2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal The 2008 Journal North Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church July 15-19, 2008 De Vos Place – Grand Rapids, Michigan 1 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal 2 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal The Journal of the Eleventh Session of the North Central Jurisdictional Conference of The United Methodist Church July 15-19, 2008 De Vos Place Grand Rapids, Michigan 3 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal TABLE OF CONTENTS Staff of the Conference Jurisdictional Officers, Local Arrangements Committees, Secretarial Staff………………………………………………5 I. THE EPISCOPACY 2008-2012 College of Bishops (photos) Disciplinary Statement……………………………..8 College of Bishops, 2008-2012 Bishop Elected by NCJ, 1940-2008…………..…….9 Episcopal Address…………………….………..…..12 Memorials for Bishops and a Bishop’s Widow…....33 Ballot Tally Sheet 2008…………………………….40 New Bishop, Class of 2008………………………...41 Retirement for Bishop Christopher………………...42 II. THE JURISDICTIONAL CONFERENCE Daily Program Schedule……………………………………45 Delegates by Conference…………………………………...49 Daily Proceedings…………………………………………..56 Treasurer’s Report Report of the committee of Nominations General board and Agencies NCC Governing Board Nominees Officers of the Jurisdiction Jurisdictional Mission Council III. JURISDICTIONAL COMMITTEES AND REPORTS Elections of Jurisdictional Committees Standing Committees: 2008-2012 On-Site Committees: 2008 Standing Committees: 2004-2008 Reports of On-Site committees Report of the 2004-2008 Committee on the Episcopacy 4 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal Reports of Jurisdictional Funded and Affiliated Agencies IV. APENDICES AND DIRECTORIES Plan of Organization Rules of Order Boundaries of the conferences Addresses of Episcopal Leaders Jurisdictional Officers Representatives of Funded and Affiliated Agencies Annual Conference Secretaries Delegates and Reserves – Alphabetical Directory V. INDEX 5 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal Officers of the Jurisdiction 2004-2008 Secretary…………………………………………Maria Wiblin, Iowa Area Treasurer……………………………….……….R. Stanley Sutton, Ohio West Area West Michigan Local Arrangements Committee Bishop Jonathan Keaton……………………………………………...…Michigan Area Sandra Douglas…………………………………………………...…………...Co-Chair Dave Wiltse……………………………………………………………………Co-Chair Diane Allarding……………………………………...…………….Bishops’ Hospitality Patsy Coffman…………….…………………………………….………..…Volunteers Shirley Cook…………………………………………...……….Episcopacy Committee Roger Curless…………………………………………………......Elections Committee Julia Deemer…………………………………………………………………Hospitality Terry Euper…………………………………………….…..…….…Ass’t to the Bishop Dave Litchfield…………………………………….……………...……Ushers & Pages Dave Lundquist…………………………………………………….……Stage Manager Susan MacGregor………………………………………………....……Ushers & Pages Michael Palmer…………………………………………………………….…..Worship Joel Pier-Fitzgerald………………………………………….……………..…… Youth Jim Searls……………………………………………...……………....Communication Pros Tumong…………………………………………..……..West Michigan Treasurer Stan Sutton…………………………………………………..……..……..NCJ treasurer Maria Wiblin…………………………………………………..………....NCJ Secretary Barbara Brechting Leta Guild Nichea VerVeer Guy Mary Jane Jewell Joy Moore Gary George…………………………..…………East Ohio Representative Paul White…………………………..…….…….East Ohio Representative Marybeth Hendrickson………………….……………..…Meeting Planner Tracy VanderMeer…………………………………….…Meeting Planner Secretarial Staff Naomi Bartle…………………………………………………Dakotas Area Joy Montanye……………………………………………….Ohio West Area 6 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal Erica Shannon……………………………………………………Iowa Area 2008 -2012 College of Bishops Front Row L to R: Deborah Leider Keisey, Dakotas Area; Sally Dyck, Minnesota Area; Linda Lee, Wisconson Area; Bruce Ough West Ohio Area Back Row L to R: Hee-Soo Jung, Northern Illinois Area; John L Hopkins, East Ohio; Julius C. Trimble, Iowa Area; Michael J. Coyner, Indiana Area; Jonathon D. Keaton, Michigan Area; Gregory V. Palmer, Illinois Great Rivers Area 7 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal THE EPISCOPACY 8 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal “Bishops are elders in full connection who are elected from the elders and set apart for a ministry of general oversight and supervision (¶401). As followers of Jesus Christ called to servant leadership, bishops are authorized to guard the faith, order, liturgy, doctrine, and discipline of the Church; to seek and be a sign of the unity of the faith; to exercise the discipline of the whole Church; to supervise and support the Church’s life, work, and mission throughout the world; and to lead all persons entrusted to their oversight in worship, in the celebration of the sacraments, and