Report of the Executive Director – July 25, 2009
United Methodist Union of Greater Detroit – Report of the Executive Director to the Executive Committee – July 25, 2009
Introduction
The recent announcement by the United Methodist Retirement Communities concerning the sale of their remaining interest in Boulevard Temple has triggered a number of thoughts about United Methodism’s presence inside the city limits of Detroit. Back in 1963, the relocation of Nardin Park United Methodist Church from 5151 West Chicago (Detroit) to 29887 W. Eleven Mile (Farmington Hills) was front page news in Detroit’s daily newspaper. At that time, I was something of a short-haired, well-dressed radical at Yale Divinity School, where we resonated to the prophetic rhetoric of the late William Sloane Coffin, yet wore coats and ties to dinner, honoring the mildly antiquated dress code of Ivy League institutional life.
My father mailed me all the articles concerning the sale of “old Nardin,” and (armed with some research I conducted on my own), I wrote a blisteringly-critical paper for a seminar I was taking called “Church and Community.” My comments were not particularly kind to Bishop Marshall Reed or the leaders of the Nardin Park congregation. Seventeen years later, I became Nardin Park’s senior minister and Mary Esther Reed’s pastor. While I never showed them my paper (or the “A” I received for my efforts), I referenced it in a sermon I preached several years later entitled “No Country Club For The People of God.”
Sometime during the 70’s I watched my home church, Westlawn UMC (Ohio and Grand River) close its doors for the last time, even though the portion of Westlawn’s membership that had previously gravitated westward to Strathmoor UMC, suffered through a similar closure a few years later. During my era, the Detroit Conference hierarchy (from the Bishop on down) occupied offices in a trio of downtown skyscrapers (the Kales Building, the Palms Building and the Murphy-Telegraph Building) before moving to Southfield, Flint and Okemos.
Last September, as part of two-days of visioning convened by the United Methodist Union, I detailed the statistics of decline, relative to city churches and their membership. I see nothing to be gained by repeating that exercise here. No wand I can wave will make it be 1965 all over again. So why even raise the issue now? A pair of reasons suggest themselves.
First, we need to celebrate the presence we still have. As of the most recent statistical report, we have 18 congregations inside the city limits (18 of our 94 churches in the combined East and West Districts). Seven of those congregations are supervised by Rev. Duane Miller, eleven by Rev. John Lee. Their combined membership is 2899 with Second Grace UMC being the largest with 396 members. But half of those churches actually gained members in 2008, led by a net increase of 17 at Conant Avenue UMC. In fact, were it not for a statistical roll-cleaning at Metropolitan UMC, the group of 18 would have shown a collective increase over 2007.
My second reason for painting this picture of departure is to note that the United Methodist Union remains the “best” (and maybe “only”) hope left when it comes to connectional resources for city churches. True, we resource other urban areas like Pontiac and Monroe. True, we reach to the outer limits of our districts in places like Carleton and New Baltimore. True, we make life a little easier in nearby burbs like Redford and Ferndale. And true, we even meet challenges in burbs like Birmingham and Grosse Pointe. But in the last six months, some benefit from the United Methodist Union has been experienced in 14 of our 18 city churches. Four have received pastoral salary support. Four have received program support. Two have benefited from loan modifications. Three of the eighteen have received loan/grant combinations. Building emergencies have been covered at two city churches, even as consultations have taken place at three others. And there is the combined dream of several city pastors that has been funded and will occur later this summer.
Frankly, I do not know if the word “abandonment” properly applies to the decades of departure cited earlier. To some, it seemed like “wise decision making.” To others, it felt like “being left behind.” It was what it was. And guilt that leads to nothing but hand-wringing and/or finger-pointing is of limited value. None of us, especially me, can atone for it all. But we can hang in there collectively so that good colleagues and good ministries do not have to hang separately. Which constituted “marching orders” for the United Methodist Union long before I got here, and I have no intention of seeing them rescinded on my watch.
Now, on to the business of the day.
1. Initial Meeting of the Advisory Committee- This group, newly created by our organizational restructuring had its initial meeting on July 16, 2009. Chaired by Bill Hackett, eight of us spent two hours in lively conversation, offering historical perspective and wise counsel. While an ultimate role for this group is still evolving, a great beginning was made. Speaking personally, I found it invaluable.
2. Apportionment Receipts Maintaining a Steady Course- Through July 10, 2009, we have received $65, 871 from the churches. When the 2008 figure is adjusted downward by 20% (reflecting budget adjustments made last December for 2009), the comparable amount is $63,192. Therefore, we are outpacing 2008 by $2,679. While not a response that would suggest we hire a big brass band, it offers hope going forward and speaks well of the relationship we have with many of our churches.
3. Tracking Our Spending- Having struggled since assuming this position to track weekly spending against budget categories, and having sensed that Board members have even less of a handle on this than I do, I prepared a worksheet for the Advisory committee that detailed 2009 non-administrative financial activity through July 16, 2009. Those present felt my presentation needed to be shared with a wider audience, thus explaining my decision to share it at the ouset of this morning’s meeting.
