April 28, 2015
WEST DISTRICT NEWS
A weekly newsletter to keep you connected.

 

Please click the button above to see the schedule for West District Missional Office locations. It is our hope that when you notice where we are planning our "office for the day" you will join us for conversation and share what exciting events are taking place in your places of worship and ministry. This office time is open to both laity and clergy. 

 

Blessings and Prayers,

The West District Staff

 

 

 

The schedule for 2015 charge conferences has been set! The format for meetings this year will be different than in years before. Instead of having one meeting for each cluster, we will have four regional charge conference meetings. Each church needs to choose which meeting to attend. Reports will be due to the district center no less than two weeks prior to the meeting chosen.

 

Because of limited space at each location, we will be limiting the number of churches that will be able to attend each date. Please contact Katie Swisher at the district office by email or telephone as soon as possible to reserve your church's chosen date and location.

 

Below is the schedule of charge conference meetings in the West District: 

 

DATE
TIME
LOCATION
Sunday, October 25th2:00 PMCrawfordsville First UMC
Sunday, October 25th6:00 PMMemorial UMC
Sunday, November 1st2:00 PMLinton First UMC
Sunday, November 1st6:00 PMBrazil First UMC
West District Lay Servant School
Saturday, June 13, 2015   8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Gobin Memorial UMC
Greencastle, IN

Lay Servant Ministries

Mark your calendars now for the next West District Lay Servant School! More details and a registration form will be released soon. Join us for a great day of learning!

Annual Conference Volunteers Needed

If you are willing to be an usher for one plenary session or worship service, please contact Carolyn Danielson, Hospitality Chair, at 260-463-2858 or badydaniel@aol.com.
 

 

Mission Indiana 2015: Share Your Story

The Conference Board of Laity, in partnership with the Cabinet, is encouraging local churches to engage in Mission Indiana 2015: Share Your Story as missional experience to impact communities across the Hoosier state. Churches are asked to plan local mission activities during the week leading up to AC2015, Saturday May 23 through Saturday, May 30. To share the mission opportunities, churches are asked to provide information by completing the form at this link: https://indiana-reg.brtapp.com/WDMP-AC15. 

Administrative Secretary to the Bishop

 

The Indiana Conference of the United Methodist Church, located off of 465 and US 31 on the north side of Indianapolis, is seeking a Secretary to our Bishop. The Secretary to the Bishop is a full-time position that serves the Bishop and Executive Assistant and requires excellent communication skills including phone/electronic communication, coordination of events, organizational and administrative skills, as well as hospitality. The person serving in this role needs to be self-starter, work well with groups and maintain the highest level of confidentiality. Familiarity with the United Methodist Church is a requirement.

 

A job description is available here.

 

Please forward completed application, resume and letter of interest to human.resources@inumc.org. Documents received by May 6 will receive first priority in consideration.

 

All information must be submitted by email.

Sermon Contest Opened to Laity

The Indiana Conference's Lay Leadership Team offers an opportunity to express thanks and praise to God by asking laity to submit an original sermon manuscript for judging. This contest is open to all lay people in the Indiana Conference. Following the theme of Indiana's 2015 Annual Conference Session, the theme for this year's manuscript contest is "Share Your Story," based on Joel 1:3.


 

The winning sermon manuscript will be presented during the Laity Session or Laity Luncheon on Thursday, May 29. Manuscripts should be no more than 15 minutes in length. Entries will be judged based on creative and original development of the theme, but could be eliminated due to length.


 

Manuscripts need to be mailed to Doris Clark, 7504 Normandy Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46278 or sent by email to dfc49@comcast.net.


 

The manuscript must be accompanied by a cover sheet or letter that includes the writer's name, address, phone number, email address, local church name and district. Entrants are asked not to include any personally identifying information in the manuscript itself since it will be assigned a number and judged anonymously.


 

All entries must be received by April 28 and the winner will be notified by May 12.

For additional information about the contest, please contact Anthony Swinger, Central District Associate Lay Leader, at anthonyswinger@yahoo.com or call 317-372-4991.

EVENTS
In an effort to keep this newsletter as concise as possible, we are listing local church events only on the district web site.  To view these events, simply CLICK HERE, and you will be directed to it.  If your church has an event you would like featured on this calendar, please e-mail the details to Katie Swisher at west.district@inumc.org.

United Methodist Women of Indiana Events
Limitless: Redefine Tomorrow
An Event for Young Women

This event for young United Methodist Women will be held Friday-Sunday, June 26-28th at the University of Indianapolis. Please download the application for this event here.

Mission U 2015
Learning Together for the Transformation of the World

Mission U will be held at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. The weekday event will be held Tuesday - Friday, July 21-24. The Saturday Sampler will be held Saturday, July 25th. This event is sponsored by the United Methodist Women of Indiana. 

 

For detailed information and a registration form for Mission U, please click here.

March 2015 District UMW Newsletter
NEW Groves
NEW Davis
NEW Swisher
Rev. John Groves
Superintendent
765-51-UMCDS
(765-518-6237)
Rev. John Davis
Associate Superintendent
(office) 765-276-4797 
Katie Swisher
District Assistant
(office) 765-276-4797
Preferred Telephone Hours:
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays - 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.