Rev. Case Van Kempen, Interim Senior PastorRev. Betsy Aho, Associate Pastor

Rev. Drew Filkins, Associate Pastor

JUNE 2018PortalMonthly Newsletter of The Peoples Church, 200 W. Grand River Ave., East Lansing, MI 48823 l 517.332.5073 l ThePeoplesChurch.com

UNDIE SUNDAYS ARE COMING! It’s that time of year again! Undie Sundays are back. Starting June 17, 2018 and going through August 12, 2018, Community En-gagement will be collecting NEW under-wear (undershirts, underpants and socks) for schoolage children (K-12th grade). There will be a RED KIDS STUFF basket at the WELCOME CENTER for donations. As always the collection goes to Judson Memorial Baptist Church Clothing Closet, which serves one of the neediest areas of Lansing.

Your donations are much appreciated and needed for families in the Greater Lansing area. Thank you for helping our community!

On June 10, 2018, Rev. Case Van Kempen, Interim Senior Minister, will preach for the first time here at The Peoples Church! Following the 10:30 a.m. worship service, please join us for a time of fellowship in the Robertson Room. You are all invited to welcome Case during this informal meet & greet.

On Tuesday, June 26, 2018, Rev. Van Kempen will be on-site at Bur-cham Hills for a meet & greet. Plan to meet with Rev. Van Kempen in the Ada Whitehouse Room from 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

JUNE 17 - AUGUST 12, 2018

On behalf of the Council of Elders, I am thrilled to present to you our Senior Pastor Search Committee! We are very fortunate to have a community of strong leaders in The Peoples Church, and while it was a difficult challenge se-lecting only nine, I am confident that we have a committee that can speak to the diverse needs and perspectives of this church. My hope is that we all look forward to supporting the Senior Pastor Search Committee in the months ahead. - Jennifer Battle Nagel, Chair, Council of Elders

JIM KELLY, CHAIRSUSAN KILMER, VICE-CHAIRJODI COOKRUTH ANN FERENCEBRIAN GRONOWSKIHALEY HANSENARAM KABODIANCAL KERRBETH LUNDY

PASTOR SEARCH COMMITTEE

JUNE BIRTHDAYS *80 & OVER

1 - Jeanette Minkel 4 - Shirley Guider 5 - Dr. Charles Moore 20 - Richard Belding 25 - Iola Zick26 - Jo Hacker26 - Sylvia Rundquist28 - Martha Grambau28 - Linda Dansby29 - Mary Culham

JUNE ANNIVERSARIES10 - Jack & Jean Draper (73)18 - Dr. Don & Evelyn Davis (63)18 - Lary & Mary Hill (63)19 - Dr. Robert & Helen Ward (64)23 - Walter & Eleanor Goff (50)25 - Matthew & Michelle Rick (30)

If we missed you, please accept our apology. Contact the office to make sure we have your correct information on file.

by Dana Johnson, Peoples Church Preschool Director

Offering opportunities for children to express them-selves creatively is a part of every day life at Peo-ples Church Preschool. The act of creating supports many aspects of learning. Using crayons, chalk, and paintbrushes helps children practice the fine motor control they will need for writing later on and using these materials gives children practice with hand-eye coordination.

Young children can learn the names of colors (lit-eracy) and shapes (math) through creative art ac-tivities. They find out what happens when they mix two primary colors together (science) and get a sec-ondary color.

Children may be able to express or represent emotions or experiences that they cannot verbalize. They may draw pictures out of proportion, exaggerating things that are important to them. When we value children’s creativity, we help them feel valued as people, raising their self-esteem.

Sending older children outside to carefully examine a tree, feel its bark, and study the shape and color of its leaves, and then asking them to draw or paint trees, helps them develop observational skills needed for science.

Children’s active imaginations can take form through art. A child that wonders what will happen if she uses three paintbrushes at one time may ask her teacher to help him tie a rubber band around three paintbrushes. Through active experimen-tation, she invents a new way to paint. Although tying three paintbrushes together may not be earthshaking, the child learns skills that could help her invent something new, like a car that runs on solar power or a cure for cancer, when she grows up.

Elizabeth Detzler, Preschool 2 Lead Teacher, for her 12 years of service with The Peoples Church Preschool. Thank you!

