Site
Contents
 |
General Information about the Area Office
North Indiana Conference Office
South Indiana Conference Office
Prayer Guides
(Courtesy of the NIC Prayer Team)
Area United Methodist
Foundation
For resources to assist your congregation in welcoming guests,
click here
Seashore District Volunteer Center VIM project -- Completed
Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
HOOSIER UNITED METHODISTS e-NEWS
For Friday, April 4, 2008 – Sunday is third Sunday of Easter
This newsletter is paid for through your annual conference connectional ministries giving.
Edited by Dan Gangler, director of communication dgangler@inareaumc.org.
Deadline for submitting news items is Thursday at 10:00 a.m.
THIS WEEK’S NEWS HEADLINES
Native American Celebration Sunday Coming April 6
Imagine Indiana Web Cast Brings More Than 1,000 Viewers
Indiana Governor Honors Bill and Gloria Gaither
NCJ Native Americans Endorse West Michigan Minister for Episcopacy
North Indiana Camping Extends Deadlines Due to Difficulties
Former Hoosier United Methodist Fighting Death Penalty in Maryland
NEWS AND INFORMATION
NATIVE AMERICAN CELEBRATION SUNDAY COMING APRIL 6
Celebrate the gifts and contributions of Native Americans, Sunday, April 6.
To order envelopes so your congregation can participate in this church-wide offering, call 888-346-3862, and they will be sent, at no cost to your church.
To explore the online resources for Native American Ministries Sunday go to Native American Ministries Sunday.
IMAGINE INDIANA WEB CAST BRINGS MORE THAN 1,000 VIEWERS
Six members of the Imagine Indiana Design Team took to cyberspace Sunday evening, March 30 for Indiana Area UMC’s first Web cast. It originated in Bishop Mike Coyner’s office in Indianapolis. The Web cast was viewed by more than 1,000 United Methodists gathered in 30 Web cast down site churches. Another 138 computers were also plugged into the hour-long Imagine Indiana Report summary including a half-hour of questions and answers.
Producer Winton Long of The Omni Centre of Carmel, Ind. said, “Out of the 168 computers connected to the Web cast, 164 stayed with the entire program. That’s rare. I have never seen that high of a percentage to stay with a program.” Long and his wife, Sandra, run Omni Centre and are members of the Carmel UMC.
At the beginning of the program, both conference lay leaders Kayc Mykrantz of Logansport, the lay leader of the North Indiana Conference and Ike Williams of Carmel, the lay leader of the South Indiana Conference were joined by Kokomo District Superintendent Frank Beard for a 20-minute summary presentation of the Imagine Indiana Design Team report.
The proposal is a plan to unite the two Indiana conferences.
According to the Design Team plan, the goal of the new conference is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.” Williams said, “The Imagine Indiana Design Team believes that stronger congregations, better stewardship of God’s resources, and a united voice for Christ working in and through The United Methodist Church across Indiana are the expected results of this new plan for a new Indiana Conference.”
Mykrantz said, “The plan calls for the focus of the new Indiana Conference to be on congregations, their pastors, members and to the un-churched who live in our communities. The design team believes the new conference will be more conducive to responding to the needs of congregations than the two existing conferences.”
The complete hour-long Web cast is archived online at www.inareaumc.org and can be viewed anytime using media software and a broadband Web browser.
For more information about the Imagine Indiana process, log on the www.inareaumc.org and click on Imagine Indiana. – e-HUM
INDIANA GOVERNOR HONORS BILL AND GLORIA GAITHER
Indiana’s Governor Mitch Daniels honored gospel music singing and songwriting pioneers Bill and Gloria Gaither of Alexandria, Ind., with the 2008 Sachem Award, the state’s highest honor, at a ceremony on Wednesday, April 2.
“With all the success they have achieved, the Gaithers still live with us: in the house in which they raised their children, in the way in which they raised those children, in the way in which they and their music have spoken to us and to the better angels of our nature now for fifty plus years,” said Daniels. The Sachem is given annually to recognize a lifetime of excellence and moral virtue that has brought credit and honor to Indiana.
