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West Side Weekly - June 6, 2024
Published 3 months ago • 8 min read
Pics of Pastor Sam in New York, where she is attending in person this week at Fordham University for her remote Master's degree program!
I want to use this time and space to celebrate the one year anniversary of Pastor Samantha Tidball!! As we are all well-aware, Sam has brought so much vibrancy, fun and passion to West Side! Although her associate pastor job description is overwhelmingly gi-normous!…she has lived into it, diving into the deep-end very quickly in various ministries in our church.
To list a few highlights:
re-energized Sunday School program, with volunteers helping to lead
combined youth group events with First UMC, with more to come with other local UMC youth groups
re-vamped VBS into Sunday Fundays, with this year’s hope and goal to engage and invite community kids
Passionate and engaging preaching, that connects us with the heart of God and provides life application
taking West Side kids to camp, and volunteering to be the Camp Chaplain at UMC Camp Wesley Woods for a week!
Providing pastoral care and support as needed, bringing her chaplaincy experience and current Master’s education program in Pastoral Care along with her Mary Poppin’s-like bag of spiritual gifts!
A heart and desire to offer compassion and a relationship with the Q Community (LGTBQIA+)
Again, that’s just to name a few of the attributes of Pastor Sam we so appreciate. Her overall positivity, humor, and smile make her easy to connect with and follow her lead! Around the office with Lisa and I - you can only imagine the fun we have planning the weekly ministries and future events at West Side! We are also blessed by Sam’s family, who also jumped right into the life and spirit here at WSUMC! Please wish her a Happy Anniversary when you see her next!
On the way there, Pastor Adam
PS. The news from our AccessAbility Campaign continues to be Great! To date, we have already received over $244,000 of the funds pledged so far! This means we are able to move forward with some of our planned projects more sooner than later! And in case you haven’t heard - the elevator upgrade is done! Stop by and take a ride ; ) ! Apple Play Camps, that brings in around 40 children all summer here at West Side, utilize the elevator everyday, M - F…they are very grateful!
PPS. Here is a 5 minute video summarizing our recent Michigan Annual Conference that the Kirking’s and I attended in May: https://vimeo.com/954492798
June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month
Check out the table in the welcome area at WSUMC for information explaining the four new Michigan gun laws that went into effect in February and take free gun locks if you or others you know will use one. There are orange ribbons the color for Gun Violence Awareness and other stickers if you want to use them.
Excerpt from Channel 4 Click on Detroit news article on June 12:
Anybody that’s been tracking what’s going on in Washtenaw County would have been uncomfortable with the level of violence,” said Washtenaw County Sheriff Jerry Clayton.”
So far this year, there have been 30 shootings and four gun-related homicides in Washtenaw county, according to the sheriff’s department. Police said a number of guns involved in the shootings this year have been stolen from homes and cars. The sheriff’s office is planning to hand out hundreds of gun car safes in the near future. A meeting of law enforcement agencies & citizens was held on June 12 to begin conversations about what can be done to address this issue.
In 2022 Washtenaw County, 69% of firearm deaths were suicides and 31% were homicides. The number of firearm deaths has decreased from 42 deaths in 2021 to 26 in 2022. Ypsilanti zip codes 48197 & 48198 had the largest number firearm homicides. Firearm homicides were 77% African Americans(n=20) and 23% whites(n=6) Firearm homicide data has not been released for 2023.
Suicides with firearms in 2023 increased to 89% white and 11% African American compared to 2021 82% white. A Washtenaw County Health Dept Suicide report for 2021-2023 was released in May 2024 indicates that firearms are the most common means of suicide completion and the proportion of suicides from firearms has increased. 2023 49%; 2022 39%; 2021 43%. More men (87%) used firearms than women to commit suicide. Also an increase in firearm suicides for those under 25 years old increased from 17% (2019-2021) to 27% (2021-2023).
What does this data mean to us as a church community?
Each month we will share 2 - 3 highlights from our Leadership Board meetings here. The board meetings commonly include topics around church finance, trustees, staff parish relations and overall mission and vision.
1. Some missing shingles recently observed on roof over sanctuary, need to replace about 6-10. $3750 (whole new roof would be $60k) . Motion to approve smaller repair, passed.
2. Treasurer's report:
a. 4 months in - Looking good.
b. Overall ahead of budget, YTD
3. Motion to allow removal of cross and flame from behind garden tree on front of building, in order to refurbish and/or possibly replace, perhaps elsewhere on the front of church, passed.
We recently set the dates for our participation in Habitat for Humanity this Summer.
