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African American bishop says stop the blame
We forgive you. It's all right and we love you," guest preacher Bishop Warren Brown told more than 1,000 members worshiping Friday morning in Elliott Hall. He responded to Bishop White's plea the night before on behalf of United Methodists to be forgiven for the church's racism towards black Methodists.
Brown is the presiding bishop of the Western West Africa Episcopal District and acting bishop of the 12th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. He said he has four conferences in addition to the seven annual conferences that he was originally assigned.
Worship was embellished in spirit by the sounds of the conference praise band under the direction of Chuck Scott of St. Joseph UMC in Fort Wayne. Selections included "The Solid Rock," "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee," a medley from Psalms 99, 40 and 42 and "The Reconciliation Song," interpreted in dance by the Buley Center Women of Worship. "Let us be a generation of reconciliation and peace," singers and dancers proclaimed to the members.
During his sermon, Brown likened racial conflict in the church to conflict in our homes. "Most of us grew up in a family with siblings and realize differences."
He said there was a unique relationship between Elijah and God in 1 Kings 19. "What are you doing here, Elijah?" God asked. Elijah replied to God, "I alone am left and they want to kill me, too."
The bishop said this was an awkward moment with God.
"Human nature keeps us in conflict with God. Because of our nature we want to express ourselves. In our relationship with God we are constantly pushing the limits. We are seeing how far we can go before God stops us."
He then gave three ways we come into awkward moments with God.
- When we play dumb. We say, "We didn't understand where the boundaries were." When we violate God's rules, we plead -- "Oh God, give me another chance."
- When we fail to recognize our sin. "It's amazing what we do with our sin." For men -- charming women, for women -- handsome men, for kids -- doing what parents don't say not to do.
- When we seek to blame others, like Adam and Eve in the garden, Cain and Abel, Moses and Jonah.
This brings us back to Elijah. God said, "Elijah, what are you doing?" And Elijah said, "They have slain the prophets and now they are trying to slay me too. " God said, "Elijah, what are YOU doing?" As faithful as Elijah was, he doesn't answer directly.
"We need to keep in mind that every one of us will have awkward moments with God. When God says, 'This is what I want you to do.' We say to God, 'Hold it right there,' and then do what we want to do. When we come back, God will be waiting," the bishop said.
"How do we justify our failure to forgive transgressions, our failure to love each other fully without reservations? How do I explain to God that I should have cared more for my brother? How do we justify the lives we live? The only way to justify it is to say, I am sorry for the sins I have committed and being forgiven," the bishop said.
"The greatest challenge as Christians is to own up to our sinfulness and say to God -- 'I'm sorry.'
"It's time for us as Christians to stop shifting responsibility. We need to say to each other that we have lived through awkward moments. But because of Jesus Christ and his blood and the grace and mercies of God, we are forgiven, if we but ask. You can overcome your awkward moments with God," Brown assured his listeners. -- Daniel R. Gangler
Election of delegates to General Conference |
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CLERGY
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LAITY
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Awards
Bishop White presented the Scouting's Bishops Award of Excellence given by the Conference United Methodist Men to the Cub Scout Pack at Evangelical UMC in Huntington. Some of the achievements the pack made to receive this award included: more than 50 percent of pack members completing the religious award, more than 50 percent being United Methodists and the pack assisting at Red Bird Mission in Kentucky.
The Harry Denman Award for Evangelism was given to Kenneth C. Adams of Kokomo and to the Rev. Dr. John Walls of Dayton UMC. -- Daniel R. Gangler
Hispanic ministry program coming to Indiana this summer
United Methodists in North Indiana are just at the brink of truly opening their arms, hearts and doors to their Hispanic neighbors, according to the Rev. Oscar Ramos, Hispanic Missioner. No more than 8 percent of Hispanics belong to a church. No more than 40 percent say they attend or participate in a Catholic, Pentecostal or non-denominational church.
Ramos says there is no better mainstream church to reach out to un-churched Hispanics (60 percent of Hispanic population) than The United Methodist Church. Our church has a 200-year history of dual focus on making disciples for Jesus Christ and meeting physical and social needs, he said.
Those interested in exploring possibilities to develop a Hispanic ministry in their community, should contact Ramos at 574-534-8046 or send him e-mail at orgallardo@msn.com. Overview meetings will be held June 21 at Woodmar UMC in Hammond, July 12 at Simpson UMC in Fort Wayne and July 26 at El Mesias UMC in Frankfort.
Well done, faithful servants
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(Retiree) Merlyn H. Cox Robert Dygert-Gearheart Gary L. Forbes Joseph J. Haney George E. Hapner Carol A. Knox Donald Charles Lacy Roger D. Matthews James A. Nickles Bruce A. Stong Carl R. Sweet Curtis R. Sylvester L. Michael Wilson |
(Years of service) 38 41 44 38 28 8 46 42 19 44 21 35 32 |
Conference changes structure and responsibilities of its ministries
The North Indiana Conference took action on Friday to move to a more effective structure than it presently has, according to the Bishop's Task Force on Ministry. Six recommendations were approved to restructure conference ministries in North Indiana. Highlights of those actions are:
1. The conference first approved that the Council of Finance and Administration transfer the cost for providing rental space for district offices to the District Apportionment beginning Jan. 1, 2004, and that each district assume responsibility for providing the appropriate office space for their district.
