The Messenger

"Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is...life is good when you are happy; but much better when others are happy because of you." Pope Francis

This winter was a rough one for so many and going out like a lion is an understatement for sure! However, spring brings joy and happiness and as the Pope said, "...it's even better when others are happy because of you!" Enjoy the springtime, dear church family!

Rest in Peace, Pope Frances.

Nancy and Brenda

Dear Church Family,

What a joyful Easter season we shared! On Maundy Thursday, we gathered around tables to

remember how Jesus gathered with His disciples before his death—washing their feet, sharing a

final meal, and giving them a new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

From that quiet, reflective evening to the triumphant chorus of Easter morning, we celebrated the

heart of our faith: Death does not have the last word. Christ does. Christ is risen—He is risen

indeed!

But Easter is not the end of the story—it’s the beginning of a new way of living. The resurrection

wasn’t just a moment in history; it launched a movement. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Jesus’

followers stepped out in faith to share the good news, serve others, and build a new kind of

community rooted in love, grace, and hope. That same call extends to us today.

This month, we begin a new sermon series titled “The Surprising Acts of God,” based on the

book of Acts. Often seen as a sequel to the Gospels, Acts is a powerful narrative of how the Holy

Spirit moves in unexpected ways to grow the Church, embolden ordinary people, and break

down barriers. It’s a story of risk, resilience, and above all, divine surprises.

We’ll walk with Paul, Tabitha, and the early believers as they navigate a rapidly changing world

—one not so different from our own. Each week, we’ll explore how God’s Spirit continues to act

in surprising ways in our lives, communities, and church today.

Come with open hearts. Expect the unexpected. Let's discover together the surprising acts of

God still unfolding among us.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Jaime

Happy Spring! It’s certainly been an interesting one with the ice storm of the century. Hopefully, everyone has recovered if they were affected.

Deacons organized and sent out Easter cards with Subway gift cards tucked inside to our college students. Thank you for your generous contributions to help fund this much-appreciated annual activity. Our college students truly enjoy receiving them and reading all of your sweet sentiments. Deacons also organized and provided a meal for Tom Galmore’s funeral service in April. We are deeply grateful to all who assisted in setting up, cleaning up, and providing food for their family and friends.

Deacons donated $1000 to the Ministerial Association through the generosity of our congregation with our loose change offerings. These donations support families and individuals in our community with essential needs. Thank you for your kind support, it truly makes a difference.

After the devastating ice storm in late March, the cleanup and recovery have begun. So many in our community have been impacted by the extensive damage to northern Michigan. While East Jordan was not one of the worst-hit areas, many of our friends, family, and neighbors are still suffering. Please remember to let the church know if there is someone who needs our help and our prayers.

One way our church helps our community is through our Loose Change collection every third Sunday during worship. This collection helps the EJ Ministerial Association meet many of the needs in the East Jordan area. Another way to help is to donate to the Care and Share food pantry. Please fill up the grocery basket at the back of the church!

Another "food pantry" that we were able to help with was the one that is available to kids in need at the EJ Middle and High School. We collected an assortment of items needed by students dealing with various sufficiency problems. The variety of items ranged from food and snack items to hygiene products and underwear. The collection box was overflowing, and the items were most appreciated! With Senior Prom coming soon, suitable dresses (XL) will be needed, too. Please get in touch with Susan Kinloch (231-599-2077) if you would like to donate one!

On Easter Sunday, the church collected The One Great Hour of Sharing Special Offering (hunger and disaster relief). This is one of four offerings that are a part of our Presbyterian world outreach and mission programs. Many thanks for the generous collection of $550 plus donations sent electronically to the PCUSA. Pentecost is June 8, and we will once again be given an opportunity to help others. This special offering will support youth locally as well as throughout the world.

With summer not far away (finally!), we will begin the Baby Bottle Campaign to help support the Moms and Tots Center in Ellsworth. This pregnancy/baby/toddler resource facility serves needy families throughout several counties in northern Michigan. This program traditionally begins on Mother's Day and ends on Father's Day. Look for the basket of baby bottles in the back of the church during this time. Last year, our church gave almost $900 to the Center - that is a lot of diapers and baby food!