Our congregation is pledging:
one group of 8-10 people for Saturday June 15.
one group of 8-10 people for Saturday August 10
one smaller group of 4-5 people for Friday August 23
We will also need 2 volunteers to provide lunches each day.
Please sign up on the event table in the welcome center or online.
Volunteer Information from Habitat
All volunteers must complete the online registration/waiver by the Tuesday before the scheduled build day. Tasks, additional details and any potential location change will be emailed to all volunteers on the Tuesday before your build day. All volunteers must arrive by 9 AM for a safety briefing and task instruction. If plans change, or they can no longer join us, volunteers can "cancel" their registration or notify their congregation's liaison.
If you would like to include a prayer concern to be listed in this section of our Weekly email, please email the church office with the name, and if you would like, you may add a brief description, eg. surgery, cancer diagnosis, death in the family, etc. This concern will be listed for 8 weeks. You can request the office to leave the name on the list for a longer period as well.
Susan Tramuto (Pastor Adam's Mother) - Eye Surgery
West Side Bookworms
The Bookworms are taking the summer off! However, I have a couple of best sellers that I think would be good for us to discuss i the fall. A schedule for September through December will be forthcoming. In the meantime, for your summer enjoyment:
This Tender Land by William Kent Kruger
The Women by Kristin Hannah
If you can’t get This Tender Land at the library, Amazon has it for $12.99 and Costco may be less than that. I have a copy of The Women and Kenndra Brewer has it right now. Let me know if you would like to borrow it when she’s finished with it.Betsydoepken@gmail.com
Library Book of the Week
Gritty, heartrending and unputdownable – the story of two sisters sent first to an English, then an Australian orphanage in the aftermath of World War II. Rita and Rosie Stevens are only nine and five years old when their widowed mother marries a violent bully called Jimmy Randall and has a baby boy by him. Under pressure from her new husband, she is persuaded to send the girls to an orphanage – not knowing that the papers she has signed will entitle them to do what they like with the children. And it is not long before the powers that be decide to send a consignment of orphans to their sister institution in Australia. Among them – without their family's consent or knowledge – are Rita and Rosie, the throwaway children. What readers are saying about THE THROWAWAY 'I haven't felt so immersed in a book in a very long time and have recommended to just about everyone' 'Heart wrenching' 'A truly powerful book'
Crafty Christians
Bring yourself, a craft or a coloring page for a fun time! We meet Fridays from 11am-1pm. All are welcomed for fellowship and laughter. Please contact Judy Smith with any questions.
June Community Offering
Habitat for Humanity of Huron Valley works to enrich Washtenaw County through a legacy of affordable homeownership for families of low-income.
Church Calendar
To stay up to date on what is going on at West Side, check out our calendar. Please contact the church office to schedule a room for a meeting or event.
Frank J. Siller April 30, 1930 - September 2, 2022 Nancy Brewer January 14, 1944 - September 2, 2022 Judith Oakes Fraleigh November 21, 1935 - January 18, 2023 Edith Laura Semark August 18, 1934 - February 3, 2023 Trenna Elizabeth Garner January 8, 1935 - January 14, 2023 Carol Kreischer December 28, 1930 - February 25, 2023 Joyce Weldon Clark September 28, 1935 - February 27, 2023 Richard "Rip" Kinney March 17, 1934 - April 21, 2023
Graham Robert Putnam April 11, 1947 - October 31, 2023
Stephen Lacoe February 10, 1936 - February 15, 2024
Marguerite Fisher November 21, 1923 - February 16, 2024
Elizabeth Audette May 31, 1960 - April 21, 2024
Judy Beth Clark November 17, 1951 - June 2024
Giving Generously & Virtually
If you are able to, please consider giving virtually in the upcoming weeks by visiting our giving tab from our website here, or using our text-to-give function (instructions on how to do this can be found here). Thanks for all that you do to support the West Side family!
Pastor Adam Bissell adam@westside-umc.org Associate Pastor Samantha Tidball samantha@westside-umc.org Director of Music Ministries Jacob Carroll jacob@westside-umc.org
Office Manager Lisa Mayne westside@westside-umc.org Church Office Hours - Tuesday-Friday 10am-2pm 900 S. Seventh St Ann Arbor, MI 48103 734-663-4164
This is what the Lord says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. -Jeremiah 6:16a
West Side is a church that provides a variety of spiritual growth opportunities and experiences. We recognize that there is no “one size fits all,” when it comes to how people live out their spiritual journeys. Subscribe to stay up to date on all the exciting things going on at West Side.
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