Former First Lady shares faith with UM Women

www.inumc.org
Hoosier
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
United Methodists
May/June 2014
Volume 44
Number 3
1
Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.
The people of The United Methodist Church®
Former First Lady shares faith with UM Women
By Kathy L. Gilbert
New Director
of Leadership
Development
Page 3
Annual Conference
Page 4
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (UMNS) – Hillary
Clinton shared her love and gratitude to
all the United Methodist women in her
life and then challenged the more than
6,500 United Methodist women before
her to go out and “make it happen.”
Clinton spoke for 35 minutes at the
Saturday, April 26, morning worship
service for the 2014 United Methodist
Women Assembly. The gathering took
place at the Kentucky International
Convention Center.
“We need to wake up our world to
what can and should be done,” she
said. United Methodist women have
a great tradition of “rolling up our
sleeves and taking the social gospel into
the world.”
In introducing Clinton, Yvette Kim
Richards, board president of UMW,
called her “a daughter of The United
Methodist Church and United Methodist Women.” She added that Clinton declined the honorarium offered by UMW
“and paid her own expenses.”
That was one of the many times
when the crowd responded with applause and cheers.
United Methodist Women, the official women’s organization of The
United Methodist Church, and the former U.S. secretary of state share a common concern for women, children and
youth.
United Methodist roots
Bishop’s Youth Rally
Page 6
Sierra Leone
University
Page 8
Phone:
317-924-1321
or email:
questions@inumc.org
Clinton started her speech talking
about the influence her United Methodist family had on her life. She spoke of
the “great witness” of seeing her father
kneel by his bed to pray every night.
She also said her mother taught Sunday
school and was committed to social
justice issues.
It was her grandmother, Hannah, “a
tough Methodist woman” she said, who
“taught me to never be afraid to get
your hands dirty.”
But it was Don Jones, her youth pastor at First United Methodist Church in
Park Ridge, Ill., whom she credits with
being the first person to teach her to
“embrace faith in action.”
She commented that the event’s
theme “Make It Happen” was such a
fitting title.
The Biblical text for the 2014 Assembly is the story of the feeding of the
multitude in Mark 6:30-44, in which
Jesus instructs his disciples to organize
the people into groups of 50 to feed
them with five loaves of bread and two
fish.
Throughout the event, participants
have been grappling with Jesus’ instruc-
Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS.
Hillary Rodham Clinton (center) waves to participants at the United Methodist Women’s
Assembly at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Ky., following her
address to the group. She is flanked by Yvette Richards (left) and Harriett Jane Olson of
United Methodist Women.
“Even when the odds are long, even when we are
tired and just want to go away somewhere to be alone
and rest, let’s make it happen.”
– Hillary Clinton
tions for his disciples to “give them
something to eat.”
“The miracle of loaves and fish was
the first great potluck supper,” she said.
Jesus responded by serving the community.
“It is what women do every day: we
feed the multitudes.”
Women, youth and children
As the nation’s first lady, she spoke
before the 1996 United Methodist General Conference, the denomination’s top
legislative body. At that time, she urged
the church to continue its social witness
for the world’s children and cultivate “a
new sense of caring” about its responsibilities to the larger society.
Clinton on Saturday, April 26, commented on the church’s dedication to
global health and, especially, the campaign Imagine No Malaria.
“I know what a difference
you make,” she said. The nearly
800,000-member United Methodist
Women is the denomination’s official
women’s mission organization. Members raise more than $16 million annually for mission with women, children
and youth.
“Even when the odds are long, even
when we are tired and just want to go
away somewhere to be alone and rest,
let’s make it happen.”
Farilen Coates, a United Methodist
woman from Kansas City, Mo., had to
miss breakfast to get in line outside of
the doors to see Clinton. She was happy
with her place on the end of a row, even
though it was several rows from the
front.
“This has been a wonderful assembly,” she said. “It just shows how great
United Methodist women are.”
Commenting about her experiencing
at the Assembly, Beverly CalenderAnderson of Bloomington, Ind. and the
communicator for the UMW of Indiana, said, “to see nearly 7,000 women
praying together, marching together,
learning together and working together
to enrich the lives of women, children
and families around the world is truly
watching love, faith and hope in action.”
More than 300 women from Indiana
were at the Assembly.
Kathy L. Gilbert serves as a multimedia
reporter for United Methodist News
Service.
www.inumc.org
2
From the Bishop
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
www.inumc.org
Let Your Light Shine
I write these words in the context of
also preparing for the funeral service
for my father, Jake Coyner, who died
on April 24th about a month after he
reached the age of 90. One of my strong
memories of Dad is how much he loved
his church and how much he wanted
the lights in the church steeple to shine
and to witness to the community. Dad
was an active trustee of First United
Methodist in Anderson, Ind., and as
a part of the rebuilding of that church
after the old building burned, it was decided to have a tall, lighted steeple. Dad
always wanted those lights to shine,
and he would drive down to the church
in the evenings just to check and make
sure the lights were on.
Many experts say the day has passed
when simply having the church lights
on and the doors unlocked will draw
people into our churches. I am sure
that is true, but we must not neglect
those signs of hospitality when people
do come. And yet, in order for people
to come and to know Christ and to be
a part of a congregation, we must take
our light to them.
Jesus told his disciples (and us), “You
are the light of the world… Let your
light so shine before people that they
will see and glorify God” (Matthew
5:14-16). Letting our light shine today
is not a passive act of just keeping the
doors unlocked and the lights on. Today, we must carry that light with us
into our homes, our schools, our businesses, our daily lives, and around the
world.
This year at the 2014 Session of the
Indiana Annual Conference, we will all
have two special opportunities to let
our light shine:
1. We will launch the public phase of
raising our goal of $1.6 million for
Africa University in Zimbabwe, and
a special “offering” will be received
at Conference where each congregation will be invited to dance their
way forward to give money, a pledge
or a commitment card to be a part of
this campaign to educate Christian
leaders on the continent of Africa.
Some individuals and some churches
have already made “advance” gifts
and pledges, and we will announce
that we have made good progress
already toward our goal. Then everyone will be invited to come forward
and bring a commitment card saying
“I’m in” and “we will help” to fulfill
this campaign. I am very excited to
think about this effort to let the light
of our witness shine through Africa
University.
2. We will launch “100 New Points of
Light” in Indiana in the coming year
– 100 new worship services to reach
new people with the light of Christ.
At Conference, there will be a time
for those churches who want to get
involved to come forward, receive
their light and then receive training
and consulting in how to launch a
new worship service. I expect many
Indiana Conference Church Development
hires congregational consultant, coach as
new Associate Director
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana
supervisor. Prior to her curUnited Methodist Conferrent position, she directed
ence Director of Church Dean effort to increase the
velopment, the Rev. David
skills and effectiveness of
Neckers, announced April 15
lay leadership teams in the
the hiring of Indiana native
West District by facilitating
Ann A. Handschu of Terre
workshops and trainings
Haute as the new Indiana
for the district’s churches.
Conference Associate DirecShe also has had leadership
tor of Church Development
experience as the Adult Disassigned to the Southwest
cipleship Servant at Mount
Handschu
and West Districts. She began
Pleasant United Methodist
serving in this position from
Church in Terre Haute.
her home April 15.
Before moving back to Indiana in
Upon her hiring, Neckers said, “Ann
2002, Handschu served on the staff
has been a valuable asset to the Indiana
of Ginghamsburg United Methodist
Conference as a coach, seminar facilitaChurch in Tipp City, Ohio, where she
tor and teacher. Her expertise in helpestablished and maintained opportuniing revitalize churches is indispensable
ties for adults to continually mature as
to our Indiana United Methodist Condisciples of Christ. She taught multiple
ference.”
classes each year with a real passion
Her coaching responsibilities have
especially for the seeker and new beincluded continuous training for conliever.
gregations, lay leadership and staff;
Handschu also has worked as
providing tools and resources; holdalumni and parent services experience
ing teams and individuals accountable at Franklin (Ind.) College and Drury
for fruitful outcomes; support and
University at Springfied, Mo., as well
“tough love” to pastors and leadas the job placement coordinator at
ers; teaching strategic planning and
Indiana Vocational Technical College
goals setting directed by the mission
in Kokomo. She holds a BA degree in
and their vision; monthly reporting
Sociology from Drury University in
and accountability to the coaching
Springfield, Mo.
of those new worship services will
be “off-site” in a location outside the
church building, while others will be
at “off-times” to reach new people
beyond our typical worship services.
I am very excited to see how many
individuals and congregations step
forward to help us launch 100 New
Points of Light during the next year.
Of course there are other ways to let
our light shine, including the simple
acts of kindness and love that we offer
to everyone we meet. The main point is
the one that my Dad wanted to emphasize: We are called to let our light shine,
to show the world the Light of Christ,
which gives the hope, joy, peace, love,
salvation and healing that our world so
desperately needs.
No matter how you respond at Conference this year, please let your light
shine!
From Bishop Michael J. Coyner,
Indiana Area of
The United Methodist Church
“Leadership for vibrant congregations
making faithful disciples of Jesus Christ”
May/June 2014 Vol. 44 No. 3
MISSION STATEMENT: To reflect the teachings of Christ through
stories and pictures, thereby sharing key moments and concerns in the
life of His Indiana church and its people. To share joy, to share personal
faith, to share challenges, and to refresh the spirit.
Michael J. Coyner
Daniel R. Gangler
Editorial Assistant: Erma J. Metzler
Conference Assistants: Roscel S. Carandang
Brenda Gross
I ndiana A rea Bishop/Publisher:
Editor:
Copyright 2014 Indiana Conference of The
United Methodist Church.
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Hoosier United Methodists Together (ISSN1544-080x) is a bimonthly (Jan., March,
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Change of A ddress:
Commentaries and letters provided by Indiana
United Methodist Communications do not
necessarily represent the opinions or policies
of Bishop Michael Coyner and/or the Indiana
Conference of The United Methodist Church.
Members of the Indiana Conference Communication
Team and Editorial Advisory Group:
Matthew Stultz, Team Leader
Char Harris Allen
Dan Gangler, Convener
Beverly Calender-Anderson
Beth Stickles McDaniel
Mark L. Eutsler
Kim Reisman
Permission is hereby granted to United Methodist congregations to
reprint stories not copyrighted, in church newsletters and websites.
Together is supported by the conference tithe.
