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West Michigan Conference 2010

    Representatives of “The Church for All People” in Columbus, Ohio served as keynote presenters during the conference. Those making presentations were Donita Harris, John Edgar and George Howard. The speakers provided three presentations along with a workshop on the “Free Store” ministry and how it became a worshiping community addressing health and housing issues. Attendees were encouraged to return to their communities and begin taking the small steps for such a ministry forward in meeting each of the Four Foci. They called upon the conference to risk engaging in authentic and genuine community by creating real relationships with the poor and those challenged in life.
    Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton, during the opening worship service, recounted the value of “Life in Christian Community” as he delivered the message. He issued a challenge to the congregation, noting his personal commitment to eliminating Biblical illiteracy and noting that the absence of prayer as the single most critical cause of spiritual decline.
    President Gesner Paul of the Methodist Church in Haiti shared his vision of providing education for children as the means to move forward in Haiti. He also thanked the conference for the more than $614,000 given for Haiti relief this year thus far. President Paul and Bishop Keaton blessed bicycle riders that are representing the six districts of West Michigan and the Detroit Conference in a six-day, 400 mile ride from the Indiana state line to the Mackinac Bridge. Their goal is to raise $10,000 for relief and projects in Haiti. Information on the ride can be found at www.haitiride.org. The Rev. Ed Taveirne of the Fenton United Methodist Church in the Detroit Conference was the conference preacher. Taveirne challenged participants to “move beyond your fears of the unknown and embrace imagination in ministry. To have new spaces for new faces there is going to be some risk taking.”
    The conference approved a significantly revised Flexible Housing Policy and defeated proposals to move the annual conference session to various sites. A proposal to reduce the number of districts from six to five was also defeated during the conference.
    Bishop Keaton was presented with a plaque to the conference in recognition for having the highest percentage of churches contributing to The Advance in the North Central Jurisdiction. Amanda Mountain, representative of the Board of Global Ministries, made the presentation. The conference donated $865,544 in 2009. Not to be outdone delegates during Annual Conference, where seven special offerings were received during the weekend, totaling $36,239.46. The total included $900 for Nothing But Nets from the sale of a CD that Bishop Keaton recorded singing his favorite hymns and playing the piano. The bishop ordained four elders and one deacon. The conference also remembered 29 pastors and laity who died this past year and honored 18 retiring pastors for their gift of service.
    During the statistical reports it was noted that membership stands at 64,724, down 1,211 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 37,242, down 2,365. Church school attendance stands at 10,531, down 1,419. The conference approved a budget for 2011 of $6,159,550.

Detroit Conference 2010

    During the conference Bishop Keaton ordained six deacons and eight elders, and commissioned one provisional deacon and three provisional elders during the Service of Ordination and Commissioning. Delivering the sermon during the ordination service was former Michigan Area Bishop and now Wisconsin Area Bishop Linda Lee.
    Twenty-two clergy celebrated their retirement during the conference, including the Rev. Terry A. Euper, who served as Clergy Assistant to the Bishop for the past seven years. Euper was recognized for 40 years of ministry. The Rev. William C. Dobbs, a member of the West Michigan Conference, currently serving as the Heartland District Superintendent will replace Euper as the Clergy Assistant to the Bishop.
    Two new district superintendents were named to replace the Rev. Thomas P. Macaulay, currently serving as Ann Arbor District Superintendent and the Rev. Louise Ott, Saginaw Bay District Superintendent. Named to the Detroit Annual Conference appointive cabinet were the Rev. Mark E. Spaw, pastor of Trenton Faith UMC and the Rev. Jeffrey R. Maxwell, pastor of Farmington First UMC. Spaw will serve the Ann Arbor District and Maxwell will serve the Saginaw Bay District. Macaulay is retiring on June 31.
    In celebration its covenant relationships with the Haiti and Liberia Methodist Churches, the conference was greeted by the Rev. Marco Depreste, secretary of the Haiti Methodist Church. The conference also heard the testimonies of two youth who are making significant impacts in Liberia. Jessica Arnold, a 17-year old from Waterford Central UMC, raised $5,000 for scholarships to the CW Duncan School, while 12-year-old Kelly Erickson from Plymouth First UMC presented Bishop Keaton with a check for over $8,000 to build water wells in Liberia. In addition, the conference raised over $25,000 for the purchase of a much-needed delivery truck for the Liberia Methodist Church and collected $43,032 from local churches to be split between the Haiti and Liberia Methodist Churches during the four-day session. More than $1,500 was raised during the conference for “Nothing But Nets” through the sale of the CD “Nothing But Praise” recorded by Bishop Keaton.
    During the 2009 annual conference the youth in attendance through a motion from floor asked Bishop Keaton to record the CD, and all recording and duplication expenses were donated so that all money raised from the sale of the CD would be used for the purchase of bed nets to prevent malaria.
    Serving as “Teacher in Residence” during the conference was the Rev. Dr. Lovett H. Weems Jr., executive director of the Lewis Center for Church Leadership at Wesley Theological Seminary. Weems spoke to the lay members of the annual conference, addressed the plenary session for two 60-minute presentations, speaking on “Five Questions for Congregations” and “Only Babies Want to be Changed.”
    The Detroit Conference was recognized by the General Board of Global Ministries as the highest contributor to missionaries in the North Central Jurisdiction in 2009. Adam Neal from GBGM presented the award to the conference.
    Other action taken by the conference during legislative sessions included:

the approval of a budget for 2011 totaling $9,737,237, this is a slight reduction from the previous year;

requiring all local church offices to have high-speed internet, where possible;

giving support to changing Michigan’s Ethnic Intimidation Act to extend protections to people such as lesbian, gays, bisexual and transgendered persons who are victims of hate crimes and discrimination;

a call for the conference to persuade Heifer Project International to include Liberia in its list of recipient countries;

renaming the Young Adult Task Force to the Conference Commission on Young Adult Communities. The Commission’s charge is to help increase Young Adult opportunities throughout the connection from the local church to the General Church;

petitioning the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits to divest itself of funds that it has invested in corporations whose businesses and products are supporting the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land; asking the conference secretary to contact the Mayor of the City of Detroit and other cities as well as county executives to request the Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm declare a state of emergency in Michigan.
     During the statistical report those in attendance learned that membership in the Detroit Annual Conference now numbers 94,679, down 2,172 from the previous year. Worship attendance stands at 45,099, a drop of 332 over the prior year. Church school attendance stands at 12,523 down 249.

