Detroit Annual Conference Blog

11:37 a.m. - The motion to adjourn has been given. It’s been a great annual conference session!

11:35 a.m. - The total raised during the special offering for the Youth Service Fund was announced at $1,781.21.

11:25 a.m. - The reports are finished, and now the final recognitions will begin for those that have aided in the running of the annual conference session.

10:57 a.m. - The conference Council on Youth Ministry is offering their report - usually one of the highlights of the annual conference session. This year’s CCYM group had two superintendents and Bishop Keaton dancing on the stage, wearing silly hats and paddling balls while the Chicken Dance played on the system. Youth fund raiders for annual conference raised $1,000 for the Youth Service Fund. Bishop Keaton called for a special offering for YSF and encouraged all members of the annual conference to come forward and lay $1 each on the stage.

10:26 a.m. - We are presenting the Harry Denman Evangelism Award. Begun in 1981 to honor United Methodist clergy and lay persons in each annual conference who exhibit unusual and outstanding efforts for the work on Christian Evangelism, the Harry Denman Evangelism Award helps draw attention to evangelism in your conference by honoring one clergy person and one lay person who are reaching others effectively for Christ.

The clergy Harry Denman Evangelism Award is presented to the Rev. Nickolas K. Genoff, pastor at Avoca UMC. Under Rev. Genoff, worship attendance at his church has doubled during his two years as pastor.

The lay Harry Denman Evangelism Award is presented to Clark Cook, member of Seymour Lake UMC.

10:21 a.m. - We’re back from break! A light morning for business. We have a few things left to care for then the motion to adjourn will be made.

9:41 a.m. - Anna Morford, the conference treasurer, is now presenting the 2010 conference budget. The conference approved a budget for 2010 in the amount of $9,736,500, which includes pensions, general church apportionments, connectional ministry and administration agencies, and the conference council on ministries programs.

9:35 a.m. - We are now dedicating the container that has been filled with UMCOR kits bound for Haiti. A total of 475 tubs were received for the container this year. $11,700 was given for the container to Haiti.

9:13 a.m. - We’ve come to the time of setting appointments. Any new updates will be posted on the conference web site.

9:05 a.m. - Dr. Donna Randall, president of Albion College, is bringing greetings to the conference. Albion is one of two United Methodist colleges in Michigan. Adrian College, the site of the 2009 Detroit Annual Conference, is the other.

9:00 a.m. - Good morning!

We’ve been enjoying devotions this morning led by Bishop Jonathan Keaton. He has led us in “stories.” Bishop Keaton told stories, Rev. Andrew Allie, Flint District Superintendent, shared his story of miraculous healing, and the members of the conference were encouraged to share stories with each other.

7:00 p.m. - We are now moving to honor 15 retiring clergy, which will occupy the rest of the evening’s festivities. Following the 15 retiring clergy speeches, the conference will recess until 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning.

6:30 p.m. - The conference is celebrating the ordered ministry tonight.

First, the conference is recognizing the provisional deacon candidates, ordained deacon candidates, and ordained elder candidates. There are 10 candidates for ordained elder, two for ordained deacon, and three for provisional deacon.

The candidates for ordination are now being asked Wesley’s Historical Questions - always a special moment with Bishop Keaton.

2:40 p.m. - After announcement and greetings, the conference is in recess. The Memorial Service will take place at 3:00 p.m., and the evening plenary will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tonight’s plenary will feature the retirement celebration as well as the introduction of those who will be ordained for ministry.

2:12 p.m. - The Young Adult Task Force is now reporting.

2:05 p.m. - It was announced that Bishop’s Day in 2010 will take place on selected Saturdays in February and March 2010. The theme for the event is “Called Out: Creating New Places for New Faces.”

2:00 p.m. - Bishop Keaton has been asked to make a CD of his singing and piano playing, and the plans have been revealed. CDs will be made and will cost $10, with all the proceeds going to Nothing But Nets. There is also a dollar-for-dollar match for all CDs purchased which will also go to Nothing But Nets. The production of the CD has been donated by The Sound Doctor, which handles all the audio services at the Detroit Annual Conference session.

