CONCERNING CENTRAL Welcoming All and All Means All!

A bimonthly publication of Central United Methodist Church July-August 2013

Our ethnically mixed, justice-seeking congregation welcomes YOU! Share your gifts, deepen your faith, and give purpose to your life. Struggle with us as we seek to end the devastation of injustice, war and poverty. Central takes seriously the call to “do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). We are called to love ALL our neighbors, not just humans but all of creation! Pastor Ed Rowe _____________________________________________________

Here are some things you will find inside: Small World Shop………….……..…….………2 Education News………………………………….2 Finance &Trustees News…………………….3 Worship…………………………………………..3-4 Earth Night at Central….……………..…….4 We Went Birding……………….………………5 Swords Into Plowshares News……………5 Central Connection…………………………5-7 Palm Wine Station …………………………..8

Face-painting at Central’s Environmental Sabbath and picnic June 2.

All photos in this issue except for the one of Richard Penney (Bereavements) by J. Bull unless otherwise noted.

Excerpts from Jarret Schlaff’s sermon, The Spirit of Stewardship, Environmental Sabbath, Sunday June 2

I ask you to take a deep breath in, and then breathe out. The CO2 you just breathed out is taken in by trees which release oxygen that we in turn breathe in…Did God intend for us to see the these trees as simply resources or the life--giving systems that they are?...In Genesis we are told to “have dominion over the earth.” The fact is we do have dominion over all things--just look at how much we have changed this planet during the short time we have been

here. We have the free will to either choose to be stewards or blindly consume and destroy creation. Although I am not a scientist by academic standards, I understand enough to be a messenger, and as the young boy said in The Lorax,” I speak for the trees!”…At this moment in time we have too much heat trapping gas in the atmosphere. …Last month we reached 400 ppm (parts per million) of CO2 in our atmosphere--higher than we’ve seen for the last 800,000 years! The vast majority of scientists agree that 350 ppm is the maximum level of carbon in the atmosphere that will still allow life to survive and thrive. WE ARE IN GLOBAL OVERSHOOT. This is not something happening in the future. IT IS NOW! But we are not mourning today, this is a celebration! We still have a world of beauty although we lose another species almost by the day, but this mass extinction doesn’t have to happen and it won’t. We will preserve and protect creation by being the antibodies kicking in to fight this global fever threatening the body of our mother earth. People on every continent in every country of the world are coming together… to answer the global call to stewardship and to be part of the solution. [I pray that You] let [these] people see their true power and how they [can be] part of the resurrection of your creation…Thanks be to God. And the people said: Amen!

Navajo Blessing Benediction Dance. photo by Janet Moody

For more photos of our Environmental Sabbath go to page 4.

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What is SERRV? So Central’s Small World Shop sells SERRV products. What does that mean? The idea of SERRV was born with the sale of a few refugee-produced handcrafts brought to New Windsor, Maryland in 1949-50 by Church of The Brethren relief workers returning from post-war Germany. The name SERRV is an acronym for “Sales Exchange for Refugee Rehabilitation and Vocation.” It first imported wooden cuckoo clocks from Germany to Maryland to sell in the U.S. By 1960 its revenues had reached $47,000. Now it is a $9 million fair trade network connecting thousands of artisans in developing countries with customers and volunteers across the United States. In 1999 SERRV split from the Church of the Brethren to become an independent non-profit organization. SERRV now receives support from such diverse sources as the Calvert Foundation, Catholic Relief Services, the Idyll Foundation and MMA Community Development Investments, Inc. Its mission is to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support to artisans and farmers worldwide. For 63 years SERRV has worked to build environmental, economic, and social sustainability. SERRV supports culture traditions that nurture the human spirit and shares that spirit and those cultures with people around the world. To do that SERRV works with thousands of small-scale artisans and farmers in 36 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and other developing regions of the world. They do so by marketing their handcrafts and agricultural products creating economic opportunity so these producers can support their families. They also work with producers to help them become economically self-sufficient through product design, training, information, technical assistance and helping them gain wider market access. SERRV also provides grants to

Grace Bazmore helps Dr. Ann Bancroft in the Grace Paisely Small World Shop.

