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South Indiana Annual Conference report
June 6-9, Bloomington, Ind.
Both conferences favor uniting to form one Indiana conference
The South Indiana Annual Conference met at Indiana University using the theme “Imagine Indiana” as its 1,200 registered members discussed a 12-page report and voted by ballot on a recommendation to unite with the North Indiana Annual Conference to form a new Indiana Conference. Indiana Area Bishop Michael Coyner simultaneously announced on June 9 by e-mail and in person that both annual conferences favored uniting the two conferences. The North conference vote was 663-190, a 78 percent approval. The South conference vote was 550-267 with 6 invalid votes, a 67 percent approval. More than 300 members from both conferences have been involved in the Imagine Indiana uniting conferences’ process. Two items envisioned by the seven-member Imagine Indiana Planning Team report are clustering churches geographically and forming voluntary affinity groups of churches conference-wide around specific issues, missions and ministries. Coyner will appoint an implementation team to come to the two 2008 annual conference sessions with a detailed plan of union.
Lloyd Tucker, CCF&A chairperson, reported that the new “tithe plus” system, that replaced traditional conference apportionments beginning in January, is working and funds are being remitted on schedule.
Bishop Coyner announced the $13,966 donation for pastor’s pensions from the United Methodist Publishing House will go to the Africa Central Conference Clergy Pension Fund
Conference preacher Bishop Woodie White, a former Indiana bishop, challenged members to work for justice for all and emphasized the importance for the church to engage in justice and charity, “not because we are good, but because we experience a living God who says, this is my world; these are my children; and I love them all.” In a second sermon, he told those anticipating ordination – “It’s not our church, our ministry, our conference or our vision. It’s Christ’s. We proclaim Christ, not ourselves.”
Other guests to annual conference included:
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David Cumbest and Larry Davis, of the Mississippi Conference, thanked the conference for its continued assistance to Hurricane Katrina survivors;
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Bill Cross, retiring Cokesbury bookstore manager for the past 35 years, was honored;
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Sam Dixon, deputy general secretary of GBGM, asked laity during their annual luncheon, “Do we (United Methodists) want to change or do we as a church want to die?” We need to reach out to a very diverse community.
The conference celebrated the:
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30th anniversary of diaconal ministry and the 10th anniversary of the permanent Order of Deacon. Guest speaker Louise Williams, president of the DIAKONIA World Federation, presented five biblical images of deaconate ministry: washing feet, waiting tables, storytelling, tending the door and bearing the light;
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20th anniversary of Operation Classroom/Operation Doctor, an area-based ministry to schools and hospitals in Liberia and Sierra Leone;
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Giving of more than $92,000 to Nothing But Nets campaign since January;
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Giving of more than $6,100 to the Global AIDS Fund during the annual conference session;
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First place Volunteer In Mission ranking in the North Central Jurisdiction with $1.4 million given in supplies and $3.2 million in the value of work completed;
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Kamina Project in the North Katanga Conference in Congo, an African annual conference that has started 150 new congregations this past year;
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Deman Evangelism Award recipients: the Rev. Karen Devaisher, pastor of Avon UMC and Lloyd Anderson of Barnes UMC in Indianapolis;
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Bishop’s Awards of Excellence that went to Boy Scout Troup 119 of Ellettsville UMC in the Bloomington District.
The body adopted resolutions that:
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Asked congregations to pray for the people of Darfur and for Sudan's government to administer in just and fair ways; and asked the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits to divest targeted funds in Sudan;
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Asked congregations to support the Global AIDS Fund and give at least $2 per member and to distribute 25 percent of those gifts to HIV/AIDS work in Indiana.
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Affirmed the importance of Christ-centered ministries that do not compromise the biblical standards for sexual morality;
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Created a conference-wide Prayer Ministry Team;
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Required high-speed Internet connection or additional phone line for dial-up connection be part of parsonage standards;
The conference voted to forward three petitions to General Conference:
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No person shall or will be excluded from membership in the UMC for reasons related to sexual orientation or gender identity.
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Withdraw membership of the UMC in the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
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The 2008 General Conference will recommit to raising funds for the UM Global AIDS Fund during the 2009-2012 quadrennium in the amount of $4 million through Advance gifts.
Lay delegates to General Conference are Ike Williams, Indianapolis, Patricia Miller, Indianapolis; Rita Gaither-Gant, Indianapolis; Vickie Newkirk, New Palestine; John Lawson, Westchester; David Crane, Newburgh. Clergy delegates to General Conference are Ann Glass, Plainfield; Greg McGarvey, Carmel; David Penalva, Indianapolis, Darren Cushman Wood, Speedway; James Bushfield, Columbus and Beth Ann Cook, Evansville.
Lay delegates to the North Central Jurisdictional Conference are Carolyn Marshall, Veedersburg; Luke Robbins, Indianapolis; Dan Evans, Indianapolis; Benjamin Boruff, Indianapolis; Sandra Ruby, Crawfordsville and Bert Talbott, Indianapolis. Reserve lay delegates are Ethan Jones, Charlestown; Anne Bunch, Terre Haute and Beckie Minglin, Indianapolis. Clergy delegates to the North Central Jurisdictional Conference are Judith Purvis, Vincennes; Kent Millard, Indianapolis; Rosa Harris, Rockford; Kevin Armstrong, Indianapolis; John Abbott, Indianapolis; Marie Lang, Indianapolis. Reserve clergy delegates are Jean Wilson, Jeffersonville; David V.W. Owen, Indianapolis and Raymond Wilkins, Indianapolis.
The conference retired 10 Elders and 6 Local Pastors, commissioned 20 probationary members, ordained 8 Elders and 1 associate member, and announced six Course of Study graduates. It also approved a 2008 expense budget of $9.28 million.
Membership stands at 111,004, down 201 or 0.2 percent. Worship attendance stands at 62,988 down 790 or 1 percent. Church school average attendance stands at 23,309, down 185 or 4 percent.
-- Daniel R. Gangler,
director of communication,
Indiana Area of The United Methodist Church
Last updated on 06/11/2008