About Us

History

The First officially recorded Annual Meeting of the Michigan Conference United Church of Christ was held in 1964 at Bethlehem United Church of Christ, Ann Arbor, May 19-21. It was described as “continuing the two parent bodies, thus fulfilling the functions of the 122nd Annual Meeting of the Michigan Congregational Christian Conference and the 26th Annual Meeting of the Michigan-Indiana Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church.” The Rev. Ernest R. Klaudt was host minister, and the Rev. Halley B. Oliver was Moderator. The Rev. Fred E. Hoskins, First Co-President of the UCC, and then minister of the Garden City Community Church in New York, gave three addresses on “The Purpose and Role of the Local Church.” The Honorable George Romney, Governor of Michigan, was also present and gave what was described in the Annual Meeting Minutes as “a powerful address on ‘The Relation of Religion and the State.’”

The position of the Michigan Conference of the UCC on social issues continued to be that of the uniting bodies. This can be seen in such resolutions adopted during that First Annual Meeting: “On Bearing Witness to Our Faith in Civil Rights, ““On a Strong Civil Rights Bill,” “On Racial Inclusiveness in Institutions, “ “On National Economy,” and “On Poverty.” Other resolutions were on “Church Vocations,” “A Free Pulpit,” “Increased Missionary Giving,” “Church Unity” and “Supporting United Church of Christ Institutions,” showing the concern of the church on these important issues.

The legacy continues…