THE GRACE PAISLEY “SMALL WORLD” SHOP

by Grace Bazmore

Why do we use the words “Small World” to describe our shop? Yes, it is small in size, but we incorporate articles from all around the globe so that we actually simulate a “small world”. Hand-made products are exquisitely made by artisans struggling to make a living and are not available in big box stores.

Thus we serve: -- As a mission to empower the poor: A SERRV sale directly enables artisans and farmers to build sustainable lives – to send their children to school, to dig community wells, to build health clinics, and to increase opportunities for women. As an outreach to the community: A friendly way to invite guests to visit and learn. As service to others: A chance for our congregants and friends to give of themselves by conscientious gift-buying.

These products are very special – handmade and useful – ranging from hand-woven basketry, jewelry and linens to shade-grown, fair trade coffee and tea, and much in between. Sponsored by the United Methodist Women, we are fulfilling a pledge to mission, outreach and service. There are many folks who come to Central on a Sunday who are not aware of this little gem which is housed on the second floor and always open for coffee hour. We take advantage of any opportunity to showcase our space to the community. If you know of any groups who would be interested in visiting us, please let us know.

CONCERNING CENTRAL is a newsletter published bimonthly by

Central United Methodist Church, 23 E. Adams, Detroit, MI 48226.

Telephone: 313-965-5422/FAX: 313-309-3199 Website: www.centralumchurch.com,

E-mail: centralumchurch@yahoo.com The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the official position of Central United Methodist Church. Articles that appear in Concerning Central may be reproduced freely as long as credit is given to Central United Methodist Church, Detroit unless otherwise indicated.

Submission of all original articles, photos, and artwork is welcomed. Please submit them as attachments in MS Word, RTF (text-only ) files, or in jpeg to: jamesbull22@yahoo.com

Future due dates: September-October August 1, 2013 November-December October 1, 2013

Editors: Jim Bull and Clara Webb Proof-reading assistance: Marcus Dickson and Debra Eaton.

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producers to get them resources they need to continue and expand their enterprises. And from the beginning SERRV always has paid a fair wage, and it still does! Paying a fair wage is one of its core values. In fact SERRV was a pioneer in creating the Fair Trade Movement. It is a founding member of the World Fair Trade Organization (formerly IFAT) and a founding member of the Fair Trade Federation (FTF). Your editor remembers his mother, Catherine Bull spending many evenings at Grace Paisley’s house, sometimes staying overnight as they and other volunteers sorted through products ordered from SERRV, put price tags on them, and got them ready for the annual Christmas season sale. Then after Christmas it took several more days of work for these dedicated Central volunteers to do an inventory of what was left and pack up unsold merchandise and send it back. When the church library was disbanded, and space became available on the second floor, the UMW decided it would be better to have a permanent shop, rather than go through all that packing and unpacking each year. And so the Small World Shop was born. When founding member Grace Paisley died, the UMW decided to name the shop in her honor, which is how it became “The Grace Paisley Small World Shop.” Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SERRV_International, http://www.serrv.org/category/our-story

WORSHIP

Top Left: The Swamp Singers perform on Native American, Sunday April 21. The Rest are Pentecost Sunday May 19. The dancers are from Booth Dance Academy. The cellist is Central’s own Priscillla Hawkins. She played the prelude and postlude

FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT by Brittany Galisdorfer, Finance Chair In our attempt to move forward with repairing the plaster in the sanctuary, Trustees discovered a hole in the roof of the church. The plaster cannot be repaired until the roof is repaired. The Board of Trustees is working diligently to make this happen, but that work will be costly. Once a contractor has been selected, we will have more information on what the cost will be and how the church is going to fund it. As of June 2nd, we are 11% below our pledged commitment for Sunday offertory. We will be sending out a statement of giving soon. If the statement does not match your records, please contact the church office. A special thank you to all the peanut volunteers who have been hard at work packing and selling peanuts since Opening Day in March. The money you collect enables Central to provide important, mission-oriented programming and to keep a roof over our heads! We

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deeply appreciate your time and dedication. Thank you! And thank you to the larger Central community for your continued dedication and financial support.

