First UMC Menominee

Bagging Groceries Collecting donations for the Building Fund. Bagging groceries at Angelis on October 24th. Bagging groceries is FUN! Many hands make light work. Bagging groceries.... Concentrating.... Thank you to all who helped!
Waterfront Parade Our church served about 200 people with free hotdogs, chips and cold drinks before and during the Waterfront Parade! Thank you to those who helped and donated cash to make this outreach a reality; it was very appreciated by those watching the parade!
Open House Ron and Warren shared a moment before the Open House began. Pastor, architect, and building committee chairpersons enjoying the gathering room. Muriel and Loren look through the scrapbook of Menominee First UMC pastors. Rev. Bill Schoonover and his wife, Norma, check out the scrapbook showing the demolition and building process. Nancy explains the pastor's office. Where there are Methodists, there is food. Food and fellowship!
May 2009 May 3rd...Checking out the quilts. May 3rd....Rev. Kenneth Tousley May 3rd...waiting to eat! May 3rd...PIE!! May 17th...3 generations of pastors: Rev. Philip Tousley; Rev. Briony Peters Desotell; Rev. Jeremy Peters; Rev. Kenneth Tousley May 30th...Muriel working at the pasty sale. May 30th...some of the pasty makers rolling dough.
Building Work April 2009 April 2009---New flooring in the Upper Room April 2009---Using the Gathering Room and Parlor for fellowship between Sunday services April 2009---New tables in Gathering Room (and Adarae!) April 2009---Wednesday Night Live is back in full swing! April 2009---Wednesday Night Live April 2009---Wednesday Night Live March 1---Pastor Phil in his new office March 1, 2009-----Muriel in her new office! March 1---gathering room March 1---gathering room March 1---gathering room March 1---parlor March 1---gathering room March 1---gathering room March 1---entrance to sanctuary from gathering room March 1---sanctuary March 1---looking into gathering room from sanctuary March 1---hallway from gathering room March 1---Upper Room waiting for floor to be put in March 1---stairs to Upper Room March 1---lift entrance and display case March 1---adult Sunday school class in their new room March 1---second adult classroom 1-25-09 doors at top of entryway stairs 1-25-09 new entry doors and windows as seen from top of entryway stairs 1-25-09 looking up from entry doors to balcony 1-25-09 chandelier 1-25-09 lift entry and stairs to basement 1-25-09 door to secretary's office and stairs to gathering room 1-25-09 secretary's office is beginning to take shape 1-25-09 looking down at entry doors from balcony 1-25-09 windows beside the stairs to the upper room...they let in a lot of sunshine to the entry area 1-25-09 new windows as seen from the balcony 1-25-09 entry area as seen from the balcony; secretary's office is on the right 1-25-09 gathering room with ramp on left 1-25-09 gathering room 1-25-09 gathering room 1-25-09 6th Street entrance 1-25-09 6th Street entrance 1-25-09 steps from 6th Street entrance leading to gathering room and sanctuary 1-25-09 After a workbee on January 24th, the kitchen can once again be seen! Notice how it has been enlarged with the elimination of the storage area on the far end. 1-25-09 Kitchen 1-25-09 kitchen....the different floor tiles indicate space where the storage area used to be 1-25-09 kitchen 1-25-09 The workbee workers made the nursery usable again! 1-25-09 nursery 1-25-09 nursery January 11, 2009---the stonework has been added to the exterior January 11, 2009 January 11, 2009 January 11, 2009 January 11, 2009 January 11, 2009---the main stairway; secretary's office at the bottom of the stairs; pastor's office at the top of the stairs January 11, 2009---main stairway; lift entrance to the right; gathering room at the top of the stairs January 11, 2009---main stairway and lift entrance January 11, 2009---the pastor's office looks much better! January 11, 2009---the pastor's office January 11, 2009---pastor's office January 11, 2009---the kitchen needs work! January 11, 2009---the kitchen still needs work January 11, 2009----main entryway January 11, 2009---view from the upstairs January 11, 2009---the upper room January 11, 2009---new room next to the upper room January 11, 2009---view from the upstairs January 11, 2009---entryway from the upstairs; window is to secretary's office January 11, 2009---secretary's office and main stairway January 11, 2009---6th Street entranceway January 11, 2009---gathering room January 11, 2009---gathering room looking toward new entryway January 11, 2009---new lights in the sanctuary December 21st...new doors from gathering room into sanctuary...ramp goes to the left. December 21st...new doors from the gathering room to what used to be the pastor's office 12-21....old pastor's office; new parlor...we are refurbishing the floor 12-21....ramp in the basement 12-21....Sunday school room in the basement 12-21...Sunday school room in the basement 12-21...looking from one Sunday school room to the other in the basement; rooms will mirror the parlor and gathering room on the first floor 12-21...Fellowship Hall 12-21...working on the fellowship hall 12-21....men's restroom in basement 12-21...part of a new restroom in the basement 12-21...basement entrance to lift and door to stairs going up 12-21....storage area under addition 12-21...furnace room in basement 12-21...first floor restroom 12-21....Pastor Phil still has some work to do in his new office!! November 16....the step into the sanctuary is gone....this is preparation for the new door. November 16, 2008....looking from the top of the entry steps through the gathering