Taylorie Bailey and Denny Wissinger, the new Co-Lay Leaders of the Michigan Conference, are ready to equip the laity of the annual conference for ministry and mission.
JOHN E. HARNISH
Michigan Conference Communications
She is from Liberia, and he grew up in Western Pennsylvania. He lives in an up-north small town in the former West Michigan Conference, while she has lived in the city of Detroit and the former Detroit Conference since 1977. She is a lifelong United Methodist, and he came from the former Evangelical United Brethren Church. His career took him from the U.S. military to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), and she is married to a retired United Methodist elder, Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Bailey.
It seems they are an odd couple, but they have a shared love for Jesus Christ and The United Methodist Church. And that is enough. Taylorie Bailey and Denny Wissinger are the new Co-Lay Leaders of the Michigan Conference. From their diverse backgrounds, they have come together to, in their words, “serve the annual conference and lead the laity in ministry.”
Denny led Bible study for 27 years and says Matthew 28:19-20 is one of his life scriptures: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (NRSVUE). The other guiding scripture in his life is Jesus’ description of the final judgment: “Just as you did it to one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did it to me” (Matthew 25:40). He sees his calling as lay leader to be that of a servant leader.
Taylorie combines her exuberant personality and background in the Liberian Methodist tradition with her studies at the University of Michigan and Central Michigan University. Using her gifts of communication to inspire others, she actively serves in United Women in Faith (UWF), giving her strong credibility with the women of the annual conference. Her passion for mission and the global nature of the church will help empower both the local chapters of UWF and the congregations in the Michigan Conference. Her favorite scripture is Matthew 22:37-40, the two greatest commandments: “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [and] ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”
Denny and Taylorie discussed the impact of the past year of disaffiliation, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, on the lives of churches. Given the relatively small number of churches choosing to disaffiliate in Michigan (about 16.5%), they feel the most important thing is to focus on the mission of The United Methodist Church “to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Regarding churches and individuals who disaffiliated, Taylorie said, “I feel like we need to love them as they leave, showing grace and love in the spirit of Christ.”
Concerning the mission to make disciples, Denny said, “Laity need a shot in the arm to be more involved in the mission.” His concern aligned with the well-known statistic that more than 80% of all first-time visitors to a church come because a friend invited them. They agreed the pandemic exacerbated the problem of membership decline, although it’s a concern the church has been dealing with for years. He said, “That’s where Lay Servant Ministries training can be so helpful. I hope we can get the resources out there and help laity be truly excited about their role in making disciples.” (Click to learn more about Lay Servant Ministries.)
Denny and Taylorie want to be available to local churches via Zoom, social media, and personal contacts to help strengthen lay ministry across the state. They said, “The great thing about working together is that we can share the various conference committee assignments and be more available to people in the local church.”
Taylorie Bailey and Denny Wissinger may seem like “Michigan’s ‘Odd Couple,’” but they believe their diverse backgrounds are strengths they bring to the role as lay leaders. “We are excited,” they said, “to find ways to serve and lead together for the sake of the mission of the church.”
Please contact Taylorie and Denny with questions and suggestions for lay ministry in the Michigan Conference. They are glad to help congregations equip lay leadership for ministry and mission.
Taylorie Bailey
[email protected]
313-205-3803
Denny Wissinger
[email protected]
989-429-4772
Last Updated on October 23, 2024