1:50 p.m. - Barbara Ulman has finished her presentation and received a standing ovation after 13 years of service on CF&A, including the past nine years as president.

1:39 p.m. - We are back after Bishop Keaton led us from the piano in the singing of Silent Night.

Barbara Ulman, president of the conference Council on Finance and Administration, is presenting her report.

11:20 a.m. - James Walker, president of the United Methodist Men, is presenting to the conference plenary session. After this presentation, the conference will break for lunch and reconvene at 1:30 p.m.

11:09 a.m. - Linda Schramm, conference president of the United Methodist Women, is now addressing the conference with her report.

11:01 a.m. - Rev. Ann Whiting, editor of the Michigan Christian Advocate, is on the stage and has announced her retirement after 11 years as editor of the publication.

10:51 a.m. - Rev. George Lewis from the Committee on Nominations is on the stage to present the slate of leaders for 2009-2010. Slate is approved, including the new conference leadership team.

10:45 a.m. - Rev. Mary Shipley is presenting on behalf of the Board of Global Ministries Spotlight Church program. Steps to becoming a Spotlight Church in the Detroit Conference include:

• Pay apportionments in full
• Pledge and support Detroit Conference Ministry Jubilee Projects
• Contribute to missionary salary support
• Support a General Advance Ministry - Global or in a specific country or region
• Support a General Advance Ministry - U.S.A.
• Support the work of UMCOR, United Methodist Committee on Relief
• Participate in the Conference Covenant Partnership with Haiti and Liberia

There were 138 Spotlight Churches, including 28 new Spotlight Churches, in 2008. Praise God!

10:43 a.m. - Diane Brown just became the most popular person at conference. She just informed the conference that we plan to adjourn earlier than anticipated on Sunday.

10:33 a.m. - Resolution 5, which calls for action regarding the U.S. Military Presence in Afghanistan has been defeated.

10:25 a.m. - For those you you who were interested, here is the conference breakdown of the constitutional amendments. There were 743 ballots cast:

1. 477 yes, 255 no
2. 688 yes, 46 no
3. 405 yes, 326 no
4. 413 yes, 322 no
5. 416 yes, 314 no
6. 455 yes, 271 no
7. 415 yes, 314 no
8. 681 yes, 50 no
9. 683 yes, 49 no
10. 409 yes, 324 no
11. 412 yes, 322 no
12. 413 yes, 321 no
13. 410 yes, 321 no
14. 409 yes, 321 no
15. 631 yes, 98 no
16. 410 yes, 317 no
17. 662 yes, 67 no
18. 411 yes, 316 no
19. 674 yes, 59 no
20. 413 yes, 315 no
21. 415 yes, 309 no
22. 692 yes, 37 no
23. 409 yes, 317 no
24. 409 yes, 314 no
25. 413 yes, 311 no
26. 409 yes, 315 no
27. 412 yes, 312 no
28. 409 yes, 312 no
29. 410 yes, 310 no
30. 411 yes, 311 no
31. 409 yes, 311 no
32. 412 yes, 309 no

10:12 a.m. - We’re back from break. One more resolution to care for. This one deals with the U.S. Military Presence in Afghanistan.

9:34 a.m. - We’re on a 30-minute break. See you at 10:00 a.m.!

9:25 a.m. - The conference has finished its debate and has voted. The vote was close enough that is requires a hand count. The vote passed.

9:07 a.m. - The conference is dealing with a resolution entitled “Creating a Peace Economy.” Our first debate of the day!

NOTE - We will be posting the full content or result of these resolutions as time permits. Business is just flying along too fast!

9:05 a.m. - Two more resolutions - one encouraging congregations to be Peace With Justice Congregations and another regarding the Firestone Natural Rubber Company’s operations in Liberia - have passed. Again, smooth running - no debate or discussion from the floor.

NOTE - The house does not seem to be in the debating mood this morning - the three resolutions so far this morning have been passed after no discussion or debate from the floor.

8:56 a.m. - The conference is now dealing with a resolution regarding protecting our nation’s wilderness. The conference has adopted it.

8:53 a.m. - The conference is considering a resolution to encourage all churches to observe Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care Day on March 31, 2010, which promotes advance medical directives. The conference has adopted it.