2. In similar action, the conference approved that:
- The Strategy Council be empowered to focus on core values and determine the resulting priorities and leadership needs of the conference;
- The Council on Ministries streamline its structure to be more efficient and more effective in its program focus and development;
- The Council Director's role primarily be to implement the directions and decisions of the Strategy Council through the Council on Ministries; and
- The title of the (Council Director) position become the "Director of Ministries."
- During discussion of this action, one delegate was concerned that this move might be too demanding for the director. Others said the move was too top down and did not provide for the discernment process.
3. The conference approved that:
- The Professional Human Resources Personnel Committee in consultation with the Conference Personnel Committee assign the responsibilities of the Director of Professional Human Resources to a new full-time associate position beginning June 16, 2004;
- The Professional Human Resources Personnel Committee be dissolved; and
- The Associate Director's supervision be through the Conference Personnel Committee in consultation with the Director of Ministries and the Executive Committee of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry.
4. After more than 30 minutes of floor debate, the conference approved that:
- The Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry totally transfer the Wesley Foundation at Ball State University campus ministry to College Avenue UMC effective June 16, 2003, with the Director appointed by the Bishop as staff of College Avenue UMC;
- The current Wesley Foundation Board of Directors be disbanded and a new board be formed under the auspices of College Avenue Church;
- Partial support for this ministry be provided through Conference apportionments;
- During debate on recommendation four, the question was raised whether or not the conference could dissolve the Wesley Foundation since the Wesley Foundation is a separate entity from the conference. The bishop referred this question to the conference's legal counsel.
5. The conference approved that:
- The Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry continue the Wesley Foundation at Purdue University;
- That partial support for this ministry be provided through Conference apportionments and from the budget of the Board of Higher Education and Campus Ministry.
6. The conference dissolved the Bishop's Task Force on Ministry.
The yearlong task force bringing the recommendations to annual conference to restructure parts of conference ministries included Jack Hartman, chairperson, Paul Arnold, Al Bohnstedt, Frank Beard, Fredricka Davidson, David Maish and Katharine Walker. -- Daniel R. Gangler
Open Hearts ...
The Rev. Joe Wagner, director of Operation Classroom, helps load blankets and textbooks on the Operation Classroom truck Friday afternoon. "Blanket Them With Blessings" collected 1,830 blankets donated by North Indiana Annual Conference individuals. The outreach project will distribute the blankets to Native American nations, Henderson Settlement in Kentucky, African refugees and Operation Classroom. Operation Classroom also collected school supplies and several hundred theology textbooks for use by African seminary students. More than $5,000 was collected for the Surviving Child Orphan Fund, Advance Special #014159-8RA.
Ordination Service:
Remember the hard stuff
Thirteen men and women were ordained elders and nine were commissioned to candidacy in the Order of Elders and the Order of Deacons during a service filled with spontaneous clapping, dancing in the aisles, Scripture readings, washing of feet and advice from Bishop Woodie W. White to "remember the hard stuff."
The bishop recalled his commissioning service in 1963 from the Detroit Annual Conference. Holding his orders, he told of how the ink has faded as he and his family and orders moved from Washington, D.C.; Columbia, Md.; Springfield, Ill.; Carmel and soon Atlanta.
"It's a precious thing," said Bishop White, while confessing to his wife and the congregants, "I don't know where our marriage certificate is."
When hard times come, he encouraged the members to have a favorite hard time hymn and Scripture to fall back on to lift their spirits. "All the joys will be theirs, but they better be ready for the hard stuff," said the bishop. "I've sang myself out of depression."
Turning to the ordinands, he reminded them of their calling to love all of God's creatures, no matter what the response or situation is. "Reach out to those who you know won't reach out to you."
Then he added a dash of wordplay from one of his wife, Kim's, cookbooks: "Real cooks don't insist on magnificent ingredients to produce a delicious thing. Real cooks take stale bread and aging onions and make you happy."
Real pastors, continued the bishop, don't ask for simple settings where everyone is the same ethnicity, socio-economic background, own several homes and have all the latest gadgets in ministry. "Real pastors take what God and the bishop gives them, then they give that to God and God makes something extraordinary happen." -- Matthew Oates
Mmm ... dinner!
During the annual All-Conference Dinner, members and friends packed the North and South ballrooms at the Purdue Memorial Union to break bread with one another, honor two members and laugh a little.
Steve Deardurff of Lafayette Christ UMC was the recipient of this year's "Bread and Basin" award. Deardurff is active in the United Methodist Men at the local, district and conference levels and is involved with missions.
Rosie Tucker, assistant administrator for office and conference services for the North Indiana Conference, was honored for her 43 years of service to the conference.
Craig Tornquist, a member of South Bend First UMC and a professional comedian, entertained the dinner crowd with his impressions, songs, jokes, gags and props. -- Matthew Oates
Day 2: D'oh!
Editor's Note: During this year's annual conference, the Daily HUM planned to follow Barbara Smith, who is attending her first annual conference. Due to the illness of writer Matthew Oates, he was unable to talk to her on Friday. Watch a future edition of the Daily HUM for a complete wrap-up.