Kate’s Corner
Dear Friends,
Quick, what was your number one New Year’s Resolution last
January? That’s what I thought—I couldn’t remember mine,
either!
What do you think about trying something different this year?
Let’s agree that we’re going to put into practice the Three
Simple Rules we read about last month. 1) Do no harm; 2) Do
good; 3) Stay in love with God.
The first one begins with a “presumption of good will.” That
is, just as we intend no harm to anyone, neither do we assume
people intend harm to us. We presume, or assume, that we each
have good will toward one another. If harm occurs, we first
think it to be an accident, an unforeseen consequence. We do
not immediately rush to the conclusion that harm was the goal.
If this is a mind-set and heart-set of ours, we lessen the
amount of harm and ill will in the world. We open more
possibilities of good.
Which brings us to Rule #2: Do good. We are no longer allowed
to pass by a need we observe and do nothing about it. We are
expected to alleviate suffering, spread healing balm on wounds,
and stop hate from growing. We Christians, especially United
Methodist Christians, are to speak and act with love, using
words that help and encourage, behaving with kindness and
tenderness toward one another. Twisting words or ideas in order
to hurt another are not the acts of followers of Jesus.
The first two rules are possible through the third: Stay in
love with God. Christianity is not the religion of Lone
Rangers. This is a faith of community, being part of the body
of Christ. We learn, grow, stretch, and experience through our
interactions with other Christians. The corporate acts of
faith—worship, baptism, Holy Communion, prayer, singing,
affirming faith—are ways we learn more about God and more about
ourselves, offering our lives in gratitude for God’s grace and
love.
The turning of the calendar to a new year offers us a renewal of
life. We sense a slate wiped clean, a second (third, fourth,….)
chance to begin again, a resurrection of our spirits.
May the joy of Christmas continue in our hearts, the light of
Epiphany brighten our paths, and the gifts of the Magi to the
child remind us of the gifts of the Christ to us.
God bless you all.
Peace,
Kate
District
Calendar 2007-2008
December
Have
a blessed CHRISTmas!!
Lafayette District Office closed from December 21, 2007 –
January 1, 2008
Reopen on January 2, 2008 from 9-3.
January
2 Lay Speaker Committee, 4:00 @ District Office
7 local Church Ministries Committee, 4:00 @ District
Office
7-11 Joint North and South Cabinet Appointment Retreat,
Greencastle
13 Leadership Training, 2:00 to 5:00 PM at Dayton UMC.
14 Bundle of Books Discussion with Kate at Monon UMC @
6:30 Provocative Grace
21 District Office closed in honor of Martin
Luther King Day
21-22 Cabinet
25-27 DS Kate leading retreat in Laguna Beach, CA
28-29 Cabinet
February
5 NIC Pre-Lenten Worship Service
11-12 Cabinet
14 Professional
Boundaries @ St. Luke's UMC, Kokomo, IN
15-16 Conference UMW Retreat, West Lafayette
25-26
Cabinet
March
1 Bishop’s Confirmation Rally for the Indiana
Area
1 Local Pastor & Certified Candidate Interviews @
Laf Grace, snow date March 8
3-4 Cabinet
10 Bundle of Books Discussion with Kate at Frankfort
Trinity UMC @ 6:30, The Gospel According to Starbucks
16-23 Holy Week
23 Easter HE IS RISEN!
April
9-10 Cabinet
14-15 Our Life Together
2008 GENERAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
April 21-May 2 at Fort Worth, Texas.
May
3 Lafayette District Pine Creek work day
5-6 Cabinet
10 Bundle of Books Discussion with Kate at Laf Brown
Street UMC @ 6:30 Book of Hard Choices
12-13 Cabinet
19-20 Cabinet
28 Cabinet
2008 NORTH INDIANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE UMC
May 29-31 at Purdue University, West Lafayette.
June
7
Professional Boundaries @ New Life
UMC, Mexico, IN
23-26
Joint (North and South) Cabinet Summer Planning Retreat
Pray for Congregations and Pastoral Families in
District
December 27 Independence
Riverview & Dan Jordan
December 30 Camden & Dan Gottschalk
January 6 Lafayette Brown Street /
Heritage & Bruce Mowery
January 13 Radnor & Ed Selvidge
January 20 Jefferson & Alan Downing
January 27 Buck Creek & Dwight Monical
February 3 Brook & Susan Beckett
Lafayette
District 2008 Leadership Training
*
SPRC - Rev. Kate Walker
Everything you
ever wanted to know about chairing or being a member of the
Pastor-/Staff-Parish Relations Committee, but were afraid to
ask! Topics will include: election of committee members,
setting ministry priorities, using your pastor’s gifts to the
betterment of your congregation, communication and
interpretation between pastor and congregation, pastor’s
evaluation, dealing with differences, continuing education and
vacation policies, and the rest of the 13 duties named in the
Book of Discipline 2004.
*
Evangelism - Rev. Kim Reisman – “Telling Your
Story”
This training is
especially for churches wanting to learn how to teach
individuals in their congregations to naturally share their
faith stories. Kim, the North Indiana Conference’s evangelist,
has years of experience leading workshops and revivals, and has
written a number of books.
* Discipleship – Rev. Kay
Patton
The goal of the
North Indiana Conference is to make disciples for Jesus Christ.