8:45 a.m. - Diane Brown is up on the stage and the work on the remaining resolutions has begin. Up first is a resolution that deals with the reorganization of the conference Council on Ministries into a Leadership Team. The resolution passes, meaning a new way of doing things in the leadership of the Detroit Annual Conference.

8:37 - Rev. Tracy Huffman, the conference secretary, is reading the voting results on the Constitutional Amendments. All of the amendments received more yes votes than no votes.

8:15 a.m. - Good morning! We’re already into the morning plenary session. We’ve just recognized our chaplains in the conference and had prayer for those serving as chaplains in dangerous areas of the world.

Up now is the conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits report. Good news “all losses from the first two months of 2009 have been recovered.”

Rev. Don Emmert, the conference benefits director, just ended his report - “What a difference a year makes.” The year included losses in pensions, but a $2 million gift from the conference to the Central Conference Pension Initiative allowed pensions to be developed in the central conferences.

9:20 p.m. - Voting has begun. After the vote, the conference will recess until 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning. See you then!

9:13 p.m. - The debate on the constitutional amendments is complete and the voting will begin shortly.

9:04 p.m. - We’re still debating constitutional amendments. The house has extended its order of the day to finish this debate and vote on the amendments tonight. Currently they are considering all the remaining amendments that deal with the Worldwide Nature of the Church as one for discussion purposes.

7:55 p.m. - The conference is in the midst of a debate on the constitutional amendments. Please hold the conference in prayer as the members navigate this process.

7:35 p.m. - The consent calendar has been approved. Eight of the 15 resolutions to be considered by this year’s conference have been passed. Among those passed:

• The setting of the pension benefit rates for 2010 as recommended by the conference Board of Pension and Health Benefits;
• The creation of a conference eBook of Resolutions as well as an updated procedure for resolutions;
• An invitation to for the churches to participate in Bread for the World (BFW) with a goal to end hunger;
• Encouragement for all churches to participate in a CROP Walk;
• The setting of a goal for the One Great Hour of Sharing offering in 2009/2010 at $1.75 per member and that each district seek 100% participation from each of its churches;
• Encouragement for churches to donate UMCOR kits to the covenant countries of Haiti and Liberia, as well as donate money to cover the shipping costs;
• Encouragement to help bring an end to hunger by contributing to Heifer International; and
• The setting of the 2010 Minimum Base Compensation Schedule.

The conference will begin the consideration of the remaining seven resolutions Saturday morning.

7:31 p.m. - We’re back after a break and ready to begin “business.”

6:41 p.m. - The conference is back in session after a dinner break. The Rev. David Bell, vice president of stewardship for the United Methodist Foundation in Michigan, is speaking to the conference regarding extravagant generosity.

Tonight’s plenary is also filled with legislative work after Rev. Bell’s presentation. The conference will adopt a consent calendar and order its legislative business, and it will also debate and vote on the 32 constitutional amendments approved at the 2008 General Conference.

4:35 p.m. - The Q&A with Bishop Palmer is over, and now the conference is viewing a video prepared by the Detroit East District Liberia Team.

4:16 p.m. - Bishop Palmer is taking questions from the conference session after a 45 minute presentation on leadership development.

One of the questions posed was about annual conference sessions. A suggestion was made about a model of a shorter annual conference session to accomplish the Discipline-mandated business, then have 2-3 other gatherings throughout the year, instead of a longer single session. Those who are following this blog - please post your comment on this below.

4:05 p.m. - Palmer - regarding leadership development - “It may be time for disruptive innovations in the life of our organization.”

4:00 p.m. - Palmer - “If we keep our leaders underdeveloped long enough, we won’t have a church.”

3:40 p.m. - Palmer regarding leadership - “We have a huge recruitment problem - both in terms of baptismal ministry and the ordered ministry.” … “Our bench is weak.”

3:37 p.m. - Palmer - Regarding ordination - “We have so professionalized the ministry that we’ve sort of become complicit and said this is what we do.” “We’ve kind of sold the ministry to a professional class.”

