Questions?
Contact Jody Pratt
Volunteers in Mission Coordinator
[email protected]
616-292-4908
Visit us at Annual Conference
Visit the ERT and VIM Long Term Recovery tables at the Annual Conference Mission Festival on May 29. Meet some of our volunteers and learn what’s coming up next year for training and mission journeys.
Scholarships
*To qualify for VIM first-time scholarships, a team must have at minimum, one trained adult. It is highly recommended for VIM Mission Journeys. Michigan VIM trainer: Jody Pratt, [email protected]
First-time scholarship participants are eligible for NCJ trip insurance reimbursements.
Download the scholarship criteria.
Donations are welcome for first-time international missioners ($150) and clergy grants ($500).
To register a VIM team and request insurance
Please contact Tammy Kuntz, North Central Jurisdiction Volunteer in Mission Director, 614-325-8741, [email protected]
SEEKING A WAY TO SERVE
Volunteers in Michigan serve under the North Central Jurisdiction Volunteers in Mission programs. VIM pairs mission opportunities that match your skills and mission needs with the right training to ensure your ministry succeeds. VIM offers both short-term local and international mission opportunities.
VIM works with both individuals and church groups, both experienced teams and those just getting started. We launch teams that focus on everything from relationship building to construction, even medical and wellness. VIM services all ages and all levels of experience. Your first call is to our Volunteer Coordinator who can guide you to the appropriate training and trips. This is critical to the safety and success of every team. VIM works with federal agencies and insurance providers to secure national and international healthcare and emergencies.
MICHIGAN SITES
Looking for a mission here in Michigan? Sites currently open for volunteers:
- Cass Community Social Services (inner-city Detroit) – Sue Pethoud, [email protected]
- Motown Mission (inner-city Detroit) – Carl Gladstone, [email protected]
- God’s Country Community Ministries (rural-poverty in the Upper Peninsula) – Randy Hildebrant, [email protected]
- East Winds UMC District Mission – Rev Carol Blair Blouse, [email protected]
UPCOMING DOMESTIC TRIPS
Detroit – July 16-17, 2026
Join us for a meaningful Service Opportunity for ERT/VIM Volunteers on July 16 and/or 17, 2026, in Detroit, MI. In partnership with After the Storm (Katie Vokal and Donavan Farrar), volunteers will serve individuals and communities in need through hands-on projects tailored to your skills. Individuals or groups may participate for one or both days, with lodging provided for overnight volunteers.
Worksites and teams will be assigned based on skill sets. The cost is $5 for one day (includes lunch at the worksite) or $20 for two days (includes lunches, overnight lodging, and a light breakfast). Dinner will be on your own.
Please register by July 10, 2026 (no walk-ins). To receive a registration form and submit your skill list, email [email protected].
Upper Peninsula – August 16-20, 2026
Rev. Rodney Gasaway is leading a team to the Newberry area in the eastern Upper Peninsula to serve with God’s Country Community Ministries.
The dates are set for August 16-20, 2026. This rural ministry reaches out to families living near or below the poverty line. Their key programs include clothing giveaways to local schools, a free store, and home improvement and accessibility upgrades. There is a job for every skill level on this team, and it is a great entry-level mission experience for all ages.
Contact Rodney at [email protected] to learn more.
UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL TRIPS
Liberia – February 2027
Rev. Jon Reynolds at Brighton: First UMC is leading a team of United Methodists on a Mission Opportunity in February 2027 (dates to be determined).
This will be a life-changing experience where you will learn more about education, water/sanitation projects, agricultural development programs, and the Bishop Judith Craig Children’s Village.
The cost is $2,500. Email [email protected] for more details.
Peru – March 2027
Peru Team 2027 is open for applications! This journey is for young adults, aged 18 to 35. Participants will experience project work in VBS and health care, light construction work, as well as other activities to be determined by request from Iglesia Metodista. The team will build relationships with our Peruvian partners and grow leadership skills and cross-cultural relationships.
March 1 to 11, 2027, with an arrival by February 28, 2027. We will be serving in the Lima area (Miraflores 656 Larco, Lima)
The cost is $1,650 with a $50 deposit due at registration. Cost includes all food, lodging, and transportation in the country. In the event of a team cancellation, your deposit will be refunded. Airfare to Lima is the responsibility of the participant since the team comes from other jurisdictions.
