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October 2009

Cover Story

United Methodists break ground on first of many buildings at Epworth Forest Conference Center on Webster Lake

10/7/2009

NORTH WEBSTER, Ind. – Under the threat of rain, more than 200 United Methodists and their guests broke ground Sunday, Sept. 20 at Epworth Forest Conference Center in North Webster at the first of several cottages and other building sites on Webster Lake’s shore. The ground breaking began a $22 million renovation project at the United Methodist-owned center established in 1924. It has been 45 years since the center has built a new facility. Taking the lead in the groundbreaking,... -- more --

From the Bishop

Bishop, conference begins move to new center on Indianapolis northside

10/7/2009

INDIANAPOLIS -- The new Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church will begin its move into the Meridian Corporate Plaza 2 building at 301 Pennyslvania Parkway on the north side of Indianapolis three blocks east of the 103rd and North Meridian Streets intersection. The new Indiana Conference Center will reside on the third floor of the three-year-old office building. The address of the new conference center is: Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church 301 Pennyslvania... -- more --

Moving and moving on

From the Bishop

10/9/2009

The moving boxes have arrived, our staff is sorting through files and materials, and we are busy preparing to move the Indiana Area Office to the new Indiana Conference Center. The Office of the Bishop and other Area Staff has been located since the early 1960s in the Interchurch Center on 42nd Street, and now we are moving to the north side of Indianapolis (301 Pennsylvania Parkway, Suite 301, Indianapolis, IN 46280). The move will take place in late October, and we hope to have our phones... -- more --

Welcome

The church has gone too far on health care coverage reform

Where do we agree?

10/7/2009

Congress is currently locked in a heated debate about health care coverage in America. Most of its controversy circles around the pros and cons of universal health care coverage run by the federal government. Unfortunately, the larger issue of a comprehensive re-imagining of our American health-care system to provide better and more inexpensive health care than we currently experience has been sidelined. When it comes to such social issues and the church, most of the time I agree with the... -- more --

Indiana

Conference foundations move closer to union in 2011

10/7/2009

INDIANAPOLIS – The three United Methodist foundations of Indiana moved closer to union as their merger task force continued to work out the details of their merger into one foundation in 2011. Gene Robbins, a Frankfort attorney and president of the Indiana Area Foundation board of directors, led a day-long task force discussion of the foundations Sept. 17 at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. More than 50 board members and other interested people of the existing... -- more --

Conference youth leaders selected by North Central Jurisdiction

10/7/2009

At the recent North Central Jurisdiction Division on Ministries with Young People Convocation and Legislative Assembly at the Wisconsin Dells, several young Indiana leaders were selected to lead the jurisdiction in empowering young people as world-changing disciples of Jesus Christ, nurturing faith development and equipping young leaders. Casey Madsen, a student at University of Indianapolis, was selected as vice-chair of the steering committee. Ben Boruff, a student at Indiana University, was... -- more --

H1N1 tops state health commission's agenda

State health officials prepare to vaccinate Hoosiers in October

10/7/2009

Immunizations for the 2009 H1N1 influenza, the most predominate virus in Indiana, will be available to Hoosiers in mid-October, according to state officials. State health officials are joining with federal and local partners in preparing for the H1N1 immunization effort. Indiana has confirmed 320 cases and four deaths from the virus. Currently, the 2009 H1N1 Influenza is categorized at the first level on the CDC’s Pandemic Severity Index – a level which indicates the case fatality... -- more --

Indiana Conference Cabinet announces location of ten district centers

10/7/2009

The Indiana Conference Cabinet has announced in what cities the ten District Resource Centers will be located across the state. A few of these locations are subject to change as are locations of current district offices within a city in the new conference. The locations included by District and District Superintendent (DS) are: North District with DS Cindy Reynolds in LaPorte Northeast District with DS David Michel in Fort Wayne* Northwest District with DS Craig LaSuer in... -- more --

Monticello drive-in worshippers find interesting movie titles

10/7/2009

The Monticello United Methodist Church has provided a summer worship service at the local Lake Shore Drive-In Theater for the past 31 years. This summer the worshipers arrived one Sunday to find an interesting group of movie titles on the marquee. The list included: Land of the Lost, Drag Me to Hell, The Hangover and Terminator Salvation. Interesting way to start Sunday morning worship.... -- more --

Seelyville UMC congregation steps out to work in community

10/7/2009

SEELYVILLE, Ind. – What if church wasn’t just a building, but thousands of doors opening to different experiences of church? That’s the challenge one Wabash Valley congregation took seriously Sunday, Sept 13. Seelyville United Methodist Church gathered as usual for worship at 9:30 a.m., but following an abbreviated service, members moved out into the community for a morning of “Service in Seelyville.” “Everyone participated in service one of three... -- more --

