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July/August 2006

North Indiana

Church is about believing Jesus Christ, says Brindel during Memorial Service

7/3/2006

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - "Ministry today is a hard gig," proclaimed the Rev. Jean Moorman Brindel during the North Indiana Annual Conference's Memorial Service held in Purdue University's Elliott Hall on June 1. Brindel represented the ordained women of the conference in celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Full Clergy Rights of Women in the Methodist Tradition. Brindel was the first women ordained and made a full member of the North Indiana Conference in 1977. She now serves as... -- more --

Church is about believing Jesus Christ, says Brindel during Memorial Service

7/3/2006

North Conference approves $16 million camp facilities renovation plan

7/3/2006

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The North Indiana Annual Conference approved a seven-point plan to strengthening its outdoor ministry during a June 2 session. The plan included the revitalization and expansion of camping facilities in North Indiana at a projected cost of $16 million. The Rev. Larry Whitehead, chair of the Camp Design Leadership Team and pastor at First UMC in Mishawaka, and team member the Rev. Robert Vale of Argos UMC presented the proposal. In his opening remarks on June 1, Vale... -- more --

South Indiana

Bishop of Moscow brings greetings, word about his ministry

7/3/2006

Bloomington, Ind. - Bishop Hans Växby of Moscow, Russia, shared his ministry to the former Soviet Union with members of the South Indiana Annual Conference June 8. The majority of people he works with are Russians and the people of Eurasia. He said after the fall of communism and the Soviet Union, the people thought they could buy everything. A pastor in 1995 made almost $2,000 a year. Now, the same amount of money is only half of the amount needed to live in Moscow. Seven churches were... -- more --

First ordained woman proclaims goodness of being in God's house

Susan Ruach preaches South Indiana Conference Memorial Service sermon

7/3/2006

Bloomington, Ind. - "It is good to be in the house of the Lord," proclaimed the Rev. Dr. Susan W.N. Ruach, who preached during the June 8 South Indiana Annual Conference Memorial Service. Ruach, who now serves the General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, Tenn., was the first woman fully ordained as an Elder in the South Indiana Conference in 1975. She continues her membership in this conference. Using, the familiar passage of John 14 with Jesus' words, "In my Father's... -- more --

Cover Story

New York group to help rebuild Indiana church

7/3/2006

DEGONIA SPRINGS, Ind. - When a tornado ripped through this Warrick County community last November, three people were killed and a local landmark was destroyed. The Baker Chapel United Methodist Church, with its pointed white steeple facing Ind. 62, still hasn't been rebuilt. But in three months, the effort will get a boost from a group of 30 people from New York City who know all too well the feeling of unexpected disaster. DeGonia Springs has been selected as this year's destination for the... -- more --

Pastoral record of Bishop Hodapp

7/3/2006

South Indiana Conference Probationary member 1945 Full clergy member 1947 Appointments 1942 Evansville Trinity, Associate (student) 1943 Evansville Asbury (student) 1944 ... -- more --

From the Bishop

Coyner says generations are our new territory

7/3/2006

During a Friday afternoon Bible study of Acts 10:6-8, at the South Indiana Annual Conference Bishop Mike Coyner said Jesus commissioned his disciples to take his ministry to the ends of the world. That's geographic and is still true. Like Russia, where we now have more than 100 congregations. Today generation issues are our new territory. It's a new thing we have Veterans, Baby Boomers, Generation Xer's and Millennials. Veterans are hard working folks with much personal sacrifice. They also... -- more --

Whatever happened to ET?

From the Bishop:

7/3/2006

Recently, I watched the movie "Signs" on TV. The story surrounds a pastor who has lost his faith (Mel Gibson), but who leads his family to overcome the invasion of aliens who are using crop circles as their navigation tool to attack Earth. The movie is about his struggles with faith after the death of his wife, and it deals with the question that he asks, "Is anything really just a coincidence?" Of course in the movie the hero helps to save his family, to defeat the aliens,... -- more --

Welcome

Letters to the Editor

7/3/2006

Happy New Year! No, I don't want to roll back time to January 2006, but we are starting a New Year of appointments and many pastors are moving into new communities, new homes and new churches. As I am starting my third year of serving Whitestown UMC, I realize I have talked about being an outward focused congregation and being a "connectional" denomination, and yet, I have not reached out to many other UM churches in our area, nor have others reached out to our church except for two... -- more --

What's on your plate?