WWYD:

    At the May 2010 meeting of the Council of Bishops in Columbus, Ohio, we reaffirmed our desire to create new places for new faces including the immigrant. Why? More and more church doors seemed slammed shut than wide open to strangers. Of course, the new Arizona Law on Immigration has served as one flashpoint. According to David Briggs, news editor of the United Methodist News Service the new law “requires police officers when practicable to detain people they reasonably suspect are in the country without authorization and verify their status with federal officials. Also, it is a state crime…to not carry immigration papers.” Finally, the new law “allows people to sue the local government” for non-compliance. While the law in Arizona is state specific, its net effect may be to rebuff strangers especially immigrants anywhere.
    Reading about this controversy on the Internet, I learned that some business owners in Arizona want reform as well. For example, Ted Robbins wrote an article entitled Businesses Challenge Arizona’s Immigration Law. Some contractors, farmers and hotel owners...are convinced it will have a dilatory effect on the profits and economical work force required to stay in business. They have contemplated required testing the constitutionality of the new law.
    As a Council of Bishops, we prayed for and asked God to watch over Bishop Minerva G. Carcano, resident Bishop of the Phoenix Area. After prayer, Bishop Carcano asked each area to identify a contact person to help share information about immigration efforts for reform. Long before her election as a bishop, Bishop Carcano championed causes for immigration reform and social justice. Now she has called for change in the new law- a change eliminating “the possibility of abuse and racial profiling.” With God’s help, Bishop Carcano will be equipped for the task.
    This brief exploration of the newest controversy on Immigration Law left the writer with several questions. First, what effect will this law have on our stated Mission “to make disciples Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world in and out of Arizona? Second, was Jesus’ moral imperative “to welcome the stranger” drawn from his birth story? Jesus and his family became immigrants and undocumented persons when they entered Africa running to escape the murderous pogrom of King Herod? The Holy Family was welcomed, nurtured, protected and cared for by our African brothers and sisters until God’s angel beckoned for them to come home. Tell me, What Would You Do?

Maxwell named Saginaw Bay DS

    "Since 1982 I have been committed to following Jesus as a servant leader in the United Methodist Church," Maxwell said. "Through Bishop Keaton, I believe God has made known the next phase of my journey. I look forward with great expectation to what God has in store. I do this in hope, believing that every experience holds a new promise and every day brings a new adventure for people of faith. As I follow God’s calling, I pray, 'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'”
    "In many ways, going back to the Saginaw Bay District is a home-coming. I spent the first 32 years of my life there; was baptized and brought to faith in the Hope (United Methodist) Church." Maxwell said. "Going back as the district superintendent though is both a challenge and an opportunity I relish. While the geography may be familiar, spiritually it is unknown territory. However, the words of Corrie Ten Boom will keep me oriented: 'Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to an all-knowing God.'"
    Maxwell as been active in conference leadership as a member of the conference Board of Discipleship, which he chaired for four years, and the conference Board of Ordained Ministry. He is currently serving as a member of the conference Committee on Standing Rules. In the Detroit West District, Maxwell is a member of the district's Leadership Team, the district's Committee on Ordained Ministry, and chairs the district's Committee on Superintendency.
    Maxwell received his Bachelor's degree from Saginaw Valley State College in 1984 and his Masters of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in 1987. He was also awarded a Doctor of Ministry degree from Asbury in 2000. Maxwell and his wife, Jan, are the parents of three grown children and four grandchildren.
    With the appointment of Maxwell, as well as his recent appointment of the Rev. Mark E. Spaw as the new Ann Arbor District Superintendent, Bishop Keaton stated that he has completed the changes to the Detroit Conference appointive cabinet for the next conference year.

Spaw named DS

    "After almost 28 years of pastoral ministry, worshiping, growing, sharing, encouraging, loving and being loved, what a honor and privilege it will be to share these gifts and graces as a district superintendent with the faithful people of the Ann Arbor District," Spaw said. "I am excited about all that God has in store for us and am ready to celebrate the wonderfully current ministries of the Ann Arbor District."
    "After serving 16 years within this district I am aware of the spirit, dedication, diversity, and faithfulness of the laity and clergy within our district. I look forward with great joy and anticipation to serving God as a District Superintendent. We know not what the future holds, but we surely know who holds the future."
    Spaw has been deeply involved in community activities during his career in ministry. Spaw is the chaplain for the Trenton City Fire Department and the Trenton High School football team, and has aided other community organizations such as the Hartland Volunteer Fire Department, Livingston County United Way, Hartland and Trenton Community Schools, jail ministries and the Boy Scouts of America. Spaw also helped to coach the Hartland High School football team.
    Active in district and conference leadership, Spaw is the chairperson of the Detroit West District Leadership Team and is also a member of the Detroit West District Committee on Ordained Ministry and the Young Leaders Initiative board. Spaw was a member of the conference Board of Ordained Ministry from 1997-2008 and currently serves as a member of the Conference Leadership Team.
    A native of Detroit, Mich., Spaw received his Bachelor's degree in Criminology from Wayne State University in 1980 and his Masters of Divinity degree from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in 1983. While completing his graduate studies at Garrett, Spaw served as the associate pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Western Springs in Western Spring, Ill. Spaw is a 1997 recipient of the Harry Denman Award for Evangelism and at the time was the youngest clergy member in Detroit Conference history to receive the honor.
    The Ann Arbor District consists of 66 churches and has the largest membership of the seven districts in the Detroit Conference.

