weLink
Vol.
4, No. 13: July 22, 2009
- Conference office updates
- Finances
- The Corinthian Plan -- progress report
- Mid-states conferences’ Festival 2010 postponed
- IN-MI Conference people in the news
- At Bethany Christian Schools
- In the wider church
If possible, please include blurbs from weLink (as applicable) in your church bulletins and/or newsletters. Thank you!
Conference office updates
Heidi King, administrative coordinator, will be out of the office July 20 through Sept. 11 on an eight-week leave approved by the former Executive Committee last year and the Missional Leadership Team this year. After spending time mostly in the Wild West, she plans to return to her regular duties Sept. 14. Over her almost 12 years of service, Heidi has provided extra coverage on numerous occasions for other staff members during maternity leaves, sabbaticals and staff transitions. Please pray for a restful and renewing time away for Heidi! Feel free to contact the conference office if you have questions that you would ordinarily direct to Heidi: imoffice@im.mennonite.net or 574 534-4006 / 800 288-8486
Dan Miller will be out of the office July 27–31 for a conference minister seminar with Alan Roxburgh in Vancouver, B.C. Please remember Dan in prayer, that he would experience fruitful interactions and good connections.
Search and credentialing processes questions. Until a person has been named to serve as (interim) conference minister for leadership transitions, please direct inquiries regarding search and credentialing processes to Dan Miller: dan@im.mennonite.net or 574 534-4006 / 800 288-8486
Finances
Watch for the conference’s fiscal year-end financial reports to come via a separate e-mail in the next weeks.
The Corinthian Plan -- progress report
The number of congregations who are deciding to join The Corinthian Plan -- a health coverage and benefit package for pastors and church workers serving Mennonite Church USA congregations, conferences and program agencies -- continues to grow. In response to a mandate by Mennonite Church USA delegates in 2007 that called for developing a way “to cover all of our pastors with basic health insurance,” The Corinthian Plan draws inspiration from Paul’s challenge in 2 Corinthians 8 that all parts of the church work together for the good of the whole, for “fair balance.”
As of July 20, 381 congregations across the church have either enrolled or indicated that they intend to enroll in the new plan. This is nearly 60 percent of our goal, with 70 days left in the enrollment period.
IN-MI Conference congregations reflect this churchwide trend, with 60 percent of IN-MI congregations having enrolled or having indicated that they intend to enroll. Eight have communicated that they do not intend to participate, and 23 congregations have yet to decide. Every congregation is important regardless of its size or financial resources. We need everyone’s participation to make the plan as strong as possible.
Congregations have until Oct. 1 to indicate their intentions. An assessment will be made at that point whether enough congregations will participate to have a viable plan. Please do not delay getting the information that you need to make an informed decision! Call your Corinthian Plan ambassador for assistance. For additional information and answers to frequently asked questions, visit the web site -- www.CorinthianPlan.com. Or, contact Keith Harder: keithh@mennoniteusa.org or 866 866-2872. Read more online: im.mennonite.net/news/news.php -- Keith Harder
Mid-states conferences’ Festival 2010 postponed
Plans for a Worship Festival 2010 gathering of the four mid-states Mennonite Church USA conferences (Central District, Illinois, Ohio and IN-MI) have been postponed. Mid-states area conference leaders had commissioned a group to plan the festival. The planning group’s chair, Kathy Smith, in consultation with Brent Eash, IN-MI moderator and liaison to the group from the mid-states conference leaders, made the difficult decision to end plans for a 2010 gathering.
“I have decided that although this event is a great idea and would be a wonderful way to celebrate the similarities and differences within our conferences, there are many roadblocks that are hindering this event coming to fruition for 2010,” Kathy wrote to planning group members.
Conflicts with the chosen date, the current economic climate, and ongoing scheduling conflicts and personnel changes in the planning group figured into the decision to defer the plans. On behalf of the mid-states area conference leaders, Brent Eash thanked Kathy and the planning group: “Although we were unable to see the worship festival happen in 2010, learning about the challenges will help future groups who might take on a similar project.”
