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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
February 2002 |
What do YOU think?
The Hoosier United Methodist News welcomes all letters to the editor. In order to be considered for publication, letters must be signed and should include the name of your local church along with a daytime phone number for verification purposes. All letters may be subject to editing for clarity or length. Deadline for each upcoming issue is the 15th of the month.
Our wish is to provide a forum wherein all voices and points of view have an equal opportunity to be heard.
Send to Editor, Hoosier UM News, 1100 W. 42nd St., Suite 210, Indianapolis, IN. 46208; fax: 317.924.4859; e-mail: Editor
Challenge question:There appears to be a broad range of opinion regarding a recent film: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Some feel it promotes mysticism and witchcraft. Others believe it's harmless fantasy with good triumphing over evil. What do you think? Share your reaction with Viewpoints |
Special blessings of the Connection
It's fashionable in certain circles to dismiss the system of pastoral appointments, conferences and clergy membership in the Annual Conference (rather than local churches) as relics of our pioneer past. They claim, particularly, that our system is not conducive to church growth.
Following my mother's recent death, I was stunned by the out-pouring of sympathy from my brother and sister Elders. Not simply from close pastoral friends, but from quarters quite unexpected. Of course, I anticipated and received great support from the congregation I serve, but the extent to which my fellow clergy expressed their sympathy came as a joyous surprise. It brought me a depth of comfort which simply would not have been possible in a congregational system.
So I write not simply to say "Thank you" to my sisters and brothers, but also to thank God for our Connection, for the North Indiana Conference, and particularly for the Order of Elders.
And about that argument that UM connectionalism works against church growth: my experience simply shows that our system benefits clergy, rather than churches. The point, I think, is precisely church growth. This structure teaches us something of what it means to be the church of Jesus Christ. If that's not what we're growing, it doesn't matter anyway.
Dennis David Hensley, Pastor
Fairmount UMC
DePauw serves public as well as Church
RE: January commentary, "UM colleges aren't what they used to be."
The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and the University Senate* recognize the substantive contributions which DePauw University continues to make to the Church and society as a United Methodist-related university. Today, DePauw University has the responsibility and commitment to serve not only the Church, but also the general public at-large. The University embraces all students and faculty members regardless of social standing, ethnic and racial identity, gender, or cultural background, as do all other UM-related academic institutions. And the University continues to maintain the core value of Methodism -- Justice, Reconciliation, and Service.
Let me share with you some specific evidence of DePauw University's high standards. [editor's note: the letter enumerates essentially the same points made in the commentary].
… The DePauw United Methodist Council, composed of United Methodist clergy and laity, meets regularly to discuss the University's relationship with the Church, as well as other contemporary religious concerns.
President Robert Bottoms and Indiana Bishop Woodie W. White forged a new partnership between the University and the Gobin United Methodist Church for cooperative programs .
The relationship between DePauw Univeristy and The United Methodist Church is that of equal partners n the common mission "Preparing a New Generation of Christian Leaders."
I hope that this letter will be of help to you in viewing DePauw University in a broader perspective.
Ken Yamada, Associate Director,
The United Methodist
Board of Higher Education
Nashville, Tenn.* The University Senate is the Church's educational advisory agency. It reviews and accredits UM-related educational institutions.
Methodist roots deep at DePauw
The Methodist roots of DePauw University go back to the very first Indiana Annual Conference held in New Albany. The year was 1832 and the Conference appointed a committee to create a Methodist institution of higher learning at a time of almost total domination of the "State College" (Indiana University) in Bloomington by the Presbyterians.
Though Indiana contained a significantly larger body of Methodists than Presbyterians, the Methodists, were not allowed to supply a single faculty member to the college. Numerous unsuccessful attempts were made through the state legislature to change the situation.
After encountering these obstacles the Annual Conference of 1836 decided to establish, "an institution of the first order ..." and proudly named it, Indiana Asbury University after the father of American Methodism, Francis Asbury. The University was chartered on Jan. 10,1837.
The first president was 27-year-old Matthew Simpson who was one of 6 presidents to be elected a bishop. During his twelve years, (1840-1852) the school went from four graduates to 268 in the student body.
In 1882 the name was changed to DePauw University in honor of Washington C. DePauw (1822-1887) an active and wealthy Methodist. Mr. DePauw made large donations to the school during his lifetime and in his estate.
Also of interest: Bishop Robert R. Roberts, the first married bishop and the first bishop to live west of the Allegheny mountains is buried on the campus, along with his wife.
The first Methodist Church building in Indiana, (Old Bethel Meeting House) was relocated to the campus and restored in 1954 but then removed to Camp Indi-Co-So in the late 1990's.
(Editor's Correction: The building is located at Camp Riverdale not Camp Indi-Co-So.)
The Archives of both the North and South Indiana Conference are located at the DePauw Library.
Wade Compton, Pastor
Epworth UMC, Newburgh
Spiritual focus for U of E students
RE: January commentary "UM colleges aren't what they used to be."
Let me give you a ray of hope from the [UM-related] University of Evansville. I am an UE alumni, my daughter is an UE alumni, and my granddaughter is a freshman at UE. All in education. So I am biased.
Dec. 30, 2001-Jan. 5, 200,2 Chaplain Dr. John Brittain took a group of 12 UE students and five adults to Juarez, Mexico to build a one-room concrete block house for unbelievably poor people. While all of the men and some of the women worked on the house, each day the other women held Vacation Bible School on the 8 by 16-foot flat-bed trailer for up to 20 Mexican children. The bible school instructors had taken a whole suitcase full of supplies. These very poor children were on cloud nine as they colored biblical pictures, heard biblical stories and sang Christian songs.
Dr. Brittan takes a group of UE students to some remote poor area during Christmas and Easter breaks. This is a lot of work and Dr. Brittian is a tremendous leader. He does have church at New Chapel [on campus] every Thursday evening. He led prayer when we got on the bus to go to the airport. He led prayer when we got on the bus upon arriving home. The students led devotions every morning. We went to a local week-day church service -- and they had an English interpreter for us. The accompanying Chemistry professor, the Engineering secretary, and most of the students read their Bible daily.
My opinion: The University of Evansville is doing a pretty good job of fostering Christian ideals.
John Varner
Tell City UMC
Last updated on 01/14/2004