KUDOS TO... PAINTING & THE BRAIN

PORTAL DEADLINE: The deadline for submissions to the July 2018 Portal is June 15. Submit content to Rachel Giddings at, rgiddings@thepeo-pleschurch.com.

The Portal is a monthly newslet-ter that is mailed each month and also included in the Friday email.

CLEANING UP THE RIVERThanks to Susan Kilmer, Cathy Lancaster and Bill Nash for representing The Peoples Church and our Earth Stewardship Commit-tee at the clean-up of Lansing's River Trail! They braved a cold, wet morning on Satur-day, May 12 to help make our community more beautiful for all to enjoy.

CONNECT | GROW | SERVE | SHARE

PEOPLES FORUMThe Peoples Forum is on summer break and will return this September with a new lineup of speakers. Stay tuned for the new schedule!

PEOPLES 101 SESSIONSDo you have questions about The Peoples Church or just want more information? Join one of the Pastors and Wel-come Ministry Members in the Robertson Room immediately following 10:30 a.m. worship for an informal discus-sion. We will meet on Sunday, June 3, 2018 and Sunday, August 5, 2018 for 20-30 minutes. All are welcome!

DONATIONS FOR THE PEOPLES CHURCH PRESCHOOLWe are looking for items to enhance our curriculum! Does your home or office create scrap paper? If so, please con-sider donating it to the Preschool. We also collect any old keys or key fobs; clean, but used towels; art supplies; or na-ture items. Donations can be dropped off in the Preschool or Church office and we can provide you with a donation receipt for tax purposes if requested.

PERSONAL NEEDS CLOSET HAS NEEDS YEAR ROUND!The Personal Needs Closet is in need of people and items to fill the closet. People are needed to help shop, pack up, and distribute items (distribution takes place every other Saturday). Times are flexible, people are thankful, the need is great, and the rewards are many! If you would like to donate items to the cause, please consider shopping for extras of the following items and leaving them in the collection baskets near the Welcome Desk and Office: bar soap; baby wipes; disposable diapers; dish soap; paper towels; feminine hygiene products; disposable razors (both men and women); shaving cream; deodorant. Thank you for only dropping off items from the list. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, contact Mary Heiderson at: 517.333.9396 or maryheiderson@gmail.com.

2018 BOOK SALE REPORT AND THANK YOU!In late May, The Fishbach Library Committee had its annual book sale in the Snider Social hall. The sale was held the weekend of the East Lansing Art Fair, May 19 - 20, 2018. The Library Committee would like to thank the folks of The Peoples Church for your generous support and for your donations of paperbacks, hard backs, CD’s, videos, etc. This year we had about one-third more books donated! The Library Committee, along with other volunteers, arranged the hundreds of books contributed and organized them in an easy-to-find manner for shoppers. All proceeds made go to purchasing current books of a theological nature and subscriptions to the four denominational monthly mag-azines. The congregation is invited to visit the Library and use this wonderful collection of Children and Adult books and materials.

Additionally, we would like to thank the following church volunteers that helped during the sale days: Mary Culham, Shirley Fisher, Jean Fierke, Sarah Rick, Deb Mercer, Barb Houghtaling, Susan Nowicki, and Ruth Ann Ference, as well as, the volunteer Library Committee, Carol Jacob, Phyllis Gaulden, Jane Crowner, Karla Forest-Hewitt, Luke Weiler, and Joan Wright.

REFUGEE COLLECTION COMING SOON! We will soon be holding another collection for St. Vincent Refugee Services. Mark your calendars for June 3 and June 10 when we will hold a collection for NEW long or short sleeved t-shirts for children (youth and teen). And, to make it fun, we are requesting t-shirts with your favorite collegiate logo! Please place your t-shirt donations in the designat-ed box located at the Northwest entrance.

READING PEOPLEThe next meeting for the Reading People will be on Thursday, June 21, 2018, in the Robertson Room from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Carol Bryson and Margie Kinzley will lead the discussion of the book, Maisie Dobbs (first book of the Maisie Dobbs Mystery Series), by Jacqueline Winspear.

REBEKAH-HANNAH CIRCLEThe next meeting for the Rebekah-Hannah Circle will be on Wednesday, September 26, 2018. There will not be any meetings held in the months of June, July or August.

