2010 Plan Update #34: July/August 2004
2010 Plan's Objective: Enlisting the conference and its churches to reach new population groups for Jesus Christ.
Key Developments Since Last Update:
- SCHOOL ON CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
Twelve people from the North Indiana Conference attended the 5-day training event, which is sponsored each year by the denomination. This year’s school was held at Ginghamsburg UMC in Ohio. Several from the NIC attended thanks to a scholarship from the NIC Cabinet.
- RESTRUCTURING.
Meetings were held to begin creating a new Church Development Ministry Team as a result of the Annual Conference’s decision to restructure our Council on Ministries. This new team will include the following new sub-teams: New Church Development, Church Redevelopment, and Strengthening the Black Church. Some additional sub-teams in this area already exist, such as Hispanic Ministries.
- NEW RVP RECRUITMENT.
Six churches have paid the registration fee to begin the three-year Redevelopment Venture Process September 25th. They are Elkhart Calvary, Fort Wayne Bethany, Ossian First, Peru Main Street, South Bend Northwest and Walnut Creek UMCs. They join eleven churches that began the process last year.
- WORSHIP-EVANGELISM TEAM SPECIALIST.
District Superintendents from four districts and other conference leaders have been meeting to consider launching a pilot project to help resource local churches in the area of worship. It is still in the preliminary stages, but it is hoped something could be launched by January.
- HISPANIC MINISTRIES MISSIONARY REASSIGNED.
The General Board of Global Ministries has reassigned Rev. Oscar Ramos-Gallardo for a second three-year term as NIC’s Coordinator of Hispanic Ministries.
The conference Committee on Hispanic Ministries had Eli Rivera, staff person for the General Global Ministries, lead it in a planning retreat. Part of the purpose of the meeting was to clarify the roles of the various players in our conference’s Hispanic ministry effort—local churches and pastors, district committees, conference committee and staff, lay missioners and mentors, and the Coordinator of Hispanic Ministries missionary.
Prayer Concerns:
- Pray for the restructuring of the Church Development area, including the enlistment of leaders.
- Pray for the new group of churches going through the RVP that they might get off to a good start.
- Pray that, if it is God’s will, that the Worship-Evangelist Team Specialist effort will be launched in January, helping many churches become more effective.
- Pray for Bishop Coyner and his family as he begins his ministry with us.
- Pray that God would make our hearts--ache for the lost!
