The Indiana e-Christian

On Monday, January 26th at 7:00 p.m. Southport Christian Church will host Rev. Dr. Donna Schaper, Senior Minister of Judson Memorial Church in New York City and the author of Sabbath Keeping. 

Dr. Schaper will be sharing ways to incorporate the practice of Sabbath into your daily life.  By practicing Sabbath, people gain an opportunity to deepen and revitalize their experience of living each day fully.

Rev. Jennifer Steele-Lantis, an associate minister at Southport, explored the theme of Sabbath during her three month sabbatical leave.  The presentation by Dr. Schaper is funded by a portion of the Eli Lilly Clergy Renewal Grant awarded to both Rev. Steele-Lantis and her husband, Stephen.  Using the grant money in this way allow the church to engage in a time of personal growth and renewal.

There is no cost to attend, and the event is open to others outside of Southport Christian Church.  Anyone wishing to attend must sign up so that the church can plan for childcare and refreshments. Please call 784-4431 to reserve a spot.

Southport Christian Church is located at 201 E. Epler Ave. in Indianapolis.

Earlier this week it was announced that Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins will preach the sermon at the National Prayer Service in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Jan. 21. Her sermon will conclude inauguration activities for the nation’s forty-fourth President, Barack Obama. Dr. Watkins appreciates the outpouring of support, prayers and well wishes she has received from Disciples and ecumenical colleagues everywhere since the announcement.

Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, General Minister and President

“I am so grateful that Disciples have a role in this historic moment,” said Watkins. “I am depending on your prayers for God to use me to deliver an uplifting and appropriately challenging message to our new President, vice-President and all those who will attend the service.”

Watkins will be joined by a diverse group of religious leaders at the prayer service, which will take place at the National Cathedral, starting at 10 a.m. EST.

A press release listing those who will participate in the service was released yesterday afternoon and includes another Disciples pastor, Dr. Cynthia Hale, Senior Pastor of Ray of Hope Christian Church in Decatur, Ga. Hale will be among those reading scripture. The press release from the Presidential Inaugural Committee that announces participants at the service is available online.  

The service will be webcast in two ways. One is through the National Cathedral website at: www.nationalcathedral.org. The other option is to go to the Presidential Inaugural Committee website at www.pic2009.org.

Tickets are currently not available for the service.

DisciplesWorld Publisher and Editor Verity A. Jones will provide special coverage of many Inauguration activities, including the prayer service. Jones will blog from Jan. 18 to Jan. 21 at: disciplesworld.wordpress.com.

Associate General Minister and Vice-President Todd Adams asks that Disciples send in hard copies of newspaper articles that have been covered in your community about Dr. Watkins and the prayer service, so that the Office of the General Minister and President might keep them in their official archives. Please mail articles to: Dr. Todd Adams, Office of General Minister and President, P.O. Box 1986; Indianapolis, Ind. 46206-1986.

Please keep Sharon and the many other Disciples who will be attending the Inauguration, National Prayer Service and other events in your prayers.

On Saturday, December 12, 2008 the AIDS Ministry Network of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) traveled to the John H. Boner Community Center in Indianapolis to conduct free anonymous HIV testing and prevention education focusing on HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Women In Motion, a not-for-profit community based organization in Indianapolis, sponsored a ‘Teen Extravaganza’ where attendees heard from several speakers on topics such as postponing sex and the consequences associated with failure to postpone sex, namely HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

The event also included a talent show which showcased vocals, spoken word, and original artwork. Pamela Goodwin, Founder and Executive Director of Women in Motion, contacted the AIDS Ministry Network through the Indiana Counselors and Testers Support Network website, www.IndianaTesters.org and Wabash Valley PATH of Terre Haute, Indiana.  Indiana Testers is co-sponsored by the AIDS Ministry Network of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

While staff from the Marion County Health Departments Bell Flower Clinic tested for Gonorrhea and Chlamydia, the AIDS Ministry Network tested for HIV using a rapid test that takes only 15 minutes. The participating organizations offered counseling to individuals and provided brochures on HIV and STIs to youth as well as parents.

Jody Grieb, a volunteer with the AMNCC, reported that 37 people were tested for HIV and an additional 18 were tested for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea.

