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District News

Cluster Conference Training Video

Posted on by atrupiano

The Greater Detroit District UMC has created a video from the Vital Cluster Church Conference training on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. This video is a treasure trove of information, providing insights on preparing for your cluster church conference. 

 If you couldn’t attend the live training, this video is your key to understanding and mastering these crucial aspects of our UMC church life.

Please share it with your church members so they will know how to prepare for cluster church conferences. This video can answer questions about where to find the church conference forms, what forms are needed following the 2024 document deadline list guidelines, the importance of downloading the newest version of Zoom to participate fully in the meeting, and more.

 

Click…..HERE for the YouTube video and share it with your congregation. We invite you to join us as we Dare to Shift to doing ministry in a BOLD new way. Let’s inspire each other and embrace this exciting change together.

Cluster Church Conference Schedule

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2024 ‘REVISED’ CLUSTER CHURCH CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

The cluster church conference schedule has been updated. Please click… HERE for the latest official schedule. This year we are Daring to Shift… to cluster church conferences instead of the single church model.

Click here for updated Vital Church Conference instructions.

Download an Agenda for Cluster Church Conference

Cluster church conferences are groups of three to seven churches that meet by Zoom on the same date. Each church will have its own private SPRC meeting with Rev. Dr. Darryl Totty before the cluster of churches meets together on Zoom. The cluster church conference will consist of a greeting by Rev. Dr. Totty followed by a devotion/ prayer.

Afterward, each church will be assigned to a breakout room with an elder who will lead the church through the business of the church motions and reports.

Each church must submit their e-file documents to their applicable Dropbox folders at least (5) days before your scheduled church conference. 

Download an updated document deadline schedule.

DOWNLOAD YOUR FORMS HERE.

Both Rev. Totty and the assigned elder will need to review your documents before your scheduled cluster conference. Click here to download a Leadership form to complete.

The Business of the Church form MUST be approved by the Church Council, Ad Board or Governance team at least 10 days before the church conference. The minutes approving the Business of the Church must be uploaded to the church Dropbox along with all required church conference forms at least (5) days before the church conference.  Dropbox links will be sent to the church at least (10) days before your scheduled cluster conference.

District Hybrid Conference: Dare to Shift

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Save the Date!

Greater Detroit Hybrid District Conference

Dare To Shift
“I Am Preparing Something New…” Isaiah 43:19

“Watch closely: I am preparing something new; it’s happening now, even as I speak, and you’re about to see it. I am preparing a way through the desert; Waters will flow where there had been none.”

Date: November 15th
Time: 6:00 PM
Format: Hybrid (In-person and Virtual Attendance)
Location: Mount Clemens First UMC

 We look forward to seeing you there!

Grant Writing Workshop

Posted on by Dowell

Grants can be a funding source for existing or new ministry ideas, facility repairs, or new builds.  Knowing where to look and how to write a grant can be challenging and even intimidating.  Join Lisa Batten, Associate Director of Connectional Ministry for a grant writing workshop in which participants will not only learn basics, but also create a case for support for grant writing purposes.

Laity and clergy are invited to this on-line workshop in which we don’t need to be an expert.  Bring your ideas and curiosity and we will tap into the grant writing world.

Dates:  Tuesday, September 17th; 6:00-7:30 pm or Thursday, October 10th; 9:30 – 11:00 am EST.  Please select which date/time works best for you.

No Fee.  Register now, here.

Save the Date: 31st Annual MLK Celebration

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SAVE THE DATE

The 31st Celebration Honoring Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is on Sunday, January 12, 2025 at Grosse Pointe United Methodist Church. More details will follow later this year. 

HELP FUND THE 2025 SCHOLARSHIPS

Each year the Greater Detroit District awards high school seniors and college students scholarships in memory of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The 2024 scholarships were funded in part by a grant from the District, and in part by individual donations. You can help to fund the 2025 scholarships by clicking here.