Michigan Christian Advocate

    The choice that we have made is to continue providing information for and about the churches of both the Detroit and West Michigan Annual Conferences. The two annual conferences in making the announcement that the funding for the Michigan Christian Advocate would end effective December 31, 2009 failed to indicate that the Advocate would continue publishing.
    A portion of those conference-funding dollars will be redirected by the conferences to the United Methodist Reporter. This “new” publication is a newspaper produced in Dallas, Texas and distributed to conferences that do not have their own publication. Four pages of this publication will carry news of Michigan United Methodists and the remainder of the pages report on national news.
    The Michigan Christian Advocate currently produces a 32-page magazine, eleven times per year, with information featuring Michigan United Methodists on every page. The magazine is printed by a Michigan firm, staffed by Michigan residents and is solely the product of Michigan United Methodists.
    The Advocate offered four pages for the exclusive use of the two conferences going forward into 2010 in exchange for a reduced portion of funding. They declined our offer and instead opted to go with the newspaper publication.
    The funding stream for this publication will now become more dependent on the subscriptions from loyal readers, support from advertisers who understand the importance of an independent United Methodist publication along with grants from foundations that believe in similar principles. A committee of the board of directors is currently busy looking for and applying to foundations for financial support that will allow the publication to continue the tradition that Michigan United Methodists have come to expect.
    The Michigan Christian Advocate is a nationally recognized, award winning publication that continues to serve all United Methodists in the state of Michigan. Through its columns the Advocate has become the face of the United Methodist Church. We look forward to telling the story of United Methodists across Michigan for years to come.
     We ask you to continue sending your information, pictures and comments to us so that we can pass it along to our readers. Your continued support and encouragement is always welcome.
    As we enter the Christmas season we at the Michigan Christian Advocate would like to offer our heartfelt thanks for your support in the past and look forward to serving you in the future.
    Merry Christmas and may God bless you and yours.

Bishop's Day on Evangelism

    The Detroit East/Detroit West region will host Bishop's Day on Saturday, March 6, at Southfield: Hope UMC. Steve Sjogren (www.stevesjogren.com), who is known nationwide for his passion and leadership in the area of servant evangelism, will be the keynote speaker. Sjogren, the senior leader and founder of Coastland Tampa in Tampa, Fla., will also be keynoting the Marquette region's Bishop's Day on Saturday, March 27, at Gladstone: Memorial UMC.
    Bishop Robert Schnase (www.fivepractices.org), author of The Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations, will headline the Albion/Ann Arbor/Lansing region Bishop's Day on Saturday, March 13, at the Goodrich Chapel on the campus of Albion College in Albion. Schnase has served as the bishop of the Missouri Area since 2004.
    The Bishop's Day for the Heartland/Grand Traverse/Saginaw Bay region will take place on Saturday, March 13, at Mount Pleasant: First UMC. The Rev. Mike Slaughter (www.mikeslaughter.com), chief dreamer and lead pastor of Ginghamsburgh Church in Tipp City, Ohio will be the guest speaker. Slaughter was appointed to Ginghamsburg in 1979, where worship attendance hovered at 90 with 118 members and an annual budget of $27,000. Currently, 4,000 attendees on average worship weekly at Ginghamsburg and the multi-million dollar budget helps resource a faith community committed to serving the poor, lost and disenfranchised.
    Scott Rigsby (www.scottrigsby.com), the first double-amputee to complete the 140.6-mile World Ironman Triathlon, will speak at the Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo region Bishop's Day on Saturday, March 13, at Cornerstone Church in Caledonia. Rigsby's incredible story is a unique journey of success and failures that all started with a decision and the desire to never quit, no matter what, no matter how long. His story is one of overcoming challenges to achieve the unthinkable. He speaks with clarity, passion, purpose, and humor about the persistence needed to achieve what we think is beyond our reach.
    The Flint/Port Huron region Bishop's Day will be held at Lapeer: Trinity UMC on Saturday, March 13, with Celinda Hughes (www.umcom.org), Strategic Marketing Associate at United Methodist Communications, as the keynote speaker.
    More information on each regional Bishop's Day will be available on the Detroit (www.detroitconference.org) and West Michigan (www.westmichiganconference.org) Conference Web sites as it becomes available.

West Michigan seeks "Vital Signs of Hope"
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    After conferencing for at least a decade in the Fine Arts Center at Calvin College, members convened this year in a new arena at the college, allowing members to sit at tables for legislative work. But the fourth resolution adopted was a call for the program committee to "explore and prayerfully consider moving the location of the West Michigan Annual Conference back to Albion College as soon as possible."
    Conference members voted to rename the Central District the Heartland District, effective July 1. A part of the rationale for the proposal from the Central District Leadership Team stated: "The word ‘heartland’ speaks of fertile soil capable of producing abundant fruit or growth. That is what we claim for our district by this name change."
    Members also voted to adopt the common title, "Director of Connectional Ministries," in place of the current "Conference Director."
    The Abuse Prevention Team was instructed to "design a plan for situations in which an adult convicted and/or registered as a child sexual offender is involved or seeks involvement in the conference, its activities or facilities." The report plan is to come to the 2010 annual conference.

Other legislation included

adoption of a Master Group Plan for insuring all churches and property that will provide competitive bids and premium savings; 474 yes, 260 no. Later legislation to reimburse churches who could find lower premiums than in the group plan was referred to CFA.

authorization for the Conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits to implement a self-funded medical benefits plan with "stop loss" insurance, effective not later than Oct. 1, 2009; additional legislation amended the Conference Policy for Health Insurance to help implement the new self-funded medical benefits plan.

retained the Minimum Salary schedule for 2009 into 2010, voting down a proposed 1.1 percent increase to demonstrate solidarity with church members challenged by the current Michigan economy.

referred a petition and response petition on the conference’s Flexible Housing Policy to a task force to be created. Among the issues the task force will consider is provision of a parsonage or housing allowance for pastors.