The Gaithers have collaborated on more than 700 popular gospel songs, winning eight Grammy Awards and more than two dozen Dove Awards from The Gospel Music Association (GMA). The Indianapolis Star named “He Touched Me” (#367 in The United Methodist Hymnal) among the top 10 songs of the 20th century written by a Hoosier. The Hymnal also has three other Gaither songs. Bill Gaither told e-HUM that the three leading uses of their music are Southern Baptists, Roman Catholics and United Methodists. – e-HUM
NCJ NATIVE AMERICANS ENDORSE WEST MICHIGAN MINISTER FOR EPISCOPACY
The members of the North Central Jurisdiction Committee on Native American Ministries announce their endorsement of the Rev. Dr. Jerry DeVine as an episcopal candidate for the 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church. DeVine is superintendent of the Albion District in the West Michigan Conference living in Battle Creek.
The jurisdiction’s Native American Ministries said DeVine has been instrumental in raising awareness of Native American Indian concerns in society and in The United Methodist Church. He has encouraged us to share the gifts that we bring to the church from our cultures. He has cast a vision of inclusiveness that has led to the development of needed programs for Native American people. He has been a servant leader among our people, working diligently to provide for the educational and spiritual needs of our Indian churches. Although he is not Native American Indian himself, we recognize that his heart and faith are one with us. – NCJ Native American Ministries
NORTH INDIANA CAMPING EXTENDS DEADLINES DUE TO DIFFICULTIES
Greetings from Impact 2818! It may not feel like camping weather, but a lot of people are already thinking about summer and signing up for summer camp. We hope you’re taking advantage of these fantastically fun camps and signing up all of the kids at your church for an amazing, life-changing experience at Epworth Forest Conference Center, Camp Adventure, Pine Creek Camp and Camp Lakewood.
We are writing to apologize about an unforeseen technical issue that has prevented some campers and families from being able to sign up and take advantage of the April 1st price break deadline (a $15 benefit). Some families attempting to register online have encountered very slow speeds and occasional database failures that prevent registration. The registration system is overwhelmed with traffic and is experiencing some bandwidth complications. Please know, we are working on a solution and will be testing to ensure proper functionality.
The good news is that we are extending this deadline for an as yet undetermined end date.
Registration is still open online and through mail/fax.
Please let any impacted church families know of this extension.
Continue to try and register and the camper(s) will still get the savings.
Please take advantage of this technical misfortune. We’re sure there are some families out there who may have forgotten the deadline was approaching. Let them know to go ahead and register now while the benefit is extended.
Don’t forget, registering online saves everyone $10 off of the base price of camp. We will contact everyone again when we have established an end date for this price break.
For more information and registration, log on to www.impact2818.com.
FORMER HOOSIER UNITED METHODIST FIGHTING DEATH PENALTY IN MARYLAND
In 1985, Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted of rape and murder and sent to Maryland’s death row. In 1993, DNA testing proved he was innocent. He joined the 127 people in the United States who have been released from death rows after being found innocent of the capital crime for which they were convicted. “Because innocent persons are sentenced to death and because there is documented racial and geographical bias, everyone should question the death penalty,” said Beth Reilly, a United Methodist working to abolish capital punishment in Maryland. Tremendous strides were made in the past year against capital punishment thanks to many United Methodists like Reilly, said Bill Mefford, a staff executive with the United Methodist Board of Church and Society. – UMNS
NEW JERSEY UNITED METHODISTS WORKED TO REPEAL DEATH PENALTY
When New Jersey repealed the death penalty at the end of 2007, United Methodists were among those who squeezed into a small room at the state capitol to watch Gov. Jon Corzine sign the bill. As the governor noted at the time, grassroots advocacy groups had played a significant role in making New Jersey the first state since 1976 to repeal the death penalty through its legislature. Replacing capital punishment was the sentence of life in prison without parole. Among the groups he acknowledged was New Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty, which had both direct and indirect United Methodist participation, according to John Goodwin, co-chairperson of the denomination’s New Jersey Area Task Force on Abolishing the Death Penalty. – UMNS
FAMED CATHOLIC NUN TO RECEIVE WORLD METHODIST PEACE AWARD
Sister Helen Prejean, the Catholic nun who has become a symbol of opposition to the death penalty, received the 2008 World Methodist Peace Award on April 2 in New Orleans. The Rev. John Barrett, president of the World Methodist Council and an ordained member of the British Methodist Church, presented the award. Prejean is the author of Dead Man Walking: an Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States, which served as the basis for a 1995 movie starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn. The World Methodist Peace Award is presented annually to individuals or groups who have contributed significantly to peace, justice and reconciliation. – UMNS
More stories are available online at www.umc.org and www.umportal.org.
