Detroit Conference Connection - March 4, 2010

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In This Edition of the Connection:

CONFERENCE NEWS

VIM Festival of Opportunities Scheduled for April 10

The Michigan Area Volunteers in Mission Festival of Opportunities, an event to celebrate all those who serve and to offer opportunities to learn ways to serve, will take place from 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, at Brighton: First UMC. The event, sponsored by the VIM coordinators of the Detroit and West Michigan Conferences, will offer three tracks for participants – VIM Leader Training, Early Response Training, or Breakout Sessions. Full story

Conference Churches Contribute 79 Percent of Apportionments in 2009

Sixty-one percent of the Detroit Conference’s 450 churches paid their conference apportionments at 100 percent or greater in 2009, the conference treasurer’s office reported recently. Included in those 273 churches are 36 congregations that were not able to contribute the full amount in 2008. Full story

James Parkhurst Named Interim Director of Outdoor and Retreat Ministries

The Rev. Dr. James C. Parkhurst has been named Interim Conference Director of Outdoor and Retreat Ministries for the Detroit Conference, it was announced on Tuesday (March 2) by the Rev. Dr. Jerome (Jerry) DeVine, Director of Connectional Ministries. Parkhurst will officially begin his duties on April 1 and will serve through August 31, 2010. Full story

Bishop Keaton Urges Support Of One Great Hour of Sharing

This year, more than ever, your help is needed to promote the One Great Hour of Sharing. UMCOR continues to provide first response teams and aid to areas that are hit by severe damage. This year already has seen major devastation in both Haiti and Chile. Your One Great Hour of Sharing contributions allows UMCOR to do the good ministry work it does – responding in disaster, fighting hunger, alleviating poverty, providing relief supplies around the world, assisting the most vulnerable people whose need is greatest. UMCOR receives no apportionment or World Service funds of any kind. Gifts to this offering underwrite UMCOR’s ability to bring comfort to those who have endured tragedy and displacement throughout the year. Please prayerfully consider giving to this most worthy cause during the One Great Hour of Sharing on March 14th. Please check www.detroitconference.org for additional information.

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8

Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton

Bishop's Day 2010 is Here!

Bishop's Day 2010 kicks off this Saturday, March 6, at Southfield: Hope UMC when the Detroit East and Detroit West Districts host the first of six regional gatherings across the state. Four other Bishop's Day events will be held across the state on Saturday, March 13. For information on all six of the Bishop's Day 2010 events, please visit www.detroitconference.org/bishopsday2010.

Annual Conference Registration Materials Available

Registration materials are available for the 2010 Detroit Annual Conference session which will take place May 20-23 on the campus of Adrian College in Adrian, Mich. The registration materials for the 2010 Detroit Annual Conference are available at www.detroitconference.org/annualconference and will not be mailed to the members of the annual conference. The registration deadline is Thursday, April 8.

CONNECTIONAL NEWS

One Great Hour of Sharing

Sunday, March 14, is One Great Hour of Sharing, one of the six church-wide special Sundays in The United Methodist Church. Special Sundays are placed on the calendar to “make clear the calling of the church as the people of God, and to give persons the opportunity to contribute offerings to special programs.” (The Book of Discipline 2008, para. 262.)

When you give to One Great Hour of Sharing, you give to help make such distributions possible. Your gifts lay the foundation for all of UMCOR’s work. They allow UMCOR to act on your behalf and bring much-needed relief and joy to vulnerable children and adults alike.

UMCOR receives no apportionment or World Service funds of any kind. Gifts to this offering underwrite UMCOR's "costs of doing business." That helps us keep our promise that 100 percent of every other gift you make to a specific UMCOR project can be spent on that project?not on home office costs.

Offering gifts over and above those used to cover administrative costs are channeled where they're most needed. UMCOR's specialized ministries ? responding in disaster, fighting hunger, alleviating poverty, providing relief supplies around the world, and offering hospitality to immigrants and refugees?all assist the most vulnerable people whose need is greatest.

For more information and resources for One Great Hour of Sharing, please visit www.umcgiving.org.

Please note that all UMC special Sundays can be celebrated at any time throughout the year if there is a conflict with your church calendar.

March/April Edition of Interpreter Magazine Available Now

The March/April 2010 Edition of Interpreter Magazine has been arriving in mailboxes this week. To view a digital version of the publication, which is the top news source for United Methodists, please click here.

Samaritan Counseling Center Clergy Day - April 21, 2010

Diana Butler Bass, noted author and speaker, comes to Samaritan Counseling Center of Southeastern Michigan on Wednesday, April 21, during the SCC's Clergy Day, which will take place from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at Hope Lutheran Church (39200 W. 12 Mile Rd) in Farmington Hills.

