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A bi-weekly newsletter to keep you up-to-date and informed.
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News from the UCC Insurance Board
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Renewal Premiums Released for Michigan
I have just been handed a special bulletin! Sort of sounds like something Walter Cronkite would have said on the evening news, eh? The "bulletin," of course, is that the 2015 allocation of premiums for the Insurance Board Property & Casualty Program in Michigan has been released.
The average premium change across all 86 churches in Michigan is a REDUCTION of 2.9%! There are 52 Michigan ministries that will see premiums drop, some by as much as 19%!
Any increases that did occur (34 churches will see their premiums go up slightly) averaged 5.6%. As you might expect, each church's Average Annual Losses played a part in the formula for determining renewal rates.
This has been a very good year nationwide in our program. The 3,600 ministries +/- insured by the IB experienced relatively few claims. Another positive factor in the premium allocation process has been the new investments made by the Insurance Board in underwriting technology and people. Now more than ever, the Insurance Board has the tools to clearly identify risk and the professionals to assign to it the right
premiums.
Each church should be receiving its renewal certificate and first invoice for the new year before December 1, 2014. Be watching your mail for the packet. If you would like to know your renewal premium right away, you may send me an email at mlambert@allenharmon.com.
Thanks for all you do to make our program successful!
Mark Lambert, Michigan Representative, Insurance Board
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 Hello! My name is Jess Walz. I'm a member at Emanuel UCC in Manchester, MI. In December, I'll be serving as a participant-leader (also known as Co-Convener) for the 2014 Michigan Gathering. The Michigan Gathering is an opportunity for groups of high school aged youth, and young adults registering as individuals, to experience four days of service, leadership and community. It is put on by Living Water Ministries (www.elcalivingwater.com) which is a ministry supported by the ELCA and the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan.
This will be my third year at The Michigan Gathering, and every year is a wonderful, life changing experience. I have made new friends, and celebrated my love of God with them. I have found myself spiritually, and established a new relationship with God I didn't know was possible. Gathering to me is a retreat, a four-day conference where I can relax and practice my faith with people who love and support me, and people who are just as excited about their faith as I am.
I want to formally invite all of my fellow UCC youth groups to participate in this event. As an extension of ecumenical invitation, there is a coupon code you can use at registration that will provide an additional $45 discount per person for the 2014 event!
I cannot wait to see you all at The Michigan Gathering, it is a life-changing experience, that I have been so blessed to be a part of. I truly hope you will be a part of this phenomenal conference as well!
To learn more please visit www.elcalivingwater.com. To receive the coupon code, please contact the Living Water Ministries office at 231-861-4138 and let them know you are calling from a UCC congregation.
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Activities that reflect VITALITY!
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The Vital Growth Mission Area Team is requesting photos of your congregation participating in activities that reflect vitality. These photos will be collected throughout the year to be displayed at the next Annual Meeting.
Please send high resolution photos to pastorpegf@gmail.com and include your church's name and the activity. Thank You!
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Winter Fest 2015 will be held the weekend of February 6 - 8, 2015 at the United Church of Big Rapids. Please share this information with your youth!
WINTER FEST - About Us
SAVE THE DATE - Flyer
Youth Registration
Adult Registration
Combined Group Registration |
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Sponsor a Back Bay Mission Christmas Basket!
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You can make Christmas a joyful season for a poor, homeless, or at-risk family on the Mississippi Gulf Coast by sponsoring a Christmas Basket or Backpack through Back Bay Mission.
Every year, the Mission distributes Christmas Baskets and Backpacks to poor and homeless individuals and families in Hancock, Harrison, and Jackson Counties. The baskets have everything necessary for a festive Christmas dinner. The backpacks have appropriate Christmas food items for people without access to kitchens, as well as other daily living supplies. This year, 150 individuals and families signed up for backpacks and baskets.
You can sponsor a basket with a gift of $25 to the Mission's food pantry. Simply send a check to Back Bay Mission - 1012 Division St. Biloxi, MS 39530 and write 'Christmas Baskets' in the memo line. You can also make a gift the Mission's website: www.thebackbaymission.org. Just enter 'Christmas Baskets' in the comment field. Any additional funds, beyond what is needed for the Christmas Baskets and Backpacks, will be used to support the Mission's food pantry.
Thank you for making Christmas special for a family on the Mississippi Gulf Coast!
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Boundary Training - Sessions available in 2015!
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Boundary Training sessions are available in 2015! To register for upcoming sessions click on REGISTER.
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"Quality of Life Seminar"
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The Shrine of the Black Madonna is presenting a "Quality of Life Seminar" on Saturday, November 15, 2014. During this informational period between 1:00 - 4:00pm, information will be shared by informed participants about end of life and quality of life issues. There is no cost as this is a blessed program and service that is led by the Spirit. Refreshments will be served and feel free to invite as many others who may be interested. Thank you and with God's Love we invite you.
Shrine of the Black Madonna - 7625 Linwood Ave., Detroit MI 48206
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Camp Talahi Retreat and Nature Center 6458 Richardson Road Howell, MI 48843
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NEW Employment Opportunities:
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Are you currently looking for employment?
Check out our list of employment opportunities!
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"Should We Consider Closing Our Church"
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The Dream of Justice (DOJ) Calendar and "Issue of the Month"
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WE ARE THE DREAM OF JUSTICE ("DOJ") group of the Michigan Conference of the UCC ("MCUCC"). Last Fall the MCUCC passed a resolution to help put an end to the "racialized" Criminal-Justice/Mass-Incarceration system. The DOJ is the group formed by the Michigan Conference UCC to implement the resolution. This racialized criminal justice system impacts disproportionately on people of color; the impact is intentional and has racist roots. Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration In The Age Of Colorblindness, provides important information about this latent but real racism in the U.S. This book has opened-the-door so we can clearly see the ongoing racism.
Read more about the on-going work of the Dream of Justice and learn how you can get involved.
DOJ Newsletter - November 2014
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Items for Sale or Donation: NEW ITEMS!
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You never know, you just might find something you have been looking for! Check out our list of items for sale or donation from local churches.
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Please keep in your prayers Walt Kemnitz and his wife Rebecca as Rebecca works through some medical issues. Your prayers are very welcomed and appreciated during this time.
Please hold in your hearts and in your continued prayers, the Rev. Sherry Schacht and her family (Eastern Association; retired pastor). Please continue to lift her up in your prayers of strength and courage -determination and faith - and for LOVE and comfort.
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5945 Park Lake Road | P.O. Box 1006 | East Lansing, MI 48826-1006
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