Cover Story
Indiana's Black United Methodists endorse Beard for episcopacy
4/5/2008
Black United Methodists in the Indiana Area encourage North Central Jurisdictional delegates to support the Rev. Dr. Frank Beard for the episcopacy. Beard currently serves as superintendent of the Kokomo District in the North Indiana Conference.
South Indiana Conference Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), North Indiana Conference Black Methodists for Church Renewal and the Black United Methodist Pastors (BUMP) of the Indiana Area recently gave their joint endorsement for...
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Invention pours water on thirsty people around the world
4/5/2008
By Kathy L. Gilbert
A UMNS Report
A family in southern Indiana is providing safe drinking water mixed with a generous portion of "living water" to parched people around the world.
New Life International, a nonprofit Christian ministry started in the 1970s by Byron and Yvonne McGuire in Underwood, Ind., is the birthplace of the McGuire water purifier, a system that turns unsafe water into safe drinking water using salt and a 12-volt battery.
Their eldest son,...
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From the Bishop
Time for cease-fire in the worship wars
4/5/2008
It is time for a cease-fire in the so-called worship wars which have plagued many of our churches. What are those "worship wars?" They are the seemingly endless arguments about the best way to worship God. Some battles in those worship wars have dealt with differing styles of music, with one side desiring more traditional and formal music while the other side wants contemporary or casual music.
This battle has included arguments about musical instruments, a veritable war of pipe...
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Welcome
Easter to Pentecost - a waiting room
4/5/2008
As Christians, we are in another in-between time in the life of the church. We have celebrated Easter and are in the 50-day waiting period until Pentecost. Lent is the beginning, but Easter is not the end. Easter is only midway to Pentecost. Pentecost is our birthday as Christians.
On Easter, Jesus was raised from the dead and received a new body, a new existence. The disciples of Jesus, both women and men, were discovering what that meant through the empty tomb and through His appearance in...
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Indiana Schools of Christian Mission to be held in July
4/5/2008
Both North Indiana Conference and South Indiana Conference Schools of Christian Mission will be held at North Manchester College in North Manchester and the University of Indianapolis during July. Both will offer a one-day school as well as a four-day school. Here is information for both schools. More information will be coming soon.
North Indiana
The North Indiana Conference United Methodist Women announces the 2008 School of Christian Mission to be held Wed., July 9 for the Drive-In Day and...
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Letters to the Editor
4/5/2008
Disputes Fox's stats
(Concerning the story about Dr. Eddie Fox in March issue,) First I will have to say, I know the four percent he refers to and worship with them every day of the week, not just on Sunday. But I would like to challenge the percent he refers to as "sharing faith" in The United Methodist church. I tend to believe he meant to say 96 percent of United Methodists share their faith. And by the way, it is "United Methodist." We are united in the Lord's...
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Indiana
A brief listing of Methodist Hospital accomplishments
4/5/2008
1922 Groundbreaking collaboration with Eli Lilly Company using insulin to treat patients with diabetes, previously considered to be a death sentence
1942 One of the first in the U.S. to install an electroencephalograph machine to diagnose brain tumors, epilepsy and brain injuries
1970 First to use a helicopter to transport patients to Methodist's Level One Trauma Center
1972 First kidney transplant in Indiana
1982 First heart transplant at a private hospital anywhere in the world
1989...
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Bloomington launches Spanish-language worship services
4/5/2008
The Iglesia Metodista Hispana - a Spanish-speaking church designed to serve the growing Hispanic population in Bloomington, Ind. - met for the first time Palm Sunday morning.
Eleven people gathered in the chapel at the South Indiana United Methodist Conference Center to worship in their native tongue and culture.
Everything is in Spanish, and according to Pastor Ramon Tristani, the Latin American culture or "feel" of the church is almost as important as the language.
"Every...
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Both Indiana Conferences top Jurisdiction's VIM lists for volunteers, money
4/5/2008
Lorna Jost, coordinator of the United Methodist Volunteers in Mission program for the North Central Jurisdiction, recently announced to Bishop Mike Coyner that the two Indiana Conferences surpassed any other in UMVIM teams and volunteers for the year 2007. North Indiana came out on top with South Indiana a close second.
