If there is one thing I’ve learned in ministry, it’s that collaboration brings out our best. Serving in the local church often left me frustrated because people didn’t always work together. However, the incredible things we can achieve through teamwork are truly inspiring.
That’s why I’m so excited to share a program that is a combined effort by the United Methodist Foundation of Michigan and the Michigan Conference. It’s an event geared toward bridging the gap between the sacred and secular sides of ministry. Specifically, it’s aimed at helping churches and clergy learn the nuts-and-bolts pieces of “running a business,” for lack of a better term. I know that people don’t like thinking of churches as businesses, but the reality is that there are very real managerial skills churches need to function at their best.
We are calling this event Ministry Mechanics, and it’s a series of identical events held across the state to make it easier for people to attend at the location that’s most convenient for them. We intend for this to be an annual event with different focuses, but this year we are focusing on Human Resources, specifically hiring, terminating, and maintaining employees. We will provide a legally compliant Employee Handbook that you can take back to your church and put into service immediately with a few adjustments.
We aim to make this event as accessible as possible by scheduling it on a Saturday morning, ending with lunch, and reimbursing attendees for their mileage. There should be no reason you can’t attend (unless the dates simply don’t work for you)!
You can register now, even though this event isn’t until the fall. I’m excited that the Conference is partnering with the Foundation on this initiative. We will bring our best leaders together to teach about this important aspect of ministry. Human Resources isn’t only for churches with staff; these principles can apply to volunteers as well. We really hope you’ll join us.
You can find out more information here and even register now. We’ll see you around the state in the fall for Ministry Mechanics!
Last Updated on May 1, 2026