2025 Michigan Annual Conference
Worshiping and connecting
At the end of May 2025, over 1,200 United Methodists gathered at the Grand Traverse Resort in Acme to worship, connect and take care of conference business. Business included a land recognition, worship, memorials, awards, legislation and information about outreaches paid for by our ministry shares paid to the conference. Finally, there was a budget to approve, appointments and candidates for ministry to recognize, commission and ordain. It was a full agenda!
Growing up and into Christ
The theme of this year’s Conference was Unfinished: Growing Up and Into Christ. Bishop Bard spoke with passion in a sermon titled, “Unfinished and Undaunted.” Rev. Dr. Jasmine Smothers from Atlanta led an inspiring teaching segment outlining how her downtown church is reaching out to their neighbors of all ages and income levels.
Reflections from first-time attendees
Attending the annual conference as a lay member was a truly enriching experience. It was inspiring to see how the church operates on a larger scale and to connect with people from many different congregations. The sense of shared purpose and community was evident throughout the event, and I appreciated the opportunities to learn from others.
One of the highlights for me was hearing from Jasmine Smothers. Her message about the church being in a rut and the need for forward momentum really resonated with me. I believe her insights are particularly relevant to our own congregation, and I’m excited to bring some of her ideas back to help us think more creatively about how we can grow and evolve as a church.
I was also fascinated by the legislative process. Seeing how proposals were discussed and voted on—especially with over 1,200 participants—was both impressive and inspiring. The GenAI legislation captured my interest the most. Submitting an amendment and having the opportunity to speak in front of the conference was a valuable learning experience. I’m looking forward to continuing this work as part of the new task force exploring these issues further.
Lastly, the conference venue itself was beautiful, and I really enjoyed spending time with fellow church members over meals. These informal moments were just as meaningful as the sessions themselves, giving us time to connect and reflect together.
Overall, I am grateful for the opportunity to attend and look forward to using what I learned to help our church move forward.
As a newbie to the Michigan Annual Conference gathering, I found that the Connectional Ministries presentation sticks with me the most. I did not know that the Connectional Ministries offered a myriad of programs for clergy and laity: adult faith formation, grant writing, mental wellness, language diversity, and a contemplative cohort. All local churches can use these resources, and that shows me why the conference connection is so important. We just have to know they exist!
One remark I heard at Annual Conference also stays with me, from Rev. Jeremy Peters of the Court Street UMC in Flint: “Don’t work on growing the church, work on BEING the church.” To me, this allows our church to begin to become the community link for helping our neighbors – which is the work of being the church.
One of the moments I will remember is how the conference honored the congregations that are being closed. The speaker didn’t just read a list of names of the churches. They had slides that helped us visualize the church buildings. They gave the dates the churches had been active. Most were started hundreds of years ago! It was a touching remembrance, showing respect for how each church had made a difference in their communities.
When I was called and asked to attend the conference, my first response was “Why?” Then, after a few seconds I thought, “Why not!” I always enjoy learning and discovering new things.
I invited Norma, my fiancé, to come along for the ride and “vacation” at The Grand Traverse Resort and Spa. We left Ann Arbor at the crack of dawn on Friday, May 30, so I could attend the opening worship service and memorial service at 1 p.m. We checked into the resort at 12:30 p.m, just in time for me to get to the opening worship in Governors Hall. The 1,200 people gathered in the Hall, and Bishop David Bard’s sermon, “Unfinished and Undaunted” were all inspiring. As the day progressed, I felt more grounded in my Methodist faith.Also, I was inspired by the “diversity” of speakers, staff, and people in attendance. At the dinner hosted by Rev. Nancy, Jean Bacelis mentioned the opportunity for “Visitors” to attend the conference.
On, Saturday morning, Norma (as a “Visitor”) and I were impressed by guest speaker, Rev. Jasmine Smothers’ message challenging us to “press on in ministry by blessing the past, wiping the slate clean, and writing new rules for ministry”. We are ordering the book, she co-wrote, “Blank Slate”, designed to help churches create future models of ministry centered on people, ultimately leading to congregational and community transformation.