Friday Morning Message
Afternoon Conference
Afternoon Conference
Friday Evening Message
Saturday Morning Message
Worship Director, Front Desk Administration,
First Church of God, St. Joseph
Youth Director, Clarkston Community Church, Clarkston
Associate, Southwestern Church of God, Detroit
Pastor, Calvert Park Community Church of God, Burton
Dear Colleagues and Members of the Michigan General Assembly,
The 103rd General Assembly of The Church of God in Michigan is Friday, November 10 and Saturday, November 11, 2023. We are planning to meet again at the Crowne Plaza Lansing West. Please note the event is one week later than our normal meeting due to the hotel’s schedule. Our theme is “Running the Race With Patience and Persistence." The focus scripture is Hebrews 12:1-4 (NLT). We will be focusing on the efforts we make in joy to press through our challenges, embracing the trust God has given us to make it and help others make it to the finish line. We follow the Lord Jesus Christ, Who endured the cross, greatly suffering for us, because of the joy of God set before Him. The joy of the Lord is our finish line, and we can look forward to the Lord’s “well done” celebration of us.
The Crowne Plaza Lansing West, as you have seen in previous General Assembly gatherings, is a beautiful venue for our gathering. It has a state-of-the-art exercise room, pool, game room, and indoor basketball court. We believe your time at the General Assembly will be exciting and inspiring. It will also offer you an opportunity to refresh and recharge while spending quality time with your brothers and sisters from across the Church of God in Michigan. As we have in the past, we are handling both the General Assembly Meeting registration and the hotel accommodations. We will be underwriting the additional costs and eliminating your sales tax. Be sure to register for your hotel room(s) through the online registration process. If you register directly with the hotel you will not get the room discounts. We have negotiated a great price for the hotel accommodations. Even though we have a large number of rooms reserved, we expect them to be taken quickly. Please register with us and get your room(s) reserved before October 15, 2023. Your registration fee includes accommodations, a continental breakfast upon arrival, lunch Friday, dessert reception Friday night following the worship service, and a continental breakfast on Saturday.
During the worship services and the conferences, we have two well-known, powerful preachers who have demonstrated great leadership and character through many decades coming to share with us. Rev. Jeannette Flynn, long time Pastor and key Church of God Leader, and Rev. Dr. Horace Sheppard, Jr., founding Senior Pastor of the Bethesda Christian Fellowship Church of God in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will be our main speakers. In each of our worship services, we will be blessed by the Music and Worship Ministry of recording artist and anointed Worship Leader, Sarah Scharbrough McLaughlin.
State Pastor Rev. Mark K. Richardson will speak at the Friday morning worship service. Rev. Dr. Horace Sheppard, Jr. will speak at the Friday night service, and Rev. Jeannette Flynn will speak at the Saturday morning closing service. On Friday afternoon, Dr. Sheppard will share from Ephesians 3:20-21 on the topic, “Giving Glory to God and the Church.” Rev. Flynn will share from Matthew 11:28-30 on the topic, “Pastors, You are Not Alone.” After our Friday night worship service we will have a dessert reception to encourage our fellowship together. As we did last year, there will be a tea reception for Pastors’ wives during the Friday morning GA Session, at which, Rev. Flynn will share. For Pastor’s husbands, we will have a gathering with Rev. Dr. Sheppard, also during the Friday morning GA Session.
During the General Assembly Sessions, we will conduct our normal General Assembly activities of honoring those who have served well among us, presenting our ratification ballot for new leaders, presenting ordination candidates, presenting our financial report, and presenting our 2024 budget request. We will also have a time of consecration for those candidates who are approved for ordination.
If you have new resolutions or business for the Assembly, please direct them to our Business Committee Chair, Rev. Mike Potter, through the State Office at 517-393-7020 or micog@micog.org. We are a delegated Assembly, and below are the prescriptions for who may represent your congregation. It is important for all of our churches to be fully represented.
One layperson chosen as an official representative of each Michigan Church of God congregation with an average weekly attendance to 100; two laypersons from each congregation with and average weekly attendance of 101-500; three laypersons from each congregation with an average weekly attendance of 501-1000; and four laypersons from each congregation with an average weekly attendance of 1001 and above. All licensed and ordained ministers are also voting members of the Assembly.
We look forward to a great celebration of ministry and growing closer together in the Lord Jesus Christ. Again, please register early, as we hope for a great turnout for our 103rd General Assembly! I look forward to seeing you and spending time together.
Yours in Christ,
Rev. Mark K. Richardson, State Pastor
Jeannette was born and raised in NE Ohio. Married to Charles, they have two grown children and four grandchildren. She grew up in the Church of God in Ohio, holds a degree in Education from an Ohio state university, a degree from Mid America Christian University in Theology, and a Master of Divinity from Anderson Theological Seminary.
Jeannette has served in pastorates in the states of Indiana, Washington, and Florida and as interim pastor in Indiana and Ohio. She served at the Florida state level as a middle judicatory as well as the national offices in Anderson, Indiana. From 2011 until March 2023, Jeannette served as the developer and Executive Director for Leadership Focus, the North American training program for Credentialing in the Church of God.
