The Michigan Christian Advocate - A Publication for Michigan United Methodists

The Michigan Christian
Advocate
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Adrian MI 49221
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I lost my car...
Lyle Heaton

I lost my car at West Michigan’s Annual Conference. I used three different Calvin College lots over the course of the conference, and while I was fairly certain I was in the right lot, I had no idea exactly where in that lot my car might be. As I pounded the pavement in search of my vehicle, I began to notice bumper stickers.

    Now in all honesty, I cannot be certain I was looking at only United Methodist automobiles. Some Calvinist cars may have slipped into the bumper sticker stew. This was not, in other words, a scientific survey. But it did pass the time as I searched.
    There were, of course, political bumper stickers: Obama-Biden, McCain-Palin, Viva Bush, though not all addressed national politics: Proud Member of DeVos Team for Change and Elect Fuller for Sheriff. I saw an I’m a Christian and a Democrat sticker. There were a variety of appeals for peace: Dept. of Peace, Wage Peace, War Is Not the Answer, Another United Methodist for Peace, and one that read simply Stop the War! There were on some bumpers calls to Support our Troops! Another urged Pray for our Troops. And yet another read God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions. There were Proud Parents of Honor Roll Students, Spartan Marching Band enthusiasts, and one bumper sticker that advised, Irritate a Liberal – Work Hard and Be Happy! One person extolled his or her _ for yellow labs. Another proclaimed _ for NO (New Orleans). Yet another read I _ [image of a sandpiper-type bird] Extra Crispy with Potato Salad and Sweet Tea. (My guess is that this was expressing ire at beach restrictions aimed at protecting piping plover nesting habitat. While I may disagree with the sentiment, I appreciated the humor.) The Kiwanis Club International, Autism Awareness, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Recycle Michigan all found expression in automotive art. One recalled a Sunday School song: Red and Yellow, Black and White – They Are Precious in His Sight, and our Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors slogan made an appearance.
    All of which reminded me of two truths:
    1. We United Methodists are a diverse group of people with wide-ranging interests and opinions, and
    2. We are natural evangelists.
    Given the opportunity (e.g., possession of a car bumper) we love to share what is important to us with those around us. Parental pride, political preference, and personal passions all find expression. At West Michigan’s Annual Conference a couple of guests told us how to revitalize our congregations and how to rethink church. What they said was helpful and good. But maybe all we need to do (or at least one additional thing we could do) is release our penchant for sharing our passions into the arena of our Christian convictions – to share what is important to us with those who are around us, to (in the words of John Wesley to Francis Asbury as he sent him off to the colonies) offer them Christ.
    And for those of you who live in the Grand Rapids area – if you happen to cruise through a Calvin College parking lot and notice a 12-year old grayish-green sedan with a broken tail lens that doesn’t look like it’s been moved in awhile, give me a call.
    Heaton is pastor at Wacousta UMC.

West Michigan seeks
"Vital Signs of Hope"
Ann Whiting

    The West Michigan Annual Conference convened June 4 at Calvin College. The theme – "Vital Signs of Hope" – was highlighted by six video presentations on vital local churches: Concord UMC, Grand Rapids: First UMC; Harrison: The Gathering; Lansing: Korean UMC; Indian River UMC; and Plainwell UMC.
    In two presentations, Dan Dick addressed the theme and pointed to several of the churches as examples of vital, sustainable congregations. A key characteristic of vital congregations is a "strong sense of identity and purpose." Dick is a consultant in conference and congregational planning based in Nashville, Tenn.
    The conference celebrated another new church start, the Valley Church in Allendale. The Rev. Brad Kalajainen, pastor of Cornerstone Church south of Grand Rapids, introduced the pastor of the new church, the Rev. Matt Bistayi. As the pastor of an earlier new church start, Kalajainen noted West Michigan’s strong history of new church starts, but said "one thing about West Michigan culture ... has to change." Every church, he said, needs to support new churches. "In the past, most nearby churches have been supportive, others lukewarm, and some even hostile." More

Despite fire,
Michigan trees take root
Greg Peterson
    MARQUETTE, Mich. (UMNS) – The Rev. Grant Lobb’s parents used to tell him that "many hands make light work."
    The United Methodist Marquette District superintendent found the adage to be true when volunteers from 16 United Methodist congregations planted about 1,600 trees in May across the Upper Peninsula – just before two large forest fires in the region.
    Those trees were part of the 12,000 trees planted near homes, camps, parks, American Indian reservations and other places as part of the interfaith Upper Peninsula EarthKeeper Tree Project. Read more

Daryl Davis, a member of First United Methodist Church in Marquette, Mich., and his wife, Ginny, plants evergreen seedlings. Volunteers from 16 United Methodist congregations planted about 1,600 trees in May across the Upper Peninsula. –a umns photo by David McCowen.

Tabers are DAC VIM
Volunteers of the Year
Duane Townley
Ann and Morris Taber serve as instruments of God’s love as dedicated Individual Volunteers to Zimbabwe. They bring enthusiasm and their talents as librarian, professor, and fund developers. Both wanted to use their skills as educators in a volunteer project.

    After retirement, the couple took the United Methodist Individual Volunteer training in 1998. They met the Rev. Elias Mumbiro and his wife, Lillian, who are native Zimbabweans and serve in the Detroit Conference. Mumbiro wrote a letter of introduction to Headmaster Naboth Maramba, the principal of Hartzell Primary School at Old Mutare Mission, Zimbabwe.
    Maramba had a dream of a library for the children of the mission school. Ann was able to serve as a librarian and Morris as a professor of American history at neighboring Africa University for different two semesters. The Tabers returned home and appealed for children’s books and computers for the Old Mutare primary school. Maramba had a blueprint made for a building. The parents provided some of the bricks and money needed for a new library building. The Tabers spoke about the need for a library building, and made it possible to raise funds for building.
    In the past 10 years they have sent three 40-foot shipping containers full of books and computers which have been donated to Hartzell Primary School and nearby Methodist schools. They have trained a librarian to catalogue and run the newly-built library. They have set up a scholarship program making it possible for local children to afford the school. They have traveled to Zimbabwe on an average of once a year, sometimes guiding VIM teams. They have purchased lovely local arts and crafts and brought them to the U. S. to tell the story in churches and provide a way to increase donations to the mission school.