With that in mind we will explore several aspects of just how
people can grow in their discipleship. Rev. Kaye Ferguson –
Patton is the Chairperson of the Leadership Development Team of
the North Indiana Conference.
* Finance/Stewardship – Don
Spence
This session is
designed to help both new and experienced Church Treasurers and
Finance Committee members to
manage the finances of their congregation. It will cover such
practical topics as counting offerings, auditing the books,
preparing annual budgets, financial reporting, accounting
systems and managing payroll. Other financial topics of interest
will be discussed and shared as time allows. This session will
be presented by Don Spence, owner of DLS Financial Solutions,
LLC. Don is a former Church Treasurer and Chairman of Finance
and works as a financial consultant with clients throughout the
country.
* Missions – Rev. Ron VerLee
Rev. Ron VerLee is
the North Indiana Conference Chairperson for the Missions &
Outreach Committee. He will help you to see just where you can
be involved in volunteer and other aspects of Missions in the
North Indiana Conference and the Lafayette District.
* Worship – Rev. Richard
Patton
Blended Worship
isn’t an easy task. In this workshop, you will learn how to
recognize and plan all of the elements that need to go into the
Worship Service, and how to make it flow. Rev. Richard Patton is
Co-Chairperson of the Worship Transforming Team for the North
Indiana Conference.
* Camping – Karen Hand, Pine
Creek
The benefits the
camping ministry can offer the local church. "Come and see what
God can do through leadership training, volunteering, and
partnering with Impact 2818. This interactive seminar
will give you tools to go back to your local church and begin
"Equipping the Saints!" to go and make disciples."
* “Variety Pack” Session
Information on a
variety of ministries your church may want to know more about.
Confirmed at this time: Preventing Child Abuse in Church
and Community; Culture and Diversity. Others to be announced.
We invite
you to lift up in prayer
V
Bishop Michael Coyner and wife Marsha –
leadership in NIC
V
Rev. Kate
Walker and husband Charlie – leadership in Lafayette District
The Lafayette District Lay Leaders Gathering
The
Lafayette District Lay Leaders Gathering will be Saturday
February 2, 2008. The meeting will start with a light breakfast
around 8:30 and end with lunch around 11:30 local time. Amy
Smith is the host Lay Leader, 765/426-9102. The location is
Lafayette Trinity UMC, 404 N. 6th St, Lafayette, IN
47901765/742-1288. Please call the Lafayette District Office to
confirm you will be attending the luncheon. (765 742
4114~800/878-5836 or E-mail
ladisumc@verizon.net).
Bishop’s
Bundle of Books
Bishop Mike
Coyner asked the clergy of the Indiana
area to read and discuss these five books during the next
conference year:
These books can be ordered from Cokesbury by calling toll free
800-672-1789 and are available online at
www.cokesbury.com. Discussion Groups are now
forming. If you wish to join a group or start one of your own in
the Lafayette District, please contact Pastor Kim Reisman @
765.491.3477.
DS Kate Walker will be hosting a discussion group for any
district pastor who would like to come and talk about the
“Bundle of Books”. Below are the dates, times and locations.
1.
Jan 14 @ 6:30 p.m. Monon UMC
Provocative Grace:
The
Challenge in Jesus’ Words
by Robert
Corin Morris
2. March
10 @ 6:30 p.m. Frankfort Trinity UMC
The Gospel According to
Starbucks:
Living with a Grande Passion
by Leonard
Sweet
3. May
12 @ 6:30 p.m. Lafayette Brown Street
The Book of
Hard Choices:
How to Make the Right Decisions at Work and Keep Your
Self-Respect
by James A.
Autry and Peter Roy
DISTRICT
DAYS WITH BISHOP SHOW SUPPORT FOR CLUSTER GROUPS
This week Bishop Mike
Coyner completed his 18 District Days of outlining the Imagine
Indiana process and listening to hundreds of Hoosier United
Methodists pastors and laity as they relaxed on what they heard.
In a summary of what sounded good, what didn’t sound good plus
questions and concerns, efficiency, clusters, new vision/energy
and cooperatives ministries were the overwhelming positive
topics.
Even though the clustering of pastors and churches was a strong
positive, with it came many concerns about how clusters would
work and how churches and pastors would be held accountable.
Other positives included focus on the local church, new and
growing ministries and an emphasis on making disciples. Other
negatives included travel distances for meetings and events,
relocation of clergy, district changes, loss of closeness to
district superintendents, elimination of jobs and distrust with
the system. Leading the list of concerns was – How will it all
be funded, especially with ten new church plants? Will only UMC
churches be in clusters? There is a need for dialog about clergy
effectiveness. How about money for new ministries in existing
churches? The complete summary of district meeting reports can
be read by logging on to
www.inareaumc.org/Imagine-Indiana/district_day_summary.htm.
MAKE YOUR
CALENDARS FOR LAITY CONVOCATION FEB. 29-MARCH 1
Indiana Area
United Methodist Laity will take a “L.E.A.P. (Let’s Establish A
Priority) to Tell Our Story” on Friday night, Feb. 29 and
Saturday, March 1 at the University of Indianapolis for a laity
convocation featuring internationally known Dr. Eddie Fox and
North Indiana Conference Evangelist Kimberly D. Reisman. More to
come in the January issue of Together and soon online at
www.inareaumc.org.
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