room into what used to be Pastor Phil's office November 16...the ramp is on the left...this is the gathering room. November 16....this is where the pastor's office used to be! November 16...Pastor Phil's new office....someday it will have a floor and some organization! November 16...this is the lift! October 28, 2008 October 28, 2008 October 28, 2008 October 28, 2008 October 28, 2008 New stucco is finished on one side of the addition. Notice how it matches the stonework on the old part of the church building. The bottom part of the wall will have stone to match the old stone. October 12, 2008 We managed to have a bake sale even though the sanctuary is the only usable space in the church at this time. Notice that the paneling is gone from the walls, and the walls have been plastered. October 12, 2008 Gathering room, October 12, 2008. Gathering room....October 12, 2008 Gathering room---October 12, 2008 Pastor's office---walls are being covered. October 12, 2008 Bookshelf areas in pastor's office---October 12, 2008 Closet, file cabinet space, storage area, and bookshelf area in pastor's office. October 12, 2008 Looking out of pastor's office. Stairways, lift, and display case will be on the right; gathering room and restroom will be to the left. October 12, 2008 Looking down the stairs toward the secretary's office. October 12, 2008 This will be the unisex restroom on the main level. October 12, 2008 September 14, 2008 September 14, 2008 September 14, 2008 September 14, 2008 September 14, 2008---where the bookshelves will be in the pastor's office. September 14, 2008---the outside wall of the church is now a wall in the pastor's office! September 14th, 2008 September 14, 2008---the gathering room is coming together! September 14, 2008---new plaster on the sanctuary walls. September 14, 2008---new plaster on the sanctuary walls. August 31st....entrance August 31st August 31st August 31st August 31st August 31st---gathering area with ramp on left August 31st August 17th...the roof is half finished! August 17th....the entryway stairs...looking up into the gathering room. The lift will be to the right. August 17th August 17th...the secretary's office is on the left; the pastor's office will be on the right. August 17th August 7th August 7th August 7th August 7th August 7th August 7th August 7th August 7th History of "Topping Off" The practice of "topping off" a new building can be traced to the ancient Scandinavian religious practice of placing a tree on the top of a new building to appease the tree-dwelling spirits of their ancestors that had been displaced. The practice migrated to England with Scandinavian invaders and took root there. Today, a non-religious but formal ceremony is often held to commemorate this milestone in the construction of a building. All tradesman on the job usually join in the celebration as well as the supervisors, representatives of the architecture and engineering firms, the owner or representatives of the owning organization, donors, and any VIPs that are invited. While the ceremony itself has no standard agenda, it usually includes the placing of an evergreen tree upon the structure to symbolize growth and bring luck. July 24, 2008---workbee to clear out the basement July 24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July 24th---workbee July 24th July 24th July 24th July 24th July 24, 2008 July 24th July 21st July 21st July 21st
Centennial Celebration The group waiting for the circuit rider to arrive. October 26, 2008 The preacher is coming! The preacher is coming! Is he here yet? Here he comes! The circuit rider is almost here! He's here! Pastor Phil and Pepper arrive at church. Norma gets into the centennial spirit. Bob looks very dapper! Mary told the story of the circuit rider. Voices of Peace Voices of Peace This Little Light of Mine.... I'm gonna let it SHINE! Pastor Phil and Voices of Peace Some of the people who got into the spirit of the centennial celebration on October 26!
May 11th Celebration Cindy Kewley and Chelsea Callow were honored as our high school graduates this year. Both Cindy and Chelsea graduated from Menominee High School. Matt Reid was home to see his mother for Mothers' Day. He is serving on the USS Ronald Reagan. Jonathan Dausey and Autumn Martin were confirmed during the service on May 11th.
Building De-construction!!
A Thorn Beside Two Roses Chelsea Callow, Theresa Kewley, and Pastor Phil performed "Away in a Manger" on Christmas Sunday for the fourth year in a row! For the second year, Chelsea and Theresa came up with their own arrangement; it was beautiful!
Pie with the Pastor The weather outside was frightful, but the company was delightful! About 20 people braved the blizzard on December 23rd to visit the parsonage and share pie, hot chocolate, and warm fellowship. Pastor Phil was put to work in the kitchen serving up the pies!
Cycledown in Concert On December 16th, we welcomed Cycledown to our sanctuary as they showcased their new CD and shared some Christmas songs done as only Cycledown could do them. "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch" tickled eveyone's funnybones! The guys did a great job with other more traditional Christmas carols and shared some of the songs from their new CD. Thank you to Chris Nichols (lead singer of Cycledown and our 8 AM worship leader) for providing us with an evening to remember!
This Old Hymn The Music Makers led us in "This Old Hymn" during the 10:30 service on September 23rd. Their first hymn was "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms." Newcomers are always welcome; see the calendar for details!