IN-MI Conference people in the news
Check out IN-MI Conference’s News page (im.mennonite.net/news/news.php) for information about conference congregations and people from conference congregations. Recent additions include:
From MSNBC.com: At Church Without Walls, a small Mennonite parish in a low-income area of Elkhart, Ind., the Revs. Jonathon and Cora Brown have had to scramble just to keep the lights on and the doors open. As Sunday collections declined 30 percent over the last year, the Browns gave up their own small stipend. When demand at the church’s small food pantry doubled, they had to change the way they ran it. Read more in an article titled, “Nonprofits learn to stretch a buck” (scroll down to read about Church Without Walls): www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31128594/sp-tx/page-1
Graduates from conference congregations: (read more at im.mennonite.net/news/news.php)
- Five students from IN-MI Conference congregations were among 15 students who graduated May 23 from Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind.: Joanna Shenk and Suella Gerber of Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart; Michael Sherer of Berkey Avenue Mennonite Fellowship, Goshen, Ind.; Tim Stair of College Mennonite, Goshen; and Lyle G. Miller of Waterford Mennonite, Goshen. Read more online.
- Thirty-three IN-MI Conference students were among the 236 candidates who received diplomas at Goshen (Ind.) College's 111th annual commencement April 26. Read more online.
- Ten IN-MI Conference students were among the 465 members of the class of 2009 of Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va. April 26 marked EMU’s 91st commencement. Read more online.
At Bethany Christian Schools
Trusting Christ. Me? A leader? After reading Matthew 14:22-36 in Bible class, a Bethany sophomore decided to trust Christ to calm her fears and step out of her comfort zone. See: www.bethanycs.net/leadership_Rotary_09
In the wider church
Cluster bomb display exhibit available. A new Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) photo exhibit on the use of cluster bombs around the world is available for education and advocacy events in the Great Lakes region from August to October. This 16-panel exhibit raises awareness about innocent victims of cluster bombs -- featuring stories from Laos, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lebanon -- and includes take-home brochures with advocacy suggestions. See online: mcc.org/clusterbombs/resources/display/index.html. Contact Les or Gwen Gustafson-Zook if you'd like to display it on a Sunday morning (or other event) at your church during those months: GLGustafson-Zook@mcc.org or 574 534-4133
Damascus Road Anti-Racism Analysis Training: Sept. 11–13 in Goshen, Ind. Expand your understanding of systemic racism and how it impacts the church and society. What does it take to be a truly anti-racist church? Open to individuals and churches/organizations interested in exploring a common definition of racism and moving toward a vision of an anti-racist Church. See mcc.org/greatlakes/events/dr.htm, e-mail GreatLakesOffice@mcc.org or call 574 534-4133.
How well do you and your congregation know the Bible? Take in the whole story in a single weekend, Oct. 30–Nov. 1 at Hesston (Kan.) College’s “Learning the Bible in Life-giving Ways: History, Hooks, and Heilsgeschichte.” Join Marion Bontrager, Michele Hershberger, and special guest Ted Swartz (Ted and Company!) as they teach, laugh, and lead participants through Bib. Lit. as taught at Hesston College. Discover how the Bible's stories are connected and how God has worked in history to “solve the sin problem.” Register for this Anabaptist Vision and Discipleship Series event at www.hesston.edu/avds/index.htm, or call Elaine Schmidt: 620 327-8290
Lombard (Ill.) Mennonite Peace Center (LMPC) 2009–2010 course offerings. A non-profit ministry located near Chicago, LMPC works to encourage the nonviolent transformation of conflict in relationships in homes, workplaces, schools, churches, and throughout our world. The center’s programs and resources address ways of resolving conflicts and building healthier relationships in all of these various settings. See online -- www.LMPeaceCenter.org -- for more information about these training events, dates and locations: Clergy Clinic in Family Emotional Process, Mediation Skills Training Institute for Church Leaders, and Here I Stand: Leading Change Through Self-Differentiation. Or, contact Ginny Hrushka: 630 627-0507 or Admin@LMPeaceCenter.org
weLink serves to connect IN-MI Conference congregations to each other, to Amigo Centre and Bethany Christian Schools, and to the wider church. It is published on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month. weLink issues are archived on the conference web site at: im.mennonite.net/news/welink/welink.php
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Indiana-Michigan
Mennonite Conference
Mailing address: 212 S. Main St., Goshen, IN 46526-3723
Phone: 574 534-4006; 800 288-8486
E-mail: imoffice@im.mennonite.net
Web site: www.im.mennonite.net