42nd Detroit Annual Conference Comes to Close

Paul Thomas, Director of Communications
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5/23/2010

The Rev. Terry A. Euper and Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton lay hands on the Rev. Daniel Gonder during the Service of Ordination and Commissioning (credit: Rev. Jeremy Africa)

Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton shares a message during the Celebration of Pentecost (credit: Rev. Jeremy Africa)

 

The four-day session of the Detroit Annual Conference concluded on Sunday, May 23, with the adoption of the 2011 budget, the setting of appointments for 2010-11, and the commissioning and ordination of 22 clergy.

 

The conference began the day with a Celebration of Pentecost, telling stories of how the Holy Spirit was moving across the Detroit Conference, before the body concluded its required work.

 

The conference finished its legislative calendar, taking action on two items. The first item, a resolution dealing with congregations that identify themselves as part of the Reconciling, Transforming, or Confessing Movements, was referred to the conference Board of Church and Society. 

 

The final legislative item was a resolution affirming the ministry of the Michigan Christian Advocate (www.mcadvocate.org), a magazine that covers the Michigan Area, and asked all churches to promote and encourage subscriptions to the publication. The Advocate has been in print since 1873 and is one of the conference's Ministry Jubilee Projects (#1251). The conference Commission on Communications voted this year to eliminate conference funding of the Advocate in order to make room for other communications needs in the conference, including a conference newspaper - The Michigan Area Reporter, a new conference web site, and various other communications tools.

 

The 2011 budget, totaling $9,737,237, was approved by the conference. The budget, which includes $2,425,000 for pensions and $7,312,237 for common budget, is a slight decrease from the 2010 budget and a nine percent decrease from 2009.

 

The Harry Denman Awards for Evangelism were presented in three categories: the youth award went to Elise Gotham, a junior at Albion College; the laity award went to Lee Donley, member of Oxford UMC; and the clergy award went to the Rev. Mark Zender, pastor at Willow UMC. Swartz Creek UMC, which is led by the Rev. J.D. Landis, was awarded the Foundation for Evangelism's Culture of the Call Award, which recognizes local churches that have people under the age of 35 respond to full-time ministry as a result of the involvement in the church.

 

The appointments for 2010-11 were affixed by Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton. Keaton introduced the Rev. William C. Dobbs as the new Clergy Assistant to the Bishop, effective July 1. Dobbs, a member of the West Michigan Conference, is replacing the Rev. Terry Euper, who is retiring after 40 years of ministry, including the last seven as clergy assistant.

 

Keaton also recognized the ministries of the Rev. Tom Macaulay, superintendent of the Ann Arbor District, and the Rev. Louise Ott, Saginaw Bay District Superintendent. Macaulay is retiring at the end of June, while Ott is taking a leave of absence. Macaulay will be replaced by the Rev. Mark Spaw, pastor of Trenton: Faith UMC, while the Rev. Jeffrey Maxwell, pastor of Farmington: First UMC, will succeed Ott. The Rev. Duane Miller, Detroit East District Superintendent, was been named the Dean of the Cabinet for 2010-11.

 

In other actions the conference:

 

- Heard from the Rev. Margie Crawford, member of the conference Board of Global Ministries, that the conference constructed 12,000 UMCOR Health Kits during Lent in response to the Haiti earthquake. The conference also raised over $25,000 towards the purchase of a delivery truck for the Liberia Methodist Church, a covenant partner of the conference;

 

- Donated $1,500 for Bishop Keaton's "Nothing But Praise" CD, with all the proceeds going towards Nothing But Nets;

 

- Collected 8,812 pairs of underwear as part of the Bishop's Seat Covers Project, which will be distributed to areas of need in the conference;

 

- Raised over $79,000 was raised for various ministries during the annual conference, including $43,032 for the covenant offering for Haiti and Liberia.

 

The motion to adjourn was made by Jacob Stone, a 13-year old from Essexville: St. Luke's UMC and the youngest member of the annual conference.

 

The conference adjourned following a Service of Ordination and Commissioning. Wisconsin Area Bishop Linda Lee, who served in the Detroit Conference prior to her election as bishop, preached at the service. Twenty-two clergy were ordained or commissioned, including the following:

 

Ordained as a Full Elder:

John H. Amick

Maureen V. Baker

Janet J. Brown

Lynda F. Frazier

Carter M. Grimmett 

Steve H. Khang 

Jung Eun Yum

Timothy R. Ziegler

 

Ordained as a Full Deacon:

Loretta M. Job

John M. Leece

Paul D. Perez

Andrew J. Schleicher

Laura C. Speiran

Alicea L. Williams

 

Commissioned as Provisional Elders:

Leonard A. Clevenger

Daniel L. Gonder 

Nancy S. Lynn

 

Commissioned as a Provisional Deacon:

Teresa J. Zimmerman

 

The four-day session was the 42nd annual for the Detroit Conference. The dates for the 2011 Detroit Annual Conference session will be determined in June.