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e-HUM is a free service of Indiana Area United Methodist Communications, www.inareaumc.org. Subscribers will receive late-breaking news, announcements and Church resources via e-mail. We welcome your comments, please direct to e-HUM editor at ehumeditor@inareaumc.org. |
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FOR CHILDREN MARCH April 26, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Indianapolis The Bishop's Initiative on Children and Poverty, along with partner Clarian Health, will be hosting the march. Children from across North and South Indiana Conferences will gather at Riley Children's Hospital before marching together to the State Capitol Building. Musical groups from the churches are encouraged to volunteer to perform during the gathering time. A mass choir may also be formed. |
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Evangelism Scholars Highlight Bishop's ConvocationAdding vitality to the church by making disciples of Jesus Christ becomes the task of each United Methodists as we change society for the better one person at a time. Two United Methodists who can help accomplish this mission are scheduled to speak in Indiana soon. Ronald Crandall, who teaches evangelism at Asbury Theological Seminary, will focus on his new book Witness: Exploring and Sharing Your Christian Faith. Laceye Warner, who teaches evangelism at Duke Divinity School, will focus on evangelistic ministries assumed by women in the Wesleyan tradition. Both are featured presenters at the upcoming Bishop's Convocation on Evangelism. The convocation for the Rushville and Indianapolis East Districts is scheduled to meet Saturday, May 17 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at First UMC, 1324 Church St. in New Castle. The two keynote addresses by Crandall and Warner will be followed by 15 workshops. A box lunch will be provided. Registration (due May 1) is $15 per person up to 5 people from one congregation with a group rate of $12 per person for six or more people. For more information, call the South Indiana Conference 1-800-919-8160. Former Four-Decade Head Of Indianapolis Urban League DiesINDIANAPOLIS - Nationally known African-American United Methodist and leader of the Urban League movement died March 26. Sam Jones, 74, was the first and only president and CEO of the Indianapolis Urban League since 1966 and the "dean" of all 112 chapters of the national organization. He died in Houston where he moved after retirement to be near relatives and receive treatment for leukemia, according to the Indianapolis Star. Jones was member of Northwest United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. He was noted by George Taylor, current league board chairman, as being a negotiator for the community, not just in race relations but in community relations in general. Indiana Area United Methodist Bishop Woodie W. White said he had known Jones for over a quarter of a century. "His passing leaves a void that will not easily be filled," he said. "During the turbulent days of the civil rights struggle, Sam assumed an unprecedented role in the Urban League. He was the right man, in the right place, at the right time," White said. According to press reports, Jones built the Urban League here starting out of a motel room. Last year, the League opened its $3 million Indianapolis headquarters that bear his name. Jones served on a variety of the city's commissions, championing issues ranging from suicide prevention to economic development. He was born March 3, 1929, in segregated Heidelberg, Miss. He received a Bachelor of Science in sociology at Clark College in Atlanta and a Master of Arts in sociology and a Master of Social Work at Atlanta University. He is survived by his wife Prethenia, and their children, Marya Overby, Sam H. Jones Jr., and the Rev. Michael Jones. Studebaker Family's Church Celebrates Centennial, Looks To FutureDesigned and financed by the Studebaker family, St. Paul's Memorial United Methodist Church in downtown South Bend is home to its members and a historic building to its community. St. Paul's was founded in 1883 as Milburn Memorial Chapel, named after Clement Studebaker's father-in-law, George Milburn. When the church outgrew its building, Clement Studebaker broke ground in 1899 on a new building. The church was re-named St. Paul's and dedicated on March 15, 1903. "St. Paul's, filled with artifacts, is like a museum," says Michiana District Superintendent Daniel Motto. Indeed Studebaker himself oversaw the church's construction. Modeled after 15th century English gothic architecture, it features a 31-rank pipe organ with gold-leaf pipes, mahogany and cherry pews, altar pieces, furniture and pulpits; and a stone baptismal font found in Rome and dating to 821. South Bend citizens, as well as Studebaker's great granddaughter, gathered