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June is Pride Month across our nation, with parades, banners and many celebrations occuring in various locales. For a little history, I share the next 4 paragraphs, which come directly from the United Methodist Church & Society website:

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Since the year 2000, the United States has recognized June as LGBT PrideMonth. The month was chosen in memory of the 1969 riots at Stonewall Inn in Manhattan, widely considered one of the touchstones for the history of the LGBTQ rights movement.

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In the midst of such festivities, however, this month also marks continued struggle for the protection of LGBTQ rights. According to the United Nations, 76 countries criminalize consensual same sex relationships and in seven countries the penalty may be death. Bullying and threats of violence against persons who are, or are perceived to be, LGBTQ contribute to cultures of fear and shame.

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As a church, United Methodists “deplore acts of hate and violence against groups or persons based on … sexual orientation [or] gender identity.” (Social Principles, ¶162). We seek that every person is recognized and seen as valued.
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Obstacles to living a full life for our young people also persists. Stigma, bullying, violence and harassment continue to threaten the lives of gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth. According to the Trevor Project, in the United States, the rate of suicide attempts is 4 times greater for LGB (lesbian, gay and bisexual) youth and 2 times greater for questioning youth than that of straight youth.

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As most of you are aware, at General Conference in 2024, which is a gathering of United Methodist clergy and laity from around the world, it was finally approved to remove language that prohibited pastors from officiating same-sex marriages. Language prohibiting the ordination of LGBTQIA+ persons in the UMC was also removed. While we celebrate these milestones, there is much work to do in building bridges of restoration with our LGTBQIA+ family, neighbors and friends.

At West Side, we will be launching more educational snippets and opportunities over time - to be lovingly alert, respectful and aware of people's journeys. Here is a step in that direction, with a definition of the acronym we share and hear frequently: "LGBTQIA+" is an evolving acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual. More to come on each of those terms coming soon!

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In the meantime, please continue to be in prayer for the safety and dignity of the LGTBQIA+ population. Be lovingly aware that there are LGTBQIA+ people in our church as well as within our network of family, friends and neighbors, whether they be open or silent about it.

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Please also be in prayer for the church, as we navigate this tenuous time, looking for ways to invite ALL people into the love, presence and relationship that Christ offers to everyone. For it is in the grace and peace of Jesus that all souls find their meaning, acceptance and purpose.

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On the way there,
Pastor Adam

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Pastor Sari Brown, pictured here along with our lay delegates Marilyn & Duane Kirking, received her calling into the UMC ministry while attending here at West Side, was ordained as an Elder at Annual Conference 2024! West Side Church gifted her with this new 'Pentecost red' stole for the ceremony! If you'd like to reach out to Sari - here's her email: sarilynnbrown@gmail.com​

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It's hard to believe it's been a year already since I started working here. It was a leap of faith to come. I don't feel at ease in churches with pews, lecterns, organs, hymns, and traditional liturgical worship styles. I am a 90's/00s kid who grew up in evangelical culture during the rise of the emergent church with movie theater-type seating and rock concert/coffee shop-type vibes. Yet I do not feel like I belong in the majority of those spaces anymore for oh so many reasons. I was hesitant about leaving my comfortable contemporary worship setting, but I could not be more thrilled I made the leap to West Side. Even though it feels like I moved into a home that's not my style, I have never felt more at home in a church until now. All of you have been more supportive, encouraging, and loving to my family than ever imagined. The people are what makes the church. I am also discovering my heart opening up and feeling the spirit move through the music and the liturgy. During the week, I find myself seeking solitude in the sanctuary and feeling close to God in what feels like a sacred space. This place continues to grow on me and I am falling in love. I cannot thank you enough for the warm support I have received. While it still feels like I am getting my feet on the ground, I am very excited to see what the future holds.

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Samantha Tidball

Associate Pastor

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June is National Gun Violence Awareness Month

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Stop by to pick up materials from the End Gun Violence table in our welcome area after worship each Sunday in June. Marilyn Kirking has been trained as an educator for the Michigan End Gun Violence Campaign. She has info about the four Michigan Laws that went into effect in February. Even if you do not own guns or have guns in your home, you need to know what these laws are.

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Post Michigan UMC Annual Conference Report

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Pastor Adam as clergy, Duane as an usher and I as your lay delegate represented West Side UMC at the Annual Conference Meeting near Traverse City along with approximately 1500 clergy & laity. The Annual Conference’s 2024 theme was Fearless Ministry with the call to go beyond the walls of our churches to spread the love and grace of Jesus Christ. Bishop Bard opened the conference with an appeal to focus on the future & be fearless. Being fearless is not acting recklessly or thoughtlessly but means that we step out in faith with less fear.

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Rev Ginger Gaines-Cirelli, senior pastor at the Foundry UMC located down the street from the White House in DC was our guest preacher & teacher. She pointed out that we are a deeply polarized society, quick to categorize others from one sound-bite. We are isolated and isolating. Mistrust of everyone and everything abounds. Our cultural values focus on wealth, power and status. We thrive on an economy of war rather than putting that money toward peace efforts, education and poverty issues. We have an epidemic of gun violence. Our environment is wounded. Our world is groaning with brokenness and need. As Christians our witness to God’s grace and love has been mild as we have wallowed in the petri dish of our society’s ills.

