OLCCP E-Blast

Always Looking to Improve

“So when Joseph came to his brothers . . . they took him and threw him into a pit”

(Genesis 37:23,24)

The world is hard on dreamers, those wishing to look for a new way to make life better.

Take Joseph, for instance. Apparently, Joseph wasn’t easy to be around. He was Daddy’s favorite and he liked to wear only the best clothing. But the worst thing about Joseph was his unending talk about his dreams. If your little brother shared dreams with you implying you would bow down to him –revere him one day – you might be tempted to throw him in a pit, as well.

In one of Joseph’s dreams, the sun, moon, and eleven stars all bowed before Joseph. His eleven brothers got the message and were not impressed. Even his father thought that dream may have gone over the top. If Joseph had just settled into the routines of the family farm and learned to be happy with the chores of a younger sibling, he could have enjoyed a safe, uneventful life. But the dreams wouldn’t let him go. Though the dreams resulted in a rocky path for Joseph, they were also his salvation.

The world is hard on dreamers, those who wish to chart a new course and risk failure. It was hard on Joseph, Paul, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Jr., and on Jesus.

If you are granted a dream, you’ll never settle for being one who chooses not to speak up. You’ll never settle for tending your own garden. And you may never stop sharing your dream with others.

But don’t be surprised if people try to quiet your voice. It doesn’t matter that your dream came from God. Others may try to put you in the pit, because your dream may be a judgment on those who’ve settled for playing it safe.

What do we dream for our congregation’s voice and presence in our community?

Join us for our one worship this Sunday at 10:30 am. Livestreaming is at 10:30 am.

Pastor Rich will bring us the message, Light the Fire.

Click here for Order of Worship

Scripture Readings are:

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Isaiah 42:1-9

For those unable to join us in person, OLCCP offers Live Streaming on Sundays at 10:30 am. Click here to join us online live as we worship together.

To access our church online options, subscribe to our YouTube channel on the link below.

Subscribe to YouTube.

Pray for these people on our Prayer List: Bev Ayres, Rev. Mary Bahr-Jones, Marion Benedict, Nancy Bedell, Suzann Brennan, Dennis Burton, Nancy Burton, Nancy Carter, Vangie Chase, Ellen Coffman, Tom Conrad, Judy Daulton, Ann DeMarco, Margaret Edwards, Eileen Fisher, Dorothy Friedl, Tom Gribbell, Steve Hauser, Herbert Jarvie, Diane Kennedy, Lee Knoblock, Lori Konecki, Karla Kurzweil, Kay Malaney, Bill Marvin, Mary Mehelich, Julie Morrish, Richard Mudge, Rebbeca Naftel, David Ridley, Sarah Robertson Nadeau, Shannon Paul, Janet Payne, Michelle Pryce-Laskos, Pat Rothley, Brian Russek, Karen Schoonover, Jim Skeeters, Pat Sluka, Brett Tremaine, Nancy Watts, Doris Wiegert, Bill Windscheif, Martha Windscheif, and Pamela Zimmerman

Our deepest sympathy to Diana Tyrrell and family on the loss of her mother, Phyllis Hunt.

OLCCP is a Stephen Ministry congregation, which means many of our members and friends have completed a 50-hour training course in peer counseling, listening, and referral. If you would like to meet regularly with a Stephen Minister for a listening ear, supportive prayer, and companionship in times of struggle or transition, see Steve Orr or email info@olccp.com

The OLCCP Stephen Ministers are: Bev Ayres, Dorothy Friedl, Sherry Orr, Steve Orr, Bob Siebert, and Pat Redner-Colvin.

Our calendar is available to browse live 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at OLCC,P Calendar. You can browse all events coming up. You can also subscribe to the calendar on the same page.

Please be sure to check the calendar before organizing an event at OLCCP.

As you are putting away all the new clothes you received at Christmas, take some time to pull out your men’s and women’s gently used jeans, sweatpants, sweatshirts, sweaters and coats to help those in need in the Pontiac area.

We will be filling the clothing closet at First Presbyterian Church of Pontiac now through January 12, 2025. If you would like to help stage or deliver or organize the closet, please let members of the Mission Team know. You can drop off your gently used clothing in Room 118.

THANK YOU!

Join the Vermeulen’s today, January 12 at 4:00 pm in the Sanctuary for a presentation of their recent travel through the Mediterranean Sea. Snacks, coffee and tea provided.

Mark your calendars for January 25 at 7:00 pm for a very special Lakeside Coffee House.

The opening performers will be our very own Emily and Caitlin Frey Wagg.

The Featured Performers are two amazing talents, Beth Bright and Peter Hennes. Beth, a former Disney studio singer, has returned to the Orchard Lake area after two decades performing off-Broadway, in-studio, out at sea, and on stages across the country. Peter has played guitar with Broadway touring productions of iconic musicals like Evita, A Chorus Line, Grease, and 42nd Street and has accompanied entertainment legends like Frank Sinatra, Liza Minelli, and Bernadette Peters.

No cover charge, but a free will donation will be made to Kids On The Go.

Click here for poster link to share.

See Steve Orr for more details.

