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October 25, 2004

"KNOWN BY NAME"

This fall season after moving back to Indiana has been a time of getting acquainted and reacquainted, and especially that has involved learning names. It has been a time of name tags, welcome events, receptions, introductions -- and lots and lots of names.

I work hard to learn names, because names are important. Names are a part of our identity, not just in the sense of an ID, but in the sense of our true identity, who we are as persons, who we are as unique persons, and who we are as God's beloved.

Unfortunately, many people are looking for recognition of their identity in all the wrong places. The TV sitcom "Cheers" began with a song celebrating that the bar was a place where "everybody knows your name," and many people look for recognition in places like that. Recently a lawyer wrote to me about our anti-gambling efforts in Indiana to say that we are missing the reason why people gamble. It is not about greed, he said, but about fellowship! He related stories of persons he has defended for their legal problems due to gambling, and he said that most tell him they go to bingo and then to casinos looking for belonging. How sad that people look for fellowship, belonging, and identity in those places. Could it be that they have not found those qualities in other places, perhaps not even in church?

How about your church? Is it a place where you learn names, you accept people's identity, and you help them discover their true identity as the beloved of God? I hope so, because church at its best should be a place where our names our known, our personhood is welcomed, and our true identity in Christ is celebrated.

Speaking of names, the response to my request for help in naming these e-mails has been overwhelming! Lots of people have responded with all kinds of interesting name suggestions. I will list those at the end of this message. I am still deciding which name to use, but obviously people know that names are important.

Scripture reminds us that God knows our name, God numbers the very hairs of our head (a tougher task in the case of some people than others), God cares about us, and God wants us to know our true identity in Christ as the beloved children of God. So, I can assure you: you are known by name!

from Bishop Michael J. Coyner

Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church
"Making a Difference ... in Indiana
and around the world"

Name suggestion for these e-mails:

Mike's Mailbag, The Bishop's Bingo, The Coyner Chronicles, Hoosier Daddy? Making a Difference in Indiana, Today's devotional from Bishop Mike, Bishop Mike's Musings, Who's Your Ear? or Who's here? or Hoosier Ear, Wisdom On The Wabash or Whispers On The Wabash, Back Home Again, Home Again in Indiana or Back Home in Indiana or Hoosier Living, Bishop Mike's Musings, Bishop Coyner's Corner, BC AD, Leadership Alert, We are better together, Together we make a difference, This is what it's all about, Indiana Furrowing Together, Information Line from me to you, Learning to pitch together, Huddling Together, Crewing Together, Making Hay Together, Planting thoughts together for a good harvest, Horsing around with one another, Streamlining Together, Yes, Yes, this is it, Powerpoints to Success, Revealing the picture, Life At The Crossroads, A Note for the Heartland, A Word to the People Called Methodist, Hoosier Helps: Reflections on Life in Indiana, Home Again, Meditations from the HeartLand, Bishop's Chronicles, North and South or North and South IN Chronicles, Prairie Proverbs, Hoosier Hallelujahs!! Hoosier Reflections, Hoosier Musings, Hoosier Meditations, Heartland Reflections (plus variations: Heartland Musings, Heartland Meditations, From the Heartland, Reflections from the Heartland), Indiana Reflections, The Bishop's Buzz, Musings from Bishop Mike, Bishop Mike's Missive, Reflections of Faith, Bishop Mike's Meditations, Radical Reflections, Possibilities of Faith, Faith Matters from Bishop Mike (or Bishop Mike's Faith Matters), Bishop Mike's Hope, Together in Ministry, Back Home Again...In Indiana, Hoosier Hysteria...for Making Disciples, Hoosier Spirituality, Back Home Again In Indiana, Inspirations in Indiana, The Gospel according to Bishop Mike, Hoosier Heartlands, Bishop Coyner's Corner, Bishop Mike's E-Epistle, Beautiful ....Are the Feet. (Isaiah 52:7), Hoosier Methodist Reflections, What Exactly is a Hoosier? Coyner's Coins, A Light Shining in the Prairies, A Divine Spark from the Prairies, Indiana Coynes, Indiana Inspirations, It Matters To Michael, Bishop Coyner's Indiana Connection, The Indiana Connection, The Eternal Indiana Connection, God's Message for Indiana, God's weekly Message for Indiana, Life in the Hoosier State, Bishop Coyner's Message for Indiana, Bishop Coyner's weekly message for Indiana, Hoosier Insights, Hoosier Blessings, Hoosier Spirituality: Substance From the Heartland, e-Piscopal Connections: Bishop Mike's Link to the Flock, Hoosier Spirits, Pastor's Home Companion, Manna from the Prairie, The Coyn Collection: A Weekly Devotional, Life in Indiana by Bishop Coyner, Reflections of a Hoosier Bishop, Heartland Wisdom, Who's Yer Guide and Strength? (translated ... Hoosier Guide and Strength?), Cross Words: Reflections on Life in Indiana, Harvest Wisdom: Reflections on Life in Indiana, Reflections on life in the Heartland, Letter to the Hoosiers

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