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HOOSIER UNITED METHODISTS e-newsletter
For Friday, October 19, 2007 – Sunday is the 21th Sunday after Pentecost -- Laity Sunday
This newsletter is paid for through your annual conference connectional ministries giving.
Edited by Daniel R. Gangler, director of communication dgangler@inareaumc.org
Bible Passage for Sunday
This Week’s News Headlines
News and Information
Commentary
Worship Resources
Ministry Resources
Movie Review
Deaths
Ministerial Appointments
New Job Listings
BIBLE PASSAGE FOR SUNDAY
Some people brought their little children for Jesus to bless. But when his disciples saw them doing this, they told the people to stop bothering him. So Jesus called the children over to him and said, “Let the children come to me! Don’t try to stop them. People who are like these children belong to God’s kingdom. You will never get into God’s kingdom unless you enter it like a child!”
– Luke 18:15-17
(Contemporary English Version)
www.bibles.com
THIS WEEK’S NEWS HEADLINES
Seminary scholarship to honor Indiana pastoral counselor
Ball State University preparing to go smoke-free on campus
Raid starts crackdown on video gambling in Indiana
Maryland United Methodists oppose legalized slot machines
Kentucky Conference wins $20 million lawsuit with foundation
New United Methodist Women leaders likes mix of devotion, action
New leader shares vision for UMC racial justice agency
WCC calls Premawardhana to inter-religious post in Geneva
Society of St. Andrew national advisory board names Sen. Dole
NEWS AND INFORMATION
SEMINARY SCHOLARSHIP TO HONOR INDIANA PASTORAL COUNSELOR
A retired United Methodist minister in Indianapolis, whose 49-year career included the past 34 years as a prominent pastoral counselor, will soon be honored with a special scholarship named in his honor at United Methodist-related Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill.
The Rev. G. Edward Alley will receive this special tribute on Nov. 11 at North United Methodist Church, 3808 North Meridian. Dr. Philip Amerson, a former Indiana clergyperson who now is president of Garrett-Evangelical, will preach at the 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sunday worship services and start a campaign to raise $50,000 for the scholarship endowment.
Alley, a 1961 graduate of Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, retired this past April. He was involved at the Raines Counseling Center as a counselor, training director and executive director from 1973 to 1987. Later, with his wife Susan, he operated a private pastoral counseling practice for more than 20 years – a practice she still serves.
Prospective donors are encouraged to contact Bruce Naylor, a Garrett-Evangelical development associate, for information about how to contribute. He can be reached at 317-750-1001.
A community-wide committee is handling arrangements for the Nov. 11 observance.
BALL STATE UNIVERSITY PREPARING TO GO SMOKE-FREE ON CAMPUS
Ball State University President Jo Ann Gora recently announced plans are under way to make the campus smoke-free by spring 2008.
The debate about whether Ball State would go smoke-free has been going on for months. Smokefree Indiana, a campus group, promoted the smoking ban heavily last spring, picking up hundreds of cigarette butts littering campus and circulating a petition in support of the initiative.
Last month, more than 6,000 students voted on the campus-wide smoking ban in an online poll sponsored by Ball State’s Student Government Association. Of those who voted, about 4,000 students were in favor of the ban. Additionally, two-thirds of Ball State’s academic departments and the university’s Staff Council approved the ban, she stated. – Muncie Star Press
Note: United Methodist-related University of Evansville and University of Indianapolis are smoke-free campuses.
RAID STARTS CRACKDOWN ON VIDEO GAMBLING IN INDIANA
A pool hall co-owner in Kendallville, Ind. faces four felony charges of promoting professional gambling after a raid by the state's newly created Gaming Control Division. Regulators seized 14 "Cherry Master" machines from Paradise Billiards Oct. 10 after a three-week investigation, division director Larry Rollins said. They also seized 20 gambling machines from Kendallville Pawn Shop and a building connected to it.
The State of Indiana Gaming Control Division was created during this year's legislative session. Last week’s raid marked the first seizure of gambling machines from a business, Rollins said.
