April 2004

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Highlights from the April issue of Together

New South Indiana Conference Center opens doors

Consecrated to the use of making disciples for Jesus Christ

By Ed Metzler

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The completion of the South Indiana Annual Conference Center is not a goal in itself, but a tool for making disciples for Christ, Bishop Woodie White told a standing-room-only gathering at the center's consecration service March 19.

Nearly 150 church leaders gathered in the center's spacious conference room to take part in the consecration of the 21,265-square-foot, two-story building that was completed in 14 months at a cost of $2.9 million. Wilson said about $260,000 for the project came from donors.

"It is also a way we demonstrate in this place whose we are and who we are," Bishop White said in his remarks. "One of the interesting things about the design of this place is that the first floor is devoted to those who want to use the building; it is devoted to those who meet and plan. It is devoted to those who indeed are disciple-makers."

The building has nearly 4,000 square feet of meeting space and office space for the conference staff's 25-plus employees. Most of the offices are on the second floor. The first floor contains the Media Center, the reception area, a chapel, a conference room, a kitchen, rest rooms, other meeting rooms and the Bloomington District Office.

The building was designed to be accessible to everyone, with a drive-up, covered front entrance with automatic doors, elevator, spacious halls and wide doorways. The reception desk was lowered to make it welcoming to those in wheelchairs. Sunlight brightens the interior from seemingly hundreds of windows and skylights. The parking lot has space for 100 vehicles.

The Conference Center replaces the former conference headquarters on East Second Street that had housed the annual conference offices since 1962.

Bishop's executive assistant to retire to Florida

INDIANAPOLIS -- When the curtain closes on the South Indiana Annual Conference stage in mid-June at Bloomington, the Rev. James D. Jones, executive assistant to the bishop, and his wife Judy will be heading south for their retirement home in Naples, Fla.

Jones, 62, completes a 41-year call to active ministry that began in 1963 when he held student appointments during college with The Society of Friends near Alexandria and Greentown, Ind. He told Together that after 41-years of ministry, "I am ready for a new chapter in life. It is neat to enter a new phase of life being led by a dream rather than pushed by a problem."

In reflecting on 41 years of ministry, Jones said, "While it is quite possible for me to say what my life and ministry has meant to me, ultimately the issue of meaning and impact of my ministry must be gauged by what my life has meant to others. If in various ways I have touched, lifted and given hope to persons, whose lives have interacted with my life, then my time in ministry has been meaningful."

His first appointment in The United Methodist Church was at Eden UMC north of Greenfield, Ind., from 1968 to 1970. He was ordained a Deacon in 1968 and an Elder in 1971 in the North Indiana Conference. During his pastoral ministry (1971-1992), he served appointments at Decatur First and St. Mark, South Bend Grace, Fort Wayne Calvary, Winchester, Elkhart First and South Bend Grace. He served a four-year term as Fort Wayne District Superintendent, before becoming Executive Assistant to the Bishop in 1996.

Bishop selects retired pastor as new executive assistant

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Bishop Woodie W. White has selected the Rev. Donald N. Griffith, a retired minister of the South Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church as interim Executive Assistant to the Bishop of the Indiana Area effective mid-June. Griffith will take the position now held by the Rev. James D. Jones who plans on retiring from active ministry in June.

Currently, Griffith is Director of World Missions at St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. During his 40 years under pastoral appointments, he served congregations in Jeffersonville, Bloomington, Indianapolis, Greenfield and New Albany.

He retired from active ministry in 2000. Since then, he has participated in mission trips in the United States, and to Africa, South and Central America, The Caribbean, and Central Europe.

North Dakota Bishop returns to Indiana for South Annual Conference

Schwein to preach at memorial service

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bishop Woodie W. White has announced that Bishop Michael J. Coyner, United Methodist Bishop of the Dakotas, is scheduled to be the conference preacher during the South Indiana Annual Conference June 9-11 at the Indiana University Auditorium in Bloomington. Coyner is scheduled to preach Friday morning, June 10 and Saturday morning, June 11.

According to the Rev. Lynn Renne, of Evansville and one of the conference's planners, he will preach to the conference theme "God is good all the time; All the time God is good!" It's a theme deeply associated with White who will be retiring in August.

Coyner is originally from Indiana. He served churches of various sizes in the North Indiana Conference, served as a district superintendent and was the executive assistant to the bishop. He was elected a bishop of The United Methodist Church in 1996 and assigned to serve the Dakotas Area. In 2000, he was assigned for a second term.