Welcome:

7/3/2006

Like many other Christians, Hoosier United Methodists have followed a popular commercialized culture that does not get adequate sleep, eats high caloric foods on the go and spends little time in physical exercise. A second strike might be living in Indiana. According to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 72 percent of Hoosiers are now overweight or obese with the national average being 61 percent. More than 52 percent of Hoosier adults do not engage in adequate... -- more --

Indiana

'Stewards of God's Grace' rings through annual conference sessions

7/3/2006

Becky Taken of Brazil was helping out in the Terre Haute District Office when she found out about the South Indiana Conference's annual songwriting contest. She sat down and she wrote "Stewards of God's Grace" a few days prior to the deadline. "It didn't take long," said Taken. "It just came. It was sent from God." She is a fan of blues and rock and roll. She enjoys singing standards, as well as plays the piano a little. She is active in Terre Haute Memorial... -- more --

Corrections

7/3/2006

In the May-June issue "Scouting's Good Samaritan Award" story, Harmony Smith was a three-month-old child. The Scouting award Thomas Smith received for his heroic act was a National Certificate of Merit. The Good Samaritan Award is a United Methodist award. In the Christmas Offering for Children story published with the May-June issue of Together, it was reported that "after expenses, the committee distributed $76,235." Omitted was the fact that the Indiana Area committee... -- more --

Griffith plans to continue mission work in second retirement

7/3/2006

INDIANAPOLIS - For the second time in as many years, the Rev. Dr. Donald Griffith, interim executive assistant to the bishop, has retired. Griffith, 71, was asked by Bishop Woodie White to take the position the year before he retired as Bishop of the Indiana Area to help the incoming bishop through his transition to Indiana. When Bishop Mike Coyner came into office, he asked Griffith to stay on until he could reevaluate the role and tasks of the executive assistant. Griffith ended is tenure on... -- more --

Indiana United Methodists take step toward unity

7/3/2006

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The North Indiana and South Indiana United Methodist Annual Conferences came a step closer to uniting into one conference following an affirmative vote tallied from both conferences. North Conference took, tallied and sealed its vote to be announced after the South Conference vote was taken and tallied. The vote, taken during the South Conference was announced June 10. The North Conference totals were 708 in favor, 167 opposed and 5 abstentions. The South Conference... -- more --

Mississippi bishop thanks both conferences for their support

7/3/2006

In a letter and DVD to both the North and South Indiana Conference sessions in West Lafayette and Bloomington, Bishop Hope Ward Morgan of the Mississippi Area greeted and thanked the members of the conferences for their support in providing recovery funds for hurricane survivors in Mississippi, but also for the construction of the Seashore District Volunteer Center in D'Iberville. According to the Rev. Jim Gentry, executive director of the Indiana Area United Methodist Foundation and one of... -- more --

More than reams of paper and boxes of chalk

7/3/2006

In both Indiana North and South Annual Conferences, whenever passersby mingled outside the auditorium, they had a good chance at seeing the Rev. Joe Wagner moving boxes around the Ryder moving truck. Those boxes were filled with reams of paper, dustless chalk, health kits, portable typewriters and more bound for the Operation Classroom warehouse in Lapel, Ind. Wagner his wife Carolyn are co-coordinators for the Indiana Area Operation Classroom for partner schools in Sierra Leone and... -- more --

Pastor who lost everything now works with thousands in hurricane recovery efforts in Louisiana

7/3/2006

We lost everything," a Louisiana pastor told both North and South Indiana Annual Conferences in June at West Lafayette and Bloomington. "Stuff can be replaced. People cannot be replaced." The Rev. Darryl Tate, now executive director of the Louisiana Disaster Ministry, addressed the conference members with a video of gripping images of the destruction and slow rebirth in the South after hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He thanked Indiana's connectional members for their part of the... -- more --

Stewards of God's Grace

7/3/2006

We're gathered here, together, in Your presence, in this place. We ask Your guidance, patience and love to make us Stewards of God's Grace. You never said it would be easy. You never said that I would understand, But You vowed to guide each step I take You've got my hand in Your hand. … to pick me up when I stumble and fall. … to hold me up when I rise to heed the call that You've summoned me to. I'm listenin' now: I'm open to … All the things You're asking me... -- more --

What's next in possible union of two conferences?