Regulators also confiscated some from a storage area earlier this month in southern Indiana. – Associated Press
MARYLAND UNITED METHODISTS OPPOSE LEGALIZED SLOT MACHINES
United Methodists in Maryland, based in Columbia, have joined religious leaders across the state in opposing the governor’s proposal for state-owned slot machines.
In September, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, a Democrat, proposed legalizing slots as one measure to close the state’s $1.7 billion shortfall. The governor’s plan calls for 9,500 state-owned machines in four counties, which would generate approximately $550 million annually for education and other needs.
Bishop John R. Schol, episcopal leader of the Baltimore-Washington Conference, has joined other religious leaders in the region in opposing slot machines.
As United Methodists, we oppose gambling as “a menace to society and a regressive tax on the poor,” Ferguson said. The 2004 United Methodist Book of Discipline identifies gambling as “deadly to the interests of moral, social, economic and spiritual life and destructive of good government.” The Discipline calls on Christians to abstain from gambling and to minister to those victimized by the practice. – UMNS
KENTUCKY CONFERENCE WINS $20 MILLION LAWSUIT WITH FOUNDATION
A seven-year legal battle between the United Methodist Kentucky Annual Conference and an affiliated foundation has ended in favor of the conference. The outcome also upholds the United Methodist “trust clause” pertaining to local church property.
The conference and the board of trustees of the Good Samaritan Foundation were battling for control of $20 million in assets resulting from the 1995 sale of Good Samaritan Hospital in Lexington, Ky.
In 2000, the foundation’s board of trustees stopped reporting to the conference and said it was no longer affiliated with The United Methodist Church. The conference countered with a $20 million lawsuit, claiming ownership of the hospital at the time of its sale.
Last December, Fayette Circuit Judge Gary Payne ruled that the church rightfully owned the hospital and the money from its sale and ordered that the church appoint a new foundation board. The board appealed, and the appeals court sent the case back to Payne, who reaffirmed his earlier decision. The foundation will continue its mission to provide $1 million a year in healthcare, health education and research ministries for the people of Kentucky. – UMNS
NEW UNITED METHODIST WOMEN LEADER LIKES MIX OF DEVOTION, ACTION
That was one of the reasons she was attracted to United Methodist Women and the position of chief executive of the Women’s Division, United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, which serves as UMW’s administrative arm. Olson, 49, who was unanimously elected to that position on Aug. 17 by the division’s board of directors, began her new job on Sept. 4. She succeeded Jan Love, who is now dean of the Candler School of Theology in Atlanta.
Her election was confirmed by the entire Board of Global Ministries during its Oct. 8-11 annual meeting in Stamford, Conn. – UMNS
NEW LEADER SHARES VISION FOR UMC RACIAL JUSTICE AGENCY
The commission charged with “building a beloved community” must become the heart of The United Methodist Church, said Erin Hawkins, the newly installed top executive of the church’s racial justice agency.
“As the heart of the church, we will serve the primary function of pumping life into and throughout the body of United Methodism,” she said. “The life of this church is the people who represent all colors, nationalities and languages.”
Hawkins, 31, became the head of the United Methodist Commission on Religion and Race on Sept. 1. She was welcomed and installed as top executive during the Oct. 3-7 fall board meeting in Oklahoma City. – UMNS
WCC CALLS PREMAWARDHANA TO INTER-RELIGIOUS POST IN GENEVA
The Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches at its meeting in Armenia on September 28 elected Rev. Dr. Shanta Premawardhana as its Director of Inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. Dr. Premawardhana, currently NCC associate general secretary for Interfaith Relations, will begin his new assignment in Geneva this November.
For the full story, log on to www.ncccusa.org/news/071001shantatowcc.html
SOCIETY OF ST. ANDREW NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD NAMES SEN. DOLE
Fourteen business, political and philanthropic leaders have been named to the Society of St. Andrew’s newly formed National Advisory Board. Senator Elizabeth Dole (NC), a longtime supporter of the Society of St. Andrew, is serving as honorary chair. The board will function as a forum to provide advice and direction as the Society of St. Andrew structures the strategic expansion of its hunger-relief programs. Read more (pdf file) at www.endhunger.org/press/pr_advisory_board.pdf.
