The Indiana e-Christian

The budget for 2010 and the ongoing process of regional transformation were front and center as the Regional Board met at Southport Christian Church on November 16.

The board passed a budget for the coming year that projects an operating deficit of nearly $25,000. A substantial portion of the deficit resulted from a projected 8% decrease in Disciples Mission Fund (DMF) offerings. The DMF projection was based on input received from churches and reflects their best estimate of what their DMF giving would be in the coming year.

The budget also reflects the elimination of one part-time position from the staff of the regional office after Sharon Stribling retires on March 15, 2010.

In presenting the budget on behalf of the Finance Committee, Mike Srbljan, regional Treasurer, opted to dispense with the language of income and expenses, choosing instead to speak in terms of resources and investments. The budget outlines the Finance Committee’s plans for investing region’s operating resources into its ministry.

A summary of the regional budget for 2010 appears below.

In a unanimous vote, the board rejected a proposal from Roxburgh Missional Network to continue work on a regional process of transformation. The board cited a lack of readiness and financial resources as the reasons for the rejection.

The Region began the engagement in transformation with a series of interviews across the region conducted by Alan Roxburgh last summer. That process culminated in a report to the regional board and officers at a retreat held in September at Camp Camby. (Read more about the Board retreat.)

The proposal would have continued that work over the next two years at a cost of approximately $60,000. That money was not included in the budget that the board had passed earlier in the meeting.

As an alternative to the Roxburgh proposal, the regional board appointed a guiding team to focus on four areas identified as critical to regional transformation: staff, governance, connecting with congregations and the upcoming regional assembly. At its March 2010 meeting, the board plans to appoint action teams to address these areas.

In other business, Bob Shaw reported on the summer visit from Rev. Ilumbe and Mama Rosette, the Region’s mission partners in Congo. Describing the many joys of the visit, Shaw recounted the gracious hospitality and generosity of Indiana congregations. The Indiana Commission for Women will be hosting a guest from Congo for Quadrennial Assembly next June.

2010 Regional Budget at a Glance

The Regional Board of the Christian Church in Indiana met in retreat at Camp Camby on September 1-2, 2009.  The purpose of the retreat was to follow up on a proposal for a process leading to regional transformation that the Board approved the previous April.

During a brief business session, the Board received and approved a report from the Nominating Committee.  The Board approved the nominations of Kay Koenig to chair the Regional Assembly Time and Place Committee and Rebecca Zelensky to chair the Regional Assembly Planning Committee.  After the business session was concluded, the Board put its nose to the graindstone on transformation.

At its March 30 meeting, the Board voted to begin a journey toward transformation.  (Read the proposal presented to the Board in April.)  As a first step the Board acknowledged that an outside voice was needed to guide us along.   Alan Roxburgh of the Roxburgh Missional Network has been working with Disciples congregations in Indiana in a transformation process since 2007.  The Board felt Alan was the best fit for the Region in its transformation process as well.

Three processes needed to begin.  The first was to have the five ministerial staff persons begin working with Alan to explore their leadership through an Executive 360 and follow-up coaching.  The ministry staff is also working with Alan through a process that examines how they function as a team.

The second process had Alan to interview a representative sample of people within the life of the Region to get a sense of what needs to take place for transformation to come about.  That report laid the groundwork for the Board’s work during the retreat.  (Read a copy of the report.)

The third piece was for Alan to bring those insights to the Board at the retreat.  After spending time in retreat digesting and discussing the content of the report, the board agreed to form a pro temp executive team to work with Roxburgh in developing a starting point for the region.  Team members are Pam Ditson-McCall, Mark Calvert-Rosenberger, Travis Hacker, Brenda Truax and Will Jewsbury.  The team will report back to the Regional Board on November 16.

Regional Moderator Pam Ditson-McCall had these observations about the retreat and the process that the board will engage again at its next meeting.

I came out of our time together with a realization that our first big obstacle will be our natural desire for a map that has a definite route laid out, steps to follow, and a guaranteed outcome.  We will have to acknowledge that isn’t the reality for real and effective transformation. 

This is what I do know.  There needs to be, has to be, a great deal of listening and honest conversation within the Region.  We need to discover again or for the first time who we are as Disciples in Indiana, as a community held in relationship through our common bonds, Jesus Christ and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

This isn’t about us and them.  The Indiana Region is more than the office in Indianapolis; the Region is you and I, who are members of the 180 Disciples churches in Indiana. This is a time for flexibility and adaptability.  Your Board is seeking to be proactive not reactive to the rapid change, challenges and realities of being church today.