in their mission of witness and service in the world. Bishops carry a primary responsibility to support and encourage the ministry of all Christians. They share with other bishops in the supervision of the whole Church, encouraging and supporting all baptized people in their exercising of their gifts and ministries, praying for them, and proclaiming and interpreting to them the gospel of Christ. Bishops are to be prophetic voices and courageous leaders in the cause of justice for all people. Bishops are also authorized to appoint ordained clergy to their responsibilities, consecrate, ordain, and commission persons in ministry to the Church and world.” (¶404.1, The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church ) 9 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal BISHOPS ELECTED by NORTH CENTRAL JURISDICTION 1940-2008 Year Site of Conference Those Elected 1940 Chicago, IL None 1944 Minneapolis, MN Schuyler Edward Garth Charles W. Brashares 1948 Indianapolis, IN Richard Campbell Raines Marshall Russell Read Hazen G. Werner 1952 Milwaukee, WI Frances Gerald Ensley E.E. Voight D. Stanley Coors 1956 Des Moines, IA 1 None 1960 Grand Rapids, MI Ralph Taylor Alton Edward Ronald Garrison T. Otto Nall 1964 Cleveland, OH Thomas M. Pryor James S. Thomas 2 Dwight Ellsworth Loder 1 1956 was the first jurisdictional conference at which women were eligible to be elected to the episcopacy. None was elected. 2 Daytona Beach, Florida was the site of the Central Jurisdiction meeting where Bishop Thomas was elected. He was assigned to the Iowa Area. 10 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal Frances Enmer Kearns Lance Webb 1968 Peoria, IL Paul Arthur Washburn 3 Arthur James Armstrong 1972 Indianapolis, IN Wayne K. Clymer Jesse Robert DeWitt 1976 Sioux Falls, SD Leroy Charles Hodapp Edsel Albert Ammons 1980 Dayton, OH Edwin Charles Boulton Emerson Stephen Colaw Marjorie Swank Matthews 4 1984 Duluth, MN Woodie W. White David J. Lawson Reuben Phillip Job Judith Craig 1988 DeKalb, IL R. Sheldon Duecker Sharon A. Brown Christopher William B. Lewis 1992 Adrian, MI Donald Arthur Ott Charles Wesley Jordan Sharon Zimmerman Rader 3 Bishop Washburn was elected at the Uniting Conference in Dallas at the last General Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren; he was assigned to the Minneapolis Area at the Peoria Conference. 4 Marjorie Matthews’ election marked the first time a woman had been elected to the episcopacy in the United Methodist Church. She was assigned to the Wisconsin Area. 11 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal 1996 Fort Wayne, IN C. Joseph Sprague Jonathan D. Keaton John L. Hopkins Michael J. Coyner 2000 Middleton, WI Gregory Vaughn Palmer Linda Lee Bruce Robert Ough 2004 Davenport, IA Hee-Soo Jung Deborah Lieder Kiesey Sally Dyck 2008 Grand Rapids, MI Julius Calvin Trimble Information was supplied by the Roy O. West Library at DePauw University, Greencastle, Indian, the depository for historical information of the North Central Jurisdiction and the Indiana Area of the United Methodist Church 12 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal STATE OF THE CHURCH THE NORTH CENTRAL JURISDICTIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BISHOP JOHN L. HOPKINS JULY 17, 2008 It has been 40 years since the formation of The United Methodist Church with the merger of the Evangelical United Brethren and Methodist Churches along with the end of the Central Jurisdiction. As I prepared for this address, I have been asking whether we have been 40 years in the Promised Land, or have we been wandering in the wilderness that long! The Book of Numbers begins with the nation of Israel camped at the foot of Mount Sinai. They had received God’s laws and were preparing to move. A census was taken, the people were set apart for God, and they were being spiritually and physically prepared to receive their inheritance. Then the complaining began—first over food, then Moses’ authority. When they arrived at Kadesh, spies were sent into Canaan to check out the land—one spy from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. Ten returned with fearful stories of giants. Only Caleb and Joshua encouraged them to “go up at once and occupy” the land. Listen to Numbers 13:30-33. But Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against this people, for they are stronger than we.” So they brought to the Israelites an unfavorable report of the land that they had spied out, saying, “The land that we have gone through as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people that we saw in it are of great size. There we saw the 13 2008 North Central Jurisdictional Journal Nephilim (the Anakites come from the Nephilim); and to ourselves we seemed like grasshoppers, and so we seemed to them.” The