"I appreciate you. You are a contribution," Bishop Mike Coyner told more than 600 clergy members of the South Indiana Conference as they began their work in closed session. "I want you to know that you are appreciated; you are a gift of God."
Instead of comments, Bishop Coyner showed a video titled "Radiating Possibilities." The video included five steps in showing a positive attitude. The steps included:
Get in the front row of life;
When you make a mistake, say "how fantastic;"
Don't listen to the voice in the head;
Connect with other people; and
Affirm "I am a contribution."
The video will be available from the conference resource center and the bishop's office.
During the session, 11 probationary clergy members becoming Elders were presented and approved to be ordained on Friday night. They include: Pamela Carol Cook of Fishers, Joseph Thomas Johnson II of Indianapolis, Timothy Grant Johnson of Greensburg, Jeffrey A. Landon of Middletown, John Robert Mantle of New Albany, Deborah J. Reichenbach of Solsberry, Ronald R. Russell of New Albany, Matthew Lee Scholl of Moorsville, Alvis Holmes Styron Jr. of Indianapolis, Raymond Wilkins of Indianapolis and Ronald Alan Willis of Indianapolis.
During the session, seven candidates to ordained ministry were approved to become probationary members. They will be commissioned to service on Friday night. They include: Gi-Chae Lee of Bloomington; Thomas A. McGilliard of New Albany; Mitchell H. Norwood of Grandview; Lisa D. Schubert of Durham, N.C.; David Williamson of Terre Haute; Jamalyn Alece Peigh-Williamson of Terre Haute; Cynthia Diane Wood of Indianapolis.
Also during the session, Elders and Local Lay Pastors seeking retirement were officially retired, effective the end of the month. Each addressed their clergy colleagues. Most expressed their indebtedness and thanks to those gathered.
Those retiring as Elders include: Philip Brennaman, Beverly Faulk, Nancy Lindley Flood, James Gentry, Holly Rudolf, Marvin C. Swanson, James Witty Jr. and Morris Gene Young.
Those retiring as Local Pastors include: John Like, Melvin Mozingo, Beverly Smith, Robert Taylor and Thomas Ward.
Those retiring represent more than 270 years of service.
Beverly Faulk, the last to speak, told those assembled, "I have been a lesbian all my life. God bless you and may you see the life of Christ in all you do." She then left the sanctuary and joined a small group assembled in front of the church holding hands, praying together and wearing rainbow colored stoles. -DG
As the Memorial Service began in Indiana University Auditorium on Thursday afternoon June 9, Bishop Coyner introduced Bishop David and Martha Lawson and Bishop Leroy Hodapp, both retired bishops with Indiana ties.
Bishop Lawson preached the Memorial Service using Acts 11 as the sermon text. The passage is about the church scattering after the stoning of Stephen. Part of the church went to Antioch where many were added to the faith.
Lawson said he hadn't been to a South Indiana Conference session for 22 years. Facing Coyner, he said, "I am among a number of people that celebrate that you are here. I can also say that you have become a highly respected bishop among the Council of Bishops. Your presence here is very important."
Lawson said in the 1970s, the phrase "the congregation of the clergy" was coined here in Indiana. This congregation gathers as clergy, he said. When clergy die in this conference, clergy attend their funeral. "You will not die alone. The clergy will be with you." These people (we remember) will not be alone, we will be with them. He asked the congregation to review the list of those remembered.
"The other dimension I see here is that these were remarkable people. I said thank you God."
Those listed include: CLERGY - Francis Applegate Sr., Marcus Blaising, Fred Carpenter, Robert DeLong, Edward David Frazier, Leion Guinn, Elva Hardy, Fred Kelley, Ross William Marrs and Julian Morgan; plus SPOUSES - Thelma Askren, Beth Bell, Marilyn Collins, Opal Cox, Mozelle DeLong, Ann Lee Hamilton, Clara Jaquess, Jean Marrs, Rebecca Meacham, Maxine Miller, Ann Belle Partain, Pauline Siders, Imogene Smith, and Virginia Tousley.
Lawson talked about his acquaintance with several clergy listed including Marcus Blaising, Fred Carpenter, Robert DeLong, and Anna Lee Hamilton, names he knew well.
