March 2004

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Highlights from the March issue of Together

Bishop White appoints Imes, Beard, True to superintendency

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana Area Bishop Woodie W. White announces the appointments of the Revs. Frank Beard, Lamar Imes and Thomas True to the office of District Superintendent.

Beard, pastor of Walnut Creek United Methodist Church in Warsaw, has been appointed to lead the Kokomo District, effective June 16. Bishop White said Beard "is highly respected across the North Indiana Conference and was selected to lead the 2004 General Conference delegation of the North Indiana Conference."

Imes, director of professional human resources serving the North Indiana Annual Conference in Marion, has been appointed to lead the Fort Wayne District, effective June 16. He also has served as Superintendent of the Michiana District with office in Elkhart.

True, pastor of First United Methodist Church in Shelbyville, has been appointed to lead the Terre Haute District, effective July 1. True is a former member of the South Indiana Annual Conference staff.

Two of the current district superintendents, the Revs. Larry Ray of Fort Wayne and David Schramm of Kokomo, will retire in June. The Rev. Paula Young Mayberry, current superintendent of the Terre Haute District, will be appointed to another charge to be announced at a later time.

Fort Wayne pastor appointed NIC associate director

New position in recruiting clergy, laity

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bishop Woodie W. White announces the first appointment of an African American as an associate director in the North Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church.

The Rev. Jack Scott, senior pastor of Faith United Methodist Church in Fort Wayne, has been named Associate Director of Recruitment and Leadership Development for the North Indiana Conference with offices in Marion. He will begin his new position in June.

According to the Rev. Cindy Reynolds, NIC director of ministry, this new position focuses on recruitment of leaders and the life-long equipping of leaders that will help us fulfill our vision to have "a revitalized clergy, an empowered laity and alive congregations focused on mission and ministry."

Reynolds said, "one of the priorities of the North Indiana Conference is transformed leadership. This position will help us focus on this priority along with the need to create a culture of call, so that people hear the voice of God calling them into both ordained and lay ministries.

"This new position is part of the team of North Indiana Conference Council on Ministries staff that will serve to build collaboration and cooperation as the conference seeks to equip and strengthen the local church."

According to his job description, Scott will have a unique position. He will be under direct supervision of the NIC Director of Ministry, in consultation with the conference personnel committee and the executive committee of the NIC Board of Ordained Ministry. He will be a member of the NIC Council on Ministries staff, and will work in cooperation with the Indiana Area Bishop, the NIC cabinet (district superintendents), the conference Board of Ordained Ministry and Ministry Development.

Scott is married to Martha Scott, They have three children and 11 grandchildren.

Anti-gambling activist sees OTF parlor as downtown casino in Fort Wayne

By Matthew Oates

FORT WAYNE, Ind. -- The Rev. Tom Grey doesn't just see the current off-track betting parlor as an off-track betting parlor. He sees it as Fort Wayne's first downtown casino, especially if you just added electronic pull tabs.

"Electronic gambling is casino gambling. It's a Trojan horse," said Grey in an interview with Together before the rally. Grey is the executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. He was invited by the North Indiana Conference's Committee on Gambling Issues to address a Feb. 29 rally in Fort Wayne that attracted more than 40 people.

As executive director, Grey was on the road almost 200 days, visiting 20 states this past year, rallying groups who are fighting to stop expanding gambling in their communities.

"Gambling is like cancer. It metastasizes," says Grey.

Elsewhere in Indiana, the Rev. John Wolf, coordinator of the ecumencial Indiana Coalition Against Legalized Gambling shared with Together that on March 1 any gambling legislation was dead for this session of the General Assembly.

According to Wolf, a caucus voice vote on the racetrack pull-tab gambling issue lost. "ICALG expects a full pressure lobbying effort in 2005 by racetrack interests. However, the governor's staff said (Indiana Gov. Joe) Kernan was 'opposed to any expansion of gambling' and depending on what the Republican nominee says, this may be an issue this fall," said Wolf. "ICALG considers the 2004 Legislature as a victory for anti-gambling forces."

Igniting Ministries training event aims at changing church lifestyles

Living Our Promise," an Igniting Ministry training event, aimed at helping local United Methodist congregations learn about marketing themselves and honing their welcoming skills, will be held April 24, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.

The Mt. Pleasant event is co-sponsored by United Methodist Communications and the West Michigan Conference Commission on Communication, chaired by Jim Searls.

