January 2025 Missions Spotlight Series: Goodwill Street Outreach of Northern Michigan & Safe Harbor __________________________________________________________________________  Goodwill Street Outreach Reaching out to end homelessness and guide people home since 2003    By Zeke Fleet and Ryan Hannon, CUMC Missions Committee  “Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to… Read More »

Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources (KAIR) Helping Those in Need for Nearly 30 Years By Zeke Fleet   Established in 1995 as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources (K.A.I.R) is an interfaith, community-based volunteer organization that provides practical assistance to the qualified, elderly, frail, disabled, isolated and needy of Kalkaska County. In May 2023,… Read More »

CUMC Spotlight Missions for November 2024: ACTS Food Pantry and 5Loaves2Fish Northern Michigan by Zeke Fleet   Acme Christian Thrift Store and Food Pantry (ACTS Food Pantry)   And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” and he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and… Read More »

Building Study Committee Update: October 2024 The summer and early fall seasons have been an exciting time for the Building Study Committee. We are making good progress toward our goal of creating a more inviting, accessible, and hospitable building, specifically for the chancel and rear entrance to the building. In September, the committee approved a… Read More »

Spotlight Missions for October 2024: UMC Global Ministries Madina Village School and Health Center and  Fairfield Children’s Home (formerly Baby Fold) by Zeke Fleet Thank you for your support of Central’s Missions Ministries. Please visit our giving page to learn ways that you can give to support the powerful and impactful work that organizations featured… Read More »

September Missions Spotlight: Soaring Unlimited-Haiti: Celebrating 30 Years of Basic Life Services in Northeast Haiti by Zeke Fleet Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.     Psalm 82:3 According to Kathy Gray, Central’s Mission Committee liaison for Soaring Unlimited, civil unrest and violence have been reduced in Haiti’s… Read More »

2024 Youth Mission Trip Report: A Transformative Journey to Chicago This summer, our youth embarked on a mission trip to Chicago. We had a great time and learned so much about the experience of our neighbors in the Woodlawn neighborhood. As we served, this trip helped us build character, compassion, and to embark on a… Read More »

N.O.A.H.  Networking, Organizing, and Advocating for the Homeless Noah at Central* is dedicated to compassionately ending homelessness in Detroit. By Zeke FleetCentral United Methodist Church of Detroit engages the community, civic partners, synagogues, and churches to encourage volunteer and financial support for this initiative for life transitions. CUMC-Traverse City is among the 46 Methodist churches… Read More »

  “Former pastor Dale Ostema told me I was the face of the church because I connected with so many church attendees, guests, and groups at Central.” Bob McCutcheon CUMC Lead Custodian Bob is hoping to retire this year, and will be reducing his hours in the meantime. As you can imagine, he’s hard to… Read More »

July 2024 Spotlight Series: Immigration Law & Justice Michigan (IL&J-MI)    “And you are to love those who are foreigners, for you yourselves were foreigners in Egypt.” Deuteronomy 10:19   Central’s spotlight mission or July is Immigration Law & Justice Michigan (formerly Justice for Our Neighbors), an organization welcomes and supports low-income immigrants by providing pro bono legal support for immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers. This organization also assists victims of sex trafficking, those exposed to violent… Read More »