Thank you to those who helped with our "Adopt A Senior" project as well. We love supporting kids in our community and our graduate will appreciate all the gifts our congregation was able to provide!

Since the New Year, 120 Prayer Squares have been given to Crossroads (EJ) and Good Samaritan (Ellsworth). Judging by the need to keep filling up the baskets, prayers are greatly needed! Please remember to pray for our neighbors and our world, and also remember: You have been blessed to be a blessing to others!

Please contact Susan Kinloch (Mission Elder) for any needs, questions, or further information.

As the treasurer, I am pleased to present the financial summary for the first quarter of the year. Overall, we have maintained a stable financial position, with total operating income from offerings reaching $63, 413.60. Operating expenses remained within budget at $41,125,06 covering ministry activities, facility maintenance, and staff support. We are grateful for the continued generosity and faithfulness of our congregation, which enables us to serve our community and advance our mission. As we look ahead, we will continue to monitor spending carefully and explore opportunities to steward our resources more effectively.

We want to share an important update regarding our music ministry. The organist we hired that was supposed to start in June has made the decision not to take the position due to health concerns. While this change is unexpected, we remain committed to ensuring meaningful and beautiful worship experiences for our church family.

We are deeply grateful to Paul Ferris, who has graciously offered to continue supporting us during this time. Paul's gift of music and leadership has been a blessing to our congregation, and we are thankful for his willingness to continue to provide wonderful music as well as choir direction. During Paul’s vacation time this summer, we will be welcoming guest organists/pianists to help lead worship. We appreciate your understanding and support as we navigate this period of transition.

The Christian Education Committee is looking for volunteers to help with the Children's Sermon each week. Previously, this was done by Stacey Chipman, our youth and family ministries director. However, with that position not filled at this time, we are seeking volunteers to help in this capacity! Please sign up in the Sanctuary Hallway or let the office know if you are willing to help! Thank you!

I have a new favorite salad! You are going to be as surprised as I was when

you try it. I mean, we are talking celery. What?? Yes, you can have a wonderful

salad without any lettuce at all. I discovered this recipe on TikTok presented by

the Phillyfoodgirl. You can follow the recipe as I’m suggesting, or use a different

nut, like pecans, and add an apple if you wish. You can also use Feta cheese instead

of Parmesan. Just make it your own according to your preferences.

The celery is crunchy, the dates add a delightful sweetness, and the nuts extend

the crunchy chewing.

Celery Salad

One package of celery...get the full-length stalks

pitted dates

chopped walnuts

1 shallot

Parmesan cheese

Olive oil

1 or 2 fresh lemons, depending on size

salt & pepper

Adding all to a mixing bowl...

Cut off the ends of the celery and chop into thin slices, including the leaves.

Chop the dates into small pieces. Add as many as you wish.

Add the chopped walnuts, adding as many as you like.

Chop the shallot into small pieces.

Grate the cheese, again, adding as much as you like.

Pour Olive oil over all. You are looking at about ¼ cup.

Juice at least one lemon, but again, if it's small, you may need to add another.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix all well and adjust to taste.

If you enjoyed this at the Galmore luncheon, please note that was a double

batch. I could honestly eat this every day, it is that good.

January 2025

• Approved budget for 2025 as presented by the Finance Committee

February 2025

• Approved Toni Jeffery as the president of the corporation
• Approved neighbor using our parking lot for a dumpster while they remodel their house

March 2025

• Approved $1,000 donation to the East Jordan Historical Society
• Approved $195 donation to the Miss East Jordan Scholarship Pageant
• Approved $660 donation to Stacey Chipman for her pursuit in getting a Certified Lay Pastor Certificate

Please pray for:

The Charlevoix Golf Team; Denny Jesiek who is having a hip replacement on May 1st; Nancy Ortwine (Tracey Sherman's mom); Ted Jeffery; Boden Vrondran; Vic Patrick; Zila Healey; Bill Olstrom; Ken Visser; Bob Visser; Cathy Stark Hawley; Donna Kline; Jeff Cook; Tom Reid; Jeff Olstrom; Leslie (Sally Lilak's friend from Florida); Josh Fizer (Paul and Liz's nephew); Josh Spears; Rich and Wava Dietrich's sister-in-law, Lynda, who is struggling with Dementia; Artie Jones; Stephanie Saad; Kristine Olstrom; Mary Jason; Bonnie Grover; Ken Kline; Our Nursing Home Residents: Jim Shepard, Nancy LaCroix.

