The Trumpet

March 2016 Volume 33 Issue 3

Firelands Presbyterian Church

2626 East Harbor Road
Port Clinton, Ohio 43452
419-734-6211
Fax 419-734-5411
www.firelandschurch.org

March 24 Maundy Thursday 7

Rev. Mark Cooper, Pastor
Dave Moore, Clerk of Session
Susan Larcey and Kay McIntosh, Musicians
Darrell Brand, Treasurer
Rachel Johnson,
Preschool Director
Janine Dress,
Administrative Assistant
Mark Owen, Custodian

Table of Contents
WCWA & Great Hour of Sharing .............. 2

PM

Service with communion and symbolic hand washing.

March 25 Good Friday

Noon At St. Thomas Episcopal Church
Join our community in remembering the complete
sacrifice that our Lord made for our salvation.

Easter Morning
Celebration
Come and celebrate the
Resurrection with music,
word and communion. For
Christ is Risen! He is Risen
indeed, Alleluia.

Preschool fundraiser, MAS Senior Concerts

and Thank Yous .................................... 2
Lectionary Texts & Monthly Prayer List ..... 3
Pastors Page & schedule for
Lenten Study * Lunch* Worship .............. 5
Preschool News & ComeUnity Caf .......... 6
Birthdays, Calendar ............................... 7
Ministry Schedule .................................. 8
Musical Arts 2015-2016 Season .............. 9
Easter Flowers Order ........................... 10

Friday Firelands Family Dinner

March 18 at 6 PM
Dine out with your church family. We will meet at Cia
Bella Restaurant and our organizers are Jim & Anita
Fisher. Please sign up on the sheet on the gathering
table.

March 2016

Page 2

Preschool
Fund
Raiser
The preschool is
selling popcorn as
a fundraiser. The
order sheet and an
envelope for you money is on the gathering table. Make
check Payable to Firelands Preschool. The deadline is
Monday March 7. Thank you for your continued support
of our preschool.

WCWA Event
March WCWA will be a movie
afternoon. Lori would like to go see
the movie Risen as
a Sunday matinee on March 20th. Not
sure where the movie will be showing
at that time. But we will find it.
Meet at the church, then try to make
a 2:00show to get in with the Matinee
pricing. Lori will know better about
pricing and show times when it gets closer to the date.

MAS Senior Concerts

One Great Hour of Sharing
Serve one another with whatever gift each of
you has received. 1 Peter 4:10
Using our gifts to make hope possible is the theme of
this year's One Great Hour of Sharing Offering. A gift to
One Great Hour of Sharing enables the church to share
Gods love with our neighbors-in-need around the world
and in our own country by providing relief to those
affected by natural disasters or crises, by providing food
to the hungry, and helping to empower the poor and
oppressed. Focusing on these three areas allows One
Great Hour of Sharing to address some of the root
causes of suffering in our world. This offering has always
been supported well by our congregation. You will have
an opportunity to understand what this offering does as
you read the bulletin inserts during the remaining
Sundays in Lent. One Great Hour of Sharing is
administered by Presbyterian Disaster Assistance,
Presbyterian Hunger Program and the Self-Development
of People. We will lift this offering up to do Gods work
on Palm and Easter Sundays. Envelopes or Fish Boxes
are available on the gathering table, or you may use
your church envelope indicating a contribution to OGHS.
Karen Vardyan, Mission Chairperson

Steve Ball
The Music of the
American Civil War
Wednesday March 9, 2016
Riverview Health Care
Campus 1:30 PM
Otterbein North Shore
Retirement 3:00 PM
(refreshments will be offered
from 4:00 to 4:30. should
call Martha (419-798-8247) if
they plan to attend.)
Wednesday March 23,
2016
Elmore Retirement Village
1:30 PM
Genoa Retirement Village
Assisted Living Center
3:00 PM

Thank Yous
Thank You to Barb Kroll for working in the Office for me
for 2 weeks. It was nice to not have to worry about
anything while I was gone.
Janine
Thank you to all who donated a love offering for Mark
Owens computer. We only have $258 to go and it will
be totally paid for. Please continue to pray for Mark
Owen, he is really struggling with his nursing class tests.

