District News - East Winds District

Introduction

Posted on June 11, 2025June 11, 2025 by Fuller

Sisters and Brothers of East Winds District,

I greet you in the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus.

As you likely are aware, Bishop Bard has appointed me to serve as district superintendent for East Winds in addition to Central Bay for the upcoming appointment year. Perhaps you are wondering just who this new DS is.

I am the eldest of six boys. My mom was elated when I married Debbi nearly 43 years ago and added a female to the immediate family. Debbi and I have five children. Faith and her husband Steve and four grandchildren, Anika, Caleb and his wife Amanda and our fifth grandchild, Amelia, and Gabe.

My ethnicity is Dutch; my father immigrated from the Netherlands in the 50’s. My parents owned and operated a flower shop in Ionia, Michigan, and I was being nurtured to take over the family business from them, but God had another plan for my life. A brother and his wife now run the flower shop.

Having felt God’s call along the way; God finally got my attention by causing me to become allergic to some of the key flowers we worked with. After 15 years of “poking posies” and managing the flower shop, I was appointed as pastor of the Hersey UMC. I also served Galien & Olive Branch UMC’s, Dowagiac: First, and Clare UMC, accepting the Bishop’s appointment to serve as a DS in 2020.

I look forward with great anticipation to meet you and discover the many ways the fine churches of East Winds are living out God’s call to make disciples of Jesus, are worshipping our awesome and loving God, and are ministering into your communities. My understanding of mission as your DS is to partner with you to bring Jesus to people and people to Jesus so that as many as possible can know God’s love and be restored in relationship with God for now and for eternity.

I pray God’s blessings and grace be poured out generously in and through you.

DS John Kasper

This Is A Day of New Beginnings

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Fuller

As my time as the East Winds District Superintendent is drawing to a close, I want to celebrate what a wonderful journey these last two years have been. Over the next several weeks I ask you to pray for the new East Winds Superintendent, Rev. John Kasper and also Rev. John Hice.

As I begin to pack up my home in preparation for my next move, I am reminded of the words of one of my mentors. When he was appointed to a new faith community, he shared that books, furniture and even clothes were easy to move. These are the items we bring with us which will fit comfortably in a new house and a new place. Then he stated that trust was the one thing he couldn’t just transplant from one place to another. It would take time for him to learn peoples’ names, how they answered God’s call upon their lives, which missions and ministries were important to them, and how they expressed God’s love in their lives and in the lives of everyone they met. Building new relationships, not for ourselves, but for our Lord is something all of us are invited and encouraged to do.

Even though we have only journeyed together for two years, I want to express my gratitude for how you have trusted me to be your Superintendent. Together, we have had some difficult, but honest, discussions about what it means to be part of God’s church. We are beginning to look toward the future and how we can make a difference in each other’s lives, whether they are people who regularly attend worship in person, or online, or they are the stranger we want to welcome into our church families. We are building new relationships with and for one another.

As we reflect on how we can be God’s instruments in and for the world, I hope and pray that we can continue to sow seeds for mission and ministry. May we continue to embrace the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 16-20), making disciples of all nations for the transformation of the world. May we be inspired and encouraged to create new spaces for new faces, as we support one another on our journeys of faith. May we dedicate ourselves to seeking the least and the lost among us, so they know that they have value and worth.

It has been an honor and privilege to share this time with you and I will continue to pray for you and all that you do now, tomorrow and beyond. And Amen.

Grant Deadline Coming Soon!

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Fuller

East Winds Connectional Grant Applications are due April 1, 2025. For all East Winds Grant and Loan Information and applications CLICK HERE

East Winds District Clergy Retreat

Posted on December 19, 2024January 30, 2025 by Fuller

Join us for the 2025 East Winds Clergy Retreat, Here I am, Send Me.

