Bid Farewell to Mary Jones, Publications Coordinator

Sunday, December 20, 2020

Our wonderful Mary Jones will be retiring at the end of December. We’re going to greatly miss her generous smile and ready warm greetings. Having been on staff for more than 17 years, Mary has worn many different staff hats at First Pres. Her current position is Publications Coordinator – think the First Press newsletter, stewardship brochures, Presbyterian Women’s yearbook and every poster, brochure, banner or handout that comes your way from church. Mary has been the brilliant designer and producer for all of that!

But over the years Mary has also been the Children’s Education and Family Ministry Assistant, and Assistant to the Head of Staff. Per Debbie MacVey, “When Mary and I worked together she was behind the scenes of so many of the special programs for our children and families. From our summer Marketplace Bible School to our Advent and Lenten Happenings, if there was a special event for Children and Families, Mary was there making it beyond spectacular!”

Mary, her husband Jeff, and daughter Maggie have been members of First Pres since 1995. There have been many times that Jeff and Maggie stepped in, too, to help out with church activities. Maggie, a UM grad, is now in her third year of teaching in the Van Buren School district and Jeff has recently retired.

How to give our thanks to our beloved Mary? We’ll never be able to replicate her extraordinary party planning skills, but we’re going to give it a try! Join us at our December 20 virtual Coffee Hour as we celebrate Mary with balloons, cake, presents and tributes and send her off with our gratitude for her faithful service and our blessings for what her future may hold. Contributions toward a special gift for Mary may be sent to the attention of Finance Manager Anna Miller or may be dropped off at the church Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Checks should be made payable to First Pres with the purpose noted on the memo line.