Conference members approved Amendment #1 to the Constitution of the United Methodist Church to state that "all" persons are eligible to become members of the church. If adopted by a 2/3 vote of all conferences, this will amend the section on "Inclusiveness of the Church." The vote in West Michigan was 70.3 percent yes, 29.7 no. Some other amendments were approved by significant margins but none of the amendments related to the Worldwide Nature of the Church received the needed 2/3 vote.

Amended the proposed 2010 conference budget to restore Equitable Compensation line item to 2009 level, adding approximately $7,500. Budget adopted for 2010: $6,209,076.

The Rev. Benton Heisler, Director of Connectional Ministries, announced the names of award recipients.
* West Michigan received an award for the highest percentage churches participating in The Advance in the North Central Jurisdiction.
* The Bob Smith Hunger Award went to the Snow UMC for its exceptional giving to hunger at $104 per member.
* The Helen Smith Hunger Awards were presented to Nottowa UMC – Small church category; Ionia First UMC – Mid-Size Church; and Kalamazoo First UMC – Large Church.
* Peace Maker of the Year – Penny Zago, Director of the Shalom Center and member of Lansing: Central UMC.
* Peace Sermon of the Year: Dale Hotelling, pastor of Muskegon: Crestwood UMC

DAC focus is 'Principled Christian Leaders'
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Conference members shared in a variety of celebrations:

Conference Lay Leader Cathy Hazen completed five years of leadership. Mike Clark, Marquette District Lay Leader, will succeed her.

Conference Council on Ministries Director, the Rev. John Huhtala, is retiring. The Rev. Jerry DeVine, current Albion District Superintendent, will succeed him.

The Rev. Michael Sawicki and his wife, Patty, have been selected to lead a New Church Start, the first in the Detroit Conference in 13 years. The new Faithway Church will be in the Tri-City area of the Saginaw Bay District.

Beatrice Gbanga, a missionary in Africa supported by Detroit Conference churches, was introduced.

The Detroit Methodist Union has a new director. The Rev. Bill Ritter became interim director following the untimely death of the Rev. Kenneth Christler and has agreed to remain as director. He noted that he was born and raised in Detroit and served his whole ministry in the Detroit districts.

The Conference Statistician reported a 2 percent membership drop in 2008 to 96,853, but also reported 32 percent of conference churches grew in membership and 75 percent received new members.

Conference churches donated 475 containers of supplies for Haiti and Liberia and brought more than $11,000 in cash donations for the partner conferences. Conference churches also donated 7,388 pairs of "seatcovers" for children in need.

David Bell, vice president of the United Methodist Foundation of Michigan, drew applause when he said in his presentation on stewardship, "The reality is the church is not poor.... The church receives the largest slice of the charitable pie [compared to] any other sector."

The Detroit Conference fulfilled its $2 million pledge to support the Central Conference Pension Initiative for retired pastors in Africa and their surviving spouses. The pledges was voted at the 2008 annual conference.

Of the 138 churches recognized as Spotlight Churches, 27 were new to achieve this level of mission giving.
    A CD of Bishop Keaton playing the piano and singing will be produced and sold for $10 each to support the Nothing But Nets campaign to provide bed nets to protect African children from malaria-carrying mosquitos. By the end of conference, the Rev. Marsha Woolley announced that the program committee would support the CD proposal from the Conference Council on Youth Ministries and that the Sound Doctor, which provides audio services for the annual conference, will donate studio and production time to create the CD.
    Conference United Methodist Men president Lewis Tibbits received the Bud the Spud Award for raising the most money for the Society of St. Andrew at the meeting of the Association of United Methodist Men Presidents.
    Harry Denman Evangelism Awards went to Pastor Nickolas Genoff, Avoca UMC, where worship attendance has doubled in two years. Clark Cook of Seymour Lake UMC received the lay award for his gifts in welcoming people.
    The Conference Council on Youth Ministries raised $1000 for the Youth Service Fund in their annual "Penny Palooza." Saginaw Bay District raised the most money. In a spontaneous move, Bishop Keaton invited conference members to come forward to donate a dollar each to the fund. Another $1,781 was raised!

    Conference business included the usual enabling legislation for program and administration; restructure of the Conference Council on Ministries; ratification of all Constitutional Amendments, including Amendment One that states "all" are welcome to become members of The United Methodist Church; and several resolutions on current social issues:
    "Create a Peace Economy" asks United Methodists to encourage the president and Congress to "expend greater effort on diplomacy and nuclear disarmament" and "reinvest those tax monies in societal improvement programs....";
    "Firestone Natural Rubber Company" commends the company for cooperation with the government of Liberia and encourages additional labor and environmental reforms;
    "Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Day" asks conference churches to use a Sunday in March to education people on the need for this legal protection for health care decisions.
    A proposed resolution on ending the war in Afghanistan was defeated after its maker said the original resolution was "eviscerated" by the legislative committee that reviewed and amended it and urged its defeat.

    Bishop Keaton ordained two deacons, ten elders, and commissioned three provisional deacons. Fifteen clergy retired.