Statement of Belief

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Greater Detroit District Church & Society Committee
A Statement of Belief

As United Methodists, we believe scripture affirms that “all persons are individuals of sacred worth, created in the image of God” (161, Human Sexuality, 2016 The Book of Discipline Social Principles). Therefore, we believe the United Methodist Church (UMC) through its ministries of love, justice, and service must be open, affirming and welcoming to all of God’s children.

Too often, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+*) persons have been marginalized and excluded from full inclusion in the life of the United Methodist Church. Through words, actions, and inaction, the UMC has contributed to the suffering of LGBTQ+ persons and impeded rather than nurtured their personal relationship with Christ. Jesus demonstrated radical inclusion of those rejected by mainstream society. As followers of Christ, we are called to welcome all persons into the life and ministry of the Church and to celebrate the spiritual gifts of all those who have been baptized into the Body of Jesus Christ.

The United Methodist Church therefore must reject and refuse to accept/tolerate any form of discriminatory action directed at LGBTQ+ people by members of our church leadership and in particular our clergy, given their unique responsibility to reflect by word and action God’s will. 

The UMC must not sanction discrimination against any group of persons. 

Mark 12:30-31 says, “And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”

There are no exceptions in Christ’s call to love your neighbor.
Adopted by the GDD C&S Committee on March 14, 2024.

Frank Driscoll
Chairperson of the Greater Detroit District Church & Society Committee

*We recognize that terminology regarding sexual identity is both fluid and highly culturally contextual. The choice to use the initialism LGBTQ+ in this statement of belief does not preclude translators or, indeed, individuals from applying timely

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The Greater Detroit District (GDD) Refugee Resettlement Program

*The GDD C&S Committee has entered into a refugee resettlement partnership with Samaritas Social Services.

*Samaritas cooperates with the U.S. Department of State in resettling refugee families from counties all over the world.

*Samaritas expects to resettle in Michigan over 3,000 refugees in the 21-month period beginning June 2024.

*The GDD has committed its churches to resettle one refugee family each month beginning in June. In large and small ways, there is an opportunity for all 81 GDD churches to participate in resettling a refugee family.

“Everything is so beautiful.”

On June 24th Naima Alkhalil and her 3 daughters were the first refugee family to be resettled under the GDD Refugee Resettlement Program. GDD volunteers a long with volunteers from Samaritas Social Services and Birmingham Frist UMC (the participating church) completely furnished the family’s first home in America. Having a home in Dearborn Heights is the end of a very long journey for family. They are Syrian refugees who fled their home country during war time and migrated to Turkey. Naima lost her husband, and the children lost their dad, who was a causality of the Syrian war. After all the family has been through, the middle daughter summed up her feelings as she looked over her fully furnished home – “Everything is so beautiful.”

It is a blessing and very rewarding for all of us in the GDD to have the opportunity to offer a helping hand to a refugee family in desperate need of a friend.

In July Cass Community UMC will be the participating church. For information on how you and your church can become involved in the GDD Refugee Resettlement Program, contact Carol Driscoll at [email protected].

Jesus calls us to action in Matthew 22:39: “The second most important commandment is love your neighbor as you love yourself.”

Pay District Ministry Shares Online

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Our District Treasurer, Victor Raybaud, has been working on a way for churches to pay their District Ministry Shares online. The Greater Detroit District currently uses the Vanco Payment company to receive and transfer funds. These Vanco tiles have already been used to receive payments for several events over the last year. You may have used one of these tiles if you participated or donated funds to an event (e.g. Hands with Detroit, MLK Scholarship Fund, etc.).

To access the Vanco tile to make a District Ministry Share payment, copy and paste this link into your web browser:  https://secure.myvanco.com/L-Z9HV/campaign/C-13RHB

Provide the information that is requested and click the proper option to advance to the next page. The process to submit a payment is quite easy to follow. However, if you would like more detailed instructional information on the steps, please click below for a printable instruction sheet. Should you have any questions, concerns or suggestions for improvements, please send an email to our District Treasurer, Victor Raybaud at [email protected].

DOWNLOAD AN INSTRUCTION SHEET HERE.

 

District Admin’s Corner

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New district office hours.

