Make sure to "View Entire Message" to see all this month's News! | | bringing Michigan Conference UCC pastors and churches closer together and closer to God | |
2026 Clergy Retreat - Tower Hill Camp
& Retreat Center
| | We are thankful to all who participated in this year’s Michigan Conference Clergy Retreat. Meaningful and spirit-filled worship services, workshops that encouraged clergy to reflect on the very human aspects of our Divine calling, space for lament, guided spiritual practice stations, yoga, time at the beach, laughing and sharing stories around campfire, a chance to connect with other clergy, enjoying the beautiful grounds of Tower Hill, listening to nature sounds, watching the deer, napping—are some of the ways clergy engaged this sacred time. | | We are grateful to United Church Funds and the Brown Endowment for awarding the Michigan Conference UCC a $10,000 Brown Grant to help make this year’s clergy retreat possible. To learn more about the Brown Endowment or the broader work of United Church Funds, please visit ucfunds.org or contact Noah Tabor. | |
Call to the 2026 Michigan Conference
Annual Meeting
Hello Colleagues,
Our 2026 Annual Meeting is just around the corner. Our Annual Meeting of the Michigan Conference United Church of Christ will be held on Friday and Saturday, October 2nd and 3rd, 2026 with a focus on justice and vitality. It will be held at First Congregational Church UCC of Grand Blanc.
Our Annual Meeting will kick off on Friday morning with workshops starting at 10 am. In the afternoon, more workshops will be offered, along with a plenary session by the
Colossian Forum. Friday evening will feature an ecumenical panel discussion facilitated by our Conference Minister, Rev Dr Lillian Daniel. Saturday will include hearings for resolutions, worship, and a session with our keynote speaker, Rev. Michael Neuroth from the UCC Office of Public Policy and Advocacy in Washington DC. Rev Neuroth will also take part in the panel discussion on Friday evening.
For those arriving on Thursday, we will have a mixer at the People’s Church of Flint from 6-8 pm. Like last year, our two days together will be full and will include vendor tables, childcare, and time for relaxation and fun. Registration forms will be available soon. Be sure to note the early bird rate. Several lodging options will be available.
We hope you will find time to connect, share stories, and inspire one another.
As we come together, I hope you will be reminded once again how important our
covenant is to one another.
Our hope is that the information and energy shared will help you grasp the power of
God within our communities to drive change, even in the face of uncertainty, injustice,
and conflict. We’re sure you will be encouraged, enlivened, and strengthened for the
challenging journey of ministry that lies ahead.
“Some trust in chariots, some trust in horses, but we trust in the Lord our God.”
(Psalm 20:7)
See you in October!
Blessings,
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Rev. Dr. Diane Baker
Moderator, Michigan Conference UCC
Senior Pastor, Bethel UCC Waterford
Antoinette McGarvin
Secretary, Board of Directors
Michigan Conference UCC
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Registration will be available soon! | |
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Together for Tomorrow: Planned Giving in Your Congregation
Price: FREE for MI Leaders
Synchronous Zoom Seminars
Wednesdays, 6:30 - 8:00pm Central
June 17 & July 15
Additional self-paced learning between
sessions
This course is designed to provide resources to help your congregation organize and implement a planned giving program, led by Rev. Andrew Warner, CFRE, Michigan Conference Director of Finance & Development. Learn more
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Boundary Training - June 8 & 22
Associate Conference Minister Cheryl Burke is leading a Boundary Training two day session offered on Monday June 8th and Monday June 22nd from 10am-12:30pm.
| | Faith Formation & The Mitten Project | | The 2026 Summer Mitten Event will be in Farmington, MI. Registration will be available soon! | | Additional Conference News | |
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The Rev. Dr. Lillian Daniel, Michigan Conference Minister
Upcoming Schedule & Worship Visits
June:
5th - 7th: Lake Huron, MI UCC Women of Michigan Gathering Keynote
21st: Preach - Trinity UCC, Northport, MI
August:
2nd: Preach - First Congregational Church, Rochester, MI
9th: Preach - United Church of Big Rapids, MI
23rd: Preach - First Congregational Church, Benzonia
30th: Preach - First Congregational Church Kalamazoo, MI
LINK TO LINK TO 2025 - 2026 DATES - 2026 DATES
Contact lisa@michucc.org to schedule a visit
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Scam Alert: Gift Cards, Text Messages,
and Email/Calls
Michigan Conference Staff will never request gift cards, especially via email or text messaging. If you receive a suspicious email, verify the email address by contacting a trusted source directly, and do not click on any links in the email.
Please be aware of anyone impersonating Conference staff via emails/calls or claiming to offer products or services on behalf of the Michigan Conference. If something seems odd, please contact a Michigan Conference staff member directly to verify the source.
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Conference Transitions
The Conference Transitions feature appears in the monthly Michigan Conference Newsletter. Please share your transition information with commmunications@michucc.org
Searching Churches
- Zion UCC in Mt. Clemens is searching for a full time pastor Details
- St. John's UCC in Owosso is searching for a part time pastor Details
- St. John's UCC in Port Huron is searching for a part time pastor Details
For a complete list of searching UCC churches in Michigan, click here
Ecclesiastical Councils:
- An Ecclesiastical Council for both Elisabeth Seymour and KC Steckelberg will be held on June 7th 3pm-5pm at Haslett Community Church located at 1427 Haslett Rd, Haslett, MI 48840
| | | Local Church, Mission Area Team, and Association News | | The 2026 Lay Leader Retreat will be in Chelsea, MI. Registration will be available soon! | |
Vital Growth Mission Area Team
Are you interested in church vitality? Has your church done innovative things to connect with the people in and around your community? The Vital Growth Mission Area Team would like to connect with you. We are looking for people interested in sharing time, resources, and ideas with Michigan Conference UCC churches. If interested, email Lawrence Richardson.
Shared resources include: Grant funds, Faithful and Welcoming, Open and Affirming, New Church Development, and Lay Leadership Development.
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Becoming WISE about Mental Health
Supporting each other’s mental health and well-being is a powerful spiritual practice
which creates stronger communities. We believe equipping ourselves as a conference with a WISE designation will support our families and churches on their journey.
Contact Cheryl Burke, Mac Kneebone, or Amy Ruhf-Brien for more information.
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Douglas UCC Retreat House Available for Clergy for the 2026 Season
Whether for a quiet, personal retreat or as a cozy space to connect with loved ones, DUCC’s Retreat House is waiting for your visit this summer. All donations welcome.
For more information or to reserve your stay, email DouglasUCCRetreatHouse@gmail.com or click the link below to visit their website.
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The Michigan Conference Newsletter wants to hear from YOU!
Use This Simple Newsletter Form to share your
stories, joys, concerns, and resources with us
| | | | Wider-Church UCC News, Events, and Resources | | UCC Pride Resources & Webinars | |
Online Webinar: Defending Dignity
On June 4th @ 3:30pm, come hear and share stories of resilience in the face of attacks on LGBTQIA+ communities, and discuss ways you can raise your voice in the public to proclaim – “Love is Louder!”
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Open and Affirming Resources
June is a great time to consider becoming an Open and Affirming Congregation.
If your congregation is already open and affirming, consider visiting the new Open and Affirming Store!
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Planned Giving: A FREE Resource To Create A Will
Through our partner FreeWill, you can create or update your will in about 20 minutes, completely free and fully
secure.
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2026 UCCMA Summer Conference
UCC Musicians and Clergy - You are invited to register for the UCC Musicians Association Summer Conference, hosted in Columbus, Ohio from July 8 – 11.
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