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CarillonA QUARTERLY PUBLICATION OF GROSSE POINTE MEMORIAL CHURCH FALL 2021 “From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised.” Psalm 113:3 Inside this issue Concerts at GPMC Fall Kick-Off Social Welcome back to Sunday School “A light by the lakeshore” A Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) PASTOR’S CORNER PROGRAM STAFF Mission Possible Rev. Sarah Godbehere Associate Pastor/Acting Head of Staff: Rev. Sarah Godbehere, ext. 132 “Sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Coordinator of Outreach Ministries: Christ’s own forever, we are called and Sue Acton, ext. 138 committed to living out our love for God. Through worship, study and service, we Minister of Music: strive to continue God’s transforming work...” James Biery, ext. 134 -Grosse Pointe Memorial Church Director of Pastoral Ministries: revised Mission Statement Carol Beltz Marks, ext. 127 As part of our transition process as we seek a new pastor, GPMC Minister of Adult Education: completed a mission study and revised our mission statement in 2020. Rev. Susan Mozena, ext. 138 You may have noticed this revised mission statement on our bulletins or printed in the Carillon. In June 2021, the Session compared our Director of Finance and Operations: new mission statement to the old version and observed that the new Jim Schultz, ext. 126 statement is strongly action oriented. We express our commitment Director of Children’s Ministries: to God through the things we do, “living out our love for God.” Our Lisa Turner, ext. 135 new mission statement focuses on three areas, “worship, study, and service.” In conversation together, seeking to discern God’s will for Director of Mornings @ Memorial: GPMC, the Session felt strongly drawn to focus on the “service” part Marie Calcaterra, ext. 140 of our mission. As Jesus reminded the disciples, we are called “not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45). Office hours: So in the coming months, GPMC’s leaders would like to invite you Mon-Thurs. 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to “live out our love for God” through service. As we launch our Fri. 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m. fall programs and return to a more normal schedule, there are many different opportunities to serve the church, the community, and the The Carillon is world. Here at the church, we need hundreds of volunteers to make published quarterly by Grosse our life together fruitful. We are particularly seeking ushers, volun- Pointe Memorial Church. teers for the adult choir and bell choir, and teachers for our children Managing Editor: and youth. Please contact us if you’d like to volunteer and offer your Susan Griffin gifts in service as we return to our usual church programs. Please send article submissions to: We also have many opportunities to serve our community and the [email protected] world. Outreach Council is planning several hands-on service pro- grams each month, including donation drives, Unpack the Truck, Publication layout: Life Remodeled and Shelter Week. See pages 8 - 9 for more details. Linda Pobocik-Insisiengmay Perhaps you will join together with fellow church members and On the cover: serve our community. Or maybe you will find other opportunities to put your faith into action in the coming months. Cover photograph of worship on Trinity Terrace provided We truly are called and committed to living out our love for God. As by Susan Griffin the fall begins, let us join in service and continue God’s transforming work in the world. As members and friends of GPMC, it is our joy to join in this shared mission! Blessings, Pastor Sarah 2 Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, “A light by the lakeshore” | 313.882.5330 | gpmchurch.org CONTENTS Features & News Departments 4 Fr. Elias Chacour returns to GPMC 2 Deacons 6 Session Nuggets 4 Adult Education 5 Music Ministry & Parish Life 7 What’s Happening 6 Session 10 High School Mission Trip 2021 8 Outreach Sunday School and Young Children 11 10 Christian Education and Worship 12 Learning about the Bible WHO WE ARE Grosse Pointe Memorial Church is a 1,200 Deacons By Bev Butler member congregation of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Started in 1865 as the Grosse Pointe Evan- gelical Protestant Association, the oldest Protestant congregation in the Grosse Pointes, our 156-year history is a rich one. The greatest treasures we have are our members. As a Presbyterian church, we are a congregation where every member is a minister. Our Mission and Vision Statement: Sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own forever, we are called and committed to living GPMC Deacons: Wendy Beal, Tim Klepp