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Indiana
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Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
3
North Texas leadership development specialist coming to Indiana
Conference session May 29-31
to begin meeting people and
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana
learning about the needs for lay
Bishop Michael J. Coyner anand clergy leadership developnounced April 11 the
ment in Indiana.
appointment of the
Upon her apRev. Aleze Michelle
pointment, Coyner
Fulbright as the first
commented: “I was
Director of Leaderpleased when the
ship Development
Search Committee
for the Indiana Con(composed of memference of The Unitbers of the Conference
ed Methodist Church
Board of Ordained
effective July 1.
Ministry, the Conference Board of Laity,
Fulbright, who
Fulbright
the Cabinet and the
lives in Allen, Texas,
Conference Human Resources
currently serves as an AssociCommittee) recommended the
ate Director at the Center for
appointment of the Rev. Aleze
Leadership Development in
Fulbright to serve in this new
the North Texas Conference,
based in Plano, Texas. She plans position. A great deal of discussion, input, and prayer has gone
to attend the Indiana Annual
By Daniel R. Gangler
into the creation of this position,
and I believe we have found the
right person to serve and lead in
this ministry.
“Aleze already has designed
and implemented a process in
the North Texas Conference for
honoring clergy and inviting
them to participate in personal
five-year growth plans with
life coaching and learning. She
will bring that experience to us
as she works with our current
processes and events to help
develop an Indiana Conference
process for lay and clergy leadership development,” he said.
Fulbright is a native of
Tulsa, Okla. She graduated
from Booker T. Washington
High School and attended
Southwest Missouri State Uni-
versity in Springfield, Mo. to
obtain a Bachelor of Science in
Accounting. She received her
Masters of Divinity Degree
from Brite Divinity School at
Texas Christian University in
Fort Worth, Texas. Currently,
she is a doctoral candidate at
Houston Graduate School of
Theology, where she plans to
graduate December 2014 with
a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral
Leadership.
Fulbright has spent most of
her time working in the field
of accounting for several major
corporations in and around the
Dallas metropolitan area. Before entering full-time ministry
in 2008, she was the assistant
controller for the United Way of
Metropolitan Dallas, Inc. She is
an ordained Elder in the North
Texas Conference. Prior to her
current appointment as the Associate Director for the Center
for Leadership Development,
she served as the associate pastor at First United Methodist of
Commerce, Texas, and campus
minister for Wesleyan Campus
Ministry at Texas A&M University in Commerce.
Fulbright says her joy in life
is her 17-year-old son, Myron
Fisher, Jr., who will graduate in June 2014 and begin his
academic and athletic college
career at Southwestern College
in Winfield, Kan.
She said she has “a passion
empowering people to recognize and live out their Godgiveness with purpose.”
Bishop nominates new Indiana Conference Lay Leader
formal election. If
INDIANAPOLIS –
elected, she will asIndiana Bishop Mike
sume her new duties
Coyner has nomiJune 1.
nated Doris Clark of
Clark is currently
Indianapolis as the
serving as one of the
new incoming Lay
conference’s AssoLeader of the Indiana
ciate Lay Leaders,
Conference, effecCentral District Lay
tive June 1. Clark’s
Leader and also parnomination will be
ticipates as a membrought to the upClark
ber of the Bishop’s
coming session of the
Indiana Annual Conference for Operational Team, the Annual
Conference Sessions Implementation Team, lay member
of the Conference Board of Ordained Ministry, District Chair
of the Central District, member
of the Conference Nominating
Committee, Board President
of United Methodist Metro
Ministries and a member of the
General Church’s Connectional
Table.
She was a delegate to the
2012 General and North
Central Jurisdictional conferences of The United Methodist
Church. She is a member of
University United Methodist
Church in Indianapolis.
Clark will continue where
current Indiana Conference
Co-Lay Leaders Ike Williams of
Carmel and Kayc Mykrantz of
Logansport have served since
the new Indiana Conference
was created five years ago.
Upon her nomination,
Coyner said, “I have been
blessed to have Ike and Kayc as
co-conference lay leaders these
past several years, and I now
look forward to working with
Doris and the rest of the Board
of Laity. We are all partners
together in ministry, and our
common desire is to lead the
Indiana Conference to be even
more faithful and fruitful in the
ministry of Christ.”
Northern Illinois United
Methodist Bishop Sally Dyck
led the assembled crowd in
prayer. We prayed for those
families who are hurting and
for a change in the hearts of
the leaders of our nation. The
protest march continued as we
walked to the Department of
Homeland Security Building,
which is also the home office
of Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE).
We prayed again as we
marched and gathered in front
of the building. Then I witnessed a number of community leaders, clergy, and Bishop
Dyck participate in an act of
civil disobedience. They gave
up their comfort, were arrested
and stood in solidarity with the
“least of these.”
It was a blessing for me to
stand in solidarity with the
families and people who are
hurting due to a broken immigration system. The gathered
United Methodist clergy and
lay people became a witness
of Jesus Christ in the streets of
Chicago, as we saw the face of
Jesus Christ in the faces that we
stood beside. I stood near Hispanic, African and Caucasian
faces, all faces of Jesus Christ,
all children of God.
Why did I protest deportations and called for immigration reform? The Gospel of
Jesus Christ calls me to stand
for the “least of these” and love
God and love others.
Scripture reminds me to
show hospitality to strangers
who may in fact be angels. I
never intended to get involved
in this issue, as it has never
affected my family directly, but
when a brother in need knocks
on your door, you have to open
the door. When you do, your
heart and world are changed.
Why I protested deportations in Chicago
By Matthew Landry
A few years ago, as I sat
in my office on a sunny afternoon, my day was interrupted
by a knock on the door. I went
to the door and greeted a tiredlooking man. He began to
share his story with me, how
he was a migrant worker travelling through my town, trying
his best to provide for his family, and his family had no place
to sleep that night. The man
told me that he had his entire
family with him – his wife
and four kids were in the van
behind the church. I looked
suspiciously out of my office
window to find his family as
he described.
I told him I would help find
his family a place to stay that
night. We even provided some
food for his family. He was
delighted. As we continued to
talk, he began to cry. He said
he was turned away by another
church in our town. He was
called an “illegal” and was told
that he was not welcome.
My heart sank. I was broken
for a brother in need and the
unfriendliness he experienced.
In that moment, I saw a brother
and his family in need regardless of his status, documents or
race. This man was my neighbor who was stuck in the midst
of a broken immigration system. The issue of immigration
Pastor Matthew Landry of Winamac protesting for immigration reform
in downtown Chicago.
reform came knocking on my
office door.
Fast forward to Chicago
On a cold Thursday morning in late March, I traveled
to Chicago to gather with
clergy of the Northern Illinois
Conference. We gathered to
protest the 1,200 deportations
that happen every single day.
Fathers, mothers, brothers and
sisters are being torn from their
families. Children are being
ripped from their parents arms.
The time is now for immigration reform and the cessation
of deportations.
We left the First United
Methodist Church at Chicago
Temple and marched down
Clark Street with our stoles on
and the Spirit in our hearts. We
became a very public witness
for the love of Christ as we approached the gathering at the
Federal Plaza downtown. Our
group became assimilated with
a group of people who had
family members deported. I
learned quickly that two young
women standing nearby were
in a detention center weeks
before and won their case that
allowed them to stay in the
United States.
Back in Winamac
The next morning the same
man who came the day before
seeking a friendly face stood
in my office doorway as I arrived at the church office. This
time he had a huge smile on
his face, continued to hug me
and said “Wherever I go, I will
remember that there are kind
Methodists in Indiana.” He
was again extremely thankful
for our love and kindness to
his family. I pray The United
Methodist Church and the universal church of Jesus Christ
will be known as those “kind
and loving people” willing to
be interrupted, arrested and
stand in solidarity with the
“least of these.”
Matthew Landry serves as
leader of the Indiana Conference
Social Advocacy Team and pastor of the First United Methodist
Church of Winamac, Ind.
4
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
Annual Conference
www.inumc.org
Several mission events coming during annual conference session
INDIANAPOLIS – In keeping
with the mission spirit of Hoosier United Methodists, several
mission events will take place
during the upcoming 2014 Indiana Annual Conference Session in downtown Indianapolis
May 28-31. Here is a short list
of some of those events:
Volunteer In Mission
Training, Wednesday, May 28,
1-5:30 p.m., Indiana Convention Center, Rm 131.
Join IAC UMVIM Coordinator Beth Stickles-McDaniel for
an afternoon of learning and
sharing information. This training will introduce you to the
premise of service in The United Methodist Church; opportunities for individuals, young
and mature; identification of
programs that match your passion along with tips for planning a meaningful experience
for yourself and others. This is
NOT the VIM training of old.
Registration fee: $15 per person. Optional: Manual $25.00
each (minimum one per church
– will be needed for class). Registration deadline: May 14.
For additional info or to
register, visit www.inumc.org/
VIMAC14.
If you have not participated
in UMVIM training in the past
24 months, your certification is
no longer considered current.
Please consider participating in
this course.
Connecting to Neighbors
Training, Wednesday, May
28, 1-5:30, Indiana Convention
Center, Room 133
What does your congregation do when a disaster happens in your community? Join
IAC Disaster Response Coordinator (DRC) Jim Byerly, for an
afternoon of learning and sharing information.
Why have a Church Disaster Plan?....because no one is
immune to natural or humancaused disaster.
Registration fee: $15 per
person. Optional: Manual $20
(minimum one per church –
will be needed for class). Registration deadline: May 14. For
additional info or to register,
visit www.inumc.org/ConnectingNeighborsAC14.
Mission Resources…Equipping You Workshop, Thursday, May 29, 9:30 to 11 a.m.,
Indiana Convention Center
The Mission Resource Team
of Indiana Conference is providing a workshop to assist
participants in finding their
way through the vast resources
available via internet and in
print. Our connectional United
Methodist Church offers so
much, we will help get tuned
into what’s out there. Opportunities for small group sharing/
discussion as well as hands-on
resources will be provided. The
workshop will be fast-paced
and responsive to the needs
expressed through the coffee
meetings held around the conference in the fall of 2013. Register for this workshop when
registering for Annual Conference at www.inumc.org/ac14.
Mission Luncheon, Friday,
May 30, 12:30 p.m., Crowne
Plaza Hotel, Downtown Indianapolis.
Mission outreach is changing – are we doing too much
“for,”? Are we doing too little
“with,”? We are blessed with
two speakers who will focus
on the role of mission in our
church for the future. The
speakers are: the Rev. Shawn
Bakker, Deputy General Secretary for Communications and
Development with the General
Board of Global Ministries,
who was behind the successful
Together photo.
Missions come alive in the exhibits area during the Annual Conference
Session. Exhibits will be open Thursday and Friday.
