This year, the United Methodist Foundation of Michigan celebrates 100 years of helping people of faith live generously.
GLENN M. WAGNER
Michigan Conference Communications
Automotive engineers can testify that some of the most critical components of any motor vehicle, which work hard to provide security, fuel efficiency, and drivability, are maintained out of view under the hood. Cars and trucks that look great in the showroom would be useless on the road without engines and axles, batteries, heating and cooling, and fuel systems.
Similarly, a vital agency of The United Methodist Church in Michigan that quietly and faithfully has enabled life-changing ministry for the last 100 years is the United Methodist Foundation of Michigan.
This retired pastor remembers being blessed by the expertise of leaders from the foundation. Rev. Dr. Wayne C. Barrett, former president of the foundation, was regularly called upon to lead informative seminars on church financial matters at national church leadership events. When my wife and I were exploring how to manage the increased expenses of two children in college, Wayne offered us sound advice on fund management, which helped us make wise decisions. His regular advice on retirement planning, presented at seminars, also helped us manage our personal finances.
When our church boiler died in midwinter, Rev. Dr. David S. Bell, the foundation’s current president and executive director, offered sound stewardship advice to our stressed-out local church finance committee. He encouraged us to refrain from sending out a frantic appeal for money and instead to focus on sharing the message about how the church was actively changing lives for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. Thanks to his focus, our bills were paid, a new boiler was installed, and the church ministry continued to grow, even in the midst of our crisis.
Marian Coles, senior director of operations, has been working for this important ministry since 2006. She notes that the foundation quietly stewards more than $175 million of resources in partnership with the Michigan Conference, local churches, mission programs, and other church-related organizations. The foundation offers scholarships, loans, and educational training for pastors and congregations.
When the Methodist Foundation of Michigan was established in 1925, the purpose was to raise a capital fund for the support and development of Christian education and philanthropic institutions. The fund initially included $225,000 in assets and embraced a call to action to “multiply yourself by being an investment in humanity.”
Institutions that were initial beneficiaries and supporters of the foundation included the following:
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- Methodist Children’s Home Society of Michigan
- Albion College
- Adrian College
- Old People’s Home of the Detroit Conference
- The Wesley Foundations: Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Marquette, Mount Pleasant, and Ypsilanti
- Michigan Christian Advocate publication
- The Conference Claimants Endowment Fund of the Michigan Conference
- Bronson Memorial Hospital in Kalamazoo
- The Endowment Fund Commission of the Detroit Conference
- Clark Memorial Home in Grand Rapids
In the 1970s, the Detroit Conference split off its portion of the foundation to become a separate endowment fund primarily intended to help underwrite pensions and the conference ministry portion of the conference budget. At the same time, the United Methodist Foundation of the West Michigan Conference was founded.
In 2004, both conference organizations underwent independent strategic planning processes that produced remarkably similar missions, goals, and objectives. Both conference foundations sought to provide programs and services that enhanced stewardship strategies, managed investments within socially and fiscally responsible guidelines, and encouraged the desire to serve as God’s stewards.
In 2005, the two conferences entered a contract for the West Michigan Conference’s foundation to provide services to the Detroit Conference. This agreement led to a further joint task force headed by Wayne Barrett, president of West Michigan’s foundation, and Harry Piper, director of Detroit’s foundation, and a decision for reunification as the best stewardship of financial resources. This merger resolution was approved at the 2006 Annual Conference. The merger resulted in assets of more than $68 million and once again led to a unified United Methodist Foundation of Michigan.
An important part of the foundation’s work since the 1968 merger of the Evangelical United Brethren Church with the Methodist Church has been the administration of the Michigan Area Loan Fund. Read more about this offering for churches.
Michigan United Methodist Foundation’s more recent accomplishments of note include:
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- Providing over $85,000 for innovative ministry grants to local churches in 2024,
- Giving $120,000 for 22 scholarships in 2024 in support of clergy education (the foundation is a major scholarship provider to seminary students intending to serve in the Michigan Conference),
- Creating the Wayne C. Barrett Steward Leader Award in 2015 to recognize exemplary churches living into generosity (read about this year’s recipients),
- Partnering with the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation to participate in the Dollars for Scholars scholarship program,
- Sponsoring a seminar to provide pastors with knowledge on management topics,
- Providing $681,000 in loans to congregations and mission organizations,
- Creating a worship grant during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist churches with online worship,
- Partnering with Dakota Wesleyan University to offer a certificate in practical church leadership and an MBA program,
- Partnering with Wespath to offer the Saving Grace curriculum to increase the financial literacy of congregations, along with providing grants for materials and facilitators,
- Working diligently to influence the companies in which we invest to promote better governance and business practices, and
- Providing a gifted team of leaders who work with pastors and congregations to give valued support and services.
According to David Bell, current president and executive director, “Our assets under management are more than any United Methodist Foundation in the North Central Jurisdiction and among the top 25% in the National Association of United Methodist Foundations. We offer the broadest array of services of a foundation in the North Central Jurisdiction and are among the top 5% in the national association.”
Bell reflects on the foundation’s centennial this year: “Our 100-year milestone reminds us that faithful stewardship changes lives. We are thankful for the generations of leaders, contributors, board directors, and church partners who have entrusted the foundation with the resources to strengthen our churches, support clergy, and empower our communities. Our primary calling has always been to multiply generosity. As we look to the next century, we remain committed to our mission cycle of investing with faith-driven passion, serving with joyful hearts, and transforming the church with bold, courageous impact.”
The United Methodist Foundation of Michigan plans to observe the centennial with a celebratory dinner for staff, board members, special guests, and friends in November at Michigan State University in East Lansing.
The United Methodist Foundation of Michigan office is located at 3347 Eagle Run Dr. NE, Suite B, Grand Rapids, MI 49525. You can contact them by phone at 888-451-1929 and by email at [email protected].
You can also learn more about the foundation by watching this 4-minute video produced for their centennial celebration.
Last Updated on October 21, 2025