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She reminded us that our faith has equipped us to face and address these challenges if we act with fearlessness. We know that fear can paralyze action, analytical thinking and problem-solving. By God’s grace and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can cultivate compassion, caring, humility, curiosity, adaptability, conversation and community. Now is the time to push back on mistrust and division by being clear about the church we want to become and what we don’t want to be. If you want more detail about the conference please go to this link https://michiganumc.org/conference-embraces-​

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We attended the ordination service of 6 elders and 1 deacon, 8 were commissioned (6 elders and two deacon), one elder received provisional status. We were proud of Sari Brown, who was called into ministry while she attended West Side, being ordained as an elder.

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Delegates voted to approve a 8.4% reduction in the budget for the coming year. It was emphasized that only 73% of ministry shares (apportionments) were paid by churches in the Conference last year. These funds are vital to prevent further cuts in the Conference’s budget and its ability to support missions and our UMC in Michigan. West Side has paid 100% of its ministry shares for many years.

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Midwest Mission coordinated the assembly of 6500 rice meal packs (containing 6 meals each) at the conference along with donations of $13,000 to purchase supplies for the packs. Approx $36,000 was collected at the conference to be split 45% each for HAPI (Haitian outreach) & the Bishop Craig Children’s Village in Liberia. The Bishop designated Water for Life to receive 10% of the offering.

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This will be my last year as West Side’s Delegate to the Michigan’s Annual Conference. I would encourage you to consider volunteering to be our delegate for next year. Please contact Pastor Adam or myself if you have any questions. The meeting is so informative and give you a perspective of the important work being done through our denomination. I always come away feeling spiritually uplifted and inspired from the music, messages and people I meet.

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Blessings,

Marilyn Kirking

Lay Delegate to Michigan Annual Conference

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Our wonderful treasurer, Jim Meretta, will be "retiring" from his volunteer church treasurer position at the end of this year. He has served faithfully for several years! Our goal is to have someone receive some training over the coming months to get acclimated with the role. The hope for the position is that someone could commit to 2 - 3 years if it turns out to be an agreeable role. Please contact Adam if interested or if you have questions!

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Each month we will share 2 - 3 highlights from our Leadership Board meetings here. The board meetings commonly include topics around church finance, trustees, staff parish relations and overall mission and vision.

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1. Some missing shingles recently observed on roof over sanctuary, need to replace about 6-10. $3750 (whole new roof would be $60k) . Motion to approve smaller repair, passed.

2. Treasurer's report:

a. 4 months in - Looking good.

b. Overall ahead of budget, YTD

3. Motion to allow removal of cross and flame from behind garden tree on front of building, in order to refurbish and/or possibly replace, perhaps elsewhere on the front of church, passed.

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We recently set the dates for our participation in Habitat for Humanity this Summer.

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Our congregation is pledging:

• one group of 8-10 people for Saturday June 15.
• one group of 8-10 people for Saturday August 10
• one smaller group of 4-5 people for Friday August 23

We will also need 2 volunteers to provide lunches each day.

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Please sign up on the event table in the welcome center or online.

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Volunteer Information from Habitat

All volunteers must complete the online registration/waiver by the Tuesday before the scheduled build day. Tasks, additional details and any potential location change will be emailed to all volunteers on the Tuesday before your build day. All volunteers must arrive by 9 AM for a safety briefing and task instruction. If plans change, or they can no longer join us, volunteers can "cancel" their registration or notify their congregation's liaison. ​​

​2024 Good News Group Volunteer Flyer.pdf​

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​Link to sign up for any Westside Build Days (access code is "Westside"): https://givepul.se/dnc615​

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Sermon Audio

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Our recent sermons are now available to stream on Podbean. Check them out if you missed them! They are also available on our website.

Prayer Concerns

If you would like to include a prayer concern to be listed in this section of our Weekly email, please email the church office with the name, and if you would like, you may add a brief description, eg. surgery, cancer diagnosis, death in the family, etc. This concern will be listed for 8 weeks. You can request the office to leave the name on the list for a longer period as well.

Andy Siddall (Tom Hams’ nephew)

Fay Cozadd​
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June Community Offering

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Church Calendar

To stay up to date on what is going on at West Side, check out our calendar.
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Please contact the church office to schedule a room for a meeting or event.

In Memoriam

Frank J. Siller​
April 30, 1930 - September 2, 2022
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​Nancy Brewer​
January 14, 1944 - September 2, 2022
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​Judith Oakes Fraleigh​
November 21, 1935 - January 18, 2023​
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​Edith Laura Semark​
August 18, 1934 - February 3, 2023
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​Trenna Elizabeth Garner​
January 8, 1935 - January 14, 2023
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​Carol Kreischer​
​December 28, 1930 - February 25, 2023
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​Joyce Weldon Clark​
​September 28, 1935 - February 27, 2023
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​Richard "Rip" Kinney​
​March 17, 1934 - April 21, 2023

Graham Robert Putnam​
​April 11, 1947 - October 31, 2023

Stephen Lacoe​
​February 10, 1936 - February 15, 2024

Marguerite Fisher​
​November 21, 1923 - February 16, 2024

Elizabeth Audette​
​May 31, 1960 - April 21, 2024