ORGANIZATION: Group Mission Trips (groupmissiontrips.com)

LOCATION: Elizabeth City, NC

DATES: July 6-12, 2025

COST: $250/person; $100 deposit due to OLCCP on Sunday, January 26, 2025.

EACH PARTICIPANT: will live out their faith in practical ways through love, kindness, and action. You will meet dozens of faithful youth and adult leaders –more than 200 are already registered – from all over the eastern seaboard, be inspired by great music and teaching, and play some raucous large-group games.

See Pastor Rich for more information.

We invite you to volunteer with Children and Family Ministries to foster a safe and enjoyable environment for the children and youth during worship. We are looking for caring and enthusiastic people to support our Sunday School (preschool-5th grade) and God Loves U (GLU) (6-12th grade) programs.

Prepared lessons and supplies will be provided. We rely on your participation to keep these experiences running, and it is through the dedication of church families like yours that the programs thrive.

PLEASE CONSIDER VOLUNTEERING TO TEACH !!

Volunteer Application Process: To ensure a safe experience, all volunteers working with children must complete the Volunteer Application (https://www.olccp.com/childrens-ministries) and have a Background Check. Volunteers will attend a brief training before starting.

Thank you!

Kelly (Kelly.olccp@gmail.com)

Join us on Zoom for Our Daily Bread devotional Monday through Friday at 9:00 am.

The Zoom link for the Daily Bread series and will connect you with the group. Click blow for the Zoom Link.

And to lead one morning, you can sign up here Orchard Lake Community Church, Presbyterian: Our Daily Bread Devotional (signupgenius.com)

A limited number of printed copies of the Annual Report are available this Sunday in the Lakeview Area for pick up. Please contact the Church Office (leida@olccp.com) if you would like an electronic copy emailed to you.

We are happy to announce that our nursery was recently remodeled. Come check it out down in Room 117.

We are also pleased to announce that there is a need to make the Nursery available on Sundays. Families with infants or toddlers have recently attended our services. While we welcome children in our Sanctuary, the parents stepped out into the Lakeview with their little ones.

It would be a blessing to these families if we could provide a place for their baby or toddler to be attend while they worship. Please consider volunteering in the Nursery one Sunday a month from about 10:00 am -12:00 pm. The service can be live streamed in the Nursery as well.

Contact Leida in Church Office or Mike Starynchak if you can help!

Why Per Capita?

Each year, Presbyterians across the nation make the commitment to support our shared leadership through Per Capita. We are a priesthood of all believers. As a part of this call, we share in the responsibility of supporting the church and her regional and national leaders.

We are a connectional church; no worshipping community in our denomination is isolated. The entirety of the church is called to work with one another in making ministry possible throughout our region, state, and nation. Our regional Presbyteries, Synods, and national denominational offices work alongside one another to support, guide, and collaborate thanks to Per Capita funding.

All Per Capita donations to OLCCP ($37.09 per member) are passed through to the higher judicatories (Presbytery of Detroit, Synod of the Covenant, General Assembly) for their administrative support. Thank you for your support.

Monthly Envelopes are now available to be picked up in the Lakeview area. If you do not see your name and would like a boxed set, please contact Stacey Cheff.

Each year, Orchard Lake Community Church, Presbyterian receives donations through the Kroger Community Rewards program. If you shop at Kroger and haven't already designated Orchard Lake Community Church , Presbyterian as your organization, please sign up.

Once you link your Kroger Card to Orchard Lake Community Church, Presbyterian, all you have to do is shop at Kroger and swipe your Shopper’s Card.

Use the link below to sign up:

https://www.kroger.com/i/community/community-rewards

Contact Mike Starynchak for more information.

Do you need a ride? Deacon Transportation Services at OLCCP is staffed and able to take fellow members to medical or essential appointments.

Please contact Linda V. or Rebecca for information or email info@olccp.com.

The pantry is in need of the following food items: jelly, condiments, canned meat, tuna, soups, canned vegetables and fruits, canned chili, stew and baked beans, spaghetti sauce, pasta, boxed cereals, cake mix and frosting, crackers, and juice. This is an ongoing collection at OLCCP that is distributed weekly.

They accept all shelf-stable items. Any donation of food or hygiene products is appreciated. Items can be dropped off in the grey bench near the office.

Thank you for your continued support!

The Church Office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

• Rev. Dr. Richard Lapehn (Pastor): In the office Monday through Thursday. May be reached by email at (pastorrich@olccp.com)or by phone at 248-682-0730.
• Leida Soto (Office Administrator): In the office Monday through Thursday or by email during office hours at (leida@olccp.com) or by phone at 248-682-0730.
• Stacey Cheff (Business Administrator): In the office Mondays and Thursdays or by email during office hours (stacey@olccp.com)
• Kelly Holquist (Children & Youth Director): May be reached by email during office hours at (kellyh@olccp.com) or phone at 248-682-0730.
• Rebecca Grice-Johnson (Faith Community Nurse) : Email at (rebecca@olccp.com) or call 248-682-0730.

Email: info@olccp.com
Website: www.olccp.com
Location: 5171 Commerce Road, Orchard Lake, MI, USA
Phone: 248-682-0730
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OLCCP/