The Trumpet January 2021 Volume 38 Issue 1

Firelands Presbyterian Church

2626 East Harbor Road

Please Pay Per Capita
Port Clinton, Ohio 43452 The Finance and Stewardship Committee is again asking
the membership of Firelands Church to please consider
419-734-6211
donating $37.00 per member to help us cover our
Fax 419-734-5411 required per capita offering for our Presbyterian
denomination.
www.firelandschurch.org
Your serious consideration towards this asking will be
greatly appreciated and greatly help with our financial
budget here at Firelands Church. You can place your
Rev. Mark Cooper, Pastor donation in your Sunday offering envelope, be sure to
mark your envelope accordingly or you can leave your
Dave Moore, Clerk of Session donation at the church office or mail it there again
Susan Larcey and Kay McIntosh, Musicians making your intention on or in your envelope.

Vicki Wheatly, Treasurer Membership and Friends again thank-you for your
financial commitment for 2021.
Janine Dress,
Administrative Assistant God Bless, Bill Sharp, Chair

Finance and Stewardship

Table of Contents
Session Highlights & Notes ..................... 2
News & Notes ....................................... 3
Thank You ............................................ 4
Pastor’s Page & Church Family News ....... 5
January Lectionary ................................ 6
January Celebrations & Ch
Monthly prayer list ................................ 7
Calendar .............................................. 8
Meet our new Assistant
Secretary
Sharon Goodman
Sharon is a retired medical assistant for many years.
She moved 3 years ago from Huron County. Wanting
part time work during the winter she applied for our
temporary position. She will be manning the office while
Janine is in Florida working with her electronically.
Sharon’s hours are Monday Wednesday and Friday 9 am
– noon.
January 2021
Highlights of Stated Session
Meeting on 12/8/2020
• A summary of progress made to date by the PNC
(Pastor Nominating Committee) was provided by
Dave Moore.
• The Rev. Ann Wasson, the head of the
Presbytery Committee on Ministry (soon to
become the Leadership Commission) and a
pastor in Defiance, OH, and Janeane Hopkins,
our COM liaison, were invited into our meeting
to discuss the process of calling a new minister
and to answer any questions we may have for
them.
• Session approved a slight change to our church
Mission Statement. The revised/approved
Mission Statement follows:
o Firelands Presbyterian Church is a family
of Christian believers who are equipped
through Spirit-led worship, prayer, study
and fellowship to live God’s word daily in
our mission outreach to others.
Firelands Church is a friendly,
supportive, mission-minded
congregation. We enjoy the gift of
community and rich friendships, and we
are open to change as we embrace a
new future. We are thankful for the
individual gifts which God has given, and
we give gladly and generously of our
time, talents and money.
o The only change: we added the word
“Christian” before the word “believers” in
the first sentence.
• The PNC, more specifically Anne O’Malley and
Vicki Wheatley, have created a survey to go out
to each member of our congregation. Our hope
is that, through use of the information garnered
through dissemination, completion, and
tabulation of the survey’s responses, we can, as
a committee, more effectively represent the
interests of the entire congregation in our quest
to find a new pastor. Please, as parishioners
receive this survey – take the time to
thoughtfully complete and return it to the church
office or to members of the PNC.
• Ed Bettendorf presented Vicki Wheatley’s
Treasurer’s Report to Session. After a short
discussion the Treasurer’s Report was approved.
Page 2
Mission Committee
Happy New Year FPC members, from your Mission
Committee. Thank you one and all for the many coats
and other Christmas items donated for Salvation Army
and Kroger bell ringing.
Our Committee will meet in February to discuss
upcoming Mission matters and the possibility of
procuring an overseas mission co-worker since Esther
Wakeman's retirement from PC(USA). She is currently
volunteering, teaching and lecturing at McGilvary
Seminary/Payap University. Her life has dramatically
changed with Covid19 hitting Asia and forcing early
retirement on many co-workers. She remains in touch
with us through emails.
Since 2021 is a new beginning, I would like to give you
a rundown of the missions we are currently supporting
with your generosity:
1. "Joy" and "One Great Hour of Sharing" special
offerings.
2. Strength for the Journey (Dominican Republic
educational programming).
3. Living Waters of the World, PC(USA) program of