March 2016

Page 3

Lectionary Texts for March

March 6
Lent 4

March 20
Passion/Palm
Sunday

Joshua
5:9-12

Liturgy of the Palms

Psalm 32

Luke 19:28-40

2 Corinthians
5:16-21

Psalm
118:1-2,19-29

Luke 15:1-3, 11b32

March 13
Lent 5

Liturgy of the Passion

Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm 31:9-16

Isaiah 43:16-21
Psalm 126
Philippians 3:4b14
John 12:1-8

Philippians 2:5-11
Luke 22:14-23:56
or Luke 23:1-49

March 24
Maundy Thursday
Exodus 12:1-4
[5-10] 11-14
Psalm 116:1-2,
12-19
1 Corinthians
11:23-26
John 13:1-17,
31b-35
March 25
Good Friday

March 27
Resurrection of
our Lord
Acts 10:34-43 or
Isaiah 65:17-25
Psalm 118:1-2,
14-24
1 Corinthians
15:19-26 or
Acts 10:34-43
John 20:1-18 or
Like 24:1-12

Isaiah 52:13
53:12
Psalm 22
Hebrews 10:16-25
or Hebrews 4:1416; 5:7-9
John 18:1-19:42

Ongoing Prayer Concerns

For those receiving medical treatment or therapy, or undergoing medical tests:
Debbie Ballinger, Jenatha Boose, June Gahris, Harold, Kim Hudson, Craig Kaiser, Arlene Kakareka, Stephen
Kessler, Angjuli Lele, Judy McCollough, John McLaughlin, Ele McLaughlin, Simon Mercurio, Michael, Jordan Moore,
John Rick, Sarah, Sue, Jack Schmidt, Justin Waugh, Ann Wagnitz, Phil Wierzba
For those facing the infirmities of age:
Carolyn Doane, Tom Gahris, Clara Maag, Shirley Ohles, Jamie Petty, Betty Rodwancy, Bob Rodwancy,
Gordan Wahlers, 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; Mathew Devries, USAF;
Stu Gliwa, USMC; Aaron Haynes, USA; Ted Livingstine, USMC; Sanju Shinde, USMC;
For those in mission for our Lord:
Our missionaries in the Middle East; Phillip and Elizabeth Prasad in India;
The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico, Berea Presbytery;
The Rev. Hazael Compuzano and our sister congregation, Dios es Amor, Mexico City;
The Monte Sinai Mexican Mission in our Presbytery
To add or delete someone from this list, please contact Janine Dress in the church office.

March 2016

Page 4

Pastors Page
I recently read something interesting about church life in, of all things, an article about baseball. This article quoted a
catcher from some years ago who said, A baseball game is like church many attend, few understand. I
immediately stopped reading the article. Not because I was offended, or because it wasnt a good article, but because
it had already given me enough to think about. Is it true about church that many attend, few understand? Im not
sure. I certainly think Christian education of children and adults is vitally important because we all need to know more
than we do. But can we ever know enough to reach the point where we understand? Personally, Ive done
undergraduate and graduate work in theology and Biblical studies and I often still feel like I actually understand
very little about the Christian faith.
Perhaps understanding is too much to hope for since much of faith involves mystery, and mystery by
definition defies understanding. If we are to be people of faith we ultimately cannot rely on our rational powers.
Ultimately we will be guided more by convictions than by ideas, more by our hearts than by our brains. There are
those who think this is a weakness of people of faith, but it is not. It is a strength, for there is far more to reality
than can be captured by the workings of our human minds. We need to make peace with that, but not too much, for
we need to keep our minds going full speed, too.
Part of the mystery may have to do with how we got in church, with what were doing there. On some level,
somehow, we have a conviction that we belong there, that it is the right place for us. Not everyone has that
conviction. Why? Maybe religion is like poetry or art. Maybe it is simply that some people get it and some people
dont. Or, maybe the classic theologians were right some people are chosen, elected, by God to get it and some
people are not. Again, it is a mystery.
However we got in church, were there. Or here. Sometimes its easy to forget how much of a blessing that is.
Sometimes church life seems like a lot of hassle, like too much to bother with. The sermon may be boring. The hymns
may be too hard to sing. Theyre always asking you to do something, sign up for something. People dont always act
the way you think church people ought to act. But n spite of everything it is a blessing because, well, it never was
about fun anyway. It is a blessing because, somehow, for some reason, we get it. Somehow, for some reason, God
has called us to the church, to be the church. Our lives have been given a depth, a richness, they would never have
otherwise had. In a splintered world where people often live in isolation, we have been called into a loving, caring
community. We may never realize that until we need that loving and that caring, but they are there. It may not
always seem like a blessing, but it is.
We are the church. We are blessed. Let us rejoice.
Fondly,

Mark
Lenten Study * Lunch * Worship
Vineyard on Catawba Community Center, 3820 E. Vineyard Village Dr., 419-797-3100
Study, 10:30 AM
Pr. Kurt Borows

Lunch, Noon
$6.00

Worship, 12:30 PM

March 2

The Roman Trials and

Crucifixion

Italian sub, cottage cheese,

cake

Pastor Janine Dress of Hope Lutheran

Church

March 9

Jesus Death and Burial

With a Look Back at
Lazarus

Turkey & provolone on croissant,

broccoli soup, brownie

Pastor Bruce Rodgers of Fellowship

Bible Church

March 16

Why Palm Sunday?