“Giving Tuesday” that brought
in $6.5 million for the Advance
projects this past December
and Bob Walters of Friendly
Planet Missiology, who will
share empowering ministry in
North Katanga around the new
Women’s Center. Register for
this meal when registering for
Annual Conference at www.
inumc.org/ac14. Cost is $25 per
person.
Kids Against Hunger will
be the outreach project Saturday, May 31.
Remember to check out this
mission opportunity immediately following the Ordination
and Commissioning Worship
Service at noon Saturday, May
31. Volunteers will begin packing meals with Kids Against
Hunger. Half of the meals will
go to food pantries in Indiana – Kokomo Rescue Mission
in Kokomo, First UMC Food
Pantry in South Bend, Harrison
County Community Services
in Corydon and Fletcher Place
Community Center and the
Vida Nueva United Methodist
ministry in Indianapolis. The
other half will go to Mission
Guatemala.
See story on page 5.
An invitation and story behind Georgia Street worship event
By Helene Foust
INDIANAPOLIS – Last year
during the Indiana Annual
Conference session, a homeless man approached me, so
excited because he heard “the
Methodists were in town.” He
was looking for a “revival,”
a place to meet Jesus and encounter the Spirit in the midst
of one of the lowest points
of his life. When I explained
we would have worship later
in the evening at the convention center, his face went from
hopeful to sad, and I knew
without asking that he had
imagined this “revival” of
United Methodists gathering
together to be outside, where
he would feel comfortable
in his old tattered jeans and
tousled hair. I began to offer
encouragement that he would
be welcomed if he joined us,
but he quickly declined, saying
he did not think it would be
right for him to intrude on our
time together. I prayed with
him and we parted ways, and
I have not been able to forget
our encounter.
As I walked back to the convention center, my heart broke
for this man – and for us. We
missed out on an incredible
opportunity to bring the Good
News to the people around
us. Somehow, in the midst of
… we are going to be praising and
worshiping God right in the middle of
Georgia Street.
our planning, we became so
inwardly focused on business
and workshops and lunches
and sessions, that we did not
fully focus on how we could
spread the message of Christ’s
love, hope and peace to the
community around us.
So, this year, as we focus on
what it means to be an “Outwardly Focused Church,” I
am excited to announce that
we are going to be praising
and worshiping God right in
the middle of Georgia Street,
Friday, May 30 at 12:30 p.m.
There will be no walls, no barriers, no dress code. We will
keep things simple and focused
on the transforming power of
our God and declare with boldness that God is with us everywhere – even and especially on
the streets of Indianapolis. The
musical group Sixteen Cities
(www.sixteencities.com) will
lead us in a time of worship
that will wrap up with a meaningful time of prayer as we
sing “God of This City.”
I hope you will join us for
this special opportunity. Invite
everyone you know – everyone
you meet as you walk through
the City while we gather together. I can’t help but smile when I
picture all of us joining together
to sing, praise, worship and
pray in the streets of downtown
Indianapolis. Please join me in
prayer for this special day.
Helene Foust serves as the Associate Director of Student Ministry for the Indiana Conference,
The United Methodist Church.
Friends of Africa University invite you to breakfast
INDIANAPOLIS
register for free and
– Friends of Afmake reservations
rica University will
for the breakfast by
hold a breakfast
choosing the breakfast
during the 2014
from a list of sponIndiana Annual
sored meals.
Conference Session
Clergy and lay
Friday, May 30 at 7
members of the annua.m. in the Indiana
al conference need to
Convention Center.
make reservations for
All are invited to
the breakfast choosing
Stevens
attend.
from a list of sponReservations,
sored meals by May
which must be purchased in
14 (postmarked by May 12 if
advance by May 14, can be
sending reservations and check
made on the Indiana Annual
by mail).
Conference Session Web pages
Featured speaker this year
online at www.inumc.org/ac14.
will be Andra Stevens from
If only attending the breakfast,
the Development Office of
register as a guest. Guests can
Africa University in Nashville,
Tenn. She keeps in touch with
many students and graduates
of United Methodist-related
Africa University in Mutare,
Zimbabwe, Africa. She can tell
stories of how Africa University is making a difference in the
lives of students and graduates
who are making a difference
across the continent of Africa.
Those who have visited the
campus in Africa probably
met her there before she began
work in the Development Office of Africa University. The
AU Breakfast will be a time of
good food and fellowship as
well as of inspiration. Remember to reserve your place at the
breakfast now.
Indiana
www.inumc.org
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
5
Record allocation of Bishop’s Christmas Offering for Children
being distributed worldwide this spring
By Daniel R. Gangler
INDIANAPOLIS – The Bishop’s Christmas Offering for
Children Committee allocated
on March 26 a record $140,000
to children and youth ministries in Indiana and around
the world most of which was
given during Christmas 2013
($120,000).
Whether assisting with a
children’s day camps in Franklin, a preschool in Indianapolis,
a Christmas shopping store
in South Bend, a summer
food program in Newburgh,
schools in Sierra Leone and
Liberia, children and women
caught in human trafficking
around the world or providing
camp scholarships for Hoosier
children and youth to go to
summer camp at a conference
camp site, the generous gifts
of Hoosier United Methodists
have provided for the social,
physical and spiritual needs
of children around the world
through the Bishop’s Christmas Offering for Children.
Thank you for your generous contributions. They make
a difference in the lives of
hundreds of children. Most of
those funds were allocated and
recently distributed to more
than 20 children’s ministries to
help meet the special needs of
children throughout the year.
The Indiana Conference
Mission Team has prayed for
and chosen ministries to improve and give hope to the
lives of children. Christmas
offering funds received in 2013
were allocated by percentage
guidelines to meet the needs
of children’s ministries in Indiana, throughout the United
States and internationally.
Here are the amounts being distributed to each of these
ministries related to the Indiana Conference:
• Indiana United Methodist
Conference Camping program were allocated $28,000
(or 20 percent) for first-time
campers and children with
financial need;
• Indiana United Methodistrelated children and youth
homes was allocated $28,000
(or 20 percent – $9,333 each)
including conference-related
children’s homes at United
Methodist Youth Home in
Evansville, Bashor Children’s Home in Goshen and
the Indiana United Methodist Children’s Home in
Lebanon;
• Bishop’s reserve fund for
emergency children’s projects was allocated up to
$28,000 (or 20 percent). Of
that amount, $10,000 was
allocated to the 2014 Indiana
Annual Conference Session outreach project Kids
Against Hunger. The rest
will be used as emergency
funds for children’s ministries at the discretion of
Bishop Mike Coyner.
Indiana children’s ministry
projects totaling $28,000 (or 20
percent) are being distributed
in this way:
• $2,230 – Spring Hill Day
Camp at Grace UMC in
Franklin,
• $2,230 – East Tenth UMC
Children and Youth Center
in Indianapolis,
• $2,230 – Rainbow Ark Preschool, a ministry of St. Andrew UMC in Indianapolis,
• $1,730 – Ultimate Frisbee
Outreach of the Smith Valley
UMC in Greenwood,
• $2,730 – Family Preservation Program, a ministry at
the Indiana State Women’s
Prison,
• $2,230 – Jubilee Christmas
Store, a ministry of Broadway Christian Parish UMC
in South Bend,
• $2,230 – Noble House Ministries, Inc., a homeless/
crisis shelter serving the
men, women and children of
Noble County,
• $2,480 – Hamilton County
Kids Coats, an outreach of
four UMCs in Hamilton
County,
• $2,480 – Children’s Clothing
Center of Delaware County,
Inc.,
• $2,480 – Newburgh UMC
Summer Food Program,
• $1,230 – Greencastle TALKS
Mentoring affiliated with
Gobin UMC,
• $2,480 – 14th and Chestnut
Community Center, Inc.,
after-school program for
inner-city children K-12 in
Terre Haute, and
• $1,230 – Youth and Young
Adult Mission Service Fund
provides scholarships to
youth to serve on a mission
team or to do other volunteer work, a ministry of
United Methodist Women
of Ind.
National and International
ministry projects of $28,000 (or
20 percent) are being distributed in this way:
• $15,500 – Operation Classroom educational ministries
to Sierra Leone and Liberia
United Methodist-related
schools,
• $3,000 – Children, Poverty,
and Violence (GBGM Advance #14680A) supports
initiatives which seek to
engage children (under 18
years old) living in contexts
of poverty and violence to
become engaged in address-
250 volunteers needed for Annual
Conference outreach ministry
INDIANAPOLIS – The 2014
Indiana Annual Conference
Session mission opportunity
will immediately follow the
Ordination and Commissioning Service Saturday, May 31.
At noon, some 250 volunteers
will begin packing meals with
Kids Against Hunger in the
exhibit hall area of the Indiana
Convention Center downtown.
Half of the meals will go
to food pantries in Indiana at
the Kokomo Rescue Mission
in Kokomo, First UMC Food
Pantry in South Bend, Harrison
County Community Services
in Corydon and Fletcher Place
Community Center and Vida
Nueva United Methodist ministry in Indianapolis. The other
Together photo.
Each packet contains fortified soy,
textured vegetable protein, longgrain rice and 21 essential vitamins
and minerals.
half of the packets will go to
the United Methodist-related
Mission Guatemala.
The more volunteers that
register for this event, the
faster the packing will go. Vol-
unteers can plan to be done
by 2 p.m. Those interested in
volunteering for this mission
outreach can register through
the 2014 Indiana Annual Conference Session website by
May 14 at www.inumc.org/ac14.
For more information, contact
Deanne Heidrich by email at
ddheidrich@att.net or by phone
at 317-525-0915. The cost is $5
per person.
If you plan to bring a group,
call for more information.
Youth groups, Sunday school
classes or anyone with a passion for helping others are encouraged to participate in this
unique ministry outreach.
See page-one story in MarchApril 2014 issue of Together.
ing issues in
their communities,
• $3,000 – Assistance to
Trafficked
Women and
Children
(GBGM
Advance
#3021031)
provides refuge, counseling and skills
training for
victims of sex
trafficking
and prostitution,
• $3,500 – Native American Children’s Fund
A portion of the Bishop’s Christmas Offering for
(Advance
Children goes to conference camping scholarships.
