Some months ago, Tim came home from a trip to the hardware with a new bird feeder made to welcome orioles. When the time came he hung it from a hook on our deck and filled it with syrup and grape jelly and half an orange. It wasn't long before the birds found it and we have been enjoying their comings and goings ever since. Except! One of our orioles seems less than smart. She often visits the feeder and then pauses to sit on the back of the rocking chair that sits in a corner. While there she sees something, maybe her reflection, in the window and flies into the glass. She was giving me a headache watching her so I hung a curtain against the glass. She just lowered her target and continued flying against the window. On occasion, I fear we in the church get so convinced of the rightness of our plan that we just keep lowering our target, banging our head, working harder, speaking louder, without considering the possibility that we need to change our focus, try a new idea, discern a new plan. When I study the work of Jesus, he did not stick to one approach. On various days, he was more quiet or taught lesson after lesson, he explained or left lots of space to figure out a meaning, drew in the sand, followed some traditions closely or discarded old favorites for new hard questions and strange approaches to old dilemmas. Jesus was not stuck in familiar ruts, he was a respecter of the faith he learned in synagogue but was an innovator and always ready to respond to current circumstances and was responsive to new questions. I wonder sometimes how I am repeatedly banging my head against something instead of considering how best to do the work of South/Central Indiana District in light of today. It no longer works to only send snail mail communication in a world depending on email, social media and postage to get the word out! So I wonder what new ways are possible to be faithful in our time. How can we continue the work of Jesus in the world we live in. I hope I appreciate tradition without being stuck. I pray for faithfulness, that somedays I can try a new way to continue the work of Jesus for this day.

Blessings,

Beth

South/Central Indiana District South/Central Indiana District

20192019

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DISTRICT PRAYER CALENDAR FOR JUNE

June 2 - Please pray with us for the Lafayette COB and Shenandoah District.

June 9 - Please pray with us for the Liberty Mills COB and the Southeastern District.

June 16 - Please pray with us for the Living Faith COB and Southern Plains District.

June 23 - Please pray with us for the Locust Grove COB and Virlina District.

June 30 - Please pray with us for Annual Conference.

--Check the South/Central Indiana District Facebook page for specific prayer requests.--

DISTRICT FINANCIAL REPORT As of April 30, 2019

April YTD

Income

Cong. Self-Allocation $10,995.48 $29,710.14

Restricted Income $890.00 $2,484.33

Other Income $6,450.82 $35,348.21

Total Income $18,336.30 $67,542.68

Expenses

District Expenses $6,724.66 $33,617.15

Restricted Expenses $393.00 $65,315.72

Total Expenses $7,117.66 $98,932.87

Net $11,218.64 -$31,390.19

District Fund Balance $84,571.24

Grandview - David Owens

resigned as pastor in

February. They are forming

a search committee.

Peru - Called Phil Troxell as

senior pastor. He will be

installed June 9.

Wabash - Called Doug Veal as pastor.

2019 WORKCAMP PARTICIPANTS

The following South/Central Indiana District

congregations will be sending youth, young adults

and/or advisors to 2019 workcamps. Please lift

them in your prayers as they

travel, work, and return home.

Hickory Grove COB

Lafayette COB

Manchester COB

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2019 DISTRICT-WIDE SERVICE PROJECT This year, the District-Wide Projects committee is asking each church in the district to collect supplies for 5 CWS Hygiene kits, including the $2 per kit for shipping/handling, and bring to District Conference in September. The items that need to be included in the kits, as well as basic instructions, are listed below. For questions about the project, contact Karen Odiorne or Theresa Sites.

CWS HYGIENE KIT SUPPLIES NEEDED:

One hand towel measuring approximately 15”x 28” to 16”x 32” (no fingertip, bath, dish towel or micro-fiber)

One washcloth

One wide-tooth comb removed from the package

One finger nail or toe nail clipper removed from the package

One bath size bar of soap in the wrapper

One toothbrush in the package

Ten standard size Band-aids All items need to fit inside a one-gallon plastic zipper closure bag. Remove the excess air from the bag and seal before boxing. Do not add any extra items or toothpaste. A tube of extended expiration date toothpaste will be added to each Hygiene Kit just prior to its journey.

PRE-DISTRICT CONFERENCE EVENTS Friday, September 20, 2019

Living Faith Church of the Brethren 310 N 250 W, Flora, IN

10:00 a.m. Brethren Leadership Institute

Orientation

12:30 p.m. Registration

1:00 p.m. Dealing with Conflict

Taught by Angie Briner

3:30 p.m. Dealing with Mental Illness

Taught by Dr. Tim McFadden

5:30 p.m. Appetizers and fellowship

6:00 p.m. Dinner

7:00 p.m. Music with Jonathon Shively

To receive 0.5 CEUs, it is necessary to attend both

afternoon workshops and the after-dinner presentation.