More information on the training event and additional components of the effort is available from the Web site www.ignitingministry.org or from the Igniting Ministry offices, toll free at 877-281-6535.

Bishop White joins University of Evansville 150th anniversary

EVANSVILLE, Ind. -- Bishop Woodie W. White joined Sesquicentennial Founders Day celebration activities at the University of Evansville.

White spoke Sunday, Feb. 29 in Neu Chapel. His address was titled "Of Head and Heart."

For the first time ever in the University's history three UE presidents were on hand for the ceremony including Jennings (2001-present), Wallace B. Graves (1967-1987) and James S. Vinson (1987-2001).

Renowned religious thinker to speak at DePauw April 29

GEENCASTLE, Ind. -- Elaine Pagels, claimed to be one of the world's most important writers and thinkers on religion and history and winner of the National Book Award for her groundbreaking work the Gnostic Gospels, is scheduled to speak at United Methodist-related DePauw University here to deliver the spring Mendenhall Lecture on April 29. The address by Pagels, "Beyond Belief," will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Gobin United Methodist Church. The event is free and open to all.

Pagels, professor of religion at Princeton University, is a preeminent figure in the theological community whose impressive scholarship has earned her international respect. She changed forever the historical landscape of the Christian religion by exploding the myth of the early Christian church as a unified movement.

Court ruling won't affect faith-based grants, official says

By Shanta Bryant Gyan

WASHINGTON (UMNS) - A Supreme Court decision denying a state-funded scholarship to a student preparing to enter the ministry will not impact federal grants to religious service organizations serving the poor, according to a White House official.

Jim Towey, director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, said the Bush administration does not believe the Feb. 25 court decision will change the White House plan to allow more religious groups serving poor communities to receive federal funds to carry out social services, such as drug treatment programs and programs for the homeless.

He explained that the court ruling was based on a specific provision in the state of Washington's constitution that prohibits using public scholarships to finance religious training.

McCurdy School:

Indiana volunteers spice of life at New Mexico mission school

ESPANOLA, N.M. - Volunteering is the spice of life for David and Martha Milhouse of Sandy Hook United Methodist Church in Columbus, Ind. The McCurdy Mission School's 2004 Gala fundraiser gave them an apt concept with which to work.

"Spice of Life" was the theme for McCurdy's annual Gala; and the Milhouses spent 20 weeks planning, preparing and following up the seventh annual fundraising event held in February. As directors of the Gala program book and assistants to the event's chairperson, they worked on preliminary details for two weeks here in October and returned to McCurdy for January and February to finish a myriad of details.

David's sister and brother-in-law, Ron and Mary Hauswald of New Albany, Ind, also spent four days helping with the many Renaissance decorations in the McCurdy sports center. Gala attractions included costumed dancers, heralds, a lady-in-waiting and a jester, as well as a steak dinner accompanied by live music and auctions.

For more information, contact Volunteer Coordinator Jasmine Miller, McCurdy School, 261 McCurdy Rd., Espanola NM 87532 or call 505-753-7221 ext. 290. Visit the McCurdy Web site at www.mccurdy.org.

Hispanic ministries conference coming to Garrett-Evangelical

EVANSTON, ILL. -- Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary will sponsor a Hispanic ministries conference here March 26-27.

The bilingual conference for leaders in churches, who are reaching or wanting to reach Hispanic immigrant communities, is sponsored jointly by the seminary and the Office of Connectional Ministries of the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church.

For more information contact Betty Hillsman at 312-346-9766, ext. 124, by e-mail to bhillsma@umcnic.org or to the Rev. Oscar Carrasco at 312-346-9766, ext. 121, by e-mail to ocarrasc@umcnic.org.

Women aiming at Staples to prevent cancer

By Kelly Martini

NEW YORK (UMNS) -- Members of United Methodist Women are urging the Staples office supply store chain to stock and promote chlorine-free paper.

The campaign is part of an ongoing effort to fight environmental toxins that are suspected of causing breast cancer. The goal is to stop cancer before it starts, said Sung-Ok Lee, community action executive for the Women's Division of the United Methodist Board of Ministries in New York. The division is the administrative arm of United Methodist Women.

The goal is to have at least 1,000 report cards from United Methodist Women completed by April 30. The cards will then be presented to the chief executive officer of Staples.

Trial date set for lesbian clergywoman in NW

SEATTLE (UMNS) -- A March 17 clergy trial date has been set for a United Methodist pastor in the Pacific Northwest who disclosed to her bishop that she is living in a "partnered, covenanted homosexual relationship."

