This letter was sent to the Lake Union Conference from two elders of the Grayling, MI church. It is reprinted here with permission from the authors.
Subject: Support for local church authority in Michigan and across the world.
Lake Union Headquarters
8450 M 139
Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Phone: 269.473.8200LUC President Elden Ramirez and Executive Secretary Ted Huskins
Dear Brothers in Christ,
We write to you in regards to a very serious matter involving Michigan Conference leadership attempts to discipline Elder Conrad Vine, a member in regular standing in the Village SDA Church in Berrien Springs. We know that you are well apprised of this situation; September 5, 2025 and November 6, 2025 Michigan Conference letters for guidance.
From all outward appearances, Michigan Conference President Jim Micheff has ignored the reconciliation council provided by the Head of the SDA Church, Jesus the Christ, Matthew 18:15-22 and has attempted to circumvent official policies, procedures, and processes for discipline (pgs. 70-76) established by vote in the 2022 SDA Church Manual 21st Edition (the appropriate source since the disciplinary actions began in September 2024).
President Micheff's authoritarian actions include, but are not limited to:
Not providing a written statement of specific allegations for disciplinary actions in order for Elder Vine to defend allegations (pg. 74), Banning Elder Vine from speaking from the pulpit in Michigan Conference SDA churches without due process, Firing Pastor Ron Kelly for not banning Elder Vine without due process,Negating Vine's due process, attempting to silence him in person in front of his peers at the Village Church townhall meeting on December 8, 2024, Attempting to coerce the Village Church leadership to remove the elder role from Dr. Vine in order to censure him across the Michigan Conference, which would effectively ban him from speaking across the world in SDA churches
President Micheff's authoritarian disciplinary actions towards Elder Vine and Pastor Kelly undermines the sovereignty of the Village Church and the authority granted them in the SDA Church Manual. His actions also trample on the rights of duly elected leadership and official voted results within local congregations’ duly-called business meetings.
President Micheff and the MISDA Executive Committee's disciplinary methods and lack of transparency towards these men are an egregious overreach of power, do not demonstrate a Christ-like manner, and as a consequence weakens the confidence, trust, and effectiveness in Michigan leadership.
We are not judging the motivations of President Micheff and the MISDA Executive Committee. However, their words and actions indicate another spirit at work, causing division not only in Michigan but having farther reaching consequences across the world of Adventism.
We ask that you, the Lake Union Conference Leadership, protect the rights, decisions, and due processes of all local SDA congregations, local church Officers, leaders, and lay members alike from undocumented allegations and unwarranted disciplinary actions from persons at the local conference level.
We ask that you support the Village Church's authority, autonomy, and decision-making ability and outcomes in regard to Elder Conrad Vine, and his ability to hold the role of elder and uphold his biblical responsibilities as an elder to both preach and teach from to speak from the church pulpit;
ALL SDA Church Pulpits Across Michigan
We believe that if the Lake Union Conference determines that the Michigan Conference can reject and supersede any/all the Village Church's official decisions and jurisdictions in duly-called business meetings, (i.e., all SDA churches in Michigan), the LUC (with the Michigan Conference) will set a worldwide precedent that allows Conference officials to override and deny all local churches authorities across the world. Is this truly the precedent that the LUC wants to set? How will the Straight Testimony be preached if the messengers are silenced and the pulpits are censored by a centralized authority? "Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent.." (Acts 18:9)
Administrators with unchecked power should not be tolerated in the SDA Church; the Michigan Conference is repeating the same misguided actions of the Sanhedrin, Acts 5:17-40. With brotherly love and respect, we appeal to you as Gamaliels. Let God-fearing men like Elder Vine and Pastor Kelly speak from SDA pulpits and leave the results with Jesus.
Take heed to yourselves what you intend to do regarding these men... now I
say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or
this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot
overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God, (Acts 5:35, 38, 39).We pray that the Holy Spirit leads you and guides you in all decisions.
Respectfully and prayerfully,
Alex Cole-Corde
Dan EllisOrdained Elders in regular standing, Grayling Au Sable SDA Church, Grayling, MI.
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“Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him” (Proverbs 30:5).