4. Interest Rate Reductions for Resurrection UMC and Trinity Faith UMC- During his tenure as Executive Director, Rev. Dr. Ken Christler adjusted loans with Resurrection UMC and Trinity Faith UMC to provide payment incentives and encourage 100% apportionment giving. These adjustments were for one year and offered matching dollars from the United Methodist Union, thereby reducing the outstanding principal of each loan. The Board concurred with Ken’s proposals and both congregations met the new terms. This resulted in benefits to the churches in the amounts of $4,810.90 to Resurrection and $9,200 to Trinity Faith. Clearly, these incentives were time-limited. They were never meant to go beyond one year. Both churches would (naturally) wish otherwise. There is, however something different (yet quite beneficial) we can do going forward. Both loans are at 8%. We can reduce them to 4 1/4%…the rate we are currently quoting for local church construction and/or property upgrading loans. I would recommend that we do so in both cases.
5. Issues Related to the Bloomfield Hills St. Paul UMC Loan- Since my first Board meeting in December of 2008, we have been talking about the outstanding loan balances (United Methodist Union, Wesley Fund, Extension Fund of the Detroit Annual Conference) owed by Bloomfield Hills St. Paul. Terms of repayment have been adjusted three times in recent years so as to benefit the congregation. Very little success has been achieved as the result of these efforts. Now, we have a year’s history with no activity.
Enclosed in your material, find two letters from the church in response to a meeting held with the church’s Finance Committee with Everett Howard, Chuck Veenstra and myself on June 9, 2009. Also, find my letter to the Bishop and the Cabinet following the receipt of the two St. Paul letters, inviting them into the conversation. In a letter to Bloomfield Hills St. Paul, dated July 14, 2009, I thanked them for their letters, clarified one misunderstanding and suggested we would respond to this “work in progress” following our Executive Committee meeting on July 25, 2009. I solicit your input.
6. St. Clair Shores First UMC loan/grant- Enclosed in you material, find a loan request for kitchen renovation at St. Clair Shores First UMC in the amount of $43,000. You should also have a related recommendation from Art Christy, Chair of our Professional Skill Corps. As with many of our congregations, the issue is non-compliance with updated kitchen codes. This means that while the church can feed its own people, it can’t feed outsiders, sell food as a fundraiser or allow outside groups to prepare meals. Given the emergence of a rental group who will pay the church $1,500 per month, meeting the loan payments should be manageable. I concur and would suggest a $7,000 grant (given their use of the kitchen for missional purposes) to accompany the $43,000 loan. Besides, I believe in Rev. Dr. Margie Crawford.
7. Joy-Southfield Community Development Corporation loan/grant- Enclosed, find a letter from Dr. David Law, Executive Director of the Joy-Southfield Community Development Corporation. We often refer to it (wrongly) as the Joy-Southfield Clinic. The clinic, itself, is a spectacular success, serving over 1000 new clients per year. They also host Children’s Hospital among other providers of health and wellness services. Everybody should learn about this program. Birthed and initially funded by Second Grace UMC (located immediately across Joy Road), these folks have since added 4 UMC sponsoring churches (Newburg UMC, Ford Memorial UMC, Resurrection UMC and Northville First UMC). Several of Rev. Carl Gladstone’s Motown Missioners are working there this summer. That’s because they are seriously moving into community development and housing ministries. This loan of $28,000 (coupled with a grant of $6,000) will make that expansion possible.
Earlier, our office received a request for a $34,000 grant, which we tabled as unworkable at that time. A subsequent visit (my third)…coupled with a visit by representatives of the Community Development Committee… reprogrammed this into a loan request coupled with a small grant. Multiple pages of paperwork accompanied the earlier request, which I have not included in this pre-meeting mailing, but I will have the original available on July 25, 2009. Keep in mind, this is a one-time, one year request. I concur with the proposal, believing that this place is second only to Cass as a “jewel” in the United Methodist community crown.
8. Update: Real Estate Dealings at 14 Judson Ave. and 410 W. Grand Blvd. - We have signed Purchase Agreements involving both of these properties that are in that “limbo period” known as “inspection,” meaning that either buyer could terminate the process. And it looks like the buyer for Judson Ave. may. These deals are far from solid. I have asked Bill Skubik (our Realtor) to attend the early portion of our meeting to answer questions (and make projections) about both negotiations. Hopefully, we will have greater clarity when we meet.
9. Trustee Workshop held at Nardin Park UMC- On June 23, 2009, Dr. Phares Noel and Art Christy led an animated workshop for 18 local church trustees, discussing “best practices” and taking initial steps to launch an informational network of “things that worked for us.” A statement of purpose for this network is being developed and we hope to have something up-and-running by fall.
Building on this effort, we have also taken initial steps to identify local church musicians, hoping that a similar gathering might produce similar fruits.
10. And We Have Stopped the Unwanted Flow of Water at West Outer Drive UMC- Several people had a hand in this including Scott McCarrick, Keith Howard, Dr. Phares Noel, Rev. Albert Rush and a resourceful plumber named James Bruner.
Enough for now…until the next big rain.
Respectfully submitted,
Rev. Dr. William A. Ritter, Executive Director