EarthKeeper Tree Project
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    The EarthKeeper team includes ten faith traditions ( United Methodist Church, Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Unitarian Universalist, Baha'i, Jewish, Zen Buddist, Quakers) with over 150 participating churches/temples, the nonprofit Superior Watershed Partnership (SWP), the nonprofit Cedar Tree Institute (CTI), and the Northern Michigan University EarthKeeper (NMU EK) Student Team. This is the fifth year that UMC members have particpated in an interfaith Earth Day project. Supt. Lobb said "planting a tree is a gift for the next generation."
    "Environmental health has always been a concern for United Methodists," said Lobb, whose district has 8,372 parishioners and 60 northern Michigan congregations.
    "I am confident that many of the (U.P. UMC) congregations will continue their support of the EarthKeeper work, and will join in this wonderful goal of planting thousands of trees across our beautiful landscape," Lobb said.
    The trees were purchased or donated by the U.P. EarthKeeper team, SWP, Holli Forest Products, the Forestland Group, Plum Creek Timber Company and Meister's Greenhouses, said Carl Lindquist, SWP executive director.
    Meanwhile, the bishops and other leaders of northern Michigan's largest religious communities are asking their congregations to help plant 12,000 trees in honor of Earth Day 2009 because tree leaves produce the oxygen humans need to thrive.
    An annual Jewish holiday celebrates the blossoming of the almond trees in Israel at the start of spring, said Dr. Constance Arnold, president of the board for Temple Beth Sholom.
    "Tu B'Shvat is a very ancient holiday we observe yearly," said Arnold. "This is a reminder of the importance of trees."
    The connection between trees and a healthy world has long been taught in the Bahá'í Faith, said Dr. Rodney H. Clarken, chair of the Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Marquette. Roman Catholic Diocese of Marquette Bishop Alexander K. Sample said he encourages parishes "to participate fully in this EarthKeeper project."
    Northern Great Lakes Synod Lutheran Bishop Thomas A. Skrenes said "trees matter" and encouraged Sunday school classes, confirmation classes, men and women groups and others to plant as many trees as possible.
    The head priest for Lake Superior Zendo, a Marquette Zen Buddhist Temple, said "we absolutely must care for mother earth."
    "Human life, literally and figuratively, is inseparable from mother earth," said Reverend Tesshin Paul Lehmberg, EarthKeeper Implementation Team co-chair. "We are inextricably threaded to her. In caring for her, we care for ourselves."
    David McCowen, a member of Lake Superior Friends one of two Quaker groups in the U.P., said trees provide "wind breaks, wildlife habitat, fuel source, and a cellulose fiber source." The EarthKeeper Tree Planting Project is "another opportunity to work cooperatively with God and nature to replenish the earth," said Pastor Dave Anderson of Grace Presbyterian Church in Sagola and chaplain for the Dickinson County Healthcare System.
    Marquette Unitarian Universalist Congregation (MUUC) celebrant coordinator Nancy Irish said planting trees is a "simple and meaningful way to put our environmental concern into action" because they "serve as lungs, shelter, inspiration, comfort, and sustenance for other living creatures."
    "The EarthKeeper project this year is one where people from across the Upper Peninsula will see tangible results of their earth stewardship," said Griffith, a MUUC member. "I hope that congregations involve their young people in their planning and planting."
    "Each year the staff at the Superior Watershed Partnership looks forward to helping the EarthKeepers coordinate an event," said Lindquist. "It's fun and it helps further our long term protection and restoration goals for local watersheds and the Great Lakes."
    "Our interfaith tree planting effort is more than another conservation project," said Rev. Jon Magnuson, CTI executive director and EarthKeeper Initiative co-founder. "With prayers, hymns and the blessing of 12,000 seedlings, it's a gentle proclamation of a new consciousness and commitment among our faith communities to care for God's creation."
    Organizers said congregations can still request trees.
    "We cannot guarantee the number or species of trees but we want all faith communities to participate," said Catholic EarthKeeper team member Kyra Fillmore, the project's communications coordinator for faith communities. "This is about more than putting trees in the ground it's an expression by the faith communities of love and care for God's creation." Lindquist said the trees "will be wrapped individually in a plastic bag with planting instructions."
    "Kids love helping to plant trees," said Lindquist, EarthKeeper Initiative co-founder. "We encourage people to take them home or camp and to plant them as soon as possible and to water them."
    In addition to providing oxygen trees are important for other scientific, economic and practical reasons from soil health to being "fun for children to climb," said Presbyterian Earth Keeper Jill Martin of Ford River Township.
    "They have a substantial cooling effect on summer temperatures particularly the deciduous trees," said Martin, an environmental scientist with Wilcox Professional Services in Escanaba. "They are also important from a biological integration standpoint - they help sustain the ecological web from the soil organisms to birds that nest in their trees," Martin said.
    "Trees are a big part of the economic commerce of this part of the world," Martin said. "The upper Midwest is very tightly integrated to the forest as a sustainable resource."
    "Presbyterians view ourselves as servants in gods world and this effort is service to sustaining God's world, " said Martin, a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Escanaba.
    Episcopal EarthKeeper team member Nancy Auer of Houghton, MI said there are good reasons to plant trees "in a region of the country known for trees" including minimizing the effects of logging. Experts say 12,000 mature trees absorb 3 million pounds of carbon dioxide annually and produce enough oxygen to support 24,000 humans.
    Bishop Sample said trees have a connection to the "Easter season."
    "We have just celebrated Christ's victory over death, accomplished through the tree of his cross," said Bishop Sample, who oversees 94 U.P. parishes and missions with 61,000 members. "These new trees that will be planted can symbolize for us the new life that the Lord has won for us." Bishop Skrenes said its "a privledge" for Lutherans to put their hands "into God's soil and help a tree to grow."
    "You can grow a forest," said Skrenes, the head of 94 U.P. Lutheran congregations with 40,000 members.
    Arnold said Tu B'Shvat marks the "New Year of Trees"and Jewish customs include tree planting and eating dried fruits and nuts during an evening meal.
    "We get together on that day and have something to eat from as many of the fruits of the tree as you can come up with," Arnold said. "We bring apricots, cherries, olives, dates, pomegranates and cinnamon."
    The EarthKeeper Covenant signer on behalf of all northern Michigan Presbyterians, Rev. Anderson said planting trees is important because "there is so much harvesting going on just for profitability" and planting a tree "can stand in contrast to a materialistic mindset."
    "Trees can be enjoyed for their beauty and charm, without always having to be seen for their market value," Anderson said. "Let's plant this year to beautify the Earth and to enjoy God's creation for the right reasons."
    Irish said the MUUC believes "planting trees together in our respective sacred spaces is like singing to our planet in a multi-generation, interfaith chorus."
    "The Earth is what we all have in common and this common act of stewardship can only deepen awareness of that commonality," Irish said.
    McCowen said "it is easy to take trees for granted" in the U.P. because "trees are a major part of the surroundings that we love."
    "Faith communities have the privilege and responsibility of unselfishly considering the natural environment as being inherently desirable," McCowen said.
    Auer said "every tree has value in that they absorb our carbon emissions and those carbon emissions are increasing therefore we need more trees."
    Clarken cited the works of well-known Bahá`í conservationist Richard St. Barbe Baker of England who is nicknamed the "Man of the Trees." A forester and author who inspired millions to protect what he called the "green mantle" of trees, St. Barbe brought "a message of preserving the natural environment especially trees,"said Clarken. "Baker had an almost mystical vision about the vital role the world's forests play in the survival of mankind," Clarken said.
    Baker, who died in 1982 at the age of 92, said his lifelong protection of trees was rooted in his Bahá`í Faith, said Clarken.
    As a young man working in a Canadian lumber camp, Baker witnessed the quick ruin of ecosystems when topsoil disappeared in the wind and rain after the clear-cutting of virgin forests, Clarken said. From inspiring the planting of many thousands of seedlings in Africa to protecting the California Redwoods to his efforts to restore millions of acres of the Sahara Desert, Baker's entire life was dedicated to protecting forests right up until a few days before his death when he planted his last tree at the University of Saskatchewan, Clarken said.
    There are about 40 Bahá'ís in the Marquette area, 144,000 in the United States and six million around the world., Clarken said.
    Catholic EarthKeeper team member Linda O'Brien said "from the beginning of time God has called us to be good stewards of the earth."
    "Our Catholic tradition allows us to embrace the EarthKeeper Tree Project as a way to continue our good stewardship of the earth," O'Brien said.
    A Dickinson County church that's going green in many ways is participating in the tree planting project.
    "I am thrilled about this - when my kids were little they planted trees," said Sue Piasini, a member of Grace Presbyterian in Sagola and the mother of four grown children. "Now the tree they planted are huge - they're about 20 feet tall."
    Planting the trees is "like coming full circle," said Piasini, a Presbyterian EarthKeeper team member from Channing, Michigan.
    "We're so lucky and blessed to live in beautiful area" with beautiful forests, said Piasini, who is helping coordinate the tree project for numerous Dickinson County churches of all faiths including in Felch, Kingsford and Iron Mountain "We're going to plant one tree in our church yard and dedicate it and inspire our people" and the rest of their share of the seedlings will be given to church members and others.
    "Our church is going green and we are getting rid of all Styrofoam cups and plates" used during the weekly coffee hour after the service," Piasini said. "You can't imagine all the Styrofoam that is thrown away."
    "We are only going to use biodegradable paper products," said Piasini, adding the church is trying to arrange a free energy audit to with a "goal to be more energy efficient."
    The public is invited to a blessing of the trees ceremony at 3:30 p.m. on Earth Day Wed., April 22 next to the Presque Isle pavilion.
    Assisted by the NMU EarthKeeper Student Team and other volunteers, congregations will pick up trees at local conservation district offices in the U.P. on Sat., May 2 and planted the next day. Faith groups can plant the trees anywhere they decide and give out trees to members and others. Congregations can still request trees by calling Catholic EarthKeeper Kyra Fillmore, the project faith community communications coordinator, at 906-228-2388.
     For tree planting information contact the SWP at 906-228-6095.
    This is the fifth year that the U.P. EarthKeepers have launched an Earth Day environment project. From 2005-2007, over 15,000 U.P. residents turned in more than 360 tons of household hazardous waste at a dozen collection sites across the U.P. Most of the items were recycled and the remainder was properly disposed under federal guidelines including electronic waste (e-waste) like computers, monitors and printers plus cell phones, pharmaceuticals, pesticides, herbicides, oil-based paint and vehicle batteries.
    Last year the EarthKeepers provided a household energy conservation checklist that resulted in over 3 million pounds of carbon being reduced.

