"Where Do We Go from Here?"

 

     In 1991, the church that I served as a co-pastor was intimately involved in the sesquicentennial observances of the Amistad rebellion, trial, and subsequent release of the African captives. 150 years earlier, one of my predecessors, Rev. Leonard Bacon, had looked from the church steps across the New Haven Green and saw a number of Africans exercising in the yard of what is now City Hall.  When Bacon inquired, he discovered that this was a group of rebellious slaves kidnapped from Sierra Leone and transported across the Atlantic in a ship named "LaAmistad." The slaves had overpowered their captors near Cuba and demanded to be returned to Africa. Through some deceptive night sailing by the navigator, the ship ended up anchored off the coast of Connecticut. The Amistad was intercepted by a US ship, and the Africans were eventually jailed in New Haven until their legal standing could be determined. Bacon and many other abolitionists throughout New England rallied to the cause of the Amistad slaves and their leader, Cinque. With the legal assistance of a former President of the United States, the captives were freed in a verdict rendered by the US Supreme Court. This was a seminal moment in the national debate over slavery, and it continues to be a great story of people's faith in action - a story that is a part of the history of the United Church of Christ.

 

     The Detroit Metropolitan Association's Social Justice Committee has been holding meetings in Detroit regarding the presence of an Emergency Financial Manager in their city and the recent bankruptcy filing. At these meeting there are discussions about disenfranchisement and disempowerment, deindustrialization and white flight, broken promises and lack of respect, corruption and collusion, levels of fiscal oversight and lack of due process. The participants are passionate as they try to navigate the waters of federal law, state oversight, and the Christian faith.

 

     I thought about these Detroit meetings in relation to the focused responses to the Amistad revolt. If people of faith had not intervened, the Amistad simply would have been a legal case about ownership. Without the involvement of people of faith, the Africans would have been returned to their captors for sale in Cuba or the United States. Without the involvement of people of faith, the national debate over slavery would have been muted and our founding principles ignored much longer. If this is such a pivotal moment in our day and age, I wonder how it is that we are being called upon to respond as people of faith.

 

     Edgewood United Church in East Lansing recently hosted Rev. Dr. Preston Williams, professor emeritus at Harvard University, who spoke about implementing the dream of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In his lecture, Dr. Williams traced the long history of red-lining in cities like Detroit, and how the absence of open-housing laws created vast areas of substandard housing and ghettos. Red-lining and exclusionary housing practices were ways in which those with white privilege could limit minorities to specific residential areas, and deny their access to mortgages and loans - essentially condemning them to poverty. It is interesting to note that in all of the conversations about Detroit's financial hardships very few commentators want to detail the history of exclusionary laws and practices that helped create the current situation.

 

     It is important for all of us in the Michigan Conference, United Church of Christ, to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Detroit: to pray with them for a just resolution; to study how municipal bankruptcies often exploit the most impoverished and politically marginalized people; to seek understanding about the broader context for the demise of Detroit; to study the ethics of denying retirees the pensions they were promised; to be in conversation about the seven Michigan cities under the oversight of emergency managers - that results in the disenfranchisement of more than 50% of African American voters; and to ask questions about how people of faith should best be involved in seeking resolution to injustices. 

                

     The Detroit Metropolitan Association is surveying the scenes in Detroit and will be inviting the Conference to join them in responding to the injustices they are discerning and detailing. As people of faith, we will be called to respond to Detroit and to the growing number of municipal bankruptcies across the nation. How is it that we shall respond in our own historic moment?

With you on the journey,

The Michigan Conference United Church of Christ is pleased to announce the two new half-time Area Ministers for the Southeast Area (Detroit Metropolitan and Eastern associations) and the Southwest Area (Grand West and Southwest associations). The Rev. Dr. Renee Jackson will serve in the southeast, and the Rev. Nicole Havelka will serve in the southwest.

 

Dr. Jackson is no stranger to southeast Michigan. She was a member at Fellowship Chapel in Detroit and has served churches in Ypsilanti and Imlay City. Dr. Jackson has served at all levels of the United Church of Christ - national, conference, and association - and has been recognized for her leadership in areas of ecumenism and racial reconciliation. Renee serves on the boards of Evangelical Homes of Michigan and Sustaining Pastoral Excellence at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt. She has been a frequent speaker and preacher throughout southeast Michigan.

