The God’s Country Cooperative Parish
is in the eastern part of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
It covers a 250 square mile area from Engadine near
Lake Michigan, up to Paradise at Whitefish Bay, to Grand
Marais on Lake Superior’s south shore and encompasses
McMillan, Germfask, Newberry and Hulbert. Although it
is located in some of the most beautiful country you
could ever hope to see, the isolation, extremely harsh
long winters, and scarcity of jobs bring real challenges
to these churches and the communities they serve. Unlike
our more densely populated areas where you might find
another United Methodist church within a few miles,
these churches can be up to 100 miles from their sister
churches in the Cooperative. Yet these seven communities
of faith combine their resources, share their faith
and, through their active presence, work to bring self
esteem, hope and faith to all God’s children throughout
their vast parish. These goals are accomplished by:
• Cooperative Mission
Trips
• Cooperative Bible Studies
• Cooperative Youth Activities
• Cooperative Leadership and Training Events
• Cooperative Support of Mission Projects
and Missionaries
• Cooperative Hosting of Volunteers in Mission
Teams
• Cooperative Fellowship Activities
PURPOSE STATEMENT:
The purpose of God’s Country Cooperative Parish is
to help the churches of the Parish in spreading the
Gospel of Jesus Christ by strengthening them through
ministering to each other, through fellowship, through
sharing talents and resources, and through reaching
out to all people by pastors and laity.
GCCP
Director Paul J. Mallory
Mallory Musings:
On the morning of December 23, 2009, God’s
Country Cooperative parish lost a great friend. No,
let me put that another way. God’s Country Cooperative
Parish lost its mother. On that day in Newberry, Michigan,
Rev. Audrey M. Dunlap translated from the “church
militant” to the “Church Triumphant.”
Audrey was a life-long resident of the area that now
makes up GCCP. Born in Hulbert on July 26th, 1923;
marrying her beloved Ivan on August 22, 1938; making
their home and raising their four children in Newberry
(Audrey’s favorite daughter, Gloria; no wait,
her favorite daughter, Laurel; no, her favorite daughter,
Marisa; well we know that Wayne was her favorite son).
Being very much concerned about the welfare of people,
she served humanity for eleven years at Newberry Regional
Mental Health Center.
In June of 1964, Audrey received the call to parish
ministry and a few years later began her six-year
Course of Study at Garrett-Evangelical Theological
Seminary in Evanston, Illinois. In 1976, she appointed
to the McMillan Charge, which includes the churches
of McMillan, Engadine, Germfask, Hulbert, and Grand
Marais. Audrey was ordained Deacon by Bishop Edsel
Ammons in 1977.
In Audrey’s own words: “ Beginning
in 1976, I was the newly appointed pastor to this
charge. I traveled 255 miles per week simply to preach
four times on Sunday and once midweek. But that wasn’t
all as there were activities, meetings, funerals,
weddings, etc. There were five school systems, four
general hospitals, two regional medical centers, five
funeral homes, seven cemeteries, and possibly other
things that I may have missed. All served by one pastor.
I remember at the end of my six months as the appointed
pastor to this charge that I took a look at my time
and mileage. I had been on the road enough to constitute
one month of time on the road with not more than five
months of ministry.
I also recall that after a year of this schedule,
a sense of futility set in. I drove sometimes with
tears in my eyes. I didn’t have time and strength
to really reach out where people exist without the
church. I saw each church community like a bubble,
with my five bubbles and the other two bubbles (Newberry
and Paradise) not touching each other except perhaps
at joint Charge Conferences. A lot of people lived
out between these bubbles.”
With Audrey’s Leadership the people of the “bubbles”
began working together as God’s Country Cooperative
Parish. She served this appointment for nine years
becoming Parish Director while serving her five churches.
She retired in 1985, but was called back to ministry
in 1991, serving the Paradise/ Hulbert Charge for
three years. Audrey continued serving area churches
on a “part-time” basis until her final
retirement in 2000.
We of the GCCP are grateful for Reverend Audrey Dunlap’s
tireless service to Jesus Christ, the United Methodist
Church, and to the people who find themselves residing
in the area of the parish. We are committed to continue
her example of ministry to all those who are in and
in between the bubbles.
Pax,
Paul J. Mallory PO Box 268,
Grand Marais, MI 49839 (906) 494-2653 thevicar@jamadots.com
GCCP Church
and Community Worker Katie Peterson
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is
true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever
is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if
anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think
about such things.”- Philippians 4:8
As we begin a New Year and decade, what is praiseworthy
in your ministry and/or life? Do you know that God
gives us daily glimpses of praises – even in
the mix of tragic or bad days? Stop and smell the
roses or snow in this season. Did you know that when
you share a smile or hello with someone as you are
walking by, you are sharing God’s love in small
ways? That small greeting maybe the only greeting
that he/she received that day.
Over this past year we in God’s Country have
many praiseworthy things that we can be grateful.
All seven churches assisted over 200 youth, children,
and adults with food, clothing, and gifts for Christmas.
All of them have fellowship gatherings throughout
the year – with dinners, socials, bake sales,
fun days, etc. Bible studies or Bible schools are
offered throughout GCCP during the year. All of the
communities have assisted their neighbors in need
with a variety of projects – from wood cutting,
window washing, to building ramps and roof repairs.
Throughout the whole cooperative you can find children
and adults wearing new handmade hats, mittens, clothes,
and or have sweatpants – from all of our generous
donations from all over the place.
God certainly is sharing love from our supporting
churches. Every Sunday as I travel to share the joy
of missions throughout the state and beyond –
I am grateful for all of the smiling faces and prayer
warriors that I meet. In January, West Branch FUMC
felt God’s calling to assist GCCP with our projects
and donated a brand new twin engine air compressor!
This will greatly assist us in using our new framing
nail gun and air staple gun that were gifted to us
last year. Thank you, West Branch for this generous
donation!
Wish list: yarn for making prayer shawls and baby
blankets, sweatpants (2T-small adult), socks for schools,
hoses for air compressor, 12/2 electrical cord, connectors
for air compressor, coil roofing nail gun, construction
pencils, pencil clips for shirts, money for gas cards.
If you would like to donate money towards any of the
above items, and/or items, please contact me, and
I would be happy to assist you in getting them to
the appropriate places in GCCP. ktpete@gmail.com
If you would like me to come share the joy of missions
with your group or church, please let me know.
Thank you for sharing God’s praises with your
neighbor everyday!
Katie Peterson
Church and Community Worker
Deaconess
PO Box 67, Paradise, MI 49768
(906) 492-3680 ktpete@gmail.com
Advance number 982942
We give thanks to the General Board of Global Ministries
for providing free space for this web site.
For comments on, or additions to, the website, contact
the editor, Jan Barrett at jan_barrett47@hotmail.com
