the Straits – 9am – 3 pmJoin us for fun, food and ‘treasure hunting’

… one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.Lunch will be available – Hot Dogs, Chips, Drinks, Desserts (Pie in a Cup!!!). All profits will go towards the 2014 Mission Trip. Now accepting donations for the garage sale – you can drop off your donations at the church office, M-F between 10am-2pm. Please no: computers/components, clothing, mattresses, analog TVs, or luggage.

Truth

In its purest form, truth is not a polite tap on the shoulder. Truth is a howling reproach. What Moses brought down from Mount Sinai were not 10 suggestions.

~Ted KoppelTo my friends and relatives from her to Indian River and from Novi to Utah to Rochester Hills and back: Many, many thanks for all the special services, cards,

hugs and prayers that you offered as I recovered from my recent out-patient knee surgery. The white haired angel who supervised me, also provided for me in several unexpected ways. The gift which really changed my life involved the purchase and installation of a basic system which has given me a land-line phone, a wireless hand-held phone and a life-line pendant. GOD IS SO GOOD!!! Love, Jo Ann Rinehart

What Sins??? In A Forgiving God in an Unforgiving World (Harvest House), Ron Lee Davis retells a true story about a priest in the Philippines who was burdened by long-ago sin. Despite repenting, he didn’t feel God’s peace or forgiveness. Meanwhile, a woman in the priest’s parish said she was having visions of Christ — and the priest was skeptical. To test her, he said, “The next time you speak with Christ, ask him what sin your priest committed while he was in seminary.” The woman agreed and went on her way. Later, the priest asked the woman if she’d had another vision and had posed his question to Jesus. “Yes, I did,” she said. “Well, what did he say?” the anxious priest asked. “These are his exact words,” the woman replied. “‘I can’t remember.’” Thanks to God for his forgetfulness where our sins are concerned. “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25, NRSV).

“Summer”Oh! long happy days, when ‘tis full of delightTo roam in the meadows from morning till night!Oh! summer, sweet summer! Glide slowly away,

For I love in you warmth and your fragrance to stay. ~H.P. Nichols

New Hope UMC Annual Swiss Steak Dinner, Bake

Sale & BazaarAugust 8th, 4:00 – 7:00 pm1 mile south of Levering Rd. on US 31. Rada Cutlery, Crafts, Cookbooks - Something for Everybody!Adults - $10, Children 12-6 - $5, Under 5 - Free

Morning WalkAmidst the dew of early dawn,I took a morning walk.And along with me, I took a Friend,For I felt a need to talk.I unburdened both my heart and soul,And spoke many things:Of plans gone wrong, of failure’s pain,And how to live with shattered dreams.My Friend just listened quietly,And uttered not a word.For it was His time to listen,And my time to be heard.His sympathetic ear brought peace,As we walked this earthly sod.And I learned to trust life again, On my morning walk with God. ~ Barbara Cagle Ray

Bible Quiz

Careful readers of Mark’s gospel will discover that the writer favored a certain word. It indicates how quickly certain events transpired. The word is found four times in the first chapter of Mark and 19 more times in the remaining 15 chapters (NRSV).

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAYMen's Breakfast 8am

1 2 3Communion Wms Emmaus 9am

Summer Services9 am & 11 am

4 5 6 7 8 9 10Summer Services Wms Emmaus 9am

9 am & 11 amPPRC 5:30 pm

Concert 7pm11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Summer Services Wms Emmaus 9am9am & 11 am

Kate's KidsPraise Sunday

18 19 20 21 22 23 24Wms Emmaus 9am

Summer Services9 am & 11 am BOG 7pm

25 26 27 28 29 30 31BIRTHDAYS: ANNIVERSARIES:

August 2 Kim Flemming August 24 Shelly House August 2 Mark & Meghan (Downing) HoffmanAugust 4 Danna Marvin August 25 Chris Laninga August 2 Sam & Betty KelloggAugust 4 Frank Hartman August 26 Jerry Smith August 2 Bill & Donna PtashnikAugust 5 Betty Douglas August 27 Terralyn Tarrant August 5 Duane & Dorothy DarrowAugust 8 Maribeth Barnett August 31 Andrea Sarto August 8 Roger & Debbie MooreAugust 9 Werner Schoenknecht August 17 Dick & Jane Spayde