 

Dr. Jackson will continue to serve half-time at First Church in Imlay City in addition to her new Conference role. Renee is married and lives in Imlay City with her husband, Dennis.

 

For nearly five years Rev. Nicole Havelka served the Iowa Conference as an Associate Conference Minister. Her focus was on faith formation and long-term development of youth leaders. In that work she developed a passion for creating dynamic networks and resourcing church leaders through social media. Nicole encourages us to connect with her by "Liking" her Facebook page, following her Twitter feed (@revnhavelka) and Pinterest boards, and networking on Linkedin and Google+, where she posts ideas, resources and articles about church transformation. You can also read her thoughts about yoga, pop culture, cooking and the church on her blog, www.prayitforward247.com.

 

In addition to her role as area minister, Nicole will be doing consulting and coaching in the areas of children, youth and family ministries and faith formation through her relationships with Vibrant Faith Ministries and The Center for Progressive Renewal. Check out her 5-week online course through CPR, "Move Beyond Youth Group: 21st Century Approaches to Effective Youth Ministry" beginning Oct. 10.

 

Dr. Jackson began her conference work this week, and Rev. Havelka will begin the first week of October. A special welcome to our two new Area Ministers! 

Friday Evening, October 4th: You Are the Emergent Church

Friday we will travel from Fellowship Chapel UCC, Detroit to Higher Grounds Ministries - 15324 Mack Avenue, Grosse Pointe Park (if you live closer to Grosse Pointe Park feel free to meet us there). We will share in opening worship, a meal of pizza & pop and join in group discussions about what Your work will be to the transforming church. A presentation from the MUCCY Leadership team and three (3) workshops to attend before closing prayer.

Saturday, October 5th: Faith Formation Kicked Up A Notch

Breakfast is served at Fellowship Chapel UCC beginning at 7:30a. We will travel to First Congregational Church and take a tour of the Underground Railroad. Enjoy a boxed-lunch before walking to the Charles H. Wright Museum to learn, process and discuss. 

We are in need of chaperones as well; all of the necessary forms to register are listed below.  Download your forms and get signed up today!! Help us make the most of Youth Faith Formation in Action!!

YOUTH FAITH FORMATION FLYER - AGENDA (Tentative)

• Liberating Hope: Daring to Renew the Mainline Church - $18.05   (written by Michael Piazza and Cameron Trimble)

• Liberating the Gospel: A Daily Reflection for Liberals - $20.05
• Prophetic Renewal: Hope for the Liberal Church - $14.35
• Gay By God: How to be Lesbian or Gay and Christian - $15.35

 

 ANNUAL MEETING BOOK ORDER FORM

 

Form can be scanned and emailed to Lisa (lisa@michucc.org) or faxed to 517/339-2621.

 

Michigan Conference

Special rates under room block:  "Michigan Conference United Church of Christ" through September 20th while rooms are available.

Other highlights:  Continuing Education, Worship, Workshops, Youth Programs and workshops, Special Meals, Cookies, Bookstore, Displays, Hearings, resolutions, and much more!  More information on the Conference website (www.michucc.org).

Grand West Association:  Scott Luthy; Jim Gilliom

Southwest Association:  Randolph B. Hellwig

United Northern Association:  Grafton "Mac" Thomas

We have shirts for sale with the 2013 Annual Meeting Logo!

The shirts are "soft style" a polyester/cotton blend (60/40). This style washes and wears well!  

We have three (3) styles available for order prior to the Annual Meeting.  We are only printing shirts that are pre-ordered; these will be delivered at Annual Meeting.  

Styles available: (add $2 for extended sizes) 
T-shirts/short-sleeve (S,M,L,XL) $9

T-shirts/long-sleeve (S,M,L,XL)  $12

Polo shirt (S,M,L,XL)                $20

ANNUAL MEETING SHIRT ORDER FORM 

MUCCY will have another meeting for Youth and Young Adult leaders at the Michigan Conference Annual Meeting on Friday evening, October 4th during the dinner hour (details forthcoming).  We are looking for more team members -- hoping to represent the full conference in our youth and young adult planning! If you are interested in making a difference, come join us! For more information look MUCCY up on Facebook , email Adriel Ruben at adriel.ruben.@gmail.com or call Todd 626-475-4543 or Adriel 626-623-9794.