on March 8 to celebrated the centennial of St. Paul's. A special worship service and luncheon were held March 9. St. Paul's Pastor Kathy Miller, was honored to be a part of the celebration, however she said she has her eye on the future. Miller believes that the church's goal is to reach out to the large poverty-stricken inner-city community it serves today. "We love you (residents) and we'll be Christ to you in whatever form that takes," she said. St. Paul's hosts a food panty, a sidewalk Sunday school for and a special ministry to mentally challenged adults. The congregation has a "vision group" to dream new ways of reaching out to even more people. - Lynda Ward, Michiana District Communicator and Web master Six Rural Churches In North Indiana Teach Others Reasons For GrowthBy John H. Southwick There are a half dozen rural churches in North Indiana that have grown tremendously, according to the General Board of Discipleship based in Nashville, Tenn. These congregations have experienced attendance increases ranging from doubling to over tenfold in the past two decades. All but one are located in declining population counties. The most remarkable church in the North Indiana Conference is a new start near South Bend. Granger Community Church, began in 1986, now has more than 3,000 in attendance. Two of the congregations are open country churches located outside of Marion, a declining city of 32,000 located in Grant County. Mount Olive UMC has grown from 181 to 450 in attendance in the past decade. Hanfield UMC has grown from 95 to more than 950 in attendance during the past two decades. In the Muncie area, Selma UMC has grown in attendance from 85 to more than 300. The other congregation, Union Chapel UMC, has grown in attendance from 100 to over 1,700 in two decades and paid a half million dollars in missions and benevolence funds during a recent year. The only church in the group located in a growing county is Dayton UMC. It has grown from 126 in attendance to more than 600, but ten times the population growth. McGrawsville UMC is in a pure rural setting near Kokomo. Since 1980, this church has grown in attendance from 80 to 550. Mission giving stands this year at $75,000. One of the common growth factors, identified by Douglas Anderson, director of the Rueben Job Center for Leadership Development, was that all six congregations have an intentional prayer ministry. Ed Fenstermacher, associate director for church development and revitalization in the North Indiana Conference has identified other factors including: visionary pastoral leaders, laity open to change, special invitations to young families through Sunday school classes and children's ministries, as well as more expressive, praise-oriented worship services. All also have long term pastors, an outward evangelistic focus, and Web sites. More information and Web site links for these churches can be found on the North Indiana Conference Web site at www.nicumc.org. Palestinian Christian Scholar To Speak At Uindy April 16A Palestinian Christian scholar who has lectured and written extensively on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, will bring his unique perspective to the University of Indianapolis. The Rev. Alex Awad will discuss "The Palestinian Intifada, War in Iraq, and the Survival of the Church in the Holy Land" April 16 at 4:30 p.m. in the chapel of Schwitzer Student Center. His address is part of the university's "Professing" series. It is free and open to the public. Awad and his Kentucky-born wife, Brenda, were commissioned as United Methodist missionaries in 1989 and, since 1994, have been serving with the church's General Board of Global Ministries in Israel/Palestine. Awad also serves as a board member, dean of students and faculty member at Bethlehem Bible College, and as pastor of the East Jerusalem Baptist Church. NCC And Two Islamic Groups Pray For Quick Conclusion To WarNEW YORK (UMNS) - The National Council of Churches and two Islamic organizations, one based in Indiana, have issued a joint statement praying for a "quick conclusion" to the war with Iraq. "We are deeply saddened that military action against Iraq has begun," the March 24 statement began. "We pray now for a quick conclusion to this war, for the loss of as few lives as possible, and for peace. In the darkness of war, let us be guided by faith and hope, and continue to act as responsible citizens and peace-builders." Signers of the statement were the Rev. Robert Edgar, a United Methodist pastor who serves as the NCC's chief executive; Naeem Baig, chief executive, Islamic Circle of North America; and Dr. Sayyid Muhammad Syeed, chief executive, Islamic Society of North America based in Plainfield, Ind. The statement promised the signers would provide humanitarian assistance to those affected by the war but expressed concern about the U.S. Department