August 14 Isabelle House August 20 Dick & Sandy DunnAugust 14 Ella House August 25 Werner & Gay SchoenknechtAugust 14 John Wesley House August 27 Gene & Jo CooleyAugust 14 Jennifer O'Brien August 31 Norm & Shirley Schneider *50 years!*August 15 Wayne ClemensAugust 15 Sally RaibleAugust 19 Doug BoyceAugust 22 Nelson ThompsonAugust 24 Sharon Bonter

SpiriTed Group

Careful readers of Mark’s gospel will discover that the writer favored a certain word. It indicates how quickly certain events transpired. The word is found four times in the first chapter of Mark and 19 more times in the remaining 15 chapters (NRSV).

I am writing this before I take off on “vacation” with approximately 70 Junior High kids! What would lead a middle aged man to do something that crazy? My love for Jesus and I am just nuts, I guess! I need to get this written because I will probably be exhausted when I get back from camp near the end of the month.

These last two newsletters have got you thinking that your pastor has a few screws loose with the much anticipated Harley ride with my three brothers in August on top of this July adventure. One might say the Harley ride is one of those “bucket list” things I have never done with my brothers. None of us plan on dying anytime soon but we don’t know what the future holds, just who holds it – Jesus!

Why do we wait until crisis happens or a death comes before we celebrate life? Just this past week I enjoyed a picnic with dear friends from church, the Vieaus, who wanted to celebrate Henry’s life now, not at a funeral. We need to do a lot more of that, don’t we!?!

If you knew you only had a few weeks to live, for instance, how would it change what you do with your life now? Would you go see a relative, ask forgiveness from a friend, stop worrying about retirement, talk to someone about what really matters (a personal relationship with Jesus Christ), spend less time drinking alcohol and more time with family, or would you keep doing what you are doing?

I would hope that whatever I planned on doing would not be too dramatically different than what I do now! If it was, then perhaps something is a bit wrong with the way I live my life now. Naturally some things would change because limited time dictates that but what about “righting wrong relationships”? Does that have to wait till way down the road? What about talking about Jesus with someone whom you love and care for? What about re-prioritizing our time with family?

Ephesians 5:16 says to “make the most of every opportunity”! Are we? Our days are numbered and I want to stand before the Lord in the end and have him say “well done thou good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21). Let’s celebrate Jesus, life, family, church, and all the bounteous blessings of God right now. Don’t waste time. Let’s live in God’s time not ours. We are here by Divine appointment and don’t ever forget to thank Him for that.

Love you all,

Pastor Dave

PS. Keep those Harley guys in your prayers August 8-11th!!!!

SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAYMen's Breakfast 8am

1 2 3Communion Wms Emmaus 9am

Summer Services9 am & 11 am

4 5 6 7 8 9 10Summer Services Wms Emmaus 9am

9 am & 11 amPPRC 5:30 pm

Concert 7pm11 12 13 14 15 16 17

Summer Services Wms Emmaus 9am9am & 11 am

Kate's KidsPraise Sunday

18 19 20 21 22 23 24Wms Emmaus 9am

Summer Services9 am & 11 am BOG 7pm

25 26 27 28 29 30 31BIRTHDAYS: ANNIVERSARIES:

August 2 Kim Flemming August 24 Shelly House August 2 Mark & Meghan (Downing) HoffmanAugust 4 Danna Marvin August 25 Chris Laninga August 2 Sam & Betty KelloggAugust 4 Frank Hartman August 26 Jerry Smith August 2 Bill & Donna PtashnikAugust 5 Betty Douglas August 27 Terralyn Tarrant August 5 Duane & Dorothy DarrowAugust 8 Maribeth Barnett August 31 Andrea Sarto August 8 Roger & Debbie MooreAugust 9 Werner Schoenknecht August 17 Dick & Jane Spayde

August 14 Isabelle House August 20 Dick & Sandy DunnAugust 14 Ella House August 25 Werner & Gay SchoenknechtAugust 14 John Wesley House August 27 Gene & Jo CooleyAugust 14 Jennifer O'Brien August 31 Norm & Shirley Schneider *50 years!*August 15 Wayne ClemensAugust 15 Sally RaibleAugust 19 Doug BoyceAugust 22 Nelson ThompsonAugust 24 Sharon Bonter

SpiriTed Group