Join others on September 30 for a time of ministry storytelling, encouragement, and imagining bold new ideas with other changemakers from local churches and communities.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
There is tremendous joy in telling the stories of how Michigan United Methodists make an impact in their local communities and around the world through their mission and ministry. Weekly articles in our MIconnect and MIfaith e-newsletters help tell some of these stories.
But sometimes, getting together with others and hearing these stories again is fruitful and necessary. Sometimes we need to step back and celebrate how the Holy Spirit has moved individuals and churches to become the hands and feet of Jesus in their communities. Sometimes we need to set aside space for conversation, sharing honest struggles and questions, and dreaming of bold new ideas.
On September 30, mission-minded Michigan United Methodist will come together in Mt. Pleasant for such a time. Each of our beloved, faith-inspired projects and ministries, whether just beginning or something that has been around for many years, can benefit from reflection, evaluation, and new inspiration as times change and the needs of our communities change.
This event, sponsored by the Michigan Conference Board of Global Ministries, is called “Starting and Sustaining: Together in Ministries of Compassion, Justice & Inclusion” and will be held at First United Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant on Saturday, September 30, from 10 am to 4 pm.
If you register before September 1, the cost is $35. (Click here to register.) After that date, the event cost will increase. If you bring a group of people from your church, the registration fee is only $30/each for groups of three or more. Scholarships are available. Contact Alex Plum, chair of the Michigan Conference Board of Global Ministries, at [email protected] if you seek a scholarship.
The event will be streamed online, and you can join remotely if you cannot come to Mt. Pleasant. Register for online access before September 15. The cost is only $10.
Lodging is available at the Hampton Inn in Mt. Pleasant. Register by September 15 to secure the conference group rate of $139 per room using code “Michigan Conference of United Methodist Church.” A pre-event mixer at Wesley at Central Michigan University will be held on Friday, September 29, from 7:30 to 8:30 pm for those arriving the day before.
Worship will feature music led by students from Wesley at CMU, and Sari Brown, a Michigan singer-songwriter, and Bishop David Bard will preach. Ministry leaders from three of our EngageMI ministry partners will speak and share inspiring stories of mission and ministry.
“By centering the stories of successful mission and ministry programs and hearing how they’ve overcome challenges and found success, we will inspire the next generation of changemakers and local church creatives to make a difference in Jesus’ name in their local community,” said Alex Plum, chair of the Board of Global Ministries and member of the planning team.
Matt Witkowski is the director of the Community Ministries Program at Grand Rapids: Trinity UMC, which connects churches and schools in the community. He will speak on how one listens to a community’s needs and then launches a new ministry that somehow addresses one or more of those needs. How does one even get started?
Ashnee Young and Ryan Beuthin from the Flint Freedom Schools Collaborative will discuss how this summer literacy and cultural enrichment program, based on Children’s Defense Fund curriculum, started after the Flint water crisis. The ministry’s needs are growing, and they hope to launch new Freedom Schools at other locations in Michigan soon. Ashnee and Ryan will speak about how to sustain and grow a ministry. After seeing an initial boost of energy and interest, how do you keep it going and then look to expand?
Kim Bos, director of Wesley at Ferris State University, will tell the story of how food pantry needs multiplied when fewer students returned after COVID-19. She will talk about pivoting and restarting. What happens after “what worked before” changes? Then what do you do?
Maybe you’re wondering if this event is for me. Alex Plum noted that this event hopes to bring together changemakers in local churches and communities who are passionate about becoming the hands and feet of Jesus in the world.
Plum also gave specific examples of individuals who would value attending. “Those folks may already be leading projects that connect the church to the world, like an existing after-school literacy club, or a weekend soup kitchen or food pantry, or a monthly service and volunteerism project at a local shelter. On the other hand, attendees might have the spark of an idea that they want to fan into a flame of engaged, active ministry. Maybe a rural church with a smaller membership has been wondering how to become more active in addressing an important issue in their community, like gun violence, homelessness, or school graduation rates.”
Much of the mission and ministry Michigan United Methodists are engaged in are compassion, justice, and inclusion ministries. This faith-in-action is grounded in our Wesleyan theology, and our commitment to social holiness as Christ’s love compels us to be out in the world.
Bishop Bard, who will preach on September 30 at the “Starting and Sustaining” event, invites everyone to join him: “As the Michigan Conference emerges from the pandemic and seeks to chart its course moving into the future, it is vital that we reaffirm our calling in Jesus to make disciples who transform the world. Our conference has a rich history of reaching out to heal a broken world through ministries of compassion, justice, and inclusion. Our September event will celebrate and renew such work, and I am delighted to be a part of this day.”
Alex Plum said, in conclusion, that if the event goes well, they will look at future events with a new focus or priority, depending on the feedback received. He noted, “The Board is committed to supporting local churches and communities to advance the mission and ministry of The United Methodist Church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
Last Updated on August 16, 2023