KAY DeMOSS
Senior News Editor-Writer, Michigan Area
January:
Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey holds the 4th of five Conversations on the Journey toward one annual conference, webcast from Cornerstone UMC, Caledonia.
The Area Communications Team discontinues conference editions of MIConnect Weekly News and launches MI-UMC, coordinated media for the entire Michigan Area.
A $64,000 grant from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry enables the launch of EncounterMICall a program partnering Michigan’s Wesley Foundation students with internships.
February:
After the final Conversation on the Journey at Northville UMC, an Advisory Board comes together to consider next steps on the path to one conference.
Out of a commitment to reduce ministry shares, Bishop Deb announces that, effective August 1, the Heartland District will be administered jointly by the Superintendents of the other five West Michigan districts.
March:
The Rev. Molly Turner, the Michigan Area Field Representative for Imagine No Malaria, rejoices that the Detroit and West Michigan Conferences raised $1.54 million by the end of 2014.
General Council on Finance and Administration announces that the West Michigan Conference is one of 25 (out of 57) annual conferences in the U.S. to pay 100% of its General Apportionments in 2014.
Justice for our Neighbors West Michigan and Southeastern Michigan are among four JFON sites to share a $50,000 grant from The United Methodist Women. JFON-SEMI also receives a grant from General Board of Church and Society in April.
April:
The Judicial Council acts on a ruling made by Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey at the 2014 Detroit Annual Conference regarding issues of same-sex marriage.
The Northwest Detroit Flood Recovery Project receives a $300,000 UMCOR Grant to organize outreach to the victims of the August 2014 flood. An earlier bridge grant of $100,000 hired the Rev. Becky Wilson to direct the effort.
May:
Bishop Deb, a 1973 grad, receives an honorary degree from Morningside College in Sioux City, IA.
The Detroit Annual Conference is held on the Adrian College campus. The General and Jurisdictional Conference Delegates are elected to be led by the Rev. Charles Boayue, Jr. and Jackie Euper. Ballots for a single new conference and a Michigan camp corporation are taken and sealed. Guest teacher is the Rev. Jorge Acevedo, lead pastor at Grace Church, Ft. Myers, FL. A petition on equalization of Annual Conference Membership, basing the formula on average conference attendance rather than membership, is sent on to General Conference. A revised Clergy Sexual Ethics Policy for the Michigan Area is adopted. The $1.63 million Area contribution to Imagine No Malaria is celebrated.
June:
Jan Ott, wife of Bishop Donald Ott, dies June 2. The Otts served the Michigan Area from 1992-1980.
The West Michigan Annual Conference is held on the Calvin College campus. Ballots for a single new conference and a Michigan camp corporation are taken and sealed. Guest teacher is Adam Hamilton, founding pastor of the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, KN. Regarding actions sent on to General Conference: 1) calls General Boards and Agencies to divest from companies involved with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land; 2) endorses the Connectional Table’s “Third Way” that acknowledges the denomination has historically not condoned homosexuality but allows pastors, in accordance with state law and their personal conscience, latitude to perform same-sex marriages (while not requiring them to do so). Further, Annual Conferences could choose to or refuse to ordain openly LGBTQ clergy. Revised Clergy Sexual Ethics Policy for the Michigan Area is adopted. Celebrates the Area’s $1.65 million gift to Imagine No Malaria.
The One Matters Award of the denomination’s Disciple Ministries is given to Bannister United Methodist Church, pastored by the Rev. Mona Dye. Bannister is West Michigan’s first small church consultation for the Vital Church Initiative.
Rev. Lisa Batten, the Campus Pastor at Kalamazoo: Wesley, receives the Francis Asbury Award of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
On Count Day, June 10, Bishop Deb announces that the Detroit and West Michigan Annual Conferences discerned—by a vote of Detroit Conference 718 yes and 75 no; West Michigan 551 yes and 83 no– that “now is the time for the two annual conferences to become one!”
Also on June 10–by a combined total of 1116 yes to 57 no–the members of the Detroit and West Michigan conferences voted to form a Michigan Area Corporation to administer camping and retreat ministries.
United Methodist Black Clergy of Michigan denounce the shootings in Emanuel AME Church in Charleston. United Methodists gather with others round the state in prayer services advocating racial reconciliation and justice.
Three bus-loads of young people from 16 United Methodist churches in Michigan travel to Orlando, FL to participate in Youth 2015.
The Michigan Area says good-bye to the Rev. Dr. William Dobbs, who retires as Clergy Assistant to the Bishop.
The U.S. Supreme Court makes same-sex civil marriage a constitutional right in all 50 states. Bishop Deb issues guidelines on how clergy can be in ministry with the LGBTQ community and remain in compliance with the Book of Discipline.
