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July/August 2006 |
Indiana United Methodists take step toward unity
"Thinking about merger can open us to new ways of being The United Methodist Church in Indiana." -- Bishop Mike Coyner |
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 totals were 544 in favor, 138 opposed and 1 abstention.
In essence, 80 percent of both conferences asked Bishop Mike Coyner to appoint a task force to develop a plan for uniting the two conferences to recommend to the 2007 Indiana annual gatherings.
Plans to be developed
The plan will be developed with input from all constituencies, both laity and clergy, of Hoosier United Methodists as well as all United Methodist-related institutions and agencies in Indiana. Information and plans from other conferences and denominations also will be sought.
If a plan of unity is approved by both annual conferences next year, the conferences would seek approval for that plan from the United Methodist North Central Jurisdiction. The jurisdiction oversees a nine-state region of the United States that includes Indiana. The new conference would come into being following the jurisdiction's blessings, probably in May or June of 2009 or 2010, according to Coyner.
The task force will be charged with a process "to discern the future regarding merger (the creation of a new Indiana Conference), including the compelling reasons that support the outcome," according to the Indiana Area Episcopacy Committee, which brought the proposal to the floor of both annual conference sessions for a vote.
Questions the task force will use to discern the future begin with "what is God leading us to do?" The number one priority of the uniting is to better serve the state's 1,260 United Methodist congregations and their pastors.
Other items the task force will consider are best ways to create a connectional ministry beyond the local church, building on each conference's strengths, what administrative and ministries functions need to be shared, the most effective way to deliver service to local churches, what is essential and what can be eliminated.
A 'blank page'
Earlier this year, Coyner said, "I believe that merger of the two conferences is inevitable." Financial factors, efficiency and effectiveness are the reasons he gave for uniting the two.
Coyner sees the move as a step toward a creative new conference to accomplish mission and ministry. "I have even asked our various planning groups to think of a 'blank page' as we ask how God is leading us to redesign our structures and administration here in Indiana," he said. "Thinking about merger can open us to new ways of being The United Methodist Church in Indiana."
Coyner does not see the uniting of the two as just a way to cut back to save money.
The Indiana Area Episcopacy Committee sees unity as a creative opportunity for United Methodists in Indiana to make a new start in the way ministry is carried out. A uniting will provide for a single approach to ministry (beyond the local church) with one vision, one coordinated leadership team, one budget and one set of meetings. Two annual conference sessions would become one annual conference session.
The committee also sees challenges related to creating a new conference. "What is God seeking to do?" is an overriding priority question. Understanding change and transitions that are necessary will be a challenge to communicate. With a new conference, there will be fewer opportunities for laity and clergy to serve in the traditional administrative roles in each of the current conferences and in representative membership of general and jurisdictional committees and agencies. Other large challenges will revolve around such items as clergy pensions, insurance and conference offices.
Last updated on 25 Apr 2008