September 5, 2010

The Stewardship Committee invites each ministry at St. Michael’s to work on their banner for the September 26 Ministry Fair. Each committee chair or group leader will be responsible for their ministry’s banner.  Check with the groups that are included in your larger group to see how your group would [...]]]> Banner Workshop:
Saturday, September 11 at 1 pm in Yeoman Hall

The Stewardship Committee invites each ministry at St. Michael’s to work on their banner for the September 26 Ministry Fair. Each committee chair or group leader will be responsible for their ministry’s banner.  Check with the groups that are included in your larger group to see how your group would like to proceed.  Contact Deborah Cooper if you have questions or would like an advance look at what supplies we have on hand.  By mid August, you will be able to see a selection of banner supplies, including among other things — banner design books, letter stencils.

These banners will be displayed in a Banner Procession at the beginning of  each service on Sunday, September 26.  Following each service, the Ministry Fair will be held in Yeoman Hall, allowing each group the opportunity to show what its ministry does.  After that date, the various banners will hang in Yeoman Hall.

You may ask yourself, why should I donate?

Because Southeastern Michigan is chronically short of blood.

Each year, patients in our community use 250,000 units of blood, but only 220,000 of those are collected [...]]]> The ECW will be hosting the Fall Grosse Pointe Community Blood Drive on Wednesday, October 20 in Yeoman Hall, from 1:30 to 7:30 pm.

You may ask yourself, why should I donate?

Because Southeastern Michigan is chronically short of blood.

Each year, patients in our community use 250,000 units of blood, but only 220,000 of those are collected locally.  The Red Cross depends upon areas nationwide for the rest of our blood supply. By doing this simple act, you help our region become self-sufficient. That puts your loved ones first in line, not second. Your donation does make a difference!

Who can give?  You must be at least 17 years old, and weigh at least 110 pounds and in good health. There is no upper age limit. It’s so easy to give. The whole process takes a little over an hour. It starts with registration, a health history, then a blood sample and a mini-physical with one of the Red Cross Nurses. Your actual donation takes no more than 10 minutes…followed by juice and cookies!

Donor eligibility can be determined on the day of donation. If you have eligibility questions that you would like to discuss before you donate, the Support Center phone number is 1-866-236-3276 or visit Red Cross for additional information.

You can sign-up in Yeoman Hall or call Gayle Peller at 586-790-9635.

Thanks for donating!

Through the “Making A Difference Educational Summer Scholarship Program,” the Red Cross is offering parishioner Hannah Colborn an opportunity to organize a blood drive to receive college scholarship money. Hannah needs approximately 50 volunteers [...]]]> The Southeastern Michigan Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross is inviting St. Michael’s churchgoers to help save lives this summer!

Through the “Making A Difference Educational Summer Scholarship Program,” the Red Cross is offering parishioner Hannah Colborn an opportunity to organize a blood drive to receive college scholarship money. Hannah needs approximately 50 volunteers to make appointments to donate at the drive at St. Michael’s Church on Friday, August 20 between 1 pm and 7 pm.

To sign up, please see Hannah after the 10:30 service in Yeoman Hall, look for a sheet in Sign Up Central, or call Hannah at 313-702-1371.

There are many questions about the Skinner Organ restoration project. To read the complete answer, click on a question below to bring up the complete answer in a pop-up window, or click the corresponding link in the left sidebar. (You may then click “back” on your browser to return to this page, or navigate [...]]]>

There are many questions about the Skinner Organ restoration project. To read the complete answer, click on a question below to bring up the complete answer in a pop-up window, or click the corresponding link in the left sidebar. (You may then click “back” on your browser to return to this page, or navigate the toolbar in the new window.)

Question 1: The Holden organ we now have sounds fine to me. Why do we need a new one?
First, the real issue is that we need a playable organ, be it new or old…

Question 2: Why does the Holden organ need so much work?
The Holden organ was cobbled together over time from three different organs and respresents a more than 60 year gap in organ design trends…

Question 3: As an alternative, what would it have cost to repair our present organ? And, would there be any grant funds or other sources of money outside St. Michael’s to help with that expense?
Prior to the feasibility study, organ builder Richard Swanson estimated the complete cost of repairs for the Holden organ at $280,000…

Question 4: What will it cost to repair the Skinner 705 organ and install it here at St. Michael’s Church? What other expenses might occur?
As part of the feasibility study, proposals for repair and installation of the Skinner 705 organ at St. Michael’s were requested from four different organ companies…

Question 5: I don’t know a lot about organs. What makes the Skinner Opus 705 such a rarity, are there places where I can see and hear other Skinner organs, and why is it such a good fit for us?
The Skinner Opus 705 is a medium-sized organ of very good tonal integrity and design, in remarkably excellent condition…

