Detroit Conference Connection - June 24, 2010

The Detroit Conference Connection is the weekly e-newsletter of the Detroit Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. To subscribe to the Detroit Conference Connect, please click here. To submit news items for the Detroit Conference Connection, please send stories to Paul Thomas, Director of Communications.

 

Join The Conversation!

Follow the Detroit Conference on facebook: www.facebook.com/detroitconference

Follow the Detroit Conference on Twitter: www.twitter.com/umcdetroitconf.

CONFERENCE NEWS

Swartz Creek UMC Named Culture of the Call Church

The Foundation for Evangelism recently recognized Swartz Creek United Methodist Church as the first-ever recipient of the Culture of the Call Church Award. This annual award recognizes one local congregation of The United Methodist Church with a history of helping young people 35 or younger experience God’s call to full time Christian service as a result of affiliation with that church. Full Story 

 

Connectionalism at Myers Lake Campground

A severe storm blew through Myers Lake Campground near Byron on Friday night, June 18, at 9:20 p.m.  The staff had already notified campers in their tents and RV’s that a severe storm watch was in effect when the storm hit.  In spite of annual work with a tree specialist to maintain the mature trees that typically provide protection from the sun, a number of healthy trees blew down, taking out power lines and striking several RV’s.  One young person went to the hospital with injuries from the storm, and is expected to make a full recovery.  The staff at Myers Lake did a great job communicating with their guests, providing shelter during the storm, and then helping them make an unplanned early departure. Full Story 

 

July Edition of The Parish Paper Now Available

The July issue of The Parish Paper - Ideas and Insights for Active Congregations is now available for downloading on the conference Web site. The edition addresses the question - "Should Our Congregation Use Internet Social Media?"

 

The Parish Paper is a monthly resource for clergy and lay leaders to use to help their local churches engage in dynamic and fruitful ministry. This resource is now being provided to the churches of the conference free of charge by the Conference Commission on Communications. Each monthly issue of The Parish Paper provides ideas, insights, research-findings, and practical methods that strengthen the effectiveness of congregations in accomplishing God’s purposes through their various ministries.

 

To download the July issue of The Parish Paper, please visit www.detroitconference.org/parishpaper. To receive monthly e-mails alerting you to a new issue of The Parish Paper, please visit www.detroitconference.org/site/stayconnected.

 

Michigan Area School for Pastoral Ministry

The 2010 Michigan Area Pastor’s School for ministry will take place at the Kellogg Center on the Michigan State University. This retreat like setting also offers a state of the art conference center…walking trails, and beautiful scenery that will be worshipful and inviting. Our teacher this year is Phyllis Tickle, and our Preacher is Maxie Dunnam.  Phyllis Tickle is the renowned editor and founder of the religion department for publishers weekly.  Maxie Dunnam is a gifted preacher, missioner, and author of many books including his widely used Workbook On Prayer, he also serves as Chair of World Evangelism for the World Methodist Council and travels globally as inspiring lecturer.  Both will address our theme: Change is on the horizon, keeping up with what God is doing.  The fees remain the same as previous years and the star quality conference center will also be at the same rate as the past 7 years or more.  We are working hard and praying a lot.  This will be an excellent pastors school and I hope to see you there.  The event is August 17th to 19th, 2010. For more information please visit www.mipastorschool.com. To download a brochure, please click here. 

 

Quick News and Notes:

Metropolitan Regional Office Phone Number Change - The phone number for the Metropolitan Regional Office, which houses the Detroit East District, Detroit West District, and United Methodist Union of Greater Detroit, has disconnected its 1-888 phone number. Please use 248-557-1144 to contact the office until their move to their new offices at Detroit: Metropolitan UMC is complete.

 

Advocate of the Month - Kelly Erickson of Plymouth: First UMC was featured as the "Advocate of the Month" by The Advance and was features in the latest edition of Advancing Hope, the monthly e-newsletter of the Advance. To view the newsletter, please click here. Erickson single-handedly organized an effort to raise money for Water for Life, Advance #3020811, which constructs wells for clean water in Liberia. Her efforts raised over $8,000 for this project. She convinced family and friends to get involved, and her congregation's mission committee supported her by matching the first $2,000.

 

2010 Board of Outdoor and Retreat Ministries Summer Newsletter - Click here to view the summer newsletter from the Conference Board of Outdoor and Retreat Ministries.

 

Jurisdictional Religion and Race Event Scheduled for October 15-17 - The Wisconsin Annual Conference is hosting the 2010 North Central Jurisdiction Religion and Race Learning Event on October 15-17 in Milwaukee, Wis. For more information, please click here.

 

Go to the Holy Land With Bishop Keaton! - John Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton for a trip to the Holy Land on February 8-17, 2011. Please click here for more information on the trip and to download a brochure and registration form.

 

2010 Conference Youth Assembly - The 2010 Conference Youth Assembly, sponsored by the Conference Council on Youth Ministries, will take place Wednesday-Sunday, July 28-August 1, on the campus of Adrian College in Adrian, Mich. The theme for the event is "Survivor: Out-Pray, Out-Love, Out-Serve." The guest speakers include the Rev. Mark Miller (Midland: Aldersgate UMC) and the Rev. Joy Barrett (Chelsea UMC). Click here to download a registration form.

