Ist Presbyterian Church of Maple Ridge (Established 1886) 2021 N. Briggs Rd. Twining, MI 48766 (989) 873-5103

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THE ECUMENICAL ASSOCIATES PROGRAM CONTINUES

In 1998 the Ecumenical Associates program of the Synod of the Covenant, Presbyterian Church (USA), brought representatives from the Central and Eastern European countries. A small membership congregation in Northeast Michigan applied for an associate, was reluctantly accepted, and was assigned Pastor Tomas Adamek of Rusava, Czech Republic.

For six weeks Pastor Adamek and Pastor Bill Stone, pastor of the Maple Ridge Church, shared in ministry with that congregation, as well as visiting 16 other churches, including Korean and Black congregations, and three presbyteries, It was an exciting experience for both pastors, and Maple Ridge continues to be “yoked” with the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethern. The young pastor invited the Stones to come to his country. That invitation was accepted in 2001. Pastor Stone preached at both the Rusava Church and at Cesky Brod where Pastor Adamek now serves.

For two and one half weeks the Stone enjoyed the great hospitality of the Czech people and met with several from the congregation, including some of the young people. E-dresses were exchanged and contacts continued during these past two years. An invitation for young people to visit the United States was extended, and Marie Betakova, an 18 year old high school student, accepted the invitation. Details were worked out, a passport and visa were obtained, and airline tickets were purchased.

On June 16, Marie became the first member of her family to fly, coming from Praque to Amsterdam to Detroit to Saginaw where the Stones met her. It was the beginning of many thrilling experiences for Marie, Maple Ridge, the Stones, and a number of people who went out of their way to welcome her.

The question before she arrived was, “What would you like to see?” Marie’s reply was “I would like to see how you live, Niagara Falls, and American Indians. For the next eight weeks that became a reality ...and a lot more.

Part of the direction the visit took came from the Stone’s new granddaughter, Kira Crutcher. Beth Stone Crutcher is on staff at Princeton University and John Crutcher is publisher of Bloomberg Press. They are members of Witherspoon Presbyterian Church where John is a deacon and sings in the Men’s Gospel Choir. Grampa Stone was asked to baptise Kira and the date of July 6th was set. Going by way of Wooster, Ohio, the Stones and their new "Daughter,” Marie, celebrated the Fourth of July and the baptism in New Jersey, At Witherspoon, Marie heard inspiring Gospel singing for the first time and was enthused by this worship service which included communion.

A tour of the Princeton campus brought an interesting response. As the guide explained how old the first building on campus was, (Nassau Hall built in 1756), Marie exclaimed that isn’t very old as her home is also from the 1700’s and her town from the 1300’s.

Four days in New York included a Broadway play, tours of New York, the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, and the United Nations and meeting many from around the world. In school she has been studying Dutch, and a man from Holland who was at the baptism, spent a day with Marie telling about his country. Then there was a day at Hershey Park, Pennsylvania, before heading for Washington, D.C. Here Marie experienced another multiracial worship service while staying with a Black couple in the finest home she had ever seen. Clensy and Suzette Roney, former residents of Oscoda, Michigan, treated her royally.

The trip concluded by way of Niagara Falls.

Back in Michigan word of the death of the sister of Helen Stone was received and Marie shared in that experience of grief, also meeting many additional family members who felt she fit in so well with the family.

Michigan waterways gave her experiences of pontoons, Sea Doo’s, tubing, and racing on Lake St. Clair, water experiences not found back home.

Having supervised an Indian Mission, Pastor Stone arranged for her to spend time with members of two missions, a worship service, and a visit to an Indian cemetery.

Marie sang Czech and Russian hymns at Maple Ridge Church services as well as singing for the communion service of the Presbytery of Lake Huron which met at Maple Ridge for the August meeting. On her final Sunday, the congregation gathered in a prayer circle and sang, “God Be with You ‘Til We Meet Again.”

Marie, in an interview with the local newspaper, spoke of how trusting she found people to be. She was amazed at how generous people have been to her. And now, back home and in her last year of high school, she misses the Christian environment she found herself in here in the U.S. Maple Ridge and the Stones miss the new daughter they have found in this talented young woman from Cesky Brod, CZ.

The Ecumenical Associates program continues at Maple Ridge. It is an ongoing relationship. And now a number of Czech young people are saying they would like to visit next summer. Pastor Adamek is also ready to return.

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