The First 50 Years

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WE BEGIN THE THIRD QUARTER
Part 7

The First Presbyterian Church of Royal Oak Foundation Fund was created in 1978. Subsequent evaluation of the purpose of the Fund proved its continuation inadvisable at that time. January 1988 an Endowment and Financial Management Committee was established consisting of the following: four members from the congregation at large, one member from the Session, one from the Corporation in addition to the Church Treasurer. The committee's responsibility is exactly as the name implies, the wise and prudent investment of our endowment funds, including memorials and honorariums. The committee reports to the Trustees with ultimate concurrence by the Session.

At the annual congregational meeting in 1981 our Deaconesses became Deacons - same ladies, same responsibilities but new name. The women Deacons are now ordained as are the men Deacons.

The men Deacons arrange for ushers and Friends at the Door for Sunday services and hosts for Sunday morning coffee hours. They administer the Deacons' Fund for temporarily needy individuals, visit elderly and ill members, arranging transportation for them if necessary. They assume the responsibility for safety in our church in case of emergency with knowledge of fire escapes, fire code and first aid cooperation with EMS. They arrange for leadership for Every Member Canvass each fall.

The women Deacons are responsible for communion elements and the communion table. They plan and carry out Church-wide receptions. They call on new members to make them welcome in our church and invite them to participate in our various activities. They also call on many of the elderly and ill members of the church bringing a message of care 'and compassion.

In the past several years the women Deacons have sponsored and given parties for our members and their friends at Presbyterian Village. Another pleasant occasion for which they plan is a gathering for the retirees in our congregation.

First Presbyterian Church seems to enjoy birthday parties. Our 60th anniversary in May, 1974 was observed with a special Sunday service featuring a commemorative Church bulletin and a reception following the service. The DAILY TRIBUNE published a biography of Ethel Lighthall Jenkins (Mrs. I. E. Jenkins), one of our charter members.

We honored our 70th birthday in 1984 with a dedicatory Sunday service. A pleasurable reception was held in Fellowship Hall that morning with long-ago pictures and mementos on display.

In the fall of 1980 to pay tribute to Tom and Ruth Kirkman and the silver anniversary of their service to our Church the congregation arranged a Mission Fund dinner and program thanking the Kirkmans for their Christian devotion to our Church community. The party, in Fellowship Hall, was held on two consecutive evenings to accommodate the large number of members who wished to say thank you to the Kirkmans. A book, "Windows to the Future", was published for this celebration emphasizing our commitment to enlarging missions throughout the world. Proceeds from the dinner and from the sale of the book became the basis for Tom and Ruth Kirkman Mission Fund to be used for second-mile missionary work.

Because of our excellent reputation of being charitable toward those needing help, in 1975 Winchester Village Presbyterian Church in Detroit asked for our Assistance with their summer program. This was the beginning of our long-standing commitment to this Church by providing personnel, fiscal advice and money for maintaining the establishment on a sound basis. Despite our dedicated effort the project never really succeeded to a point whereby it could be self-reliant. Over a thirty year period Winchester Village had received many thousand dollars from Detroit Presbytery and its member Churches but existing circumstances of neighborhoods, parishioners and their interests were a negative effect on Winchester's well-being.

We engaged Gregory Williams as our assistant minister with his specific assignment being the supervision of religious activities at Winchester Village. We also assisted with their youth programs and their music. As a last resort, Winchester's congregational interest in their Church was further tested by the use of pledge cards, both for time, talent and money. It seethed to be a futile endeavor. The last service at Winchester Village Church was held on February 24, 1980. As a sincere gesture to our Church, their congregation gave us the candlesticks and a cross from their sanctuary.

Our Church has been the inspiration for a number of its members becoming ordained ministers of the word. Dennis Benson of our congregation was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in March, 1964 and accepted a call to MacArthur Presbyterian Church, Midlothian, Illinois. During the past quarter century other young people who have chosen the ministry as their profession under the sponsorship of our Church and under the care of Detroit Presbytery, and have completed the course, are Donald Seegar, Joan Skelley, Richard Campbell and David Weber. David Weber was ordained September 25, 1988 in our sanctuary and has accepted a position as pastor at West Bethesda and West Eagle Churches of Montpelier, Ohio, in Maumee Valley Presbytery.