#583581)
Global Ministries or are on the
assists children of limited
Indiana Conference Advance
income families with school
Specials list.
clothing scholarships. It also
Now is a good time for conassists graduating seniors of
gregations to decide whether
limited income families with
or not they wish to participate
scholarships to assist with
in the 2014 Bishop’s Christmas
graduation expenses, and
Offering. Promotional materi• $3,000 – Alabama Rural
als for the offering will be disMinistry (Advance #721001)
tributed to each congregation
provides a summer day
across the Indiana Conference
camp and after-school minthe beginning of November as
istry.
well as posted on the conferPrograms supported by this
ence website at www.inumc.org.
offering were selected by the
For more information about
Conference Mission Team and
the Bishop’s Christmas Offeradopted by the Conference
ing for Children, contact AlSpecial Offering Committee.
lison Curts, associate director
These ministries are among
of the Indiana Conference Misthose endorsed by the United
sion and Advocacy Team, at
allison.curts@inumc.org.
Methodist General Board of
Glory Sightings
First Christian of new Indiana
Conference confirmed
NEW PARIS, Ind. – Sunday,
March 30, was a special Sunday
for our Indiana Conference.
The first person to become a
Christian after the new Indiana Conference was formed
was confirmed. How can I say
the “first person to become a
Christian” with such boldness?
Let me tell you her story.
It happened October 4, 2008,
the day the two former Indiana
United Methodist conferences
held a special uniting session
in Indianapolis, which formed
the new Indiana Conference.
On that day, I rendezvoused
with my family on the way
home. My daughter, Elizabeth,
was with me in my truck. We
started to talk about the new
conference, faith and Jesus.
I asked her if she wanted
to pray, to confess her sin and
accept Jesus as her Savior. She
said “yes.” So I pulled safely
over and lead my daughter in a
prayer of salvation.
So while I cannot prove
she is the first Christian of the
new Indiana Conference, she
certainly has to be one of the
first. The seeds of her faith
were publicly celebrated on
March 30, when she and her
confirmation classmates were
“Confirmed in Christ.” Christ
is working among us. The
Gospel is being proclaimed,
verbally and visibly. Another
generation begins its work and
play for the Gospel of Jesus the
Christ.
From my perspective the
Church is in good hands for yet
another generation. Shalom.
Submitted by The Rev. Rob
Nelson, pastor of New Paris Grace
and Milford United Methodist
churches.
6
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
Indiana
www.inumc.org
More than 600 youth listen to Bishop talk
about life during Love Rocks! Rally in March
Photo by Ray Balogh and courtesy of The Mail Journal of Syracuse, Ind.
Syracuse kids with big hearts,
give little gifts to kids in Haiti
SYRACUSE, Ind. – More than 30 children took the lead of Carol
Elder at Calvary United Methodist Church of Syracuse in making more than 590 rubberband bracelets for kids they will never
meet. During a three-week period of time, the Syracuse and Milford children invested more than 200 hours in the project. Elder’s
great-niece, Nicole Yoder, is a nurse and one of 17 volunteers who
recently went to Haiti on a medical mission led by the Rev. Carolyn Kern, associate pastor at First United Methodist Church of
Mishawaka, Ind. The volunteers gave the bracelets in their clinical service in Haiti as a sign of good will from Hoosier children to
Haitian children.
INDIANAPOLIS – More than
600 youth and 70 adult volunteers participated in the 2014
Love Rocks Bishop’s Youth
Rally, Saturday, March 8 at
First United Methodist Church
in Noblesville. Featured artists
included Gracie Schram, 737,
Matt McCoy and Moriah Peters. As usual, Indiana Bishop
Mike Coyner answered questions put to him by the participants. IU or Purdue? “My
wife and I met at Purdue and
have been married 44 years,”
Coyner responded.
The second question was about
marriage and homosexuality.
Coyner said he affirmed the
church’s position on marriage
between one man and one
woman, but said we also need
to uphold the civil rights of
all people, including gays and
lesbians. Government doesn’t
need to tell people what to do
in regards to marriage. There
needs to be a separation between church and state.
On a question about how to
be close to God: Coyner said
we need to pray daily, read the
Bible and talk with other Chris-
Together photo
Two young adults interview Bishop Coyner during a Q&A session at rally.
tians about being drawn closer
to God. He said, “at the end of
a day, I journal and pray about
the day.” He also said he was
in a covenant group with other
bishops. “We prayerfully read
Scripture.”
He closed with good words
about United Methodist-related Africa University in Zimbabwe, Africa. He sees in the
university the future of Africa
as it trains the future leaders
of Africa. He also commented
on Sierra Leone, where he
had spent the previous week,
and the importance of education which Hoosiers provide
through Operation Classroom,
where we help ten schools that
have 80 kids to a classroom.
“Education is key,” he said.
What will be the response if you have a disaster?
By Dick Stowe
Some 22 men and 14 women, mostly United Methodists of East Central
Indiana spent March 2-8 working out of the Delta Grace Mission hub
located in Sunflower.
East Central Indiana UMs in
mission make a difference in Miss.
SUNFLOWER, Miss. – With the
goal of “to make a difference,”
22 men and 14 women, mostly
United Methodists of East
Central Indiana spent March
2-8 working out of the Delta
Grace Mission hub located in
Sunflower. Sunflower is a small
town located in the heart of
the Mississippi Delta, one of
the poorest areas in the United
States with high unemployment
and much substandard housing.
The Delta Grace Project,
co-located with the Sunflower
United Methodist Church, is a
new United Methodist effort to
improve the material welfare
and spiritual well-being of folks
in that area. Veronica Pritchard,
pastor of the Sunflower UMC,
and several dedicated lay members were instrumental in getting the Delta Grace project up
and running.
In one home the floors down
to the joists in two bedrooms
were replaced and tiled, and
outside a sturdy handicapped
ramp was built. In another
home, 220 electrical service was
installed, roofing was repaired,
and replacement windows were
installed. In yet another home,
flooring in the bathroom and
across the entire rear portion
of the house was shored up
and the front porch rebuilt. In a
fourth home, major repair work
was done on windows, doors,
ceilings and floors.
This mission construction
workcamp was organized by
the Hagerstown UMC with substantial input from the United
Methodist churches in Losantville, Knightstown, Brookville,
Liberty and Centerville. The
team made substantial improvements on one structurally
sound home and three not-sostructurally-sound homes.
For more information, contact Jim Howell at 765-748-1825
or Veronica Pritchard, Sunflower UMC at 662-466-2167.
Since Henryville, Indiana,
nearly went missing with a
severe tornado March 2, 2012,
Hoosiers have thought more
seriously about the possibility
of damage to our homes from
tornados.
But not many of us apply
this thinking to our church records and irreplaceable memorabilia. Here’s the point: If the
trees in your churchyard are
downed, they can be replanted;
if the building is damaged, it
can be repaired, but if your
1850s quarterly meeting record
book gets swept away – that’s
it, there’s no replacement.
Then there are fires, floods,
vandalism, insects, sunlight,
humidity, acidic paper and
just plain human carelessness.
So who should stand between
your records and disaster?
Well, your local church
trustees have a responsibility
to help safeguard your treasures and provide a controlled
environment for them (see
The United Methodist Book of
Disciplne ¶2533). But for really keeping an eye on things
making sure they are archive
preserved and kept from harm,
there’s no one like a dedicated
church historian.
The historian can help determine which valuables need
to be placed in the Conference
Archives (ours is located at DePauw University in Greencastle)
and which need to be retained
in the church. Also, which
ones should be duplicated and
backed-up offsite for safekeeping; and what kind of storage
would be best for your collection
(allowing room for growth); and
what use can best be copied to
thumb drives, CD-ROMs, DVDs
or stored on a “cloud.”
It’s a big job, so the historian
needs to be recruited with care.
In most churches, the responsibility to preserve history is
given to a committee. The history committee also needs a
decent budget for equipment,
supplies and contracting some
outside repairs and preservation, plus a seat on the church’s
council to participate in decisions involving the most valuable objects that the church
owns – those which comprise
its very heritage and legacy.
Then you’ll be able to recover if that disaster does come
your way.
Dick Stowe serves as a member
of the Indiana Conference Commission on Archives and History.
If you have a question about storing valuable church information or history, contact him at
rastowe@mstar.net.
Leadership Development opens preaching, exploring
ministry events
INDIANAPOLIS – In ongoing efforts to
support, equip, network and inspire future
leaders for its churches, the conference Leadership Development team has two invitations
for conference members and guests.
Eat, Preach, and Praise Dinner, Thursday, May 29 at 5:15 p.m. at the Crowne Plaza
Hotel east of the Indiana Convention Center.
The cost is $25. Sign up for the second annual
Eat, Preach, & Praise Dinner, a celebration in
music and message of young voices.
Exploring Ministries Dinner, Friday,
May 30 at 5:45 p.m. in the Indiana Convention Center. The cost is $20. This dinner is
an opportunity to explore, andto learn about
vocational ministry in the church and paths to
serve, and to gain tools for vocational exploration. Members to the Indiana Annual Conference Session need to register through the
conference registration process. Guests to the
Session can register as a guest at www.inumc.
org/ac14, click on registration and go to the Exploring Ministries Dinner or Eat, Preach, and
Praise Dinner. Registrations are due May 14.
Indiana
www.inumc.org
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
7
Conference board recommends changes to retiree medical
subsidy effective Jan. 1
INDIANAPOLIS – In response to the
discussion of the Retiree Medicare premium subsidy at the 2013 Annual Conference Session, Bishop Mike Coyner
asked the members of the Retiree
Health Insurance Funding Task Force to
continue to meet to review the concerns
of the conference and make a proposal
to the Board for consideration and submission to the 2014 Annual Conference.
The task force met and asked the
Rev. George Hunsaker and Brent Williams to seek information on the level of
pension being received by retirees. As
a result, the actuarial department of the
General Board of Pension and Health
Benefits provided reports detailing
the pension benefit received by retired
clergy based upon certain assumptions.
That data showed the following minimum benefit being received by clergy
with 35 years of service who retired as
of certain dates (the full report is available on the Indiana Conference Website
– Benefits page www.inumc.org/benefits). Retirement Monthly Benefit
Date Received
from all plans as of 1/1/2013
1/1/1995$1,821.27
1/1/2000$2,203.08
1/1/2005$2,861.75
1/1/2010$2,662.81
1/1/2013$2,755.51
From this information, the Task
Force and Board were able to better
understand the benefit being received
by persons with service under the various plans and when those benefit levels changed. Persons with the greater
number of service under the pre-1982
plan, retirement years 1995 and earlier,
receive significantly less pension income than those that retired in 2005 and
thereafter.
Based on this information and information gleaned from George Hunsaker,
the following recommendation for subsidy support for both retired clergy and
spouse (if both are on the Conference
Medicare Supplement program) is be-
ing recommended.