clean water for all.
4. Salvation Army support for Christmas/Tools for
School
5. American Cancer Society
6. Staff Christmas gifts
7. Heartbeat of Ottawa County
8. Funding for United Way's Summer Lunch
Program
9. Food Pantry provisions, gas cards and Kroger
gift cards for perishable items for Transitional
Housing (United Way).
10. Bistro 163
11. Holiday Bureau
12. Stein Hospice
13. ARC's Summer Camp program
14. Over 300 children's beds delivered/Now I Lay
Me Down to Sleep.
15. Project Linus Quilters (Akron Children's
Hospital).
January 2021
16. Imagination Library (books to preschool children
throughout Ohio/Ottawa County).
17. Flat Rock Homes (Care for developmentally
disabled)
FPC is a mission-driven congregation that does much
good in our community and beyond. Again,
our thanks for your never-ending generosity.
Your Mission Committee members are Chuck
Coykendale, Joyce DellaSantina, Anne O'Malley,
Deb Flora, Kay McIntosh, Karen Shifflet, Heather
Stouffer, Marilyn Umlauf, Karen Dietz, and Karen
Vardyan, Mentor Emeritus.
Till next time,
Ginny McCook
Chair, Mission Committee
Christian Education and
Spiritual Formation
Happy New Year, seriously, as we transition from a year
when the world virtually shut down into a year with
HOPE that the virus will eventually be behind us, it’s
time to pick up the pieces, look at what we’ve learned,
and discern what we can do to awaken our Church like a
Son-Rise after a severe storm.
I personally believe Pastor Mark was a Blessing from
God. His timely arrival was exactly what our Church
needed to renew the Spirit of our Church. But we
always knew Mark is a temporary solution. We have
had 5 blessed years of sermons that forced us to think
about our faith in a modern world that challenged our
Christian foundation.
Unfortunately, without the ability to gather physically,
the programs I have been assigned to manage
(Christian Education and Spiritual Formation) have been
interrupted.
Spiritual Formation study continues for a small group.
Participants are using a study book called “The
Reservoir” that uses carefully structured, brief daily
meditation-like lessons to better understand the Holy
Spirit as it is found in the Bible and its role in the Trinity.
Especially during the pandemic, this part of my day has
become important in my life and is a wonderful way to
begin each weekday (we get weekends off). The
program continues for 15 months, participants meet
monthly to discuss where we each are in the program,
what we have learned and how it is impacting our lives.
You can join anytime If you have an interest in this
Page 3
topic. Contact me (jkinbay@gmail.com or 440-725-
1695) to try out a sample of lessons. This program has
enabled me to start each day on a high note during
these challenging times.
Zoom meetings have become the normal way to have
meetings. The Church bought a Zoom Pro license that
allows us to hold meetings without time limits for up to
100 participants. This meeting has been used for
Session meetings, but it could be used for so much
more. Janine has set up a schedule (on Google
Calendar) for Church members who would like to use
Zoom to keep in touch with other members and any
other group as long as there is a member involved.
Distance is not a problem for the Internet so our
snowbirds could participate in meetings year-round. I
would be happy to show members how to use Zoom on
a smart phone or computer that has access to the
internet.
Christian Education
I have been told “It’s a bad time to re-start our
Education programs, with the Virus and all.” That’s a
great excuse… but If anyone disagrees with this and
would like to be on my committee, please call me to
discuss when we could get together to find a way to re-
start or re-think these programs. You don’t have to be in
town to be on the committee, we’ll meet on Zoom.
John McIntosh
440-725-1695
Jkinbay@gmail.com
Music and worship:
Thanks to Pastor Mark for selecting such beautiful
versions of our Advent and Christmas hymns and carols
to be a part of this season’s worship.
Again, we are so thankful for Sally Wahlers and her
committee for decorating and preparing our sanctuary
for our Advent and Christmas worship.
We are also thankful to Nila McCullough and the valiant
group of members who came out to participate in our
Advent wreath lighting: Special thanks to Bob and
Maxine Wilson, Dave and Sally Wahlers (with Lexi),
Dave and Janet Moore, Alison Falls and Bob Reynolds
and Bill and Marilyn Umlauf.
We were also blessed by the special music of Brian
Shifflet and his cello and Anne O’Malley and her flute.
We continue to thank Ed Bettendorf and his team of
videographers who share our services throughout the
year.
January 2021 Page 4

