IKC Board Sets Strategic Initiatives
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by Nikki Shaw
Director of Communications
The Holy Spirit is gaining momentum in our Conference, pushing us to do better, love more deeply, engage with justice, and walk steadfastly with our Conference members and churches during what is more and more feeling like a time of exciting growth and possibility. The IKC Board of Directors has been hard at work to set a vision for a Conference that continues to thrive into the future. This summer, at a board retreat designed specifically to work on setting this vision, the Board named four strategic initiatives. The Board's strategic initiatives are:
- developing a congregational vitality program;
- building a leadership development plan for lay and clergy under the umbrella of the Indiana Kentucky Leadership Academy;
- resourcing transitions in congregations through conference teams;
- and grounding our work together with a focus upon spiritual formation.
Through these strategic initiatives, we'll continue to support new ministries and training we began in 2019. That includes the IKC Leadership Academy, which hosted a Transitional Ministry Training event this summer. Based on the overwhelming value of that event, we are eager to launch more training and educational programs to benefit both lay and clergy people. Additionally, in furtherance of the congregational vitality initiative, we are launching a
10-congregation pilot program to assess the vitality of congregations based upon research in the book “Unstuck” and other helpful assessment tools.
Who we are and how the Spirit will use us depends not only on the Board's strategic initiatives, but also on how we as individual members allow ourselves to be partners with the Spirit. While we all ask ourselves as an entity, "What's next?", let us also ask ourselves as individuals, "How do my gifts fit in?" Whether as a volunteer, a teacher, a participant, a donor, or an idea generator, we all have a part to play in the vision for the future of the IKC.
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Annual Gathering 2020 News:
Living God's Economy
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Welcome Annual Gathering Coordinator:
Katrin Ohlemacher!
Hello! My name is Katrin Ohlemacher.
My first name is Icelandic--my mother was Icelandic, and I was born there--a 35th generation Viking! My last name is German, and although it is my married name, my maiden name is German also.
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Want more things Annual Gathering?
We are excited to unveil the
logo for the 2020 event!
Note that in 2020 we meet June 25-27, roughly 3 weeks later than we have traditionally met. Also, we'll be heading south of Indianapolis for the 2020 Annual Gathering at St. Marks in New Albany, IN.
SAVE THE DATE!
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WISE Team:
Retreat, Covenant & Resolution
The IKC Wise Team met for a retreat at the Benedict Inn on November 7 and 8 this month to discern, discuss, and determine a path forward for exploring becoming a WISE Conference for Mental Health.
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Rev. Dr. Jamesetta Ferguson, senior pastor of St. Peter's UCC in Louisville, KY, was a delegate to this year's forum between the Indiana-Kentucky and Heartland (formerly Ohio) Conferences and the Evangelical Church of Westphalia (EKvW), Germany. She reflects on the themes of the meeting and the privilege of partnership with our German siblings in Christ.
She begins, "It was a privilege to be a delegate to Evangelical Church of Westphalia (EkvW) Conference and Kirchentag on behalf of the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the UCC."
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Inky Women: Sarah's Work
Years ago the Indiana-Kentucky Women's Board (INKY Women) met Sarah Maigari through Eden Seminary. Gayle Morley Jahn, president of the INKY Women's Board, reminds us that Sarah Maigari, through the Divine Women’s Merchantship, continues her amazing mission work in Nigeria. The ministry consists of training in farming, mechanics, computers, literacy, health care, baking, and the list continues.
If you would like to be part of this ministry, please send your donation to the Conference office. Write a check to Indiana-Kentucky Conference with Sarah Maigari on the memo line. You can also
donate online
being sure to add "Sarah Maigari" in the note field.
If you want to give a gift in honor of someone, please include the honoree’s name and address so an acknowledgement can be sent to them.
SAVE THE DATE:
The Women's Retreat will be October 23 through October 25, 2020, at St. Meinrad Archabbey in St. Meinrad, IN.
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MID Spotlight
Ken Rose Jr.
Kentuckiana Association
Ken writes, "In 2002, I found myself amid a struggle with the policies of the Presbyterian Church (USA), of which I was a member and an Inquirer for Ordained Ministry, regarding their lack of full inclusion of all God’s people in service to the church. Having been a RP (Religious Program Specialist, aka, Chaplain’s Assistant) in the Navy, I was slightly familiar with the UCC but had never attended a worship service—a trip to the UCC website changed that."
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Religion and Incarceration Seminar
FREE PUBLIC EVENT
January 28
Indianapolis, IN
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Bread for the World Indiana Hosts
Rick Steves
$20-$100 per ticket
December 1
Indianapolis, IN
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Weeklong Training
$695 before January 10, 2020
February 10 through February 14
Indianapolis, IN
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For a complete events list,
click the button below!
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Support the Ministries of the IKC UCC with your donation.
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[317-924-1395] [ikc@ikcucc.org] [www.ikcucc.org]
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