Quick Links

 Birthdays in May/June

M 

April, 2012

 24, 2011

A Word from the District Superintendent 

"The Lord Added to Their Number"

     We have celebrated Easter. Christ is risen, indeed! Sunday worship is so very special on Easter. A little more joy; a little more hospitality; a little more vitality. Please remember the Easter spirit on the other Sundays of the year, too. We are people of hope . . . all year long. We are the Easter people . . . all year long.

     In the Gospels, the Easter story moves immediately from triumph, victory, and life to witness. In Matthew, chapter 28, we learn that Mary Magdalene and the "other Mary" were the first human witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. They told others the Good News!

     During the first few centuries of the Christian movement, those new to the faith engaged in a learning process that led to Easter Sunday. On Easter, they were baptized into the faith and initiated into the fellowship of believers. Then, they became witnesses to the Good News of the resurrection of Jesus. They told others the Good News.

     Before you know it, we will have passed through Easter Season to Pentecost Sunday (May 27) to celebrate the birth of the Church by the Holy Spirit. As the story is told in the second Chapter of Acts, the Church was birthed by God and her birthing cry was a witness to Jesus Christ. Empowered and made bold by the Holy Spirit of God, the believers told others the Good News.

     In Acts 2:43-47 we read a powerful description of the fellowship of Christian believers in those early days. There was evidence of God's presence. They shared their material blessings, prayed, broke bread, praised God, "and day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved" (vs. 27b, NRSV).

     We who know Jesus Christ as Savior, Friend, and Lord are witnesses, too. We tell others the Good News. And as we faithfully witness by the power of the Holy Spirit, God adds to our number those who are being saved.

Believers tell the Good News!

     Each year, as soon as I have access to the year-end reports from the prior year, I look at the number of Professions of Faith received in the South District. I want to know how many new believers joined our congregations. This is the key measure of our mission to "make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world".

     In the South District, we had 9 congregations reporting more than 9 members received by Profession of Faith in 2011- Edwardsville-11, Faithpoint-11, Old Capitol-11, Palmyra-11, Pekin-12, Park Memorial-12, Sellersburg-13, Pfrimmer's Chapel-14, and New Albany Trinity-26. These 9 congregations received 121 members by Profession of Faith (52.8% of the district total). In 2010, the entire South District reported 215 new members by Profession of Faith compared with 229 in 2011. That's a 6.4% increase in new members received by Profession of Faith! Praise God!

     Remember the Easter spirit every day. Tell others the Good News of how Jesus blesses your life. After all, we are people of hope; we are the Easter people.

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

Shalom,

Charles D. Wilfong

South District Superintendent

2012 Fourth Session of the Indiana Annual Conference

June 7-9, 2012.  For details, click here

Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis

Hotel reservation information is now available online.  Click here.

For more information about Indianapolis and attractions, click on http://visitindy.com/inumc.

Weekend Basic Course Session

Location:  Centenary UMC, 303 E. Spring Street, New Albany, IN

Presenter:  The Reverend Lance Marshall

Friday, June 15, 2012, 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.  Lite snacks provided

Saturday, June 16, 2012, 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Lunch serve at Church

The Registration form may be downloaded from the South District web site at www.southinumc.org.  Direct questions about this year's session or next year's plans to Bob Wells at 812-944-3660 or email cawells@insightbb.com.

You must attend both sessions.  No Walk-ins allowed due to GBOD required study and preparation time.

Have you filed your Trustees Election Form?

Unincorporated Churches are responsible to notify their County Recorder whenever there is a change in Trustees.  Such notification should follow upon such elections.  The form can be found on the INUMC.org website on the Administrative Forms page (http://www.inumc.org/forms/category/12).  It should be completed, printed, notarized and sent to the respective County Recorder along with a check for the recording fee.

IncorporatedChurches are responsible to file a Business Entity Report annually upon the Anniversary Date of the church's incorporation.  This is filed on the Secretary of State website found here:  https://secure.in.gov/sos/bus_service/online_corps/corp_report/default.asp
This filing is to be done Annually, irrespective of whether or not there is a change in Trustees or officers.  The Annual filing also serves to inform the State that the Corporate entity is still active. 

2012 Annual Conference Briefings

All Pastors and Lay Members to Annual Conference should attend one of the Conference Briefings listed below.  This year's briefings are designed to provide all the information you need to attend Annual Conference session in Indianapolis.  You may attend any briefing location.  Annual Conference will be different this year than it has been before, so even if you have attended conference many times in the past, it is strongly encouraged that you attend one of these briefings.  

5/14/12  7:00 pm (CT)     The Turning Pointe UMC, Evansville, IN

5/14/12   7:00 pm (CT)    Church of the Four Seasons UMC, Crown Point, IN

5/14/12    7:00 pm (ET)    Richmond Central UMC, Richmond, IN

5/14/12    7:00 pm (ET)    Huntertown UMC, Huntertown, IN

5/15/12    7:00 pm (ET)    Loogootee UMC, Loogootee, IN

5/15/12    7:00 pm (ET)    North Vernon First UMC, North Vernon, IN             

5/15/12    7:00 pm (ET)    Nappanee UMC, Nappanee, IN

5/16/12    7:00 pm (ET)    Palmyra UMC, Palmyra, IN

5/16/12    7:00 pm (ET)    Bloomington St Paul UMC, Bloomington, IN

5/16/12    7:00 pm (ET)    Franklin Grace UMC, Franklin, IN

5/16/12    7:00 pm (ET)    Terre Haute Temple UMC, Terre Haute, IN

5/20/12    3:00 pm (ET)    West Lafayette First, West Lafayette, IN

5/20/12    3:00 pm (ET)    Hartford City Grace UMC, Hartford City, IN

5/20/12    6:00 pm (ET)    Zionsville UMC, Zionsville, IN

5/20/12    6:00 pm (ET)    Peru Main St UMC, Peru, IN

Operation Classroom will have an in-gathering at each location.  Click here for a list of items.  You may bring any of these items, as well as YES and ET kits, powdered milk and other school and medical supplies, to the conference briefings.  Please bring all items in unsealed boxes.  To help with the shipping costs, please include a donation in an envelope and place it inside the box.  For more information, check the webpage www.operationclassroom.org or email ocmission@frontier.net.net or call OC at 765-436-2805 or 765-650-0231.

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.