2010 Plan Update #29: September/October 2003

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

Key Developments Since Last Update:

1. CHURCH PLANTS & OFF-SITE CONGREGATIONS.
   
   • Merrillville UMC presented to the Cabinet an initial funding proposal for its Schererville second-site effort. A perfected proposal will be presented to the Cabinet in November.
   • Plymouth First UMC hired Paul Hancy, a church planter from Illinois, to lead its second-site effort. A funding proposal will be reviewed by the Cabinet in November.
   • South Bend Pathways UMC's district steering committee met with Revs. Dick Lyndon and Steve Conger from the Committee on Church Development to help perfect the ministry's strategic plan. Rev. Terry Woodbury, staff person for the Southern Baptist multi-housing missions in Indiana, also provided guidance.



2. CHURCH PLANTER ASSESSMENTS.
   District Superintendents Marianne Chalstrom and David Schramm had two potential church-planters assessed by Rev. Stan Buck, Karen Lyndon, and Ed Fenstermacher. Their preliminary evaluations indicate that both possess many of the characteristics that are necessary to successfully plant a church.



3. CHURCH DEVELOPMENT GRANTS.
   The Committee on Church Development made a $30,000 grant to Anderson New Hope UMC for its relocation effort. It made a $100,000 loan to Lapel Trinity UMC for the development of a new facility on its second campus. If the church develops a new worshiping congregation at this site within three years, this loan will become a grant.
   
   Six churches have received worship matching grants of $5,000 to help them establish a new congregation to reach a new group of people. They include: Fort Wayne Aboite, Trinity, and Saint Joseph UMCs, Markle UMC, and Muncie High Street and Riverside UMCs.



4. REDEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
   Twelve churches in the conference are participating in the three-year Redevelopment Venture Process, which begins Nov. 8th. Participating churches are: Auburn First, Beaver Dam, Bluffton First, Fort Wayne Crescent Avenue, Hobart Trinity, Jefferson Center, Nappanee, Parker City, Peru Main Street, Portage First, Warsaw First, and Warsaw Trinity UMCs. A team of eight people from the conference has also been recruited to be trained to lead the process in the future.



5. HISPANIC PLAN.
   Twenty people completed Module 1 training for Lay Missioner and Pastor Mentors Attending classes at Frankfort El Mesias UMC for three consecutive weekends in September, these people received initial training on how to start new Hispanic faith communities. Another eleven people are already signed up to go through Module 1 training early next year in the Fort Wayne area. All the teachers are from our annual conference.

Prayer Concerns:

1. Pray for the projects and churches listed above.
2. Pray for the six churches launching new worship services.
3. Pray for the Redevelopment Venture Process beginning Nov. 8th.
4. Pray that another four people would sign up the Lay Missioner/Pastor Mentor training (a minimum of 15 are needed).
5. Pray that God would make our hearts--ache for the lost!