SIC AC -- June 5, 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 South Indiana Conference, 5 Elders, 1 Deacon, 4 Associate Members, 1 member from another denomination and 12 probationary clergy members were welcomed into the conference on Thursday morning at First UMC in downtown Bloomington.

Those to be ordained Friday night include: Elders - Gi-Chae Lee, James Ray Moore, Mitchell Norwood, Lisa Schubert, David Williamson, Jamalyn Peigh-Williamson; Deacon - Cynthia Wood; Associate Members - Dennis Alstott, Scott Bell, Jeffery Mair, Mark Powell; and Ordination recognized from another denomination - Jimmy Moore.

Probationary candidates approved by the clergy session include: Sharon Lea Baker, Michael Brice Collins, Gregory Davis, Jenifer Stuelpe Gibbs, Ethan Maple, Jill Moffett Howard, Marcy Lynn Patrick, Adam Michael Payne, Andrew Dennis Payton, Renee Kathleen Perkins, Matthew Swisher and Michael G. Torrance.

The clergy also celebrated the active ministry of 11 retiring clergy representing a total of 314 years of ministry. They include with years of service: Byron T. Hamrick (34), Gary Houston (28), Carl A. Martin (17), Robert A. McMillen (38), Margaret L. Pruden (16), Gerald E. Roberts (45), David N. Stevens (23), Donald A. Watson (42), Carol R. Wiley (21), Stanley J. Mullin, (41) and Donald Reed (9). Retirees will be recognized Friday morning during the 11 a.m. session. Cyndi Alte, registrar of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, also reported that Adam Shourds will be transferring to the Kentucky Conference and Patricia Watson will be transferring to the Baltimore-Washington Conference.

Callie Smith, Elizabeth Bush and Ronald Walker have surrendered their credentials.

After numerous reports on not only Elders and Deacons, but also associate members, local church pastors and student pastors, Vincennes District Superintendent Judy Purvis announced 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 Staff 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, clergy members unanimously endorsed North Indiana Conference, Kokomo District Superintendent Frank Beard as an Indiana Area episcopal candidate to potentially serve as a bishop. Bishops will be elected by our North Central Jurisdictional Conference in July. To date there is one vacancy in the NCJ College of Bishops.

Wellness screening at the Conference Center during Annual Conference

Wellness screenings are being offered at the Conference Center during Annual Conference. Call now to make your appointment and take advantage of the limited availability! Call Lynne Armitage at 800-919-8160, ext. 214. (To qualify for a reduced premium wellness screenings are required for active participants.)

Highlighting conference musicians for worship services

This year we have a number of fine musicians who will assist us in worship, including organists Robert Schilling, Elaine Sonnenberg, and Michael Pettry; vocalists David Westfall, and Heather and Daniel Narducci; and composers Barry Jamison and Carolyn Danielson.

'Five Practices', fellowship and praise fill morning laity session

With an enthusiastic "Good morning South Indiana!" conference lay leader Ike Williams opened the laity session on Thursday morning.

Williams encouraged the laity to read the book, "Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations" by Robert Schnase. The five practices are intentional faith development, extravagant generosity, passionate worship, radical hospitality and risk-taking mission and service.

In the session, the winners of the laity manuscript contest were announced. Kathy Ottinger of Chapel Hill UMC in Indianapolis West was the winner; Lynn Oliver of Monrovia UMC in the Bloomington District and Robert Ice of Mt. Zion UMC in the Evansville District were honorable mentions.

In her manuscript, Ottinger shared of growing up as a Methodist in the Midwest in the 1970s. "Church pot lucks are such a part of our denominational culture," said Ottinger. "Church pot lucks are a part of spiritual discipline."

Based on Acts 2, Ottinger continued how important fellowship and dinners are by taking various groups of people and transforming them to a group of believers and strengthening community. Comparing the early church to pot lucks, Ottinger encouraged the laity to make room for others at the table, be generous and provide open invitations.

Another part of the laity session included a "Praise in the Storm" by Ann and Randy Moore, members of Aldersgate UMC in Evansville. Randy currently works as the main anchor and managing editor at WTVW Fox 7; Ann previously worked there until being diagnosed with inoperable pancreatic cancer.

It has been one year since the diagnosis of a 5.5 cm tumor that encases part of the pancreas. During her diagnosis and battle, she has found the peace of God. "I found tremendous comfort in his presence."

Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest cancer, as there is no reliable screening test, a small survival rate and very little research being done. "Whatever reason, my immune system broke down," said Ann. "I no longer ask why."

Randy and Ann have been working on raising awareness, having lost friends to others and spending time with family and friends. "God has taken something awful and turned it into something wonderful," said Ann. "If you want to be healed, have a kid pray for you. Kids pray with belief."

Ann continued, "In my battle with cancer, I look for God everywhere. The world just looks different."

One of the ways Randy and Ann have survived together is by memorizing Psalm 23. "It is such a source of strength," said Randy. "It puts us in our place."

Ann shared the results of a recent exam by a physician, who was smiling when he shared the news. While the tumor is still there, it is stable. "He said, 'Praise God,'" said Ann. "God is working and prayer works.

