Dear Friends in Christ:

Happy September!

Though Advent begins the church liturgical year, the month of September seems to be the unofficial beginning of the local church program year. People return from summer respites, children return for Church School, and many programs - new and old - begin again. It is a busy time.

Just as your local church is in the throes of many start-ups, so too is the Michigan Conference! We are busy resourcing local churches, preparing for our October 10 & 11 annual meeting, keeping in conversation with mission partners and working on a variety of new ministries - to say the least.

In order to better share Conference information with your church, we are hoping that you can share with your congregation the bulletin insert linked HERE, and name one of your Conference delegates as a "Year-Round Delegate." If you have members interested in receiving the Conference E-bulletin, or serving as a Year-Round Delegate, information about programs, resources, and opportunities will be easier to access and communication between Local Church and Conference will improve.

Please know that Conference staff is dedicated to assisting Local Churches, Authorized Ministers and Associations in whatever ways that we can. Please do not hesitate to call on us for help with program ideas, governance support, stewardship plans, volunteer management, mission connections and leadership development.

In the busy-ness of this season, may God bless you and your congregation with sustenance for the journey ahead.

Faithfully,

Campbell Lovett

Conference Minister

FREE Program: "The Future Is Calling Us to Greatness: Coming Home to Reality", (alt title: "Evidential Inspiration and Realistic Hope") with Rev. Michael Dowd: Tue, Sept 16, 7:00pm - 8:45pm, Portage United Church of Christ, 2731 W. Milham Ave, Portage, MI 49024 / 269-327-3114 / http://www.portageucc.org

Child care will be provided.

This program, geared for adults and teens, builds on Rev. Dowd's most recent TEDx talk, "Reality Reconciles Science and Religion," and also expands on material in his bestselling, bridge-building book, Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World, which was endorsed by 6 Nobel laureates and other science luminaries, including noted skeptics, and by religious leaders across the spectrum: http://michaeldowd.org/endorsements/

Science and religion are not enemies; indeed, they must work together if humanity is to survive the 21st century. Given our impact on Earth's climate, the seas, and other species, humanity is about to experience what could be called The Great Reckoning. The good news is that this will also be The Great Homecoming: the prodigal species coming home to Reality. This presentation will focus on 6 points of agreement held in common by tens of millions of religious and non-religious people across the globe - and how to stay inspired in the face of changing climate and other large-scale challenges.

Rev. Michael Dowd is a prophetic evolutionary theologian, bestselling author, and one of the most inspiring science and religion speakers in America today. He and his wife, Connie Barlow, an acclaimed science writer, have been featured in The New York Times, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Newsweek, and on CNN, ABC News, and Fox News. Michael has delivered two TEDx talks and has also spoken at the United Nations. He recently created a 5-part "Factual Faith" discussion course for church groups, titled, "God in Big History" and was host of the acclaimed conversation series, "The Advent of Evolutionary Christianity," in which he interviewed 38 esteemed Christian scientists, theologians, and ministers, all of whom publicly and enthusiastically embrace an evolutionary, ecological worldview.

Bio, video and audio clips: http://www.thegreatstory.org/MD-writings.html

Wikipedia entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Dowd

HuffingtonPost blog: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rev-michael-dowd/

Free Clothing Give-A-Way!

Please mark your calendar for our FREE clothing give-away on Saturday, September 13, 2014 from 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. We have some beautiful clothing and some of them are brand new with original price tags. Please tell your friends, tell your family, maybe they have someone that can benefit from this wonderful event.

Healthy Alternatives For Everyday Life

Come join us on September 21, 2014 at 11:30 am in the Fellowship Hall for a demonstration on the Norwex Cleaning Products and Doterra Essential Oils. All proceeds benefit the church.

See you there!

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Attached please find a flyer and bulletin insert master for the "Stuff a Truck Ludington" food drive. We are asking all area churches to promote this drive in an effort to restock the food pantry of our local Salvation Army.

Your assistance in helping us promote this drive will provide much needed assistance to the poor and disadvantaged of our area. If you have questions about this food drive, please contact our office at (231) 843-9275.

 Bulletin Insert                                                 Sincerely,

 Stuff a Truck Flyer                                       The Mission Ministry Team

                                                                        Community Church

      Ludington, MI