NIC AC -- May 29, 2008

With a few words from Bishop Mike Coyner about the impending sacrifices clergy need to make to be faithful to their calling and a unanimous vote of more than 400 clergy members of the North Indiana Conference, 10 Elders and 11 probationary clergy members were welcomed into the conference on Wednesday night at Purdue's Memorial Union.

Ten probationary members to be ordained Elders on Saturday morning include: Jeff Clinger, Bill Garver, Donna Goings, Joe Hornick, Catherine Koziatek, Mark Need, Diana Siegel, Tom Thews and Vickie Van Neve, all of Indiana. Bishop Coyner also will be doing a courtesy ordination for Kakez-A-Kapend Christian of the South Congo Zambia Conference of the church. Christian has been an intern this past year at the Wesley Foundation and First UMC here in West Lafayette.

Three probationary Deacons and eight probationary Elders to be commissioned on Saturday morning include: Amanda Connett, Jan Funk and Candyce Kaiser as Deacons, plus Joshua Ditzmer, Kevin Drane, Tony Johnson, Kevin Marsh, Jean Ness, Matthew Pickutt, Jackie Smith and Nathan Whybrew as Elders. Bishop Coyner also informed the clergy that the term "probationary" will be changed to "provisional" next year. Jack Hartman, chair of the conference Board of Ordained Ministry explained that "probationary" has become to mean something negative in our society, therefore General Conference approved the more positive word "provisional."

The clergy also celebrated the active ministry of 15 retiring clergy representing a total of 351 years of ministry. They include with years: Joseph Andrews (40), Larry DeVos (27), Doug Hadley (25), Bill Kaster (44), Sandra Knepple (20), Michael Malone (26), Terry Rhine (37), Denise Frank (14), Lois Ragers-Watson (46), Timothy Wilbur (21), Lark Brown (14), Marilyn Dunten (12), DonnaJean Gammon (7) and Keith Schreffler (18).

Dan Snyder, secretary of the conference Board of Ordained Ministry, also reported that Jeff Clinger will be transferring to the Kansas East Conference and Jim Farrer will be transferring to the Desert Southwest Conference.

After numerous reports on not only Elders and Deacons, but also associate members, local church pastors, student pastors and deceased clergy, Hartman outlined a new clergy assessment process that will be used by the Bishop and Cabinet. First, the standards for effective ministry will include living the Wesleyan way, leadership, conflict resolution skills, reaching people for Christ, teaching tithe and stewardship, focusing ministry, adaptability, a good spirit and self-evaluation for growth.

Signs of ineffective pastoral ministry includes frequent moves (appointments) and poor evaluations. Ineffective pastors will be requested to enter a four-step plan to assist them in becoming effective pastors. Each step will be taken by the pastor with the district superintendent, an assessment team, and the Pastor Parish Relations Committee. If he or she makes strides toward becoming an effective pastor, the pastor be considered effective. If a pastor fails to improve he or she will be given career development counseling for another calling.

At the close of the clergy session, the clergy members unanimously endorsed Kokomo District Superintendent Frank Beard as the North Indiana Conference episcopal candidate. Bishops will be elected by jurisdiction conferences in July.

Opening memorial and communion service

Bishop Coyner calls on us to remember 'Friends Forever'

The North Indiana Conference opened its annual conference session with the memorial service and communion.

Bishop Michael Coyner preached the sermon "Friends Forever" based on the scripture John 15:12-17, which has Jesus talking to his disciples of how to love one another and that the greater love is to lay down one's life for friends.

For 40 years, the conference has gathered to remember those who have died since the last annual conference. "For most of the early years of my ministry I was guilty of a common sin: the sin of know-ism," said Coyner. "I didn't know the names."

Recalling a conversation with the Rev. Doug Anderson earlier in our careers on who would be alive to hear the other's name read, "All of a sudden, this service became real to me.

"That's what this service is all about - Christian friends and saying goodbye to good friends."

When he returned to Indiana, he shared a comment from Bishop David Lawson, who died last year. "Welcome home friend, but be warned, you've come back to bury all your friends."

