Leadership Board
Servant Leaders in Action.Meet The Leadership Board
We are grateful for the dedicated individuals who serve on our Leadership Board, guiding our church with wisdom, faith, and a commitment to our mission. Each member brings unique gifts and perspectives as we seek to fulfill God’s call in our community.
Our board operates on a rotating schedule, with members serving in designated “classes.” This structure ensures continuity while allowing new voices to join in leadership. Click the link below to learn more about our current board members:
Guiding Principles
The Leadership Board for Chelsea First has unanimously approved the “guiding principles” that will broadly guide how the church will operate as it moves closer to full implementation of the simplified accountable structure adopted in in 2024.
The guiding principles say, in part that Chelsea First is a “vibrant, intentionally inclusive, justice-seeking faith congregation.”
The guiding principles are the permission-giving policies, procedures and practices that protect and allow the ministry of the church to function on a day-to-day basis within healthy boundaries. They outline areas of responsibility for the Leadership Board as well as key areas of local church operations.
Adopting the guiding principles by May was one of the initial, first year goals established by the Leadership Board under the streamlined simplified accountable structure for church operations.
The document, approved at the board’s May 13 meeting, can be read in full by clicking the link below.
If you are interested in serving, have a question or comment, we’d love to hear from you!
If you are unsure of how or where you would like to serve, you are invited to fill out the “Gifts Inventory”. The Gifts Inventory can reveal skills and talents you’d like to share or explore with the church family. It will also let leaders know the ways that you want to engage and volunteer.
Leadership Board Information
The Leadership Board meets on the second Tuesday of each month, typically 6:30-8 p.m. in Room 207, and meetings are open to the public.
The next meeting is October 13, 2026.
Safety and security vital at Chelsea First
Chelsea First is continuing to explore ways to further secure the 128 Park St. building through the ongoing work of the congregation’s Safety and Emergency Procedures Task Force, Social Justice Action Team and the Facilities and Property Team.
The church Leadership Board voted Sept. 8 to empower those teams to develop strategies to improve safety for the congregation, staff and the many groups that use the church building.
As development of the plans continues, possible recommendations include designating some areas within the church building as private areas and posting signage in the church to alert visitors to those areas.
This would be consistent with recommendations from the safety and security team at Bethel AME Church in Ann Arbor and the Washtenaw County Congregational Sanctuary coalition of faith communities. Chelsea First joined the Washtenaw County Congregational Sanctuary group in the spring. The organization is mainly focused on enhancing safety for immigrants, regardless of immigration status.
Lead Pastor Joy Barrett says the Safety and Emergency Procedures Task Force has been exploring questions around security for those using the church building for almost two years.
Town hall being planned
Also being planned is a town hall meeting for the Chelsea First community. That would allow those who attend and use the church the chance to learn about any possible new safety measures and ask questions. Questions now being considered include these:
- Should we leave the lobby doors unlocked after the office is closed?
- How can we safely provide access to the building without jeopardizing a small group of people meeting in a far corner of the church?
- Should we enlist people with emergency training to assist until EMS arrives in case of medical emergencies?
- Could we identify persons trained in de-escalation techniques if a disruptive person were present?
- Should we designate certain areas of the church to be “private” and restrict access to those areas?
Immigration in focus
Along these same lines, the Chelsea First Social Justice Action Team has been raising awareness of and focusing attention on the vulnerability of law-abiding citizens and non-citizens due to aggressive tactics used by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.
The challenge, Pastor Joy says, is “maximizing our capacity to keep the church building accessible, extend genuine hospitality and do everything in our power to keep all people safe as they engage with the church.”
Church ministry leaders participated in a training event Sept. 16 to learn what other churches are doing, specifically related to more aggressive immigration enforcement. That training was led by the Rev. Deborah Dean-Ware, lead pastor at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Ann Arbor and a leader in the Washtenaw County Congregational Sanctuary movement.
Joining this group allows Chelsea First to more vigorously live out the congregation’s commitment to be a “vibrant, intentionally inclusive, justice seeking faith community,” according to the Social Justice Action Team.
“Jesus Was A Migrant”
The Social Justice Action Team will kick off a new season of the Souper Sunday Speaker Series Oct. 4 by screening the film “Jesus Was A Migrant,” which will be followed by a discussion.
During worship that morning, Dr. Jill Zundel of Central United Methodist Church in Detroit will be Chelsea First’s guest preacher. The focus of her message will be immigration justice.
In other matters addressed during the Sept. 8 Leadership Board meeting:
- David Shaw shared information on how to be a “purple” church when society is so polarized between those who identify as “blue” or “red.” Listening respectfully to all people, especially to those who share different opinions, is key. Everyone wants to have a voice and to be respected.
- Todd Hubbard shared a short version of the long history of Chelsea First, which was organized as the Methodist Episcopal Church of Chelsea in 1853. The first structure was built on Park Street in 1859. The church’s first regularly appointed pastor was The Rev. Dr. Benoni Ingley Ives.
- Mike Vanderspool reported that the latest version of the church profile, along with other documents, are being prepared for the Oct. 11 church conference. That meeting will be conducted via Zoom with other churches in the area.
- Monthly consent agenda items were approved. These items include the consolidated financial report from July and minutes from the August meeting. The financial report indicates all church ministries are within budget on a year-to-date basis.
September's Check-In Question results.
Our September congregational check-in asked, “How connected do you feel to the people in our congregation?” Among 47 responses, most people feel moderately to deeply connected. Activities beyond worship help strengthen connection, while limited time and other commitments remain the greatest barriers.
2026 Approved Board Meeting Minutes
Chelsea First
Our church culture
Chelsea First United Methodist Church (Chelsea First) is a Christ-centered congregation with a positive, open, and engaging spirit. We are a church for everyone, at all seasons of life, and bring a grounded, engaged, and supportive approach to Christian worship while working passionately toward making a positive impact in our community.
© 2026 Chelsea First UMC
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📍 Chelsea First United Methodist Church
128 Park Street, Chelsea, MI 48118
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Mon–Wed: 8:00 AM–4:00 PM
Thu–Fri: 8:00 AM–3:00 PM
📞 Phone
(734) 475-8119
✉️ Email
info@chelseaumc.org
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