 

Ride for Haiti Still Seeking Support - The Michigan Area Haiti Task Force is still collecting funds for the Haiti bike ride. The goal is for each church to raise $400 , but any amount is appreciated. Please visit haitiride.org for information on the event and how to donate. Each church will need to keep track of what is sent in as it will count toward their spotlight giving. The funds raised are shared by Detroit and West Michigan conferences. Thank you for your support for Haiti. -Rev. Dorothy J. Thon, Chair of Conference Board of Global Ministries

UPCOMING EVENTS

July 3-4 - Camp Kinawind Open House 

July 5 - Conference Office Closed

July 17 - United Methodist Women - School of the South 

July 28-August 1 - Conference Youth Assembly 

August 17-19 - Michigan Area School For Pastoral Ministry 

CONNECTIONAL NEWS

2010 State of the Church Report Now Available

The State of the Church Report - an annual snapshot of The United Methodist Church - is a resource to help evaluate our current realities, to celebrate the momentum of our mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world, and to identify opportunities and challenges as we move forward in ministry. The findings in this report are helping to shape conversations around the future of the church and to inform strategic planning and measurement of success across the life of the denomination. We acknowledge challenges, but we also see signs of hope. To view the report, please visit www.umc.org/sotc2010. You can also view the report online at: http://issuu.com/gunderwood/docs/sotc_final.

 

Plan Ahead: 2011 United Methodist Program Calendar Now Available

The official United Methodist Program Calendar – United Methodist Communications’ top-selling resource – is now available for 2011 in 10 convenient designs. Calendars include information on liturgical colors, lectionary readings, Special Sundays, and more.

The calendar is available in 10 designs, ranging from electronic to a pocket size that shows a week-at-a-glance. The most popular designs, known as the Standard and the Classic, measure 8.5-by-11 inches and contain monthly planning checklists, lectionary Scriptures, liturgical colors, dates of special Sundays and celebrations, descriptions of offerings, and church agency contact information. A DVD with giving stories and stewardship help is included with the Standard and Classic calendars.

The double-sided Deluxe Wall calendar now features a year-at-glance in two formats: traditional monthly block on the front and horizontal timeline (31 day columns across by 12 month rows down) on the back. Other designs include a large desk blotter and a notebook calendar with pages for a three-ring binder. Available separately is a notebook binder with a calendar, calculator, pen, and pockets for notes and business cards.

An electronic calendar – compatible with Outlook, Google calendar, iCalendar, and most calendar applications – is also offered. Customers who order a Standard or Classic calendar can save 40 percent on the electronic calendar with the Promo Code CAL11F.

The 2011 calendar is themed around the church’s four Areas of Focus: combating the diseases of poverty by improving health globally; engaging in ministry with the poor; creating new places for new people and revitalizing existing congregations; and developing principled Christian leaders for the church and the world.

To place an order, call toll free (888) 346-3862, or visit www.umcom.org/calendars.

 

The Latest News From the United Methodist News Service

Church settles dispute over homeless ministry - Zoning battle ends with commitment to expand mission to the poor in Phoenix.

 

Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference - With a theme of “Leading Beyond the Walls,” the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference met May 20-22, 2010, at the Lancaster County Convention Center in Lancaster, Penn.

 

Holston Annual Conference - The Holston Annual Conference followed up on bold decisions and giving of recent years by approving a tithe-based apportionment and collecting $154,625 in an offering for south Sudan. They also raised $61,933 for children’s ministry in Holston and in Africa and sent food, health, and school supplies to Liberia and Zimbabwe valued at $232,221.

 

North Central New York Annual Conference - The Rev. Dale E. Austin, North Central New York Annual Conference Secretary for 19 years, offered the closing motion as the conference ended its final annual conference session in preparation for their future ministry as part of the Upper New York Annual Conference.

 

Northern Illinois Annual Conference - United Methodists of the Northern Illinois Conference took bold action to reach new people in new places by approving a second stage of new faith communities at its 2010 Annual Conference.

 

Upper New York Uniting Conference - At 10:59 a.m. on June 19, 2010, the Rev. Dr. Marcus Matthews, Resident Bishop of the Upper New York Area of the United Methodist Church, called to order the first session of the Upper New York Uniting Conference at the OnCenter in Syracuse.

 

Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference - Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton told the 1,800 members that he sees signs of hope in the Western Pa. Conference, despite significant challenges facing the denomination.

 

Chaplain sets sights on winning Afghanistan - The Rev. Nicolas Camacho travels through hostile territory for mission projects.

 

Western New York Annual Conference - With a closing motion presented by Western New York Annual Conference Secretary, the Rev. Dr. Gregory Crispell, on the afternoon of June 5, 2010, and a benediction by the Rev. Dr. Marcus Matthews, resident bishop, the Western New York Annual Conference closed for the last time, planting the seed for new ministry within the Upper New York Annual Conference.

 

Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference - The Baltimore-Washington Conference gathered for its 226th session June 2-4 in Baltimore under the theme “Passionate Disciples Celebrate in Worship.”

OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE 

Fall VIM trip with The Haiti School Project  - October 12-20, 2010 

Many Haitian families who lived in Port au Prince were displaced to other cities when their homes were destroyed by the January earthquake.  Jeremie is one of the cities that have experienced a huge influx of people to house and children to educate.  To help accommodate children that need to go to school, the John Wesley School in Jeremie is desperately needed, but repairs must be completed if the school is to reopen.  We invite you to help our Haitian partners in mission and the Haiti School Project team as they finish work on the school.

 

Pat Grainger (PPGTIPS@aol.com) and Keith Thomas (kthomas2741@yahoo.com) will be the co-leaders for the Haiti School Project team as they complete work on the John Wesley School and tour other local sites. FOR APPLICATION AND INFORMATION, CONTACT: Curtis Bartz (313) 278-4849 or email jbartz@mich.com. If you cannot join the team we invite you to help with the funding required for repairs and to pray for the team.