• All participants who retired prior
to 1990 will continue to receive $5/
month/service year subsidy for up to
30 years of service.
• All participants who retired in 1990
thru 2004 will receive $4/month/service year subsidy for up to 30 years
of service.
• All participants who retired in 2005
thru 2015 will receive $3/month/service year subsidy for up to 30 years
of service.
• All participants who retire in 2016
and beyond will receive $2/month/
service subsidy for up to 30 years of
service.
No change in Surviving Spouse
Benefit
For Surviving Spouse/Dependents,
there will be a grace period of 12
months following the death of the clergy or conference lay employee, during
which the conference will pay the full
cost of the premium.
For Surviving Spouses over the age
of 65, an amount of $250 will be credited towards the premium charged by
the Conference-sponsored, Medicare
Supplement Plans.
Comments welcomed
The board welcomes questions and
comments to this post. Chairperson
Greg Rittenhouse will respond to
content questions. Director of Administrative Services Brent Williams will
respond to technical questions.
Questions and comments also can be
sent by email to acquestions@inumc.org.
Answers to email questions will begin
to be posted after the Annual Conference 2014 Live Webcast Sunday, May 4.
In addition, there will be three Annual
Conference Information Sessions across
Indiana all on Sunday, May 18 (visit
www.inumc.org/ac14 for details).
Indiana on top
UM Men give $191,000 to Meals for Millions
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – United Methodist Men have
increased their giving each of the last four years to a
total of $191,000, an amount that provided 8.9 million
servings of food in 2013.
In 2010, UM Men gave $168,196 to Meals for Millions; they increased giving in 2011 to $171,223, and in
2012, they gave $179,007.
Wade Mays, director of the Meals for Millions program for the Society of Saint Andrew, thanked the
leaders of UM Men for “their unwavering support
of our ministry” and he presented awards to the top
contributors.
Indiana Conference won the Meals for Millions
Award for giving $29,300 in 2013. Mays notes the
conference increased giving over the last four years. In
2010, the conference gave $10,423, that amount increased to $19,932 in 2011, and $26,735 in 2012.
In spite of the increased giving by Indiana Confer-
ence, Missouri Conference won the “Bud the Spud”
award for a 255 percent increase in giving (from
$5,464 in 2012 to $13,886 in 2013).
In addition, UM men also provided 2,401 volunteers who gleaned 1.2 million pounds of fresh produce for the hungry in 2013.
Top 10 conferences providing funds for Meals for
Millions in 2013:
1. Indiana ......................................... $29,300
2. Detroit .......................................... $23,710
3. Northern Illinois.......................... $21,101
4. Virginia......................................... $17,811
5. Missouri........................................ $13,886
6. Baltimore Washington ............... $13,382
7. North Carolina.............................. $8,759
8. Iowa................................................. $5,700
9. Oklahoma....................................... $5,340
10. West Ohio....................................... $4,547
Wade Mays (left), director of the Meals for Millions program,
presents the top award to Dave Martin, president of Indiana
Conference United Methodist Men.
National scouters group loses United Methodist affiliation
By Heather Hahn
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) – After
years of tension, a scouting organization has lost its affiliation with the
Commission on United Methodist Men
and other United Methodist organizations.
The National Association of United
Methodist Scouters is no longer affiliated with the commission, the National
Association of Conference Presidents of
United Methodist Men and the United
Methodist Men Foundation, said in an
April 10 news release.
Because the association has no formal relationship with any national
entity of The United Methodist Church,
the statement said, it is “prohibited
from using the United Methodist name
and logo.”
Leaders of both United Methodist
Men and the national association said
that the dispute has absolutely nothing
to do with the controversial decision
made last year by the National Council
of the Boy Scouts of America to lift a
Photo by Mike DuBose, UMNS
Gil Hanke of United Methodist Men speaks
about scouting ministries during the 2012
General Conference in Tampa, Fla. United
Methodist Men has dropped its affiliation
with the National Association of United
Methodist Scouters.
ban on gay members.
At heart, leaders say, the dispute is
about the role of an affiliate of an agency in The United Methodist Church.
“Are they a subordinate group that is
meant to provide assistance and manpower for what the board is doing?”
said Gil Hanke, the top executive of the
Commission of United Methodist Men.
“Or are they to have a relationship that
is different, which is controlling part of
the ministry of one of the boards and
agencies?”
Phil Craig, president of the national
association, said members of his group
feel that the commission “wants to dictate everything we do, and we think
that’s wrong.”
Craig is a lifelong United Methodist,
an Eagle Scout and former Scoutmaster.
He continues to serve on the board of
the National Order of the Arrow, the
Boy Scouts’ honor society.
Both Craig and Hanke agreed they
expect the change to have little impact
on the youth-service organizations
supported by local United Methodist churches. But they also agreed the
break is regrettable.
Ultimately, Hanke said he expected
the commission’s office of scouting
ministries to continue the work without
the association’s help. “All the tasks
that were part of scouting ministries six
months ago are continuing and continuing to expand,” Hanke said.
The national association is about 30
years old, said Craig. Minutes from a
2012 meeting showed the group had
416 total members. The group predates
the founding of the Commission on
United Methodist Men, which General
Conference, the denomination’s top
lawmaking body, established as a general church agency in 1996.
This loss of affiliation directly affects
The Pathfinder Chapter of the National
Association of United Methodist Scouters
here in Indiana. The Indiana Conference
is in discussion with the leaders of this
Indiana Chapter. The Rev. Curtis Hurley,
pastor of Fountain City UMC, is currently
president of the Pathfinder Chapter.
Heather Hahn serves as a multimedia
news reporter for United Methodist
News Service.
8
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
Global & Mission News
www.inumc.org
United Methodists remember missionary’s legacy
By Linda Bloom
NEW YORK (UMNS) – From the time he was a youth,
Tshala Mwengo had a dual mission: to bring people
to Christ and to better the lives of those in his community, his country and the continent of Africa.
As a student at Africa University, he studied agriculture so he could teach others to grow their own
food and produce income.
As a missionary with the United Methodist General
Board of Global Ministries, the native of the Democratic Republic of Congo promoted the love of God,
the need for education and the importance of selfsustainability.
As an uncle, he inspired his nephew, the Rev. Eric
Mulanda, to follow him to Africa University and then
blessed his new path to ordination and study for a
master’s degree of divinity at Garrett-Evangelical
Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill. Mulanda spoke
about his experience at Africa University in Indiana
AU Campaign rallies this past fall.
Mwengo was a two-time delegate to General Conference, the denomination’s top legislative body. He
and his wife, Betty Tshala, also a missionary, were
principal founders of Living Word Chapel in Kitwe,
where the family, including their two children, Lance
and Shane, lives.
He was on his way from the Mujila Falls Agricultural Centre to see his family, said the Rev. Paul Webster, his co-director there, when he was fatally injured
in a bus accident and later died April 9.
The memorial service for Mwengo, who was born
in 1972, took place April 14 in Mwinilunga. In a statement, Thomas Kemper, top executive, General Board
of Global Ministries, mourned his “unexpected loss.”
He shares a grave at Mujila Falls with the ashes of
Roxanne Conrad Webster, a fellow missionary who
died in 2004. “We have two saints looking over Mujila
Falls Agriculture Centre,” Webster, Roxanne’s husband, said.
A knack for motivation
Their connection began in 1995, when the Websters
were assigned to the mission in Musokatanda, in what
Photo courtesy of Becky Harrell, Global Ministries.
In 2006, Tshala Mwengo, an Africa University graduate from
the Democratic Republic of Congo, took part in missionary
training with the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
was then Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) and Mwengo’s father became his manager. The
church youth leader had just graduated from a private
Catholic agriculture high school.
The Websters helped him get to Africa University
in Zimbabwe and, as he was studying there, developed the Mujila Falls project in northwest Zambia,
which was dedicated in 2000. A year later, after Roxanne Webster was diagnosed with ovarian cancer,
they had to return to the United States.
Their absence took its toll, but, upon graduation in
2003, Mwengo rescued the failing project.
Uncle, mentor and friend
Mulanda, who considered his uncle to be a mentor
and friend, spent a few months with Mwengo at Mulija Falls after pursuing a bachelor’s degree in agriculture, which he earned from Africa University in 2008.
“My uncle was among the people who empowered
and inspired me to follow my call to ministry,” he
said.
After graduating with a second degree from Africa
University in 2012, Mulanda stopped to see Mwengo
again in Zambia on his way home for ordination.
“What I see first as the legacy that my uncle left
into my life is to know Jesus Christ as the author and
foundation for my life and to always serve God’s people regardless of their background, race, gender and
social class,” he said. “My uncle seeded into my life
with gifts of prayer, and leadership skills.”
Mulanda attributes his own life as part of his
uncle’s legacy, along with the faith of his family, the
faith of many others who Mwengo brought to Christ,
his support and promotion of education for others.
One of the biggest legacies is the mission in Zambia.
“He had great plans for Mujila Falls Agriculture
Centre, even the creation of a formal agriculture
school,” Webster said. “He was already inviting students from Africa University to do their practicals at
our site every year and many of these have succeeded
in their lives due to that experience.”
Support and admiration
Mwengo’s work at Mjuila Falls was admired and
supported through some of the denomination’s U.S.
conferences. In the Indiana Conference, for example,
a volunteer work team from Central United Methodist Church in Richmond, Ind., were preparing for an
April 21-May 9 trip to Zambia when they learned of
his death. The church has provided both salary support and assistance to the agricultural project.
“In grieving for Betty, Tshala’s wife, their family,
Paul Webster, and everyone at Mujila Falls, I also
grieve for Mujila Falls Agriculture Centre,” wrote the
Rev. Ted Halsted, a retired pastor and the team leader,
in an email as he mourned “the great loss” of his leadership.
“In its 11 years of existence, (the centre) has transformed living conditions for families in the area, who
now have better diets, better houses to live in, more
children in school, better health, a lower infant mortality rate, and more United Methodist congregations.”
Linda Bloom serves as a United Methodist News Service
multi-media reporter based in New York.
Sierra Leone launches new United Methodist university
By Phileas Jusu
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone
(UMNS) – Pledges of $21,600
launched the official unveiling of the United Methodist
University at the 2014 Sierra
Leone Annual Conference in
Freetown Feb. 28.
While much work has been
going on in the background
for several years, this was the
introduction to the public in
Sierra Leone and the start of
fundraising.
The proposed United Methodist University is expected
to start with four faculties or
schools –nursing, theology,
development studies and agriculture. The university is
envisioned to be a “center of
excellence with a focus on the
production of individuals with
moral integrity and the ability
to positively transform lives in
society.”
