Highlights from the January 2010 issue of Together
New conference center opens for service
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| Indiana Bishop Mike Coyner (far left) welcomed and led the entire Indiana Conference Center Staff in a morning orientation session as they came together on Monday, Jan. 4. |
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Bishop Mike Coyner welcomed the 32 members of the new Indiana Conference Center staff on Monday, Jan. 4 during a one-day orientation session for all center employees.
This was the very first day of conference employment for five of the staff members. Other staff members either continued in their previous positions or have come onboard as conference employees since the former Indiana Area staff moved into the third-floor suite in late-October at 301 Pennsylvania Parkway on the south edge of Carmel.
The office was open for service on Tuesday, Jan. 5.
At the same time, nine of the ten new Indiana Conference District Centers opened for service across Indiana from Laporte to Evansville. The new Southeast District Center in Columbus opened temporarily at First United Methodist Church in Columbus instead of its intended United Way location. A massive fire gutted the United Way of Bartholomew County building on Christmas Eve and Christmas day, which housed 37 not-for-profit and government-related agencies including the Southeast District Center.
In his opening remarks, Coyner reminded all staff members that the mission of the Indiana Conference is “making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” He told staff members that he and they, form the new conference by:
- Living like a disciple of Jesus by following the Three Simple Rules;
- Creating a staff environment based upon healthy Christian spirituality;
- Offering to everyone who calls or who comes into this Conference Center a spirit of hospitality and helpfulness;
- Keeping in mind our mission of making disciples.
The address of the Indiana Conference Center is 301 Pennsylvania Parkway, Suite 300, Indianapolis, Indiana 46280. The phone number is 317-924-1321. Detailed information about the Conference Center staff is available on the conference Web site at www.inumc.org.
Rural Converse church harnesses wind to generate electricity
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| Standing in front of Richland Chapel’s newly acquired electrical-generator turbine are (left-to-right) Tom and Pauline Kratzer, George Kilmer, Earl Brown and Pastor Carolyn Mikesell. |
“We ought to make use of that wind,” thought George Kilmer. He’s a member of Richland Chapel United Methodist Church northeast of Converse, Ind., in the middle of the state where the land is flat and the wind blows constantly.
The dream of harnessing that wind to drive an electric-generating turbine at church came to Kilmer a couple of years ago. He heard his Nebraska in-laws talk about saving 60 percent on electric bills after they had built a 100-foot-high turbine on their farm. Kilmer said if a turbine was good enough for a farm, it would be good enough for his open-country church.
His dream was fulfilled Dec. 12 when this open-country church turned on its recently installed 30-foot high and four-feet wide Windspire turbine generator. It has blades which look something like a giant kitchen-mixer beater. The manufacturer promises the 1200 watt unit will generate 2,000 kilowatt hours of electricity a year with only a 12 mile-per-hour wind. It’s almost virtually silent and the wind in central Indiana usually blows much faster than 12 mph.
The Windspire is made by Mariah Power (www.mariahpower.com) of Reno, Nev., manufactured by MasTech Manufacturing in Manistee, Mich., and distributed in Indiana by Northwest Geothermal of DeMotte, Ind. It only took the church one month from the time it ordered the unit to the time it was delivered for installation.
Recycling and saving energy has become a part of life at Richland Chapel. The church recycles everything from paper to plastic and is fortunate to have two community recycling sites close to its building.
Health Ministry workshops to be held in Fort Wayne
The Indiana Conference and Community Health Network are partnering to promote health ministry and parish nursing across Indiana. As a result of a recent UMCOR grant, we are pleased to offer a health ministry workshop for the Northeast and East Districts.
This class is open to all parishioners and pastors who are interested in including health ministry as a part of your church mission outreach. Take this opportunity to send several interested members.
The workshops will be held Feb. 4 and 5, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at Covenant United Methodist Church, 1001 Coldwater Road in Fort Wayne, Ind. 46825 (www.covenantumc.net). A continental breakfast and lunch will be included. Attendees will need to commit to both days. Cost is $10 per person and needs to be included with the initial registration form. Checks need to be made payable to Community Health Network. The deadline for registration is Jan. 21.
Mail to Sherry McIntyre, Health Ministries/Parish Nursing, Community Health Network, 1500 N. Ritter, Bldg. #4, Indianapolis, IN 46219.
Partnering key to new direction in conference ministries
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| Cabinet chair Cindy Reynolds discusses strategies with Associate Director of Church Development Ed Fenstermacher during the first meeting between the Indiana Cabinet and Indiana Conference staff members. |
North District Superintendent Cindy Reynolds, chairperson of Indiana’s 10-district cabinet, said that the new conference will be living out the philosophy set forth in the Imagine Indiana planning that led to the creation of the new conference.
