SIC AC-- June 6, 2007

Indiana Area Bishop Mike Coyner called the clergy into executive session Wednesday morning, June 6 at First UMC in downtown Bloomington.

He told the more than 400 clergy assembled that he didn't bring a DVD to show this year as he has done in the past couple years.

He then shared more personally that Bishop David Lawson's death last week had hit him hard and still hits hard. He said Lawson was his consecration bishop at jurisdictional conference when he was elected and consecrated a bishop. He said, "Bishop Lawson called himself a 'balcony person for me.'"

Coyner said that Lawson was an incredible reminder that ministry is a privilege - a great, great privilege. In the words of another preacher, "Itineracy is a great privilege, too, to go to a place we have never expected to go and discovering God is there."

He also shared Philippians 1 as the Scripture Bishop Lawson used as his "good-bye" Scripture which he shared with those as friends who called to bid their final farewells.

During the session Anne Rosebrock from the Kansas West Conference was welcomed as an Elder in this conference. Russ Abel and Karen Powell have been transferred to the North Indiana Conference.

In other business, it was announced that Bart Colwell, Kevin Greggy and Mary Jane Modlin were applauded as recent graduates of the pastors course of study.

The clergy approved 20 candidates to be commissioned this week as probationary members including 17 Elders: Stanley Abell of Indianapolis, Dennis Adams, Karen Bray of Linden, Ted Chalk of New Middletown, Michaelene Haysler of North Vernon, Warren Kirk III, Robert Kumpf of Brazil, John Pettigrew of Crawfordsville, Kevin Raidy of Whitestown, Kevin Reed of Indianapolis, David Scifres of Economy; Callie Smith of Noblesville, Ann Goodall Spahr of Indianapolis, Jerald Turner of Floyds Knobs, Patricia Watson of Fredricksburg, Wesley Wright of Indianapolis, Kevin Wrigley of Plainfield, and three Deacons: Chiyona A'Leeta Bourne, Sharon Gilson Dunlevy and Mary Beth Morgan.

The one to be ordained as an associate member is Daniel L. Sinkhorn of Sullivan.

Eight probationary members approved to be ordained Elder this week include: John Adams of Dale, Curtis Hunt of Noblesville, Jill Kaetzel, Tom McGilliard of New Castle, Jimmie Moon III of Noblesville, Gregory Pimlott of Greenfield, Adam Shourds of Rockport, and Reid Walker of Zionsville.

The commissioning and ordination service will be held Friday night in IU Auditorium.

The conference also approved the retirement of Elders James Hamilton, Samuel Chizmar, Frederick Cox, Dennis Deeter, Edward Gardner, William Helms, Richard Russell, Robert Sharp, Linda Snider and Jon Belton Walters. Retirees will be recognized by the conference on Friday, mid-morning.

Memorial Sermon

The South Indiana Annual Conference opened its session the afternoon of Wednesday, June 6 at Indiana University Auditorium with the traditional memorial and communion service. The sermon was preached by Robert Sharp, director of the conference's connectional ministries and a retiring clergy member of the conference.

Using the Scripture text of Hebrews 12:1-3, he used the theme of "So Great a Cloud."

Sharp said, "In the midst of this conference with its decisions and elections, we pause to remember these ministers and spouses. These were called by God and separated for parsonage ministry."

He thanked family members for being a part of the conference today and for understanding the demands of ministry... We thank the encouraging spouses."

He said, "We pastors are a homeless lot. We don't belong to any one church. We, as the congregation of the clergy, remember these our friends. This is our congregation where we form our bonds and remember those who have gone before us. It is here we celebrated our joys. You are the ones who have shared in the lives of these deceased."

He then invited members to review the list and add other names of clergy and laity to remember.

"Remember those who mentored you, who celebrated your joys, gave wise counsel and shared countless cups of coffee," he said.

"There is no such a thing as a self-made person. We are part of everyone we have met. Someone has lifted you when you needed counsel and helped find hope when all was dismal. These are God's special people. We pause and give thanks for everywhere our lives have passed with so great a cloud of witnesses."

He reflected on Harold Beck, a longtime Boston theologian, who often said, "our enemies become our saviors." Sharp said that as a young pastor, he didn't understand that, but now he understands.

Sharp asked members to honor those who have gone before. "Most of us worship and preach in churches built by those who have gone before. How do we repay such a debt? By our own lives of faithfulness. When we help and encourage, we pay it forward. When we share the news of Jesus Christ, we pay it forward and honor those who have gone before us."