Lunch is not provided, bringing a sack lunch is recommended for those attending both the orientation

and CEU events.

DISTRICT CONFERENCE - SAVE THE DATE!

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Living Faith Church of the Brethren 310 N 250 W, Flora, IN 46929

Churches: Be watching your e-mail and USPS

mail for delegate forms, they will sent out in the next week and will need to be returned by

August 1st.

The non-delegate form is included in this newsletter and will also be available on the district website or by contacting the district

office, it is also due August 1st.

2019 DISTRICT CONFERENCE INFORMATION

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ANNUAL CONFERENCE UPDATES - BUSINESS AND BALLOT

Business session focus this year: Compelling Vision (from Annual Conference E-mail Series - 5/7/19)

“As we gather in Greensboro to “Proclaim Christ, Reclaim Passion”, business sessions will feel different to conference‑goers. Worship, Bible study, and conversations designed to help us discern God’s call for us as the body of Christ will be the focus of the business agenda at the 2019 Annual Conference. In 2017, the delegate body affirmed the assertion of denominational and district leadership that “to stay on the journey together, it is also crucial that the church discern the compelling vision that this body of Christ is called to pursue.” As a result, in 2018, the delegate body voted to set aside all new business in 2019 to free up time to focus on discerning a vision for the Church of the Brethren.

The discernment process, launched at Annual Conference in 2018, continued throughout the year with conversations in districts and with various constituency groups. Rather than a forum to discuss a single issue, the Compelling Vision Process was designed to encourage balanced conversation around three basic areas of visioning:

How congregations are serving and ministering in and through their life together, helping us understand what is important to congregations and how we might better equip and support one another as we embrace our common passions for ministry in our local settings.

How we can better come together as many congregations, joining hands to engage in mission and ministry that is bigger than one congregation can accomplish on its own.

How we can transform and better manage the division and conflict that has been a barrier to our full effectiveness in ministry as the Church of the Brethren.

Discernment around these issues will continue at Annual Conference this year as we seek to deepen the conversation based on what we have heard throughout the last year. Both delegates and non-delegates will have the opportunity to sit with brothers and sisters around tables, engaging in worship, Bible study, and conversation as we seek to discern God’s call for us and reclaim our passion to engage in ministry together.”

Join with others across the denomination in preparing for Annual Conference with prayer. Annual Conference Prayer Calendar available at:

http://www.brethren.org/ac/2019/documents/ac2019-prayer-calendar.pdf (contact the District Office if you need a print copy)

Annual Conference Webcasts

All Annual Conference business sessions and worship services will be streamed over the internet. Go to www.brethren.org/ac/2019/webcasts/#info to watch the webcast or for additional information and instructions.

Congregations are invited to join in the Annual Conference Sunday Worship on July 7 by streaming video. Streaming will be available anytime after 8:30 a.m. EST on that Sunday, and the video can be started, paused, stopped to meet the timing of your regular services. To access the stream, go to: www.brethren.org/ac/2019/webcasts/#acsunday

Viewers are asked to consider making an online donation to help support these efforts and how the ministries of our

church are made known through these webcasts. To make a donation go to www.brethren.org/ac/2019/webcasts/#donate

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2019 ANNUAL CONFERENCE BALLOT For candidate profiles, go to: http://www.brethren.org/ac/2019/business/ballot/

Moderator-Elect

Joe A. Detrick from Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania, Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, Atlantic Northeast District

David Sollenberger from Annville, Pennsylvania Mount Wilson Church of the Brethren, Atlantic Northeast District

Program and Arrangements Committee

Carol Hipps Elmore from Salem, Virginia, Roanoke, Oak Grove Church of the Brethren, Virlina District

Seth Hendricks from North Manchester, Indiana, Manchester Church of the Brethren, South/Central Indiana District

Mission and Ministry Board – Area 4

Jess Hoffert from Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Open Circle Church of the Brethren, Northern Plains District

J. Roger Schrock from McPherson, Kansas, McPherson Church of the Brethren, Western Plains District

Mission and Ministry Board – Area 5

Lauren Seganos Cohen from Pasadena, California, Pomona Fellowship Church of the Brethren, Pacific Southwest District

Don Morrison from Nampa, Idaho, Mountain View Church of the Brethren, Idaho/Western Montana District

Bethany Theological Seminary Trustee – Representing Brethren Colleges

Kurt DeGoede from Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, Elizabethtown Church of the Brethren, Atlantic Northeast District

Monica Rice from McPherson, Kansas, Wichita Church of the Brethren, Western Plains District

Church of the Brethren Benefit Trust Board

Audrey Myer from Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, Lititz Church of the Brethren, Atlantic Northeast District

Derrick Petry from Beavercreek, Ohio, Beavercreek Church of the Brethren, Southern Ohio District

On Earth Peace Board

Catherine K. Carson from Fairfax, Virginia, Oakton Church of the Brethren, Mid-Atlantic District

Carla L. Gillespie from Tipp City, Ohio, Good Shepherd Church of the Brethren, Southern Ohio District

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BRETHREN DISASTER MINISTRIES UPDATES Friends,

There are lots of pieces in this note that I hope will be engaging for you. We need volunteers for different BDM assignments. Figure out how you can go and invite friends and colleagues to join you.