TRUSTEE NEWS As Brittany reports, roof problems were found that would make plaster work premature until the many leaks have been fixed. What we found out is that the roof can no longer be repaired. The slate roof was part of the original construction of the sanctuary which was completed in 1867! We’ve been told that the maximum life of a slate roof is 90 years. We reached that milestone in 1957 and have been living off borrowed time. The slate, which is sedimentary rock, is crumbling and it will just keep getting worse. Since the roof replacement is so expensive, it will likely be done one quarter of the roof at-a-time until the whole roof is redone. The Trustees has one estimate for the total repair, but it seeking at least two more estimates for comparison purposes. One difficulty is that there are not a lot of contractors who install and repair slate roofs. The good news is the new roof will last another 90 years as well!

photo at bottom left by Carol Reid.

ENVIRONMENTAL SABBATH SERVICE at Milliken State Park on the Detroit River Sunday June 2, followed by the annual church picnic and tours of the wetlands at Milliken State Park led by Jim Bull. Below children do gestures for the song Rainbow Race.

CENTRAL PARTICIPATES IN EARTH NIGHT APRIL 21 by Jarret Schlaff What an amazing night! We had over 50 folks in attendance with us April 21 for Earth Night to tune into the global premier of Do the Math and to celebrate the momentum we have built together over the past year fighting for a sustainable future that life on this planet depends on. Thank you to everyone who shared your time with us and for amplifying the collective voice of this movement with your presence. A special thanks again to Central UMC for providing us the space and resources to host the screening for free. We also could not have done this without the support of the Central Green Team, D CATS, and PlanIt4Planet. The food and enthusiasm folks brought were also greatly appreciated! Over 1000 #EarthNight Events Premiered the #DoTheMath Film Globally April 21—including Central. You can share this experience with others or watch it again for free at: http://www.350.org/math

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WE WENT BIRDING!! By Amy Deramus

As Centralites ours is a varied and wonderful community. One of our treasures is Jim Bull. Several times per year Jim offers himself to us as host and guide for various nature adventures. For the first (but not last!) time my family and I recently took him up on the offer and went Birding! We met Jim in the church parking lot and followed him to Magee Marsh Wildlife Area. While he took Cecil and Chenoa on a thrilling nature walk and bird spotting tour, Asya and I checked out the beach that was more shells than sand! We saw

a gorgeous Red winged Blackbird very close up and Asya was introduced to a Port-A-John for the first time. Jim was generous with his time and knowledge and even shared several pairs of binoculars with us. As we were leaving the park we passed the Nature Center and there was a large tent set up so we stopped to check it out. We were fascinated by the displays and Asya was delighted listening to the volunteer tell all about the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. But most astonishing of all were the “predators”! The staff had roped off a small area that contained (tethered to posts but very much alive) an Eagle, a Peregrine Falcon and a Turkey Vulture. We were allowed within a few feet of these incredible creatures and given information on each one. We are usually homebodies but this was a day we will never forget. We hope to encourage others to take a chance and join the adventure next time one is offered. You might (as we did) learn something new about the world and even yourself.