7/3/2006

INDIANAPOLIS - Bishop Mike Coyner, in a June 13 e-mail to e-HUM subscribers, shared thoughts about the process he would like to see in place to draft plans for a new unified conference in Indiana. Here are some of the actions he outlined. First, he will name an "Imagine Indiana Planning Committee" of five to seven people. The Rev. David V.W. Owen, executive assistant to the bishop, has been asked to staff that committee. Coyner plans to... -- more --

Missions

Indiana church helps offender take first steps back into society

7/3/2006

INDIANAPOLIS - During his 16-year confinement at an Indiana prison, Buddy Stapleton had no visitors. No one from northern Indiana, where he committed his crimes, nor from the coal fields of West Virginia where he spent his youth. No one visited him. That is not until two members of Wesley United Methodist Church on the west-side of Indianapolis drove to the Pendleton Correctional Facility northeast of Indianapolis to visit Stapleton in March of this year. "He was working when he was told... -- more --

New outpatient clinic to open at Ganta Hospital in Liberia

7/3/2006

A new outpatient clinic for United Methodist-related Ganta Hospital in Liberia is expected to open by the first part of July. That was a highlight in a report of activities at the hospital from January to April, prepared by Mary Zigbuo, a missionary with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries and the hospital's administrator. The new construction began in February and was financed through a $100,000 donation from First United Methodist Church in Peoria, Ill. A similar pledge is... -- more --

Viewpoints

Church brings holistic perspective to community understanding of health care

7/3/2006

A young single mother receives a meal, diapers and information about immunization during a free luncheon at a local United Methodist Church. A United Methodist confirmation class visits the Glenburn Home and Wesley Manor. A member of a United Methodist congregation chats with a widower as she drives him to his doctor's appointment. A United Methodist congregation participates in weekly blood pressure checks and monthly blood... -- more --

Elkhart Trinity stays in town, decides to reach out regionally

7/3/2006

ELKHART, Ind. - For several years, Trinity United Methodist Church of Elkhart, one of the larger congregations within close proximity to the center of town, considered the possibility of purchasing land outside of the city and planting a second church. After much prayer and waiting upon the Lord to make their direction clear, the church agreed that God's desire was for Trinity to be a large, vibrant, evangelical mainline church with a regional reach within the city of Elkhart. As a result,... -- more --

Have you offered God's healing lately?

Body, Mind & Spirit

7/3/2006

For the past 20 years, I've written for a little-known publication called The Wittenburg Door, a magazine of religious satire that also features some of the best interviews with religious leaders you'll ever read. About five years ago the magazine was bought out by The Trinity Foundation, a ministry in Dallas, Texas that not only opens their homes to the poor, but also serves as a watchdog group that keeps an eye on televangelists who exploit God's people for personal financial gain. Over the... -- more --

Chronicles

Deaths

7/3/2006

HELEN EATON, wife of the Rev. Roy Eaton (retired pastor and former Marion District Superintendent NIC), died June 18, 2006. A memorial service was held Thurs., June 22, at the First Wayne St. UMC, Fort Wayne, Ind. Survivors include: husband, Roy Eaton; and daughters, Suzanne McCool, Belinda Hayes and Beth Waller. Condolences may be sent to the Rev. Roy Eaton, 8302 Redstone Dr, Ft. Wayne, IN 46835. LEROY CHARLES HODAPP, 82, a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church who served as Bishop of... -- more --

Pastoral Appointments

7/3/2006

Bishop Michael J. Coyner has announced the following changes within the Indiana Area. All dates effective 2006 unless otherwise noted. These appointments are based on Cabinet reports received by Indiana Area Communication during the months of May and June 2006. Blackford, Thomas from Ambia/Locust Grove, Lafayette to South Indiana Conference, 6/1 Cain, Rachel Susan from no appointment to Muncie St. Paul's, Muncie, 6/16 ... -- more --

South Indiana superintendents roll up sleeves for wellness screening

7/3/2006

INDIANAPOLIS - District Superintendents of the South Indiana Conference have been meeting their usual two-days-a-week at the Indiana Area office to make pastoral appointments across South Indiana. However, during one of their spring-time sessions, they were asked to roll up their sleeves to be tested during a wellness screening. Eight of the nine cabinet members were screened, one district superintendent was absent. A couple of them did complain about that "little bee sting"... -- more --