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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
April 2002 |
Religious leaders petition governor to veto gambling
Bishop Woodie W. White joined a contingent of religious leaders at the Statehouse on March 5 for a news conference to express their objection to Senate Bill 333. The bill would repeal the cruising requirements of riverboats, allowing gamblers to come and go freely, the installation of electronic pull-tab machines (similar to slot machines) at horse tracks throughout the state and the addition of a new riverboat in French Lick/West Baden.
State religious leaders joined White as he read a public statement signed by representatives from the Indiana Baptist Convention, Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, the Society of Friends, Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ and the Presbyterian Church, USA. White explained that it is the judgment of the group that expansion of gambling would be "unwise as public policy and morally indefensible in its implication of state encouragement for citizens to divert personal income in the hope of long-odds windfall gains."
"I plead to legislators to find other ways to solve the budgetary issues," said White. "I ask the governor (a United Methodist) to take a serious look and veto any bills that would expand gambling." The bishop also called upon church members to make their voices heard by contacting legislators.
Following the press conference, Bishop White led the delegation of religious leaders to Governor Frank O'Bannon's office to hand deliver the statement.
Visit www.inareaumc.org/release.htm to read the Public Statement of Indiana Religious Leaders.
Update: The 112th General Assembly ended at midnight on March 14 without a final vote on House Bill 1332 (formerly Senate Bill 333), essentially killing the proposed expansion of gambling in Indiana. Matthew Carlisle
Delay forces SIC to choose new building site
The South Indiana Conference Building Task Force recently announced that the Acuff Road building site intended for the new conference headquarters had fallen through. After an extended delay, the task force determined that the land was "not going to be available in a reasonable amount of time for our building needs."
The task force redirected its efforts in late 2001, exploring potential alternative sites. As result of those efforts, a new building site located in west Bloomington on Liberty Drive has been chosen. This decision will allow construction of the SIC headquarters to begin within the coming months. It has always been the desire of the task force that the building be highly visible. The new site will be visible and easily accessible from Highway 37.
The site of the new conference headquarters will be located in a professionally developed technology park. This location provides established utilities on the edge of the site and lower grading costs than previously expected. Original designs of the building will be modified to conform to the layout of the site in relationship to existing roads and traffic patterns.
Approval to build a new conference headquarters in Bloomington was given at the 2000 Annual Conference session. Matthew Carlisle
Indianapolis East District superintendent named
Bishop Woodie W. White has appointed the Rev. J. William Keith Jr. to serve as the superintendent of the Indianapolis East District, effective July 1. Keith will succeed the Rev. William Schwein who has held the position since 2000. Schwein will be returning to the local church.
Keith's first appointment was at Hamlet UMC, a North Indiana Conference church. He has served the South Indiana Conference for 26 years first at Petersville UMC, Corydon UMC, New Albany DePauw Memorial UMC, Columbus Sandy Hook UMC and most recently Bloomington's St. Mark's UMC where he has served since 2000.
When asked what he hopes to accomplish during his appointment, Keith explained, "I hope to be as supportive as possible to the pastors and churches of the district to help fulfill their mission."
He comes to the position having earned his Master of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in 1976. Keith holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in history from the University of Evansville as well. He has been a member of the Franklin UM Community Board of Directors since 2001. As well, Keith chairs the SIC Division of Elders, Board of Ordained Ministry.
William and his wife, Pamela, have been married for more than 13 years.
The Indianapolis East District consists of 65 churches and a combined membership of approximately 20,832. It covers Hamilton, Hancock, Johnson and Marion Counties. Matthew Carlisle
Pastors united for the 'changing face of Indiana'
Nearly 200 religious and lay leaders throughout the state gathered at the Statehouse on Feb. 28 with the intent of "doing justice" on behalf of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered (GLBT) people in Indiana. The Interfaith Coalition on Nondiscrimination (ICON), a consortium of Indiana religious organizations dedicated to ending religious and civil discrimination against GLBT people, met for "Day of Doing Justice." As part of this full day of events, ICON sponsored a service in the North Hall to encourage legislators to pass legislation prohibiting discrimination against GLBT people in employment, housing and public accommodations.
The Rev. Jeff Miner, ICON chair and pastor of Indianapolis' Jesus Metropolitan Community Church opened the 45-minute service with a statement of purpose. The most poignant moment of the service came when the Rev. Judith Carson of Indianapolis' The Church Within, presented the consortium's letter of support. Addressed to state legislators, the letter was written in response to growing concern about the human toll taken by discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The names of the 150 Indiana clergy signatories were called out as 150 crosses, doves and Stars of David were placed on a large map of the state. Those clergy in attendance circled the state, holding hands in prayer. According to Miner, "This symbolizes the changing face of our state."
Of the 150 signatories, 36 were pastors from the North and South Indiana Conferences. To learn more about ICON and how you can participate call 317/894-5110. Matthew Carlisle
Carlisle named managing editor of HUM News
The Hoosier United Methodist News now has its first "managing editor." Matt Carlisle, associate director of communications, acquired the additional title last month when Indiana Area Communications Commission approved his being officially named to the post. At the same meeting, the Commission recommended that Area Communications Director Lynne DeMichele be named editor & publisher and listed as such in the publication's masthead.
"These title changes more accurately reflect Matt's and Lynne's responsibilities, with regard to the HUM News," Commission Chairman Mark Gough said. Commenting further, he noted that "Area Communication's portfolio has expanded considerably over the past few years, and we're preparing for even further expansion as well as some changes in the way we do things. Specifically, the Internet is making expansion of information services possible now and much more cost-effective at the same time."
