Dr. John Myers, pastor of the largest membership congregation in the North Indiana Conference, led a six-hour workshop on "The Turn Around Church." The 90-plus participants gave the workshop a high evaluation.

At its business meeting following the workshop the Committee:

Heard that the New Church Apportionment was the third highest paid of the conference apportionments; that the 10 new congregations launched this year were the most launched in one year since 1962; and the plans being made for recognizing the 10 new congregations launched this year, and four congregations chartered, at the 2000 Annual Conference Event.

     Approved the launching of two new congregations — one in Northwest St. Johns County and one in Miami; the Cities Ministries Initiative, which targets Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa and Orlando for major efforts in reaching the unchurched through house churches; the relocation of Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Jacksonville to the Crystal Springs area; New Site Grants of $75,000 each to purchase sites in the Jacksonville District’s Crystal Springs and a site in the northwest DeLand District near International World of Golf; and Facility Rental Grants for new missions in the DeLand, Leesburg, Miami and Sarasota districts.

Appointed a task force chaired by the Rev. Max Wilkins to study the development of regional churches that might become teaching churches.

    Projected six new church starts for the conference year 2001/2002.

    Recommended an administrative budget for 2001 of $130,897 (funds come from a portion of the interest earnings of the Committee’s loan funds) and a New Church Start Apportionment budget of $637,865, which provides support for the 22 new church pastors during the three-year period they are eligible for support.

    Learned that the New Church Loan Fund has assets in excess of $10.5 million and the New Church Grant Fund has assets in excess of $1 million.