JFON-SEMI celebration dinner to feature Cass Ambassadors

  The Cass Ambassadors, a unique vocal group composed of formerly homeless men, will be the featured performers at an event aimed to help immigrants make a new life in their new home.   The group will share their Old Gospel and Motown favorites as part of a celebration dinner hosted by Justice For Our Neighbors of Southeastern Michigan (JFON-SEMI), part of the national charitable organization founded by the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), which provides free,...

Hispanic/Latino Ministries Bear Fruit

  Twenty-five people became members of El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church on August 26, 2012. A special celebration service was held that Sunday to recognize the new members. The new pastor, Rev. Patricia Gandarilla led the special service.  District Superintendent, Rev. Melanie Carey, Conference Director of New Faith Communities and Congregational Development, Dirk Elliott, and Hispanic/Latino Missionary, Sonya Luna, also participated in the special service.   During the...

Immigrant Welcoming Congregation Program Launches

  On Saturday, Feb. 25, representatives from 19 congregations of the West Michigan and Detroit Annual Conferences of the United Methodist Church gathered to begin a year long journey of exploration, conversation, and action to become Immigrant Welcoming Congregations.   The Immigrant Welcoming Congregation Program is being piloted by the General Board of Church and Society in seven Annual Conferences.  It is based on a model developed by the Chicago New Sanctuary...

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...

Transforming Training Opportunities for Developing Hispanic/Latino Ministries

  There are wonderful training opportunities that are offered throughout the Detroit Conference.  One of these training opportunities is the National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries Module Workshops that are sponsored by the Conference Committee on Hispanic/Latino Ministries.  For the past several years these workshops have been offered on an annual basis here in the Detroit Conference.  The purpose of these workshops is to prepare lay missioner and pastor-mentor teams...

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...

Carey Named Superintendent for New Detroit Metropolitan Area District

  Michigan Area Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton has announced that the Rev. Melanie L. Carey, lead pastor at Ypsilanti: First United Methodist Church, has been appointed to serve as a district superintendent in the Detroit Conference. Carey will be assigned to the newly formed district in the Metro Detroit area as of July 1, 2011.   “Melanie combines fruitful pastoral ministry, a wide variety of conference responsibilities done well, and a passion for social justice," Keaton...

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...

First Ever Spanish Language Lay Speaking Classes Held in Detroit Conference

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit came down and filled the Apostles and it gave them the available to speak in different languages so that the people of the crowd that were from different nations could hear the message of God in their own language.  We are blessed to have a diversity of people in Michigan who speak different languages and have different cultures. How can the church, like on the day of Pentecost, reach out and share the message of God with this diverse group of...

Committee on Hispanic/Latino Ministries Completes First Module Workshop in English

The Conference Committee on Hispanic/Latino Ministries is débuting its three year strategic plan this year and part of that plan is to train lay people and clergy to develop Hispanic/Latino ministries.  The National Plan for Hispanic/Latino Ministries Module 1 and Module 2 workshops are essential trainings that are used to train lay missioners and pastor-mentors.   Annually, the Conference Committee on Hispanic/Latino ministries has sponsored National Plan for...

Conference Committee on Hispanic/Latino Ministry Launches Three Year Strategic Plan

by Sonya Luna, Detroit Conference Hispanic-Latino Missionary    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Latino population in 2008 was more than 46 million. The Latino population is now the largest ethnic minority in the country, and is projected to become a majority. Since 2000, the growth of the Latino population has been seen in all areas of the United States.  In Michigan we have witnessed a growth in the Latino population. The Latino population grew from 3.3% of...