Quick find

LINKS

Welcome

LOOKING FORWARD >>> SCHOOL OF CHRISTIAN MISSION!! As days of spring come near, plans for summer probably come to mind. Please plan to attend the 2012 School of Christian Mission!  School of Christian Mission is for everyone -- women, men, youth, children, laity, clergy -- You!  SOCM is where persons of all ages come together to grow in understanding of the mission of the church in the current world context through study, fellowship, worship and fun. That All May Have Life School of Christian Mission 2012 Weekday School - July 23-27 Sampler Saturday - July 28 DePauw University, Greencastle, IN Changes and Additions New this year will be the option of arriving on Monday night for the weekday school (includes Tuesday breakfast) and Friday night arrival for Sampler Day (breakfast always included for Sampler Day.). The School Team will be providing activities during the evening hours both days, if you wish to participate. The weekday school will start in the early afternoon on Tuesday with lunch provided for all participants. Registration and more information is available online -- scroll down to the bottom of this page for those links. Scholarships Available There are scholarships available through the SOCM for children, youth, young women, clergy, and first-time attendees. Each district also has scholarships available. Please watch your district newsletter for more information or ask your district president. You may also contact Dean Priscilla Campbell if you need information regarding scholarships. Hands-on Mission Project This year's hands-on mission project will be Haiti Student School Bags and Haiti Teacher School Bags. The bags and kit items will be taken to Midwest Mission Distribution Center. Click on links for instructions about making the bags and kit items needed for each bag. Please adhere closely to the school bag and kit instructions. Restrictions on packing and shipping require that each item be within these limits. Bags should be constructed with sturdy fabric and reinforced handles as they will receive prolonged usage. Haiti Student School Bag Haiti Teacher School Bag

Events and resources

Our 2012 calendar is full of exciting events to help promote our purpose.  Reservation forms and detailed information can be found by clicking on the blue links. 

• Guided Silent Retreat -- May 18-20 at the St. Joseph Retreat Center in Tipton
• UMW Dinner at Indiana UMC Annual Conference in Indianapolis -- CANCELLED DUE TO EXPENSE!!
• North Central Jurisdiction Meeting -- June 2012 -- Des Moines, Iowa -- Registration is now open -- for details check the NCJ website
• School of Christian Mission and Sampler Day -- week of July 23, 2012 -- preliminary information can be found here.  Register online -- scroll down to School of Christian Mission for details.
• Fall Celebration and Annual Meeting -- October 12-13, 2012 at Avon UMC.
• Training and Leadership Development Event -- November 2012
• Legislative / Social Advocacy Day -- late winter 2013
• Guided Silent Retreats and Spiritual Retreats -- late winter and early spring 2013

Newsletters, called the "Mission Messenger," are published quarterly and mailed to all district and conference officers, presidents of local units of United Methodist Women, and local churches.  Subscriptions are also available -- contact Anne Bunch, Communications Coordinator (see Officers list). Also available are occasional e-mail updates via "Constant Contact" -- contact Anne to subscribe.

One of the exciting elements of programming for United Methodist Women is the Reading Program.  Each year relevant books to support and inform our purpose are selected and made available through the Mission Resource Center.  In 2010 and 2011 we included a Celebration Reading Plans for 2010 especially for the first year as the new Indiana conference.  You can find 2012 Reading Program books that are available for the Kindle here.

Call to Prayer and Self-Denial 2012 -- Theme "A Time for Change: Technology" -- In 2012 the offering will enable national mission institutions and overseas institutions historically related to the United Methodist Women to help the marginalized and the poor, the physically challenged and others, especially women, children and youth, who don’t have access to information technology that will improve their quality of life. Projects such as computer literacy, information technology training, English as a second language classes, and career enhancement andjob-seeking skills will be supported.  Programming materials can be found in the 2011-2012 Program Book Walk With Wholeness. Prayer cards, offering envelopes and posters are available from the Mission Resource Center.

Other items of interest:

• A video explaining the mission proposal to be presented by Women's Division at the 2012 General Conference of the United Methodist Church.
• List of current conference officers and their contact information. Officers for 2012 are listed here.
• Indiana map with districts outlined
• The Mission Today Unit reporting form can be found here.
• Forms for reporting:  2011 Local Unit Officers form AND District Secretary's Form to List 2011 Local Unit Presidents.
• A talent form from the committee on nominations for you to become more involved
• Brochure for The Youth & Young Adult Scholarship Fund providing hands on mission and mission education experiences to young people ages 13 to 25.
• Resources for information and advocacy -- Links Page
• We're on Facebook -- look for the groups UMW of Indiana  and  Indiana School of Christian Mission -- for updates and information
• SOCIAL ACTION OPPORTUNITY -- sign the pledge to "drop the I-word" ... the United Methodist General Commission on Religion and Race wants "to eliminate the racially derogatory term, “illegals,” from use within the church, popular usage and public discourse and ... instead to use language that affirms the inherent worth of all people in the eyes of God."   Find the pledge and more information here.

