Following the affirmative vote by the West Michigan and Detroit Annual Conferences to form a new annual conference, Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey has announced the members of the new annual conference Design Team.

Co-Chairs of the Design Team are Rev. Dr. Glenn Wagner, pastor of Grand Haven Church of the Dunes on the West Michigan Annual Conference and

Rev. Marsha Woolley, pastor of Northville UMC on the Detroit Annual Conference.  Both Glenn and Marsha bring many and varied successful experiences serving in their respective conferences, as well as wonderful leadership gifts and creativity to the task ahead.

Other members of the Design Team include, from the West Michigan Annual Conference:

• Lay Members: Mark Baker, Katja Falker, Phyllis Jackson and Deb Fennell
• Clergy Members:  Rev. Bill Haggard, Rev. Melanie Chalker and Rev. Lynn Pier-Fitzgerald

Design Team members from The Detroit Annual Conference include:

• Lay Member: Louis Moore
• Clergy Members: Rev. Laura Speiran, Rev. Scott Harmon, Rev. David Kim, Rev. Paul Perez, Rev. Dr. Anthony Hood, Rev. Maureen Baker, Rev. Willie Smith, Rev. Jeremiah Mannschreck and Rev. Jeff Regan.

Ex-officio members of the Design Team include:  Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey; Rev. Melanie Lee Carey, Clergy Assistant to the Bishop; Rev. Dr. Jerome “Jerry” DeVine, Detroit Conference Director of Connectional Ministries; Rev. Benton Heisler, West Michigan Conference Director of Connectional Ministries; Mr. Ned Weller, Chair of West Michigan Conference Leadership Team; Rev. Amy Mayo-Moyle, Chair of Detroit Conference Leadership Team; and Mark Doyal, Director of Communications, Michigan Area.  All ex-officio members have voice but no vote.

In addition, without vote or voice, Kristen Gillette, Executive Assistant to Mr. Doyal will serve as the Secretary of the Design Team.

Including the Chairpersons and Bishop Kiesey, there are 19 members of the Design Team and seven Ex-officio members for a total membership of 26 persons.  The Design Team members represent a wide variety of persons from across the state of Michigan.  Including the ex-officio members there are 15 men, 11 women, seven lay persons and 19 clergy, including one retired clergy member; two of the clergy are Deacons. There are 11 members from the West Michigan Conference and 14 from the Detroit Conference.  There are 19 Caucasian members, four African American members, one Asian/Korean member, one Latino member and one Native American member. At least three of the Design Team members are age 40 and under – with two persons under the age of 35.

The Team will gather for the first time at The Michigan Area Ministry Center in Lansing, September 1-2, 2015.  The agenda for this retreat-type meeting will include, but is not limited to,  group building among team members, listening for God’s Word through scripture, worship and prayer, examining current demographics for our state and beginning to set a vision for the work ahead.  The Design Team will meet approximately once per month following this initial meeting.

Bishop Deb shared the following comment about the formation of this team to help shape the new annual conference for Michigan: “I am very pleased that this wonderful and committed group has agreed to take on such an important task. Their widely varied gifts will bring creativity, faith, thoroughness, and an ability to dream about what The United Methodist Church in Michigan can be. I have no doubt they will serve us all well.  Let us all covenant to keep them in our prayers as they begin their work.”

While the new Design Team will be leading and facilitating the creation of the new annual conference for Michigan United Methodists, the design process will, like the journey to this past spring’s vote on the formation of a new annual conference, be participatory in nature.  There will be ample opportunities for input and feedback from boards and agencies of both annual conferences, as well as United Methodist leaders from across the state of Michigan.

If you have ideas or feedback you would like to share with the Design Team please contact Chairpersons Revs. Marsha Woolley and Glenn Wagner at the following email address: [email protected].

Last Updated on October 20, 2023