“We need to stay purpose driven, live out horizontal initiatives serving and working side-by-side as partners in leadership development, planning and implementation of conference goals,” Reynolds said during the first meeting of the new cabinet with directors and associate directors, “Ministry is not top down but in the ministry clusters.”
During a two-hour session Dec. 10 with Connectional Ministries and Congregational Development areas, directors and associate directors explained the emphasis of their areas and what their ministries would be focusing on as the new conference serves congregations across Indiana. They met with Bishop Mike Coyner and nine of the ten conference superintendents. North Central District Superintendent Frank Beard was on professional leave and not present at this meeting.
Connectional Ministries
Director of Connectional Ministries, Jim Bushfield, outlined major areas his team would be working with as they begin.
Collectively, Connectional Ministries includes the areas of discipleship; missions and advocacy; youth, young adult and campus ministries; clergy services; camping; media resource center; diversity training and safe sanctuary; archives and history; institutional table; annual conference sessions; nominations; rules and structure; United Methodist Men; United Methodist Women; and the board of laity.
For more information, visit www.inumc.org and click on Congregational Ministries or call the conference center to talk with one of the directors at 317-924-1321.
Church Development
Director of Church Development Mark Gough said his teams’ marching order is “To make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”
He outlined two goal areas of emphasis his team of associates would be joining him in accomplishing – new faith communities and church revitalization.
New faith communities will include establishing: two new congregations, five new off-site congregations or second campuses, 50 new worship services, four relocations to improve the outreach and ministry of these congregations and four vital mergers that would result in stronger congregations than the efforts of individual congregations.
Rethink campus ministry: Shaping futures together
If you were asked if you thought the spiritual and leadership development of today’s college students were important, considering that these students will be our church and community leaders of tomorrow, you would probably say, “Yes!” If you were asked if you would be willing to help make sure a young college student felt welcomed and accepted away from home for the first time, you would probably say, “Yes!” If you were asked if you wanted to change a life for the better by sharing the love of Christ, you would probably say, “Yes!” Now, imagine with your support of campus ministry, all these things happen every day!
As the new Indiana Conference has become a living reality, we have undergone a shift in how we support and connect to ministries beyond congregations.
Campus ministry is a mission field. On campuses today we are shaping and guiding our future leaders, the future pastors of your churches and your future civic leaders. We have fantastic ministries in eight communities on eleven college campuses in Indiana that are making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and these are your ministries. They exist with your support, not just financially, but in your prayers and in making connections with students from your congregations.
Today, we ask our congregations to engage in the mission fields of our college campuses, to invest not only just in our college students today but also in the future of our church. We hope that you will support both the February offering and perhaps more importantly, will invest in ongoing relationships with our campus ministries.
For more information on campus ministry in Indiana, visit www.inumc.org/campusministry.
UMC related campus ministries in Indiana
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Campus pastor Glen Robyn of the Wesley Foundation at Purdue University baptizing a student. |
- College Connection at Ball State University in Muncie (formerly the Wesley Foundation at Ball State)
- DePauw University in Greencastle
- Greater Fort Wayne Campus Ministry (serving IPFW and the Indiana Institute of Technology)
- Wesley Foundation at Purdue University in West Lafayette
- United Campus Ministries of Terre Haute (serving Indiana State University, St. Mary-of-the-Woods and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology)
- University of Evansville
- University of Indianapolis
- Vincennes Campus Ministries
For more information how your congregation can support campus ministries, contact a campus ministry near you or visit the INUMC campus ministry page at www.inumc.org/campusministry.
Church launches ‘Voice of Hope’ radio in Côte d’Ivoire
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| Lydie Acquah and Bishop Benjamin Boni pray in the studio of the new United Methodist radio station in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. |
The station, Radio Methos (101.6 FM), began test transmissions during the Christmas holidays, and Bishop Benjamin Boni, who leads the denomination’s Côte d’Ivoire Conference, addressed listeners on New Year’s Day.
Described by the church as “The Voice of Hope,” the station first hit the airwaves Dec. 20 with a test broadcast of songs in French.
It was an emotional moment, as members of the group laughed with delight or simply smiled through eyes brimming with tears.
Lydie Acquah, hired as station director in November, described her feeling upon hearing the broadcast in one word: “Joy.”
A longer transmission followed on Dec. 24 with a Christmas Eve worship service, greetings recorded by church leaders and music. The test ended the following day and was scheduled to resume Dec. 28.
The launch is a milestone in a process that began 18 months ago with conversations involving the radio station’s four partners – the Côte d’Ivoire Conference, the Texas Annual Conference, United Methodist Communications and the denomination’s Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
Texan chosen to lead Commission on United Methodist Men
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| Gilbert Hanke conducts a hearing test for a Haitian child at a school for children with special needs. He becomes top executive of the Commission on United Methodist Men Feb. 1. |
Hanke, 59, will become top staff executive of the agency Feb. 1.
