A Season of Summer Thanks

O give thanks to God, for God is good; God's steadfast love endures forever!

As spring turns to summer, there are many things for which to be thankful. 

Here are a few:

Thank You Deborah and Sameerah!

After Judith Youngman departed as our Interim Conference Minister in August of 2011, Cheryl Burke began a second term as our Acting Conference Minister. Tom Webster would shortly depart as well - and the Conference needed help! Thus, Cheryl turned to The Rev. Dr. Deborah Kohler and The Rev. Sameerah Shareef and engaged them on behalf of the Conference. Sameerah and Deb became Acting Associate Conference Ministers with one-year contracts. These contracts - with shorter terms - were then extended twice to assist with the ongoing transition when I arrived in June of 2012. Both Sameerah and Deb have been wonderful in their work with our many churches engaged in the Search and Call process. Deb - working full-time - has staffed the Grand West Association, the South West Association, the Prophetic Integrity and Spiritual Discernment Mission Area Teams. In addition, Deb has helped initiate the Inclusive Justice Radical Welcome workshops and the twenty-thirty gatherings. Sameerah - working half-time - has staffed the Covenant Association, represented the Conference with the National Youth Event, and will be a delegate to General Synod 29.

On June 30th Deb and Sameerah's contracts will expire. On behalf of the Michigan Conference, I want to thank them for their loyalty to the United Church of Christ, their commitment to our local churches, and their selfless service to the Conference. This summer, the Conference will be moving toward a model that includes Area Ministers deployed regionally. I am grateful to Sameerah and Deb for helping us get through one transition and prepare for the next. I hope that you will take time to express your personal thanks to Deb and Sameerah.

 Thank You Michael Piazza

If you missed the April 20th Church Vitality Day, there is good news! Mike Piazza will be our keynote speaker at Annual Meeting, October 4 - 5 at Fellowship Chapel in Detroit. Over 200 people were present for Mike's April presentation, and many of them have taken his ideas home for implementation in their local churches. Because Mike was so impressed with the spirit of the United Church of Christ in Michigan, he has agreed to bring the Co-Executive Director of Center for Progressive Renewal, Cameron Trimble, with him in October. Their efforts promise to be twice as good. They will offer two continuing education sessions on Friday, a keynote address on Saturday, and two workshops on Saturday. Look for more information about how you - and members from your church - can be inspired and challenged by Mike and Cameron's vision for vitality!

In the meantime, why not have initiate a summer reading group at your church? Mike has written two books that are well worth your time: Prophetic Renewal and Liberating Hope are available through all major booksellers and will prepare you to better receive the good news at annual meeting!

Thank You Nicholas Hood, Sr.!

Nick Hood, Sr. is turning 90! He has been an important figure in the religious and political realms of Detroit for over fifty years. Hood helped organize Dr. King's visit to Detroit on June 23, 1963, he has been integral in redeveloping a vibrant neighborhood in Detroit with a variety of housing options, social services, charter schools, and a church campus - Plymouth United Church of Christ. Birthday greetings and expressions of appreciation can be sent to: Dr. Nicholas Hood, Sr., Riverfront Towers, 200 Riverfront Drive, Apt 12K, Detroit, MI 48226-4336

Thank you to our General Synod Delegates

General Synod 29 in Long Beach, California begins next week! The theme of Synod is: God's Vision ___________. Special thanks to our 20 delegates that will represent the Michigan Conference at this biennial event - and help us fill in the 'vision blank.' The Michigan delegation includes:  Traci Bartell, Harold Beer, Terri Bracy, Ralph Brown, Kyle Carnes, Deborah Dean-Ware, William "Bill" Dempsey, Mary DuBuis, Jeremy Farley, Ruth Fitzgerald, Dan Furman, Rob Hunter, Julia LeBrell, Emily Joye McGaughy-Reynolds, Mathew Oommen, Tom Ott, Bethany Joy Rozeboom, Hanifa Shareef, Sameerah Shareef, and Jerry Wallace.

Thanks also to our MUCCY group led by Todd Farley and Adriel Ruben that will be leading a workshop and performing in a worship service at Synod!

                                                                                              With you on the journey,

Many of our ONA churches are watching for the upcoming Supreme Court "Defense of Marriage Act" ruling. Please read the creative way that Church of the Good Shepherd in Ann Arbor is preparing for that ruling!

The Rev. Deborah Dean-Ware, Church of the Good Shepherd, Ann Arbor 

Marriage Equality Response

People of Faith Demanding Marriage Equality

Washtenaw County Clerk - Marriage License

July 13  9 a.m. - 4 p.m. STANDING UP FOR REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE ... an interfaith voice for women, men and gay communities. First Unitarian Universalist Church of Detroit, 4605 Cass Avenue, Detroit. This conference examines the religious grounds (United Church of Christ, Judaism, and Unitarian Universalism) for being a reproductive justice advocate; discusses the impact of reproductive injustice on various communities; shares resources for teaching others about reproductive justice; provides updates on Michigan legislation; and trains citizens to communicate with their State legislators. KEYNOTE: Rep. Vicki Barnett. Sponsors: Equality Michigan; Mothering Justice; Michigan Conference - United Church of Christ; Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network; National Council of Jewish Women - Michigan; and Planned Parenthood - Michigan. Lunch and child care provided. Register at: www.uujustice.org/conferenceregistration2.html $15 ($5 for students or low income persons). For more information (or to register) call: 248-549-5170.