Detroit Annual Conference focus
is 'Principled Christian Leaders'
Ann Whiting
"For Such a Time As This" was the theme as the Detroit Annual Conference convened May 13-17 at Adrian College. Preachers and speakers invoked the theme often and also addressed the first of Four Areas of Focus adopted by the 2008 General Conference: "Developing Principled Christian Leaders."

    Bishop Gregory Palmer (Illinois Area and president of the Council of Bishops) combined both concepts when he preached at Friday morning worship. His sermon, "Fit to Lead," referenced two stories recorded in the Hebrew scripture about Samuel and Esther, who each answered God’s call to lead "for such a time as this."
    Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton preached at opening worship, urging conference members to "Rejoice in our Sufferings." Referring to the apostle Paul’s instructions in Romans 5, the bishop said, "Paul is convinced that we can accomplish God’s mission in Michigan regardless of the pain and suffering wrought by unemployment, bankruptcy, church closings, swine flue, death, doubt and pessimism." More

32 Amendments to be considered by 2009 Annual Conference sessions
By J. Richard Peck
    Voting members of 134 annual conferences around the world will consider 32 amendments to the Constitution of The United Methodist Church as they meet in the coming months. The 62 U.S. annual conferences will begin meeting in May
    Voters will be ordained elders and deacons in full connection and all lay members of the conferences. Members may debate a proposed amendment, but they cannot change it. They must vote either for or against an amendment as it stands.
    Twenty-three of the 32 amendments result from a 2005-2008 study by the Council of Bishops' Task Force on the Global Nature of the Church. Read more

Seminaries receive free copies
of the NRSV "Green Bible"

Washington, April 13, 2009 – In honor of Earth Day, more than 50 free copies of The Green Bible are being sent to seminary professors and administrators by the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Programs and the bible’s publisher, HarperOne. The purpose of the gifts, said Jordan Blevins, Assistant Director of the NCC Eco-Justice Program, is to enable seminaries to share the bible with their students. ”Earth Day is a unique opportunity for our churches and communities to celebrate the values of God’s Creation,” Blevins said. “By getting this Bible into the hands of seminary faculty and staff, we can see that these values continue to be focal points of our churches’ ministry.” Earth Day is April 22. Read more

Members of Grace United Methodist Church in Marquette, Mich., donate the year’s first Sunday offering to Alger-Marquette Community Action Board for home heating assistance. – A UMNS photo courtesy of Charlie West.
Michigan churches adjust
to economic downturn
A UMNS Report
By Ann Whiting
When United Methodist pastors in Michigan were surveyed about how the economy was affecting their church’s ministry and mission, one common answer stood out. Nearly all the pastors reported increased sensitivity to the plight of those most adversely affected by the economy and a parallel increase in helping local families. Read more

For more stories on how United Methodists are coping with recession, go to umns.umc.org and click on Special coverage... Economic issues

• Job loss provides opportunity to serve others Peoria First United Methodist Church will be clearinghouse for people needing assistance.

• Churches offer services to the jobless The economic downturn is becoming a catalyst for many churches to provide new services.

• Hoosier United Methodists offer help in downturn Indiana churches reach out to their communities, reeling from economic woes.

• United Methodists join rally against foreclosures Bus caravan arrives in Washington to speak out for families facing the loss of their homes.

DAC deacons release letter on the economy
    The Detroit Conference Order of Deacons has developed and released a letter on these "uncertain and challenging economic times." The order is charged with connecting the church and world, and the letter urges "United Methodists to resist the temptations of panic, fear, and the mentality of "hunkering down" into an insular survival mode. Instead, we call United Methodist local churches to prayerfully and boldly engage in creative ministry that proclaims and embodies the good news of Jesus Christ in lives and communities demoralized and stripped of hope."
    The letter will be printed in the March issue of the Michigan Christian Advocate. Click the link below to read the letter as well as worship and reflection resources developed by deacons to accompany the letter.Read more.

Opportunities

HAITI CLEAN WATER SUPPORT – Pastor Rob Nystrom (Battle Creek: Birchwood UMC) and the people of Haiti need your help. Haiti is the poorest country in the western hemisphere. One reason for this poverty is sickness due to the lack of clean drinking water. To raise money for water filtration devices, Nystrom is collecting pledges for a two-week bike ride around Lake Michigan (1,000 miles) from July 12-26. To pledge a per mile amount, send it to Chapel Hill UMC, 157 Chapel Hill Dr., Battle Creek, MI 49015 to the attn: of the Rev. David Morton, Albion District VIM Coordinator. Write checks to "West Michigan Conference Treasurer" with a memo note "The Ride For Water." Questions, contact Nystrom at (269) 963-2084.

NEW WEB SOURCE LAUNCHED ON SPIRIT-HEALTH CONNECTIONS – Templeton Foundation Press is pleased to announce a new web resource, called Spirit-Health Connections (www.spirit-health.org). This site will meet the needs of a wide variety of users including medical professionals, patients, spiritual care providers, researchers, students, and anyone else interested in exploring the fascinating intersection of health and religion. Visitors can find free content on this subject along with news and various online extras that will enhance the reading experience. Read more.