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 Methodist News |
June 2001 |
Indiana Briefs
Vida Nueva UMC forced to relocate
The building that Vida Nueva UMC, Indianapolis East District, calls home was recently declared temporarily unsafe by inspectors. During an inspection to determine the cost of reinforcing the sanctuary walls, major structural flaws were discovered in the roof trusses. The flaws resulted in enough damage that the building has been closed to the public. The congregation is now meeting at Washington Street UMC while they consider their options.
Once the congregation learned of the safety issue, they moved immediately, borrowing Grace UMC the following Sunday. "Our primary concern is the well being of the many people who use that facility," said East District Superintendent Bill Schwein. "Buildings are replaceable, people are not."
Many neighboring churches offered use of their sanctuaries while the congregation makes plans. "We are deeply grateful for the prayers and support that we have received in this crisis," said the Rev. David Peñalva, pastor of Vida Nueva.
Washington Street's location will provide Vida Nueva with new opportunities for ministry. Indianapolis' largest Hispanic community is in the west Washington Street corridor. Metro Ministries and Vida Nueva are planning a social justice ministry on the west side of the city.
However, Vida Nueva is committed to maintaining a ministry to Hispanic families on the east-side of Indianapolis as well. "These Hispanic communities are growing, too. We need to be able to serve them as well," said Peñalva. Robin Andres
SIC to donate questioned funds to anti-gambling ministry
The South Indiana Conference's plans for a new building on Bloomington's north side are proceeding even as concerns regarding the source of the funding for the development's infrastructure are being addressed. Last month a group of clergy and lay members circulated an Open Letter expressing concern that the funding package for the project included revenue from the gambling industry.
The Build Indiana Fund, which is fed primarily by the state Lottery and casino taxes, provides money for roads and other infrastructure for development projects throughout the state. Funding for development of Gateway Office Park, where the new Conference Center will be built, included money from the Build Indiana Fund.
Conference Council Director Susan Ruach acknowledged the conundrum. She emphasized that conference leaders remain committed to the Church's stand against gambling; however, it's virtually impossible to avoid all indirect benefits. "We're trying to live with integrity given the pervasiveness of where gambling funds are used across our state," she said.
That in mind, Conference leaders decided to address the issue by donating $14,500 - the calculated equivalent of the gambling-related part of the Build Indiana funds used - to anti-gambling ministries. According to Ruach, the donation will help launch Gambling Recovery Ministries, a program designed to help gambling addicts and their families in southeastern Indiana.
While all concerned may not be satisfied with this solution, the building project for the much-needed new Conference office, approved last June, is moving ahead. Lynne DeMichele
Lehrian joins NIC
Service Center staff
The North Indiana Conference Service Center staff in Marion welcomed Tim Lehrian as the new systems administrator. His job is to maintain hardware/software to support the information flow for the Conference. Tim comes to the Service Center from Indiana Wesleyan University, where he was involved in information technology, software support training, hardware support and help desk management. Tim earned his BS in mathematics and computer information systems at Indiana Wesleyan in 1993.
Tim and his wife, Renee, have a son, Collin, age 2 ½. Tim enjoys playing piano and sometimes the drums for the praise team at Hanfield UMC (Marion District). Tim may be contacted by calling the Service Center at 800/783-5138 or by e-mail at tlehrian@nicumc.org. Paula Shrock
Goodwill: Indiana ahead of national average
On April 12, Gov. Frank O'Bannon's FaithWorks Indiana released the results of a survey that polled 412 faith-based organizations throughout the state. They found that Indiana faith-based groups are more likely to be involved in helping others than the national average.
Some interesting findings are noted as result of the survey:
Indiana congregations are more likely to participate in human services activities than are congregations nationally (79 percent Indiana vs. 57 percent nationally);
A majority of Indiana congregations (58 percent) support three or more (charitable) activities;
A small minority of Indiana congregations (16 percent) receive outside funds to support their programs, but a slight majority (52 percent) are interested in governmental funding;
Mainline congregations (69 percent) are more willing to apply for governmental funding to support social services outreach activities than are more theologically conservative congregations.
Copies of this report can be found at www.in.gov/faithworks or by calling FaithWorks Indiana at 800/599-6042.
Small Wonders illustrator signs off
Anna Ruble and the Rev. Jack Hartman enjoy a moment together at High Street UMC, Muncie District, during an autograph session promoting the book Small Wonders. Anna was a contributing illustrator and autographed copies of the book to help promote sales. Anna sold 44 books during her autograph session in an effort to help raise monies for the United Methodist Bishop's Task Force on Children and Poverty.
The book is a collection of children's faith stories and is available through Cokesbury. Karen Siefert
Health foundation receives $2 million grant for Clarian
Last updated on 01/14/2004The Methodist Health Foundation has received a $2 million grant from the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation to support and increase Clarian's (health care group of which Methodist Hospital is a part) ethics services and programs.
A center for medical ethics will open this summer and will be named for the grandfather of Richard M. Fairbanks, the late Charles Warren Fairbanks, president of the Trustees 1910-1918. The Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics will be located in the Noyes Pavilion of Methodist Hospital. The grant will be used for medical ethics specialists, clinical ethics education to staff and students, internal medical ethics programs, external community education programs and information for political and legal decision-makers as they decide on medical ethics and bioethics issues.