Referring back to Scripture, he said, "Those who could, walked a long distance to Antioch (from Jerusalem). They shared their faith with their fellow Jews and some talked with the Hellenists and Greeks. The words of this reached the ears of the leaders in Jerusalem and they sent Barnabas, who went on to Tarsus and found Paul and brought him down to Antioch to share the faith. "And the church grew and grew and grew," Lawson said.
Then word came about a great famine. The church at Antioch gave money to Barnabas to take back to Jerusalem. Because they did this, they were blessed by God.
Lawson said in1986, the Council (of Bishops) asked me to go to Liberia. He said the bishops told me to try to keep Bishop Kulah out of jail. During this visit, he had a free day. One of Kulah's assistants took him to a place three hours from town. He said, "We came to a handmade concrete box." He said a husband-and-wife missionary couple worked with the church there. The wife became weak. They took her to Ganta, then on to Monrovia to the hospital.
"No doctors knew what was wrong with her, but something in Liberia was making her very sick," Lawson said.
They were advised to go back to America. They went back home to their mission post, but procrastinated and put off returning to America because they needed to do agricultural and church work. She got too sick to travel. This became the place of her death. At her request, when she died, her heart was removed and buried in the concrete box. Her body was sent back home to be buried.
A question as we go to communion, he asked, "Where is it that you want your heart to be buried?"
Deceased clergy member and clergy spouse names were read and a candle was lit to remember each one. The service concluded with Holy Communion. -DG
The South Indiana Conference office here in Bloomington announces that it will be implementing e-mail accounts for all active pastors. E-mail addresses and passwords are being distributed during annual conference registration.
Beginning July 1, all conference e-mail (such as death notices) will go the permanent e-mail account. The permanent SICUMC e-mail account can be accessed through any Web browser using any type of Internet access. These e-mail accounts will not expire even after retirement. There will be a 15-megabyte storage limit for e-mail.
The e-mail activation will coincide with the roll out of a new South Indiana Conference Web site - www.sicumc.org. The new Web site will have an area for pastors only at www.sicumc.org/pastors. There will be a link to e-mail for new accounts on that page, as well as general usage instructions, according to conference leaders.
For more information or technical problems, call the tech support line at 1-800-919-0216 ext. 207 or e-mail at pastorssupport@sicumc.org.
Bishop Mike Coyner began the first of six Bible studies that will precede each "family" of reports using a specific theme. The first was administration.
He said that being "in Christ" we are a new creation. In Christ was a favorite phrase of St. Paul and John Wesley.
In Christ is like being in a family, in a relationship or in love. This is a new way of looking at each other - being in relationship "in Christ" we experience a new.
In the movie "The Matrix," Neo discovers the who world is not real. What he thought used to be real, is not real. John Wesley said the more we are in Christ the more we see the world differently. We see everyone as a child of God. We are connected in Christ like a family, and we have cousins everywhere.
In Christ we are all new. A shift of reality and understanding, of love that is brand new. We may not get it all done, but my hope is that during this conference we will sense the winds of the spirit and go home with a newness.
Did you know that in the Bible administration is part of ministry? It's a pathway to accomplish what Christ wants us to accomplish. "Look at me, I'm new. I hope we can all say 'Look at me, I'm new.' Say it to each other." -DG
After a Bible study led by Bishop Coyner, members of the annual conference started dancing in the aisles.
The reason: the conference was celebrating the arrival of its inaugural theme song, "New Creation" by Greg Graham of Blue Grass UMC in Evansville.
Graham, director of creative arts at Blue Grass, received a flier from his pastor regarding a theme song contest for the annual conference. "I wrote the song and submitted it. We're excited to be here," said Graham, backstage after the first playing of the song. "We're just having a blast."
Graham is joined onstage with his fellow musicians John Wells, Ray Buttry and Erick Scales.
The process of writing the song was easy for Greg. "I started in the Bible." After some prayer and other thoughts about the passages he read, he set down to write the song. "The chorus just came to me. I was blessed. I had it done the morning I started it." -MO
Words and music by Greg Graham; copyright by Greg Graham; used by permission
We had our start with God
Then fell apart from God
Separated by our sinful inclinations
Then we were won by Christ
To be one with Christ
Brought back together to be his delegation
From the pieces of a broken body
He made all things new
We stand before you a new creation
The old is gone, the new has come
Oh Lord we lift your name as we together claim
This new creation in You
We are compelled by love
To go and tell his love
To a world that needs to hear of his salvation
And put back one by one
What this sin had undone
Back to the way it was when we were first created
Share the story of his broken body
And he'll make all things new
There are those who want like us to begin anew
So we must tell them the story, tell what our Jesus can do.