• Refreshments will be provided
• Weather permitting - we will continue in light rain; services cancelled in the case of heavy rain, thunderstorms and lightning
• Bring your own lawn chairs for the event
• Sweatshirts, umbrellas, and raincoats are recommended

  Pilgrim Haven Family Camping -1958

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pilgrim Haven is located 2.5 miles south of South Haven on 18th Avenue. 

Spiritual Insight Nurture and Growth (SING) groups are starting up again this fall. Please let me know if you would like to participate in a group and we will try to get you connected. More information can be found at www.michucc.org under the resource tab.

More information coming soon!!

Shelby Congregational UCC, Shelby

As the saying goes, "A picture tells a thousand words..."

Help us to tell our story in photographs and words!

We are looking for photographs and brief captions/descriptions that help us tell the story of the Michigan Conference United Church of Christ - to each other and those beyond our state.

Please read through examples of fun facts, that you may or may not know; things that are happening in our local churches, with the UCC Women of Michigan, and Camp Talahi - to name a few.  Tell Us About Your Local Church & Ministries

The Ambassadors for the Compassionate Generosity Mission Area Team of the Michigan Conference are working with the summer interns to put together a brochure and power point to "tell our story." Please send your photographs and descriptions electronically to Lisa at the Conference office (lisa@michucc.org) - Deadline extended 

We want to know all about YOU, YOUR CONGREGATION and YOUR MINISTRY for JESUS CHRIST.

The Parish Paper

"Disaster Relief"

Please hold in your hearts and in your prayers former Michigan pastor, the Rev. Dr. Eddie Bray (former pastor of Grosse Pointe Cong'l Church - Detroit Metropolitan Association) on the passing of his wife Judith Boyer Bray.  Mrs. Boyer passed away on Wednesday, August 28, 2013. Obituary & Condolences to the Family

Please keep Rev. Roger Pohl (retired pastor, Covenant Association) in your prayers as he recovers from cardiac by-pass and aortic valve replacement surgery on August 24th.  Roger is now recovering at home.  Cards maybe sent to him at: 706 N. Mansfield St., Ypsilanti MI 48197-2031.

Please keep Anne Pyciak (Detroit Metropolitan Association) in your prayers; Anne recently suffered a stroke. Cards may be sent to her at: 4619 Hatherly Place, Sterling Heights MI 48310.

Please keep the Rev. Phil Hobson, (Pastor, First Congregational UCC, Charlotte - Covenant Association) his wife, and their family in your prayers as they prepare to welcome their second child, a son, who was recently diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. He is due in the fall and will face several open heart surgeries.  The Hobson's have a great deal of faith in their doctors and surgeons at Children's Hospital in Detroit where their daughter Mira has also had a series of successful heart surgeries. 

Please hold in your hearts and in your continued prayers, the Rev. Sherry Schacht and her family (Eastern Association; pastor of First Congregational UCC, Romeo).  Continue to lift her up in your prayers for strength and courage; determination and faith; and for LOVE and comfort.

Please keep the Rev. Michelle Brown (Pastor, Congregational UCC, Armada) and her family in your hearts and prayers, on the passing of Dennis Brown, father of Jim Brown and father-in- law of Rev. Michelle Brown. Mr. Brown passed away on Wednesday, September 11.  Visitation will be at the Will & Schwarzkoff Funeral Home on Sunday, September 15 between the hours of 2:00 - 9:00p. The funeral will take place on Monday, September 16 at Zion United Church of Christ - 68 New Street, Mt. Clemens, MI 48043.  He will lie in-state from 9:00 - 10:00a with the funeral beginning at 10:00a.  OBITUARY

Please keep the family of Dorothy LeValley in your prayers; Dorothy passed away on Monday, September 9, 2013 at the age of 92.  Dorothy will be greatly missed by her church family at St. John's United Church of Christ in Owosso, where she was a longtime member. Funeral services were held Thursday, September 12th at St. John's UCC, Owosso. OBITUARY 

SING Groups

(We will notify you when these groups reconvene)

        

5945 Park Lake Road | P.O. Box 1006 | East Lansing, MI 48826-1006

517.332.3511 | Fax: 517.339.2621 | www.michucc.org