Deacons' letter on the economy
continued from home page

Continue scrolling for worship and reflecton resources

A diaconal letter on the economy From the Order of Deacons of the Detroit Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church

To our Sister and Brother United Methodists,
    We find ourselves in uncertain and challenging economic times. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, the collapse of major investment banks, and the struggling auto companies have left many in our nation and in our state vulnerable. Many people face unemployment and foreclosure, students find it harder to meet the tuition costs of higher education, and the retired see their savings dwindle.
    As United Methodist deacons, charged by our denomination to "connect the church and the world," we urge United Methodists to resist the temptations of panic, fear, and the mentality of "hunkering down" into an insular survival mode. Instead, we call United Methodist local churches to prayerfully and boldly engage in creative ministry that proclaims and embodies the good news of Jesus Christ in lives and communities demoralized and stripped of hope.

Proclamation
    We believe that the church is called to prophetic proclamation that is simultaneously critical and hopeful. The word "crisis" itself, comes from the Greek word for judgment. We must admit that the economic crisis is a moral and spiritual crisis fueled by greed and the practices of hyper-consumption and exploitation of people and the natural world. In the face of this, it is the responsibility of the church to call for a conversion, a metanoia, a turning away from the spirituality of "mammon" to a different vision of our common life together founded in Christian hope.     Christian hope is grounded in the saving power of the Triune God, who in the last days will recreate heaven and earth setting all of creation into right relationship. This hope of a world transformed animates the church’s mission. It challenges the community of disciples to imagine a world of peace, abundance, and justice and to embody – in the here and now – such a world.
    Centered on Jesus Christ, Christian hope does not diminish pain and suffering. Even the risen Jesus, as scripture tells us, bore the wounds of crucifixion. The loss of employment, homes, and savings, while painful and devastating, should not strip individuals and families of their dignity or their lives of meaning. But pain, suffering, and death are not the end. Abundant life beyond and in spite of death is the gift of God through Christ. The economic crisis, in this Christian perspective, does not have the final word.