Swords Into Plowshares Peace Center and Gallery is a ministry of Central United Methodist Church. Its mission is to promote and inspire peace through the visual and performing arts. We closed for the summer at the end of Visions of Peace 2013. We hope you had an opportunity to see this inspiring exhibit of children’s art. This year, Jan Malkar not only had art from her Montessori year students but also arranged a visit for them. On behalf of all the volunteers at the Peace center and Gallery, we thank you for

your support this last year and look forward to seeing you in the fall. Although we are closed, that does not mean that we are idle, however. In addition to sprucing up the Gallery some events will go on. UPCOMING EVENTS: Alternate Wednesdays 12:30 -2 p.m., The Faith Club Book Club -- a lively group sharing their life experiences and insights on the readings. For more information contact Amanda Gudme at 313-567-3856. Thursday August 8

10 am to 12 p.m. Non-Violent Communication Skills Training Future dates are September 12, October 10, November

14, December 12, February 13 and April 10. Although ideal, attendance at all meetings is not required. The group will be guided but will set its own agenda deciding whether to read, listen to CD’s on non-violent communication or find other means to hone our skills to bringing about a more peaceful world. If you are interested contact Pauline Feltner at 313-392-9437 or feltnerjcspmf74@gmail.com.

The Central Connection….. “ Your love for one another is

increasing” Thessalonians 1:3

NURTURING & CARING The following people are in assisted living, confined to their homes or institution, are ill or in need of special prayers: Brian Adams, Bill Bennett, Hattie Sue Blackwell, Amy Boyette ,Carol Carter, Joy Crawford, Gloria & Henry Dees, Edith Faires, Edward Fisher, Emma Foster, Edna Frisby, Mary Hicks-Goode, Dolores Killewald, Charlene Lawrence (sister of Barbara Davis), Patricia Lee, Joe Maddox, Nora Nash, Carrie Ray, Florence Stull, Grace Taper, Charles Warfield, and Dr. Will Rutt. Drop them a card, telephone them or visit them. Call the church office for contact information (313-965-5422). Call the church office for contact information. These folks would love a phone call or a note from you!

by Wendy Hamilton, Director

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BEREAVEMENTS Jim Combs, father of Rev. Jonathan Combs [Detroit Annual Conference Clergy and long-time Centralite], died Sunday June 9. His Celebration of Life was held on Saturday June 15 at Ferndale First United Methodist Church. Condolences may be sent to: Rev. Jonathan Combs c/o Faith United Methodist Church, 23880 Scotia, Oak Park, MI 48237 Memorials may be given to Faith UMC. Mr. Jimmie Apsey, father of David Apsey, died April 22. His Celebration of Life was held Saturday June 15 at Central. Please send memorial gifts to Central United Methodist Church. Sam Bernard, Jr. -oldest brother of Marian Kramer April 14. With multiple medical challenges he opted to enter hospice taking a stand against pain, stopping dialysis, chemotherapy, and other medical treatment. Send expressions of sympathy to Marian and the Bernard family c/o Michigan Welfare Rights, 23 E. Adams, Detroit, MI 48226. Richard James “Dick” Penney, 85, of Gaylord, passed away on Sunday April 7 in Gaylord, MI where he retired. Dick was born on April 10,

1927, in Huntington Woods, served in the U.S. Army Air Corps 1945 to 1947, attended Lawrence Tech and the University of Michigan. An architect, his projects included the John Deere plant in Waterloo, Iowa; Saudi Arabian National Airport in Riyadh; and the Cobo Hall expansion in Detroit. He was especially proud of the retirement home he designed for himself and his wife in Gaylord. He loved to travel and camp, especially in the mountains out West and loved working with wood. After retiring, Dick took up golf and was still able to shoot the occasional par on his last outing in 2009. Survivors include his wife, Judy; children, Linda Redman and Steve Penney. His memorial service was May 18 at First Presbyterian Church, Gaylord. Memorial donations may be made to Habitat for Humanity or First Presbyterian Church through Nelson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1548, Gaylord, MI 49734. Condolences can be made online at www.nelsonsfuneralhome.com. Dick, his first wife Jan, and children Linda and Steve were active in Central during the 1970s and 80s.