Her greatest passion is the clear and compelling proclamation of God’s word, investing in the development of leaders, and assisting congregations in discovering and fulfilling their calling, mission, and vision as the Body of Christ.
Rev. Dr. Horace W. Sheppard, Jr. is the senior pastor of Bethesda Christian Fellowship Church of God, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has been in pastoral ministry for forty years.
He is a graduate of Mid America Nazarene University and is the recipient of an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree from the Southern California School of Ministry.
Dr. Sheppard is the founder of Shepherd’s Voice Ministries, a 501(c)(3) non-profit ministry, committed to supporting, pastors, serving churches, and developing ministers and leaders.
He and his wife, Linda have been married for forty-five years and are the proud parents of three sons and one daughter, the delighted grandparents of twelve grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Sarah Scharbrough McLaughlin is a world-class performer, songwriter and worship leader, whose music has taken her around the globe. Her soulful, eclectic sound combines a rich tapestry of influences, including her classical and jazz training, and a broad spectrum of experiences in gospel, pop, and country music.
Sarah has released six original studio albums, the most recent of which is a collection of lullabies and love songs, entitled Rêverie. Her interpretations of classics breathe fresh life into time-honored favorites, and her original songs express both the depth of her musical gift and a soulful honesty that sets her apart as a rare treasure to Central Indiana and the world.
An Indiana native and Anderson University graduate, Sarah’s voice can be heard on local and national commercials and radio jingles for brands like New Balance, the Indianapolis Colts, Cedar Point Theme Park, and many more. She has been featured on two Emmy Award-winning TV shows: Artrageous with Nate, and Cook and Belle’s Playhouse. She has collaborated and performed with Grammy Award-winning artists Bill and Gloria Gaither, Sandi Patty, Kurt Elling, as well as The Wright Brothers, Josh Kaufman, Alanna Story, Jon McLaughlin, Cook & Belle, Jennie Devoe and countless others.
She regularly performs across Greater Indianapolis, and was featured most recently as special guest with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra at The Palladium and also with the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. She packs out the Jazz Kitchen during her annual Christmas concert series. Also a highly respected worship leader, Sarah currently serves at Grace Church in Noblesville, Indiana.
Sarah is the co-host/founder of the Momnesia Podcast which serves to preserve the hilarious, mundane and heartbreaking stories of motherhood. Currently wrapping up season two, Momnesia has been charting on Apple, Spotify and other streaming services since its launch.
In 2001, Sarah married her college sweetheart, Jeff McLaughlin, who is a music educator at Westfield High School and highly respected performer. The McLaughlins have put down their roots in Noblesville where they reside with their five children.
Registration Fees:
Individual - $105.00
Spouse - $30.00
Hotels:
Crowne Plaza Lansing West: $130.00/night
King rooms no longer available at the Crowne Plaza Lansing West.
Rooms are full for Thursday evening at the Crowne Plaza Lansing West.
Quality Suites: $100.00/night
Schedule
Friday - November 10
8:30 a.m. Registration (Royale Lobby)
Coffee, juice, pastries
9:00 Worship-
Sarah Scharbrough McLaughlin Message- Rev. Mark Richardson
(Ballrooms A, B, C, D, and E)
10:45 a.m. Pastor’s Wives Tea with Rev. Flynn
Reo Room
Pastor’s Husbands Coffee with Rev. Dr. Sheppard
Hotel Restaurant
10:45 a.m. Call to Order First Business Session-Chuck Nebus, Vice-Chair
12:00 p.m. Recess until 8:30 a.m. Saturday
12:15 Lunch
Sponsored by Servant Solutions- Jim O'Bold and Mark Senseman
1:15 Conference
“Giving Glory to God in the Church”
Ephesians 3:20-21
Rev. Dr. Horace W. Sheppard, Jr.
(Ballrooms A, B, C, D, and E)
2:30 Break
2:45 Conference
“Pastors, You are Not Alone”
Matthew 11:28-30
Rev. Jeannette Flynn
(Ballrooms A, B, C, D, and E)
7:00 Worship-Sarah Scharbrough McLaughlin
Message- Rev. Dr. Horace W. Sheppard, Jr.
(Ballrooms A, B, C, D, and E)
After Service: Dessert Time Meet and Greet Fellowship - Sponsored by Crowne Plaza Lansing West Hotel
Saturday - November 11
8:00 a.m.Continental Breakfast (Ballrooms A, B, C, D, and E)
8:30 a.m. Second Business Session
Call to Order – Chuck Nebus Vice-Chair
9:00 a.m. Ministry Highlights - Rev. Jerry Lyon, Church Health Minister
9:45 Adjourn Business Session
Church Nebus, Vice-Chair
10:00 Worship-
Sarah Scharbrough McLaughlin Message- Rev. Jeannette Flynn
11:45 a.m. Dismissal
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