BIBLE PASSAGE FOR SUNDAY
The two disciples found the eleven apostles and the others gathered together. And they learned from the group that the Lord was really alive and had appeared to Peter. Then the disciples from Emmaus told what happened on the road and how they knew he was the Lord when he broke the bread.
-- Luke 24:33b-35
Contemporary English Version (CEV)
WORSHIP RESOURCES
THINKING ABOUT A NEW HYMNAL -- A Hymnal for African Americans
Along with a proposal for a new United Methodist hymnal for the USA, General Conference will also consider a proposal for a four-year study into the need for an official hymnal with hymns, songs, liturgy, and worship resources for Africana people in North America. Africana is the term used to name those people of African descent who have come to settle outside of Africa, especially in the USA. There are Africana United Methodists in the USA who have come here from Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and elsewhere, including the many African Americans descended from slaves. This article discusses the proposal for the study and what it intends to accomplish. Read the whole story by logging on to www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?act=reader&item_id=46132&loc_id=17,823
GENERAL CONFERENCE COVERAGE
COMMUNICATION READY FOR ONLINE VISITORS TO GENERAL CONFERENCE
United Methodist Communications is prepared for thousands of online visitors to watch and gather information on the denomination’s 2008 legislative conference in Fort Worth, Texas.
About 1,000 delegates from around the world will gather April 23 to May 2, 2008 to determine priorities and set a direction for the 11-million member denomination. The General Conference’s proceedings will be available through GC2008.umc.org or www.umc.org. Worship, special addresses, celebrations, and other selected plenary sessions will be available on live video streaming. – UM Communications
ANNUAL CONFERENCE
SOUTH CONFERENCE WORSHIP TEAM NEEDS PICTURES FOR CONFERENCE
The Rev. Lynne Renne, a member of the South Indiana Annual Conference Worship Team, needs digital pictures of pastors doing an act of ministry or mission. These images will be used during a worship service at an annual conference session in Bloomington. Please e-mail your digital images to her at LRenne@aol.com. Thank you.
HARRY DENMAN EVANGELISM AWARDS NOMINEES NEED BY APRIL 11
The Denman Evangelism Award is presented annually to a UM Clergy and Lay person in Annual Conference across the country for outstanding work in Christian Evangelism. The award is named for the late Dr. Harry Denman, a distinguished lay evangelist whom Dr. Billy Graham called “my mentor in evangelism.” The awards are made possible by The Foundation for Evangelism, which was founded in 1949 by Dr. Denman.
The South Indiana Annual Conference will honor one clergy person and one lay person with the award during this year’s Annual Conference session.
To make your nominations, please download and complete the forms from the SIC Web site at www.sicumc.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?tabid=251 and return them to the South Indiana Conference Center by April 11. Mailing address: Jeanne Winters (Conf. Evangelism Chair), 1520 S. Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47203. For more information, call 800-919-8160 or e-mail: Gary Schaar.
WOMEN PLAN PRAYER VIGILS DURING INDIANA CONFERENCES SESSIONS
United Methodist Women of North Indiana and South Indiana Conferences will be participating in an intentional prayer vigil during both North and South conference sessions.