Jost complimented the Indiana Area saying, "Thank you all for your leadership and tireless work through this United Methodist mission program."
The North Indiana...
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Harry Denman Evangelism Awards nominees needed by April 11
4/5/2008
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Denman Evangelism Award is presented annually to a UM Clergy and Lay person in Annual Conference across the country for outstanding work in Christian Evangelism. The award is named for the late Dr. Harry Denman, a distinguished lay evangelist whom Dr. Billy Graham called "my mentor in evangelism." The awards are made possible by The Foundation for Evangelism, which was founded in 1949 by Dr. Denman.
The South Indiana Annual Conference will honor one clergy...
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Imagine Indiana Web cast brings more than 1,000 viewers
4/5/2008
INDIANAPOLIS - Lights, camera, Imagine Indiana. Six members of the Imagine Indiana Design Team took to cyberspace Sunday evening, March 30 for Indiana Area UMC's first Web cast. It originated in Bishop Mike Coyner's office in Indianapolis.
The results were impressive. The Web cast was viewed by more than 1,000 United Methodists gathered in 30 Web cast down site churches. Another 138 computers were also plugged into the hour-long Imagine Indiana Report summary including a half-hour of questions...
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Methodist Hospital of Indianapolis celebrates 100 years
4/5/2008
This year, 2008, marks the 100th anniversary of Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis, which has been providing health care to the citizens of Indiana since 1908.
For Methodist Hospital, it all started with the 1899 International Convention of the Epworth League of the Methodist Episcopal Church. In fact, Indianapolis and Indiana had long been a Methodist stronghold and the first sermon ever preached in the town in 1819 had been given by a Methodist, the Rev. Resen Hammond.
The Epworth League...
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Oakwood Inn, property returns to church
4/5/2008
SYRACUSE, Ind. - Members of the Oakwood Foundation for Adult Ministries board announced Wednesday, March 19 they returned the property, formerly known as Oakwood Park, to the North Indiana Conference of The United Methodist Church. The foundation said it was no longer able to operate the Oakwood Christian Retreat & Conference Center in Syracuse as an adult Christian ministry.
Oakwood, on the northwest shore of Lake Wawasee in northern Indiana, includes the 77-room Oakwood Inn and...
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South Indiana Conference laity manuscript contest announced
4/5/2008
Each year the South Indiana Conference Board of Laity offers the opportunity to all laity of the South Indiana Conference to express thanks and praise God by submitting a sermon manuscript for judging. The deadline for entries is April 30.
This year the theme is "One in Spirit, All in Ministry: In the Spirit of Fellowship." Manuscripts are judged on how well the theme is followed and developed, as well as the use of creative writing techniques.
The author will present the winning...
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United Methodist Men set new strategies, elect officers
4/5/2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn.--In the same year that the ministry of United Methodist Men is celebrating its 100th anniversary, annual conference presidents of United Methodist Men learned of new methods to reach men in the next 100 years.
Meeting Feb. 28-March 2, the National Association of Conference Presidents (NACP) of United Methodist Men, also elected new officers and set plans for their 2009 national gathering to be held in Nashville after a long tradition of meeting at Purdue University.
"I'm...
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Wesley Foundation leads volunteers in sixth winterization event
4/5/2008
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - More than 230 volunteers participated this past fall at Purdue University in the Wesley Foundation's Six Annual Winterization on Nov. 11. The volunteers assisted 93 homeowner ready their homes for the winter by raking leaves, cleaning windows and clearing out gutters. Three months in planning, Wesley Foundation leaders were assisted by a dozen other campus organizations. For more information about Wesley Foundation, log on to www.wesleyfoundation.org or call 765-743-5066....
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National
Maryland's efforts advance to abolish death penalty
4/5/2008
In 1985, Kirk Bloodsworth was convicted of rape and murder and sent to Maryland's death row. In 1993, DNA testing proved he was innocent.
He joined the 127 people in the United States who have been released from death rows after being found innocent of the capital crime for which they were convicted. "Because innocent persons are sentenced to death and because there is documented racial and geographical bias, everyone should question the death penalty," said Beth Reilly, a United...