School of Christian Mission

School of Christian Mission is the primary mission education event for the Indiana annual conference and is planned and implemented by United Methodist Women of Indiana. In addition to the adult programming for ages 18 and up there are two components for youth and children.  YoPeMiCa (Young Peoples Mission Camp) for middle and high school aged youth and ChiMiCa (Children's Mission Camp) for ages 3 and up.  (Childcare is also provided.)  The youth and children's studies parallel the adult studies to create an intergenerational program.  Studies are always Biblically grounded, promote spiritual growth, educate and challenge participants to become more actively engaged in mission.  Preliminary announcement for 2012 SOCM and studies can be found HERE.

2012 School of Christian Mission
The United Methodist Women of Indiana's  2012 School of Christian Mission will be held at DePauw University in Greencastle. This year's studies are:

• Spiritual Growth: "Immigration and the Bible" -- This study shares the story of the Bible as a narrative of immigrants and migration. Exploring the Biblical and theological understandings of immigration, immigrants, and migration, this study seeks to enable the participants to examine what it is to be a sojourner and to live into the Biblical mandate of hospitality for "the stranger" and "aliens" in our midst.  Led by Rev. Dr. P.T. Wilson
• Geographic:  "Haiti:  Challenges & Hope" This study offers an overview of the cultures that shaped Haiti's past and the ongoing legacy of colonialism, along with glimpses into the heart and soul of Haiti's people through pictures and Creole adages. The mission study also includes the impact of the devastating January 12th earthquake in 2010.  Leaders: Rev. LeKeisha Reed, Deanna Hawkins, and Marlene Cummins.  This is the second year for this study -- new study leaders but the same text.  Check this slideshow from UM News Service.
• Social Issue:  "Poverty" -- Our Christian faith invites each of us and our faith communities to become agents of God's compassion and healing in a wounded world. Poverty is a human rights issue with grave impact on women and children. This mission study on poverty is designed to help participants recognize and claim for themselves the connections between Scripture, church tradition, compassion for the poor, social outreach, and social justice.  Study leaders will be Rev. Jessie Langley, Mary Margaret Willibanks, Rev. Mike Mather, Rev. Nancy Nichols, and Lisa Morris.
• ChiMiCa:  This popular event for children age 3 through 5th grades (completed) is an exciting opportunity to go to camp with their Mom or Grandma and learn about mission. Children enjoy crafts, games, and indoor and outdoor learning activities while adults are in their studies. The children's study is titled "The Girl Under the Bridge: Stories of Poverty and Hope for Children." Each class is staffed with an adult teacher and helpers. Lisa Vaughn, Director
• YoPeMiCa:  Middle school and senior high youth will have the opportunity to participate in the mission studies, share in meaningful worship, games, recreation and build friendships that will last forever. The youth study is "Hope for Haiti." Kathy White, Director 
• REGISTRATION -- Find the Registration Brochure here or online registration payable by check or credit card is available -- for the week long School of Christian Mission:  www.inumc.org/socm2012 or the Sampler Day on Saturday: www.inumc.org/Sampler2012. (These links are not clickable -- you will have to copy and paste into your browser!)
  

SCHOLARSHIPS are available for first time attendees -- deadline was April 15:  Scholarship forms for ChiMiCa (children 3 to 5th grade) and YoPeMiCa (middle school  and high school youth) should be sent to the conference Mission Coordinator for Education and Interpretation.  Scholarship forms for the Young Women's scholarship (ages 18-40) and Local Unit/District members scholarship should be sent to your district Mission Coordinator for Education and Interpretation.

The Loren Maxwell Scholarship is available to clergy, deacons, and clergy students who wish to attend School of Christian Mission or Sampler Day for the first time. Deadline for 2012 application is June 1. 

The studies for 2011 were The Journey: Forgiveness, Restorative Justice and Reconciliation (spiritual growth study), Haiti: Challenges and Hope (geographic study) and Joy to the World: Mission in the Age of Global Christianity (topical study).  The 2011 studies will now be used in the local churches and districts for programming and study.  Several Districts include "Mini-Schools" in their programming. Study books are available from the Mission Resource Center (see "Links" above) and the accompanying AV materials can be borrowed from the Indiana Conference UMC Media Center.