Selma church opens a new off-campus site in Muncie

Church hopes to reach out to Ball State students

10/7/2009

MUNCIE, Ind. – Selma United Methodist Church is splitting in two. Unlike some church splits where members leave in anger, however, 100 members are leaving with the pastor’s blessing to start a new congregation at Northside Middle School, to be known as The Compass Church. The first service began at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. The idea of having a bigger United Methodist presence on the northwest side of Muncie came to Senior Pastor Mark Ellcessor as he drove back to his church from... -- more --

Seven churches instructed on establishing health ministries for their congregations

10/7/2009

UMCOR and the Community Health Network sponsored a two-day workshop at Westfield UMC in Westfield on Sept. 2 and 16. Sandy Reilly, Parish Nurse at Westfield UMC hosted and assisted with the event. Seven churches from the new Central and North Central Districts of the Indiana Conference completed the workshops. They were: Cumberland UMC, Epworth UMC, First UMC of Sheridan, Grace UMC-Franklin, Mohawk UMC-Greenfield, Honey Creek UMC-Greenwood and the Windfall UMC. Sherry McIntyre, coordinator of... -- more --

Sisterhood Christian Drama Ministry travels in mission to Kenya

10/7/2009

NAKURU, Kenya – After months of planning, fundraising and prayer, the Sisterhood Christian Drama Ministry of Indiana and Kentucky embarked on its largest ministry outreach this past August, this time halfway around the world to Kenya. Sisterhood has been featured in Together stories the past few years highlighting their successes with local programs for “at risk” youth at Brightwood Center in Indianapolis; women and girls in prison; conference, district and state meetings of... -- more --

Valpo First creates 'Nexus' to help students explore career options

10/7/2009

VALPARAISO, Ind. – “Nexus Apprenticeship” a new program through Valparaiso’s First United Methodist Church, offers high school students the chance to explore careers under the supervision of a mentor. Students in grades eight to 12 from single parent or limited income families, and those from the city’s Hilltop neighborhood or public housing are eligible to enroll in the program. During the eight-week programs offered this past summer, students had two-hour... -- more --

Youth, young adult, campus ministries director wants to get acquainted with Hoosiers conference-wide

Youth Ministry Connection

10/7/2009

Hello! For Hoosier United Methodists who I haven’t met (which is most of you, at this point), I’m the Rev. Brian Durand, new Associate Director of Youth, Young Adult, and Campus Ministries. I’m honored and delighted to serve the Indiana Conference and excited about the ministry that lies ahead. In the past several weeks I’ve found myself all over the state, beginning to connect with local and campus ministries. As I’ve been making the rounds, I’ve encountered... -- more --

National

Methodists, Catholics, Lutherans celebrate milestone

10/7/2009

CHICAGO – Justification by faith. Those three words divided Western Christianity for centuries, splitting apart families and nations. Wars were fought over their meaning. So it is with a sense of awe and wonder that representatives of three major Christian traditions – Methodist, Lutheran and Catholic – gathered Oct. 1 at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago to celebrate their fundamental agreement on how sinful human beings are forgiven and brought into a right... -- more --

United Methodist News Briefs

10/7/2009

South Central Jurisdiction of UMC to realign, drop bishop in 2012 Responding to a directive from the denomination’s top legislative body, United Methodists in the South Central region of the United States will make do with one less bishop in 2012. Through a Sept. 18 webcast, the 6,400 local churches in the South Central Jurisdiction – representing about 1.83 million members – learned the Nebraska, Kansas East and Kansas West annual conferences will be combined into one... -- more --

Global

Another Africa University mission team leaving Oct. 23

10/7/2009

Another Indiana Volunteers in Mission (VIM) team will be leaving Oct. 23 for United Methodist-related Africa University in Zimbabwe. The trip was initiated by an invitation from the AU for Martin Price, the founding director of ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger) located in North Fort Myers, Fla. ECHO works with the AU faculty in furthering the development of an agricultural-nutrition outreach program to small farmers and their families in Africa. The effort is sometimes referred to as the... -- more --

Central Conference Pension Initiative nearing fundraising goal

$2 million needed to close the gap

10/7/2009

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Central Conference Pension Initiative (CCPI) is 90 percent of the way to its fundraising goal, but still $2 million short of the minimum amount needed to establish pension funds in every central conference. The initiative was created to provide long-term financial support for clergy and their spouses who serve the church outside the United States, only to be left with little or no financial support for food and basic necessities once they retire. Barbara... -- more --

UMCOR responds to three natural disasters

10/7/2009

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) is responding to people affected in the Philippines, Samoa and Indonesia following three recent disasters. UMCOR’s top executive, Sam Dixon, says, “Our prayers are with the people who are hurting as a result of this devastation. UMCOR is committed to addressing their needs and especially reaching out to those who are most vulnerable.” Philippines typhoon UMCOR Philippines is working with its local partners including Action by... -- more --

Viewpoints

‘I’ care

Body, Mind & Spirit

10/7/2009

Anyone who knows me well can attest to the fact that I enjoy a good donut now and then. In fact, I can enjoy lots of them – mounds of them. Give me a half gallon of skim milk and a dozen warm-glazed Krispy Kremes and I can astound young children and older women. But when the Dunkin’ Donuts moved to Brownsburg, a mere 200-yards from my front door, my wife began pre-planning my funeral. And that’s when I took notice. So, as you can see, something had to be done. I had to take... -- more --