and Lynn Wood out our love for God. Through worship, study and service, we strive to continue God’s transforming The Board of Deacons is excited to return to the work by worshiping God joyfully, welcoming others GPMC fall schedule and continuing to welcome and graciously, supporting one another lovingly, and serve. During the pandemic, the Deacons met month- faithfully responding to our community and world ly and enjoyed fellowship by Zoom. We were able with compassion. to remain connected with parishioners by phone and stay active in the life of the church. Since the return of in-person services in April, it has been a privilege to set up communion, deliver the birth roses and greet folks from the desk in the lakeside entrance. We look forward to being back and seeing everyone! Fall 2021 - Carillon 3 ADULT EDUCATION Fr. Elias Chacour Returns to GPMC The Birthplace of Pilgrims of Ibillin By Rev. Susan Mozena The evening of July 27th born of the likes of God. This has been my guideline found 45 people, adults and for my life…I consider [all the students] my children…I children, in GPMC’s sanc- care that all are children of God. The school was built tuary to welcome Fr. Elias for all to come and find our dignity together.” (From the Chacour, the emeritus arch- Summer 2021 Pilgrims Post, the newsletter of Pilgrims bishop of the Melkite Greek of Ibillin). Catholic Church in the Holy Rigdon invited Chacour to be GPMC’s Ecumenical Min- Land. Upon turning in to ister in the early 1990s, through the generosity of Es- the church’s driveway, Fr. ther Porter, who founded the Ecumenical Minister Fund Chacour said, “I feel as in memory of her parents. GPMC fell in love with Fr. though I’m coming home. Chacour during that visit and asked him, “What can we Fr. Elias Chacour This is a wonderful church.” do to help Mar Elias?” The non-profit Pilgrims of Ibillin Elias Chacour’s connection to GPMC began on the is- was born out of that visit and the answer to that ques- land of Crete in 1962, where he met another young man tion. GPMC pastors have served as board members and of God, Rev. V. Bruce Rigdon, a Presbyterian minister board president, scores of youth and adults from GPMC who later became pastor and head of staff of GPMC. The have been to Mar Elias for educational visits and to do two young men were attending a meeting of the World construction work, and GPMC has continued to support Council of Churches and struck up a conversation and Pilgrims through outreach donations. deep friendship which continue today. Immediately following his ordination, Fr. Chacour was posted by his bishop to the impoverished Galilean vil- lage of Ibillin, in northern Israel. The young priest quick- ly realized that the children of Ibillin, especially the girls, needed more education, few of them finishing high school and even fewer attending university. He founded Mar Elias School in Ibillin in 1982. Thirty-nine years lat- er, the Mar Elias Educational Institutions (MEEI) have over 3,000 students, kindergarten through high school. Sixty-five percent of the students are Muslim and 35 per- Church members attend service lead by Fr. Elias Chacour cent are Christian. The faculty are Muslim, Christian and Jewish. No longer a school just for the children of Ibil- During his time with us in July, Fr. Chacour wove into his lin, students come from more than twenty villages and narrative stories of inter-religious dialogue, beginning in towns. Graduates score at the highest levels of the Israeli Ibillin and expanding over the years to ecumenical con- national exams and are to be found in leadership in many nections across Israel, in the Middle East and throughout different professions and at the heart of many communi- the world. His life’s ministry rooted in his conviction ty activities. that we all belong to one another as sisters and brothers Central to MEEI is the bedrock faith of Fr. Chacour made his stories of the hard and often very sad work of which he describes this way, “We have one thing in living that conviction as a Palestinian Arab Christian cit- common, whether we are Jews, Palestinians, White or izen of Israel very moving. His narrative was, indeed, a Black Americans…we are born babies. All people are sermon we very much needed to hear, our own nation so in need of seekers of mercy, justice, and peace. May God continue to bless his ministry. 4 Grosse Pointe Memorial Church, “A light by the lakeshore” | 313.882.5330 | gpmchurch.org MUSIC MINISTRY Concerts at GPMC ented brass players. On Sunday, November 7 at 3 p.m., “Melodies for Two” will feature Scandinavian music for solo instrument and keyboard with Laura Larson, flute, Stephanie Shapiro, oboe, Rose Urbiel, violin, and Mari- lyn Biery at the organ and piano.