Hot Shredded Chicken Sandwich,

Chips, Carrot Cake

Pastor Jim Lehman of St. John Lutheran

Church

March 23

Holy Week The Burial

and Resurrection of Jesus

Chicken salad on croissant,

toss salad, brownie

Pastor Bruce Batchelor-Glader of Trinity

United Methodist Church

March 2016

Page 5

Preschool News
February was a busy month filled with learning, love and celebrations. We learned about dinosaurs, groundhogs,
Valentine's, Chinese New Year, President's Day, dental
health, and healthy eating.
We have been focusing on learning our letters and their
sounds. Every letter has a song and hand motion that helps
them remember the sounds.
Thank you to Mrs. D and the children's librarian for coming
in to read and sing with us.
Rachel Johnson
Firelands Preschool
Program Director
and Teacher

ComeUnity Caf Update

Progress toward opening the ComeUnity Cafe has continued during the month of February. Our ComeUnity Caf in
Ottawa County will be known as Bistro 163. Why this name? In time, we hope that there will be other ComeUnity
Cafes in our area, so we are adding Bistro 163 now, to distinguish our cafe from others to come in the future.
Why Bistro? Adding "Bistro" to our name confers the notion of fresh food prepared from scratch using locally grown
ingredients, a "farm to table" approach.
Why 163? Adding "163" to our name adds the local identity of State Route 163, which runs the entire length of
Ottawa County, is the home location of Bistro 163, and is traveled by all neighbors who will come to Bistro 163.
Bistro 163 will be a non-profit, pay-what-you-can afford restaurant. Everyone who enters Bistro 163 will be welcome
to eat a meal. Those who are able will be encouraged to pay-it-forward to defray the cost of someone elses meal. If
someone is unable to pay, they may volunteer one hour in exchange for their meal. We desire to build relationships,
to really get to know each other. Our mission is to increase food security and offer all neighbors a place to eat and
come together as one community.
Our market research with more than 300 Ottawa County residents and 75% of Sutton Center occupants has produced
some very positive findings.

56% of respondents are familiar with the community caf concept

87% will be willing to pay it forward to help those who are food insecure

Solid feedback on possible hours of operation and menu pricing was also provided

Internet Statistics
February visits to our church Facebook pages and web site were much lower than in the warm weather months. Still,
they provide a good resource for information about Firelands Presbyterian Church. Our web site was consulted 110
times this month. 70% of visits were first time viewers; an average of 2.4 pages were viewed. Facebook entries that
reached the highest number of people in February included:

Ash Wednesday 34

Harold Brown Tuskeegee Airman Monument 265

March 2016

Page 6

STATED SESSION MEETING HIGHLIGHTS FOR JANUARY 26, 2016

Pastor Mark Cooper opened the meeting with prayer.
Treasurers Report: Bill Umlauf reported for Darrell
Brand, Treasurer Total General Fund Income minus
total GF Expense results in a net gain of $10,355.53 for
year 2015. Total January income of $8,112.27 minus
total expenses of $11,203.52 results in a General Fund
loss of $3,091.25 for January 2016 and YTD. Total YTD
Preschool Income of $84,033.85 minus Total YTD
Expenses of $77,192.90 Results in a Prescchool gain of
$6,840.95 for the year 2015. Total Preschool January
income of $7,528.57 minus total expense of $5,286.02
results in a gain of $2,242.55 for January 2016 and YTD.
COMMITTEE

