[UMNS-ALL-NEWS] UMNS# 244-Indiana United Methodists approve unity plan

[NewsDesk]

Indiana United Methodists approve unity plan 

Jun. 11, 2008     

NOTE: Photographs are available at http://umns.umc.org. 

By Daniel R. Gangler* 

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (UMNS)--With shouts of joy and prayers of
thanksgiving, members of The United Methodist Church's South Indiana and
North Indiana annual conferences approved a plan to merge the two
regions into one new Indiana Annual (regional) Conference.

Bishop Mike Coyner of Indianapolis announced the results of votes by
each annual conference during the closing session of the South Indiana
legislative gathering June 7 at the Indiana University Auditorium in
Bloomington.

South Indiana members voted 616-185 on June 6 to unite with the North
Indiana Conference. North Indiana members, meeting May 30 in West
Lafayette, voted 730-192 for the merger.

The votes conclude 62 years of Methodist annual conference sessions at
Indiana University and 40 years of United Methodist annual conference
sessions at Purdue University.

In a June 9 letter to leaders of both conferences, Coyner thanked all
who helped in the process. 

"Thanks to all who have prayed, discussed, disagreed, and worked
together to shape the plan to date," he wrote. "There are many 'next
steps' to follow, but I sense the strong affirmation of both conferences
for us to continue on this journey together. I pray that it will all be
to the glory of God and to the ministry of Christ here in Indiana."

Coyner called for a special session of both conferences Oct. 4 at the
Indiana State Fairgrounds to finalize amendments, elect committees and
begin plans for the first combined Indiana Annual Conference session,
scheduled for July 24-27, 2009, at Ball State University in Muncie.

Unified voice 

The merger is designed to streamline administration of the Indiana Area
to bring resources closer to congregations for their support. The new
structure will have five district resource centers across the state.
Currently, having two annual conference centers in Bloomington and
Marion and an area office in Indianapolis has resulted in administrative
duplication and a need for better communication and recordkeeping.
Proponents say uniting the conferences also will give Indiana United
Methodists a single statewide voice. 

The bishop will appoint a transition team to implement design plans.
Features of the new annual conference, which was two years in design,
include:

*	Forming clergy into covenant groups and all 1,200 congregations
into ministry clusters for the support of and accountability to the
mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of
the world;
*	Dissolving the 18 districts across Indiana and establishing five
resource centers to support the work of 10 districts; and
*	Creating a new conference structure and establishing a new
conference center in Indianapolis. 

The only major amendments to the 50-page unity document added youth and
young adults to the discussion-making process of the statewide church
and added more staff in youth and young adult ministries to the five
resource centers across the state.

Largest Protestant group 

The last such structural change of this magnitude in the state occurred
in 1968 when the former Methodist Church and former Evangelical United
Brethren Church voted to become The United Methodist Church. 

With 225,000 United Methodists and 1,200 congregations in Indiana, The
United Methodist Church is the largest Protestant denomination in the
state. Methodists first established churches in Indiana in 1801. 

The denomination also is related to three Indiana hospitals, three
universities, three children's homes, six residential facilities for
seniors, one halfway house and seven retreat/camps. All of these will be
part of the new Indiana Conference.

*Gangler is director of communications for the Indiana Area of The
United Methodist Church. 

News media contact: Kathy Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or
newsdesk at umcom.org. 

******************** 

United Methodist News Service 
Photos and stories also available at: 
http://umns.umc.org 




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