North Central District's Vision:
Creating a culture of discipleship amongst the pastors and congregations in the NCD who reach their communities for Christ.
North Central District News
United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 1447, Marion, IN 46952 
(877) 781-6710-Toll Free, (765) 319-3704-Direct 
(765) 864-0739-Fax 
In This Issue
Mission Collection
Annual Conference Information
Appointment Changes
Holy Land Tour
Job Opportunities
Vital Signs
Clergy Appreciation Premium
Youth Events
United Methodist Women
District & Conference Upcoming Events
Area Events
District Staff Contact Information
Quick Links
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April 28, 2016

 
Pastors and laity are invited to drop in and visit with Rev. Cobb at her "Virtual" offices on the calendar. Click the button above. If you would like to have a scheduled appointment, please contact the District Center. 

Mission Collection


Allison Curts, Associate Director of Mission and Advocacy, invite you to join in supporting our United Methodist Disaster Response work by bringing bulk items for UMCOR Health Kits to the 2016 Gathering of United Methodist Churches in Indiana. The items will be collected in the display area and will be placed on a truck for Midwest Mission Distribution Center at the end of the Gathering.

Each District has been given a suggested item from the health kit list to donate. The North Central District goal is to collect enough toothbrushes that MMDC can build at least 500 kits. In addition, monetary donations will also be accepted. 

Annual Conference Information

 
Registration for Annual Conference is now open!
Registration is now open for the 2016 Session of the Indiana Annual Conference June 9-11 at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Click on the appropriate link below:
For housing registration, click here.

District Equalization Members Needed

The North Central District is in need of Equalization members to Annual Conference, Thurs., June 9-Sat., June 11.  The equalization members have the same rights as local church lay members. You must be a member of the United Methodist Church for two years and an active participant for at least four years. The equalization members do receive a per diem to help with some of their expenses.  If you are interested or know of someone that might be interested, please contact the District Center, 877-781-6710.

Sermon Contest Open to Laity
This contest is open to all lay people in the Indiana Conference. Following the theme of Indiana's 2016 Annual Conference Session, the theme for this year's manuscript contest is "Be Hope," based on Romans 5:1-5 and Jeremiah 29:11. The winning sermon manuscript will be presented during the Annual Conference's Laity Session on Thurs., June 9. Manuscripts should be no more than 15 minutes in length. For more details on the contest, please click here.

Appointment Changes

 
Appointment Changes
Babitz, Jerry
from Milledgeville as of July 1, 2016
Hoffmeyer, Thomas Leo, Charlestown UMC (SO) to Galveston UMC as of July 1, 2016
Mantor, David from Summitville UMC as of July 1, 2016
Matteson, Curtis from Converse UMC as of April 13, 2016
Neckers, Seth Russell to Lebanon Otterbein UMC as of July 1, 2016
Ottjes, Karen from Thorntown UMC as of July 1, 2016

Retirement
Goings, Donna from Anderson First UMC to retirement as of July 1, 2016

Holy Land Tour


Rev. and Mrs. David Marty, pastor at Winamac First UMC, will be hosting a Holy Land study tour April 18-28 through the Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies (JCBS - a division of Educational Opportunities).  Interested persons can go to the JCBS website and find our brochure, plus other helpful resources by clicking on this link: Holy Land Tour.  A copy of the brochure may be obtained by clicking here.

 Job Opportunities

 
For more information on the following job opportunities, please click here.
  • Zionsville UMC - Director of Children's Ministries
  • Zionsville UMC - Children and Youth Ministry Assistant
  • Mt. Olive UMC, Marion - Church Administrative Assistant
  • Mt. Olive UMC, Marion - Worship Director
  • Carmel St. Mark's UMC - Minister of Pastoral Care
  • Carmel St. Mark's UMC - Director of Music
  • Fairmount UMC - Youth Director
  • Central District - Receptionist/Administrative Support (Part-time)
  • Hanfield UMC - Chief of Staff
  • TransFormation Internship Application 
   
Vital Signs
 
Vital Congregations

Reporting your church's vital signs continues to be important. Bishop Coyner and the Cabinet use this information every month.

  

Continue to report weekly; catch up if you have missed reporting; begin now if you have not reported vital signs in the past. Find more information HERE about the process.

 

If you have stopped receiving the weekly reminders, please contact the District Center.   

 

"Clergy Appreciation Premium" - IN U.M. Loan & Savings Ministry

The Loan & Savings Ministry appreciates our clergy and would like to acknowledge the leadership they have given our congregations and Conference. They are offering 1/2% premium over their standard certificate deposit rates in appreciation for the clergy's commitment. Their rates are typically higher than most CDs and money market investments, so this is a great opportunity. This offer is for newly opened Certificate of Participations with a 1-year or longer term and is only available for a limited time, January 1-June 30, 2016.

