Ad-MINISTRY-ation

My travels started smoothly in the cold, dark pre-dawn hours. After hugging family members good-bye I sauntered into the Lincoln, Nebraska airport to catch my flight to Savannah, GA, which would take me to colleagues for the United Church of Christ's Authorized Ministry in the 21st Century gathering. The trip promised a time of great learning with friends and colleagues and weather 50 degrees warmer than what I was currently experiencing. Woo-Hoo!

I sleepily boarded the plane, laptop clutched to my chest as I prepared for the 2-hour flight to Atlanta, where I should have easily connected to a short commuter flight to Savannah. Just as I clicked my seatbelt and settled into my seat, the calm, if slightly annoyed, voice of the captain came unexpectedly on the speaker. "I'm sorry folks, but this plane is required to get an official temperature reading from the airport thermometer. That thermometer, which is handled by the National Weather Service, has not worked since last night. They are sending a repair person now, but I expect that it will take at least an hour. Legally I cannot fly without this reading."Loud, irritated groans came from the assembled crowd. "I'm going to let you deplane so that you can be more comfortable in the terminal."

After spending two hours waiting in lines, rebooking flights and overhearing snippets of airline staff conversations, I discovered that Federal Aviation Administration requires this particular type of plane to take temperature readings only from this "official"rogue thermometer. No backup plan, in case of such a mechanical failure was outlined. The plane stayed grounded until a contractor paid by the National Weather Service came to fix the equipment.

Now, let me pause here to write that I am actually glad for regulations that keep airplanes safe and government organizations that collect data on the weather. I'm no aviation engineer, but I'm guessing that having an accurate read on weather conditions is a pretty important thing when you're flying thousands of passengers on commercial airlines every day. As a frequent traveler, I am grateful to have these safety-insuring systems in place.

What I'm not so grateful for is the utter inflexibility this system had in the face of these mechanical issues. Other planes in the same airport were able to take off on time safely because they were allowed to use a temperature reading given to them verbally (from a nearby location, I'm guessing). Equipment fails. I get that. The problem was having no alternate plans for dealing with changing circumstances for our particular kind of flight/plane.

As I waited impatiently in the rebooking line, I thought that planes and church ministries have a lot in common. Can you recall a time when a policy or procedure hampered unnecessarily a great ministry idea? Has there been a time when people in your church struggled to get something simple done because they were unclear about the procedure to accomplish the task? Did you ever have a group that engaged in a good ministry project that had nothing to do with the vision and mission of your church?

As a big ol'church nerd, let me tell you the good news: Administration IS good ministry. AND it enables good ministry. It gives you ways of handling the curve balls God can and will throw your way. It helps you reach out to visitors and to the community by keeping good, usable information with which to work. It makes your volunteers more effective when they clearly understand their role.

Resolve with me to dust off your bylaws and policy and procedure manuals and position descriptions in the coming year to make sure they are helping your ministry take off, not stay grounded at the terminal. We have resources that can help you do just that.

Peace,

Rev. Nicole Havelka

Southwest Area Minister

Dear Friends,

By now you are likely aware of the major typhoon that made landfall, in the Philippines, this past weekend. The typhoon has impacted many of the same communities that suffered at the hands of super typhoon Haiyan approximately 13 months ago. UCC Disaster Ministries has been responding, in a significant way, in the Philippines for over a year now. I am slated to make a trip to the affected region in January to assess our ongoing work and to assess needs from this latest disaster. While we are not issuing a specific appeal for this response we are responding to the current emergency needs and expect to engage in long-term recovery and livelihood restoration efforts in the coming months. We have already provided $20,000 to trusted partners who are involved in providing emergency relief.

In order to have the capacity to provide ongoing support and to help restore livelihoods we are strongly encouraging individuals and congregations to support the International Emergency Relief fund https://secure3.convio.net/ucc/site/Donation2?df_id=1234&1234.donation=form1

We also request your continued prayers for survivors and the families that have suffered great loss at the hands of these two major typhoons.

For additional information and continued updates about UCC Disaster Ministries response to typhoon Hagupit visit http://www.ucc.org/disaster/

Zach Wolgemuth

Executive, UCC Disaster Ministries
700 Prospect Ave. E., Cleveland, OH  44115

A Conversation on Faith Formation

The Key to Faith Formation: Bringing the generations together

ONLINE COURSE: February 2nd- March 1st

Youth ministry that transforms your whole church 

ONLINE COURSE: January 14th- February 25th

On December 16, Church World Service will conduct a free, one-day training for people like you who want to help their flooded neighbors recover.  Come learn how disaster long-term recovery works and how you can get involved!

When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16 (check in at 8:30)

Where: Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church, 8129 Packard Ave, Warren, Mich.

To register: Contact Susanne Gilmore at sgilmore@cwsglobal.org or 785-341-8203

Recovery from a disaster event requires a "whole community" approach. This workshop gives an overview of long-term recovery, to include Disaster Case Management, Volunteer Management, Construction Management and Emotional & Spiritual Care. Presenters will include disaster recovery specialists from UMCOR, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, Lutheran Disaster Response, World Renew and Church World Service.

Who should attend?  Anyone dedicated to helping rebuild homes and lives: long-term recovery leadership, faith-based groups, religious leaders, community leaders, social service organizations, disaster case managers, and other persons concerned about recovery. 

Would you please spread the word to your congregations?

Church World Service looks forward to meeting you on December 16!

Larry Conover

Assistant Field Director, Michigan Region

888-297-2767

Skype: Larry.Conover1

New Mailing Address: CWS - 108 Sherman St., West Chicago, IL 60185

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!

DOJ Newsletter - December 2014
 

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.