Y ou may have heard by now that the district recently purchased a 118 acre farm that directly connects to the west side of our campground. Actually, the land was purchased in the spring but we just had the closing this past December. This is, no doubt, a once in a life- time investment and opportunity for the district. There has already been two community people contact the office about buying some of the land from us. However, we would like to keep the land and eventually develop it to enhance our ministry base here at Orleans. There are at least three phases to this process. The first phase is to pay for the land. The second phase will be to put in the infrastructure, and the third phase will be to actu- ally start the building process. A long-range committee has been put in place to assist with these devel- opments. We are introducing a program I believe will help us be debt free within five years, if not before. The DBA unanimously approved this program during our January meet- ing. After consulting with several professionals in capital campaign fi- nance, spending time in prayer and fasting, and conferring with my own leadership team, the following pro- posal is given for your consideration. The G.L.A.D. Program Gideon’s Leaders Against Debt G od helped Gideon defeat the Midianites with only 300 peo- ple (see Judges 7). This was a major victory for the Hebrew army. Likewise, we believe God can give us the victory to be debt free in our dis- trict within five years by using 300 people or churches once again. Here is what the G.L.A.D. program com- mittee is recommending: Y There will be 300 units, each worth $1200.00. Y A person or church will have the following options concerning making the payments: Continued on next page INDIANA SOUTH WESLEYAN February 2004 District Superintendent Dr. Mark S. F. Eckart District Superintendent’s Schedule February 2004 Feb. 1 A.M. Columbus Flintwood P.M. Rodney Feb. 4 Church Visit Feb. 7 Sat. Holiness Class, Paoli Feb. 8 A.M. Marengo P.M. Sommerville Feb. 11 Church Visit Feb. 15 A.M. Wesley Chapel P.M. Trafalgar Feb. 18 Church Visit Feb. 21 Sat. Holiness Class, Paoli Feb. 22 A.M. Washington Main St. P.M. Sullivan Feb. 25 Church Visit Feb. 29 A.M. Birdseye P.M. Boonville Important Upcoming Dates in 2004 *Feb. 13, Friday—Junior High Lock-In 11:00 P.M. – 6:00 A.M. Walnut St. Baptist, Louisville, KY *March 1 – 3—Ministerial Convention Bloomington, IN *Mar. 12—Friday, Senior High Lock-In 11:00 P.M. – 6:00 A.M. Walnut St. Baptist, Louisville, KY *March 13 – Sat., Dr. Stan Toler’s Seminar 8:00 A.M. Orleans Fellowship Center Note Our office is here to serve you. Office hours are 9-5 Monday through Friday. If per chance no one is available, just leave a message and we will return your call. Thanks! A NEW OPPORTUNITY
Transcript
You may have heard by now thatthe district recently purchaseda 118 acre farm that directly
connects to the west side of ourcampground. Actually, the land waspurchased in the spring but we justhad the closing this past December.
This is, no doubt, a once in a life-time investment and opportunityfor the district. There has alreadybeen two community people contactthe office about buying some of theland from us. However, we wouldlike to keep the land and eventuallydevelop it to enhance our ministrybase here at Orleans.
There are at least three phases tothis process. The first phase is to
pay for the land. The second phasewill be to put in the infrastructure,and the third phase will be to actu-ally start the building process. Along-range committee has been putin place to assist with these devel-opments.
We are introducing a program Ibelieve will help us be debt freewithin five years, if not before. TheDBA unanimously approved thisprogram during our January meet-ing. After consulting with severalprofessionals in capital campaign fi-nance, spending time in prayer andfasting, and conferring with my ownleadership team, the following pro-posal is given for your consideration.
The G.L.A.D. Program
Gideon’s Leaders Against Debt
God helped Gideon defeat the
Midianites with only 300 peo-
ple (see Judges 7). This was a
major victory for the Hebrew army.
Likewise, we believe God can give us
the victory to be debt free in our dis-
trict within five years by using 300
people or churches once again. Here
is what the G.L.A.D. program com-
mittee is recommending:
�There will be 300 units, eachworth $1200.00.
�A person or church will have thefollowing options concerningmaking the payments:
Continued on next page
I N D I A N A S O U T H
WESLEYANFebruary 2004
District SuperintendentDr. Mark S. F. Eckart
District Superintendent’sSchedule
February 2004Feb.1 A.M. Columbus Flintwood
P.M. Rodney
Feb.4 Church Visit
Feb.7 Sat. Holiness Class, Paoli
Feb.8 A.M. Marengo
P.M. Sommerville
Feb.11 Church Visit
Feb.15 A.M. Wesley Chapel
P.M. Trafalgar
Feb.18 Church Visit
Feb.21 Sat. Holiness Class, Paoli
Feb.22 A.M. Washington Main St.