Eric Spires, Annie Spires’s son died on June 8. His memorial service was Monday June 24 at St. Maron Church Hall. Condolences may be sent to to Annie and her family at 779 Piper Ave, Detroit, MI 48215.

BIRTHS/ BAPTISMS Jonathan James Oatley and Ava Katherine Biernat were baptized on May 5. The christening gown Jonathan Oatley wore is from Scotland and dates back to 1850s. It was first worn by his paternal great-great-great grandmother, and many family members since including his father Alex Oatley. We were told about a Hindu blessing ceremony that was held earlier for Ava in which she helped predict that she would be scholar in the future. Whatever path these two take, the congregation pledged to be part of the village it takes to nurture a child.

GRADUATIONS (Recognized in the service June 9) Linsey Rae Higgins, Masters of Social Work degree from Wayne State University.

Briana Parker, Masters of Social Work degree from Wayne State University.

Kristen Shirkey, Master of Science in Information degree from the University of Michigan. Grace Batiste, magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Howard University. She begins work in July as an operations analyst at JP Morgan Chase in Columbus, OH. Justin Bernard, Ypsilanti High School in Ypsilanti, MI. Undecided on which college to attend this fall. Brandon Norman, Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights, OH. He will enter the pre-law program at Ohio State University on a full academic scholarship. Ivuoma (Ivy) Ogbonnaya... Aisha Ruiz, Wylie E. Groves High School in Beverly Hills, MI. She plans to study Pre-Medicine with a minor in Psychology at Michigan State University this fall. Heaven Bernard, Middle school. She will begin high school in the fall at Cass Tech. Olivia Ruiz, Greenfield Elementary School in Birmingham, MI.

Harold Edmond Clay, Farmington Harrison High School with honors. In the fall he will begin a five-year program between Morehouse College and Georgia Tech University (Atlanta, GA) with a dual-major in physics and engineering. He is Sheilah and Harold Clay’s son and Clara and the late Jerry Edmond Webb, Sr.’s grandson.

THANK YOUs RECEIVED From Clara Webb to the United Methodist Men and the New Member Reception Committee for the very nice coffee hour in honor of our new members on Sunday May 12.

MISSION TRIP TO HELP WITH HURRICANE SANDY CLEAN-UP AND REPAIR.

Centralites have been invited to join Grace United Methodist Church’s mission trip for adults (18 and older) from July 20-27. The cost is $210 but a $50 grant is available if this is your first mission trip. The funds are for Hurricane Relief. Team meeting June 30 after their church service. For more information call Rev Jill A Hardt Zundel at 586-945-4013 or 586-725-1054 or email RevDrJill@hotmail.com. Grace United Methodist Church is in Chesterfield Township but serves the greater New Baltimore area.

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NEWS Linsey Higgins (left) won the 2013 Elizabeth N. Brehler Scholars Program competition. Established in 1991 by Richard Brehler in memory of his wife, the program is an annual manuscript competition that gives Wayne State University BSW, MSW and PhD students the opportunity to produce a scholarly work. The primary goal of the program is to encourage students to explore their personal and professional values, and difficulties they have experienced applying those values in social work practice. Linsey won for her paper entitled, Embracing men: A feminist's transformational journey: You can read her paper by going to. http://socialwork.wayne.edu/embracing_men_a_feminist_s_transformational_journey.pdf

May 9: Walter E. Douglas received an honorary doctorate from Wayne State University during commencement exercises. (Detroit Free Press Wednesday May 1, 2013 p. 3D). Douglas received a Doctor of Laws degree for his years of service to the city of Detroit and his many entrepreneurial achievements, as well as his devotion to philanthropy throughout the city and beyond. Douglas is chairman of the board and

majority stockholder of Avis Ford, a Southfield Michigan automobile dealership.

