New District #4 will not be an official entity until July 1, 2018, but much work needs to be done in order to facilitate this change!  District #4 is one of the new nine Districts in the Michigan Conference. New District #4 includes 91 churches, 80 charges in the middle to west, central part of our state.

An organizing conference for New District #4 will be held on Sunday, April 22 from 4-5:30pm at Greenville UMC (204 West Cass Street, Greenville, MI  48838). Please plan to attend if you are clergy or laity in a local church that will become part of New District #4.  No RSVP’s are necessary! New District #4 DS Rev. Dr. Margie Crawford and current GR DS Rev. Bill Haggard will lead this important organizing conference. Please bring a small container of water from your area, preferably from a lake, river, or steam. It will be used for a remembrance of baptism during this conference. 

View District #4 churches → HERE

At the organizing conference leaders will be elected for the following Discipline required areas:

1. Superintendency Committee (5-9 persons)
2. District Committee on Ministry (7-12 persons)
3. District Board of Church Location & Building (7-10 people)

And this initial team along with these positions:

1. Vision Team (8-12) persons who will serve as the leadership body as we determine what we need going forward)
2. Co-Lay Leaders (2)
3. Treasurer (hopefully a volunteer who can care for the administration of the District budget as all Districts become incorporated)

Also on the agenda will be the selection of a name for District #4. District #4 is comprised of parts of 3 prior Districts (Grand Rapids, Grand Traverse, Heartland).

The names under consideration for New District #4 are below:

• Grand West District
• West Grand District
• Midwest Grand District
• Grand Midwest District
• Great Rivers District

Questions? Please contact Liz in the GR District Office at lbode@michiganumc.org or 616.459.4503.