P.M. Sullivan
Feb.25 Church Visit
Feb.29 A.M. Birdseye
P.M. Boonville
Important Upcoming Dates in 2004
*Feb. 13, Friday—Junior High Lock-In
11:00 P.M. – 6:00 A.M.
Walnut St. Baptist, Louisville, KY
*March 1 – 3—Ministerial Convention
Bloomington, IN
*Mar. 12—Friday, Senior High Lock-In
11:00 P.M. – 6:00 A.M.
Walnut St. Baptist, Louisville, KY
*March 13 – Sat.,
Dr. Stan Toler’s Seminar
8:00 A.M. Orleans Fellowship Center
NoteOur office is here to serve you. Office
hours are 9-5 Monday through Friday. Ifper chance no one is available, just leavea message and we will return your call.
Thanks!
A NEW OPPORTUNITY
Page 2/ FEBRUARY 2004 INDIANA SOUTH WESLEYAN
� Make the payment all at once
� Pay $100.00 a month for oneyear
� Pay $50.00 a month for twoyears
� Pay $25.00 a month for fouryears
�Coupon books will be provided tomake it easier for people to re-member to pay their donation.These donations will result inraising $360,000.00 by January2009.
�This money can only be spent(designated funds like theKeeper’s of the Vineyard) for ex-isting operational debt and topay off the 118 acres.
�The DBA appointed Rev. GordonTilley to administrate this spe-cial account where the moneywill be sent so we can sendchecks to pay off the debts. Note:The G.L.A.D. account will be anin and out account, where mon-ies received will be sent quicklyto help us save on interest.
�The $70,000.00 operational debtthat is owed to WIF would bepaid off first.
�Brochures will be printed andsent to each pastor encouraging
all churches to be involved aswell as individual people withinour churches. The D.S. can alsomention this as he visits thechurches throughout the dis-trict.
�Each church will be encouragedto commit to pay at least oneunit (in addition to their USF ob-ligation). Some churches couldand may agree to pay for severalunits.
�Each church will be encouragedto set aside one Sunday night of-fering per month to help coverthe cost of the unit(s) they decideto sponsor.
�This whole project is meant toglorify God by being good stew-ards with what He has entrustedus with. We will save thousandsof dollars by paying this debt offearly and this will also free us upfinancially to develop the land asGod directs in the future.
�Each person or church that paysa unit will have their name puton a special commerative brick(this can also include putting aname in honor or in memory ofsomeone, or even someone’sbusiness name) and the bricks
will then be used to be putaround the water fountain infront of the tabernacle. At theend of the commitment, all Gid-eon Leaders will be invited to aspecial banquet held to showthem appreciation. The respec-tive General Superintendentserving this area will be invitedto be the featured speaker forthis event.
�The idea here is to invest in thisdistrict camp so the generationsthat will follow us will havesomewhere to come and bringtheir family and learn aboutGod. As one of my friends used tosay, “Give your money whileyour living so you’re knowingwhere it is going!”
�May God help us to be debt freeby January of 2009. We have alocked in rate of 4.6% but therate can go up after 5 years.However, I believe if we all pray,fast, and give, we can be out ofdebt within 5 years. With God’shelp: IT CAN BE DONE! Ourmotto: Strive for Five!
The Good News
Some may say, “Why in the worlddid you buy a farm when youalready have debt to pay?” That
is a good question, but I think in theprovidence of God we purchased thefarm. This is land that can be devel-oped that will be a blessing to a lot ofpeople. Among other things we areconsidering selling lifetime leasesso possibly retired pastors couldbuild a home on the property. If weget 300 G.L.A.D. members to joinwe will raise $360,000.00. This willpay off the farm, the operationaldebt, and allow $30,000.00 forinterest until we can get these obli-gations met.
The good news is we alreadyhave 27 G.L.A.D. members signedup to the tune of $32,400.00! Infact, three leaders have alreadysent in their $3,600.00 and it has
been sent to pay on the opera-tional debt. Praise God!
Deb and I are taking two unitsand the DBA strongly supportedthis program by taking 12 unitsamong themselves and twochurches have already takensome units. Why don’t you,your church, or your businesscontact our office and sign upfor a unit as well? I believe Godis going to help us reach this goalof being debt free by January of2009!WHAT OTHERS HAVE SAID:
“The G.L.A.D. program is greatand will work, ONLY, if we ALLget on board, with our prayers,money, and support!! Let us alljoin the G.L.A.D. TEAM now andmake it work. Be debt free by2009!” –Pastor M. Mahoney
“Donna and I are very excitedabout the G.L.A.D. program. This
plan to liquidate district opera-tional debt and also pay off theland acquisition in just five yearsis very achievable. We stronglyencourage the churches and indi-viduals of Indiana South to jointogether in this endeavor. Godwill bless our efforts.”
