Jerry DeVine welcomes you to the new website
“The Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood.” (John 1:14a, The Message)
This is a soft launch of our new Mid-Michigan District website. Our full district communications team is not yet on board, but on behalf of the district office and Vision Team I want to welcome you to this new neighborhood. We are:
- 85 local churches in 87 physical locations;
- 68 appointed and/or assigned leaders (Elders, Deacons, Licensed Local Pastors, Certified Lay Ministers, DSAs-District Superintendent Assignments):
- multiple lay servants and leaders;
- rural, town & country, county seat, suburban and urban settings and cultures;
- important points of hope in five counties.
We are the Mid-Michigan District together.
When Ruth, my wife, and I moved to Michigan in late 1999 we ended up living in an old farmhouse southeast of Grand Rapids. We had lived in county seat, urban and suburban settings for much of my ministry up to that point, even though we grew up in more remote rural settings. We found that we loved the quiet beauty and solitude of that old farmhouse setting, yet we missed having neighbors to build relationships with. We missed having a specific town or city to feel connected to. Having neighbors, as complex as it can be at times, also provides rich opportunities.
As we enter into being and becoming this new Mid-Michigan District we will each take on some responsibility for “seeing” who is around us. We are a fairly large geographic area, so more natural development of relationships may be to those United Methodist churches nearby. What impact might we have for God’s movement and mission if we saw ourselves as connected, and acted accordingly?
The Gospel of John offers such a powerful and intimate view of the Incarnation: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” Eugene Peterson’s translation, The Message, makes it even more poignant: “The Word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood.” This decision and movement of God provides the foundation for the approach the Vision Team and I are taking as we live into this new season in our district. The vision of the Mid-Michigan District: — creating the spaces and leaders through which hospitality and wholeness can thrive in communities!”
The United Methodist Book of Discipline provides a fairly broad statement on the “Purpose of the District”:
“Par. 661: Each district of an annual conference may organize to develop, administer, and evaluate the missional life, advocacy needs, and ministries of the Church in and through the district. It shall maintain connectional relationships, organize to develop and strengthen ethnic ministries, including ethnic local churches and concerns, and provide encouragement, coordination, and support for local churches in their ministries of nurture, outreach, and witness in accordance with the mission of The United Methodist Church.”
To do this we will be focusing on:
- Engaging local churches in transformational Christ-Centered Mission and Ministry in their communities;
- Identifying, equipping, supporting and deploying Bold & Effective Leaders;
- Creating and partnering with processes that form Vibrant Congregations.
Strategies or Activities in Place or in Motion:
- District Incorporation (by 1/01/2019)
- Clergy Praxis dates: 9/27/18; 11/29/18; 2/28/19; 4/25/19
- Lay Leaders Forum: 10/13/18 (Shaftsburg UMC)
Other leadership development/congregational revitalization opportunities nearby:
- REACH Event: 11/3/18, East Lansing
- Fall Mid-Michigan District Conference (as part of the REACH Event)
- Workshop with Paul Perez and Gary Step
- 180 Turn-Around Event: Redeemer UMC, Dewitt Campus
- Fall Mid-Michigan District Conference (as part of the REACH Event)
Together let us walk with God, who is already moving in our new neighborhood!
Blessings,
Rev. Jerome (Jerry) DeVine
District Superintendent