3:20 p.m. - Welcome back! The conference is back in session after spending the early afternoon participating in the conference ministry fair - a collection of all of the program ministries of the conference. Bishop Gregory Palmer is presenting on Leadership Development in this session.

10:40 a.m. - The conference council on ministries is providing its report, and is also honoring the ministry of the Rev. John C. Huhtala, Sr., who is retiring. The Rev. Jerry DeVine will become the conference’s new Director of Connectional Ministries as of July 1.

10:33 a.m. - Margo Jacobs of the Global Health Initiative is addressing the conference to talk about what it can do to prevent malaria, which causes one million deaths each year, through the Saving Live in Sierra Leone program. Website - www.umc.org/globalhealth

10:22 a.m. - The conference is hearing about the new church start that will be planted in July - FaithWay. The Rev. Michael T. Sawicki will be the planting pastor, and has already established a web site - www.thefaithway.com. FaithWay is the first church plant in the Detroit Annual Conference since 1997 - a span of 12 years.

NOTE - Twitter is active at #2009DAC with several people tweeting from the annual conference session.

10:05 a.m. - Bishop John Innis of the Liberia is bringing greetings to the conference. Liberia and Detroit have a long-standing covenant partner relationship. That brings the count of current bishops speaking at this annual conference to three (Jonathan D. Keaton, Gregory Palmer, and John Innis).

10:00 a.m. - We’re back in the plenary session after a spirited morning worship service. Bishop Gregory Palmer preached during the service and challenged all of the conference to ask “Why do you do what you do, and what animates you about the Gospel?” He preached on the calling of Samuel and asked all of the conference “can we summon the courage to say ’speak Lord, for your servants are listening?’” Palmer reminded those in attendance that “God is interested in the perpetuation of God’s purposes, not institutions.” During the service, the youth praise brand from Swartz Creek provided the music, while David Labrande added to the worship service with a live painting.

9:10 p.m. - Evening session is wrapping up. Business will resume tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.

8:45 p.m. - Rev. Tom Macaulay, dean of the cabinet and Ann Arbor District Superintendent is providing his dean’s report. His disclaimer for Sunday’s appointment listing - TBS may mean “to be surprised” as opposed to “to be supplied.”

8:40 p.m. - Rev. Neil Davis of the West Michigan Cabinet and superintendent of the Kalamazoo District addressed the conference, bringing greetings from West Michigan.

8:18 p.m. - Dr. Ken Sloane of United Methodist Communications is taking the stage to present the Rethink Church program. The Rethink Church campaign, launched a few weeks ago, targets 18-34 year olds. Sloane referenced the book “Bowling Alone” in regards to the 18-35 year olds idea of church membership.

8:12 p.m. - Rev. Brent Webster, the conference statistician, is reporting. There are 452 congregations in the conference, and membership declined 2% in 2008 … 32% of churches reported a net increase in membership in 2008 … 78% of churches reported new members in 2008 … Bishop Keaton asked Webster why he felt called to the ministry of numbers. His answer “I enjoy the challenge that this job brings, and its a way I can serve this conference and its members. Because I like working with numbers, it was something I was called to do.”

8:10 p.m. - Bishop Keaton knows his audience. He just announced that the Detroit Red Wings are up on the Anaheim Ducks, 1-0, after the first period. Game 7 of the Western Conference semifinals is being played in Detroit - just 100 miles from where the conference is being held, and within the boundaries of the Detroit Annual Conference.

8:00 p.m. - Joan Mueller, the manager of the Michigan Cokesbury store, is presenting on behalf of the United Methodist Publishing House.

7:57 p.m. - Back in session. The United Methodist Union on Greater Detroit is presenting its report. The Rev. Dr. Bill Ritter has been serving as the executive director and is the new executive director. Ritter took over for the Rev. Ken Christler, who passed away unexpectedly after falling from a ladder. Dr. Ritter - “you never retire from a calling.”

7:36 p.m. - Bishop Palmer - In the 452 churches of the Detroit Annual Conference and its seven districts - how are ministries that address the four areas of focus already being lived out? Who are are partners on the journey?