Embodiment
    As deacons we are concerned about concrete and meaningful ways our churches can be in ministry and mission.
    The Methodist tradition, through the wisdom of our founder John Wesley, offers spiritual and moral guidance. Wesley, in his sermon "The Use of Money," called on the early Methodists to "gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." In other words, Wesley preached the virtues of integrity, simplicity, and generosity in financial matters.

Integrity
    Wesley was deeply concerned about how Christians earned and accumulated their wealth. He strongly discouraged people from being involved in any business venture that threatened the physical, mental, and spiritual well being of themselves or others. Especially problematic was financial involvement in the slave trade and the production of gin. Today these instructions remind us of the importance of economic practices that pursues not the good of a few, but the good of all. United Methodists must, therefore, advocate for fair wages and benefits for all workers in their workplaces, in their communities and in the nation and against practices that take advantage of the economically vulnerable in this difficult time.

Simplicity
    Wesley urged his fellow Meth-odists to be frugal in their spending by not being wasteful and by discerning between "necessity" and "desire." The current culture of consumerism, on the other hand, operates by leading us to confuse desire for necessity and to define ourselves by our material possessions. Coupled with this confusion is our societal desensitization to massive amounts of personal and communal debt. This self-destructive combination must be challenged. The virtue of simplicity calls us, today, to cultivate practices of faithful and wise stewardship.

Generosity
    "Give all you can," instructed Wesley. This is not just tithing, but an extravagant generosity. In the midst of tough economic times this is a challenge. Wesley grounded giving in the belief that what we have is not really ours. Everything belongs to God. So, in all our use of resources we must give to God what is God’s. This means that every expenditure, every use of money, must be guided by our identity not as proprietors, but as stewards of God’s creation. All that we have is a gift from God and so must be given in love of God and in love of neighbor.

    In light of this wisdom from our tradition, we offer these suggestions for your consideration:

Liturgy
We encourage church leaders to think creatively about marking liturgically the many losses and transitions facing individuals and families. Consider, for example, hosting "A Service of Healing," sponsoring a community prayer walk that stops at the Chamber of Commerce, City Hall, financial institutions, and social service providers, or writing a litany of commitment to the virtues of integrity, simplicity, and generosity for use in Sunday worship.

Service
It is important to know the needs of your particular community. Take time to listen to members and community leaders. Think about sponsoring workshops on foreclosure or starting a job networking group offering spiritual support and skill development, such as resume writing or interviewing. Contact local charities and see how your church can assist in meeting the needs through donations and volunteers.

Justice
We encourage all United Methodists to take time to understand and be in discussion about the complexities of the financial crisis. We also encourage United Meth-odists to advocate for fair, living wages and health care for all workers and to reasonable and dignified treatment and assistance for those facing foreclosure. We hope that local churches will act as catalysts within their communities engaging elected, civic, and business leaders in addressing and responding to the impact of the economic crisis.

Resources for your reflection and use.

LITURGICAL OFFERINGS prepared by Deacon Laura Speiran

Unison Prayer of Confession: Holy God, it is with heavy hearts and myriad anxieties that we look around our communities. Businesses are failing, jobs are disappearing, homes are being lost. Is it really all about greed? Did we get ourselves into this mess by continually wanting more, even when we could not pay for it? Has our consumer-driven society blinded us so much to your ways that we have forgotten them entirely? Forgive us, Lord, for looking to the world to find our worth. Help us to see our value in the love you have for us, and our identification as your children. Forgive us for putting things ahead of people and also ahead of you. Help us return to what really matters–our relationships with each other, and our relationship with you. It is in Christ we pray, Amen.

Words of Assurance: The Lord promises us–if my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) Our God brings forgiveness and healing on those who call upon the name of the Lord.

Litany

Leader: We come this day to examine ourselves and our communities in the face of these uncertain economic times.

People: We ask ourselves–how have we contributed to this mess we are in?

Leader: We come this day to examine our fears.

People: What are we most afraid of–losing material wealth? Or is it losing the ability to even care for ourselves, our children?

Leader: We come this day to ask God for forgiveness.

People: We are sorry, Lord, for the ways we as a people have worshiped wealth.

Leader: We come this day to ask God for assurance.

People: Thank you, Lord, for being our same loving God, no matter how chaotic our world is.

Leader: We come this day to ask God what we should do in response to this crisis.

People: Help us, Lord to reach out to others with generous hearts instead of isolating ourselves in worry.

Leader: We come this day to worship you.

People: O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer.

Bidding Prayer

Gracious God, things are falling apart all around us. We seek your guidance and counsel, your mercy and your grace to help us through these challenging times.

We pray for those who are in leadership roles who are responsible for making decisions that affect our entire nation.

(silence)

[O Lord, hear our prayer.]

We pray for leaders of major industries as they negotiate these turbulent waters.

(silence)

[O Lord, hear our prayer.]

We pray for those individuals and families who have lost jobs and homes.

(silence)

[O Lord, hear our prayer.]

We pray for those who are struggling each day to care for basic necessities.

(silence)

[O Lord, hear our prayer.]

We pray for our church to be the Body of Christ we are called to be.

(silence)

[O Lord, hear our prayer.]

We pray for ourselves, that we may lay our burdens of worry down and be filled with your peace.

(silence)

[O Lord, hear our prayer.]

It is in Christ we pray. Amen.