1. The story went something like this. A BDM team in North Carolina had been assigned a project in a nearly inaccessible mobile home community that had been hard hit by both Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. The home owner was quite lethargic as the team worked on the roof, floors and ceilings of her home. As she was physically able, the team groused that she did nothing to assist or clean up her cluttered home. The second day continued as the first. Again the questions among the team.

The third day there was a bit to finish so the team returned. The clothing on hangers that had been piled on the couch had been neatly hung in the closet that now had a new ceiling without leaks. The bed that earlier had been reached by walking gingerly across the open floor joists was nicely made and the room cleared of clutter. The dishes were washed and the kitchen was like new. The home owner was renewed; her home was livable. A few repairs had allowed life to return to this home!

So it is critical for BDM work crews to have some patient understanding eyes as they move into new situations.

2. BDM continues to work in Lumberton, North Carolina. Floods from the two hurricanes mentioned in the above story continue to be the cause of families being homeless. FEMA has a waiting list of nearly 10,000 families waiting for assistance. In August BDM will open a new project either in a new location in North Carolina or in Florida to respond to earlier storm Irma.

3. S/C Indiana District needs 15 volunteers September 8-14. Those volunteers will be assigned to either the site in Florida or the new site in North Carolina. Please respond to this email so we can start to build this team. An assistant cook will be a key addition to the operation of the team. Other volunteers can be skilled artisans or beginners. All help can be used.

4. BDM continues to work hard in Puerto Rico. Volunteers and construction leaders are needed this summer and through the fall for building and rebuilding. Volunteers should expect two week stints with heat, sun and hard physical labor. If you would like to go or have questions please send an email to Cliff: kindy@cpt.org.

5. The floods from rain and snow melt that ravaged Nebraska and the surrounding area this spring have led to requests for folks to rebuild and restore farms and homes. BDM is not establishing a project there but is working under the umbrella of Mennonite Disaster Services (MDS). If you are able to join that effort please call Cliff at 260-982-2971 to be connected.

6. The increasing number and severity of storms that are requiring a BDM response have led to high demand for disaster cleanup buckets. Those can be sent out quickly and easily to homeowners who are usually the first to respond to weather crises. When you and your congregation want to help renew the supply of buckets, check out CWS Emergency Cleanup Buckets on line or contact Cliff Kindy.

7. Mark Beck (phone 260-403-6220) invites one or two volunteers to join Beacon Heights COB to BDM in Lumberton May 19-25, leaving on the 24th. No cost for travel or lodging to volunteers.

8. Our district is also responsible for seven volunteers to one of the BDM projects December 1-7. It is not too soon to ask to be part of that team. Just respond to this email.

Cliff Kindy

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BRETHREN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE UPDATE

UPCOMING COURSES Beliefs & Practices of the Church of the Brethren Instructor: Beth Sollenberger Dates: August 24, September 14 & 28, 2019 Location: TBA New Testament Survey Instructor: Robert Bowman Dates: October 19, November 2 & 16, 2019 Location: TBA To register for a BLI course or for questions, contact the District Office (260) 982-8805, scindcob@gmail.com. Classes are open to all: You may be exploring ministry, answering a call to ministry, and/or seeking further education. CEUs are available.

For more information on the Brethren Leadership Institute (BLI) and fees, visit http://www.scindcob.org/BLI.html.

Brethren Bible Institute

Summer Term - July 22 - 26, 2019 Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown, PA

To register, write to: Brethren Bible Institute

155 Denver Road, Denver, PA 17517

Registration deadline: June 25, 2019

Sponsored by the Brethren Revival Fellowship

https://www.brfwitness.org/

Sunday, June 9, 2019

Worship resources available at:

https://blog.brethren.org/2019/

pentecost-offering-2019/

2019 FESTIVAL GATHERING OF BIBLICAL STORYTELLING

July 31 - August 3, 2019 Dayton, OH

Register at www.nbsint.org Network of Biblical Storytellers, Int’l.

BRETHREN DISASTER MINISTRIES UPDATES (CONT.)