7:30 - The plenary is watching a Google Earth video prepared for the Council of Bishops. Bishop Palmer will also speak to the conference on Friday morning as the preacher during the morning worship service, and will address the members Friday afternoon regarding leadership development.

7:15 p.m. - Palmer is talking about the denomination’s ambitious goals - “failure is not a sin, but low aim is a sin.” Regarding increasing church attendance - ”our goal in evangelization is not to pay the bills of an institution of a aging infrastructure.”

7:11 p.m. - Bishop Palmer is explaining the origination of the mission of the church - “sometimes you have to do what’s right before it’s legislated.” The mission of the church was “to make disciples of Jesus Christ” and has been extended, officially by the 2008 General Conference, to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

7:00 p.m. - Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, president of the Council of Bishops, is addressing the plenary tonight about the denominations Four Areas of Focus. Palmer was a pastor of a local church under Michigan Area Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton before being elected bishop.

6:52 p.m. - We’re back in session. There has been some technical issues, so Bishop Gregory V. Palmer, tonight’s speaker, was delayed a bit. In the meantime, the conference lay leader, Cathy Hazen, is giving her report, and stepping down after 5 years of service. Michael Clark, lay leader of the Marquette District, will be taking her place. She received a standing ovation - well deserved.

NOTE - Conference (and blog updates) will resume at 6:30 p.m. - the members of conference will spend the afternoon acting upon legislation.

11:55 a.m - Various introductions and announcements, and a closing prayer by your friendly blogger. Pretty good first session - even ended on time!

11:45 a.m. - OK, administrative motions done and cared for, now on to the Treasurer’s Report. Anna Morford is addressing the plenary regarding the conference’s financial situation. She shared that “we are still holding our breath with the fates of GM and Chrysler” … 2008 was the first year in the past eight that the conference was not able to pay 100% of General Church Apportionments. In 2008, the conference paid 71% of General Church Apportionments …

In 2009, the conference Council on Finance and Administration enacted a Revised Spending Plan, reducing the 2009 conference budget by 30% in light of the recent economic crisis. In 2008, the conference received 78% of apportionments asked, a 10-year low.

More money was given to the General Advance in 2008 than in 2007, even despite the economic downturn!

NOTE - Twitter users can join the conversation with the hashtag #2009DAC, or on tweetchat.com in the room 2009DAC

NOTE - Already a running joke throughout the conference has begin . . . The seven last words of the church are “We’ve never done it that way before.” The seven words for this annual conference is “For such a time as this ! (Exclamation)”

11:26 - Diane Brown, chairperson of the Committee on Reference and Daily Procedure, is instructing the plenary around legislative procedures. More administrative procedures . . . .

11:25 - Rev. Peter Bartlett, chairperson of the Committee on Standing Rules is up . . . lots of administrative procedures to get the conference up and running.

11:18 a.m. - Rev. Marsha Woolley, chairperson of the Program Committee is addressing the plenary . . . This year’s conference theme is “Called to Lead … For Such A Time As This” and is highlighting one of The United Methodist Church’s Four Areas of Focus. The bar of the conference is set and business is ready to begin . . .

11:09 a.m. - President Jeffrey Docking of Adrian College welcomed the 2009 Detroit Annual Conference to campus. This is the 41st year the conference is meeting on campus.

11:05 a.m. - Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton opened the first plenary session of the Detroit Annual Conference, leading the plenary in the singing of “This is the Day”.

Michigan Area Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton declared the 2009 Detroit Annual Conference open as he greeted the roughly 1,200 members of the conference during this morning’s opening worship service.

Keaton preached on “rejoicing in our sufferings,” recounting the life experiences of the apostle Paul. During his reflections, Bishop Keaton challenged the members of the conference that “revival will not come to Michigan if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the one’s Christ has been waiting for . . . we are the ones we seek.”

The Bishop also announced during his sermon that there will be a Bishop’s Day on Evangelism in February and March 2010. More information on that will be revealed later in the conference.

A special covenant mission offering was taken during the service, with half of the offering going to the Haiti District of the Methodist Church of the Caribbean and the Americas, and the other half going to the United Methodist Church of Liberia. The Detroit Conference has covenant relationships with both Haiti and Liberia.