HOLY CONFERENCING IN THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES
Prepared by Deacon Terry Gladstone

How shall we as a church respond in these tough economic times? These circle dialogues are designed to help small groups conference with one another. A circle dialogue is simple. Place the chairs in a circle and put a Christ candle in the center. Use a Bible as a talking piece. The facilitator will ask the questions and then begin by passing the Bible to someone in the circle. When you have the Bible it is your turn to talk and share without interruption. When you do not have the Bible it is your turn to listen deeply to the person who is sharing. The bible is passed around the circle, in order. What follows are three circle dialogues to guide us in conferencing in tough economic times.

1. Matthew 15: 21-28: Sent to the Least

Light the candle. Time of silence.

Leader:

Jesus was on a mission. And then this happens… (reading from Matthew 15: 21-28)

Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, "Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon." But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, "Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us." He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." But she came and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, help me." He answered, "It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs." She said, "Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table." Then Jesus answered her, "Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish." And her daughter was healed instantly. NRSV

Read the passage a second time. Time of silence.

Reflection One: What mission are you on that you feel must not be interrupted?

Reflection Two: Describe how the demons torment the "least of these" in your community. Your church?

Reflection Three: Think about how the "least of these" are trying to get your church’s attention. What form does their "shouting" take? (and who hears it?)

Reflection Four: If you gave your attention to it, what might you discover?

Reflection Five: What will it take to "heal the daughters" of the least of these?

Closing: I invite each one of you to share a closing sentence prayer you have for yourself.

2. Wesley’s Advice: "gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can"

Light the candle. Time of silence.

Leader: Pass out the handout from The Diaconal Letter on the Economy and ask everyone to read it, silently reflecting on the meaning for themselves and their congregation.

Reflection One: What stands out for you from this handout?

Reflection Two: Integrity (gain all you can) Please share a story about a person or family that illustrates this quality.

Reflection Three: Simplicity (save all you can) What are some ways you have thought of and/or put into action to save or to live simply?

Reflection Four: Generosity (give all you can) Tell us about a generous person you have known. What have you learned from them?

Reflection Five: Now that we have shared with one another on Wesley’s advice — so what? What guidance might this have for our congregation now?

Handout from the Diaconal Letter on the Economy

Embodiment As deacons we are concerned about concrete and meaningful ways our churches can be in ministry and mission.

The Methodist tradition, through the wisdom of our founder John Wesley, offers spiritual and moral guidance. Wesley, in his sermon "The Use of Money," called the early Methodists to "gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can." In other words, Wesley preached the virtues of integrity, simplicity, and generosity in financial matters.

Integrity Wesley was deeply concerned about how early Methodists earned and accumulated their wealth. He strongly discourage Methodist from being involved in any business venture that threatened the physical, mental, and spiritual well being of themselves or others. Especially problematic was financial involvement in the slave trade and the production of gin. Today these instructions remind us of the importance of economic practices that pursues not the good of a few, but the good of all. Methodists must, therefore, advocate in their workplaces and communities for fair wages and benefits for all workers and against practices that take advantage of the economic vulnerable in this difficult time.

Simplicity Wesley urged his fellow Methodist to be frugal in their spending by not being wasteful and by discerning between "necessity" and "desire." The current culture of consumerism, on the other hand, operates by leading us to confuse desire for necessity and to define ourselves by our material possessions. Coupled with this confusion is our societal desensitization to massive amounts of personal and communal debt. This self-destructive combination must be challenged. The virtue of simplicity calls us, today, to cultivate practices of faithful and wise stewardship.

Generosity "Give all you can" demanded Wesley. This is not just tithing, but an extravagant generosity. In the midst of tough economic times this is a challenge. Wesley grounded giving in the belief that what we have is not really ours. Everything belongs to God. So, in all our use of resources we must give to God what is God’s. This means that every expenditure, every use of money must be a guided by our identity not as proprietors, but as stewards of God’s creation. All that we have is a gift from God and so must be given in love of God and in love of neighbor.

3.PRINCIPLED RESPONSE

Light the candle. Time of silence.

Leader: The board of General Superintendents of the Wesleyan church recently released a pastoral letter in response to the economy downturn. They shared these principles with their congregations:

The Board of General Superintendents of The Wesleyan Church calls upon the Church to renew its demonstrations of being the people of God in the world. In financially troubled times, we call upon Wesleyans to lead lives that are disciplined, generous, prayerful, courageous and creative.

• Disciplined because many of us have consumed too much of the world’s resources on ourselves. This can be a time to control our cravings and determine to live more simply.

• Generous because there are people who are (or will be) going without some of the necessities of life and we have an obligation to share with them in Jesus’ name.

• Prayerful because the problems that plague our world will not be solved by throwing money at them, but by God intervening with justice and grace.

• Courageous because fear and panic are not becoming to the people of God. The peace of Christ allows us to approach life’s difficulties with calm, deliberate, confident steps.

• Creative because the mind of Christ inspires His followers to think more clearly of how to minister to others and to society in ways that spread hope and holiness that transform culture.

In each of our reflections we will be sharing the best practices we have heard, experienced, observed or used.

Reflection One: Disciplined What are the best practices you offer on this idea?: Disciplined because many of us have consumed too much of the world’s resources on ourselves. This can be a time to control our cravings and determine to live more simply.

Reflection Two: Generous What are the best practices you offer on this idea?: Generous because there are people who are (or will be) going without some of the necessities of life and we have an obligation to share with them in Jesus’ name.

Reflection Three: Prayerful What are the best practices you offer on this idea?: Prayerful because the problems that plague our world will not be solved by throwing money at them, but by God intervening with justice and grace.

Reflection Four: Courageous What are the best practices you offer on this idea?: Courageous because fear and panic are not becoming to the people of God. The peace of Christ allows us to approach life’s difficulties with calm, deliberate, confident steps.

Reflection Five: Creative What are the best practices you offer on this idea?: Creative because the mind of Christ inspires His followers to think more clearly of how to minister to others and to society in ways that spread hope and holiness that transform culture.

Reflection Six: Whose idea or story has had the most impact on you today?