Bishop and Mrs. Woodie W. White sent greetings from Atlanta as annual conference began. "God is good all the time. All the time, God is good."
The Cabinet recommended a review of districts and district alignment in the conference in consultation with the North Indiana Conference and report to the 2006 session. The Structure Task Force and Visioning Task Force will be combined into one task force called the Futuring Task Force. It will meet July 8-9.
Jennifer Gallagher was elected treasurer. Brent Wilson resigned in November 2004.
Created of a unified personnel resource committee for the SIC.
2004 finance summary - total receipt was $9.3 million (76.8% of budget) in 2004. Total expenses were $9.8 million leaving a $500,000 spending deficit. CF&A established spending guidelines and caps. All general funds are now used up. Some 66% of the churches paid 100% of their apportionments; 8% of churches paid no apportionment.
Spending will be limited in 2006 to $9.3 million. The conference needed to cut $500,000. Cuts come from CCOM ($330,000) and the Administrative Council ($165,000).
Proposed 2006 budget. The conference plans to collect $12.28 million in apportionments and to spend $9.64 million.
Tithing. Kent Millard presented Bishop Coyner's proposal to develop a tradition of tithing. Two proposals were offered:
First - recommend that each pastor, lay leader and church set tithing as a goal.
Second - in 2007 we will ask each local church to tithe its monthly income to the ministries of the conference. This ties the local church income to the income of the annual conference. This is an act of faith.
Millard noted that churches that have stewardship campaigns and receives pledges double their average annual gifts per member. Tithing will triple local church income. "We tithe because we are givers... We, who are recipients of God's giving, are called to live out lives in this same style of giving," said Coyner.
It was recommended that the apportionment task force be dissolved in lieu of the work of CFA and the changes being proposed in apportionments. The conference approved.
The total liability is $3.9 million. Peebles introduced a new plan coming January 2007 called the Clergy Retirement Security Program. It will be composed of defined benefits and defined contributions. A seminar will be available for participants and their spouses on Aug. 26-27 at the conference office in Bloomington.
Total claims for 2004 were $7.1 million. Costs include: Claims 92.4% with administration only 4.5%. 2004 changes included a new third party administrator, new benefits officer (Jennifer Gallagher), new billing system. Prescription cost increased 3%. Malloy Wellness did health screening across the conference last fall.
During 2004, they renewed the foundation's focus on members, clergy, laity and churches of the South Indiana Conference. Cornerstone grant program had a limited success both in contributions and in those asking to use it. The foundation only expended up to six $1,000 grants each year. It has come to an end. The foundation will shift its focus to support local ministries. Nearly $22 million has been collected and managed by the trust funds since 1985.
Marie Lang said that the foundation has always given to the minister's retirement fund in the form of a trust. The foundation newest perpetual fund is the Legacy Endowments. The foundation manages $1.4 million dollars for local church gifts and conference causes. The foundations distributed funds to Camp Encounter ($1,360), Church Growth and Evangelism ($1,675), and Minister's Retirement Fund ($315,000).
The conference statistician said that 2004 membership stands at 113,374 a 2% decrease of 2,343 from 115,717. The conference grew in professions of faith by 6 percent. Of the more than 600 churches, 260 churches grew in average worship attendance.
Clyde Fields introduced Jim Gentry as the new foundation director effective July 1. Fields is retiring after eight years of service. Gentry said the foundation will be taking an active approach in raising funds for the foundation. One ministry of the foundation over the past 15 years has had an emphasis on faith promises. Over the years, the foundation has given $150,000 to Operation Classroom/Operation Doctor and has provided travel grants to newly ordained ministers.
Mike Canfield of Indianapolis Old Bethel UMC was the winner of the 2005 laity manuscript contest. First runner up was Sharie Morgan of Carmel St. Mark's UMC and second runner up was Ronald Brand of Rockport, Ind.
Canfield's entry, "Discipleship: No Day at the Beach," was selected over more than 30 other entries, said laity manuscript chair Janet Werle.
Taking the laity to Salvation Shores, a place with a perfect climate and warm and friendly people, Canfield shared of how if you received a call from a friend to go to a place such as that, you would go. And while there, you would follow a trail, going up a mountain that would have challenges, but you would have assistance. Much is like our walk in faith with Christ. "We ought not to be content with salvation. Our faith calls for discipleship."