The Rev. Karen Dammann will stand trial at Bothell United Methodist Church, outside Seattle, according to a recent announcement by Bishop Elias Galvan, who leads the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference.

While affirming gays and lesbians as people of sacred worth, The United Methodist Book of Discipline bars "self-avowed practicing homosexuals" from being ordained or serving as clergy. The charge against Dammann is for practices declared by the United Methodist Church to be incompatible with Christian teachings, according to the bishop's office.

"I have asked Bishop William B. Grove to preside over the trial," Galvan said. "He is well respected throughout the church and has experience presiding at church trials."

Grove, of Charleston, W.Va., was elected bishop in 1980 and served the church's West Virginia and Albany, N.Y., episcopal areas before retiring in 1996.

Confessing Movement calls on California Conference to uphold church Discipline

The Rev. Bill Hinson, president of the Board of Directors of The Confessing Movement within The United Methodist Church based in Indianapolis, has called upon the California-Nevada Conference to uphold the Discipline of The United Methodist Church.

A March 1 news release from Indiana Senator Patricia Miller, executive director of the movement, states Hinson responds in concern for the United Methodist connection in light of the recent actions involving gay and lesbian "marriages" that have taken place in the California-Neveda Conference.

According to UMNS, the Rev. Karen Oliveto conducted seven ceremonies at San Francisco City Hall and an eighth in the sanctuary at Bethany United Methodist Church during the Feb. 15 worship service.

The United Methodist Book of Disciple prohibits United Methodist clergy from performing same sex unions ceremonies and prohibits such ceremonies from being performed in United Methodist churches.

Ecumenical delegation visits Cuba

Cuban churches ask for our prayers

NEW YORK CITY (NCC) -- Participants in a United States ecumenical delegation visit to Cuba in late January returned convinced of the importance of maintaining contacts with churches there, especially at this time of heightened tension between the United States and Cuba. For their part, Cuban church leaders asked their U.S. counterparts for pastoral accompaniment and prayers.

Led by National Council of Churches General Secretary Bob Edgar, a United Methodist, the 30-member delegation spent Jan. 22-28 in Cuba.

Delegation members participated in events surrounding the consecration of the new Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Old Havana -- a celebration led by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world's 250 million Orthodox Christians.

Liberia reconstruction proceeds slowly

NEW YORK (UMNS) - With renewed pledges of assistance from donor countries, the reconstruction of war-ravaged Liberia is slowly getting under way.

For United Methodists inside and outside that West African nation, reconstruction means restoring basic services at Ganta Hospital, a premier church institution nearly destroyed in the last round of fighting; repairing churches and school buildings; resettling church members and other displaced Liberians and assisting in the reintegration of combatants, particularly child soldiers, into society.

After the August exile of Liberian president Charles Taylor, who began the country's civil war in 1989, the country is trying to initiate a long-term peace. The Liberian United Methodist Annual Conference is still taking stock of which church property has been damaged over that period, according to Edwin Clarke Jr., conference communications director.

Among the schools damaged, according to Operation Classroom, a United Methodist mission program for West Africa based in Indiana, are the Arthur F. Kulah School in the town of Virginia, the Henri W. Dennis School in Toopoe Village, and the C.W. Duncan School in Clara Town. The schools suffered looting, and bullets and rocket grenades damaged walls and roofs.

Ganta Hospital hard hit

Some of the worst destruction occurred at Ganta Hospital, about 128 miles from the capital city of Monrovia. But Herbert and Mary Zigbuo, missionaries assigned by the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, are working to reopen part of the facility by March 15.

Donations to the work of the United Methodist Committee on Relief in Liberia can be made to UMCOR Advance No. 150300, Liberia Emergency. Checks can be placed in church collection plates or mailed to the agency at 475 Riverside Dr., Room 330, New York, NY 10115. Credit-card donations can be made by calling toll free 800-554-8583.

Church World Service helps at-risk Iraqi children survive conflict

By United Methodist News Service

The health of Iraq's children remains at risk but help is being delivered, according to Rick Augsburger, emergency response director for Church World Service. Those offering assistance include the denominational supporters of the "All Our Children" campaign, which includes the United Methodist Committee on Relief. Church World Service is the lead agency for the campaign.

Iraqi children suffered terribly for a decade before the conflict in Iraq because of U.N.-imposed economic sanctions. "Now," said Augsburger, who recently visited Iraq, "limited access to clean water and sanitation, poverty, malnutrition and disrupted public health services are continuing to chip away at the well-being of millions of Iraqi infants and children.

