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Hoosier United Methodist News Archives
| Hoosier United Methodist News |
January 2002 |
2001 Humanitarian named
Carnell Scott, president of Black Methodists for Church Renewal (NIC BMCR), was himself, named this year's recipient of the group's Bishop Woodie W. White Humanitarian Award. Scott received the award at a banquet held at Christ UMC in Fort Wayne on Nov. 3. The Rev. Katurah Johnson, pastor at Elkhart Bethel UMC, presented the award. Scott is a member of Gary Fifth Avenue UMC, and a member of the Indiana Area Foundation. He has been active in BMCR since its inception and was honored for his consistent work in that area. Scott says he considers receiving this award named for his bishop a double honor. Patti Splitgerber
Bambarra bus business begins
Mark Gough, pastor of Taylor Chapel in Fort Wayne, and several Indiana and West Africa cohorts have recently arranged for a fleet of five used buses to be sent to an impoverished city in Sierra Leone. The project, done in conjunction with the Sierra Leone Conference lay leader and churches there, was designed to establish a small, much needed, transportation system in Bambarra. The Bambarra Obboyama Ngu Wufe ("Help me not to be ashamed" in a local tribal tongue) project will not only provide transportation, but also jobs for the country's southern region.
A group of local Indiana church members will travel to West Africa in early May, Gough says, to launch an evangelism crusade there. Lynne DeMichele
Mission outlined for 'crawler
Since the announcement that South Indiana Conference's Board of Global Ministries would assume control of God's Nightcrawler, the group has been hard at work developing a new mission for the bus. Available for use from Jan. 1, 2002 the focus of the program will be mission driven, for such endeavors as:
Emergency disaster response - This will entail a team assembled by the conference or district Disaster Response coordinator that will be sent to a disaster within 48 hours. All members of this team will have proper credentials.
Early disaster response - The conference or district will send a crew within the first two weeks of a disaster. The emergency disaster response team and early disaster response team will travel with the early response trailer, stocked with tools and needed supplies.
Volunteers In Mission trips - These trips will be coordinated by the conference and district VIM coordinators. The primary focus will be to help rebuild after a disaster.
Local church mission trips - Any church may use the bus during a mission trip or mission interpretation opportunity.
The SIC Board of Global Ministries will provide use of the van and two drivers. Groups may suggest their own drivers, but they must have a commercial drivers license and be certified by Tarrell Thompson, manager of the bus program.
The total cost of using the bus will be $1.65 per mile, which includes a recommended fee for the drivers of 10 cents per mile. Groups will be responsible for their own food, lodging and programming.
Help the SIC Board of Global Ministries name their bus
The group needs your assistance in coming up with a new name and logo for what has been known for years as God's Nightcrawler. If you have suggestions, please submit them to the Rev. Doug Walker, Cook Memorial UMC, 2915 S. Walford Dr., Jeffersonville, Ind. 47130-5332 by April 1.
To learn more about the use of the Board of Global Ministries bus, please contact Tarrell Thompson at 812/724-3704. Jennifer Hansen
Religion communicators select Indy for 2003
The Associated Church Press (ACP) and the Religion Communicators Council (RCC) recently announced that they had chosen Indianapolis as the location for their 2003 conventions. Among members of the planning committee are Matt Carlisle and Lynne DeMichele of Indiana Area UMC Area Communications.
It was decided that by sharing a common venue, Embassy Suites Hotel Downtown, each organization might see greater attendance. The 2003 RCC Convention will be held from April 24-26. Members of the ACP will gather for their convention the following day, running April 27-30.
Both organizations are now in the planning stages for their respective conventions. Judging from past years, the conventions promise to enlighten. If you would like to learn more about membership or upcoming conventions, please visit www.religioncommunicators.org or www.theacp.org . Matthew Carlisle
Last updated on January 14, 2004