Fall Potluck and Program features Bill Ritter

Dedicated Reconciling United Methodists (DRUM) are hosting a Fall Potluck and Program on Sunday, October 20. The evening will begin at 6:00 pm with a potluck dinner. Please bring a dish to pass and your own table service. The program and worship will begin at 7:00. The featured speaker will be Rev. Dr. William Ritter. He will talk on "Homosexuality and the UMC -- Past, Present, and Future." The event will be at Nardin Park United Methodist Church, 29887 W. Eleven Mile Rd., west of Middlebelt. Please use the west entrance.

If you have questions please contact Karen Roth at karensmiles18@hotmail.com or Linda Walker at rainbowcross@comcast.net.

First Sunday Worship, August 4

The next First Sunday Worship will be on August 4th at our usual place at Nardin Park United Methodist Church. Our speaker will be Mike Cadotte, a Certified Lay Speaker and the Lay Leader of Ferndale FUMC. He'll be well worth hearing, since his sexual orientation directly affects how he is able to answer God's call to ministry, with all of it's attending frustrations. In spite of all that he remains upbeat and committed and is actively in ministry in many ways. Please join us for fellowship at 6:00 and worship at 6:30.

False choice between the Bible and gays

A few years ago I read the book I'm OK, You're Not by John Shore. In it he humorously explains that Christianity's focus on the Great Commission (bring all nations to Christ) means we make a mess of the Great Commandment (love one another). I recommend it, though you can't borrow my copy, I've given it away.

I've found Shore's blog and one of his entries is Taking God at His Word: The Bible and Homosexuality. This is the opening essay of his book UNFAIR: Christians and the LGBT Question. He explains why Christianity is wrong to condemn gay people and he does it in a way that is different and harsher (on Christians) than I've seen before.I recommend reading his essay. Read it here.

First Sunday Worship, July 7

Please join us for fellowship at 6:00 and worship at 6:30 at Nardin Park United Methodist Church in Farmington Hills. The service will feature a time to share our joys, concerns, and our spiritual journeys.

First Sunday Worship, June 2

For the First Sunday Worship in June, our speaker will be Joey Lopez. He is an area organizer for RMN, and a director of Young Adult Ministries at Detroit Central UMC. He is involved in a bunch of creative young adult ministries in the Detroit area, including "Theology on Tap," God-talk for young adults that meets in various bars (you can "like" TOT on Facebook) in the Detroit area. This will be a more non-traditional service. Please join us at Nardin Park United Methodist Church. There will be fellowship time at 6:00 and service at 6:30.

Newburg United Methodist Church declares itself inclusive

A friend passed this statement to me, saying the congregation approved it this week. It will now appear in each Sunday's bulletin.

Newburg United Methodist seeks to be a community of faith, healing, hope and hospitality. We are called to recognize Christ in everyone. Our doors are open to all persons without prejudice relating to age, race, ethnicity, culture, citizenship, language, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, economic condition, physical or mental ability, or any other status or condition. We believe that God challenges the Christian community to lead by example and to strive to reflect God's unconditional love. In following the ministry of Jesus Christ we invite all people to join in the journey of faith toward greater love, acceptance and mutual understanding.

First Sunday Worship May 5

The First Sunday Worship on May 5th will feature a message by Rev. Tonya Arneson from Dixboro UMC. Please join us for fellowship at 6:00 and the service at 6:30.