Coyner recalled thoughts from Dr. Greg Jones who preached at the Our Life Together program in April on the importance of friends. They are there to challenge the sins we have grown accustomed to be affirm the gifts we are afraid to claim, and dream the dreams together that we might not dream alone.

Reflecting on Scripture, Coyner asked the conference why would Jesus call his disciples friends? "These so called friends didn't understand him. They are friends of Jesus because Jesus claimed them as friends."

Those remembered at the service include 17 clergy, 1 deacon, 7 spouses and 10 surviving spouses.

Death notice

VAUGHN POWELL, retired pastor (NIC), died Tuesday, May 27, 2008. Visitation will be Friday, May 30 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Sheets-Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, May 31 at 4 p.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service at the Churubusco United Methodist Church.

'Seeds of Hope' planting time coming to Gary on June 7

United Methodists throughout Indiana gathered in Gary at the ruin site of Old City First UMC for a "Service of Repentance, Reconciliation, and Appreciation," this past Oct. 7.

During the service, participants exchanged sack cloth (representing repentance for racism practiced by the church) for a packet of seeds (representing hope for a racism-free United Methodist Church).

Participants were asked to grow the flower seeds in pots and bring the potted plants back to Gary this spring to plant the flowers in designated areas of the former church site. Its planting time, however the ruin site of Old City Church is far from ready for our plants. No progress has been made toward a ruin site garden as outlined by Gary city officials.

Therefore, the following United Methodist Church-related sites have been identified. Please contact the pastor and/or local church for the location that is best for you. Please bring your own garden tools and, yes, purchased potted plants may be used.

Thursday afternoon

Bishop Mike Coyner welcomed lay and clergy members and called to order the "historic" 2008 North Indiana Annual Conference session in Elliott Hall of Music.

The sessions are historic due to the 200th anniversary of the organization of the Indiana District of the Western Conference; 100th anniversary of Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis; and the 40th anniversary of the North Indiana Conference and The United Methodist Church, which came into being with the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church.

"It's a historic time to come together," said Coyner, before the conference sang "And Are We Yet Alive."

Imagine Indiana proposal discussed in Christian conferencing groups

Most of Thursday afternoon was spent on the Imagine Indiana Design Team report and resolution.

The Revs. Cindy Reynolds of the North Indiana Conference and Adolf Hansen of the South Indiana Conference led a presentation about the plan proposed by a 12-member design team. They were joined by other members of the team and by others who gave testimonials to various aspects of the plan. The report culminates two years of research, interviews, 18 district meetings held by Bishop Mike Coyner, conference and district staff members and individuals who responded to questions of the team. More than a thousand individuals statewide have been involved with or participated in the team's plan.

The team's work was guided by Ephesians 3:20-21. Keywords of the verses proclaim, "God is able to do abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine."

Pastor Lynne Breeden shared the success of a cluster of churches who have come together to provide a community youth group this past September. The group has grown from 16 to 30 youth in attendance.

"Through this ministry we have been invited to be part of the FCA program in the high school, she said.

Pastor Mindy Huffman of the Terre Haute District of the South Indiana Conference shared about the support she has gained in ministry through a clergy covenant group in which she participates.

North Indiana Conference Lay Leader Kayc Mykrantz of LaGrange was joined by South Indiana Conference Lay Leader Ike Williams of Carmel, both members of the Imagine Indiana team, talked about the connectional advantages of one conference working together and the emphasis the new conference will place on the ministry of congregations.

Instead of one large centralized conference office, Indiana will be divided into ten districts each joining another district and supported by one of five centers. Each center will have a deployed conference staff person to work more closely with congregational ministries.

Concerns were raised about the impact of a new conference on current personnel such as district superintendents, conference staff, deployed staff, district staff as well as the bishop.

Other concerns raised were around finances, pension and health care insurance benefits. These and other financial considerations were addressed by the Rev. Paul Arnold, chair of the NIC Council on Finance and Administration and Conference Treasurer Brent Williams.