NEW MEMBERS RECEIVED Joey Lopez – Director of Young Adult and Youth Ministries at Central. Eric Gibson. “I see Central as a peaceful living[room] full of great people and soft faces I can come to love forever in a day. As for the new member classes I did enjoy them very much.” Cole Hawkins, native Californian, is a citrus ranch manager, taught ecology and biology in Community Colleges of California, and is currently Manager of the Lee Vining, California Schoolhouse Museum for the summer. Try to stump him with a question on any subject, he will know the answer or find it for you. He received his PhD. in Wildlife Ecology at Texas A &M in 2000, and would like to find a part-time teaching job in the winter or spring semester in the Detroit area. Priscilla Hawkins grew up in the Detroit area, and then lived 38 years in California. She and her husband, Cole, are now back in Royal Oak, Michigan part of the year to be a part of their two grandsons lives. With a music degree from U of M, Priscilla has had a career performing and teaching the cello. Both Cole and Priscilla feel right at home with the diversity at Central, and are enjoying working on promoting the use of ceramic cups and fair

trade coffee after the church service. Cole and Priscilla run the Mono Lake Music & Ecology Camp out of their California home (www.musicandecology.com). Breana Parker, not pictured, also joined Central with this class. We will publish a photo and biography later if possible

JULY BIRTHDAYS 5 Esther Harding 7 Christine Crawford 8 Aaron Apsey 9 Cleotha McMurtry 10 Cynthia Roddie 11 Dia Pierce 11 Nancy Ruhl 12 Annette Genter 12 Grady Williams 14 Kayla Nayiisum Hill 14 Shereise Varner 16 Steve Heath 17 David White 21 Pamela Wiley-Hill 22 Karen Touchstone 24 Cecil Deramus 25 Richard Pawlak

26 JoAnn Snyder 27 Dee Davis 28 Chenoa Deramus 28 Ruth Johnson 28 Kristi Crago 29 Florence Stull 30 Gloria Moreno

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS 1 George Thompson 2 Susan Shirkey 3 David Apsey 3 Danica Rowe 3 Cree Thompson 4 Cole Hawkins 4 Val Ogbonnaya 5 Annie Spires 7 Joyce Robinson 14 Donna Hobson

14 Anika-Kafi Grose 17 Joey Lopez 17 Christina Graham 17 Heather Dickson 18 Helena Marie Moore 19 Paula Allen 19 Helen Harris 22 Walter Douglas 22 Antonio Moreno 25 Britney Touchstone 26 Eugenia Lucas 26 Delia Nance 27 Gerald Davis 28 Dorothy Roddie 29 Mary Mitchell 30 Alyssa Reese

THE GREEN TEAM ENCOURAGES YOU TO USE THE CERAMIC MUGS NOW PROVIDED FOR COFFEE, TEA OR PUNCH. Styrofoam and plastic use precious petroleum resources and add to greenhouse gasses. If you’d like to volunteer to help take care of these cups or make sure shade-grown coffee is available, please contact Byron Washington this summer. We’d like a “coffee team” to make sure this is done well and is not too much work for anybody.

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compiled by Amanda Gudme In Liberia, according to former Associate Pastor Emmauel Giddings, people gather here at day’s end, draw a cup of wine, tell stories, share family news and chat about community events. This page can serve that purpose for us. Send us your poems, favorite stories and cartoons etc.

I am struck by how the quest for security can easily become a prison. Whether the quest for security is played out through money, material comforts, emotional familiarity, moral compromise; or big, juicy mental rationalizations; letting go of the known, familiar, and predictable seems necessary to take flight amidst the "unbearable lightness of being." Apparently, a common regret of the dying is about not having taken enough risks. Well, we are all dying. The question is really: Am I living? - Dan Rutt

If you tried to do something and failed, you are better off than if you tried to do nothing and succeeded.

A liar should have a good memory.

Ideas never work unless you do.

No man become great or good except thru many mistakes.

When you have nothing to say, don't bother to prove it.

Better to build schoolrooms for boys than cells for men.