The Rev. Bill Schwein of Sunrise at Geist United Methodist Church in Indianapolis will be preaching at the South Indiana Annual Conference Memorial Service on Thursday, June 10 at 2:15 p.m. Schwein plans to retire in June.

East Ohio bishop to preach at North Indiana Conference sessions

Walker to preach at memorial service

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bishop Woodie W. White has announced that Bishop Jonathan D. Keaton, United Methodist Bishop of the Ohio East Area, is scheduled to be the conference preacher during the North Indiana Annual Conference sessions June 3-5 in the Elliott Hall of Music at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. Keaton is scheduled to preach Friday morning, June 4 and Saturday morning, June 5.

Keaton, 58, was elected to the episcopacy in 1996 and assigned to his present position. Before serving as bishop, he was a clergy member of the Northern Illinois Conference and superintendent of the Aurora District. He has served pastoral appointments since 1970 in Chicago and Rockford, Ill., and served as the Northern Illinois Associate Council Director from 1982 to 1990.

In other NIC news, the traditional memorial service will be the opening worship on Thursday, June 3 at 1 p.m. in Elliott Hall. The Rev. Katharine Walker, senior pastor of First United Methodist Church in West Lafayette, will preach. More information will be published in the May-June issue of Together and online at www.nicumc.org.

O'Bannon to highlight University of Indianapolis commencement service

Ceremonies also will honor musical Hampton sisters, nuclear expert Thie

INDIANAPOLIS -- Former Indiana first lady Judy O'Bannon will be the featured speaker Saturday, May 1, at the University of Indianapolis' undergraduate commencement.

The widow of former Gov. Frank O'Bannon will receive an honorary doctor of humanities degree during the ceremony, which will begin at 2 p.m. in Nicoson Hall on the university campus, 1400 E. Hanna Ave.

Shaw honored by Martin University

INDIANAPOLIS -- James C. Shaw, lay leader of the South Indiana Conference, received an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters earlier this year from Martin University here. Shaw, a friend of Martin University for many years, served on the university's board of directors for 12 years from 1990 to 2002. He now serves as Trustee Emeritus.

Women's Division elects Love as new leader

STAMFORD, Conn. (UMNS) -- During her long involvement with the World Council of Churches, Jan Love has come into contact with women from many different countries.

Love, 51, will take those findings with her as she assumes the chief staff leadership position with the Women's Division of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries. The division is the administrative arm of the 1 million-member United Methodist Women.

She was elected to that position by division directors during their March 19-22 spring meeting in Stamford and will succeed Joyce Sohl, who is retiring July 31.

North Central Jurisdiction to select bishops in Davenport conference

DAVENPORT, Iowa -- The North Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church will meet here July 14-17, at the River Center. The primary agenda of that quadrennial meeting is the election and assignment of bishops. From this important meeting of the church, the Indiana Area will receive a new bishop in September. For more information about River Center, log on to www.riverctr.com.

Some 24 lay and clergy delegates from each of the North and South Indiana Conferences will join delegates from the other ten conferences of the jurisdiction. Bishop Woodie White of Indiana, Bishop Sharon Rader of Wisconsin and Bishop Joseph Sprague of Northern Illinois will be honored as retiring bishops.

Up to three bishops will be elected during the conference. The South Indiana Conference delegates have endorsed the Rev. Gregory McGarvey, senior pastor of Carmel UMC as a candidate to the United Methodist episcopacy. The North Indiana Conference delegates have endorsed the Rev. Mark Fenstermacher, senior pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church in Elkhart, as a candidate to the episcopacy.

Dammann verdict: What happens next?

By Lynne DeMichele and Kim Riemland

BOTHELL, Wash. (UMNS) -- For the Rev. Karen Dammann, her acquittal on the charge that she broke church law means she can remain in ministry -- a calling she first heard as a child.

It also means that she will return to active ministry, after going on family leave March 1. For the 10 million-member United Methodist Church, the ruling has ignited strong reactions that will reverberate in the global church's legislative meeting this month.

On March 20, a church trial court of 13 fellow pastors found that while Dammann was a "self-avowed practicing homosexual," she was not guilty of the single charge against her: that of "practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teachings." Eleven members voted not guilty and two were undecided; no one voted guilty. Nine guilty votes were required to convict.

Beginning April 27, the General Conference, the church's elected legislative branch, will meet in Pittsburgh to debate church policies and laws. Nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world will revise The United Methodist Book of Discipline, the church's book of law and guidelines. It is the very book that the Dammann trial court ruled does not clearly declare the practice of homosexuality to be incompatible with Christian teachings.

