Detroit Conference Connection - Dec. 9, 2009

In This Edition of The Detroit Conference Connection:

Special Meal Requests Now Being Accepted For 2010 Annual Conference

The Program Committee is now accepting requests from all groups interested in hosting a special meal during the 2010 Annual Conference, which is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, May 20-23, at Adrian College.

To submit your request, please download and review the Special Meals Policy and Special Meals Request Form by visiting www.detroitconference.org/annualconference.

Completed request forms are due by Friday, Jan. 11, 2010 in order to be considered for space at annual conference. Any forms received after Jan. 11 will not be considered.

Please contact Paul Thomas, Program Committee Coordinator, at 906-774-0064 (home), 906-396-4746 (cell) or pthomas@detroitconference.org with any questions.

Return to top

Meeting Space Requests Now Being Accepted For 2010 Annual Conference

The Program Committee is now accepting requests from all groups interested in hosting a meeting during the 2010 Annual Conference, which is scheduled for Thursday-Sunday, May 20-23, at Adrian College.

To submit your request, please download and review the Meeting Space Request Form by by visiting www.detroitconference.org/annualconference.

Completed request forms are due by Friday, Jan. 28, 2010 in order to be considered for space at annual conference. Any forms received after Jan. 28 will not be considered.

Please contact Paul Thomas, Program Committee Coordinator, at 906-774-0064 (home), 906-396-4746 (cell) or pthomas@detroitconference.org with any questions.

Return to top

Address Change for Spotlight Church Reports

Please note that the 2009 Spotlight Church Report Form and the 2010 Spotlight Church Planning Sheet are to be sent to Rev. Don Gotham, email: dongotham@sbcglobal.net and his address is Saint Clair: First UMC, 415 North Third St., Saint Clair 48079. Please do not send the forms to Rev. Mary Shipley.

Return to top

Change on the Horizon - New Location for School For Pastoral Ministry

The Michigan Area School For Pastoral Ministry is on the move! This year’s school will be held at the Kellogg Center on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, MIch. Join us at this riverside venue for worship, seminars and casual conversation with nationally-known speakers Phyllis Tickle and Maxie Dunham, as they explore the theme: “Change On The Horizon – Catching Up With What God Is Already Doing!” The same great training, fellowship, and worship which you have come to expect will be presented in a wonderful new location, within walking distance of East Lansing: University UMC and the MSU fitness center. Reserve your space early for what will undoubtedly be a popular event.

SAVE THE DATE: August 17-20, 2010

Return to top

Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) Community Information Meeting - Thursday, Dec. 10

Justice For Our Neighbors offers free, professional legal services to asylum seekers and immigrants attempting to navigate the maze of immigration laws and procedures. Anyone who cares about justice issues or immigration issues specifically are invited to an informational meeting on Thursday, Dec. 10, at 7:00 p.m. at Dearborn: First UMC to learn about the first JFON site in Southeastern Michigan.

Dearborn: First UMC has been approached about the possibility of locating the first Southeast Michigan JFON site in Dearborn, specifically at Dearborn: First United Methodist Church. They have obtained adequate funding for the start up and have a plan to sustain the work. They have also received grants and promise of support as well as approval from the national JFON office.

On Thursday, Dec. 10, there will be a gathering of local volunteers to learn more about JFON and how volunteers can be involved. If you or someone you know cares deeply about justice issues, or immigration issues specifically, help is needed as they put together a legal clinic that will offer a hand for those seeking justice in our complicated immigration and legal system. Volunteers are needed in the areas of client registration, hospitality, child care, clerical duties, foreign language translation and more.

There will also be a follow-up training event at Dearborn: First UMC on Saturday, Dec. 12, with Ms. Alice Mar of the national JFON office.

For more information about this event, please contact Paul Perez by e-mail or by phone at 734-422-0149.

For more information on Justice For Our Neighbors, please visit http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/work/immigration/jfon/.

Return to top

Church By Size Seminars With Doug Anderson

Registration is now open for a series of Church By Size seminars that will be conducted by Dr. Doug Anderson, executive director of the Reuben Job Center For Leadership Development, in early 2010.