“If the dream to establish
our own university is to come
true, it has to begin with us. I
therefore call upon all of us to
take the responsibility to raise
the needed funds,” Bishop
John K. Yambasu told the 134th
session of the Sierra Leone Annual Conference in his episco-
The university is envisioned to be a
“center of excellence.”
Image courtesy of Phileas Jusu, UMNS
An artist’s rendering shows the design of the future United Methodist
University in Sierra Leone. During the Sierra Leone Annual Conference
held Feb. 28, in Freetown a total of $21,600 was pledged. The university
will start with schools of nursing, theology, development studies and
agriculture.
pal address Feb. 27.
The amount raised Feb.
28 signaled the beginning of
building a university projected
to cost $4,492,015.
The main campus will be
on 531 acres of land at Pa Loko
in rural Freetown that was
willed to the church in 1939 by
an Anglican amazed by what
Methodism was doing in Sierra
Leone in the 1930s.
A Freetown-based engineering and architectural firm surveyed the land and drew a plan
for the university. Registration
with the Sierra Leone government’s Ministry of Education is
underway while the construction of the School of Nursing
is at the finishing stage in the
southern city of Bo.
The School of Theology will
start at Leicester Peak, the highest point overlooking Freetown,
where the Sierra Leone Conference owns property. Renovation
of a building on the property is
almost ready for the school to
start classes. The school eventually will relocate to Pa Loko.
Bishop Yambasu says local fundraising is an essential
element, but he is encouraging friends of Sierra Leone to
invest in the future of the coun-
try’s children. He noted that
partners can finance specific
buildings such as the library or
a faculty building, which could
be named for the donor.
Yambasu emphasized that
the church needs to increase
contributions toward upgrading education in a nation of
deteriorating academic standards.
Educational standards have
fallen in post-conflict Sierra
Leone. Youth unemployment is
at 70 percent, and adult literacy
rates are at 41 percent. Sixty
percent of Sierra Leoneans live
below the national poverty line,
according to the United Nations
Development Program statistics.
After the proposal to establish the university was endorsed
at the 2010 annual conference,
Bishop Yambasu put together a
University Development Committee that included experienced university professors, architects, curriculum developers
and consultants from the United
Methodist Board of Higher
Education and Ministry to detail
the plan. At the launch during
the annual conference, the subcommittees on infrastructure,
engineering and curriculum
gave presentations on what the
proposed university would look
like and include.
“The current tertiary education in Sierra Leone offers costly
programs that go nowhere and
bear little relations to our true
needs for transformation,” said
Adonis Abboud, the Honorary
Consul of Serbia to Sierra Leone.
He said there was an urgent
need for Sierra Leone’s higher
education institutions to move
beyond the traditional university to a variety of smaller,
specialized, advanced institutions that would be accessible,
flexible and comparable to
global colleges that turn out a
better qualified workforce.
Phileas Jusu serves as the communicator for the Sierra Leone
Annual Conference.
Viewpoints
www.inumc.org
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
Practicing principles of Aikido for change
By Mary Ann Moman
Several years ago, I practiced Aikido. It was recommended by a friend who told
me the practice would help me
be more intentional in my work
and in my daily living. I was
in the midst of lots of change
and anything that could help
me gain control seemed like a
good pursuit.
So I
signed up
for a class
at the local
YMCA. I
was skeptical. I was
afraid. I
had never
Moman
done any
kind of
martial arts. I wasn’t interested
in throwing people on the mat.
Even after my short time in the
class I learned several valuable
lessons that have helped me
when faced with big changes.
Moving slow when in a
stressful situation is a sign of
Moving slow when in a stressful situation
is a sign of internal peace and strength.
internal peace and strength.
For most of my life I would
work hard at solving problems
and “get it done.” In Aikido,
with time and practice, it is
possible to learn slow, deliberate, attentive movements.
These slow movements help
the body relax and balance; living between the desire to resist
the force or to give in to it. As
you might guess, I worked
hard at relaxing. As my movements became more deliberate, I could feel my strength
increase.
Aikido promotes cooperation not competition. Aikido
promotes the attitude of becoming one with each situation
and to create harmony with
friend or foe. Strength comes
from the attitude of cooperation so it is possible for anyone
reg,ardless of age or physical
strength to perform the arts.
Unlike some other martial arts,
the goal is to defend yourself
and protect your attacker from
injury.
Aikido is a series of circular
motions. My instructor said
that circular movement will
synthesize everything and
will resolve all problems. He
repeated over and over: “All
circular motions are preceded
by a spiritual circle.” My spiritual circle became the prayer
I prayed for my actions and
those of my partner.
True victory is victory over
oneself. This is like the flight
attendants instructions for using the oxygen mask. Put yours
on first and then help others.
Without
the discipline to
balance
and control
oneself it
is hard to
avoid an
attack or to
practice the
principles
effectively
on others.
Self-control
is the key
to living a harmonious life.
As you might have guessed I
began the class with the hopes
of learning how to control others and bring them around to
my way of doing things. I gave
that up about 30 minutes into
the first class. This is what I try
to practice when faced with a
difficult situation or the need to
change:
• Breathe deeply and move
with deliberation;
9
• Find the place of cooperation that is possible and
cause no injury to my opponent;
• Move in circles that are surrounded by prayer; (Think
of the way conversations
often go in conflict. Try to
bring your opponent closer.)
and
• Pay more attention to my
balance and self-control.
Jesus gave very similar instructions to his disciples. Love
your neighbor as yourself.
Turn the other cheek. When
you have done it to the least of
these, you have done it to me.
Change is difficult. Whether
you are trying to break a bad
habit, be healthier physically
or financially, or give up complaining, these lessons can
increase your spiritual strength
in the face of adversity.
Mary Ann Moman serves as
executive director of the Indiana
Conference Rejuvenate Ministry.
Body, Mind & Spirit
The Traveler’s Guide to Annual Conference
app. Keep your eyes peeled for these photo
ops, but watch, especially, for old friends,
Having written many travel articles over
for former clergy you’d rather avoid or for
the years – tips for those vacationing in Hathose unexpected “glory sightings” – such as
waii, California or New York, for example – I
people doing Christ’s work. (This may not be
feel obligated to offer this travel guide to Anapparent at first, but keep looking!)
nual Conference. My hope is that this guide
In order to fully maximize your AC exwill be especially useful to those first time
perience, make time for conversation over a
attendees or to those who have accidently
cup of coffee (there is something like a dozen
wandered into the Indiana Convention CenStarbucks locations within walking distance
ter searching for a complimentary restroom.
of the CC and at least one Steak ‘n
Annual Conference, just like
Shake). You also will enjoy the worany major travel excursion, reship, the reports and the voting. In
quires planning, competent packaddition, the hundreds of vendor
ing and a good pair of walking
booths will allow you to purchase
shoes. Members, both lay and
curriculum, groceries and vinyl sidclergy, going to the AC should
ing for your home.
pack an umbrella, clean socks and
As you encounter AC, keep in
the Gideon Bible from your hotel
mind that its mysteries are legion.
nightstand. Don’t bother bringYou will only get out of AC what
ing reading material as there is a
you put into it, excluding tips. And
Cokesbury bookstore in the exhibit
no doubt you will overhear people
Outcalt
area adjacent to the worship cenusing disparaging phrases to deter. And, in case you don’t know
scribe the experience. But rememwhere the Convention Center is located, keep ber: you are attending AC for a reason that
your eyes peeled for those people who are
only God knows, so you should stay positive
walking the streets wearing name tags. These
and do all the good you can. In fact, you may
people are likely going to the AC. However, if come away from AC with a deeper appreciayou meet someone dressed like Captain Kirk
tion for the church and, weather permitting,
you’ve either stumbled into GenCon or are
actually enjoy it.
following a District Superintendent.
At the end, you will look back on the AC
Representatives to AC will appreciate the
experience with fondness and kick yourself
spacious confines of the Convention Center,
for not bringing your camcorder. Oh, and
and with more than a million square feet
don’t forget where you parked.
available for roaming, your odds of meetThis is Todd Outcalt’s thirty-fourth annual
ing anyone you know is slim. That is why
conference. In addition to writing regularly for
your nametag is important, and without it,
Preaching, YouthWorker, and MinistryMatyou can’t receive the 10 percent discount on
ters, he is the author of thirty books in six lannachos in the food court. Be aware, also, that
guages, including Portuguese, a language rarely
you may want to attend AC under an asheard in Indiana. His latest and upcoming titles
sumed alias, especially if you are clergy and
in 2014 include The Other Jesus, Common
are expecting a new appointment.
Ground, and Where in the World We Meet
The AC sessions will offer an array of ex(his first poetry collection). When he’s not at AC,
periences, and no doubt you will want to reyou can catch him at Calvary United Methodist
cord hours of the proceedings on your video
Church in Brownsburg, Ind.
By Todd Outcalt
Bishop Coyner ordains new pastors in Sierra Leone.
Bishop Coyner ordains Elders
during Sierra Leone Annual
Conference Session
FREETOWN, Sierra Leone – Indiana Bishop Mike Coyner
ordained several new Elders in Freetown Sunday, March 2,
as a guest bishop during the ordination service at the Sierra
Leone Annual Conference Session.
He was accompanied by retired Bishop Joseph Humper
and current Bishop John Yambasu, both of Sierra Leone.
In an email, Coyner commented that women in Africa
wear hats during worship. Coyner said, “They took off their
hats for us to lay hands on their heads, and then the hats
went right back on.”
This was the same service that Coyner presented stoles,
made in Indiana, to newly ordained Elders as a gift from
our annual conference to their annual conference as partners in ministry.
For more than 25 years, Indiana has partnered with Sierra Leone and Liberia annual conferences to provide schools
and school supplies through Indiana-based Operation
Classroom (www.operationclassroom.org).
Read Bishop Coyner’s E-pistle “My Lord Bishop” about
his experience in Sierra Leone at www.inumc.org/bishop.
10
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
Chronicles
www.inumc.org
2014 Blueprint for Wellness Screening now through July 31
INDIANAPOLIS – United
Methodist HealthFlex recently
announced to pastors, spouses
and church employees, in the
HealthFlex health care insurance plan from the General
Board of Pension and Health
Benefits, the 2014 Blueprint
for Wellness Screening now
through July 31.
Those insured need to watch
for information from HealthFlex about on-site screenings
during the 2014 Indiana Annual Conference Session May 2930. Pre-registration is strongly
recommended and walk-ins are
welcome however, limited.
