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May/June 2010

Cover Story

Northeast Indiana church offers health outreach to women

5/12/2010

ROANOKE, Ind. – Women of Seminary United Methodist Church in Roanoke, Ind., partnered on Saturday, April 24, with an area hospital to provide mammograms to women with and without health insurance as part of the denomination’s Change the World weekend. The Women’s Health and Well-Being Outreach of the church was led by members Peggy Keller and Jo DeFord, who wanted to touch the lives of women by raising the awareness of health issues. “I chose mammograms because I have... -- more --

From the Bishop

What's in a name?

From the Bishop

5/12/2010

The news has been announced: Clarian Health is being renamed or “rebranded” as Indian University Health. What is in this name change? Several things: The merger of Methodist Hospital, IU Med Center, and Riley Children’s Hospital more than 12 years ago resulted in a new entity called “Clarian Health Partners” – which was a name chosen to be neutral, or a compromise, or perhaps even an “empty” name into which meaning could be poured. It is... -- more --

Welcome

Now we are God's people in relationship with others

5/12/2010

As the people of The United Methodist Church in Indiana, we are about relationships – our relation to more than 225,000 members, our relationship with universities, hospitals, senior resident centers, children’s homes and camp sites. Most importantly, we are in relationship to God through faith in Jesus Christ. In this pre-conference issue of Together, we have many stories about relationships, beginning on page one with our church’s relationship with ministries of outreach... -- more --

Editorial

Speaking out in Wesleyan tradition against gambling

5/12/2010

The other day I spoke with a United Methodist friend of mine who said he enjoyed gambling. He said he didn’t gamble to make money but only to have a good time. It was more recreational than habitual. Playing the lottery or going to the casino was enjoyable, a source of entertainment. It would be interesting to know how many times similar conversations take place across Indiana. Now that gambling seems to be a permanent fixture, there are plenty of occasions to speak with the... -- more --

Indiana

Clarian changes name to Indiana University Health

Methodist Hospital in Indy will retain name

5/12/2010

INDIANAPOLIS – After conducting the most comprehensive customer and market research in history, which included talking with nearly 1,400 patients and their families, affiliated physicians and staff members, Clarian Health recently announced a re-branding that will define how the academic health system will deliver on a new promise to patients and communities. A new name that will take effect when Clarian Health becomes Indiana University Health in early 2011. After making this... -- more --

Clarian may spend $500 million on new tower at Methodist

5/12/2010

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) – Clarian Health plans to spend $375 million to $500 million to add a new patient care tower at United Methodist-related Methodist Hospital in Downtown Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Business Journal recently reported on its Web site that the tower to be completed sometime in 2015 would have 175 to 250 beds and would enable Methodist to make all its hospital rooms private. Half of Methodist’s existing 760 beds are in pairs in semi-private rooms. Adding private... -- more --

Cokesbury Indianapolis Fishers store closes

5/12/2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMPH) – Cokesbury, the retail division of United Methodist Publishing House, closed the Indianapolis Fishers store on May 1 and will place a sales representative in Indianapolis. In a statement to Together, Ed Kowalski, vice president of sales for UMPH, said, “We have all become familiar with the realities of the slow economic recovery as discussed daily in the news. As responsible stewards of the self-funded publishing and distribution agency of the church, we... -- more --

Former UMC building becomes Indiana Landmarks Center

5/12/2010

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indianapolis-based Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, a 50-year-old organization, now called Indiana Landmarks is renovating the former Central Avenue United Methodist Church building just north of downtown Indianapolis. The organization is the nation’s largest statewide historic preservation group. Its new home is courtesy of a more than $9 million-makeover funded mostly from the philanthropists Bill and Gayle Cook of Bloomington, Ind. The former United... -- more --

God calls us to ministry despite our fears, say preachers during pastors' Our Life Together retreat

5/12/2010

INDIANAPOLIS – More than 350 Hoosier United Methodist pastors and other clergy from across the state met at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Indianapolis for an annual Our Life Together two-day retreat, following a theme of Called and Calling. The event is sponsored by the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry and funded by the conference tithe. Beginning with a Monday morning worship service, Derek Weber of Aldersgate UMC in Fort Wayne and Jenifer Steulpe Gibbs of First UMC... -- more --

UIndy to host 2012 Super Bowl practice site on campus

5/12/2010

INDIANAPOLIS (UIndy) – As the United Methodist-related University of Indianapolis prepares to break ground on its previously announced Student Athletics and Recreation Center, the city’s 2012 Super Bowl Host Committee announced April 20 that the center will serve as the designated NFC practice facility for the nation’s most-watched sporting event. Although the recreation center was designed to boost UIndy’s capacity for intramural sports, fitness activities and athletic... -- more --

UMW of Indiana School of Christian Mission participants join women4women -- knitting4peace

5/12/2010

United Methodist Women of Indiana are joining hands with the women4women – knitting4peace initiative. Women are asked to bring knitted or crocheted baby preemie hats and small dolls, and shawls of any construction with them to School of Christian Mission at Anderson University in July. The only request is that somehow the element ‘3’ be incorporated into the shawl, as a symbol for women of the three Abrahamic faith traditions (Jewish, Christian, Muslim) and also a symbol... -- more --

