News
SAVE THE DATE – THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2011
The Board of Trustees of the United Methodist Union of Greater Detroit will welcome Bishop Woodie W. White as the guest speaker for the 92nd Annual Meeting and Banquet to be held Thursday, October 13, 2011 at 6:15 pm at First United Methodist Church located at 1589 W. Maple Road in Birmingham, Michigan.
After serving a church during seminary, Bishop White began his career in ministry in 1961 as Associate Pastor at East Grand Boulevard Methodist Church in Detroit, Michigan. This year marks the 50th anniversary of that date. Subsequently, he became its Pastor in 1963, then an Urban Missioner for the Detroit Annual Conference in Metropolitan Detroit. He was the first General Secretary of the General Commission on Religion and Race in Washington DC where he served for 15 years.
Elected a Bishop in 1984, he served in Illinois and Indiana. Retired now, he is the Bishop in Residence at Emory University’s Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia. The author of books and articles, and recipient of nurmerous honors, he has been adjunct faculty at several seminaries.
Please hold the Thursday, October 13, 2011 date and plan on joining us that evening. For further information, download the pastor and church invitation letter and ticket order form.
Tool-Drive for Joy-Southfield Community Development Corporation
by Rev. Dr. Bill Ritter, Executive Director, United Methodist Union
Joy-Southfield is taking off — big time. Birthed by Second Grace United Methodist Church, it is an ever-expanding Medical Clinic. Now it is also a Community Development Organization with a thriving housing component. When it comes to housing rehab, Rod Gasaway and Randy Kovach are going great guns. This is something that should occasion great pride. It should also occasion widespread support.
But, for once, start by thinking small. One tool. Two tools. Five tools. Or a donation to purchase some tools. Why do they need tools? Because they have acquired a tool truck. It’s big….with a 20 foot bed. It can go from jobsite to jobsite. No one needs a “qualified” license to drive it. Yes, local churches can borrow (rent) it. The only qualification is that it cannot leave Michigan. But it can support a local project, handle small moves, or do large pickups for rummage sales. What a resource.
Read Rod and Randy’s information sheet. Then read their tool list. This summer, alone, they will work on 20 houses with over 200 volunteers. Those volunteers (teens and adults) come from everywhere. Some of them could even come from your church.
There is no church so small that it couldn’t put its hands on a tool or two….or purchase a tool or two. Every church has someone with a tool crib (box) in their basement for which there is no longer need or skill. Detroit West District churches have an offer from United Methodist Men to pick up boxes of tools. What’s more, Rod and Randy can co-ordinate such matters and answer any and all questions. Email them at rgasaway@joysouthfield.orgor call Joy-Southfield at 313-581-7773. This is as close as you will ever get to a “surely we can do something” project.
Click on the attachments for more information. And thanks for reading this. I suspect you can tell that I really “dig” these guys — assuming I can get my hands on a shovel.
Click here to view tool list and here for an overview of the housing rehab program.
Meeting Minutes