Since the war's outbreak, Church World Service has directly contributed $1.2 million worth of surgical kit donations to Baghdad hospitals. The agency shipped more than 30,000 of its health and school kits to Iraq in January, scheduled for distribution in March. The All Our Children campaign has provided $604,000 in grants and has programmed $183,000 in material assistance, primarily medical and hygiene supplies and clean water.

Mission leader urges nations to address poverty in Haiti

By Elliott Wright

NEW YORK (GBGM) -- The top mission executive of The United Methodist Church recently called upon the United States and other countries to address the poverty and other causes that keep Haiti in a "vicious cycle of poverty."

The Rev. R. Randy Day, general secretary of the General Board of Global Ministries, criticized the slowness of the international community to intercede in armed conflict in the island nation during February. The clash resulted in the resignation and departure of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide on Feb. 28.

Day described as "morally abhorrent" the policy of the United States in turning back Haitian refugees seeking safety in a time of war.

The mission leader called upon United Methodists in working with the people of Haiti in "establishing a just and lasting peace."

The General Board of Global Ministries and its related United Methodist Committee on Relief have numerous church development and humanitarian programs in Haiti. More than 700 United Methodists from the United States go to Haiti each year as parts of mission volunteer teams or as individual service volunteers.

GBGM works closely with the Methodist Church of Haiti in a wide range of educational, medical, nutritional, and church development programs. Many of the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission teams help to build churches and parsonages as well as schools and clinics.

The School Hot Lunch Program, supported by the United Methodist Advance for Christ and His Church, provides meals at 93 schools, mostly in rural areas. It reaches 16,877 youngsters.

The program is so important to the health and nutrition of children that it is continued in the summer through Vacation Bible Schools.

The hot lunch ministry needs some $480,000 per year but only $223,815 was raised in 2003, meaning that it must be cut back in the months ahead. Among the most generous supporters the Hot Lunch Program is the Haiti Task Force of the East and West Michigan Conferences.

The Advance also provides support to several schools, medical clinics and sanitation efforts in Haiti. Doctors, dentists and nurses are among the United Methodist volunteers to go to Haiti on a regular basis to minister among the poor and in hard to reach highland areas. The Advance is a designated giving channel for mission personnel and projects.

For more information, contact Advance office at: The Advance Office, phone 212-870-3790 or e-mail advance@gbgm-umc.org.

Youth heed call to ministry at Bishop White's convocation

By Toni L. Carmer

COLUMBIA CITY, Ind. -- More than 150 middle-school-age to college-age youth braved icy roads Feb. 21 to heed Bishop Woodie White's call to explore what is means to give ones life for Jesus Christ in full-time Christian service. Twenty heeded the call to full-time Christian ministry.

During the daylong Bishop's Convocation on Youth in Ministry, the Rev. Frank Beard, keynote speaker and pastor of Walnut Creek UMC at Warsaw, referred to the second chapter of Philippians and reminded youth that Christian ministry is about having the attitude of a servant. Beard warned his youthful audience that ministry is not for "whiners, wimps or weenies."

Youth went to workshops about parish ministry, women in ministry, Christian missions, camping ministry, youth ministry, music ministry, chaplaincy and cross-cultural ministry. Pastors and lay leaders from across North Indiana served as workshop leaders.

Oldest pastor in South Indiana celebrates 100th

UPPER ARLINGTON, Ohio -- She was born as America celebrated the Wright brothers' first flights.

Friends and relatives celebrated the Rev. Elva Hardy's 100th birthday on Feb. 27. She is the oldest living pastor in the South Indiana Conference.

Terre Haute District Superintendent Paula Mayberry attended Hardy's party on behalf of the South Indiana Conference. The party was held at the Sunrise Senior Living Center near Columbus.

Hardy was born in Davies County, Ind., on Feb. 27, 1904. One of five children, her sisters, Bertha and Treasie, also were pastors. All three were ordained ministers in the former United Brethren Church. She became a probationary member in 1941 and a full clergy member of the conference in 1943.

From 1939 to 1942 she ministered as a missionary in Mission Vallecitos, N.M., now served by the United Methodist-related McCurdy School. From then to 1970, she served churches at Coal City, Tennyson, Grandview, Mauckport, Burris, Attica and Ogilville, and retired to Plainville, Ind. She now resides at Sunrise Senior Living, 3500 Riverside Dr., Columbus, OH 43221. Belated cards are welcomed.

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