PAINTING & THE BRAIN

CLEANING UP THE RIVER

Perhaps you noticed an unfa-miliar guest in our parking lot. Our new Ford Transit van is a welcome addition, indeed! The Transit seats 10 and features a back-up camera, up-to-date safety features, and running boards for easier loading and unloading. As our aging mini-vans grew less reliable, it became evident that a new vehicle was needed to update the fleet. We know that many children, youth and adults from our church and community will benefit from this new vehicle. The purchase of the Transit was made possible by the Mary Zehner Memorial Bequest.

FROM OUR KITCHEN TO YOURS RECIPES BY GERRI LYNNGerri Lynn Nichols, our talented Hospitality Coordinator, will be sharing a recipe with us each month. Enjoy!

CHICKEN SALAD

INGREDIENTS:3 cups chopped, cooked chicken or 1 rotisserie chicken cooled, deboned & chopped1 cup thinly sliced celery1 cup thinly sliced green onion1/2 cup diced red onion1/2 cup diced multi colored peppers2 tablespoons lemon juice1/2 teaspoon pepper2/3 -1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing1/4 cup dill pickle relish1 tablespoon prepared mustard1 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:In a medium mixing bowl combine first five ingredients.Stir in the lemon juice and pepper.Combine the mayo, pickle relish, garlic powder and prepared mustard.Add this sauce to chicken mixture and gently stir.Cover and chill until ready to serve.

This is a great way to use up leftover chicken & can be made ahead of time. Enjoy!

GRIEF RECOVERY

TPC ON THE ROAD!

Over the last several months, many members

and friends of The Peoples Church

have asked me about offering grief recovery groups here. Following my sermon on consolation and com-fort on May 27, even more of you opened up about loss and grief. I am pleased to announce that I will be attending grief training & certi-fication through the Grief Recovery Institute at the end of August.

The comprehensive training offered through the Grief Recovery Insti-tute is trusted worldwide, and has a reputation that has been built upon for over 30 years. I look forward to adding to what knowledge I have already, and plan to offer grief recovery groups to the congrega-tion during the upcoming program year. In the mean-time, if you are grieving, you are always welcome to reach out to Pastor Drew and me.

-Pastor Betsy

NEW TPC WEBSITE!

ThePeoplesChurch.com got a make-over! We are thrilled to present our new website that is now mobile friendly and easier to navigate. Thank you for your patience as we continue to make updates.

Thursday evening, May 10th, The Peoples Church Social Hall was the scene of the 10th “Gala” of the Edgewood Village Scholars Program, the third time the banquet was held at The Peoples Church. Planned under the leadership of Peoples Design Team member, Kim Gools, Quintin Shine, Scholar Director, and Lillian Holloway, As-sistant Scholar Director, the festive occasion honored graduating seniors and their families as well as other student participants in this special program and their fam-ilies.

The Scholars Program is a college preparatory program for students in grades 6 through 12, who live in Edgewood Village. Students participate in weekly scholar meetings, monthly community service days and a variety of post secondary educa-tional activities. In 2018 six Scholars will graduate from high school, and between them, they have received over 35 acceptances from institutions of higher learning, often with sizable scholarship grants.

Former Scholars Program Director, Jonathan Rosewood, served as Master of Cere-monies for the event. Graduating Scholar, Makela Rogers, a six year program partic-ipant, who will be attending the University of Southern California in the fall, spoke briefly abut her experiences as a scholar. Brief comments were added by a two year alumnus of the program — now an engineering student at the University of Michi-gan. Congratulatory comments and motivational suggestions were offered by Don-na Rich Kaplowitz, Scholar Committee Chairperson, the evening’s primary speaker.

Fifteen Scholars in attendance were presented with Special Recognition Certificates by Mr. Shine; and special awards were presented to students for: Leadership, Service, Academic Excellence, Most Academically Improved and Scholar of the Year. Barbara Scott, Peoples Team Leader, was the recipient of both the John Duley and Volunteer of the Year Awards. The Peoples Church received the Community Partner Award for the year.

Special guests were members of the Edgewood Village Board and Community Rep-resentatives of the Board. Guests were greeted by Mimi Burpee, Jake and Maxine Ferris; other church volunteers set-up for the dinner, helped with clean-up and/or were servers. This group included: Renate Carey, Emily Anderson, Cheryl Leece, Di-ane Shafer, Bev Mason, Kay Ekye-Addai, Margie Steinkamp, Jan Perron, Crystal Bran-ta, Barb Dunlap, John Stroup and Cal Kerr.