Pre-registration also is required to take the Blueprint for
Wellness screening at a local
Quest Diagnostics location.
Register now at www.gbophb.
org (HealthFlex/WebMD) or
call 866-908-9440. More information will be posted at www.
inumc.org/ac14.
Any active participant who
cannot access a Quest Diagnostics facility or on-site screening
may be eligible for the $100
HealthCash incentive and up
to 90 Wellness Points if his or
Resident theologian shares three simple
truths in new book
INDIANAPOLIS – The Rev. Dr.
Adolf Hansen, resident theologian
of St. Luke’s United Methodist
Church in Indianapolis and retired
clergy member of the Indiana Conference, recently told the Indiana
Conference Center staff during
Tuesday devotions that his new
book Three Simple Truths: experiencing them in our lives was forty years
in the making.
More than a simple self-help
book or a memoir chronicling Hansen’s spiritual journey, The Simple
Truths weaves firsthand inspirational accounts,
insightful reflections on humankind’s fundamental realities and in-depth examinations of
Biblical texts.
Three Simple Truths speaks to the life-changing effects of experiencing God’s steadfast love
over and over again. As one might expect, the
book is composed of three chapters, each a truth.
They include: God is Good, All the Time; God
Works for Good, In Everything; and Trust God,
No Matter What. Once Hansen defines
the truth, he then reflects on it from life
experience, Scripture and theologically.
The book is a simple and rapid
read, however questions, practices,
prayers and music help the reader to
slow down and reflect upon each of the
three truths. The book would make an
excellent three to five week study session for classes, groups and retreats.
Each member of the annual conference
session will receive a complimentary
copy of Three Simple Truths.
For those that don’t know Hansen, now retired, is a former vice-president of
Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in
Evanston, Ill. He is a graduate of Taylor University and New York Theological Seminary and
received a PhD degree for Northwestern University in Evanston. To learn more about him, visit
www.adolfhansen.com.
The book is available from Amazon.com,
BarnesandNoble.com, Powells.com and Inkwaterpress.com.
her personal physician completes and faxes the 2014 Physical Form under 2014 Blueprint
for Wellness Screeing, available
online at www.inumc.org/benefits, by July 31.
In addition, any participant
and/or spouse that will not be
able to take a 2014 Wellness
Screening during Annual Conference or through Quest Diagnostics by July 31 and wants
Gerber
to have a reduced premium
rate has the opportunity to
complete their wellness physical through their own private
healthcare provider by returning a completed 2014 Physical
Form to the Indiana Conference Center no later than October 31.
If there are additional questions or concerns, please call
317-564-3228.
Cooper
Financial Services
announces changes at the
Indiana Conference Center
INDIANAPOLIS – Jennifer
Gallagher, director of Financial Services, announces
two changes in the Indiana
Conference Center Financial
Services staff. Diana Barnett,
accounting clerk, who also
served many years in the
Indiana Area Office, retired
March 28.
Jonathan Gerber and
Ruth Cooper have been
hired as new part-time accounting clerks.
Cooper also has been
filling in as camp registrar
while Emily Burkhart is on
maternity leave.
Appointments
Bishop Michael J. Coyner
has announced the following
changes within the Indiana
Conference. These appointments are based on Cabinet
reports received by e-HUM by
April 24, 2014.
• Baney, Daniel L., from Indiana
Professional Psychological
Services (Extension Ministry) to
Extension Ministry (Serving in
Retirement), 7/1/2014
• Barr, Daniel Marcus, New
Appointment to Evansville
St. Pauls, Southwest District,
4/1/2014
• Barton, Robert D., from South
Whitley, Northeast District to
Marion Mt. Olive, North Central District, 7/1/2014
• Beck, Michael Ray, from Disability/Incapacity Leave to
Retirement, 7/1/2014
• Boles, Howard Eugene, from
Roberts Park, Central District
to Columbus First, Southeast
District, 7/1/2014
• Brasel, Frank, New Appointment to Rockville Otterbein/
Greencastle Beech Grove, West
District, 3/30/2014
• Campbell, Lee H., from Elkhart
New Hope, North District to
Huntingburg, Southwest District, 7/1/2014
• Charles, Jennifer, from ShirleyWilkinson Community, Central
District to Elwood First, North
Central District, 7/1/2014
• Charnstrom, Andrew, from
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Brazil Union, West District to
Indianapolis Union Chapel,
Central District, 7/1/2014
Clem, Victoria A., from Vine
Street, Central District to Retirement, 7/1/2014
Cohn, Hal, from Mt. Gilboa,
Northwest District to Medaryville, Northwest District,
2/16/2014
Cole-Hunt, Nancy L., name
change from Hunt to ColeHunt, 4/3/2014
Collier, Phillip Bruce, from
Tipton Kemp, North Central
District to No Appointment,
3/1/2014
Dare, Christopher Elson, from
Elwood First, North Central
District to Grant Memorial,
New England Conference,
7/1/2014
Dilworth, Brian Keith, from
Alquina, East District to Shirley-Wilkinson Community,
Central District, 7/1/2014
Durand, Brian L., from Indiana
Conference Center (Extension
Ministry) to South Bend Clay,
North District, 7/1/2014
Dwyer, James Albert, from
GBGM, Western Jurisdiction
(Extension Ministry) to Retirement, 7/1/2014
Early, Judith K., New Appointment to Evansville St. John,
Southwest District, 3/15/2014
Eberhart, Gary Wayne, New
Appointment to Tipton Kemp,
North Central District, 3/1/2014
Emerson, Philip R., from Deca-
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
tur St. Marks, Northeast District
to Retirement (No longer serving in retirement), 7/1/2014
Gadlage, Christopher S., from
Tanner Valley, Southeast District to Decatur St. Marks,
Northeast District, 7/1/2014
Garrett, William D., from
Evansville St. John, Southwest
District to No Appointment,
3/9/2014
Garris, Wesley E., from Otwell,
Southwest District to No Appointment, 7/1/2014
Harlan, Sandra K., from Indiana Conference Center to Retirement, 7/1/2014
Harting, Kent, from Ijamsville/
Silver Lake, Northwest District
to Ijamsville/Silver Lake (serving in Retirement), 7/1/2014
Hoppus Sr., James E., from Underwood New Chapel, South
District to Retirement, 7/1/2014
Humble, Barry L., from Boehmer, Northeast District to Boehmer (Serving in Retirement),
Northeast District, 7/1/2014
Jackson, Patrick Michael, New
Appointment to Evansville
Albright, Southwest District,
4/1/2014
Jacobson, Crystal, from Saratoga, East District to LaFontaine,
Northwest District, 7/1/2014
Kuester, Ross, New Appointment to Lafayette Christ, Northwest District, 7/1/2014
Lybarger, Jon E., from Evansville Albright, Southwest District to Richland, Southwest
District, 4/1/2014
• May, G. Frank, from Richland,
Southwest District to No Appointment, 3/9/2014
• Mayberry, Paula, from Huntingburg/Associate District
Superintendent, Southwest
District to Retirement, 7/1/2014
• McCullough Logananne, from
Holland/Holland Zoar, Southwest District to Otwell, Southwest District, 7/1/2014
• McLain, Dennis Neal, from
Goodwill Industries (E. Central
N.C.) to Retirement, 7/1/2014
• Miller, Kathleen E., from Centerville, East District to Mishawaka Willow Creek, North
District, 7/1/2014
• Miller, Rick Lee, from Fort
Branch/Blythe, Southwest
District to Fort Branch/Blythe
(serving in retirement), Southwest District, 1/1/2014
• Morris, Jason B., from Lafayette Christ, Northwest District
to Centerville, East District,
7/1/2014
• Motta, Daniel, from Edwardsville, South District to No Appointment, 3/15/2014
• Owens, James Randal, from
Evansville St. Pauls, Southwest
District to Fairlawn, Southwest
District, 4/1/2014
• Perkins, Renee Kathleen, from
LaFontaine, Northwest District
to No Appointment, 7/1/2014
• Ransford, Donald Eugene, from
Shelburn Ebenezer/Farmersburg, West District to Retire-
ment, 7/1/2014
• Rochelle, Amanda Connett,
from Gurley (North Alabama
Conf) to Family Leave of Absence, 3/14/2014
• Scanlan-Holmes, Andrew, New
Appointment to Roberts Park,
Central District, 12/1/2013
• Scharr, Gary Marvin, from
Columbus First, Southeast District to District Superintendent,
South District, 7/1/2014
• Smith, Joseph E., from Dunlap, North District to Fortville
(Serving in Retirement), Central
District, 7/1/2014
• Snodgrass, R. Matthew, from
White Creek, Southeast District
to No Appointment, 4/1/2014
• Spurlin, Sue, New Appointment to Mt. Gilboa, Northwest
District, 4/6/2014
• Stahlman, Christopher, from
Monticello, Northwest District
to South Whitley, Northeast
District, 7/1/2014
• Stauber, James David, from
Howell/Black’s Chapel, Southwest District to No Appointment, 3/13/2014
• Tiedeman, Christopher, from
Forest, North Central District
to Door Village, North District,
7/1/2014
• VerLee, Ronald Frank, from
Disability/Incapacity Leave to
Retirement, 7/1/2014
• White, Sharon Anne, from Anderson New Hope, North Central District to Abundant Harvest, Central District, 7/1/2014
www.inumc.org
Chronicles
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
11
Missouri Bishop proposes ‘Seven Ginghamsburg UMC to host conference about Palestine
TIPP CITY, Ohio – United Methodists are inPalestinians and Israelis.
Levers’ of positive change
vited to “walk with Palestinian Christians…for
Legislation addressing the region is regularly
Seven Levers: Missional Strategies for Conferences by Bishop
Robert Schnase will be an important book for our
denomination.
The judicatory
system is one of
The United Methodist Church’s most
unique and distinctive characteristics.
Our conferences
form a vital role
in that connection,
and are in many
ways a gift to the
church.
Seven Levers explores conferences in operational terms,
examining what they do, how
they work, their limitations
and possibilities. What works,
what doesn’t and why? What
strategies foster more relevant
and effective connectionalism,
and how do we make contextual changes, so that we are ever
more focused on our mission,
and more effective in fulfilling
it? This book is not a one-sizefits-all template, but a catalyst
for learning, experimentation and
response.
According to
the Rev. Doug Anderson, Associate
Director of Church
Development, Indiana Conference,
“Seven Levers charts
a clear and compelling course for annual conferences and
other judicatories to
transform their congregations as
missional outposts. For far too
long, annual conferences have
managed institutional decline
rather than led transformational
change. Seven Levers gives hope
to conferences ready for a new
day.”
