2010 Plan Update #55: January-April 2008

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

Key Developments Since Last Update:

1. SENDING OF THE SAINTS.

   In January and February, 330 people attended Sending of the Saints (SOS) workshops held in Fort Wayne, Kokomo, and Wabash. People were trained in seven different areas of outreach. The Church Development Ministry Team is recommending to the Annual Conference that SOS be continued another year.

2. WORSHIP IN BAR LAUNCHED.

   Aldersgate UMC in Fort Wayne launched its Connexion worship experience in a sports bar on Feb. 24th. Over 40 attended the initial service. The service is unique not only because it meets each Sunday evening in a strip mall, but also because it uses sermons provided by RealChurch.tv out of Oklahoma. Rev. Don Wismer, from Aldersgate UMC, serves as the Connexion congregation’s worship leader and pastor. He hopes to multiply the number of venues of this experience.

3. TWO NEW CONGREGATIONS PLANNED.

   In March, the Church Development Ministry Team (CDMT) approved $100,000 grants to Fort Wayne Sonrise UMC and Hartford City Grace UMC. Sonrise Church will use the funds to launch a new off-site congregation in the town of Roanoke, and Grace Church to launch a new congregation in the town of Dunkirk.

4. GRANTS GIVEN TO STRENGTHEN OUTREACH EFFORTS.

   The CDMT gave a $30,000 grant to St. Joseph UMC in Fort Wayne to help its Upendo Christian Fellowship (African congregation) add staff in order to reach more people. And a $5,000 worship matching grant was given to North Manchester UMC to help grow its new worship service that’s designed to reach young adults.

5. CHURCHES COMPLETE 18-MONTH PROCESS.

   Six NIC churches completed the Redevelopment Venture Process that they began in the fall of 2006. They include Avilla Calvary, Anderson St. Matthew, Griffith First, Maple Grove (MI District), New Haven and North Manchester UM churches. Sumption Prairie UMC began the revitalization process, which includes the use of various tools and a coach, this past fall.

6. LAY MISSIONERS TRAINED.

   In April, eleven people—9 lay and 2 clergy—completed an Hispanic leadership course called Module 2, which was held at Getsemani UMC in Fort Wayne. They join 12 others from the NIC who have completed this advanced course and are actively involved in Hispanic ministry. The NIC will host a national UMC training event in May which will train teachers of Modules 1 and 2. About a dozen from the conference are expected to attend.

Prayer Concerns:

1. Pray for NIC churches as they reach out through the Sending of the Saints effort.
2. Pray for Aldersgate, Sonrise, Grace and other UMC’s launching new congregations.
3. Pray for outreach worship services like Upendo’s and North Manchester UMC’s.
4. Pray that those trained in Hispanic ministry will make a difference back home.
5. Pray that God would make our hearts--ache for the lost!