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Plenary #2:

A celebration of souls;
a blizzard of balloons!

The Friday morning session of the 2001 North Indiana Annual Conference started late: it also started in high spirits as Bishop Janet Huie, Arkansas Area, moved those in attendance. Her personal faith stories and analogy of Christians as crystal Communion chalices through which the light of God can shine were both delightful and inspiring.

The session ended on a high note that rivaled its spirited beginning. Culminating the Cabinet report by Chairperson Larry Ray, a storm of more than 3,700 red balloons rained down on conference members, representing the new members received on Confession of Faith this past year. Young and old, laity and clergy, including Bishop White, kept the hundreds of red balloons bouncing around the music hall for several minutes. "It sounded like the Fourth of July," Ray said, as members began to burst the fallen balloons.

There are 625 lay members and 553 clergy registered in attendance at this year's conference, according to the Rev. Jim Butler, conference secretary, who opened Friday morning's plenary session with that report.

In other action:

• The Rev. Taylor Burton-Edwards, chairperson of the Conference Board of Discipleship, recognized all the churches that have received grants during the past year.

• The Harry P. Denman Evangelism Award was presented in the spirit of the man who, through his passion, led thousands to a relationship with Christ. The Rev. Steven Helm, pastor at Selma UMC, received the award this year. Fifteen years ago, Selma was averaging 80 in worship. Today, by reaching outside the walls of the church, Selma now averages more than 400. Helm gave praise for working in a conference where there is "nothing to do but save souls."

• The Conference Council on Young Adult Ministries brought their report, which included a video presentation and an information packet. The Rev. Jason Gross, CCYAM coordinator, admonished members, saying, "The items in your packet will not help anyone unless you get them to the right people in your church."

• The Rev. Mike Mather, chairperson of the Conference Council on Religion and Race, addressed the conference plan for the next phase of the Racial Equality Action Plan (REAP). Six years ago, this conference made a plan, which in part, made a commitment for conference agencies to intentionally reach out to minority vendors. Of all conference agencies, the Board of Camps and Conferences has been most successful in living up to this commitment. "We have done well. We have done poorly. We will do better," said Mather. "We will reap as we sow."

• Phil Ford was introduced as the new associate director of the North Indiana United Methodist Foundation. Ford is a member of Taylor Chapel in Fort Wayne and a graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University. The Foundation also reported a 10.8% increase in assets in spite of the difficulties experienced by the stock market this past year.

• In the Cabinet address, the Rev. Larry Ray, Fort Wayne District superintendent and cabinet president, reported that the conference reported a less than 1% decline in membership this year. This is the smallest decline in many years. He also celebrated that 3,770 new members came into this conference of the church by affirmation of faith this year. The nine North Indiana Conference district superintendents took part in a skit designed to take a light-hearted, yet all too real, look at itineracy through the eyes of a typical church Staff Parish Relations Committee.
  In other business, the cabinet officers for the coming year were announced. The Rev. David Maish, Muncie District superintendent, will serve as chair, and the Rev. Ted Blosser, Warsaw District superintendent, will serve as secretary. Patti Splitgerber

Out of the pulpit asking "Now what?"

There is a small group of North Indiana Conference pastors in the class of 2001 who are looking forward to new and exciting forms of ministry. They're the 18 new retirees who no longer have to sit through church board meetings or worry about Sunday messages.

The Rev. Richard Chrispell, a chaplain at Methodist Hospital at Gary and Merrillville, has been in the ministry since 1957. He is looking forward to teaching part-time through Vincennes University extension in Jasper, Ind. In his spare time, he's also excited about working on a Bible study with a local Catholic church. "It's kind of unique," said Chrispell. And when he's not teaching, the civic-minded Chrispell -- in between trips out West -- would like to venture into politics to make Jasper a better place to live.

Another retiree, the Rev. Steve Beach of Parker City UMC, is moving to Miamisburg, Ohio, to be closer to some of his family. The 23-year veteran of the ministry said he is going to miss the people, but is looking forward to moving near Dayton to expand his love of jazz music and his music collection. "There's a lot of music in the Dayton area."

The Rev. Patricia Kessel, associate minister at Columbia City UMC, is another new retiree who is moving away from the North Indiana Conference. She's hoping to become a bereavement counselor at a hospice in the Portland, Ore., area and also a teacher at a church. She said her congregation has thrown her various humorous going away festivities and even donated $1,000 to an area homeless ministry. In her spare time, Kessel is actually looking forward to having time to read some books. "I actually may write a book about the last year in my ministry." Matthew Oates

Breaking the status quo is topic of laity address

With lunch over, balloons scattered about from the earlier plenary session and the retirees still celebrating their accomplishments, the members of the North Indiana Conference returned to the Elliott Hall of Music to finish earlier business and kick off the last session of the day.

Jack Dwiggins, conference lay leader from Lafayette Christ UMC, gave the Lay Leader Address which covered what the conference and some churches are doing to break the status quo. With programs such as Anderson New Hope, which reaches out to ethnically and economically diverse populations and programs such as the Healing Racism workshops, the conference is working to break the status quo.

One of the ways to break the status quo is to do something different. In Thursday's Laity Session, attendees had to sit with people they didn't know, thus making them leave their comfort zone. "The status quo feels good, but is self-serving," said Dwiggins. "The status quo keeps us separate from those who are different, in actions, in values, in how we dress and how we talk."

One of the other ways to break the status quo is to work together and not in competition with other churches, in communities and across the conference.