of Defense controlling the humanitarian response in Iraq. "We ask that a civilian and multinational authority be named to oversee this work," the statement said. "We also urge that any use of Iraq's territory or resources be authorized by a representative body of the Iraqi people under international supervision." Ecumenical Group To Host Conference On Causes Of TerrorismGeorge Lopez, director of policy studies at the University of Notre Dame, will be the keynote speaker on the causes of terrorism during a conference Monday, April 28 from 9 to 3 at St. Michael's Episcopal Church in South Bend. The conference is sponsored by Indiana Partners for Christian Unity and Mission formerly known as the Indiana Council of Churches. Lunch is included in the $25 registration fee. For more information call 1-800-746-2310. |
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General Conference Delegates Soon To Be ElectedElection of clergy and lay delegates to the 2004 General and jurisdictional conferences will be a major agenda item for United Methodist annual conference sessions this year. The 64 U.S. conferences, meeting May-June, will elect 497 clergy delegates and 497 lay delegates to the denomination's highest legislative body, General Conference. The 53 conferences in Europe, Africa and the Philippines, meeting at different times throughout the year, will elect a total of 184 delegates. General Conference, the legislative body of the church convened every four years, meets April 27-May 7, 2004, in Pittsburgh. The North Indiana Annual Conference will elect 12 delegates May 29-31 at Purdue University in West Lafayette. The South Indiana Annual Conference will elect 12 delegates June 4-7 at I.U. Auditorium in Bloomington. Christians Praying For Peace WorldwideThe World Council of Churches, which includes the UMC, is calling on Christians to use the season of Lent to join in prayers for peace in Iraq. Prayers written by Christian, Jewish and Muslim clergy used in inter-religious worship during the 1991 Gulf War are posted at www.wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/iraqprayers-e.html. Pension Board Strengthens Programs For Clergy And LaityThe General Board of Pension and Health Benefits of The United Methodist Church is moving forward with plans to strengthen pension programs for clergy and laypersons who serve the Church. Meeting in Louisville in March, the board voted to present its proposal for changes in the pension programs to the 2004 General Conference, the Church's top legislative body meeting next April in Pittsburgh. By moving forward with the new pension program, the board confirmed the guiding principles from General Conference 2000 that the UMC's retirement benefits should:
Beyond the combined Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution core pension program for clergy that would begin January 1, 2007, the board confirmed the optional pension plan that annual conferences can choose to add to the core benefits. In addition, the board affirmed a recommendation for a new mandatory pension plan for lay workers of the Church and church-related organizations. If approved by the General Conference for implementation January 2007, it will be the first time lay workers would be able to receive uniform retirement benefits across the denomination. |
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UMCom Provides Free Web Resources For CongregationsNASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - UMC.org, the official online ministry of the United Methodist Church, is providing local churches with free resources for their print and Web publications. The newest offerings include reviews of current films; an audio-feature titled "UMC.org Profiles," highlighting noteworthy United Methodists; and Spanish-language portions of The Book of Discipline, the book of United Methodist law. Once a month, UMC.org reviews a current film in wide release. The featured movie for March is "The Quiet American," starring Michael Caine, Brendan Frasier and Hai Yen Do. "Films are viewed through a spiritual lens, as opposed to focusing on the art form itself; they are assessed for their spiritual and social elements," said Matt Carlisle, executive producer of UMC.org, a unit of United Methodist Communications in Nashville. Lynne DeMichele, a professional writer and former director of the Indiana Area United Methodist Communications, and her husband, Mardon DeMichele, a filmmaker, professor and on-air critic, write the reviews. To subscribe to the print syndication of "Movie Reviews," visit www.umc.org/movie_reviews/print_syndication.asp and follow the instructions. Subscribers will receive the latest review and appropriate artwork by e-mail during the second week of each month. |
 for more details and additional events, visit our Happenings page. |
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