STATE OF THE STATE

STATE OF THE STATE

(CONFERENCE OF THE MI UCC)

I just completed my very first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Michigan Conference of the United Church of Christ. I have to admit, I was a little nervous, or hesitant—not knowing what to expect. I’m happy to report it was a very pleasant experience during which I learned a lot. I would like to share with you my experiences, as it does directly relate to you and to our church. Because of the impending bad weather, we met by video/audio conference and I didn’t need to drive to Lansing, so that was a good beginning!

Here are my takeaways from the meeting:

• We have a very dynamic and active Board of Directors for our state Conference.
• At the Michigan Annual Meeting in 2015, a Vision Action Statement was set up for 2020. We spent much time discussing what has been accomplished and what is next. We attempted to prioritize actions for this year.
• They are trying to ensure that invested monies are in sociably responsible funds so that we are practicing what we preach.
• The OCWM Was down 3.2% in 2018 compared to 2017.
• There is training available from Lansing for our Pastoral Relations Committee which sounds very interesting and wise.
• The group is in the process of identifying a new moderator, as the past one fulfilled his term.
• On 2/27/19, there is a training for the New UCC Manual of Ministry, which has some changes.
• There are scholarship grants available regarding social justice work that have not been requested yet.
• The State Conference puts out a weekly enewsletter which is very informative and tells us all about the programs available and news from Cleveland.
• There is a church revitalization event coming up—Vitality Day 2019, Saturday, March 9, in Ann Arbor.
• There is a Women’s Conference in June!

Stay tuned for more information. Feel free to sign up for weekly newsletters at michucc.org and be in the know for the State of our State Conference! Feel free to discuss your thoughts and concerns with me. I am a representative for our church, therefore, for your church!!

Respectfully,
Mary Ann Martin