2010 Plan Update #40: July/August 2005

2010 Plan's Objective: Enlisting the conference and its churches to reach new population groups for Jesus Christ.

Key Developments Since Last Update:

1. SCHOOL OF CONGREGATIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Nine individuals attended the denomination’s School of Congregational Development in Dallas, including two district superintendents, three RVP coaches, and four Church Development members.
2. CHURCH ASSESSMENT PROGRAM. A new assessment program was developed which will be tried this fall with interested churches in the Fort Wayne District. The assessment includes some diagnostic tools as well as an on-site consultation with a consultant. Those serving as consultants include Bishop Sheldon Duecker and Revs. Floyd Blake, Steve Burris, Roy Eaton, Harold Oeschle, C. Jack Scott, and Wilbur Yates. The cost for a consultation will be $350. It is hoped that this program will be expanded beyond the Fort Wayne District next year.
3. NEXT-STEP SEMINAR. Final plans were made for a special church development workshop for churches in the Fort Wayne District that will be held Sept. 10th. Over 120 are registered representing over two dozen churches. It is anticipated that this program will also be expanded to more of the conference next year.
4. SMALL-CHURCH EVENT. Two dozen churches attended a one-day event at Lamb’s Chapel UMC to learn from this congregation that has grown from 25 in worship to over 100 in the past three years. There was no charge for the event, even though it included a lunch, thanks to the generosity of the congregation, which is pastored by Rev. Jay Loucks.
5. LEADERSHIP TRAINING. An ad hoc group representing various areas of the conference that deal with leadership came together to discuss plans to design and launch a training program that would be for a) church planters, b) senior pastors of multi-site churches, c) pastors of turnaround churches, and d) parish pastors. A design team—including both lay and clergy--is being formed. It is hoped the new program will be launched next summer.
6. CHURCH DEVELOPMENT FUNDING. A couple of meetings were held to begin working on a master plan for funding the conference’s future church development work.
7. BLACK CHURCH DEVELOPMENT. The Black Church Development Team met with three predominately African-American UM churches in Gary to listen to their concerns and dreams. Meetings with churches in Anderson and Muncie are planned for September. Part of the team debriefed Bishop Coyner and Rev. David Schrader after the Gary listening sessions. The team’s hope is to better understand how the conference can help these churches thrive.
8. HISPANIC MINISTRIES. Twenty people from our conference are registered for a Hispanic church-planting training event in Schaumburg, IL, in September. Another Module One training event will also be offered in our conference in October.

Prayer Concerns:

1. Pray for the above mentioned training events and listening sessions.
2. Pray that our conference ministry areas will work in concert as we focus on developing leaders.
3. Pray for the Fort Wayne District church development pilot programs this fall.
4. Pray for our churches that are developing new congregations.
5. Pray that God would make our hearts--ache for the lost!