Churches to pack 80,000 meals for Ukraine
MT. COMFORT — Several area churches will come together Oct. 1 at Mt. Comfort Church to help pack meals that will be sent to Ukraine. The goal is to pack 80,000 meals.
Volunteers can serve to work in assembly line fashion, packaging meals, from 9-11 a.m. that day or from noon-2 p.m. Or they can register to help with setup or cleanup.
Other participating churches include Gateway Community Church in Fortville and New Palestine United Methodist Church, but volunteering at the event is open to anyone.
Learn more at https://donate.packawayhunger.org/event/eastside-pack-2022/e423673.
Cube steak dinner set at Willow Branch
WILLOW BRANCH — Willow Branch United Methodist Church’s annual Fall Dinner is set for 4-7 p.m. Saturday (Sept. 24) at the church, 6422 N. Thomas St.
The menu features cube steak for $15, chicken and noodles for $12, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn, a variety of homemade salads, desserts and drink. Children 5 years and younger eat free.
Organizers hope to streamline ordering with separate areas for those ordering to eat in person and those ordering carryout.
Proceeds from the dinner will benefit local mission projects.
The church “has always been a great supporter of the soup kitchen in time, talent, and treasure,” Jill Ebbert, executive director of Kenneth Butler Memorial Soup Kitchen, wrote in an email. “The Ladies Club purchased our first new stove for us many years ago, and their generosity has continued throughout the years.
“I grew up in Willow Branch, so I have had a personal tie to the wonderful people in that church for many years. They are a kind and giving congregation who always stand ready to help when help is needed. I can’t say enough good things about them. They make the world a better place.”
Open house to honor retiring daycare director
GREENFIELD — A community open house will celebrate the retirement of Noah’s Ark Daycare director “Miss Jodie” Fuller. It’s set for 1-3 p.m. Sunday at Calvary Baptist Church, 1450 W. Main St., Greenfield.
Fuller was the founder and only director the last 28 years. Her daughter Nikki Boyette has been installed as her replacement.
Park Chapel offers Family Movie Night
GREENFIELD — Park Chapel Christian Church will offer Family Movie Night at 6:30 p.m. Friday. Dinner will be provided. The featured film is “Encanto.”
Preschool offers Germanfest
GREENFIELD — Faith Lutheran Preschool’s Germanfest is Saturday (Sept. 24).
Dinner will be served in drive-thru fashion from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the church, 200 W. McKenzie. Proceeds benefit the preschool.
Read-aloud features Philippians, Colossians
CUMBERLAND — The monthly community Bible read-aloud series continues next week at Heather Hills Baptist Church with the books of Philippians and Colossians, both among the letters the Apostle Paul wrote to churches. It takes about 14 minutes to read Philippians and 13 minutes to read Colossians.
Church leaders say anyone is welcome to come join in the reading, or simply listen. The choice of reading times is noon Monday or 7 p.m. Wednesday in the student center at the church, 1421 N. German Church Road, Indianapolis.
Information: heatherhills.org, 317-894-7474
Zion plans German Fest
NEW PALESTINE — Zion Lutheran Church will serve up authentic German cuisine during its German Fest, set for Oct. 1 at the church, 6513 W. County Road 300S, New Palestine.
An a la carte lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
An all-you-can-eat dinner runs from 2-6:30 p.m.
Cost is $15 for adults and $6 for children.
Information: zionnewpal.org
Fall Fest is Oct. 29
GREENFIELD — Brown’s Chapel Wesleyan Church will offer Fall Fest from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 29 at the church, 994 N. County Road 600E, Greenfield. This fun family event will be open to the community and will feature bounce houses, hayrides, trunks with candy, hotdogs, face painting and more.
Information: brownschapel.com
Fashion show to aid children’s ministries
GREENFIELD — World Renewal International will sponsor a fashion show at 3 p.m. Oct. 2 at Cynthia’s Hallmark to benefit children’s ministries.
World Renewal, with headquarters in Hancock County, “is an independent interdenominational global ministry empowering local indigenous leaders to fulfill the Great Commission,” according to a press release about the event.
World Renewal is located on five continents, in 51 countries, and feeds 500 children daily. It also supports two orphanages in Haiti.
Tickets to the fashion show are $10 each. Refreshments will be served, free scarfs will be given, and “major discounts will be available,” according to the release. Call 317-467-9899 for tickets.
Trinity Park votes to disaffiliate from United Methodists
GREENFIELD — Sunday afternoon, members of Trinity Park United Methodist Church voted to disaffiliate from the United Methodist Church.
It becomes the third Hancock County church, following Curry’s Chapel in 2020 and Mt. Comfort in March 2022, to do so.
For several years, the denomination has faced internal controversy regarding its Book of Discipline and language about, for example, whether practicing homosexuals can become pastors. Some uphold that, but in some areas congregations have disregarded that.
A special session of the denomination’s General Conference, called in 2019, weighed the issue and passed the Traditional Plan with a 53 percent vote. That plan left portions of the UMC’s Book of Discipline largely unchanged. For example, it states “All people may attend its worship services, participate in its programs, receive the sacraments and become members in any local church in the connection.” It also stipulates that “self-avowed practicing homosexuals are not to be certified as candidates, ordained as ministers, or appointed to serve in The United Methodist Church.”
During that 2019 session, leaders also outlined a plan for how churches may disaffiliate from the denomination.
Meanwhile, some United Methodists say regardless of how individuals or congregations feel about the issue, they don’t want the denomination’s predominant conversation to be a debate about homosexuality, or for that conversation to linger until the 2024 General Conference. Others point to additional issues that have made remaining in the denomination unattractive, such as the pastor appointment process and a “trust clause” about who owns local church buildings.
A General Conference set for 2020, where members hoped to find more lasting resolution of issues, was pushed back amid COVID. It was eventually set for 2022, but earlier this year it was postponed again to 2024. Some congregations consider that too long to wait and say the debate diverts attention from their main mission of sharing the Gospel.
“The Church Council feels that the conflicts and divisions within the UMC have become a distraction to our vision: to Make, Mature, and Mobilize Disciples for Jesus Christ,” reads a letter shared with the congregation this summer and posted online.
Trinity Park’s cost to disaffiliate, according to a subsequent letter also shared with the congregation and posted online, is around $325,000. The cost to each church pertains to a formula of financial obligations devised by the denomination; some of it regards a pension fund for retired clergy, for example.
Trinity Park’s disaffiliation is expected to take effect around the end of the year.
David Phelps in concert Friday
ANDERSON — Multi-Dove and Grammy Award-winning recording artist David Phelps will be in concert at 7 p.m. Friday at Anderson First Church of the Nazarene, 2324 Jackson St.
Perhaps best known as the tenor for Gaither Vocal Band, Phelps has performed at numerous prestigious venues across the globe, including the White House, New York’s Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. He also has more than a dozen solo albums to his credit. This event will feature many of the songs from his new Gamechanger recording.
Information: www.davidphelps.com, www.andersonfirstchurch.org, 765-643-3137