SOCIETY OF ST. ANDREW DISTRIBUTES 17 MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD
So far this year the Society of St. Andrew has salvaged and distributed over 17 million pounds of fresh, nutritious fruits and vegetables to our hungry neighbors. It will be challenging to reach its goal of 30 million pounds since this year's drought and other weather problems have affected so many crops. However, we will continue to strive toward our goal knowing that every serving we provide is important to the person who receives it. Check out our statistics later in this update.
Please continue to pray for our ministry and those we serve, go gleaning with us, and contribute financially to our ministry.
SURVEY SHOWS PEOPLE ADDICTED TO e-MAIL – EVEN DURING WORSHIP
Religion News Service reports that people are addicted to their Blackberries and use them everywhere, including church. The service says that while citizens of Washington D.C. are the most addicted, people in Atlanta use the device more in church. A 20-city survey on e-mail addiction by America Online concluded that Atlanta’s citizens led the way in checking e-mail in church, with 22 percent confessing looking at their Blackberries and other portable devices during worship services. Tying for second in checking e-mail during church were Houston and Denver; Washington placed third, followed by Los Angeles, Sacramento, Phoenix and Tampa. – UMNS
COMMENTARY
FLU SHOT IS A WISE INVESTMENT FOR PERSONAL, COMMUNITY HEALTH
Influenza is more than an inconvenience. It’s a deadly virus. Each year, seasonal influenza kills more than 36,000 Americans. Most are older than 65 years of age, but a surprising number of children also die each year from this disease. Children have the highest influenza infection rate, are the major source of infection for the entire population, and have a comparable rate of influenza-related hospitalization to older individuals. Get your kids vaccinated, too.
A new influenza vaccine is produced each year because influenza viruses mutate so quickly that the vaccine antigens must be changed to match the new strains. And the circulating viruses also change during the flu season. Influenza vaccines aren’t perfect, but they will protect most people from getting sick. More important, they greatly prevent severe illness and death. – Dr. Richard Feldman in The Indianapolis Star.
For information on where to get a flu shot, log on to http://myfluvaccine.com.
More stories are available online at www.umc.org.
WORSHIP RESOURCES
PRAYER FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PREVENTION MONTH (OCTOBER)
October is designated as Domestic Violence Prevention Month. It is not an official observance in The United Methodist Church, but it was set aside to be observed in the United States by President Bush in 2003. Despite the efforts of prevention and rehabilitation, the violence continues in every community. One of the more difficult hymns to sing in worship – difficult, that is, in the sense of its emotional intensity and in finding an opportunity to sing it, and not so much the musical difficulty – is “God Weeps” (2048, The Faith We Sing). Here is a responsive congregational prayer that incorporates this hymn, which may be sung by soloists or choir, with the congregation joining on stanza four.
MINISTRY RESOURCES
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES RELEASE ‘MINDFUL’ LIVING RESOURCES
In a time of toxic toys and environmental contamination, the National Council of Churches’ Eco-Justice Program is giving congregations a means of hope through a recently released education and worship resource, “Mindful Living: Human Health, Pollution, and Toxics.” The resource is part of the NCC’s new environmental health initiative to educate congregations about how pollutants and toxic chemicals found in everything from air, water, personal care products and children’s toys can compromise human health and the environment. “Mindful Living” is available for download on the Internet at www.nccecojustice.org/envhealthhome.htm.
NORTH INDIANA CONFERENCE MEDIA CENTER PICKS FOR OCTOBER
The North Indiana Conference Media Resource Center’s latest acquisitions can be found online at www.nicumc.org. Click on “Media Library” in the left column and explore all the available options. October “Picks” include:
- Advent calendar on DVD
- A Christmas parable: based on the story of the selfish giant
- Lamb’ Chapel UMC – a video from annual conference
- The easiest targets – a video from the school of missions
- Addiction – a HBO documentary film
- The purpose driven life
Order by calling the Media Center toll-free at 800-783-5138. This service is provided through your connectional tithe.