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United Methodist membership down, constituency up
4/5/2008
By Marta W. Aldrich
A UMNS Report
While professing U.S. membership continues to decline in The United Methodist Church, the number of constituents is steadily increasing, according to new denominational statistics.
Membership decreased by eight-tenths of a percent over a one-year period to more than 7.9 million, according to the latest statistics released by the denomination March 11.
Specifically, U.S. membership was 7,931,733 in 2006, the most recent year for which statistics are...
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Global
Africa University's Small Farm Resource Center one answer to hunger
4/5/2008
"Africa is the only continent not able to feed itself," said Dr. Fanuel Tagwira, interim chancellor of Africa University at Old Mutare, Zimbabwe. Poverty, hunger, malnutrition and deadly diseases are wide spread.
Food aid helps but at best is a stopgap effort, which can only help for a very short time. When 70 to 90 percent of the farmers in African countries are small subsistence households simply trying to survive, the future is dim. However there is hope. Many organizations are...
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Hilliard to work with United Methodist youth
4/5/2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (GBOD) - Henry 'Hank' Hilliard has been named manager of Youth Ministry Development for Young People's Ministries in Nashville, which is a ministry of the United Methodist General Board of Discipleship.
"Hank brings (to GBOD) a wealth of experience planning, organizing and promoting ministry programming, including mission trips, spiritual formation retreats, outreach events and creative arts ministry teams," said Karen Greenwaldt, top executive for GBOD.
Hilliard...
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Retired Liberian clergy eke out survival
4/5/2008
By Linda Green
GRAND BASSA COUNTY, Liberia (UMNS) - The Rev. JoJoe Vah, his mother and 16 other relatives live in a house that would be condemned by U.S. standards.
The home was heavily damaged and looted by rebels during Liberia's long civil war, and now it stands as a burned-out shell.
Vah, 78, who retired from active ministry in 2002, was a United Methodist pastor for 53 years. He has no money to repair the damage to his home caused by fire, bullets, water and weather. Receiving no income...
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Viewpoints
Together we can plan to succeed
4/5/2008
By Jean Brindel, Capital Fund Team
North Indiana Outdoor Ministry Project
jbrindel@sbcglobal.net
The 2006 North Indiana Annual Conference requested a feasibility study about the ability to raise money for upgrading and building facilities for the camping ministry. During these past months, the costs of the project and needs assessment has caused the focus to be on the Epworth Forest Camp site.
The actual report will be received from the consulting firm, Cargill and Associates, on April 11....
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We need to make decisions about end of life
4/5/2008
How about these as conversation starters for your next family/church/social gathering:
If you could not make decisions about your health care, who would make them for you?
What values do you consider as you contemplate end-of-life issues and decisions?
Where do you keep documents and information about your health care preferences? Do you have those documents? Is your family and medical team aware of your preferences?
Sound far-fetched? Not...
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Chronicles
Communication ready for online visitors to General Conference
4/5/2008
United Methodist Communications is prepared for thousands of online visitors to watch and gather information on the denomination's 2008 legislative conference in Fort Worth, Texas.
About 1,000 delegates from around the world will gather April 23 to May 2, 2008 to determine priorities and set a direction for the 11-million member denomination. The General Conference's proceedings will be available through GC2008.umc.org or www.umc.org. Worship, special addresses, celebrations, and other...
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Deaths
4/5/2008
BENJAMIN E. ANTLE, retired pastor (NIC), died March 14, 2008. A memorial service was held March 20 at First UMC at Goshen, Ind. The Revs. Robert Dexter and Ed and Brenda Fritz officiated. Survivors include: Wife, Claire; son, Mark Antle; daughter, Debbie Peek; and three grandchildren. Condolences can be sent to Claire Antle, 6011 Bahia Del Mar Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL 33715.
MABEL COLLIER CUNNINGHAM, widow of the late Rev. Ralph Cunningham (NIC), died March 11, 2008. A memorial service was...
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Mission fair on cross-cultural teaching experiences set for June in Gary
4/5/2008
The teachUM steering committee of United Methodist Volunteers In Mission of the North Central Jurisdiciton recently announced the first-ever teachUM Fair scheduled for June 15-19 at Marquette Park United Methodist Church in Gary, Ind.