After acquitting Dammann, a member of the trial court read a statement explaining the decision, noting that even the jurors were divided on that point. "We, as the trial court, are far from unanimous regarding biblical and theological understandings," the statement said.

The pivotal issue came down to a lack of a declarative statement in The Book of Discipline.

"We searched the Discipline and did not find a declaration that 'the practice of homosexuality is incompatible with Christian teachings,' the statement read. Although the jurors found passages containing the "incompatible..." phrasing, they said they "did not find that any of them constitute a declaration" that homosexuality is a chargeable offense.

Instead, trial court members pointed to other statements that are clearly declarative, such as: "Inclusiveness means openness, acceptance and support that enables all persons to participate in the life of the church, the community and the world. Thus, inclusiveness denies every semblance of discrimination." (Section 6 of The Ministry of all Christians, section VI "Called to Inclusiveness," Paragraph 138, p. 93.)

Communications offers General Conference online Web site course

United Methodist Communications offers an online course for those wishing to know more about the work and issues of General Conference being held in Pittsburgh April 27-May7.

"Exploring General Conference: What, Why, How" premiered March 17 and will run until April 28. The course fee is $12 and can be paid by credit card online. According to Barbara Nissen, director of Communications Resourcing Team, this self-paced course looks at all aspects of General Conference, the denomination's top decision-making body and includes a very brief section on the upcoming 2004 General Conference. To learn more about the course and to enroll, log on to www.training.umcom.org.

United Methodist Men to create conference ministry specialists

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) -- Fifty-one conference presidents of United Methodist Men joined with 96 other leaders to establish ways to enrich their ministries with men during the next four years.

The National Association of Conference Presidents of United Methodist Men, meeting in early March, agreed to recruit and train specialists in men's ministry in every one of the denomination's annual conferences.

The effort will begin with a May 21-23 training experience for 20 United Methodist men in Orlando, Fla. Training sessions will subsequently be held regionally in district and conference-sponsored events. Training will be delivered through a partnership with "Man in the Mirror Ministries," an Orlando-based men's ministry.

The Rev. Joseph L. Harris, top executive of the church-wide Commission on United Methodist Men, told conference presidents of the commission's plans to enhance men's spiritual lives during the next four years.

The commission will continue to encourage men to participate in TQuest (Transformation Quest), a 15-part study that encourages small groups to meet weekly for two-hour sessions for updates on "the condition of their hearts," he said.

Award-winning 'Parable' available from EcuFilm

Passion film first shown at 1964 New York World's Fair

NASHVILLE, Tenn.-- Parable, the award-winning film produced for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair, is being made available on VHS and DVD by EcuFilm, the ecumenical media distribution service of United Methodist Communications.

The allegorical film portrays the Passion of Jesus through the story of a circus clown who both comforts his fellow performers and disrupts their lives. In true mime fashion, Parable has no actor dialogue or subtitles, although it includes a musical track. The re-release of the 22-minute art film in its 40th anniversary year is a response to continuing requests received by EcuFilm from people interested in showing it in their churches.

It is available from EcuFilm for $44.95 (DVD) and $39.95 (VHS), toll-free 888-346-3862; fax 615-742-5499; online at www.EcuFilm.org; or by mail at 810 12th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37203. A study guide is included.

Commission on Christian Unity chooses Pickens as new leader

NEW YORK (UMNS) -- An Illinois pastor and lawyer who sits on the United Methodist Judicial Council, the denomination's top court, has been named top staff executive of the United Methodist Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns.

The Rev. Larry Pickens, 45, who also was a commission member from 1988 to 1992, will begin his new position as general secretary July 1. His nomination was recently approved by commission members; final approval will be needed from the denomination's General Council on Ministries this spring.

He succeeds the Rev. Bruce Robbins, who left the commission at the end of 2003 after 17 years of service -- 13 as its top executive. Bishop Melvin Talbert has been serving as the interim executive.

NCJ episcopal candidates endorsed by their respective annual conferences

The North Central Jurisdiction is composed of 12 annual conferences that include 10 episcopal areas. The 12 conferences are: East Ohio, West Ohio, East Michigan, West Michigan, North Indiana, South Indiana, Northern Illinois, Illinois Great Rivers, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North and South Dakota and Iowa. Of those conferences, Indiana and Michigan each have one bishop that oversees two annual conferences.

