Remember Your Baptism 02/19/2012
 As Lent begins, we start once more on a journey of reflection and repentance. The scriptures that lead us into Lent this year are all "watery" ones. We read about the days after the flood, when God sets a rainbow in the sky to remember God's promise never to destroy the earth again. We read read about Jesus' baptism, and then his time in the desert before he begins his ministry. To reflect on these scriptures, we will start our Lenten journey by remembering our own baptism. Of, if you haven't been baptized yet, contemplating what that sacrament means. On February 26, the first Sunday of Lent, we will participate in a ritual in worship to remember the waters of baptism. We never "re-baptize," but we do need times to remember our part of the baptismal covenant in which we promise to follow Jesus Christ. During worship, everyone will be invited to come plunge their hands into the baptismal font, remembering that we die to sin as our hands go down into the water, and that we are raised with Christ as our hands come out of the bowl. Elders will then serve us by drying our hands. Today, we reflected briefly on the many candles we use in worship, one of which is a baptismal candle. We ask all those children and adults who have been baptized in the church to light that candle each year on the anniversary of their baptism. That simple act reminds us that Christ is the center of our lives and His light goes with us wherever life takes us. After the worship service, a man came up to speak with me. Glen is in his eighties and I baptized him in January of 2011. He said, "I wanted you to know that I lit my baptismal candle this year on January 9. I remembered my baptism." I was amazed and so thankful that people of all ages value that action and take seriously the meaning of baptism throughout our lives. Baptism also sets us on the journey of discipleship. It is the beginning of the journey and God's act toward us that allows us to strengthen our faith and our discipleship. After we remember our baptisms, everyone at First Presbyterian Church will be encouraged to take on a spiritual practice during Lent. Instead of giving up chocolate or potato chips, try adding one small thing to your daily life that will shape your faith, and may even transform it. Materials will be available at the church to help you pick the right spiritual practice for you. Choose a daily devotional guide, read the daily Lectionary scriptures, do an online devotional at www.d365.org, save change each day for the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering or make a commitment to pray each time you or your family sit down for a meal. Pastor Emma Add Comment Presbyterian Women February Recipe 02/02/2012
Pastor Emma's Hot Artichoke Dip This recipe has been a family favorite for many years. It's quick and easy and everyone loves it; no spinach necessary. You can double the recipe and make a batch for a crowd, too! 1 14-oz can Artichoke Hearts in water, drained (not the marinated kind in the jar) 1/2 cup Mayonnaise 1/2 cup Sour Cream 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus a little more for topping a few drops of Tabasco Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Finely chop the artichoke hearts and put them in a medium bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Pour mixture into a small baking dish or casserole. Top with the remaining Parmesan. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly and just starting to brown on the edges. Serve with potato, tortilla or pita chips. Also good with raw veggies as dippers. For a lighter version, I often use light mayonnaise and low fat sour cream. You can even substitute plain, fat free yogurt for the sour cream with great results. You'll just want to let the dip set for a few minutes after taking it out of the oven. Euchre Tournament 01/31/2012
 Come out Saturday, February 18, 2012 for a Euchre Tournament. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and cards begin at 6:30 p.m. $10.00 per person entry fee Cash prizes for 1ST 2ND & 3RD place Desserts and coffee will be served. Presbyterian Women's January Recipe 01/02/2012
Garden Vegetable Soup A Healthy Meal to Start off the New Year! Makes 4 1-cup servings Ingredients: 2/3 cup sliced carrots 2 garlic cloves minced 4 cans fat-free chicken broth (more if necessary) 4 cups water (more if necessary) 1 ½ cups diced green cabbage ½ cup green beans (Frozen French Style) 1 Tbsp tomato paste ½ tsp dried basil ¼ tsp dried oregano ¼ tsp salt ½ cup diced zucchini & squash (wash- don’t peel-slice) 4 cans diced tomatoes 1 large can V8 Juice (low sodium) Spray a large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray and put it over the heat. Sauté the carrots, and garlic over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add broth, cabbage, beans, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and salt; bring to boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered, about 15 min or until beans are tender. Stir in the zucchini and squash and heat for 3-4 minutes. You can add meat to individual servings, without meat this soup will last in the fridge for more than a week. You can add more veggies. Christmas Gifts for Second Mile Center 01/02/2012
This year the Presbyterian Women supported the children of Second Mile Center in Detroit. We had 30 names on the tree in the Narthex and folks pulled off names of needy children so they could shop for them. The children has asked for school clothes and one gift item for Christmas. On Sunday, December 11th, we checked the bags to make sure all items were accounted for. Then we packaged up 30 Christmas bags containing shirts, pants, toys, mittens, scarves and socks. All bags were accounted for that week and Waunita Flint, Joyce Mcfarlane and Judy Webb delivered the items to SMCe all wrapped up in Christmas bags and bright red plastic sacks. Many thanks to our Congregation for once again making Christmas bright for needy children. The center and the children were thrilled to receive these special gifts of love! Happy New Year! -Gloria Stanley