Before concluding, Dwiggins offered a challenge from the writings of well-known church consultant Lyle Schaller. "If you don't remember anything else I've said, remember this and write it down. I quote, 'Do we, as the local church, have the right to offer status quo as an option?' If we choose the status quo, we also may be taking the seemingly easy way out." Matthew Oates

Five honored with 'Bread and Basin Award'

Five members of the North Indiana Conference were honored with one of the conference's highest awards for laity, the Bread and Basin Award.

This year's recipients are Tom Lightle, Asbury UMC; Marian Futter, Mishawaka First UMC; John and Diana Barker, Lapel Trinity UMC; and the Rev. Steve Burris, retiring conference council director.

The award is given to lay members whose ministries have impacted the lives of person in local churches in North Indiana and throughout the world.

• Lightle is involved with the United Methodist Men and his county's "Men of Promise" ecumenical group and teaches a young adult Sunday school class. He has also worked with another ministry group that started a coffeehouse ministry in Portland.

• Futter works with several church groups, including United Methodist Women, the Board of Trustees and with the History and Records Committee. Her passion for learning and service comes from her participation in the Disciple series and with the Bashor Home Auxiliary.

• John Barker has been the warehouse manager for Operation Classroom for 10 years. He has also worked in the mission field in Jamaica for the past six years and travels there between two to four times a year, plus stops in Haiti. Diana has worked side-by-side with John and opens the warehouse for deliveries when he is not there. And when he is there, Diana can be found preparing meals for the volunteers or doing other items around the church.

• Burris was honored for his dedication, efforts and his love for Christ and the church. Combining several gifts and talents, Burris has been active with the Board of Laity. Matthew Oates

Plenary #3:

'Knowing Christ makes a difference' -- 9 youth receive the call

Decked out in bright lime T-shirts reading "Knowing Christ makes a difference. Just look at me," the Youth Council once again "wowed" the North Indiana Conference. The group explained that they chose lime because they wanted to be seen!

The Youth Council introduced their new officers for the upcoming year: Laura Greene (Lafayette District), president; Elyse Hardin (Warsaw District), vice-president; Danielle Burns (Lafayette District), secretary.

At Thursday night's youth meeting, the group discovered that nine youth had felt the call to ministry. Following the Youth Council report, Bishop White shared his dream to have a gathering of 500 Indiana youth (age 12-18) to promote the opportunities of service in the United Methodist Church. To the pleasure of all in attendance, Bishop White declared that the gathering of 500 is planned for October 26, 2002. He ended by challenging all North Conference churches to send their youth to this event.

After presenting the bishop with his "favorite," a bottle of hot sauce, the youth shared their gift of a handmade umbrella, created by one of the youth. Each of the youth received a high-five from Bishop White as they exited the stage.

In other action:

• After some minor changes, the Consent Calendar was approved.

• Ellen Rhodes of the United Methodist Women presented Bishop White with a Mission Recognition pin and certificate.

• Dr. Jim Jones, executive assistant to the bishop, declared that after five years of service, the current Indiana Area staff is the finest he has worked with. Dr. Jones shared what a privilege it is to work with Bishop White: "A bigger heart in a bishop you won't find. We are blessed."

• Bill Cross of the United Methodist Publishing House presented Bishop White with a check for $16,520. In his report, Cross highlighted a number of upcoming UM Publishing projects: Disciple Phase IV and the redesign of www.Cokesbury.com.

• Joe and Carolyn Wagner, coordinators of Operation Classroom, announced that with the help of a grant from the NIC Foundation, a 4-wheel drive vehicle will be sent to the Kissy Medical and Maternity Center in Africa.

• After much debate and discussion, the delegates voted in support of Petition AC-1. Resolution 1 was presented with a few text changes and then received the support of the Conference.

• Plenary #3 ended with a presentation from Lynne DeMichele and Area Communications. Lynne began by introducing Matthew Carlisle, the new associate director of communications. The Rev. Carver McGriff (South Indiana Conference) author of Amazing Grace, a new book on the 200 year history of Indiana Methodism, discussed his appreciation for the Conference's support. Matthew Carlisle

Ordination Service:

Bishop White: 'Feed the shepherds'

Eleven persons were ordained Friday night. This group includes one permanent deacon, three probationary elders, and seven elders in full connection.

The service began with a procession following a series of liturgical banners. Each local church served by one of this year's class of ordinands created a banner for use in the service. The choir for the evening represented voices and instrumentalists and across the conference.

Bishop Woodie W. White addressed the congregation from the front of the stage, asking them to feed the shepherds. "If the shepherd is not fed along with the sheep, that inner hunger, fatigue and unhealed hurt can cause the shepherd to do grave harm to the sheep in his care," he said.

Bishop White challenged congregations to think of ways to tend their shepherds so they will be more able to tend the sheep. Bishop White said he is amazed at the number of pastors who say that lay people have never prayed with them.

Jack Dwiggins, conference lay leader, has been organizing groups of lay people to pray with the bishop before he steps on the stage. "Prayer changes things," said Bishop White, who then invited every congregation to have a group of people pray with their shepherd regularly. He encouraged all to pray with and for their pastors during those last few moments before they take the pulpit instead of hitting them with typos in the bulletin or other negative feedback.

As the candidates were received and ordained, they received a gift stole. This year's deacon stole was handmade by Carol Anders of Crescent Avenue UMC in Fort Wayne. The stoles for the elders in full connection were handmade in Israel. The seven elders in full connection and the permanent deacon also received certificates for a trip with Bishop White to the Holy Lands. Presenting ordinands with this trip has been a long-time dream of Bishop White, finally realized with this class. Matthew Oates

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