Red Arrow Park Worship Service Worshipers from 10 different church families met at Red Arrow Park in Marinette, Wisconsin, for the third year in a row to praise the Lord together. Singing included old gospel hymns and contemporary praise songs! Barb had a major role in leading the worship as well as playing her violin. Pastor Phil took a turn as liturgist. The children's message included a puppet skit.
Harmony By the Bay 3 The third annual Harmony By the Bay was held on August 25th at the Marina Park in Menominee. Over 1,000 people attended the afternoon which included music from local and nationally-known bands, teaching, food, fun, and fellowship. Individuals and families brought their lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets and settled in for the afternoon. Several groups also provided refreshments during the event. Pastor Phil takes a moment in prayer before beginning his teaching. Look closely! Cycledown gave Pastor Phil a t-shirt to wear during his teaching----which was right before they took the stage for their part of the concert! Nan was one of the volunteers at the inflatable games which were provided free for the children! Joel took some time out from enjoying the music to help with the inflatables, too! Glenn worked at one of the most popular inflatables. He barely had time to turn his head for this photo! Our worship leader, Chris, and his band, Cycledown, got the young people out of their seats! Check out Philip....he's flying!
Best wishes to you, Matt! Best wishes to Matt Reid as he prepares to leave for the Great Lakes Naval Training Station on August 25th. Matt is a 2007 graduate of Menominee High School. Pastor Phil and Matt prepare to dig in to the cake provided for Matt's reception following worship on July 29th!
Mick at Night 2007 Pastor Mick Ewing, from Juneau, Alaska, returned for the FIFTH year to teach during the tent meetings. Pastor Mick taught with a combination of humor and Biblical truth. Pastor Mick shared the gospel each evening. Voices of Peace returned for the second year to share their beautiful gospel harmonies and toe-tapping old-time hymns. Pastor Phil kept Mick at Night running smoothly. On Sunday morning, the 8:00 service met under the big tent. Chris, Pastor Phil and Barb led the music. The weather was gorgeous, and the tent was full! You couldn't miss the tent! What a blessing to sing along with Victory 8:28 from Ontonagon! Victory 8:28 got everyone clapping and singing along with their contemporary Christian songs and praise choruses! Cycledown closed out the tent meetings with their energetic Christian rock music. Children, teens, and young adults flocked to the tent to hear Cycledown on the final night of Mick at Night 2007.
Michigamme Day 2007 About a dozen Menominee people drove to Camp Michigamme on June 10 to participate in Michigamme Day. A few got there early and had to wait for the Circuit Riders to arrive to get things started. Muriel and Loren were happy to return to Camp Michigamme. They both spent many years counseling at the camp! Kath and Theresa are watching for the Circuit Riders. Here they come! Pastor Phil is riding on Pepper, and Pastor Dave borrowed Cricket for the event. Pastor Phil unloads his saddlebags in preparation for sharing about John Wesley. I wonder what tickled District Superintendent Grant's funny bone? Pastor Phil, D. S. Grant, and Pastor Dave served communion. Pastor Phil went into the woods to retrieve the horses for their departure.
Rev. Jeremy Peters Ordained A lifelong member of Menominee First UMC was ordained May 20th at the Detroit Annual Conference in Adrian, Michigan. Pastor Phil and Rev. Thomas Peters, Jeremy's grandfather, participated in the ordination ceremony. Pastor Jeremy lives in Morrice, Michigan, with his wife, Jennifer, and daughter, Celia, and is currently serving at the Bancroft, Morrice, and Pittsburg churches.
"Mick at Night" 2006 Music can be bluegrass, gospel.... ....rock or folk! Our friend, Mick Ewing, from Juneau, Alaska, always brings us messages to challenge, inspire, and amuse. Mick will challenge you to stretch your faith...and to live it.
Pie with the Pastor at the Parsonage! Pastor Phil had the job of serving the pie and ice cream! Of course, there were always people to visit with and distract him from the job! It was a great time for church members and friends to get to know each other better. Laurie did her best to greet everyone and direct them toward the pie!
Christmas 2006 Living Nativity The shepherds tried to keep warm. Yes, we had LIVE animals at our Living Nativity! This guy only wanted to eat! He wasn't very interested in posing for photographs!
Basket Auction In good Methodist tradition, we ate before the auction began! It was a baked potato bar; what fun! There were bidders and there were observers....we all had a great time. Baskets ranged from baskets for babies (ABC basket) to baskets for children (Princess basket) to baskets for adults (Car Care and even Dishwashing!).....to this basket for anyone----an ice cream sundae basket! Judy kept the bidding lively! Thank you to everyone who donated baskets and bought baskets. We raised $1000 for our Pastor's Discretionary Fund.

Bagging Groceries

Waterfront Parade

Open House

May 2009

Building Work

Centennial Celebration

May 11th Celebration

Building De-construction!!

A Thorn Beside Two Roses

Pie with the Pastor

Cycledown in Concert

This Old Hymn

Red Arrow Park Worship Service

Harmony By the Bay 3

Best wishes to you, Matt!

Mick at Night 2007

Michigamme Day 2007

Rev. Jeremy Peters Ordained

"Mick at Night" 2006

Pie with the Pastor at the Parsonage!

Christmas 2006 Living Nativity

Basket Auction