An E-pistle From Bishop Mike

May 21, 2008: "The Super Bowl is Coming"

The city of Indianapolis and indeed all of Indiana is buzzing with the news – the 2012 Super Bowl is coming to Indianapolis. The new Lucas Motor Oil Stadium in downtown Indy will be the site of the Super Bowl, and that news has provided a real sense of excitement for sports fans, those interested in the economic development of the city and state, and those who are glad to see Indianapolis receive such positive attention.

There are several interesting aspects to the Super Bowl plan put forth by Indianapolis, not the least of which is the plan for a “legacy” from the Super Bowl – building a new facility in a developing part of the city which will remain for community use after the big event.

Those planning for the 2012 Super Bowl say that they are already hard at work preparing for that event.

I wonder ... what should be the role of our United Methodist Church here in Indiana during that event? We are the largest Protestant denomination in the state of Indiana, so surely we should also be thinking about how to have an impact upon that event. With thousands of visitors coming to Indiana in 2012, what role should we play in ministering to those visitors? Along with the plans to enhance the city of Indianapolis from a corporate, business perspective, can we see this event as a spiritual opportunity, too?

I don’t know the answer to those questions, but I sense that this will be an opportunity that we do not want to miss. More than just a game, the Super Bowl is a huge celebration of Americana. How can we United Methodists influence that celebration in positive, even spiritual directions?

I invite you to help dream, imagine, and pray about this. The Super Bowl is coming, and we should get ready, too.