Following the sermon, a bell tolled for each of those remembered who died during the past 12 months. Clergy remembered included: Richard Armstrong, Harold Clark, Clarence Clemons, Lawrence Cooper, William Earley, Robert S. Eccles, Charles Farr, Alton Hawkins, J. Stanley Howell, Bishop David Lawson, Herbert McGuin, Carolyn Ocker, Silas Stiles, William Sweigart, Paul Trumbauer and J. Richard Yeager.

Spouses remembered included: Margaret Ann Alfred, Betty Bates, Maxine Davidson, Kathryn Eccles, Jane Fribley, Gretchen Hayden, Martha Lightfoot, Mildred Little, Lela Neuerman, Sharon Roeder, Elizabeth Schoenecker, Jack Smith, Ruth Spencer and David Woods.

Bishop Lawson's Memorial Service

A memorial service celebrating the life of Bishop David Lawson is scheduled for Monday, June 11 at 1:30 p.m. in the sanctuary of Saint Luke's UMC, 100 West 86th Street in Indianapolis. Visitation with the family will precede the service beginning at 12 noon. A private service with interment of ashes will follow the memorial service.

Balloting begins, three elected on Wednesday

Balloting began on Wednesday for lay and clergy delegates to the 2008 General Conference of The United Methodist Church, which will be held next spring in Fort Worth, Texas. This conference will elect six clergy and six laity to General Conference, the top legislative body of the denomination.

Ann Glass, pastor of Plainfield UMC, was elected as the first clergy delegate to General Conference on the second ballot.

Conference Lay Leader Ike Williams of Carmel was elected on the first lay ballot cast for General Conference delegates. Senator Patricia Miller of Indianapolis was elected the second lay delegate on the second ballot cast.

Following the election to General Conference, lay and clergy conference members will elect another five delegates each to represent the South Indiana Conference at the North Central Jurisdictional Conference in Grand Rapids, Mich., in July 2008.

After all 20 delegates are elected, alternate delegates will be elected before the close of balloting.

Laity Luncheon

Bishop Mike Coyner greeted the more than 250 lay members who attended the Laity Luncheon hosted by SIC Lay Leader Ike Williams. Coyner said, "As we engage (in the conference), we want to hear from the laity, not just the clergy and especially about the Imagine Indiana plan."

He introduced John Lawson, son of the late Bishop David Lawson, who was remembered at the Memorial Service which followed the luncheon.

Williams introduced Sam Dixon, deputy general secretary of the UM General Board of Global Ministries based in New York City.

Dixon, a native of North Carolina said, "Life is changing and unless we change, we will have a difficult time as The United Methodist Church."

He then shared about how different life for him living in the Bronx is from life in his native Carolinas. He said he is about the only white male who reads and speaks English in the subway car he rides between the office and home. He hears many languages.

He said even life in the small northeast North Carolina town of 15,000 citizens he lived in before moving to New York has changed. "Now, we are about 25 percent Asian, 25 percent Anglo, 25 percent African American and 25 percent Native American. We have become very diverse."

He then asked, "Do we want to change or do we as a church want to die? Unfortunately, most United Methodist churches are choosing to die. During the last year of which he have statistics, 383 (United Methodist) churches closed their doors."

He said, "Embracing the community around us means we are embracing a community that is younger - one having different styles of speech and music than we are used to hearing. We have to step out if we are to be faithful to Christianity. If we are about Christ, then we need to embrace the new reality or we can die."

Dixon reminded his listeners that Jesus hung out with a very diverse crowd of people. "Like him, we need to tear down the barriers that make churches look like us. I want to be challenged and lifted up when I go to church."

He said it is up to us if we want to grow as a church. "It is up to us to engage people for Christ."

He concluded by saying, "If our churches want to grow, they can grow. People still believe. Folks still want a connection to God in the United States, but we have to speak in the language of the people we want to address. Christ has called us into the faith with someone else who is seeking."

Wednesday afternoon plenary session

During the Wednesday afternoon plenary session a number of reports were heard and are highlighted here.

Imagine Indiana. Bishop Coyner said Imagine Indiana is more than the process. Imagine Indiana is believing God has a direction for our conference and for our local churches.

The Imagine Indiana prayer team introduced Paula Shrock of the North Indiana Conference who is here with members of the NIC who are praying for this conference session with us.

Ike Williams, SIC lay leader, encouraged local churches to sign up for being a participating church in prayer for Imagine Indiana.