Canfield later added, "To be a disciple means to give up your content life. It is apparent that Jesus demands us to give discipleship top priority ..."
"There must be something so joyous of this event that they must share it," he said. "Our witness should be a natural by-product of our joy. My Christianity is the best product I've had in my life."
With the backdrop of "New Beginnings," Ike Williams, South Indiana Conference lay leader, welcomed all the laity to the Thursday morning laity session.
Jim Winkler, general secretary of the General Board of Church and Society, provided the keynote address.
Winkler, who has deep roots in the United Methodist Church, shared of news and projects and the mission of Church and Society. With offices in New York located across from the United Nations and in Washington D.C. across from the Capitol and the Supreme Court, Winkler and his staff work to seek implementation of the church's Social Principles and other social justice programs throughout the world. "We do this in a variety of ways: advocating for truth in Christ in the halls of power."
Reminding the laity of their calling and of their heritage to free God's people, Winkler shared John Wesley's ordination verse: Luke 4:16-19, to feed the hungry, release the captives and more. "Being active in the public arena is in our United Methodist DNA," said Winkler.
Sharing statistics from a variety of social justice and world agencies, Winkler recalled that it would cost about $15 billion for universal primary education in 88 developing countries, $21 billion for basic healthcare and $6 billion for lunches for the less-fortunate students. "Why aren't we providing these items? Why aren't we upset about it?" asked Winkler. "Yes, our church has changed."
While striving never to compromise our identity, we must remember Christ's calling of freeing the oppressed. That can be watching what we buy in stores, such as shoes that could be made in Southeast Asian sweatshops or coffee that is grown in unenvironmentally friendly methods or with underpaid workers. "We do these things almost everyday. We are caught in a moral and religious situation," said Winkler. "We cannot afford to turn inward and ignore the world."
With all the social situations the world faces, where is the church and its mission and its members and leaders? "We can do it because we're resurrection people," Winkler said.
"The world stands at a crossroads. We're the backbone of movements of social justice that have transformed the world."
The inaugural youth lay speaking school had 52 graduates. The next session will be Jan. 20-21, 2006 at Carmel St. Mark's UMC.
The Fall 2005 Leadership Academy programs were announced. See conference packet.
The UMW celebrated 600 health kits and flood buckets for UMCOR; passage of health legislation; sending of cards to military troops; starting a ministry at the Indiana Women's Prison; operating the Lucille Raines Residence; and planning for the upcoming School of Christian Mission. -MO
"Come, now is the time to worship," sang the praise band on the stage of Indiana University Auditorium Thursday night, as the church growth and evangelism event began.
"Come, just as you are before your God. Come," sang and played the St. Paul Faithlink Praise Band of Bloomington as they led congregational singing.
Scripture was read from Act 4:13-21, 5:12 about the signs of the early church in Jerusalem when they were ordered not to speak in the name of Jesus. Peter and John said, they couldn't keep from speaking about what they had seen and done.
Strategic Planning helps provide churches by obtaining loans. The Screening and Strategy committee information is available on the new SIC Web site at www.sicumc.org.
Congregations. Bartlett Chapel was losing youth. The conference gave them a three-year $50,000 grant to hire a youth pastor. They are now in their fourth year and flying. Hanover Church chose the 12 Keys program with two priorities - children and youth. They have experienced a seven-percent growth. Barnes Church in Indianapolis wanted to change the image of its congregation. Members created a visual picture for African-American through television and door-to-door. At Sandy Hook, they used connectional funds for block parties, VBS and an Easter egg hunt. Since 2000, worship has increased 28 percent.
The Hispanic ministry report was given in Spanish. Presenters said the Hispanic population is growing rapidly. In Indianapolis Vida Nueva has made us realize that our mission field is here at home. The church is located in the midst of an Hispanic population. Old Bethel UMC is now offering Spanish Bible studies. Irvington UMC is offering ESL classes. In Bloomington St. Mark's offers a Spanish ministry. Knox County has a food pantry available to Hispanics. Vida Nueva now offers Hispanic culture awareness training.
New Communities of Faith being developed in the South Conference include: The Promise in Fishers (3 out of 4 adults were not churchgoers), Faithpoint in Floyds Knob, Faithlink alternative in Bloomington out of St. Paul UMC. A new missional church was established in Congo known as the Kamina Project. Taylor Walters was sent to the Project from Indiana.