“Men are searching for something spiritual, and many are looking in the wrong places,” Hanke said. “The United Methodist Church is uniquely equipped to help men because of that wonderful balance between personal and spiritual piety as John Wesley calls it. We are always growing and understanding our relationship to Jesus Christ.
“For men, a key component is putting that understanding into action,” he added.
He also has been a church leader at the local, annual and national church levels. He was the first layman to serve as president of the Commission on United Methodist Men from 2005-2008.
He has served as president of United Methodist Men in his local church, district, and annual conference, and as president of the National Association of Conference Presidents of United Methodist Men.
He is music director and has been a member of Perritte Memorial United Methodist Church in Nacogdoches, Texas, for 28 years. He also teaches an adult Sunday school class and directs both the sanctuary and bell choirs.
Upon his Hanke’s naming, David Martin, president of Indiana Conference United Methodist Mens, said, “I am confident that the selection of Gilbert Hanke to be the top executive of United Methodist Men will lead to a more vibrant men’s ministry in The United Methodist Church. Gil’s active participation in various roles within the UM Men include his role as president of the Men’s Commission from 2005 to 2008. Being certified as a Men’s Ministry Specialist in 2009 will provide him with beneficial insight as he assumes the new position and brings about change.”
Jasonville’s new food pantry grows in assisting needy
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| Members of Jasonville UMC have expanded their ministry with community food pantry. |
Every third Saturday, the door opens at the Back Door Food Pantry at the Jasonville United Methodist Church (30 miles southeast of Terre Haute) find this lesson from Jesus in action. Its church and community ministry have been up and running since August. Each month, the church sees the numbers of those being helped increase. Members say it has been a blessing to minister to those in need.
This ministry has grown from serving 14 families in August to 65 families in December. This translates to more than 200 individuals of which 71 were children.
Volunteer in mission trip planned to Africa University
Plans have been revised for a spring trip to the United Methodist-related Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe. May 20 to June 8 are the dates for a trip planned by volunteers of the Indiana Conference to Africa University.
The Rev. James Anyike, pastor of Scott United Methodist Church and The Way in Indianapolis will be leading the group for this experience. Those participating will have an opportunity to be involved in life on the campus of the university and work on various projects there as well as visiting other mission stations in the area. Also included in the itinerary will be visits to important historical and cultural sites in Zimbabwe.
Cost of the trip will be $3,800. For more information, contact Anyike at 317-925-1997 or Ruth Ellen Stone at ruthellen1@juno.com. A core group is planning to go and they hope others will join them.
Mace UMC has five generations of worshippers
When Mace UMC (southeast of Crawfordsville) decided to do a church directory, the Olan Mills representative suggested the church invite families to take advantage of free photos for a family portrait. Although church members are not strangers to having five generations in the church it is still worthy of praise and a testament to Christian values. Pictured (left to right) are: Great-great granddaughter Addie Utterback, granddaughter Lori Holt, Great granddaughter Aubrey Utterback holding great-great granddaughter Anna Utterback; daughter Sandy Utterback; and Bernice Van Hook, who recently celebrated her 92nd birthday. – Pastor Rodger Ward
West Ohio Conference seeks CFO, director of administration
The West Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church seeks a CFO and Director of Administration.
In addition to fulfilling the roles and responsibilities of conference treasurer as defined in The Book of Discipline, this person will serve as the bishop’s chief of staff and will provide broad administrative leadership on many matters of the conference, including leadership on implementing our vision, goals and objectives; human resources and benefits administration; and coordination of financial and administrative activities across the various conference and district offices.
The position description can be found on our West Ohio Conference Web site at www.westohioumc.org\CFO. Deadline for applications is Jan. 31. Feel free to encourage qualified candidates you know to consider making themselves available for consideration.
Seminary offers new full-tuition Garrett Scholarship
EVANSTON, Ill., – Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary announces a new scholarship that pays full tuition and a $10,000 annual stipend available to full-time students enrolling in a master’s degree program in the fall of 2010.
In addition to the Eliza Garrett Scholarships, the seminary awards more than $2 million in scholarships each year. Highly qualified incoming students are also eligible for full-tuition scholarships with annual stipends as well as many full-tuition and partial tuition scholarships. For more information about these scholarships, please visit www.garrett.edu and search “scholarships.”
The new scholarship’s name honors Eliza Clark Garrett, the inspiration, chief benefactor and founder of the seminary that opened its doors in 1853.
For more information about the seminary, visit www.garrett.edu.
Central District woman honored by Women’s Prison
Phyllis Newton proudly displays her quilt made by offenders at the Indiana Women’s Prison. Newton was presented the quilt when she was named “Religious Services Volunteer of the Year” for 2009. Newton is a member of Broadway United Methodist Church in Indianapolis and serves as vice president of the Central District United Methodist Women.