District News

Versiti Blood Center of MI Needs Local Churches!

Faith Community Church of Coopersville has asked for the message below to be shared:

Our Church, Faith Community Church of Coopersville (formerly Coopersville UMC) is proud to offer our surrounding communities the opportunity to SAVE A LIFE right where we live. Versiti Blood Center of Michigan supplies our local hospitals with blood daily needing 600 units a day. We all can be heroes and give the gift of life.

Offering blood drives at your Church is a great way to get people in your doors and a great Outreach for your Church. You can keep a list of donors to contact and notify them of upcoming blood drives. Through our drives here in Coopersville, I have compiled a list of 800 names over the last 10 years.

I am Kris Brandt, the coordinator for our drives and I would love to help you get started. Please contact me and I will get you in touch with a Versiti representative in your area. The opportunities are endless for your church to serve your neighbors in life changing ways! Get in touch with me!

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 616.997.9225
Website: faithccc.com/versiti-blood-drives
Facebook: CoopersvilleBloodDrives
Location: Faith Community Church, 105 68th Ave. N, Coopersville

Michigan Delegation Attends General Conference: April 23-May 3

The 2024 United Methodist General Conference will be held April 23 – May 3, 2024, at Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. The last General Conference was set to happen in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2020, until the pandemic made it necessary to postpone the quadrennial legislative event until 2024. 

Michigan delegates, along with delegates from Africa, Europe, Asia, and the U.S. will attend the 11-day gathering, which is expected to attract about 5,500-7,500 people.

Michigan Conference Communications will provide complete daily coverage.  Sign up for the daily update and watch the evening live Facebook coverage during plenary sessions HERE.

As the highest legislative body of The United Methodist Church, General Conference revises The Book of Discipline and The Book of Resolutions while also initiating amendments to the denomination’s constitution. Proposed legislation is in the Advance Daily Christian Advocate and available for review and download.

Approved 2024 Budget + 2024 Local Church Ministry Shares

The 2024 Western Waters District Budget and Ministry Shares are available in the links below. The district’s local churches have approved the 2024 district budget and ministry shares.

“With over 40 churches reporting votes, the 2024 Western Waters District Budget passed unanimously.  Thanks everyone for your input and support!” ~ DS Jodie Flessner

Letter to Churches

2024 Budget Narrative

2024 Budget 

2024 Ministry Shares by Church

Western Waters District Conference: May 13, 2023

The first Western Waters District Conference took place via Zoom on Saturday, May 13.
The purpose of this conference was to vote on the proposed 6-month budget and leadership roster for the new Western Waters District.
The recording and minutes are below along with all the voting items.

Minutes 

  • View the recorded Western Waters District Conference  ⇒ HERE
  • Passcode: ^it&JR3E

Agenda

Budget

Leadership Roster

Mission & Ministry Grant History – Midwest District

Mission & Ministry Grant History – Northern Waters District

Fall Church Conferences

This page contains critical information for Pastors and SPRC leaders about:
1 on 1 Meetings, SPRC Meetings, and Fall Church Conferences

1 on 1 meetings will be held via Zoom. Former Midwest District pastors have in-person 1 on 1’s as part of the summer DS church visits (DS church tour and 1 on 1 schedule is below).

SPRC meetings will be via Zoom and pastors are invited to attend the SPRC meeting. Reminder emails will be sent with Zoom links for both the 1 on 1 and SPRC meetings.

Fall Church Conferences as HUB Gatherings

The plan for 2023 is to hold geographical gatherings of 6 to 12 churches on Sunday afternoons for Church Conferences (2016 Book of Discipline, paragraph 248, “Church Conferences” encourage broader participation). Offerings at the Church Conference Gatherings will be taken at each HUB for a local Ministry decided upon by consensus.

Hub timing: 2pm is the first round of church conferences; 3-4:30pm Gathering time; 4:30pm second round of church conferences

Please come to the HUB gatherings (3-4:30pm) prepared to dialogue with other leaders in your HUB about the following:
⇒ What evidence of the power of partnerships do you observe already at work in your area/community?
⇒ What action might you take to increase the power of partnerships: to increase support of each other; to augment current ministries; to start or renew ministries?  In other words – what could we do better (or even do at all) by forming partnerships with area churches?

Submitting Church Conference Forms

Please scan and email all completed/signed church conference forms as pdf documents at least 1 week prior to your 1 on 1 meeting, SPRC meeting, and church conference to Liz —scanning forms in bulk is fine, individual forms will be sorted and saved.

Church Conference forms are here: https://michiganumc.org/resources/forms/

Former Midwest District DS Church Tour + 1 on 1 Meeting Schedule

Fall Church Conference Hub schedule 

1 on 1 Meeting and SPRC Meeting Schedule

1 on 1 Questions (due 1 week prior to DS meeting)

Agenda + Instructions for guest elders conducting church conferences

2024 Nominations Form for Simplified Accountability System is on the Forms page or HERE

Church Conference Forms Checklist

Please contact Liz in the Western Waters District Office with any questions or concerns about anything on this page!
District Office: (616) 459-4503
Email: [email protected]

 

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Western Waters District