We will keep you informed along the way as we journey together and live into transformation. I ask for your patience, your passion and your prayers.

Carolyn Reed, Associate Regional Minister, will commence a three-month sabbatical on Monday, October 5. This sabbatical follows the May 10 completion of ten years of service on the regional staff. Her primary focus during this period of rest and renewal is transformation.

Carolyn will continue reading and study on issues related to congregational and judicatory renewal. A portion of this time apart will include work with Alan Roxburgh as he engages denominational systems that are reimagining their lives as middle judicatory expressions of church.

Alan is currently serving as consultant to the Christian Church in Indiana as it addresses issues of transforming our life. For more information on Alan and his work, visit www.roxburghmissionalnet.com.

Carolyn will also spend time vacationing with friends in Northern California, as well as a planned family trip to England over the Christmas holiday.

During her sabbatical, coverage of her ministries will be provided by several individuals. Members of the regional transformation team are partnering with the current cohort of congregations in the transformation process and will work with them this fall. Lee Huckleberry, pastor of Howard Park Christian Church, Clarksville, is serving as facilitator of the pastors’ group for this process.

Jennifer Steele-Lantis, associate pastor at Southport Christian Church, Indianapolis, will coordinate the fall CYF Assembly at Camp Camby. Other regional staff will cover ministry areas as needed.

The Regional Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Indiana met for the first of its biennial meetings on Monday, March 30, 2009. The Board met at the North Campus of Geist Christian Church in Fishers.

Rev. Travis Hacker makes a comment during the Regional Board meeting on March 30.

During the course of the meeting, the Board received and approved the audited financial statements for 2008, which showed an increase of $43,156 in unrestricted net assets for the year. At the same time, the investments of the region lost 25% of market value in 2008. Regional Treasurer Mike Srbljan reported that, in spite of those losses, the Region is in solid financial condition.

The Board also received and approved a proposal to engage the Region in a process of transformation. The proposal is based on the learnings gained from the pilot group of congregations that have worked with Alan Roxburgh since 2007. It reflects the combined efforts of the regional ministry staff, the Transformation Team and the Personnel and Pastoral Relations Committee. A copy of the proposal is available at www.indianadisciples.org.

The process that was proposed includes a 360 feedback evaluation for all ministry staff. The intent of the evaluation is to assess readiness to lead the church in change. As a result of this evaluation, ministry staff will be able to identify and receive coaching on specific leadership challenges. The regional ministry staff will also receive coaching on their ability to function as a team and to lead the church during times of change and transformation.

The Regional Board, in its role as the administrative governing body, will participate in late summer 2009 to design a process and develop action plans for regional transformation. This retreat will utilize help from an outside consultant. The board will also evaluate progress toward transformation and will incorporate elements of the action plan in its future financial and staffing plans.

The Region will engage Alan Roxburgh, who has worked with the pilot group of congregations in transformation and has trained Carolyn Reed to continue giving leadership to the transformation process, to provide evaluation and coaching for both the staff and the board during the transformation process.

Seventy Disciples representing twelve Hoosier congregations gathered at Southport Christian Church on Saturday, October 25, to learn more about “Living on the Edge”, the region’s process for congregational transformation.  The purpose of the meeting was to introduce pastors and church leaders to the process, giving them enough information to help the administrative boards of the congregations decide whether or not to enter the process of becoming a Luke 10 church.

Regional staff members Carolyn Reed and Dean Phelps, joined by Transformation Team members Carolyn Scanlan and Lee Huckleberry, presented the process to the group after leading them in a time of dwelling in the Word.  Luke 10:1-11 sets the scriptural context for the transformation process, and so congregations and pastors in the process spend time listening for a word through scripture and through conversation.

Seven congregations are currently involved in the pilot group for the process.  The pilot group was launched in May of 2007.  A key portion of the presentation came from Lee Huckleberry, pastor of Howard Park Christian Church in Clarksville, Ind.  Howard Park is one of the congregations in the pilot group.  Lee spoke freely about how the process has affected the congregation and his leadership.

Congregations that choose to enter the process are asked to make an 18-month financial commitment to cover costs associated with the process.  The initial 18 months also includes a commitment from the congregations to have guiding team members present at five training sessions.  In addition pastors are required to participate in their own process, which also includes five full-day training sessions and monthly pastors’ group meetings.

The region is looking for eight congregations to become the second group of congregations “Living on the Edge”.  The first training event for pastors and congregations in the second group will be held January 24-25.