REPORTS

Christian Education/Spiritual Nurture & Preschool

Karen Coffin. Ernie McCullough continues to teach the
popular Sunday School before worship service every
week. Connie Brand, Joyce Jagucki and Barb Kroll are
new committee members. Rachel Johnson and her staff
continue to do a great job running the Preschool
program. Cole Hatfield monitors the budget and billing
for the school which is considered to be a mission of the
church. Their 2015 year end report shows a profit of
$6,841.
Financial Stewardship Bill Sharp, Chair. The 2016
proposed Budget was presented, discussed and
approved. Members are encouraged to direct any budget
questions to the Financial Stewardship Committee.
Mission Karen Vardyan, Chair. Volunteers from both
the Salvation Army and the Holiday Bureau were
overwhelmed by the number of toys, coats, hats,
mittens, food and non-food items donated by our church
in December. Members rang the Salvation Army bell at
Bassetts Market and supported the Now I Lay Me Down
to Sleep mission project and the ComeUnity Caf with
special gifts. The bed project received a grant of $4,000.
from Portage Resale center and $4,486. from a special
offering received from St. Johns Lutheran Church. The
first 20 beds for 2016 have been ordered and another
local group called A case for smiles is providing one
colorful pillowcase for each bed delivered this year. The
Preschool program was held Dec. 17 with a refreshment
time for all the families. In December we gave Walmart
gift cards to the church staff and collected the Christmas
Joy offering throughout December.
Outreach Committee, Mary Caracci, Chair: A new
web provider must be found. Research for a new service
is in progress. Session gave permission for a decision to
be made by March 1. December was a very productive
month on our web site and Facebook pages. Our web

site was consulted 227 times with 68% of these being

first time. Interest in the ComeUnity Caf continues to
grow. Portage Resale Center awarded us a $6000.grant.
An anonymous benefactor generously offered a
$10,000.00 challenge grant to match donations by years
end. As of this writing, $9881.34 in tax deductible
donations have been raised to be doubled by the match.
This results in a total $19,762.68 toward the caf startup expenses. Thank you to all of you donors. Chef Stacy
Maple with 25 years of culinary experience has joined
the steering committee. Market research will be
conducted soon, to inform the menu and initial hours of
operation of the caf. Watch your emails for an
opportunity to have input.
Property Management - John Pugh, Chair. We
received a bid for a metal roof that would cost between
$38,000 and $42,000. He is still working with a local
plumber to determine the cause of our high water bills
and a possible leak. A clogged downspout near the East
entrance will be remedied soon.
Personnel Bill Sharp, Chair. Ed Bettendorf will
assist Bill on this committee.
New Business: The new doorbells at the office and preschool entrances have been installed and are working
well and greatly appreciated. In a further move to
improve security, Session approved Catawba Security to
install cameras and locking mechanisms on both doors
which can be controlled by church personnel from
wherever they are in the building. This will come out of
the Building and Grounds budget. Our current phone
system and answering machine work sporadically with
incoming calls to the church being missed. Karen Coffin
presented a bid for both a new phone and answering
machine plus wiring. Action was approved and work has
proceeded. Karen Vardyan reported that Session had
already approved purchasing a new computer for our
custodian Mark Owen for his studies. The funds will come
from Community Needs, Undesignated Funds and a
special Love envelope giving opportunity. Karen Coffin
is looking for names of inactive members who might be
moved to our Friends of Firelands list. She, Janine and
Dave Moore are working on this as it impacts our annual
Per Capita financial responsibility to Presbytery. Pastor
Mark announced a Presbytery Meeting coming up on
Tuesday, Feb.16th in Findlay, Ohio. Ed Bettendorf will
attend with Mark.
The meeting was closed with prayer by Pastor Mark.
Next Session meeting will be March 8, 2016.
Highlights from minutes of Dave Moore, Clerk of Session

March 2016

Page 7

March Celebrations

Linda Dopp

Ernie McCullough

16

Sean O'Malley

22

24

Ernie McCullough

Bill O'Malley

16

Janet GrayMoore

Karen Viery

Joyce DellaSantina

20

Pr. Jeanne Gay

25

Jim Fisher

13

Shawn Rogers

20

Karen Vardyan

25

Gilbert & Linda Dopp

Is your birthday or
anniversary missing or
incorrect? Contact the
office so we can make the
changes to the list!

March 2016
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

6 Power
Squadron
Class

10 Bible Study @
Magruder

11 3:30
Birthday
Party

Noon Lenten Lunch

and service

PASTOR MARK ON VACATION UNTIL MARCH 8

6

9:30 Sunday School

10:30 Worship

13

9:30 Quilting
at Fishers

10 Bible Study @
Magruder

6 Power
Squadron

14

MAS Senior Concerts

15

16

9:30 Sunday School

11

12

17

18

19

10 Bible Study @
Magruder

10:30 Worship

20

10

Noon Lenten Lunch

and service

7 Session

6 Firleands
Family dinner
out @ Cia Bella

Noon Lenten Lunch &

service

21

9:30 Sunday School

10:30 Worship

22

23

24

25

9:30 Quilting
at Fishers

10 Bible Study @
Magruder

7 Maundy
Thursday
Service

Noon
Good Friday
Service at St.
Thomas

Noon Lenten Lunch &

service

WCWA Movie Event

MAS Senior Concerts

27
Easter
10:30 Worship

28

29

30

31

28

26

March 2016

Page 8

Dont Forget Your Time to Serve!