Focus

Annual Conference offers many events for guests

5/12/2010

The 2010 Annual Conference at Ball State in Muncie opens its minds, hearts and doors to guests as well as 2,400 expected conference members of Indiana’s 1,200 United Methodist congregations. All plenary sessions and organizational dinners are open to guests, who also need to register as guests at the registration desk in the lobby area of Emens Auditorium at the corner of Riverside and McKinley Avenues. Pre-registration and payment of dinners and the Saturday Day of Outreach are required... -- more --

Annual Conference online registration information updated

5/12/2010

If you will be attending the 2010 Indiana Annual Conference in Muncie June 10-13, here is information that will be helpful in registering you and your spouse or guest for Annual Conference and other events of the Annual Conference session, such as meals and the Community Outreach through the Indiana Conference Web site at www.inumc.org/pages/detail/381, click “Online Registration.” There is a separate online registration for “2010 Annual Community Outreach” on the... -- more --

Conference foundations align for unity in January 2011

5/12/2010

The former Indiana Area Foundation of The United Methodist Church, now part of the new United Methodist Foundation of Indiana, approved April 23 the new articles of incorporation, bylaws and merger resolutions, which have already been approved by the former North and South Indiana conferences foundation boards. This means that the new United Methodist Foundation of Indiana is closer to reality and plans to be operational as a new foundation on Jan. 1, 2011. The group, representing all three... -- more --

Court rules on bishops' authority

Council rules on Indiana Conference budget action

5/12/2010

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (UMNS) – United Methodist bishops in the Philippines have the authority to handle a complaint against one of their own. The United Methodist Judicial Council, the denomination’s top court, ruled that the Philippines College of Bishops could handle such complaints – contrary to references in the 2008 Book of Discipline declaring bishops in the central conferences from Europe, Africa and Asia constitute one college of bishops in such matters. The court ruled the... -- more --

Indiana Annual Conference Schedule

5/12/2010

June 10-13, 2010 Ball State University at Muncie All plenary sessions will be held in Emens Auditorium and will be Webcast from www.inumc.org. Thursday, June 10 7:30-9:00 a.m. Registration in a tent outside of Emens Auditorium 9:00 Opening Worship Greetings – Bishop... -- more --

OC Ingathering to take place at Annual Conference June 10-12

5/12/2010

When the Rev. Joe and Carolyn Wagner visited the Operation Classroom schools and hospitals in Liberia and Sierra Leone this past winter, they saw that specific items were needed. For those attending the Indiana Annual Conference session in Muncie June 10-12, please bring these received supplies for the United Methodist Church in Liberia or Sierra Leone, to the truck parked and open west of Emens Auditorium in the parking lot facing McKinley Avenue. The entrance to the lot is around the corner,... -- more --

Participants need to pre-register for Day of Outreach

5/12/2010

If you plan to participate in the Day of Outreach on Saturday, June 12 during the 2010 Indiana Annual Conference in Muncie, please remember to pre-register either using the paper registration form or going online. There will be no registration at Annual Conference. The on-line registration is separate from the general registration so if you register on-line there will be two actions taken in the registration process. The $20 fee includes lunch, T-shirt, transportation and project costs. Even... -- more --

Reed to speak at annual conference UMW dinner

5/12/2010

United Methodist Women from across Indiana will enjoy dinner together during the Indiana Annual Conference of the Church June 10 at Ball State University in Muncie. The Thursday evening dinner is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in the Student Center. The Rev. LeKisha Reed will address the mission-minded crowd. Reed came to serve the Indiana Conference in July 2009. Prior to her current appointment, she served as associate pastor of First Grace United Methodist Church in New Orleans, La., a... -- more --

Global

Haiti pilot project readied for Volunteers in Mission

5/12/2010

STAMFORD, Conn. – Earthquake related United Methodist mission volunteer service in Haiti will focus on housing, health, education, and pastoral services under a six-month pilot project expected to get underway soon. The pilot project, which could be extended for a longer period, will involve both Haitians and volunteers from outside the country. It is the outcome of consultations among the representatives of the Methodist Church in Haiti, the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR),... -- more --

Haiti receiving volunteers to rebuild

5/12/2010

The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM), and the Methodist Church of Haiti (EMH-Eglise Methodiste d’Haiti) are ready to accept volunteers to rebuild Haiti. The EMH has established a priority list of projects that need attention around the country and teams are asked to register with Susan Meister (haitivolunteers@yahoo.com) for a specific time period. She will schedule the team and assign the team to a particular project according... -- more --

Missions

Operation Classroom announces VBS outreach projects

5/12/2010

VBS can mean more than Vacation Bible School. It is also the acronym of Operation Classsroom’s Vacation Bible School project for the summer of 2010! This year, Operation Classroom, a United Methodist-related Indiana-based, mission ministry to Liberia and Sierra Leone, will be collecting these items from Vacation Bible Schools across Indiana who would like to participate in this mission outreach. The items include: Vitamins and first aid items; Balls such as Soccer balls,... -- more --