Antigambling director adds support against legalized gambling

The Rev. Tom Grey, field director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, told a luncheon meeting of SIC members that this was his 20th trip in the past 15 years to Indiana against the expansion of legalized gambling. He said the mission before us is crisis intervention.

He foresees casinos in the future coming to Fort Wayne and Indianapolis, plus the push for the leasing of the Hoosier Lottery.

He said, "We need to march the social principles and fight for the faith. We have always had the truth. We also had a network. We have the truth. We lack a plan and instant tactics. We are going to exploid on this legislature. Fortunately, we have a battling bishop."

He said the bishop fought against legalized gambling in South Dakota. Grey believes Indiana has the connectional church and can decide from the bottom up. "We don't want anymore backroom decisions made by politicians about the future expansion of legalized gambling. He said Indiana is the number two state for gambling revenue. We need to hold our politicians accountable.

The Rev. Perry Richards, chair of the Conference Board of Church and Society, will present a resolution on Friday to fight against the expansion of gambling in Indiana by asking the General Assembly to pass a law requiring a public question be asked of the voters on the expansion of legalized gambling.

Opening memorial and communion service

Indiana Bishop Mike Coyner preached the sermon "Friends Forever" based on John 15:12-17, which features Jesus talking to his disciples on 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. "Looking back, I was guilty of a common sin: the sin of now-ism," said Coyner. "I didn't know the names. I didn't see what this service was all about."

As part of the sin, we focus on how great we are and how we use modern technology to reach out to others. The apostle Paul used epistles. Martin Luther and the Wesleys used the printing press.

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

Coyner continued that this is an opportunity for Christian friends and saying goodbye to good friends "This service is not just another memorial service - these are our 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; affirm the gifts we are afraid to claim; and dream the dreams together that we might not dream alone.

When he returned to Indiana from the Dakotas, he shared a comment from Bishop David Lawson, who died last year. "Welcome home Mike, but you've come back to bury all your life-long friends."


	During Thursday's all conference dinner, members and friends came together to celebrate "Radical Hospitality," one of the five principles high- lighted during this year's sessions. Entertainment included puppeteer Terri Klingelhoefer (above), and sketch artist Karen Kovich, as well as magician Chuck Welch and violinists Sangwoo Kim and Ren Martin-Doike.

South Indiana endorses Kokomo DS Frank Beard for bishop

The South Indiana Conference delegation announced that the Rev. Dr. Frank Beard had been endorsed by several Indiana UM associations of both conferences. With that announcement and the delegations own endorsement, the South Indiana Conference joined the North Indiana Conference in unanimously endorsing Beard as an episcopal candidate to the North Central Jurisdictional Conference meeting in July.

Beard, 50, has led the North Indiana Delegations to two General Conferences and serves on several connectional boards and agencies, including on the General Board of Discipleship. He also serves Beard this year as the president of the North Indiana Conference's Cabinet.

Beard was ordained as an Elder in 1985. He has served churches in North Indiana. The Bishop appointed him to the North Indiana Cabinet in 2004.

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 Jerry Rairdon of Silver Street UMC in the New Albany District shared the success of a cluster of churches who have come together to provide community Holy Week services and a Vacation Bible School that now includes seven congregations that ministers to more than 160 children.

Sunday, June 8, we will hold our first Cluster Council on Ministries to ensure our work develops as a lay-directed movement," he said.

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

South Indiana Conference Lay Leader Ike Williams of Carmel was joined by North Indiana Conference Lay Leader Kayc Mykrantz of Logansport, 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 Lloyd Tucker, chair of the SIC Council on Finance and Administration and Conference Treasurer Jennifer Gallagher.

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 seven Christian Conferencing sessions which met across campus to hear discussion about the plan from individual conference members.

The resolution will be discussed and voted on Friday, this afternoon at 4 p.m. A written ballot will be received following discussion, editorial corrections and amendments from the floor. The votes of both the South Indiana and North Indiana conferences will be announced on Saturday morning.

2008 SIC Thursday evening awards and presentations

During the Thursday evening awards and presentation lifted up the accomplishments of conference members in conference-wide and nation-wide awards. Those receiving awards this past year included:

Statistician Doug Walker report membership stands at 110,097 (-0.8% from last year); Professions of Faith is 2,738 (-7.9%); Baptisms is 2,025 (-9.8%); Average Worship Attendance is 60,271 (-4.3%), and Average Sunday School Attendance is 21,773 (-6.6%). The last three years our statistics are flat. Walker said, "We in the United Methodist Church need to think growth, think evangelism, think worship, think hospitality."

Ann Glass of Plainfield and Ike Williams of Carmel, General Conference delegation clergy and laity leaders, gave a summary report of the 2008 General Conference of The United Methodist Church which met one month ago in Fort Worth, Texas. Their report was taken from summary reports which are available online at www.inareaumc.org and www.umc.org, click on General Conference. The South Indiana Conference sent 6 laity and 6 clergy to this conference, which is the top legislative body of the worldwide United Methodist Church representing 11.8 million members.

SIC AC -- June 5, 2008

Thursday morning clergy session

Clergy welcome 11 for ordination, 12 for commissioning