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Michigan Conference UCC:
E-Bulletin
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Theory U
Much of our culture insists that success is measured by getting more: more money, more power, more prestige, more influence, more stuff. Going up the ladder is the direction of choice. Our churches, associations, conferences, and denominations have not been immune to this influence. Most of us continue to ask questions about how to get more members, money, and influence in our communities.
Richard Rohr, a Franciscan "trouble-maker", writes about another route to meaning and success.
Pain teaches a most counterintuitive thing: we must go down before we even know what up is. In terms of the ego, most religions teach in some way that all must "die before they die. "Suffering of some sort seems to be the only thing strong enough to both destabilize and reveal our arrogance, our separateness, and our lack of compassion." I define suffering very simply as "whenever you are not in control." Suffering is the most effective way whereby humans learn to trust, allow, and give up control to Another Source. I wish there were a different answer, but Jesus reveals on the cross both the path and the price of full transformation into the divine.
When religion cannot find a meaning for human suffering, human beings far too often become cynical, bitter, negative, and blaming. Healthy religion, almost without realizing it, shows us what to do with our pain, with the absurd, the tragic, the nonsensical, the unjust. If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.
Otto Scharmer has developed a model or system for going deeper into suffering, as a way that creates wholeness and a linking of head, heart and hand. I think that the model shows what Rohr is describing above. It is the way of letting go of the Voices of Judgement (VoJ), Cynicism(VoC) and Fear (VoF).
It is a Lenten Journey!
Blessings on the journey. -Rev. Cheryl Burke
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 SAVE THE DATES!
Saturday, April 23, 2016 Festival of Faith - Vitality Day! Edgewood United Church, UCC, East Lansing The Festival of Faith is a shared day of celebration and encouragement for church members of the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) here in Michigan! This year's theme is:Being Church: 21st Century Landscape for Mission. The morning begins with a time of worship. Rev. Dr. Richard Lowery will be the preacher. Dr. Lowery is a Biblical scholar and professor at Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis. Worship is followed by a "musical buffet" which features a variety of church musicians introducing us to new expressions of music. Following lunch, an inspirational keynote address will be delivered by Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, the General Minister and President of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Dr. Watkins is a renowned church leader and speaker. You and members of your church will be blessed by this festival day of celebration, encouragement and challenge.
A paper registration is available on the Conference website ( www.michucc.org).
Friday & Saturday, October 14 - 15, 2016 Michigan Conference UCC Annual Meeting
Woodside Church, Flint Be sure and mark your calendars! We are in the planning stages; stay tuned!
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Only 3 days left!
Please take a moment to enter your Yearbook Information!
Deadline - March 7, 2016
Churches:
You will add your own statistics into the National Data Hub right from the comfort of your own church location.
Thanks so much for your help!
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Volunteers Needed - Flint Water Distribution March 5
This is an "All Hands on Deck" appeal to help distribute water next Saturday March 5, 2016 beginning at 11 am with our sister Disciples congregation, Vermont Christian Church, 1201 Lippincott Boulevard, Flint. Vermont Christian is a designated water distribution point as the Flint community continues to address its toxic water crisis.
Here is our chance to support our sister congregation and show concrete support for the Flint community. We will be assisting the distribution of water to neighbors in the area.
Put together a carload from your church and make the trip to Flint. No advance registration is needed but it would be helpful to notify the Regional Office of your plans and how many will be joining you. Send an email to ccmr@michigandisciples.org or call 517.372.3220.
The Gospel in Action - Flint, a project of the Michigan Disciples and UCC churches as well as Disciples national Week of Compassion, is the event partner with Vermont church leaders. The Gospel in Action is an Ecumenical Outreach ministry of the Michigan Region.
Here is a map link to the Vermont Christian Church.
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 Church Views:
News and updates about a variety of churches in the Michigan Conference
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 Bobby Jo Valentine: Hear him perform at CCB!
Saturday, March 12th @ 7:00p.m.
Congregational Church of Birmingham
1000 Cranbrook Rd.
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
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NEWS FROM CUE (Chicago, United, Eden) SEMINARIES.
Eden Seminary News
There is not just one road which leads to Eden Theological Seminary. Eden is a place where the life journeys of a diverse group of faithful people intersect to study and experience the unfolding of God's calling in your life.
