Faith for Thought

Faith for Thought is a bi-weekly offering of the

Michigan Conference United Church of Christ

March 11, 2016

Southeast Area Minister, Rev. Dr. Renee Jackson explains about the opportunity, the importance and the responsibility to come together as a community of faith for an Ecclesiastical Council.

The Ecclesiastical Council

Conversation Starter for your Faith Community

This 8-page resource (free downloadable PDF) addresses some of the most common concerns that have been raised about the United Church of Christ's positions on Israel/Palestine. It adds to our existing Frequently Asked Questions resource. We hope you find Let's Keep Talking helpful as you engage in courageous conversations and respectful dialogue in your congregation or community.

Faith For Thought

Blooper Reel

Bishop Dr. Yvette Flunder to visit

Church of the Good Shepherd, Ann Arbor:

March 17th 7:00 - 9:00p

Alternative Spring Break in Louisville - Help is needed in March and April

Calling all skilled and unskilled workers! Your help is needed!

There's a new partnership brewing, and you're invited. UrbanSpirit, a DHM Mission Affiliate, is joining up with Plymouth UCC in Louisville, KY, to create a great new space for UrbanSpirit's powerful decade-old program of poverty education. Before the move, however, renovations must be made at their new host site. Disciples Volunteering is calling on mission teams to come this spring and help get the new digs ready for summer service. We'll build showers, add a couple of walls, paint and repair a few things, and generally spruce up a 100-year-old Settlement House in Louisville's Russell Neighborhood. Volunteers will be housed in UrbanSpirit's staff house, just 2 miles away, complete with beds, showers, linens, fully-equipped kitchen, heat and a/c, wireless internet and on-street parking. Just bring your own groceries. Or memorize this number: (502) 776-6400. That's the local pizza parlor. They deliver! Cost is $50 / person. To register, contact Steve Huston at hustons74@gmail.com or by cell at 580-399-4686.

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.

ONLINE REGISTRATION

A paper registration is available on the Conference website (www.michucc.org).

EVENT FLYER

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!

Joys & Concerns

Spring Association Meetings

Covenant Association
April 23, 2016 @ 2:30p following the conclusion of Festival of Faith/Vitality Day at Edgewood United Church, UCC, East Lansing (more info to come).

Detroit Metropolitan Association
April 16, 2016 @ 9:00a at Mayflower Congregational UCC, Detroit (more info to come).

Grand West Association
April 17, 2016 @ Nueva Vida UCC, Wyoming (more info to come).

Southwest Association
April 16, 2016 @ Transformations Spirituality Center, Kalamazoo (more info to come).

United Northern Association
April 30, 2016 @ First Congregational UCC, Harrison (more info to come).

Prayers

Please hold Bertha Booker (long time Covenant Association contributor and spouse of the late Rev. Leland Booker) in your thoughts and prayers as she is undergoing chemo treatments again. Cheerful notes of encouragement would be welcomed:

465 Lancaster Court, Saline, MI 48176.

Wishing you a blessed day and wonderful weekend!

In This Issue

In today's Faith For Thought....

Conversation Starter

Faith For Thought - Blooper Reel

Bishop Dr. Yvette Flunder

Alternative Spring Break

SAVE THE DATES!

Joys & Concerns

MI Conference Staff

Water Drive

Center for Progressive Renewal

Conference Spotlight

Colors of Music Concert

CTRNC News

Calendars

Quick Links

Newsletter Archive

More About Us

Michigan Conference

Staff

Conference Minister

Rev. Dr. Campbell Lovett

Associate

Conference Minister

Rev. Cheryl Burke

Southeast Area Minister

Rev. Dr. Renee Jackson

Interim Southwest Area

Minister

Rev. Jody Betten

Business Manager

Bob Heisler

Executive

Administrative Assistant

Lisa Soulliere

Administrative Assistant

Search & Call

Merrilyn Vaughn-Hoffman

Administrative Assistant

Assoc. Conf Minister

Sasha Gaskin

Constantine Cub Scout Pack 410 and Boy Scout Troop 410:
2016 Water Drive

Saturday March 12, 2016 the Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts will be going door to door in Constantine to collect cases of bottled water for the city of Flint. If you would like to help in our collection please place all donations on your front porch on the morning of the 12th. We will begin collections at 10AM - please have all items outside by then.

If you have any questions please contact

Cubmaster - Mike Marvin 269/547-0781 or Scoutmaster - Larry Springer 269/625-5860. If you have a financial donation to share - please contact Mike or Larry.

On behalf of the Cub Scouts and the Boy Scouts - we thank you very much for all of your help!