The Michigan Conference transitions to a new structure, with staffing changes, including a new conference superintendent, effective July 1.
JAMES DEATON
Content Editor
On July 1, 2026, the redistricting of the Michigan Conference from seven to four districts, which lay and clergy members voted on at the 2026 Michigan Annual Conference, went into effect, along with several staffing changes. Review the current staff structure.
The map showing the boundaries of the four districts has been published, along with the list of churches. The total number of churches in each district is: Central Shores District: 150; Greater Detroit District: 139; Greater Southwest District: 155; and Northern Skies District: 90.
Download the new district map.
Download the list of churches, organized by district.
Both the 2026 and 2027 conference budgets will fund five superintendents. Under the new structure, one superintendent has been assigned to each of the four districts, and a fifth conference superintendent will collaborate with and support the four district superintendents.
The names of the four superintendents are: Rev. Kristi Hintz (Northern Skies), Rev. John Kasper (Central Shores), Rev. Dean Prentiss (Greater Southwest), and Rev. Dr. Darryl Totty (Greater Detroit). The new Conference Superintendent is Rev. Jodie Flessner, who was the superintendent of the former Western Waters District.
Follow the new Central Shores Facebook page.
Rev. LuAnn Rourke, who was the superintendent of the former Heritage District, is appointed Clergy Assistant to the Bishop and Director of Congregational Development, following the departure of Rev. Dr. Jennie Browne, who retired on July 1.
Rourke has served as Director of Congregational Development since January 2026. This appointment addresses a gap created by the elimination of previous conference staff positions, which left no staff member directly connecting the Board of Congregational Life and the New Start Team working group. She hopes to weave these two bodies together more intentionally by aligning their work, improving communication, and preventing duplication of effort. Rourke envisions closer coordination with conference staff to identify opportunities for new ministries and support leaders who are eager to try more cutting-edge approaches but would require financial investment and coaching.
Other conference staffing changes include Jodi Fuller, who transitioned from Executive Assistant for the former East Winds District to Executive Assistant to both the Clergy Assistant to the Bishop and the Conference Superintendent.
New Conference Superintendent Position
Rev. Jodie Flessner has assumed the role of conference superintendent, effective July 1. The new position will oversee church mergers and closures, address complex property and building use issues, and work with clergy in extension ministry or on leave. District superintendents will continue to manage routine local church matters.
Flessner reminded local church leaders to continue contacting their district superintendent with day-to-day questions or requests for assistance, noting that the conference superintendent serves as a resource rather than a substitute.
“There are a lot of questions that churches have related to mergers and closures,” said Flessner, “and resources they need to do that effectively and consistently. So once those initial conversations have taken place and a church has said yes, we want to pursue this, the conference superintendent will likely walk the church through it and keep the geographical district superintendent in the loop. There are lots of meetings and a lot of work that go with that, so the bulk of the heavy lifting will transfer to the conference superintendent.”
Flessner also explained how conference superintendents can help resource churches and district teams with building and property decisions, using Wyoming Park UMC in suburban Grand Rapids and its decision to transform the church into transitional housing as an example of creative space use, including leasing arrangements. Read Wyoming Park UMC’s story.
She clarified that while conference superintendents can provide support in navigating the complexities, final decisions remain local and are made at the invitation of the geographical district superintendents, who understand their specific area’s needs.
The role of conference superintendents in other annual conferences has similarly focused on specific responsibilities. For example, in the Missouri Conference, conference superintendents were used to support district superintendents during disaffiliation, helping with the transition from nine districts to five and the heavier load of additional townhalls and charge conferences.
Here in Michigan, the conference superintendent will also serve as the primary facilitator of communication and ministry deployment between the Appointive Cabinet and Connectional Ministries Staff.
The Connectional Ministries Staff consists of Laura Witkowski, Director of Connectional Ministries; Rev. Kathy Pittenger, Associate Director of Faith Formation and Leadership Development; Lisa Batten, Associate Director of Intercultural Resourcing, Leadership, and Fund Development; and Yolanda Thomas, Executive Assistant.
Flessner clarified that while members of the Connectional Ministries Staff have been meeting regularly with the Appointive Cabinet since January 2026, which has been an intentional change, they will transition some administrative responsibilities to the conference superintendent. Specifically, administrative work for the Trauma Response Advisory Team and conflict transformation ministry will primarily transfer to the conference superintendent, though they will continue to partner with the Connectional Ministries Staff.
She also noted another priority that she’ll be involved with as conference superintendent: “We have been and will continue to work on how we resource cross-cultural and cross-racial appointments. We already had a team with members of the Connectional Ministries Staff and superintendents working on that, but we’re going to continue to work together and make it a priority for our pastors and local churches.”
One more key responsibility that will grow in importance as the conference settles into this new four-district structure is supporting district superintendents in creating connectional events that help clergy connect with their geographical superintendents and with each other across the large districts. A question remains: How do we continue to foster connectional life in this era of larger districts?
Flessner explained, “There has been a concern we’ve heard from people across the conference, especially clergy, about how we feel connected when the districts are so large. So the district superintendents are being intentional about bringing groupings of churches together. They’re calling them different names, but 6 to 15 churches in a smaller region are coming together to do work. But part of the conference superintendent’s role will be to support districts in creating connectional events. There may be two, three, or more events in a district, depending on the geography, but what would help people in that district connect?”
The goal of these connectional events, noted Flessner, is to ensure that local church leaders connect with their geographical superintendent and with one another as they grow in connectional ministry together. The conference superintendent role is simply one of support and facilitation to ensure that happens.
The conference superintendent position has an 8-year term within an 11-year period, similar to other superintendents, and Flessner just finished her seventh year in a superintendent role. The combined experience of Flessner and the other superintendents brings gifts and stability as the Michigan Conference lives into the new four-district structure and staffing changes.
The ministry of our superintendents 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 16, 2026