United Methodist Women of Indiana will be in prayer from 9 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Thursday, May 29 and June 5 and Friday, May 30 and June 6; and from 9 a.m. until noon on Saturday, May 31 and June 7.
We are privileged to be able to support our Conferences, enveloping each one in prayer. – On behalf of Jeanie Park, UMW President and Cheryl Cole, UMW Spiritual Growth, North Indiana and Kyle DeWeese, UMW Spiritual Growth and Vickie Newkirk, UMW President, South Indiana.
2008 SOUTH INDIANA CONF. LAITY MANUSCRIPT CONTEST ANNOUNCED
Each year the Board of Laity offers the opportunity to all laity of the South Indiana Conference to express thanks and praise God by submitting a sermon manuscript for judging. The deadline for entries is April 30. This year the theme is “One in Spirit, All in Ministry: In the Spirit of Fellowship.” Manuscripts are judged on how well the theme is followed and developed, as well as the use of creative writing techniques. The author will present the winning manuscript at the Laity Session of the Annual Conference on Thursday June 5 in Bloomington. Two other manuscripts will be given Honorable Mention.
Manuscripts are to be sent to Ike Williams, Conference Lay Leader, 1515 Cool Creek Drive, Carmel, IN 46033-2318. Name, address, phone number, local church name, and district name should be on a cover letter. Manuscripts will be assigned a number and be judged anonymously by the selection committee. The winners and two runners up will be notified by May 21. All entries must be postmarked by April 30. Additional information concerning the contest can be obtained by contacting Bob Pimlott, Columbus District Lay Leader at 812-273-3081 or by e-mail at rpimlott1@verizon.net.
MINISTRY RESOURCES
NORTH INDIANA CONFERENCE MEDIA CENTER PICKS FOR MONTH OF APRIL
Any one of us is capable of offering the most sacrificial act any human can give to their pastor, their church or their fellow members – A PRAYER ROOM. Here are a few resources that may spark some interest in your congregation. We have many more so feel free to browse the North Indiana Conference online media resources catalog at www.nicumc.org. If you do not find what you are looking for, call Angel at 800-783-5138. Or, feel free to e-mail any questions regarding the latest resources or availability to Angel Rea.
Can You Hear Me? – looks into the broken hearts and lives of real people and focus on prayerful ways to listen better for God’s comforting voice. – One episode in The Big Picture.
Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? – The very heartbeat – of your relationship with God. Explore the mysterious intersection where you and God meet and relate. – Philip Yancey
When God’s People Pray. Jim Cymbala shows viewers a tiny struggling inner-city congregation as it transforms into a vital, thriving community of believers who pray with passion. — Jim Cymbala
Other prayer resources include: Celebration of Discipline, Faith and Reason: Living Your Faith, How to Have a Prayer Ministry, Intercessory Prayer, Let Prayer Change Your Life, Living Your Power, New Believer’s Growth Course, Place to Pray, Prayer of Jabez, Praying in Color, Praying in the Midst of Life, Seven Circles of Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines, Teach Me to Pray, The Four Acts of Prayer, What Good is Prayer?, Wrestling With Angels and more.
SOUTH INDIANA MEDIA RESOURCE CENTER PICKS FOR APRIL
The South Indiana Conference Media Resource Center’s latest acquisitions can be found online at www.sicumc.org. Click on “Media Center” (on the first two screens) and explore all the available options, including “Newest Resources,” “Bibliographies,” and “Picks of the Month.” April “Picks” have been posted. Highlighted are these titles:
Devotion to Jesus: Divinity of Christ in Earliest Christianity; Golden Rule Politics: Reclaiming the Rightful Role of Faith in Politics; Liquid: God’s Word Flowing Through Your Life; Painting Revelation: Visual Exploration of the Last Book of the Bible; $imply Enough: Straight Talk from Tony Campolo and Shane Claiborne on Simple, Just Living; Stories from the Circle of Life; Streams of Living Water: Celebrating the Great Traditions of Christian Faith (Richard Foster); and 3:16: Numbers of Hope (Max Lucado).