Viewpoints

Letters to the Editor

5/12/2010

Thank you On behalf of Children of Abraham, I thank you for your response to the emergency plea we issued related to “Tents for Haiti” and transportation costs for our medical relief efforts there. Indiana United Methodists have thus far contributed more than $36,000. This has allowed us to ship seven 40-foot land-sea containers containing medical supplies and relief aid worth approximately six-million dollars. Because of your generosity, we have been able to purchase a number of... -- more --

Pray now that our kids will come to know Christ

5/12/2010

The Epworth Forest Project, at North Webster the building of six new cottages that will allow for year-round programs in the camping ministry, is gaining momentum. This project is primarily aimed to bring youth and young adults to Christ. Momentum is happening for primarily three reasons. One, the economy is recovering; two, people understand and want to invest in the future of the church; and three, prayer is becoming a major building block of the project. Recently, I had the privilege of... -- more --

Research shows support for four Areas of Focus

5/12/2010

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMCOM) – Research conducted by United Methodist Communications on behalf of the Connectional Table reveals widespread denominational support for the Church’s four Areas of Focus, adopted by the 2008 General Conference of the church. “The research shows that most respondents believe that the Areas of Focus are very important for the church,” said the Rev. Larry Hollon, head of United Methodist Communications. “But we also heard that knowledge... -- more --

Thanks, Mom

Body, Mind & Spirit

5/12/2010

There are three epochs in a person’s life. The first is when Mom is larger than life (or is life). The second is when Mom doesn’t know anything and is ignored. And the third stage is when Mom means the world to us. I’m not sure about the first stage, but I have vivid recollections of ignoring my mother’s wisdom and advice. For example, during my middle school years my mother kept telling me to eat plenty of green vegetables and vitamin C. I ignored her advice one... -- more --

Chronicles

Correction of a story in the April issue of Together

5/12/2010

Together published a story in the April issue about the book Exploring Christian Mission Beyond Christendom: United Methodist Perspectives, edited by Michael Cartwright. We regret that the attributions of the two quotations by Carolyn Marshall and Bob Walters in the review were inadvertently switched. Together has also included more information on how to obtain the book in a rewrite of the story. ... -- more --

Greenwood church grows by 30 percent in two-month period

5/12/2010

GREENWOOD, Ind. – Honey Creek United Methodist Church in Greenwood is experiencing its greatest growth in the congregation’s history. In March and April, the church received into membership 34 people through baptism and profession of faith. Most of these were celebrated on Easter Sunday, where the carpet surrounding the baptismal fount was soaked with water. The reception of the new members represented a growth from 106 to about 138 members, a growth bump of some 30... -- more --

McMullan started spring break with surprise

5/12/2010

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Recently, Margaret McMullan – a published author and professor of English at the United Methodist-related University of Evansville – learned she was receiving a Fulbright Scholarship, allowing her to spend August-December 2010 teaching and conducting research at the University of Pécs in Pécs, Hungary. While abroad in Pécs with her husband and 13-year-old son, McMullan will teach classes including the Contemporary American Novel,... -- more --

Miller writes book dealing with life

5/12/2010

The Rev. Robert H. Miller, Jr., a retired Indiana Conference pastors, is author of a new book titled Reflections from Outside the Margins. The book is a compilation of inspirational messages dealing with life issues, including scriptural references as Miller makes suggestions to improve the quality of one’s life. Miller has been writing since his sophomore year in college, when he worked for his home town newspaper as a roving reporter and feature writer. He also has served as a... -- more --

Two Volunteer in Mission trips scheduled this summer to Crow Creek Reservation

5/12/2010

The Indiana Conference Team on Native American Ministry is sponsoring two trips to Crow Creek Reservation in Fort Thompson, South Dakota. The trips are July 11-17 and August 1-7. Projects will range from light construction and fence work to working at a local church and community center. Evenings will include traditional native ceremony. Trip leaders can only register 50 participants for each trip. Registration deadline is May 28. The trips are for both youth and adults. Youth attending must... -- more --

UE professor publishes book on biblical women

5/12/2010

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Imagine you’d been born 3,000 years ago in ancient Israel. What would your life have been like? The answer to this question can be found in Women’s Lives in Biblical Times, a new book written by United Methodist-related University of Evansville Associate Professor of Archaeology and Chair of the Department of Archaeology and Art History Jennie Ebeling. The book, published by T&T Clark International and released April 7, describes the events and daily... -- more --

UIndy book explores Christian mission beyond faith tradition

5/12/2010

United Methodists are part of a long line of Christians who have aspired to think “outside the box” about Christian mission. More often than not, however, the conceptual box that such leaders are trying to set aside has been some version of “Christendom” in the book Exploring Christian Mission Beyond Christendom: United Methodist perspectives (2010, University of Indianapolis Press), edited by Dr. Michael C. Cartwright, dean of ecumenical and interfaith programs at the... -- more --