The team stated that the focus of the uniting the conferences is on the mission of the church "making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world."

Following the presentation, the conference was divided into eight Christian Conferencing sessions which met across campus to hear answers to individuals' questions.

The resolution will be discussed and voted on Friday, this afternoon at 4 p.m. Since there are several items to be considered, there will not be a written ballot.

Laity luncheon

Those are the words of the Rev. Cindy Reynolds, Warsaw District superintendent, who was the guest speaker at the annual laity lunch.

Her talk focused on change and how God is involved in changes. "You must believe in change. You cannot believe that God is alive and not believe in change," said Reynolds. "Jesus called people to follow him and then Jesus sent them out to transform the world."

As the church faces great changes at various levels, she asked the lunch-goers how do we make a faithful response to the changes around us?

First, learn to faithfully embrace change. "Don't be afraid of it. Don't ignore it," said Reynolds. "It could be a sign that God is at work in your life. If nothing is changing, you must be dead," said Reynolds.

Second, engage the changes. "That says to me God is doing something and I want to be a part of it," said Reynolds. "This is your moment. You are the leaders of the church and God wants you to do something."

Some ways of engaging the changes include following the three simple rules of John Wesley - do no harm, do good and stay in love with God.

Doing good is more than just being nice, it's more than even being intentional. "It's more than cookies and punch in the narthex," said Reynolds.

Third, encourage change. "We encourage change by learning to ask the right questions," she said. "The right questions stretch us from where we are and where God wants us to be."

After the presentation, laity discussed ways and concepts to embrace, engage and encourage change from "Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations" by Robert Schnase, which is in the conference packet.


	Rev. Lauren Hall from South Bend Grace purchases a toy basketball from Rachel Richey of the Conference Office in support of Nothing But Nets. Ten dollars was received for each ball purchased. Each $10 will buy one net to protect a family from malaria.

Church Development Thursday night

During an uplifting service celebrating church development in North Indiana on Thursday evening, Tom Butcher, the denomination's first executive officer for congregational development in the United States, said, "John Wesley was a church planter. We are following in his way."

He outlined the plan, encouraged by the Council of Bishops, called the Path 1 plan of church planting. The goal of Path 1 is starting 650 highly effective congregations in the U.S. with 1,000 planters in the U.S. plus more than 400 congregations beyond the U.S. The bottom line is making millions of disciples of Jesus Christ.

"We are after a group of people who have never set foot in our churches," said Butcher.

"Path 1 is a movement that is happening throughout our denomination. It also is a journey. The key word is 'together.' We are going to find a way to move forward. We want to reach more people, more young people, more diverse people."

Butcher said, we have not done church planting for 30 or 40 years and this has created an urgent need to build churches now.

"We need to get busy," he said. "North Indiana is in the top one-third of conference establishing new congregations."

The key to the most successful church plants is leadership, leadership, leadership. Leadership is the key to good church planting to overcome problems of establishing a new congregation. The key to a successful new congregation is regular community worship, a willingness to plant a church in its first decade, effective discipling, a deeply involved community outreach, receiving new members and establishing a new mission.

In response to Butcher, Bishop Coyner said, with great emotion, that a dream of church planting that he had two years ago is coming true.

Three churches were commissioned out of Sunrise UMC in Fort Wayne, Grace UMC in Hartford City and Nappanee UMC.

NIC AC -- May 29, 2008

Bishop tells those to be ordained, commissioned they need to sacrifice

Olan Mills available today

Remembering those who have gone before us in death

Opening memorial and communion service

Bishop Coyner calls on us to remember 'Friends Forever'

Death notice

'Seeds of Hope' planting time coming to Gary on June 7

Thursday afternoon

Bishop calls to order historic conference session

Imagine Indiana proposal discussed in Christian conferencing groups

Laity luncheon

Amen, alleluias ring out over lunch about change

Church Development Thursday night

Church developer says to grow we need to plant 650 new churches

Live Web cast of the North Indiana Annual Conference can be seen by logging on to mms://sms7.omniproductions.net/umc.