-> Suggestions for Being a Partner Church

-> Directions on Sending Mission Money to Liberian Churches

In 1998 the Detroit Annual Conference became part of a covenant relationship withthe Liberia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Our sisters and brothers there have struggled through civil war and great deprivation, yet still are committed to spreading the gospel. Three of the seventeen districts in the Liberia Annual Conference are paired with the Ann Arbor District: Grand Bassa, River Cess and St. John River. In 2003, the Ann Arbor District Liberia Partnership Taskforce was formed. In 2005, partner churches from Liberia were assigned to each Ann Arbor District church.

Excitement continues to build around our covenant relationship!  Prayers are being prayed, friendships are being formed, churches are being built, wells are being dug, pastors are being supported, and roofs are going on— all due to the active partnerships happening across the Ann Arbor District with our Liberian brothers and sisters. 

The Ann Arbor District Liberia Task Force is continuing its work under a new chairperson, Laura Speiran.
You can reach her at Saline First UMC: 734-429-4730 or laura@fumc-saline.org.

The Task Force has developed three new goals at its June 2007 meeting:
.....1)  100% coverage of active partnerships for all of our Liberian partner churches (currently we are at less than 50%);
.... 2)  a well for every partner church—safe drinking water is a basic necessity that is not yet available to so many;
.... 3)  to keep financial records of money and goods going from our district to our Liberian partner districts
(If you send money or goods to your partner church, please email Laura Speiran with a brief notification
so we can celebrate it!). 

Every congregation in our district has an assigned partner church in Liberia. If you are a church in an active partnership, the taskforce wants to know about it!  If you are interested in starting an active partnership, we want to help you do that! 
Contact Laura Speiran, our new chairperson, with your reports or questions.

It is important to note that two of our partner District Superintendents have changed.  They are as follows: 
.....1) St. John River—Rev. Nelly Wright;
.....2) Rivercess—Rev. Jacob Nathan (new);
.....3) Grand Bassa—Rev. Clarissa J. Robertson (new). 
You can send mail messages to the Liberia Conference Office at LiberiaUMC@yahoo.com
Include the name of the church and district in the subject line. 

Also—big news!  The postal service in Liberia is in operation again, at least to Monrovia, the capital city.  You may mail letters to the Liberia Conference Office with your partner church name in care of the district superintendent:  P.O. Box 10-1010, Monrovia, 10 Liberia, West Africa.  This is new to all of us, so we don’t know how long it takes to get there!

Every congregation in our district is invited to attend our Taskforce meetings to get information
and build enthusiasm for this effort, as well as to help coordinate district activities.