White to preach at Central UMC to honor Dr. King

  A renowned bishop, pastor, preacher, author, social activist and theological scholar, Bishop Woodie White will deliver a special sermon to commemorate the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on Sunday, Jan. 20, at 10:30 a.m. at Central United Methodist Church in Detroit.  White has strong Detroit ties, as he served as pastor of the East Grand Boulevard Methodist Church and as the Urban Missioner for Metropolitan Detroit for the Detroit Conference of the Methodist Church in the 1960s....

Bishop's Day 2012 to focus on improving health globally

  "Improve Health Globally" is the theme of the 2012 Bishop's Day, which is set to take place in each district of the Detroit Conference during the month of March. The theme is tied to one of the Four Areas of Focus of The United Methodist Church, "stamping out killer diseases of poverty by improving health globally." Each of the conference's six districts has planned at Bishop's Day event that focuses on global health in a variety of ways, from providing fresh water...

Registration open for Keep Making Peace event

Shane Claiborne, sought-after speaker and bestselling author, will speak at the 10th annual Keep Making Peace event at University United Methodist Church in East Lansing.   Registration is now open for the event, which will take place from 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 31. To register, visit http://msuwesley.org/claiborne or call 517-332-0861. The event is free for students, $15 per person and $25 per family. Lunch will be included, and space is limited for the...

Spanish Language Workshop being offered for clergy and lay leaders

  Recently, as part of the Saginaw Bay District Mission Celebration, I gave a sermon at Laporte United Methodist Church. My sermon was about the day of Pentecost. In my sermon, I did not focus on the actions of the apostles, but on the response of the community members that gathered there that day. That day, as we know, the Holy Spirit came down and filled the apostles and they started to speak in different languages. Normally, our focus is on the apostles and their ability to speak...

Bishop's Advent Offering to support water ministry in Sierra Leone

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:   Grace and Peace to you in the name of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ! For the Advent Offering I am asking you to support the Water and Development Ministry of Sierra Leone, Africa of the West Africa Central Conference.   The Water and Development Ministry improves the quality of life for the people of Sierra Leone. This program provides sanitation and education and medical clinics that meet the needs of a struggling community.Supporting...

Popular Christian Activist Speaking March 31

  Shane Claiborne, sought-after speaker and bestselling author, will speak on March 31, 2012, at University United Methodist Church in East Lansing.   With tears and laughter, Shane Claiborne unveils the tragic messes in the world and the tangible hope that another world is possible.  Shane has worked alongside Mother Teresa, in a wealthy, mega-church, and written "Jesus for President."     He is also a founding partner of The Simple Way, a faith...

America's Sunday Supper promotes service

United Methodist Communications and the United Methodist General Board of Church and Society are urging communities to Rethink Church in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day with America’s Sunday Supper on January 15, 2012. America’s Sunday Supper will be a nationwide night of simultaneous dinners and discussions shared in churches, homes, community centers and kitchens to promote positive change in the world. As an activation partner with Points of Light, United Methodist...

Peace with Justice grants deadline to apply Jan. 6

$50,000 awarded in 2011 to 18 ministries, including a Central Conference project and 17 in 4 U.S. jurisdictions. Jan. 6 is the deadline to apply for a Peace with Justice grant from the United Methodist General Board of Church & Society (GBCS).   Funding for this program is generated through the Peace with Justice Special Sunday offering of The United Methodist Church. One of six Special Sundays in the denomination, Peace with Justice “witnesses to God’s demands for a...

Summer internships for racial/ethnic minority, Central Conference young adults

Persons, ages 18-22, interested in exploring public policy and social justice advocacy will work in U.S. capital.  Deadline to apply for a 2012 Ethnic Young Adult (EYA) Summer Internship in Washington, D.C., is Feb. 1. The EYA program is for persons, ages 18-22, who have an interest in exploring issues of public policy, social justice advocacy and social change.   Sponsored by the General Board of Church & Society (GBCS), the summer internship is for young adults representing...

Letter from Council of Bishops vows to uphold church law

Editor's note: The following letter was issued by the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church following their fall meeting. To read the United Methodist News Service story on this letter, please click here.    Click here to download a PDF version of this letter.   November 10, 2011   Dear United Methodist Sisters and Brothers in Christ:   Grace and peace to you from Jesus Christ who calls us to faithfulness during a time of great and unsettling change...

