The Indiana Conference is a part of The United Methodist Church (www.umc.org) with more than 11 million members in 119 annual and central Conferences worldwide (8.3 million members in 63 annual conferences in the U.S.). The United Methodist Church and its predecessor denominations trace their history in Indiana back to 1801 when Methodist circuit-riding preachers entered the Indiana Territory crossing the Ohio River in the southern part of the state. (For history of the church in Indiana, log on to www.depauw.edu/library/archives/find/guides/umc_history.)
Bishop Michael J. Coyner is our current episcopal leader of the Indiana Area. The Indiana Conference is part of the North Central Jurisdiction, which encompasses Annual Conferences in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.
The Indiana Conference is comprised of 1,200 congregations ranging in size from 20 to 8,000 members in 18 districts across the state of Indiana. There are about 1,000 pastoral appointments to those churches, ministering to more than 200,000 adult members and 40,000 children and youth.
The main purpose of the Indiana Conference is to make disciples for Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world by equipping congregations for ministry and providing a connection for ministry beyond the congregations, all for the Glory of God.
Vision answers the question, "What?" It gives the ministry its direction. Core Values answer the question, "Why?" They supply the reasons behind our vision, or what we do. Vision focuses on the future; values look to the present or to the past. An organization’s core values are the constant, passionate, biblical core beliefs that drive its ministry.
It should be noted that these are the Core Values that direct the operation of the Conference, its sessions, boards and agencies, not local churches within the Annual Conference. Within the context of ministry each congregation is encouraged to clarify the particular cluster of Christian core values that drive its unique ministry.
The core value and centerpiece of the Conference is the ongoing task of transforming persons and our churches into communities with the heart and mind of Jesus Christ. Transformed (and transforming) communities will reflect the full diversity of the Kingdom of God, equal access to services and structures, passion for God and compassion for all people, which leads to the transformation of society.
[Romans 12:1-2]
Genuine and regular experience of God ignites passion in the soul. We believe that the Holy Spirit offers us guidance and strength in many ways, and that by the regular and diligent use of these means of grace in our work together - including prayer, Bible study, worship, fasting, communion, Christian conferencing, and the acts of mercy and justice - we are better able to discern the Spirit’s direction and follow where Jesus is leading.
[2 Timothy 2:15]; [1 Thessalonians 5:16-18]
We will passionately seek to experience and lead local congregations to a vital relationship with God through Jesus that draws us toward a Christ-centered life, which is expressed in:
The fundamental posture of our work is to serve the missional needs of the local congregations in the Annual Conference. To this end, we believe strongly in the basic importance of a collaborative sharing and the most effective and efficient stewardship of our resources.
[Matthew 20:25-28]
As servants of God and others, visionary servant leaders sense God’s leading and communicate it clearly, inspiring others as together they respond to that leading. We as agencies and as an annual conference will seek both to practice and to nurture visionary leadership throughout the Conference.
[Acts 26:19]; [John 13:14]
We believe we have clarified a list of values that can guide our Conference into more faithfulness to our Call and Vision. This has been an intense work of struggle, discussion, prayer and study. We believe we have sensed God’s guidance and direction and look forward to the next phases of their implementation, for God’s glory.
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