Rebekah Simon-Peter aims to help Michigan United Methodist churches experience renewal by crafting a bold vision for their future. Experience this dynamic speaker at the DARE to Dream Like Jesus event at Saginaw: First UMC on July 22, with a livestream option. The event is open to all clergy and laity in the Michigan Conference.
Jesus’ central vision was bold and transformative: “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Throughout history, that dream has inspired the faithful to act. Yet many congregations today struggle not because they lack faith or dedication, but because they lack a clear, compelling vision for the future. They are not dreaming as Jesus did.
DARE to Dream Like Jesus, led by United Methodist author and coach Rebekah Simon-Peter, is designed to equip clergy and lay leaders with practical tools to help their congregations live into a bold vision that positively impacts their communities.
Simon-Peter will bring her DARE to Dream Like Jesus workshop to the Michigan Conference on Wednesday, July 22, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Saginaw: First UMC, located at 4790 Gratiot Rd., Saginaw, MI 48638, will host. This event is open to all clergy and laity in the Michigan Conference. Churches are encouraged to send at least two people per congregation for the best interactive experience.
The workshop is sponsored by the Central Shores District and offered at a reduced rate of $25 per person. You may attend in person (lunch and take-home resources included) or via livestream (video link and printable resources included). Reading Simon-Peter’s book “Dream Like Jesus” in advance is not required. Those participating in person will receive a copy of the book to take home.
July 13 is the registration deadline. Click the link below to register for this conference-wide opportunity to learn and grow with others.
Register now for the DARE to Dream Like Jesus workshop.
DARE is an acronym that stands for Dream, Align, Realize, and Expand. In the DARE to Dream Like Jesus workshop, Simon-Peter will guide participants through what a Jesus-size dream truly looks like and how a dream (or vision) differs from mere goal-setting. A Jesus-size dream is about identity and kingdom-building, not just attendance. To make a big, bold dream a reality, leadership must work together to build alignment in the congregation, realize it through clear communication and courageous action, and let the dream expand through partnerships.
Rev. Amy Terhune, pastor at Saginaw: First UMC, has had several firsthand experiences working with Simon-Peter and has applied some of the DARE to Dream Like Jesus visioning principles while serving there.
“At Saginaw: First,” notes Terhune, “our vision is to love the whole city and to love the city whole. In reality, the work of fostering love and wholeness will never be finished, but it frames how we approach ministry and how we evaluate what matters. We have come to realize that when you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Rebekah’s words, not mine! Visioning is hard work, and it’s never finished. God is always on the move, which means that once we find our vision, there are countless ways God calls us to fulfill it over the years.”
Terhune first met Simon-Peter through the Creating a Culture of Renewal program. The program helps clergy better understand their people and their leadership style, and how to achieve real cultural change within a congregation. Amy quickly learned about Simon-Peter’s gifts, her extensive research on church revitalization and visioning, and her work with thousands of churches and students throughout The United Methodist Church. Learn more about Rebekah Simon-Peter.
“For me,” says Terhune, “that course was life-changing because it forced me to do the hard work of self-examination and skill-building in ways no one had challenged me to before. Church culture change begins with me. If I can know myself and my people better and address my particular strengths and weaknesses in healthy ways, I can lead more effectively.”
Last year, Terhune worked with Rebekah again while serving on the board of the Wesley Foundation at the University of Michigan. As a consultant, Simon-Peter helped the board think outside the box as the campus ministry looks to the future.
Amy explains, “We asked, ‘What patterns can we set and what ministries need to be reimagined to advance the cause of Christ on campus in the next 30, 50, or 100 years?’ These are important questions, and we have to begin asking them if campus ministry is going to be viable in the next ten or twelve years!”
Lay and clergy throughout the Michigan Conference are invited to join the DARE to Dream Like Jesus with Rebekah Simon-Peter on Wednesday, July 22. Register by July 13 to reserve your spot.
If you have any questions, contact Melanie Zalewski, Central Shores District Executive Assistant, at [email protected] or 989-793-8838.
Download the flyer for the event and share it with others.
Amy hopes people come ready to be challenged and to dig into the work of visioning and being the church God has called us to be. She hopes that church leaders will come expecting God to move, trusting that God is always ready to journey with us and empower us despite our fears.
“If we want to see God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven,” says Amy, “we have to begin imagining and articulating what that looks like and work together going forward. As a connectional church, United Methodists are uniquely poised to build God’s kin-dom here and now. It happens when we partner with God. But don’t grope blindly in the dark. Seek the skills to truly change culture. If we can get past our tendency to silo our congregations and our distrust that colleagues might ‘steal’ our sheep, and instead focus on what the Spirit of God is doing among us, the possibilities are endless, and the church’s future is brighter than ever!”
Register now for the DARE to Dream Like Jesus workshop.
Last Updated on July 7, 2026