Some of us are still mourning the loss of our experience

of gathering to sing carols and celebrate the season
together. We are proposing a fabulous Christmas in July
celebration in the pavilion where we can set up trees,
light a fire in the fireplace and sing these beautiful songs
and anthems even if we still have to wear masks and
socially distance.

If you have other ideas about additions to our worship

and music experience, please contact Kay McIntosh.

Thank You
Dear Firelands Family,

Thank You so Much for your generous gift and Walmart

gift card. I am using them for my retirement vacation.
I am so grateful for your concern and love.

Happy New Year!!

In God’s peace,

Janine
January 2021 Page 5

Pastor’s Page
Ahh… A New Year! 2020 is finally receding into history and we can all breathe a great sigh of relief.

We just might breathe that sigh of relief, but we all know things will not change dramatically all at once. January 1,
2021 is going to be an awful lot like December 31, 2020. As will January 2, January 3, and on and on, for who-knows-
how-long. But there are reasons to be hopeful and even excited as we see the coming of a new year, besides the
general thinking that the new year can’t possibly be as bad as the old one.

The first reason to be hopeful about the coming year is the promise of the coronavirus vaccine. It’s no longer only a
promise, or a hope. It’s out there, being administered - not as quickly as we might have hoped, but people are
receiving the vaccine. It seems likely that the roll-out of the vaccine will speed up, and perhaps it won’t be too terribly
long before we can begin worshipping together in person again. The last Sunday I’m scheduled to be with you is April
18. I am very much hoping and praying we will be worshipping in our sanctuary by then. It will be something of a
heartbreak for me if we are not.

Which leads to another reason to be hopeful about the coming year. You will be welcoming a new pastor. Your Pastor
Nominating Committee is hard at work to make that happen in a timely manner. A pastoral transition will mean
change of some kind, and you have every reason to expect that change will be welcome and productive. Firelands
Presbyterian Church is a fine church full of wonderful people. You have every reason to look to this year and the years
to come with great expectations.

The new year will be a major one for me personally as well. I will finally be moving into full retirement - and expecting
to stay there! The ministry has been a very consuming component of my life for many years, even many decades
now. I preached my first sermon 53 years ago, not having any idea what I was starting. There have been some very
difficult and even sad times, but there have been many wonderful times as well. Looking back, I do feel very
privileged to have spent my life as a pastor. My time at FPC has been very enjoyable, and I am grateful to have been
able to end my career in such a way. I will be leaving FPC with a smile on my face and another on my heart.

All in all, look up! Be hopeful! Rejoice in the new year and embrace all it brings!

Happy New Year!

Mark

Church Family News

One of our suggestions from our recent Pastoral Friends survey was to add cheerful news about our church family and
friends to the Trumpet.

(By the way it is never too late to turn in ideas and suggestions for ways to stay connected to Anne O' Malley, Marilyn
Umlauf or Kay McIntosh)

One such important item to add has to do with Janine's retirement this month from her work as a pastor of Hope
Lutheran Church in Bowling Green after 10 years. Janine was ordained in 1982 and has served 2 other Parishes:

• St. John Lutheran Church, Marblehead for 20 years

• Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Attica for 4 years.