Food was prepared by Chef Corbett Day and students from the Wilson Talent Center (Intermediate School District’s Culinary Program) with assistance from the church’s Hospitality Director, Gerri Lynn Nichols.

SAVE THE DATE! REV. TRACI BLACKMON

IS COMING TO THE PEOPLES CHURCH!

The Peoples Church of East Lansing,and the Henry and Annabel Memo-rial Lecture Series will present Rev. Traci Blackmon, Executive Minister of Justice and Local Church Ministries of the United Church of Christ, who will preach at the 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. services, and lead a workshop in the afternoon.

A light lunch will be served following the later service. Stay tuned for more details soon!

“Traci is a game changer. If we are talking about our promise to live out bold public witness, this woman lives that out to a level of which we can all be proud.” Rev. John Dorhauer, UCC general minister and president.

OCTOBER 28, 2018

ENERGY STAR CERTIFIED!

“The conversation must begin with a determination to listen and a willingness to be changed.” Rev. Traci Blackmon

The Peoples Church is proud to announce that we have earned EPA's ENERGY STAR for the second year in a row! ENERGY STAR certified buildings and plants are verified to perform in the top 25 percent of buildings nation-wide, and use an average 35 percent less energy, cause an average 35 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and are less expensive to operate than their peers. The Peoples Church is proud to be an ENERGY STAR certified building for two years and counting; let's see if we can make it three!

WNL! MENUCOMMUNITY MEAL • 5:30 P.M.

JUNE 13Pulled Pork SandwichesFresh Vegetables & DipBanana Split Bar

JUNE 20: SALAD NIGHT Chicken SaladHam SaladMixed Greens SaladFresh Fruit SaladCookies

JUNE 27: MEXICAN NIGHTChicken or Beef Tacoswith all the fixingsChips & CheeseChurros & Ice Cream

W N L !Summer Edition

WNL! SUMMER PROGRAMMING

STARTS AT 5:30 p.m.

• Community Dinner, featuring a fresh and simple summer cuisine (Meets in Friendship Hall)

• Brief Communion Service, following dinner

• Yoga starts at 6:30 p.m. (Meets on the 3rd floor)

EVERYONE WELCOME!

ADULT EDUCATIONMay 2: A Discussion/Study St. John’s Bible Rev. Drew Filkins and Susan Reedy

PCYG will resume on June 13, 2018 with Summer programming. See schedule below:

PCYGPEOPLES CHURCH YOUTH GROUP

WEDNESDAYS

11:00 a.m. - Noon Summer Book Club

Noon - 1:00 p.m. FREE Lunch to All Middle & High School Students

1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Sportsball & Games in the Park

SUNDAYS

9:30 a.m. Summer Bible Exploration

Noon Disciples and Dragons (Irregular Sunday Scheduling)

SAVE THE DATE: PCYG MISSION TRIP!

Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota

July 6 - 14, 2018

It’s not too late to sign up, email Joe for details: jkennedy@thepeopleschurch.com.

NEW MEMBERS!

HALEY HANSEN BECKY MOULTON

MARC, STACY, & COOPER MELLOR JOHN AND JENNY PATTERSON JULIE, TODD, EMILY & NATHAN WALSH

NEW MEMBERS BY CONFIRMATION!

From Left to Right: CARTER KELLY, CHLOE MELLOR, AVA HARVEY, JILL MORENO, SARAH MORENO, AND SAM MELLOR

200 W. Grand River Ave.East Lansing MI 48823

517.332.5073ThePeoplesChurch.com

JUNE 2018 PORTAL

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONU.S. POSTAGE PAIDEAST LANSING, MI

PERMIT #33

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

Experience the ride of a lifetime and venture through the Rolling River Rampage Vacation Bible School this summer! Along the way, children will learn and discover that life with God is an adven-ture full of wonder and surprise, and that they can trust God to be with them through anything.

REGISTER NOW! Go to ThePeoplesChurch.com and click on the Rolling River Rampage im-age on the homepage. Contact Julie Bills at jbills@thepeopleschurch.com with any questions.

JUNE 18-22, 2018WOLDUMAR NATURE CENTER