Pre-registration is required by October 1, 2026. Contact Jody Pratt at [email protected] or 616.292.4908 to register.
TRAINING INFORMATION
Michigan Conference Early Response Team (ERT) Basic Training
If you would like to be a part of an UMCOR-certified Early Response Team (ERT), register for one of the scheduled training events below or send your name and contact information to the Michigan Conference Early Response Team Trainer Jody Pratt, [email protected]. She will gladly work with you to schedule an ERT training in your area. Please note that UMCOR requires atleast 10 people, with a maximum of 20.
Volunteer in Mission Team Leader/Team Training Information
Volunteers looking to lead or work with a team for a domestic or international experience are encouraged to attend for certification. Michigan lnternational teams are eligible for scholarships for first time mission journey participants who complete the training. Trainer: Jody Pratt, [email protected]
TRAINING EVENTS
Long-Term Recovery Disaster Response and Volunteer in Mission Training
Saturday, October 17, 2026
8:30 AM Check-in (for pre-registered participants)
9 am – 4 pm includes lunch, breaks, participant manual, and t-shirt
Location: Middleville UMC, 111 Church Street, Middleville, MI 49333
Cost: $30 covers materials, lunch, shirt.
Payment due at the door. Make checks payable to MI Conference Disaster Response.
Instructor: Jody Pratt, VIM Coordinator
Pre-registration required. Contact Jody Pratt at [email protected] or 616.292.4908 to register.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: October 7, 2026
*This training is for those who want to work long-term on disaster recovery teams (usually 1-2 weeks), domestic or international mission journeys, or partner with a certified Early Response team.
Early Response Team (ERT) Certification
Friday, June 12, 2026
8:30 AM Check-in (for pre-registered participants)
9 am-4 pm includes lunch, breaks, participant manual, and t-shirt
Location: Michigan Conference Center, 1011 Northcrest Rd., Lansing. MI 48906
Cost: $35 covers materials, lunch, and shirt.
Payment is due at the door. Make checks payable to MI Conference Disaster Response.
Instructor: Jody Pratt, VIM Coordinator
Pre-registration required. Contact Jody Pratt at [email protected] or 616.292.4908 to register. A background check link will be provided prior to training.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: June 8, 2026
*Maximum 20 people. This training is for those who wish to be certified through UMCOR for the early response deployment.
Saturday, January 23, 2027
8:30 AM Check-in (for pre-registered participants)
9 am-5 pm includes lunch, breaks, participant manual, and t-shirt
Location: St. Paul’s UMC, 620 Romeo, Rochester Hills, MI, 48307
Cost: $35 covers materials, lunch, shirt.
Payment due at the door. Make checks payable to MI Conference Disaster Response.
Instructor: Jody Pratt, VIM Coordinator
*This training is for those who wish to be certified through UMCOR for the early response deployment.
Pre-registration required. Contact Jody Pratt at [email protected] or 616.292.4908 to register.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: January 16, 2027
*Maximum 20 people
*Interested in hosting a training? Training for ERT/VIM Long Term Response can be scheduled at a church willing to host. Contact Jody Pratt at [email protected] or 616.292.4908.
Joy in mission after retirement
After retiring, Sandra White discovered a new calling serving others as a Mission Volunteer with Cass Community Social Services in Detroit. Read her story.
A lesson in caregiving
In a role reversal, Heather Jue-Wong traveled to Peru as a health professional on a Volunteers in Mission team from the United States, only to become the patient. Read her story.
Volunteers aid Alaska farm, food bank
A team from Livonia: Newburg UMC served at United Methodist-affiliated Alaska Pacific University’s Spring Creek Farm and learned about sustainable agriculture and food security. Read their story.
Disaster recovery teams share stories
In the fall of 2025, two Volunteers in Mission teams from Michigan returned from trips to Georgia and Kentucky, helping communities rebuild after devastating natural disasters. Read their stories.
Learn about the historic 2021 Detroit flood
The 100 Year Flood documentary follows a West Ohio ERT team into Detroit to see the flood damage and its impact on aging infrastructure. A 4-session Bible study accompanies the documentary and asks, Will people change the ways they live to reduce the likelihood of events like this for their neighbors in Detroit and around the world?