It's easier to swallow your words than eat them.

Courage isn't the absence of fear, but its conquest.

Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong.

A spark of genius won't matter if you've poor ignition.

- compiled by Ed Brown lll

You've got to be honest; if you can fake that you've got it made…George Burns Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures…H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Live your life and forget your age…Norman Vincent Peale There is no right way to do something wrong…unknown author Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy… Guillaume Apollinaire - from Jo Ryan’s book of quotes, Bright Thoughts.

There is no right way to do something wrong. Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy - Jo Ryan, Bright Thoughts.

A remaining bigotry: we don't want to be around anyone that disagrees with us. - Bill Clinton

Progress is not automatic. The world grows better because people wish that it should and take the right steps to make it so. - Jane Adams

Certainly our goal is, must be, that we should say, whether to our neighbors or to ourselves, only what we genuinely believe, only what is actually true. Subjective honesty, objective validity. In so far as you achieve that, intellectually you are saved. Tat tvam asi. 'That thou art.' - Wilfred Cantwell Smith, The Faith of Other Men

To be nobody - but - yourself in a world which is doing its best night and day to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. - e. e. cummings

No country, however rich, can afford the waste of human resources. Demoralization caused by vast unemployment is our greatest extravagance. Morally, it is the greatest menace to our social order. - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

The clash of ideas is the sound of freedom. - Graffiti

God of Justice, whenever we settle for the way things are instead of the way you would have them to be, forgive us. Whenever we are paralyzed by fear or limited in vision, increase our trust in you. Whenever we fail to speak and act against racism or any form of injustice or fail to work for justice for all people, turn us around and show us the more excellent way that your love requires. Whenever we tire of the struggle and tomorrow feels overwhelming, restore our hope. Whenever we forget those who have gone before us or act as if we were the first to follow in the Way, allow us to recognize our arrogance, seek your forgiveness and recommit ourselves to working for the Beloved Community you intended from the beginning. AMEN - From a recent Central bulletin

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Central United Methodist Church 23 E. Adams Detroit, MI 48226

RETURN SERVICES REQUESTED If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are men who want crops without plowing up the ground, they want rain without thunder and lightning, they want the ocean without the awful roar of its waters. - Frederick Douglass

The Central Team

our worship of scripture, sermons, music and praise reflects our concern for the spiritual needs of contemporary society, as well as for peace and justice, race relations, human rights, environmental justice, LGBT issues, and women's issues.

Join us on Sundays: 9 a.m. Sunday School (adults and youth)

10:30 a.m. Worship

Church Phone: (313) 965-5422

E-mail: centralumchurch@yahoo.com

Web Site: www.centralumchurch.com

Join us as we strive to make a difference in our community, in our state, in our nation, and in the world. In this ambitious undertaking; we need your gifts, your energies, and your passion.

Ministry & Program Staff: Rev. Edwin A. Rowe, Senior Pastor Joey Lopez, -Director Youth and Young Adult Ministries Anika-Kafi Grose, Recruitment & New Member Coordinator Debra Eaton, Church Administrator

Musical Staff: Dr. Edward Maki-Schramm, Minister of Music Nina Scott, Director; Central Ensemble Bobbi Thompson, Accompanist & soloist

Parking Lot Staff: Reginald Bradford, Supervisor Hughie McKellar, Bradford Bradford, Anthony White

Swords Into Plowshares Center. Wendy Hamilton, Director

Building Staff: Glenn Ross , Building Supervisor

Front Desk Assistants James Harris Robert Gray Byron Washington,, webmaster

N.O.A.H. Staff:

John Barnett Project Coordinator Amy Brown Acting Project Coordinator Krista Dover, Caseworker Joni Vasquez Bag Lunch Coordinator & Jesuit Volunteer Brandon Powell - Caseworker & U2 Missionary Dia Vet Hoye, Counseling Specialist

Non-Profit U.S. Postage

PAID Detroit, MI

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