10-Fold Launches October 10

  The General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church (GBGM), along with the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) will be offering a 10-day online event called "10-Fold" that allows individuals to be counted, get involved, and raise funds for United Methodist projects around the world. 10-Fold will take place from October 10-19 at www.10-fold.org.  By visiting and spreading the word, you can raise up to $10,000 for each project During each day of...

MICAP names new executive director

The American Alcohol & Drug Information Foundation has appointed Linda Keefe-Lewis as Executive Director of the 106-year old Michigan Council on Alcohol Problems.   AADIF/MICAP is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization that educates Michigan citizens and mobilizes support for public policies that mitigate the harmful consequences of alcohol and other drugs.     Keefe-Lewis was recently the coordinator for the Tri-County Asset Independence Coalition. She also served as...

JFON expands aid in Southeast Michigan with third clinic

Justice for Our Neighbors of Southeast Michigan opens third legal aid clinic in Ypsilanti, Mich., expanding free immigration services Justice for Our Neighbors of Southeast Michigan (JFON-SEMI), a nonprofit legal immigration services provider, is expanding to meet the growing needs of immigrants in the state. The opening of its third monthly clinic at the First United Methodist Church in Ypsilanti brings JFON-SEMI to full functionality in the region with additional locations at its flagship...

Detroit Conference lay person named head of MFSA

Jill Warren, a member of West Bloomfield United Methodist Church, has been named the executive director of the Methodist Federation of Social Action, according to a release by the MFSA. Warren will begin her duties with MFSA, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C., on July 5.   "We were humbled with the number of qualified candidates called to lead MFSA," said Tara Thronson, MFSA co-president and Chair of the Search Committee. "The search committee went through an...

Church and Society encourages letter-writing campaign for education funding

  The Conference Board of Church and Society has authored a letter and is encouraging all United Methodists to write to Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and other Michigan state legislators to ask them to restore the proposed cuts to funding education in the state's budget. The letter was written as part of the board's March 26 meeting.   The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church states that as United Methodists, "we believe that every person has the right to...

Conference UMM Raising Funds to Fight Hunger

The Detroit Conference United Methodist Men are encouraging all men in the conference to join them in fighting hunger relief in March and April through the Meals for Millions program that is sponsored by the Society of St. Andrew.    From March 1-April 30, the Feinstein Foundation is granting $1 million in matching funds to selected groups that fight hunger, and the Society of St. Andrew is one of the groups that have been selected.  With the opportunity to have donations to...

Miss Michigan to Speak on Human Trafficking at Adrian College

Miss Michigan, Katie LaRoche, is set to speak at Adrian College on Tuesday, March 22, at 7:00 p.m. in the Adrian-Tobias Room as part of the Not For Sale Week sponsored by AC’s Not For Sale group against human trafficking. Ms. LaRoche will be discussing the issue of human trafficking both at home and overseas. She will recount the stories of several people who have faced human trafficking, while also explaining what we as individuals can do to make a difference today.   Katie&rs...

Michigan United Methodists Urged to Participate in Resolution for Immigration Reform

  Michigan Area Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton is inviting United Methodists in the Michigan Area to join him in participating in the New Year's Resolution Campaign for humane immigration reform, which is sponsored by the Interfaith Immigration Coalition. Endorsed by the Council of Bishops, the New Year's Resolution Campaign is a way to inspire, be inspired, renew your commitment to building more welcoming communities, advocate for humane immigration policies in 2011, and share that commitment...

JFON-SEMI To Hold Fundraising Dinner and Concert

Justice For Our Neighbors of Southeastern Michigan invites you to a special evening of celebration. Marking its first year in operation, JFON-SEMI is holding a dinner on Saturday, Jan. 29, at Ypsilanti: First United Methodist Church at 6:00 p.m. A traditional catered Salvadoran meal will be served, followed by a concert at 7:30 p.m.    The concert features Singers Of United Lands (S.O.U.L.), a touring group of four professional singers from four continents, performing folk...

Religion and Race Commission Urges United Methodists to "Drop the I-Word"

  The General Commission on Religion and Race is urging United Methodists to join a national campaign to eliminate the use of the word "illegal" as part of the conversation on immigration reform.   GCORR has signed on to endorse the "Drop the I-Word" public education campaign launched by launched by ColorLines.com and the Applied Research Center (ARC)," a racial justice think tank urging media outlets and other organizations across the country to stop using...