For more information, visit
www.abingdonpress.com and
search Seven Levers.
holy justice and peace” at Ginghamsburg United
Methodist Church at Tipp City, Ohio, ThursdayFriday, August 7-8.
The conference is sponsored by the United
Methodist General Board of Global Ministries
and Ginghamsburg Church. United Methodists
from around the world – particularly those who
undertake to visit the Holy Land – are increasingly aware of the political realities that affect
and Morris Chapel churches and
was a member of Mt. Olive UMC.
Memorial donations can be sent to
Faith ‘N Action, c/o Mt. Olive United
Methodist Church, 2015 North 300
West, Marion, IN 46952. Condolences
can be sent to Shirley Love, 2586 S.
500 E, Marion, IN 46953.
DAVID S. LOW of Crawfordsville,
Ind., 59, Elder on incapacity leave,
died March 23, 2014. A memorial
service was held March 28 in
Crawfordsville. Survivors include
wife, Debbie Low; mother, Julia Low
of Greenfield; daughter, Breanne
(Chad) Anderson of Brooklyn Park,
Minn.; and three grandchildren.
Low served in Indiana at Rosedale/
Bridgeton, Roberts Park, Indianapolis
Michigan Street and Chaplain
Goodwill Industries, Arcadia Trinity,
Crawfordsville Christ, Chaplain St.
Clare Medical Center and Waynetown
before incapacity leave in 2010.
Memorial contributions can be made
to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for
Parkinson’s Research. Condolences
can be sent to Debra Low, 1950 W.
Crescent Drive, Crawfordsville, IN
47933.
JAMES PAUL MAYFIELD of
Mitchell, Ind., 86, retired Elder,
died March 18, 2014. A memorial
service was held March 23 in
Mitchell. Survivors include wife,
Wilma Mayfield of Mitchell;
daughters, Margaret Pearl Shorter
of Brazil, Rebecca Lynn Proffitt of
Mitchell, Paula Marie Kerilein of
Vass, N.C.; six grandchildren; 10
great-grandchildren. Mayfield served
Indiana churches at: Manila, Carthage,
Guilford, Owensville, Fairland,
Mitchell, College Corner, Wheatland,
Prairieton and Brazil Forest Ave/
Peniel. Condolences can be sent to
Wilma Mayfield, 61 Hel-Mar Drive,
Mitchell, IN 47446.
DAVID LEE “DAVE” MIKESELL
of Marion, Ind., 80, husband of
Pastor Carolyn Mikesell of Richland
Chapel UMC, died March 21, 2014. A
memorial service was held March 28
in Converse, Ind. Survivors include
wife, Carolyn Mikesell of Marion;
sons, Christopher A. (Jeanine)
Mikesell and Eric D. Mikesell both
of Marion; and three grandchildren.
Memorial contributions can be sent
to Richland Chapel UMC, 5026 N.
900 W-27, Converse, IN 46919.
Condolences can be sent to Pastor
Carolyn Mikesell, 3462 E 450 N,
Marion, IN 46952.
ELVIN L. MILLER of Fort Wayne,
Ind., 91, a retired Elder, died April
26, 2014. A memorial service was
held May 3 in Fort Wayne. Survivors
include daughters, Cathy Kuhwede
of Colorado Springs, Colo. and
Carol (John) Dunfee of Morgantown,
Ind.; son, Mark (Lori) Miller of
Fort Wayne; seven grandchildren;
and four great-grandchildren.
He served Indiana churches at
Jamestown and Albany and as an
Associate Director of the former
North Indiana Conference Council on
Ministries, retiring in 1989. Memorial
introduced at the United Methodist General
Conference, and is often accompanied by passionate conversation and debate. “Walking with
Palestinian Christians…for holy justice and
peace” will bring United Methodists and Palestinian Christians together and provide opportunities for prayer, fellowship and study.
For more information, visit www.ginghamsburg.org.
Conference for Christian Educators to be held in
Nashville Oct. 17-20
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Christians Engaged in Faith Formation is hosting “CEF2014:
May the Circle be Unbroken,”
Friday-Monday, Oct.17-20, in
Nashville. This is the premier
conference for United Methodist Christian Educators and
leaders in faith formation from
other denominations.
The four-day event offers an opening gala
at the Country Music Hall of Fame on Friday.
Keynote addresses, Bible studies, worship and
fellowship opportunities will
be held each day; and more
than 50 workshops allow attendees to tailor the conference
to fit their ministry needs.
“CEF2014: May the Circle be
Unbroken,” promises to deliver
tangible results for children,
youth and adult spiritual formation ministries.
The event will be held at the Millennium
Maxwell House Hotel. For more information or
to register, visit www.cefumc.org.
In Memoriam
Listed are clergy and clergy spouses
who have died. Family members of
clergy who have died are only listed
online at www.inumc.org/obituaries.
CHARLES WILLIAM COOK
of Nokomis and Tallahassee, Fla.,
formerly of Indiana, 81, a retired
Elder, died March 14, 2014. A
memorial service was held May 2 in
Venice, Fla. Survivors include three
children, Victoria Cook (Steven) Ash
of Tallahassee, Charles W. Cook III
of St. Augustine, Fla., and James E.
(Debra) Cook of Winchester, Tenn.;
five grandchildren; and two greatgrandchildren. He served churches
in Indiana at Huntington 7th Avenue,
Huntington Christ, Montezuma,
Kewanna, Oxford, Lakeville, South
Bend St. Paul’s, Kokomo Main
Street, LaPorte and Auburn First. He
also served as Superintendent of the
former Muncie District. He retired
in 1994. Memorials can be made to
Christ United Methodist Church,
1475 Center Road, Venice, FL 34292
and will be designated for missions
programs.
DOLORES HASKINS of
Sellersburg, Ind., wife of the Rev.
Jack Barnett Haskins, a retired Elder
and former District Superintendent,
died April 7, 2014. She also was the
mother of the Rev. Peter Haskins,
an ordained United Church of Christ
pastor who serves the Bicknell Asbury
Chapel UMC. A memorial service
was held April 11 in Washington, Ind.
Condolences can be sent to the Rev.
Jack Haskins, 612 Mulberry Street,
Sellersburg, IN 47172 and the Rev. &
Mrs. Peter (and Emily) Haskins, 508
Perry Street, Vincennes, IN 47591.
DANIEL LEROY “DAN THE
MAN” LOVE of Marion, Ind., 62,
retired former pastor, died March
13, 2014. A memorial service was
held March 17 in Marion. Survivors
include wife, Shirley (Meade) Love
of Marion; children, Amie L. Love,
Thomas J. Love and Lisa A. Love,
all of Marion; and mother, Ruth B.
Love of Marion. He served the Rigdon
contributions can be made to St.
Mary’s Soup Kitchen.
DELORES A. THOMAS of Goshen,
Ind., 83, wife of the Rev. Jack K.
Thomas, retired Elder, died Feb.
26, 2014. A memorial service was
held March 15 in Goshen. Delores
and Jack may also be remembered
as missionaries in Sierra Leone,
Africa, for 12 years, during which
time she maintained a medical clinic
for women and children. Survivors
include husband, the Rev. Jack K.
Thomas; children, Stanton (Judy)
Thomas of Syracuse, and Tonda
(Howard) Langdon of Goshen;
five grandchildren; five great
grandchildren; and a sister, Ruth (the
Rev. Robert) Watson of Terre Haute.
Condolences can be sent to the Rev.
Jack K. Thomas, 1801 Greencroft
Boulevard, Apartment 140, Goshen,
IN 46526.
L. MICHAEL WILSON of
Lafayette, Ind., 64, retired Elder,
died March 14, 2014. A memorial
service was held March 22 in Peru,
Ind. Survivors include wife Ellen
Wilson of Lafayette; father, Homer L.
Wilson of Cincinnati; four children,
Ryan (Sara) Hart of Fort Wayne,
Ind., Jennifer (Ali) Mohandespour of
Noblesville, Ind., Jonathan (Alyson)
Wilson of LaVergne, Tenn., and
David Wilson of Murfreesboro,
Tenn.; three step-children, Benjamin
(Heather) Hickman of Leesburg,
Va., Jennifer (David) Huser of
Westfield, Ind., and Timothy (Erin)
Hickman of LaFontaine, Ind.; and six
grandchildren. Memorial contributions
can be made to Main Street UMC,
81 West Main Street, Peru, IN
46970 or Mier Community Church,
P.O. Box 94, Converse, IN 46919.
Wilson served churches in Indiana
at Andrews, Michigan City First,
Bluffton First, Howe/Pretty Prairie,
Monroe, Wabash Christ and Bristol.
Condolences can be sent to Ellen
Wilson, 80 Oak Hill Court, Lafayette,
IN 47909.
Bishop Coyner’s father dies at age 90
ANDERSON, Ind. – Jake H.
Coyner of Anderson, Ind.,
90, father of Indiana United
Methodist Bishop Michael J.
Coyner, died Thursday, April
24, 2014, at Clare Bridge of
Carmel. He was born March
23, 1924, in Clinton County,
Ind., and resided most of his
life in Anderson.
He graduated from Colfax
High School in 1941 and from
Purdue University in 1947.
He served his country in the
Army during WWII.
He retired from Delco
Remy Division of General
Motors, where he worked in
Marketing and Advertising,
after 40 years of service.
He was a very active member of First United Methodist
Church in Anderson.
He is survived by his children, Bonnie (Dave) Craig
of Indianapolis, Bishop Michael (Marsha) Coyner of
Indianapolis and Jill (Terry)
Murphy of Loudon, Tenn.;
grandchildren, Laura (Adrian) Peace, Eric (Tamra) Craig,
Stephen (Jess) Coyner and
Whitney Craig; and 11 greatgrandchildren.
He was preceded in death
by his wife of 66 years, Nina
J. Coyner; mother, Lucille
Coyner; and his father, Jake
Coyner, Sr.
A memorial service was
held Tuesday afternoon,
April 29 at First United Methodist Church with the Rev.
Jeff Taylor and Pastor Donna
Goings officiating. Burial was
at Plainview Cemetery in
Colfax.
Memorial contributions
may be made to First United
Methodist Church, 1215
Jackson Street, Anderson, IN
46016.
Condolences can be sent
to Bishop & Mrs. Michael J.
(and Marsha) Coyner, 301
Pennsylvania Parkway, Suite
300, Indianapolis, IN 46280.
12
Hoosier United
Methodists Together
May/June 2014
www.inumc.org