|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
A bi-weekly newsletter to keep you up-to-date and informed.
|
|
|
Rev. Dr. Campbell Lovett, Conference Minister
|
 Environmental Efforts from the Wider Church I want to call your attention to some environmental justice campaigns that will be starting soon and running through the season of Easter: The Annual Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast and Mission 4/1 Earth. The six New England Conferences of the United Church of Christ are again sponsoring the Annual Ecumenical Lenten Carbon Fast. This is a great way for churches and members to experience Lent while making a difference for the environment. Sign up for daily emails that have suggestions for reducing your carbon footprint. Gather a church group for conversation about personal conservation efforts. It's not too late to sign up! Check out http://macucc.org/carbonfast for more information.
The national setting of the UCC is preparing for Mission 4/1 Earth. This program will take place at the same time as our Michigan 2 x 2 initiative, but it is easy to incorporate 4/1 into 2x2! Mission 4/1 earth invites us to green up, power down, and shout out for the environment. The challenge to the United Church of Christ is to offer more than one million hours of engaged earth care including clean up; plant more than 100,000 trees locally and globally; and send more than 100,000 advocacy letters. Mission 4/1 Earth is a suggested partner for Michigan 2 x 2. Look for more information at: http://www.ucc.org/earth/index.html
We are called to be responsible stewards of creation. Together, we can make a difference.
Campbell Lovett
|
|
One Conference: One Mission
March 31 - May 19, 2013
|
Michigan 2 x 2
The Conference Office has been hearing from many churches regarding their community mission partnerships . Once your church has decided upon their outreach partner for
Michigan 2 x 2, please email the Conference at 2x2@michucc.org.
Information and updates are available on the Conference website: www.michucc.org .
For the fifty days between Easter and Pentecost:
One Conference, One Mission - Michigan 2 x 2!
|
Rev. Malcolm Himschoot, the UCC's Minister for Ministerial Transitions, and the rest of the MESA Team (Ministerial Excellence Support and Authorization), are pleased to announce you can now find opportunities online! A NEW searchable database including local church positions and beyond! Search by keyword, Conference or type of position, in real-time, updated by hundreds of settings throughout the life of the church.
|
|
Pre-Retirement Seminar: March 7, 2013
|
 Since 1914, the Pension Boards has been privileged to serve those who serve the church.
A good time to review your retirement goals is when you are 10-15 years from your planned retirement date. With that in mind, we have planned a series of Regional Retirement Seminars designed to provide members - both clergy and lay - with important information to help make the transition to a new stage in life as easy as possible.
You are invited to attend the upcoming Retirement Seminar to be held on Thursday, March 7th, 2013 at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center - 219 S. Harrison Rd., East Lansing. The event will begin with registration and continental breakfast at 8:00 a.m. and concludes at 4:30 p.m.
To register for the event, please contact Sharon Thomas, Member Education Services Coordinator, at 800.642.6543, ext. 2712, no later than February 22nd.
A proposed Agenda is attached below. The seminar is offered to you at no cost and a one-time $100 stipend is given to each member to help defer your travel expenses. We look forward to seeing you on March 7th.
It is our privilege to serve you.
Proposed Agenda WITH YOU TODAY AND TOMORROW |
|
SAVE THE DATE!
Michigan Conference Annual Meeting
October 4th & 5th, 2013
Lodging:
Keynote Speaker:
|
|
"Downsize Staff Without Destroying Church"
|
|
UCC Women of Michigan: The Gathering
"Walk in the Spirit" June 7 - 9, 2013
|
The 2013 UCC Women's Gathering Brochure is Available!
The Gathering will be held on June 7,8,9 at the Kettunen Center in Tustin, Michigan. Our theme for 2013 is, "Walk in the Spirit" and we are excited that the Reverend Penny Lowes will be our keynote speaker. We also have a number of enriching workshops that you can chose from, described on the attached registration brochure. Be sure to register early as space is limited.
We will be mailing out registration forms to those who attended last year and we will also be glad to send additional registration forms to other UCC Women. Please contact either Amy McDonald at amycmu@yahoo.com or Vesta Smith-Campbell at vscampbell@cleary.edu for additional brochures.
Walk in the Spirit - Registration
Registration prints 2-pages on legal size paper (8 1/2 x 14)
|
|
Grace UCC in Grosse Pointe Park is having a SALE!
|
Grace UCC in Grosse Pointe Park is having a sale: Organ, Paraments, hymnals, antique office supplies, sheet music, file cabinets, lectern, pulpit, pew candelabras, some Christmas decorations, and much, much more.
Cash and carry (donations). Monday through Friday - - 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. beginning Thursday, February 7th through Thursday, February 21st.
Please call the Rev. Marcia Fairrow at 313-629-3898 or the church at 313-822-3823. |
|
Immanuel Scholarship: Apply TODAY!
|
Scholarship funds are available through an endowment provided by Immanuel United Church of Christ - Detroit. As the congregation was disbanding it was their desire to leave their legacy to support seminary students preparing for Ordination and Service in the United Church of Christ. The scholarship granting process is administered by the Faith Formation (Spiritual Discernment) Mission Area Team in accordance with the policies of the Michigan Conference. We encourage Members in Discernment who are Seminary students to apply for this Scholarship, and for renewal(s) if eligible! Click IMMANUEL SCHOLARSHIP INFO for more information, requirements, and to download the application.
