Four new Barrett Steward Leaders were honored recently by the United Methodist Foundation of Michigan for their exemplary stewardship ministry and for creating a culture of generosity.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
Saving money and giving it away, for John Wesley, was an act of discipleship, rooted in who God is. All that we have been given is a gracious gift, and we give out of that overflowing fount of abundance. It’s a theology of stewardship that continues to shape us today.
The United Methodist Foundation of Michigan (UMF) recently honored four Michigan United Methodist churches that live out a Wesleyan spirit of stewardship and possess a vision of generosity beyond the sanctuary’s four walls.
Beverly Hills UMC, First UMC of Brighton and Whitmore Lake, Saginaw: First UMC, and West Bloomfield UMC were recently recognized as Wayne C. Barrett Steward Leaders and awarded each a $2,500 grant. This award is presented annually to up to four congregations. These churches plan to use the grant to further their mission and vision as faith communities committed to extravagant generosity.
Beverly Hills UMC is located in a northwestern suburb of Detroit and seeks to be a church that reflects the diversity of its community and gathers to praise God and serve others, according to their vision statement. Like all Barrett Steward Leaders, Beverly Hills is committed to paying 100% of their Ministry Shares and investing in our shared ministry life as United Methodists.
Financial stewardship is a shared responsibility that has become a priority for the leadership and congregation of Beverly Hills UMC. They are careful stewards of their resources and monitor their expenses to increase their capacity for generosity in other areas. Recent reviews of their insurance policy led to a savings of almost $1,000, and certain paid services like cleaning and landscaping projects are now taken care of by volunteers.
Through practical acts of Christian compassion and service, the congregation is living out their call to love their neighbors as Jesus calls us to do. For Beverly Hills UMC, generosity begins with addressing the most pressing needs of their neighbors. They have created ministries and established community partnerships that deliver essential resources for those in need.
In January 2025, the congregation used a Mitten Angel Tree to collect mittens, gloves, and hats for children and families facing the harsh realities of winter in Michigan. They’ve also collected clothing for their children’s ministries and provided nourishing fresh vegetables and canned goods for those experiencing food insecurity.
Beverly Hills UMC plans to use the $2,500 grant to enhance their community garden, which attracts people from the community and sustains their food pantry. Jesus’ mission was to feed the hungry and care for the needy, and they take this message to heart by tending this garden. They pray the results will be “healthy people, healthy church, and healthy community.”
First UMC of Brighton and Whitmore Lake is a two-campus congregation located near the US-23 corridor between Detroit and Lansing. They hope this grant will help them increase visibility for their Whitmore Lake campus in the community. They plan to launch an outdoor worship experience on the lakeshore at this campus, and having the funds to help them purchase equipment that is easier to set up and tear down will make this outreach idea possible.
Brighton/Whitmore Lake seeks to embody a culture of extravagant generosity by promoting different avenues of giving. In addition to their stewardship program, they have implemented missional giving by supporting a churchwide mission each year. Last year, they raised $35,000 to purchase two vans that were sorely needed by Red Bird Mission in Beverly, Kentucky. Read more about their generosity in this earlier news article.
Church leadership has also implemented, over the past couple of years, a policy where they give 10% of any undesignated funds they receive to missions, in addition to their Easter and Christmas offerings. This mission-focused congregation believes that modeling generosity affects the culture of their church, and it shows.
In fact, the congregation has initiated a capital campaign this year, aiming to complete nearly $1 million worth of projects over the next three years. Thanks to careful budgeting, wise financial stewardship, extra-mile giving, bequest gifts, and other blessings, they were able to begin the campaign this year with almost $400,000.
Saginaw: First UMC, located in downtown Saginaw, has a mission to love the whole city by loving it whole. This mission takes shape through intentional efforts to reach those who are underserved, achieved through ministries and partnerships with other organizations and services.
Their generosity of spirit is put into action through several ministries: (1) free monthly meals in their fellowship hall (around 100 people currently), (2) 72 weekly backpacks to children in local schools who grapple with food insecurity, and (3) ongoing engagement with community organizations such as Ezekiel Project, East Side Soup Kitchen, Mustard Seed Shelter, Saginaw Partnership Center, and Heart of the City Development Center, to network and act for good.
Last year, Saginaw: First UMC began an ambitious stewardship campaign to raise $300,000 in pledges to support their general operating budget and $250,000 to fund capital improvements to their building to enable them to partner in ministry with Heart of the City Development Center, a local nonprofit that provides day care services to adults with special needs. This campaign was led by their vision team, comprised of the pastor and nine laity.
The generosity of the congregation lifted the campaign to its goal. In January of 2025, church leadership announced that they had pledges totaling $297,519 toward the general operating budget and pledge cards totaling $336,102 toward the building improvement campaign.
Saginaw: First UMC plans to use the grant money to augment the work in their church building, ensuring they remain good stewards of their resources and are equipped to be a good ministry partner in the community.
West Bloomfield UMC, located in Metro Detroit, is committed to creating a culture that is open and transparent with their members on financial matters. Two roofing projects were required in 2025, and church leadership shared this with the congregation. Transparency and trust led to generous giving, and members stepped up for these repairs.
Communicating about the purpose and value of giving is key to creating a culture of generosity at West Bloomfield. This has translated into faithful giving to Ministry Shares and to special collections for mission-related efforts by United Methodist partners like UMCOR.
Church leadership hopes to use the $2,500 grant as seed money for a new outreach fund that would be used for projects and events that reach beyond the four walls of their church building. This money would help increase their visibility in the community, reaching more people with God’s love and grace. Such events could include holiday events, like their annual Truck or Treat and Easter Egg Hunt, local mission projects with partners like Trinity Health in Pontiac, and collaborations with other United Methodist congregations close by.
Each of these four United Methodist congregations has created its own culture of generosity in different ways, and each was awarded a $2,500 grant to continue its mission as Wayne C. Barrett Steward Leaders.
This award was established by the United Methodist Foundation of Michigan following the retirement of Rev. Dr. Wayne Barrett as president and executive director. Barrett’s passion was stewardship education, and he served more than 1,000 congregations with programs and consultations on planned giving, capital funding, and stewardship development.
The award is presented to those who embrace a larger view of church finances. It is meant to recognize leaders who look beyond budgets and building projects. The foundation wants to hear stories of serving, giving, and investing in the community. They want to see how a church encourages others to see God’s generosity and love.
Application for the 2026 Wayne C. Barrett Steward Leader Awards will open next year with a deadline of March 15. Visit their website to find more information.
Last Updated on September 8, 2025