**Please let us know if you need someone added to or removed from the list! Thank you!**

• Our condolences go to the family of Marie Shepard who passed away on February 4, 2025

• Congratulations to Ryder Malpass who was named as an Outstanding Senior Athlete by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan and first team all conference. His team was also named Academic All State.

• Congratulations to Lizzie Kooistra for her earning her degree in Mechanical Engineering at MSU in December. Lizzie who is working on her Masters Degree in Space Engineering at the University of Michigan, will be doing an internship for Blue Origin this summer in Seattle! Way to go!
• Congratulations to Aaron Nachazel on his graduation! Aaron graduated in December from LSSU with Bachelor's degree in mathematics and secondary education. He has been a long term sub (until June) at Brimley Public Schools teaching middle school mathematics. This is where he did his student teaching. He was accepted into a math education PhD program at the University of Montana, where he will be taking classes, doing research, and will be working as a TA in math classes. He will be moving to Missoula this summer. Congratulations, Aaron!
• Congratulations to Ethan Nachazel who graduates in May from LSSU with a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Special education. He was hired as the special education teacher for 4th and 5th grade at Munising Public Schools starting in the fall. In the meantime, he will be a permanent sub in their elementary school until the end of the school year. Ethan will be the assist high school coach and middle school coach for Cross Country. Congratulations, Ethan!
• Congratulations to Sean Little who graduated from GVSU in April with a dual major in Natural Resources Management and Geography with an emphasis in Geospatial Information Systems. For the past two years, he has been interning as a civilian contractor for the military out of Camp Grayling.

• Congratulations to Sam Wilson who graduated from the pre-apprentice Electrical Lineworker Program at Northwest Lineman College in Meridian, ID in March, where he continued learning industry-leading best practices from a dozen highly skilled linemen instructors. He’ll temporarily return to his seasonal job with City of Charlevoix DPW while his nationwide search for a four-year lineman apprenticeship begins in earnest.

• Congratulations to Christina Kooistra graduated from MSU last weekend with a degree in Plant Biology. She will be pursuing a Masters Degree in Business Administration at MSU. She is raising a darling puppy, Annie, as well!

Please continue to keep these graduates in your thoughts and prayers as they forge their paths for the future! Your church family is cheering for you!

• Special thanks to Bob Bryan and Michelle Mitchum for providing organ music for us while Paul was on vacation in February, April, and May!
• Thank you to everyone that helped with the "Great Clean Out" this winter.
  
• Thank you to everyone who has made a difference in the life of the church. We appreciate all that helped with the Lenten season, whether it was decorating the church, providing beautiful music, helping with the Lenten Luncheon service, helping with funeral luncheons, participating in the Maundy Thursday service, or providing flowers for Easter Sunday!

Dear Church Family,

Thank you for the Easter card and subway card. It will be a nice to have during exam week when I don't want to cook. Thank you for thinking of me.

Mason Malpass

We will celebrate Pentecost Sunday on June 8th! Please wear red and bring a red geranium that can be planted around the church! There will also be a special offering that day! Donations for the Pentecost Offering can be made online, in person on June 8th or sent to the church with the memo "Pentecost." Join us on June 9th at 10 am to plant the geraniums outside!

We will celebrate our graduates on June 1st during worship! Ryder Malpass, Owen Chappuies, and Jacky Dunlap will be graduating! We will also have cake during fellowship to honor them!

The date has been officially set! Please join us on July 27th for our Annual Outdoor Picnic and Bob's Retirement Celebration! We can't wait to welcome Bob back and celebrate the 54 years he gave to our church! See you there!

The Jordan Valley Community Band will perform its annual spring concert on May 18th at 4:00 pm at the East Jordan High School Auditorium. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome! Please mark your calendars and make plans to attend.

May 11th: Mother's Day; Men do fellowship!