Dr. Bass will speak on “Memory, Mission and Reform."

Registration for this event is only $50, a discounted rate made possible by the generous support of the United Methodist Union of Detroit, Birmingham: First United Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church of Plymouth, and First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor.

There will also be a free public time with Dr. Bass on Tuesday evening, April 20, at Birmingham: First United Methodist Church at 7:30 p.m.

To register for the event, please click here

Alzheimer's 101 - Thursday, March 25

Please join Ann Arbor District United Methodist pastors and United Methodist Women's groups from throughout the Detroit Conference for Alzheimer's 101, which will take place on Thursday, March 25, from 8:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. at Chelsea United Methodist Retirement Community.

Hosted by the Rev. Tom Macaulay, Ann Arbor District Superintendent, this seminar will cover:

- Early warning signs of Alzheimer's

- Community resources - free and easily available

- How you can reduce your personal risk for Alzheimer's

- Recent advances in research - cause for hope

Featured speakers will be Dr. Bruno Giordani, Clinical Director, Michigan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and Jennifer Howard, Executive Director, Alzheimer's Association Michigan Great Lakes Chapter.

Lunch is provided, and since this is offered this as part of the UMRC's education outreach efforts, there is no fee. However, please register by email, advancement@umrc.com, or by phone at 734-433-1000, ext. 7502. Also, please feel free to share this email with others who may be interested.

March Edition of MARC Newsletter Available

Click here to download the March edition of Michigan Area Resource Center (MARC) News. If there's something you're interested in borrowing, MARC is looking forward to hearing from you! MARC also invites you to check out the MARC web site at www.marc-web.org, and look for any other special resource you might need to finish out your spring programming.

In addition, if you have not yet paid your 2010 membership dues, click here, complete the form, and return it to the MARC office.

Change the World Event

What if... on one weekend all around the world, 11 million United Methodists came together to work in their local communities?

What if... we unite globally to fight a preventable, treatable disease that kills one child every 30 seconds?

Would You Help?

April 24-25, 2010. Build community locally. Fight malaria globally. Change the world. To get involved visit www.rethinkchurch.org/changetheworld.

InfoServ Changes Effective April 1, 2010

InfoServ, the official information service of The United Methodist Church, will become exclusively an e-mail and online information service effective April 1, 2010. At that time, telephone support services will be discontinued.

Customers will be able to submit questions via e-mail at infoserv@umcom.org. Answers to the most frequently asked questions are also available online at www.infoserv.umc.org. During an initial transition period, callers will be able to leave a message and callback number. Other customer-friendly options such as live chat are also being explored.

Tuesdays @ 10am Central - March Webinar mini-series

Join United Methodist Communications staff each Tuesday in March for a Webinar mini-series on “Mastering the Multimedia Maze.” Topics include audio and video sharing, podcasting, using UMTV video clips in worship and on the Web, and photo sharing. Join us for the live broadcast each Tuesday and subscribe to the RSS feed for the recorded, archived version. One-time registration is required to access the free, live broadcast each Tuesday. To learn more and to register, visit http://umcom.org/webinars.

MISSION OPPORTUNITIES

Caonao, Cuba, August 2010 - Work team going to Caonao, Cuba, in August 2010. Application for visas needs to be done as soon as possible, at least by early April. Firm date will be made by the team and the trip will be for two weeks; costs, flying from Toronto, should be around $2,300. If you know of anyone who might be interested in joining the team, please contact Paula Morgan at (906) 293-3696.

Galveston, TX , June 5-12, 2010 - Hurricane recovery work. Interested folks could contact Jim Bell . Team capacity is 40, including private housing for 10. We're still doing a cost workup and skill inventory will determine work performed.

Russia, June 15-26 2010 - Team From Memorial UMC in Terre Haute, Indiana. The Goal: To plant one United Methodist Church in a city of over a million- we need to attract only 10 to legally form a recognized church.

  • All you will need is yourself: we want you to tell your story to the Russians who so desperately want to hear it!
  • Trip will include mission opportunities as well as seeing the sites and sounds of Moscow and Rostov, including a cross-country train ride, a river cruise on the Sea of Azov, world famous music, world class circus, opera, churches, and meeting wonderful new people.
  • The team is being led by Peter Priest, who has years of experience in traveling Russia and knowing the culture and language. We will also be led by Russian natives who need our help in forming a new church. Contact him for more information and questions
  • Price: As low as $1,695 for a land only package to $2,695 a complete air and land package including Istanbul from Indianapolis. All funds can be deducted as a charitable contribution since funds are paid directly to the church (IRS brochure 526).