The gentle nudge of exploration may come from a friend or a family member, from an ad or a newsletter, from a pastor or a professor. There is no one way. We hope the Explore Scholarship will help you acknowledge and act upon that nudge.
The Explore Scholarship is awarded to students beginning a Master of Divinity degree at Eden Theological Seminary. To be eligible for the Explore Scholarship a student must be a member of a Christian congregation, enrolled at Eden full-time (9 credits or more) and participate in Eden's Contextual Education program. This full-tuition scholarship is for the first year of study only.
For more information about how to make the best use of your gifts, please contact Eden's Admissions Office at 877-627-5652.
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photo courtesy of 1st Cong'l UCC, Jackson - website.
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CONGRATULATIONS!
First Congregational Church, UCC, Jackson!
The Michigan Conference United Church of Christ wishes to extend a big "Congratulations" to First Congregational Church, UCC, Jackson on becoming an Open and Affirming Congregation on December 29, 2015, by unanimous vote. Their ONA church # is 1333.
The ONA church number indicates the position of this church in the chronology of all ONA churches listed since 1985.
Congratulations and God Bless!
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Conversations with
Bishop Dr. Yvette Flunder
March 16 - 18, 2016:
Bishop Dr. Yvette Flunder will speak in Flint and Ann Arbor on the intersections of Race, Politics, Religion and Human Sexuality. |
 Needed ASAP: Skilled Carpenters, Electricians & Plumbers
Young Fenix Fellowship UCC, a new church start in Detroit, is developing an exciting new ministry called Young Fenix House. It is a place where artists live and create together, inspire each other, engage in meaningful dialogue and share fellowship in life's journey: all who live here intentionally encourage a collaborative creative process.
Space for this new ministry (3800 square feet on the 3rd floor of an existing building) is being renovated right now on Gratiot, overlooking Eastern Market.
Please contact Rev. Dr. Todd Farley (626-475-4543 or todds.farley@gmail.com) if you would like to volunteer some time and your expertise to make this project a reality (sooner rather than later). Also needed: gently used kitchen appliances: refrigerator, electric oven, and washer/dryer.
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 Continued Efforts to Improve Members 'Financial Health'
We are sending out postcards to promote the new Financial Wellness Assessment available on the Ernst & Young Financial Planning Center (EYFPC). A sample of the postcard can be found below. All actively-contributing members of the Annuity Plan for the United Church of Christ will receive one.
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First Congregational Church, UCC of Lowell
to Celebrate 160 years
On March 13, 2016, the First Congregational Church of Lowell, UCC, will celebrate 160 years as a faith community with a special 10 AM worship service. Over the past 16 decades of ministering to the community of Lowell, our congregation has experienced much, and consequently, has much for which to be thankful. Over that time, forty pastors have been called to ministry by our congregation. Two of them served twice! READ MORE
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 Women of First Congregational UCC, Owosso use 'Women's Sunday' to collect special offering to share with Woodside Church, Flint
Dear Rev. Lovett,
February 7, 2016 was Women's Sunday....one of our ladies spoke about the water crisis in Flint and used the appeal you so elegantly spoke of in the e-newsletter. We crafted the service around this issue and sent everyone home with a First Congregational mug and asked them to fill it with loose change and green as an offering for the Re-filling Water Station at Woodside. The service was Spirit led and the members were given two weeks. This past Sunday we dedicated our offerings to Woodside Church and their efforts to help our brother and sisters of Flint. People came forward and placed their offerings on a table in the middle of the aisle........Today myself and 2 of the women responsible for Women's Sunday, made our way to Woodside Church where we hand delivered our offering to their moderator Helen Eaton. I'm enclosing these pictures for your enjoyment - Pastor Deborah, the crisis, your call to action - all a calling that we heard loud and clear. We brought them a total of $1,600.00 to put toward their refilling station.
I am not boastful because I know the Holy Spirit interceded for us....I am thankful that our congregation was called to make a difference and stand up for justice. Thank you for your leadership.
Serving our Community,
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Joys & Concerns
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Michigan Conference UCC office - will serve as a Polling Place for the Presidential Primary
Sunday, March 13, 2016 @ 1:30 p.m.
Installation of Rev. Sal Sapienza
Douglas United Church of Christ
~*~*~*~*~
Our beloved Rev. Sherry Schacht slipped quietly from this life to the next, Friday, February 26, 2016. Her husband Chuck and daughter Liz were at her side at home. Please hold Sherry and her family in your prayers. Sherry lived a life filled with courage, grace and dignity.