The deadline for submitting applications or renewal requests is April 15th each year. Awards are granted during the summer so that funds can be disbursed at the beginning of the fall seminary semester.
|
|
FORUM: "A Plan of Action for the Tri-County
Re-entry Coalition" - Saturday, February 9th, 2013
|
|
Please share this information via newsletters and/or bulletins with members of your congregation and other organizations.
A forum on "A Plan of Action for the Tri-County Re-entry Coalition" will be held at Pilgrim Congregational Church - 125 S. Pennsylvania Ave., Lansing from 8:30 - 11:00 a.m. Saturday, February 9th. The program will focus on opportunities for volunteers in meeting the needs of prison inmates on their return to the community.
Registration (no charge) will be followed by presentations on services currently available in the Tri-County (Clint, Eaton, & Ingham) area, as well as needs not being met, and the role that volunteers can play in meeting these needs. Speakers will include a person who spent 10 years in prison for a crime he did not commit, and a convicted felon who has made a successful re-entry.
|
|
Volunteers Needed!
The Tri-County Re-entry Coalition (Edgewood United Church, UCC, East Lansing and St. Stephens Community UCC, Lansing are sponsors)is looking for volunteers to mentor returning citizens in MDOC Prisoner Re-Entry Program in Lansing. Volunteers meet with parolees individually once per week, and attend meetings with other volunteers and parolees in bi-weekly intervals.
Please contact Carol Ramsey, Program Coordinator, for more information at cramsey@lovejoysnc.org or 517-882-6870 ext#230.
|
|
Transform Your Life - Transform the World
|
After graduation - what's next? Taking a college break - where to from here?
If you, or someone you know, is searching for the right internship for 2013-2014 check out this one from the UCC, today!
Transform Your Life - Transform the World
Here's How....Apply Now
 Year-long UCC Young Adult Service Communities Ages 21-30: September 3, 2013 - August 3, 2014 Apply by March 15, 2013 - Community Living
- Service-Justice Advocacy Opportunity
- Leadership Development with Local Congregation
- Faith Conversations
A national network - Host churches located throughout the United States Housing, health insurance and small living stipend provided. AmeriCorps Edcuation grants available for some positions.
Questions: Please contact Rev. Mary Schaller Blaufuss, Executive, UCC Volunteer Ministries at blaufusm@ucc.org or 216-736-3214. For more information visit their website: http://www.ucc.org/volunteer
|
|
Covenant Association Spring Meeting Announced
|
The Spring meeting of the Covenant Association will take place on Saturday, April 20th at Pilgrim Congregational UCC, Lansing. The business meeting will begin at approximately 3:00 p.m.; following the Vitality Day Workshop sponsored by the Michigan Conference United Church of Christ. The business meeting will be about an hour in length.
The Covenant Association Executive Team encourages you to attend the Vitality Day Workshop. Please see more information on Vitality Day below or contact Lisa Soulliere at lisa@michucc.org.
|
|
VITALITY DAY!
With David Plunkett & Michael Piazza
|
|
Saturday, April 20, 2013
10:00 - 3:00 p.m.
125 S. Pennsylvania Ave.
Lansing MI 48912
Bring a group from your church for
hands on learning for your ministry setting!
Cost: $25 per person / $100 max per church
|
|
Vital Growth Mission Area Team
|
- Are you interested in starting a new church?
- Has God been pulling at your heart to start a new church?
- Are you curious about how to start a new church?
- Are you running away from a call to start a new church?
- Are you wondering how to do something new with a community that includes worship, discipleship and service?
|
|
Celebrate Seminary Sunday on February 24th!
|
Why Celebrate Seminary Sunday?
Our UCC seminaries are filled with faithful, committed students seeking the skills and wisdom necessary to lead the church in the 21st century. Our congregations need these students. In our region, we are blessed to have three fine UCC seminaries - Chicago, United, and Eden. Each of these seminaries provides quality education for pastors and lay leaders, and they provide research and resources that serve the entire UCC.
How to Celebrate Seminary Sunday
- Lift up our UCC seminaries and seminarians in prayer, in mission moments, and in your bulletins.
- Post materials about Chicago, Eden, and United Seminaries on bulletin boards.
- Include a special prayer or litany in your service.
- Show a five-minute CUE Seminaries DVD.
- Include a gift to CUE Seminaries in your church budget or to take up a special offering.
- DVDs, bulletin inserts, posters, and offering envelopes are available CUE Seminaries website: http://www.cueseminaries.org/
Please join us on February 24 in celebrating the current and future leadership of the UCC by celebrating and supporting Chicago, United, and Eden Seminaries.
For more information and resources, please contact Kiely Todd Roska, CUE Seminaries Director, (651) 255-6121 or kiely@cueseminaries.org.
|
 Join the Team:
Camp Talahi is Hiring!
Camp Talahi is gearing up for Summer 2013 and looking for great people to join us!
We are currently hiring:
|
Sr. High Youth Director: 1/4 Time (10-12 hours per week)
Second Congregational UCC, Grand Rapids |
Please be safe if you need to travel today. |
|
The Michigan Conference office is closed today, Friday, February 8, due to the winter storm. We will re-open with regular business hours Monday, February 11th.
|
|
|
|
5945 Park Lake Road | P.O. Box 1006 | East Lansing, MI 48826-1006
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
