SHORELINE CONFERENCE UPDATES
NEW
The following job opportunities are available with the new Shoreline Conference.
Click on the link below.
Please contact Supt. Erick Ewaskowitz with any questions (erick@fmcnorthmich.org).
Executive Administrative Assistant to the Superintendent / Conference Administrator
Director of Multiplication
Director of Operations
Director of Pastoral Development
Shoreline Conference is the name that was chosen out of many submission ideas.
Watch the short video clip below, from Supt. Erick Ewaskowitz, to learn the many reasons for this choice!
REV. ERICK EWASKOWITZ ELECTED
AS NEW MICHIGAN CONFERENCE SUPT.
October 8, 2025
My dear Michigan Free Methodist brothers and sisters,
It is my joy to inform you that with an overwhelming majority of the vote, Rev. Erick Ewaskowitz has been elected as Superintendent of the new Michigan Conference. We expect him to begin in part-time capacity in November 2025 and full-time in January 2026.
I am confident in Superintendent Erick’s gifts and abilities to lead us into a whole new season of fruitfulness as we journey in ministry together across our state. Please be in prayer for Superintendent Erick and the transition board during this season.
Also, I want to thank our current superintendents, Joanna DeWolf, Jeff Ford, Bruce Rhodes, and Dale Woods, for their excellent leadership through this season of creation and transition. They have led as faithful servants of Jesus, and Jeff Ford and Bruce Rhodes will serve alongside Superintendent Erick until our next annual conference in June 2026. Join me in thanking them when you have opportunity.
We enter this season with great hope and optimism in the Lord to bring new things through the Free Methodist Church in Michigan. Stay tuned for an announcement about the name of our new conference!
May the Lord bless you all abundantly.
Bishop Kaye A. Kolde
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TRANSITION BOARD UPDATE
“Ministry Share”
(10-1-25)
Dear friends in Christ,
As you are aware, the transition board of the new Michigan conference has been meeting regularly to organize the new conference. In our previous update, we informed you that one of the specific items the board has been discussing is the apportionment rate for the new conference and when that rate will take effect. Currently, we refer to apportionments as our “conference tithe.” Moving forward, the new conference will use the term “ministry share,” which is in alignment with the preferred language of our Board of Bishops for all FMCUSA conferences. Language creates culture, and therefore, we want to communicate a shared value of partnering together to resource the mission of Jesus across our conference and denomination.
At our most recent board meeting, some important decisions were made that will affect each of our churches now and throughout 2026. First, each conference will continue operations for the first half of 2026. This means that the North Michigan Conference will continue to operate with our current structure and systems in place through June. Second, each conference will fund its budget through collecting current apportionment rates through June 30, 2026. For the North Michigan Conference, this means our churches will continue to contribute their conference tithe. Beginning July 1, ministry shares for the new Michigan Conference will be 7.6% (4.4% for the conference plus the current EPP of 3.2%).
We wanted to get this information to you ASAP, as this has implications for your local church budgeting process for 2026. Details regarding how the new conference ministry share will be assessed and collected will be communicated in the coming months as new accounting systems and processes are developed. If you have any questions regarding ministry share plans for 2026, please reach out to your current Superintendent.
The transition board will meet again on October 14th. Thank you for your ongoing prayers for this team and for the upcoming Superintendent election.
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ENVISIONING A NEW MICHIGAN CONFERENCE
Executive Summary
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
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SAVE THE DATE – ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2026!
The first Annual Conference of the New Michigan Conference (as yet to be named) will be held Friday and Saturday, June 19-20, 2026. Location: The Arbor Church, Spring Arbor, MI Look for more information to come.
(Photo credit: SMC)