Question 6: What will happen to the Holden organ when the Skinner 705 is installed? Would we sell it?
The chances that we could sell our current organ ‘as is’ are extremely small. There is simply not a market for an organ made up of parts from so many different organs. What will happen is…

Question 7: Music doesn’t do much for me. I come to church at St. Michael’s for other reasons. Does a music program really matter that much to our continued growth? Would the Skinner 705 really make that much difference?
God created each of us as unique individuals. This is good. When looking for a spiritual home…

Question 8: I understand the pros and cons regarding acquiring the Skinner organ vs. repairing the Holden organ, but were any other options considered, such as purchasing a new pipe organ or an electronic organ?
Yes, these options were considered. Looking at them solely from a financial point of view…

Question 9: The organ we have now can be very loud. At times it drowns out the choir or other groups or soloists who are performing. Upon occasion I even feel physically uncomfortable from the volume. Will the Skinner 705 be as loud?
The Skinner 705 will be much improved in this respect…

Question 10: I have heard that money needed for our current organ repairs would use operating funds, while funds for the Skinner 705 are being raised through a capital campaign. What is the difference between operating funds and the funds raised in a capital campaign?
Let’s talk about the operating funds first…

Let’s talk about the operating funds first. Our yearly budget is based upon [...]]]> I have heard that money needed for our current organ repairs would use operating funds, while funds for the Skinner 705 are being raised through a capital campaign. What is the difference between operating funds and the funds raised in a capital campaign?

Let’s talk about the operating funds first. Our yearly budget is based upon a pledge (promise of giving in the upcoming year) that church members submit during our annual fall pledge campaign. The funds used for everyday expenses like utility bills, staff salaries, landscaping and snow removal, insurance, copier, The Sword, etc. come from the payment of these pledges and offerings of loose monies in the plate on Sunday. Needed organ repairs of $300,000 for our current organ would also come from the operating budget, which would mean income from pledges would need to be increased by $10,000 OVER TEN YEARS just to keep the current organ in playable condition. The money needed to maintain our current organ would be completely dependent upon monies raised in the congregation.

Now, let’s talk about monies raised in a capital campaign, specifically for the $301,000 needed for the Skinner Organ. Funds for this campaign may come from St. Michael’s church members; St. Columba church members; the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan; foundation grants for Skinner Organs; foundations for the history and the arts in Detroit.

Capital campaign funds for the Skinner Organ includes sources outside the parish, while operating funds to repair our present organ would need to come completely from church members. As you can see, since cost estimates for both options are very close, your vestry made a unanimous and financially sound decision to pursue installation of the Skinner.

The Skinner 705 will be much improved in this respect.  You may recall that some [...]]]> The organ we have now can be very loud.  At times it drowns out the choir or other groups or soloists who are performing.  Upon occasion I even feel physically uncomfortable from the volume.  Will the Skinner 705 be as loud?

The Skinner 705 will be much improved in this respect.  You may recall that some of the pipes in our current organ came from a theater pipe organ and were designed to give the high volume needed to fill the larger space in a theater.  A good example of this sound is the music you might expect to hear from Phantom of the Opera.  In order to fill such a large space with this powerful music, an organ would need to have the ability to produce quite a bit of volume!  In contrast, the Skinner 705 was designed for a church and its hymnody, not an auditorium.   St. Columba’s sanctuary is approximately the same size as St. Michael’s and is made from materials of similar acoustical quality: stone or concrete and wood.  Additionally, Skinner organs are known for a romantic and breathy sound – think Handel’s Water Music and you should get the idea!

Furthermore, in order to achieve the best configuration possible and to achieve the superior tonal and orchestral balance that is characteristic of Skinner organs, an acoustician will be brought in to evaluate our nave and to recommend modifications to improve its acoustics.  With the Skinner 705 you should be able to enjoy our talented singers and instrumentalists, plus our traditional Sunday hymnody, and do so without suffering physical discomfort from a too loud organ!

How to Join explains how to become a member, including information on baptism.

How We Learn describes our Christian Education and Church School, as well as enrichment opportunities for adults.

How We Serve [...]]]> The topics on the left sidebar are intended to answer basic questions to visitors and seekers. Click to find out more about how we worship and serve at St. Michael’s:

How to Join explains how to become a member, including information on baptism.

How We Learn describes our Christian Education and Church School, as well as enrichment opportunities for adults.

How We Serve tells how the clergy, lay leaders and parishioners tend the needs of others in our parish, community and beyond.

How We Worship explains what happens during a worship service, the sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Baptism, the Book of Common Prayer and our music.

What We Believe is a statement of our faith as Episcopalians, with a brief history of our traditions and liturgy, and observations on the diversity of the modern Episcopal Church.

Who Leads Us defines the roles and responsiblities of the clergy, the lay leaders and parishioners.

Click here to be directed to additonal sources of information about The Episcopal Church.