The AIDS Minsitry Network is available to help bring a faith based, comprehensive HIV/STI prevention program and free anonymous HIV testing through member groups to congregations and other organizations.

Member organizations of the AMNCC promote a ‘Sex Positive’ approach, encouraging abstinence from behaviors that could lead to pregnancy and HIV/STI infection.  These member organizations also believe that taking sex out of the closet and talking about it openly and without judgment will lead to fewer new infections of HIV and STIs, fewer unplanned pregnancies, fewer hate motivated crimes and less discrimination.

Questions about the AMNCC and how your congregation or organization can get involved in comprehensive health education can be directed to Jody Grieb: by email at jgrieb@wvpath.orgor by phone at 812.243.6402.

Linwood Christian Church in Indianapolis has extended a call to Rev. Carolyn Watkins to serve as pastor to the congregation. 

Rev. Watkins served Linwood as transitional minister for a year prior receiving the call in December.   She earned a master’s degree from the University of Chicago and completed the M.Div. at C.T.S.  She served in Illinois, where she was ordained in 1994.

Watkins is a native of Indianapolis and a life-long Disciple.  She grew up in the University Park Christian Church. 

She describes Linwood as a church trying to seek where God is leading the congrergation.  THe church is located on the near east side of Indianapolis, and even though some members have moved to other parts of the city, the congregation retains a strong identity with the neighborhood. 

The church and its new pastor share the dream of reflecting the neighborhood and serving the neighborhood,  once again becoming a neighborhood church.  Watkins describes her call to ministry as a desire to do urban community ministry.  She and the church are excited about the possibilities of working together in the urban setting of Indianapolis’s near east side.

Please join Disciples everywhere in congratulating General Minister and President Sharon Watkins in being selected to deliver the sermon at President-Elect Barack Obama’s National Prayer Service on Wednesday, January 21.

The Presidential Inauguration Committee in Washington, D.C. has prepared a press release that gives details about Rev. Watkins’ role in the service. That release is listed below. You also may be interested in reading the article about Dr. Watkins involvement in the prayer service that appears on page 16 in the first section of the Sunday, January 11 New York Times. You can find that article by going to: www.nytimes.com/2009/01/11/us/politics/11minister.html

We encourage you to leave comments on a message board that has been developed for your use at: www.disciples.org/default.aspx?tabid=476.

Mount Gilead Christian Church will draw 160 years of active ministry to a close as it gathers in worship for the last time on January 25.

The congregation was organized in 1849.  Washington Houston was the organizing preacher, assisted by John C. Mathes, younger brother of Elder James Madison Mathes.  Elder Mathes was a frontier preacher and an editor, with Elijah Goodwin,  of The Christian Record.  John Mathes gave the first report of the new Church at Mount Gilead in a meeting at Bloomington in 1851.

The congregation moved to its current location at the corner of Russell Road and State Road 45 on the edge of Bloomington in 2002.  Prior to the move, Mount Gilead worshiped and served from its facility on Mount Gilead Road, near State Road 45, just a few miles from the present location.

The congregation is still working to determine the disposition of the church’s property and other assets.

Rev. Kathy Donley has been serving Mount Gilead as interim minister while the congregation discerned its options for future ministry.

The $35 pre-registration discount for the 2009 General Assembly in Indianapolis ends on January 31.  In addition to the pre-registration discount, Indiana Disciples are eligible for an additional $25 discount.  Indiana Disciples who register before January 31 will be able to register for $100, a savings of $60 off the full registration fee.

To register for the Assembly, visit the General Assembly web site at www.disciples.org/ga.

Dr. Sam Young, pastor of Central Christian Church in Huntington, has announced his retirement effective at the end of January.

Dr. Young has served the Huntington church since 2001.  He spent his entire ministry in Indiana, also serving as senior minister at East Lynn Christian Church in Anderson, Providence Christian Church in Bargersville and Ninth Street Christian Church in Logansport (now River of Life Christian Church).

Dr. Young received his education at the University of Indianapolis and Butler University.  He earned the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Divinity degrees from Christian Theological Seminary.

Sam and his wife, Judy, have four children: Cheryl Brandt, Lynn Fogle, Eric Young and Damon Young.

Central Christian Church will host a celebration of Dr. Sam and Judy Young’s ministry with the families and friends of the congregation on Sunday, January 25.