The Michigan Conference announces the hiring of Rev. Leslee Fritz as the new Special Assistant to the Bishop for Mission and Budget, along with other staffing changes.
On January 1, 2025, the Michigan Conference welcomed Rev. Leslee Fritz to a new half-time position, Special Assistant to the Bishop for Mission and Budget. At the same time, Rev. Brad Bartelmay, Special Assistant to the Bishop for Disaffiliation, is ending his 18 months of service. While the two positions have similar titles, they are quite different in nature, reflecting the changing needs and circumstances of the Michigan Conference.
The position of Special Assistant for Mission and Budget was created in the wake of Bishop David Bard’s assignment to serve two annual conferences, Michigan and Illinois Great Rivers. Read more in this news article. Funding for this new position came largely from budgeted funds from the North Central Jurisdiction that were approved at the 2024 jurisdictional conference in Sioux Falls, SD, to address the expected struggles related to the reduction in the number of bishops in our jurisdiction. Read more in this news article.
Bishop Bard’s dual assignment resulted in more responsibilities for the Clergy Assistant to the Bishop, Rev. Jennifer Browne, who is also the Director of Connectional Ministries. Laura Witkowski, Lead Associate Director for Connectional Ministries, now handles some DCM-related committee responsibilities. However, two significant tasks required the time and efforts of a new staff position: (1) communication and consultation with our mission churches as the Michigan Conference’s budget continues to be reduced and (2) the responsibilities related to budget planning from a mission-based perspective.
Rev. Fritz will work with a team of Michigan Conference leaders in guiding, with cultural sensitivity, missional values, and financial acumen, the strategic planning process that shapes the conference’s commitment to our mission churches. She will also work closely with finance staff to prepare, communicate, and interpret annual conference budgets, contributing a missional perspective to the budgeting process.
In a unique arrangement, Rev. Fritz will continue in her current position as lead pastor of Lansing: Grace UMC, although now on a half-time basis. “The fact that the leaders and members of Grace UMC were willing to rearrange their staff structure to make this possible was a true blessing. I’m also grateful to the North Central Jurisdiction, who awarded us a two-year grant that provides most of the funding for this position. Lastly, I am deeply grateful to both Laura and Leslee for being willing to take on these new tasks. They are both experienced, highly skilled church leaders who bring passion and giftedness to their roles,” said Rev. Browne.
As Special Assistant to the Bishop for Disaffiliation, Rev. Brad Bartelmay worked with churches, pastors, and district superintendents to bring clarity and consistency to the complicated processes of disaffiliation and closure.
“Having churches leave our conference and denomination has been challenging and painful,” said Bishop Bard. “The work of Brad Bartelmay in helping congregations navigate the processes for leaving has been of immeasurable help to those churches and the Michigan Conference. He has been caring, compassionate, knowledgeable, and well-organized in this work. I will be forever grateful for all his work during this time.” Rev. Bartelmay will continue to work with the United Methodist Foundation of Michigan as the Senior Director of Mentored Learning.
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Last Updated on January 14, 2025