Much like fellow Hoosier David Letterman, Marsha Coyner kicked off her presentation at the annual all-conference dinner with a Hoosier-filled "Top ten reasons why I'm glad to be back in Indiana." (See sidebar.)
One of her passions is music, which is one way that helps her faith come alive. "I fell connected to God through music."
After directing children's choirs, singing in adult choirs and then playing and leading hand bell choirs, she shared the importance of community and how choir members rely on each other and not just musically. "From that, the community (hand bell choir) grew to people. We were a little body of Christ."
Out of her passion grew another commitment to missions and seeing changes that occur to people who go on work teams in Indiana, across the U.S. and around the world. A church she was active in while in Fargo, N.D. had a covenant relationship with a church in Lithuania. When a mission trip opportunity to Lithuania opened up, she went. They took the hand bells to share with the Lithuanians, who were experiencing a revival and renewal of churches in the former Soviet Union.
The plan was to introduce the bells to the church and the people and let them keep the bells. When the group set the bells up, the entire church was thrilled, with people even coming in off the street.
"They were so excited," said Coyner. "It is hard to describe the feeling for that first song.
It was an incredible feeling of connectiveness," she continued. "In that moment, that church reached out." -MO
11. (I could not cut it down to just 10 reasons) I can visit Switzerland, Brazil, Edinburgh, Washington, ... and Mecca, Jordan and even Eden ... and not leave Indiana.
10. I now live in a state where snow is measured in inches, not feet!
9. In Indiana, a person can be a Boilermaker and a Hoosier at the same time . and people here understand that . Speaking of sports, I have so many teams to cheer for besides Purdue: there's the DePauw Tigers, the University of Indianapolis Greyhounds . and the University of Evansville Purple Aces - I'm sure there's a story behind a United Methodist school using a suit of playing cards, even if it is purple! I can't forget Ball State Cardinals, Indiana State Sycamores, University of Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles, Vincennes Trailblazers, Taylor University Trojans, Wabash College Little Giants, various campus of Indiana and Purdue Universities, and so on... . even Notre Dame - are they still fielding a football team?
8. If my car breaks down somewhere in Indiana, I'm probably only a mile or two away from help from the nearest United Methodist church.
7. I can use my Indiana state maps again ... but I don't know why I have to drive south to North Vernon and north to South Bend.
6. Mike and I can attend Pacers basketball and Colts football games. We attended one game at Conseco when Reggie scored his age - 39 points. Amazing!
5. Instead of only once a year at the Indy 500, I'll hear "Back Home Again in Indiana" much more often now!
4. I don't have to wear a watch here - nobody really knows what time it is anyway.
3. live in an area where the Bishop's residence comes with an important religious symbol - a basketball goal!
2. Now I can spend a lot of time with my daughter Laura, since she is in Ft. Wayne, and my son Steve and his wife Megan, because they are in Fishers. With parents, a sister, and sisters-in-law not far away I can be connected to family more closely again.
1. I believe that God has called me back here, and I'm excited to learn what that means!
Bishop Lindsey Davis of the North Georgia Conference, based in Atlanta, told the conference it was very gratifying to hear reports at what God is doing in Indiana.
Davis said Jesus gave the great commission in Matthew 28. Go and make disciples.
I want to be part of a church that is going. In Acts we witness a GO church. The disciples were fearless to be obedient to the call of Jesus Christ.
Christianity is a movement not an institution. Our Wesleyan language says we are a movement. The United Methodist Church is important in Indiana in transforming the state for the sake of Jesus Christ. It's hard to see transformed lives.
Dig out the Journal. Professions of faith reflect your future.
What does it mean to be a mission movement? What attachments hold us back? We need to let go of our preferences. We need to plant new churches with immigrant groups, he said.
Our mission is to make disciples of all nations for the transformation of the year. We (in Georgia) plant ten new churches a year with half of them being immigrant churches. Being mission driven is freeing and joyful.
Aren't we comfortable and content? Are we willing to pay the cost of discipleship? What if it cost us our treasured traditions? What if it cost us our entitlements - our structures, accountability, assets and budget priorities?
Our church will make a difference when we care about the children and grandchildren of all of us. I yearn for all our churches to be mission driven, passionate and aware of the needs, then GO to meet those needs.
He said, let's make a difference for the sake of Jesus Christ. Let's be the salt and light of the world. Keeping company with the Lord is what being a Christian is all about.