The event will feature workshops specifically for educators and hands on Vacation Bible School for a nearby emerging Hispanic community.
Billed as a means of "Increasing Your Comfort Level in Cross-Cultural Teaching Experiences", this event will...
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National gambling opponent to speak at conference sessions
4/5/2008
Cheered by those who oppose the expansion of gambling and often feared by those who profit from that expansion, the Rev. Tom Grey will be speaking at both the North Indiana and South Indiana 2008 Annual Conference sessions.
Grey is known for his no nonsense presentation of the failure of gambling to deliver on its promises. For the past 15 years, Grey has been outspoken in his opposition to gambling.
He began his campaign against the expansion of legalized state-approved gambling in Illinois...
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New curriculum invites children to build 'Rock Solid' faith
4/5/2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) - Hank the Hammer and friends will help children build a "rock solid heart of faith" with a new Sunday school curriculum being offered this fall by the United Methodist Publishing House based in Nashville, Tenn.
"Rock Solid: Building a Heart of Faith" will invite children ages 3-13 to lay a solid biblical foundation and construct a personal relationship with God.
The cornerstone of "Rock Solid" is Matthew 7:24, the story of the wise man...
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Pastoral Appointments
4/5/2008
Bishop Michael J. Coyner has announced the following changes within the Indiana Area. All dates effective 2008 unless otherwise noted. These appointments are based on Cabinet reports received by Indiana Area Communication during the month of March 2008.
South Indiana Conference
Alstott, Dennis from Union, Terre Haute to Dillsboro, Columbus, 7/1
Bowyer, Richard from Utica, New Albany to no appointment, 2/25
Butler, Bill from Newberry /New: Prairie Chapel, Bloomington to...
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Remington man featured in flood story died on Good Friday
4/5/2008
Harry Alberts of the Remington (Ind.) UMC, died Good Friday morning, March 21. Alberts and his wife, Lois, were pictured on the front-page of the February issue of Together. Indiana Bishop Mike Coyner visited and prayed with the Alberts in Remington during his visit to the flooded regions in Lafayette District.
The Alberts vacated their home due to the flood in Remington. Their pastor, the Rev. Mary van Wijk, informed e-HUM that the Alberts had not yet moved back into their own home before...
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South Indiana School of Christian Mission honored at UIndy
4/5/2008
INDIANAPOLIS - For the past three decades, clergy and laity, youth and adults have been coming to the University of Indianapolis campus for mission education opportunities provided by the South Indiana Conference United Methodist Women's School of Christian Mission.
The University's Office of Ecumenical & Interfaith Programs was pleased to honor these women for the work that they have been doing across the past four decades at UIndy (since 1977), as well as at the University of Evansville...
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Suburban Kansas City church to award excellence
4/5/2008
The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Leadership Institute invites congregations to apply for its Award of Excellence.
Last year, the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection awarded three extraordinary churches with the Award for Excellence. Each of these churches had applied leadership principles and ideas, and experienced significant growth in both the width and depth of their ministries.
At the 2008 Leadership Institute this October, The UM Church of the Resurrection will...
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UMC Baptism DVD worth considering
4/5/2008
United Methodist Communications DVD titled Baptism in The United Methodist Church is worth considering for confirmation and new member classes or for a class on baptism.
The DVD is divided into five segments, depending on its use and audience. The five segments are titled:
Baptism: Personal Stories (all ages) 8½ minutes
Two bishops remember their baptism in the faith.
Why Do We Baptize? (adults) 12½ minutes
Baptism is like being born all...
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Zimmerman receives faculty appointment at Methodist Theological School in Ohio
4/5/2008
DELAWARE, Ohio - Methodist Theological School in Ohio recently announce the appointment of Dr. Yvonne Zimmerman as Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics effective July 1.
She is a Ph.D. student in the joint program in Religious and Theological Studies at the Iliff School of Theology and the University of Denver. She holds a Master of Theological Studies from Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, and earned her undergraduate degree from Goshen College in Indiana. In addition to Iliff and the...
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