CALLED TO SERVE By Bill Fultz who joined BDM trips to Lumberton, North Carolina in September and December with S/C Indiana crews.

After being asked to attend a BDM rebuild project in North Carolina by a new friend, I thought why not. Maybe I could learn some building skills I could use at home. I gained a lot more than skills.

The most obvious experience from this trip was seeing the look on the home owners face the day we were done. What a beautiful smile he had that day. That smile alone made it all worth it.

There are a lot of things going on in our world currently that are pretty depressing. It’s very easy to lose your faith in humanity. The thing about BDM that touched me was all these people working together trying to make an unfortunate persons life better. It wasn’t just that, it was the way they all did it. The fun we had, the stories we shared, the awesome meals we ate, and the hard work we did.

These people were so much like me, we had so much in common. They had problems that I could not imagine living with and yet here they were helping out someone less fortunate than them. These crazy awesome people restored my faith in humanity. They made me see that there are still people out there who are willing to try and help the underprivileged. This was mind blowing for me. I owe them all a debt of gratitude.

To all the volunteers I have worked with, and all I will in the future, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. You make all the difference for me.

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NATIONAL OLDER ADULT CONFERENCE September 2-6, 2019

Lake Junaluska Conference and Retreat Center, North Caroline

Registration opened for NOAC on May 1. Cost per person is $195 before July 15 or $225 after that date. First time attendees get a $20 discount. To register go to: www.brethren.org/noac/registration.html or call 800-323-8039 ext. 302 for a paper registration. After registering for the conference, you will need to make housing and meal reservations with the retreat center, go to: www.lakejunaluska.com/accommodations or call 800-222-4930 ext 1. NOAC is a gathering for adults 50 and older “who love learning and discerning together, exploring God’s call for their lives, and living out that call by sharing their energy, insight, and legacy with their families, communities, and the world,” (NOAC website) If you are considering transportation options to get to the conference, two options are listed below.

Timbercrest will offer transportation to NOAC. For one coach, we need seven Timbercrest participants to ride. For two coaches, we need at least twelve. Seats for non-resident riders will be made available after we know how many Timbercrest participants will be available. If interested in traveling to NOAC with Timbercrest residents: contact Brian Daniels - 260-982-2118 or BDaniels@timbercrest.org

Northern Indiana District Church of the Brethren is sponsoring a bus to NOAC 2019 in Lake Junaluska. The cost of the round-trip bus ride is $200. There are 56 seats available. It will stop to pick-up and drop off at the Nappanee and Mexico Church of the Brethrens. The bus will stop in Kentucky for the night both leaving and returning. Riders are responsible for booking their room. Rooms with two beds (2-4 persons) and rooms with one king bed (1-2 persons) are both available. Cost ranges from $70-85+ tax per night; mention “Church of the Brethren” as there are rooms reserved and priced for this trip. September 1 - Quality Inn, Berea, KY - 859-986-9627; $69.99 +tax September 6 - Quality Inn, Erlanger, KY - 859-746-0300; king bed at $75+tax or 2 beds at $85+tax

Registration forms need to be returned to the Northern Indiana district office no later than August 1. The 56 seats are first come, first served basis and is open to both the Northern and South Central Indiana District members. Early registration is encouraged. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Northern Indiana district office at 574-773-3149, rachel.nidcob@gmail.com.

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2019 District Conference

Non–Delegate Registration Form

South/Central Indiana District Conference

September 21, 2019

Living Faith Church of the Brethren

Congregation: _______________________________________________________________________

FULL Name(s): _______________________________________________________________________

Home Address: ______________________________________________________________________

City/State/Zip: _______________________________________________________________________

Registration deadline is August 20.

Registration.................................................................................................... $15 each

Includes lunch Number of people x __________

Total Reg. __________

Printed delegate booklet ________ x $5 each (to be picked up at registration) ………..__________

(booklets will be emailed free to all who are registered)

Total enclosed ……………………………………………………………………….. …………………$________

S/C Indiana District CoB Office

604 N Mill St

North Manchester IN 46962

Make checks payable to

Mail form with payment to

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https://www.facebook.com/SouthCentral-Indiana-District-205091192857321/

Peacefully, Simply, Together.

South/Central Indiana District Office Church of the Brethren

260-982-8805 phone; 260-982-7181 fax

Beth Sollenberger, District Executive Minister Office Hours

bsollenberger@brethren.org Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday 8 am - 12 noon

Sarah O’Hara, District & BLI Administrative Assistant Office Hours

scindocb@gmail.com Monday, Wednesday & Thursday 8 am - 12 noon

brethrenleadershipinstitute@gmail.com

District website: www.scindcob.org

Denominational website: www.brethren.org

South/Central Indiana District

Church of the Brethren

604 N Mill Street

North Manchester IN 46962