As 2021 draws to a close, INUMC has much to celebrate. The following list is just a few of the many glory sightings we had this past year. Together we can say with the Psalmist, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!” (Psalm 126:3)

  1. Churches across the conference took John Wesley’s words, “the world is my parish” to heart, and endeavored to stay connected to the congregaton and community as COVID-19 continued.
  2. Bishop Trimble offered an impassioned plea for Methodists to “give a damn” and advocate for the poor.
  3. Clergy, laity, churches, and leaders were called to join the INUMC covenant, “IN Against Racism.” Read more and sign the covenant here.
  4. Pastoral leadership got creative as one pastor’s ministry took him from the parish to the social media platform of TikTok
  5. In recognition of a lack of Eastertide liturgy, one INUMC pastor penned a new hymn to celebrate the resurrection beyond Easter Sunday.
  6. Gathering restrictions called many churches to reimagine how they do ministry. Two Lafayette congregations rose to the challenge as they moved towards relationship-focused service.
  7. As one pastor of 44 years flew into retirement, he reflected on the unique ministry of chaplaincy and small-town pastor, and the joy of commuting to each via airplane.
  8. With uncertainty surrounding the future of the UMC, Bishop Trimble declared, “Indiana UMC is a place for everyone; if you love Jesus, there’s a place for you in Indiana.”
  9. Every year hundreds of retirees take to their RVs to be the hands and feet of Christ as they do mission projects across the country. They’re known as NOMADS.
  10. An Indianapolis church launched a Youth Financial Literacy program to empower young people to, in the words of John Wesley, “Earn all you can, give all you can, save all you can.”