These seminars, designed and led by Doug Anderson, will help pastors and lay teams understand the unique and important ministry that their church size offers. The seminars offer a unique view of each size church using a systems perspective to understand the issues and transition points. Based on those observations, participants are then given practical models, principles, and options for effectively dealing with important issues and opportunities. Making ministry effective and dynamic is the purpose of each seminar. These seminars will be particularly helpful for pastors newly appointed to a church, but even those with experience will find the principles, insights and models invaluable for their ministry. Evaluations from participants have been very positive, with most experiencing numerical growth and exciting, effective ministry of new outreach, caring systems and increased level of volunteers.

For more information, please click here.

Return to top

Clergywomen's Input Sought For Jurisdictional Gathering

To all clergywomen in all categories of ministry:

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry has in the past sponsored an international clergywomen’s consultation each quadrennium. This quadrennium each jurisdiction is responsible for implementing its own clergywomen’s gathering with the hope that we can have a global one again in 2014.

The women bishops in the jurisdiction have been asked to see what the interest is for such an event and who might be willing to provide leadership for it yet this quadrennium. Therefore, please take the time to complete the survey linked below by January 15, 2010.

http://public.gbhem.org/snapwebhost/surveylogin.asp?k=125908485434

Blessings of hope, peace, joy and love in this Advent/Christmas season,

Bishops Linda Lee, Deborah Kiesey and Sally Dyck (North Central Jurisdiction)

Return to top

Applicants Now Being Sought for UMVIM trip to China

Invitation by Bishop Hee-Soo Jung and the North Central Jurisdiction Mission Discovery Program. Limited to fourteen (14) selected participants. Applications must be submitted by December 15, 2009.
Learn how to be a leader of youth and young adult international UMVIM teams. Participants on this trip will receive instructions in best practices of being an UMVIM team leader. Participants will be asked to lead an international team of youth or young adults within 2 years of the conclusion of this mission. That trip does not necessarily have to be back to China, but could be!

Applicant Qualifications

  • applicants are currently serving or preparing to serve youth/young adult ministries in a United Methodist local church, district or annual conference
  • preference for applicants between ages 18 to 30
  • applicants are ready to discover, evaluate or affirm aptitudes or skills to lead youth/young adult team mission experiences in domestic or international settings

Leadership Team

  • Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Bishop of the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church
  • Rev. David Newhouse & Mrs. Christy Newhouse, Chair of the North Central Jurisdiction Mission Discovery Steering Team
  • Ms. Jeanie Blankenbaker, retired Ass't General Secretary, Mission Volunteers, Board of Global Ministries
  • Ms. Diane Allen, United Methodist China Program, Board of Global Ministries

For complete details of this trip go to: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs074/1102502740465/archive/1102787351522.html and click on Mission Discovery to China 8.

Write or call for application:

Lorna Jost
UMVIM-NCJ Coordinator
928 4th Street, Office #2
Brookings, SD 57006
umvim-ncj@brookings.net
P:605/692-3390; Fax:605/692-0909

www.umvimncj.org

Return to top

Legislation deadline looms for Young People’s Convocation in Berlin

The Global Young People’s Convocation and Legislative Assembly is July 21-26, 2010, but it’s already crunch time for one of the most important aspects of the event.

The deadline for submission of legislation for the gathering in Berlin is Dec. 31.

“It’s one of the major reasons we’ll be gathering,” says Elizabeth-Ann Rowlison, coordinator of the event for Young People’s Ministries, a division of the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD), an agency of The United Methodist Church.

Of course, the gathering will have much to offer, from speakers to programming making use of the cultural and historical backdrop that is Berlin.

“We were drawn to Berlin because the city itself echoes our event theme of ‘One Church, One Lord, One World,’ ” says Rowlison, noting that the city – once divided by ideology as well as a wall – now is among Europe’s most vibrant.

But the legislation is a top priority when the young people gather.

“The Legislative Assembly is one of the major aspects of the event that is mandated by the Book of Discipline,” says Rowlison.

“Any youth or young adult from throughout the world can submit legislation for consideration at the Convocation. It gives young people an essential way to participate in the church - to raise their concerns and to address those concerns as they are heard through the legislative process.”

Guidelines for legislation and general information about the Convocation and how to support it through giving can be found at www.globalyoungpeople.org.

Return to top