For information on any of these and many more, go to our Web site, www.nicumc.org and click on Media Library or call Angel at 800-785-5138.
SOUTH INDIANA MEDIA RESOURCE CENTER PICKS FOR OCTOBER
The South Indiana Conference Media Resource Center’s latest acquisitions can be found online at www.sicumc.org. Click on “Media Center” and explore all the available options, including “Newest Resources” and “Picks of the Month.” October “Picks” have been posted. Some of the newest additions include: Acolytes, Greeters, Ushers; Countering Pharaoh’s Production-Consumption Society Today (from Living the Questions); Renewal or Ruin; and Sweet Singer (a one-man musical drama about Charles Wesley). NOTE: Coming later this fall: Living the Questions 2.0. By calling the Media Center toll-free at 800-919-8160, you can order these and other resources from a selection of more than 4,000 videos and DVDs. Return postage is your only cost. This service is provided through your connectional tithe. Mary Barnes, Media Director, can be reached at mbarnes@sicumc.org for more information/consultation or you can access the catalog directly at www.sicumc.org.
MOVIE REVIEW
INTO THE WILD
- Rated: R for language and some nudity
- Studio: Paramount Vantage
- Directed By: Sean Penn
- Cast: William Hurt, Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden
- Running Time: 153 minutes
By Bill Fentum
Staff Writer, UM Portal,
home of The United Methodist Reporter online
Into the Wild, based on Jon Krakauer’s popular book, tracks Chris’ two-year journey of discovery to its haunting end. Skillfully directed by Sean Penn, the film boasts a star-making lead performance by young Emile Hirsch and a supporting cast full of veterans and talented unknowns. They’re all part of Chris’ second “family.”
A pair of middle-aged drifters, Rainey (Brian Dierker) and Jan (Catherine Keener), become his surrogate parents. In South Dakota, he finds a big brother of sorts in Wayne (Vince Vaughn), a rowdy grain farmer. Then he urges 16-year-old aspiring folk singer Tracy (Kristen Stewart), to keep pursuing her dreams – the same advice he’d probably give to his sister.
Don’t buy a ticket expecting a feel-good adventure. Into the Wild is much too sobering, too deliberately paced for that label. But moviegoers aren’t likely to see a more beautifully rendered drama this year. For the complete review and discussion questions, log on to www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=2704.
More reviews, including an online video review of this movie available at: www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/Into-Wild_2.html
DEATHS
LARRY OMAN UPDATE: Last week e-HUM announced the death of the Rev. Larry V. Oman, a former clergy member (SIC), who died Oct. 4, 2007. Here is an update sent by one of our readers. Oman also served at University Church in Indianapolis as a student pastor. After returning to Princeton University to complete his Master of Divinity, Oman returned to University Church where he served as an associate pastor.
MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS
Bishop Michael J. Coyner has announced the following changes within the Indiana Area. All dates effective 2007 unless otherwise noted. These appointments are based on Cabinet reports received by Indiana Area Communication during the week of October 19, 2007.
North Indiana Conference
- None this week.
South Indiana Conference
- Biggs, Charles Michael from District Superintendent, New Albany to Indianapolis: Chapel Hill, Indianapolis West, 12/1
- Caldwell, Dirk from no appointment to Avon, Indianapolis West, 9/1
- Hamilton, Richard W. from Wilmington, Columbus to no appointment, 7/31
- Herrmann, William J. from no appointment to Laurel, Rushville, 7/1
- Mead, Edward C. from Elizabethtown, Columbus to Hayden, Columbus, 11/1
- Platt, Larry from Winslow, Vincennes to no appointment 9/30
- Snodgrass, Richard Matthew from Hayden, Columbus to no appointment, 10/31
NEW JOB LISTINGS
None listed for this week.
Last updated on 04/01/2008Compiled as a service of Indiana Area United Methodist Communication in Indianapolis.