Monthly

Ministry
Deacon of the Month
Communion Steward

Names
Anne OMalley
Karen Viery

Mar.6

Greeter(s)

Ed Bettendorf & Marta Vielhaber

Reader
Communion Assistant
Servers
Nursery Volunteer
Pianist

Jim Wagnitz
Joyce Jagucki
Nila McCullough, Ernie McCullough, Bob Reynolds, Susan Rogers
Anne OMalley
Susan Larcey

Greeter(s)
Reader
Communion Assistant
Servers

Rogers
Ernie McCullough
Nila McCullough

Mar.13

Nursery Volunteer
Pianist

Bob Black, Heather Stouffer, Alison Falls, Dave Moore

Susan Rogers
Susan Larcey

Mar. 20

Greeter(s)
Reader
Communion Assistant
Servers
Nursery Volunteer
Pianist

Jim Wagnitz
Marta Vielhaber
Ernie McCullough
Jay Viery, Ed Bettendorf, Joyce Jagucki, Connie Brand
Nila McCullough
Susan Larcey

Mar. 27

Greeter(s)
Reader
Communion Assistant
Servers
Nursery Volunteer
Pianist

Moores
Joyce Jagucki
Bob Black
Dave Moore, Connie Brand, Nila McCullough, Ernie McCullough
Janet Gray-Moore
Susan Larcey

March 2016

Page 9

The Musical Art Series / Port Clinton, OH

2015 2016 Season
Sunday, October 11, 2015

ERIE WATERS THE GREATER CLEVELAND AREA

FLUTE CHOIR

3:00 PM

The mellow voices of sixteen flutes

Sponsored by The Van Der Giessen Family
1812 Food & Spirits

Saturday, November 7, 2015

7:30 PM

JAMES DLEON, PIANIST

Powerful emotion and dazzling artistry
Sponsored by Dr. Jay M. and Margaret N. Mann

The Stouffer Family & Catawba Island Club

Saturday, December 5, 2015

7:30 PM

CLEVELAND INSTITUTE OF MUSIC

FASQUELLE, MEZZO-SOPRANO
ANDREW ROSENBLUM, PIANO
Amber Fasquelle, mezzo-soprano and Andrew Rosenblum, piano
Sponsored by Roth & Bacon Attorneys at Law

Neidecker, LeVeck & Crosser

Sunday, January 17, 2016

3:30 PM

ANDREW BOVA, BAGPIPES

Traditional music by Scottish-trained Highland bagpiper
Sponsored by The Frederick Insurance Agency
Otterbein North Shore Senior Lifestyle Community

Sunday, April 3, 2016

AMANDA POWELL, JAZZ WITH PIANO & BASS

3:30 PM

Authentic and vibrant jazz celebration

Sponsored by Crown Battery
Dubberts Outdrive Service

Saturday April 16, 2016

MICHIKO OTAKI, PIANO

7:30 PM

Celebrating her 25th anniversary appearance in Port Clinton

Sponsored by Arbys
Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP and Jack Hilbert

Friday May 6, 2016

JINJO CHO, VIOLINIST HYUN SOO KIM, PIANO

7:30 PM

Next Stop Carnegie Hall (really!)

Sponsored by Bassetts Market
Miller Boat Line to Put-in-Bay

Friday, June 3, 2016

TRINITY CATHEDRAL CHOIR TODD WILSON, DIR.

Clevelands acclaimed cathedral choir

Sponsored by Dr. Gil and Jan Bucholz
The Jet Express
All concerts at Firelands Presbyterian Church, 2626 East Harbor Rd., Port Clinton, OH
Tickets $15 at the door; students and children admitted free.
For information or season tickets, call 419-734-6211, go to WWW.MUSICALARTSPORTCLINTON.COM,
or find us on Facebook (The Musical Arts Series/Port Clinton).

7:30 PM

March 2016

Page 10

EASTER FLOWERS
Name____________________________________________
In Memory of________________________________________
In Honor of______________________________________

All orders must be placed by Sunday, March 15. Payment is due at time of order
Please make checks payable to Firelands Presbyterian Church

Flowers
6 1/2 Pot Tulips @ $10.500
6 Pot Daffodils @ $10.50
3-4 bloom Hydrangea @$15.00
6 Hyacinths @ $10.50
5-6 bloom Lilies @ $10.50
TOTAL

Numbered
ordered

Total
Price