Pastors interested in this limited time offer should contact the IN U.M. Loan & Savings Ministry at (877) 391-8811 for more information.

Youth Events
 
Connect

Click here for more details on these events and other youth events.

 

 

Youth & Family Ministry Coffee Chats

Join us at a coffee shop near you for youth, children & family ministry discussion! We'll meet at 11 a.m. at each location. Gatherings typically last one hour. You may RSVP by clicking here. (Gatherings with no RSVPs will be cancelled.) The local locations are:

  • May 5, 2016 - Soho Cafe, 620 S. Rangeline Road, Carmel
  • May 26, 2016 - MUGS - Flagship Center Location, 2705 Enterprise Dr., Anderson
  • June 30, 2016 - Main Street Cafe, 223 N. Main St., Kokomo

 

 

Make plans for camps this summer!  Check out beacamper.com.  

 

 

TransforMission - TransforMission is a mission camp designed to hep high school and middle school youth experience what it means to live out the Great Commission (not just one week in the summer, but every day). Engaging morning and evening worship and small group sessions, super fun group activities, relationship building with other UMC youth groups, and serving with some of the best mission agencies in Indianapolis, make this a powerful week for all involved!  Visit the website for more details and to sign up.  For more information and to register, please click here

 

United Methodist Women Upcoming Events
 
Please click here for the District UMW website.  The UMW February newsletter may be obtained by clicking here.

  • North Central Jurisdiction UMW Quadrennial Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI, June 24-26, 2016.  For a flyer, please click here.
  • Mission U, July 19-22, 2016, DePauw University, Greencastle
  • Mission U Sampler Day, July 23, 2016, DePauw University, Greencastle
  • Silent Retreat, Aug. 26-28, 2016, Sarto House, Evansville
  • District UMW Fall Meeting, Sept. 17, 2016
  • UMW Conference Celebration, Oct. 7-8, 2016, Grace UMC, 219 W. Mulberry St., Kokomo
  • Leadership Development for District Officers, Nov. 5, 2016, First UMC, 3150 E. Myra Ln., Martinsville
  • Local officer Training, Nov. 12, 2016
District & Conference Upcoming Events
  • District Lay Servant Academy, Sat., April 30 and Sat., May 7, Kemp UMC, 228 N. Main St., Tipton
  • District Staff Meeting w/Boone Co. Cluster, Mon., May 9, 11:30 a.m., New Beginnings Church, 120 S. Powell St., Thorntown
  • General Conference, May 10-20, 2016
  • District Staff Meeting w/Small Town Cluster, Tues., May 17, 7 p.m., First UMC, 109 S. 8th St., Frankton
  • District Staff Meeting w/South Madison Cluster, Thurs., May 19, 3 p.m., First UMC, 225, W. State St., Pendleton
  • Annual Conference, Thurs., June 9-Sat., June 11, Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis
  • District Pastors' and their Families Picnic, Sat., Aug. 27, Davis Park, 4507 Nichol Ave., Anderson
  • North Central District Pastors' Meeting, Thurs., Sept. 8, 9 a.m.-12 noon, Cross Roads UMC, 2000 N. Scatterfield Rd., Anderson
  • Laity Day with the Bishop, Sat., Oct. 15, location to be determined.
Area Events - For full details, please click here.
  • Lay Witness Mission, Fri.-Sun., April 29-May 1, First UMC, 127 S Meridian St., Greentown
  • Fish & Chicken Fry, Sat., April 30, 4:30-7 p.m., Shiloh UMC, 5741 W. 100 N., Kokomo
  • Spring Pops Concert, Sun. May 15, 12:15 p.m., St. Mark's UMC, Wesley Fellowship Hall, 4780 E. 126th St. Carmel
  • Cave Quest VBS Registration Underway, Mon.-Fri., June 13-17, St. Mark's UMC, 4780 E. 126th St., Carmel
  • 2016-2017 St. Mark's Preschool Registration Underway, 126th St. & Gray Rd., Carmel
District Staff Contact Information
 
Rev. Michelle Cobb, District Superintendent
     (317) 459-7220, [email protected], [email protected]
Rev. Gary Elsten, Associate District Superintendent 
     (765) 754-7998, [email protected]
Rev. Lamar Imes, Associate District Superintendent 
     (765) 251-0792, [email protected]
Rev. Steven Clouse, Church Development 
     (574) 238-2461, [email protected]
Becky Rees, District Assistant
     (877) 781-6710, (765) 319-3704, [email protected]