The Michigan Conference’s Seed to Harvest Team wants to help you take a ministry idea and help it sprout and grow. Join one of the info sessions on September 15 or October 1 to learn more — no commitment required.
We often feel isolated when launching something new, or we may be unsure of the next steps when revamping an existing program or ministry to be more fruitful. The good news is that we don’t have to go it alone. The Michigan Conference’s Seed to Harvest Team wants to guide you and provide resources to ensure you feel supported in the work God has called you to do.
Learn more about the Seed to Harvest ministry incubation program.
Rev. Jennifer Jue, pastor of Fremont and Hesperia UMCs, and Jean Matthews, an active lay member, had an idea to expand on Fremont’s use of the Ark Park, a community park located across the street from the church, to reach more children and adults. So, Jue went through the Seed to Harvest program, which involved a wonderful mix of “vision casting, brainstorming ideas, sharing dreams, and mutually giving feedback and encouragement to each group member.”
Matthews crafted an application for a district grant for funds to buy new children’s books (preschool through middle school), pass out ice cream treats, put up a bounce house, and set up games. The idea has taken off and is growing.
“This monthly summer program,” explains Jue, “encourages the children and youth to play together and builds community spirit. It was exciting to see all these ministry ideas being ‘planted’ at the beginning of the program and then ‘grow’ into real, new ministry programs.”
Rev. Anika-Kafi Summers of Trenton: First UMC got assistance through the Seed to Harvest program to create a children’s art program on Saturdays for the community.
“A member initiated the idea, with my support, and several others volunteered to participate,” notes Summers. “The member was enthusiastic to share her gifts and work with youngsters, and several other members signed up as volunteers. I also volunteered and was encouraged to see my more seasoned faith community interested in drawing younger families and others into our church through outreach and soft-touch evangelism.”
The Seed to Harvest facilitators held monthly online group sessions, individual meetings, and in-person sessions. Summers is grateful for the support she received: “We started the work to pull together all the tangible items required for a successful event. I received a tremendous amount of support from Rev. Cara Weiler, Lisa Batten, Audra Hudson Stone, and Colin Batten. I took advantage of everything. However, our seed of an idea struggled; although we believed we had fertile ground, our program failed to successfully germinate, reminiscent of Jesus’ parable of the weeds.”
Despite hurdles, Summers learned a lot about organizing a group, maintaining excitement and energy through the process, and sharing our pivot point as a success. She explains further, “As a faith community, we learned that our largest hurdle was finding the best programmatic fit. We had to ask ourselves different questions: who are we — our demographics, abilities, capacities — to effectively grow, merge, and expand our reach within the community. We better assessed our church community to determine our needs and desired outcomes.”
Having evaluated who they are, Trenton: First UMC is now pivoting and realigning their new ministry idea. “We recognized that our first program idea was not the best fit for us,” says Summers. “We are not a church of young families and should look at how we can bring in those who naturally look like us. Therefore, we have pivoted toward health-related fitness, a winter garden series, and art activities for an adult population with a sliding fee.”
The Seed to Harvest Team is preparing for their next cohort, and you can join them. You’ll be a part of a peer community, learning and implementing ministry incubation tools to adapt an existing ministry or launch a new one. Learn more and register now.
The cohort doesn’t begin until January 2027, but there are two free info sessions this fall where you can come and learn more. There will be time for fun, interactive activities, questions, and sharing ideas. Join the Seed to Harvest Team on September 15, 2026, at noon and 6 pm ET, and on October 1 at noon and 6 pm ET. All sessions are free and online via Zoom.
Register now for one of the info sessions this fall.
Do you have questions about the Seed to Harvest ministry incubation program? Contact Lisa Batten, Associate Director of Intercultural Resourcing, Leadership, and Fund Development for the Michigan Conference, at [email protected].
The Seed to Harvest program is made possible thanks to generous financial gifts from local United Methodist churches in Michigan through Ministry Shares. Thank you! Learn about the impact of Ministry Shares on mission and ministry in Michigan and around the world.
Last Updated on July 21, 2026