The ‘physical’ Greater Detroit District office hours located at Metropolitan UMC are by appointment only. The District Executive Administrator, Dwanda Hayton’s office hours are Mon.-Thurs. 8am-4pm and 8am-11am Friday. If there is a supervisory emergency, the caller can reach Rev. Totty by phone at: 313-300-3085.

 

Local Church conferences will be held earlier in 2024.
The District will have a new model for church conferences. We are “Daring to Shift” to a new way of ministry as we engage in Missions and Ministry and work in synergy in connectionism and outreach.  

We will start the church conferences in late August or early September. The church conference season will end Oct. 31, 2024 and we will use Zoom to facilitate all meetings. Stay tuned for more details and scheduling. If your church would like to have church conference early in the schedule. Please contact the District Executive Admin. Dwanda Hayton at [email protected] to request an early date in scheduling.

Please start to prepare your church leaders for those conversations around church conference forms.

  • Want to get an early start on forms?
  • You can draft forms based on last year’s documents. The 2024 church conference files will be available online around May 1, 2024 at this link: https://michiganumc.org/resources/forms/
  • All documents will be uploaded through Dropbox to your district church Dropbox folder link. Drobox links will be emailed to each church before their local church conference. Don’t have a church Dropbox account. The district strongly advises all churches to create a free Dropbox account to make uploading forms easier for your file management.
  • Each church is responsible for keeping a permanent file copy of their church conference file packets submitted to the district office.
  • The district will not accept ANY  paper copies of church forms. All forms must be submitted electronically to Dropbox.
  • Church Conference document submission training will be offered this summer via Zoom.
  • Stay tuned for more details…..

 

 

Is your leadership roster up-to-date in Brick River?
Brick River is the official Michigan Conference database. Please make sure your leadership roster is up-to-date. Click HERE for easy instructions to update local church leadership in Brick River.

 

Does the District Office have your correct church and clergy information? CLICK HERE TO UPDATE YOUR INFORMATION with the District Office

Call for Two-state Solution: Church & Society

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A Greater Detroit District Church and Society Committee Action Alert

Urge Biden administration to immediately pursue, facilitate and implement a two-state solution for Middle East peace.

The Greater Detroit District (GDD) Church and Society Committee joins the voices of the United Nations Secretary – General; the US President, and US allies from the Middle East and around the globe, in calling for the aggressive formulation and prompt implementation of a two-state solution as the only just and viable roadmap to an enduring Middle East peace between Israel and its Middle East neighbors.

This Committee endorses a two-state solution that is in compliance with the 1947 UN General Assembly approved plan to partition Palestine into Arab and Jewish states with international rule over Jerusalem.

We concur with the November 29, 2023, statement when the UN Secretary – General called on the international community to move towards a two-state (Palestine/Israel) solution to the Palestinian – Israeli conflict with Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace, with territorial integrity and security. The UN went on to declare that under a two-state solution, Jerusalem would serve as the capital of both states.

We also embrace President Biden’s October 25, 2023 invitation to all involved countries and US allies to support the two-state solution as the only doorway to lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians. We call on the President to show strong and assertive leadership to put those words into action.

We call on the United Methodist Council of Bishops, who have condemned the recent attacks in the region, to raise their voice in support of the two-state solution as the only just and viable resolution to the long-standing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Directly email President Biden now https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
Or call the White House (202) 456-1111 and our Senators (202) 224-3121

Raise your voice and tell the President to use his immense influence for justice and peace. Too many lives continue to face unimaginable atrocities.
Remain steadfast in our witness and advocacy for peace.

We continue to pray for the innocent civilians, both Israeli and Gazan, many of them women and children, who have suffered incarceration as hostages, dislocation from bombardment, and injury and death as a result of the hostilities.

As United Methodists, “we believe war is incompatible with the teachings and example of Christ… As disciples of Christ, we are called to love our enemies, seek justice, and serve as reconcilers of conflict. We insist that the first moral duty of all nations is to work together to resolve by peaceful means every dispute that arises between or among them.” United Methodist Social Principles 165.

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Greater Detroit District