We have been so blessed by all Janine does to minister to us here at Firelands as our Administrative Assistant, we
sometimes forget about her deep commitment to her church family in Bowling Green. We know Janine is so beloved
by her congregation there, but she might enjoy a note to hear from us about how thankful we are that she has chosen
to stay with us after her return from her well-deserved vacation (and rest!!!) in Florida.
January 2021 Page 6

January Lectionary

First reading Alternative Readings Second reading Gospel

January 1, 2021 Numbers 6:22-27 Psalm 8 Galatians 4:4-7 Luke 2:15-21

Holy Name of Jesus or
(Mary, Mother of God) Philippians 2:5-
11

January 1, 2021 Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 Psalm 8 Revelation Matthew 25:31-46

New Year's Day 21:1-6a

January 3, 2021 Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 147:12-20 Ephesians 1:3- John 1:(1-9), 10-18
Second Sunday after or or 14
Christmas Day Sirach 24:1-12 Wisdom of Solomon
10:15-21

January 6, 2021 Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14 Ephesians 3:1- Matthew 2:1-12
Epiphany of the Lord 12

January 10, 2021 Genesis 1:1-5 Psalm 29 Acts 19:1-7 Mark 1:4-11
Baptism of the Lord
First Sunday after the
Epiphany

January 17, 2021 1 Samuel 3:1-10, (11- Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18 1 Corinthians John 1:43-51
Second Sunday after the 20) 6:12-20
Epiphany

January 24, 2021 Jonah 3:1-5, 10 Psalm 62:5-12 1 Corinthians Mark 1:14-20
Third Sunday after the 7:29-31
Epiphany

January 31, 2021 Deuteronomy 18:15- Psalm 111 1 Corinthians Mark 1:21-28
Fourth Sunday after the 20 8:1-13
Epiphany
January 2021 Page 7

January Celebrations

Dick Dietz 3 Karen McCollough 21 Pat and Bill Sharp 27

John Madison 8 Patricia Anderson 22 Bob and Maxine Wilson 31

John Rogers 10 Merissa Jagucki 25

Sally Walter 11 Jim Layton 26 Is your birthday or anniversary

missing or incorrect? Contact the
office so we can make the changes to
Tyler Gogolek 14 Marsha Bordner 26 the list!

Bob Wilson 16 Heather Stouffer 28

Bill Umlauf 16

Ongoing Prayer Concerns

For those receiving medical treatment or therapy, or undergoing medical tests:

Alan, Debbie Ballinger, Dan Barlow, Jenatha Boose, Phyllis Crisp, Harold, Kim Hudson, Diane Jordan, Joseph
Kakareka, Craig Kaiser, Stephen Kessler, Angjuli Lele, John McLaughlin, Ele McLaughlin, Simon Mercurio,
Michael, John Prestbo, Bob Reynolds, Sarah, Sue, Jack Schmidt, Jeff Thompson, Justin Waugh, Ann Wagnitz.

For those facing the infirmities of age:

Jeanne Black, Jane Kaiser, Jamie Petty, Betty Rodwancy, Bob Rodwancy, and Irene Wilson

For those seeking freedom, security, and hope:

Bobby, Justin, Sara, Val, and CASA Families

For those in the service of our country:

SMGT Jeff Bundy, Steven Coffin, FBI; Brant Crandall, USA; Cole Daniel, USCG; Matthew Devries, USAF;
Stu Gliwa, USMC; Aaron Haynes, USA; Andrew Hogue, USA, Ken Lewis USA Army Chaplain, Ted Livingstine,
USMC; Sanju Shinde, USMC.

For those in mission for our Lord:

The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, Berea Presbytery.

To add or delete someone from this list, please contact Janine Dress in the church office.
January 2021 Page 8

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat

1 2

3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10:30 Worship 9-12 Office Open 9-12 Office Open 9-12 Office Open
on Facebook -

10 11 12 13 14 15 16
10:30 Worship 9-12 Office Open 7 Session 9-12 Office Open 9-12 Office Open
on Facebook

17 18 19 20 21 22 23
10:30 Worship 9-12 Office Open 9-12 Office Open 9-12 Office Open
on Facebook

24 25 26 27 28 29 30
10:30 Worship 9-12 Office Open 9-12 Office Open 9-12 Office Open
on Facebook

31