Each of the baskets was overflowing with several days worth of meals and all of the fixings for a delicious Christmas dinner. The remaining five baskets were given to the 785th Army Reserve post in Fraser, MI. From there, they will be sent out to families of currently deployed soldiers who are in need of assistance this holiday season. We have been working with the 785th for three years, and it is a very rewarding mission. If you have read the paper any time of late, you know about the widespread epidemic of homelessness and hunger in our community. Asking for food assistance can be a humbling and difficult thing for families to do and it is hard to imagine that food security is so real a concern for many of our neighbors. Thanks to our church, twenty-five families won't have that worry this Christmas; they will be full of pumpkin pie, turkey, stuffing, and much more! It is truly wonderful that our church has once again given so generously to help our neighbors. -Sarah Martin-Fanone, Deacons' Moderator
 On Monday, December 5, the First Church Men's Group sponsored a mission dinner at Second Mile Center, Detroit, of mostacholi/meat sauce, bread/butter, salad/dressing, fruit punch and vanilla pudding w/cinnamon. First Church had 12 people involved in the preparation and serving. Mike Slupinski made the excellent pasta meat sauce ahead of time and there were three volunteers outside the Men's Group assisting us. I gave a short lesson in Stewardship to the children with a blessing of the food. We then fed 87 children and adults from Second Mile Center plus 8 Warren First volunteers. Everyone liked the meal and there was almost nothing leftover. The Lord was with us that day as we helped many hungry and appreciative children and adults from the Detroit community. The Warren First volunteers were as excited as the fed recipients of our mission work, learning how we can help those who are deserving. Mac McDougall 
Cooking up a storm in the SMC kitchen!
The Buffet Line.
Thankful Thanksgivings 11/21/2011
I often think of it as the perfect holiday: parades and football to watch, no gifts to buy or wrap, and a whole day devoted to eating! At my house, Thanksgiving is always a little frenzied. We're never quite sure when the turkey is done, we've selected a new stuffing/dressing recipe that is more challenging than expected, a few of the potato rolls burned, and we just don't know if we'll have room left for pie! Perhaps it sounds too frenzied for you, or perhaps your drama is more about the people and less about the food. But for me, it's just the way I like it. Too calm, and it wouldn't be Thanksgiving!! This year, I am thankful for a wonderful church family that has been a great partner in ministry for the past year and four months. I'm grateful that my husband Matt has been called to serve a church very close by. I'm grateful that we're renting a great house from another lovely church. I'm thankful that I have a new nephew (who I will finally get to meet at Christmas). But I also can't help worry about those who have much less to be thankful for this year. Besides leading us to the table, I think Thanksgiving should lead us to prayer. Prayer is best when it encompasses both our gratitude to God and our deep longings for God to show us how to bring about peace, justice, and compassion for all people. I am praying for better health for so many in our community; for those who are losing homes due to foreclosure; and for people enduring the holidays without a job. And in the wider world, I continue to pray for economic security in Europe, for peace and freedom throughout the Middle East, and for people whose food supply is insecure, especially in Africa. What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Where do we still need God's blessings in our hurting world? Here's to an attitude of gratitude this season. Pastor Emma Presbyterian Women's December Recipe 11/15/2011
Each month, we post a new recipe for our church family to make and enjoy! At the holidays, why not try a delicious, fancy favorite, Beef Wellington? If you have a favorite recipe idea, please let us know or reply here and we may post it in the future. Beef Wellington 1 beef tenderloin (2 to 2 ½ pounds) Ground Black pepper – optional 1 egg 1 tbsp water 1 tbsp butter 2 cups finely chopped mushrooms 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about ½ cup) All-purpose flour 1/2 of a 17.3 ounce package Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry sheets (1 sheet) thawed Directions 1. Heat oven 425, place the beef into a lightly greased roasting pan. Season with black pepper, if desired. Roast for 30 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the beef reads 130F. Cover the pan and refrigerate for 1 hour. Note: beef will be on the rare side, leave in oven a little longer if desired. 2. Reheat the oven to 425. Beat the egg and water in a small bowl with a fork. 3. Heat the butter in a 10- inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and onion and cook until the mushrooms are tender and all the liquid is evaporated, stirring often. 4. Sprinkle the work surface with the flour. Unfold the pastry sheet on the work surface. Roll the pastry sheet into a rectangle 4 inches longer and 6 inches wider than the beef. Brush the pastry sheet with the egg mixture. Spoon the mushroom mixture onto the pastry sheet to within 1 inch of the edge. Place the beef in the center of the mushroom mixture. Fold the pastry over the beef and press to seal. Place seam-side down onto a baking sheet. Tuck the ends under to seal. Brush the pastry with the egg mixture. 5. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the beef reads 140 degrees.  First Post! 09/11/2011
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