The First 50 Years

<< Previous Go Back Forward >>

WE BEGIN THE THIRD QUARTER
Part 2

Our Session was active in the late 60's not only with the overseeing of all Church functions, but also with making new decisions and adopting new procedures. Because there were three Presbyterian Churches in Royal Oak and because of the confusion with correspondence, committees, etc., Detroit Presbytery designated us First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak. Some of the special actions taken by Session were the placing of Bibles in the sanctuary pews, accomplished in 1988 with the Bibles being given by individual members; mothers receiving a flower at the time of their children's baptism; elders alternating as delegates to Presbytery. Presbytery's letter on Equal Employment Opportunity was answered stating that our Church would abide by state and federal laws which hold precedent in such matters. Houses on South Pleasant Street were to be acquired whenever they became available in anticipation of future needs for the parking lot which now extends to the alley on the north.

The Session approved five mandatory classes of instruction for persons desirous of becoming Church members including high school students. By 1982 the five required new-member lectures had become one in-depth training class. The well-known high school communicants' classes were established on a different format as described later in this story.

A committee to study future building needs and land requirements was appointed in September, 1965.

The constitution and bylaws of the congregation and the corporation were rewritten and presented at the annual congregational meeting in January, 1966, for approval. They were updated and revised again in 1986.

The Session established use of attendance cards, since replaced by Friendship Folders. They made available the opportunity to provide altar flowers on Sunday by use of a yearly flower chart. At Christmas, members may purchase poinsettias through the auspices of the Men's Fellowship and at Easter, memorial lilies from Women's Association.

In October, 1966, Mr. Robert Anderson of Presbytery presented the concept of the 50 Million Dollar Fund for General Assembly. Our Session elected to make this project known to our membership for voluntary individual contributions.

Some controversy had arisen concerning the value versus the cost of subscribing to PRESBYTERIAN LIFE for all Church members. After a representative from the magazine spoke to our Session, it was voted that the Church would provide the publication for those persons indicating an interest in receiving it and for fifty extra copies to be distributed through the church magazine racks.

Dr. Kirkman, in 1966, always exercising a watchful eye on General Assembly spending, visited a week in Mississippi at Delta Ministry and Mary Holmes Junior College studying the value of that college's program since it was receiving General Assembly monies.

The Session sent a letter to Detroit Presbytery in June, 1969, objecting to the demands of a group of militant leaders in Detroit who wanted to use Redeemer Presbyterian Church for worship opportunities plus $50,000 expense money from Presbytery At the same time, Presbytery was asking us for an explanation of our benevolences! When General Assembly contributed $10,000 to a fund for the legal defense of Angela Davis, campus protestor in June, 1971, our Session once again recorded its opposition and discussed at great length the questionable value of paying our charitable contributions into a treasury where there was little or no control over its disposition. As a result of these differences in philosophy, our Session began a program of contributing our benevolences directly to the specific causes which we chose to endorse.

In 1968, facing the actuality of the Church's role in society, the Session drafted a letter stating our views on participation in the Vietnam War and the place of the conscientious objector.

Dr. Kirkman was a commissioner to General Assembly in Denver in 1972 when the Presbyterian Church USA synods were redistricted and our Detroit Presbytery became a member of Synod of the Covenant with offices in Columbus, Ohio.

September, 1967, our Junior Deacons, chosen from junior and senior high school students in our Church, were first appointed by the Director of Religious Education with Session approval. This organization has continued since that time with a new class selected each fall, adding materially to the spiritual life of our Church. The J. D.'s sponsor retreats, work days, trips to missions social hours and service to the community. They study the Church-related programs and learn of ways to witness to their Christian faith.

Dr. Kirkman, in January, 1967, led a popular discussion group, 'Let's Look at Our Marriage'. Ten couples were accepted for the course. This was only the beginning of a multitude of study groups available for our members and their friends all highlighting the total growth of the Christian person. As long ago as 1964 we had a "Faith and Sex Series" for junior high pupils. We offered seminars on inner city life after the Detroit race riots. Another series was 'How to Rear Healthy Children'. There were lectures on adolescent sexuality. Courses have been presented stressing Marriage and Family Counseling. These discussions may have been prompted by the fact Dr. Kirkman was a member of Michigan State Board of Marriage Counselors. A new thought-provoking group in 1988 was entitled 'Lost Love Relationship".

Another popular feature of our ministering to the whole individual was the program by Dr. Kirkman on radio station WEXL entitled 'Question Box' established in 1979. Listeners phoned in their questions, usually on religious matters; Dr. Kirkman would then answer their inquiries over the air. Also in 1979 Dr. Kirkman and our Chancel Choir appeared on WWJ Sunday Morning Church Hour. He also participated on Channel 4's 'Open Doors' program in 1980. Again in October, 1982, he presented 'View Point" on WEXL for three consecutive days. Dr. Kirkman became a member of the Royal Oak Committee for Quality Education in 1971, contributing in another way to community outreach.