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July, 2011

 24, 2011

A Word from the District Superintendent 

"Enlarging Our Territory"

            We have all read 1 Chronicles 4:10 in recent years as the prayer of Jabez has been popularized through a best-selling book. The NIV renders it this way, "Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, 'Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.' And God granted his request."

            We have re-evaluated our theology of prayer as we considered this passage. And that would make a good topic for a future article. Today, I'm thinking of the phrase, "enlarge my territory."

            There are many ways to "enlarge our territory." Literally, that's about real estate. The Rev. Dan Dick is a Research Coordinator for our General Board of Discipleship in Nashville, TN. At a workshop a few years ago, Dan shared this fascinating fact. From 1890-1910 the predecessor denominations that now make up the UMC increased the amount of property they owned by five times. Wow! That was certainly a time of enlarging our territory.

            No doubt the increase in property holdings took a lot of preparation, discernment, wisdom, love, compassion, and perseverance from many people. And I would submit that this time of radical increase in real estate was coinciding with a time when the ministry was growing; i.e., many more people were being influenced for Christ. Because more people were coming to faith, they needed more and larger buildings to hold worship, prayer meetings, and class meetings.

            The good news is that the ministry in our Annual Conference is growing. For the first time in many people's memory, we saw growth in both membership and worship attendance (from 2009 to 2010)! The Indiana Conference is #1 nation-wide in % of worship attendance (59.45% of our membership attends worship); and we are #4 in total worship attendance. You can stand, applaud, and say "Praise God" now. How exciting!

            In the South District, we had 7 congregations reporting more than 9 members received by Profession of Faith in 2010-Pekin-10, St. James-11, Faithpoint-13, New Albany Wesley Chapel-13, Lighthouse-15, Park Memorial-16, and Unity Chapel-18. These 7 congregations received 96 members by Profession of Faith (44% of the district total). In 2009, the entire South District reported 154 new members by Profession of Faith compared with 215 in 2010. That's a 39% increase in new members received by Profession of Faith! Praise God!

            I would say this represents "enlarging our territory." The ministry is growing to influence more people for Jesus Christ. We are enlarging our "relational" territory.

We are enlarging

our "relational" territory.

            If the dominant task a century ago was enlarging our real estate (and I believe that only happened because the ministry with people was growing), then the dominant task in our time is to enlarge our relational territory-our influence in people's lives for Jesus Christ. And that's not complicated. In fact, evangelism is simply making new friends in Jesus' name.

            It will take equal preparation, discernment, wisdom, love, compassion, and perseverance from many people to enlarge our relational territory as it did our forebears to enlarge their literal real estate a century ago. But, as we make new friends in Jesus' name, our joy will be complete (1 John 1:4).

Go in peace.  Go with God.  And be well.

Shalom,

Charles D. Wilfong

South District Superintendent

Healthy Relationship Awareness, which includes Diversity Training and a Professional Boundaries Seminar, will be held on the following dates from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the following locations:

Diversity Training

• Saturday, July 16, Horizons of Faith, 3096 W. 62nd St, Indianapolis
• Wednesday, October 5, The Turning Pointe, 9800 Middle Mt. Vernon Rd, Evansville
• Friday, October 7, Seymour First, 201 E 3rd St, Seymour
• Saturday, October 15, Indianapolis North, 3808 N Meridian St, Indianapolis 

The Diversity Training is in two parts.  The first part is an on-line tool that must be scheduled no later than two weeks before the scheduled workshop and completed before attending the workshop.

Boundaries Seminar

• Friday, July 15, Horizons of Faith, 3096 W 62nd St, Indianapolis
• Thursday, October 6, The Turning Point, 9800 Middle Mt. Vernon Rd, Evansville
• Saturday, October 8, Seymour First, 201 E 3rd St, Seymour
• Friday, October 14, Indianapolis North, 3808 N Meridian St, Indianapolis

The Book of Discipline requires this training for all appointed pastors in and beyond the local church at least once every quadrennium.  To register, go to www.inumc.org/registration.

Youth News and Events

     Contemplative prayer is the world in which God can do anything.  To move into that realm is the greatest adventure.  It is to be open to the Infinite and hence to finginite possibilities.  Our private, self-made worlds come to an end; a new world appears within and around us and the impossible becomes an everyday experience.  (Open Mind, Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel, Thomas Keating; p.11.)  ("When You Pray"; Rueben P. Job, page 15)

Thank You for Connectional Giving

     Most of the congregations in the South District have contributed toward their 2010 Conference Tithe (10% of your congregation's general fund income) and District Asking (1.5% of your congregation's general fund income).  Thank you for your generosity in supporting the mission and ministry that we all share together.  If your congregation has not yet participated or is behind, it's not too late to move forward toward fulfilling this shared obligation.  In the South District, we are still tracking our income (District Asking) to determine our ability to maintain district staff at the level we currently enjoy.

Charlie & Donna Wilfong 

Basic Lay Speaker class is schedule for Friday, July 15th, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 16th, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Centenary UMC, 303 E. Spring St., New Albany, IN 47150.  The Rev. Billy Craddock will be the presenter.

Tentative Date for the Advance Course is Friday, September 16th, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, September 17th, 8:30 to 4:00pm.  Presenter and location TBA.

For more information, you may contact the South District Center at 812-951-0388, toll free at 877-781-6713 or visit www.southinumc.org

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• Your user name is:  first name.last name
•  Password is:  inumc2010
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If you have any questions or concerns, send an email to Support.

The Conference will be emailing the pastors their "Report of Giving" only to their inumc.org address. 

PLEASE make every effort to make this change so the communication between clergy and the Conference and District Centers is not interrupted. 

If you have a submission for the District Newsletter, please send the article in Word format to Lynda Alexander at south.district@inumc.org.  PDF documents cannot be published.  Not all articles will be published, and all articles are subject to editing and review.