Happy Pentecost! This season is a reminder of the Holy Spirit that births our churches, enlivens our fellowship, encourages our ministry, and inspires our shared mission. Just as the first followers of Jesus supported one another in a ministry of compassion and service, so too the church in our day and age is encouraged to share in a mission that goes beyond our individual settings.

We are writing today to share an update about Our Church's Wider Mission (OCWM), and to invite your church's ongoing support of the United Church of Christ in each setting.

First, we must say, "Thank you!" We know that support of the wider-church ebbs as local expenses continue to increase. This is not unique to our Conference. However, we still want to express our profound thanks, because without your support the amazing things that we are doing together would not be possible!

We thank you for your support that enables the wider staff to provide valuable resources locally, with Associations, Conference-wide, through the National Setting of our denomination, and with over 300 mission partners around the world. This may include offering staff support for search committees in local churches, working with Associations to provide special programming, planning a Conference annual meeting that brings in nationally known speakers, participating in the God is Still Speaking campaign designed at the National Setting, or providing disaster relief to people in need half-way around the world. Thank you!

Here in Michigan, Mission Area Teams and Conference staff are working on new church starts, awarding scholarships to seminarians and rural churches, supporting UCC chaplains, and working to foster dialogues of reconciliation within congregations and communities. With the National Setting, Michigan Conference staff members are assisting in rewriting the Manual on Ministry, recruiting women and people of color for Conference ministry, starting an on-line church (Extravagance UCC), and engaging in formal dialogue about full communion with the United Church of Canada.

So many good things are happening that it is difficult to list them all. All these initiatives of advocacy, support, and development happen because of local church giving to OCWM and the special offerings of the church (One Great Hour of Sharing, Strengthen the Church, Neighbors in Need and The Christmas Fund).

As we enter this season of Pentecost, however, OCWM giving is not keeping up with the work and witness of the Conference and National Setting staff. Thus, in addition to sharing our profound thanks, we also write to invite your strong support in the following ways:

Just as each local church depends on member giving to support its mission and ministry, the Conference relies on local churches to support the wider-church through Basic Support. As you are able, please encourage your governing board or mission committee to include the Michigan Conference in its giving. We are only able to minister at a level commensurate with local church support.

• The local church reminds members to share their offerings before they depart for summer travel. So too the Conference would like to remind local churches to keep current with their Basic Support. Our mission and ministry continue during the summer as well.

• As your church begins to prepare its budget for 2015, we hope that you will make certain there are line items for Basic Support of the Conference and per capita dues for your Association. These are two important ways that our denomination is able to provide resources and support for local church leadership.

Since we are writing about how we are doing incredible things together, we want to list some upcoming events that nurture our covenantal relationship:

• You will begin to see more information about the Annual Meeting of the Conference scheduled for October 10 and 11th in East Lansing.  This is a special time for our churches to gather and celebrate our unity and diversity, and to seek encouragement for our solitary and shared endeavors. Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber, a nationally recognized figure in the emergent church movement, will be our keynote speaker and Conference preacher.

• Look for more details in the bi-weekly E-Bulletin regarding an August 6th Stewardship WebEx conference call. This will be an ideal opportunity for local church stewardship committees to see a presentation and receive ideas for this year's financial enlistment campaign.

• The OCWM Ambassadors are making visits to local churches in order to offer thanks for support of the wider-church and to share more information about OCWM. If you would like to schedule an Ambassador for Sunday morning worship or a committee night meeting at your church, please email Lisa Soulliere at the Conference Office, lisa@michucc.org.

That Pentecost lesson from Acts is inspirational for us - even in the midst of these challenging times. We hope and pray that the Holy Spirit continues to inspire your ministry and mission, and that we can continue to do incredible things together as the United Church of Christ.

Blessings and peace,

Charles Corley                                                                  Campbell Lovett

President, Board of Directors                                              Conference Minister

Dear Colleagues,

The Annual Meeting of the Michigan Conference United Church of Christ will be October 10th & 11th 2014 at The People's Church of East Lansing. The Prophetic Integrity Mission Area Team is charged with the task of calling for resolutions. They may be submitted for consideration at the Conference Meeting by a local church, an Association, a voting delegate or the Board of Directors. In compliance with our bylaws, please find attached a copy of the Michigan Conference United Church of Christ 2014 Guidelines for Resolutions. The deadline for submitting a resolution is July 25, 2014.

Be sure to mark the date on your calendar and, if you have not already done so, now would be a good time to recruit the delegation from your local congregation. Ordained and Commissioned Ministers with standing in one of the six Associations of the Michigan Conference, as well as Licensed Ministers who have been given voting privileges by one of the six Associations of the Michigan Conference, are considered delegates.  Additionally, every local church is entitled to be represented by two lay delegates plus one youth delegate (younger than 22 years old).      

Blessings for the Journey,

Rev. RJ Hronek

Facilitator, Prophetic Integrity Mission Area Team

Call for Resolutions (Copy ready)

RESOLUTION GUIDELINES

To begin preparing for our Conference's participation in the NYE-National Youth Event, we want to share the dates and advance info with churches so you can begin to prepare your youth for this gathering.

Dates:  July 26-July 29, 2016    Theme is:   #Believe

Place:  Coronado Springs Resort (at Disney World)
             Lake Buena Vista, FL

Projected Costs:  Estimated at under $500 for double-occupancy. Actual prices will be posted on the NYE website once the website is up and running. That $500 (estimated cost) to include: housing, most meals (two meals will be on your own), program and Disney Park access.

Transportation Costs: The Conference will help to subsidize buses going from our Conference to Florida but those riding the bus will need to raise additional transportation costs.

Biloxi, Mississippi, June 3, 2014 - Back Bay Mission has named the first Shari Prestemon Social Justice Interns. From June 9 to August 15, these two individuals will work in all of the ministries at Back Bay Mission while focusing on a particular area of interest to them.

Diarra Molock is a student at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, with a major in history and a concentration in Asian studies. She attends Beloved Community Church in Accokeek, Maryland, where her parents are pastors. Bethany Beaver is a student at Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, with a double major in political science and religious studies. She is a member of Paradise United Church of Christ in Louisville, Ohio.

The internship is named in honor of former executive director the Rev. Shari Prestemon, who first came to Back Bay Mission as a summer intern.

The Shari Prestemon Social Justice Internship can be supported through gifts to the Mission.