July:
The Area welcomes the Rev. Melanie Lee Carey as Clergy Assistant to the Bishop.
The Michigan Area Haiti Task Forces announces the hope to train 500 Haitian Local Pastors during the next 18 months.
On July 17 in Cassopolis, Michigan, the Rev. Benjamin David Hutchison marries Monty Hutchison with United Methodist clergy present and participating.
On July 28 a rally sponsored by the Reconciling Ministries Network is held at the Area Office in Lansing to deliver Stop the Harm pledges.
August:
On Aug. 3 fifteen clergy and lay members of the WMC met with the Clergy Assistant to the Bishop for constructive conversation and prayer around LGBTQ concerns.
A new website—MichiganUMC.org—comes online to serve the Michigan Area.
Bishop Deb names the membership of the new Michigan Area Design Team co-chaired by the Rev. Glenn Wagner (WMC) and the Rev. Marsha Woolley (DAC). [email protected] is established as the channel all may use to provide input to the team.
The eight core members of the newly formed Michigan Area Camp Corporation meet for the first time.
Two more Global Mission Fellows come to Michigan. Chelsea Williams now serves as the Bag Lunch Coordinator at the NOAH Project, joining Chelsea Spyres, who came to the city in August 2014. Kayla Flannery is Volunteer Coordinator with Northwest Detroit Flood Recovery Project.
September:
The 29-member Design Team meets for the first time Sept. 1-2, considering Area demographics, current collaborations, and big-picture considerations.
The Bishop’s Office shares clarification regarding the membership and candidacy of Ms. Ginny Mikita, participant, as a clergy member of the Universal Life Church, in the July 17 wedding of Benjamin and Monty Hutchison.
Justice For Our Neighbors (JFON) expands its ministry by opening a site in Traverse City.
Wesley Woods announces the receipt of a $200,000 grant from the Granger Foundation toward the funding of a new dining hall.
On September 28 the Rev. Michael Tupper, an elder serving in the West Michigan Conference, notifies Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey that he will not agree to a just resolution in a same-sex wedding complaint.
Outreach Magazine recognizes Cornerstone Church in Caledonia, Michigan among the top 100 fastest growing churches in the U.S.
Chelsea Spyres, Global Mission Fellow serving the NOAH Project in Detroit, will be one of two young people to address the General Conference in Portland, OR in May 2016. The other is Peter Cibuabua of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Two new District Superintendents are welcomed to service in the Detroit Conference: the Rev. Dr. Charles Boayue, Jr. (Detroit Renaissance District) and the Rev. Elizabeth Hill (Blue Water District).
October:
Bishop Deb calls the Michigan Area to prayer as an impasse is reached over a Just Resolution with the Rev. Michael Tupper. She refers the complaint to the Counsel for the Church, the Rev. Elbert Dulworth.
United Theological Seminary’s online Hispanic Christian Academy (HCA) extends its ministry to students in Michigan, a significant boon for leadership development here.
November:
On Nov. 5 Bishop Deborah Lieder Kiesey announces her intention to retire in 2016 at the end of her current four-year assignment to the Michigan Area, citing a need to care for her long-term physical mobility.
The newly established Michigan Board for United Methodist Camps, Camping and Retreat Ministries hires the Rev. George H. Ayoub as a full-time Interim Executive Director.
The Detroit and West Michigan conference delegates to the 2016 General/Jurisdictional conferences agree to work together to solicit, review and endorse episcopal nominees.
The United Methodist Women of the Detroit and West Michigan conferences join in support of the United Methodist Community House in Grand Rapids, a National Mission Institution of The UMW.
December:
The Design Team schedules a six-stop Listening Tour to begin in January 30, 2016 and run through April 28.
Bishop Deb announces that the Rev. John Boley will become the Clergy Assistant to the Bishop effective July, 2016.
The Rev. Melanie Carey shares her deep call to return to the local church in her blog, Spiritual Cairns.
Bishop Deb and United Methodists around the state call for openness to migrants and refugees and stand with Muslim neighbors in the wake of fears over terrorism.
Also effective July 2016, Bishop Deb appoints the Rev. David Kim to serve as the Superintendent of the Saginaw Bay District of the Detroit Annual Conference.
Eight United Methodist bishops, friends and colleagues gather at Ann Arbor First United Methodist Church on December 12 to remember and honor the life of Bishop Jesse DeWitt, who died Nov. 26.
2015 was a year marked by creative tension, compassion for the marginalized and a yearning for healthy change. With deep trust in the Holy Spirit, the Michigan Area looks ahead to 2016.
Last Updated on December 15, 2023