By calling the Media Center toll-free at 800-919-8160, you can order these and other resources from a selection of more than 4000 videos and DVDs. Your only cost is return postage. This service is provided through your connectional tithe. Contact Mary Barnes, Media Center Director, for more information/consultation. For the complete catalog resources, log on to www.sicumc.org and click on Media Center.
LAFAYETTE CHURCH DONATING BUS TO CHARITABLE ORGANIZATION
Christ UMC of Lafayette, Ind. is pursuing donating its existing bus to a charitable organization. The bus is in excellent condition; it is a 12-passenger bus and is approximately five years old. Any organization that is interested needs to contact Steve Habben with the trustees of Christ UMC at 765-474-4313, or contact Suzy by e-mail suzy@christumchurch.org. The trustees would like a brief write up on how the organization would utilize the bus and what ministries it will serve within the organization. Interested organizations need to respond by April 4.
DEATHS
None listed this week.
MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS
Bishop Michael J. Coyner has announced the following changes within the Indiana Area. All dates effective 2008 unless otherwise noted. These appointments are based on Cabinet reports received by Indiana Area Communication during the week of April 4, 2008.
North Indiana Conference
- None this week
South Indiana Conference
- Butler, Bill from Newberry /New: Prairie Chapel, Bloomington to Newberry, Bloomington to New: Scotland, Bloomington, 4/1
- Helms, Rosella L. from Carmel: St. Mark’s, Indianapolis East to Transitional Leave, 4/1
- Lapham, Thomas from Newberry/New: Prairie Chapel/New: Scotland, Bloomington to Newberry, Bloomington, 4/1
- Low, Nancy Louise from no appointment to Hartsville, Columbus, 4/1
- Roach, Ralph from Mineral, Bloomington to no appointment, 3/31
- Walker, Ronald Dean from Columbus: Asbury Associate Lifegate, Columbus to Surrendering Credentials Q#50, 3/14
NEW EMPLOYMENT LISTINGS
TIPTON CHURCH SEEKS CHILDREN’S MINISTRY COORDINATOR
Job Description: Develop and coordinate weekly program(s) for preschool through upper elementary school children. Develop and coordinate children’s Christian education ministries. Provide training and motivation for volunteer involvement
Requirements: Personal faith in Jesus Christ, heart for bringing children to Christ, desire to develop and coordinate children’s ministries, and good communication skills
Hours: 20 hours per week, Salary: $12,000-$15,000 per year
Responsible to: Staff Parish Relations Committee
Works closely with: Sr. pastor, Christian Education Committee/Team
Address inquiries to: pastor.kempumc@tds.net, Ph. 765-675-2915
Kemp United Methodist Church, 228 N Main St., Tipton, IN 46072
PREVIOUS EMPLOYMENT LISTINGS
EAST SIDE INDY CHURCH SEEKS QUALIFIED PRESCHOOL TEACHER
Otterbein UMC located on the East side of Indianapolis is seeking a qualified Preschool Teacher for immediate opening. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: Providing a safe and nurturing environment that creates respect for ethnic, religious, cultural and developmental diversity; promoting social, emotional and cognitive growth; developing a daily classroom schedule and routine; following a curriculum that will prepare children for Kindergarten.
Requirements: High School graduate or equivalent, CDA certified or will be CDA certified by August 2008 or Degree or Associate Degree in Early Childhood Education. Able to do floor activities and endure noise. Be able to occasionally lift a child of preschool age.
For more information or to apply: Contact Linda Hunter at 317-357-3535 or lhunte9@sbcglobal.net.
Other employment opportunities previously listed can be found at www.inareaumc.org/job.htm.
Last updated on 04/21/2008Compiled as a service of Indiana Area United Methodist Communication in Indianapolis.