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 25th	2:00 PM	Crawfordsville First UMC
Sunday, October 25th	6:00 PM	Memorial UMC
Sunday, November 1st	2:00 PM	Linton First UMC
Sunday, November 1st	6:00 PM	Brazil First UMC

Eglise Methodiste d'Haiti

A challenge to the West District

The Eglise Methodiste d'Haiti's highest priority is the training of 500 local Pastors so they will be able to become "Fully Accredited & Consecrated Local Pastors" by the EMH Bicentennial Year of 2017. The Michigan Area (Detroit Annual Conference & West Michigan Annual Conference) have concluded arrangements the Eglise Methodiste d'Haiti to accomplish this goal by conducting training seminars. The Hearts for Haiti team has agreed to collaborate with members of the Michigan Conferences to raise funds for this project.

Under the current protocol for pastors in Haiti, the local pastors do not have privileges to serve communion or perform weddings. This means that the 19 fully ordained pastors must provide these services for all the Methodist congregations in Haiti. The accreditation of an additional 300 pastors would greatly relieve the burden of the 19 ordained pastors, many of whom are also Circuit Superintendents.

The plan will entail five seminars (two in Jeremie, and one each in Saint Marc, Petit-Goave, and Petionville) for each of four subject areas. Lay pastors from various locations would travel to these locations and be supplied with lodging, curriculum and supplies. The cost is estimated to be $5,000 for each seminar or a grand total of $100,000, spread over two years. This translates to a cost of $200 per lay pastor.

I would like to extend a challenge to each pastor in the Indiana Conference to underwrite a local pastor in Haiti on a personal one to one basis. The first seminar is scheduled for September 2015. For only a $50 donation a pastor in Indiana can fully fund a lay pastor for one of the seminars.

Please join me in helping to fund this vital ministry in Haiti. Please make the check payable to Hearts for Haiti, 7718 N Scepter Rd Bicknell, IN 47512. For more information contact me at 812-890-6145 or Heartsforhaiti1996@yahoo.com.

In His Service, David Draeger

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.

Clergy Spouse Retreat

September 18-20, 2015

Holiday Inn North, Indianapolis

You're Amazing!

Celebrate the Journey

with Rev. Karen Devaisher

For detailed information and registration for the retreat please click here.

SAVE THE DATE!

This workshop is open to all clergy and laity in the West District and beyond. We will be sending out registration details as they become available.

The West District Center is pleased to offer The Creative Worship workshop to be led by award-winning facilitator, Jason Moore. This workshop is designed for all churches regardless of size or budget as it teaches timeless techniques and methodologies that your congregation can use to make big things happen in worship and beyond.

The day is a mix of practical philosophy and tips for developing and maturing your use of technology and digital imagery to communicate the gospel through powerful, transforming stories in worship.

As a participant, you will:

strategize and learn models for digital-age worship;
examine what makes certain images effective and others not;
experience first-hand the power of working in a team; and
leave with drawings and ideas for how to configure your technical setups.

Creative Worship is led by award-winning author and animator/illustratorJason Moore (Midnight Oil Productions). This is not training just for techies, but for anyone who wants the screen to be a vital part of the worship experience. Whatever your level of media proficiency is as an individual or as a congregation, Moore helps you to understand the nature of digital ministry and how to use it best to communicate the gospel. This workshop was designed to be equally instructional for those wanting to take initial steps and those needing direction to re-ignite and flame their ministry efforts. The Creative Worship workshop is best experienced as a team with the other members of your worship and media design process or persons that have passion for this area of ministry.


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

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