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Conference celebrates EngageMI churches

Posted on by James Deaton
Doing repairs
God’s Country Cooperative Parish, an EngageMI ministry partner, stretches across 2,500 square miles of the eastern Upper Peninsula. At its heart is the Dunlap Center in Newberry, MI. This former elementary school has been rehabbed over the past five years with the help of funding from the Northern Skies District and other generous gifts. It now houses a free store called The Church Mouse, and is the home away from home for volunteers who come to the area to do home repairs. These volunteers from Eaton Rapids: First UMC are building a ramp for better access into the center. ~ Facebook photo/God’s Country Cooperative Parish

The Michigan Conference celebrates how many United Methodist congregations here in Michigan are leaders in mission through the EngageMI program.

REV. ALICE FLEMING TOWNLEY
Mission and Justice Coordinator, Michigan Conference

In 2022, the Michigan Conference of The United Methodist Church generously contributed $2,066,303 to the General Board of Global Ministries to support missions and ministries in the United States and around the world. This was an increase of 38% over 2021.

The Michigan Conference gave more than any other annual conference to national and international United Methodist Advance projects and in the number of missionaries supported. This generosity to missions was honored recently at the 2023 Michigan Annual Conference.

Furthermore, gifts of $223,088 supported EngageMI missions and mission projects based in Michigan. This is a 9% increase over 2021. In 2022, 68 participating churches met all the requirements to become EngageMI congregations. Thank you for your leadership.

As many of you have shared with me, “Mission is in our DNA as a conference.” Celebrating how we participate together in mission over the years at annual conference and living into what we can do for good as a connectional church is core to the identity of many Michiganders. I heard from one clergy cluster how participating in EngageMI gave their churches energy and focus during uncertain times.

EngageMI is the mission engagement program for the Michigan Conference. EngageMI challenges Michigan Conference congregations to comprehensive missional learning, giving, and action with the goal of moving into relational ‘ministry with’ vulnerable people and communities.

EngageMI congregations meet the missional requirements of the program in these three areas and then submit an annual report:

    • Learn: Congregation engages in at least one learning experience that deepens understanding of “ministry with,” listens to people directly affected by the issues you seek to address, and increases understanding of root causes of systemic injustice.
    • Give: Follow through by giving financially in all six steps: Step 1: 100% of Michigan Conference Ministry Shares; Step 2: Michigan Conference Projects; Step 3: National General Advance Projects; Step 4: International General Advance Projects; Step 5: Mission Personnel; and Step 6: UMCOR.
    • Act: Congregation engages in at least one “hands-on” action that intentionally honors the sacred dignity and intrinsic worth of every person, builds relationships with a local, national, or international project, and addresses root causes of systemic injustice.

EngageMI congregations report by January 10, 2024, with this form on what they have learned, given, and acted on, and in what areas. For helpful resources, see the 2022-2024 EngageMI catalog, the updated flyer, and a list of ever-growing mission stories to study and share.

On behalf of the Michigan Conference, the Conference Board of Global Ministries would like to send a special thank-you to these United Methodist congregations that participated fully in the EngageMI program in 2022:

    • Central Bay District: Coleman: Faith, Essexville: St. Luke’s, Mayville, Owendale, Pigeon: First, Shepherd, Vassar: First, Watrousville
    • East Winds District: Burton: Open Door, Clio: Bethany, Flint: Court Street, Fostoria, Gaines, Grand Blanc: First, Lexington, Mt. Morris: First, Otisville, Port Huron: First, Sandusky: First
    • Greater Detroit District: Dearborn: Good Shepherd, Grosse Pointe, Howarth, Livonia: St. Matthew, Troy: Big Beaver, Utica, Waterford: Trinity, West Bloomfield, Wyandotte: First
    • Greater Southwest District: Battle Creek: Chapel Hill, Centreville, Coldwater, Scotts, Paw Paw: Almena
    • Heritage District: Carleton, Chelsea: First, Dixboro, Jackson: First, Milford, Monroe: St Paul, North Lake, Northville: First, Oak Grove, Reading, Saline: First, Walled Lake, Ypsilanti: First, Ypsilanti: Lincoln Community
    • Midwest District: Byron Center: Carlisle, Edmore: Faith, Grandville, Ionia: LeValley, Lowell: First, Pierson: Heritage
    • Mid-Michigan District: Bancroft, Holt, Laingsburg, Lake Odessa: Central, Mason: First, Owosso: First, Shaftsburg
    • Northern Skies District: Amasa: Grace, Crystal Falls: Christ, Escanaba: First, Gladstone: Memorial, Hancock: First, Iron Mountain: Trinity, L’Anse, Munising
    • Northern Waters District: Grawn, Lake City, Ludington

And with gratitude and encouragement, we share a list of honorable mention churches that partially participated in the EngageMI program and sent in their forms:

Allen, Azalia, Bellevue, Bellville, Berrien County: Lakeside, Bronson: First, Byron Center, Cadillac: South Community, Capac, Cedar Springs, Colon, Crystal Valley, Delta Mills, Delton: Faith, Detroit: Central, Empire, Flint: Bethel, Flint: Hope, Gaines, Ganges, Georgetown, Gladwin: Wagarville Community, Grand Ledge: First, Grass Lake, Gull Lake, Gunnisonville, Harper Woods: Redeemer, Hesperia, Hillsdale: First, Homer: Calhoun County, Howell, Jerome, Kalamazoo: Westwood, Kendall, Leighton, Marion, Morrice, Mt. Morris, Nashville, Nashville: Peace, New Hudson, Newton, Oscoda, Owosso: Trinity, Paw Paw, Pinconning, Port Hope, Portage: Pathfinder, Rockford, Saginaw: First, Shelby, Sturgis, Traverse Bay, Union City, West Branch: First, White Cloud, Williamston.

And special thanks to Laurie Kaufman DelaGarza and Chuck Woolley for reviewing the inspiring mission reports from these congregations on behalf of the Conference Board of Global Ministries. For questions, please contact them at [email protected].

Last Updated on July 18, 2023

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The Michigan Conference