Joe Wagner falls. Robert Sharp announced that Joe Wagner, coordinator of Operation Classroom, fell yesterday and hit his head. He is in the critical care unit of Bloomington Hospital and recovering.

Balloting began for the lay and clergy delegates to General Conference which will be held next year in Fort Worth, Texas. This conference will elect six clergy and six laity to General Conference.

South Indiana Cabinet Secretary Ned Steele moved the discontinuances of these congregations: Butlerville in Columbus District, Maxwell of Indianapolis East District, Bellaire in Indianapolis West District and Cory in Terre Haute District. Approved.

Numbers - Conference Statistician Doug Walker reported that at the end of 2006 full membership stood at 111,004 members a decline of 201 members or 0.2 percent below last year's 111,205.

Professions of faith stood at 2,583, a decrease of 139 from 2,722 or -5.1 percent.

Average worship attendance stood at 62,988, a decline of 790 from 63,778 or -1.2 percent.

Average Sunday school attendance stood at 23,309, a decline of 185 from 24,294 or -4.1 percent.

Director of the Indiana Area UM Foundation Jim Gentry, reported that $382,000 has passed through the foundation for projects supported by area United Methodists including trips to the Holy Land for newly ordained ministers and the Seashore District Volunteer Center in D'Iberville, Miss. A check of $3,482 will be presented to the Seashore District Volunteer Center.

Wednesday night

Diakonia was the watchword of the Wednesday night service as the conference celebrated the 10th anniversary of the permanent Order of Deacon and the 30th anniversary of diaconal ministry in the UMC.

The diakonia is an order of service in the church offering full ordination as Deacons in ministries of music, education, administration, communication, children's ministries, youth ministries and other specialized ministries of the church.

The evening was begun by uplifting music of the Praise Team from Grace UMC of Franklin.

Sandy Harlan, a Deacon and associate council director of the conference, introduced Louise Williams, President of DIAKONIA World Federation and executive director of the Lutheran Deaconess Association.

She began, "Tonight we celebrate the ministry of the deacons across the life of the UMC. "Tonight I wish to talk about the ministries of those in deaconate ministry."

Williams said, "It's not just about the D-people, but about the whole, because we are all called to servant ministry. The deacon will be calling on the gifts of others. Sometimes the deacon will stand as a sign as a living reminder of Jesus who called for ministry "to the least of these" (Matthew 25).

She presented five images to help us remember the work of deacons in the church.

She ended by saying, "These are the gifts of the deacons as they bring life to the church. Their job description is to invite more deacons, small "d" into the life of the church. You don't need to be a Deacon to perform these five acts."

Wednesday night

Co-chairs Adolf Hansen (SIC) and Cindy Reynolds (NIC) of the Imagine Indiana Planning Team introduced the seven team members, presented a 10-minute video of the team's 12-page report and thanked the more than 300 people who served on 14 discernment teams. The planning team was appointed by Bishop Mike Coyner following the 2006 annual conferences. One of those teams was a prayer team. Another was a feedback team.

The report recommends the uniting of the South Indiana Conference with the North Indiana Conference. The full written report is in the conference workbook and hard copies are available in the auditorium.

Among other aspects of a move to one conference, two include a clustering of nearby congregations and conference-wide voluntary affinity groups composed of congregations working together with a particular ministry or cause.

The plan will be discussed on Thursday in small groups across campus. The Imagine Indiana Planning Team recommendation will be debated and a vote will be received on Friday afternoon.

The North Indiana Conference voted last week and their ballots were sealed. The votes of each conference will be announced on Saturday morning, June 9.

If approved, Bishop Coyner will appoint an implementation team which will be charged with bringing a detailed plan of union to the 2008 Indiana North and South annual conferences for approval.

Results will be announced by e-mail to those who subscribe to the e-HUM e-mailing list. To receive e-HUM announcements by e-mail, subscribe to e-HUM by logging on www.inareaumc.org, open Subscribe to e-HUM and follow directions to enter your e-mail address.

SIC AC-- June 6, 2007

20 probationary members, 1 associate, 8 elders approved

Clergy remember Bishop Lawson during executive session

Memorial Sermon

Sharp reminds conference of cloud of witnesses who go before us

Bishop Lawson's Memorial Service

Balloting begins, three elected on Wednesday

Laity Luncheon

'Unless the church changes, it will die,' says mission official

Wednesday afternoon plenary session

Imagine Indiana prayer team praying for this conference session

Wednesday night

Leader of deacon's association shares five images of the diaconate

Wednesday night

Imagine Indiana team recommends one Indiana annual conference