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Faith For Thought
October 3, 2014
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Faith for Thought is a bi-weekly offering of the Michigan Conference United Church of Christ.
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This week's Faith for Thought is time dated: please view before October 10, 2014! This pertains to the Michigan Conference 2014 Annual Meeting at The Peoples Church in East Lansing.
 | | Faith For Thought Annual Meeting Announcements, UNEXPECTED Places |
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Patrick Daniel Hobson
October 29, 2013 - September 27, 2014
After a valiant struggle with heart disease, Patrick Daniel Hobson, the infant son of Rev. Phil Hobson and his spouse Mary Hobson, died this past Saturday. Rev. Hobson is the Senior Minister at First Congregational UCC in Charlotte. Phil and Mary have been quite open about their caring for a child with daunting medical needs. Facebook has been an especially helpful format for them to share information and receive support. First Church has been exceptional in its care for its pastor and his family by offering the time and support he has needed to be present with his family during this heartbreaking journey.
Patrick's funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. on Monday, October 6th at First Congregational Church of Charlotte, UCC - 106 S. Bostwick St. Charlotte, MI 48813.
Visitation will be 2:00-4:00 p.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 5th at Pray Funeral Home - 401 West Seminary Street, Charlotte, MI 48813
There will also be visitation at First Congregational Church from 10:00 am immediately prior to the service.
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Chaplain's Day Away
On Tuesday, November 4, from 10 - 2:30, all those serving in a chaplaincy role in the Michigan Conference are invited to the St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt, Michigan for a day of resource sharing and retreat with Rev. Stephen Boyd, Minister for Chaplains and Specialized Ministers, Ecclesiastical Endorser, Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization Ministry Team, United Church of Christ. Rev. Boyd will share more about the chaplain's role in caring for returning veterans and their families. He will also have updates about the MESA Team's new process for endorsing chaplains. This will be a great time to visit with other chaplains and learn more about some valuable resources for your ministry. The cost for this event is $10. Please RSVP to the Conference Office, Lisa@michucc.org
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2014 Annual Meeting
Michigan Conference United Church of Christ
"UNEXPECTED Places"
The deadline to register was October 1, 2014. Meal counts will be relayed to our caterer on Monday, October 6th - if you register after October 6th please make arrangements for your own meals; meal tickets will not be for sale at Annual Meeting.
PAYMENTS: If you or your church have chosen the "Pay by Check" option to pay for your Annual Meeting registration(s), please place your payment in the mail today - we prefer to not take payments at Annual Meeting to avoid congestion at the registration table and lessen wait times for you and others checking in. We appreciate your understanding as we strive to make your Annual Meeting experience the very best from beginning to end.
Registration and Annual Meeting Materials
Annual Meeting materials will be available on our website for download next Tuesday, October 7th. You can download the PDF packet or print off the documents you wish to bring with you to the meeting. Everyone should visit the registration table upon arriving at The Peoples Church of East Lansing - you will pick up your name badge and any meal tickets purchased; if you chose to receive printed materials you will pick up your packet at that time as well.
YOUTH
With the fall being football season, we are adjusting our plan for youth involvement at the Michigan Conference Annual meeting. Join us Saturday for a time of conversation with Nadia Bolz-Weber, followed by a scavenger hunt around the Michigan State University Campus, followed by worship.
Cost for the day is: Registration=$20/person Lunch Saturday=$10
CHILDCARE
Please make sure that if you or your guests require Childcare they sign-up during registration and then download the additional Childcare Form - fill it out and bring it with them to the meeting. Please order meals for your children during the registration process as well, as they will be sharing meal time with parents/guardians.
ALL THINGS "NADIA"
Rev. Nadia Bolz-Weber will hold two (2) Continuing Education programs on Friday during Annual Meeting - to attend these programs you must be registered. Friday evening doors open at 7:00 p.m. for a 7:30 p.m. "Open to the public and free" Worship service featuring Nadia. On Saturday, Nadia will give her Keynote Address with a short book-signing afterward in Friendship Hall - to attend her keynote you must be registered.
Special Guests - Host Staff: Photos
We are excited and eager to spend time with our Special Guests and Host Staff!
Rev. Andrew Pomerville
Senior Pastor, The Peoples Church of East Lansing
Rev. Linda Jaramillo
Exec Minister Justice & Witness Ministries, UCC Nat'l Offices
Rev Cheryl-Ann Stadelbauer-Sampa
Exec Secretary, London Conference of The United Church of Canada
Jerry McAllister
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Michigan Region
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Special MESA Church & Ministry and Clergy Day, Monday, November 3
Stephen Boyd, Minister for Chaplains and Specialized Ministers, Ministerial Excellence, Support and Authorization Team, UCC will be in Michigan on November 3 in advance of the day for Michigan chaplains. Stephen and Conference Minister, Campbell Lovett will be at St. Francis Retreat Center in DeWitt to share more information about MESA protocols and procedures for Church and Ministry Committee members and clergy interested in perfecting their UCC Profiles. The program for the day will include a 90 minute presentation (including Q&A) on the role of MESA and how it assists Committees on Ministry and authorized ministers. There will also be demonstrations about the new profile and "snapshot" and how these resources are used by Conference staff, search committees, and congregations. The program begins at 10:30 a.m. and will conclude by 2:00. Lunch is available at $8.25 per person for those who register in advance. Please RSVP to the Conference Office, Lisa@michucc.org
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Compassion in the Face of Fear. Two Resources for Your Consideration
For the past five years, Shrine of the Black Madonna, UCC, in Detroit has been helping to start new churches in Liberia. The Shrine established a first church in Monrovia, Liberia in January 2011. In January 2012 they established a second church in Ganta City, Liberia. The partnership also includes a local hospital in Monrovia (James N. Davies Memorial Hospital) to which Shrine has been sending medical supplies for the past few years. Other projects currently underway - building a school and providing vocational training. Needless to say, with the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa, the need for medical information and supplies has increased exponentially.
In partnership with its churches in Liberia, Shrine of the Black Madonna has launched an Education and Awareness on Prevention of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) Project. Currently, they are raising funds to carry out an awareness and information program on the existence and prevention of the Ebola virus especially among youths and children in 250 households in two cities - Monrovia and Ganta City. The action will help break the barriers of misconceptions among local people about the existence of the virus and share information about prevention methods. This will also give already infected victims the chance and confidence to report cases after contracting the virus.
If you or your congregation would like to help in this important effort, please make checks payable to the Michigan Conference, UCC and write Liberia in the MEMO and send to the Conference at P.O. Box 1006, Lansing, MI 48826-1006. All of these funds will be forwarded to the Shrine in support of this Ebola prevention project.
The United Church of Christ, through our mission partners in West Africa is also on the ground assisting with the humanitarian needs created by the Ebola virus. This link to a UCC News article shares more information about how UCC Disaster Ministries and One Great Hour of Sharing are responding to the outbreak: http://www.ucc.org/news/ebola-outbreak-10012014.html
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Wishing you a blessed day and weekend!
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