–Dr. Roger Dillman
INDIANA SOUTH WESLEYAN(USPS 334-970)FEBRUARY 2004
Vol. 31 No. 2Executive Editor Dr. Mark EckartOffice Editor Carolyn ManshipEditorial Assistant Joshua Eckart
Periodical postage paid at Orleans, IN47452, and additional mailing offices.
Publication Office: P.O. Box 174,Orleans, IN 47452
Published monthly by the Indiana SouthDistrict of The Wesleyan Church.
Postmaster send address changes to:
INDIANA SOUTH WESLEYANPO BOX 174
ORLEANS, IN 47452
INDIANA SOUTH WESLEYAN FEBRUARY 2004 / Page 3
During the last few days ofDecember, about 100 of usfrom IN South went to the teenconference in Charlotte, NC. Itwas exciting to see about 8,000young people gathered in oneplace to exalt Jesus in praiseand worship. Hundreds gotsaved and many were calledinto full-time Christian ser-vice. Thanks to Rev. ChuckMorgan and others whoworked hard planning the tripfor our young people.
Dr. & Mrs. Mark Eckart and Rev. & Mrs. Melvin Linvillecelebrate the dedication of the North Park LighthouseFamily Life Center in Evansville. Congratulations to thePastor and the church members for working so hard to
complete this beautiful building.
Our attorney Mr. J. C. Tucker and Dr. Eckart aretransferring the documents at the closing for
the 118 acres the district purchased.
Prayer and FastingThe Wesleyan Church is encour-
aging all Wesleyans to participatein forty days of prayer and fasting.Typically this is during the Lentseason. This year it begins on AshWednesday, February the 25 andcontinues through Holy Saturday,April 10th (excluding Sundays,since ancient church practice wasnot to fast on the Lord’s Day). Also,don’t forget about our Wednesdayprayer and fast meeting held eachweek at the 10 prayer centers des-ignated throughout the district.
CongratulationsTo Mr. Donald W. Simpson (a
DBA member) on recently beinghonored in Evansville. He was pre-sented a plaque from Mayor Lloyd’soffice and they proclaimed Septem-ber 10, 2003 as officially being,“Donald W. Simpson Day” in thecity of Evansville. The inscriptionon the plaque read, “In recognitionof outstanding service to the citi-zens of Evansville, the State of Indi-ana, and the United States ofAmerica in the face of disaster.”
United Stewardship Fund
There are about 60 churchesthat are paying 100% budgetand some others paying a
portion of their budget. I so muchappreciate their commitment tothis obligation. However, we reallyneed all the churches paying theirfull budgets for us to keep our billspaid including our responsibilityto the General Church. Rememberby keeping our USF paid to theGeneral Church, it allows them tofacilitate the some 1700 churchesin the USA as well as the hundredsof Wesleyan churches that aremeeting for services around theworld.
No doubt you noticed in theG.L.A.D. program that we needto pay off $70,000.00 worth of op-erational debt. This debt has ac-cumulated over the last few
years because we did not haveenough income to meet our obli-gations. I appreciate so much mymentor and dear friend, Rev.Marvin Hughes, who workedvery hard to counteract thistrend by refusing pay raises andencouraging the churches to payfull USF. Remember also, lastconference that the USF was re-duced to 11½% to make it easierfor the churches to pay budget.Likewise, I encourage allchurches to pay as well. We havecut spending where possible andare very careful with all moniessent to the district.
So, because of this debt, allG.L.A.D. money needs to beabove and beyond what churchesshould be paying for their UnitedStewardship Fund.
GOING
TO
ISRAEL
If you have an
interest in
going to Israel
this June
contact
Rev. Bob
England
immediately.
CondolencesOur thoughts and prayers go
out to Mrs. Mary Collings (the pas-tor’s wife at Bloomfield Mt. Cal-vary) on the loss of her Mother –Mrs. America Louise Edington.
North Carolina –
Youth Convention
Page 4/ FEBRUARY 2004 INDIANA SOUTH WESLEYAN
CHURCH GROWTH REPORTCHURCH PASTOR Dec. SS ‘03 Dec. SS ‘02 Gain % GAIN AM PM Wk Day CHURCH PASTOR Dec. SS ‘03 Dec. SS ‘02 Gain % GAIN AM PM Wk Day