Of Carlisle's role as managing editor, DeMichele said, "Matt's strong editorial skills were a key factor in his hiring early last year. He's been working with our stringers [beat reporters] and freelance writers this past year, and that's what a managing editor does." DeMichele went on to say, "Matt's not only an excellent writer and editor, but he brings a wealth of new ideas to the task."
As editor & publisher of the HUM News, DeMichele will continue to oversee editorial, advertising, circulation and publishing aspects. At the same time, DeMichele will continue to be responsible for public relations as the Church relates to the general public and mass media, as well as coordinating various area-wide communications projects and providing resources for a wide variety of district and conference communications efforts.
Carlisle's other responsibilities currently include editing the new monthly "e-HUM" and its online version, as well as chairing the Area Commission's Internet/Computer Committee. He also produces a monthly version of e-HUM with photos which local churches can copy and place in their newsletters.
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A CHURCH IS BORN - The Promise greeted more than 130 people to their recently completed "store front" church to help usher in the first Sunday service on March 17. A new SIC church start, The Promise holds services at 10:29 a.m. at their Fishers location; E. 116th St. at Brook School Rd. To learn more about this new ministry, visit www.thepromisechurch.org. |
South Indiana dips into reserve to fulfill commitment
The South Indiana Conference was recently added to the list of 15 conferences that have paid 100 percent of the seven general apportioned funds for 2001.
The combined final payment from both the South Indiana and Dakotas Conferences totaled $278,165, raising the overall receipts to 90.3 percent of the 2001 apportioned amount for general church agencies such as BGM, BOD, BOOM, etc.
According to Brent Wilson, treasurer of the SIC, "Like many other conferences and as a reflection of the difficult financial times, South Indiana is experiencing some decreased receipts from our churches. As a result, in order to bring our general apportionments up to date we needed to use some of our reserve. This payment was approved by the Conference Council on Finance and Administration at their meeting in late January. The South Indiana Conference continues to affirm our commitment to paying these apportionments 100 percent each year."
Bishop White to preach on national TV
Indiana Bishop Woodie W. White will be the first United Methodist to preach on a new television program, Day One, on the Hallmark Channel. The weekly program will be a kind of spin off from the familiar national radio program, "The Protestant Hour," which has been broadcasting continuously since 1945, according to Executive Producer Peter Wallace.
The bishop will go to Georgia this month for the recording sessions at the Protestant Hour studio in downtown Atlanta. He'll tape three sermons for the radio program and, in the process, will also be video taped as he records. The video version will be televised on Day One on the Hallmark Channel.
Bill Richards, formerly of United Methodist Communications in Nashville, Tenn., is producing the radio broadcasts in coordination with the televised ones. "We're really excited to have someone of Bishop White's caliber as our first speaker in this new (television) series," he said. "He's known all over the country as a powerful preacher."
Bishop White's sermons will air on radio and TV on Aug. 4, Sept. 1 and Sept 29. Check your local cable listings for the Hallmark channel for times on those dates. Each of the televised sermons on Day One will be followed by a panel discussion. The panels, taped separately, will be comprised of a select group of theologians and clergy persons.
Day One will begin airing weekly on TV starting July 7. Other preachers scheduled for the coming months are from the following denominations: Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopal and United Church of Christ.
Complete transcripts as well as audio recordings of the bishop's sermons may be accessed from Protestant Hour's Web site: www.protestanthour.com. Lynne DeMichele
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A RELAXED WEEKEND - In February, over 200 women from the NIC returned home more spiritually uplifted than they had been 24 hours earlier. Those that attended the annual United Methodist Women Spiritual Retreat explored the "Forgotten Rhythms of Life." Recalling the peaceful and warm places of home and life expressed in Psalm 42 was an invitation for the women to pull back from their daily routines and remember to have a time of Sabbath. Margaret Woody |
Church high court to meet this month in Indy
The United Methodist Judicial Council will consider issues related to such diverse topics as annual conference structure and homosexuality when it meets in Indianapolis, April 24-27 for its spring session. The Judicial Council will review a case involving self-avowed gay ministers in the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference. Bishop Elias Galvan has asked the court to reconsider the part of the decision that orders a bishop to suspend a clergy person who is undergoing an investigation or review through due process.
Other, related, items are on the Judicial Council's spring docket. The Council will consider the legality of a resolution encouraging local churches to study homosexuality using denominational materials, and will also consider another decision of law concerning expenditure of funds by any UM Church unit for any organization, institution or group that allows any portion of its property to be used to celebrate same-sex unions.
The North Central Jurisdiction's Commission on Archives and History has requested a declaratory decision related regarding the necessity for annual conference structures to have a means for handling archival and historical matters. Indiana is part of the North Central Jurisdiction.
Celebrate our diversity: Native American Awareness Sunday
On April 14, United Methodist churches throughout the connection will help support the ministries and scholarship programs of UM Native Americans. One of six special church-wide Sundays, Native American Awareness Sunday is not only a time to support this vital ministry, but an opportunity for the denomination to celebrate its diversity. Visit the Native American Communications Office at naco.umcom.org to learn more. Matthew Carlisle
Remembering our past
Heritage Sunday will be observed on April 28 this year. Celebrated on the Sunday following April 23, the day in 1968 when The United Methodist Church was created by the union of The Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church. Heritage Sunday calls the Church to remember the past by committing itself to the continuing call of God. To find Heritage Sunday resources, visit www.umc.org/benevol/SpecialSundays/.
Last updated on 01/14/2004