Dates: 12:00 pm February 28, 2025 to 12:00 March 1, 2025

Location: Colombiere Conference & Retreat Center, 9075 Big Lake Road, Clarkston, MI 48346

Cost: variable based on room occupancy (commuter option available). Double rooms available. If you choose a double room and know who you would like to room with, please let us know on the registration.

***Registration for overnight guests and special dietary requirements closes 2/6***

There will be time for us to be still and know God is with us, help us to care for where we are with our faith communities and our denomination and begin to dream dreams and plant seeds for mission for the future. There will also be time for reflection, meditation, conversation and worship. These will be our topics for our time together:

New pension package led by Pension and Benefits Officer Joel Walther

What have we learned from our Anti-Bias Anti-Racism modules led by D. S. Margie Crawford

Sermon preparation, sharing what we do and how we do it, led by Rev. Carol Blair Bouse

To Register Click Here

Here am I, send me

Posted on December 11, 2024 by Fuller

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I am announcing that the East Winds District will be having a Clergy Retreat from 12:00 pm February 28, 2025 to 12:00 March 1, 2025 at the Colombiere Retreat Center in Clarkston, MI. Our reflection passage will be Isaiah 6:8. There will be time for us to be still and know God is with us, help us to care for where we are with our faith communities and our denomination and begin to dream dreams and plant seeds for mission for the future. There will also be time for reflection, meditation, conversation and worship.
Please save the date and look for more details in coming newsletters.

Puzzler’s Corner- The Best Thursday in November

Posted on November 27, 2024November 27, 2024 by Fuller

Last Thursday night, I settled in to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers battle the Cleveland Browns for the first of two meetings this season. The game was played in Cleveland, and snow was falling as the contest began. Over the course of the next 3 quarters, what started as a light dusting became what the announcers described as snow globe snow. It was a typical lake effect storm. The kind I remember from childhood.

The snow, during the game, reminded me of the times I would go downtown for the Thanksgiving Day parade. And I couldn’t help but remember how dedicated my mom was to this particular holiday. One of her part-time jobs was to cook for other families, so she loved being home to cook for us. Her dinner rolls were the best. But, they were only part of the classic meal she prepared each year. A roasting pan full of stuffing, not including what made it into the turkey, the turkey, greens, sweet potato casserole, macaroni and cheese and sweet potato pie for dessert.

And that was just the food. My parents always opened our home to someone for the holiday. A friend going through a divorce or grieving the loss of a loved one. New parents who couldn’t imagine cooking and caring for their bundle of joy. Someone from church or work who would otherwise spend the day alone. Sometimes the kids table was just as full as the adult one.

Our meal was not complete until we all shared something we were thankful for. Just before the blessing of the meal and my dad’s carving of the turkey, we would go around the table(s) and say thank you for family, friends, good grades, good times, and especially love. A tradition we have shared with the next generations of Crawfords, Milliners, Adornos and Mbanugos.

This Thursday, whether or not we will celebrate with turkey and all the fixings, or other family traditions, I hope you also take the time to share how you have been blessed. I want to wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving. And Amen.

Puzzlers Corner- A Call For Prayer

Posted on October 30, 2024 by Fuller

Next week, our nation will be voting to elect our next leaders at all levels of government. I don’t believe that I am alone when I say that I am feeling some anxiety about what may unfold on November 5^th and the days that follow. I ask for each faith community to consider being open on Tuesday, offering a place for people to pray. I also ask that we lift one another up in prayer as we go to the polls, wait for the results of the election and know that the Lord is with us now and always. And Amen.

Grant Thank You

Posted on October 2, 2024October 2, 2024 by Fuller

Click Here to Read the Thank You Letter from United In Christ UMC

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Outreach Grant Thank You

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Fuller

In April of 2024, the East Winds Finance Team and Leadership team approved a outreach grant for Flushing Christian Outreach to help them purchase and install a walk in freezer to replace their chest freezers that did not always work causing them to turn away frozen food donations. Last week we received the following Thank You from Flushing Christian Outreach. Click Here to see the Thank You

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