Wandering in the Wilderness or Transformation and Resurrection:

Making a Case for Vitality Day

 

We are once again in the season of Lent: a time when Christians willingly dare to face the shadows, with the hope that resurrection will come.  It is that hope, the assurance of things not seen, that gives us courage for this journey. 

There are, however, times when we are thrown into realities that make such new life seem improbable, if not impossible.  Besides, isn't it often true that we don't really want new life, we want the old life that we had ... the assurance of each day being what it was?  When the time for God to bring us to a new place occurs, we resist, we argue, we complain, we just won't go! Yet, there we are.

 

"While the dark night of the soul is usually understood to descend

on one person at a time, there are clearly times when whole communities of people lose sight of the sun in ways that unnerve them.  This seems to be what is happening to a lot of church people right now, especially those in denominations that are losing members at an alarming rate.  While they experiment with new worship styles and set up Facebook pages, most of them know that the problem runs deeper than that.  The old ways of being Christian are not working anymore, not even for those who are old themselves.  Something in the ways has died, or is dying-truly cause for great sorrow, even among those who know the time has come-and yet at the same time something is being born."

- Learning to Walk in the Dark, Barbara Brown Taylor

 

            When people in churches are grieving the loss of what was, and aren't sure where they are going ... wandering, it seems, in the wilderness ... there is likely to be conflict.  This conflict can destroy long-time relationships or lead to unimagined growth and new possibilities.  This conflict can be destructive or creative.  This conflict will not be about resuscitating what once was, but can lead to a death whose final word is resurrection.

            The Vital Growth Mission Area Team recognizes that this is a challenging time for many of our communities of faith.  We are excited to offer the 2015 Vitality Day with Thomas Chu on "Conflict Transformation" as a way of creatively working with the tensions that are occurring in our midst.  We will explore new ways of walking through conflict that can transform our relationships and help us to feel more empowered in the process.

            Please join us at Woodside Church in Flint on March 7th for a day that promises to transform your experience of conflict.  REGISTER TODAY.

 

Peace,

Cheryl Burke

This is a friendly reminder to you regarding Yearbook Reporting to the National offices in Cleveland. The deadline is fast approaching; March 9th will be here before we know it!  All of the information you provide is very important - giving a look into the historical window of the life of your church for generations to come. 

 

For online instructions and videos please visit:  http://www.ucc.org/research_yearbook.

 

To login to the UCC Data Hub please go to  http://datahub.ucc.org/.

 

READ MORE

 

Please let us know if you have any questions - email (lisa@michucc.org) or call 517/332-3511 x204.  

 

We thank you in advance for your help! We realize that entering your information online is very different and may be somewhat 'scary' - but we are only a phone call or email away and ready to assist you if you have any problems.

 

 

 

 

SoJust is part of Urban Spirit, an organization Conrad founded before she came to Flint.  The program aims to start students thinking about social justice through scripture, craft projects, community activities, praying and singing. It is designed for students completing 5th through 7th grades.

More information will be available in the coming months. Mark your calendars for August 2 - 5, 2015!

Saturday, March 7, 2015

24120 N. Chrysler Dr.

Hazel Park, MI 48030

Kids - TALK Children's Advocacy Center, a program of The Guidance Center, in partnership with the Interfaith Health and Hope Coalition (IHHC) is offering a teach-in for faith leaders, staff, and volunteers of faith-based organizations in the Detroit-Metro area who work with children to address child sexual abuse and mandated reporting.

Cost:  $30 (per person to cover meals)

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 Team and learn how you can get involved.

Follow the link below to read the resolution and sign the Statement of Support.

 

It was the desire of Immanuel United Church of Christ - Detroit, as it was disbanding, to award scholarships for seminary students preparing for Ordination and Service in the United Church of Christ. Scholarship funds are available through an endowment fund provided by Immanuel United Church of Christ - Detroit by a resolution adopted at a Special Congregational Meeting held on November 14, 1999.  The fund will be disbursed in accordance with the policies and practices of the Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ. The Faith Formation Mission Area Team is currently responsible for selecting recipients.

We encourage Members in Discernment who are Seminary students to apply for this Scholarship, and for renewal(s) if eligible! The deadline for submitting applications (or renewal requests) is May 1st of the current year. Awards are granted during the summer so that funds can be disbursed at the beginning of the Fall Seminary schedules. A student is eligible for the scholarship for a maximum of three (3) Full Time years or equivalent (e.g. two to five Part Time years). 

Please visit the link below:

 

Pastor Dick Hotchkin

 

In the Jewish Talmud we read: Never pray in a room without windows." While standing at his window in Northern California, UCC Pastor and therapist Wayne Muller reminds us: "This is prayer. This is deep, faithful listening, waiting for what is hidden to be revealed. Prayer is not words; prayer is what happens when you listen and wait, beneath the words, for the outline of heaven to emerge."

At the Window:  A Retreat on Prayer will be offered twice:

Tower Hill Camp & Retreat Center

12173 Tower Hill Road, Sawyer, MI 49125

8:30a - 4:00p

Pilgrim Park Camp & Conference Center

26449 - 1340 North Avenue, Princeton, IL 61356

8:30a - 4:00p