Healing the health-care debate

10/7/2009

“Jesus made a circuit of all the towns and villages. He taught … and healed their diseased bodies, healed their bruised and hurt lives. When he looked out over the crowds, his heart broke. So confused and aimless they were, like sheep with no shepherd.” (Matthew 9:35-37, MSG) I wonder if that’s how Jesus sees us Americans these days as we contemplate and discuss health-care reform: diseased and in need of health care, bruising and hurting of each other even as we... -- more --

Let's talk - What's in a name?

10/7/2009

What’s in a name? Well-Lived Pastoral Life Project. Well-Lived Life Project. Rejuvenate, A New Outlook On Money. In less than a year, an Indiana Conference-wide project that will equip clergy, clergy spouses, laity, and congregations in the areas of financial management and planning, has undergone several name changes. The name is Rejuvenate. The tag line is “A New Outlook on Money”! Rejuvenate, the four year project that received a grant from the Lilly Endowment. Why the... -- more --

Letters to the Editor

10/7/2009

Story regrettable I find the September Hoosier United Methodist Together (HUMT) article “Ecumenical pact does not open door to gay clergy in UMC” regrettable – to say the least. That the official publication of the Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church chose this United Methodist News Service (UMNS) article to report a joyful and historic moment in the Church is nothing less than offensive. On Aug. 21, Linda Bloom (UMNS) reported on the historic agreement of full... -- more --

Chronicles

Crafting quality

10/14/2009

At 7, E was already asking hard questions in Sunday school. One Sunday, after worship, she walked to the pulpit, adjusted the microphone, read a Scripture and – all in play – briefly preached. The adults nearby smiled, a few applauded. Then someone said, “You know, E, you could do that for real someday.” Now a teenager, E will have many choices of occupation. My prayer is that what she chooses will also be part of the vocation to which God calls her. And if that... -- more --

Dads’ group debuts book on tragedy, hope

10/7/2009

INDIANAPOLIS – Each Tuesday morning men arrive, one by one, to the same coffee shop on the north side of Indianapolis. What started as three men coming together to talk about the deaths of their children has grown to 16 fathers who “belong to the group no one wants to belong to.” They have discovered through their mornings together what they could not discover on their own or in traditional grief group settings. Men grieve differently than women, and only with the support of... -- more --

Danville UMC holds Action Sunday to give to the community

10/7/2009

A United Methodist Faith in Action Sunday was held Aug. 30 at the Danville UMC. More than 150 church members went into the community and were involved in 16 different mission projects. They worked on two wheelchair ramps, replaced grout in a bathroom, did yard work, painted a deck, worked in a community food pantry, sang at a nursing homes, prayer-walked the neighborhood as well as picked up trash on streets. ... -- more --

Indy’s Edgewood Church celebrates 100th anniversary

10/7/2009

Members, guests and other friends of Edgewood United Methodist Church, at 1820 East Epler Avenue in Indianapolis, celebrated the100th anniversary of the church’s founding. Seven neighbors on the southside of Indianapolis first met Sunday afternoon Jan. 3, 1909 on the second floor of a grocery store and organized a Methodist Sunday school class, the first in the neighborhood. Attendance steadily increased and the first church building was built in November 1911, followed by a larger... -- more --

Prayers of hope during Advent offered by Society of St. Andrew

10/7/2009

This year the Society of St. Andrew (Advance #801600) offers its annual Advent Devotions program using the theme “Prayers of Hope: What do you hope for in the coming of Christ?” “Through daily devotions, Scriptures and prayers, readers will consider what they hope for as we celebrate the birth of the Christ child,” reported the Rev. Jennifer Moore, director of church relations for the Society of St. Andrew (SoSA). “From the differing perspectives of contributing... -- more --

UMW of Indiana select Anderson University for School of Christian Mission next July 13-16

10/7/2009

Indiana United Methodist Women has selected Anderson University as the site of its united first School of Christian Mission. The weekday mission education event is scheduled for July 13-16, 2010 with a one-day sampler scheduled for Saturday, July 17. The “Sampler” is new name given for what was formerly Drive-in-Day for the former North Conference school and Super Saturday for the former South Conference school. Two major themes will define the 2010 school: “This is... -- more --

Winans, Woodruff, Nhanala to appear at UMW Assembly

10/7/2009

NEW YORK (UMNS) – Vocalist and performer CeCe Winans, broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff, and newly appointed United Methodist Bishop Joaquina Nhanala of Mozambique are slated to participate in the Assembly 2010 gathering of United Methodist Women. The event will be April 20-May 2 in St. Louis. It will celebrate women of faith and the mission work of women, children and youth in more than 80 countries. More information about the assembly can be found online at www.umwmission.org/assembl... -- more --