News

MARC is now Goodberry

Last summer, the Michigan Area Resource Center (M.A.R.C.) closed down due to difficulties in sustaining the ministry. In an effort to continue the valuable role the Resource Center performed to the congregations of the United Methodist Church, options for a re-imagined Resource Center were explored, with the support of the West Michigan Conference, and Goodberry was born.  This was in response, in part, to the West Michigan Conference commitment to grow small group discipleship and...

UMVIM teams first-come, last-gone

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Albion College makes "green" list

When it comes to improving the quality of life by caring for the environment, United Methodist colleges are receiving high ratings and the growing respect of the “green” community. The Princeton Review included 17 United Methodist related colleges in its recently released publication, “The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges: 2013 Edition.” The Princeton Review, known for its education services that help students choose and get into colleges,...

G-ETS elects first woman president

EVANSTON, Illinois, May 2013 – Today, the Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary Board of Trustees unanimously elected Dr. Lallene J. Rector to be the next president of Garrett-Evangelical. Currently serving as the seminary’s vice president for academic affairs and academic dean, Rector will succeed Dr. Philip A. Amerson, who will retire on December 31 after nearly eight years as president. Rector, an extraordinary scholar and practitioner, shares a deep love for the church...

Breaking news from Oklahoma

Michigan Area Bishop Deborah L. Kiesey calls Michigan United Methodists to join in prayer: As I listen to the reports still coming in from Oklahoma and surrounding areas, my heart is breaking for all those affected by these devastating tornados over the past several days. My prayers especially go out to families who have lost loved ones, as well as homes and businesses. I also pray for the first responders and others who courageously run toward the injured to provide care and...

Weight of a pastor's world

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Send Someone with Special Needs to Camp

Disability Concerns has grant money available to help with the cost of camp for someone with special needs. Please send the request to disability@hartumc.org listing the camp and date....

Michigan advocates monitor bill

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Social Principles seen as US-centric

Here’s a quick test of your United Methodist knowledge: Would The United Methodist Church endorse a church-run bingo night? Does the denomination support the government subsidizing health care? Would the denomination approve of shooting down a nuclear missile from orbit? Answers to these questions and others about church teachings are in the Social Principles, part of the United Methodist Book of Discipline. As their preface says, the Social Principles are...

There's a new face in Lane 1

The name of Valerie Mossman-Celestin is familiar to all of us in West Michigan. The former Office Administrator at 11 Fuller, SE, Valerie continues to serve as the Editor of The Conference Weekly News. Now she is being recognized as a missionary eligible to receive salary support in our Six Lanes 2013. Last year Valerie was commissioned as a Deaconess in The United Methodist Church, an area of mission service administered by the National United Methodist Women. Valerie's service assignment...

Free Discipleship Webinars available

Register for Webinar   Committed to Christ: Six Steps to a Generous Life May 16, 2013 | Webinar The newest resource on the Stewardship scene is “Committed to Christ: Six Steps to a Generous Life.” Author Rev. Bob Crossman joins the webinar to share the journey that led him to create this resource and the impact it is having on churches large and small across the...

Celebrate Mother's Day with Care

by Jessica Miller Kelly Mother’s Day is one of the unofficial “high holy days” of the church calendar. Like Christmas and Easter, the second Sunday in May often brings in visitors the church rarely sees, if only because Mom has requested that the family go to church together before their celebratory lunch. Pastors know it will be a high-attendance Sunday and don’t want to let the mothers down, so churches brainstorm ways to honor the mothers in their midst on that...

WM Block Party begins May 29

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Inspiration Saturday will change lives

Inspiration Saturday will be a powerful day of learning, worship and fellowship led by one of United Methodism’s visionary voices, Rev. Dr. Lovett H. Weems, Jr., author of Bearing Fruit, Ministry with Real Results and Director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC.  The day begins at 10:00 AM with a leadership seminar, followed by a fellowship lunch and then powerful worship with thousands of United Methodists from across...

May the trailer runneth over!

The Rev. David Morton, UMVIM Coordinator for the West Michigan Conference and co-chair of the Michigan Area Haiti Task Force, announces a new twist on a long-time effort. In the past, a semi truck has parked on the grounds of Calvin College to receive kits for Haiti. In light of the critical need for relief supplies of every kind and in many places, arrangements have been made for the Midwest Mission Distribution Center (MMDC) to bring an 18-foot trailer to the campus. It will be open...

New Wesley dean is mission-driven

Washington, D.C. - Wesley Theological Seminary’s board of governors and president are pleased to announce the selection of the Rev. Dr. Robert Martin as dean of the seminary. Martin brings a deep understanding of theological education, spiritual formation and church leadership to his new position. He is an ordained elder in the Missouri Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church. He has held the position of the Lovett H. Weems, Jr. associate professor of church...

Bishops come together to learn

“Exploring leadership for an emerging church” is the theme of the first meeting of the Forum of Residential Bishops, being held this week, May 5-9, 2013 in San Diego.  The purpose of the five-day meeting is to create a learning environment where the residential bishops will share best practices, experiments and innovations that are working/not working in order to learn from one another. Each day’s discussion and learning will  focus on a different ...

Grand Rapids family calls for reform

Jorge and Keren Rodriguez are a father and daughter from Honduras who live in Grand Rapids. Jorge pastors La Nueva Esperanza United Methodist Church. On April 10 they joined the march for comprehensive immigration reform that was held in Washington, DC.  Back in Michigan, Pastor Jorge recently celebrated Labor Day (May 1 for most of the world's people) participating in a demonstration stressing the need for immigration reform. He explains: "Our current immigration system is...

The flood is over ... now what?

"Wear your grubbies and bring a good pair of work gloves. Meet at FROM (Flat River Outreach Ministry) for your work assignment." Those were the instructions on the Lowell First UMC Facebook Page, prepping volunteers for the May 4 clean up. On May 2 there was excitement when they passed the 500-mark on cleaning buckets distributed. (Those still wanting cleaning buckets should contact Lowell First UMC, 616-897-5936.) Jeremy Wicks, Disaster Coordinator for the West Michigan Conference...

Jesus and UMCOR calm the waters

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