A celebration of her life was held on Tuesday, March 1, 2016 at First Congregational UCC, Romeo. OBITUARY
It is with great sadness that we share news about the death of Barbara Rogers on February 8, 2016 after a long battle with cancer. Rev. Dr. John Rogers was Conference Minister in Michigan from 1976 - 1987. John and Barb were members at Haslett Community Church while in Michigan. Before and after their Michigan tenure, Barbara and John were world travelers and ambassadors for the United Church of Christ in many different roles and settings. Retirement took them to Pilgrim Place in Claremont, California. Cards of sympathy and support may be sent to John there: 633 Leyden Lane #201, Claremont, CA 91711. The Michigan Conference extends condolences to John and his family - as well as thanksgiving for Barb's life.
A memorial service is planned for April 24, 2016 @ 3:30 p.m. at Pilgrim Place in Claremont, California.
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Bertha Dayton Fund
The Bertha Dayton Fund is available for aiding and assisting rural, small town or village churches in the state of Michigan and in the support of their pastors and families.
for an application. |
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Save The Date!
Boundary Training 2016!
May 5th, 2016 9:30a - 3:30p
Paw Paw Presbyterian Church
120 Pine Street
Paw Paw, MI
Early registration fee by April 5th - $75
Includes materials & lunch
Regular registration fee $85 - due by April 25th.
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UCC Women of Michigan:
The Gathering June 10, 11, 12, 2016
The Gathering is a weekend of retreat, renewal, relaxation, and recharging. It is a time to greet old friends, and make new ones. It offers workshops, music, singing, and this year lots of laughter and joy. There will be Friday evening entertainment and vespers. Saturday's activities give you many opportunities to either stay busy or simply enjoy the beautiful surroundings of Kettunen Center. Sunday offers a Sunday school class and a very meaningful worship service. Of course, we must add a business meeting somewhere in all the activity. Kettunen Center is located in the woods on a beautiful lake in Tustin, Michigan. The accommodations are "luxury in the woods" and the food is scrumptious and abundant. In short, it's your weekend. Come and enjoy!
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UrbanSpirit and the
Michigan Conference UCC Retreat
The UCC is one of several denominations that have endorsed our center, and many UCC groups have spent a week in our simulation of life at minimum wage. In order to forge a relationship between the Michigan Conference and UrbanSpirit, Conference Minister, Rev. Campbell Lovett and Rev. Deborah Conrad, Founder & Director of UrbanSpirit and Pastor of Woodside Church, Flint, will be leading a "fact-finding tour" to help folks understand what we do, how we do it, and why we bother. From Friday dinner to Sunday lunch, we'll experience and explore the UrbanSpirit neighborhood and program, and worship with UrbanSpirit's new partner, Plymouth UCC in Louisville.
Cost for the weekend is $50 and includes food, lodging and program. You just need to arrange your travel to Louisville.
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Extending Extravagant Welcome
Building relationships across lines of difference is always an intentional effort that builds on our knowledge, skills and attitudes. As people of faith, we want to extend the extravagant welcome of a loving community to everyone. Come and build your familiarity with what it means to be transgender and how you can be part of a truly inclusive community.
Through interactive exercises, this power, privilege and oppression training offers participants opportunities to learn about their own gender expression and identity and how they can live into becoming allies to transgender and gender nonconforming people.
This free training will be offered on Sunday, March 6, from 3-6 at First Congregational Church (1315 N Pine St, Rochester, MI 48307, Phone: 248 651-6225). Kathleen Campisano and Bri Sanders of the National LGBTQ Task Force are the trainers for this event, and it is sponsored in part by Inclusive Justice of  Michigan.
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Zach Wolgemuth, Executive, UCC Disaster Ministries, with Marcia & Harold Beer - Michigan Conference Disaster Co-Coordinator's
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Harold & Marcia Beer
Disaster Co-Coordinators' Corner
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Are you looking for employment?
Check out our list of available positions!
Updated: February 17, 2016
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Items for Sale or Donation
Updated: February 2, 2016
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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The Parish Paper
"What Numbers Matter for Congregations"
"How to Deal with Church Conflict"
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| Contact Us: | |
Michigan Conference
United Church of Christ
P.O. Box 1006 | East Lansing, MI 48826-1006
517-332-3511
conference@michucc.org
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