May 12th: Meet and Eat; 5:30 pm

May 18th: Session Meeting; Community Band Concert at 4pm;

June 1st: Graduation Sunday

June 8th: Pentecost Sunday; Wear Red and bring a red geranium to plant outside!

June 9th: Join us to help plant geraniums at 10:00 am!

June 9th: Meet and Eat; 5:30 pm

June 15th: Father's Day; Donuts for Dudes! Session Meeting following worship

July 8th: Bible Study Begins at 10:30 am; Meet and Eat; 5:30 pm

July 9th: Bible Study begins; 6pm

July 14th: Meet and Eat; 5:30 pm

July 27th: Annual Church Picnic. Celebration for Bob Bryan!

August 11th: Meet and Eat; 5:30 pm

August 17th: Session Meeting

RECURRING MEETINGS/EVENTS:

DEACONS MEETING – Every-other month on Mondays

SESSION MEETING – 3rd Sunday of each month following Worship

DEVOTIONAL YOGA – every Wednesday at 10:00am (basement gathering room)

CHOIR - after worship

LOOSE CHANGE SUNDAY – 3rd Sunday of each month. You can also give to this via our online giving options (designate “Deacons”).

Birthdays in May

1: Kathryn Bell

3: Gabrielle Snyder; Kay Hughes

4: Kim Peters

10: James Camiller; Lindsey Malpass-Skop

12: Kathy Frake

15: Debbie Chappuies

18: Nicklas Camiller

23: Jeff Cook

24: Brooke Hawley

28: Debbie Cook

30: Kari Camiller

31: Bristol Skop

Birthdays in June

2: Garrett Wilson

3: Jessica Fountain; Aaron Broad

6: Ted H. Sherman

9: Jim Raymond

11: Linda Stone

12: Zila Healey; Mya Pofahl

13: Jim Shepard; John Wilson

18: Dee Hawley

19: Madeline Malpass

20: Wava Dietrich

22: Lukas Olstrom

27: Jackson Raymond

29: Cal Gotts

Birthdays in July

3: Marilyn Jesiek; Ken Visser

5: Alex Thumser; Theo Payne

8: Xander Broad

11: Nicole Youngs

14: Judy Bryan

16: Justin Dowty

21: Sam Wilson

22: Ted Jeffery; Kirsten Malpass

23: Wade Gotts

26: Aaron & Ethan Nachazel

29: Liz Nachazel

31: Anne Olstrom

Anniversaries in May

11: Ted & Tracey Sherman

Anniversaries in June

5: Paul & Liz Nachazel

14: Gary & Kim Peters

21: Jon & Lisa Gandelot

22: Jeff & Debbie Cook

26: David & Linda Stone

27: Rich & Wava Dietrich

Anniversaries in July

3: Ralph Kooistra & Laurie Sherman

11: Ken & Donna Kline

14: Pat & Kelly McGinn

19: Bill & Elaine Spence
28: Allen & Julie Dowty

31: Andy & Sarah Malpass

SESSION: Brenda K. Malpass, Patrick McGinn, Toni Jeffery, Susan Kinloch, John Hunter, Donna Kline, Ralph Kooistra, Abbie Hawley, and Garrett Wilson. Nancy Visser is the Clerk of Session.

DEACONS: Kathy Frake, Dee Hawley, Nikki Little, Liz Nachazel, Brooke Hawley, and Anne Olstrom.

It's easy to sign up for online-giving to First Presbyterian Church of East Jordan! Either scan the code to the right or click on the following link!

https://www.eservicepayments.com/cgi-bin/Vanco_ver3.vps?appver3=wWsk24ZWJSTZKsGd1RMKlg0BDvsSG3VIWQCPJNNxD8upkiY7JlDavDsozUE7KG0nFx2NSo8LdUKGuGuF396vbQJtxxnyLCy9Usn41-VumQ0iYnTg5dP4O6rpX5QvPEWlBhHDN59kLZFffwKfYERpQgW3Wpgyl8HOJ0p7tWJouWQ=&ver=3

Email: ejfirstpres@gmail.com
Website: ejpresbyterian.com
Location: 207 Williams Street, East Jordan, MI, USA
Phone: 2315362941
Facebook: facebook.com/ejpresbyterianchurch