Several annual conference delegations of Jurisdictional Conference have endorsed Episcopal candidates to date. They include:

North Indiana delegates endorsed Mark Fenstermacher, senior pastor, Trinity UMC, Elkhart, Ind.; South Indiana delegates endorsed Gregory McGarvey, senior pastor, Carmel (Ind.) UMC; West Michigan delegates endorsed Lynn Pier-Fitzgerald, Grand Traverse District Superintendent, and Jerome DeVine, ministry consultant on the conference staff; Iowa delegates endorsed Deborah L. Kiesey, Waterloo District Superintendent; Minnesota delegates endorsed David Alan Bard, Northwest District Superintendent; West Ohio delegates endorsed Gregory D. Stover, Cincinnati District Superintendent, and Margaret M. Mallory Toledo District Superintendent; Illinois Great Rivers delegates endorsed Timothy L. Bias, directing pastor, First UMC, Peoria;

Eye clinic to be constructed at Ganta

GANTA, Liberia -- Christian Blind Mission International recently visited the United Methodist Ganta Mission here and agreed to construct an eye clinic building. According to Mary Zigbuo, a missionary, this has been in planning for a few years.

Americare/Africare, UNICEF and other local private organizations have donated three truck-loads of medical supplies and building materials for the Ganta Hospital. Project managers report that building supplies have been purchased with funds from United Methodist Committee on Relief. Ganta Hospital also has received a $37,000 grant from UMCOR towards the basic repairs of hospital buildings to enable the opening of the clinic and doctors residences. The hospital was scheduled to open March 15.

In other news, United Methodist missionaries report that a pump now is at the site of the Ganta United Methodist Hospital. The Rev. Joe Wagner, co-coordinator of Indiana Area's Operation Classroom, said, OC has sent funds to purchase submersible water pumps but they can only be used when power is restored to the hospital. The submersible pumps will pump water to four reservoirs on the mission station. Presently, the two hand pumps are all that is available. Water is obtained from the hand pumps, placed in storage containers, and carted by wheelbarrows to houses, hospital and the school.

For more information about this and other Operation Classroom projects, call 765-324-2556 or www.operationclassroom.org.

Society invites VBS students to fight against world hunger

BIG ISLAND, Va. -- The Society of St. Andrew invites your Vacation Bible School students to show their Love by the Pond this summer!

The Love by the Pond program is designed to supplement VBS materials by offering a mission emphasis in which students will learn about hunger in America, and how Jesus expects his followers to do something about it. Through scripture lessons and activity sheets, each student will learn how even children can make a difference in the fight against hunger.

The goal of Love by the Pond is to raise at least $50, a nickel at a time, to feed the hungry through the Society of St. Andrew's hunger relief ministry. Each nickel donated to the Society of St. Andrew is enough to deliver a pound of salvaged potatoes to our nation's hungry people. Reaching the $50 goal will provide about 1,000 pounds or 3,000 servings of salvaged potatoes to feed hungry children and adults right here in America.

You can participate in Love by the Pond by ordering the free VBS packet. There is no obligation. You can order by mail: Society of St. Andrew, 3383 Sweet Hollow Road, Big Island, VA 24526; by phone: 800-333-4597; by email: church@endhunger.org: or on-line: www.endhunger.org/.

Children's home features youth during April 24 program

LEBANON, Ind. -- Learn more about a special United Methodist outreach ministry to youth having some tough times.

Indiana United Methodist Children's Home, a residential treatment facility dedicated to helping youth and their families, has scheduled its annual Auxiliary Program for Saturday, April 24 beginning at 10 a.m. in Lebanon.

For more information about the Auxiliary Program, contact the home at 765-482-5900 or send an e-mail inquiry to iumch@iumch.org No registration needed. Come enjoy this special day with youth in care. The Indiana United Methodist Children's Home is located at 515 W. Camp St. in Lebanon a few blocks west of State Road 39 (Lebanon St.).

Oldest United Methodist to celebrate 111th birthday

PETERSBURG, Ind. -- Minnie Kearby, 110, who lives at the Petersburg Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, will celebrate her 111th birthday on April 14. Kearby, who attended The United Methodist Church while living in Ireland, Ind., attributes her long life to "strength in the Lord" and "good clean living."

According to an Internet list, she is the 27th oldest living person in the world. She also is reputed to be the oldest member of The United Methodist Church.

Kearby was born Minnie Armstrong on April 14, 1893, to Warren and Carrie Armstrong on their farm near Ireland, Ind.

for more details and additional events, visit our Happenings page.

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