Indiana Bishop Mike Coyner announced today the appointment of the Rev. Dale Mendenhall, superintendent of the East District based in Muncie, as senior pastor of High Street United Methodist Church in downtown Muncie effective July 1. The Rev. John W. (Jack) Hartman, current senior pastor of High Street now in his tenth year there, plans to retire during the annual conference session in June.
According to Coyner, Dale and his wife Cathy were very well received during a weekend meeting with the church’s Pastor Parish Relations Committee.
Prior to becoming a district superintendent, Mendenhall served Logansport First and Lucerne Zion, Muncie High Street, Leesburg, Garrett, Kendallville Trinity, and Griffith First. In June, 2005 he began serving as the superintendent of the Muncie District and currently serves the new East District. The Mendenhalls live in Yorktown west of Muncie. They have four grown children and two grandchildren.
ROBERT BAKER, 99, retired full-time local pastor of the Indiana Conference, died Nov. 26, 2009. A memorial service was held Nov. 30 at Barnes UMC in Indianapolis. He served churches in Shelbyville, Rushville, Muncie, North Vernon, Terre Haute, and retired from the Riverside United Methodist Church in Indianapolis, where he made his home. Survivors include: his wife, Waneda Baker, two sons and four daughters, 27 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and 16 great great-grandchildren.
WILLIAM H. MARTIN, 92, retired supply pastor of the Indiana Conference, died Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010 at Floyd Memorial Hospital in New Albany, Ind. A memorial service was held Monday, Jan. 18 at Christ UMC in Georgetown, Ind. Survivors include: son, Robert of 638 Georgetown Lanesville Road, Georgetown, IN 47122; brother, Freeman of Bethany, Ill.; and sister, Virginia Miller of New Albany.