Leaders of immigrant congregations and allies are invited to a June 17 information session on grant opportunities available to them, made possible by a $100K UMCOR grant awarded to the Michigan Conference.
The biblical mandate to care for the sojourner in our midst, along with growing concerns about the safety and well-being of immigrant faith communities, prompted Michigan Conference staff to draw on our United Methodist connectional network for support.
After listening to the needs of pastors and laity serving immigrant communities, conference staff applied for a grant from the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)’s Global Migration program. This $100,000 grant awarded to the Michigan Conference will address a range of needs within our conference and support immigrant faith communities.
This grant will focus on three areas:
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- funding for immigrant congregations and their ministries and programs,
- funding for wellness and renewal opportunities for immigrant clergy and lay leadership (such as retreats, spiritual direction, coaching, etc.), and
- funding for non-immigrant congregations seeking to support immigrants within their communities (by hosting trainings and events or developing programs that support newcomers and immigrant communities).
The minimum grant request is $500, and the maximum grant request is $20,000.
To learn about the application process, leaders of immigrant faith communities and ally congregations are invited to a one-hour information session on Wednesday, June 17.
The free session will be offered twice to better accommodate people’s schedules: 11 am to noon ET, and then from 6 to 7 pm ET. Contact Lisa Batten at [email protected] for the Zoom link to attend.
Batten, Associate Director of Intercultural Resourcing, Leadership, and Fund Development for the Michigan Conference, along with Rev. LuAnn Rourke, Director of Congregational Development (also serving as Heritage District superintendent), and Rev. Leslee Fritz, Special Assistant to the Bishop for Mission and Budget, will co-lead this session.
The application window will open after the information session on June 17 and close on August 1. Watch for the link in MIconnect and social media. Those interested in applying might consider attending the grant writing workshop on July 14. Learn more. A committee is being formed to review applications and make final decisions. Funds will be distributed by September 10.
The impetus behind this funding request: After the violent attacks on immigrants and their supporters in Minnesota earlier this year, Rev. Jennie Browne, Clergy Assistant to the Bishop, learned that Michigan was expecting an influx of ICE agents. She then heard from district superintendents and others that members of some United Methodist churches — regardless of legal status — were afraid to attend worship, and that churches serving immigrant communities were struggling financially and spiritually.
Browne brought her concerns to Bishop David Bard, who recommended that she speak with Rev. Jack Amick, a clergy member of the Michigan Conference and Director of Global Migration for UMCOR. UMCOR has been a connectional partner in our conference’s migrant and refugee ministry for some time, funding $2K Mustard Seed Migration Grants for several Michigan United Methodist churches and supporting the conference’s new Courageous Communities Project through a $10K solidarity grant. Michigan United Methodists are known for doing something for their immigrant neighbors.
Browne and Amick spoke, and Amick encouraged Browne to apply for a larger grant from UMCOR. Browne and Lisa Batten held listening sessions with pastors and laity from congregations serving immigrant communities, then translated their findings into the grant application. Batten, who has expertise in grant writing, drafted the proposal.
While crafting the proposal, conference staff developed a definition of an immigrant faith community to clarify their work. Essentially, it’s a local church or assembly of believers primarily composed of first-generation immigrants (newcomers) that often holds services in a language other than English. These congregations play a crucial social, cultural, and spiritual role in helping newcomers maintain their cultural identity as they navigate life in a new country.
Conference staff, whose salaries are paid thanks to generous financial gifts from local churches through Ministry Shares, were instrumental in researching and writing the grant proposal that helped secure this award from UMCOR. This is just one of several grants the Michigan Conference has received this year, thanks to the work of dedicated staff. Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.
Last Updated on June 11, 2026